Original subtitles

Some men are born great.

Some men achieve greatness.

And some men have greatness thrust upon them.

Shakespeare is the most quoted man

to have walked the earth.

And I chose him as my inspirational artist because...

Because you always do the right thing,

Tessa Lu. Since first grade,

you've been on a collision course of greatness.

You come from a nice family,

you always know the perfect thing to say

and the perfect way to act.

I mean, I even voted for you for class president.

Twice.

- And you were perfect. - Perfect.

Perfect presentation.

Thank you, Miss Gibbons.

So, wouldn't it be perfect

if this story was about Tessa Lu?

But it's not.

- It's about me. - Kaitlyn McKay.

You're next on my list.

Have you selected your inspirational artist?

Um...

Have you researched quotes

from said artist?

No, Miss Gibbons.

I have not decided yet.

But I do feel that Britney Spears inspires me

and she did say...

"Ding-dang, y'all, I'm rich.

It's weird, but I'm really rich. I mean, ding-dang, y'all."

Free Britney.

Kaitlyn, you had better begin to take this seriously.

This assignment is for the entire term.

And if you don't finish the assignment,

I will have to see your face...

...in this class again.

Well, be careful.

Miss Gibbons can make your life miserable.

Adam King.

We've always gone to school together.

We've always been best friends. Always.

Did you see Tessa today?

Ooh. God.

He's really smart, but now that he's 13,

all he can think about is girls.

When Tessa Lu was talking today...

My gosh. She is so hot.

And what she said,

"Some have greatness thrust upon them."

You wanted to thrust your greatness upon her?

Na... No.

OK. Fine. A little bit. Yeah.

Who'd you pick for your inspirational artist?

I'm not gonna do it.

Come on, Kat. You gotta do it.

No, I don't. My parent's just got divorced

and I'm in a period of emotional upheaval.

I mean, just ask the school therapist.

You can't keep trading on that, you know?

Watch me, fanboy.

- Smell you later. - Smell you later.

Pat Litch.

Divorce is like Christmas to a real estate agent.

Trading on people's emotion and misery.

Great business.

Hey, Pat. Can I get this back to you?

Sure. It's gonna be great.

Thank you.

Hey, honey.

So I'm losing my dad and my house in the same year?

You're not losing your dad. We're getting a divorce, honey.

And you knew about selling the house.

Yeah, well I'm not moving to West Linn or wherever.

Well, we won't be moving till after the summer,

so you'll be able to see the school year out.

I'm not going.

This is my house.

It'll be good.

Kat, I promise.

I guess everyone lies to themselves.

Hey. Have you seen your brother?

Do you walk home together anymore?

- Nope. Haven't seen him. - Hey.

Kat, the Lashers are coming over for dinner,

so do your homework.

Ben Lasher, or should I say Captain Ben,

has been my mom's boss for years now.

My mom's a detective with the Portland Police.

Although boring and dry as dirt,

Ben and his wife are nice people, I guess.

I always suspected they help my mom out financially

- here and there. - So, Matt,

do you think the Blazers are gonna win everything this year?

Earth to Matty.

Hey.

I don't know.

Well, I happen to know that the Celtics are coming to town.

You know, I got some pretty good seats.

Thought you might wanna come with me.

That's nice.

Sure.

Thank you.

Ben, you have a gift for Kaitlyn too.

- Why don't you go get it? - Great idea.

Left it in the truck. Be right back.

I knew what it was.

Be nice.

I couldn't wait.

It was the only thing I'd asked my mom for.

There was no way she could forget that night I asked.

It was a Wednesday night and my father said...

Your mother and I are... We're getting a divorce.

How could you do this to us?

Can I have a phone?

All's fair in love and war.

And divorce is exactly that.

Please?

I had wanted an iPhone forever.

But I would settle for whatever cell phone he gave me.

These are for you.

Birds.

- They're pigeons. - Racing pigeons.

You should have just given me chickens.

Chickens?

Yeah. At least I could eat those.

Kat, go to your room.

Gladly.

Maybe you can learn some manners.

♪ That girl thinks she's the queen of the neighborhood ♪

♪ She's got the hottest trike in town... ♪

My mom doesn't get it.

First, my dad walked out on us nine months ago,

now she wants us to pack up

and leave the only home we've ever known as a family.

Sometimes it makes me just wanna

tear this whole place down and do the job for her.

♪ I wanna try your clothes on♪

I've lost enough already.

Haven't I?

I'm not gonna lose this too.

Did I, or didn't I?

No. Answer me.

Did I, or didn't I?

Did I get the house free and clear

in the divorce settlement? Yes!

OK. So I can sell it.

Of course I don't! Of course I don't!

I don't wanna uproot everybody.

I can't afford it. What don't you understand?

I owe 100 grand on the house

and the mortgage repayments by myself, I can't...

No, I can't pull any more shifts.

I don't see the kids enough as it is.

You know, why don't you talk to me

when you're in a better mood and you can actually listen?

A few weeks before Dad moved out,

Matt had just gone quiet...

Yes! If 100 grand suddenly magically appeared...

... and he hasn't said much since.

I think birds are cool. Homing pigeons do cool stuff.

Yeah, like pooping and making noises all night.

Is that cool?

I'll take them. I mean...

I'd have to ask my mom, but...

if you're gonna give them back, I'll take 'em.

My mom told her boss she'd give me a week to warm up to them

before she gave them back.

Don't let your mom give them back. I want 'em.

Hey.

What do you want for them?

Know what?

I want $465,000.

What?

Is that what this house is worth?

All I know is that my mom owes 100 grand on the house.

And if I had that money,

I'd buy this house and kick everyone out.

I'd live in here forever.

You know, if I had that money,

I'd give it to you.

- Bull crap. - I would, Kat.

I don't want you to move.

- I gotta go. - Yeah.

- See you in the morning. - Yeah.

Can I take the pigeon magazines?

Um, yeah. Take those. Yeah.

OK. Ooh, got a lot of stuff.

Kaitlyn, they are amazing.

Who?

The birds.

- The birds? - The pigeons.

I was up all night reading about them.

Did you know that they helped kill Hitler?

It was sweet how Adam fell in love

with the birds.

He really had done his homework.

Homing pigeons have been known to fly thousands of miles

- back to their original home. - Adam, catch!

I'm out, Max! How many times do I have to tell you?

Thousands of miles?

Yes!

Even a perfectly executed

dodge ball death-knock couldn't kill Adam's enthusiasm.

And in Belgium, it was a royal sport...

He continued to pound the virtues

of homing pigeons.

Many kings of England had racing pigeons.

Mike Tyson has racing pigeons. So did Elvis!

You just don't know the depth of the culture...

I was about to shut him up,

but then he said the magic words...

One of his birds is valued at $120,000.

He's considered an authority...

Wait. Who has a bird that's worth $120,000?

Jaan Vari has a bird called the Granger.

- Jaan who? - Vari.

All right. He's a very successful pigeon racer.

And he's got this bird, the Granger,

who's fathered a whole line of fast and smart racing pigeons.

- This Granger dude... - ...is worth $120,000?

Where does this pigeon dude live?

Here. In Portland. That's why I'm talking about him.

OK. So, where in Portland?

I don't have his address.

There was an article on him....

Here, somewhere.

If I can find it.

I can help you...

- Let me... - There it is.

- This one? - Yes.

"Jan Vari and the Granger..."

It's pronounced "Jaan".

OK.

The article says he was a pilot in Vietnam.

"Vari adds that the church across the street

has a bell tower

that the birds like to fly around a few times a day."

- Let's go. - What?

Where are you, Mr. Vari?

First Baptist on Alder.

Wrong bell tower. All right, um...

First Unitarian on Taylor.

Boom.

So, we're gonna leave late Thursday night,

like, really late. All right.

I have a good feeling about this.

If we want to meet Jaan Vari, just contact him through

the Pacific Northwest Pigeon Racing Society.

I'm not looking to meet Jaan Vari.

- You're not? - No.

I'm looking to steal that punk's $120,000 bird.

Wait. What?

If you don't have the stones to do it,

grow a pair or get out of my way.

You're insane.

I really think you should go see that school therapist again.

So, you're out?

Is that it, fanboy?

You're out?

What would you do with the Granger if you stole it?

I don't know.

It's a $120,000 bird. I mean, I'll think of something.

You can't race it. It'll fly back to his house.

I'll have him make babies with my birds and sell those.

You don't have any idea how to do that.

Then I'll sell it to somebody that does.

Look...

I really need your help, OK?

No.

I'm sorry. NO.

Riding our bikes through the streets of Portland

at midnight, Kat.

We could die.

It's the only way I can keep my house.

What's in it for me?

Listen.

What would possibly make me wanna commit a robbery with you?

I'll make out with you.

Like, French kissing, with tongue?

I'm Irish. I don't know what French kissing is.

OK. Right.

Um, does Irish kissing have tongue?

Well, I mean, I'm Irish and I have a tongue,

so, yeah, why wouldn't it?

- Cool. - Honey, I'm home!

Kat?

Can you come and,

set the table? Hey, Adam.

- Hi, Ms. McKay. - Bye, Adam.

Bye, Ms. McKay.

Come on, honey.

I gotta go back to work tonight.

- Bye - Bye.

Coming, Mom!

It was finally Thursday night...

and I couldn't wait for it to get late.

Ever since finding out that there was a pigeon in Portland

worth $120,000,

I read just as much as Adam.

The Granger was a rare strain of pigeon.

Since he was a young bird,

he had been the fastest flier in North America.

His son and daughters had dominated pigeon races

for the past five years.

No wonder he was worth so much.

Kat! Kat, it's me. It's Adam.

Wait. Were you trying to scare me, you creep?

No, I wasn't.

Is that your Darth Vader costume?

OK. You said wear something dark.

This is the darkest thing I had. Don't judge me.

Maybe you should see the school therapist.

I tried. She was fully booked with you.

Whoo!

Whoo!

It was then I realized

for the first time what this whole thing was about.

I couldn't rely on my parents anymore for anything.

I needed to take matters into my own hands.

How much longer?

We're almost there.

And pedaling down dark Portland streets

was the first step toward doing that.

OK. So, what we need to do

is pull the ladder down to the fire escape

and then we're home free.

Here.

OK.

- Hurry up. Hurry up! - This will be easy. Watch.

Come on.

OK. Let me try. Let me try.

Man, that's hard.

Ready? Three, two, one.

Go!

Told you it was gonna be easy.

- Hurry up. - I'm trying.

Adam, keep up.

It's beautiful.

Come on.

Remember, the Granger has like a white helmet.

Kat, come on!

You take that cage, I'll take this one.

How many birds are in here?

No Granger.

Do you see him in there?

I don't see him in here. None of these have white helmets.

He's gotta be in here somewhere.

Listen, if you had a $120,000 bird,

wouldn't you sleep with it on your pillow?

- What are they doing? - Communicating.

Maybe they can tell me where the Granger is.

I don't speak pigeon.

Stop it. Come on. We gotta focus.

I knew this was a dumb idea.

I'm an idiot for letting you talk me into this.

I'm serious, like, Kat...

- I found him. - What?

What... How... Yeah, that's him.

All right, buddy.

Come on.

All right. Take this.

What's the pillowcase for?

- It relaxes them. - What?

Did my research too.

Come here, buddy. Come here.

Wow.

He's really something special, isn't he?

Love the sentiment, but put him in the pillowcase

and let's go.

Come on.

- Gentle. - OK.

All right.

Is he OK?

He's OK.

OK.

OK.

Come on, man!

Adam!

I don't have my goggles!

What?!

Hurry up!

My goggles!

Looking for these?

Did you touch my birds?

Did you touch my birds?

Get off me!

Adam!

- Are you OK? - Go!

Go!

Come on!

I'm warning you!

Come on!

Hurry up!

Get yourselves back here!

Get back here now!

Dude! Come on!

I'm right behind you!

Go! Just go!

No.

OK.

Go down!

You get back here!

I was so scared of getting caught.

I never looked back.

I had no idea what happened to Adam.

Julie Smith?

- Here. - Here. Andrew Bingham.

Here.

Trisha Bailey?

- Here. - Here.

Adam King.

Adam King?

Not here.

Sorry. I'm here, Miss Gibbons.

Mr. King, it's nice to see you.

Looks like you paid the price for something.

How on earth did you hurt your arm?

I broke my wrist. It's no big deal.

Let's get to work.

Is anybody ready with their assignment?

Hey.

I can carry your books for you and we can walk slow.

My mom is picking me up.

Um...

Hey, I'm sorry.

About your wrist.

That must have been really scary.

But, um...

the good news is that the Granger's fine now...

I don't wanna hear about the Granger.

I will never admit to having anything to do with that bird.

Ever.

You're on your own.

Adam?

I barely got away from him.

I had to run with my arm flapping in two pieces

and push my bike uphill.

Stopping every 20 minutes to throw up from the pain.

I'm sorry.

I should have gone back for you.

Forget it.

We never need to talk about what happened ever again.

You did something wrong for the right reasons,

I did something wrong for the wrong reasons.

Wait.

What?

If you're saying that

I stole the bird because I wanted to save my house

and you stole it 'cause you wanted to make out with me...

What?

Well...

I have the bird.

OK. So enjoy it.

I owe you.

I don't care.

We're even.

I don't want it that way.

I need a break from you.

The Granger was a fascinating dude.

Not just because he was worth a small fortune.

You must be hungry.

Hey, buddy.

No. No.

Stay.

OK. Stay.

Stay.

Stay.

My...

Without Adam,

I would have to figure things out on my own.

But who could I sell him to?

It was a small community of pigeon fliers.

So I had to be careful.

I learned that people have been trying to buy the Granger

for years, but Jaan Vari refused to sell him.

I considered trying to bribe Vari into paying me a ransom

to get him back, but...

it was safer to find another home

for this beautiful pigeon.

♪ Following the footsteps of a rag doll dance ♪

♪ We are entranced ♪

♪ Spellbound

♪ Following the footsteps of a rag doll dance ♪

♪ We are entranced ♪

♪ Spellbound

♪ Spellbound ♪

♪ Spellbound, ♪

♪ Spellbound ♪

♪ Spellbound ♪

♪ Spellbound... ♪

I needed to get some control

and get money for this bird.

The only people I found who would be interested

in the black market sale of the Granger

were these Russian guys who seemed to have

a very big loft of birds.

Only problem...

it was all in Russian.

I don't speak Russian.

But I know somebody who does.

Kiril Kozov.

Russian-born child prodigy,

but couldn't spell his way out of a vodka shop.

He helped me on the occasional geometry quiz

and I would give him a clear sight line

during the spelling test.

Kiril would have to be my great Russian hope.

Can't touch!

Whoa!

You want to sell them a pigeon for $100,000?

Shh.

You're a crazy girl!

Kiril.

We've been helping each other for a long time now.

You're the first student in our class behind Tessa Lu.

I would hate to see you drop out of the top ten

because you can't even spell committee.

Can you spell committee, Kiril?

No.

Kiril told me that these clowns called themselves

the Russian Pigeon Mafia.

I don't think they're the real mafia.

I mean, I don't think.

On your right.

Sorry!

The Granger...

Do you have him?

Very nice.

Now ask him if he has the money.

Good men...

Do you have payment for the bird?

Tell her $25,000.

Take it or leave it.

It's a stolen bird.

$25,000.

OK. Um...

They humbly offer you $25,000.

- And hope you can see... - Tell them...

that they can stick it in their butts!

Yeah.

Um...

Gentlemen...

The young lady can't accept that offer.

She needs the money for an operation

for her sick father.

I'm so sorry.

No, you didn't tell them!

You didn't tell them, did you?

$100,000.

Or you can stick it in your butt!

What's she saying?

With all respect...

The young girl asks that you give her $100,000...

or you can stick it in your butts.

Now we're getting somewhere.

OK.

Fine. Fine.

Like punk rocker Kathleen Hanna once said,

"I have to take risks, because why else would you be alive?

Because you only have one life to live."

♪ You don't need to scratch inside ♪

♪ No, just please hold onto your pride and... ♪

♪ So don't let them bring you down and... ♪

♪ Don't let them bring you down and... ♪

♪ Those are your arms that is your heart ♪

♪ No, no, they can't tear you apart ♪

♪ They can't take it away now ♪

♪ This is your time this is your life and... ♪

♪ This is your time this is your life and... ♪

♪ Keep on living ♪

I had $25,000 in cash.

I was one step closer to saving my house.

And I had lost my best friend.

Adam would come around though.

I mean, we've had fights through the years, but...

...he'd always come around.

- Hi. - Hi.

My name is Jaan Vari.

Yeah?

I believe this belongs to Kaitlyn?

Why, thank you. Kat, is this your bag?

Could be.

Well, how many K McKays in your school, honey?

Thank you. That's, you know... Sorry. What was your name?

Vari. Jaan Vari.

Well, thank you so much for returning it.

Wait. I...

Kaitlyn has...

something of mine that I'm desperate to get back.

I'm about to go to jail.

But first I'm gonna puke on my shoes

and then I'm gonna go to jail.

What does she have of yours?

Well, you know...

I don't want to get anyone into trouble.

Kat, get down here.

No. Here it comes.

I had grilled cheese for lunch.

Trouble? Well, if Kat has stolen something of yours, sir,

I assure you, she would be in huge trouble.

Huge.

But you can't just come around and make these accusations.

What exactly has she got of yours, sir?

- She's got... - I can taste it.

I'll puke on his shoes.

...a real love of carrier pigeons and pigeon racing.

Now, I get the feeling you didn't tell your mom

that you'd come by a meeting

at the Pacific Northwest Pigeon Club.

The bag, she left it there.

Right. Yeah, no, she...

- She didn't tell me that. - Yeah.

- Didn't think so. - Um...

I'm sorry. A colleague of mine, um...

gave Kat two young pigeons. So...

She seems to be warming up to them.

Getting a lot of value out of the hobby.

I know she's getting a lot of value.

Who gave her the birds?

Um, my friend Ben Lasher.

- I know the Lashers. - You do?

- Yeah. You work with Ben? - I do.

So you're a cop?

Well, I'm a detective, right.

Well, good. I mean, I...

You know, we gotta solve all the crime we can.

Right.

I'm gonna puke again.

I'll tell you what, Mrs. McKay.

- Ms. - Beg your pardon.

Ms. McKay.

I've got an old pigeon loft.

It's a little house for the birds.

Now, I could come by and set it up here

for Kaitlyn and give her some lessons

on looking after the birds

and training them to compete.

That's very generous of you. Um...

Yeah, I do have room in the backyard,

but Kaitlyn, she'll have to show real commitment.

What do you say?

Yeah.

Sure.

Good.

Wh... Are you sure you have the time, Mr. Vari?

Well, I'm retired.

You know, you should tell Ben Lasher

that I'm building a loft for Kaitlyn.

- Right. - He may want to help.

- Great. I will. - Good.

Yeah.

Kaitlyn, see you tomorrow.

So, you like the pigeons?

- Yeah. They're cool. - Yeah.

When was the last time I was happy?

...friends, family?

Charles Schulz remains a very inspirational artist.

Outstanding.

Hey.

I liked your presentation.

Liar.

OK.

Then, I think that you're a grade-grubbing punk who

only did Charles Schulz because your dad's a Peanuts geek

and works for The Times.

You've become really mean, Kat.

Um...

Are we not friends anymore?

I guess it's just that, you know,

after eight years of being best friends it would be...

really good to know if anything had changed.

I don't know.

Guess things have changed.

Um, he came to my house yesterday.

- What? - Jaan Vari came to my house.

I left my gym bag on his roof. He found me.

What did you tell him?

I don't know. It was weird. He didn't bust me.

- Did he mention the Granger? - No.

He's coming back to my house today

to bring some old shack for my birds.

OK. OK. Maybe he doesn't know you stole the Granger.

No. He knows that we stole the Granger.

"We"? Listen. I told you. Leave me out of this.

Just come over to my house today and meet him. OK?

- I've met him. - You're still in this with me.

Hey. Take half the money.

I don't want the money! OK?

I just don't want anything to do with this.

Why can't you just understand that?

Listen. I'm just gonna tell my parents everything.

You know what?

Don't tell your parents, OK?

I'll protect your little image.

We're good.

I'm out of your life forever.

- Kat... - No.

Hello, Kaitlyn. Nice to see you again.

Kaitlyn, this is Carol Vari, Jaan's wife.

Hi.

Jaan and Ben are out back finishing your pigeon loft.

Why don't you check it out?

Hey, Kaitlyn.

Hope you don't mind.

I took the liberty of getting your birds from your room.

When Jaan's done here,

maybe you can show them around their new home.

Anyway, I'm gonna get a refill, Jaan.

- Do you want some water? - No. I'm all right.

Glad you're liking the birds.

I bet you know what goes in here.

I want you to take this carrier wherever you need to

and bring it back with the Granger inside.

I can't.

Can't or won't?

I can't.

Where's my bird?

- I don't have it. - I asked...

Where's my bird?

I know who does.

The boy has it?

What's one more lie?

Yeah.

- He's got it. - Does he live near here?

Why didn't you call the cops that night?

I was stupid.

I thought you might care about the birds.

I thought you were just a good kid

who made a stupid mistake.

But forget it.

I want the Granger back.

Today. Now.

It's not possible.

Really? Well...

I bet if I went into that kitchen right now

and told your mom, who's a cop,

that you came in the middle of the night,

scared my wife, stole a bird worth more than your house...

I bet I'd get my bird back today.

Are you scared now?

Because you should be.

I'm not scared.

Whoop-de-frickin'-do, honey.

All right. Stay out here. Be tough.

I'm gonna make your mom get my bird back.

- Wait. - No.

You had your chance. It's over.

I was nice about it. You didn't even apologize!

You're a surly little cretin!

I'll kill him.

I will.

I'll have to kill him.

In one call...

he's dead.

You're bluffing.

Try me.

- When? - Friday.

You'll bring him to my apartment?

Fine. Four o'clock.

And he's OK? The boy is taking care of him?

OK. Two more lies.

Yeah.

He's taken care of.

Because if he's not OK, sweetie,

I'm gonna make your life a living hell...

Hey, Mom.

Hey.

Yeah. Friday. Friday at 4:00.

What's Friday?

Kaitlyn's coming to my apartment

and I'm gonna show her my loft and...

Racing pigeons.

Friday at 4:00 should be great.

The school therapist said everyone

feels overwhelmed.

And alone.

It's normal.

I'm feeling really normal right now.

I can't let some old bird guy send me up the river.

I gotta get his bird back.

The Russians have a warehouse in Russian Alley.

Their loft was probably on the rooftop.

I'd crawl up and snatch the bird.

♪ What's it like to live? ♪

♪ How'd's it feel to be... ♪

I guess I was scared to do it on my own.

So stupid.

Why did I think I could fix any of this?

I should just disappear.

No one would care.

Maybe life would just be better someplace else.

Where? Doesn't matter.

Just go, right?

You OK?

Yeah. I'm fine.

How had my life come to this?

My cop mom driving me to the apartment

of the guy that I stole a $120,000 bird from?

I was done trying to think my way out of it.

I've made a very serious decision.

I had one way out.

And it was final.

Look here. All right.

I sold the Granger.

What?

I sold the Granger for $25,000 to the Russian Pigeon Mafia.

You're full of crap.

I'm not.

They keep their loft in a warehouse above Russian Alley.

Feel free to go get your bird back.

Do you realize you're standing on my roof

and admitting to a serious crime

that's going to change the course of your life?

- I don't care. - Enjoy prison, sweetie.

Because if this doesn't get you there,

- something else will. - I don't care.

Let's get your mom up here, see if she can make you care.

- I don't care. - Well, I care!

I care! A lot!

Have you any idea how much I loved that bird?

How perfect he is?

What it took to bring him into this world?

By taking that bird you have...

destroyed what's left of my life.

And I'm, um... I'm gonna destroy yours.

- I don't... - Don't say it!

Don't. Come with me.

Now.

Carol! Carol?

Carol?

Carol!

What?

- Are you OK? - I'm OK.

Get me the girl's mom's number.

- I have it in the kitchen. - Thank you.

821-2217.

8-2-1-2-2-1-7.

Carol? Can you leave us for a minute?

Thank you.

Voicemail.

I really wanna kill you right now.

I wish you would.

You want to die?

Is that all the "I don't care" crap?

You want to die, so you don't care?

You want to kill yourself?

Yeah, well, that's how you feel now, but...

You have no idea how I feel.

I spent 22 months in Vietnam.

I know all about wanting to die.

All about it.

Have you thought about it, how you'd do it?

The Army had a series of questions

for anyone they thought was a potential suicide.

Now, if you've actually thought about how you'd do it...

then you're getting pretty damn close.

I lost a lot of friends that way.

It's what they call...

permanent solution...

to a temporary problem.

Did you really sell the Granger?

Yeah.

Are you gonna call my mom?

Get out of here.

Get out of here. Go on. Go on. Get!

I don't know if we should wait.

Hey.

I'm just...

telling your brother that we got an offer on the house.

It's a pretty low offer, but...

Pat thinks we should take it.

So you're actually gonna do it?

I didn't say we were gonna do it. I just...

I...

I'm just saying that we got an offer.

- Sell it. - Yeah?

I don't care anymore.

Just do whatever you want.

With everything going on,

Matt and I were speaking even less.

If that was at all possible.

I'm leaving soon.

I don't really want to but...

seems like I have to.

You could say they're just birds.

But the thing that makes them different

is that they establish one home in their life

and will fly thousands of miles if they have to,

just to get back there.

No one knows why they do it.

You have to train them to know when and where their food is.

It makes them hungrier to come home.

Come on!

I had to name them.

My grandfather used to sing this song called...

Charlie Tickets.

♪ Did he ever return? No, he never returned ♪

♪ And his fate remains unlearned ♪

♪ He may ride forever 'neath the streets of Boston ♪

♪ He's the man who never returned ♪

Will you come back, Charlie? Yeah.

He'll come back. I didn't forget about you.

Everyone forgets about the girls because we're quiet.

Juliet.

Even though Romeo was kind of an idiot...

Juliet was some awesome gal.

Maybe Adam could come take of you?

You know, if he ever talks to me again.

Before I leave, I want to see

Juliet and Charlie Tickets fly.

- Just once. - Good night.

Pigeon racing is known as the poor man's horse racing.

Because anyone can do it.

Once you think your birds know where they belong,

you drive them miles from their loft

and fling them into the air.

I feel like a weirdo.

Well, we are weirdos.

Hey.

Give me this.

I think it's time.

Charlie, take care of Juliet.

Juliet...

kick Charlie's butt.

One...

two... three!

Come on!

Come on. See if we can beat them home.

I was starting to understand pigeon fliers.

The love for the birds is not just about winning.

It was about the fact that the birds want to come home.

But there are dark moments too.

The doubt that you should have released them

in the first place.

Charlie?

Juliet?

Hi! Hi! Over here!

My gosh, you made it!

Over here. See the loft? It's over there.

That's where your home is.

I can see you! Over here! Over here. Come on!

Right over here. Right over here!

Right there. The loft!

Come on!

Juliet!

That's amazing. How did you know?

You're so smart. Girls are so smart.

Have you seen Charlie?

Charlie Tickets!

Charlie Tickets! My gosh.

You made it!

I never knew how much someone could love a bird.

I guess the Granger was like family to him.

He wasn't expecting me but...

he let me in anyway.

She was right there. Boom. Juliet. And then...

Where's Charlie Tickets? I got nervous.

Was he lost? I didn't know.

But then he just whizzes right by my head

and walks into the loft

like it's another day in the office.

They're fast, Jaan.

I wanna race 'em.

Now imagine if you had a bird

that you thought was not only fast,

but that everyone else on the entire planet knew was fast

because he beat every single bird home.

Could you imagine how pissed you'd be...

if some kid stole that bird

and sold it to a bunch of gangsters?

Yeah.

I want to help you get the Granger back.

We're gonna get him back.

We are?

Yeah.

You, me and the kid.

What kid?

Your little boyfriend, who jumped off my roof.

He's not my boyfriend.

He doesn't even talk to me anymore. He's...

He's a jerk.

So you're in love?

No, not... No.

That makes things a lot harder.

What a mess.

What do you think makes them come home?

There's a number of theories.

Well, what's your theory?

Love of the loft.

They love their home so much

they'll die trying to get back to it.

Can they love more than one home?

No.

You take them from their home,

you're gonna have to lock them in a cage.

Then they're called prisoners.

But if they ever get out...

they'll fly back...

to the only home they ever loved.

Love of the loft.

Love of the loft.

That one.

Absolute nuisance.

Would you like to play the radio?

I'm so glad you stole that bird.

The Granger.

We've had a condo in Arizona

waiting for us to move in.

But Jaan can't leave the birds.

Not a great idea for someone dying of lung cancer

to be running around a roof in Portland in the winter.

He didn't tell you about his lungs?

It's been six years of operations

and chemotherapy.

He's done really well.

But it's winding down now.

I couldn't stop thinking about Jaan...

and the Granger.

How you only learn one home your entire life.

You wonder why?

This is why. You never listen to me.

How anywhere else you go...

you're a prisoner.

...Francis Scott Key is my inspirational artist.

Very nice.

Always nice to hear you play.

Very, informative.

- Thank you. - Seriously?

Kaitlyn.

Do you have an educated opinion about Kiril's presentation?

Yeah. It was a little bit of a snooze fest

and a little bit of a lie.

Sorry, Kiril. You know I'm right.

Before I send you to the main office

to discuss that comment...

would you like to clean it up?

We all know Kiril can play the cello like a mother,

but I don't believe for one second

that Francis Scott Key is his inspirational artist.

In fact, all of these presentations

are about some old, dead white dudes.

OK, Miss McKay. I think it's best you go talk to Dr Monroe.

How about a woman?

And someone who's actually living?

Kaitlyn...

"You don't need to scratch inside.

Just please hold on to your pride.

And don't let them push you around.

And don't let them bring you down.

Because those are your arms and that is your heart.

And, no, no, they can't tear you apart.

They can't take it away because this is your time.

This is your life.

This is your time. This is your life.

This is your time. This is your life.

This is your time. This is your life.

Keep on livin'.

Keep on livin'."

Who wrote that?

Kathleen Hanna.

She was born right here in Portland.

Just five miles from here.

And her life...

it sucked.

She had to move around. Her parents got divorced and...

and she started the band Bikini Kill

because she had a lot to say

and she was not afraid to say it.

She wasn't afraid to be sad,

or angry, or just totally messed up.

And when I listen, it helps.

It helps remind me that...

this is my time.

This is my life.

Take me to your boyfriend.

He's not my boyfriend.

Get in.

We have a problem.

No, you have a problem.

No, we have a problem.

All three of us. Hi, Adam.

Remember me?

We met on my roof.

How's your arm?

It's doing good. Thank you, sir.

I give Adam credit for not crying.

He was close.

He was so close.

We go on the weekend.

Be ready.

Both of you.

Sorry.

Hey, Kat?

Come in.

And just when I thought

that life couldn't get any more complicated...

Are you OK?

My body really changed.

There's no way I couldn't consult my mom about that.

Do you wanna go to the mall?

It's a school day.

Even better.

Since the divorce,

I had never seen my mom take a day off.

Do you like this?

Too... shiny?

No. I used to have that shirt when I was like ten.

Got it.

This is so boring but it's perfect.

- I kinda like it. - Yeah? I like it too.

- Mom. - Yeah?

What about...

Well, they're cute.

But, Here.

- Does it hurt? - No, they don't hurt.

These are more comfortable, you know?

You have so many of these. It's time. You need underwire.

What?

So, how do you win?

What do you mean?

A pigeon race.

Like, if every pigeon goes to a different home,

how do you know which one wins?

Um, well, it's actually pretty simple.

It's just the distance flown,

divided by the time it took for the bird to get there.

And that equals the yard per minute.

Boom.

Simple.

It's the fastest flier.

You know, the fastest flier.

- I know. I got it. - Yeah.

Boom.

Come on. We gotta go.

- Mom? - Yeah?

Thanks for today.

Kaitlyn.

Kaitlyn! Where were you yesterday?

After you bring Jaan to my house to terrorize me,

you don't show up to school?

I panicked thinking something's going down.

I went shopping with my mom.

Took the day off.

Took the day off?

Well, I hope you ate tea and crumpets

because they don't have crumpets in jail, Kat.

What are you talking about?

About Jaan and his plan to steal the Granger back.

Yeah, well, I'm gonna help him.

Well, I'm not.

So what are you gonna do about that?

Nothing.

Thing is, we stole this precious and rare bird

from this guy, who could have ruined our lives,

but he didn't, which is really cool.

So if I can help repay the favor

by helping him get his bird back then I will.

Do whatever you want, Adam.

The weekend was approaching fast.

Jaan called me to tell me there was a race coming up.

And that everyone was going to be at the club

registering their birds.

He wanted to see if there were any rumors

about the Granger...

While we're here, we'll get your birds registered

for the race.

...if the Russians had sold him off

or kept him in their loft for breeding.

War breeds strange bedfellows.

♪ Inside looking out ♪

♪ Got no place to shout ♪

♪ Don't crowd me...

Jaan seemed a little taller

as he walked through the VFW.

VFW?

That stands for Veterans of Foreign Wars.

I never knew that.

Nice to see you, Jaan.

Being there with all those pigeon fanciers...

got me even more excited to race my birds.

Hey, Jaan.

Did you bring the Granger?

We'd love to see him.

No, Paul. I didn't bring him today.

Yeah, but you're buying a band for him for the race, right?

I mean, you're gonna race the Granger, aren't ya?

Yes.

I'm gonna race him.

Settle down.

This, by the way, is my friend. Kaitlyn.

She's got birds. And they're fast.

Everyone let out that condescending...

Jaan, I had no idea you had such a sweet side.

Tell me, sweetie, hon...

What are the names of your birds?

Juliet and Charlie Tickets.

Charlie Tickets?

Isn't that the man who never returned?

I wanted to punch him in the face.

I'm sorry, sweetheart.

That's the worst name ever for a bird, ever.

See you on race day, folks.

The man who never returned.

We were almost out of there when I saw them.

A cold shiver ran down my back,

like someone had just dropped an ice cube down my shirt.

And then the worst thing happened.

What's wrong with you?

They were there.

Who?

The Russian Pigeon Mafia.

Did they say anything to you?

I was embarrassed.

I wanted to tell him that they winked at me

and blew me a kiss.

I wanted to tell him a lot of things.

I am so sorry.

I'm sorry about the Granger.

It's OK. It's OK.

Can I take you home now?

I know you're sick.

For the love of God.

Don't listen to Carol. She's a crazy old woman.

She said you're really sick.

Forget all that!

What?

So you're not dying?

I'm dying, Kaitlyn.

We're all dying.

Some of us are just doing it a little bit faster

than everybody else.

Can we go now?

I was gonna jump, in the Willamette.

You asked me...

if I had thought about how I was gonna kill myself.

I was gonna jump in the Willamette River.

Well, you know, um...

drowning is not a good way to go.

Your stomach fills with water and you choke to death.

I don't have a lot of options.

Are you a good swimmer?

Yeah.

Actually a very good swimmer.

If the will to live kicks in really hard at some point,

you might automatically find yourself starting to swim

and, before you know where you are...

you make it to shore.

I thought about that.

And...

you'd feel tired.

And wet.

And you'd be alive.

Are you afraid to die?

No.

Not today.

I have been.

There was a moment in the hospital.

I woke up...

and I was alone.

And I was sure that my life was a flock of birds...

and I could feel them flying away.

Sounds really scary.

Being alone...

can be scary.

Everything can be all right as long as you're not alone.

Now, me and my buddies...

We had some good times in Vietnam.

And that was a war and people were shooting at us.

Do you know what Vietnam is?

Some bullshit war like the ones we're always in?

No. Vietnam is a beautiful country with...

really amazing people and it smells like paradise.

Vietnam taught me...

the meaning of life.

Really?

What is it?

Thank you for today.

I had a good time.

Me too.

I have a...

dying wish.

What's that?

That we might actually pull this off.

I want my bird back.

I want that too.

Caw-caw!

And that's when things got weird.

- Bye. - See you later.

Yeah.

I left Adam out of it.

He'd done enough.

It would just be me and Jaan.

But that was probably the best team anyway.

Where are you going?

Um...

I'm gonna go steal a bird from the Russian Pigeon Mafia.

That sounds like a really dumb idea.

I'll grab my stuff.

You good?

Yeah. It's my method.

I thought it was just us.

You remember my brother Matt?

Yeah. Yeah.

Seen you at the house. OK.

Let's do it.

A dying man, my brother who doesn't speak...

and me, all trapped in a truck

on a criminal mission.

How bad could life be?

♪ Every day and night ♪

♪ Every day and night ♪

♪ I can see your disco disco dick ♪

♪ Is sucking my heart out of my mind ♪

♪ I'm outta time I'm outta fucking time ♪

♪ I'm a gasoline gut with a Vaseline mind, but ♪

♪ Wanna disco? Wanna see me disco? ♪

♪ One, two, three, four ♪

♪ Who took the Bomp from the Bompalompalomp? ♪

♪ Who took the Ram from the Ramalamadingdong? ♪

♪ Who took the Bomp from the... ♪

Take this.

Shit.

I can hear them.

It's no use.

It's solid steel.

It can't be cut. Let's go.

Rope!

What for?

Just give me the rope.

Come on, Matt.

You got it, Matt. Come on!

Matt!

Even if you pull yourself up to the pipe,

what are you gonna do then?

The ledge.

I'll get there and I'll break the window.

Forget it, Matt. Just forget it.

I said forget it!

Maybe take a break, Matt!

- You got it! - Yeah!

You got it, you got it!

Get the truck.

Straight.

Perfect.

Tie this up.

OK, Matt.

Give me a thumbs up when you're ready.

OK.

This is nuts.

But how are you gonna get to the ledge?

I'll jump.

Matt, come on. It's too high.

It's OK.

I'm OK.

Jaan, slow down.

Slow down, just...

Shit.

Matt, are you OK?

- You got it? - I'm OK. I'm OK.

Then Jaan said what I was thinking.

Come on down, Matt.

It's too far.

Come on down.

It's not worth it, Matt.

I wished a lot of things

in that moment before he jumped.

I wished I hadn't stolen the Granger.

I wished my father hadn't left.

I wished that Matt wouldn't jump.

Yeah!

Are you OK?

Um, I'm OK.

I... I got it.

You've got it, Matt! You've got it!

Pull yourself up. Come on! Pull yourself up.

Put your foot on the ledge.

Pull yourself up! Come on!

He's there. He's there.

He made it.

It was one of the most amazing things

I had ever seen.

I won't forget it.

Ever.

Your brother's crazier than I am.

Yes!

You did it, Matt!

Matt did something I hadn't seen him do

in two years.

He smiled.

- Prisoner birds. - Prison birds.

Thanks.

Granger, Granger, Granger, Granger.

Where are you, buddy? Come on.

What... There he is!

- There. - There? OK.

- Hi. - Hey, buddy.

Hey, buddy boy.

Hi.

Hey.

- It's OK. - It's OK.

- Come on. - How you doing?

Shh. You're all right.

Aw, look at you.

Good boy. Good boy. Yes. In you go.

- We got him! - We got him.

We finally got him!

Caw-caw!

Let's go.

It's $25,000.

I was gonna use it to...

try and...

raise the money to buy our house back.

You really wanna stay?

I don't wanna go, Matt.

Please don't let them take the house.

Don't you wanna stay there?

It's been a tough place to live the last couple of years.

Yeah, but I'm not leaving.

I was gonna leave the money in the Granger's cubby but I...

I think I'm gonna keep the money.

- Come on, Matt, we can... - Leave the money.

Just leave the money.

Jaan Vari and his crew.

Jaan Vari!

Give us the Granger.

Hey!

He's ours now.

I left the money!

It's all in there!

Open the cage.

Open the cage, Kaitlyn.

- What? - We had a deal, little girl.

He'll fly home. He knows where home is.

Jaan Vari.

Don't.

Don't do it!

- No. - Go, boy.

- No! - Go!

Go!

Yes!

Go home, boy.

We did it! Whoo!

Things were on the upswing.

The Granger was free from the Russian Pigeon Mafia

and on his way home.

Here you go.

So, you're really gonna race those birds?

Yeah, I mean...

they're pretty fast and smart but...

I mean, they're the only pigeons I know, so...

I spoke to Mr. Vari today.

He called me.

Yeah?

I just wanted to make sure that you're OK, Kat.

I want you to know that you can talk to me, you know?

About anything.

I'm really fine, Mom.

It's not fine.

It's been a brutal year and...

the divorce has been so hard on you and...

I've been so focused on figuring out the house

and your brother, he doesn't talk and...

I don't ever want you to hurt yourself.

I don't ever want you to think about hurting yourself.

I promise you, you have a great life ahead of you.

Great, do you hear me?

You're 13...

and you're in eighth grade...

and it sucks.

Yeah.

It really does suck.

I love you.

So, um...

Did you, you know...

go the other night?

Yep.

We went to set the Granger free and I returned the money.

I'm sorry I didn't come with you.

I should have gone.

Hey.

That wasn't your war to fight.

It really wasn't.

OK?

Things went the way they were supposed to.

So, how are your birds?

They're good.

Kick-ass, even.

I'm gonna race them on Saturday.

- Really? - Yeah.

Can I come?

Yeah, sure. It's really early though.

I don't care. I'm there.

Hey, come on.

It was finally race day.

And we all had to deliver our pigeons to the club

so they could be driven to the same starting point.

Where's the Granger?

Did you decide not to race him?

He...

He didn't come home.

Well, I mean, I've...

read where a bird comes back to his original loft

ten years later, so...

You just mean he's not home... yet.

Yeah. Yeah, you're right.

He's not home... yet.

- Here you are, my dear. - Thank you.

Juliet.

Hey.

Charlie Tickets.

You wanna see it?

I haven't seen one of these in a long time.

Now...

You walk up this trail,

there's a little bluff where you should sit

and watch the start of the race.

It's only about ten minutes away

but, you want to get the best view you can.

- Thank you. - Thanks.

Thanks.

- Thanks. - No problem.

I just want to make sure that you're all covered up too.

It was perfectly quiet.

And it was a beautiful morning.

I don't know that I was ever up that early

and really got to watch the sunrise.

It was incredible.

What you thinking about?

I don't know.

Actually...

I'm kinda thinking about kissing you.

Is that OK?

Thank you.

Charlie? Juliet?

0137.

Charlie Tickets reporting for duty.

Go on inside, buddy. Get warm.

Jaan was right.

It was the most amazing thing I had ever seen.

It's been really great working with you, Maddie.

If I can just get you to sign right here,

this will finalize everything.

I appreciate it all.

Sure. I'm gonna leave a copy of all this paperwork.

Great.

Well...

Enough out of me. I'm glad we got everything squared away.

Maddie, Kaitlyn, good night.

Thanks.

So, it's done.

We're staying.

Wait. We're staying?

Like, here?

- Like, in this house? - Yep. Gonna be tight but...

your daddy gave us the money so we can stay.

Thanks, Mom.

Don't thank me, thank your brother.

He threatened to kill him

if he didn't, which is weird,

'cause I always thought he was fine moving, but...

then he's making death threats.

He's not taking drugs, is he?

No. No, he's not.

That was the most we ever spoke

about what he said to Dad about keeping the house.

He'd done a great thing.

And he had done it for me.

Granger!

Granger!

Granger! Come on!

Go, let's go! Come on. Down.

- Come down. Come down. - Jaan.

Jaan!

Hey. Look who showed up on my window this morning.

The Granger!

He came home.

He finally came home.

No.

No, leave him in there for now.

What are you doing?

Where's all your birds?

We're gonna finally sell the apartment.

I have to go away for a while so I'm giving...

the birds away to some really good pigeon folk.

Except this guy.

He refuses to leave.

And I've, I've saved some good birds for you.

Where are you going?

I have...

I have to go into hospital for a little bit.

What's a little bit?

- What's a little bit? - I don't know, Kaitlyn.

The truth is...

it's...

It's probably gonna be for a while.

Well, what about the Granger?

He's yours.

What?

No. No.

No way. Not after everything we've been through. No!

He flew home.

Your home is now his home.

Take good care of him.

- Jaan... - Promise me...

you'll take good care of him.

Yeah.

Yeah. I'll take good care of him.

- You know where he is. - Yeah.

I remember the last time I saw him.

We sat there for hours.

I'd come back to get a really nice racing timer

that Jaan insisted that I have.

Alright.

I'm off.

I'm glad you came by.

Enjoy the timer.

Race those birds.

That Charlie is special.

I know he is.

Before I go...

I wanted to tell ya...

the meaning of life.

Life is sweet, Kaitlyn.

Life...

is sweet.

Caw-caw!

Life can hurt.

Life can be the eighth grade.

But...

life...

when you really think about it...

is sweet.