Original subtitles

- Hi, Newly. - Hello, Festus.

How's a come you ain't out yonder at the wedding?

Well, I promised these to Abe Franker, and I'm way behind.

What time is it anyway?

Must be nigh on to nine o'clock.

You're fixin' to miss the whole kit and caboodle if you don't get a move on.

Town quiet, is it?

Quiet as a mouse tiptoein' on cotton.

Of course, everybody in town's out yonder at the party 'ceptin' you and me.

It's March 26th, Festus.

Say, would you hand me a dipper full of that black powder over there?

Yeah.

I'm just wonderin' how long it is till payday.

He left on the fifth.

Now, did I say anything about old Doc?

I didn't say nary a word about him.

No, you didn't. Come to think of it.

Ain't none of my lookout if that ornery old custard

wants to go off by hisself a fishin' in this cold an' all.

'Course, he said he's gonna be gone a week or so,

- and here it's been... - Three weeks.

Well, that's just it right there. Don't you see?

He could be out yonder hurt some place, froze to death.

Newly, you reckon me and old Ruth

oughta go out yonder lookin' for him?

He'll be back when he's ready, Festus. Give him time.

Well, that's it for tonight.

Sure wish you were goin' over there with me.

Well, I wished I could too, Newly,

but I got my deputyin' to do, you know.

I'll tell you what, appreciate it if you'd lock up for me.

Oh, of course I will.

Go ahead on.

Have yourself a good time.

Well, thank you.

I'll bring you back a piece of the cake.

Oh, forget that cake.

Bring me some o' that crabapple punch!

Don't bother me none if everybody's out there dancin' and singin'.

Hey, Doc!

Doc, you bristly old scudder you.

It's about time you...

Who're you?

I'm Dr. Chapman.

- Who're you? - Name's Festus Haggen.

I'm the deputy here.

That there's old Doc Adams's buggy down yonder.

Yes, it is.

Well, then where's Doc at?

He's in Baltimore.

Baltimore?

Where's that?

That's in Maryland.

Where's that?

That's a long ways from here.

I laid that there fire for old Doc.

Well, that was very thoughtful of you, Deputy.

And old Doc, he just went fishin' up at Triple Creek.

How in the tarnation did he get clean back to

wherever that is?

I have a letter here.

I rather imagine this is gonna explain everything.

Does it say when old Doc's gonna get back?

I don't know. I don't read other people's mail.

Well, you oughta have some idea when he's gonna get back.

He won't be.

At least not for a time, anyway.

What do you mean he ain't comin' back?

Just what I said.

Dr. Adams is gone to Baltimore,

and he has no plans to return any time in the near future.

I'm taking over his practice for him.

Well, that there's the biggest bunch o' hogwaller I've ever heard.

Old Doc, he wouldn't go no place just out of the clear blue.

I'm afraid he did.

He was very upset over the death of a little girl.

He...

He felt that he needed to return to medical school.

And he did.

Well, I don't give a hoot what you say,

old Doc just wouldn't do that.

Deputy...

I have no idea what you or anyone else in Dodge City

thinks Dr. Adams would do or would not do.

I simply know he has gone, and he will not be back any time soon.

Now, I've ridden a long, long way today.

I'm very tired, and I'm going to bed now.

So good night.

What now?

Just what do you think you're doin'?

I'm tryin' to go to bed.

Not in old Doc's bed, you ain't.

It's the only one I see, and it doesn't happen to be his anymore.

It's mine now, so...

I don't want to be rude, Deputy, but will you just please remove yourself...

Hold it right there.

What do you think... young man, now you be careful with that thing.

- That's liable to go off. - It's liable to go off, all right.

Aimed right square at your belly-snapper

if you so much as bat one eyeball.

Now come on. You're goin' with me.

To where?

To jail. That's where.

Now get them galluses up, and let's go.

I don't believe this. I don't believe any of it.

You come a sashayin' in here with all your slick talkin' ginger,

claimin' a whole mess of foolishness.

And I know you got some kind of a slippity gee-gaw figured out,

but it ain't gonna work,

'cause I'm fixin' to take you in and find out just who and what you are.

Now come on with me.

You're crazy as a bedbug. Do you know that?

You can't lock me up. I'm a doctor.

Will you read the letter I gave you, or my credentials?

I ain't got time now. I'll read 'em directly.

But... Don't go buttin' me, neither.

Just tell me where old Doc's at and what it is that you're up to.

Howdy, Festus.

What's goin' on?

I'll tell ya later, Cody.

Well, are ya gonna own up to it or ain't ya?

No. I'm goin' to bed.

Is he a bad'un, Festus?

Festus: You can stay right here till these here bars turn green

if you ain't got no better story to tell me than that one.

- Come on, Cody. I'll get ya some coffee. - No.

Festus: Old Doc wouldn't never go away without tellin' me.

You did what?

I locked him up.

What's that say?

It says that Dr. Chapman is a licensed physician and surgeon.

That he sits on the board of the governors of the New Orleans Medical Association.

What's that mean?

That means that you made a mistake.

- Doctor? - Hmm?

- Dr. Chapman? - What is it?

Doctor, I'm Marshal Dillon. I... I'm afraid we've made a mistake.

You woke me up in the middle of the night to tell me that?

I know that.

I'm sorry, Doctor.

Oh, Doctor, I...

I'd like to ask you a few questions if I could.

Marshal...

I've been awake now for two days.

I've been rousted. I've had guns pointed at me.

And I've suffered all, if I may say so,

with an amazing aplomb.

But now, if I'm not under arrest,

I'm goin' back to my bed...

To my bed.

And I intend to stay there

until I'm good and ready to get up.

So...

whatever questions you're gonna have will just have to wait.

Good night, Doctor.

Now, it just might help matters a little bit

if you could convince your deputy to read my letter.

Oh, I clean forgot about this here, Matthew.

It's from Doc, is it?

Mm-hmm.

He's all right, ain't he?

Festus, Kitty's probably not asleep yet, but if she is, wake her up.

Then get Newly, and I'll meet you over at the Long Branch.

- Well, what's it say? - We'll read it together.

"There was a moment at the graveside

when I considered giving up medicine altogether.

And I think I very nearly did.

That's why I felt it necessary to be alone for a while.

But there was no running away,

because the child's death and my failure

followed me everywhere."

Well, I know Doc felt bad about losin' her, but then, shoot,

he's lost patients before.

He took this one worse than the others, though, Festus.

He kept talkin' how little he knew about blood diseases.

Well, he took it badly all right,

but I didn't know it would affect him like this.

Go on, Kitty.

Um...

"What didn't I do that I could have?

I telegraphed the St. Louis Medical University

and outlined Susie's symptoms and my treatment.

And the answer they sent changed my life.

Her case and her symptoms that I had never seen before

were not all that rare.

And, in fact, they've been treating similar cases in St. Louis

for over a year with marked results.

In many cases, with a complete arrest of the disease.

That little girl needn't have died at all."

Oh, how he must have felt.

Um...

"Living in Dodge has been the most rewarding experience of my life,

but I've been so out of touch with modern medicine

that when I arrived in Baltimore, I felt like a schoolboy.

I suddenly realized how little I know about medicine

and how much has passed me by in the last 20 years.

How little I know.

And that's why I've decided to stay on here at the university.

Please understand and forgive me,

but I couldn't bear to face you all to say good-bye.

We've been through so many years together,

the pain would be too great."

"This letter is the only way I know of to tell you my decision.

I'll be gone from Dodge for a while.

I don't know for how long, but it will not be forever.

I will be back as soon as I can get away.

And I'll think of you very often.

And I pray that all of you will remember with affection...

your old friend, Doc."

There's another page tacked on here. It's about Dr. Chapman.

I just don't believe we wanna hear no more, Newly.

It ain't gonna be the same, Doc.

Just ain't gonna be the same.

Festus?

You know, uh, part of a deputy's duties

are to welcome new people to Dodge, make them feel at home.

Now, I got an idea.

Why don't you take Dr. Chapman over at the Long Branch and buy him a drink?

No siree, Matthew.

I ain't a fixin' to do no such a thing. No, sir.

You know, Fetus, I think Doc Adams would appreciate it.

Whoa. Whoa.

May I help you?

Seen Doc around?

Dr. Adams has moved. I'm Dr. Chapman.

I've taken over his practice for him.

Well, what do you mean, "moved"?

Well, I'm the new doctor in town. What's wrong?

Well, I just stopped by to get some of Doc's tonic for my wife.

- Arthritis is actin' up again. - Well, excuse me.

- I'll get my bag, go right with you. - No, no. Wait.

Don't you have any of that tonic that Doc used to use?

Sir...

even if I know what Dr. Adams had prescribed for your wife,

why, I still couldn't give it to you without examining her first.

Oh.

Well, thanks, anyway, Doc.

But-But my wife is kinda fussy about doctors.

Sir...

And Doc Adams is the only one that she trusted.

- Oh, but, sir, I'm a doctor. - I'll ask her. Hyah!

Howdy... Doctor.

Good afternoon.

Nippy day, ain't it?

Frigid.

Frigid what?

Frigid. Nippy.

Well, that's just what I got done sayin', ain't it?

Well...

do you want me to buy you a drink at the Long Branch?

No, thank you, Mr. Haggen. Not today.

Good afternoon.

"No, thank you."

No, thank you, not today, Mr. Haggen.

Whoever heard of a doctor who turned down a free drink?

Last time I'm ever, ever gonna offer

to spend my hard earned money on somebody

that ain't no more gratefuller than he is.

Frigid. Nippy.

We had talked before about hospital medicine

as opposed to small town doctoring, and I...

I must tell you, Marshal,

I had a great urge to come to a place where,

as Doc Adams put it, your patients are your friends.

- Can I get you some more coffee? - No. No, thanks.

You see, Marshal,

I've spent most of my life in a hospital.

And to tell you the truth, I never had one patient

that I could call by his first name.

Well, I imagine you want to take a look at this.

This is the lease agreement.

Now I know this is difficult for you, for everyone else, too.

Dr. Adams and I discussed that at length,

but he's gone, and I'm here.

And the people in this town are just gonna have to accept that fact.

Well, it might be easier said than done, Doctor.

You see, Doc Adams has a lot of friends here.

And some of them are bound to resent anybody

that comes in and tries to take his place.

I'm not trying to take his place.

I'm trying to make my own.

Well... be that as it may,

it's gonna take a while and maybe some tough skin.

Doc was a... Well, he was a fixture around here.

- And... - I'm a stranger.

Of course I am.

All these people are strange to me, too.

But I'll learn to live with them, and in time they'll come around.

- Well, I hope it's sooner than later. - Thank you.

- Thanks for the coffee. - You bet.

I'll, uh... I'll be lookin' in on you.

Marshal.

I'd just like for you to know this one thing.

I am a good doctor.

I'll tell you one thing.

That blamed new doctor is gonna be awful shy of patients

lessen he's got a better way with horses than he's got with folks.

Why's that, Festus?

Because I offered to buy him a drink,

just polite as you please.

That's what I done.

And he practical told me to jump in the creek.

It come from Newly's.

- It's Festus. - Somebody get the Doc.

Is he all right?

- What happened? - I don't know.

Festus... Festus... I'm a doctor.

I'm all right, Miss Kitty.

Newly. He's inside.

Newly!

Is he conscious?

I thought I told you to go home and get some rest.

I'm all right.

I couldn't leave without knowin' about Newly.

Doctor, can you tell how bad he is?

I won't know until he regains consciousness.

Concussion, that's for sure, but to what extent I have no idea.

Can I go in and see him?

No, you may not.

I want him to get some rest. He needs it.

Festus, you look a little ragged.

Why don't you and Matt take Dr. Chapman over to Delmonico's

and get yourself some dinner?

I'll sit with Newly.

I... I don't expect him to be comin' to for the next hour or so,

but if he does,

you come and get me, please, ma'am.

I'd rather stay here with Newly.

Come on, Festus. Let's-Let's go eat.

Newly?

Are you awake, Newly?

Newly, it's all right. It's me, Kitty.

Don't touch me.

Newly.

Newly. Easy now.

Here, lay him down.

- Get him back in there. - Easy, Newly. Easy.

Easy, Newly. Just take it easy.

I doubt that he hears you.

What is it, Doctor?

Oh, could be...

a result of concussion, brain injury.

Hemorrhage. I don't know yet.

What happened? Did he attack you?

I'm all right.

Now, Marshal, if you could hold his head steady for me, please.

Just hold his head.

Now, as steady as you can hold it.

That's right. All right, Newly.

- It's all right, Newly. - Easy.

Well, he says it's a bone spur. It's pressing on the brain.

Well, how in tarnation can he tell that?

I don't know, Festus.

But he seems pretty sure.

And that there's what causes him not to know you?

It's more serious than that.

Newly's afraid of us.

Well, I never heard of such a thing. Doesn't seem possible.

Well, Dr. Chapman seems to know what he's talking about.

Well, I wouldn't trust anything he had to say about it.

He doesn't know Newly like we do.

Oh, I don't know.

I heard how Newly fought Matt and Miss Kitty there.

Well, maybe he's just got hisself a fever, Matthew.

Maybe he's just a-thrashin' around.

Well, that makes sense to me.

Certainly it does. Why, fevers can cause anything.

I wouldn't trust no doctor except Doc.

What if Doc said that it was a bone spur pressing on his brain?

Would you believe it then?

Well, old Doc wouldn't say nothin' like that, Miss Kitty.

He's too blamed smart.

As for this here high-falootin' dude over yonder,

why, I wouldn't believe a thing that that man...

Did you leave him over yonder by hisself?

He's with Mrs. Smalley.

Her name's Ma.

Beer for the Doctor, Sam.

No, no. Thank you very much, but, no.

Um, Doctor, we were just talking about your diagnosis of Newly,

and, well, there are some of us here who don't understand.

Including me, I'm afraid.

Well, ma'am, it's simple, and it's not so simple.

During the explosion, your friend suffered a fractured skull,

and a piece of bone, oh, very small, I imagine,

splintered, and was driven into his brain.

Now, that'll have to be removed.

Well, how big is that, Doctor?

I won't know till I go in, but from my examination of the wound,

I'd judge, oh, it's like... like half the size of your little fingernail.

It doesn't have to be large to cause pressure on the brain.

You said "removed"?

You ain't fixin' to go diggin' into Newly's brain?

Of course he's not.

Are you?

Not dig. Operate.

How dangerous is it?

Ma'am, any operation that involves the human brain is dangerous.

And I... I think I'd better tell you all now that even if the spur is removed,

your friend may still exhibit these signs of confusion he's presently expressing.

You mean that you can't cure him?

I mean I simply don't know.

Well, he can't just go operating without knowing nothin'.

Isn't there any other way?

Not unless you'd rather have him stay the way he is

for the rest of his life.

How is he, Ma?

He's resting.

Hasn't stirred since I been here.

Do you reckon I can get in and see him?

No. No, the Doctor said that nobody could bother him, Festus.

Well, foot, I ain't gonna bother him none, Ma.

I just wanna set a spell. I'll be real quiet, honest.

Well, Dr. Chapman will be back in a few minutes,

and I don't think he'd mind if you're with him.

And besides, I do have a lot of things to do over at the boardin' house.

I'll sure be glad to stay here for you.

Well...

- Thank you, Festus. - You betcha, Ma.

Newly?

You awake, are you?

How you feelin', partner?

Do you know who I am?

'Course I do... Festus.

Well, 'course.

Fiddle, there ain't nothin' wrong with you

'except a few little old scratchetty bruises.

Could I have...

You can have anything you want.

Just tell Haggen.

Water.

Water? You want water, you got water, buddy.

Here you are.

Well, I'll be blamed. Hold on a minute.

They gotcha all tied up here like a blamed scrapin' hog.

Wait just a minute.

Take care of that.

Silliest thing I ever seen.

- Here you are. - Thanks.

Well, they even got your feet tied down.

Hold on a minute. I'll take care o' that, too.

What happened?

Do you know that there sign of your'n?

A gust of wind blowed that clean through your window,

knocked over that coal oil lamp right into that keg of powder.

Just like to blowed us clean to Garden City's what it done.

We were lucky.

I hope to tell you we was lucky...

Put your hands up there.

Close your eyes, and go back to sleep.

That's the best thing there is for you.

Thanks, Festus.

You betcha. I'll just set here with you for a spell.

Just go to sleep.

Huh?

What are you doing in here?

I just come in for a little visit.

- Well... - Must've dozed off.

Evenin' already, is it?

Yes. It's just coming on dark.

Has he been sleeping all the time?

Just practical ever since I come in.

Good. That's good.

His eyes is just as bright.

Why, it just... just appeared to be plumb cured.

That's fine, Festus.

Festus: Well, you ain't fixin' to use them, are you?

Doc: In the morning

as soon as the sun's high enough to come through this window.

Festus: But he ain't sick.

At least wise not like you say he is.

Well, when I come in, he knowed me.

Called me by name.

Just like anybody else does.

Doc: It's natural that there be times when he's rational,

times when he's not.

It's all due to the buildup of pressure on his brain.

He's woke up.

Get away from me!

Newly?

Newly, it's me, Festus!

Newly!

Hey! Stop! Newly!

- I'll go get the Marshal. - All right.

Who's in here?

Whoever you are, you better speak up.

Newly.

Marshal.

- What's the matter, Dump? - It's Newly O'Brien.

I never would've believed it.

What'd he do?

Well, he was hidin' in my barn for some reason.

I didn't know it was him. I went in with my gun, and he jumped me.

Believe me, Marshal, I was just tryin' to defend myself.

What'd you do to him?

I shot him, but I didn't mean it.

You killed him?

No, but I hit him.

I'm sure by now he's in a mighty bad way.

How long ago this happen?

Well, as long ago as it took me to ride into town.

All right, tell you what you do.

Go get Dr. Chapman, take him back out to your place.

We'll see if we can find Newly, if we do, we'll bring him there.

Let's go, boys.

Hard to see, Matthew, but I believe I found some blood around out there.

Make yourself at home, Doctor.

I think I'll saddle up and help the rest look for Newly.

See right there, Matthew?

- It's blood, all right. - Looks like he's bleedin' pretty bad, too.

Yeah. He must've gone this way.

Let's mount up.

Hold up, Matthew.

Believe I heard somethin' back yonder.

'Course it could've just been the wind.

Reckon he could've doubled back on us?

He could have, Festus. Why don't you check it out?

- Believe I will. - We'll go on up to Frenchman's Pond.

Right.

You don't wanna do that, Newly.

Newly O'Brien.

That's your name, isn't it?

Newly O'Brien.

And you live in Dodge City.

In the state of Kansas.

Now, that's right, isn't it?

You don't really wanna kill me, do you, Newly?

That's twice you fired at me.

You could have hit me either time.

You don't really wanna do that, do you?

Festus: Doctor? Doctor, I heard a shot.

- Newly. - Be calm, Festus.

Newly, you don't wanna shoot nobody.

What are you doin' with that there gun?

Be careful.

I'll be careful.

Newly and me, we been good friends for a long spell.

Ain't we, Newly?

This here feller, he's your friend, too.

Fact is, he's a doctor.

The only thing he wants to do

is to help you

and get that bullet out of you.

Don't you see, Newly?

Now what would old Doc Adams say

if he was to see you standing there like that?

See, it was old Doc Adams

that sent this here doctor

to do the doctorin' for him whilst he's away.

Recollect what he said in that letter?

He wanted us to treat him just like one of the family.

Remember that?

All right, then.

If you wanna just stand there flatfooted

and bleedin' all over old Dump Hart's floor,

it's all right with me.

That there's the smartest thing you ever done, Newly.

Let's get him up on the table.

How is he, Doctor?

Festus, when I remove the dressing...

I want you to take this razor...

and shave the hair around his head wound.

His head?

You ain't fixin' to do that now, are you?

Festus, please don't question me anymore.

But ain't just gettin' the bullet out enough for one time?

There may not be another time.

I want you to look at these.

You're gonna have to help me.

- Oh, I can't... - You can, and you will.

Now, when I call for these, I want you to hand them to me fast.

You understand that? Fast and steady.

This...

is a burr.

I'm gonna use this to drill.

This is called a probe.

- Do you understand that? - Yes, sir.

He's in here, Matthew.

The Doctor's been operatin' most of the night.

How is he, Doctor?

I won't know till he wakes up.

He's had a great deal done to his body,

but he's an amazingly strong boy.

We just have to hope for the best.

Hope for the best.

Festus, is he gonna be all right?

Marshal, will you get these men outta here?

Now, what he needs right now is rest

instead of a lot of people hangin' around him.

Boys.

Doctor, you know, you're right about the men and all,

but you've got to understand one thing.

They-They think a lot of Newly.

They've been out there all night, searchin' around, wadin' in the mud,

tryin' to help.

Gentlemen...

Does anybody here have a cigarette?

Anybody have a match?

Thank you.

You know...

every man has to feel that what he does is important.

Maybe more important than what anybody else does.

Sometimes we feel that what we do is so very important

we forget about other people,

and how they might feel.

Now we doctors are a special lot, you know that?

Life and death surrounds us, and we tend to feel

that we are the most important people in this world,

and it's only what we do and how we feel that really matters.

But that's a long way from being true, isn't it?

What Newly needs right now more than anything else

is to have his friends around him.

So...

why don't you all come on back in there

and sit with him, have a little coffee?

And that's the closest thing you'll ever get to an apology.

His color's better.

Pulse is steady.

I'd say it's a little bit stronger.

Marshal.

Festus.

Gentlemen, I'd say we've all done a good night's work.

Mornin', Miss Kitty. Matthew.

- Well, good morning, Festus. - Festus.

Coffee's hot if you want some.

Yes'm, I believe I will.

And the hotter the better, too. I'll tell you somethin'.

My sciatica's been a twingin' up somethin' fierce on me.

Well, you ought to have Dr. Chapman take a look at it.

He might have just the thing for it.

I have a feeling that just the thing is right behind the bar.

Oh, much obliged, Miss Kitty. I believe I will.

- Did I offer? - Well, I didn't hear you,

but then my ears aren't as good as his.

Well, if it ain't Dr. Chapman and a stranger.

- Here, lemme help you there. - Watch his side.

Newly, come on and sit down.

Just take her slow, Newly.

Well, I tell my feet what to do,

but it seems like they've got a mind of their own.

It's no time at all since we operated on you, son.

You're lucky to have your eyes open.

I'll tell you somethin', Doc.

These here Dodge folks is tough breed.

- I can believe it. - How you feelin', Newly?

I hurt more places than I knew I had, Miss Kitty, but otherwise fine.

How about some coffee? How about you, Dr. Chapman?

Thank you, ma'am.

I sure hope this is on the house because I hear I don't have a gun shop anymore.

Oh, it is, and you do.

Newly, a whole bunch of the folks in town got together,

oh, Festus, Sam, Burke,

Mr. Lathrop, lot of people, they rebuilt your shop.

Even Matt and Dr. Chapman.

They hammered a bit.

I appreciate it.

- You folks are mighty good friends. - Festus: Fiddle, Newly.

Like us Haggens always say,

a feller can't choose his relations nor his neighbors,

but he can blamed sure pick his friends,

and you better do a good job of it.

Well, I did, didn't I?

We did.

Festus, now I believe I'm gonna have that drink you offered me.

Oh.

Well, you see, Doctor,

when I was offerin' to buy you that drink,

see, that was right after payday,

but... but now, uh...

Doc: You mean you're broke?

Just flatter'n a snake through a wringer.

Why then, why don't you allow me the honor

of buying a fellow a drink to celebrate?

Festus: Oh.

We sure wouldn't want to hurt your feelings

by refusin' you, would we?

Well, thank you, Festus. Don't mind, Miss Kitty.

No, I'll get it.

I'll tell you one thing, he sure learned a heap since he's been here in Dodge.

Think he's had a pretty good teacher, don't you?

Now, in New Orleans, this is what we call cafe royale.

In Dodge, we call it Haggen charm.