Let's go, guys. Look alive out there!
Here, batter, batter, batter!
Look at that dog!
Where is he going?
All right, young man, let's go.
Let's go.
Okay, so, open your notebooks.
I want you to write down your homework.
I want you to finish your multiplication...
Jane? What's going on?
Looks like we have a transfer student.
Okay! You guys, give him some space.
Hi, little guy.
Hi... hey.
What's his name?
He's gotta have a name!
I don't know.
What about... "Lucky?"
How about "pepper?"
"Barny's" way better.
"Elvis" or...
"Daisy?"
What about "Duke?"
Yeah!
Okay! "Duke" it is.
Well, Duke, welcome to Mrs. Pulaski's homeroom.
Yay!
Well, your master's going to miss you
like nobody's business.
Buddy, don't look at me like that.
I can't take you home.
Duke?
Come on, marine. Watch your form.
Just one more. You can do it.
One more!
Come on. Dig.
Excellent.
Beyond the call of duty.
It's pathetic.
I'm as weak as a baby.
I know it's slow,
but you're making progress.
How's the numbness?
It's better after the surgery, but...
It still tingles on the right side,
especially if I'm on my feet a lot.
I'll mention that in my report.
Now, take a break, you deserve it.
Yeah.
Get some water.
Yeah.
Not so fast, sergeant.
You take this everywhere you go.
I hate that thing.
It's your best friend unless you're sleeping.
Understand?
Yes, sir.
Dad!
Hey, pumpkin.
Hey.
Daddy, wait till you see what mom brought home!
A new car? No?
A million dollars?
Your mother brought home a dog?
Your mother brought home a dog.
Look at him.
Where'd you find this guy?
Mom found him at the school.
The school?
What're you doin'? Look at you!
You're handsome! What's his name?
Duke.
Duke?
Hey!
Alright. Look at him!
Hey!
Pleased to meet you!
Don't get any ideas, you two.
We can't keep him.
I just got home. I didn't say anything.
I saw your face.
But, mom!
Sweetie, he belongs to somebody.
Maybe he has a microchip.
We'll call the pound, we'll put up some fliers,
and we'll find his owner.
But what if we don't?
You said when I turned 12, we'd get a pet,
and I've been 12 for three months.
Honey, dogs are expensive.
I mean, has he had his shots?
We don't know the first thing about this dog.
Alright, you know, maybe I can fix this.
I'm thinking about doing some moonlighting
over at the appliance store on berkley, so.
That's just what you need, Terry...
More time on your feet.
Don't make promises you can't keep.
What the hell is that supposed to mean?
Alice...
Go get Duke some water,
and see that he's got something to eat. Okay?
Go ahead.
I don't want to fight about this.
Why is it that I'm the one who always has to say no?
Do these people really need to come over
this weekend?
It's the fourth of July. Everybody's celebrating.
I could use some down time.
These people are our friends and neighbors, Terry.
They put yellow ribbons up and down the street
in honor of you.
They'd like to welcome you home.
I don't even know half of them.
Look, I put a lot of work into this.
A movie night...
With you, Alice...
And a bag of microwave popcorn
would've suited me just fine.
Let me guess.
Leaning tower of pisa?
Daddy, this is not funny.
It's supposed to be the Santa Barbara mission.
Can't you tell?
Well, you can't build anything without a good foundation.
No wonder it's falling down.
This is the dumbest assignment ever!
Well, remember what I taught you.
"Best foot forward."
That's right.
But, dad, who cares about a stupid sugar-cube church?
You know, when I used to work as a contractor,
not a single piece of framing went up
until we made sure our foundation was right.
Do me a favor, pumpkin.
Will you hand me that piece of oak
right there?
Thanks. Alright, stand back.
You only get one chance to do this right!
Yeah.
Now, what we'll do is,
we'll anchor the sugar cubes with some wood glue,
and, she should last forever.
I remember
when you made cabinets for the kitchen
and I had sawdust in my cereal every morning.
I thought your mother was going to kill me.
Get s...
Hey...
Why don't you take this inside and get started, okay?
This is gonna be so cool.
Yeah.
Thanks, dad.
God.
Can I put in an order
for some bookshelves in the living room?
I'm afraid sugar-cube missions
are the extent of my skills.
Come on. Don't say that.
You can build anything.
You used to spend hours out here.
Honey...
I can't even stand up five damn minutes
to help my kid with her school project!
I tried making an appointment
with a social worker at the v. A.,
but the wait is forever.
They're completely overloaded.
It's tough when they first come home.
They worry that they'll never fit in again.
One minute, he's... He's like his old self,
and, the next, he's yelling at someone...
Or I'm getting the silent treatment.
I'm sorry, honey.
If there's anything I can do...
Duke!
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
The only good thing in his life right now is that dog.
They're inseparable.
Good dog! Good boy, Duke. Attaboy.
Come on, come on!
Any word on his owner?
No. We put flyers up around the school,
but not a single phone call.
It's incredible.
A dog like that,
and nobody seems to want him back?
He chose you.
He chose Terry.
Just stop asking questions and be grateful.
Somebody answered your prayers with that dog.
I know.
I think you were probably a marine
in a previous lifetime, buddy.
Alright, pal. Here we go. Up.
There you go. Out you get. Come on.
You know, they sure don't think about
updating these magazines, man.
This still has Phil Jackson coaching the bulls,
for crying out loud.
Hey, pulaski?
How'd you get this dog in here?
He's a service dog.
Yeah. "Service dog."
I got your service dog.
Come here, come here.
-He does tricks too, you know. -Tricks?
Yeah. Check this out.
Watch this. You ready?
Watch, watch, watch. Ready?
-Attaboy! -Alright, there we go!
There we go, there we go.
Thattaboy! Look at this. There he goes.
He's like gene Kelly!
# Dah-da-dah-da #
Sergeant pulaski?
Good dog.
He loves being a marine.
He feels accepted here, part of the corps.
Well, lots of soldiers take medical discharges
and, somehow, their lives go on.
Not Terry.
Aside from us,
this is the only family he's ever known.
We weren't able to remove all the shrapnel
from the lumbar area.
There's scar tissue here.
And, since surgery...
You've herniated two more discs.
T4... and t5.
Do you see the bulging?
Yeah. Yeah.
Alright, look, doc. Okay...
I'm sure it's going to heal over time,
but my unit's redeploying next month,
and I just need to get out there.
I'm afraid I'm going to have to operate again.
Well... can you do it before I ship out?
Those guys are counting on me,
and I need to be there for them.
You're not shipping out, sergeant.
I want you to take a medical discharge.
Alright, listen.
I hate that desk job,
absolutely hate that desk job, but I'll tell you what...
I'll gut it out until I get better. How's that?
You're not going to "get better."
Your level of functionality will continue to diminish,
even with the additional surgery.
So, what... I'm going to end up in a wheelchair?
Nah.
It's too soon to say,
but, no matter what we do,
we can't make you combat-ready.
Your service
is over.
Really? I mean, what did I do to deserve this?
Tell me. I was just doing my job!
My platoon came under mortar fire...
I understand, sergeant.
Please, don't do this to me.
Just keep me at that desk duty, okay?
And, I promise, I'll continue my p. T.,
and I will get stronger,
and I will show everybody...
Sergeant, my advice to you... Do it voluntarily,
or it will come down as an order.
And if I'm not serving in the corps,
then what am I going to do on the outside?
Who the hell's going to hire me?
I can't even believe this is happening.
Well, what you can't believe that you married a cripple.
Would you stop saying that?
I'm not gonna stop saying it.
How the hell am I going to support you and Alice
on s. S.I. And my pension?
How am I gonna do that?
We can barely make ends meet now.
I should just get the hell outta here.
I don't know, but we'll make it work.
Stop saying that!
You're gonna end up taking care of me for the rest of my life.
Forget it! I'm not gonna do it to you.
Terry!
I will not do it to you!
No...
No!
God.
Okay.
Terry's looking great.
You pulled it off, honey.
It's gonna be a really nice fourth of July.
Just enjoy yourself.
Hey. Pace yourself, buddy.
Party's just getting started.
Yeah.
Well, this dog-and-pony show wasn't my idea.
Calm down.
Theresa did the same damn thing to me when I came home.
Except she had a tea.
A tea!
What the hell am I supposed to do
with all those little sandwiches?
Wives always feel like they got to do something.
Ask any of the guys.
My leg just keeps going numb.
I'm having a lot of trouble sleeping.
They give you anything on base?
Sleeping pills.
As if I haven't got enough medication inside me.
Man, this desk gig... It's just temporary.
Don't worry, buddy.
You'll be back out there with the rest of us
before you even know it.
Yeah.
I swear, I think you've grown six inches
since I left home last year.
Only two. Mom measured.
Well, you know what,
after this second surgery,
I think we're gonna have to get back into hoops.
You been practicing your free-throws?
But how do you know
you're gonna get better, dad?
Because I know.
I'm glad you're home.
Let somebody else fight the war.
You're... You're the only dad I have.
Here we go.
Dad?
Daddy?
Daddy! What's wrong?
Mom!
Daddy! Mom!
Something's wrong. Something happened.
Terry?
Terry!
Terry? Terry!
He-e-ey, buddy-boy!
Come on! Get some breakfast?
Come on! Come on, come on.
What color shall we do today?
What's your pleasure?
Not red...
You wore red every day last week.
Yellow?
Yeah?
Today's going to be a yellow day, then.
Alright? That's my man.
Who's that?
-Hey! -Hey, come on in, Javier.
Where's the eggs Benedict?
You know, I don't smell the bacon.
What do you think this is, a roach coach?
No, but it'd be nice. You know.
Hey, good morning, Duke. What, no red today?
We're done with the red, we're giving red a rest.
It's yellow.
You got love for me?
I don't work today.
I thought I'd take him for a walk.
Sometimes, I think you let me crash in your backyard
'cause you want to hang out with Duke.
You got that right.
I like him better than you.
Tell you what. You guys go ahead.
I've got a repair job I've got to finish up.
The coffers are runnin' low again.
The v. A. Check ain't coming until the end of the month.
You know, you...
You need anything, just come see me. Alright?
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
-You understand? -Yeah. I'm fine. Yeah.
Hey!
Hey, Duke, why don't you ask your uncle Javier
to take you for a walk?
He's doing it again.
Yeah, see? I told you, that's his dog talk.
Yeah? Yeah? And what's he saying?
What's he sayin'?
He's saying that I shouldn't...
I shouldn't fall for your crazy-ass b. S.
About the eggs Benedict!
-Is that right? -That's what he's saying. Yeah.
Yeah, you know what I think?
I think that you've just been on the street too long,
and that your brain is fried.
Come on! That's just mean, now.
Listen. Hey, Duke,
tell your jav here
that you know how to talk. Go ahead, tell him!
Yeah! See?
Yeah.
Duke!
Duke?
Duke! Duke, come on!
Come on. Up, up!
Around.
It's "dukester," the wonder dog.
Yeah.
Alright, Duke...
We are ready!
Movie night, Duke. Movie night!
Let's go!
This is a good one. You're gonna like it.
Yeah, I know you are.
Come on, come on, come on, come on.
Look, it's got a dog in it.
He's not as handsome as you, though.
Alright, alright.
Rise and shine! Rise and shine.
Yeah.
Good morning.
Who needs an alarm clock when you've got "camper Terry?"
What is it, 6:00 A.M.?
Nah, it's 0700.
Did you see the sunrise this morning?
Unbelievably beautiful.
Donuts, too?
Did you hit the lottery?
No, believe me, when I hit the lottery,
it's Danish for everybody.
Duke, I'm gonna be working in the camper.
Don't go far. Thanks, Terry.
Enjoy.
Have a good day, have a good day.
Thank you. Dig in, guy.
Hi.
I... brought my rim.
Hot-rodding it around the park?
I wasn't going that fast!
Can you fix it?
Well...
Let's see what we can do.
I used to work on my daughter's bike
when she was your age.
How'd you find me?
My mom sees you here all the time.
She says you can fix anything.
I asked my dad to fix my bike.
He doesn't know how.
What does your dad do?
He's a lawyer.
He yells at people all day.
The world's a crazy place.
My dad said my bike's not worth fixing.
Honey, everything's worth fixing.
You like it in here?
Duke and I have a good life.
We're thankful for a roof over our heads,
even if it leaks sometimes.
There you go. It'll have to do.
Yeah!
How much?
It's on the house.
Just promise me that you'll slow down.
No, mom says you have to take this.
Somethin' about... "Work ethnic?"
"Work ethic."
Okay. Thank you.
He fixed it!
Duke? Lunchtime!
Duke!
That's not like him to refuse a meal.
Hey. Come here, buddy-boy.
Where you goin'?
Duke?
I've never seen him do that before.
You got enough money to send him to the vet, right?
Yeah. Yeah.
You know, you're the worst liar ever.
Right?
Yeah?
Popcorn, buddy.
This will make you feel better... Your favorite.
Nice and hot, pal.
Come on, pal! Popcorn!
Duke!
Duke?
Duke, Duke... What's the matter, boy?
Hey, it's papa.
What's the matter, pal?
Alright, come on. Let's go.
Alright, come on.
Come on, pal. Come on.
Come on.
Alright, buddy, come on.
I gotcha now.
It's okay. You're okay.
There you go.
Sweet boy.
Okay.
Alright, buddy. It's going to be okay.
Okay, pal.
You're cold.
Alright. Alright, come on.
You're ice-cold.
I'm gonna get you some help, okay?
Be right back. Alright?
Papa's gonna get you some help, okay?
Javier!
It's an emergency!
Wha...
I'm going to get you some help.
Give me $75. It's not junk.
Just $75.
Where you been?
Duke's sick.
It's serious. He's really suffering.
Took him to a bunch of vets.
Went to the 24-hour place on central
to convince the tech to come out and take a look at him.
-Is he going to be okay? -I don't think so.
He needs a lot of tests.
Sorry, brother.
I get it, buddy.
I hear you.
You just rest.
I'll take care of everything.
Just hang in there a little while longer, okay?
My good boy.
You hang in there a little bit longer, 'Kay?
Okay.
My good boy.
My good boy...
I'm not going to let you suffer anymore.
Hey.
We don't open for another hour.
No, I couldn't wait any longer.
Can you help us?
He's had...
He's been having seizures,
I think he had a stroke, and...
I can't afford to... To have him put down.
I'm sorry, sir, but we don't take in animals off the street.
It's strict policy.
No, no. Here, here, here.
Here's everything I have.
Please. I...
I have nowhere else to take him.
I mean, look at him.
So, it's like sleeping, right?
It won't hurt him... right?
No, no. It's very peaceful.
You can be right there with him.
Look, I'll take him in.
Okay, thanks.
Let me call my boss and let her know.
I'll need you to fill out you some paperwork.
-Yeah. Okay. -Be right back, okay?
Hello, doctor?
We have a man here with a dying dog.
Okay, the doctor's five minutes away.
Just fill out the top two pages.
Okay.
I'll go to get a gurney for him.
Okay. All right.
I don't know what I'm gonna do without you.
What would I do?
I'll never be as brave as you.
Goodbye, my good boy.
I love you, Duke.
Morning, guys.
Morning, doctor.
How are we doing?
The owner disappeared.
He was homeless.
I didn't even get his name.
I'm sorry, doctor.
That's alright, Bryan. You did the right thing.
Do we know his name?
Duke.
Duke...
Hey, Duke.
I'm Dr. Angela.
Can you hang in there for me just a little longer, champ?
Will you do that for me?
Okay, let's get him inside.
Let's go, guys.
We might not have much time.
I think you'd better read this, doctor.
"Dear doctors..."
"...please forgive me,
"but I don't know where else to turn.
"I'm a homeless, disabled vet,
"and, a few days ago, without any warning,
my dog, Duke, had what I think is a stroke."
"He hasn't eaten anything in days.
He can't stand up on his own."
"I don't want him to suffer like this."
"Duke has been my teacher...
"My best friend,
"and my faithful companion for 10 years now.
"I can't imagine life without him...
"But... I know when it's time to say goodbye.
Please let him sleep."
"I love you, Duke."
He's probably dehydrated.
"Thank you for always being there.
All right. Get a temperature.
"Goodbye, buddy."
No reading.
He's got to be below 91.
Signs of nystagmus.
He's probably suffering from ataxia.
Let's do an "istat."
Check his blood sugar.
I need a red blood-cell count,
check his electrolytes, kidney values.
His pulse is low.
It's 60. That's not good.
Get him on oxygen.
25.
Systolic pressure's below 70.
He's not responding.
Let's bolus this guy.
Start an I.V., 25% dextrose, and make sure
we have a 30 milliequivalent of potassium standing by.
We're not putting this guy down without a fight.
We heard the bad news, Terry.
Sorry, man.
Thank you.
You didn't want him to suffer, Terry.
Yeah.
All those horrible things we saw in Afghanistan.
Men... women...
Civilians...
Horrible.
But I just couldn't face being there
when they put him down.
It's not easy to watch someone you love die.
I abandoned him.
Don't do that to yourself.
You left him in good hands.
That's what I do.
I abandon.
I walk away.
Hell, I'm an expert at walking away.
Walked away from my own family.
That's the worst thing I ever did.
I can't figure out a way to fix it.
-Hey. -Hey.
Look at that face...
He's always watching us, even when he's in pain.
This one's a heartbreaker.
What do you think caused this?
Could be neurological. Drugs.
He could've eaten something toxic...
Kidney failure.
That's more activity
than we've seen out of him all day.
I think he wants some popcorn.
You think?
You hungry, Duke?
Still too sick to eat?
Maybe it's not about hunger...
Maybe the popcorn means something to him.
You're quite a mystery, little guy.
What? You knockin' now?
Hey. Here you go. Thanks.
And thanks for the lifeline, man.
Cannot tell you how many times you've saved my life
these past few years.
What's going on?
I don't know. I just need a...
A change of scenery.
Where're you going to go?
Away from here.
Terry!
What does "away from here" look like?
Church parking lots? Under freeway Bridges?
Come on, Terry.
You gonna bug out like that?
Just need to clear my head, that's all.
I'll be fine.
Come on. Hey, hey.
Do me a favor, will?
Find a home for this stuff.
Give to somebody, donate it...
I don't care.
Terry!
This what you're gonna do?
Really?
I can't believe we've been here almost a year
and we're still unpacking boxes.
Some of this stuff I've been saving
for the nursery.
By the way... I'm really liking this yellow.
It's gender-neutral.
What do you think?
My god...
What is this?
It's still standing after all these years!
My dad helped me build it.
Okay, but...
What is it?
It's the Santa Barbara mission.
It's the last thing we did together.
Do you think we're going to be good parents?
Are you kidding me?
Of course, we will.
You parent kids in your classroom every day.
You know what I mean, Matt.
I was 12 the last time I saw my dad.
We weren't exactly a family.
He tried.
He was just in so much pain.
Well, I wonder what was going through his head
the day he left.
I don't know.
My mom got home from work
and there was a heartbreaking letter.
Hey...
We don't have to talk about this.
No, it's okay.
You did everything possible
to track him down.
And he did what he could.
You know, at least he sent you money
from time to time.
I just hope that he's alive.
I mean, he was in such rough shape
when he left.
I'm sorry, honey.
Even after everything that happened,
I still miss him.
So.
What are we gonna do...
With this fantastic piece of art?
How about a shelf?
I want our kid to have a sense of history.
It's important to know where you came from.
Okay. Why don't you just have a seat?
We'll be with you in a sec.
-Morning. -Morning!
How's Duke?
He's still pretty listless.
I've got the mobile-m. R.I. People ready for your call.
Great.
We'll start with x-rays, but I have a feeling
we're going to have to go further.
By the way...
that woman from pet sure's corporate office
is here... Janice Evans.
Tell me you're joking.
-No. -You're not joking?
Not today.
Yeah.
She has been all over my front office,
digging through files,
asking about billing practices.
They want to evaluate the clinic
before they make their final buy-out offer.
Okay!
Let's put her on rounds.
Goody.
There's no masses in the abdomen,
and his lungs look clear,
although let's watch out for any pneumonia
or any secondary infections.
His white-cell count is way up.
He's probably got a u. T.I.
Let's start him on one gram unisym t. I.D.,
and send a sample out to the lab for a culture.
You can't keep that dog here indefinitely.
I know, I will release him
as soon as he's ready.
Your job is to heal him and send him home.
The clinic is not a charity.
I don't need you to tell me my job, Janice.
Look, I'm not trying to throw cold water
on what you're doing.
Okay? I have pets at home, I get it.
I'm paying for this out of the trust fund.
The trust fund is tapped out.
I asked Cami to run the numbers.
You've racked up almost $2300 in-house,
not to mention outside labs.
I just don't know any other way
to practice medicine.
Listen. You've seen almost every
independent clinic in this area
either go bankrupt or shut down.
I don't want to see that happen.
We want to buy you
that endoscopy we talked about,
we want this to be
a state-of-the-art facility.
Look...
I'm not the bad guy here, okay?
It's not that I don't care about that dog,
it's just a matter of dollars and cents.
I don't care about the dollars and cents.
I'm not putting him down
and I'm not gonna rush him out when he has nowhere else to go.
Hey! How's it going, reverend?
Hey! Terry!
Hey.
-Good to see you again! -Good to see you.
You still have that wonderful dog of yours?
Well, actually...
Duke passed away.
I'm... I'm... I'm sorry, Terry.
I know how much you loved him.
I did.
So, do you think I could,
park my vehicle out in front?
I'm afraid you can't more than a couple nights,
my friend.
The police'll give you a ticket
if you don't move every 48 hours.
Do you think you could use a little help around the church?
You know, sweeping up, or cleaning,
or stacking chairs, whatever... Something?
Aren't you still doing your appliance repairs?
I am, but I...
I have to get out of that motorhome, you know,
because, everywhere I look, I see Duke, and...
You know, so much time on my hands,
that's not a good thing. I gotta...
Well...
We are doing a big pancake breakfast
for father's day.
Guess I could use an extra pair of hands.
I could give you gas money,
and maybe trade some meals at the rectory.
Well, what do you say to that?
I think that'd be a good deal. Thank you.
-Okay. -All right, then!
Good to see you again, Terry.
Good to see you!
I'm starting to think vestibular disease.
I mean, he's showing all the hallmarks...
Ataxia, the head tilt, nystagmus...
Is that like vertigo?
Except much worse.
It affects everything...
His navigational skills, his inner-ear balance,
motor control.
Good news is, it's gonna resolve in seven to ten days,
with the proper meds and rest,
but we need to get this u. T.I. Under control,
or he's never gonna get better.
Hey, bud.
As you all know,
Duke is finally stabilizing.
If he continues to improve like this,
I think he can go home...
Wherever home is.
He doesn't have a microchip,
and we only have a couple of clues about his owner.
He's out there, somewhere, probably feeling horrible,
and he has no idea that his dog is alive and well.
So, I've contacted the herald, and they've agreed to help,
but I need some more ideas...
What else can we do to find him?
All printed off and ready to go, Cami?
Yes, we are!
Thanks a lot. Wish us luck.
Good luck out there.
When you came in that morning
and you saw Duke,
what was it that made you think,
"I can save this dog"?
I looked into those eyes and I saw a spark of something.
I saw something special... A fighter.
I saw an animal that wasn't ready to move on.
Duke's an old soul.
He's really beautiful.
And does this happen often?
No!
Not very often, in 17 years.
Any luck finding his, his owner?
We've had a few phone calls, but nothing solid yet.
This is when all the crackpots come out of the woodwork,
so we have to be really careful.
Matt, it's me.
Call me as soon as you get this.
It's urgent.
I think you'd better come to the front desk.
Okay.
Can you take kitty for blood work.
Alice, this is Dr. Geddings.
Hi. My name's Alice barelli,
and I saw your flyer about Duke.
I could hardly believe my eyes,
it looks so much like the dog I grew up with.
My dad and Duke were inseparable.
Is your father with you?
No...
I haven't seen my dad in about 10 years.
Okay.
I appreciate your situation
and I certainly hope that you find him,
but we need to be very cautious.
Of course.
We had a woman call in
and say that Duke was her...
Dead husband, reincarnated.
Could I see him?
I know that it sounds really far-fetched,
but I'm sure that he'll recognize me.
He's been through an awful lot,
and a parade of visitors is not what he needs right now.
But if you can find your father, please come back.
Alright?
It was good to meet you.
Alice?
I really do hope you find him.
Me too.
Excuse me?
Are you a social worker?
Yes, but if you want an appointment...
I can't wait five weeks,
look, I need to talk to somebody now.
I'm sorry. I'm trying
to get to my son's soccer game.
Okay, well, how long does it take
to walk to the parking structure?
That's all that I need.
He came home with a spine full of shrapnel,
nerve damage, and p. T.S.D.,
so I'm sure that there would be a record
of him being treated here.
Hippa laws prevent us
from releasing any personal information.
I think he may be on the streets.
I don't know how else to find him.
I'll be straight with you.
California has the largest population
of homeless veterans in the country.
In a city like L.A., on any given night,
there's about 75,000 people living on the streets,
and nearly half of them are vets.
So... you're saying it's pretty much hopeless?
Even with a p. O. Box,
you might never find him.
Look at reality.
Has he made any attempt to contact you?
No.
And how long has he been gone?
10 years.
Even if you're lucky enough to locate him,
you have to prepare yourself.
For what?
If history is any indicator,
he may not want to see you.
Well, I want to see him.
I wish you luck.
I was always the grill-meister and pancake chef.
The only two jobs I ever got right as a dad.
Now, I suspect you did better than that,
after watching you with that dog of yours.
I think you were a pretty good dad.
Are you really expecting this many people?
Well, this is one of the biggest days
of the year for us.
I'm going to be relying on you in the kitchen.
Well...
Bunnies, giraffes, you name it...
I can make it in a pancake.
My daughter, Alice...
Boy, she lived for "pancake Sundays."
You okay?
Yeah. I'm okay.
All I wanted was for Duke to get better,
but, I'm sorry, I don't believe in miracles.
I don't.
Well, a miracle or a cure, you wanted him to live.
Ain't nothing wrong with that.
It's a...
It's a horrible bargain we make with our pets.
And they give us unconditional love...
and, then, the day of reckoning comes.
They die,
and it makes us feel like it's the end of the world.
It breaks our heart,
and we act like, somehow, it's unfair.
You will heal, Terry.
You'll heal...
And then you'll learn to hope again.
But it is unfair.
It is unfair!
And I don't know what hope is anymore.
You know what?
It sounds like
you're punishing yourself for something.
But what is it?
I went to the clinic
to make sure
that he died peacefully...
I didn't have the courage to go in...
and I just walked away.
Like I walked away from my wife,
and I walked away from my child.
Life tested me and I failed!
I failed!
And I don't know how to fix it!
You have to forgive yourself, Terry.
I can't!
It's too late for me.
Have you... Have you ever stopped to think
that the most important thing in the world for a dog
is to live for his master?
Duke dedicated his life to you.
Come on, don't...
Don't squander that gift.
Use it.
Use it to turn your life around.
It's never too late.
It's never too late, my friend.
It's never too late for that.
Hey, how you doing?
Hey.
That's clear-heart redwood?
Gonna be a beautiful house.
You have any work here?
You're gonna have to talk to George.
He's the general contractor.
Yeah.
Yeah, I was a finish carpenter.
I've got my...
My workshop is on my truck, got all my tools.
Yeah, I can do caseworks,
moldings... You name it.
Buddy, I'm on the clock.
Alright.
You know, the truss joist is undersized.
Got to be reinforced at the load point.
You know that, right?
Look, you really shouldn't be here.
You gotta wear a hard-hat.
It's union rules.
That's a code violation.
What?
I said, it's a code violation.
What's a code violation?
Well, building and safety'll
hang you out to dry with the truss joists.
The load point needs to be eight inches.
-Boss, it's fine. -Son of a...
Make it right!
Good eye.
Thanks.
I was a general contractor myself.
Name's Terry pulaski.
Shouldn't be here without a hard hat.
Well, yeah. Union rules. Right?
It's new construction.
And... and historic renovation...
Doesn't matter, I can do it all.
You obviously know
your way around the table saw.
Thanks. What's more,
I'll be first guy on-site in the morning,
and I'll be the last guy to leave.
What's wrong with the leg?
Just some...
Shrapnel in my back when I was in the service.
I pretty much ignore it.
Ordinarily, I don't hire anybody off the streets...
And, with your back,
yeah, you're an accident risk.
Nobody wants a workman's comp case.
Yeah. Listen.
I haven't had a job interview in a while,
you know, so...
I'm pretty rusty at this.
I mean, what more do I need to tell?
I do need to start hiring finish carpenters
for the phase ii kitchens.
Might be able to put you on a crew.
Give me a call in a couple weeks.
That'd be great! You won't be sorry.
I promise you.
There you go.
No, I can't take this.
Take it. You saved me a citation
from building and safety.
You earned it.
We're here at the valley animal clinic
in Sacramento
with a heartbreaking story about a veteran and his dog...
The support is outpouring for the dog,
but also the owner,
who is believed to be thought...
The TV news people
want to talk to you when you're free. And...
I need some extra help on the front desk.
I can't keep up with the phones.
Is there any new leads?
No, but...!
We are getting donations...
Cash, food cards,
pet store gift certificates for Duke... you name it.
That's amazing!
Yes! Over $700 so far.
And...!
This...
You won't believe this.
People are calling in with odd jobs
for Duke's owner...
Anything to help.
That's great.
Sorry. I couldn't help overhearing.
Just a thought.
You might want
to consider using some of those donations
towards Duke's outstanding medical bills.
I can't re-appropriate the funds, Janice.
It just doesn't feel right.
Look, could you... I need to talk to you.
Could you walk with me for a minute?
I need to be able to practice medicine
without the approval
of some corporate committee.
I also need to know
that I can guarantee my staff their jobs,
some of whom have been with me
since the very beginning.
I appreciate everything that your company is offering...
Angela?
Today is my last day.
I have to finish that report and send it in,
so I'm gonna level with you.
Okay.
You have an amazing practice.
It's compassionate,
skilful, professional,
but you run it like it's mayberry r. F.D.
Now, your competition is going to eat you alive
without our help.
I follow my heart. I just try to do what's right.
The value isn't in the building or the equipment,
it's in people like you and your staff.
There's an incredible level of dedication.
I saw it every day in what you did with Duke.
I... sn't expecting a compliment.
Having said that,
if you continue to practice medicine like this,
I guarantee you,
you will be out of business within two years.
Nevertheless,
I am going to recommend
that we complete the purchase.
Congratulations.
Matt?
You weren't supposed to see this!
What are you doing home?
Sara and I switched shifts. Why? What's up?
Happy first father's day.
I was gonna hide it until Sunday.
I am the worst wife.
It is crooked...
And the frosting came out of a can.
But it's applied with such loving care
it's beautiful.
And it's... it's perfect. I love it.
You're going to make the best father.
So, hey, how'd you make out today?
I took some flyers
down to the shelter on Chatsworth at lunchtime.
Somebody there knew a guy named "camper Terry"
who parks his motorhome down by the river...
And he said he has a dog.
Really? Any address?
No, but he said that he parks it in the carport at a house
where they kept the Christmas lights up
all year-round.
Look, honey, I just...
I feel like you've been running yourself ragged
these last couple of days.
If I have to go block-by-block knocking on doors...
Well, what if you do find him?
This might not be the movie moment
that you've been hoping for.
I just don't want to see you get hurt.
I just want to find him, Matt.
Yeah.
Where the hell are you, Terry?
# I knew you felt it would last forever #
# but it don't seem like half as long #
# and it was grace that's kept you #
# safe thus far #
# and grace will lead you home #
# I knew you wanted something better #
# I guess you wanted something, too #
# and it was grace that kept you #
# safe thus far #
# and grace will see you through #
Alright, alright. I'm movin'.
Don't give me a ticket.
No ticket! It's me, you idiot.
Where've you been?
Have a look at this.
It's Duke.
He's alive.
He's alive?
Hey!
He's alive!
Alright!
Come on. Please.
No...
# I knew you wanted something better #
# I guess you wanted something, too #
# and it was grace that kept you #
# safe thus far #
# and grace will see you through #
# Out in the middle of the ocean #
# where the fishing looks so fine #
# that's where you'll find the grace #
# that'll keep you safe #
# and ease your worried mind #
Hey.
Hi.
One of the kids down the street
said you might be able to help me.
My name's Alice pulaski.
I'm looking for my father.
Alice?
# I know god will keep you #
# all of your days #
# as grace will see you through #
So, I've been going around the neighborhood,
and I figured that, eventually...
Alice?
Dad?
Is that you?
You're so grown-up.
Why, I...
I can't believe it!
10 years.
You're not my... you're not my little girl anymore.
Look at you... Gray hair!
So...
What, are you married?
Do you have a...
Do you have a boyfriend, or a family, or...?
So many questions.
I know. I'm sorry.
I just don't know where to start.
I'm not good at this.
I mean, all this time, I...
I was afraid that you'd passed away.
What happened to you?
I was on the streets.
How did you survive?
I had Duke with me.
God, you look just like your mother.
How is she?
Dad...
Mom passed away.
Two years ago.
She had cancer.
She fought hard.
I'm sorry.
I'm sorry, Alice.
She deserved a lot better than the life that I gave her.
Both of you did.
I'm sorry.
Look, we can't change what happened, but...
We can start over.
I don't know how.
Well, there's a lot that I want to say to you,
and a lot that we need to talk about, but...
Maybe we could just start with the easiest stuff.
After everything I've done to you...
You're still my father.
Time doesn't change that.
Okay! Yeah, that's great.
Okay. Thanks.
So, I just talked to Dr. Angela,
and they're closed for the night,
but she said we can meet her first thing in the morning
at the clinic. How's that sound?
That's great. Great. I'll pay you back.
Dad.
No, pumpkin, I promise. I'll do it.
"Pumpkin."
Nobody's called me that in years.
Sorry.
You're not a child anymore.
Honey, I don't know how to do this.
Do what?
Figure out how to be a father again.
I'll see you in the morning.
When did you find the time to do that?
A future mother's work is never done.
Happy father's day, Mr. Barelli.
Thank you, sweetheart.
Are you sure you don't want me to come?
I want you to meet him, Matt.
It's just he's pretty fragile right now.
Are you nervous?
In a lot of ways, he's like a stranger to me.
Tell me everything's gonna be alright.
Everything's gonna be alright.
-I love you. -I love you, too.
Hey.
I see you're still drinking "the Earl."
Yeah.
After you.
Are you okay here?
I mean... don't you ever get lonely?
Yeah, sure, sometimes,
but I was never alone when Duke was around.
All right, let's go.
I need to ask you something.
Yeah. Anything.
Why did you leave?
Was it because of me, or because of mom?
Was is it something that we did?
No.
Marrying your mother, having you...
Were the best things that ever happened to me.
Then why?
I've never been able to understand it.
When I came back from Afghanistan,
I was...
I was broken.
I didn't want to be a burden to you,
to your mother...
Especially after the second surgery. I...
I wasn't a husband, I wasn't a father.
I wasn't a man.
I wanted to die...
but I didn't even have the courage to do that.
So, I left.
That's that.
Dad...
I'm pregnant.
You're going to be a grandfather.
That's... That's incredible.
So, how far along are you?
Is it a boy? A girl?
Three months.
And we're going to wait to find out.
But...
Matt and I really want for you to be a part of the family.
Well, I don't know.
I wasn't much of a father.
I don't want to disappoint you again.
My heart feels like
it's about to jump out of my chest.
"Best foot forward," right?
Ready?
Hi...
Yes, I'm Terry pulaski.
I'm here for Duke.
It's nice to meet you, Mr. Pulaski.
I just have a couple questions.
Okay. Can I see him, please?
It'll only take a minute.
Can you tell me
about the blanket that he was wrapped in?
The blanket was, plaid...
He had a...
A red bandana around his neck.
Red's his favorite. Feels naked without it.
The letter was beautiful.
And there was something else...
A medallion...
That I carved out of wood,
and, I carved a cross on it,
and...
He...
It was for a collar,
but he didn't like to wear collars,
but, if you turn it over, you can see I carved
"papa loves Duke" on it.
Mr. Pulaski... He is an amazing dog.
Yeah. Yeah. He is.
Can I please see him now?
I will be right back.
Okay.
Do you think he'll forgive me?
He loves you, dad.
That's all that matters.
Hey-hey-hey-hey-hey!
You look good! You look so good! Hey!
I've missed you!
That's my boy!
Look at you!
Look at you, man!
I've missed you.
You really took care of him.
Yes.
Is he going to be okay?
Absolutely.
He's going to be just fine.
Okay.
Hey! Do you remember me?
-Sure he remembers you. -Do you remember me?
I missed you, too.
We're all together now.
I missed you too.
All together.
All of this...
Has been pouring in since the newspaper story ran.
I'm calling it "Duke's trust fund."
Hey, you hear that, Duke? You hear that, buddy?
Yeah? You're my trust fund guy.
I can't... It's amazing!
I mean, how am I ever going to thank all these people?
Just take good care of him.
This box...
Is full of contact information of folks who want to hire you
to do... do odd jobs, or whatever.
So...
All... all of these people want me to work for them?
They were so touched by your story,
that they wanted to have a chance to give back.
I don't know how to thank you.
Come back and visit us.
As often as you want.
He understands every word we say.
You know that?
This dog... Is one of
the most amazing dogs I've ever met,
and I've met a lot of dogs in my career.
Duke! Come here.
Hi.
You know, I'm gonna miss you so much, little guy.
You've really shown me why I'm still here
after 17 years.
Thank you.
Alright.
Thanks.
Thank you.
I'll get it.
I'd like you to have this.
Please.
You protected him like he was your own.
He's your miracle, too.
Come on. Come on, come on. Whoop!
The boy's back. The boy's back! Look!
Come on. Back home!
Welcome home, buddy!
Look at him.
This is my number.
Promise that you'll call.
Okay.
Is it hard for you to be around me?
Honey, honey...
It was never about you.
I know it's hard for you to understand this...
But something happened to me...
And I never stopped loving you.
Okay?
I know, daddy.
Okay.
Lunchtime!
Hey, pumpkin!
There's my little girl.
Hi.
Come here, you. Come here, baby.
Brr-brr-brr!
Dad, the place looks amazing.
Yeah, well,
George introduced me to the new owners.
They want to do some custom cabinetry.
Which will be great.
-Where's Duke? -He's around here.
There you are. Hello!
There we go!
You're doing a dance for me?
Good boy!
Hello, beauty.
And guess what I've got
the kids at school working on?
What's that?
The California missions.
Do teachers still do that?
It's an institution.
In sugar cubes.
I still have mine.
No way.
Well, "nothing stands without a good foundation."