Picket Fences (1992–1996): Season 2, Episode 22 - Howard's End - full transcript

Now, it’s important that
we keep

everybody back
away from this door.

- What happened?
- Howard’s gone crazy again.

- He’s got a bow and arrow.
- What?

He’s gone off on some tangent.
Don’t!

- Howard!
- Back off, white man.

- Howard, what are you doing?
- I went through the old charters.

We stole this land
from the Chippewa.

- Put that thing down now!
- You just back yourself up before--

- Howard!
- [arrow whizzes past]

[people panicking]



My name’s not Howard,
it’s Bill.

- What?
- How the hell can you not know me?

I’m the mayor.
I’m Bill Pugen.

I checked the charters,
the land belongs to the Indians,

and as mayor,
I have a duty to give it back.

Now you listen to me.

- Howard!
- Freeze!

One more step
and you’re a dead man.

- Put it down, or I’ll shoot.
- Go ahead, shoot!

In which case I let go, and
the arrow goes right through...

- ...the Lone Ranger’s head.
- Howard, please.

The next time you call me
Howard, it’ll be the last time.

My name is Bill.

I will have you shot.
Do you understand what I’m saying?



Oh, yes.
I get your point.

You’re about to get mine.

[theme music playing]

- Let’s get everybody outside of here, please.
- Got it.

Er, Jill, Kenny, Max,
stay in here.

Everybody move,
please get out of here.

Secure the area outside, Joey, please.

- [Man] Everybody out.
- Isn’t it a little early for him to sundown?

He’s been getting worse.

Two days ago, he was screaming
because Mother was late

and he wanted his dinner.
She’s been dead for 12 years!

Well, right now, he’s dangerous
with that damn bow.

- Let me talk to him.
- No, I’m worried about your heart condition.

- You shouldn’t--
- Let me go. I can calm him down.

Call him first on the intercom.

Bill, Mr. Mayor,
are you still in there?

[Howard] Yes?

Mr. Mayor, I have your daughter out here,
should I send her in?

[Howard] My daughter?
Hold on.

Where? Where’s my daughter?

Who are you people?

Daddy.

- Take him.
- Take who? Who are you? Why--

Jill! What’s going on?

- Do you know me?
- Of course I know you. You’re Jill Brock.

What is going on?

Howard, we want to take you
to the hospital now.

Why is everybody calling me
Howard?

- Why!
- Kenny, Max!

Wait, hold on.
Hold it.

Um, this is my friend,
Joyce Pruit.

I think maybe you’ve met her before.

- I don’t know her.
- Um...

We’d like to have a little chat
with you, um...

We have some town business
to discuss.

Oh, Jill.

It’s okay, he needs
to be calmed down,

he’s not armed, it’s okay.

Um, uh...

Max, get the bow and arrow.

That belongs to the Chippewa.
You can’t have it!

Let’s have a little chat
in the office, shall we?

Let’s go in there,
just you and me and Joyce.

Will you get my bag?

We’ll be fine, we’ll let you know
if we need anything.

I just wish he would die.

I’m sorry.

I know how that sounds, but...

Monday night we were having dinner,
for God sake, and he forgot how to chew.

He had food in his mouth,

and he forgot how to
move his jaw.

[sighs]

What kind of a disease is this?

You see, all the time
it was the clothes!

I’m not overweight at all,
it was just the clothes!

Soon as I took ’em off,
I’m thin!

You’re not Bill Pugen.

I’m the mayor of Rome, Wisconsin.

I’m Bill Pugen!

You’re Howard Buss.

Bill Pugen was the mayor.

But he killed a carjacker
and was convicted of murder.

I’m Howard Buss?

Yes.

I saw Bill Pugen, that’s it.

I went by his house on my walk,
last night.

And I saw him,
standing there like a tank.

[Joyce] Daddy.

Bill Pugen is dead.

Ask your mother,
she saw him.

Mommy is dead too.

What?

Can we take him to the hospital?

I saw Bill Pugen.

That’s why I got confused
and though that I was him,

but now I know that I’m not.

Everything is cleared up, now,
you can go.

- I have a busy day.
- Howard, let’s go back to my office, shall we?

I wanna run some tests,
maybe take your pressure again.

[urine trickling]

Would you excuse me one second?

I’m incontinent.

[door shuts]

He’s, um, he’s cleaning
himself up,

and he’ll be out in a minute.

Dr. Brock,

what can we do?

- We could run a few more tests and we could find out if--
- [door opens]

This thing stinks!

It must weigh 10 pounds.

Doesn’t even feel biodegradable.

Who are you people?

Dad.

I’m your son.

Kevin.

You remember me.

I’m Kevin.

Let me, er...

Let me get him dressed.

You can’t come with me.

My mare is not strong enough.

She’s only a Shetland.

Let’s go, girl.

[grunting]

Dad, please.

- Dad.
- I’ll meet you there.

- [creaking]
- [panting]

Oh, we’re getting there, girl.

We’re gonna make it.
We’re gonna make it, girl.

Go, and go, and go.

Getting there, girl.
Getting there. Getting there.

We’re getting there, girl.

[grunting]

[Howard] Go. Go.

I love you, Dad.

[Howard muttering] Go. Go.

[gunfire]

[door opens]

Get oxygen on him. Radio, stay up for
a neurosurgeon, okay?

- I’m coming with you.
- [Paramedic] I got it.

- I’m right here, Daddy.
- We gotta go, Joyce. We gotta go.

- Move it.
- [Paramedic] Excuse me. Let us through, please.

Take him to the station, do...
Go!

- Am I under arrest?
- Take him.

Come on, Kevin.
Come on.

[Man] Let’s go home.

We have an entry and an exit
on the left side.

- I wanna see the pictures, stat.
- I’m all set.

Take the IV.

- One, two, three.
- [men grunting]

- Let’s set up an arterial line and call the blood bank.
- Done.

Got four units being set up.

Joyce.

The bullet exited, but there’s a massive
hematoma in the left hemisphere.

We’re gonna go in and drain it.
I think he has a chance.

What kind of chance?

Well, there could be some brain damage,
but I think in the long run, with therapy--

What are you talking about?

He has Alzheimer’s.
He doesn’t even have a long run.

This is an immediate emergency.

I think we can keep the damage
from the gunshot wound to a minimum.

I don’t want the operation.

I want the gunshot wound
to take him.

That’s not an option.

Jill.

- I’ve gotta get back.
- Jill.

X-ray is up. ...

You’re done.

Okay, we’re ready on this end.

- Give me the numbers.
- 70 over 40, weak.

Drill.

[drill whirring]

[Doctor] Okay, let’s go.

[whirring]

Stop.

Stop!

Stop.

This patient won’t tolerate
this length of anesthesia.

- Let’s bring him out.
- What?

I’m this man’s physician.
It’s my opinion

he’s too feeble
to survive the procedure.

I don’t want him operated on.

If we don’t drain his cranium
in the next 20 minutes, he dies.

Please understand me, Doctor.
This patient has Alzheimer’s.

He suffers from profound dementia.
I’ve conferred with the family,

I’m suddenly convinced
this procedure is not warranted.

I can’t make that call.
I can, I’m the attending.

- Dr. Brock.
- We are not operating.

Do you know what you’re doing?

Closed. Send this patient
to recovery.

Nurse, call Father Gary Barrett.
Send him in here immediately.

- Do it!
- Yes, Doctor.

[spray hissing]

[device beeping]

The gun was in your hand.

You see, after he shot,
I picked up the gun...

Before you answer, Kevin,

the residue test will show
if the gun was in your hand

as it went off.

So, I want you
to think a minute,

before you tell us
what happened.

Think hard.

Thank you.

I, um...

I suppose I could say,

as he went to shoot,
I grabbed the gun.

And it went off
as I was trying to wrestle it away.

That would be a good answer.

Yeah.

But it’s not the answer.

What happened was

I saw my father in misery,

suffering unimaginable indignity,

I picked up a gun
and put a stop to it.

That’s my answer.

Don’t leave town.

- I can go?
- For now.

We can’t just release him.

He’s not going anywhere
except his father’s bedside.

[Gary] Help him to find hope
in suffering.

For you are our Lord,
ever and ever, Amen.

And may the blessing
of the Almighty God

the Father, Son
and the Holy Ghost,

come upon you
and remain with you forever. Amen.

Dad?

We’re all here,
Joyce and me, Kevin.

We’re right here with you.

I’ve got your hand.

- [sighs]
- We’re right here.

- We’re here. Joyce and I are right here.
- Hi, Daddy.

You just rest.
Everybody’s here with you.

Everybody’s here.

You just rest calm.

Love... you.

[gasps]

Love you too.

[whispers] Love you too.

[EKG flatlines]

[sobbing]

[people chatting]

[Bailiff] Case number 3277,
People versus Kevin Buss.

Murder in the second degree.

Here I am, Judge.

We plead insanity.
Howard Buss went off his rocker

which made him get on his rocker,
which made my client go off his rocker.

- Waive reading?
- Of course!

We would like
an immediate trial.

My client is suffering
from a coronary condition.

He had a transplant
three months ago.

And what’s that gotta do
with a speedy trial?

My client doesn’t want this
dragged out.

His heartbeat’s good,
but who knows?

[Littleton] Your Honor.

Prosecution sympathizes

with the defendant’s desire
to move quickly,

and we’re prepared
to proceed immediately.

I would, however, ask that
Your Honor consider disqualifying himself.

It’s my understanding
that you were friends with Howard Buss.

I can be impartial, counsel.

- ...tomorrow at nine. We’ll start after that. Adjourned.
- [bangs gavel]

How can you make the man
stand trial?

He committed murder.

[fire crackling]

Look honey, no jury
will convict him, sure of that.

Their sympathy will win out.

When will yours?

[scoffs] The man
took a human life!

We had no choice
but to arrest him.

He took a life!

[sighs]

So did I.

What?

I stopped surgery
that could have saved Howard’s life.

Well, that’s...

...um, that’s different
than shooting him.

No, it isn’t.

Kevin and I both saw
a man who was suffering.

And we each acted
to end his life.

I did that, Jimmy.

[phone ringing]

Wambaugh wants to stipulate to the facts,
which I’m happy to do.

Unless you want the jury
to hear your version.

No, stipulation’s fine.

Okay.

Now, they gotta be
going with insanity,

And I’m gonna want
the three of you to testify

as to Kevin Buss’s behavior
before the shooting.

Basically, you just have to state
in layman’s terms that he was clear-headed.

And I will ask each of you to repeat his
statement about wishing his father was dead.

And I figure about
15 minutes of direct appease.

It is imperative
that you send a clear signal to the jury

that you condemn his actions.

Now, however much sympathy
you have for Kevin Buss,

you cannot allow the jury to see
any endorsement from you for what he did.

Now, we all do our jobs,
we can win this.

- Good.
- Good.

Good.

Good.

I just couldn’t look at him
like that.

My father was a man
of extraordinary dignity.

He was fastidious
about his appearance.

He would snip his beard,
sometimes, hair by hair, he--

"A man must make a good appearance",
he’d always tell me.

"Strong handshake,
well-groomed."

I pray

he didn’t really understand
how he’d become,

but, er...

...I think he did.

[Wambaugh] Mr. Buss.

Can you describe
how you were feeling

at the time
you shot your father?

And please, feel free
to use the word "insane".

- Objection. Leading.
- Sustained.

- I wasn’t insane.
- Mm-hmm.

I acted in self-defense.

What? I mean, er...

...could you explain this?

The law,

and as I understand it,

the law is everything.

The law says,
"A person may use deadly force

"to defend not only himself,

but also to defend
his loved ones."

What am I missing?

I was defending my father

against a disease
that was destroying him.

[Judge] Mr. Buss.

- That’s not what self-defense means.
- Why not?

My client was using deadly force
against another deadly force.

The threat has to come from another
person, not from a disease!

The spirit of self-defense
is protection

for loved ones
against destructive forces.

Kevin Buss acted
within the spirit of that law!

Now, if he was wrong,

it’s because he was insane
at the time.

- I wasn’t insane.
- Because you were right.

If you were wrong,
then you were insane. It’s a legal term.

Leave it to the lawyers
and judges to define it.

There you have it, Judge.
Self-defense.

In the alternative, insanity.
Nothing further.

Er, Your Honor, I just need some time
to digest this new theory.

- So do I. 20 minutes.
- [bangs gavel]

[church organ playing]

Thank you, gentlemen.

It’s good, just there.

Do you wish to speak
at the service?

No, I’ll let you take it.

[creaks]

He’s been a far better
spiritual force than we’ve been lately.

Well, again, I go back
to your shoe collection.

Will you forget the shoes?

- It hurt our credibility.
- Never mind.

Good man in that box.

Yes, there is.

Jury reconvened.
You’re on.

You okay?

I don’t want Kevin Buss
in prison. [slight chuckle]

Maybe I shouldn’t cross-examine.

Jury has all the facts,
why not stop here and let them decide?

Can you do that?

No.

It’s an adversary process,
I have to go after him.

That’s what’s supposed to
serve the truth.

Isn’t that how it goes?

I don’t know.

Wish me luck.

[Littleton] Your father
was the mayor.

The functioning mayor of a town.

But he wasn’t competent enough
to be worthy of life?

My father was in and out
of lucidity, counsel.

In the last three days,
he didn’t even know his name.

So you went to his defense.

His "self defense."

You defended him
by positioning yourself

three feet behind him,
and putting a bullet into his head.

Did you ask him first
if he wanted to die?

- Look, counsel--
- Did you ask your father before shooting him...

...if he wanted to die?

No.

Did he know
you were about to shoot him?

He didn’t know anything.

I could have put the gun
in front of his face,

he wouldn’t have known!

But just to be safe,
you shot him from behind.

My father and I talked all the time
about his Alzheimer’s.

All the time!

He made me promise
that if he ever got to the point

where he was an embarrassment
to himself,

where he was no longer
able to interact with people,

he begged
that I would do something.

He was naked on a rocking horse,
you son of a bitch!

[people muttering]

You said the last three days of your father’s
life, he didn’t even know who he was.

Yes!

Did the doctors tell you
that these lapses of dementia,

they could come and go?

- Something like that.
- That they could vary in duration?

- Yes.
- Well, is it possible...

...that this last lapse
of dementia,

maybe it was only
a three or four day lapse?

Maybe he was gonna
come out of it?

The disease
doesn’t reverse itself.

I understand, but the dementia,
it comes and goes.

It could have subsided again,
isn’t that possible?

Why couldn’t you wait a week longer,
maybe one day longer?

I couldn’t have waited
a second longer.

He thought he was Bill Pugen.

Didn’t the doctors tell you

that people with Alzheimer’s,

even before the final stages
of this disease,

can sometimes hallucinate
in this way?

Particularly with people
in their memory.

People who they can be
reminded of with pictures and things,

didn’t the doctors
tell you that?

- Yes, but--
- And didn’t they tell you

not to worry about these
types of hallucinations?

It was over for him.
I know--

And didn’t the doctors
tell you that the stress

of being mayor could intensify
his Alzheimer’s symptoms?

Weren’t you told that?

Why didn’t you get him
out of the job?

Take him on a vacation,
I don’t know,

maybe Florida or somewhere,
see if that helped.

Instead you just shoot him?

[Littleton] Maybe it wasn’t over
for your father.

Maybe he had
some good days left,

some happy days,
and maybe you stole those days!

I hope you never have to see your father
the way I had to see mine!

My father is dead!

I...I’d give anything
for an hour with him.

And he didn’t have Alzheimer’s.
You can’t know. You can’t know!

All I know...

...is life...

...is life.

A day is a day.

Every day
belonged to Howard Buss.

And that wasn’t your right,
or anybody else’s right to take that away.

Nothing further.

[soft music playing]

- Bye, Dad.
- Yep, yep.

- I’ll pick you up at three o’clock, okay?
- Okay.

- Bye, Mum.
- All right, baby, bye. Be in front of the school.

- Okay, Bye.
- Okay, bye. Love you.

- Daddy?
- Yes, baby?

Wambaugh thinks
it’ll turn on your testimony.

Kimberly,
I’m bound by the truth.

Okay.

Try to see the truth.

You okay?

If they take away
my privileges at the hospital, they...

...there goes half my practice,
half my income.

What’s really bothering you?

What if I was wrong?

Alzheimer’s, sometimes,
does get better,

and Howard was lucid enough
to be the mayor, for God’s sake.

So maybe his dementia
wasn’t severe enough.

You weren’t wrong.

When they put that drill
to his head, I could almost hear him...

...telling us to stop...

...begging us to let him go.

I think what I did was wrong.
I know it.

But I feel it was right.

I feel it completely.

[Jimmy] I could see his face...

... when he came in,
holding his diaper.

Sheriff Brock. Did you,
as a layperson,

have opportunity to observe
the mental state

of Kevin Buss as he went
into that office with his father?

Yes, I did.

And could you describe

that mental condition
to the court?

[sighs]

Could you
answer the question, sir?

Please describe the mental
condition of Kevin Buss

in layman’s terms, as he went into
the office with Howard?

Sheriff Brock?

I believe...

[sighs] ...as he went
into that room, he had no capacity,

to distinguish right from wrong.

- What? Er, objection!
- That remark is stricken.

[Littleton] Sheriff, I remind you that
you are under oath.

You are subject
to tell the truth.

I know I’m under oath
and I’m telling the truth.

Shooting Howard Buss
was a mistake,

there’s no question
Kevin was wrong!

But I was there. I saw--

- Move to strike. Move to strike! Move to strike!
- Overruled.

- Go ahead.
- No child would want to let his father be humiliated like that.

You are a sheriff, as well as an officer
of this court.

I’m also a human being!
As is he!

He doesn’t belong in jail.
How can we put him in prison?

Madam Foreman?
Has the jury reached a verdict?

We have, Your Honor.

What say you?

In the matter of the
People versus Kevin Buss,

on the charge of murder in the second
degree, we find the defendant

not guilty by reason of
temporary insanity.

[sighs]

[Judge] Members of the jury,
thank you for your service.

You and the defendant both
are free to go.

- [bangs gavel]
- We’re adjourned.

Thank you.

- You tanked it!
- Look, I didn’t mean to undermine you.

Yes, you did.

- Excuse me.
- John.

You didn’t honor the badge.

I know it, you know it,

there’s nothing to tie
a ribbon around here. Excuse me.

Rough year.

We’ve been through three mares,
two frogs...

- ...tough year.
- Very tough.

But you know what they say.
When things seem the most sad,

[sighs] I don’t know,
you cry, I guess?

- Come on, we’re gonna be late.
- Come on, Matt.

You became
a little less perfect today.

Didn’t just happen,
I’ve been working on it.

I like it.

Okay, come on.
Let’s go, let’s go. Come on.

Zach, put that thing down.

Come on.

[church organ playing]

♪ From earth’s wide bounds ♪

♪ From ocean’s farthest coast ♪

♪ Through gates
of pearl streams ♪

♪ In the countless host ♪

Singing to Father ♪

♪ Son and Holy Ghost ♪

Hallelujah ♪

Hallelujah ♪

Amen ♪

Howard made one demand.

He said if it’s a fine day,
keep it short.

Get everyone back out
in the sunshine.

Somehow, with Howard,

you didn’t have to go outdoors
to feel the sun.

But I will, nevertheless,
honor his last request,

and save my service
until we get to the cemetery.

Before we depart, however,
I will ask, is there anyone here,

friend or family, who would like to speak
on his behalf?

[spray hissing]

Stop him, Jimmy.

Uh...

Sit down.

I’m going.

I, uh...

When people speak at funerals,

I usually like to be
sitting in the back.

That way, when the
sentimentality kicks in,

I can get to the door
quickly to vomit.

I’ve always felt

if you’ve got something to say,

spit it out while the bastard’s
still alive, damn it!

But, with Howard Buss,

I feel compelled
to speak anyway.

If for no other reason
than to keep Wambaugh from doing it.

[creaks]

He touched me.

Howard Buss was...

He touched me.

I won’t go on
about Howard Buss, the man.

Words can’t capture
the true essence

of what he personified.

I got up here

to speak of Howard Buss,
the mayor.

Because I don’t want it forgotten.

He was a damn good one.

No offense, Rachel.

You were a fine administrator.

But Howard... [chuckles]

I don’t know exactly
what it was

that he was doing right.

But since he took over,

I’ve never been more proud
to be a citizen of Rome, Wisconsin.

And I wasn’t alone.

He reminded us all
that leadership

without a sense
of love and charity

is hollow.

And he did something else.

First, with the business
of wanting to give his heart away.

Then with the daily contradiction
of being mayor

while having Alzheimer’s.

And then, finally...

...with the way he died.

He inadvertently
challenged us all

to examine the equation of life.

To challenge beliefs we had
that we thought were immovable.

He replaced black and white
with a lot of grey,

causing some of us
to see more clearly than ever.

As far as I’m concerned,

he was a gifted mayor.

He balanced the budget,

the snowplows
always showed up...

and...

he talked to the children.

If people end up

with the leader they deserve,

then at least
for a very brief time,

we were all
very, very deserving people.

He made one request of me, too.

He asked me...

...to give his casket
a good, hard whack...

...to let him know
that I missed him.

Said he’d be able...

...to hear it.

My one request to all of you...

Remember Howard.

Keep a little piece of him
with you.

For his sake.

For your own.

Okay. Let’s head
for the cemetery.

Otherwise,
Wambaugh will be up here.

[raps the casket]

[creaks]

It won’t take long.

[raps it hard]

[rapping]

[rapping]

[rapping]

[rapping]

[light music playing]

[rapping]

[soft music playing]

[theme music playing]