Original subtitles

Hey.

We can't get through.

That's funny.

Seems pretty clear over here.

Anchor Base!

Anchor Base!

This is fire, boss. Over. Go ahead, boss.

We got a situation here.

Sector K, that's for quick. We're cooking.

Cavalry coming up inside four minutes.

Anchor 57 to fire, boss.

Make that one minute. Peter St. Peter, don't do this to me. How much fuel you

got left?

I love it in the kitchen, baby. You know that.

Peter St. Peter, you got that sound in your voice I hate. You got that Evel

Knievel sound in your voice.

Come on, I want to blow out this one tree, funny face.

I want to blow it out so I can make a wish for your birthday. You want to keep

flying this smoke? Better get that plate on the ground.

Do what the lady says, Pete.

We want it coming in.

The tree is obscuring it.

Excuse me, I didn't quite catch that.

Take over, will you Frank?

Yeah.

Except to take a base.

I got a small inconvenience here.

Talk to me, Pete.

I may have overestimated my fuel just a tad, but I can see the base from here

and my right engine is fine, so I don't think there's going to be any problem.

Pete, what do you need?

What do you need?

Glider practice.

This is good.

I was rusty on panic.

Okay, no problem. I got the airport in sight.

I got a nice little headwind here.

Up and over. Up and over.

Come on, Mama.

Come on, Mama. Up and over. Up and over. Please, please, please.

Come on, Mama. We're too cute to die.

Okay.

happy birthday

all

right

taking a play now you are what for this time he's really done it done what

Happy birthday to you.

Happy birthday to you. Jacob!

You know he doesn't understand how I feel.

Well, this time I'm going to show him.

Excuse me, Willie.

You magnificent pagan god!

Thanks, Al.

Kids. She's showing you.

She's a great girl, isn't she?

Isn't she a great girl?

Showing me what? I didn't know it was her birthday.

I knew it was because you don't love her like I do.

Where did you get that oil on your face? Where?

Well, it's here, it's here. Look at it. It's terrible.

Thanks.

What do you mean, showing me?

I don't like the slime.

No, you didn't.

You're mad at me, I can tell. It's okay. I'm just moody.

It's a beautiful day, isn't it?

Yes, it is.

How's my landing?

Nearly perfect.

Wow, thanks.

You only fly like that when I'm watching. Yeah, I always fly like that.

I come in on three wheels. Kind of perverse, aren't you?

Don't you be doing that. Don't you be doing that.

Can she take the wily scrapper, the wily vet?

Who knows? It's anybody's bet. There's a quick left. Whoa, look out.

I just like to level off when you come in, that's all. Nag, nag, nag. Don't you

tell me what to do. What? What did I say? You got something between your

teeth. I ain't gonna fall for that. Hi, Nails. How you doing?

You've got some heat coming in. Come on, Nails. You know women.

I mean, you're playing.

What?

You know, just for that one remark, I might have to kill you. Every time you

come in, the fire trucks come out. You don't have to kill me. Nails, I'm

talking here. Nails, Nails, go play golf. It's my plane.

You got something between your teeth.

I bet you think I forgot your birthday. Why do you do this to me?

Please, take mine.

Here.

This is for you.

You're incredible.

You think you can buy me off with some crummy present you probably picked up at

an airport gift shop?

It's worked before.

I don't want to.

Yes, you do. No, I don't. Yes, you do. Don't. You do. You really do. You really

don't? No. Okay.

Why didn't you tell me before I lost my temper?

So you do like dresses.

It's not the dress. It's the way you see me.

You know what this place reminds me of?

I bet you a beer you're going to tell me.

You lose.

Love.

Ain't what it used to be.

There's only ever been two kinds.

There's flash fires where they're all flame and burn themselves out and leave

nothing.

Then there's the long burning.

That's nature.

Even when you think it's out?

The forest floor is still warm to the touch.

That's the kind you and Dorinda got.

You're a poet, Al.

You're a really bad poet, but you're a poet.

The hell with it. What this place reminds me of is the war in Europe.

This is deep.

Which I personally was never at, but think about it. The beer's warm, the

dance hall's a quonset, there's B-26s outside, hotshot pilots inside, an

airstrip in the woods.

It's England, man. Everything but Glenn Miller.

Except we go to burning places and bomb them till they stop burning.

You see, Pete, there ain't no war here.

It's taking us so long. This is why they don't make movies called Night Raid to

Boise, Idaho or...

Firemen strike at dawn.

And this is why you're not exactly a hero for taking these chances you take.

You're more of what I would call a dickhead.

Is this heading somewhere, or...? So here's my point.

I'm talking to this guy, and he's telling me about this tanker school

they're thinking of setting up near Flat Rock, Colorado, like a school for fire

pilots. There are no forest fires in Flat Rock, Colorado, Al. There are no

trees there, you see?

You understand what I'm saying?

That's why they call it Flat Rock, you dunce.

I think they know this, Pete.

I think that's why they chose Flat Rock. So they could start a few little fires

of their own without burning down the whole state of Colorado.

Now, the idea is to teach guys to do drops and set up a few test areas for

pilots who might want to get their initial attack cards. Are you following

this?

Yeah, yeah.

The man says they'll be looking for a great teacher, like a commanding

officer.

A really experienced guy who might be looking for a change of pace.

Year-round employment, great paycheck.

Are you with me?

Yeah, I'm way ahead of you, though.

It's not a bad notion.

I'm really glad you see it like this.

No, I think it's a terrific idea.

I think you'll be perfect for it.

Me? Yeah.

We're not talking about me. I don't need a day job. I'm very happy.

Beer, please, Carl.

And a champagne glass, if you don't mind.

Make it two, will you, Carl? I want to make something clear.

If you think you can make a grown-up woman go weak in the knees just by

giving her girl clothes, you're as out of date as your airplane.

Do you know?

I know.

I've not gone weak in the knees. I know. I've gone weak in the head.

God, you're beautiful. I love you.

I know.

So tell me you love me.

Please, please, please, please.

Tell me, tell me, tell me.

Oh, tell me, tell me! Tell me, tell me, tell me. Why? Why? Why are you in front

of all these people?

You mean Carl?

The bird, why is there?

Is it 89?

Thank you, Carl.

To us.

Always.

St. Louis.

Southside.

You never laugh at my jokes.

What jokes?

Left rudder. Left rudder. I know, I know.

You know,

it's too bad we don't have a song.

You know, when couples say, hey, honey, they're playing a song.

I mean, really, it's too bad we don't have a song. Oh, gosh, I can't believe

you forgot.

What are you talking about? You're saying we have a song? Yes, we have a

song. You're kidding. You big lug, you're going to break my heart. You call

me a big lug?

Yeah. Hey, why don't we try that bit, you know, that signaling to the band?

What? Hey, it works in the movies.

Guys, hit it.

You laugh like a donkey. I do not. Do too.

I do not. I don't do that. Right, right. I do not do that.

Hey,

hey, hey.

You know that guy?

Hey, my boy. I never saw him before in my life. You didn't just smile at some

poor defenseless guy, did you?

I guess I did. Yeah, yeah, I think I did. That was a damn fool thing to do,

you know. Why, darling?

You're giving away a lot of smiles now, is that right? I'm feeling very fine.

You are? Are you sure you're not feeling feverish or a little liverish or

something? I'm all right, Pete, as long as we keep on dancing.

Happy birthday.

It's not my birthday.

It isn't? No.

You mean I forgot your birthday again? No, this time you remembered it wrong.

Hi, Donnie. You look like an angel.

You know, we ought to go someplace and start ourselves a little fire.

Airborne. Coming in here, boss.

Stand in the door.

Whoa! Time out now.

Nobody dances with this dress until they wash their hands.

Watch out! Watch out! Hey, come on!

Is this Scarlet?

Said someday you'll find Oh, boys.

That's all right. You want to dance with my girl? You got a wife for your hands.

That's it. That's it. Whoa, whoa, whoa. That's not a towel.

Moppy.

Moppy.

Moppy.

You missed the spot. You missed the whole, uh...

Is that your plane?

Yeah, that's my plane.

Come on.

Shortcut.

Pete. Mm-hmm?

Haircut. What?

You want me to get a haircut today? Haircut.

Cat food.

Green apples.

You shopping in your sleep again, honey? Chicken wings.

Tempura batter.

What's for dinner? Toilet paper.

Soap. One dessert?

Kitty litter.

Q-tips.

Come on.

Come on.

Watch in the fire.

We don't do fires at night.

We do fires in the day. At night, we eat, drink, and be mad for each other.

Sounds like an all right life.

I like it.

I thought I might try it. Try what?

Tankers.

I was thinking that I'd like to get type rated for air tankers.

That way there'll be two of us up there instead of one of us on the ground and

the other one flying around. Forget it.

I could make it in a year if I pushed hard.

I've done, I guess, counting through years of hauling freight, maybe a

thousand hours.

Yeah, and I saw the last four minutes, so forget it.

Well, so now you're beeswax.

I think I is my beeswax, and I'm not gonna let you do it.

How are you gonna stop me? By telling you no.

By by By asking you nicely Jinda honey,

please don't be a pig-headed fool Well, that's irresistible

Now

you listen to me for a change

I'll make you a fair deal.

You always wanted to get me out of the air. Well, here's your chance.

I'll... I'll ground myself in Flat Rock and be your girl. You been talking to

Al?

Or... I'm heading off on my own.

And tonight's goodbye.

And maybe I'll find my own piece of sky and a guy who flies sensible.

I fly sensible.

Not when something's on fire.

So that's the deal.

Then it's no deal.

Let's talk about something else.

What's going on?

Why are you doing this? Because.

Because why?

Because. Why?

Why are you doing this? Because I love you, Pete.

Fighting fires is what I do, and it's what I love, and you know that!

Yes. Now, what the hell is going on here that all of a sudden you want me to

quit?

You want me to move to Colorado and teach pretend fires to a bunch of

trainees like I'm going to an office?

Pete.

Your number's up.

And I could just as soon buy it, ferrying Bibles to Salt Lake City and...

Well, then when it's your turn, I don't want to be around.

Well, I think that's very selfish of you.

I think you should be at the funeral.

You know, crying and looking terrific before you enter the nunnery.

You wish.

I'll have better things to do and better men to do them with.

Why don't you forget about these other men, Brenda?

You're never gonna be with another man.

I will, too, and he'll be tall.

No. No, Drinda. What makes you think so?

Because you're never gonna get over me.

Don't kid yourself.

You're never gonna have as much fun with anybody else.

Fun?

You think I'm having fun when you're having fun?

When you're flying into some canyon a helicopter would think twice about it,

and you think I'm down on the ground going, oh, boy, this is fun?

i could at least understand how you fly if if you're risking yourself for

civilization if you were putting your life on the line

for another life anybody's life

i love you pete

but i'm not enjoying it

Every time you take off, every time you leave the ground, I wait for the phone

to ring.

I go to bed sick. I get up scared.

I don't... I don't like being sick inside all the time.

Do you think I like being afraid that you're never gonna come back? Okay.

Okay.

Look, I, uh... I have an idea, and I want you to

bear with me a second. Okay.

I want you to keep an open mind.

Because it's a pretty radical idea.

Okay.

Al told me about this training school he has about in some place called Flat

Rock, Colorado.

And they're looking for a commanding officer.

And I was wondering, why don't I take you to Colorado and you could be my girl

and I could teach these kids how to fight fires.

You know, till they could put out a cigar 200 feet and I could come home to

you every night and we could have a little apartment with our own little

microwave oven.

No, because it's my day off, you know that.

No, you just gotta get yourself another pilot. I'm hanging up my spurs.

That's right.

Yeah, she's a great girl, isn't she?

Uh-huh.

Uh-huh.

Okay.

Al's on his way over.

It's your layoff day.

There's a new burn on the South Rim.

There's already two pilots down.

Down?

Sick, honey.

Come on!

Let's go, people! We're on both sides! Come on!

We got nil.

Okay, we've got nine hot spots, and we're only taking care of three of them.

And the second I-

Al Powell, this is Pete St. Pete, over.

Peter St. Peter, this is Al Powell, got you loud and proud.

This is fire, boss, over.

Got you, boss, this is Al Powell, come on. Got you, Al Powell.

Oop, the leading edge of the fire.

You got it, you got it.

Two minutes behind it, boss.

Good enough, good buddy.

Hey,

save some fire for me, will you, pal?

Still plenty of fire down here for everybody, Pete. Just watch his next

pass and build on that. Over.

Oh, bat strike, bat strike.

Bat strike. Ow.

Hold on.

God damn it. I thought that was lit, man.

Oh, shit.

My engine's on fire.

Can you believe that?

And I was in such a good mood.

What do you think?

You think you can make it back?

It ain't happening.

Fire's going to hit the fuel tank any second.

Damn! Use your extinguisher, Al.

I already did.

I think I'm screwed.

Unless you lighten up, you're not going to be able to pull out of that dive.

Hey, Pete, this ain't a dogfight, man.

Pete, Pete, this is boss.

That dive is way too steep. Way too steep. Pull him out of there.

Pete, you're too heavy.

Come on, Pete. Pull up, buddy.

Come on, man.

Fuck you son of a bitch.

Hello. Hap.

Hello, Hap.

That was quite a show back there.

Yes, ma'am.

Take a seat.

Okay.

Thanks.

I sure saved Al's bacon, all right.

It's just too bad about my Ford engine. You know, my fuel tank went up just

like... Just a

minute. Comfy around the neck?

Yeah. Yeah, it's fine.

Listen, how did I get out of that one?

You didn't get out, Pete.

I didn't? Mm-mm.

My plane did blow up. I think I do remember that.

A real fireball.

Yeah.

Now I'm sitting here in the woods getting my hair cut.

Well, either I'm dead or I'm crazy.

You're not crazy, Pete.

Cap.

I don't want you to think that I'm doubting your good faith or anything

like that.

I just want to get something clear.

Okay? Okay.

Okay.

I'm dead?

That's right.

I'm dead?

Right.

Keep the sideburns.

What a jerk I turned out to be.

She's still not over it.

Well, I... I hope not.

I've only been dead, what, 20 minutes?

Well, yes and no down there. They think it's six months.

Time's funny stuff, Pete.

A lot funnier than Einstein ever figured out.

Yeah?

How'd he take it?

I think that'll do it.

Where was I?

I'm his funny stuff. Oh, yes, that was it. Space has its points, too.

Anyway, in the five months since you crashed... But you said it was six

months. Yes, but that was then. You see, I'm telling you everything in the wrong

order. I'm sorry.

What I have to explain to you is... Hey, look!

I did my first solo in one of those.

That's right.

I did that.

That's right.

Boy, oh, boy, was I nervous.

But you want to know a funny thing?

Once I got up there...

I felt like a veteran.

I couldn't do anything wrong. I flew that plane like Fats Waller flies his

piano.

I circled the field and then I found a perfect side slip right into the wind

and I came in just like a leaf.

That's right.

And you think you did all that by yourself?

Well, there was certainly nobody else up there with me.

There was, Pete.

There was? There was someone like you.

And behind him there was someone else.

Maybe someone who learned what he learned on a motorized box kite.

And if you think of it, you knew that.

But you had a different word for it. I did?

What word?

It's what flyers and piano players and everyone else count on.

They reach for it, they pray for it, and quite often, just when they need it

most, they get it.

It's breathed into them.

It's what the word means.

Spiritus, the divine breath.

Inspiration.

Inspiration.

Yeah.

And now it's your turn to give it back.

That's how the whole thing works.

That's how the whole thing works, huh?

So now I'm supposed to give inspiration to some flyer.

Yes, but you're not going back as a flying instructor.

That's only part of it.

How is this supposed to work if I'm... When you get the hang of it, they hear

you inside their own minds.

As if it were their thoughts.

Clever?

Clever.

But remember, Pete.

You've had your life, for better or for worse.

And anything you do for yourself now is a waste of spirit.

And there's your boy.

Rachel.

Hi, buddy.

What are you so happy about?

I think you're a pretty silly looking guy. What do you think of that?

Hmm. It's got a mind of its own, the glitch in the transmission.

You Baker?

Yeah.

Boss wants to see you.

Oh, okay, thanks. Where?

Just to the right of where it says women.

Green door.

Thanks.

I'm the women.

The first thing you gotta know is what type of aircraft you're flying.

That'll determine how many drops you can make.

In our example, we got the eight-door aircraft.

You looking for the training school?

Yes. Uh, see the base commander next door.

Yeah.

Ow,

you son of a bitch, you!

Jeez, you look great.

I mean, you look, you look terrible in the same old...

Great way.

Honour to meet you, Sir Ted Baker.

Sorry I'm late.

Did you get lost?

Yes, I did.

How'd you know? Well, it says here you just got your ticket back for these

multi-engine planes after a 12-month suspension.

Well, they looked into how come you flew 500 kitchen units... Got a little crawly

thing on your face, Al.

Don't you want to scratch your cheek?

Those little legs are tickling you. It's like a limer.

Fire and something.

Limers. Yeah, the lime tick, you know? Ooh, look at that.

Directional gyro hasn't been working.

Ooh, they're burrowing in.

Yeah, yeah, they're leaving those little legs. Yeah. Don't you want to scratch

your cheek? Try this.

Huh? Don't that feel good?

There you go.

I'm going to like this job.

I'm sure you got a little smudge there on your face.

Where? No, no, no, the other side. Yeah, it's right over there. No, no, no, it's

over here. Yeah, yeah, yeah, that's right. No, no, no, no.

Another goddamn comedian.

I'm not a comedian, sir.

You better not be. I feel so alive.

It's okay.

Probably crossed the window over the trash can.

Um, listen, kid, I think we're both making a big mistake.

Why don't you go back and try again with, uh...

On her wing and prayer. Actually, sir, that was an air delivery service.

I think I was ahead of my time. You're that guy.

Yeah, that's why I'm here. I'd never seen an operation like this before. I

like the smell of it.

The smoke?

Well, that, too. But that's when I knew it's what I wanted to do.

Oh, I don't know.

Give him a chance, Al!

OK, kid, you got a chance. Don't screw it up.

Great. Thank you, sir.

Look at that bum thinks he's on vacation

Tune

it tune it tune it

C-119 transport, C-119 transport, this is Al the pal.

Let the games begin.

Right on.

Looking good.

It's a little premature.

Okay, powerhouse, it's your turn. Bring it in.

That's it.

Beautiful.

Bring that fat bomber in here.

I'm glad we're not at war.

Ted Baker.

Showtime. Hit it.

Bad line, Ted. Bad line, Ted. If you don't straighten out the line, you're

going to dump all over Al.

Great line, Ted.

Ain't for that last flag. The one that looks like an umbrella.

I'm sorry. I can't help it. I'm sorry.

What the hell?

Oh, nuts.

This is first place, right?

Cute.

Now we know how ready you are.

We're going to be coming into fire season soon.

And if we get a big one, a real big one, they're going to be calling guys from

all over the place. They're going to be calling veterans, first-timers, guys

from all over the country if they have to.

And when they call me, they're going to say, Al, what do you got?

And I'm going to tell them I ain't got nothing.

Because you're nothing.

What you did today was nothing.

Hell, you can't even hit a smoking oil drum. And a drum ain't a tree.

A tree can explode like a bomb.

A tree can go up like a Roman candle.

And an oil drum doesn't have any heat.

In a real fire, there's heat.

There's heat that can suck you under, flip you over.

There's currents that can tie a knot in a windsock. And, Baker... Baker, you're

on the bus.

I'm going to San Diego. When I get back tomorrow, I don't want to see you there.

Hey, come on, Al.

I didn't say anything.

Paul, come on, tell him it wasn't your fault.

Where are you going?

Where are you going?

You're not quitting, are you? I didn't come all this way to inspire a quitter.

He's going to cool down as soon as he gets his original color back.

Oh, forget that. This is your farewell party.

Come on, settle up. We're going to hit the...

I think she likes you.

Oh, Ted.

You know, I met the most important girl in my life in a bar just like this one.

It's true.

I took one look at her and I said, this is it.

And I went up to her and I looked in her eye and I said...

You are the reason that I'm here.

What'll it be?

Extra dry vodka martini. Don't forget the olive.

Hello, Ted.

We're all going to miss you. You're the reason I'm here.

Hi, Rachel. Can I buy you a drink?

Sure.

Bartender?

Diet Pepsi, please. With or without the olive?

With or without.

I think without.

Thank you.

Dance with her.

She wants to dance with you. Don't you have any impulses? Dance with the lady.

Sure. I'd love to.

Love to what?

Did you say dance?

Did I? I can't dance.

Talking's nice.

I'm not a very good talker either.

Well, this is nice.

It is?

Don't you think so?

It's possible to see a girl and know right off that she is

it.

I think it's possible.

This is hard to talk about.

Try.

I think it's happened to me. I think you're overdoing this.

You do?

Yes.

It was last summer, and I only saw her once, but, God, I wish you could have

met her.

It's like when someone tells you a story, or you read a book, and after the

first page, you know how it's gonna turn out. It was that kind of feeling.

That's why I'm here.

It feels good to tell somebody that.

Thank you.

Well, I think I'll just... come in again.

Rachel, what about your drink?

He's bringing your drink.

Ted, I don't think I've ever come across this particular technique before.

Post

approach,

this is Cessna Skymaster 5210 Kilo.

Cessna 5-2-1-0, coast approach, send request.

Cessna 1-0-Kilo is 5,000 feet southbound and route to Lindbergh over Oceanside.

Squawk 1-2-0-0.

Roger, 1-0-Kilo.

Squawk 0-2-4-7, maintain 5,500.

Say again.

1-0-Kilo, squawk. Dorinda?

Al?

Honey Bunny? You little quarter pounder, is that you?

3,000 overcast.

Lamb chop. What are you doing here?

Request immediate rendezvous before landing.

You been here long, kid?

Huh? Been here long?

Not so long.

I've been doing standby at the tower for about a month.

It's just holiday relief.

Can I use your phone?

Yeah.

Right,

hi, it's Al Yackey. Yeah, I'm the guy that was over at the naval base this

morning looking for the Skymaster that was about to be retired.

That's right, yeah, you said I could check it out as soon as I find a pilot

to fly to Flat Rock, Colorado.

I found the guy, right.

I'm going to be over one hour to check it out and take it off your hands.

Yeah, of course I'll bring the guy with me.

Okay, okay.

What are you doing?

I'm gonna take you back to Flat Rock with me.

I can't go to Flat Rock. Why?

Because... Because I'm here now.

Stop.

Okay, just stop it.

You don't play dumb with me and I won't play dumb with you, okay?

I miss him too.

I miss him too.

I miss him every day.

I loved him like I never loved a guy.

And I don't love guys.

You don't have an excuse.

You quit.

You quit. You gave up.

He never quit on nothing till it killed him. And that was his way, and there's

lots worse ways, boy. And you sure found one.

I can't... I can't live with that. Bullshit!

Bullshit.

Hey, that's Al coming in now from San Diego.

We'll talk to him together. He's a very good guy.

Don't see the funny side.

Want to cut your engine?

Reminds me of a girl I once knew.

Hey Linda, how you doing?

Better get down someplace and sit this one out.

Make it fast.

No swimming.

No entry.

It's a fact. I saw the sign.

The spark.

I saw all the signs.

Exit. We're open.

Falling rock.

Jesus saves.

Save water.

Turn off the lights. Click. Aye.

Danger. Keep off the grass.

See, I saw the sign.

No shoes, no shirt, no service.

Yield. Toe away.

Use other doors. That's nowhere to live.

No wonder you didn't send me back to give lessons in love.

I can turn a plane on a wingtip.

I can stall a plane at a thousand feet and come up smiling.

But that don't matter a damn.

You can hear me.

You can hear me. I can hear you fine.

What do you say, old-timer?

Just passing through?

Ted. Ted.

Listen to me. Listen to me?

How did you know my name?

Who knows about crazy old hobos? Maybe they're like radio stations, picking up

voices from people who've gone off the air.

So tune in, kid.

This is one thing I really want to get through to you. Get through to you? With

me, it was Dorinda. Dorinda.

When you meet the woman that you love... The woman you love. Not Dorinda, the

woman he loves. Dorinda, the woman you love. After you're dead, you can never

go back for her. Go back for her?

You can never turn around and do it right. Do it right? Do it right.

That's not what I'm trying to say. What I'm trying to say, I've seen the signs.

No exit, no passing, no parking.

No U-turn.

Yeah.

I gotta go back and get my air attack card.

tower, find Al Yaki and tell him Ted Baker's back and wants to talk. Yes!

I gotta tell you, Ted, I like you this way. Your engine's revved up, you're

full of moxie.

Let me tell you something. In this world, you gotta go out and get what you

want. Follow me?

Rachel, slow down.

Where is she taking us?

And I think we're being a little though over here.

That's my boy I know him

That's

my boy

Should I call the base?

We're gonna need a forklift.

Again.

You alright?

Yeah, Al Yackey, please.

Hey.

Yeah, it's me.

I'm fine.

I really think you ought to come down here and see how your boys redecorated

my front porch.

Yeah.

Hey, Al, it's your deal.

I'm just renting.

Okay, I'll see ya.

I'm sitting here.

Right beside you.

I know you can't see me.

But... I can see you.

I can see your hair.

It's almost in your... That's my girl.

You're still my girl, aren't you?

I thought so.

God, I wish we'd met sooner.

I wish we'd met when we were five.

And I swept you right off your three-wheeler.

You still got a funny face.

God, I can't believe how much I miss you.

I miss you.

Like it was a thousand years.

And I remember everything. I remember things I'd forgotten.

Like... Like from the first second I ever met you.

when you were sitting alone in that restaurant, and I looked at you and I

said, that's her.

That's the one.

Do you remember?

I walked up to you and I said, you're the- The reason I'm here.

Ted Baker, winging a prayer.

I don't know your name, but we met. Dance.

Uh, we did?

Well, not exactly.

You were dancing with everybody, and I tried to dance with you, but it... Yeah.

Happy days.

You're here again?

Dorinda, Dorinda, are you all right? I'm sorry about the fence. I'll have it

fixed for you, I swear.

Al, you never told me life could be so exciting.

Listen, I can explain everything.

No, I can't. I can't explain it to you. I'm dropping it all the time.

Baker, why are you still here? I thought I told you to take off. Look at that.

He likes you. Yeah? He doesn't like anybody.

Is this your cat?

Yep.

What's his name?

Linda Blair.

You laugh like a donkey.

No, I mean, I like it.

I... You used to know a donkey.

Baker, why are you still here? I'm sorry. Al, do you remember Ted Baker?

Ted, this is Al Yackey.

How you been?

Oh, I'm stupid. You guys, um, you must be one of Al's pilots.

Well, I was.

Well, that's a real nice surprise.

Isn't it?

Yes, isn't it? Indeed it is.

Yes, Baker's one of the boys.

I am? Yes, you are. The lad shows a lot of promise.

I do? Yeah, and Dorinda's one of the toughest little firefighting babes

you'll ever see in your life. And funny?

Hey, listen, she told a joke in mess the other day. We had milk squirting out of

half the nostrils on base. One old guy laughed so hard he passed a kidney stone

right there, but he's all right. His insurance will cover it. Oh, yes, he

did. You little scalawag. Don't try to deny it.

She killed me. I spotted.

Anyway, hey, listen, Ted, Baker, what do you like to be called? Baker, Ted,

Teddy, we got to go back to the base. We got some catching up to do.

Maybe come back later and show them to render the ropes. What ropes?

See you again, Ms. Durston.

Ms. Durston, he's so well-reared.

You just say anything, don't you?

Don't forget.

Relax?

It's supposed to be fun.

You look like you're hanging in a closet. Come on, drop your shoulders.

Drop them.

I

need

you to take the truck into town and pick up some supplies for me.

Now, you're gonna need some help lifting the supplies, so I'm gonna send a guy in

with you. Uh, let's see.

Baker. Yeah, Baker.

He's too beautiful.

He's too much twisted steel and sex appeal. I can't be with a guy who looks

like I want him in a raffle.

Couple of drinks, couple of laughs.

Hey, you'll have plenty of time for the short, ugly guys later.

Hold your course. Come on, I gotta, I gotta relax.

You know what I do to relax?

I sing. I hum.

I whistle.

Relax your shoulders.

Both of them.

Come on, this is fun. Relax.

This was a great idea.

It's not my idea.

Well, I know that, but it's still great.

In fact, on my great idea scale, I think I'm going to give it an eight. An eight,

not a ten?

No. No, ten, that's for stuff like penicillin and

democracy.

Going to the store to get you supplies, that's an eight tops.

Maybe even a seven and a half. This idea is getting worse by the minute. Well, it

wasn't my idea. I know that.

Well, I'll tell you there, little missy, you're mighty pretty when you're angry.

Uh-huh.

Oh, so you're doing fresh?

Just that one.

Uh-huh.

Who was it?

Who was it?

Was it James Stewart?

You kidding me? Who do you think it was? Henry Fonda? Well, I'll tell you, little

missy, you're mighty pretty when you get angry. Uh-huh.

Henry Fonda.

John Wayne. Don't you know John Wayne?

John Wayne?

That was John Wayne?

Do it again.

No. Oh, come on. Come on. Look, if I know who it is, I'll probably recognize

it. Henry Fonda.

Well, I'll tell you something, Missy. Y'all sure do look pretty when you're

angry. Wah-ha.

Wah-ha.

I'll sing to you. There it was. I'll sing to you, boy. I'll sing to you, new

college boy. Sweet Betsy from Ike.

Brought some Missouri with her lover Ike. That's okay.

Whoa. Is he drunk?

I don't know.

Whoa.

Too close, too close.

Go call paramedics. Hurry.

Call an ambulance!

Well,

Frank is sick, and I'm going to try and help him. I want all of you to tell me

your names. Who's going to start?

Me!

What do you want to be when you grow up?

I want to work on Wall Street.

Wall Street?

I never had good enough grades to work on Wall Street.

Mario, what do you want to be when you grow up?

You did real good stopping that bus before you died.

Go on, kid.

You can do it.

I have to go to the bathroom!

I gotta go to the bathroom, too. Come on, Frank.

So bad

Don't you give me no dirty look.

Your father's hip, he knows what's up.

Just tell your hooligan friend outside.

You ain't got time to take a ride.

Yakky yak!

Don't go back.

Yakky yak!

Yakky yak!

Yakky yak! Yakky yak! Hi.

Hi.

Come on in.

Thanks.

Holy cow, look at this.

Yeah.

Well,

you've been busy.

Kind of. I had no idea.

Everything smells great.

Look what you've done here. She can't do toast.

You've got a little mashed potatoes, right?

Oh.

Oh.

Oh, look at me.

Oh, let me go get myself fixed up.

There's something fishy going on here, and I don't think it's the chicken.

And then there was a time when he was delivering a PBY to someplace in

Michigan or Mexico, I believe it was. You know what a PBY is? Oh, yeah, it's

a... You want ketchup?

Sure. So he's taking off in this PBY, which is a feat in itself. I mean,

they're amazing planes.

Well, it's like a tugboat with wings.

How often do they feed you? Once every two weeks? That's what I'm talking

about.

Pete, he's still... So he's flying in the PBY when down below he sees this

fire. A forest fire? Uh-uh. Main Street. Village grocery store, it turns out.

Nearest fire engines 20 miles away.

Oh, you can pick it up, the chicken. Anything that flies, it's okay to pick

up, even in a good restaurant. Did you know that?

Mm-hmm.

So he sees this building on fire, and then just outside of town is this

reservoir.

So what he does is... He takes a plane, he goes over the reservoir, fills it

with water, jumps it, puts a fire out. No, he missed. He hit the post office

next door and knocked it on its butt. It took him three tries.

The town was awash. The groceries were burned. It was fire, flood, and famine.

If he could have managed plague, it would have been the four horsemen of the

apocalypse in one PBY.

I mean, he was unique.

Why are you plucking your eyebrows?

I didn't know it was.

It's a nervous habit.

You want to do the wishbone?

Sure.

Okay, here we go.

Your wish?

He was up in that plane.

Doing his dumb stunts.

There'd be this tone in his voice. I called it his Evel Knievel voice.

I don't know who he was when he sounded like that.

Part of you thought it was great. What did he think I thought?

Was he dumb enough to think?

I admired him for it.

For flying like that.

Okay.

Do you think?

I wasn't there.

I shouldn't be talking.

about this?

Some birthday.

It's your birthday.

No, it's your birthday.

It is? No, it isn't.

Well, sure it is. It was your birthday this time last year. It's got to be your

birthday this year. No, no.

Pete remembered my birthday wrong.

It's a year tomorrow.

It's a year tomorrow.

A year.

Oh, I saw him land a plane once. I saw him dance.

He kind of had his own way of doing both. He could drive an A-26 around the

sky. He wasn't so dumb, you know. You were impressed with that.

When he brought that A-26 in on an empty tank. Well, you try it.

When I do, I'll have the height. I'd like to be there. I want you to be

there.

What are you doing to me?

I'm trying to confuse you, I hope.

You are.

You never thought you'd dance again, did you?

I guess.

Shh. Did you hear that?

What?

There's no music.

That's my girl, pal.

Yeah, put that one on.

Fast forward.

That's right, keep going.

Keep going.

Keep going.

No, don't stop.

Left rudder, left rudder.

Yeah, I think you've got me all wrong.

You invited me here because I'm a safe, well-mannered guy who will play along

with your memories of Pete.

I don't have any memories of Pete.

I have memories of my own, but I don't let them get in the way of my life.

Oh,

Hap.

Please.

Please take me out of here.

Can we just

finish

this dance some other time?

I'm sorry.

Sleep tight, baby sister.

I'll see you tomorrow.

I'll see you tomorrow.

I'm going to go out here and see if old Dollar's tied to the hitching rail and

ride off into the sunset by myself.

I have this dance.

So I...

Cantaloupe.

Eggs. You're sharpening your sleep again, Rinda. Peanut butter.

Gin. You got anything special for me?

Chlorine bleach.

Chapstick.

Band-Aids.

You always made me laugh.

Yes, you did.

You never laughed.

I never laughed at your jokes, but you were always very funny.

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

I swear to God I'll keep you safe.

How'd you get here?

I mean, how'd I get here?

Mainly by the wrong road.

I told you, Pete.

Your life's over, and anything you do for yourself is a waste of spirit,

remember?

Yeah, yeah, I remember.

But you didn't tell me everything, did you?

You know what I've been going through?

What do you want from me, Hap?

If I'm really dead, how come I hurt so bad?

What kind of a deal is this, anyway?

You told me I was going back to be some kind of an inspiration. You didn't tell

me that I'd feel what I'm feeling.

And you didn't tell me that I'd... that I'd see Drinda.

So what do you really want from me, Hap?

Pete, what we gave you was a chance to say, I'm glad I lived, I'm glad I was

alive. Now it's my turn to give you a hand.

Let me give you what I had.

But I also sent you back to settle with the one you love.

I sent you back to say goodbye.

And until you do that, Pete, she won't be free, and neither will you.

I'm not ready to say goodbye.

You're such a good man, Pete.

We don't send back the other kind.

But you still have to learn that to gain your freedom, you have to give it.

Thank you, Stephen.

Shake and bake. Do you read?

Shake and bake.

This is tanker base. Do you read?

Yeah, I read you. I'm a little busy right now.

You've been up a long time.

How's your fuel reading?

Ted, what's your fuel reading?

Ted, this is Al. Leave your mic open.

He's real low on fuel.

He's beautiful.

How'd you teach him that, Al? You don't teach that. That kid's got wings.

He's the best I've seen since Pete. What gives, Dorinda?

Ted Baker coming in on a wing and a prayer.

You scrambled my emergency crew with 30 seconds warning? That's all I had.

Jesus.

Another damn hot shot.

Another by God hot shot.

Get the cunts back over here!

Let's go!

Smokejumper, say again. Over.

Meany, Meany, we have a major blowout and our escape route has been cut off.

We're just by the radio tower on the south side of Mountain Peak.

The only escape route we have is down to the southwest.

We're trying to get to the Coney River.

I can see the waterfall at the upper end of Bull Lake from here. Over.

Get on the radio to the Hilla base.

Have the choppers turned up and standing by.

Alex, this is Operation... Libby, Operation Shack to Heli Base, come in.

Ted, those choppers are 40 miles away. They fly at 100 miles an hour.

Libby, Operation Shack to Heli Base, come in. We're 12 miles away. We fly at

220 miles an hour.

Libby, Operations, this is Heli Base. We read you. Over.

Air Attack 6-3 Echo, this is the Operation Shack. We will be handling

this incident from here.

Contact the jumper boss at Dole Mountain and ascertain their exact location for

me. Hey, Ted.

Ted, what are you doing?

Don't worry, Al.

I'll bring him back.

Males, give me a WAC chart and a sectional for Dome Mountain.

Get everything that you got together.

Great idea, Ted. I'm taking your plane. No, it's my plane. I fly it. Charlie! We

don't have time right now, Nails. Put 150 aside on it for me.

Give me a load of mud. Fill it to the tabs. I'm going to need all of it.

Powerhouse. I don't try it. Not even that shit. I need you to crank up 59 for

me. Maybe not. Put the fuel mixture on number two, all right? She's running

rich. You got it.

I have your license for this. I work for the Department of Agriculture.

Alex,

get up on that ridge line and see if we can get through to the river.

Linda, you may want to come down here.

We get sort of an emergency, the wind shifted and the smoke jumpers.

That's going to fly into the gully above the waterfall.

Yeah, honey, it's dark here too.

i can see the water but it's a firestorm on the ridge

find

out what direction they're headed and give me something i can use on the map

How strong are the winds on the fire?

How about some coordinates?

Well, you might.

Red's out of the southwest, 40 knots. Got it.

Dorinda, you throttle back and you return that plane to the ramp right now.

Honey, we got six poor guys out there.

and I need Five-Niner right here, right now.

I don't know what you think you're doing, but turn this plane around.

Dorinda, you never would listen to me, and you always did just fine, but this

isn't the same.

This is Ted's mission, and you're not good enough.

You're not good enough and you won't make it. Is that what you want?

That's not my girl.

Dorinda, goddammit! This is no time to be dicking around with an airplane!

Okay, let's not be rational.

Throttle.

More throttle.

Level out.

Level out. Level out. Level out.

And you say I flew crazy. What are you trying to do? Drink up. Fly smart.

Those guys down there need you.

There, did you see that flare? There they are.

Let's make a path for them to the river.

Ride it. Ride it, Trinda.

Slip right.

Slip right.

Use the crossword. Use the crossword. Right run.

Here we go.

Come on, man.

Rub it now.

I've got one more load.

You can do it, Trinda.

Drop it in the pocket.

but you gotta get lower!

Twisting out!

Twisting out!

That's it!

Twisting out!

That's it!

tanker 59 to tanker base.

I'm fine and the jumpers are in the clear.

Now I can tell you everything.

You're gonna have a wonderful life, Trinda.

You're not gonna have any more bad dreams.

You're gonna go to bed happy.

You're gonna wake up laughing. You're gonna be with people.

You're gonna have fun.

You're gonna have everything.

Including love.

I could never tell you how I felt, the way I'm telling you now, when I'm only a

thought which you just think is your own.

But now, now I can say what I've always wanted to say.

I should have told you that a long time ago.

Without any jokes.

I should have said the words.

Because I know now that the love we hold back is the only pain that follows

us here.

And the memory of that love shouldn't make you unhappy for the rest of your

life.

I hope you can hear me because I know this is true.

From the bottom of my heart.

How good your life is.

How good it will be.

Can you hear me?

Brush your hair from your face if you can hear me.

Brush your hair away from your face one more time.

I can see your eyes and I can say goodbye.

I'm losing pressure.

All right, don't worry. Try to make it to the water.

You can make it. You can do it.

The water's easy.

I'm right over here.

Look at me.

Here's the rest of your life, Trinda. I want you to go to them.

I'm releasing you.

I'm moving out of your heart.

Go on.

That's my girl.

And that's my boy.

So I check them and I get enough

to think they're good dogs.

I cannot hide

So I

stand and say When a lovely flame dies

Smoke gets in your eyes