Original subtitles

There's a cannon.

A what?

Ready? He's gone, Dad. He ran away. He just wants us to think that. Aim.

where'd you get this cannon? Okay, I've got it under control.

Put those guns down. It's not under control. He's coming. Hi, Dad. Ready?

Howard? What? Who?

The abominable snowman. He's in there.

Aim. We're gonna get him. Put down the weapons.

Now!

He's in there. He's not in there, Dad. I checked. I can see his footprints.

A snowman.

Sheriff, what's going on?

I chased a vagrant out of the woodshed the other day. Dad saw a special about

the abominable snowman on TV.

And he's, you know, the Alzheimer's.

He's somehow convinced himself that the vagrant was really a monster. Where the

hell did he get the cannon? Three more degrees.

Stop it. This is not a toy, Howard. I can hear the snowman. He's in there. I

smell him. You can't fire this. This is a residential area.

Dad, there's nobody there.

Look out!

Hey,

there's no one in there.

Did I get him?

That's it. Take him.

Howard. Howard.

Come on. Confiscate this.

Kevin. Kevin.

He's having a heart attack.

We need an ambulance. Hurry.

Oh, my God.

Give him a push of light, 075.

Stay with us, Kevin. Stay. That's epi, damn it.

Medication's in.

60 over 20, still no rhythm.

Stolic still dropping, tri -shock.

Staying clear.

Clear.

Nothing. Go again.

Staying clear.

Clear.

We got a massage.

Give me one more. No time. Open him up.

Open him up. Get that blood in here. We're going to need it.

It isn't good.

It was a massive coronary.

Howard, your son has congenital heart disease. Did you know this?

No. Well, I'm surprised it hasn't been diagnosed before because...

Does he have any other family? A wife?

She died six years ago.

I killed her.

No.

I just think I did sometimes.

What about your daughter, Joyce?

Where does she live?

Green Bay.

I think we should call her. Okay.

Did I... Did I hit Kevin with a cannon?

Because I was aiming for the woodshed.

No, no, Howard. It was a coronary.

But, um... Your son needs a transplant.

If we don't find him a new heart, and soon, I'm afraid he won't survive.

But they're shoe prints.

Abominable snowmen don't wear Reebok.

He could for the sky.

We only got a half an hour, Zack. Kevin Quinn wants his pony back by 11.

Look.

They lead into a cave.

He had a fire in there.

Wouldn't that melt him?

It's not made out of snow.

Give me a bat.

What?

We're going in.

He might kill us.

We got bats.

Get the flashlight out.

Anybody here?

Hello?

Nobody's here.

Let's go.

Keep walking.

I was in this cave last summer. It keeps going.

It doesn't mean we have to.

Hey, point the light over there. I saw something.

There. Look.

A trash bag.

It's Michael.

You're stuck in here.

Folk.

Rock.

Not rock.

Paddock.

There's money in here.

Frank the Potato Man.

He's back.

He tried to kill me.

I think I busted his knee. I hit him with a bat after he grabbed Zach.

Why'd you go looking for him? What's going on?

Frank the Potato Man is back.

The homeless guy?

He attacked Zachary.

No, Falk Fields. Go get him.

Bro, David Piper's dog. Bring him in. Got it.

So my brother needs a new heart?

Yes, which won't be easy to find. There's a tremendous shortage.

I have put him on the emergency list, but it doesn't look good.

I'm sorry.

I know.

I thought the Cognix would help with these delusions.

I think your father's suffering from sundowning.

Excuse me? Many patients with Alzheimer's have behavior problems late

day. The time of the day makes a difference? Yes. We don't know why, but

father seems to suffer most of his delusions after four o 'clock.

Don't talk like I'm not in the room.

I'm sitting right here. I'm in the room.

It's okay, Danny.

How long can my son live without a new heart?

Two weeks, maybe three.

We've got to step.

Let him go.

Oh, Howard.

You're back.

Have you found a heart for Kevin?

No. Will you?

Well, he's on the emergency list, but the odds are against it.

I want you to give him mine.

Excuse me?

If you can't find a heart, I want you to transplant mine.

Howard, um... Jill, my brain is rotting away.

Kevin is 40, with young children.

But, Howard, we can't just remove your heart. You'll die.

Yes, with some dignity.

And I could give my son life.

Howard, what you're suggesting...

We just can't do that.

I've done my living, Jill.

I've been happy.

I don't want my very last memory to be my son's funeral.

Take...

And transplanted into Kevin.

Why did you come back to Rome?

Answer the question, please.

I live here.

It's better for me in the winter. I know places to sleep.

Were you sleeping in the woodshed at Howard Buffett's house?

It's been so cold, I have to go inside sometimes.

Why did you attack my son?

I didn't.

My boys don't lie, Mr. Teacher. You grabbed Zachary.

He was taking my money. I just meant to pull him away.

Then they attacked me.

I'm going to give it to you straight.

It's all over that you're back in town. The parents are upset. You do not have a

place to live here.

There's a town ordinance against sleeping on public property.

That means if you sleep in Rome, you're committing a crime.

What? If you're on someone's land uninvited, you're trespassing.

If you're on public property, you're violating the ordinance.

Either way, it's... against the law for you to sleep in this town.

My deputy would take you to the city limits.

But I live in Rome.

Look, I don't mean to sound like a monster.

Let's face reality.

My father has a healthy heart and a brain that's being destroyed.

We know the progression of Alzheimer's.

And we know Daddy doesn't want to end up that way.

You have three kids, Kevin.

You're a widower.

You have three young children.

It's not that simple.

Why can't it be that simple?

Look, I love my father.

Of course, I don't want him to die.

We have the chance to save your life.

Fear his pain.

But you're a doctor.

I'm not in favor of assisted suicide, don't get me wrong. This is a Catholic

-backed hospital. The church is not just going to sit by while you remove a

man's heart. The church does not dictate policy to us. We have two dying

patients, one we can save and one we can't. You actually want to do this? The

family wants to do it, and maybe it should be the family's choice.

But we need a court order. We have to protect ourselves against murder

Will this even work? I mean, you're talking about a 70 -year -old heart.

Howard's heart muscle is in excellent condition. It could live on another 30

years.

You want to do this?

We won't do anything until you go into court.

We need the okay from a judge.

Are you nuts?

The law already recognizes the right to die, Your Honor.

U .S. Attorney Robert Beale, Your Honor, representing the state of Wisconsin,

and the compelling state interest is in preserving life. We are preserving life,

the life of Kevin Buss. At the expense of his father, who is terminal and has

hope. Howard Buss is not terminal. He has Alzheimer's. He could live another

years, maybe more. With what quality? This is not a hearing about the quality

life. It's very much about the quality of life, and I'd like to know who you

think you are. You're seeking a court order of execution. It's against public

policy. Hey!

Am I getting this?

You want to transplant Howard Buss' heart into his son?

Howard's is the only heart we've got, Your Honor.

There are over 3 ,000 people on the waiting list for heart transplants. The

realistic chance that Kevin Buss has is his father.

But this would leave Howard dead.

Suicide falls within a right to privacy.

And Howard Buss would like to exercise that right to save his... He wants to

kill himself, that's one thing. You'd rather he go out behind the bar and blow

your brains out...

We want him to die in the hospital, in a controlled environment to improve the

chances of the transplant.

Come on, Your Honor. We can save Kevin Buss' life.

All right.

Look, before I rule, I want to be fully informed on the medical conditions of

both people.

Dr. Brock, you get to do the honors again.

On the stand.

Let's go.

Why did you bring him to me?

Because he wants to live in Rome.

But we have no shelters and there's a law against sleeping in public.

Is that what you want, Frank?

To take naps in parks?

Please don't talk to me like I'm an idiot.

I apologize.

Let me speak to you as a man of intelligence.

The temperature is zero degrees outside.

It's supposed to drop to ten below tonight.

There are shelters in Madison, in Green Bay.

Places with heat.

Why not go there?

I grew up in the country. I don't like cities.

City life, loud noises.

They make me upset.

He fought in Vietnam.

I... I need quiet.

Doug, this town has practically made it a crime to be homeless. Is that legal?

No. Well, can we do something about that?

We can try to persuade city council, but... But what?

Well, we'd be asking them to care.

He's deteriorating.

Badly?

Yes, last year it started with mild memory loss, but now he has lapses of

prolonged dementia.

Can you tell the court the prognosis for Howard Buss?

Well, there are no certainties.

His cognitive abilities will most likely erode.

He won't recognize people, not even family. And by the end, he might not

know his own name.

But this is an extreme case that you're describing, isn't it? Oh, no, this is

the way most Alzheimer's patients end up.

It's an insidious, horrendous disease which takes away the victim's brain.

And it's taking away Howard's.

So you're advocating that the hospital be allowed to terminate his life?

Howard has decided to end his life, Your Honor. Not me, not the hospital.

A year ago, you spoke out in this courtroom against the assisting of

I said at the time that the decision should be up to the medical community

speaking for the medical community.

If Howard chooses to die, then let it be in a hospital where we can maximize the

viability of the heart and use it to save a life.

What about the next person who comes to me with cancer?

Or the amputee who tells me he doesn't want to live if he can't walk?

Or the patient with clinical depression?

They may all want to die.

Do we assist them?

Then use their organs?

Well, Your Honor, I think we need to look at each individual case.

Howard Buss will most likely be vegetative within the next few years.

We could wait till then and pull the plug. Or we could act now. We could

him the suffering and we could use his heart to save his son.

Douglas, one bowl for the potato man.

My client is homeless. He lives in a cave.

He would like the town to provide him with shelter.

It's freezing out there.

Well, maybe the church will put him up. Or the jail. He is not looking for

religious charity. And he's not a criminal.

He's entitled to shelter by the town.

Legally, I don't think that's true. This is not a legal matter.

It's a society problem.

Mr... Teacher.

Mr. Teacher.

I would love to be able to help you.

I will personally call the church myself if that's where you want to stay.

But we don't have any money to build a shelter.

Find it.

I don't mean to be unsympathetic, but as mayor, I have to consider the interests

of everybody in this township.

Those interests aren't served by building a shelter for... such a

minority.

Community is not being served by caring for the homeless?

Is that your position?

It just became a legal matter.

Come on.

Uh,

Fair Hospital customarily does organ transplants?

Yes, we have an elite team. It's become a specialty.

How many do you do a year?

Oh, about a dozen or so.

Well, in fact, Dr. Brock, the hospital...

must perform at least 12 organ transplants a year in order to qualify

Medicare certification.

Isn't that right?

I believe that's correct, yeah.

Also, in order to qualify for the United Network for Organ Sharing, you have to

do 12 transplants a year minimum.

What is your point?

My point is that Thayer's calendar year ends on April 1st. Now, as of January,

the hospital had only performed...

Uh, ten transplants.

That would give you a large financial incentive for transplanting Howard

heart. How dare you?

Are you saying that you have never known a hospital to encourage that extra

transplant or to, in order to facilitate federal reimbursement? You have never

known that to happen? Is that your testimony?

It has happened. It's not happening here.

How do we know that?

Because I care very deeply for Howard Buss.

He has been my patient for nine years.

I would never subject him to hospital politics, and I am offended at your

suggestion.

You care personally for Howard?

Very personally. I consider him more than a patient. I consider him a friend.

I see.

I mean, if you care deeply for him, as you put it, you might wish to alleviate

his suffering.

I'm here as a medical doctor, not as a friend. Yes, but a second ago, you said

that the reason we could trust your medical opinion was because you also

personal investment.

You described Alzheimer's as a horrendous, insidious disease that would

Howard's brain.

Now, as his friend, how could you not help but be personally and emotionally

affected by that?

You don't know.

Well, perhaps this is why we should not let doctors play God.

Doctors are human with human emotions.

Isn't that right, Dr. Brock?

I'm not trying to play God. I'm not.

I just... What?

I'm just trying to make the best of a bad situation. I've got two dying

patients, and I'm trying to save one of them. Jill.

A part of you wants to spare Howard.

He's right. It could be... It could be affecting your judgment.

Well, maybe it should.

Who said it's better for doctors to remain detached? Who said... What do you

think?

What do you think? Is this crazy?

Honey, I don't know.

It's beyond me.

Howard, come in.

Sheriff? Jill?

Ooh, it's cold.

Hello, Jill.

Am I early?

Well, I wasn't expecting you, Howard.

Nine o 'clock. We're supposed to meet. I wrote it down.

Are we having dinner?

No, Howard. It was nine o 'clock in the morning. We're meeting at the

courthouse. The courthouse?

Why the courthouse?

Well, that's where the hearing is.

To allow the transplant for Kevin.

Is Kevin sick?

Yes, Howard.

His heart is sick.

He needs a transplant.

You wanted to give him yours.

My son is sick.

What? Breathing's irregular. He's not getting enough oxygen.

Blood pressure?

80 over 50.

He's at risk for hepatic failure.

This has to happen soon, Jill, or it won't happen at all. Well, we've got

another problem.

Howard came to me last night, and he didn't even know what was going on. I'm

even sure that he's capable of consenting to the transplant.

What happened? What did he say? Well, it was after 9 o 'clock at night, so he

was probably sundowning again. But even so, we can't move forward. I'm sure.

I was confused last night, but I remember now.

I want to do the transplant.

Howard, I don't know how we can... I'm lucid now. My son needs my heart. I know

that.

Hey, it's your crazy old dad.

Be strong, Kevin.

I'm dying, Dad.

No.

You're going to make it.

We're going to help you.

You be strong.

Be strong.

Doctors decide who lives and who dies every day.

Before any transplant, medical committees convene to decide who's the

candidate. One guy gets the organ, the next guy loses out. Doctors make the

call. We separate Siamese twins, knowing that one is going to live and the other

one's going to die.

A person becomes vegetative many times, we pull the plug.

Every single day, in every hospital across this country, doctors decide who

lives. And who doesn't? It's a reality.

Well, here's another one.

Howard and Kevin Buss are both dying.

Howard can't be saved.

But Kevin could be.

If he could find a new heart. His father wants to give him his.

But public policy condemns that gesture.

Public policy frowns on assisting suicide.

Public policy says it is better to let a 40 -year -old man die of heart failure

while forcing his 70 -year -old father to suffer the lingering torture of

his mind and his dignity destroyed by Alzheimer's. Well, I think public policy

needs adjusting, Your Honor.

Kevin Buss has a lifetime and three beautiful children in his future.

What lies ahead for Howard is pain and suffering and gross,

gross degradation.

Let Howard Buss, under medical supervision, give the gift of life to

son. Let this man bestow his legacy.

wouldn't want to save his child.

I suspect that even if Howard Bush didn't have Alzheimer's, he would still

to give his heart to Kevin.

Isn't that the essence of parenting?

To protect your child, whatever the sacrifice?

I understand Dr. Brock, oldest son, was a gunshot victim a few weeks ago and was

close to death.

I have no doubt that she too would have given her heart To her son Matthew, if

it meant saving him.

Should we declare this to be a right of parenting?

We could make that law, I suppose.

And permit parents to die for their children.

Or should we reserve that right only for those whose lives aren't worth living

anyway?

You've got Alzheimer's, so we'll help you die. Because what's to live for?

Cancer? How bad?

Liver.

Okay.

We'll help you die too. Do we really want to start heading down that slope?

Yes, doctors make life and death decisions.

They choose who will get a transplant or when it's appropriate to pull the plug

on a respirator. But there is a big, big difference between doctors making

objective determinations about the compatibility of organs.

Objective decisions about the survivability of a patient and

determinations about whose life has more merit.

How dare any doctor or father or

judge make that decision?

No one in this room knows the meaning of life.

What most of us do adhere to is that God gives it, and God should take it

away.

That is the precedent I wouldn't encourage this court or any other to

Douglas Wombo for the Potato Man.

Did I interrupt something good? Quiet.

I'll take the Howard bus matter under advisement.

Wamba, whatever it is you have, bring it to me in chambers.

I have a novel argument, Judge, even for me. I can't wait.

This is Frank Teacher, the potato man. You met him last year when everybody

thought that he was the serial bather right up until the D .A. got

Tragic. Never mind.

Get to it.

My client is homeless.

He's also a Vietnam veteran.

And he used to pay taxes.

He has therefore paid consideration to society.

Now, I believe that an implied social contract was made that society would

something back to him.

That is ridiculous, even for you.

Mr. Teacher, do you work?

I try. I have a hard time holding a job.

He's been psychologically damaged from the war, Judge.

When you get to know him, you'll find that under this gruff exterior, he's a

kook. Ignore that.

Where do you live now, Mr. Potato, Mr. Teacher?

Norfolk Woods, in a cave.

There is no inalienable right to housing, Your Honor. Mr. Wambaugh's

without basis.

Thank you.

Just the same, I'm going to think it over.

You are choking.

Well, maybe I am.

Now, get out.

Good judge, very fair.

What happened?

We got a shot.

Mr. Teacher.

Excuse me.

We don't think that... We don't expect the court to award you housing.

But we do want to help.

The problem is, if we build a shelter, we might attract homeless people, which,

well, we really can't handle economically.

Get to the punchline.

$8 ,000.

Cash. Today.

You agree to sign a gag order promising to tell no one, and you leave the town

of Rome immediately upon receipt of the money.

You never re -enter the city limits.

What?

It's a liability thing.

Since we can't provide housing, should he ever hurt anybody on the street, the

town would be exposed.

We could execute the papers, have the money to buy into business.

Thank you.

No. This could give you a start.

You could find shelter.

I don't accept those terms.

Thank you for the offer

So

cold

how did you get in here night watchman?

There must be 20 below. My chiclets froze. I couldn't even bite into them.

My teeth are real, you know.

You shouldn't be in here, Howard.

I know.

I'll try to be brief.

Because, you know, I hallucinate more at night.

It's called sundowning. I see.

What's on your mind?

Are you making a joke?

No, no.

Why have you come to see me?

It's just that you've been hearing from all these lawyers, and I thought maybe

you should hear from me to clear something up.

What?

They make it sound like I don't want to live anymore.

That's not true.

If I could, I'd live forever.

I've always found life to be quite joyous.

And I've tried never to take a day for granted.

Not even one.

Can't live forever. The disease I have, the doctors can't fix.

The disease Kevin has, they can fix.

I'm losing my mind, Henry.

Right now, I'm wearing a diaper.

Can you even imagine how I feel?

No.

The disease you have seems so ungodly.

Every time I forget an appointment or misplace my car keys.

I hope you'll never get it.

It's everything it's cracked up to be.

This is ex parte, Howard.

You really shouldn't be in here.

Yes.

Okay Well see you in court

What

do you mean he hasn't shown up I'm afraid

my potato man has left town why what's the problem The problem is you insulted

my client with that bribe. He's gone and left town without the money even.

Do you two ride share?

I'll go to the cave and see if he's still there.

Tell him I want him at the ruling. It's important.

Too late. The judge is coming in right now.

Go. All right.

There are two cases before me today.

First, Mr. Teacher.

He's actually not here in the courtroom, Judge.

I think he's boycotting the town.

I don't blame him.

And I don't need him here for the ruling.

Mr. Dell is right.

There's nothing in our federal or state constitutions that guarantees shelter.

We can guarantee a person's right not to be searched in his dwelling.

We just can't provide the dwelling.

We make people work for it. They have to earn a house.

It's fundamental to capitalism.

And for the most part, I agree.

But of the 600 ,000 homeless people in this country, a third,

a third of them are Vietnam War veterans.

We took these kids at the age of 18, mortgaged their future, and put them in

war. They came back psychologically battered.

Many to the point...

where they were not really employable.

I know this country's broke.

I know we can't care for all the homeless.

But the veterans?

I believe Mr. Wambaugh is right.

An implied social contract was formed between government and these men.

The consideration should be mutual.

We have to give them something.

I hereby order the town of Rome, Wisconsin, to build Frank Teacher a

he can live.

Now, for Howard Buss.

It makes such perfect sense, doesn't it?

You got a dying man over here you can't cure.

Another one over there you can cure.

Why not use the incurable man, if he consents?

to save the one there's hope for.

It makes such perfect sense.

Problem is, you're not really dying, Howard.

If I've ever come face to face with anybody who personifies what it means to

alive, it's you.

Yes, you could very well deteriorate from the Alzheimer's and be dead in a

Even three months, I don't know.

But I do know.

Today, each day, you wake up with the capacity to live

and to love.

You're embraced by life.

You're still made rich by it.

And I have absolutely no doubt, life continues to be made more rich by you.

I will pray for your son.

But I will not sit up here as a judge and deem your life worthy of

That job belongs to a much higher power.

It is the ruling of this court.

Fair Hospital will not assist or facilitate in the termination of

Howard Buss' life.

We're adjourned Hello

He's dead.

He's frozen. They can come back when they're frozen. I'm telling you.

Run away, Mac.

They can come back.

Get in there.

He's not coming back.

Pronounced dead.

1104.

Probable hypothermia.

Good with God.

He's got a wallet.

Let me see.

Franklin William Feature.

Date of birth.

How long has Bodie been dead?

I'd say between three and four hours. Get this man into pre -op. Remove and

prepare his heart for transplant. Stat.

What? He's got an organ donor card. He's been frozen. The heart is viable for

another three to four hours. We can't just transplant without... Look, we

use it or lose it. We can't put it into anybody else. Kevin Buss is waiting

upstairs. Okay, get me a tissue type. We'll check for matching. If it's a go,

move. Come on, hurry up.

28 degrees.

Perfusion pressure's okay.

Suture's up.

This was his father's heart?

No, some homeless guy.

You okay?

You did everything you could do for him, Maxine.

I know.

Look.

There's nobody here.

He had no family.

It's just Frank the potato man.

I'll just bury him someplace.

There's nobody even here to cry for him.

Yes, there is.

What temperature do you have?

He's up to 38 degrees.

I've got good contractions. Let's take him off bypass.

How's the chemo parameters?

Good. Saturation, too.

Let's do it.

Line plan.

We have fibrillation.

Looks good.

This donor had a good heart.

Thank you.