All language subtitles for Joe.Pera.Talks.With.You.S02E04_English

♪♪

Joe: There's an Irish poem
about lighthouses

from the mid-1800s
that I think of now and then.

I can't remember the name
of the poet or poem,

but it goes,

"Very bright, guiding light.

This is why
I'm happy tonight."

♪♪

Surrounded by four Great Lakes,

Michigan has more lighthouses
than any other state,

and I am happy as the sailor
in the poem about that.

Though the last U.S. lighthouse was automated in 1998,

I've always dreamt
of being a keeper,

especially during

the Golden Age
of American lighthouses

that lasted from 1853 to 1928.

What other profession comes with the tower and nearby water

to look at and daydream?

♪♪

Sometimes I'll imagine
that it's June or July of 1865

and I'm returning
from the Civil War,

a bugle player
in Michigan's 1st Regiment.

And on my way home
to the family dairy farm,

I spot a beautiful red-brick
structure along the lake.

Now that I've got a taste
of the wider world --

at least through
Northern Virginia and back --

I don't think
I'll ever be quite content

on the dairy farm again.

♪♪

♪♪

Um, hello.

I was wondering

if I could talk
to the lighthouse keeper.

What for?

To see if he might need
an assistant.

I don't.

♪♪

Hello.

My name is Joe Pera.

And I'm sorry to dwell
on old times.

With the power out tonight,

it's tempting
to romanticize them,

but I should know better,

especially 'cause
I am always making fun

of British palace guards
and their big bearskin hats.

It's ridiculous, unethical --

it makes everyone in their
country seem like fools.

Anyhow, not only does Michigan
have the most lighthouses,

our state had the most
female keepers, as well.

It was one of the first
federal jobs held by women.

I was reading the book

"Ladies of the Lights"
by Patricia Majher

and actually realized

that my friend/co-worker/
romantic partner Sarah

has a lot in common

with some
of those early keepers,

like her, uh,
knack for anticipating

and dealing with risk,

resilience,

and the ability
to stay up late.

Her own lights are on tonight

thanks to the generators
she converted to biodiesel.

[ Motor rumbling ]

I asked her if she
needed anything,

but she said she was alright.

I guess I shouldn't worry
about my nana, either.

She's in bed with
a fully charged iPad.

Hm.

Hm.

Should we see if my neighbors,
the Melskys,

know anything
about lighthouses?

Okay.

[ Blows ]

Perfect blows.

[ Footsteps ]

[ Clicks ]

Watch the house, Gus.

[ Door creaks ]

[ Insects chirping ]

[ Door creaks ]

[ Door closes ]

Not realizing how much work
was involved,

Einstein once suggested
giving light house jobs

to young scientists

so they could use the time
to mull over science problems.

In reality, though,

the abundance of time and space
got to some keepers.

The Stannard Rock Light,

47 miles off the coast
of Marquette,

was even referred to

as the loneliest place
in North America.

Some keepers even went mad
from the iso-- Whoa!

-It's Frankenstein!
-Aaah!

It's Frankenstein!I'm not Frankenstein, guys,
I swear.

What the hell's going on?!

-Dad, isn't this Frankenstein?
-Is this Frankenstein?

I'm not Frankenstein.
it's Joe, Mike.

It's your neighbor.

It's Frankenstein!
Kick his ass!

-Aah!
-It's Frankenstein!

He's not Frankenstein.
What are you doing?

We thought
he was Frankenstein.

Not you -- your father.

Oh, I'm sorry.

As their father, I will teach
them how to protect themselves

because what's the law?

-Stand your ground!
-Stand your ground!
-Stand your ground!

Do I need to explain to you

why we shouldn't let our kids
attack our neighbors?

Thought
it was Frankenstein.

Why do you always have
to make me the bad guy, Mike?

Sorry Joe. Here. You can
have Mike's ice cream bar.

Kelsey, Josh...
Here, Daddy.

...go inside
and get ready for bed.

Just -- Just go inside.

It's okay.

Eat it.

Damn it!

Do you know that the lighthouse
keeper on Poverty Island

used to lock his kid
in a coal bin...[ Door closes ]

...when he misbehaved?

Not appropriate.

Sorry.

Why aren't you with Sarah?

I'm still thinking.

About what?

Well, to me,

as long as there's
no major structural damage,

a power outage
or a big snowstorm

is an opportunity to pause,
play euchre,

and see what your neighbors
are up to after 9:00 p.m.

Mm.

But to Sarah,
an event like this

is a reminder that
our system has cracks

that could expand
into a break

if this were, say,
an attack on the power grid

or a Carrington Event.

What's that?

A solar storm

that could wipe out
technology as we know it.

It's on Sarah's mind,
and it seems irrational,

until I learned that,
as a kid,

she witnessed
her brother get trampled

in a Black Friday
shopping rush.

I know.

And it's made me consider,

what do I have to offer Sarah
in a critical moment?

I'm still not sure.

And if I show up tonight
empty-handed,

I'm afraid
it'll indicate not much.

Probably said too much,

but can I ask you,

what does Mike offer you
in difficult times?

I don't know, Joe.

[ Thumping, laughter ]

I better go see
what's going on inside.

What -- What are the odds
of a Carrington event happening?

NASA says 12%
in the next decade...
Oh.

...so likely
within our lifetimes.

Shit.

Night, Sue.

Night.

What can you do?

I am proficient at milking cows,
and at a colonel's order,

I can signal a cavalry charge
with my horn.

♪♪

♪♪

There you are.

I was wondering
when you'd come over.

I can help you
reach things.

♪♪

I can tend the garden.

♪♪

The different hours we keep
are a good thing.

And when they overlap,
I can offer companionship.

♪♪

...and entertainment.

♪♪

You know, you don't need
an excuse to come over.

Oh.

If anything ever happens,
I hope you will.

Being together -- that -- that's
the point of a relationship.

Uh, right.

Whether it's a power outage
or a family situation

or a nuclear attack
or a biological weapon.

Mm-hmm.

Or an amphibious invasion
from Ontario by the British

or a horde of French Catholics
moving into town.

What's wrong
with French Catholics?

They're not to be trusted.

They take their orders
from the Pope.

Oh, I see.

You know, this is the safest
place in the territory.

We have the higher ground.

If they gather
around our door,

we can hurl diseased,
dead animals down on them.

You're making me
a little bit nervous,

but I suppose,
if anything were to happen,

I have something
to sustain me.

What's that?

Irish poetry.

[ Laughs ]

Can I take them off now?

I think they're starting
to get fat.

Mm. One more hour.

They will fall off
on their own.

[ Fire crackling ]

[ Crunches ]

♪♪