06x24 - All Night Long

[bunniefuu]

You guys finished cleaning
up the kitchen already?

Yeah. The sound of that TV
in there was driving us crazy.

[SIGHING] Yeah.
Still watching, huh?

[CHATTERING ON TV]
What do you “fink?

Where's Marco? In the locker room,
Cap.

Out of your way.

Yeah. Roy?

Huh? It's my serve.

Oh.

It's the dumbest stuff
I've ever seen.

I can't believe
they actually put it on TV.

There are worse game shows
on TV, Gage. Believe me.

Yeah? Well, I haven't seen it.

I have half a mind to write a
format about a game show myself.

I can't believe you said that.

I could write a better
television show than that.

Oh, wonderful.
The Little Engine That Could.

The what?

Gage, you couldn't write your
way out of a wrong-way street.

Hey, let me tell you something

that I'm sure
that you don't know.

Did you know that I used to be the
editor of my high school paper? Huh?

I've been writing all my life.

I just haven't had a chance to
sit down and stick with it, that's all.

Gage, I've known you
a long and arduous six years,

I've never known you to sit
down and stay with anything.

Hey, Kelly...

Gage, you're all talk.

And when it comes to storytelling,
you take a backseat to no one.

And I'll bet in that rich
fantasy world of yours,

you're about ready
to win the Nobel Prize.

[sums]

Well, I wonder if the Cap's
typewriter is available.

You know, Kelly,
by the time I get through,

you're going to be awe-inspired
at my creative ingenuity.

More than that,
you will be dumbstruck

by my determination.

You, too.

Guess who won?

Who cares?

Oh, you missed it, Roy.

Missed what?

I'm not sure what.

He's on one of his creative
ingenuity kicks again.

Oh. What's new?

Well, this time it could be
serious brain damage. You know?

[EXHALES]

[ALARM SOUNDING]

DISPATCHER ON PA:
Station 51, man down.

Hotel Potter. 11876 Fishburn,
Room 308.

1-1-8-7-6 Fishburn, Room 308.

Between MacArthur and West
Seventh Street. Time out, 2130.

STANLEY ON RADIO:
Station 51. KMG 365.

[SIRENS WAILING]

All right, people,
keep this door clear, okay?

There's nothing to see.
He's gonna be all right.

There we go.
Ambulance is on the way.

If you guys
don't need us anymore...

No. Thanks, Cap.

Okay, we're gonna put four liters of
oxygen on you. Is that enough for you?

That's fine. Okay.

I don't really know
if I need it.

You sure?

I'm just a little bit
shaky, that's all.

Yeah, well,
I'll tell you what. We'll leave it on.

If you feel better,
then we'll take it off. Okay?

All right.

Does he have any
relatives or next of kin?

No, he ain't got
nobody, just me.

Now you can see why
I'm in the trouble I'm in.

And you're gonna be in a whole
lot more trouble if you ain't careful.

Twenty-seven years I've been
putting up with this old boy.

You know, Doc, in 1933 we played
right down the street from the Crescendo.

You remember that, Julius?

JULIUS: [LAUGHING] You bet I do.

You remember the
Crescendo. JULIUS: Hey.

Well, we didn't make much money,
but we sure had a lot of fun.

[CHUCKLING]

Are you still having pains in your
chest or any trouble breathing?

I'm feeling a little better now,

but I was having
quite a bit of pain in here.

It felt like some big daddy was
sitting on my chest and wouldn't get up.

When did this all start?

Well, I had a few
friends in this evening.

Few drinks
and a lot of good talk.

I was playing the piano,

and right in the middle of everything,
I got this terrific pain.

Julius told everybody to leave.

But you shouldn't done that.

Oh, hush, I shouldn't.

We were having such a good time.

So, I popped a nitro,
and the pains went away.

You know, stopped.

[sums]

But in a little while,
they came back again.

Rampart, this is County 51.
Do you read me? And this time,

the worst I ever had.
MIKE ON RADIO.' Go ahead, 51.

That's when I said I'm
gonna call the fire department.

Rampart, we have
a male, approximately...

How old is he?

He's 66. Other than tonight...

Sixty-five.

Oh, whatever.

Rampart, we have a male,
approximately 65, 66 years old.

He has crushing pain
in his chest.

Retrostemal.

It's the worst pain
he's had so far.

Pains just like one?
The onset of the pain

was approximately an hour ago. Yeah,
but not as bad.

I'd just pop a nitro,
and they'd go away.

Can I see your prescription?

Julius.

[JOHNNY CHATTERING INTO PHONE]

Are you on any other
kind of medication?

No.

When was the last time
this was filled?

I had it filled
about a week ago.

Mmm-hmm.

You've been taking
quite a few of these, huh?

Not too many. Only when
the pain gets real bad.

Vital signs are


Pulse is 80. Respiration
is 20 and shallow.

Okay, we got him patched in.

Stand by, Rampart,
we've got him patched in.

This will be lead two.


Could be an acute Ml.

Start IV D5W TKO and
transport as soon as possible.

Okay, we're gonna start
an IV on you. All right?

You'll feel a little pinprick
and then it's all over.

Well, you won't hear me
complain about that.

ETA approximately 10 minutes.



Okay, I'll notify Joe.
They need you in 1.

There's an OD in there
who doesn't want to be here.

[SIGHS] So, what else is new?

Dr. Early, please.

[SIRENS WAILING]

DISPATCHER ON RADIO:


toxic chemicals are stored
in a tanker.

Use caution.

KELLY ON RADIO: Squad 51,
this is Rampart. Can you send me some EKG?

JOHNNY ON RADIO:


We're sending you a strip.
Vitals to follow.

Pulse is 160. The victim
is in extreme pain, Rampart.

[INTERCOM BEEPING]

This patient is in V-fib.

Rampart, we have lost the
victim's pulse. Beginning CPR.

[RAPID BEEPING]

We're defibrillating victim,
Rampart.

Rampart, we've defibrillated
victim. Decent sinus rhythm.

JOE ON RADIO: Administer 2 amps
sodium bicarb and insert an airway.

KELLY ON RADIO: Start an IV,


DIXIE: Squad 51, continue monitoring
Vitals and transport immediately.

JOHNNY ON RADIO:
We're on our way, Rampart.

[RADIO CHATTER]

Okay, fellas,
I could've done that.

You just let us do it, okay?

That's what we get paid for.

There you are. Here we go.

I heard you talking
to Rampart Hospital.

Yeah.

My papa worked on Rampart
Street in New Orleans.

He was a cigar maker.

I still see that
long line of guys

wrapping that sweet smell
in those brown skins.

Hey, Julius Yeah?

Remember that little guy who ran
the speakeasy down by the pier?

[CHUCKLING] Yeah.

You know, the one
with that hefty old lady.

Yeah...

Boy, I sure would have
hated to duke with her.

[CHUCKLES]

Shorty! That was his name.
Shorty! Had that hair...

Yeah, Shorty, that old boy. Yeah,
and he had... Ran right in there.

Well, anyway, old Shorty
used to bring in hot stuff.

Diamond rings,
Persian rugs, tractors...

Tractors!

[BOTH LAUGHING]

Get my watch, Julius. Where's
my watch? Yeah, hold on a second.

Where's my watch?

Got it.

Thank you.

I bought this watch
off of old Shorty.

Dig that inscription.

"I got what I wanted,
but I lost what I had."

[LAUGHING] Mercy, mercy, mercy.

[EXCLAIMS]

Oh, we're gonna be taking him
in now. You wanna ride with him?

No, I got my own car,
and I'll follow you.

Okay. We're gonna be taking him to
Rampart. Do you know where that is?

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Okay.

And then there was
a drummer named Shorty.

You know, worked
down at Joe's place.

And he had a way of barely
stroking anything he touched.

And man, he had
a beautiful woman.

She had a real dark eye

from a fire way down deep inside,
way deep inside.

[PIANO PLAYING JAZZ MUSIC]

Four.

Chest pains are still there,
but they're easing.

ST segments
are slightly elevated,

and he's got
normal sinus rhythm.

His friend's back there.
He's gonna be coming in.

Okay, have him wait in the
reception area. We'll take it from here.

All right.
Dixie, you go with Roy.

He should be out here.

What's his name?

Clark. Julius Clark. Okay.

JOE: Let's get
a 12-lead EKG, stat.

NURSE: I have it, Doctor.

And, Dorothy, draw bloods.

Mr. Jefferson, I'm Dr. Early,
and this is Dr. Morton.

I'm pleased to meet you.

How are you feeling?

I've felt better, Doc.

Well, let's check you out here,

and we'll see if we can
find out what's wrong.

BP 120 over 80.

Pupils equal, reactive.

Pulse is 60.
Respirations are about 20.

Ready, Doctor.

ST segments are elevated
and fluctuating in V1 through 3,

and there are no Q waves.
Possibly variant angina, Mike.

If it is, we have problems.

Type and cross match
for 12 units.

Electrolytes, CBC
and enzymes, stat.

Yes, Doctor.

Chest is clear.
No sign of failure.

Let's get him up to CCU
stat for close monitoring.

All right, I'll take care of that,
Joe. Take another BP.

Yes, Doctor.

I've been around
a long time, Doc.

In my day,
the tunes came out in the Sunday papers.

Yes, indeed.
I've been around a long time.

And you're going to be around
a lot longer, Mr. Jefferson.

You know, you're
one of the very best.

You know who I am?

Yeah, I know who you are.

[CHUCKLING] Well, all right.

Hey, do you know what time
it is? What are you doing?

What does it
look like I'm doing?

I'm staying here
until I finish this.

You certainly are
well fortified.

I didn't know you could type.

Well, we learn something
new every day, don't we?

[TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING]

[GROWLING]

[sums]

Boy, I'd...

Yeah, right.
I can read your mind.

You think I'm on another
one of my crazy kicks

and I won't finish it, right?

I haven't said a word.

Yeah. Well, you don't have to.

Roy, I've got a hit on my hands.

This is a hit television show.

That's not such
a far-out idea, you know.

You're gonna write it, huh?

No. I'm gonna have a mystic
come down and give me a message.

Of course I'm gonna write it.

You're a firefighter,
not a writer.

Writers write all the time.

Yeah, well, I'm writing now.

Yeah. Well, this, too,
shall come to pass.

[CLEARS THROAT]
What do you mean by that?

Well, I just...

You just... You just what?

Well, you know how you
get excited over everything,

and then all of a sudden,
bingo, it's gone, just like that.

Bingo, I'm over them,
just like that?

Yeah, just like that.

Okay. Well, it won't be
long now, will it?

I'll be through, and then we'll both know,
won't we? Huh?

And when this is a hit
and I am successful

and famous and rich,

you'll be sorry
you even brought it up.

I doubt it.

[EXCLAIMS]

Now, see what you did!

Since we've been
monitoring him in CCU,

he's had four episodes
of severe chest pain.

And we suspect there's high-grade
coronary artery blockage somewhere.

So we're doing catheterization,

in case there's a possibility
of immediate surgery.

What exactly is this
catheterization thing?

Well, we numb the groin area
and make a needle puncture there.

Now, through two needles,
we thread two very thin Teflon wires,

and then catheters,
into the right and left sides of the heart.

Now, we position the
catheters in various places,

record pressures
and finally inject a dye.

Now, in this way,
we can watch it all on a movie screen,

see how the different
chambers are working,

and know where our problems lie.

Well, that sounds
awfully complicated.

Well, the actual process
doesn't last long.

I mean, he should be out
by 2:00, 2:30.

He shouldn't be feeling any pain,
just discomfort, worry.

Like you.

He's got to be
all right, you know.

He's my best friend.

He's my only friend, and he's...

He's got to be all right.

[TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING]

Well, if it isn't
Ernest Hemingway!

Hey, babe, it looks like you're
burning the eraser on both ends.

Kelly, go torment Henry.
I'm busy.

[TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING]

Henry looks like he's been
tormented enough this evening.

How about it, Henry, old pal?

It must be tough getting sleep

around this literary
battleground, huh?

Kelly, will you please
try to keep it down?

What are you
writing about anyway?

I said, what are you
writing about?

I heard what you said.

I don't know.

You mean, you've been
in here all this time,

and you don't even know
what you're writing about?

I know what I'm writing about!

It's just that
I don't know what I'm...

[sums]

Look, let me try
to explain it to you this way.

Sometimes, your first ideas
are the most difficult ideas.

Well, seeing it's your idea,
I can understand that.

b*at it.

[SIGHS] Two...

You know, Gage, you've got your
own special brand of craziness.

You know what you ought to do,
you ought to copyright it,

alongside of all the other
crazies in the world.

What?

I said... That's it!

I said? That's it!

Crazy people!

Crazy people.

Crazy people
dressed in crazy clothes,

doing crazy things.

A television show

about absurd acts.

You're an absurd act.

Hey, this is an incredible
idea! It's incredible!

Okay, saw-

You know, it isn't a bad idea.

It's not at all. Look!

You're responsible
for part of this.

Okay, what do you say,
you and me, co-produce it?

Oh. Oh, no, thanks.

Why not? Why not?

Because every time
I get involved with you,

I get involved in trouble.

I mean real trouble.

[SCOFFS]

Isn't that kind of like the
coffee calling the pot black?

You wanna run that one
by me again?

Look, Kelly,

you are no longer
an inspiration to me.

You're becoming a drag.
Now b*at it.

Okay. Okay, pal.

b*at it!

[SOFTLY] Crazy people...

Oh. How's he doing?

We have to do
a bypass operation.

[SIGHS] Right now.

Don't worry.

Station 51, vehicle accident,

intersection
of Eastern and Olympic.

Eastern and Olympic.
Time out, 0150.

STANLEY: Station 51. KMG 365.

[SIRENS WAILING]

Ma'am, are you okay?
Are you all right?

Vince!

I haven't got a carotid. I'm
gonna have to get him out.

Vince,
can you give me a hand? Sure.

Are you okay?

I hit my head
against the windshield.

I'm bleeding a little bit.

It wasn't my fault. They came
right through that stop sign.

Just sit down. I
hope they're all right.

Look this way
for a moment, all right?

What exactly happened?

Well, I was
coming up the street,

and they went right through that stop sign,
and I hit them.

I didn't mean to. Honest.

Okay,
okay. It just wasn't my fault.

All right, just relax.

I can't get a carotid on him.

Okay, go ahead pull him out.

Go ahead and send him up here.

[WOMAN GROANING]
JOHNNY: Grab his legs.

Just grab his legs there. Okay.

Let's get him over
here on the sidewalk.

JOHNNY: I'm gonna lay
his head this way. Okay.

Yeah, just like this.
Lay him down here.

Can you get a yellow
blanket out of the squad?

[GROANING]

[BOTH SPEAKING SPANISH]

I can't get anything.
Cover him up.

Marco, what have you got?

MARCO: Johnny,
it doesn't look good.

Her legs are wedged
underneath the dash.

We're gonna have to
use the jaws to get her out.

All right.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Okay. Take it easy.
Take it easy.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

All right. Ma'am,
just take it easy, okay?

We'll get you out of here.

She doesn't speak any English.

No. No English?

[SPEAKING SPANISH] Okay...

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Okay?

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Hey, Johnny, can I
give you a hand?

No, not right now, Vince.

We got to get her
out with the jaws.

[GROANING]

Okay, I'll put in a call
for some ambulances

and see if I can give
Roy a hand, then.

Okay.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

What's she saying?
Her children? What?

MARCO: Yeah, her children.
She's asking for her children.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

He's fine, he's fine. He's okay.

Okay.

I'm gonna look at your pupils.

Tell her to look
straight up here, okay?

[MARCO SPEAKING SPANISH]

[GROANS]

It's okay. It's okay.

Right. South Olympic
Boulevard and Eastern Drive.



ROY: All right.

What do you have, Roy?

Just a mild laceration,
nothing else.

Maybe you'd better
give Johnny a hand.

I can handle this for you.
Okay. Here's the tape.

Okay.

See you later.

Okay. What's your name?

John Baldwin.

How long ago did the accident happen,
John?

I don't know,
about 10 minutes ago,

a little bit
before you got here.

I tried to get you
as soon as I could.

Yeah, well, how did it happen?

Well, it wasn't my fault.

Hold your head still, will you?

They cut out
right in front of me.

I mean,
they went right through that stop sign.

You see,
I was coming up that street... Look,

you're gonna have
to sit still, okay?

I was coming up that street
about 35 miles an hour.

I can't believe it.

Okay,
don't worry. In the middle of the night,

only two cars,
and I have to hit them. I can't believe it.

Okay, just take it easy.
Don't worry about it.

I hope she's all right.

Okay. Yeah,
they're gonna be okay.

Now,
you have your driver's license with you?

Yeah.

[WOMAN GROANING]

[CALMING IN SPANISH]

JOHNNY: Okay, here you are. Roy.

She's complaining a lot
of pain in her abdomen.

I haven't really
checked her out yet.

Okay, pulse is 160,
respirations are 25.

Okay, her pupils
are equal and reactive.

Okay.

[INQUIRING IN SPANISH]

[REPLYING IN SPANISH]

In your stomach? Okay.

[GROANS] Okay, 0 Kay-

[SPEAKING SPANISH] JOHNNY: All right,
take it easy.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

Your legs?

[GROANING] MARCO: No, no, no.

All right. All right.
Okay, I won't do it again.

No, I told the nurse that
all reports were negative.

Yeah. ROY ON RADIO: Rampart,
this is County 51.

Okay, I got to go.
I'll talk to you later.

Go ahead, 51.

Rampart, we have a female victim here,
age approximately 40.

The patient's been thrown
against the vehicle floor shift

with resulting
abdominal injuries.

[JAWS OF LIFE WHIRRING]

JOHNNY: All right, Marco,
let's pull her straight up and then out.

Hey, can you hear me?

Say again, 51.

Victim has sustained
abdominal injuries.

No obvious head injuries.

Breath sounds
are equal bilaterally.

BP is 100. JOHNNY: All right,
she's out.

Pulse is 160. Respirations
are 25 and shallow.

[SIREN APPROACHING]
JOHNNY: Get the board over here.

The patient is trapped at this
present time, so ETA is unknown.

Okay, now tell her I'm gonna
have to lift her up, okay?

Roy? Keep her bunched up. Yeah.

Rampart,
we hear an ambulance. Little more.

It's just arriving right now. I
think you're hooked up on the seat.


some internal bleeding.

Start an IV with Ringer's,
and put her in anti-shock trousers.

[MARCO SPEAKING SPANISH]

ROY: Rampart, we've established
the IV. We're ready to transport.

ETA is marked 10 minutes.

Is this enough, Gage?

Yeah. Little more. 10-4.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

JOHNNY: Roy?

I'm gonna go in
with her. All right.

[SPEAKING SPANISH]

ROY: How's he doing?

Oh, he's gonna be all right,

but I'm gonna
take him in with me.

The more I talk to him,
the more his story falls apart.

Oh, okay.

Well, I'll talk to you later.

Okay,
maybe I'll see you again tonight.

Hope not. Okay.

Let's clear this gear
out of here, shall we?

[SIRENS WAILING]

KELLY: She's going out on us.

Get another IV started.

Draw blood,
type and cross for 10 units, stat.

Mike, intubate her. All right.

JOHNNY: Sixty-five
palpation, Doc.


her down a little bit.

KELLY: Mike, intubate her.
All right. Help me lift her.

ROY: Okay, the respiration's


KELLY: Give me that
machine over here.

Sixty-five palpation.

Belly is distended and rigid.

She may have ruptured
her spleen or liver.

We better get her
up to OR right now.

[BEEPING RAPIDLY]
She's in V-fib.

Defibrillators.

[MACHINE FLATLINING]

KELLY: 400 watt-seconds.

ROY: One, two, three, four.

Clear.

Nothing. Again.

One, two, three, four.

Clear.

Still nothing.
All right, 2 amps bicarb.

Ten ccs 1-to-1,000
epinephrine, IV push.

Okay.

[PANTING]

All right. Go.

Okay, again, 400 watts.

One, two, three, four.

KELLY: Clear.

KELLY: Again.

One, two, three, four.

Clear.

Julius? Yeah.

Looks like the bypass
was successful.

[LAUGHING] That's terrific.

Come on, I'll buy you
a cup of coffee.

All right.

You take like Perdido Street...

[EXCLAIMS]
What a place that was!

Something going on all the time.

And them horns would just
be blasting your mind away,

and ain't nothing going on
but the pawn street special.

[LAUGHING]

Which reminds me,

you ever hear this tune
this old boy wrote?

I'm gonna give you
a little taste of it.

Hello, Central,
Give Me Dr. Jazz.

[LAUGHING]

I've heard it many
times. All right.

He could play a chorus


Oh, yeah!

Let's see, as I remember,
he had six pieces then.

Cornet, clarinet, trombone,
piano, drums and tuba, right?

Oh!

You know a little something about jazz,
don't you, Doc?

Say, did you ever play
at a club called the Topsy,

just across from
the old railroad depot?

You better hush your mouth!

Used to cook there all
the time. But hold it, now.

What's a little cupcake like you doing
knowing something about the Topsy?

You been holding out?

You been doing
a little moonlighting?

Only in my spare time.

All right, but I'm gonna
tell you something,

that Topsy used to be
a dangerous club in its day.

And more than once,
we barely got out of there with our lives.

Oh, there used to be some bad
customers that hung out in that place.

But now they're going uptown.

[LAUGHS]

Uptown!

Oh, but listen at me,
I'm just running off at the mouth.

I'm just as bad
as my old boy in there.

But I'm just happy,
you know what I mean?

I should have known
he was gonna pull through.

Yeah, but you know, he's gonna have
to cut down on his activity for a while.

Yeah, plenty of rest and quiet.

Yeah. Well, you know
the trouble is

that the man's
pride's been hurt.

And it ain't easy to realize

that you're getting
up there in age.

It tends to settle you down.
You know what I mean, Doc?

I know what you mean.

But it ain't gonna be
easy for him to settle.

But I hear you.
And I tell you what,

I'm gonna have
that old boy so spoiled

that ain't nobody gonna be
able to get along with him but me.

[LAUGHS] 'Cause I am the manager

and he is the manager.

Well, I'm sure
he's gonna be just fine.

Well, kid, back to salt mines?

Okay, Dix.

Yeah, and listen.
What can I say to you?

Hey, Julius,
you were doing real fine so far.

[LAUGHS]

[WHOOPS]

Where you going?

[CHUCKLES]

Can't stop now. Got
the creative juices going.

You've been working
on it all night.

Aren't you gonna get some sleep?

Sleep? Sleep?
Are you kidding me?

Didn't you hear what I
said? I'm almost done.

I'd say, I got about another...

You ought to read my
new format. It's incredible.

You'll be the first
one to read it.

Yeah, I know. I've been
listening to you talk about it

for the last three hours.

You know something? I'm tired.

[SIGHS] We've been
running all night long.

And you want to know
something else? You are crazy!

Sure, I'm crazy.

The show is crazy.

But you want to know
something else?

The contestants of my show,

they've got to be
crazier than me!

See, you get six contestants...

Good night.

Don't you...
Aren't you even interested?

[SIGHS] Oh,
well. Writing is a thankless, lonely job.

[sums]

[HENRY WHIMPERING]

Sorry. Didn't mean
to disturb you.

Acting kind of uppity,
aren't you?

I may put you in the script.

Yeah. A dog that does nothing.

[WHIMPERS] Just sits there.

People like that, you know.

A schleppy dog. You'll schlep out
on stage and schleep on the couch.

Dumb dog!

[WHIMPERS]
Making me feel guilty.

[TYPEWRITER KEYS CLACKING]

Why don't you howl or something?

That's not a bad idea.

A schleppy dog!

[WHIMPERING]

[CHUCKLES]

I finished!

I finished it.

It's done. It's done.

And it's foolproof.

[WHIMPERING]

It can't miss!

And I finished it.

Henry, take a look at this.

Ah! Looky here, Henry.
Look at that.

Isn't that a thing of beauty?

And I finished it.

[LAUGHS]

Look, kid,

you play your cards right,
and I may make you a star.

That better not be my pillow.

[ALARM SOUNDING]

DISPATCHER ON PA: Station 51,
man trapped between two buildings.

You hear?

On the rooftop
of 243 Sidney Avenue.

243 Sidney Avenue. Cross street,
Melrose. Time out, 0740.

Station 51. KMG 365.

[SIRENS WAILING]

[HORN BLARING]

Do you believe that?

STANLEY: Well,
we can't reach out and grab him

from the side of the building.

So, I guess
you all know what we need.

ALL: Yeah.

Oh, am I glad you guys got
here so quickly! Do you see that?

I see it. What in the world
was he doing up there?

I don't know. I should
have known better.

I mean,
I knew he was strange when he came here.

Man, I could write a book
about the people in this building.

I'll tell you. Bet you
could. Got everything?

Yeah.

Everything here?

THELMA: Come on, this way, boys.

How long has he been up there?

THELMA: Oh, I don't know.
Lester, that's his friend,

he came down to me
about 10 minutes ago,

and then I called you
guys right away. Uh-huh.

Ma'am, does he have a history

of any heart problems,
any medical history at all?

THELMA: Nah. Him, he's healthy.

Except for up here,
you know. Yeah.

Man's only working with a quarter
of a deck, you know what I mean?

JOHNNY: Yeah, I know
what you mean.

[THELMA SIGHS]

Mort, Mort, can you hear me?

Are you still passed... Oh!

Oh, and the fire department's
here. They'll be right up.

Now, don't go away.
Oh! Darn old fool!

Nothing like an old fool!

Hey, hurry up.

He's got to have been passed
out cold for at least 15 minutes.

He hit his head on the pole.
I told him not to do it.

STANLEY: Look at the
rigging he's got there.

Oh, he spent all night getting
it up here for setting it up.

My God!

THELMA: Oh, my God!
I gotta get out of here.

Boy, my tenants are
gonna be going crazy.

STANLEY: Don't let them up on the roof,
please. I won't.

I don't want to put any
more weight on this guy's line.

We better rig two of our own.

Marco, you and Chet
go on over there.

Check his rigging
and secure our lines.

I think that corner's
our best bet there.

You see, he was rehearsing
for his big stunt this afternoon.

At least he had a... He
was wearing a safety line.

I was watching him.

He just kept going back and forth,
back and forth.

JOHNNY: All right, hold it.
Hold it for a minute. Hold it.

Okay.

LESTER: I don't think anyone
could have worked so hard

to accomplish
so little, you know.

Yeah, okay. LESTER: You see...

[SIREN APPROACHING]

LESTER: He's such an old fool!

All right.
Let me get this in here.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

JOHNNY: Yeah, can you
grab these?

He's got all of these news
people coming this afternoon

to watch him do it for real.

Get back and forth. Yeah.

Hey, Vince, could you lend
a hand back there, please?

LESTER: Now, ifs just last night
he started to do this whole thing.

You see now, he's been
a flagpole sitter...

Well, you name it,
and he's done it.

Now, I've seen
the pictures of him.

He's got a whole
scrapbook just full of them!

They sure take a lot of time,
don't they?

We have to take a lot of time

because we want to
do it safely, that's all.

Oh.

Did you get it? Yeah.

Okay, hold it there.

Okay.

STANLEY: You all set to go?
Yeah.

Can we have some room here,
please? Watch the ropes.

Sure. You're the boss.

Okay. Ready?

Yeah.

[GRUNTING]

JOHNNY: Okay. ROY: All right.

Lower us down!

All right. Let them down.

Keep them coming. Little more.

ROY: Okay. Wanna lower me down?

A little more on the right.

Okay. Okay, hold the right one.

Don't move the left one.

Lower Roy's line.

Little more on the
right one. Yeah.

JOHNNY: Good.

JOHNNY: Go ahead.
I got him from back here.

ROY: All right. I'm gonna
try to swing this around.

Can you grab... Wait a
minute. Wait a minute.

He's coming to, Roy.

Hey, come on, just relax!

Keep still. Hey, hold still!

Come on, come on.
Stop wiggling around.

Come on, just relax.

ROY: Hold it! JOHNNY: Watch it!

Come on up.
JOHNNY: His line broke.

That's his line.

Can you pull this rope?

All right,
that's good. Tie it off and get over here.

JOHNNY: You got
a hold of him? Yeah.

[GRUNTS] Okay.

Come on. You're gonna
have to stop moving around.

We got him from back here.

Okay, let's pull this in.

LESTER: Hold on.
It's okay, we got you.

LESTER: Don't worry,
Mort, we got you.

We got you.

JOHNNY: Can you swing
up? Swing your leg up.

[JOHNNY GRUNTING]

Okay, wait a minute.

Got his feet.

STANLEY: Watch the
rope. Watch your step.

JOHNNY: Got him.

[SIREN APPROACHING]

Okay.

Everybody okay?

I'll just get the rigs for you.

Boy, Mort, you really
had us scared.

[MORT GRUNTS] JOHNNY:
All right. There you go.

Take it easy, now.

[INDISTINCT CHATTERING]

JOHNNY: All right.
Just take it easy.

Oh, I'm totally fine!
No, no. Take it easy.

It's all right. Okay, okay,
let's just check you out, okay?

It just seems a
little... Pulse is normal.

We were out there a long time.

Yes, sir?

I could have been in a
lot of trouble out there.

Yes, sir. You were.

You know, I just
don't understand it.

I used to do this
three times a day.

How long ago, Mort?

Oh, well,
I guess you guys think I'm a little bit

off-kilter,
but I got my reasons.

Well, sir, if you don't mind telling us,
what were your reasons?

Yeah. I'm preparing
for my TV debut.

[CHUCKLES]

Your TV debut?

Yeah, haven't you heard
about the new game show?

No, sir, I haven't.

Oh, it's a brand new show
coming on this year.

They just talked about it
on the TV last night.

Open auditions.

Well, if you got
a hook, you know.

They hire six acts for the show,

so I thought, "Why not?"

Yeah.

Are you kidding me?

No, I'm not kidding you.

What, do you think I do this
sort of thing for my health?

No, that's practice, son.

That's known as practice, right?

Yeah. There's over
$1,000 in prizes,

and I get to be
in a movie if I win.

Yeah.

You win,

and I think I lost.

Co-producers, huh?
You blew it again, dummy.

[sums]

How's he doing? He's fine.

Yeah, yeah, he's gonna be fine.

But we want to take him into
the hospital to check him out.

Well, we're two hours
overtime now. Let's get going.

All right. You boys look
a little under the weather.

You all right now, Mr. Hubbs?

Oh, yeah. Thank you. No problem,
ma'am. I'm fine.

Well, that's good. When you get back,
now, Mr. Hubbs,

you and I will
have a little talk, okay?

JOHNNY: Ready to go?

Well, it's good
to have you back, Mort.

Well, you know,
it's nice to be back.

Now, by the way, somebody's gonna
have to talk to all those news people.

Well,
you can always come up with a new idea.

JOHNNY: Uh-uh,
the flow is gone. No more ideas.

Can I count on that?

Come on,
leave me alone, will you?

LESTER: Mort Hubbs is his name.

JOHNNY: You don't know
how much energy I put into that.

I put a lot of energy into that.

Just to go down
the tubes like that!

ROY: Hey, you ever think about
writing a show about firemen?

JOHNNY: That's
the story of my life!