The Messenger Page #5

Anyway, we're leaving town.

Where you going?

I haven't decided. You know, it's funny.

We always had to move

wherever the army sent us...

...and now I don't know where to go.

If you need help with any, you know,

packing boxes or putting things in boxes...

You know, I can pack up

this house in a day and unpack it in two.

Plenty of practice.

- Thanks for the flag.

- Sure.

We were thinking about

getting some pizza.

- Can I watch TV?

- After you finish your broccoli.

Mom, there's no broccoli.

Oh, I must've left it on the microwave.

I should probably go...

...but thank you... For the pizza.

And it was nice

hangin' with you, Matt.

How come he doesn't

have to eat his broccoli?

I could eat broccoli.

I'm not eating mine.

Then I'll have yours.

Stain Spray-Away, the only

instant stain remover...

that can spray away stains

anywhere stains can happen.

Worry-free Oxy-clean

uses the power of oxygen.

It gently lifts stains out

without rubbing and scrubbing.

You can't avoid stains

like coffee and ketchup...

It's like you never got them

in the first place.

Because Friday's my last day...

I thought that you could

take some of this stuff, you know?

It's just left here,

and it seems such a waste.

Anybody looking at us right now...

would say that you're a lowlife

trying to take advantage of my grief...

...and that I'm a slut

and that I'm not really grieving.

You ever lose anybody?

Yeah.

Friends, over there.

My father during peacetime.

A drunk driver.

Did they catch him?

No, my father was the drunk driver.

My mom woke me up

in the middle of the night...

...and she said his brakes failed.

Never saw her cry.

But it made me

want to be a mechanic by age 10.

So your mom notified you.

Do you want to dance?

There's no music.

I'm gonna go get a shower.

But why?

'Cause I smell.

I'm going to get a cup of coffee.

Do you want one?

- Do you want a cup of coffee?

- No, thanks.

I can't. I'm sorry.

It's okay.

When Phil reenlisted for a third tour...

...it was like he needed to go.

Staying home was no longer an option.

I was relieved to see him go.

I missed him, but I didn't...

I didn't miss the guy that just left...

...because I missed the man

he was a long time ago.

One morning, I opened the closet...

...and a shirt fell out...

...and I smelled it.

And it smelled awful.

It smelled horrible.

Not of, like, another woman

or booze or cigarettes or...

It smelled of rage...

...and fear.

It smelled of the man

that he had become over there, you know?

And he didn't treat me or his little boy

very good when he was at home.

So in a way, in my mind,

it was like he was dead already.

Anyway, I washed the shirt...

...and then you came.

I loved him once.

And it's weird because now he's dead.

I just... I love him again.

But more for my little boy.

I'm sorry. I should never

have brought you here.

God, I'm sorry.

Don't be.

And it's not that I don't want to. I just...

I know. Me too.

I'm gonna go and get Matt

and pick him up early.

He loves that,

and the other kids go green with envy.

Okay.

Okay.

Is it okay if I...

...stay here for a few minutes?

Sure.

Just slam the door real hard.

The lock's kinda funky.

Okay.

Thanks.

A soldier dies in a black-op mission

someplace we never admitted being...

...the army calls his death an accident.

Why? To protect the next one.

Another soldier dies slipping into

a ditch, we call it a combat death...

...just to give it a meaning.

What's your point?

My point?

My point is that sometimes the army...

...has to be concerned

with something bigger than the truth.

And it's not that

they don't care about you.

On the contrary, there is not a family

on God's green Earth...

...that takes better care of you

than the US Army.

Really?

Really.

Civilian life's for people

who ain't seen sh*t.

It's too late for you.

You've already seen the sh*t.

You can't unsee it anymore.

You can't be an insurance salesman now,

brother. It's too f***ing late.

How's that beautiful garden?

Oh, it's doing well.

It's his pride and joy.

Oh, yes. He must have you working on it.

The size of those strawberries.

I'll see you, Ralph.

Good-bye, Mrs. Flanigan.

Good-bye, now.

Ralph Flanigan?

Do I know you?

You're Walton Flanigan's father?

Yes?

Oh, God!

Oh, my God, what's wrong? Ralph?

Ralph?

- Ralph?

- Oh, God.

- Ma'am...

- No.

- No.

- Talk to me, sweetheart.

The Secretary of the Army

has asked me to express...

...his deep regret that your son,

Walton Flanigan...

...died yesterday in Iraq.

He... No.

The Secretary of the Army

extends his deepest sympathy...

...to you and your family

in your tragic loss.

No.

A Casualty Assistance Officer

will contact you within a few hours.

Do you need anything? Do you need a ride?

Do you want us to call someone?

- No.

- I'm so sorry, ma'am.

I'm so sorry, sir.

Where'd they go?

They took off.

- What?

- What'd I tell you from day one?

You do not touch the NOK.

You gotta wake the f*** up.

You're not in high school.

You're not in a f***ing rock band.

You're in the army.

Yeah, I know. I know I'm in the army.

I gave blood to the army.

I got blown up in a firefight

that lasted longer than your entire war.

I didn't sunbathe in Kuwait

with the rest of the POG's. I fought!

That was not your job

and you did not follow procedure.

F*** procedure, Tony.

They're human beings.

They're just people.

They're not like you.

Get in.

It's gonna take you a week

at this rate. Get in.

Hey, guess what? I already let it go.

Hey, stubborn, get in the f***ing car!

Thanks.

Dorsett thinks you need some time away.

Clear your head.

He told me to look after you.

Yeah...

I don't need anything.

You walked home. You need it.

We're off till Tuesday.

I got everything planned out.

Just bring your bathing suit and your ACU's

and the girls are totally into it.

What girls? Into what?

Come on.

They won't go if it's just me.

Milk in the bottle

Milk in the bottle

Well, that sounds like...

That sounds really good.

What are you wearing?

Hey, come on. You're my buddy, right?

I haven't had any in decades.

Okay, so don't make me beg, just...

I need to get laid and you do too, right?

Can we take my car?

I'll let you choose the girl.

How's that?

You sure your step dad

ain't gonna show up?

No, he's fishing in Alaska

till the end of the season.

Fishing.

In Alaska.

Nice.

That's not distracting.

How embarrassing.

God.

Yes!

- Want a piece of gum?

- Yeah.

Choke me. Choke me. Come on. Come on.

I know. I'm sorry.

- Come on.

- She doesn't ever close the door.

Yeah.

Keep going.

Come on.

Gross.

Hey.

Is there any more beer left in the car?

What the hell you doing?

It's okay. It's all right.

I'm just... Taking the edge off.

Extraordinary times, right?

Hey, you can give me a break, can't you?

You're my buddy, aren't you?

Hey. Come on.

We've been to hell and back together.

Three years just like that.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes