The Rockford Files

I think somebody ought to wave you off a track before you hit the wall.

But my dad's still where he was three minutes ago and your sausages are still being made in Mexico.

You got Charlie Strayhorn and you brought him here to this room.

He wasn't doing too much so I had to twist his arm a little.

Stop it, Charlie!

And he's Chinese.

Oh, I love it.

I just love it.

Yahoo!

This is Jim Rockford.

At the tone, leave your name and message.

I'll get back to you.

Say, I'm the one who hit your car at Ford City.

I got no insurance.

I'm broke.

But I really wanted you to know how sorry I am.

If it makes you feel any better, I hurt my arm.

And.

It's favorite star, Charlie Strayhorn.

Well, a long time forgotten, her dreams are just fell by the way.

And the good life he promised, ain't what she's living today.

But she never complains of the bad times, the bad things he's done at all.

She just talks about the good times they've had, all the good times to come.

She's a good hearted girl.

She's a good hearted woman in love with a good time man.

And she loves him in spite of his ways that she don't understand.

Through teardrops and laughter they're going to pass through this world hand in hand, Lord.

This good hearted woman in love with a good time man.

And when the party's all over, she'll welcome him back home again.

Lord knows she don't understand him, but she does the best that she can.

This good hearted woman in love with a good time man.

And she loves him in spite of his ways that she don't understand.

Through teardrops and laughter they're gonna pass through this world hand in hand.

This good hearted woman in love with a good time man.

You didn't get a plate on either of the vehicles, sir?

Well, how was I gonna get a plate, officer?

I was too busy with my binders trying to keep the back end from passing me.

Mm-hmm.

I assume you're qualified for 18-wheelers, license, still current, all that?

Well, it sure is.

Is that it in your pants pocket, Mr. Rockford?

Yeah, right there.

Would you take it out for me, please?

68?

A little old for the big rigs, aren't you, sir?

Hey, Dad, you okay?

No, I'm good.

Just a minute, just a minute.

What does that mean?

Excuse me.

Are you related to Mr. Rockford?

All my life, he's my dad.

Well, we're still investigating this, sir.

Your log says you were pulling hot dogs for a combined weight of 23,000 pounds.

And we have a county waterway.

Whitehead going out there in the morning to check everything out, but meanwhile, I think I'll just hang on to this.

I'll clip it right here to my board so you'll know right where it is, sir.

Are you lifting my license?

Well, sir, in a large accident like this, it's customary to have a review.

I wouldn't worry about it.

I'm glad you're feeling better.

Sonny, it's okay.

No, no, he's got my license, sir.

It's okay.

Just give it to me.

Put in a code 7 and 6 now.

I haven't eaten yet.

Would you excuse me just a minute, bud?

You're lucky he wasn't hurt a lot worse than he was.

They're going to keep him here for a while for evaluation, I guess.

Yeah, well, it's about.

Let me interrupt you right there, Mr. Rockford.

Now, I was trying to be nice in there, but come on, 68, driving an 18-Wheeler, way too fast.

He had left enough rubber out there to get a reclamation contract.

I'm not the last word on these things, but my guess is the DMV is going to ice your dad's ticket.

May I?

My father says there were two blue sedans.

There were two blue sedans.

So that's an old story, sir.

Every time one of these guys cartwheels one of those monsters, it's always another

car coming down the wrong side of the road or some crazy thing like that.

Fact is, I think your dad maybe was sleeping up there, drove off the road,

and had himself one of the biggest weenie roasts in history.

I hope he's feeling better.

Good night.

Dr. Phillips, go to the emergency entrance.

Dr. Judd Phillips.

Well?

Oh, hell, hey.

Listen, I, I, you know, I was worried about you.

I really was.

I talked to the nurse.

She said you're gonna be okay.

45 years I've been pushing a truck, and they're gonna pull my ticket.

Well, no, they're not, not really.

It wasn't even my truck.

What am I gonna tell Roland, Eddie?

Well, I'll tell him for you, Dad.

It's okay.

I'm telling you something, Sonny.

They pulled my ticket.

It ain't never gonna be the same for me.

Well, you, you only use it now and then, and then it's only when you're backing up a friend.

I mean, what's the difference?

That ain't the point.

It's just knowing I got that ticket here in my wallet that it gives me a reason for being.

Now, you can understand that, can't you?

Yeah, I can.

I can understand it there.

Them chippies was already here.

Signed off the report.

Seen as hell it was my truck, he told them.

Yeah, well, my dad really feels terrible about the accident, Mr. Eddie.

He said, uh, you'd been sick.

That's why he, uh, was driving for you.

Yeah, I've been sick.

I'm feeling a little must.

Just can't seem to shake it.

He seems to think it was an attempted hijacking.

Look, you tell him I ain't squawking about the truck, just forget about the truck.

The less said about that, the better.

Did you read the police report?

Yeah.

Well, if my dad says he was forced off the road, then he was forced off the road.

He wants me to look into it, try to prove it.

Come on, he what?

You heard me.

You're his son, huh?

Yeah.

Let me see something proving that.

What the hell's the matter with old Joe?

Didn't he tell you about Slim?

And the meeting at the 51 Diner near Digo?

The what?

Didn't he tell you about ducking them truck scales and not using Highway I-5?

What are you talking about?

Smuggle, man.

It was a smuggle.

Them links was made down in Mexico.

We've been running them up here for about two weeks now.

Six trucks.

I made six trips myself, usually to San Diego.

Yeah, well, wait a minute.

Are you trying to tell me that you told my father he was smuggling and he agreed to it?

I don't believe that.

Well, maybe I didn't use the word smuggling, but come on, man.

I told him to take the truck down to San Diego, give it to Slim.

Slim would load it and give it back to him.

I told him to stay away from the truck scales and not get near no four-Lane highways.

Now, was he born in church?

Don't he know what that means?

Slim would.

Don't know his last name, just Slim.

Then there were two sedans.

Who was in them?

How do I know?

Could be some over-eager food and drug feds, maybe some freelancers, or it might

be some enemies of the guys who set this up.

I'll tell you one thing, I'm glad they wrecked my truck, though.

I'm damn glad of that.

Because I'm going to collect all the insurance, I'm going to move up to Washington, because L.A.

ain't my town no more.

Let me ask you something.

When you deliver, where do you take them?

They usually give me a spot, supermarket parking lot.

I get out, leave the keys on the front tire, come back in the morning, box is empty.

You probably forgot to mention that to Rocky, too, huh?

Look, the only reason I'm telling you this is so as you keep that old man of yours quiet.

Now, if he stays quiet, all them buzzers are gonna fly right on past.

But if he opens up to the cops or anybody like that, then they're gonna pack him up and plant him in the garden.

Well, you haven't said who they were.

I don't know who they are.

I just answered the telephone.

They send my money in the mail.

It's green and it's cash.

Now, the only thing I know, Mr. Rockford, is what I read on them packages.

You want to see it?

That's it.

I don't believe it.

Of course, all of this will be brought up before the union management.

You'll have a right to be present and give your side of it.

But in the meantime, all of your pension and medical benefits will be withheld pending the hearing.

You, of course, are suspended temporarily according to all the provisions and stipulations of Working Rule 8.

Working Rule 8?

I never... I'm sorry.

Dr. Tony Bates wanted in CCU, stat.

Dr. Bates, CCU, stat.

Who are those guys?

They're from the union.

Oh, hey, I wanted to tell you, you shouldn't file for your medical.

Uh, you had a pretty good idea that the, uh, truck you were driving was not a union run.

Forty years I've been in that union, and they just threw me out.

No, no, it's got to be another number.

Yeah, it's in Cripple Creek, Arkansas.

That's the same number I have, operator.

I've been calling that for two hours.

All I get is a recording.

They keep giving me the same recipe.

Now, I want the packaging plant or the executive offices.

Nurse Conti, report to exit.