Original subtitles

Let me have a bourbon of water.

Get down.

Hi, honey.

Lonely?

Am I who?

Lonely?

No, not at all.

Division of parole.

You just get out of the pen or something.

I just saw the stupidest movie, Wet Trash.

Oh, what a goddamn bore.

See, there was this broad in it, and she's trying to get out of this little

goddamn town. She couldn't have been more than 13. She's trying to get out

the river, which is frozen over with the biggest goddamn ice cube she ever did

see.

Made me thirstier than hell.

Mind if I have a drink?

No, as long as you're paying for it. Son of a bitch.

Hi, honey.

Lonely?

Not necessarily, dear.

I'll let you buy me a drink, okay?

Harriet, I'll have a double scotch on the rocks.

usually bother with fags, you know.

They're, uh, too cushy.

These broads will rob you blind.

I can take care of myself.

Thank you.

At this rate, we'll both be back in the city.

Bill Waco.

Hey, Captain Croft.

Hey, you just get discharged?

Yeah. Hey, me too.

What branch?

Federal Penn.

Grabs you, don't it?

So we both just got bailed out of shithole. Congratulations. Yeah.

Why don't you go sit down and rest a while? Let me get the car.

Can't hurt.

Hey, Sarge.

What's happened to our army?

How's that?

They broke from the war just cheap.

What do you mean?

I mean, I can't afford to get you boys home while they won't.

No, we get traveling pay.

I just want to save mine. I'm going to need it.

Oh. Hey, we got a car.

Then I take a ferry.

A ferry?

Yeah, to Stilford.

I'm from there.

Hey, you're from Stilford? I think there's an echo back there.

How about that? You're from Stilford, huh?

Hey, listen, if you're thinking of going there, forget it.

It's a drop -off point.

Hey, well, drop me off.

No shit. You going to Stilford?

Yeah, I can hardly wait now.

And you know you look good?

You can keep it. I got no use for it anymore.

Yeah, with my luck, I'll probably be inducted or arrested.

Hey, what'd they get you on? I was a med student.

I slipped up, though, huh? I performed an illegal abortion for bread.

Chick died on the operating table.

You know, a couple years ago was heavy on a blackboard scholarship.

And I do enjoy my chicken delights.

And this is a drop -off point?

It looks pretty good to me.

Well, the economy of Stilford depends on the fishing.

And a catch in the hatches ain't what it used to be.

You know what they call my home, man? What's that?

A distress area.

Hey, well, look, I am the original distressed area kid.

Hey, what did those bastards give you? Four years.

My old professor, Dr. Kermit Thor, went to bat for me.

Got me paroled in a year and a half.

In fact, I'm going to be working for him on stooping on some project.

You know, I would just love to stay here.

Just right here.

This is family.

See him? That's not a family. That's a rally.

Can you tell me how to get to Dr. Thor's house?

Hey, can you tell me how to get to Dr. Thor's house?

You talking to me?

Yes. Do you know Dr. Thor?

I ain't seen him today. Well, do you know where he lives?

Or how do I get to his house?

Well, I'd expect you won't.

Hey, sweetheart, could you tell me how to get to Dr. Thor's house?

Hey, you, hold on.

What do you want with Thor?

Are you talking to me?

Say, would you happen to know the way to Dr. Thor's house?

Thank you, but thank you!

Hey, Dr. Thor?

Hey, Doc, you up there?

It's Cal.

Better contact the mainland.

Get a doctor over here to determine the cause of death.

Hey, look, it was a coronary.

The man's been dead for over 24 hours.

I'll be able to make out the report as I explain, Sheriff. I am a doctor.

I mean a real doctor.

Well, the last time I looked, Mr. Sheriff, I believe I was real. The right

to address me is Sheriff Whitehead. Oh, that's nice.

Now, don't get funny, boy.

Nothing on this here island escapes my notice.

You can't just move into a man's house and take over. I have a legitimate right

to be here. I was sent for. What proof do I have of that?

Well, you just have to take my word for it, for the moment.

Sheriff Whiteback.

It's Whitehead. Excuse me.

Thor said nothing about getting an assistant.

Yeah, well, he said nothing about being dead in his house for 24 hours either.

That seemed to escape somebody's notice.

Well... Thor and me weren't talking.

We had some differences about a week ago.

Well, might I know about those differences?

That was between me and him. Well, it might have something to do with my

for being here.

Look, around here, I ask the questions.

And I sure as hell would like to know where you come from.

Well, I was working on some medical experiments for the federal

Oh, you worked for the federal government, huh?

Yeah. Yeah, you might say so.

Now, don't get me wrong, boy.

Thor was a good medicine man.

Yeah, well, correction, Sheriff.

He was a brilliant doctor.

And you were damn lucky to have him here.

Good or bad, he didn't last very long.

Most doctors don't around here.

I wonder why.

We're very particular who we get here on Stilford Island.

Are you here to see Dr. Thor?

Let me go.

Are you here to see Dr. Thor?

Who are you?

I'm Dr. Cross.

I'm here to assist Dr. Thor.

Where's Dr. Thor?

Wait. I can't see him.

My dear Cal, my heart is failing me, and I might not last before

you arrive here.

Therefore, this message to you.

You're a fine doctor, Cal.

You made one mistake, but I have confidence in you, and that is why I

for you.

Stilford will have to accept you with me gone, Dr. Calvin Cross.

Is there only hope now?

Yours will be closed to you, Cal.

And it is this attitude of indifference that is the real danger.

It is close to the level of an epidemic.

Okay, okay. What the hell is it?

With your new freedom, you will have the opportunity to once again serve a

suffering.

A nigga in a white community, bigoted at that.

Trying to find some mysterioso epidemic I don't know the first damn thing about.

Shit. Am I ready for that?

We all sell cartons, just packs.

Well, I'll take ten of those packs on the end.

Keep the change.

Are you just passing through?

Yeah.

En route to Africa, where you find the rest of the swingers.

But this is such a warm, open -doored community, I've decided to stay on.

Let me introduce myself.

I'm Dr. Calvin Crofts, and I'll be taking over indefinitely for the late

Thor.

And as a special introductory offer, There'll be no fee for physical

examinations.

I'll be open 24 hours.

You can make it, baby.

How well did he know Dr.

Thor?

Where'd he know him from, anyway?

Yeah. Look into that for me, will you, Cy?

Come election time, I won't forget you, boy.

Thanks again.

How much is it going to cost me this time?

Can you give it for ten?

Sure.

Anything for my little honey, baby.

Bullshit. Look, I don't want to hear that whore talk from you.

Bullshit. I said I don't want to hear that talk from you.

Yes, Daddy.

And while we're at it, don't you go getting too familiar with that Bill

Why the hell not?

Because I ain't settled up the score with him yet for what his daddy done to

20 years ago.

He's going to find out it ain't so damn easy around here.

And you remember this.

I rule this island. And I own that cannery. And I control those fishermen.

And anybody that gives me a hard time or any trouble is going to get their ass

strung up.

Bye, Art.

The Dr.

Calvin Cross.

Hello, D .D. He's one of the greatest lifesavers in the world, man.

Yeah, I'm so great the last place I served didn't want to let me go.

Get us a couple of beers, hon.

How goes it? Hey, man, I feel like I've been drunk back in the time capsule.

I know how you feel.

Backwards and all, but you'll get used to it. Sure, if I'm brainwashed and

whitewashed. At least the air is clean and the water's not polluted. You're

wrong. There's plenty of pollution.

Pollution of the mind.

Have you met that pig, Whitehead?

Whitehead.

He's making it hard on me to get my fishing license.

Hey, I heard about your doctor friend, man. It's too bad.

But you're not going to split, are you?

Hey, man, I'm on parole.

Where else can I go?

One's for cow, Gordon.

Take this, Kyle. Stitch it out, will ya?

Has there been any siege of illness around here, Waco?

Not that I know of. Like what?

Like typhoid, diphtheria, anything.

When I was a kid, about eight or ten, Stilford had a bad epidemic of scarlet

fever and they were dropping like flies, but that sort of thing's been taken

care of pretty much since penicillin, hasn't it? Pretty much, except the

surveys show that a large percentage of people have become immune or allergic to

penicillin. And in most cases, it's not even efficacious in treatment.

Wow, what big words you use, doctor.

Hey, Cal!

Cal, look, man. If you're looking for an epidemic on this island, forget it.

Everybody's so damn healthy.

Just breathe the air.

I don't like this.

Okay, what's mine?

What happened, man?

He fell overboard while I was in the hatch.

And before I could get to him, he went down again.

Okay, just calm down, man. Everything's going to be all right.

What the hell is this?

Oh, please stop! Bring him back!

Keep going. Give him the mouth bit. Give him the mouth bit.

I wasn't watching!

But others are...

Where am I?

In heaven?

Shut up, you little fake.

It's a miracle!

She's alive!

Let's say a prayer for our new doctor.

God bless our new doctor.

You saved his life. Oh, God, how can I thank you?

Get crazy.

bastard. I don't dig being intimidated.

What intimidated?

Okay, I got a record, but I just happen to be a damn good doctor. I worked hard

to get it up here. Oh, you gotta be on a record. I don't need some half -ass

sergeant setting me up to try to prove a point. Now listen, you.

I checked up on your doctor friend, and he was a very important man, and he

could have had any one of a hundred doctors up here.

So I know you've got to be good for him. It's a single you out and go to that

trouble of springing you from the cooler at that.

So will you have a beer and just cool up?

You dirty dog.

Ain't you ashamed of yourself?

Of course, I ain't been around for a while.

I like to remember it's a crazy old lighthouse keeper out there.

Cal?

Cal?

Any way I can take a look at this?

What?

This. On VD.

Man, we had one in a service that scared the living shit out of us.

Hey, well, I hope this one don't draw no flies.

Hi, everybody.

I'm Cousin Bruce Morrow, and I'm here to talk to you about...

Something very, very important. I want to talk to the teenagers and your young

adults. We're going to discuss something that might be considered a dirty word.

The cold, hard, ugly facts about V .D., venereal disease.

Now, to some of you, V .D. is a big joke. You shrug it off. Who cares? So

Tomorrow I go to my doctor. I get a quick shot of penicillin and it's all

No, it doesn't work like this. Not when you realize it. You could call a shot on

that one.

Kids contract V .D. each day.

And the number?

The number is still rising.

One thousand die from this every single month. Now, grab a hold of this fact.

The biggest increase in V .D. is among you, the teenagers.

One out of ten of you are already infected with syphilis and you don't

it. Now, some of you teenagers just don't recognize its existence. You never

even heard of it. Now, on a recent investigation... Any more beer left?

...interviewing one person at the early stages of syphilis, the chain of

infection spread and spread until eventually...

There were well over 200 different people involved in this original case.

That shakes you up a bit, doesn't it? By the way, with the advent of the pill,

people, I guess, are getting a little more careless, and this is helping this

epidemic spread.

Now, there are several different kinds of VD, of an aerial disease, each with

its own complications, its own symptoms.

And the most powerful, the ones that spread quickly, the most quickly, are

syphilis and gonorrhea.

These diseases are spread from person to person as a result of intimate...

Let's start off now with a discussion about syphilis. It's the most serious of

all venereal diseases.

The syphilitic germ is capable, and they do attack any tissue or any organ

in the human body.

The first symptom that syphilis has been contracted is a sore. Now, this sore is

called... A chancre.

The chancre breaks out at the place where the germ originally entered the

Now, the chancre itself looks ugly, but it's painless and in due course, even

without medical attention, will disappear.

But this does not mean that the disease is cured. You see, the germs remain.

They multiply.

They spread to the entire body.

Now, in time, this results in the secondary or the latent stages of

Kids, this is very heavy.

Syphilis. Left untreated during the early stages results in the germs lying

unnoticed in the body. They stay there for years, but they're always active,

doing untold damage.

And then suddenly the collapse of the bridge of the nose.

The ugly expansion of the joints. It's not a pretty sight, but quite possible.

Pregnant women who contract VD can transmit the infection to their unborn

children unless very early treatment is sought. If treatment is ignored or

overlooked. The child may be born infected, deformed, or even dead.

So spread this ugly story around and help me stop V .D. You enjoying

I may never get it up after this.

so I suggest you go home.

And look, you crazy son of a bitch.

Hey, what do you want?

Hey, where do you come from, huh?

Out there.

Out there?

Yeah, yeah. The lighthouse on the island? Yeah.

Maybe you better come in.

What's so funny?

Abdominal pain.

Abdominal pain.

You better have a seat.

Did you roll over?

What's so funny, huh?

Now say ah. Ah.

Say ah.

Ah.

Have you suffered from repeated vomiting?

Upchucking? Throwing up?

Ah.

You don't seem to be too unhappy about it.

What do you think?

Jesus Christ.

What's your name, old man?

Jeremy. Jeremy what?

Burke. Burke, that's good.

Jeremy, I'm going to need a urine sample.

Here.

No, you're pissing it, old man.

Yeah, go ahead. You can do that.

Okay, this may hurt a little bit, but it won't for long. It's for a spinal fluid

test.

That's okay. Okay, you're a good patient.

You have parenchymatous neurosyphilis.

In other words, late syphilis in its most advanced stage with widespread

already indicated.

Hey, Jeremy, where in the hell do you think you're going?

Hey, come back here, old man.

Jeremy? Jeremy?

Where do you think you're going?

Come back here, old man.

Look.

You've got to be sent away to the mainland, old man.

Blindness and death, Jeremy, are the end result.

No.

No, please.

Help me.

Now, if you want me to save you,

You've got to cooperate with me.

And do exactly as I say.

That's better, huh?

Now,

think hard.

And be honest with me.

I want to know the names of all the people you've had physical contact with

the past two years.

Women, Jeremy.

Women you've had sex with.

Come on, you know damn well what I mean.

Who?

You've got to remember, General.

You want to go to a clinic?

Get rid of the pain, huh?

You're taken care of by pretty nurses.

Then give me the names of those women or else I'll let you rot out in that

lighthouse. No.

No women.

Jeremy. Now, look.

You must have made it with a few old bags.

No.

Come on, Jeremy. Now, look. I'm not the law.

I'll protect you.

Yeah. Protect you, Jeremy.

Now, have you ever forced yourself on a kid?

A young girl or a boy?

Nothing.

Listen, old man, we're not playing games.

The community's at stake.

Jeremy.

Dip the wicks.

Ah!

Tassie! Tassie!

Oh, Jeremy?

Why, that crazy old bastard ain't been able to get it up for 20 years. Yeah,

well, he's riddled with syphilis. And he's been incubating it for at least two

years. Laugh that off. Now, hold up there.

I want you to get the wrong idea.

That was a fine thing you've done, saving the Waco boy's life.

Well, you sound still pretty grateful. Look, I'm not looking for no pats on the

back. All I want from you is the information about that. Now, they're

coming in here and reporting Jeremy's condition.

You don't want to let that get out.

We'll take care of Jeremy.

See that he gets sent away. No, I'll take care of Jeremy, if you don't mind.

All I want from you is the information about Tassie.

Look, boy, we got a lot of Tassies. Well, lots of Tassies, huh? Well, how

of them would associate with Jeremy?

That ought to boil it down a bit. Well, damn it. One case ain't going to

contaminate the whole community. Yeah, well, there can be no one case without

another. That is a simple fact. Oh, don't give me that health department

This is a clean living community.

We're not filthy degenerates. I don't give a damn how clean it is. You don't

it by sitting on public crappers, but you do get it on personal contact.

And you don't have to be screwing your head off to get it.

Well, I never heard that before.

I always thought you had to... Look, you're in for a lot of surprises.

Now, hold on there.

We do have a tassie.

Good honest gal.

She runs a clean house for the fishermen.

Church folks run her out of town a while back.

Hey, well, that's the one I want. Where can I find her? Well, I wish you

wouldn't go out there and cause trouble.

She minds her own business.

Forget it, Hank.

I'll find her myself.

I like it here, boy.

I'm trying to be nice about it.

But I'm telling you, you keep your black nose out of our backyard.

And I'm telling you, Snowflake, if I uncover anything unhealthy, your ass is

going to be a lot blacker than my nose.

We're a fine church -going community. We don't need you poking into our

business. Shit, just one call to the health authority.

One call will bring the wrath of God down on this wasteland the likes of

it might never recover.

find tassie i'll give her your best whatever that is

i sure hope you know what you're doing cal an epidemic of

vd in vietnam yes but in the usa man we're so damn sanitary and cellophane

wrapped yeah a lot of things don't figure right in this country including

heads like whitehead and cat houses country style ed tell you what i want

do

Pick up that crazy old Jeremy Burke.

Yeah. Bring him in here right away.

Then take Joe and go out to Tassie's place.

That's right.

That Calvin Cross has been... You hit the nail right on the head.

Okay, Ed.

Oh, my God. At this hour?

Must be a couple of eager beavers.

Go on, Jeannie. Go get yourself gussied up.

Well, the baby ain't been fed yet.

Yeah,

you come to the right place.

You ain't made no mistake.

We ain't as grand as some of them New Orleans houses, but we function the same

way.

Are you ready for that house?

Titty pink.

Uh -huh.

One lightning.

You bridge a lot of gaps around here.

It's all the same when the lights are out anyway, eh?

Come on in. I'll start you boys off with some breakfast.

We didn't come here for breakfast.

Hell, I know that.

You come to get your ashes hauled.

Go on.

I like to start you young ones off on a full... stomach you bought

the new around here ain't you he is i'm not i've been in service for four years

i'm billy waco

A couple of early birds here raring to go.

This here is Rhoda, one of my girls.

Come on, smile pretty.

Say hi.

Remember what I told you.

This child loves peanut butter.

Would you believe she eats a jar a day?

Gives her confidence.

That's fine, honey. Now you go on upstairs and you fix your hair. And

forget the ribbon.

The ribbon. Yeah.

Sometimes if I'm real busy, I come out of retirement for some of my special

customers. You understand?

This is Jeannie, my star attraction.

No better body on Stilford.

How do you like that?

Ever see such peaches and cream skin like...

five dollars more for Jeannie.

That's enough of a sideshow, honey. Go get yourself dressed.

Do you believe that girl was knocked up and screwed up when I got her?

I delivered that baby.

Got a lot to be grateful to me for, I can tell you.

Come on, fellas.

Did you get a call from Sheriff Whitehead? We don't have no phones out

Sheriff Whitehead send you boys out?

No, as a matter of fact, he tried to stop me from coming.

Oh, he did, huh?

Well, I think I know why.

If those boys in town thought you was getting into any of my girls, they might

not like it.

They can be a lousy bunch of bastards sometimes.

Should I do my Spanish number now?

No, it's too early for that shit. Help me get these boys fed.

Oh, yeah, sure. This is Kathleen.

Pleased to meet you, I'm sure.

Listen, don't worry about Whitehead.

What he don't know won't hurt him. And if he starts giving me any trouble, I

a few things on him.

Such as?

Such as, with a loud mouth he is, he sure suffers from a shortage.

from the South, too.

I understand.

Oh, we're not here for the reason that you think, Tassie.

Nobody goes out here but for one reason.

I'm a doctor. So who's sick?

Well, I have reason to believe that there's an outbreak of VD on Stillford.

And I'm here to inspect your girls.

That's a goddamn lie!

My girls are clean, and nobody but nobody inspects them but me. Who put you

to this?

Oh, that church group.

That church group.

Moved all the way out here.

What more do they want?

Son of a bitches.

Now they think I'm spreading syphilis all over the goddamn place.

Hey, look, nobody's accusing you of anything.

There's a serious advance case in town, and that means there may be more.

Well, that's in town.

old Jeremy Burke.

Hey, let me handle this, will you?

Oh, that crazy old coot. Well, has he been out here?

Jeremy Burke? That filthy old thing, I run him off this place.

Please, Tassie, just cooperate with me. I want to take every precaution I can to

arrest this thing before it gets out of control. We'd be in arrest if Tassie...

Shut up, both of you.

Supposing I ain't willing to cooperate.

Well, I could get the health authorities to close you up.

Well, is that a business?

Okay. You just try.

But you have your proof when you do.

Now you take your friend and get out of here.

Well, look, Tessie, you're only putting up... Get out of here!

The road is falling down the stairs again.

What harm can it do to let Cal inspect the girls? What kind of an inspection?

It'll be a Wasserman test for each of the girls.

That includes you too, Tassie.

Oh, no way. No way, brother.

Hey, they think we have a thief.

Inspect me. I'm just on a bath.

Oh, get your ass off that table. I don't want to be venereal.

Oh, now look what you've done. You've scared the shit out of Rhoda.

Tassie, maybe it would be a good idea if we did let them inspect us. What?

Well, then at least we'd know.

Well, if you girls want it that way.

Why not? I'll go first. Hey, you, come on.

All right, you go upstairs.

I'll get my bag.

Cassie. Upstairs. She'll be down in a minute.

What's that?

Rhoda. Well.

What's she doing up there? Laughing. What else?

Hey, would you like to sing my song in tap?

Let me at what? None of your friggin' business.

Come up to me, honey, not him.

Kathleen, you're next.

Oh, hi, Joe.

Listen, I'm sorry, boys. You're closed today. House inspection. Who's up there

now, Tassie? Not that it's any of your goddamn business, but it happens to be a

friend of mine.

You wouldn't be marked by any chance, would you?

Ed, go see.

I killed him!

Look, I don't need a favor, Waco.

Cal, I done shed blood for you once today already.

I gotta get these test cultures over to the mainland.

Without Jeremy, they're the only proof I've got.

Can you get over there in your boat?

As long as Whitehead doesn't try and stop me.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Yeah, I'm here.

I expected another mind -blower.

Hey, look, are you coming back tonight or in the morning?

I'd like to use your Jeep, man. I think it's my responsibility to tell him.

Yeah.

Later.

Sorry, Taffy, for all the inconvenience I've caused.

I'm not.

Proof's one thing. Country madams are like country doctors.

The old -fashioned kind are still the best.

Oh, here comes trouble. Morning, Taffy.

Morning, Ozzie. What do you want?

You might be needing a little help out here.

Nothing I can't handle myself.

Has Carrick been harassing you?

Nope.

As a matter of fact, he just gave me the good housekeeping seal of approval.

It's true. They got a clean bill of health, all of them.

I was wrong.

Maybe you won't be so cocksure yourself from now on.

I think you owe us an apology, boy.

You better listen to what he says, Sheriff.

Remember, elections are coming up. He don't take to strangers coming out here

spreading malicious rumors about us.

Especially black boys.

Prison records.

Oh, you know about that, huh? I told you nothing escapes my notice.

I told you that, boy.

I think we're gonna have to beat a little humility into you. You know a

Sheriff. But what you don't know is how much I've found out about what you know.

Like what Doc Thor told you about four weeks ago.

What are you talking about?

Shut up!

That's the trouble with you black boys. You're always saying more on your

prayers. I bet it wouldn't come as a surprise to your sheriff if he were told

that Jeremy Burke was dead.

Dead? Poor old Jeremy.

Well, he's probably better off.

He was crazy anyway.

He hung himself.

But I got a feeling that he was driven to it. And what makes it worse is that

had a 50 -50 chance of being cured.

Now, do you want to talk or play games?

Okay.

Talk. Privately.

Joe, I want to talk to you.

Now look, Tassie, go ahead.

Come on, baby.

Joe! Nice! Let me see what you got here.

It's a sex convention.

A mass gangbang.

It's going on every day and every night. The traffic out to that island is like

a freeway on Sunday afternoons. Now I know why Jeremy got so nervous when I

asked him had he ever forced himself on a young girl. It would have been simple

for him to rape one or two of those girls, and all he had to do was infect

and she could have passed it on and on. And this is really going to grab you by

the short hairs, baby.

Your daughter was right there in the thick of it.

to your neck in grief.

You better get off this island fast as you can swim, paddle, or float.

Good luck, baby.

Girls! I can't take it.

That's it, boys.

Relax and enjoy it.

When I left Jeremy Burke, he was hopeful of being cured.

Why then would he take his own life unless he was driven to it?

The answer is within whitehead.

We'll go to any length to keep this quiet.

If he gets to me before you do, I'm counting on you, Waco, to get this

the authorities.

It's...

You rotten bastard.

Yeah, that's what they all say.

How the hell do you happen to know so damn much?

I just happen to be a naturally curious cat.

You actually saw me out there last night? Uh -huh. So why the hell did you

to go niggle -lip into Ozzie? Well, maybe you've noticed that Sheriff

has a brick wall for a mind.

I was just trying to get across the point, dig it? You didn't. I got the

Satisfied. Hey, your old man did that to you?

He loves.

Nobody else I'd still put a dare like a hand on. Well, let me have a look. Get

your groiny hands off me. Okay, child, stop.

You want to tell me why you're here? And while you are here, maybe you can tell

me something that's been bugging me.

Why did you come here that night to see Dr. Thor? Because he asked me to.

That's why.

Said he wanted to see me about something or other. Something or other, huh?

Well, what might that be?

Who knows?

Maybe the old bastard was horny for me.

How's that grab you?

It don't.

Seeing it's 70, Thor could only put his hand on it and wish it well.

You gotta do better than that.

You didn't come here because Thor requested your company.

More than likely, he knew something about you.

Something you don't want to leak out.

Ozzy didn't want me coming here, and that's the only reason I came.

And that's why you're making the scene with Waco, because your old man don't...

Damn you! I ain't made it with Bill!

he is for you. You think you know so damn much?

Spook!

Look, only came here to beg you not to say anything to Bill about last night.

I'd do anything to keep him from finding out.

He never made it with a black man before, but... Unbelievable.

The face of an angel.

The mouth of a truck driver in the crotch of a whore. What, 16 buttercup?

moving it straight on up the line. Some prize package for Waco. No, that would

change. No shit? Like the little rump last night?

Huh? The minute Waco isn't around, you're somebody else. No, I don't...

He's the only one.

Well, what about Jeremy Burke?

Who?

Jeremy Burke.

He's crazy.

He saw everything.

Why do you think he's crazy?

Did he ever try to rape any of the girls?

Jeremy Burke?

You've got to be kidding.

He was making some land.

We used to let him peek so he wouldn't tell anybody.

Once on a dare, a couple of the girls sat on his face.

But physical contact was made.

Look.

Bill's boat's coming back.

Are you going to tell on me or not?

I don't know. What about...

What about your proposition?

You know, hold me to that.

Well, you suggested it, Buttercup.

Come on, let's get it over with.

You, Dee Dee Whitehead.

What's wrong with your back?

It's a rash.

That's all.

Open your mouth.

Screw off! Open your mouth!

Hey!

I wouldn't touch you with a 40 -foot flagpole.

Look, for Christ's sake.

For your own good, Dr. Thorne must have recognized you. You tricked me. Look, he

must have told you about it. You tricked me.

Didi.

You're going to pay for this, you black mother.

Didi, don't be a fool.

Hey, what

are you doing?

Hey, please, Waco.

You've got to get me off this island and back to the mainland.

Oh, come on, Cal.

I just got back. I've got a date with Didi tonight. The health department told

me to give you this.

It's Didi I've got to talk to you about.

It's the same thing here.

Nobody can see it.

I can't even prove it yet.

But I know it's here festering.

What makes it so heavy, man, is that nobody will admit to it. Nobody will

it. This is the real danger.

When I left Jeremy Burke, he was hopeful of being cured.

Why didn't we take his own life? I don't want to be alone with that spook

running loose.

Did you find him yet?

Not yet. I want to hear this.

I'm counting on you, Waco, to get this report to the authorities.

It's...

That's what they all say.

How the hell do you happen to know so damn much?

I just happen to be a naturally curious cat.

You actually saw me out there last night? Uh -huh.

Why the hell did you have to go needle -lip into Ozzie?

I was just trying to get across the point, dig it? You didn't. I got the

Satisfied. Hey, your old man did that to you?

Well, nobody else on the stove would dare lay a hand on you. Well, let me

look. Get your groiny hands off me. Okay, child, stop.

You want to tell me why you're here?

And while you are here, maybe you can tell me something.

Look, why did you come here that night to see Dr. Thorne?

Because he asked me to.

That's why.

He said he wanted to see me about something or other.

Something or other, huh?

Well, what might that be?

Who knows?

Maybe the old bastard was horny for it.

Look, Judy, a penis is a penis.

It's there for a reason. I know, I know.

I'm just not ready yet.

What did you come here for in the first place? I told you I didn't want to come.

You always drop in like this.

Spread this ugly story around.

Sorry about the intrusion, but I gotta warn you cats about something.

What about this?

You're a little behind the times, brother.

Historical, I'd say. This went out with the Boston Tea Party.

Yeah, and you were one of the bags they threw over, huh?

Hey, look, I'm in trouble and I need your help.

Who's a chick?

Look, it concerns all of you.

I don't seem to be able to get through to the old folks.

It would just maybe, maybe I can reach you cats.

But you've got to keep an open mind.

Yeah?

This better be good, man. I didn't roll over here for no election.

Okay. You all know Jeremy Burke?

Yeah.

Well,

he's dead because of what I'm about to tell you.

How does that grab you for a start?

It's a spirochete.

A tiny corkscrew of a germ.

And once it enters the bloodstream, it's a real killer.

It's the number one communicable disease. And that's no shit.

It makes no distinction to who you are.

Black, white, or plaid. Sinner?

Yeah, some of them too. Saints.

Look, even a president can get it. Start combing the dune and the rock.

Pick up anybody you find.

Arrest them in my name.

Kids too.

They got no damn business being out here.

Damn you.

Look, you get it once and you can get it again.

And there's no immunity to it. It's called the great pretender. Time and

many rashes and skin lesions have been diagnosed as measles or chicken pox.

It's a real sneaky mother.

It can pass from mother to unborn child.

And if you live in a place like Stilford with no hospital, it can go undetected.

Hold him there.

I'm going to check the lighthouse.

What's really heavy, man, is when it enters the genitals, blocks the testes,

the sperm can't get through.

When a man can't become a father.

And there goes your manhood, baby.

Ain't nothing to be afraid of, little girl. It's Sheriff Whitehead.

Come on down now.

Come on down, girlie.

Last night she was never to come out here again.

So beat me up again, Ozzie.

Get all that hate out of that fat head of yours.

Then sweep all the dirt under the rug and forget about it.

Like you done to poor Mama.

Come on, girl, I don't give you none of your lip.

You gave Mama a dose and then walked out on her, didn't you? You're so quick to

walk away from anything you don't want to hear.

Like when Mama died.

I guess she thought it all died with her. Shut up, Denia, or I'm going to

you senseless.

Now what have none other girls brought in here?

Come on down, Liz.

My fat old man won't dare touch you so long as I'm here.

What's come over you, girl?

I don't care what happens to me anymore, Ozzie. I want everybody to know I'm a

congenital syphilitic. And it all started with you. Who the hell told you

that crap?

Dr. Thor.

And there are reports to prove it. Shut your mouth, girl. You ought to read

those reports, Ozzie.

No. Here's the truth. For once, you ignorant bastard!

Depending on the stage of the infection at the time of pregnancy, the infected

newborn may appear normal at birth with no manifestations until puberty. You

didn't know that.

Or maybe you did from Dr.

Thor. But you just didn't want to listen.

Well, you're going to listen now.

Because here I am with all the manifestations. Before I'm through, I'm

give it to every goddamn bastard I can, including giving it back to you.

God, how I've hated you.

Every time I did something ugly, every time I did it, even with old

Jeremy Burke.

I thought of you, Ozzie.

It was my way of spitting on you.

Now you know where your sheriff is really at.

You've got a wide choice of consequences.

Destroy your body.

Go blind or deaf.

Blow your mind, or if you're lucky, die.

Like old Jeremy Burke.

Man, you don't have to say any more. We got the picture.

What the hell are we supposed to do about it?

Whatever it is,

do it.

What he's telling you is true.

I've got it.

Well, I know some of you have.

Hey, where's your old man?

They're on the other side of the island, near the lighthouse.

They're arresting anybody they find here.

Are you kidding me? No!

No! Come on, let's get the hell out of here!

It's Whitehead! I hope you know what you did was pretty damn stupid.

That door filled me in.

I knew I was congenital.

What's it matter?

But did you know that late congenital syphilis is never infectious?

But that doesn't mean you haven't already reinfected yourself.

You come on.

Come on.

Hey, Whitehead!

Whitehead! You better come down here. You got a lot of explaining to do. Son

a bitch. He knew about this all along.

I'll fix it.

You did it.

I'm glad you decided to go.

You'd be better taken care of over there.