Jacob's Ladder

-(chickens clucking) -(soldiers coughing)

Uh, Charlie-Fox, Charlie-Fox-6,

Uh, Roger, be advised...

...4-7-4, we'll have re-supplies down by chopper. Over.

Strong shit, man.

Where the fuck are the God damn gooks already?

I don't think them fucking dinks are even out there.

Jesus, this shit's something else.

Hey, Professor, how many times can you shit in an hour?

Professor got beaucoup shits, man.

Why do you even bother pulling them up?

You jerking off again, huh, Jake?

Come over here and jerk on this. Come choke my black roots.

Please?

-He's asking politely. -Ain't got a fucking tweezer, man.

-Whoa! -(all jeer and applaud)

Shit! We got movement in the tree line.

-Shit! -Movement in the tree line!

1, 3, 2, 0!

-Fuck, something's wrong. -What the fuck's wrong with you?

Motherfuck!

It's my head!

My head!

Help me! Somebody help me!

Get up! Get up!

-(soldier 2) Paul, help me, man. -Get up!

-(soldier gagging) -Help me!

What the fuck is wrong with you? Come on, get up!

Medic!

-What's wrong with me? -(Jacob) Medic!

-(soldier screaming) -(Jacob) Stop it!

-Medic, we need you here! -Come on, man!

Stop it!

Medic!

1, 2, 3, 0! Go flow! Fire!

My arm! My arm!

Aw, fuck! Shit!

Oh, God! Fucking shit!

Excuse me. Uh...

Do you know if we've passed Bergen Street yet?

Bergen...

Um... I fell asleep.

Um, all right. OK.

Fuck.

Shit.

Hi, Chester.

Go back to sleep.

Get insomnia again?

Jake, is that you?

What the hell did you do? Move all the furniture?

I just moved the chair, that's all.

That help?

Yeah, thanks.

-So what do you think? -About what?

The room.

-Oh, ask me tomorrow. -It is tomorrow.

How come you're so late?

Bud Nash didn't show up again. Called in sick. He's always sick.

So I worked. Got some overtime.

What happened to your pants?

Uh... don't ask.

-You look terrible. -Thanks.

Mm.

Help me.

Help me.

Oh, fuck.

-You're up? -Oh, fuck.

-What's that? -Your kid dropped it off.

-Who, Jed? -No, the little one.

Eli. Why can't you remember their names?

They're weird names.

They're biblical names.

They were prophets.

Well, personally, I never went for church names.

What?

Where do you think Jezebel came from?

Nobody calls me that.

You're such a heathen, Jezzie.

How'd I ever get involved with such a fucking ninny?

You sold your soul, remember? That's what you told me.

-Yeah? For what? -A good lay.

Look what I got...

-(both) The best. -(both laughing)

-So what's in the bag? -Pictures.

Oh, yeah?

Your wife was gonna toss 'em, so...

...what's-his-name dropped it over on the way to school.

Eli. Eli. E-li.

Oh...

These are great.

My father.

Yeah? Look at this baby.

Aw, who's that?

Isn't that the cutest baby you've ever seen?

Little fat little thing.

-That's me. -That's you? Let me see.

No, that's... that's all right. This fat little thing...

You don't have to look. You don't have to look.

Who's this?

Sarah.

Sarah.

I can see what you mean.

-What? -Why you left.

-What do you mean? -Jake, she looks like a real bitch.

Well, she looked good then.

-Not to me. -You didn't marry her.

Hello, baby.

How you doing?

What's wrong?

Is this the one who died before you went to Vietnam?

Yeah, it's Gabe.

Oh, God. Sorry.

Took me by surprise. I didn't expect to see him today.

What are you doing? Stop it!

I don't like things that make you cry.

I didn't cry.

Hey, Donald.

In to get your cheque? You one greedy motherfucker, man.

-Don't you know that? -(he chuckles)

Hi.

-How's it going? -Better now.

-Yeah? -Mm-hm.

-I'm gonna go home. -What's wrong?

Oh, just one of those days.

My back is killing me. I'll go see Louis.

Oh, no, not again. Your boss is gonna kill you.

What can you do?

Well... I'll miss riding home with you.

-Yeah? -I was looking forward to it.

-Yeah? Easy. My back. -Mm.

-(bone popping) -(he groans)

-Come on, Jake, that didn't hurt. -How do you know?

I know you.

-How come you're so tense today? -I don't know. What can I tell you?

I...

-I saw Sarah the other day. -Oh, yeah?

-Mm-hm. -Her knee acting up?

A bit.

So what did she have to say?

Turn on your right side.

How about the other right?

I don't understand you philosophers. You got the whole world figured out,

but you can't remember the difference

between right and left.

-So what did she say? -Well, not much.

She's like you that way. Two clams. No wonder your marriage didn't last.

Put your hand on your hip.

-Take a deep breath. -(he inhales)

-And let it out slowly, slowly... -(Jacob exhaling)

-(bone pops) -Ah!

That's good.

-Now turn to your left. -(he groans)

Did she talk about the boys?

She said you're a son of a bitch

and she regrets the day she set eyes on you.

-(both chuckling) -I thought she didn't say much.

She didn't. That's all she said.

Put your hand on your hip. Take a breath.

Easy...

-(bone popping) -On your back.

I think she still loves you.

I don't think so.

She doesn't stop talking about you.

That's love, Jake.

-I think you should go back to her. -She threw me out, remember?

Your problem is you spent six years getting a PhD

and then went to work for the post office.

Yeah. Well, what can I tell you?

After 'Nam, I didn't wanna think any more.

Any other brain but yours, I'd agree.