October Sky Page #3

[Chattering, Shouting]

[Chattering Continues]

[Man]

I don't believe this.

Go ahead.

[Man]

God in heaven, I thought

it was a guided missile.!

[Laughing]

I thought the damn Russians

were attackin'us.

[Man]

The boy's in trouble now.

So this is what you been up to

in the basement, huh?

Yes, sir.

Damn, Homer.

You could've killed somebody

with this idiot thing.

I know, sir.

I'm sorry. I was...

Well, Homer here

wants to be a rocket scientist.

Is that it, John?

He has no idea

what he wants to be.

But I know what he is.

He's a menace,

and he's a damn thief.

Dad...

And so is whoever

helped you.

Ike Bykovsky did this,

didn't he?

Don't you ever

let me catch you...

with these fool things

on company property again,

you understand me?

Yes, sir.

Then go home.

[Phone Ringing]

[Thunderclap]

Yeah?

What's your tunnel number?

He called me a thief, Ma,

in front of everybody.

I mean, how could he do that?

He was dead wrong

callin' you that.

He'd never have done that

to Jim.

They could catch Jim

stickin' up the company store,

and Dad would probably laugh

and say, "That's my boy."

I know he's hard to understand

sometimes, Homer,

but you have to know

he loves you.

He loves the mine...

more than Jim even.

More than you.

You hush up.

[TV:
Screaming]

What's it given him back?

Nothin' but a spot on his lung

the size of a damn quarter.

You don't know

what the mine gives me.

You don't know

'cause you're still a boy.

But, by golly, you're gonna

find out soon enough.

[Thunder Continues]

[Scoffs]

I'm never goin' down there.

[Fork Clatters]

You better have a talk

with your son, Elsie,

'cause he's out of control.

Where's my rocket stuff?

Right where they belong.

[Gunshot]

Quentin, you know, that rocket

went up at least 100 feet.

[Gunshots Continue]

More like 200.

[Gunshot]

God...

Man, will you cut it out,

Roy Lee?

Die, you son of a b*tch.

Come on.

My turn now.

Hey, man. What's with you?

Man, we should be tryin'

to get in that science fair...

instead of sittin' around here

like a bunch of hillbillies.

I got some really

bad news for you, Homer.

We are a bunch of hillbillies.

Besides, um, didn't your dad

say no more rockets?

No. He said no more rockets

on company property.

Do you realize

how far we'd have to go

to get off company property?

Yeah. We have

to go to Snakeroot.

Snakeroot?

That's eight miles.

It's not that far.

I mean, we could walk

if we have to.

Oh, walk.

That's a fantastic idea.

[Laughing]

Let's go! Come on!

Wake the hell up,

will ya, Homer?

I got about as much chance

of winnin' that science fair...

as you do winnin'

a football scholarship.

I know I'm gonna be

a miner.

I've known my entire life.

What the hell's so bad

about minin' coal?

Nothin', Roy Lee.

Coal minin's great.

That's why your step daddys

the biggest drunk

in West Virginia.

I mean, come on, guys!

You know the mine'll kill ya.

Did you ever hear the story

about how O'Dell's dad died?

- Homer,

will you forget it, man?

- Shut up, Homer.

Apiece of slate

caught him right in the neck

and cut his head clear off.

B*tch! Come on!

[Grunting]

O'Dell!

[Car Horn Honking]

Get off of me!

Hey, fellas.

We're lookin' for U.S. 52.

[Engine Revving]

Uh, fellas?

Uh, just, uh, stay left

at the fork. It's about another

five miles straight ahead.

Thanks.

You fellas see the way

she was lookin' at me?

Man, you all wanna

be coal miners,

you all go ahead

and be coal miners.

There. There.

God's honest truth, Homer,

what are the chances...

of a bunch of kids

from Coalwood...

actually winnin'

the National Science Fair?

A million to one, O'Dell.

That good?

Well, why didn't you say so?

Come on. Give me that.

Quentin.

[Grunts]

What?

[Both Chuckling]

We hiked eight miles

for this?

Oh, it's great.

What should we call it?

How 'bout a slack dump?

[O'Dell]

What about "No Man's Land'?

Cape Coalwood.

I mean, it's perfect.

We could build a blockhouse

over there...

and, and a, and a,

and a launch pad.

And we could even build

a test stand.!

[Homer's Voice]

Dear Dr. Von Braun,

our launch site,

which we've named Cape Coalwood,

is nearing completion.

[Shouting]

Thanks to the generosity

of local businesses.

[music] Come on, baby [music]

[music]Let the good times roll [music]

[music] Come on, baby

Let the good time roll [music]

[music]Roll all night long [music]

Inspired by our efforts,

everyone is anxious to help

by donating materials.

[Chattering, Laughing]

We've been fortunate to have

the support of our classmates.

And the whole community

here in Coalwood is behind us.

Hey, rocket boy.

Mars is that way.

[Laughing]

But no one has been more

encouraging to our efforts

than my father.

No, the company doesn't have

any cement left over

for launch pads.

I just thought I'd ask.

Besides, I told you

no more rockets.

Uh, you said no more rockets

on company property.

And Olga

doesn't own Snakeroot.

So, you walk eight miles?

Yes, sir.

Well, tell me something,

Homer.

Uh, what exactly is

this Wernher von Braun...

and the rest of those Germans

accomplishin' anyway?

'Cause if you ask me,

it's nothin' but a stunt.

You think, you think catchin' up

to the Russians in space

is a stunt?

When the novelty wears off,

they're all gonna be

sent packin'.

Maybe then they'll have

to find themselves a real job.

Like minin' coal?

You listen here.

The coal we mine

makes steel, Homer.

And if steel fails,

this country fails.

If you had half a damn brain

in your head, you'd know that.

[Phone Ringing]

Well, who's down there now?

Hold on just a second.

Hey, listen here.

I had an engineer estimate

a new walkway.

They had some cement left over,

so it got caught in the rain...

it's probably ruined.

But if you wanna haul it out,

it's all yours.

Thanks, Dad.

I'll be down there

in a minute.

And Miss Riley wanted

to make sure you document

your results.

You will be graded

when she returns.

You have one hour.

Potassium chloride

has a potassium atom.

If we mix it with sugar

and add heat,

we'll get three parts oxygen,

two parts carbon dioxide,

along with some

other by-products.

In other words, lots

of good expanding gases.

It should make

an excellent propellant.

It smells like candy. Ooh!

- [Chuckles]

- [Man]

Better get started.

All right, quick.

Get rid of it.

[All Screaming]

[Chattering]

[Radio]

[music] Only you [music]

[music][Continues, Indistinct]

Mr. Bolden, have you seen

Mr. Bykovsky around?

He's not in the shop anymore.

Your dad sent him down

to the mine.

[music]For only you [music]

He's takin' it out on you

because you helped me.

That's enough of that.

Your father is a fair man.

If he's strict,

it's because he has to be.

Besides, he did me a big favor,

transferring me from

the machine shop.

What are you talkin' about?

I can make twice

as much money down there

working the high coal.

You can?

I've got relatives in Europe

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