Original subtitles

Yes, I'm calling from the trip.

I'd like to confirm. Hey, I've been getting the runaround for two hours.

can you tell me approximately how much money was missing?

Was it over a thousand dollars?

What do you mean, making obscene gestures like that? I just went.

Hey, what am I supposed to do?

What I'd like to know is how'd you ever get a driver's license?

Look, just forget it.

Hey, I don't want to forget it.

Moron!

Excuse me, is that May of 77?

That's right.

Think you'll be through with it soon? No.

Oh.

Excuse me again. Would you mind if I just quickly look something up? Yes.

See, I'm a reporter and I'm on deadline. I'm doing the story. You mean what

you're doing is more important than what I'm doing?

No. Now, I'm sure what you're doing is critical. You're the taxpayer lady. I'm

just a selfish guy trying to find out if the Altamira city attorney's a thief.

Take all the time you want.

I reach for my laundry and this guy grabs a tire iron.

Don't blame him, Lou. I wouldn't want to get hit with your dirty laundry.

It's a little scary, you know. I was almost in a brawl with a total stranger.

Now, if you've been in a brawl with a friend... What happened?

A guy came after Lou with a tire iron today.

Are you okay?

Yeah. Just so spooky how something like that can escalate out of nothing.

But I'm okay. The guy eventually took off.

Did you get your licks in?

Billy! I mean it. Sometimes revenge is the best revenge. Yeah, I'm telling you,

a heart of stone.

Listen, a guy stole a parking place from me once and then blew a kiss at me. Oh,

no. Yeah, I might still be worked up about it, but I got even. I waited till

left and let the air out of his tires.

Good for you.

What are you saying? Whatever happened to two wrongs don't make a right?

It's an eye for an eye and a tire for a tire, Lou.

What if the jerk had come back while you were working on his tires?

She's stronger than she looks.

No, no, you're right. It was dumb.

An awful lot of fun, but dumb.

Case number? You know I have no way of knowing what the case number is.

Why don't you try helping me instead of making it impossible?

That's how everything is filed, by case number. I'm sorry, ma 'am. You're not

sorry. You just don't want to work. You want to sit around on your butt all day,

collect your paycheck.

Bring me a case number, and I'll get you the file.

Hi, Joe.

Yes, sir. Can I help you?

You're not going to ignore me.

I'm not moving until you help me. Hello again.

You stay out of this. Mind your own business. I can get you the case number.

Then do it.

When you sweet -talk me that way, how can I refuse?

Yes, sir.

See, they assign each police case a number depending on the date the file

started. What date is your case?

I have 22 cases.

Give me one.

Okay.

March 3rd, 1975.

All right. Now, the case I'm looking at is May of 76. That's 84 -532.

Now, we take a stab at another number, a lower one, say 84 -001. I go up there,

ask for the file, see what the date is. We work our way back till we get your

case. It may take an hour or so, but we'll get it.

That's simple. You're welcome.

Now, since we're on a roll here, I'll go up to Monica, that's Monica, and ask

for the file.

Watch her nicely, I treat her. See what results it gets.

And listen, if you have any problems finding anything and I'm around, just

away, okay?

Bye.

How can the story end up short?

Rosenthal never writes short.

Think of it this way. The chuckle of the day can run twice as long.

I told you you were going out to cover a fire, Burroughs. It's your fault if you

wore sandals. I don't have your notes. I'm not saying you took them. Maybe they

came by mistake.

We don't even use the same kind of notebook.

Look, that typewriter is mine during the day. It is now night.

And that typewriter is all yours. Yeah, don't you know how to change a

typewriter ribbon? Is that beneath you guys with master's degrees? Oh, cut it

out, Gary. I didn't even know it was running out. Well, now you know. So

it. Don't throw that at me.

Look, I spent half my shift trying to put what you write into English.

Don't expect me to clear up the mess you make on this typewriter. Mess?

I'm not the one who eats dinner off it. What do you do, roll tortillas in that

thing? Hey, you know, the night shift doesn't get two -hour lunches. I have to

eat at this desk.

Filthy. That machine is filthy.

Hold it.

You're not going anywhere until you clear up that ribbon.

Not her. Who's going to stop her? I am, that's who. Hey, hey, hey, hold it,

guys. Stay out of this. Come on now, cut it out. You don't deserve to have a

typewriter. Hey, I can't believe this. You're fighting for a typewriter? Hey,

cool it!

Right now!

Now, I don't have many rules in this joint, because then I just have to

them. But here comes one.

No hitting.

scream, you can jump up and down, you can break coffee pencils, but never hit!

You may not be very civilized out there, but the devil's gonna be civilized in

here!

Thank you.

Rossi. Are you the Joe Rossi that was in the Altamira Hall of Records today?

Who is this?

This is the sweet talker. Oh, no.

Look. Uh, I don't know how you track me down, but don't expect me to give you

any more help.

You left your notebook.

You've got my notebook.

That's great.

Listen, can you bring it by the paper?

Sure. Maybe I can pick up your laundry on the way.

I'll be home at seven tonight. If you want your notes, come get them.

Okay. What's the address?

Is that Altamira?

I got it.

Next time you're missing something, why don't you just not assume that the

people you work with are stealing?

Listen, this is not the day to criticize me. You have a special day? Be sure to

let me know.

Hey, Billy, there's been a lot of anger in the air. We've had violence in the

city room. Plus, I have to troop all the way out to Altamira again before I can

call it a day. So get off my case. Hey, Rossi, you know those clips with the

strings that they give to kids so they don't lose their mittens? You could use

those for your notes. Let them hang from your sleeves.

Good night, Rossi.

Hi. You said 7.

Yeah, well, I had to make a call and it's only 7 .15.

And I have nothing better to do.

Sorry.

Here are your notes.

Thanks. You live here? Oh, no.

I just use this place for entertaining.

Sorry. Just a reporter's reflex trying to fit the person with the surroundings.

Doesn't it fit?

No.

Where would you put me?

All right.

To me, you're a house with aluminum siding and a cranberry glass collection.

And a husband. In the den. With his feet up. And the TV on. Yeah.

So what are you doing here? And what do you spend all day at the Altamira Hall

of Records?

Hold it.

Hold it.

You're one of those runaway wives, right? Left the kid from the kitchen

to find yourself.

You in law school?

Wait, no, no.

First year law enforcement.

How'd I do?

Not cranberry glass in the window. It's Avon bottles.

My husband has been an ex for years.

And all this work is not for school.

I'm investigating a murder.

Little amateur detective work. Let me give you one last bit of advice.

Don't let your games interfere with what the pros are trying to do.

Don't worry. The pros gave up on this one.

Oh, you think you can do better? The cops didn't lose their only son.

Your son?

Two and a half years ago. Hit and run in Altamira.

And you're not getting any help from the cops? They're stonewalling you?

More like a fog bank.

Oh, they say they've tried.

Nobody's been rude.

Well, you've been rude, but I don't count that.

Tell me about it, would you?

that envelope will have all the stories that you have ever printed on your son's

accent. One story, and I've read it. It's about this long.

Here you go, Joe. Need anything else? No, thanks, Leon.

Well, it could have been a busy day.

August 4th, 1976.

Lord Thompson of Fleet died, and the fire department bought four new

helicopters.

That was that day. I wrote the helicopter story.

Now, at least fell by hit and run. No byline. There's a photo credit.

Hey, animal.

Dennis Price, Martha Emmett. Do you remember this story?

I remember the picture I shot.

Billy and I were on something else when this came in.

Grim. Billy ride.

Perfect. Follow me, Martha.

Oh, gee, Mrs. Emmett. I'm sorry. I don't remember a thing. But I'm sure I've got

my notes.

Um, when did you say it was?

76. August.

August.

Okay,

got it.

Fifth advantage, Altamira.

That's it.

Hit and run, victim Danny Emmett.

Oh, here's something.

Donald Onofrio, witness.

Moved to Rochester last November.

Answered my letter, but didn't have anything beyond what he told the police.

Oh. Well, Billy's got more, haven't you, Billy? Yeah.

Evelyn Lum? One of those hysterical types. Her story changed every time I

to her.

Oh.

Paul Man... Mancuso? Marcus.

Dead.

Is that it, Billy?

Well, here's something maybe.

I must have been writing in the dark. I wrote over it.

It looks like Red Gas Station R. Stewart Drunk.

Stewart, that's a new name.

I think I meant Rod Stewart the singer.

Red gas station.

R. Stewart drunk.

Question mark.

R. Stewart drunk?

Great notice, Billy. Oh, give me a minute, will you? I'll figure it out.

Oh, Martha, stay with Billy a second. I want to talk to my boss.

Okay.

Lou? Yeah.

I stumbled on something yesterday, and I'd like to see if you think it's a

story. Sure.

It's about this lady. She's from up in Gilroy.

She's living all alone in a crummy room while she tries to track down the hit

-and -run driver who killed her son.

A little kid?

He was 20.

This is really something, Lou. Completely on her own. Quit her job.

Sold her car. Spent all her dough.

It's mostly character pieces, I see it.

Is that her?

Yeah, that's her.

Well, let me meet her.

Oh, no. No need, Lou. You don't have to bother.

No bother.

Well, she's not easy to get to know.

Your first impression of her may not... You want to do the story?

Okay. Come on.

I've got it deciphered, I think. Good.

Martha Emmett, Lou Grant.

Pleased to meet you, Mrs. Emmett. Hi.

Why don't we go to my office to have a talk? Because I'm busy here. This girl's

got something for me.

Oh, Billy can take notes for you.

Let's talk. This is important.

Why do you have to talk to me?

I'd sort of like to get to know you.

Listen, Joe, I really don't have time to waste kissing up to some boss of yours.

Can you help me with this thing or not?

This is your grieving mother?

I'm sorry, Lou.

Tough little bird, isn't she?

Well... We're on with it.

She's got it.

Red worked at a gas station that crossed from the scene of the accident. He

looked like the Stewart person. I used to do that so I could tell which

interview was which.

And she says Red thought the guy who hit Danny might have been drunk. I didn't

put it in the story because it didn't have his last name.

Red, last name unknown at unspecified gas station. That's a great lead, Billy.

Well, you know, a person's notes aren't really meant for public scrutiny.

Would you mind putting out that cigar?

The time it takes me to put it out, I'll be at my floor.

Indulge me.

Ease up, will you, lady?

This will be over in no time.

You're breaking the law.

You own this elevator?

The elevator, the building, the block.

And this must be yours, too.

So I do Rossi a favor and he embarrasses me in front of a total stranger. In

front of a very nice lady who I'm sure thinks I'm a total idiot.

Come on, this is good. You're getting everything out. No, it's not helping at

all.

Take this.

What, you want me to write it all out? No, no.

Break the pencil.

Focus all that anger on the pencil and let her rip.

Okay.

Well?

I can do it better.

I don't know. There's something missing.

Just a second.

What are you doing?

Rossi's pencil.

Thank you.

Don't you think we're justified in going up two pages for the sake of all that

art?

Something's going to matter.

Oh, I'm sorry.

Something just happened to me that I was determined would not spoil my day, but

it did.

What happened?

Well, I was in the elevator and a spectacularly rude man blew cigar smoke

face. We had words.

And he presented me with his cigar.

His slimy, half -smoked cigar.

Gee, that's terrible. What did you do?

Well, I said to him...

I cannot rob you of the only thing in the world that lights up in your

What a great comeback.

I was telling them.

Well, unfortunately, I was four floors away when I thought of it.

Oh, I can still smell it on my hands.

Why does a guy act like that?

Where does all that hostility come from?

There's a lot of that going around.

If there's so much of it going around, why haven't I read about it in the trip?

I think we'd better put a reporter on this, Lou, before our publisher starts

breaking arms.

I know.

Thank you and have a good day.

7 .30 in the morning.

They got a speed trap set up at 7 .30 in the morning. It's thorn for crying out

loud. We weren't going that fast.

Welcome to Altamira. 25 bucks.

You're going to fight it, aren't you? Are you kidding?

This town's got a trap of what went by the last of the hanging judges, a guy

named Cromwell.

I'll pay the money.

You remember August 3rd, two

years ago?

Sure, that's the day the fire department bought four helicopters.

First day of night's weather after a hot spell.

Spoke in the bandit was playing second run at the Crest Theater about six

over that way.

Danny saw the 7 o 'clock show.

Went to a liquor store over there and bought a six -pack of root beer, a

of blueberry yogurts.

Got about 75 feet and realized that his left rear tire was flat.

He found out later he'd gone over a nail.

He decided to change it himself instead of going to that gas station.

The trunk was up and he had the hubcap off and free of the nuts when he was

This way.

He landed here.

Came down on his right shoulder.

Broke his neck, the shoulder, and arms, six ribs.

The internal bleeding that killed him.

And the cart took off.

Swerved to avoid hitting Danny a second time.

Then hit the accelerator and was gone.

You're so cool about it.

This is not the first time I've walked this through.

Martha, I would like to do a story about you and what you're

doing. I hope you don't mind.

I don't mind.

You've been a help to me.

Nothing's ever free.

Hey, come on, Martha. I didn't mean it that way, like it was a trade -off or

something. It wouldn't matter if you did.

Red Teal.

Yeah, Red worked for me a couple of years back.

You think there might be an address on him?

Well, my boys usually let me know where they are.

They know when they're broke, I'm an easy touch for a couple of bucks.

Red couldn't decide if he wanted to be a country bass player or a hydroplate

racer.

So he went to work in a gas station.

Nothing like checking people's oil a hundred times a day to help you make up

your mind.

Ah, here we are.

He went with the hydroplane.

He's probably somewhere out on the circuit.

Thanks.

I love my car.

It's the one place where I can really just let go and be myself.

Yeah. Yeah, none of that forced formality we demand of you around here,

According to this psychologist, people feel anonymous in their cars. It's like

shell or armor.

Or a weapon.

Well, that's the other thing.

The road is apparently a very tempting place for letting out anger, because

first, nobody knows you, and second, you're inside this 2 ,000 -pound monster

ready to attack.

Sure, because everybody's equally powerful in a car.

Some little wimpy guy just touching the accelerator, suddenly he's the Hulk.

Yeah, it's a great release of tension, all right.

The only problem is the poor guy who ends up the victim.

Anyone know anything about hydroplanes?

They get a lousy mileage in the city.

Keep your car.

Skip it. Where you been all morning?

Out the mirror. It took longer than I thought. Why?

It's okay.

Tell Rosenthal to stand the Garbers thing.

Okay. What Garbers thing? The AP ran a story this morning that the Justice

Department is investigating Councilman Garbers. No kidding.

Well, don't give that to Rosenthal. I've been on Garbers. Give it to me.

Rosenthal's got a jump on it. You can't do the hit and run story on Garbers,

too.

I guess not.

Damn.

It's happening again. When am I ever going to learn? Letting my emotions get

the way of my news judgment.

I follow my heart instead of my head.

Just a sentimental old fool, huh?

Rossi, 542.

Thanks.

Rossi. It's Martha.

What'd you find out?

About Red Keel? I haven't had a chance, Martha. They just got back.

Well, I figured if you got an address, we could look him up before the end of

the day.

You know, it's been two and a half years. You think Red's going to forget

he saw between now and tomorrow?

We're on to something. I want to do it now.

Hold it just a second. I got another call.

Sorry, Martha. It's a real madhouse here. I'm just going to need a little

time before I can try to get a line on Red.

slide, and I think if I can clear everything else out of the way, then

really be able to focus in on the case.

Okay.

Just, uh, just a few days will be a really big help.

I understand.

Goodbye. What do you mean, goodbye? I just need a couple more days.

I've heard this before, Joe, and you're getting out.

I can do this alone.

Your help was making it easier, but I can do this alone.

Thank you, and goodbye.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

I had this idea.

It's going to use a lot of your time, but it might be worth it.

What if you check the parts manufacturers for hydroplanes? Red might

customer. Okay.

And I'll see if there's a hydroplane association tomorrow.

It might give me something on.

Okay. Okay.

Good.

Good. Well, got a full day tomorrow?

Joe, what's going on? I thought you quit.

You're not easy to quit on.

Martha. Yes?

Something's been bothering me.

How come you don't have any pictures of Danny here? I've been wondering.

I remember what he looked like.

Yeah, I know.

But you usually see a whole shelf full of pictures. I mean, my mom's got a

collection. I know, like a little shrine.

I never felt that way about Danny.

How do you feel about him?

Please. I'd like to know.

What can I say?

He was a kid.

Had his dad's easygoing way.

Could always crack me up.

Why was he in L .A.? Oh, he was going through that time kids go through when

only thing they know for sure is they want out.

Out of the house? The house, Gilroy, the work.

So he saved his money. I gave him a hundred of my own.

He came down to L .A.

How long was he down here?

Almost a year.

Did he find what he wanted to do?

No.

Two weeks into anything, it was boring.

Or dumb.

You know what I mean?

Why is that, Joe?

Well, I know what you're talking about, but it's not something I ever went

through. From the time I was little, all I ever wanted to do was be a reporter,

find out about things, tell people.

I've been lucky.

I guess.

Not caring.

That's what I don't understand.

Me, I was born believing.

I grew up during the war.

We were told as kids that our believing was as important as the fighting.

I still sort of think I'm partly responsible for V .E. Day.

I believe in everything.

The country, the Methodist church, even the Gilman Egg Ranch.

I candled eggs for 18 years.

What do you do when those things let you down?

I grew up in Wichita, where the Cubs had a triple -A farm team.

They got beat every year.

But I still love my Cubs.

I always figured that was part of the deal.

Sticking by them when they didn't deserve it.

Maybe that's why I'm looking for who killed Danny.

Because you want to stick by him?

No.

Danny lived his whole life... Never knowing how good it felt to really care

about a job or a girl or an idea.

That's a terrible cheat, Joe.

It's the worst cheat I can think of.

Can I use your office to scream in? Not with me in it.

What's the matter?

It's this damn hit -and -run thing. I cannot find a witness.

Oh?

Timothy Keogh, nicknamed Red. The Hydroplane Association's only got a post

office box for him. If he's got a phone number, it's unlisted.

He's not registered to vote. I checked the title office. He doesn't own any

land. He's not a member of any union, and none of the Keoghs in L .A. know

That's it. I am totally stuck.

I could write him, but that'll take days, and Mark is all keyed up, so...

it. It's screaming time.

You know, you could at least listen to me.

Is this Arlene?

Luke Grant.

Well, I just thought I'd call to find out what kind of spell you cast over my

delivery boy.

Ever since I called you, that paper's been at my door right on time.

Come on now, you living doll, you. I know where the real part of this paper

Watch what you say, lady. One of these days I may take you up on it.

We got a subscriber named Timothy Keough, or Red Keough, K -E -O -U -G

-H.

The hunger.

Got a phone?

Uh -huh.

Five.

Uh, listen, how come your paper never covers hydroplane races?

Well, that's not my department, you know. Well, we get 15 ,000 people

us sometimes.

It's booming.

Oh, I'm not just saying it to get my name in the paper, but you'd get more

readers, believe me. Well, I'll tell the guys over in sports.

So,

what is it you want to know about that hit and run? Well, what can you

Who, are you kidding?

Everything. I dream about it every couple of months.

Think you can separate what you dream from what you remember happened?

Oh, yeah.

But the only thing different about the dream is when I go up to the kid, it's

me. And the driver of the car is me, too.

Wow. That's weird, huh?

I'll tell you, I don't even want to know what that means.

What do you remember?

Well, I was pumping gas for a lady in a white sports car.

And I heard the sound.

There's nothing like it.

Well, you know, you hear near misses all the time. But this was totally

different.

Ooh, boy.

I turned and I saw that black limo swerving away.

I mean, that kid just flew.

And when he hit... Hey, hey, this is the kid's mother.

Let him tell it.

Oh, ma 'am, I'm sorry.

Go on.

There was broken glass all around.

I guess the guy's headlight was busted.

And it was a limousine?

Well, no.

Not a big long one with the chauffeur and stuff.

But it definitely was a black Cadillac.

You've been a real help. Thanks.

Why didn't you tell this to the police?

I did.

They took a statement from me that night.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Well, you've got us, Mr. Rossi. I have reasons for the foul -up, but nothing

could call an excuse.

What are those reasons, Chief?

Well, that summer, I wasn't chief then, but I checked this out.

We switched all our records over to computers, which meant that we hired a

of temporary help. Well, they just weren't qualified.

And some things got lost. Some things in the computer, we may never retrieve it.

And by the time we caught the problem, material on more than a dozen cases was

destroyed. The Emmett case was one of them.

Well, as I say, there's no excuse.

And that's it, incompetence.

Well, I am not proud of what we did.

You ever think of making that your motto?

Dispatcher told me to give you this.

Let me guess.

It's the... Come on now, let me guess.

It's the Alfa Romeo.

No. Hey, just a minute.

Now, there's no way you're the station wagon. Look, I'm really pressed for

And what's it going to cost you? 30 seconds?

The van.

No. I'll give you a hint. It's the blue Mustang convertible.

Ask me for a favor sometime.

Come on.

I've been to every body shop in Altamira or within a 10 -mile radius.

Nothing. I'm sorry, Martha. I guess that was really a long shot.

Listen, the one thing I have is time and energy. Let me go after the long shots.

Whoever owned that black car probably took it out of town. Maybe San Diego or

Santa Barbara.

Or paid somebody to do the work in secret.

Martha, I was in a body shop today.

I've been there.

Will you wait a second? You haven't been to this one. This body shop is in the

Altamira City Garage.

What?

Martha, what if the city's tied into this?

You want to meet me there now?

Tomorrow, Martha, please.

All right.

7 .30 tomorrow morning. 8 o 'clock.

I'll be long gone by 8. Okay, 7 .45. I'll pick you up. Make me breakfast.

7 .30.

Bring donuts.

You put that out there.

I'm not writing far. Try holding your breath.

City ordinance, you know.

You're breaking the law.

You're breaking my heart.

Hold on there.

This is interesting to me.

Why does a person break a law, fill an elevator with smoke, and just generally

be offensive to people who never did anything to him?

Oh, did I offend your delicate sensibilities, Magnolia? Ah, here you

It's all yours.

You.

You did that to Mrs. Pinchon the other day. Must be.

That makes you the second old lady I've given my cigar to.

Who do you think you are, going after Mrs. Pinchon like that? How do you think

you're doing?

Hey,

come on.

What are you doing?

I want to hear your apologize right now. Now, get off.

Right now.

Loud. Apologize.

Loud enough for Mrs. Prince. I can hear you. Keep away. There's nothing between

him and me.

Charlie, for Pete's sake, call off your dog, will you?

You know him? Know him? He's my roofer. I missed him the other day. I've been

waiting six months for him to come around.

Hang on to him a little while I get my copy of the contract.

You get told again? No. No, look, where do you keep your records? You're

kidding. No.

No, I'm a reporter. I'm working on a story. And since this is a matter of

money being spent, it's your duty to let me look at your records. No, Joe, hold

it. I don't want this man to do anything he feels uncomfortable doing.

Thanks. Then you see stuff like that, it's not something I can authorize.

Sure. See, this reporter here is helping me.

I had a boy.

Looked a little like you.

Loved taking cars apart.

Warren really had a gift, you know.

Warren. That's my name.

My Lord.

Well, I lost my Warren.

Hit by a car in this town in 76.

I'm trying to find who did it.

That's why we wanted to look at your records. See if there was any body work

done on a black Cadillac around that date.

I guess you only have economy cars here, huh? Oh, no, ma 'am.

We've got awful nice city cars.

The big officials get used to them.

Look, Mrs... Mrs. Emmett.

Mrs. Emmett.

I just can't believe that I would be doing any wrong to let you look at the

records.

No, Warren, I don't want you bending any rules for me. No, listen, they leave me

here alone.

That puts me in charge.

And I say you can look at the records.

Come on.

I got it. It's okay, I got it.

August 20th, August 18th.

On the 9th.

7, 6, 7, 4.

4. He'd have the body worked on the 4th.

Black pattern.

Black pattern.

Martha, Martha.

Mrs. Emmett, you're missing a work order here.

00175 -00177.

Now how could that happen?

Let's hear it for bureaucratic duplication, 00176.

One headlamp, XM130.

One headlamp rim, M350.

Body work on front end, four hours.

Paid job, two hours.

Who signed for the work?

Willis J.

Cromwell.

Where do I know that name from?

From me.

We're in the traffic court in Altamira. He's the judge I wanted to avoid.

Looks like he's been avoiding us.

Lou Grant will continue in a moment here on A &E.

Morning, Lou.

Morning.

Now, don't worry. It's all been forgotten.

Oh, good.

Of course, I haven't forgotten, but then I was ringside. Hi, Lou. Morning.

Oh, Lou, I need an extra day on my violence story. Now, don't hit me.

Well, sure, Billy hasn't forgotten.

Nobody's forgotten.

Well, at least we kept it out of the paper.

I don't know. Didn't you always see Lou as more of an intellectual brawler?

Corner. That's only funny the first 200 times.

They're really giving you the old treatment.

It works.

Someone even changed the name of my parking space to Lou Palooka. It wasn't

Lou, I swear it.

Charlie. Oh, come on, Lou. Forget it. It's what everyone keeps saying.

I hit your friend and I'm sorry.

McPhee's my roof or not. My friend, he's a jerk.

In a way, that makes it worse. Puts me in his league.

I don't know, Lou.

Charles Bronson is able to pull this kind of thing off. Of course, he throws

guys up against walls, hasn't sat on a villain for a long time.

What really gets me is that even when I was doing it, it didn't feel good. You

figure I'd at least get a charge at the start.

Well, now you know.

Yeah.

Still feeling bad, huh?

Kind of.

I know what'll make your day.

What, sir? I just found me a new woofer.

You've been on the bench a number of years, Your Honor?

Only 12, but I've been a lawyer 30 years. All of your service in Altamira?

yeah. You're looking at a native Californian. My grandfather built his

here.

Altamira just grew up around it.

As a longtime observer, what would you describe as the chief crime problem in

your district?

Well, my bailiwick is just traffic cord, but it's happening everywhere.

Lack of respect for the law.

The system's eroding.

You blame law enforcement?

Oh, no.

Though the cop on the beat looks more and more like a kid every day.

No, our system is built on its citizens respecting the law.

Once they become cynical, starts to unravel, you've got anarchy.

And that's what's happening?

I'm afraid so.

Your Honor, during the past months, Martha and I have been made aware of

appears to be an intentional miscarriage of justice here in Altamira.

Well, I wish you'd tell me about it.

Well, it happened to a kid who'd just turned 20, victim of a hit -and -run.

At Fifth and Vantage at 10 .42 the night of August 3rd, 1976,

a big black Cadillac hit him while he was changing a tire.

Did you see that look?

He went white.

And that little, that little tremor that ran through him.

The guy could barely pull himself together to make a denial.

Okay, now what we've got to do is line up some heavy -duty help. If we can't

anyone in and out the mirror, we'll go to the state.

You're tired.

Yeah.

Oh, we won, Martha.

You were right.

His father will want to know.

Hello, Leanne?

It's Martha.

Is Fred there?

I'll call in the morning.

Hi, Fred.

No, I'm still in Los Angeles.

Fine.

Listen, I have news.

You know, your automobile violence story would make a nice companion piece to my

hit -and -run story.

Forget it.

Oh, come on, Billy. You shouldn't let your ego get in the way here and make a

nifty little sidebar.

It's not a good idea because there is no story. I shelved it.

Why? Well, we all had a lot of hunches, but not too much substantiation.

Whenever I write one of these what's -the -world -coming -to stories, I want

make sure I can back up the pessimism with figures.

Well, maybe it's just as well, since mine's kind of turning into an upbeat

story.

Martha finally found a judge who'd listen. And when he read the stuff we

he decided to go after Cromwell. Thanks to him, the case would go on a trial. So

everything will be out in the open. I'm glad for her.

Yeah. What's she gonna do?

I'm taking her to the bus station this afternoon.

Martha, do you have to go by bus?

I could fly, but what's my hurry?

So what are you gonna do now, Martha?

Are you kidding?

Back to the egg ranch.

I'll try sweet -talking him into letting me have my old job back. And when that

doesn't work, you'll bully him.

I pick my fights very carefully, Joe.

That isn't one of them.

Gilroy.

Yeah. Well, next time you're in L .A., uh... I won't be back.

Okay. Next time I'm in Gilroy. Right.

You ever been to Gilroy?

Uh, I just, I just don't want to say goodbye.

You mean a lot to me.

Do me a favor.

Sure.

Give your mother a call.

Okay, good idea.

And thank you for everything.

Thank you.

Martha?

I'll send you copies of our story.

Okay.

Okay.

Bye. Bye.

I'm Mike Wallace. The age of rage, pain, and paranoia. Has hate become hip on an

all -new 20th century?

Tonight, only on A &E.

Now, no one's going to stand in the way of their plans.

Mobsters hire a hitman to dispose of an opposing rival.

On Police Story, next on A &E.