CHiPs (1977–1983): Season 2, Episode 12 - High Explosive - full transcript

I know it happens to cowboys...

but you're the first
motor-cop I ever knew...

who got homesick for his horse.

Just don't let the
word get out, all right?

When does this rodeo take place?

It's not a rodeo, it's just a bunch of
guys who know how to rope and ride.

No prize money involved,
just have a good time together.

Exactly what I told Grossman.

Oh, thanks, partner. What
else did you tell Grossman?

I tell him you're pretty good
with a rope. Like a champ.

In the first place, I'm not
a champion. I'm far from it.



And in the second place, I asked
you not to say anything, didn't I?

See there? It's your fault.

You know I can't keep a secret.

I said to him, "My sister
and I have only been...

in town a couple of days.

How do we know where the
best Chinese restaurants are?"

Help!

Somebody help us!

Oh, God.

Here we go.

Thank you, sir.

Slowly, slowly, come on.

Easy, now.

Something hit the windshield,
like a bullet, not a rock.



Then I don't know what happened.

Hey, hey, it's over now. It
could have been a lot worse.

Worse for me but
not for my sister.

How is she doing?

Standard recipe for concussion.
Right front seat, no safety belt.

Hey, move it, will you?

Relax, Mallory. You're
booking for ulcers, man.

You heard him, mister. Move it.

- I killed her. I killed my sister.
- No, no, no.

Your sister is alive.

I want you to get
a hold of yourself.

Get in the ambulance there
and go to the hospital with her.

I don't believe it.
It's like a nightmare.

But it's not the end of the
world. Remember that, all right?

Okay, come on.

Did you see that nut?

Hope he gets that ambulance
to the hospital in one piece.

Yeah. Take a look at this.

I found it stuck in the
windshield from a pellet gun.

Hey, that lady wasn't
too far from wrong at that.

Let's have a look, huh?

Never were much of
a mountain climber.

Hey, climbing mountains and roping
cows, I leave that stuff to you, man.

Come on.

Looks like our bad
man left in a hurry.

From up here, he could
have seen us coming.

You know, the first weapon I
ever owned was a pellet gun.

My dad gave it to me.

Took me 30 minutes
to get in trouble.

What did you do with it?

Well, let's just say that's
between me and my dad, huh?

Let's take a look at
that sign down there.

All right.

Kid, probably. Aiming
at the sign, hit the car.

Picked himself quite a
shooting gallery, huh?

Well, yeah. Well...

I was trying to find out...

about someone who
was hurt in an accident.

- May I have the party's name, please?
- I don't know the name.

It just happened, you see...

and I was kind of worried.

May I have your name, please?

Holmes, I wanna talk to you.

What is it this time, doc?

I wish I could believe
you really didn't know.

There's nothing wrong
with the way I drive.

Well, why do I get
complaints all the time?

Yesterday, a patient claimed
that you jolted him unnecessarily.

You just came roaring in
here like a madman. I saw you.

Well, I'm sorry. It
won't happen again.

Please.

Because if I get one more
complaint about the way you drive...

you don't work here
anymore. Is that understood?

- Yes, sir.
- Better be.

- See who that was?
- Kamikaze pilot.

Ambulance driver.

- Put your right hand on your head.
- Hey, I'm cool, man.

Put your right
hand on your head.

Don't get sore. I was
just trying to prove a point.

What point? That you
can drive like a maniac?

That I can drive good and
fast. The job I was hired to do.

Seen you in action twice, mister.
You're not good. You're lucky.

You've got your
opinion, I've got mine.

- Who's your boss?
- At the hospital?

- Doc Faraday. Why?
- I'm curious to see...

what his opinion is.

L.A. 15, 7 Mary 4. Send
transportation for a 10-15.

- 6100 block, Collis Avenue.
- Yes, officer.

Wait a minute. I've never
seen Jon rope a steer.

- How do I know how fast he is?
- Not to worry. This is a lottery.

Have you ever really
been to a rodeo, Grossie?

Fritz, last year's winning time
at the National Rodeo Finals...

was 5.5 seconds in the
team roping event. Okay?

Now, for lottery purposes and
assuming that Jon's a little rusty...

I've gone with an
8-second spread.

Closest time wins the pot.

Translated, that means
he's never been to a rodeo.

- Right.
- The observation is immaterial.

Okay, folks, step
right up, pick a number.

- Police-persons first?
- I'll take one.

What is it this time, Grossman?
The World Series? The Super Bowl?

A pool on how long it takes
Jon Baker to rope a steer.

- You're doing what?
- Jon's gonna be in a rodeo.

- How about that?
- An informal rodeo...

not one of your top 10.

He's going to rope a
steer from his motorcycle?

From a horse, sarge.
The one he sent for.

Old Gray is being trucked
in today from Wyoming.

You know, as a rule,
Grossman, I'm a tolerant man...

but if there's one
thing I will not allow...

it's gambling in the
station. You ought to know.

- I'm in it for a buck.
- Hey, all right.

- Anybody else?
- Yeah.

If there's any change
at all in her condition...

we'll be sure and let
you know right away.

Thank you, we
would appreciate it.

What happened to
my ambulance driver?

Where did you take him?

He was booked at Parker Center.

What happens to him from
now on is up to the judge.

- How is your sister doing?
- Not good.

She is still unconscious.

Look, did Ponch tell
you we think it's a kid?

I don't care if it's a kid.

When you find him, I hope
you lock him up permanently.

Okay? Thank you.

Hi, Gus.

Oh, hiya, Barry.

No school today?

I came here to say goodbye.

What do you mean, goodbye?
Is something wrong, Barry?

No.

I'm going back to Utah. I
just wanted you to know.

I see.

- You and your mom or just you?
- Just me.

I'm gonna get a job on a ranch.

When my dad was a
kid, that's what he did.

In other words,
you're running away.

Maybe.

I'm not sure yet.

In the meantime, that target
scope we talked about...

came in this morning.

I don't wanna think about guns.

Guns kill people.

See you, Gus.

Hey, wait a minute,
wait a minute. Wait.

Now, in the first place...

people kill people
with or without guns.

I know a lot of men who
had guns all their lives...

and never shot anything but
a paper target at a rifle range.

In the second place,
where's your pellet gun?

Why?

In the first place, it's the first
time I ever saw you without it...

and in the second
place, if you run away...

you'll need money.

And if you're through with
guns, maybe I'll buy it from you.

Why don't you bring it in?
Let me take a look. Okay?

Okay.

Gus?

- Can they trace a pellet gun?
- What do you mean?

You know, if the police find a
pellet gun, can they tell who owns it?

Most of the time, no.

Why don't you bring it by
anyhow? Let me take a look.

7 Mary 3 and 4, this is 7
Charles. Switch to channel two.

This is Mary 3. Go
ahead, 7 Charles.

Hi, Barry. Be with
you in a minute.

The boy's in there with his
gun. That's his moped out front.

- Eight, nine, 10.
- Thank you.

Okay, Barry.

Well...

it seems to be in
pretty good condition.

If you want, I'll give
you what you paid for it.

You will?

Except your mother
gave me the money.

You bring her in.
I'll give it back to her.

- But you said...
- Barry...

I'm trying to be your friend.

You're no friend of mine.

Barry.

Hold it, son, I
wanna talk to you.

Hold it. BARRY: It was
an accident. Let me go.

- Settle down.
- Weren't real bullets.

- I didn't mean to hurt anybody.
- Hey, knock it off, will you?

I killed that lady,
didn't I? I killed her.

No, you didn't. She's hurt, but
we just don't know how bad yet.

I'm sorry. Will you
tell her that for me?

- What's your name, son?
- Barry Lasher.

- Look, you live around here?
- Yes, sir.

Is your mom and dad home now?

My mom's at work.
I don't have a dad.

It's hard to say what
will happen now.

A lot depends on the injured
woman, how she gets along...

whether or not she
wants to press charges...

your attitude.

A lot of things.

There's no room here.

It's crowded.

The wind doesn't blow,
you can't see the mountains.

Hey, look, I hear
what you're saying.

You know I felt the same
way when I first came here?

Where do you come from?
- Wyoming.

The biggest crowd I'd
seen before I came...

was Cheyenne Frontier Days.

Did you live on a ranch?

Yeah.

Pretty big spread,
as a matter of fact.

Our ranch had a creek on it.

I caught a golden
trout there once.

Sounds like my kind of place.

Barry.

- Oh, darling. BARRY:
Oh, Mama, I'm sorry.

I know, I know. You
didn't mean to do it.

How is that poor woman?
Will she be all right?

- We don't know yet, ma'am.
- Oh, no.

Hey, look, sarge, while
you're talking to Mrs. Lasher...

why don't I take Barry? See if
we can find something to drink?

All right. Is that all right
with you, Mrs. Lasher?

Oh, of course. Of course.

Barry.

Excuse me.

Mrs. Lasher...

would you sit down.

Look, I can tell your mother
really thinks a lot of you.

When my dad died,
she had to go to work.

Oh, really? How
long ago was that?

Not very long.

Look, well, why don't you
have a chair there, huh?

Want something to drink? A
Coke, root beer, orange, lime, grape?

Orange.

Are they gonna put me in jail?

I don't know. You
think you deserve that?

It was an accident. I wish
you would believe that.

I do, Barry.

It's just that it was
pretty careless...

and it was pretty stupid.

I know.

I just wasn't thinking.
It won't happen again.

Do you like guns?

Well, I can think of a
lot of things I like better.

Horses, for instance.

I had a horse once.

His name was Duke.

My dad gave him to me.

Yeah? You're a pretty
fair rider, are you?

Yeah.

Where can you ride around here?

Come on, get him!

- Come on, get him! PONCH:
Get him, Jon! Get him! Come on!

Come on, come on!

- Whoo! BARRY: All
right! Way to go, Jon!

Man, that guy is really
great on a horse, isn't he?

Why not? That's my partner.

It's your turn. Let's
see what you can do.

Yes, sir.

Hey, that kid's not bad.

Better keep an eye
on him, you're next.

You ride, do you?

Motorcycles, yeah.

Horses, well...

Are you just gonna sit there?

You really expect me to go
in there and crawl, don't you?

To keep a crummy job that
I would have never taken...

if it hadn't been for you.

Listen to me, Brad, we're broke.

We just spent our last
dime bailing you out of jail.

You don't know if
you've been fired or not.

The cop asked for my boss' name,
so if I haven't been fired, I will be.

Okay, what do you suggest we
do, try and live on what I make?

What I ought to do is
go see Eddie Carver.

With him, I'd make some bucks...

instead of the chicken feed
that I've been making here.

Go see Eddie Carver...

and end up just where you
were this morning, in jail.

Forget I mentioned it.

I mean it, Brad.

It's either Eddie Carver or
me, you can't have us both.

That's no contest.

You know, you're the most important
thing in the whole world to me.

Well, then you know
what you have to do.

All right, Beth.

I'll play it straight,
I promise you that.

Doc Faraday.

Can I get a second?

- Got to make rounds in five minutes.
- Well, this isn't gonna take five minutes.

You're gonna make this as difficult
as you possibly can for me, right, Brad?

What I'm ready to do, doc, is crawl
if that's what it takes to keep my job.

It's too late. You're
through here. I'm sorry.

Oh, please, let me say
something. Let me say one thing.

What I was arrested for had
nothing to do with you or the hospital.

It was a driving offense, Brad.

Your driving is very
much my concern.

I'm responsible for everybody
that you transport to this hospital.

You chose to ignore that fact.

I'm begging you.

Give me another chance, and
I promise you won't be sorry.

Don't you understand?

- There's nothing...
- What do you want me to do?

- You want me to get down on my knees?
- Come on, Brad. Really, come on.

This isn't the only
job in the world.

I've got news for you.
My wife thinks it is.

Well, I'm sorry it didn't
work out. I've got to go.

There's gotta be
something I can say...

or something I can do
to change your mind.

I wish there was.

Brad, you leave me no
alternative but to say it.

You're fired.

What happened?

Tell me.

- Are you ready for this?
- What?

I had old Doc Faraday eating
right out of the palm of my hand.

Oh, good. Oh, that's
wonderful. That's great.

- I only had to make one concession.
- What?

From now on, about half the
time, I've gotta work nights.

That's okay.

That's okay, you've
got a respectable job.

The rest we can deal
with. I'm so happy.

Look familiar?

Just once I'd like to get
the paperwork done...

before they're
back on the streets.

My sister has regained
consciousness.

The doctor is hopeful,
but still worried.

Hey, that's good. At least
it's a step in the right direction.

If you ever find out who did this, we
intend to press charges to the fullest.

Oh, well, we did find him.

He's a boy, about this high.

And he told us, and
we do believe him...

that he was shooting at
a sign along the highway.

In other words, it
was just an accident.

He's 14 years old, Ms.
Barnes, and he's fatherless.

I don't care.

I've got a sister back there who's
conscious, and that's about all.

She doesn't know who
she is or where she is.

Hey, look, we understand.

Would you consider a
meeting with the boy?

I mean, it might do
you both a lot of good.

No, I would not.

I don't wanna meet
him. Not now, not ever.

Hey, just give me five minutes.

Isn't it beautiful?

It even smells beautiful.

- It smells like animals.
- Don't pay any attention to him.

Why don't you give the guys
a hand with Old Gray, huh?

Oh, yes, sir.

Kid thinks you're Matt Dillon and
the Lone Ranger rolled into one.

Yeah, well, like I told him at
juvenile, he's a pretty bright boy.

Would you believe this is the
first time I've ever been on a ranch?

Would you believe that
I suspected as much?

Yeah? Hey, I wonder
what happened to Ponch.

He was looking forward to this.

I learned a long time
ago, on Ponch's day off...

you make plans at
your own risk. Come on.

What's going on?

Well, Shorty's a header
and Jon's a heeler.

Ah, they lasso both ends.

When I holler, you
start the watch, okay?

Gotcha.

Well, how about it, Jon?
Remember which end is yours?

You just do the easy
part, I'll do the rest.

- Now. GROSSMAN:
Come on, Jonny! Go get him!

- Come on, Shorty, get him!
- You got him, Jonny!

- Come on, Jon, get him!
- Come on, Jonny!

- He's getting away. Hurry!
- You got it, Shorty! That dumb old steer.

He missed him.

So? It could've
happened to anybody.

It's okay, Jonny.

Yeah, Shorty! Okay, get him, Jonny!
- Go get him!

- Come on, get him, Jonny!
- Get him, right now!

- Get him! Come on!
- Come on, Jonny, you got him!

- Let's get him, Jonny!
- Come on.

- All right!
- He got him! Okay!

Feels good to get out of
that hospital, doesn't it?

It's marvelous.

I can't believe how nice
you people have been to me.

Hey, you needed to get away.
Now, relax and enjoy yourself.

- All right, yeah!
- Hey, that was terrific.

Oh, his time. Tell him his time.

Eight and a half seconds.
Not too shabby, cowboy.

Your time, huh?
What about my time?

You gotta bring your
own rooting section.

Hey, Ponch, I see you made it.

Ponch, you're a dirty,
double-crossing fink.

That's the kid that caused
the accident, isn't it?

Whatever gave you
that idea? Come on.

I knew you'd show up sooner
or later. You did promise.

Yeah, you better believe
it. Barry? Miss Barnes.

Jon and I figure he's gonna
grow up and be a real fine man.

Pleased to meet
you, Miss Barnes.

Barry.

Jon, remember Miss Barnes?

Sure I do.

I think Barry ought to get to
know her better, don't you?

Barry is from Utah. He's only
been out here a short time, but...

City takes some getting
used to, right, cowboy?

Were you raised on
a ranch, Miss Barnes?

No. I'm from New York City.
- Oh.

Look, I haven't told you...

but I put this character
on the payroll.

You have?

Yep. Why not? I mean,
I'm a pretty busy man.

And, you know, if you got a
good horse, it's gotta be exercised.

Did you hear
that? I've got a job.

So I heard.

- Okay, then it's a deal?
- Well, sure...

but don't you think that I could
do it, you know, just as a friend?

No, because it
involves your mother.

And it costs money to come
out here every day, Barry.

Well, then I'll give
her the money. Okay?

Okay, now that's a deal.

Look, did I ever tell you how
Ponch and I met Ms. Barnes?

Please, please. Can't
a girl have any secrets?

I'd just as soon Barry
never learn how we met.

- I'll listen, I don't mind.
- Let me give you some advice, there, Barry.

Oh, I know. My dad already told
me. Never argue with a woman.

Come on.

I told you when you
and Beth got married...

the straight life will drive
you nuts. Remember?

Leave Beth out of it.

How long you been in this dump?

Oh, six months now.

You know, I actually work
on a car once in a while.

Just to keep the heat from getting nosy.
The rest of the time, it's fence city.

What's so special about
me? I'm just another driver.

No. You're an
ex-ambulance driver.

And I've got a delivery that
calls for special handling.

- You interested?
- I'm interested or I wouldn't be here, Eddie.

The merchandise is here
now, ready for loading.

Comes in plain brown
wrappers with red stenciling.

- Explosives.
- Uh-huh.

Dynamite, detonation caps.

Destination: Mexico.

No problem.

That's what you think. This
stuff is older than you are.

Well, I don't know, Eddie...

vintage dynamite
is very touchy stuff.

A thousand bucks
for one day's work.

Stan? What is...?
Has Brad been hurt?

No, nothing like that.

I got your message. You scared me.
I was sure there'd been an accident.

- Where is Brad, do you know?
- He's here, or he should be.

I drove him to work
myself this morning.

He was fired here days
ago. Didn't he tell you that?

No, he didn't.

- That's impossible.
- It's true, Beth, and so is this:

I'm convinced that Brad swiped
the ambulance this morning.

Oh, my God.

Whoever did it had a
key, it happened that fast.

Brad still has a key.
That's all I know.

The last time when Eddie Carver
talked him into stealing a truck...

he got away with it.

- And now it's an ambulance.
- I had to make out a report.

That means the police are
looking for him all over the city.

What do I do, Stan?

Beth, latching onto you was the only
smart thing Brad ever did in his life.

Outside of that, he's a loser. If
you want my advice, dump him.

Get rid of the guy.
He's a born liability.

Just because he made a few mistakes,
don't you call my husband a loser.

He's a good, decent man.

And I have no
intentions of leaving him.

Hey, wasn't that Holmes,
the guy we busted?

We had an APB on an
ambulance. What do you think?

Let's check it out.

L.A. 15, 7 Mary 3 and 4, in
pursuit of 10851, ambulance...

eastbound Yeoman at Glenoaks.

Get out of my way!

Look, dynamite.

Those kids.

That's very old and unstable
dynamite they're playing with.

Okay, kids, freeze, all right?

Okay, we're gonna play statue.

Now, I don't want anybody to move,
and I don't want anybody to drop anything.

I'll take the firecrackers, okay?
It's just part of the game. All right?

Okay, now, when your hands are
empty, I want you to run, all right?

I want you to run as far
away from here as you can.

When your hands are empty.

Give those to me, honey.
Come on. Gently, now, okay?

That's a good girl.

Come on, son. Give them to me.

Be a good boy, now.
Come on. Give them to me.

Wait a minute.

If I were you, I'd put
that down real easy.

- Thanks a lot for your help.
- Well, you do me a favor:

Tell it to the judge.

All right. Come on, get him.

- Tie him up!
- Come on.

Come on, horse.

You think you'll get two
hocks on this one, Jon?

Just don't wave it off, huh?

Okay. Come on, get him.

- All right.
- All right, come on, let's do it. Yeah!

- Come on, let's go! Get him!
- Throw that around him!

Get him, Jonny! Come on!

Come on, cowboy!

- You got him!
- What you got?

- Not bad. Not bad at all.
- Six seconds flat.

- Pay me.
- You're kidding.

- Did you have six seconds?
- Yeah, you wanna argue about it?

All right, Jon.
Six seconds flat.

Whoa, Old Gray.

- Oh, sure.
- Can you reach her?

- There you go.
- You ready? Grab hold.

Let's go.