Northern Exposure (1990–1995): Season 4, Episode 18 - Northern Lights - full transcript
Joel withholds practicing medicine until the State honors his contract and he gets his week vacation. Chris builds an art piece. Holling hibernates for 2 weeks.
Morning,
Dr. Fleischman.
Morning?
How can you tell?
It is so unrelenting...
it is so dark,
and it is so cold.
Mail.
Oh, my travel stuff,
how perfect.
Martinique, Barbados,
Saint Barts.
"I got two weeks,
14 days"
"Two weeks, 14 days"
I figure I'll spend a week with
the meshpucha in New York...
catch the Blue Man Group,
Falsettos, right?
Then I'm going to spend a week on one
of these magnificent, sun-filled isles.
Grand Cayman, fabulous
barrier reef, wall diving.
Caneel Bay, incredible white
sand beaches, coconut palms.
Jamaica, oh, man, look at this
golf course near Runaway Bay.
What?
It won't happen.
What won't happen?
Your vacation.
My vacation won't happen?
Uh-huh.
Why not?
Because.
Because what?
What, you think it's, like,
the cosmic joke, is that it?
Huh?
You're right,
it's a perfect setup.
Here we are, we're in the
dead of Alaska in winter...
there's one bleak, frozen
hour of sunlight a day...
I'm planning a trip
to a tropical paradise...
this is a trip
that I really want...
a trip that I desperately
need to take...
so, naturally, something's going
to stop me from going, right?
Uh-huh.
Right. And of course, the one thing we
all should have learned as children...
is if there's something you
want with all of your heart...
with every fiber of your being,
you're certain not to get it.
Right.
A dark and delicious
good morning to you, Cicely.
Believe it or not,
it's 9: 00 am...
and this is Bernard Stevens,
sitting in for my brother, Chris.
As always this time of year, he's
been mauled by the artistic impulse.
Foregoing sleep
and sustenance...
Chris has immersed himself
in his annual act of creation.
Bonne chance, brother.
We've got three days to go in
our winter solstice countdown.
We got sunrise today at 4:02
p. m. and sunset at 4:48.
You know, continuous,
unremitting darkness...
has been known to send some people
into an emotional tailspin...
so the management here at KBHR radio
suggests locking away the firearms.
Now, the desire to stick
that. 45 between your teeth...
can get pretty strong
at times...
so why invite temptation?
And for a little mood
elevation, swing by The Brick...
open 24 hours during this solstice
season, with free chocolate for all.
That's right, chocolate,
that magic elixir.
Nothing like it to raise the body's
serotonin levels and thus the spirits as well.
Hey, I'm on my way.
Denver chocolate pudding.
Denver chocolate pie...
and minute steak,
chocolate Kisses.
I ordered sour cream.
Sorry, Steve.
I'm short-handed today.
You'll have to
get it yourself.
Shelly?
Any sign of that granola?
Oh, my God, Ruth-Anne.
I forgot.
It's just so crazy
around here...
and with Holling gone to bed,
I just get brain-fried.
Oh, is he hibernating
already?
Five days now.
Just gets up to whiz.
Sure hope
it's not like last year.
He was sacked out
for three weeks.
Oh, it was much worse
when he was younger.
In '75, Holling hibernated
for two months.
Wow.
That's a vibrant red,
isn't it?
Yeah.
I'm painting a field
of poppies...
and I can't quite find
the right shade.
Want to try
the cocktail sauce?
All right.
Hot fudge sundae, extra
almonds, hold on the cherry.
Chocolate sprinkles
with that?
By all means.
All right.
Coffee?
How much is it?
40 cents.
Listen, how much
can I get to eat for...
Let's see, two...
Two dollars and 24 cents.
Special K, Toll House Cookie.
Anything more substantial?
Cream of Wheat?
Yeah, that'll do.
Try a slice
of the blackout cake.
Hey, thank you.
You know, I'm not one to
judge a book by its cover...
but looking at you, your
clothes, your personal hygiene...
I'd guess you were homeless.
I mean, the only reason
I bring it up...
is I've been coming to Cicely
for a couple of years now...
and I've never encountered
a homeless person.
At least none that fit
the traditional stereotype.
I prefer the term "hobo. "
Hobo?
Sure, makes sense.
A lot less negative baggage
to carry.
Implies a life choice,
instead of a state of being.
Hobo.
Paladin of the open road?
Riding the rails,
shanty towns, nail soup?
Very picaresque.
Bernard Stevens.
Hey, Lance Bristol.
Hi, Chris.
How's the piece coming?
What's the matter?
Things not going too good?
Oh, just conceptually,
it seemed so right, you know?
Metal twisting, turning, rising out of
the corporeal, struggling to the divine.
It's just a tower, Dave,
it's an archetype.
A transcendental symbol
from Babel to Watts, you know?
It's embedded in our souls.
I like the bicycle chain.
You like the bicycle chain?
Uh-huh.
Of course you like
the bicycle chain.
The bicycle chain is fine
in and of itself.
It's just the whole...
It's thin, you know? It's
brittle, there's no weight.
It's like what Gertrude Stein said about
Oakland, "There's no there, there. "
Maybe some more pipes.
More pipes?
Copper.
Hi, Ruth-Anne.
Hello, Maggie.
Needs more yellow.
I know what it is.
Butterflies.
Is there anything
I can help you with?
You know,
it's the weirdest thing.
I can't remember
what I came in here for.
I just got in
some nice mandarin oranges.
Okay. I can always use
a few mandarin oranges.
It's all right, Maggie.
Believe me, I understand.
Your mind is elsewhere. And I don't
blame you, that business with Joel.
Fleischman?
You two have had such a stormy
relationship. All that push-pull.
Yeah.
Having intercourse with him was
undoubtedly a great release of pressure...
but terribly unnerving
as well.
Well, actually, I'm not thinking
about intercourse with Fleischman.
No?
No.
I'm thinking about
intercourse with Mike.
Mike Monroe?
Yeah. I think about sex
with him all the time.
I mean,
it's constantly on my mind.
I play it out in my head
a thousand times a day.
Unbuttoning his shirt and
running my hands down his chest...
into the waistband
of his pants.
I'd hop in the sack
with him right now...
if I weren't afraid
I'd kill him.
I know
what you're going to say.
I had sex with Fleischman, and
he's okay. But for how long?
I mean, Glen and I were together
for a year and a half before he died.
And besides, you know, if
Fleischman kicks the bucket...
Well, I don't know.
I just don't think I can
risk it with Mike, Ruth-Anne.
I mean, I don't think I want
his blood on my hands. Oh.
Could you put these
on my tab?
Sure.
Only 15 minutes
of sunlight left, folks.
So I suggest you get outside pronto
and catch all the rays you can.
And don't forget to lop on
the SPF 30.
You know, as I speak, I can
see Cicely's latest visitor...
Lance Bristol, hunting for recyclables
across from our KBHR studios.
And as I look at his matted hair
and his threadbare clothes...
my gut-level response is revulsion,
an inner, primal recoiling.
I mean, from where
do these feelings spring?
I mean, certainly it's not a rational
response to a man who is no threat to me.
Bottom line?
I could be Lance,
Lance could be me.
My response, I guess,
should therefore be empathy...
caring, consideration.
I'm working on it.
Empathy?
What kind of manure
are you spreading, Bernard?
Sorry.
Tramps accosting people
on the streets for money...
urinating in doorways.
He does stir up
ambivalent feelings.
Ambivalent, hell.
I've got an investment
in this town.
An investment in time,
money, and personal vision.
I will not
have it defiled...
by some piece
of human excrescence.
Hey. Oh, you might
find this interesting.
You know the winter depression
people talk about up here?
It's not just psychological. It
actually has a physical pathology. SAD.
That's what it's called. SAD.
Seasonal Affective Disorder.
See, sunlight decreases
pineal activity...
which inhibits the production
of melatonin.
When your body isn't exposed
to sunlight...
it produces these constant
high levels of melatonin.
This screws up
your circadian cycles...
and it literally
makes you sad.
What can I do for you?
We were right.
We were? About what?
This came.
"No physician willing
to take your place. Stop.
"Community cannot be placed
in jeopardy. Stop.
"Vacation denied. Our
apologies, the State of Alaska. "
It's official.
Oh, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no.
No, no, no!
You said it would happen.
I didn't say it would happen, I said it
would happen so that it wouldn't happen.
Don't you understand?
This is a defense.
This is like "break a leg"...
or washing your car
so that it'll rain.
Oh.
First they add a year
to my contract...
now they take away
my vacation.
I mean, did I fall into a
bottomless pit? There's no exit.
There's no light at the end of
this tunnel. It's a nightmare.
Look,
I don't feel like talking.
Can you just
leave me alone, please?
What?
It's sad.
Hi, Marilyn.
Sorry I'm late.
Hi, Lynn.
Dr. Fleischman said
he'd remove my corn today.
He's not here.
Well,
when's he coming back?
He's not.
He's not?
No.
He's withholding his services.
Oh.
You mean Dr. Fleischman's not
going to work here anymore?
Not until
he gets his vacation.
He said if the State of Alaska
wants to play hardball, so will he.
Oh.
You want me
to remove your corn?
Okay.
Follow me.
Hey, excuse me, folks, can you spare
any change? Like a quarter or anything?
Excuse me,
can you spare a quarter?
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Hey, man, spare change?
Write it off your taxes.
Heavy sledding.
Hey, man.
This your spot?
No. Have a seat.
The cops hassle you much
around here?
Nope.
Not at all.
So, where do you sleep?
Trailer.
Trailer, huh? You got
any extra room in there?
Yeah, usually, but I got
my brother staying with me.
All right.
Can you believe that?
What do you mean?
When you look at it,
do you believe it?
Oh, not really.
Of course you don't.
What was I thinking?
I keep tearing it apart.
I put it back together.
It just doesn't work.
I mean...
I never had a solstice
like this before.
You know, usually I'm focused. I'm
clear, you know. The piece, it just...
It flows.
Yeah.
You know?
Last year, a neogothic
ice palace, Lake Eagle.
The year before that,
metal cocoons.
I took an entire acre of
spruce, I wrapped it in tinfoil.
Is that right?
That's right.
Amazing.
But this thing here, man,
a monstrous, screaming zero.
It's killing me, too, 'cause
I got all this juice...
and I got nowhere
to plug it in.
Can I have a hit of that?
Yeah, sure.
Thanks.
Miller?
Lite.
Bratwurst special
for number six.
Okay.
Holling's still out, huh?
Yeah.
I just gotta remind myself, he's like a
big old Delco battery that needs a recharge.
It'll be worth it
when he wakes up...
'cause he'll just go
and go and go.
That's the spirit.
Geneva chocolate with this?
Amaretto truffle.
Okey-doke.
Thank you.
10-4.
Morning, Dr. Fleischman.
How you doing?
I've just had a little
flare-up of my old psoriasis.
It's the same old thing. You know,
rash on the elbow and behind the knees.
It doesn't bother me, but my
wife thinks it's unsightly.
Jim,
I'm not practicing today.
Oh, I understand, but I
just want some of that cream.
Do you think
I like doing this? Do you?
Do you think I like
betraying my Hippocratic oath?
I got no choice.
I got no alternative.
You don't get it,
do you?
You really think this is just about
my vacation and your psoriasis.
Well, sure.
No, Jim.
If they can take away my two
weeks and get away with it...
they can just as easily
do it to you or anybody else.
I'm making a stand here, for the
most basic and fundamental rights...
that are due any working man and any
working woman. I'll tell you something else.
You and everyone else in this town
should be lined up right behind me.
Why? Because
I'm fighting your battle.
I'm the little guy who's
got the guts to stand up...
look them in the eye, and say, "I
will not retreat one single inch. "
And I will be heard.
I most certainly will.
All right,
let's come to order.
Take your seats, please.
We've got a problem here,
people.
I will not allow one man
to hold this town hostage.
Worst comes to worst,
I'll see him behind bars.
You want to put Joel
in jail?
Who said anything about Joel?
I'm talking
about that scrofulous bum...
who parked himself
on Main Street.
Maurice?
We came here
to talk about Fleischman.
Where is he, anyway?
Well, I don't know where he is. I
told him to be here at 1700 hours.
Ed, where's Fleischman?
Dr. Fleischman respectfully
declines to attend.
Decline?
Yes. He feels that his presence
here would compromise his position.
Well, what the hell
does that mean?
He's instructed me
to speak on his behalf.
So, if you all consider me
Dr. Fleischman...
All right. Come on,
get your fanny up here.
Yes, sir.
You got a statement?
Yes, sir. We do.
Despite my reluctance...
to live and practice
in a small rural community...
I have served the Borough
of Arrowhead in good faith.
However, that good faith
has not been reciprocated...
and therefore, I have been
left with no other recourse...
but to withhold my services
so that I may obtain...
what is contractually
and morally mine.
And, oh, yes, taking
questions from the floor now.
Ruth-Anne.
How long do you intend
to keep this nonsense up?
Ruth-Anne, I feel that
that question...
should be directed
to the State of Alaska...
as they're the ones who have
reneged on our agreement...
and they're the ones who have
the power to break this impasse.
Shelly.
What if somebody
gets really sick?
You know, like,
they're seriously hurling...
or they cut off a finger
with a band saw?
Yes, well...
although, once again,
I feel that that question...
should be directed
to the State of Alaska...
I have made arrangements
with Dr. Kornhauser...
you know, he lives
over in Moose Pass...
to take care of any
such emergency that may-
All right, let's cut through
the crap. What do you want?
Oh, well, all that I want...
is what is legally owed to me.
My two weeks' vacation.
We're ready to make a deal.
$500, cash.
Me and Holling will throw in
two free spaghetti lunches.
And half a dozen
orange roughy fillets.
Sorry, folks.
People, let us not waste
each other's time.
My vacation,
as stated in the contract...
is absolutely and
unequivocably non-negotiable.
Thank you.
Joel? Joel?
The doctor's out.
Joel, it's me!
Yeah, Mike...
look, really,
I can't make any exceptions.
Look, look, I'm fine.
This isn't medical.
Why are you wearing the mask?
Oh, peat fires in Irkutsk.
No big deal.
May I come in?
Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry.
Thanks.
Hi.
It's a little nippy
out there.
Yeah, sorry.
Oh, Ping ZING 5, huh?
Yeah.
That's very nice.
I like those
on Bermuda greens...
but, you know,
on a bent grass...
I like something
a little lighter.
I didn't know
you played golf.
Well, I haven't been able
to since the MCS set in...
but I love the game.
Here, I have to serve you
with these.
Serve me?
Yeah.
Pro forma.
I've been retained
by the Township of Cicely.
What is this?
You're violating the terms of your
contract, Joel. You're in breach.
You're suing me?
There'll be a hearing on
the 24th before Judge Percy.
We'll be seeking
a preliminary injunction...
and then, of course,
we'll be filing for damages.
Is this a joke? Damages?
You offer a unique service,
Joel.
You know, for us to contract
another physician privately...
it would cost a minimum
of $125,000 a year.
At five years,
that's $625,000.
I don't believe this.
Heaven forbid anybody
should get sick and die.
You could be liable
for millions.
How could you do this to me?
After all that I have done for you?
Sorry?
Do you forget who's been
checking your eosinophil count...
three times a week
for the last four months?
Joel...
Don't "Joel" me.
When the mosquito abatement
people came and sprayed...
and you got that allergic reaction to
that terrible asthmatic component...
who stayed with you day and
night until the wheezing stopped?
Joel, I appreciate everything
you've done for me. Really.
And personally,
I like you a lot.
You like me? This is how
you express your affection?
Look, believe me, Joel...
if I hadn't been retained
by the city...
I'd have been delighted
to represent you.
And, hey...
after the ice melts...
maybe we can go hit a few.
See you.
Hey, Bristol.
Sign says
you're a veteran, huh?
Yeah.
Vietnam?
That's right.
A lot of good men
served in that war.
Washouts like you
give them a bad name.
What were you, some
long-haired draft-dodger...
whose number
finally came up?
I enlisted.
That right?
In what? The regular Army?
Those clowns
will take anybody.
I was in the Corps.
The Marine Corps?
The hell you were.
Now, listen, pal,
I'm a Marine...
and I resent any low-life
derelict insinuating-
Bristol, LC, PFC,
United States Marine Corps.
2192842.
What outfit were you with?
Bravo 13.
Out of Da Nang?
No, sir. First division
was in Da Nang.
That's right.
Northern I Corps
west of Dong Ha.
Provided security
at the Khe Gia Bridge.
Sometimes ran road sweeps along Route
9 to keep the MSR open to Khe Sanh.
Rifleman?
Grunt.
Damn.
Here,
buy yourself a hot meal.
Semper fi.
Oo-rah.
It's high noon, Cicely...
and we're now three days into the Borough
of Arrowhead County's physician strike...
and one day away
from winter solstice...
which means a full 24 hours
of glorious darkness.
And, turning to the art scene, it seems
my brother Chris has taken off headlong...
into a new creative direction.
I'm not sure which particular
muse has seized him...
but clearly
her grip is strong.
And, right now, I'd like
to turn the microphone...
over to Maurice Minnifield...
the president
and general manager...
of the Minnifield
Communications Network.
Maurice.
Thank you. I'll be brief.
I'm collecting for a comrade-in-arms
who's down on his luck.
We need clean, serviceable
clothes, canned goods...
toiletries,
that sort of thing.
Now, bring them by the station,
we'll make sure he gets them.
Oh, and remember,
this is not the dump.
No rags, no junk, no three-year-old
jars of pickled beets.
Appreciate it.
Excuse me,
you okay in there?
Yeah, fine. You work here?
Yeah.
You know, for a few cents more, you
can get name-brand paper towels...
which are a lot more absorbent
than this institutional grade.
I'll tell the boss
as soon as he wakes up.
Do that.
But you...
I need this, Dave.
Okay by me.
Hey, Chris.
Ted.
Hello.
Sonny.
Cup of joe,
Dr. Fleischman?
Shelly,
let me ask you something.
Now, I thought that we were
friends, that you liked me.
I do.
How is it that you can be
a part of this lawsuit?
Oh, that.
Just being a team player.
You know, "all for one,
one for all. "
Shelly, I'm going to snag me
some of these bulbs.
Okay.
Hello, Joel.
I'll have one of those.
Okey-dokey.
Ruth-Anne, how can you look
me in the eye and greet me...
as if nothing is different,
as if nothing has changed?
What do you mean?
He means the lawsuit.
Oh, that.
"Oh, that"? "Oh, that"?
This is incredible.
What is wrong
with you people?
Don't you realize
what you're doing?
To me, your physician?
I'm the guy who sets your broken
bones. Lowers your blood pressure.
Tramps out into the tundra in the middle
of the night to deliver your babies.
Every single one of you has stood
before me naked, sick and needy...
desperate for my help.
Instead of gratitude, what
do I get? What's my reward?
How do you repay me?
With malice and venom.
I wouldn't take it
too personally, Joel.
Have you ever heard
of US v. Hillegas?
No. Let's see.
Treble damages are upheld...
breaching
scholarship agreement...
United States Court of
Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
What do you think?
Hillegas got an NHSC
medical scholarship...
in exchange for agreeing to serve
in a health manpower shortage area.
After graduation,
he tried to back out.
The government sued him
and won.
This is exactly the kind of
precedent we were looking for.
Really?
God, Maggie, I knew we had an
excellent case against Joel...
but now we have got him
by the short hairs!
That's wonderful.
Now, don't get me wrong.
You know, I mean, I sympathize
with Joel's predicament. I do.
But I gotta tell you, there is
nothing more satisfying in law...
than knowing that you are going
to walk into that courtroom...
and grind your opponent's
face into the marble floor.
I can imagine.
And you, you did it, Maggie.
You put the final nail
in Joel's coffin.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Well...
Yes?
Guess I should go finish
transcribing those depositions, huh?
Okay?
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
Okay, bye.
Okay.
Hey, Ed. How's it going?
Oh, good afternoon,
Dr. Fleischman.
Say, could you hand me that
other screwdriver over there?
Boy, I'll tell you, these last few
days have been a real eye-opener.
I can imagine.
I have seen
up close and personal...
the dark underbelly of this town,
and it is not a pretty sight.
One thing for sure, you find
out who your friends are.
I won't forget it.
I mean it. I won't forget
how you stuck behind me.
And all the others,
Maurice, Ruth-Anne, Mike...
they couldn't wait
to stab me in the back.
But not you.
You are a real mensch.
Thank you,
Dr. Fleischman.
What's going on here?
Oh, I just finished
changing the lock.
What? Why?
Well,
the way Maurice put it is...
as long as you refuse to provide
medical services to the community...
the community will refuse
to provide you with lodging.
What are you talking about?
What about my stuff?
Your stuff's been seized.
Seized?
Maurice says it's standard
procedure in cases like this.
Seized?
Well, don't tell anyone,
Dr. Fleischman...
but I packed you a spare change
of underwear and a toothbrush.
You know, Dr. Fleischman, I always thought
your story would have a happy ending...
like To Sir, With Love.
What?
Oh, Sidney Poitier takes this job
working in the inner-city school...
and at first he just hates
being there...
but then, later, he comes to know his
students and to really care about them deeply.
And then at the end of the
movie, he's offered this job...
teaching at
a very prestigious school...
but he decides to stay
right where he's at.
But I guess that's just a
movie, huh, Dr. Fleischman?
I gotta go.
Hey, Bristol.
Bristol?
Yeah.
You in there?
Yeah.
Come out here.
I got something for you.
Thought you might
could use this.
There's some thermal
underwear, bib overalls...
some dental powder.
Some food in there, too.
Chicken noodle soup,
creamed corn.
Some clown threw in
a jar of poi.
You can use that
if you want to.
A couple of boxes just like
that over at the station.
What's this?
Oh,
those are shiitake mushrooms.
You have to soak them, but
they add a nice musky flavor...
to stews, casserole.
That's lovely.
Bristol, tell me something.
How'd it happen?
How'd you come
to this sorry state?
Was it drugs?
I can understand, I mean, that
no-win war, the temptation.
No, I never did drugs.
Was it that post-trauma rigmarole? No.
Well, was it the erosion
of our industrial base?
The factory you worked for
close down?
No, I had a good job,
cable TV company.
What happened, then?
Change of venue.
Huh?
It happened five years ago.
Summer, August.
I was troubleshooting
along a back road...
near this little farm town
in lllinois, Watseka.
It was 10:00 at night.
I was up the power pole...
and these lights
came out of nowhere.
Lights?
Yeah, real bright.
White and blue and green.
And they came close.
Hovering
over the corn field...
not making a sound,
just watching me.
And then they took off.
Straight up, fast.
It was a clear night,
but in a couple of seconds...
they were out of my sight.
They were gone.
Well, after that...
I had a hard time
keeping my mind on things...
on work, and girls...
on Sunday afternoon
football games.
No,
the world had turned over...
and I couldn't hold on.
Change of venue.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
All right, hold it!
Chris!
Hey, did I wake you?
I'm sorry.
Man, what are you doing here?
You used to have a lava lamp.
Chris,
it's 3:00 in the morning.
It is?
Yeah, I almost shot you.
You still have that lava
lamp? I think it was green.
Yeah, I think
it's in here somewhere.
Yeah?
Though the cord's broken.
I mean,
I've gotta admire you.
Yeah?
Yeah. I mean, look at
you. You're so committed.
You just break into my house
in the middle of the night.
You risk getting killed
because you want something.
I mean, you make a
decision and you go for it.
You follow through,
no matter what.
Would you hold that?
Sure.
Me, I'm a wuss.
How's that?
I mean, I want something.
Someone, actually.
I can't do anything about it.
I mean, I'm completely frozen
because I won't take the risk.
Here it is.
It's a different
kettle of fish, though.
What do you mean?
Your situation with Mike.
I break in here at 3:00 a. m.,
I risk my life.
You hit the rack with Mike,
you risk his.
Yeah.
You know? But I'm saying, what the
hell, go for it. Nail him to the sheets.
You know why? Because real
meaningful endeavors...
I mean, the biggies
in the human existence...
they often require
the sacrifice of others.
Night.
Night.
Wake up, sleepyheads.
Wipe Mr. Sandman's dust
from your eyes.
It's time to face another
glorious, ebony Alaskan morn.
The winter solstice
has finally arrived.
No sunrise, no sunset,
how elegantly simple.
And I'm happy to announce my brother
Chris is galloping down the home stretch...
of this season's
artistic steeplechase.
My fellow Cicelians, you're
invited, one and all...
to Main Street,
tonight, 8:00, for...
Well, you've just got to show
up and find out for yourselves.
Dress warm.
I put some shampoo out on that shelf
for you. Did you find it all right?
Yeah, thanks.
Scrambled eggs okay?
Sure.
Help yourself
to those cinnamon rolls.
All right.
You know, Bristol,
I was thinking...
it's about time that I redid
that guest bathroom.
You know, put in a bigger tub,
some granite countertops.
Sure. Some Malibu tile.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
And I was also thinking
about replacing this floor.
Get rid of this tongue
and groove.
Put in some parquet.
Mmm-hmm.
So you've got a job.
$200 a week,
plus room and board.
Look,
I'd like to help you out...
but I'm gonna be moving on.
You help me out?
No, no, no,
you've got it backward.
It's me
that's helping you out.
Sorry.
Look, Bristol...
just because you saw a few
lights in the night sky...
are you going to go Section
Eight for the rest of your life?
It's not even that special.
I mean, most of the guys
who suited up in Thinsulite...
saw lights
they couldn't explain...
doing things
they shouldn't be doing...
or where they shouldn't be.
Look, Bristol, I wouldn't want
this to go beyond these walls...
but when I was in my seventh
orbit over the Indian Ocean...
I looked out of the capsule
and there they were.
They were close aboard.
It was like they were
flying form on me...
watching me.
They stayed in orbit with me
about a minute, and then...
In the blink of an eye, they
were gone. Just like that.
There are things out there
we don't understand.
Can't understand.
Could be the big guy,
could be little green men...
or just whatnot, proving to
us we don't know everything.
But that's not important.
What's important is...
a reasonable man...
a sane man, a healthy man...
when he encounters
the inexplicable...
forgets about it.
Come on, Bristol,
take the job.
Put some money in your pockets
before you move on.
Give it some thought.
Good morning.
I know what you're thinking. I'm not
coming back. You can save your breath.
I appreciate you coming out
here. I am not coming back.
I don't care what you say, I don't
care what they do, I'm not coming back.
Should I order
more glucose dipsticks?
What?
Glucose dipsticks.
That's what you came here to talk
to me about, glucose dipsticks?
I'm freezing to death here...
I've been
completely abandoned...
you wanna talk
about glucose dipsticks?
We're running low.
Don't you understand,
nothing's changed here?
Do you not understand that?
They haven't given in.
They haven't given me
my vacation.
Oh, I see, you think
I'm going to fold, huh?
Yeah, you think because they
took away my livelihood...
and threw me out of my house, and basically
forced me to live like a dog here...
you think
I'm going to roll over?
Uh-huh, no way.
There's a principle
at stake here...
and I don't care how many lawyers
they hire or how many papers they file.
It doesn't make
a difference to me...
because I'm not going to stand
for this injustice.
You hear me?
I won't stand for it.
What?
For how long?
For how long, what?
Won't you stand?
Two over easy, home fries.
Chocolate sauce with this?
Just a little
on the English muffin.
Thanks, dear.
Welcome.
Shel?
Holling! You're up!
Emmett Riley's mastiff
woke me with his barking.
I could use
a couple more days' sleep.
You want to try
to go back to sleep?
No, I'm up now.
And hungry.
Oh, babe,
I missed you so much.
When you're not around
to talk to and squeeze...
I just get all glumpy
and bummed.
How about some food, hon?
You sit your juicy buns
right down here, dude.
Sorry, Holling needs to
stuff his face in a bad way.
Kippered salmon and eggs
and pigs in a blanket.
Toast and jam?
Just a sec.
Sorry, gang.
Toast and jam...
and a nice big cup
of mocha java.
Thanks, hon.
God, H...
it's so bitching to have you
back from the Land of Nod.
Mmm.
Hi.
What are you staring at?
Nothing.
Hey, I know
what you're thinking.
And it's just not the case.
This wasn't a case of bowing
to pressure. Not at all.
I simply
weighed the options...
and made an informed,
rational decision.
Uh-huh.
See, what I realized is...
a person has three choices
in life.
You can swim against the tide
and get exhausted...
or you can tread water and
let the tide sweep you away...
or you can swim
with the tide...
and let it take you
where it wants you to go.
You decided to swim
with the tide?
Yeah.
Mike?
Maggie.
Hi.
I was just going to call you.
I wanted to see if you were going
to go to that thing of Chris'.
Oh, well,
I brought us this.
Oh, champagne.
I can't, there's the sulfites.
No, no, no. It's 100% organic.
Natural sparkling cider.
Great. Wonderful.
I'll go get some glasses.
And why don't you
make yourself comfortable?
Okay.
Wow...
you look beautiful.
Thanks.
No, no. I mean,
really, really beautiful.
Are we celebrating something?
Mike...
have you ever heard of those people
that live those safe, secure lives?
You know? I mean, sure, they
live to be a ripe old age...
but when they look back on those
long, long, lives, what do they feel?
Regret.
You know? It's like...
yeah, sure, they spent their time on
this planet being careful and cautious...
but when they look back
on their lives...
they feel regret for all the
things that they never did.
You know? It's kind of like my
grandfather on my father's side...
in Madison, Wisconsin.
He owned a Rambler dealership.
He lived to be 94...
but, man, he died a bitter,
old, unfulfilled pill.
Is that right?
Yeah.
I guess
what I'm trying to say is...
I don't think you can measure
life in terms of years.
I mean,
I think longevity...
doesn't necessarily have
anything to do with happiness.
I mean, happiness comes
from facing challenges...
and going out on a limb,
and taking risks.
And if you're not willing to take a risk
for something you really care about...
you might as well be dead.
Right?
Mike?
Yes, Maggie.
Kiss me.
Oh, boy.
You sure you should be out
so soon after the big sleep?
I don't want my squeeze-ola
getting the sniffles.
I'm fine, Shelly.
How about a little bit more
of that potato salad?
You betcha. Open up.
Oh, hello,
Dr. Fleischman.
Ed, Ruth-Anne.
Joel,
stop by the store tomorrow.
I just finished a painting
of sunflowers...
and it'll dress up
your outer office.
Oh, thank you. Oh, yes,
and Dr. Fleischman...
I know it won't be the same
as a Caribbean vacation...
but if you'd like to go
ice fishing on Sunday...
That's nice of you, Ed.
Thanks.
Hey, Marilyn.
Hey.
Goethe's final words,
"More light!"
Ever since we crawled out of that primordial
slime, that's been our unifying cry.
"More light!"
Sunlight, torchlight,
candlelight, neon, incandescent.
Light to banish the darkness from
our caves, to illuminate our roads...
the insides
of our refrigerators.
Big floods for the night
games at Soldier's Field...
little tiny flashlight for those
books we read under the covers...
when we're supposed
to be asleep.
Light is more than watts and
foot-candles. Light is a metaphor.
"Thy word is a lamp
unto my feet. "
"Rage, rage against the dying
of the light. "
"Lead, kindly Light,
amid the encircling gloom.
"Lead Thou me on!
"The night is dark and I am
far from home. Lead thou me on!"
"Arise, shine,
for thy light has come. "
Light is knowledge,
light is life.
Light is light.
Dr. Fleischman.
Morning?
How can you tell?
It is so unrelenting...
it is so dark,
and it is so cold.
Mail.
Oh, my travel stuff,
how perfect.
Martinique, Barbados,
Saint Barts.
"I got two weeks,
14 days"
"Two weeks, 14 days"
I figure I'll spend a week with
the meshpucha in New York...
catch the Blue Man Group,
Falsettos, right?
Then I'm going to spend a week on one
of these magnificent, sun-filled isles.
Grand Cayman, fabulous
barrier reef, wall diving.
Caneel Bay, incredible white
sand beaches, coconut palms.
Jamaica, oh, man, look at this
golf course near Runaway Bay.
What?
It won't happen.
What won't happen?
Your vacation.
My vacation won't happen?
Uh-huh.
Why not?
Because.
Because what?
What, you think it's, like,
the cosmic joke, is that it?
Huh?
You're right,
it's a perfect setup.
Here we are, we're in the
dead of Alaska in winter...
there's one bleak, frozen
hour of sunlight a day...
I'm planning a trip
to a tropical paradise...
this is a trip
that I really want...
a trip that I desperately
need to take...
so, naturally, something's going
to stop me from going, right?
Uh-huh.
Right. And of course, the one thing we
all should have learned as children...
is if there's something you
want with all of your heart...
with every fiber of your being,
you're certain not to get it.
Right.
A dark and delicious
good morning to you, Cicely.
Believe it or not,
it's 9: 00 am...
and this is Bernard Stevens,
sitting in for my brother, Chris.
As always this time of year, he's
been mauled by the artistic impulse.
Foregoing sleep
and sustenance...
Chris has immersed himself
in his annual act of creation.
Bonne chance, brother.
We've got three days to go in
our winter solstice countdown.
We got sunrise today at 4:02
p. m. and sunset at 4:48.
You know, continuous,
unremitting darkness...
has been known to send some people
into an emotional tailspin...
so the management here at KBHR radio
suggests locking away the firearms.
Now, the desire to stick
that. 45 between your teeth...
can get pretty strong
at times...
so why invite temptation?
And for a little mood
elevation, swing by The Brick...
open 24 hours during this solstice
season, with free chocolate for all.
That's right, chocolate,
that magic elixir.
Nothing like it to raise the body's
serotonin levels and thus the spirits as well.
Hey, I'm on my way.
Denver chocolate pudding.
Denver chocolate pie...
and minute steak,
chocolate Kisses.
I ordered sour cream.
Sorry, Steve.
I'm short-handed today.
You'll have to
get it yourself.
Shelly?
Any sign of that granola?
Oh, my God, Ruth-Anne.
I forgot.
It's just so crazy
around here...
and with Holling gone to bed,
I just get brain-fried.
Oh, is he hibernating
already?
Five days now.
Just gets up to whiz.
Sure hope
it's not like last year.
He was sacked out
for three weeks.
Oh, it was much worse
when he was younger.
In '75, Holling hibernated
for two months.
Wow.
That's a vibrant red,
isn't it?
Yeah.
I'm painting a field
of poppies...
and I can't quite find
the right shade.
Want to try
the cocktail sauce?
All right.
Hot fudge sundae, extra
almonds, hold on the cherry.
Chocolate sprinkles
with that?
By all means.
All right.
Coffee?
How much is it?
40 cents.
Listen, how much
can I get to eat for...
Let's see, two...
Two dollars and 24 cents.
Special K, Toll House Cookie.
Anything more substantial?
Cream of Wheat?
Yeah, that'll do.
Try a slice
of the blackout cake.
Hey, thank you.
You know, I'm not one to
judge a book by its cover...
but looking at you, your
clothes, your personal hygiene...
I'd guess you were homeless.
I mean, the only reason
I bring it up...
is I've been coming to Cicely
for a couple of years now...
and I've never encountered
a homeless person.
At least none that fit
the traditional stereotype.
I prefer the term "hobo. "
Hobo?
Sure, makes sense.
A lot less negative baggage
to carry.
Implies a life choice,
instead of a state of being.
Hobo.
Paladin of the open road?
Riding the rails,
shanty towns, nail soup?
Very picaresque.
Bernard Stevens.
Hey, Lance Bristol.
Hi, Chris.
How's the piece coming?
What's the matter?
Things not going too good?
Oh, just conceptually,
it seemed so right, you know?
Metal twisting, turning, rising out of
the corporeal, struggling to the divine.
It's just a tower, Dave,
it's an archetype.
A transcendental symbol
from Babel to Watts, you know?
It's embedded in our souls.
I like the bicycle chain.
You like the bicycle chain?
Uh-huh.
Of course you like
the bicycle chain.
The bicycle chain is fine
in and of itself.
It's just the whole...
It's thin, you know? It's
brittle, there's no weight.
It's like what Gertrude Stein said about
Oakland, "There's no there, there. "
Maybe some more pipes.
More pipes?
Copper.
Hi, Ruth-Anne.
Hello, Maggie.
Needs more yellow.
I know what it is.
Butterflies.
Is there anything
I can help you with?
You know,
it's the weirdest thing.
I can't remember
what I came in here for.
I just got in
some nice mandarin oranges.
Okay. I can always use
a few mandarin oranges.
It's all right, Maggie.
Believe me, I understand.
Your mind is elsewhere. And I don't
blame you, that business with Joel.
Fleischman?
You two have had such a stormy
relationship. All that push-pull.
Yeah.
Having intercourse with him was
undoubtedly a great release of pressure...
but terribly unnerving
as well.
Well, actually, I'm not thinking
about intercourse with Fleischman.
No?
No.
I'm thinking about
intercourse with Mike.
Mike Monroe?
Yeah. I think about sex
with him all the time.
I mean,
it's constantly on my mind.
I play it out in my head
a thousand times a day.
Unbuttoning his shirt and
running my hands down his chest...
into the waistband
of his pants.
I'd hop in the sack
with him right now...
if I weren't afraid
I'd kill him.
I know
what you're going to say.
I had sex with Fleischman, and
he's okay. But for how long?
I mean, Glen and I were together
for a year and a half before he died.
And besides, you know, if
Fleischman kicks the bucket...
Well, I don't know.
I just don't think I can
risk it with Mike, Ruth-Anne.
I mean, I don't think I want
his blood on my hands. Oh.
Could you put these
on my tab?
Sure.
Only 15 minutes
of sunlight left, folks.
So I suggest you get outside pronto
and catch all the rays you can.
And don't forget to lop on
the SPF 30.
You know, as I speak, I can
see Cicely's latest visitor...
Lance Bristol, hunting for recyclables
across from our KBHR studios.
And as I look at his matted hair
and his threadbare clothes...
my gut-level response is revulsion,
an inner, primal recoiling.
I mean, from where
do these feelings spring?
I mean, certainly it's not a rational
response to a man who is no threat to me.
Bottom line?
I could be Lance,
Lance could be me.
My response, I guess,
should therefore be empathy...
caring, consideration.
I'm working on it.
Empathy?
What kind of manure
are you spreading, Bernard?
Sorry.
Tramps accosting people
on the streets for money...
urinating in doorways.
He does stir up
ambivalent feelings.
Ambivalent, hell.
I've got an investment
in this town.
An investment in time,
money, and personal vision.
I will not
have it defiled...
by some piece
of human excrescence.
Hey. Oh, you might
find this interesting.
You know the winter depression
people talk about up here?
It's not just psychological. It
actually has a physical pathology. SAD.
That's what it's called. SAD.
Seasonal Affective Disorder.
See, sunlight decreases
pineal activity...
which inhibits the production
of melatonin.
When your body isn't exposed
to sunlight...
it produces these constant
high levels of melatonin.
This screws up
your circadian cycles...
and it literally
makes you sad.
What can I do for you?
We were right.
We were? About what?
This came.
"No physician willing
to take your place. Stop.
"Community cannot be placed
in jeopardy. Stop.
"Vacation denied. Our
apologies, the State of Alaska. "
It's official.
Oh, no, no, no,
no, no, no, no.
No, no, no!
You said it would happen.
I didn't say it would happen, I said it
would happen so that it wouldn't happen.
Don't you understand?
This is a defense.
This is like "break a leg"...
or washing your car
so that it'll rain.
Oh.
First they add a year
to my contract...
now they take away
my vacation.
I mean, did I fall into a
bottomless pit? There's no exit.
There's no light at the end of
this tunnel. It's a nightmare.
Look,
I don't feel like talking.
Can you just
leave me alone, please?
What?
It's sad.
Hi, Marilyn.
Sorry I'm late.
Hi, Lynn.
Dr. Fleischman said
he'd remove my corn today.
He's not here.
Well,
when's he coming back?
He's not.
He's not?
No.
He's withholding his services.
Oh.
You mean Dr. Fleischman's not
going to work here anymore?
Not until
he gets his vacation.
He said if the State of Alaska
wants to play hardball, so will he.
Oh.
You want me
to remove your corn?
Okay.
Follow me.
Hey, excuse me, folks, can you spare
any change? Like a quarter or anything?
Excuse me,
can you spare a quarter?
Thank you. Appreciate it.
Hey, man, spare change?
Write it off your taxes.
Heavy sledding.
Hey, man.
This your spot?
No. Have a seat.
The cops hassle you much
around here?
Nope.
Not at all.
So, where do you sleep?
Trailer.
Trailer, huh? You got
any extra room in there?
Yeah, usually, but I got
my brother staying with me.
All right.
Can you believe that?
What do you mean?
When you look at it,
do you believe it?
Oh, not really.
Of course you don't.
What was I thinking?
I keep tearing it apart.
I put it back together.
It just doesn't work.
I mean...
I never had a solstice
like this before.
You know, usually I'm focused. I'm
clear, you know. The piece, it just...
It flows.
Yeah.
You know?
Last year, a neogothic
ice palace, Lake Eagle.
The year before that,
metal cocoons.
I took an entire acre of
spruce, I wrapped it in tinfoil.
Is that right?
That's right.
Amazing.
But this thing here, man,
a monstrous, screaming zero.
It's killing me, too, 'cause
I got all this juice...
and I got nowhere
to plug it in.
Can I have a hit of that?
Yeah, sure.
Thanks.
Miller?
Lite.
Bratwurst special
for number six.
Okay.
Holling's still out, huh?
Yeah.
I just gotta remind myself, he's like a
big old Delco battery that needs a recharge.
It'll be worth it
when he wakes up...
'cause he'll just go
and go and go.
That's the spirit.
Geneva chocolate with this?
Amaretto truffle.
Okey-doke.
Thank you.
10-4.
Morning, Dr. Fleischman.
How you doing?
I've just had a little
flare-up of my old psoriasis.
It's the same old thing. You know,
rash on the elbow and behind the knees.
It doesn't bother me, but my
wife thinks it's unsightly.
Jim,
I'm not practicing today.
Oh, I understand, but I
just want some of that cream.
Do you think
I like doing this? Do you?
Do you think I like
betraying my Hippocratic oath?
I got no choice.
I got no alternative.
You don't get it,
do you?
You really think this is just about
my vacation and your psoriasis.
Well, sure.
No, Jim.
If they can take away my two
weeks and get away with it...
they can just as easily
do it to you or anybody else.
I'm making a stand here, for the
most basic and fundamental rights...
that are due any working man and any
working woman. I'll tell you something else.
You and everyone else in this town
should be lined up right behind me.
Why? Because
I'm fighting your battle.
I'm the little guy who's
got the guts to stand up...
look them in the eye, and say, "I
will not retreat one single inch. "
And I will be heard.
I most certainly will.
All right,
let's come to order.
Take your seats, please.
We've got a problem here,
people.
I will not allow one man
to hold this town hostage.
Worst comes to worst,
I'll see him behind bars.
You want to put Joel
in jail?
Who said anything about Joel?
I'm talking
about that scrofulous bum...
who parked himself
on Main Street.
Maurice?
We came here
to talk about Fleischman.
Where is he, anyway?
Well, I don't know where he is. I
told him to be here at 1700 hours.
Ed, where's Fleischman?
Dr. Fleischman respectfully
declines to attend.
Decline?
Yes. He feels that his presence
here would compromise his position.
Well, what the hell
does that mean?
He's instructed me
to speak on his behalf.
So, if you all consider me
Dr. Fleischman...
All right. Come on,
get your fanny up here.
Yes, sir.
You got a statement?
Yes, sir. We do.
Despite my reluctance...
to live and practice
in a small rural community...
I have served the Borough
of Arrowhead in good faith.
However, that good faith
has not been reciprocated...
and therefore, I have been
left with no other recourse...
but to withhold my services
so that I may obtain...
what is contractually
and morally mine.
And, oh, yes, taking
questions from the floor now.
Ruth-Anne.
How long do you intend
to keep this nonsense up?
Ruth-Anne, I feel that
that question...
should be directed
to the State of Alaska...
as they're the ones who have
reneged on our agreement...
and they're the ones who have
the power to break this impasse.
Shelly.
What if somebody
gets really sick?
You know, like,
they're seriously hurling...
or they cut off a finger
with a band saw?
Yes, well...
although, once again,
I feel that that question...
should be directed
to the State of Alaska...
I have made arrangements
with Dr. Kornhauser...
you know, he lives
over in Moose Pass...
to take care of any
such emergency that may-
All right, let's cut through
the crap. What do you want?
Oh, well, all that I want...
is what is legally owed to me.
My two weeks' vacation.
We're ready to make a deal.
$500, cash.
Me and Holling will throw in
two free spaghetti lunches.
And half a dozen
orange roughy fillets.
Sorry, folks.
People, let us not waste
each other's time.
My vacation,
as stated in the contract...
is absolutely and
unequivocably non-negotiable.
Thank you.
Joel? Joel?
The doctor's out.
Joel, it's me!
Yeah, Mike...
look, really,
I can't make any exceptions.
Look, look, I'm fine.
This isn't medical.
Why are you wearing the mask?
Oh, peat fires in Irkutsk.
No big deal.
May I come in?
Yeah, yeah, I'm sorry.
Thanks.
Hi.
It's a little nippy
out there.
Yeah, sorry.
Oh, Ping ZING 5, huh?
Yeah.
That's very nice.
I like those
on Bermuda greens...
but, you know,
on a bent grass...
I like something
a little lighter.
I didn't know
you played golf.
Well, I haven't been able
to since the MCS set in...
but I love the game.
Here, I have to serve you
with these.
Serve me?
Yeah.
Pro forma.
I've been retained
by the Township of Cicely.
What is this?
You're violating the terms of your
contract, Joel. You're in breach.
You're suing me?
There'll be a hearing on
the 24th before Judge Percy.
We'll be seeking
a preliminary injunction...
and then, of course,
we'll be filing for damages.
Is this a joke? Damages?
You offer a unique service,
Joel.
You know, for us to contract
another physician privately...
it would cost a minimum
of $125,000 a year.
At five years,
that's $625,000.
I don't believe this.
Heaven forbid anybody
should get sick and die.
You could be liable
for millions.
How could you do this to me?
After all that I have done for you?
Sorry?
Do you forget who's been
checking your eosinophil count...
three times a week
for the last four months?
Joel...
Don't "Joel" me.
When the mosquito abatement
people came and sprayed...
and you got that allergic reaction to
that terrible asthmatic component...
who stayed with you day and
night until the wheezing stopped?
Joel, I appreciate everything
you've done for me. Really.
And personally,
I like you a lot.
You like me? This is how
you express your affection?
Look, believe me, Joel...
if I hadn't been retained
by the city...
I'd have been delighted
to represent you.
And, hey...
after the ice melts...
maybe we can go hit a few.
See you.
Hey, Bristol.
Sign says
you're a veteran, huh?
Yeah.
Vietnam?
That's right.
A lot of good men
served in that war.
Washouts like you
give them a bad name.
What were you, some
long-haired draft-dodger...
whose number
finally came up?
I enlisted.
That right?
In what? The regular Army?
Those clowns
will take anybody.
I was in the Corps.
The Marine Corps?
The hell you were.
Now, listen, pal,
I'm a Marine...
and I resent any low-life
derelict insinuating-
Bristol, LC, PFC,
United States Marine Corps.
2192842.
What outfit were you with?
Bravo 13.
Out of Da Nang?
No, sir. First division
was in Da Nang.
That's right.
Northern I Corps
west of Dong Ha.
Provided security
at the Khe Gia Bridge.
Sometimes ran road sweeps along Route
9 to keep the MSR open to Khe Sanh.
Rifleman?
Grunt.
Damn.
Here,
buy yourself a hot meal.
Semper fi.
Oo-rah.
It's high noon, Cicely...
and we're now three days into the Borough
of Arrowhead County's physician strike...
and one day away
from winter solstice...
which means a full 24 hours
of glorious darkness.
And, turning to the art scene, it seems
my brother Chris has taken off headlong...
into a new creative direction.
I'm not sure which particular
muse has seized him...
but clearly
her grip is strong.
And, right now, I'd like
to turn the microphone...
over to Maurice Minnifield...
the president
and general manager...
of the Minnifield
Communications Network.
Maurice.
Thank you. I'll be brief.
I'm collecting for a comrade-in-arms
who's down on his luck.
We need clean, serviceable
clothes, canned goods...
toiletries,
that sort of thing.
Now, bring them by the station,
we'll make sure he gets them.
Oh, and remember,
this is not the dump.
No rags, no junk, no three-year-old
jars of pickled beets.
Appreciate it.
Excuse me,
you okay in there?
Yeah, fine. You work here?
Yeah.
You know, for a few cents more, you
can get name-brand paper towels...
which are a lot more absorbent
than this institutional grade.
I'll tell the boss
as soon as he wakes up.
Do that.
But you...
I need this, Dave.
Okay by me.
Hey, Chris.
Ted.
Hello.
Sonny.
Cup of joe,
Dr. Fleischman?
Shelly,
let me ask you something.
Now, I thought that we were
friends, that you liked me.
I do.
How is it that you can be
a part of this lawsuit?
Oh, that.
Just being a team player.
You know, "all for one,
one for all. "
Shelly, I'm going to snag me
some of these bulbs.
Okay.
Hello, Joel.
I'll have one of those.
Okey-dokey.
Ruth-Anne, how can you look
me in the eye and greet me...
as if nothing is different,
as if nothing has changed?
What do you mean?
He means the lawsuit.
Oh, that.
"Oh, that"? "Oh, that"?
This is incredible.
What is wrong
with you people?
Don't you realize
what you're doing?
To me, your physician?
I'm the guy who sets your broken
bones. Lowers your blood pressure.
Tramps out into the tundra in the middle
of the night to deliver your babies.
Every single one of you has stood
before me naked, sick and needy...
desperate for my help.
Instead of gratitude, what
do I get? What's my reward?
How do you repay me?
With malice and venom.
I wouldn't take it
too personally, Joel.
Have you ever heard
of US v. Hillegas?
No. Let's see.
Treble damages are upheld...
breaching
scholarship agreement...
United States Court of
Appeals, Ninth Circuit.
What do you think?
Hillegas got an NHSC
medical scholarship...
in exchange for agreeing to serve
in a health manpower shortage area.
After graduation,
he tried to back out.
The government sued him
and won.
This is exactly the kind of
precedent we were looking for.
Really?
God, Maggie, I knew we had an
excellent case against Joel...
but now we have got him
by the short hairs!
That's wonderful.
Now, don't get me wrong.
You know, I mean, I sympathize
with Joel's predicament. I do.
But I gotta tell you, there is
nothing more satisfying in law...
than knowing that you are going
to walk into that courtroom...
and grind your opponent's
face into the marble floor.
I can imagine.
And you, you did it, Maggie.
You put the final nail
in Joel's coffin.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
Well...
Yes?
Guess I should go finish
transcribing those depositions, huh?
Okay?
Yeah, right.
Yeah.
Okay, bye.
Okay.
Hey, Ed. How's it going?
Oh, good afternoon,
Dr. Fleischman.
Say, could you hand me that
other screwdriver over there?
Boy, I'll tell you, these last few
days have been a real eye-opener.
I can imagine.
I have seen
up close and personal...
the dark underbelly of this town,
and it is not a pretty sight.
One thing for sure, you find
out who your friends are.
I won't forget it.
I mean it. I won't forget
how you stuck behind me.
And all the others,
Maurice, Ruth-Anne, Mike...
they couldn't wait
to stab me in the back.
But not you.
You are a real mensch.
Thank you,
Dr. Fleischman.
What's going on here?
Oh, I just finished
changing the lock.
What? Why?
Well,
the way Maurice put it is...
as long as you refuse to provide
medical services to the community...
the community will refuse
to provide you with lodging.
What are you talking about?
What about my stuff?
Your stuff's been seized.
Seized?
Maurice says it's standard
procedure in cases like this.
Seized?
Well, don't tell anyone,
Dr. Fleischman...
but I packed you a spare change
of underwear and a toothbrush.
You know, Dr. Fleischman, I always thought
your story would have a happy ending...
like To Sir, With Love.
What?
Oh, Sidney Poitier takes this job
working in the inner-city school...
and at first he just hates
being there...
but then, later, he comes to know his
students and to really care about them deeply.
And then at the end of the
movie, he's offered this job...
teaching at
a very prestigious school...
but he decides to stay
right where he's at.
But I guess that's just a
movie, huh, Dr. Fleischman?
I gotta go.
Hey, Bristol.
Bristol?
Yeah.
You in there?
Yeah.
Come out here.
I got something for you.
Thought you might
could use this.
There's some thermal
underwear, bib overalls...
some dental powder.
Some food in there, too.
Chicken noodle soup,
creamed corn.
Some clown threw in
a jar of poi.
You can use that
if you want to.
A couple of boxes just like
that over at the station.
What's this?
Oh,
those are shiitake mushrooms.
You have to soak them, but
they add a nice musky flavor...
to stews, casserole.
That's lovely.
Bristol, tell me something.
How'd it happen?
How'd you come
to this sorry state?
Was it drugs?
I can understand, I mean, that
no-win war, the temptation.
No, I never did drugs.
Was it that post-trauma rigmarole? No.
Well, was it the erosion
of our industrial base?
The factory you worked for
close down?
No, I had a good job,
cable TV company.
What happened, then?
Change of venue.
Huh?
It happened five years ago.
Summer, August.
I was troubleshooting
along a back road...
near this little farm town
in lllinois, Watseka.
It was 10:00 at night.
I was up the power pole...
and these lights
came out of nowhere.
Lights?
Yeah, real bright.
White and blue and green.
And they came close.
Hovering
over the corn field...
not making a sound,
just watching me.
And then they took off.
Straight up, fast.
It was a clear night,
but in a couple of seconds...
they were out of my sight.
They were gone.
Well, after that...
I had a hard time
keeping my mind on things...
on work, and girls...
on Sunday afternoon
football games.
No,
the world had turned over...
and I couldn't hold on.
Change of venue.
Yeah, exactly.
Yeah.
All right, hold it!
Chris!
Hey, did I wake you?
I'm sorry.
Man, what are you doing here?
You used to have a lava lamp.
Chris,
it's 3:00 in the morning.
It is?
Yeah, I almost shot you.
You still have that lava
lamp? I think it was green.
Yeah, I think
it's in here somewhere.
Yeah?
Though the cord's broken.
I mean,
I've gotta admire you.
Yeah?
Yeah. I mean, look at
you. You're so committed.
You just break into my house
in the middle of the night.
You risk getting killed
because you want something.
I mean, you make a
decision and you go for it.
You follow through,
no matter what.
Would you hold that?
Sure.
Me, I'm a wuss.
How's that?
I mean, I want something.
Someone, actually.
I can't do anything about it.
I mean, I'm completely frozen
because I won't take the risk.
Here it is.
It's a different
kettle of fish, though.
What do you mean?
Your situation with Mike.
I break in here at 3:00 a. m.,
I risk my life.
You hit the rack with Mike,
you risk his.
Yeah.
You know? But I'm saying, what the
hell, go for it. Nail him to the sheets.
You know why? Because real
meaningful endeavors...
I mean, the biggies
in the human existence...
they often require
the sacrifice of others.
Night.
Night.
Wake up, sleepyheads.
Wipe Mr. Sandman's dust
from your eyes.
It's time to face another
glorious, ebony Alaskan morn.
The winter solstice
has finally arrived.
No sunrise, no sunset,
how elegantly simple.
And I'm happy to announce my brother
Chris is galloping down the home stretch...
of this season's
artistic steeplechase.
My fellow Cicelians, you're
invited, one and all...
to Main Street,
tonight, 8:00, for...
Well, you've just got to show
up and find out for yourselves.
Dress warm.
I put some shampoo out on that shelf
for you. Did you find it all right?
Yeah, thanks.
Scrambled eggs okay?
Sure.
Help yourself
to those cinnamon rolls.
All right.
You know, Bristol,
I was thinking...
it's about time that I redid
that guest bathroom.
You know, put in a bigger tub,
some granite countertops.
Sure. Some Malibu tile.
Yeah, that's a good idea.
And I was also thinking
about replacing this floor.
Get rid of this tongue
and groove.
Put in some parquet.
Mmm-hmm.
So you've got a job.
$200 a week,
plus room and board.
Look,
I'd like to help you out...
but I'm gonna be moving on.
You help me out?
No, no, no,
you've got it backward.
It's me
that's helping you out.
Sorry.
Look, Bristol...
just because you saw a few
lights in the night sky...
are you going to go Section
Eight for the rest of your life?
It's not even that special.
I mean, most of the guys
who suited up in Thinsulite...
saw lights
they couldn't explain...
doing things
they shouldn't be doing...
or where they shouldn't be.
Look, Bristol, I wouldn't want
this to go beyond these walls...
but when I was in my seventh
orbit over the Indian Ocean...
I looked out of the capsule
and there they were.
They were close aboard.
It was like they were
flying form on me...
watching me.
They stayed in orbit with me
about a minute, and then...
In the blink of an eye, they
were gone. Just like that.
There are things out there
we don't understand.
Can't understand.
Could be the big guy,
could be little green men...
or just whatnot, proving to
us we don't know everything.
But that's not important.
What's important is...
a reasonable man...
a sane man, a healthy man...
when he encounters
the inexplicable...
forgets about it.
Come on, Bristol,
take the job.
Put some money in your pockets
before you move on.
Give it some thought.
Good morning.
I know what you're thinking. I'm not
coming back. You can save your breath.
I appreciate you coming out
here. I am not coming back.
I don't care what you say, I don't
care what they do, I'm not coming back.
Should I order
more glucose dipsticks?
What?
Glucose dipsticks.
That's what you came here to talk
to me about, glucose dipsticks?
I'm freezing to death here...
I've been
completely abandoned...
you wanna talk
about glucose dipsticks?
We're running low.
Don't you understand,
nothing's changed here?
Do you not understand that?
They haven't given in.
They haven't given me
my vacation.
Oh, I see, you think
I'm going to fold, huh?
Yeah, you think because they
took away my livelihood...
and threw me out of my house, and basically
forced me to live like a dog here...
you think
I'm going to roll over?
Uh-huh, no way.
There's a principle
at stake here...
and I don't care how many lawyers
they hire or how many papers they file.
It doesn't make
a difference to me...
because I'm not going to stand
for this injustice.
You hear me?
I won't stand for it.
What?
For how long?
For how long, what?
Won't you stand?
Two over easy, home fries.
Chocolate sauce with this?
Just a little
on the English muffin.
Thanks, dear.
Welcome.
Shel?
Holling! You're up!
Emmett Riley's mastiff
woke me with his barking.
I could use
a couple more days' sleep.
You want to try
to go back to sleep?
No, I'm up now.
And hungry.
Oh, babe,
I missed you so much.
When you're not around
to talk to and squeeze...
I just get all glumpy
and bummed.
How about some food, hon?
You sit your juicy buns
right down here, dude.
Sorry, Holling needs to
stuff his face in a bad way.
Kippered salmon and eggs
and pigs in a blanket.
Toast and jam?
Just a sec.
Sorry, gang.
Toast and jam...
and a nice big cup
of mocha java.
Thanks, hon.
God, H...
it's so bitching to have you
back from the Land of Nod.
Mmm.
Hi.
What are you staring at?
Nothing.
Hey, I know
what you're thinking.
And it's just not the case.
This wasn't a case of bowing
to pressure. Not at all.
I simply
weighed the options...
and made an informed,
rational decision.
Uh-huh.
See, what I realized is...
a person has three choices
in life.
You can swim against the tide
and get exhausted...
or you can tread water and
let the tide sweep you away...
or you can swim
with the tide...
and let it take you
where it wants you to go.
You decided to swim
with the tide?
Yeah.
Mike?
Maggie.
Hi.
I was just going to call you.
I wanted to see if you were going
to go to that thing of Chris'.
Oh, well,
I brought us this.
Oh, champagne.
I can't, there's the sulfites.
No, no, no. It's 100% organic.
Natural sparkling cider.
Great. Wonderful.
I'll go get some glasses.
And why don't you
make yourself comfortable?
Okay.
Wow...
you look beautiful.
Thanks.
No, no. I mean,
really, really beautiful.
Are we celebrating something?
Mike...
have you ever heard of those people
that live those safe, secure lives?
You know? I mean, sure, they
live to be a ripe old age...
but when they look back on those
long, long, lives, what do they feel?
Regret.
You know? It's like...
yeah, sure, they spent their time on
this planet being careful and cautious...
but when they look back
on their lives...
they feel regret for all the
things that they never did.
You know? It's kind of like my
grandfather on my father's side...
in Madison, Wisconsin.
He owned a Rambler dealership.
He lived to be 94...
but, man, he died a bitter,
old, unfulfilled pill.
Is that right?
Yeah.
I guess
what I'm trying to say is...
I don't think you can measure
life in terms of years.
I mean,
I think longevity...
doesn't necessarily have
anything to do with happiness.
I mean, happiness comes
from facing challenges...
and going out on a limb,
and taking risks.
And if you're not willing to take a risk
for something you really care about...
you might as well be dead.
Right?
Mike?
Yes, Maggie.
Kiss me.
Oh, boy.
You sure you should be out
so soon after the big sleep?
I don't want my squeeze-ola
getting the sniffles.
I'm fine, Shelly.
How about a little bit more
of that potato salad?
You betcha. Open up.
Oh, hello,
Dr. Fleischman.
Ed, Ruth-Anne.
Joel,
stop by the store tomorrow.
I just finished a painting
of sunflowers...
and it'll dress up
your outer office.
Oh, thank you. Oh, yes,
and Dr. Fleischman...
I know it won't be the same
as a Caribbean vacation...
but if you'd like to go
ice fishing on Sunday...
That's nice of you, Ed.
Thanks.
Hey, Marilyn.
Hey.
Goethe's final words,
"More light!"
Ever since we crawled out of that primordial
slime, that's been our unifying cry.
"More light!"
Sunlight, torchlight,
candlelight, neon, incandescent.
Light to banish the darkness from
our caves, to illuminate our roads...
the insides
of our refrigerators.
Big floods for the night
games at Soldier's Field...
little tiny flashlight for those
books we read under the covers...
when we're supposed
to be asleep.
Light is more than watts and
foot-candles. Light is a metaphor.
"Thy word is a lamp
unto my feet. "
"Rage, rage against the dying
of the light. "
"Lead, kindly Light,
amid the encircling gloom.
"Lead Thou me on!
"The night is dark and I am
far from home. Lead thou me on!"
"Arise, shine,
for thy light has come. "
Light is knowledge,
light is life.
Light is light.