04x16 - Karate

[bunniefuu]

How's your old neighborhood
look to you, Ponch?

I'm seeing a ghost
on every corner.

Is it always this quiet
early in the morning?

Yeah. The one good thing
about this assignment is...

we get in an hour of duty
before the traffic gets heavy.

Two good things. Nothing very
serious ever happens this early.

[CHUCKLES]

Come on, you guys. Move it.

[ENGINES REVVING]

DISPATCH [OVER RADIO]:
16, Mary 3 and 4, L.A.

A citizen reports 459 how at
the motorcycle showroom...

Argyle and 3rd.

One good thing, okay.

10-4, L.A. Mary 4 and
3 on Argyle from 20th.

[ENGINE STUTTERS]

Forget it. Get on with me.

[ENGINE REVS]

[HORN HONKS & TIRES SCREECH]

[SIRENS WAILING]

Sirens, man. Cops.

MAN 1: Let's go.
MAN 2: Billy and Teri.

MAN 1: Forget
them, man. Let's roll.

PONCH: Jon, we lost one.

Easy, man. I'm a juvenile. No
rough stuff. I'll defend myself.

One time, son. Put your hands
all the way up. Put them up.

Turn around.

Officer Poncherello, como estas?

Hey, Rivas.

[BOTH SPEAK IN SPANISH]

Rivas, you see a guy on a motor?

Hey, I heard your
siren. You lost him, huh?

He turned off, Rivas.
I had to be here.

-Hey, I don't know,
man. I was parking a car.

BAKER [OVER RADIO]:
Mary 4, Mary 3, you copy?

10-4, Jon. I'm
in the parking lot.

One in custody in
the alley north of 17th.

Stand by.

This thing is hotter than
Bo Derek's autograph.

Oh, yeah. Looks like he
dumped it and ran up the street.

- You didn't see a thing?
- Hey, man, you know me, remember?

And we don't play games
with each other, okay?

Hey, I said I was parking a car.
Now, all these cars are locked.

You wanna check? I
don't have the keys.

Hey, Jon, I have the
stolen. The suspect is GOA.

-I'm gonna check the
streets. BAKER: 10-4, Ponch.

Now, you stay clean, huh?

[ENGINE REVS]

Stay behind the cars, out the gate
at the back of the lot and keep going.

That's a righteous cop,
but he don't mess around.

Love you, Rivas.

TERI: He's here,
you guys. Come on.

It's about time. I miss one
day of school, I go to slam city.

Why am I late, you ask.

Because I had to explain to my buyer. I
promise him four bikes, he only got two.

Is that good? No, that is bad.

How'd you get away, doll?

A friend. Rivas Sanchez.

Here's a hundred apiece. Now, I
don't want you to splash it around.

Huh?

Where's mine?

It's costing me your share
and Billy's to get Billy sprung.

- I stuck my neck out for nothing?
- Hey, that's kind of crummy, Andy.

Teri and Billy didn't deliver.

I buy and I sell. No charity here.
That's part of what I'm trying to teach.

You take or you get taken from.

He took my money, right? He took
my money? What if I took it from you?

All right. So learn. I want
you to watch and learn.

Go to school before your
probation officer comes after you.

And tell Rivas Sanchez
I wanna see him.

And I'm not gonna
wait forever. See you.

Come on, J.J.

Car-stripping, burglary, auto
theft. Crimes against property.

This whole area is heating up.

Now, among the allied agencies asking for
our help is the California Youth Authority.

Far too many juveniles involved.

Everyone on the 7 b*at be alert in
case Baker and Poncherello need help.

Okay, Frank, Jon, see me. The
rest of you, find something to do.

[ALL CHATTERING]

That motorcycle heist, your
appearance in court has been canceled.

- What happened?
- Billy Rogers?

Kicked loose to the custody of
his mother, who's on welfare...

represented by a lawyer we
couldn't afford with a government loan.

Sarge, Billy Rogers bragged about
the number of times he'd been busted.

Shoplifting, coin boxes...

Look, I know that,
you know that.

But he's a juvenile. No prior convictions.
The motorcycle's recovered, so...

They're gonna let him practice
till he gets it right. Terrific.

Just a minute. Who
hired the lawyer, Joe?

Look, I don't know,
and you don't care.

The heck we don't.

Park it and lock it.

You guys see somebody speeding?

- No.
- Rivas Sanchez around?

- It's personal. I'm a friend.
- Friend?

Sure. Never heard of him.

How about some identification?

Okay.

Rivas opens and he closes here.

Daytimes he's at school, unless
he's over at the center by St. Angela's.

Uh, that's a church,
you know what I mean?

Know it well.

Ah. Say a Hail Mary for me.

Oak Street Youth Center?

Hey, Buddy, Jamie. Put the
gloves on. I'll be with you in a minute.

[LOCKER DOOR CLOSES]

Yes, sir, Mr. Sanchez.

RIVAS: Hey, I
missed you yesterday.

Mr. Harrison said
he excused you.

I said I was sick. I was
just b*at, you know?

Hey, you wanna
do a movie tonight?

My treat. I owe you.

I can't. Gotta work.

I told Mr. Macedon
you helped me.

Hey, what if I wasn't
working yesterday morning?

I mean, you'd be
downtown in the t*nk.

- Billy's not. He's out already.
- Billy wasn't on probation. You are.

TERI: Hey, Andy
Macedon could handle it.

- Why don't you quit him, Teri?
- And do what, be like you?

Two part-time jobs
for 50, 60 a week.

Last week I made 300 bucks.

Made it, or stole it?

I got it, and that's
what counts.

You could too, Rivas. You
know, we could really have fun.

Look, Mr. Macedon said to come see
him. He thinks you're real cool. No jive.

Hey, Rivas.

RIVAS: Hey, the
righteous cops are here.

What are you guys
doing, slumming?

We're just kicking
around the old territory.

Somebody said you work here.

Eight hours a week.
I'm like the boxing coach.

Rivas was a desperate
criminal when we met.

Twelve years old.

Stole some candy bars and a
bottle of aspirin for his grandma. Heh.

And then ran right
into a rookie cop, me.

Hey, how come
we're still friends, huh?

You got me off. You know,
you got me into boxing.

Yeah, you straightened
me out, I guess.

Yeah.

So, Rivas, take a kid
who's stealing big, say

motorcycles. He's
headed for a heavy fall...

but before it's too late,
somebody helps straighten him out.

That guy's a real
friend, wouldn't you say?

Some would say...

rat fink.

JOSH: Yo, Rivas.

There's my boss.
I gotta go to work.

-How you doing, Rivas?
RIVAS: I'll be right with you guys.

Hi, I'm Josh Harrison, project
director. What can I do for you?

Frank Poncherello. Just
dropped in to see Rivas.

Would that be
Officer Poncherello?

Even the good guys can
spot us down here, huh?

Rivas is the only help I have.

- Don't tell me he's in any trouble.
- Oh, no, no, no.

See, uh, cops eat Corn Flakes, catch colds
and visit people just like human beings.

[BAKER & JOSH CHUCKLE]

Well, I wouldn't know. I'm not a
human being. I'm a social worker.

- Oh, yeah.
- Heh. Come on, sit down.

Sure.

When does the crowd arrive?

When I was a kid, you had to
line up to get in a place like this.

This is another world.

- Want some?
- No, thanks.

JOSH: That's Teri
Evans, a probationer.

She'd be great if she cared.

She's been ordered in here
by the court. Just k*lling time.

Hmm.

PONCH: How many kids do you
have here that are on probation?

JOSH: Seven. Some little kids.

But the kids I want, the ones
that really need a place like this...

Well, if I could give out with some acid
rock, a little pot and a few fast bucks...

I could probably give this
Macedon character a run for it.

Who?

The idol of the alleys.
Andy Macedon, the guru.

He's kind of an underworld
boss around here.

- You know the type.
- I know the guy.

Mr. Harrison?

Um, about Andy Macedon,
where can I find him?

You know the Hofbrau restaurant?

Try there.

- Billy Rogers?
- That's me.

Come on. Sign in.

- We'll see you.
- Yeah.

BAKER: Hey, Billy, uh,
make the most of it, will you?

RIVAS: That's it. Jab. Jab.
That's it. Now, keep your right up.

Otherwise you're
gonna get eye strain from

looking at the ceiling.
Come on. That's it.

[BOTH LAUGHING]

- I swear, I'm not lying.
- Jab. That's it. Attaboy. That's it.

Keep jabbing. Keep
jabbing. Come on.

All right, time. Time. Go on,
you guys take a rest, huh?

It's beautiful how you handled
Rivas, if he got the message.

He read me like a neon sign.
If I'd accused him, I'd lose him.

And I don't wanna lose him,
Jon. Especially to Andy Macedon.

- You said you grew up with Andy Macedon?
- He was a couple years ahead of me.

He used to b*at up on me once a
month just to loosen up his knuckles. Heh.

He was... Hey!

Break, this is an off-duty
highway patrolman on the road.

Any enforcement unit in
the area, come on. Come on.

I think I see them.

Any enforcement unit,
come on Channel 9.

[SIREN WAILING]

- Jon, guess what.
- I think we're being pinched.

I knew you were gonna say that.

[SIREN WAILING]

- Officer, I can explain...
- I heard that 14 times today.

Oh, well, what do you
know, comrades in arms.

- Poncherello, Baker, CHP Central.
- We were tailing some car thieves.

You were speeding.

You know any other
way to catch a thief?

Hey, I don't go for anyone
speeding on my b*at.

I been on that corner eight minutes,
the only car I see speeding is yours.

Come on, show me some ID.

They must have
turned the other way.

Look, it was a red two-door Plymouth,
'70 to '72, no license on the rear plate.

- You gonna show me some identification?
- We showed you our badges.

You might have stole them.

You might have stole
these fancy wheels.

Yeah, and if you would've put out a
call, they might've spotted that Plymouth.

Yeah, well, I guess
you're authentic.

Oh, yeah. And we patrol a b*at.
Guess where, and keep guessing.

Better still, write me a ticket. I'd
like to meet you in court on this.

Uh, Ponch. Come on, we were
gonna go to Hofbrau first anyway.

Well, isn't that nice?

You find that Plymouth in
there, look me up. I'll apologize.

Hey, Punchy Puncherello.

I heard you were in the
neighborhood. You and Baker.

- You'd be Baker, right?
- Yeah, right.

I'm Andy Macedon. Take a chair.

Billy Rogers tells me you're
a regular Wyatt Earp, Baker.

Now we know who
hired the lawyer.

Billy's gonna own half this town
someday. You mark my words.

- You guys hungry?
- No, thanks.

Take a carrot stick.

It's good for the eyes.
Cops, they need good eyes.

So you dropped in to see me.

Pure sentiment, right?

Do you know Rivas Sanchez?

Good boy. Takes care
of his grandmother.

Yeah, he teaches boxing at the youth
center, but he can't find any students.

Hey, boxing is out. Karate.

Know any karate instructors who
might be willing to teach over there?

What about you? You're
a black belt, aren't you?

I don't have the time.

MACEDON: Hey,
kids. Take a table.

Hey. Feed those kids,
huh? Bring me the bill.

WAITER: Right.

A lot of kids around here,
they don't have enough to eat.

Look, Billy Rogers knows some
karate. Do you know who taught him?

Yeah, I know.

A master of the art.

Private instructor.

Not available for teaching...

or for playing 20 Questions.

Andy, thanks for the idea.

You answered all the
important questions.

Mind telling me what
idea you thanked Andy for?

The challenge. I'm
gonna whip that dude.

Wait a minute. The guy that
used you for a punching bag?

No, no, no. Not that kind of
fight. The youth center v. Macedon.

The winner gets the kids.
We can glamorize the place.

We'll teach karate
and gymnastics.

Eh, I guess more and more
kids are getting into gymnastics.

Especially girls. And if
we get girls, we'll get boys.

Just what the doctor ordered.

Let's do it.

L.A. 15, 7 Adam. Car strippers
now. 10300 block on Lorenzo Drive.

DISPATCH [OVER
RADIO]: 10-4, 7 Adam.

Billy! Cops! Let's go!

Hold it right there! Freeze!

Out of the van, one at a time.

You first, Red.

On the ground, facedown.

[ENGINE STARTS]

[BOTH GRUNTING]

Billy!

See anyone you recognize?

No.

Kid with the stick isn't
here. I'm sure of that.

You almost fire at a
guy, you don't forget him.

Ah. Did that look like fun?

ALL: Yeah.
- Well, it was.

I was showing off just
a little bit. You won't

be able to do all
that stuff right away...

but then again, I couldn't
do it a few weeks ago either.

Oh! Ha, ha.

I know it looks like work, and
it is, but work makes it easy...

and once it's easy, it's fun.

Why don't we all come down to the mats
and see who can do the best somersault?

Okay? Come on.

Come on. Let's give it a
sh*t out here. Come on, girls.

That was terrific.

Okay, guys. Chess lessons
in Mr. Harrison's office.

Come on, fellas. Let's go.

I want the tough guys
over at the boxing ring.

Ping-Pong, anybody?

Well, you said if we get
the girls, we'd get the boys.

Watch. Karate.

BOYS: Yeah!
- Got them.

[PONCH CHUCKLES]

- Can I ask you something?
- Sure.

What's the tall guy doing here?

That's Baricza. He was
assaulted today by a kid with a bow.

Even here, huh? So
that's what this is all about.

- A lineup.
- Hey, you know better than that, Rivas.

Look, everybody knows
you and I are friends.

Being tight with the
man is bad enough.

But you put the collar on somebody in
here and it's gonna come back my fault.

You can find me at
the county morgue.

Hey, I hear you. And I promise
you we want these kids to have fun.

To learn, to stay straight.

While we're here, there'll
be no trouble. None.

And you can put
that out as gospel.

Now, come on, huh? Come on.

Good.

Self is what the
martial arts is all about.

Self-development,
self-confidence.

Body and mind.

Mind. Self-defense. Defense.

Now, anybody who wants to learn that so
they can go out and b*at up on somebody...

I'm gonna change your mind.

I'll make you study chess
with Officer Grossman.

[ALL LAUGH]

Okay, Rivas. Stand like a boxer.

There are three basic
stances in karate.

This is a back stance. Most
of the weight on the back leg.

Like a boxer.

Now, let's try it.
Come on. Come on.

Hey, could be Baricza's van.

- They're coming.
- Move it.

[SIREN WAILING]

L.A. 15, Mary 3 and 4
in pursuit of blue '72 van.

Chevy. Possible
hit-and-run suspect.

Westbound, Madison and 25th.

BARICZA [OVER RADIO]: Mary 3
and 4, 7 Adam. I can pick you up at 61st.

11-83 at 23rd, Code 4.

DISPATCH: 10-4.

Be cool, man. My ankle.

I've met this dude before.

You take him. I'll
call an ambulance.

Let's go.

[ROCK MUSIC PLAYING
OVER SPEAKERS]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

[SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

[CROWD APPLAUDING]

Oh, she's as good as you
thought. She could be a champion.

The best part about it is
you've got her into it, working.

She's already
starting to change.

Hey, Teri. God,
that was really nice.

- You're really getting good, you know?
- Thanks.

- Hey. Teri. Where you been?
- Here.

This is nowhere.

Then how come the
whole g*ng's here, man?

You'll see.

Rivas, karate.

Hey, you guys did a terrific
job in very short order.

If you're any more successful, you'll
have to start knocking out the walls.

[BOTH CHUCKLE]

Hey, look at Ponch.

He's good at this, huh?

Okay, the martial arts
has a lot of weapons...

that, uh, people used to use to
defend themselves against the bad guys.

The staff is called a bow.

This is a sai.

And a tonfa.

Somebody asked me if we
were going to be using these later.

Well, we will.

But for now, it's karate,
the art of the empty hand.

Yeah, that's us. We all got
empty hands around here.

Hey, don't interrupt
the teacher, man.

Right, you'll never
learn to defend yourself.

[ALL LAUGH]

Hey, cool it, you hear?

It's okay, Rivas. Let them have
their kicks. That's what this is about.

All right, last night we worked on
the three basic stances in karate.

Anybody wasn't here,
step up and I'll show you.

I see you've had some training.

How would you like to
become assistant instructors?

MACEDON: Hold it. Hold it.

Poncherello.

Don't let these kids
get away with this.

You gotta start them out right,
or else they ain't gonna learn.

[SPEAKS INDISTINCTLY]

Straighten that back leg.

Bend your knee.

Bring your foot back.

Why don't we give them
a little demonstration, huh?

You guys get out of the ring.

Rivas, you go too,
with your friends, okay?

Take this.

You look out of shape, Andy.

You must need
some points real bad.

Well, I wouldn't
worry about my shape.

You ain't gonna be
standing that long.

Now, if he's gonna teach you, I think
we should find out how good he is, right?

ALL: Yeah.

What'll it be?

The bow? Karate? What?

No, Andy.

Class dismissed.

You saying no?

No.

Class dismissed. Get out.

Well, the man said
no. You heard him.

As they say, “"Them as can,
do. Them as can't, teach.”

I know what you're thinking,
Rivas, but I promised you, no trouble.

You blew it, man.

TERI: Rivas, wait.

That t*rror1st.

Look, I am sorry about
this. I'm really sorry, huh?

And as for you, you're fired.

- Canned. Get out and stay out.
- Just cool it, will you, please?

Hey, why me, man? I
wasn't driving the car.

You were in charge
of the lot, huh?

I'm getting stolen motorcycles, I
got wrecks. Ah, get out of here.

You keep your crummy
friends out of here too, huh?

Hey, I'll call Poncherello.
You wanna wait for him?

Hey, I got things to do.

Okay, I got all the
information, and I'll file a report.

Now, you two get in touch with
your insurance men right away, okay?

- Thank you, officer.
- No problem.

Hey, Rivas. What's the story?

Well, my grandma's sick...

and I gotta pay the rent, and
I'm trying to finish school...

and once in a while I like
to eat, and I just got fired.

That's the story, man.

- I got no job.
- Fired? Why?

That guy came barreling in
here, ran into another guy's car.

You know, but the real
reason is you coming around.

The turkey that runs this
joint thinks I'm a crook.

- Listen, let me talk to him.
- Hey, forget it, man.

Stop doing me favors, okay?

You come in here waving a flag,
then go riding off into the sunset.

Me? I gotta live here.

You don't.

You don't even
belong here anymore.

Hey, Rivas, I'm
fighting for all the kids.

- The whole neighborhood.
- Fighting?

Like last night?

Hey, you don't use martial arts
the way Macedon tried last night.

A real karate master
wouldn't have done that.

That's what I want
the kids to learn.

Yeah, well, maybe you
let a lot of people down.

Maybe a lot of people
think you're a chicken.

Oh, no, I'll give you a chicken.

Somebody that knows
members of the Macedon g*ng...

and lets them victimize innocent
people because he's afraid to give names.

Afraid what they might
do. That's a chicken.

Oh, Jon.

Well, I guess I lost
them all last night.

What should I have done, huh?

What's this karate all about? Self-respect?
Tranquility? Peace of mind? Guts?

You had to mention guts?

Hey, you had guts
to keep the peace.

You have a nice way of
putting things, partner...

but you still don't
understand this turf.

What I lose, Macedon wins.

And that's the worst
thing that can happen.

It was a setup, wasn't
it? Me getting fired.

Sit down, Rivas.

You own the parking lot too?

If I did, I wouldn't
have had to frame you.

And if I didn't like you, I would've
framed you for something heavier.

Okay, I need a job.

Took you a long
time to come to me.

Took some moxie
not to come sooner.

That I like.

You a good driver?

Try me.

That's a
personal-services contract.

Get yourself some
decent threads.

Tomorrow you drive for me.

RIVAS: Hey, Teri.

TERI

- Here.
- For me?

No, for your uncle Joe.

Why, sure for you.
Why not for you?

- Wow. How come?
- Oh, to celebrate.

What?

- Hey, you're all dressed up.
- I got a new job.

Three bills a week
driving for Andy Macedon.

What?

Well, yeah. I mean, you were
out for the bucks. I got the bucks.

Like you said, now
we can have some fun.

Hey, let's do a movie
tonight. My treat.

Wow.

RIVAS: What's wrong?

I mean, I thought you'd be glad.

Oh, I'm glad. I am, but...

Well, you've been watching me
work out, Rivas. I'm good, and I...

Hey, some other time, okay?

Thanks.

Officer Poncherello.

Hi, Joshua.

Place looks quarantined.

Where's the boxing instructor?

I think I, uh, talked
Teri into telling you.

It should come from her.

PONCH: Teri?

I'm glad to see you.

I thought you
worked out with Rivas.

I did.

I came back.

He went to work
for Andy Macedon.

- Where?
- I don't know.

Driving his car.

There's a car wash.

They meet there every night to
find out what he wants him to steal.

MAN: Hey.
- All right, all right, all right.

How you doing, guys? Huh?

Hey, Rivas.

Now, listen, here's what I need.

I need some AM/FM
radios, some tape decks...

- and I need them right away...
- Andy.

MACEDON: Oh, look what we
have here. Punchy Puncherello.

You wanna join our g*ng, huh?

Get in your car, alone, and go.

- Where's your Chippie friends?
- Forget them. This is you and me.

Oh, I see. Assaulting
a police officer.

Do you see a badge
or a g*n? Hmm?

What are you hoping
to accomplish, huh?

Well, I did hope to pull
these kids out of the gutter.

Now I know I gotta
clean the gutter first.

- Really? That's...
- Unh!

MAN 1: Come on, Andy.

Show him how to do it, Andy.

MAN 2: That's it. MAN 3: Andy!

- All right, all right.
- Come on.

[CROWD SHOUTING INDISTINCTLY]

MAN 3: Get up, turkey! Get up, turkey!
MAN 4: What are you gonna do now, Ponch?

Andy, here, catch.

RIVAS: Hey, hey. Hey,
what are you doing, man?

Hey, Ponch.

MAN 5: Now what are
you gonna do, Andy?

MAN 6: Show him your stuff.
MAN 7: Go on, Ponch, show him!

I'd hate to hit a beaten man.

That's Andy Macedon. He's
a crook and I can prove it.

I'll back you, Teri.

RIVAS: Hey, Ponch.