Original subtitles

Previously on L .A. Law.

Your little executive committee is you, Rosalind, and Leland. That means pro

bono will be voted down two to one every time. I don't think that's fair,

Michael. I take whatever case I want to take, Rosalind.

I hope to God, young man, that you realize that because of what you did, a

good man is dead.

I am releasing the defendant to his parents' custody. He will be under house

arrest for two years, except for school.

I don't know Jimmy Hoffs, but I do know Victor Cifuentes. He is not at all

deluded. If he says he has a case, I believe him. I know all about Mr.

Cifuentes. He's very good.

I've even thought of turning our business over to this firm.

Of course, I can't right now because of the conflict.

I cleared this through the executive committee, Rotherham.

Recommend the settlement to the client, Victor. I don't agree with the

recommendation. Now, this is a litigation matter, Rotherham, so I'll

to defer to my judgment.

Jimmy Hoffs built this case. You understand? He did all the legwork on

case. Jimmy Hoffs was giving bad advice.

And as co -counsel, it was my obligation to point that out to the client. Co

-counsel? You blindsided him. You blindsided me. I came to you. You

listen. Crap.

Reynolds versus Mendez. Do it. You're really doing this?

Yep. You're sending Stewart into federal court, Michael? I'm ready, Rosalind.

For this case, I'm ready.

Stewart's been working his pants off on this one.

Nervous? Oh, yeah.

If he loses, it won't be for lack of preparation, I can tell you that much.

Not gonna lose.

All right, Rosalind, I noticed you opened up an account for a Nolsted

Is this a potential new client?

Just some introductory talks. We don't have to go into it here. Excuse me,

Nolsted the liquor company?

Let's move on. No, no, no.

Is Nolsted gonna become a client here?

I just opened some dialogue, that's all. Like hell.

We had a client who was in litigation with this firm last week. Then Rosalind

goes behind my back, and she convinces the client to accept the settlement

offer, which was way too low. It wasn't low. It was low!

And suddenly Nolstedt is now coming to us for a presentation?

What are you saying, Victor?

What am I saying? I'm saying you were bought, Rosalind. I'm saying you sold

our client.

How dare you? Victor. Oh, please, don't give me this how dare you crap, okay?

Victor, that's enough.

No, it's not enough. You really think you're going to get away with this? Sit

down, Victor.

There's no reason for you to be talking like this. I'm going to recommend to the

client that you sue this firm for malpractice. I'm going to recommend to

Hoff that he sue us for interference with contracts. You do that and you're

fired.

No need for that.

What if that thing set my trial next week?

I quit.

That's all we could really find.

Do you know for a fact she made a deal with Nolsted to sell out your client?

Figure it out, Leland. Do you know for a fact? You mean, can I prove it?

No.

You never can with her. She's too damn good.

But you can't hide what she is, Leland.

I know what happened here.

So do you.

Let me look into it. Yeah, you go ahead and check it out.

I'm sure there's going to be a really big investigation.

How you doing?

I'm ready.

I know how much this case means to you, Stuart, and I know how much you want to

win.

Yeah, but from the beginning, we all know this has been more than just a case

for me.

Speaking from having been there, I can say that sometimes that can hurt you.

Mike, I'm not going to let it hurt me.

Good luck.

Thanks.

Miss Melman, it's an untenable situation.

Your father's been very disruptive around here.

What are you telling her for?

She's your daughter.

It's just an accident of birth.

In what way has he been disruptive?

He goes through constant mood swings.

He's wild and boisterous one minute and nearly catatonic the next. I think your

father's increasingly losing touch with reality.

In what way? He takes on the persona of a television character.

Your father goes in and out of thinking he's Ralph Cramden. You haven't the

slightest idea what I'm thinking.

It sounds to me like my father's just trying to get a rise out of you. He

does that sort of thing to amuse himself.

Well, all I'll tell you is that whoever he assigns the role of Ed Norton is not

amused. Why? What does he do? He throws them out of whatever room they're in.

And then he makes some elderly woman, Alice Cramden, and he yells at her.

for not ironing his bowling shirt or not having his dinner ready.

Why is it I get the feeling like I'm sitting in the principal's office?

We are just a retirement community for people on a fixed income.

What your father needs is professional help.

No, no, no, no.

What I need is to be treated with some respect.

Daddy, if you're not happy, then don't stay here.

Pack your things and we'll find another place.

I don't need a ride.

There's a bus stop on the corner.

Come on, will you?

Case number 897230.

People versus Franklin Leonard.

Sentencing. William Thunderland for the defendant, Your Honor.

You'll recall that my client was convicted of larceny by false pretenses.

You'll also recall that my client is a medical doctor.

The district attorney and I have agreed on a joint recommendation of six months

probation plus community service. Dr.

Leonard will provide free medical service for four designated homeless

for the next 36 months at a minimum of six hours per week.

This is acceptable to you? Yes, Your Honor.

Well, it's not acceptable to me.

Two years state prison, one suspended, one served. Your Honor. He stole Mr.

Sonderland. The fact that he's a doctor makes him no less of a thief.

And you, Miss Harris, why'd you cut a deal like that? Because he's rich?

Your Honor, I don't think that Dr.

Leonard poses a serious threat to society.

You don't?

Let me tell you that when a licensed physician starts falsifying Medicaid

claims, when he starts taking money out of taxpayers' pockets, he is definitely

a threat to society.

I would ask the court to take into consideration my client's distinguished

commitment to public service as well as charities, and I think... I'll take it

under consideration.

I'll also take it under consideration that the defendant is a fairly wealthy

man, which makes his decision to steal even more reprehensible. And I will

further take it into consideration that this larceny was accomplished

systematically over six separate occasions, totaling more than $24 ,000.

Dr. Leonard's a criminal.

He's going to jail.

Next case.

Why were you in Argentina in 1979, sir?

I was one of a number of Americans there with the agrarian reform movement.

We were trying to bring about a redistribution of land.

I had been there about six months at the time of my arrest.

What were you arrested for? No one ever said.

They just came in the middle of the night and took me to prison.

When did you first meet the defendant?

A few days later.

Three men there.

He was one of them.

What happened in that room?

They told me to take off my clothes.

They strapped me to the machine.

Mr. Mendez poured a pail of ice water over my head and wired an electrode to

genitals. He pushed a switch.

And a jolt of electricity hit me.

My head snapped back.

My whole body shook.

And then he did it again.

And after each time, he would turn a dial so that the next one would be just

that little bit worse.

Finally, the pain got so bad that I passed out. Was this type of session

repeated?

Over the two years that I was held, there were 34 such sessions.

And did Mr.

Mendez himself always administer the torture?

Yes, it was always Mr. Mendez.

After you were released from prison, when did you next see Mr. Mendez?

Three years ago.

His photograph was in the paper.

American dream come true.

Penniless immigrant makes good.

Opens eight new dry cleaning locations in one year alone.

And what about you, Peter?

How do you support yourself?

I can't work.

My mother gives me enough for a furnished room

and cigarettes.

And I do odd jobs when I can.

At night, I can't sleep.

During the day, I take medication that keeps me

pretty even.

But mostly, I just walk around.

I have nothing further.

You said that Mr. Mendez wasn't the only one present. He was the one at the

machine. Was he the one giving orders?

Nobody had to give orders.

Isn't it a fact, Mr. Reynolds, that the other men present were the defendant's

commanding officers?

I don't know who they were. Isn't it a fact that he emptied their ashtrays?

Isn't it a fact he saluted every time they entered the room?

He was the one at the machine. Did he or did he not salute every time they

entered the room? Yeah, he saluted. So what? I have no further questions.

What, is that supposed to let him off the hook? He was the one at the machine.

I said no further questions.

Mr.

Reynolds.

You may step down, Mr. Reynolds. I can still feel the metal against my skin,

Your Honor. Mr. Reynolds. I can still see you reaching to turn up the voltage.

can still see you sitting back to watch what it did to me. Peter. It doesn't go

away.

No matter what you do, it doesn't go away.

Peter, Peter, Peter.

That's enough. That's enough.

Dr. Kravitz, how do you know Mr. Mendez?

He's been my patient for the last three years.

Would you tell us what it was that occasioned him to seek psychiatric care?

Initially, it appeared that he was suffering from feelings of intense guilt

what he'd done in Argentina.

After a period of analysis, it became clear to me that, in fact, what he felt

was powerlessness.

Objection to the introduction of self -serving statements masquerading as

medical expertise.

This woman is a psychiatrist, Your Honor.

She's in a position to discern what's real and what's not.

Objection is overruled.

Based on your examination of him, Doctor, do you consider the defendant to

cruel or violent person?

I do not.

Then how could he have done these things?

He was 22 years old and absolutely terrified of authority. It's my opinion

he simply lacked an ego formation strong enough to do anything but obey.

I have nothing to say.

How's the defendant's ego formation these days?

Very different from what it once was.

Doctor, are you familiar with the definition of criminal insanity?

Yes, I am.

When he committed acts of torture, was Carlos Mendes criminally insane?

No. When he committed acts of torture, was Carlos Mendes able to differentiate

between right and wrong? He wasn't necessarily able to act on that.

When he committed acts of torture, was he able to differentiate between right

and wrong?

Yes. Is it fair to say that when he wired electrodes to this man's

and sent thousands of volts of electricity through his body, and sat

watch the convulsions. I object to this. I'm asking a question.

Then ask it, Mr. Markowitz. Is it fair to say that he knew inflicting torture

was wrong?

Yes. I have no further questions.

Why did you take a secret meeting with Victor's client?

I went to Victor first, Leland.

It was only when he refused to recommend the settlement offer to the client that

I went to her myself.

Convincing her to take a low offer.

Are you in a position to evaluate that offer? I know Victor, and he evaluated

the case.

Incorrectly, in my opinion.

We have an obligation to our client.

Leland, and if I believe that one of my lawyers is not fulfilling that

obligation, then I, senior partner, have to act.

And then, after you act, Nolsted suddenly wants to become our client.

Yes. I had a pre -existing relationship with Nolsted, but I was totally upfront

about it with both Victor and the client. I am shocked that Victor would

such an aspersion, but I'm mostly disappointed that you would attach any

credence to it.

You're very good, Rosalind.

Once again, no tracks.

And exactly what does that mean?

It means I don't trust you.

It means when you tell me you did what you did because of an obligation to your

client, I don't trust you for a second.

Take a look.

Thank you.

I'll be out of your hair by tonight.

Daddy, you can't live down on 3rd and Main.

It's Skid Row.

What's the difference?

What, you planning on visiting?

I'd like to, yeah.

Look, don't worry about me.

I'll be fine.

I'm sure you will.

You seen anybody these days?

Nobody special.

Your mother seen anybody?

I don't know.

Oh, you don't want to say.

All right.

Are you doing this to punish me?

Doing what?

Taking a room in a flop house, refusing to let me help you. I don't need your

help. All right, you don't need my help, but why don't you just accept it

anyway? Do it because it makes me feel good.

Boy, oh boy, oh boy.

You and your mother, two peas in a pod.

You don't let up?

You don't know how to give a guy some room? You walked out on us, Daddy. How

much more room could you want?

Why couldn't your mother let me go on that fishing trip without her?

Huh? What fishing trip? The Raccoon Lodge annual fishing trip.

Your mother and Trixie, they put it in their heads that they gotta come along.

Why? Two stinking days. I can't be alone with the boys.

Daddy,

what's an episode of The Honeymoon?

I know that I should have visited you more often than I did.

People drift apart.

Forget it. We're not people.

I'm your daughter, and you're my father.

Doesn't mean we have to have a relationship.

We have a relationship, and if I could, I would like to make it better.

Okay.

What do you got in mind?

You could come and stay with me until you find a decent place to live.

Look, I appreciate the offer, but I just don't want to do that.

I got my own reasons.

How about if I help you fix up the room?

Sure.

If you want to. I want to.

Oh, thanks for coming in.

How are you?

Pretty good.

A little curious as to why I've been summoned.

Well, I am the presiding judge, remember?

I'm supposed to summon colleagues two or three times a month. It's in my job

description.

Oh.

Okay. Well, actually, Grace, you've been doing great. You've got a great command

of the courtroom.

Lawyers seem to be afraid of you. That's always good.

But... But you've been getting challenged on appeal more than any other

court judge, especially on sentencing.

My sentencing has been within my judicial discretion.

Maybe. But when you give a life sentence to a 16 -year -old, you guarantee an

appeal. When you order a bank chairman to take out a full -page ad in the L .A.

Times telling everyone that he's an embezzler, when you lock up a pregnant

on a misdemeanor... She was on cocaine.

Locking her up kept her off the drug, and that gave her baby a chance. Sure it

did.

But you've got to realize that creative sentencing invites challenge.

Yes. And you told me not to be afraid of that.

Yes, I did.

But I expect you to use common sense.

The court dockets are jammed to the point where the system can barely

Michael. As a judge, you have an obligation to make some of these matters

away. And when your cases regularly get kicked to appellate court because you

want to play hardliner, you're not doing any of us any good.

So I should play ball and I should agree to plea bargains that make me sick?

The courts are clogged with crap, Grace.

You're going to get sick every single time trying to deal with it. But we have

to deal with it.

And you're not.

What was your rank, Carlos?

I was a private.

During the interrogation that we've heard Mr. Reynolds describe, who else

there? Colonel Pizarro was usually there.

Captain Diaz was always there. Who gave the order to use electric shocks?

Colonel Pizarro.

Did you ever question that order?

No, sir. Why not? There were two other soldiers that I know who did. One day

they disappeared.

Everyone assumed that they had been shot.

Did you fear the same fate for yourself had you resisted?

Yes, I did.

Thank you, Carlos.

I have nothing for him.

So you were drafted into the army.

No. You joined of your own free will.

I joined in order to eat.

How did you come to be assigned to the prison?

I volunteered.

What made you do that?

I was a coward.

I did not want to be sent to the jungle. The Argentine army didn't assign the

cowards to its prisons, Mr. Mendez. They assigned the satyrs.

Objection. I want that remark stricken from the record.

Objection is sustained.

Remark is stricken.

Soldiers received a variety of assignments in the prison, didn't they,

Mendez?

Yes, they did.

Some guarded the cells, others guarded the perimeters.

Some worked in the office, some cooked.

Does plaintiff counsel have a question?

Yes.

Plain of Council wants to know why you were always assigned to administer

torture.

Because I begged not to be. You begged not to be.

Yes, I begged.

And I wept.

Colonel Pizarro, he saw this as a sign of weakness.

He punished me for it.

Inside of that room, I was being tortured, too.

Why didn't you leave?

I wish I had. But you didn't.

You didn't leave until the army was overthrown. You only left so you

have to look into the faces of the people of Argentina.

Look into his face, Mr. Mendez. Your Honor. Look into his face.

I see their faces. I see his face every time I close my eyes. Mr. Mendez.

That's right.

I still see your face the same way that you still see mine.

Come in.

Got a minute? Yeah, sure, sure.

I know the timing for this stinks, but... I've been offered a

job in New York, Leland.

A Wall Street firm.

And I'm thinking very seriously of paying yes.

I'm from the East.

I've been thinking a long time... about going home.

Michael, if you walk out on us now, we'll fall down like a deck of

cards. This firm isn't Mackenzie Brackman anymore.

You know that. Bottom line politics, executive committees. It's just not the

same place, Leland.

Suppose I take it back.

What if I'm senior partner again?

I'm not sure that's even possible.

I also don't know if it would definitely make a difference at this point.

Don't walk out on me, Michael.

Don't.

It wouldn't be walking out on you, Leland.

It'd be walking out on Rosalind.

Yeah, sorry.

Sorry I ever let this place get away.

If there's any blame, it should be on us for not bringing in our own clients and

for letting you carry us for so long.

I can still carry us.

I don't think so.

I hate to be pessimistic.

I hate to be blunt.

In 1934, more than 300 ,000 Germans attended a Nazi rally in a town called

Nuremberg. And then in 1945, the Nazis were put on trial there.

And one by one, the world listened to men who had carried out countless acts

brutality. Men who had systematically set out to wipe off the face of the

an entire race of people. And their defense was that they were only

orders.

It didn't excuse them.

And it doesn't excuse him.

You see, if we are to believe that even in war there are certain acts that so

offend us, that so violate basic standards of human conduct as to be

crimes, then we must stand ready to punish those who have committed them.

We have to believe that even a private bears responsibility for his actions.

Even a private has to answer for what he has done.

Carlos Mendez repeatedly sent thousands of volts of electricity into Peter

Reynolds' body. He did it with his own hands.

Look at these two men.

Peter Reynolds sits before you, broken and impoverished.

A highly articulate, intelligent man, he is now barely able to function in the

world. Carlos Mendez sits before you, hale and affluent.

He's living the American dream.

Look at these two men side by side and tell me that the past doesn't matter.

Carlos Mendez was drawn to our standard of living.

Let him answer to our standard of justice as well.

If all he can do is pay Peter Reynolds the sum of money, the least we can do,

ladies and gentlemen, is to make him pay it.

It's a powerful analogy, Nuremberg.

If only it were appropriate. You see, at Nuremberg, it wasn't the privates on

trial. It was the generals.

Goering, Hess, von Ribbentrop, Yodel.

These were men who gave orders.

These were men with power.

What power did Carlos Mendez have?

Yes, he strapped prisoners to that machine.

What you have to realize is that he was strapped to it himself. They were on one

side. He was on the other.

Neither of them had a choice.

Generals didn't do the dirty work in Argentina.

They ordered someone to do it for them.

Carlos was one of those someones.

Now, you've heard character witnesses paint a portrait of a compassionate,

decent man.

A man who could never inflict pain on another human being willingly.

A man who could only have done it in order to survive.

There are no villains in this courtroom, ladies and gentlemen.

There are only victims.

I ask that your compassion extend to them both. I ask that you not lay

blame.

Where it doesn't belong.

Thank you.

It's been a long time since you and I had lunch, Leland.

Well, you're my biggest cash cow, Scotty. I gotta pay you a little lip

now and again.

What's up? There's gonna be a little friction at the firm. Could get

I'm listening.

Rosalind Shays.

She's not working out as senior partner. I'm thinking of forcing her out.

Listen, Leland, I'm not sure how to put this, but the quality of the work we've

been getting has never been better than since Rosalind Shays took over the

account.

She put together our public offering.

The value of our subsidiary is quadrupled because of decisions she

made. She can't help you without a firm to back her up.

Pretty soon, she's not going to have one.

Don't put me in this position.

I need you, Scott.

I hate to call it a friendship, but I need you.

For my personal matters, I'll stay with you, Leland.

But I'm a CEO who has to consider the interests of the shareholders and over 7

,000 employees.

And I think the interests of Petramco Industries are better served by Rosalind

Shays.

Alice!

Honey! I'm home!

Hi. I wanted to see where you was waiting.

What are you wearing?

Same thing I always wear.

Norton Palavai! Daddy?

I thought we were supposed to meet for lunch today.

I dropped by the sewer and you weren't there.

Daddy, this is Benny Stolwick.

What, are you crazy?

No, I'll tell her how far back we go.

Daddy, stop it.

What happened?

Manhole cover hit you on the head again?

You live at 328 Chaucer Street, don't you?

Daddy, would you come with me for a second? You work in a sewer. You're

to Trixie.

I'm marrying Alice.

What are you, an idiot?

I'm married to Alice.

No, you're not. Daddy.

This guy's got a screw missing someplace.

Get in there.

Now, that man's name is Benny Stulwich. He's mentally retarded, and he works in

this office.

Oh, yeah?

So what?

So why would you make him the butt of one of your jokes?

I don't know what you're talking about.

You don't know what I'm talking about?

No.

Yesterday you said you wanted to mend fences.

Today I figured I'd drop by to see you. Dressed like that?

What the hell's the difference how I'm dressed?

Boy, oh boy, oh boy.

Nothing has changed, has it?

You still wish you could trade me in for another model. No, I don't. Oh, yes,

you do.

You always wanted a father who made more money, who dressed better, talked

better.

All I want.

It's for you not to go out of your way to embarrass me. Hey, do me a favor,

Stay a stranger, so I'll never embarrass you again.

Come here.

Where are your paywalls? Grace, look.

You've only been on the bench for a couple months, right?

You can't expect it. Michael, last week... Last week, I

sat there in juvenile court helpless.

Helpless because I was unable to make a difference.

But then when I do try to make an impact, I'm called in on the carpet for

unorthodox and for inviting appeals.

And the lawyers don't even get me started on the lawyers.

I mean, where are these people? come from? How did they ever pass the bar?

They either come to me... Why don't you have another beer?

Michael, I can't have another beer.

Why not?

Because I'm a judge.

And I can't have two stupid beers in a place frequented by lawyers. You know

what happens? It gets around.

Judge Van Owen was drinking. Judge Van Owen had two beers. Judge Van Owen was

having a good time.

You had a bad day, Gracie.

You have a bad day, you hate your job. And that could happen to anybody, even

judges.

I don't think it's just a bad day, Michael.

I don't like sitting up there, high and mighty.

I don't like having to be objective and detached.

So what do you think?

I'm saying that my days on the bench are numbered.

Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor. I'll say you.

On the issue of pain and suffering stemming from the torture of the

we find the defendant not liable for damages.

And that concludes this matter.

The jury is discharged with the thanks of the court.

Mr. Reynolds.

Carlos, hang on.

I want to say something. What do you want to say?

I don't want for you to come away from this with nothing, Peter.

If you need a hand, I can give you a hand.

I can give you a job.

Maybe we should discuss this another time.

I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to work for you.

Mr. Reynolds, nobody's forcing you.

That's true.

I think that it would be good for you.

You never even looked away, Carlos.

I'd piss all over myself. I'd cry.

You'd drink coffee and look right at me.

Stuart, maybe you should tell your client the trial's over.

We have to put it behind us, Peter.

We? Yes, we.

We were both victims.

You were not a victim.

But since it's so important to you to think of yourself as one, you can be a

victim now.

Come on, Carlos. Let's go. Sit down.

Sit!

Peter, what are you doing?

I'm illustrating something.

Do it without the gun. Without the gun, Mr. Mendez would leave.

He would get a very distorted view of what it means to be a victim. Mr.

Reynolds, please.

Don't do this, Peter.

Do you see?

A soldier can leave. He can desert. But a prisoner always has a gun pointed at

him. I'm sorry I didn't desert.

You're sorry.

You're just not guilty.

Oh, my God, don't. I think it is very important that Mr. Mendez uses

language in characterizing our respective roles.

He poured ice water over me so that the electric current would travel better, so

that it would hurt more.

Peter. Peter!

I was wet.

He was dry.

Now he's wet.

And I'm dry.

What do you want from me? I want you to understand the distinction.

I'm begging you. We were not both victims.

You have to understand.

No, he doesn't. You understand, Peter.

You understand that you're alive and that you're free.

You were strong enough to survive all that.

Now just be strong enough to walk away.

Oh, my God. Peter, don't.

If I were strong, it'd be loaded.

The other day, you told me...

That the people here don't go behind each other's back having secret meetings

with clients.

Nice lunch with Scott Perot? There was nothing inappropriate about that

No?

Well, whatever you told him, he's under the impression that you and I will not

be working together in the future.

Are you planning on leaving this firm, Leland?

Are you planning on leaving this firm? No, I'm not.

Are you under the impression that I'm leaving?

I want you to step down, Rosalind.

Have I done anything wrong?

It's not that you've done anything specifically wrong, but you don't breed

loyalty among the people here.

The other day, Michael Cusack was telling me he was thinking of leaving.

and replace him in a minute. I know several litigators... But you see, I

couldn't do that.

He's very close to me.

I couldn't replace him in a second.

See, that's where you come up short.

Leland, I didn't want this job.

But if you suddenly take over again after just a month, I'll be humiliated

front of the entire legal community.

I may never get another chance like this.

I think in time, the people here will be much more comfortable with me. We don't

have that time.

If I don't take over now, this place will fall apart.

I'm not stepping down.

You're only in power by my consent.

If you and I do battle, you couldn't possibly win.

I'm not stepping down.

Then I'll have to break you.

You want a war, Leland?

Fine. You've got one.

Quite a scene in here today, Markowitz.

You all right?

My dad had an uncle, Uncle Heshy.

He was a Shakespearean actor.

He used to play King Lear in Yiddish.

I have pictures of him at home.

He's this imposing character, wore these great clothes.

People would come from all over the countryside to watch him perform.

He died in Buchenwald.

How about if you and I go home?

All those Jews, Anne.

They were tortured in places like Dachau and Bergen -Belsen.

Medneck, Auschwitz.

They disappeared into night and fog.

Nacht und Nebel.

And I was brought up to believe that every last German was to blame.

You were also brought up to condemn violence, Stuart.

Yeah.

I think the worst thing I've ever done to anybody is sue them.

Well, that can be pretty bad.

It's not revenge.

It's not violent revenge.

And it's not revenge.

So what do you do?

You hold on to the hatred.

That's what you do.

You hold on to it?

And the people who died in those camps.

They're people like me.

So, you can't ever get beyond the hatred?

Never.

Hey, Ralphie boy.

Somebody's here to see you.

What's going on, Dad?

Wow! It's about time you showed up.

I got a large meeting tonight.

Then you shouldn't have stolen the button.

17 years I've been working for that company.

17 years!

In the summertime, dying from the heat. In the wintertime, freezing from the

cold. The rain, the sleet, the snow.

You know that sign?

The mail goes through no matter what.

You know why?

Do you know why?

Because the mailman rides with me.

What's your name?

Ralph Cramden. Murray Meldon. Ralph Cramden. Ralph Cramden is a TV

Daddy. He was played by an actor named Jackie Gleason.

Don't be a Weisenheimer, Alice.

Don't be a Weisenheimer.

You're not going to talk me out of this. It's just like you to try, but you are

not going to talk me, Alice.

I'm not going to post bail, Daddy, unless you promise to get help.

A man's home is like a ship.

Oh, God.

And on that ship, I am the captain.

And you are nothing but a lowly, third -class seaman.

My job is just to swab the deck, get the meth, and see that the captain is

happy. Alice, where are you going?

Seaman Cramden reporting to the poop deck until this big wind blows over.

remember that one?

I watched it with you.

It was a long time ago.

Daddy, why are you doing this?

I don't know.

Please, let me take care of you.

You can't be on your own anymore.

I'm not gonna leave you alone.

Do whatever you have to do, kid.