A Marine Story

[flags flapping in wind, train whistle in distance]

- Hi. - Hi.

So when did Frank's close down?

Oh, two years, three years ago.

- Oh? - Yeah.

Is it OK if l stow this here while I shop?

Uh, yeah, go ahead, honey.

Can I get a pack of smokes?

Um...sure. What kind do you want?

What do those say right there?

These are lights.

What are those ones, those ones down there...

Just those blue ones there.

These are menthol flavored.

The other ones there, to the right.

$6.24 with tax.

Um...

You know what... I forgot my money at home.

I'm gonna have to come back.

[car alarm blaring, man yelling]

Call 911!

I will break this arm. I will break it!

Hold still...

Hold still!

That boy is just swirlin' down the drain.

Seems like they all are.

Didn't have meth labs around when we were that age.

Things don't always change for the better, I guess.

No, they don't.

I don't remember it being your job to do something about it.

I wasn't looking for trouble, Max.

That's not the way he tells it.

Look, four deployments would make Gandhi trigger-happy,

so I get you might be high-strung.

But stand down, soldier. You gotta leave this stuff to me.

I know, it was stupid, it won't happen again.

You've got a more important fight.

I'd give you a lift, but I'm a little short-handed.

It's fine.

- How long you in town? - Couple of weeks.

Good.

Say hi to the General when you speak to him.

I will.

Hey, Max.

There was a girl.

- Tall, brown hair? - Yeah.

You carry any tequila?

Not open yet.

Holy crap! Is that an Everett?

Hi, Shelly.

Alexandra Everett, what the hell you doin' home?

Don't you know there's a war on?

How's your dad and your brother? Everybody still got all their pieces?

Yeah, so far.

We pray for that, yes, we do.

You're lookin' marvelous as ever.

Thanks. You, too.

Oh, please. Marines aren't supposed to lie.

Let me buy you a drink.

No, thanks. I just stopped by to say hi and use the head.

OK, you know where it is.

You on foot? I can give you a ride to the house.

No, thanks.

I need to walk off that train ride.

Ten miles ain't a walk, honey. That's a hike.

Three new messages...

Alexandra, hi,

this is Tracy Flores from San Lucas Realty.

Could you please call me back and just confirm

that you are there and that I shouldn't book the house?

Thanks.

Alex, it's your father.

Been trying to reach you on your cell, with no luck.

The realtor said something about you staying at the house.

If you are, call me.

Hey, Alex, it's Joe. Just heard the news.

Wow...

[Radio plays, Former President George Bush]

And we had a choice of our own - either take the word of a madman

or take action to defend America and the world.

Faced with that choice,

I will defend America every time.

It's generally believed there's been a let up in the

violence of late in Iraq - that is until today...

The car bomb ripped through the mostly Shiite area

of North Baghdad, called Al Haria.

The car, parked next to a bus stop at rush hour...

The explosion in the mainly Shiite area

engulfed shops and residential flats,

causing chaos and confusion amidst the busy streets...

The meth lab explosion in a Bear Valley home last night

has left one person dead and another with severe burns.

It's the third meth lab explosion this year...

Hey!

You bought this?

She's still got some life in her.

I see you put the flag up.

An Everett is home.

For now.

Take a look in my back seat.

Her name is Saffron - Saffron Snow.

- You remember the Snows? - Yeah.

You heard about the accident?

Drunk driver ran a red light.

Killed both her parents and her brother,

but somehow she walked away, which is a friggin' miracle.

This is her grandmother.

Mrs. Snow.

Alexandra, you remember me?

Of course. You were friends with my mother.

I haven't seen you since she passed.

She'd be so proud of you.

She had such plans for this place.

So look...

I was wondering if you could help us out.

That stunt the other day

was pretty much the last one for Saffron.

The judge gave her a choice:

go into the military or go to jail.

With those friends she keeps,

I'm afraid she'd choose going to jail.

She's old enough we're not talking Juvee, either.

She's got to the end of the month to get her act together

and make a good impression on a recruiter, or else.

We thought if you'd just have a few words with her,

get her motivated.

- I'm no recruiter, Max. - I know.

But she's a good kid, Alex.

Please...

She's stopped listening to me.

I just don't know what else to do.

All right.

Better get her out of that car before she cooks.

Great.

Thank you, thank you.

I know you know how she must feel.

Now you listen to that lady, you understand?

Hey, Max, just leave her here.

I'll run her back home later.

There's water over there if you need it.

You learn how to do that in the Army?

Marine Corps.

Ain't you supposed to give me some sort of pep talk

about the military or something?

I don't think so.

Uh, OK. Why not?

Your grandma said you don't listen much anymore...

I don't think I'll waste my breath

until I now I've got your full attention.

I'm sorry, you say somethin'?

I'll tell you what.

Come back here tomorrow morning, on your own,

and I'll help you out If you're interested.

OK. Whatever.

You got another car?

Nope.

But you said you'd drop me back!

Oh, you heard that, did you?

All right, then can I use your phone?

Use your legs.

I live like five miles from here!

Shouldn't take you too long then.

You know I didn't steal anything!

You saw me, you know I didn't! I was just there!

March back here tomorrow morning, early,

without that stud in your nose, and we'll talk.

Fuck you!

Our message to the commanders in the field

and to our leadership is that,

based on our current deployment model,

the troop levels associated with the surge

cannot be sustained indefinitely.

That said, I have heard...

Here's your Pentagon Channel Report...

Diplomatic commitments from Iran

to help stabilize and improve the security situation

in Iraq remain unfulfilled.

That's according to Major General...

Everybody offered me a lift but you.

Looks like you need the exercise.

Hey, girl.

Get him another one, would you?

I'll have the same.

Will we be startin' a tab then?

Yeah, why not.

So what else is going on?

You seen Holly?

I think she's livin' up in Fresno now,

but I haven't spoken to her since she went off to college

and you went off to get the tattoo.

Wow...

That's been a while then.

Strange how you just lose track of people.

At least I see the flag up once in a while.

That's a reminder.

I should have stopped by to say hello a lot sooner.

I'm sorry.

Ah...

You got married.

I did too.