Last Ounce of Courage Page #6

your fine mayor

is trying to pick

a political fight with me.

Hey, we didn't start this.

You're trying to tell us

how we can celebrate

a national holiday.

That would be

like calling Columbus Day.

"Great Explorers Day."

It's just stupid.

You've been pushing your agenda

down our throats for so long,

I don't think you know

what the truth is.

And as much as I may hate

what you're doing,

you're free to do it...

just like I'm free

to celebrate Christmas.

Mr. Chairman,

I did not come

to your fine little town

to condemn a holiday.

I'm here to make sure

that civil liberties

are preserved.

Why don't you tell

these fine citizens...

that you didn't have

the health department

close down their

Mission at the Cross

while you're preserving

their liberties?

[ Crowd murmuring ]

I don't know anything

about that.

Mr. Counselor,

a few moments ago

I obtained a directive

from the county court judge

to have your

religious decorations removed

from the county courthouse.

You did what?

Bob!

ERNIE:
The judge's orders

will be carried out ASAP.

Meeting adjourned.

[ Piano playing ]

Silent night

Wintry night

All the stars

Shine so bright

Round yon snowman

Smiling so wide

It's the season

When stars collide

All the prophets foretold

We'll find a pot of gold

That's good.

Oh, wow, that was good!

Hey, now,

I didn't stay up all night

working on those hand motions

just to see them blown.

Make sure we get them right,

hmm?

Work on that tonight, okay?

Okay?

And careful

with the little outfits.

Those are not trash bags.

Very, very expensive, okay?

Now, you're excused, but do not

be late tomorrow, please.

Okay?

A little more prompt, punctual.

Okay. Good night.

See ya.

[ Dog barking ]

Hopefully the audience

will understand

that Christmas is

about peace and joy and love.

Won't we get in trouble

for this?

Yes.

We will.

You know, guys,

this can really jeopardize

my position as stage tech.

Guys, we can't get scared

and chicken out.

I mean, we...

we're all in this together.

Yeah, everyone's

just got to pledge

not to tell anyone

about this plan.

Yeah.

Okay, Trudy?

My lips are sealed.

So are mine.

Mine too.

Me too.

It's a total secret.

We've got to pledge

on something.

Everybody,

look around for something.

This must be Bob's.

What is that?

It's a medal of honor.

Bob's a hero.

Well, you know,

I got a medal of honor once.

You were a hero in a war?

Oh, I guess

that wasn't the same thing.

All right, then.

Let's pledge.

CHARLIE:
But I've heard

Bob's war stories all my life.

If we want to save

the veteran home funding...

and what's left

of Bob's good name...

the council has no choice.

Charlie,

you're his best friend.

I figured

you'd want to tell him.

The council has made

its decision.

[ Crickets chirping ]

No one's coming to this party,

are they?

I am so sorry, Dottie.

Ah.

I didn't count on this.

If this is the way

it's going to go...

so be it.

I told you,

I'm behind you all the way.

I promised.

[ Doorbell rings ]

Hi, Bob.

I was at the party earlier

and I noticed

something was missing.

And a couple of folks

from the mission decided

that since they were

in the neighborhood,

they'd stop by.

Merry Christmas, everyone!

Come in, come in!

Thank you, Dottie.

Merry Christmas.

Hi!

Come on in.

Joy to the world,

the Lord is come!

Let Earth receive her King

Let every heart

prepare Him room

And Heaven and nature sing

And Heaven and nature sing

And Heaven, and Heaven...

Bob, do you mind

if I talk to you privately?

[ Telephone rings ]

[ Truck engine revving ]

I'll be back.

[ Revving continues ]

[ Indistinct conversations ]

It's for you.

Hello?

It's a little loud in here.

[ Wood cracking ]

[ Bulbs cracking, shattering ]

Bob, can I have that minute

with you now?

[ Knocking on door ]

Mr. Mayor, is it true

you were fired?

[ All shouting at once ]

Hey, peop... Hey! Hey!

It's Christmas.

Don't you have a home?

I'll give you a statement

tomorrow.

Mayor...

is this true?

You know, Dottie,

all those stories

about rescue missions

I told you about...

they're all true.

There's one mission...

I have never told anyone about,

not even you.

It's not true, boy.

What's not true?

What they're saying

about your grandpa.

Your grandfather is a hero.

How do you know

about my grandpa?

I know everything

about that mission.

You see, boy, I was there.

He was my sergeant.

Bob Revere is

one of the bravest soldiers

I've ever met.

Every mission he performed

was perfect.

All but one.

My guys and I

rescued some P.O.W.s.

We were trying to get them

to an extraction point.

I knew the only chance

they had for survival...

was the dark

and making it

to that extraction point.

My corporal begged me

to rest those men.

I didn't listen to him.

All I wanted to do

was get them out,

get them safe,

get those boys home.

I made a terrible mistake.

My foot hit a trip wire.

I should have seen it.

I didn't.

I was pushing them too hard.

Flares went up, bombs went off.

The only thing I remember

was the concussion

that blew me into a trench.

My whole right side went numb.

Then it all just broke loose.

MAN:
Go, boys, go, go, go!

My corporal took a round.

I could feel Leonard's blood.

It was...

it was running down my neck.

I could hear my men screaming.

All but one of my men

died that night.

I tried to save them, but...

but I made a mistake.

My guys that died that night

are the heroes.

[ Sobbing ]

They're the only heroes.

The Mayor of Mount Columbus

was fired last night

by the city council

because they claimed

he was in violation

of separation

of church and state.

We go now to Connie Lee

on the scene.

Thanks, Jessica.

Just when the mayor thought

it couldn't get any worse,

new revelations have surfaced

that the mayor has

a few skeletons in his closet.

Questions surrounding

the mayor today

are about what really happened

during his time

of military service.

Bob, Dottie,

you'd better get in here.

Thanks for joining us, Chris.

What do you think about what's

going on with your grandfather?

Listen, lady, I don't know much

about Christmas

and I don't pretend to,

but I do know

it's the time of year

when people do nice things

for each other.

And I don't get why everyone's

getting so upset

about a big beautiful tree

with lights and decorations

on it.

You know, Bob says

it's not even about the tree.

It's about the freedom

to do it.

And if Bob says it's

a good thing,

then it must be.

Oh, oh, and what they're saying

about him not being

a real war hero,

that's ridiculous.

He is a hero.

All right.

Thanks, Chris.

Well, you heard right.

It seems the root

of this controversy

isn't so much about Christmas

after all

but about freedom,

according

to the mayor's grandson.

Back to you in the studio.

Uh, Jessica.

I'm sorry.

In an unrelated story...

Yeah, see, I just kind of like

the robe under it.

And it gives me

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