Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day (1996) - full transcript
The Yosemite Valley Railroad, which runs through the breathtaking scenery and stunning vistas of the Merced River Canyon to its terminus at El Portal outside Yosemite National Park, is on the brink of failure. The grandson of a Chinese railroad laborer embarks on a romantic, but ultimately doomed, quest to save this railroad from being sold for scrap. His love of trains finds him working as a railroad-man, instead of at his father's profitable business. He manages to locate a wealthy eccentric investor to help him acquire the railroad, but its financial inviability makes this a quixotic reprieve, at best. The film also portrays the anti-Asian racism present in America at the conclusion of World War II.
(running water)
(waterfall crashing)
(dramatic music)
(train whistle)
(dramatic music)
- [Voiceover] The year
the war came to a close
was the year I fell in
love for the first time.
Whether it was with a person or a place,
or just an idea, I couldn't have said.
Later of course, I realized
it was all of these.
At the start of that summer though,
I hadn't a clue that nothing
would ever be the same.
(jazz music)
(dramatic piano music)
- Oh how sweet.
Phillip I want you to meet John Lee.
John, Phillip Hu.
- Lucky man John.
- I am?
- I mean you and Angela.
- The wedding's been postponed.
You never really wanted to get married.
- Yes I did.
- Not enough obviously.
- What do you want me to do?
I care about you.
- Have you ever really loved anyone?
I have,
I do love someone.
Stop it.
- Why?
- Because you don't
know what you're doing.
(piano music)
- If I had said my heart was in this job,
I'd have been a liar.
Working on trolleys wasn't
my first choice of a career,
but at least I could
call myself a train man.
And the job was essential.
Red cars had to keep
rolling because of the war.
Even if their days were numbered.
One good thing about the job was you got
to meet other train men.
And with the help of my buddy
Rolph, I started a train club.
Actually it was just the two of us.
You want me to bring you
back anything from Yosemite?
- Pictures, pictures of trains.
- I saw that film you've made.
- Did you like it?
- Very much.
- Soon you can see it for yourself.
- You're forgetting one thing.
- What?
- It's not running anymore.
(knocking on door)
- It's time to go you dolt.
(groaning)
(laughter)
- [Voiceover] The genius
and power that America has
with her allies, eliminated one menace
to our country's freedom,
even our very existence.
Still another remains to
be crushed in the Pacific
before peace will be restored.
The American men and women,
I have been so honored to command,
would I know, say this to you today,
in our minds and hearts
there is no slight of self.
That our peoples' determination
which has buoyed us up
and driven us forward in Europe,
will continue to fire this nation--
- A long drive with my sister could
put anyone in the bug house.
Fortunately there was
scenery to distract me.
That and the anticipation
of seeing the YV in person.
Dad, think we could stop at
the railroad station in El Cuartel?
Dad?
You know there used to
be a short line to there.
- I don't suppose that's
why you suggested on going
through Merced rather than through Fresno?
- This is the most scenic route
through the park right Mom?
- I didn't look at the map.
- [Dad] It's also an hour
and a half out of our way.
- Can we stop for five minutes?
- Considering that your
father's been tricked,
he'll gladly let you pursue your folly
on your own time with your own coupons.
- I didn't trick you.
- Can't we just stop for five minutes?
What's the big deal?
- Yosemite Valley railroad locomotion.
Seven locomotives, two locomotive
American type 440 Saturated,
weight 114,600 pounds,
tractor power 18,720 pounds,
63 freight cars including.
(horn honking)
- Come on let's go.
(horn honking)
Come on.
(piano music)
- [Wendy] When will you be back?
- [John] Soon.
- [Wendy] Be careful.
- [John] Of what, bears?
- You know you'd have nowhere
to put it if you bought it.
- Put what?
- Your locomotive.
- Why do you always assume
you're one step ahead of me?
- Because I am.
I wonder how old this is.
- There haven't been any
Indians here in a long time.
- Who can imagine Indians here?
- Yeah they're sure aren't any now.
(piano music)
(speaks in foreign language)
- I'm going to look at the station.
- [Dad] We don't have time.
- Just meet me at the
station when you're done.
(jazz music)
(dog barks)
- Don't mind Cooter, he's just funny.
- [John] Are you the agent?
- If you wanna buy a ticket
you're a little late.
- I wanna buy your railroad.
- I almost believe you.
- You think I can't?
- I'm sure you can.
- Wow what happened here?
- We came like water and
with the wind we'll go.
With a lot of steam shovels actually.
- I don't see how they
could screw up a railroad.
- It's been in receivership for a decade.
Last year the ICC ruled to abandon.
- That's Al Robinson,
general superintendent.
- John Lee, real fan.
- [Al] Pleasure.
- [John] Same.
- Four more steps.
Oh the insurance on this place is a bitch.
They don't know the kid
still lives upstairs.
Whole thing burned down in '29.
That's where the accountants
put us out of business.
And that's the forms room,
this road had every kinda form imaginable.
Some idiot in his wisdom had enough forms
printed out to last til 1960.
You ever see a logging incline
with a 78% grade before?
Belonged to our biggest customer.
Sugar pines is what they cut.
75 million board feet a year.
Gave us 20 car loads
a day for a long time.
But the Depression put an end to that.
When the mill reopened
it was all red tape.
Between the government
and the nature cranks.
Ah, that was Roosevelt's special 38.
People showed up in the middle
of the night expecting him
to make a speech when he stopped in Merced
but he just slept through his whole trip.
- My grandfather helped build a railroad.
- What did you go to college for?
- [John] Wanted to build
bridges, now I fix trolleys.
- Why's that?
- No bridges to build,
in engineering sense.
- You married?
- [John] No.
- [Al] How come?
- [John] Hard thing,
but I have a train club.
- [Al] What's it called?
- [John] Pacific Railmen's
Temperance League.
(horn honking)
I have to go.
(horn honking)
- Mr. Robinson my family,
Mr. and Mrs. Lee, and Wendy.
- Mr. Lee, it's nice to meet
someone who's interested
in the history of this place.
- My son's interest in
history is limited to trains.
(piano music)
- [John] In the winter of '67,
when my grandfather was 17 years old,
he and thousands of other
immigrant Chinese struggled
to finish the Central Pacific Railroad.
When joined with the
Union Pacific in Utah,
it would connect one side of America
with the other for the first time.
Work continued despite 44
snowstorms and temperatures
of 20 below zero in the Donner Pass,
where the memory was still
fresh of a party of settlers
who had frozen to death there.
At the end of that winter,
21 miles had been forged
through the Sierra Nevada
with no more than hand tools.
Charlie Crocker, one of the owners,
declared that half a million Chinese
should be let in the next year.
Against the popular sentiment
that all coolies should be driven out.
15 years later, Congress passed
the Chinese Exclusion Act
which barred their immigration.
My grandfather eventually
married and started
a trading company in San
Francisco, which Dad inherited.
But as successful as it was,
the family business wasn't to become mine.
I had other plans.
- Mr. Lee you know that I
filed a petition opposing
your intervention in the
abandonment proceedings.
- Mr. Donner, the railroad
has a scrap value of $279,000.
Now if its income in one
year from just one customer
is $128,000, how can you justify
scrapping it for $279,000?
- Mr. Lee you know nothing
about running a railroad.
I understand you were thrown
out of college for loafing.
- Mr. Donner you promised
the workers one month's
severance pay for each
year worked, then reneged.
- Mr. Lee I didn't promise them that,
it's what the unions asked for.
- Some of those workers
had 40 years of service.
They're too old to get another job.
- Well I'd be sour too if I were let go.
- How can you have no sense
of how short sighted it is?
- To most of us it's a prudent step.
- The bondholders consider
the abandonment a calamity.
- Mr. Lee most of them, like you,
understand little about railroads.
If they did, they wouldn't have bought
the bloody bonds to begin with.
- I think some of them
understand pretty well.
- I was appointed by the court
to protect their interests.
- Then how can you go against them?
- Mr. Lee, it's fine and well
that you and your colleagues
should love trains, so do I.
And it's touching that you would
take an interest in the YV.
Nobody else ever has.
Look here, if you had
half a pot to piss in,
you might have had the chance.
As it is, you have none.
- [Voiceover] Remind you rail
securities are not exactly
the easiest thing to peddle
even when the market is strong.
- [John] Then tell me
how to get the money,
you're my lawyer.
- [Voiceover] Well my advice to you is
to round up some rich rail fans.
I can give you the name of somebody
who might be sympathetic, he
owns a short line in Colorado.
He's smart and odd, a bit like you.
- At the turn of the
century everyone assumed
that the Santa Fe or the
SP would build a line
into the valley and when
the YV beat them to it,
those companies were very
jealous and uncooperative.
20 years later, when the year
round highway was opened,
that was when the YV got whipped.
That was the beginning of the end.
Face it my friend,
Americans love their cars.
They love taking their cars on
vacations to national parks.
Nothing is gonna get
them outta those cars.
It seems to me that anyone
who had a stake in the YV,
wouldn't give it the time of day.
And isn't it the damnedest of ironies
that you know and I know,
that in 10 years' time
not a single one of
them won't be wondering
what the hell myopia finally let
that splendid and sorry
road bite the dust.
(piano music)
- [John] I'm so much
perplexed and harassed
by the folly of men in power.
I returned again to the woods.
(piano music)
(train whistle)
- Good combination.
Did you get what you want yet?
Are you gonna move away?
Where will you practice?
That's too bad.
You can always practice here.
- [Voiceover] We won the race of discovery
against the Germans.
Having found the bomb, we have used it.
We have used it against
those who attack us
without warning at Pearl Harbor.
Against those who have
starved, and beaten,
and executed American prisoners of war.
Against those who abandon all pretense
of obeying international laws of warfare.
We have used it in order to
shorten the agony of war,
in order to save the lives of thousands
and thousands of young Americans.
We shall continue to use it until
we completely destroy
Japan's power to make war.
(loud cheering)
- You're next.
- Watch it you dirty Jap.
- Watch it you drunk.
(train whistle)
- [John] Now that the war was over,
the industrial landscape had shifted.
What had seemed like folly
only a few months earlier
now seemed like a good idea.
And the man who had declared the YV bunk,
called to say he'd give
it and me a chance.
- What's the matter?
- It's my last day.
- Oh you lost your place
or you're quitting?
- No they want me to stay on.
- So you're really quitting?
Where will you go, what will you do?
- I can't stay here while the YV's there.
- Of course not.
(light jazz music)
- What do you know about
running a railroad?
- I'll learn.
- You know I won't miss you.
- I wish you could come.
- You don't even know where you're going.
Anyway I'm off to school in the fall.
- Don't I know.
- Find me a real man.
You know you were crazy to let her go.
Don't you want kids?
- It kinda worries me
seeing you being bitten
by this thing or smitten by it.
- Why's that?
- Well come on John that's
what happened to me.
- You saying it wasn't a good thing?
- It was a lot of things, I
don't know how good it was.
For about as long as this godforsaken road
has had one foot on the
banana peel, so have I.
It numbs you after a while.
Disturbs me.
- What were you looking for?
- That's what I should be asking you,
you crazy son of a bitch.
(dramatic music)
(trumpet playing)
(jazz music)
What's the big idea hiding
when everybody outside
wants to shake your hand?
- I'm not hiding, I'm thinking.
- Well I should say it's bad
manners not to let the guests
get a glimpse of their golden boy.
- I never considered myself golden.
Drink?
- That was a whole other lifetime.
You're family now.
- Thanks.
- I just mean we're in
this thing together.
- Okay, thank you.
- So get your ass outside
and have yourself some fun.
- Move back the reverse
gear a couple notches.
Hear that chain?
- Yeah.
- You're shortening the
cutoff using less steam
to push the heat stroke,
now pull back some more.
Easy, easy, watch your driver.
(train whistle)
(piano music)
- I hope you're not
thinking of leaving soon.
This is not a home for transients.
- No I'm here to stay.
- What exactly do you do at the railroad?
- I own it, sort of.
- Oh I see.
(bells ringing)
(piano music)
- [John] After months had
passed, I began to realize
that trying to drum up
new freight business
was no easy task.
(train whistle)
(piano music)
It was becoming clear
to me that our only hope
lay in the passenger business.
- [Skeeter] What do you think?
- [John] YV announces
improved passenger service,
yeah I like it.
- [Skeeter] You're not the one who's
gonna be buying tickets.
- [John] Hey Al, come
take a look at our ad.
- If that doesn't do it, nothing will.
- Shall we hold the train?
- What for?
- Passengers.
- We've never done that before John.
- How many are on it now?
- Five, do you wanna ride with them?
It's down those steps.
- What should I do?
- I don't know, go fishing?
- Cooter that's your tail
that stinking silly boy.
Make sure I'm not in that.
- What's for lunch?
You know camp fires aren't
permitted right now.
- Well we're almost done cooking.
- You're going to have to put it out.
I'm Nancy, National Park Service.
- I'm John, General Manager of
the Yosemite Valley Railroad.
- I thought they finally
closed that stupid railroad?
- [John] What's so stupid about it?
- This place is too beautiful
to build a railroad through it.
Just my opinion.
You're pretty young to
be running a railroad.
- You're pretty young to
be running a national park.
- Are we allowed to eat
what we've already cooked?
- Would you like to join us?
- No, I don't want to intrude.
And I'm on my way to work.
- Oh where's that?
- Indian Museum, you
should come by sometime.
- Okay.
- Happy eating.
- Speakers of Southern Sierra Miwok claim
that they cannot understand
Central or Northern.
The principal differences between
the three languages are phonetic,
especially in the subject
series and lexical.
Spanish long words sometimes
occur in differing forms.
In the course of the next generation,
the languages will likely become extinct.
Except for stray words
remembered by people
who never spoke fluently.
- [Nancy] How long have you been here?
- [John] Six months.
I have another six
months to turn a profit.
- [Nancy] That railroad you mean?
And if you don't?
- [John] Don't ask.
- [Nancy] Okay I won't.
Where do you come from?
- [John] Coronita.
- [Nancy] I mean your ancestors.
- [John] Oh my grandfather
came from China.
He died the year I was born.
My parents met in Paris
after the armistice.
How about you, where do
your parents come from?
- [Nancy] From here.
- [John] Do you live here year round?
- [Nancy] Just the summers,
I'm at Fresno State.
You speak Chinese?
- [John] No, what do you speak?
- [Nancy] French, Sierra
Miwok language is dead.
- This is it, if you got here yesterday
you could've seen our patron.
It was built around the
time my grandparents met.
The contract was signed by Robert Lincoln,
son of the president.
To your summer here.
- To your empire.
- Tomorrow I leave for
Washington for a rate hearing.
Hopefully I can convince
the government to stop
the coach operators from undercutting us.
I was told it was
befitting I take this car.
- Befitting who a robber baron?
- Washington's all about appearances.
- So I hear.
(dramatic music)
- I never spent any time in D.C.
Wouldn't mind going along if
you need some help sometime.
- Maybe next time, you really
should get away more often.
- It's hard to think of reasons to lately.
I guess that's good and bad.
- Well, go fishing.
- What's makes you so damn
spirited this morning?
- None of your damn business.
(piano music)
- [John] In 1868, as the
Central Pacific struggled
to breach the Sierra Nevada,
Collis Huntington traveled
to Washington to brief Congress.
His goal was an amendment
to the Pacific Railway Act
that would allow him, once the
mountains had been crossed,
to build as far as possible
into Union Pacific territory.
He got his wish.
80 years had passed since then,
and I found Washington
didn't work the same way.
In fact all I got from the
government was a sermon
on how they might turn my right away.
Once I gave it up, it's a bicycle path.
Before I left Washington, I got a call
saying Robinson had
died of a heart attack.
He could've died as early
as the night I left Merced.
But it took the guys a few days
to figure he hadn't just gone fishing.
- The road was his woman
and she broke his heart.
- [John] I know.
- He liked you a hell of a
lot more than he liked me.
I once said I could do this
job better than he did.
Now I wonder if I'll eat my words.
(dog barks)
- Hi.
- Who's this?
What a special one you are.
I'm looking for John.
- John's not here yet.
- [Nancy] He's not back from Washington?
- He's back, how did you
know he went to Washington?
- He told me.
So should I wait for him here?
- You can if you want to,
I wouldn't recommend it.
- Tell him I'll call him later.
What are you doing?
- Just work, work.
Is there anything else
you want me to tell John?
- Tell him,
tell him he has a nice coat
and he should keep it healthy.
- Maybe you should tell him yourself.
- Nice hat.
I stopped by your office this morning,
did that boy tell you?
He's funny, I like him.
- [John] Why?
- He sees things.
- When will I see you?
- [Nancy] I don't know.
- Can you come to Merced?
- [Nancy] I could, I
could come this weekend.
It's easier on the weekend.
- I understand.
- [Nancy] Is that okay?
- Of course, I mean of course,
I could show you a blacksmith shop.
- Oh boy.
- [John] I have to show you something,
I know there's not a lot to do here.
- We don't have to do anything special.
- [John] Okay, we'll
just walk around then.
You can take the morning train Saturday.
I'll have a pass waiting for you.
(jazz music)
- We need to get you home brother.
- Play a game with me brother.
- I can't play with you.
- I'll get you another bourbon
and then we can play a game.
- Brother I'm your new
superintendent, remember?
Tomorrow at six, I've
gotta get the train out.
(piano music)
- Miss? Miss?
The morning train has been cancelled.
There's been a derailment
about 20 miles up the line.
I'm sorry about that.
- Rotted tie, always a rotted tie.
The section gang will be here
soon, we should take off.
- Can't we do anything about it?
- No they'll take care of it.
Come on Cooter.
- You're the boss.
(dog barks)
- Cooter stay close.
- You had a lot of derailments?
- [Skeeter] A few.
- It worries me.
- It's just a derailment,
there's a lot worse
things to worry about.
A lot worse things.
- You going back to the office?
- There's a lot of work to do.
- I should go too.
- There's no need to, I'll call you
if the section gang runs into any trouble.
- You sure you don't need me?
- No enjoy yourself, take the day off.
- Won't you sit down please?
I'll tell Mr. Lee that you're here.
- Thank you.
- [Mrs. Hopper] Mr. Lee
your visitor is here.
- [John] Thanks Mrs. Hopper.
Hello.
- Hi.
- How did you get here?
- Bus.
- Oh really.
- I almost thought I wasn't gonna make it.
- Would you like a drink?
- No.
- This one hasn't run in a long time.
But it will again soon.
I'm glad cause it's the
strongest locomotive we have.
- What are these for?
- Those are super heater coils,
they go inside the boiler.
They drive the steam and
raise the temperature
to about 700 degrees, which
makes for better tract
of effort at the same boiler pressure.
- What is the boiler pressure?
- [John] 200 pounds.
- I got that ore car rerailed.
The afternoon mixed train came in on time.
I tried calling you.
- We were out.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- So I just wanted to tell
you that I'm going home now.
- I'll see you Monday.
(jazz music)
- I've known other railroad
men, but never one like him.
Are you going back to the park today?
- Yes.
- I haven't been to
Yosemite since I was a girl.
Back then it was a two day stagecoach ride
and I even remember when
the railroad was built.
1907 I think.
My father's truck was hit by a train
and the whole truckload of
cantaloupe went spilling
on the road and an engineer came down
and helped us pick up
all those cantaloupes.
- Thank you.
- Mr. Lee will be sorry
you had to leave so early.
- I'll be back.
(dog barking)
- How's that old bike?
- It liked what you did
to it, whatever that was.
- Just cleaned a few parts.
- It hasn't run in over a year.
- Can I borrow it?
- Sure, go ahead.
- There's a class in basket
weaving I want to attend.
- [Skeeter] Miwok?
- Yeah.
- Have some.
- Don't need a snort brother.
- Well you gotta girl.
- Yeah I gotta girl.
- Too bad.
- Why's that?
Why are you always so polite with me?
- It's just the way I am, I'm sorry.
- I like the way you are.
- What's gonna happen here John?
I don't like to be the one to bring it up.
The interest payment
date, it's almost here.
- I know.
Hello.
- Hi.
- When do you get off?
- My class was cancelled.
You can't ride that old
bike back in this rain.
- Why not?
- John it's pouring.
This must look funny, me
here in your room like this.
- Come sit with me by the fire.
Why does this have to be so good?
- Does that surprise you?
- Why does anything have to
be this good and then end?
- I'm here, you're here, it hasn't ended.
- [John] When my sister came to visit,
she was no longer the
girl I had said goodbye
to a year earlier.
I wasn't sure what had happened to her.
Sit over there.
Right there.
How do you like New York?
- I'm getting married.
Did you hear me?
Are you deaf?
Of course, family trait.
- To whom?
- His name is Rudolph.
- [John] What a name.
- He was a Navy Flier, he's decorated.
- [John] It's still a hell of a name.
- You'd like him if it weren't
me he was getting married to.
- I doubt it.
- [Wendy] Why don't you look at me?
- I am looking at you.
Congratulations.
- Do you mean it?
- Of course.
This whole Chinatown is gonna be razed
once they enlarge the state highway.
- [Wendy] That's awful, who lives here?
- Mostly old people.
This used to be a famous gambling club.
(piano music)
This is the first time I can
remember ever writing you.
But somehow the distance
has gotten the best of me.
And I know how far you had
to travel to visit Merced.
Maybe it's easier to say some
things across a distance.
You asked me about my
gal, and she's great.
But as sweet as I am on her,
everyday I fell the downward
pull of something I can't break.
What are you doing?
- When I came downstairs this
morning there was a notice
on the door to vacate
courtesy of our patron.
So I'm vacating.
- Where's the notice?
- It's on the desk.
You knew it was coming.
- I wrote him, I asked him for
a loan to pay the interest.
I never heard back from him,
I don't know what happened.
- I do, the bank turned to him
to cure our default and
you know what he said,
"they had their chance and they blew it.
"It's my railroad now".
- Why would he do that?
- Did it ever occur to
you that maybe the road
is worth more to him if it's not running?
- [John] What's next?
- What's wrong?
- Nothing we're just broke
that's all, nothing new.
- Maybe there's a reason
you're always broke.
- What are you trying to say?
- Just maybe you're not
seeing things clearly.
- I'm hot, are you hot?
- Take off your shirt.
You're in pretty good shape
for a white guy that sits in an office.
- I'm not a white guy.
- It's not like I'm sticking nails in you.
- Can I have one of those Cokes?
- [Nancy] John what's wrong?
- [John] I just love you that's all.
- [Nancy] I can't hear you.
You're so far away, why
don't you come closer?
- I can't.
- [Nancy] That's too bad.
I like you closer.
Did you hear what I said?
Why did you come here then?
- I have to get back.
(jazz music)
- [Woman] You're Father's white?
- My mother, and my grandmother.
- You more white or more Chinese?
- Good question.
- [Woman] You always this nervous?
- Yes.
(piano music)
I suppose you'll say I told you so.
But the recent turn of events
doesn't change my belief
that with a little more
time and a little more cash,
the YV could be a going concern.
Now I know you sometimes
take an interest in causes,
I'm sure this is the last cause
you'd ever take an interest in.
One thing it never was, was folly.
If only you knew the whole story.
As ever, your son.
(piano music)
- You know that old bike,
it's yours if you want it.
I don't know why you would,
it never did me any good.
Put her in gear brother.
(train whistle)
- I like this but I
don't know why I'm here.
- You've never ridden the YV.
- You don't call for weeks
and then you take me for a train ride?
- I'm glad you got the chance.
(train whistle)
- I'm going home to visit
my parents for a while.
I want you to meet them.
- What would you say?
How would you introduce me?
This is John he's kind of
a failure and a Chinaman.
Once in a while if he's drunk enough
he can belt out a swell tune.
Somehow he caught hold
of something magnificent
and somehow he let it go.
- Stop blaming yourself.
- I don't wanna be here
when the end comes.
Be this mean in LA?
The fact that Dad didn't rescue
the YV came as no surprise.
But it didn't keep me from
accepting a contract to rewire
his old warehouse in Chinatown.
I really didn't mind
working for my father.
In some ways we almost got along.
Sometimes after work,
I'd walk to Union Station
to watch train movements.
One day I wandered into the yard
where they store private cars.
There I spotted the car I'd ridden
all the way to Washington and back.
It brought back a lot of memories.
And I couldn't help but suppose that
were it not for a terrible
flaw in my character,
a certain metal scrapping concern
wouldn't have recently
gotten a fat contract.
A friend of mine and his dog
wouldn't be looking for a job.
And the Yosemite Valley Railroad
Company would still exist
to this day as a common carrier.
But soon it's 10,000 tons
of 70 pound Bessemer rail
would be on its way to Colorado
to become part of another
of another railroad
and another story that
meant nothing to me.
When I thought of how much I
had changed in just a year,
I remembered how some things never change.
It both pleased and saddened
me that I still had time
for the things that had
somehow fallen into oblivion.
What I realized about an old railroad,
is that it's never
completely gotten rid of.
Whether it lives on in the
desert or inside a guy.
It's hard to imagine all the
people that were brought there
because of it and then went away.
But they existed and left a road behind.
And I remember part of a
poem that would sometimes
come to me when I thought of
everything I had seen so far.
Some we loved, the loveliest and the best.
The time and fate of
all the vintage pressed
have drunk a couple round or two before
and one by one crept silently to rest.
(piano music)
(waterfall crashing)
(dramatic music)
(train whistle)
(dramatic music)
- [Voiceover] The year
the war came to a close
was the year I fell in
love for the first time.
Whether it was with a person or a place,
or just an idea, I couldn't have said.
Later of course, I realized
it was all of these.
At the start of that summer though,
I hadn't a clue that nothing
would ever be the same.
(jazz music)
(dramatic piano music)
- Oh how sweet.
Phillip I want you to meet John Lee.
John, Phillip Hu.
- Lucky man John.
- I am?
- I mean you and Angela.
- The wedding's been postponed.
You never really wanted to get married.
- Yes I did.
- Not enough obviously.
- What do you want me to do?
I care about you.
- Have you ever really loved anyone?
I have,
I do love someone.
Stop it.
- Why?
- Because you don't
know what you're doing.
(piano music)
- If I had said my heart was in this job,
I'd have been a liar.
Working on trolleys wasn't
my first choice of a career,
but at least I could
call myself a train man.
And the job was essential.
Red cars had to keep
rolling because of the war.
Even if their days were numbered.
One good thing about the job was you got
to meet other train men.
And with the help of my buddy
Rolph, I started a train club.
Actually it was just the two of us.
You want me to bring you
back anything from Yosemite?
- Pictures, pictures of trains.
- I saw that film you've made.
- Did you like it?
- Very much.
- Soon you can see it for yourself.
- You're forgetting one thing.
- What?
- It's not running anymore.
(knocking on door)
- It's time to go you dolt.
(groaning)
(laughter)
- [Voiceover] The genius
and power that America has
with her allies, eliminated one menace
to our country's freedom,
even our very existence.
Still another remains to
be crushed in the Pacific
before peace will be restored.
The American men and women,
I have been so honored to command,
would I know, say this to you today,
in our minds and hearts
there is no slight of self.
That our peoples' determination
which has buoyed us up
and driven us forward in Europe,
will continue to fire this nation--
- A long drive with my sister could
put anyone in the bug house.
Fortunately there was
scenery to distract me.
That and the anticipation
of seeing the YV in person.
Dad, think we could stop at
the railroad station in El Cuartel?
Dad?
You know there used to
be a short line to there.
- I don't suppose that's
why you suggested on going
through Merced rather than through Fresno?
- This is the most scenic route
through the park right Mom?
- I didn't look at the map.
- [Dad] It's also an hour
and a half out of our way.
- Can we stop for five minutes?
- Considering that your
father's been tricked,
he'll gladly let you pursue your folly
on your own time with your own coupons.
- I didn't trick you.
- Can't we just stop for five minutes?
What's the big deal?
- Yosemite Valley railroad locomotion.
Seven locomotives, two locomotive
American type 440 Saturated,
weight 114,600 pounds,
tractor power 18,720 pounds,
63 freight cars including.
(horn honking)
- Come on let's go.
(horn honking)
Come on.
(piano music)
- [Wendy] When will you be back?
- [John] Soon.
- [Wendy] Be careful.
- [John] Of what, bears?
- You know you'd have nowhere
to put it if you bought it.
- Put what?
- Your locomotive.
- Why do you always assume
you're one step ahead of me?
- Because I am.
I wonder how old this is.
- There haven't been any
Indians here in a long time.
- Who can imagine Indians here?
- Yeah they're sure aren't any now.
(piano music)
(speaks in foreign language)
- I'm going to look at the station.
- [Dad] We don't have time.
- Just meet me at the
station when you're done.
(jazz music)
(dog barks)
- Don't mind Cooter, he's just funny.
- [John] Are you the agent?
- If you wanna buy a ticket
you're a little late.
- I wanna buy your railroad.
- I almost believe you.
- You think I can't?
- I'm sure you can.
- Wow what happened here?
- We came like water and
with the wind we'll go.
With a lot of steam shovels actually.
- I don't see how they
could screw up a railroad.
- It's been in receivership for a decade.
Last year the ICC ruled to abandon.
- That's Al Robinson,
general superintendent.
- John Lee, real fan.
- [Al] Pleasure.
- [John] Same.
- Four more steps.
Oh the insurance on this place is a bitch.
They don't know the kid
still lives upstairs.
Whole thing burned down in '29.
That's where the accountants
put us out of business.
And that's the forms room,
this road had every kinda form imaginable.
Some idiot in his wisdom had enough forms
printed out to last til 1960.
You ever see a logging incline
with a 78% grade before?
Belonged to our biggest customer.
Sugar pines is what they cut.
75 million board feet a year.
Gave us 20 car loads
a day for a long time.
But the Depression put an end to that.
When the mill reopened
it was all red tape.
Between the government
and the nature cranks.
Ah, that was Roosevelt's special 38.
People showed up in the middle
of the night expecting him
to make a speech when he stopped in Merced
but he just slept through his whole trip.
- My grandfather helped build a railroad.
- What did you go to college for?
- [John] Wanted to build
bridges, now I fix trolleys.
- Why's that?
- No bridges to build,
in engineering sense.
- You married?
- [John] No.
- [Al] How come?
- [John] Hard thing,
but I have a train club.
- [Al] What's it called?
- [John] Pacific Railmen's
Temperance League.
(horn honking)
I have to go.
(horn honking)
- Mr. Robinson my family,
Mr. and Mrs. Lee, and Wendy.
- Mr. Lee, it's nice to meet
someone who's interested
in the history of this place.
- My son's interest in
history is limited to trains.
(piano music)
- [John] In the winter of '67,
when my grandfather was 17 years old,
he and thousands of other
immigrant Chinese struggled
to finish the Central Pacific Railroad.
When joined with the
Union Pacific in Utah,
it would connect one side of America
with the other for the first time.
Work continued despite 44
snowstorms and temperatures
of 20 below zero in the Donner Pass,
where the memory was still
fresh of a party of settlers
who had frozen to death there.
At the end of that winter,
21 miles had been forged
through the Sierra Nevada
with no more than hand tools.
Charlie Crocker, one of the owners,
declared that half a million Chinese
should be let in the next year.
Against the popular sentiment
that all coolies should be driven out.
15 years later, Congress passed
the Chinese Exclusion Act
which barred their immigration.
My grandfather eventually
married and started
a trading company in San
Francisco, which Dad inherited.
But as successful as it was,
the family business wasn't to become mine.
I had other plans.
- Mr. Lee you know that I
filed a petition opposing
your intervention in the
abandonment proceedings.
- Mr. Donner, the railroad
has a scrap value of $279,000.
Now if its income in one
year from just one customer
is $128,000, how can you justify
scrapping it for $279,000?
- Mr. Lee you know nothing
about running a railroad.
I understand you were thrown
out of college for loafing.
- Mr. Donner you promised
the workers one month's
severance pay for each
year worked, then reneged.
- Mr. Lee I didn't promise them that,
it's what the unions asked for.
- Some of those workers
had 40 years of service.
They're too old to get another job.
- Well I'd be sour too if I were let go.
- How can you have no sense
of how short sighted it is?
- To most of us it's a prudent step.
- The bondholders consider
the abandonment a calamity.
- Mr. Lee most of them, like you,
understand little about railroads.
If they did, they wouldn't have bought
the bloody bonds to begin with.
- I think some of them
understand pretty well.
- I was appointed by the court
to protect their interests.
- Then how can you go against them?
- Mr. Lee, it's fine and well
that you and your colleagues
should love trains, so do I.
And it's touching that you would
take an interest in the YV.
Nobody else ever has.
Look here, if you had
half a pot to piss in,
you might have had the chance.
As it is, you have none.
- [Voiceover] Remind you rail
securities are not exactly
the easiest thing to peddle
even when the market is strong.
- [John] Then tell me
how to get the money,
you're my lawyer.
- [Voiceover] Well my advice to you is
to round up some rich rail fans.
I can give you the name of somebody
who might be sympathetic, he
owns a short line in Colorado.
He's smart and odd, a bit like you.
- At the turn of the
century everyone assumed
that the Santa Fe or the
SP would build a line
into the valley and when
the YV beat them to it,
those companies were very
jealous and uncooperative.
20 years later, when the year
round highway was opened,
that was when the YV got whipped.
That was the beginning of the end.
Face it my friend,
Americans love their cars.
They love taking their cars on
vacations to national parks.
Nothing is gonna get
them outta those cars.
It seems to me that anyone
who had a stake in the YV,
wouldn't give it the time of day.
And isn't it the damnedest of ironies
that you know and I know,
that in 10 years' time
not a single one of
them won't be wondering
what the hell myopia finally let
that splendid and sorry
road bite the dust.
(piano music)
- [John] I'm so much
perplexed and harassed
by the folly of men in power.
I returned again to the woods.
(piano music)
(train whistle)
- Good combination.
Did you get what you want yet?
Are you gonna move away?
Where will you practice?
That's too bad.
You can always practice here.
- [Voiceover] We won the race of discovery
against the Germans.
Having found the bomb, we have used it.
We have used it against
those who attack us
without warning at Pearl Harbor.
Against those who have
starved, and beaten,
and executed American prisoners of war.
Against those who abandon all pretense
of obeying international laws of warfare.
We have used it in order to
shorten the agony of war,
in order to save the lives of thousands
and thousands of young Americans.
We shall continue to use it until
we completely destroy
Japan's power to make war.
(loud cheering)
- You're next.
- Watch it you dirty Jap.
- Watch it you drunk.
(train whistle)
- [John] Now that the war was over,
the industrial landscape had shifted.
What had seemed like folly
only a few months earlier
now seemed like a good idea.
And the man who had declared the YV bunk,
called to say he'd give
it and me a chance.
- What's the matter?
- It's my last day.
- Oh you lost your place
or you're quitting?
- No they want me to stay on.
- So you're really quitting?
Where will you go, what will you do?
- I can't stay here while the YV's there.
- Of course not.
(light jazz music)
- What do you know about
running a railroad?
- I'll learn.
- You know I won't miss you.
- I wish you could come.
- You don't even know where you're going.
Anyway I'm off to school in the fall.
- Don't I know.
- Find me a real man.
You know you were crazy to let her go.
Don't you want kids?
- It kinda worries me
seeing you being bitten
by this thing or smitten by it.
- Why's that?
- Well come on John that's
what happened to me.
- You saying it wasn't a good thing?
- It was a lot of things, I
don't know how good it was.
For about as long as this godforsaken road
has had one foot on the
banana peel, so have I.
It numbs you after a while.
Disturbs me.
- What were you looking for?
- That's what I should be asking you,
you crazy son of a bitch.
(dramatic music)
(trumpet playing)
(jazz music)
What's the big idea hiding
when everybody outside
wants to shake your hand?
- I'm not hiding, I'm thinking.
- Well I should say it's bad
manners not to let the guests
get a glimpse of their golden boy.
- I never considered myself golden.
Drink?
- That was a whole other lifetime.
You're family now.
- Thanks.
- I just mean we're in
this thing together.
- Okay, thank you.
- So get your ass outside
and have yourself some fun.
- Move back the reverse
gear a couple notches.
Hear that chain?
- Yeah.
- You're shortening the
cutoff using less steam
to push the heat stroke,
now pull back some more.
Easy, easy, watch your driver.
(train whistle)
(piano music)
- I hope you're not
thinking of leaving soon.
This is not a home for transients.
- No I'm here to stay.
- What exactly do you do at the railroad?
- I own it, sort of.
- Oh I see.
(bells ringing)
(piano music)
- [John] After months had
passed, I began to realize
that trying to drum up
new freight business
was no easy task.
(train whistle)
(piano music)
It was becoming clear
to me that our only hope
lay in the passenger business.
- [Skeeter] What do you think?
- [John] YV announces
improved passenger service,
yeah I like it.
- [Skeeter] You're not the one who's
gonna be buying tickets.
- [John] Hey Al, come
take a look at our ad.
- If that doesn't do it, nothing will.
- Shall we hold the train?
- What for?
- Passengers.
- We've never done that before John.
- How many are on it now?
- Five, do you wanna ride with them?
It's down those steps.
- What should I do?
- I don't know, go fishing?
- Cooter that's your tail
that stinking silly boy.
Make sure I'm not in that.
- What's for lunch?
You know camp fires aren't
permitted right now.
- Well we're almost done cooking.
- You're going to have to put it out.
I'm Nancy, National Park Service.
- I'm John, General Manager of
the Yosemite Valley Railroad.
- I thought they finally
closed that stupid railroad?
- [John] What's so stupid about it?
- This place is too beautiful
to build a railroad through it.
Just my opinion.
You're pretty young to
be running a railroad.
- You're pretty young to
be running a national park.
- Are we allowed to eat
what we've already cooked?
- Would you like to join us?
- No, I don't want to intrude.
And I'm on my way to work.
- Oh where's that?
- Indian Museum, you
should come by sometime.
- Okay.
- Happy eating.
- Speakers of Southern Sierra Miwok claim
that they cannot understand
Central or Northern.
The principal differences between
the three languages are phonetic,
especially in the subject
series and lexical.
Spanish long words sometimes
occur in differing forms.
In the course of the next generation,
the languages will likely become extinct.
Except for stray words
remembered by people
who never spoke fluently.
- [Nancy] How long have you been here?
- [John] Six months.
I have another six
months to turn a profit.
- [Nancy] That railroad you mean?
And if you don't?
- [John] Don't ask.
- [Nancy] Okay I won't.
Where do you come from?
- [John] Coronita.
- [Nancy] I mean your ancestors.
- [John] Oh my grandfather
came from China.
He died the year I was born.
My parents met in Paris
after the armistice.
How about you, where do
your parents come from?
- [Nancy] From here.
- [John] Do you live here year round?
- [Nancy] Just the summers,
I'm at Fresno State.
You speak Chinese?
- [John] No, what do you speak?
- [Nancy] French, Sierra
Miwok language is dead.
- This is it, if you got here yesterday
you could've seen our patron.
It was built around the
time my grandparents met.
The contract was signed by Robert Lincoln,
son of the president.
To your summer here.
- To your empire.
- Tomorrow I leave for
Washington for a rate hearing.
Hopefully I can convince
the government to stop
the coach operators from undercutting us.
I was told it was
befitting I take this car.
- Befitting who a robber baron?
- Washington's all about appearances.
- So I hear.
(dramatic music)
- I never spent any time in D.C.
Wouldn't mind going along if
you need some help sometime.
- Maybe next time, you really
should get away more often.
- It's hard to think of reasons to lately.
I guess that's good and bad.
- Well, go fishing.
- What's makes you so damn
spirited this morning?
- None of your damn business.
(piano music)
- [John] In 1868, as the
Central Pacific struggled
to breach the Sierra Nevada,
Collis Huntington traveled
to Washington to brief Congress.
His goal was an amendment
to the Pacific Railway Act
that would allow him, once the
mountains had been crossed,
to build as far as possible
into Union Pacific territory.
He got his wish.
80 years had passed since then,
and I found Washington
didn't work the same way.
In fact all I got from the
government was a sermon
on how they might turn my right away.
Once I gave it up, it's a bicycle path.
Before I left Washington, I got a call
saying Robinson had
died of a heart attack.
He could've died as early
as the night I left Merced.
But it took the guys a few days
to figure he hadn't just gone fishing.
- The road was his woman
and she broke his heart.
- [John] I know.
- He liked you a hell of a
lot more than he liked me.
I once said I could do this
job better than he did.
Now I wonder if I'll eat my words.
(dog barks)
- Hi.
- Who's this?
What a special one you are.
I'm looking for John.
- John's not here yet.
- [Nancy] He's not back from Washington?
- He's back, how did you
know he went to Washington?
- He told me.
So should I wait for him here?
- You can if you want to,
I wouldn't recommend it.
- Tell him I'll call him later.
What are you doing?
- Just work, work.
Is there anything else
you want me to tell John?
- Tell him,
tell him he has a nice coat
and he should keep it healthy.
- Maybe you should tell him yourself.
- Nice hat.
I stopped by your office this morning,
did that boy tell you?
He's funny, I like him.
- [John] Why?
- He sees things.
- When will I see you?
- [Nancy] I don't know.
- Can you come to Merced?
- [Nancy] I could, I
could come this weekend.
It's easier on the weekend.
- I understand.
- [Nancy] Is that okay?
- Of course, I mean of course,
I could show you a blacksmith shop.
- Oh boy.
- [John] I have to show you something,
I know there's not a lot to do here.
- We don't have to do anything special.
- [John] Okay, we'll
just walk around then.
You can take the morning train Saturday.
I'll have a pass waiting for you.
(jazz music)
- We need to get you home brother.
- Play a game with me brother.
- I can't play with you.
- I'll get you another bourbon
and then we can play a game.
- Brother I'm your new
superintendent, remember?
Tomorrow at six, I've
gotta get the train out.
(piano music)
- Miss? Miss?
The morning train has been cancelled.
There's been a derailment
about 20 miles up the line.
I'm sorry about that.
- Rotted tie, always a rotted tie.
The section gang will be here
soon, we should take off.
- Can't we do anything about it?
- No they'll take care of it.
Come on Cooter.
- You're the boss.
(dog barks)
- Cooter stay close.
- You had a lot of derailments?
- [Skeeter] A few.
- It worries me.
- It's just a derailment,
there's a lot worse
things to worry about.
A lot worse things.
- You going back to the office?
- There's a lot of work to do.
- I should go too.
- There's no need to, I'll call you
if the section gang runs into any trouble.
- You sure you don't need me?
- No enjoy yourself, take the day off.
- Won't you sit down please?
I'll tell Mr. Lee that you're here.
- Thank you.
- [Mrs. Hopper] Mr. Lee
your visitor is here.
- [John] Thanks Mrs. Hopper.
Hello.
- Hi.
- How did you get here?
- Bus.
- Oh really.
- I almost thought I wasn't gonna make it.
- Would you like a drink?
- No.
- This one hasn't run in a long time.
But it will again soon.
I'm glad cause it's the
strongest locomotive we have.
- What are these for?
- Those are super heater coils,
they go inside the boiler.
They drive the steam and
raise the temperature
to about 700 degrees, which
makes for better tract
of effort at the same boiler pressure.
- What is the boiler pressure?
- [John] 200 pounds.
- I got that ore car rerailed.
The afternoon mixed train came in on time.
I tried calling you.
- We were out.
- Hi.
- Hi.
- So I just wanted to tell
you that I'm going home now.
- I'll see you Monday.
(jazz music)
- I've known other railroad
men, but never one like him.
Are you going back to the park today?
- Yes.
- I haven't been to
Yosemite since I was a girl.
Back then it was a two day stagecoach ride
and I even remember when
the railroad was built.
1907 I think.
My father's truck was hit by a train
and the whole truckload of
cantaloupe went spilling
on the road and an engineer came down
and helped us pick up
all those cantaloupes.
- Thank you.
- Mr. Lee will be sorry
you had to leave so early.
- I'll be back.
(dog barking)
- How's that old bike?
- It liked what you did
to it, whatever that was.
- Just cleaned a few parts.
- It hasn't run in over a year.
- Can I borrow it?
- Sure, go ahead.
- There's a class in basket
weaving I want to attend.
- [Skeeter] Miwok?
- Yeah.
- Have some.
- Don't need a snort brother.
- Well you gotta girl.
- Yeah I gotta girl.
- Too bad.
- Why's that?
Why are you always so polite with me?
- It's just the way I am, I'm sorry.
- I like the way you are.
- What's gonna happen here John?
I don't like to be the one to bring it up.
The interest payment
date, it's almost here.
- I know.
Hello.
- Hi.
- When do you get off?
- My class was cancelled.
You can't ride that old
bike back in this rain.
- Why not?
- John it's pouring.
This must look funny, me
here in your room like this.
- Come sit with me by the fire.
Why does this have to be so good?
- Does that surprise you?
- Why does anything have to
be this good and then end?
- I'm here, you're here, it hasn't ended.
- [John] When my sister came to visit,
she was no longer the
girl I had said goodbye
to a year earlier.
I wasn't sure what had happened to her.
Sit over there.
Right there.
How do you like New York?
- I'm getting married.
Did you hear me?
Are you deaf?
Of course, family trait.
- To whom?
- His name is Rudolph.
- [John] What a name.
- He was a Navy Flier, he's decorated.
- [John] It's still a hell of a name.
- You'd like him if it weren't
me he was getting married to.
- I doubt it.
- [Wendy] Why don't you look at me?
- I am looking at you.
Congratulations.
- Do you mean it?
- Of course.
This whole Chinatown is gonna be razed
once they enlarge the state highway.
- [Wendy] That's awful, who lives here?
- Mostly old people.
This used to be a famous gambling club.
(piano music)
This is the first time I can
remember ever writing you.
But somehow the distance
has gotten the best of me.
And I know how far you had
to travel to visit Merced.
Maybe it's easier to say some
things across a distance.
You asked me about my
gal, and she's great.
But as sweet as I am on her,
everyday I fell the downward
pull of something I can't break.
What are you doing?
- When I came downstairs this
morning there was a notice
on the door to vacate
courtesy of our patron.
So I'm vacating.
- Where's the notice?
- It's on the desk.
You knew it was coming.
- I wrote him, I asked him for
a loan to pay the interest.
I never heard back from him,
I don't know what happened.
- I do, the bank turned to him
to cure our default and
you know what he said,
"they had their chance and they blew it.
"It's my railroad now".
- Why would he do that?
- Did it ever occur to
you that maybe the road
is worth more to him if it's not running?
- [John] What's next?
- What's wrong?
- Nothing we're just broke
that's all, nothing new.
- Maybe there's a reason
you're always broke.
- What are you trying to say?
- Just maybe you're not
seeing things clearly.
- I'm hot, are you hot?
- Take off your shirt.
You're in pretty good shape
for a white guy that sits in an office.
- I'm not a white guy.
- It's not like I'm sticking nails in you.
- Can I have one of those Cokes?
- [Nancy] John what's wrong?
- [John] I just love you that's all.
- [Nancy] I can't hear you.
You're so far away, why
don't you come closer?
- I can't.
- [Nancy] That's too bad.
I like you closer.
Did you hear what I said?
Why did you come here then?
- I have to get back.
(jazz music)
- [Woman] You're Father's white?
- My mother, and my grandmother.
- You more white or more Chinese?
- Good question.
- [Woman] You always this nervous?
- Yes.
(piano music)
I suppose you'll say I told you so.
But the recent turn of events
doesn't change my belief
that with a little more
time and a little more cash,
the YV could be a going concern.
Now I know you sometimes
take an interest in causes,
I'm sure this is the last cause
you'd ever take an interest in.
One thing it never was, was folly.
If only you knew the whole story.
As ever, your son.
(piano music)
- You know that old bike,
it's yours if you want it.
I don't know why you would,
it never did me any good.
Put her in gear brother.
(train whistle)
- I like this but I
don't know why I'm here.
- You've never ridden the YV.
- You don't call for weeks
and then you take me for a train ride?
- I'm glad you got the chance.
(train whistle)
- I'm going home to visit
my parents for a while.
I want you to meet them.
- What would you say?
How would you introduce me?
This is John he's kind of
a failure and a Chinaman.
Once in a while if he's drunk enough
he can belt out a swell tune.
Somehow he caught hold
of something magnificent
and somehow he let it go.
- Stop blaming yourself.
- I don't wanna be here
when the end comes.
Be this mean in LA?
The fact that Dad didn't rescue
the YV came as no surprise.
But it didn't keep me from
accepting a contract to rewire
his old warehouse in Chinatown.
I really didn't mind
working for my father.
In some ways we almost got along.
Sometimes after work,
I'd walk to Union Station
to watch train movements.
One day I wandered into the yard
where they store private cars.
There I spotted the car I'd ridden
all the way to Washington and back.
It brought back a lot of memories.
And I couldn't help but suppose that
were it not for a terrible
flaw in my character,
a certain metal scrapping concern
wouldn't have recently
gotten a fat contract.
A friend of mine and his dog
wouldn't be looking for a job.
And the Yosemite Valley Railroad
Company would still exist
to this day as a common carrier.
But soon it's 10,000 tons
of 70 pound Bessemer rail
would be on its way to Colorado
to become part of another
of another railroad
and another story that
meant nothing to me.
When I thought of how much I
had changed in just a year,
I remembered how some things never change.
It both pleased and saddened
me that I still had time
for the things that had
somehow fallen into oblivion.
What I realized about an old railroad,
is that it's never
completely gotten rid of.
Whether it lives on in the
desert or inside a guy.
It's hard to imagine all the
people that were brought there
because of it and then went away.
But they existed and left a road behind.
And I remember part of a
poem that would sometimes
come to me when I thought of
everything I had seen so far.
Some we loved, the loveliest and the best.
The time and fate of
all the vintage pressed
have drunk a couple round or two before
and one by one crept silently to rest.
(piano music)