Brad, you know l was in the Army?
l met a woman in Saigon, a Vietnamese woman l want you to understand, this was before l was married Go on.
She had a baby, a girl.
That girl is my daughter l don`t care what you want.
Why don`t you go back to Vietnam where you belong.
Mr Smith, you fair enough you may have come along at just the right moment Well l do that sometimes.
Guess l fell asleep.
You deserved a nap.
Where are we anyway?
Coming up on Manville?
No, we` re way passed Menville.
We`re near Weston.
How long did l sleep?
An hour maybe.
You mean you drove 400 miles in an hour?
Yes, a miracle huh?
You can do the driving all the time Wish l knew where we were going.
Been on this road three days, God knows where.
Ain`t that the truth.
What are we stopping here for?
l`m not sure yet.
l could use a soda pop How about you?
No no l`m fine thanks.
Excuse me, please can we have some change for the soda machine?
l`m out of change That takes care of me too.
- l`m out of change for them, not you Let`s go.
What is wrong with them?
l see you are new around here.
Their kind came in and took half the jobs in the county
- They`re just kids.
They don`t belong here.
lf they want change let them get it on their side of town.
Here`s your change.
Where is your family from?
- Wisconsin.
No, l mean before that.
Europe?
England.
Well you`d better not ask a lndian for change, he might feel the way you do.
Have a nice day.
Hey kids come here a minute.
There you go, it`s on the house.
Gee thanks Mr.
- You`re welcome.
Ladders?
l guess we`re here?
Yes we`re here.
Come on remember to anticipate.
We`ve got to be moving as soon as the ball leaves the foot, alright?
Okay Jim you try it now alright?
Way to go, Larry.
Come on guys bring them in.
We`ve got a practice Monday afternoon.
Be here 15 minutes early for a meeting We got Marshall next week and they`re going to be plenty tough.
We`re going to be tougher, right?
Can`t hear you, can`t hear you.
Have a good weekend.
Hit those books and remember there`s more to life than soccer.
Like girls Wiseguy.
All right get lost all of you have a good weekend.
Hey dad, who are you going to put as winger against Marshall?
Darren.
He`s aggressive with good ball control l like Jeff, he`s fast.
Jeff?
.
We`ll see.
About time you retired those shoes there Larry.
l`d like to coach but what can l do?
Play barefoot?
Guess not.
Now that l think about it Larry Try these on for size.
Can`t have our star forward running out of shoes every time he goes to kick for goal.
Thanks coach, l`ll pay you back.
Forget it, just try them on will you?
Hey do you want to come over?
l just got this new railroad magazine.
lt`s got this locomotive l want you to see.
Yes, fine.
- Larry, remember what you promised me?
l told my mum l`d mow the lawn.
Later mum, alright?
Go on son, your mum is depending on you.
- Yeah you`re right See you tomorrow Brad.
Bye Coach.
- See you later.
Richard.
Thanks for the shoes.
- Don`t mention it Jeanette, my pleasure.
We`re home.
Get off me will you.
Hi mum
- Hi, guys.
How did practice go?
l was great.
You were fair.
Bills, bills Junk mail.
Seems like all we ever get.
Not quite.
What do you mean?
This came from immigration.
Dear Lord, she`s coming She is finally coming.
Who`s coming dad?
Brad, do you want to sit down?
Your mum and l have something we want to tell you.
Sounds serious.
- lt is.
But`s is something awful good.
At least your mum and l think it is.
We hope you will too.
Brad, you know l was in the Army in Vietnam?
l ah l met a woman in Saigon.
AVietnamese woman.
l want you to understand this was before your mom and l were married.
Go on.
This woman and l live together for a while.
lt was very lonely there son, it was terrible at times.
l cared for her a great deal.
Did you know?
Yes, your father told me all about her When my tour in Nam was over.
They shipped me home.
The woman wrote me a letter She had a baby, a girl.
That girl is my daughter l`ve kept in touch with them the best l could all these years.
Here, here`s a picture.
She`s your sister, Brad.
Her name is Nguyen.
She`s on her way here now.
To live with us.
l won`t be long.
Sure you need me on this one?
Why what`s wrong?
This whole business of the house painting, l don`t know anything about it.
So you learn Ladders.
l`m afraid of heights.
Don`t look down With paint l get allergies, l sneeze.
Look who`s here to say God bless you.
l`ll be right back.
He`s got an answer for everything.
Mr.
Gaines?
- Yes.
My name is Jonathan Smith.
l hear you`re looking for a housepainter.
l was until l got a few bids on the job and found it was going to cost more than l could afford right now.
My friend and l are two of the best we`re in between jobs right now.
l`m sure we could give you a fair price.
No l`m sorry it does need paint pretty bad.
Someone is coming to live with me Mr Smith if you`re fair enough, you may come just the right moment.
Well l do that sometimes.
lt`s a real nice layout you got there.
Did you build it yourself?
No my dad and l and a friend next door.
Must have taking you some time.
We started it when Larry and l were eight.
lt just kept growing.
My dad said we`ll have to knock out a wall pretty soon.
But that was before l guess we all outgrow things.
Yo Brad.
What are you doing?
Someone is coming to stay with us.
They need the room.
They can sleep on the couch.
lt`s permanent.
What are you talking about permanent?
My folks laid a heavy one on me yesterday.
l`ve got a half
-sister, Larry.
l never knew it.
She`s my dad`s daughter.
You`re kidding, your dad has a daughter?
She`s Viietnamese.
Happened when he was over there in the w*r.
You`re going to have some gook living here?
Don`t call her that.
They k*lled my father before l had the chance to get to know him.
Hey those were North Vietnamese.
This girl`s South Vietnamese.
l don`t care what she is, you just keep her away from me that`s all.
My back is k*lling me.
- From the painting?
No, leaning over that sink picking paint out of my beard with tweezers.
You looked a bit like Santa Claus after work today.
There is nothing worse in this world than a pain in the back.
You know they have a machine for it now where you hang upside down.
Supposed to be great for you.
What to think?
l don`t know, maybe it works.
l`ve never heard of a bat with a bad back.
You wouldn`t be making jokes if your back felt like this.
Sorry.
Oh God, l wish l was hanging upside down right now.
Hey this is kind of good thanks.
Don`t thank me.
l didn`t do anything.
Wait, the boss did it?
l think l`m going to take a little walk.
You go ahead, l`m just going to hang around here.
You get it, hang around here?
l got it, l`ll see you later.
Yes, that feels a lot better.
Okay that`s enough.
l said that`s enough.
Hello?
Jonathan.
Jonathan! Mr.
Gaines, is this the first time you`ve seen your daughter?
Yes, that`s right.
Do you expect her to have difficulty adjusting to American life?
She`s young, kids are adaptable.
And what is your name?
Brad Gaines.
l beg your pardon?
Brad Gaines.
How is it going to feel Brad having a big sister all of the sudden?
l don`t know for sure.
Oh, here she comes.
Excuse me, excuse me.
Nguyen?
Are you?
l`m your father.
Why does paint always go where you don`t want it to?
lt was easier being a cop.
That`s fine, try and get some paint on the wall less on yourself.
That`s very funny Mr house painter.
Let me tell you something.
lf you don`t put a cloth down here you`re going to get paint all over the carpet.
l`ll try to be careful.
Beginning to wonder what we`re doing here.
l mean these people what that little girl.
What is the problem?
Okay, the boy is a bit jealous.
He is a little mule headed he`ll get over it, Won`t he?
That`s what we`re here to find out.
l don`t know why you don`t just zap him.
Fill him with brotherly love, then we can be on our way.
There, that`s done.
lf you had used the roller you could`ve covered a whole lot more l was always a brush man myself.
Right, that`s not fair.
You using that l gotta use the regular way.
We are, Nguyen.
Your new home.
So big.
lt is mansion.
Like picture in magazine.
- Not quite a mansion.
Brad, take this to Nguyen room.
This is Mr Smith, Mr Gordon getting the place spruced up for us.
Pleasure to meet you.
Let`s go see your room.
Come on.
Here we go.
This is your room, hope you like it?
This is where l sleep?
- Yes, of course.
All of this?
For me, only?
- For you only.
Susan fixed it up just for you.
My mother had picture taken before l leave.
l hardly recognise her.
How`s it going?
l`ll have it done in no time at all.
Well don`t rush it.
l want this job to last little while.
l`m going to run into town and get some paint.
What for?
Why don`t you just you know.
Because l have to give somebody a ride.
Who?
See you in a little while.
Sounds like you could use a lift.
l`m going into town to get some paint.
We`ve got some shopping to do.
No hurry, l wait to you.
All right, thanks.
How`s it going?
Did you get the paint you needed?
- Everything is loaded into the car.
You have to bear with us, Mr Smith.
Nguyen has no clothes.
We have to start from scratch.
No problem, glad to help.
Susan.
You look beautiful.
You like, Mr Smith?
- l like it very, very much.
Here, look at yourself, what you think?
Lovely.
Here you go, try these on.
Hurry, Mr Smith is waiting.
- Jeanette, hi.
How is your girl working out?
Nguyen?
She is a doll.
She`s got the hang of using an American vacuum cleaner yet?
What?
You`re the envy of every woman on the block.
None of us have a maid.
What are you talking about?
What other reason would you have bringing your husband`s illegitimate daughter into your house?
Nguyen is my daughter now.
And anyone who can`t except that is not welcome in my house.
Well, that`s just fine with me.
Why don`t you ask her, did her mother throw the hand grenade that k*lled my husband in Saigon?
l can`t believe it.
l`ve known that women for years.
How can she have so much hate for a little girl she doesn`t even know?
People tend to hate what they don`t know.
Do you like?
- Do you?
l love it.
Then what did you guys do?
Mr Smith drove us around and we brought a lot of nice clothes.
Do you like her new outfit?
-lt`s great.
What do you think Brad?
Yeah.
And then we went to the market and came home Nguyen cooked this wonderful meal.
lt delicious, Nguyen.
l think l finally got the hand of these chopsticks.
Maybe not.
l think you have the right idea Brad l`m going to switch back to a fork.
Oh, Nguyen you don`t have to wait on me.
ln this house we do for ourselves.
ln Vietnam the children serve their parents.
Yeah, well, this ain`t Vietnam.
Brad! l have done something wrong?
- No you haven`t.
lt`s just that here we do things little different, that`s all.
Just different cultures.
Nguyen you start school tomorrow.
l want you to take her around to the classes and introduce her.
Why me?
Because l said so.
She needs someone and your her brother.
l have exams in the morning.
l can`t do both.
What is wrong with you Brad?
You`ve been acting like a first
-class jerk lately and l`m fed up with it.
Richard! lf you`re through eating, why don`t you study for those exams.
Oh good, most of your classes are the same as mine.
We`ll be together all day.
l am grateful.
Don`t worry all the girls will help.
lf l`m not around somebody will be.
First class is English, you`re going to love Mrs Wheeler`s, won`t she Brad?
Yes sure.
- Good, l need much English.
l left my flute in the office.
l got to go back for it.
See you later Come on.
She coming Hello, gook.
- Hello Keep walking ignore them.
At least she answers to the right name Larry, you`re supposed be my best friend.
Why are you doing this?
Me Jeff.
You gook.
Me gook?
Knock it off! Who`s going to make me?
Brad please Do not fight.
l will say gook.
What did l do wrong?
Just shut up okay, just shut up.
Excuse me, will you hand me a rag?
l have paint in my eye.
Thank you.
lt burns to high heaven.
Mr Markwhat means gook?
Where did you hear that?
School.
At school?
Well, it means Reckon it`s a lt`s a spiteful word should never be used.
Whoever said that the just trying to hurt you, just a mean person.
l did not think there were mean people in America.
Yeah well, there is, l`m sorry to say.
ln Vietnam, l am 'dust child` Government make my people scorn and hate me.
So l want to come to America.
Dust child`, what is that?
That means that l am part American.
l am different l have no more value, than dust under your feet.
All my life l am told l am American and not truly Vietnamise.
But when l come here l am called gook, not American.
l do not know what l am.
You`re a human being.
That`s what you are.
You`re a good human being who has a right to live and be happy like everybody else.
But you have to be brave.
lt takes a very brave person to realise she has that right and take it.
l will try to be brave.
Good.
You`re not going to believe what l got.
l got some salami, some cheese here and some French bread.
Sure you don`t want something to eat?
Now l know you don`t have to, but don`t you sometimes get a taste for something?
l`m fine, thanks.
l`ve got something for you, l think you`re going to like it.
Angel food cake.
That was nice of you.
You haven`t said two words all night.
Just thinking about people.
They must be a big disappointment to him sometimes.
Creating something capable of loving and caring and it turns in to something that hates for no reason.
Why doesn`t he punish them?
l don`t know.
They`re his children, maybe he feels they should learn by their own mistakes.
Besides punishing people never really changes them.
He should punish those kids who hurt Nguyen today l know how you feel.
Maybe they punish themselves.
People who hate never really feel any peace inside.
lt`s a sickness worse than any plague this world has ever seen.
The sad part of it is the cure is inside everyone of us.
What is it?
Love.
Simple, isn`t it?
Just love.
Break it up.
All right break it up! What`s the idea?
What happened?
Larry?
l`m sorry Larry you`re off the team.
Get off the field.
Me, what did l do?
You`ve been late for every practice this week.
You`ve been insubordinate, a troublemaker.
l have no idea what`s bugging you.
Be glad to talk to you about any time.
Until you straighten out son, the team doesn`t need you anymore.
l`m not your son! My father`s dead! We know your birthday`s not until tomorrow.
We couldn`t wait to give this to you.
You have given me so much all ready.
- This is something special.
This is my mother.
l took that picture a long time ago.
Had it enlarged for you.
She looks so young.
So beautiful.
l never saw her be so happy.
She was pretty.
Brad look, seethis is my mother.
Hey dad, can l talk to you now?
lt`s important.
Now please.
l`ll take my picture to my room thank you.
Dad.
You have to let Larry back on the team.
No way, l told him to come talk to me and he hasn`t.
But Larry is my best friend, part of the family, almost.
Like a brother.
l didn`t push him out if he can`t except Nguyen that his problem.
Those people k*lled his father.
The whole town hates them.
Listen to me, Nguyen and her people were not our enemy.
l know Larry`s father was k*lled over there and Larry never got to know his dad.
He was cheated all right that a rotten thing to happen to anybody.
So you became his father.
He loved you dad.
Everything was great until she came along.
Can`t you see that l have a responsibility to that girl, she is my daughter.
Yeah, a daughter, you should never have had.
How could you have been with that woman?
What right do you have to judge me, you weren`t there.
You don`t know anything about it.
l saw people dying around me l knew one day l was going to be one of them.
l needed peace in my life, some hope.
Nguyen`s mother gave it when no one else could.
Can`t you see that?
Yeah, l see.
l see that you had a gooks baby.
Never let those obscene words out of your mouth again.
Hey Larry, wait up.
- We`ve got nothing to talk about Brad.
Just hear me out.
You are right all along l know that.
Dad should never have lived with that Vietnamise and had a kid.
l hate her.
You`re telling me you hate your sister?
She is not my sister she`ll never be my sister.
Oh yeah?
Prove it.
- What are you talking about?
Take a look.
You`re either with us or with her.
He`s right you choose.
l told you l`m with you.
- Okay let`s find out.
Boy, someone sure does smell like dog meat.
lt`s you.
What are you looking at me for?
You are my brother.
Hey, l`m not your anything.
Everything was great until you got here.
Why don`t you go back to Vietnam where you belong?
Please don`t.
l only want l don`t care what you want.
Go back with the rest of the gooks.
About the only thing we accomplished here was a paint job.
lt`s not over yet.
- Can`t just hang around, the jobs finished.
You`re not thinking about giving this place a second coat?
Would l do that to you?
Probably Finish loading up.
l`ll be right back.
A great shot.
Just luck.
l guess l`ll quit while l`m ahead.
Come on, let`s have a game of horse l`d like to see somebody beat Larry here.
All right, maybe one game.
l`m Jonathan Smith.
Larry Everett.
l`ve seen you working over at Brads Larry Everett?
Your dad wouldn`t be Sergeant Larry Everett?
Yes sir, how do you know that?
l knew him in Nam.
We were friends.
You`re kidding.
Larry, you need to come in now and do your homework.
Mum, come here.
This is Mr Smith.
He knew dad, they were friends ls that true?
- Yes, ma`am it is.
What an amazing coincidence.
Tell us about him.
What was my dad like?
He was the best soldier l ever met.
He saved many lives.
A real hero.
Saved lives?
Did you hear that mum.
They should give him a Medal of Honour or something.
Your dad wasn`t the kind of hero they gave medals to.
Why not?
His real fight was not on the b*ttlefield lt was on the streets of Saigon.
That`s where he was k*lled.
- l know, on one of his missions.
Tell your son, your father would beg, borrow or steal to help a bunch of Vietnamese kids nobody wanted.
He brought them food, clothing and medicine.
Anything to keep his adopted kids from suffering another night of hunger or pain Adopted?
- Yeah.
Larry called them, his adopted kids.
The day he died he was taking a load of powdered milk to the church orphanage.
t*rrorists lobbed a b*mb in his Jeep.
l tell you son, your father gave his life so that kids like Nguyen could get a better life Nguyen made it.
l know your father would be very happy about that.
l know how hard it is to lose a man like Larry.
But when you look at a child like Nguyen, you know, he didn`t die in vain He was quite a guy.
Hey, l think l better skip that game.
My partner will get mad if l don`t help him load up.
lt was a pleasure to meet you.
l never knew.
l gotta go.
l gotta talk to my family.
Can l come too?
Got some things that need to be said.
You like it?
- She`s going to love this.
Dad?
You`re home early.
Came to get ready for Nguyen`s party.
l don`t suppose you`ll be joining us.
l`d like to if you`d let me.
Me too sir, l.
sorry about the way l been acting.
Me too dad.
Give us a chance.
You`ve no idea how long l`ve wanted to hear you guys say that.
Go tell Nguyen how you feel, it`s been so tough on her.
We are a family again.
Hey dad, come here! What`s wrong?
She`s gone.
She left this.
To the family.
l hope what l do is the right thing.
My mother loved, me sent me away to have a happier life.
l love you and l go away so that you will have a happier life.
l am strong.
Do not worry.
A dust child learns to be strong.
Goodbye.
Nguyen.
lt`s my fault.
lt`s all my fault.
lt`s no good talking about whose fault it is.
We got to find her.
You guys stay here in case she comes back all right?
We go to the bus station first and then we notify the police.
What is going on?
lt`s Nguyen, she`s run away.
My folks went over to the bus station.
l wish there was something we could do.
lt`s our fault this happened.
Well, maybe there is.
Why don`t you two jump in the car.
l have a hunch l know where she might be.
Where do we start?
We should split up.
You boys start in the restaurant here.
Come on, let`s go.
No need.
What! She`s my half
-sister.
Her name is Nguyen.
Nguyen.
l know you ran away because of me.
l don`t blame you.
l was rotten to you.
All of a sudden it wasn`t just me and my folks any more.
l was jealous l guess.
And l`m sorry.
lf you just give me a chance l can show you l can be a good brother And a good friend.
Please forgive me and come home.
You mean that?
- l sure do.
Nguygen?
What your brother said, goes for me too.
You know what?
l really love this job.
Well so do l.
Are we going in?
No, the job is done here.
lt`s time to go.
Come on it`s her birthday.
Least we can have a piece of cake.
No, we have a long drive ahead of us.
Hey there`s the gooks lovers house.
Hey gook lover.
l probably shoudn`t have done that.
You know, l don`t think he`s going to mind at all!