01x17 - Birdwoman of the Swamps

[bunniefuu]

[theme music]

[shatters]

[tires screeching]

[music continues]

I don't know how long

it's going to set us back.

And then I spent all morning

figuring out

how to turn that thing over.

Turn it over? It'll be easier

just to build on top of it.

Do you know

who did it, Mr. Hogan?

A bunch of environmental

fanatics from your college.

They left a calling card?

They didn't have to.

Look, I'm not faulting

your students too much.

I know they're concerned

about the environment

but I'm trying to build

housing for the poor.

That's a problem alright.

How about a shot of you

in front of it?

Give people an idea just

how big it really is.

Weighs more than 15 tones.

Must've taken the whole

football team to do it.

[clicks]

When we get back to campus,

we'll do some snooping around

and see what

we come up with.

I'm not interested

in pressing charges.

I don't want

anything else to happen.

It's important to me

and the community.

- So tell 'em to lay off, okay?

- Okay.

(Hogan)

Frank, on the double.

[clears throat]

I warned them.

They should've listened to me.

Good morning.

Who are you?

I'm Clark Kent. I'm a reporter

for the Shuster Herald.

They didn't believe me,

so I had to show them.

Show them what?

That they're not in control

of the wetlands.

My people have lived here

since the beginning of time

and we'll still be here

at the end of it.

Did your-did your people

do that?

No.

Do you know who did?

The birds did it.

Birds?

The birds did it.

[chuckles]

She's got to be kidding.

I mean, she's a bird herself.

She's a kook. She's..

Oh, I suppose you have

a better explanation.

Yeah, a very simple one.

His driver had a couple

of beers too many.

He was driving too fast

took the turn too quickly

and, bingo, we got

ourselves a flip.

Degree of difficulty 6.5.

Yeah, right. T .J.,

there were no skid marks.

Yeah, well,

it rained last night.

That washed

the skid marks out, huh?

The earth mover was rolled over

on the driver's side, right?

If there was anyone, they'd be

badly hurt or even k*lled.

Probably had so much to drink

nothing could've hurt him, huh?

Did you see the way those

birds reacted to her?

Yeah, she feeds them

breadcrumbs. They like her.

No, I think there might

be something to that bird story.

- You think the birds did it?

- You don't know.

You think, they

maybe had some help?

Maybe the woodchucks,

or the squirrels lent a hand.

You know, all those creatures

of the forest stick together.

Ha-ha. You're very funny,

you know?

No, I'm serious. I think,

that Indian stuff is a cover.

Next time we see her,

let's just call her Snow White

and see if she answers.

- Pull over.

- What?

Pull over up here.

Why? Where, where you going?

I'm gonna have

a look around.

Okay, but, you know,

forget the stunts on this thing.

I don't want to pick you up

with a blotter.

Worry, worry. God!

Birds!

[theme music]

[dramatic music]

[theme music]

You are the enemy.

You pushed back the earth mover.

I'm not the enemy, neither

is the builder of the project.

This development

is for the poor.

Forests are being destroyed.

Lakes and streams dried up.

Animals stop existing.

This is only one small

housing development.

Little by little, the land

as nature made it, disappears.

No one's out to hurt anyone.

A compromise must be made.

Both sides have to give.

My people have given enough.

I will speak with the developer.

I promise,

something will be done.

Another promise,

only to be broken.

Trust me, please.

[clears throat]

Where's Clark?

He's buying a birthday

present for his mother.

Oh.

Hey, listen up, everybody.

You know that housing project?

The builder thinks

that some college students

pulled a giant prank last night,

and I mean giant.

Does anybody know

anything about that?

What kind of prank?

An earth mover was overturned.

I'll explain it to you later

at the coffee shop, 7 o' clock.

You know that development

should've never been permitted.

Ah, here we go again.

No, once that forest is cut

down and cemented over

it's finished.

It never grows back,

and it always adds

to that greenhouse effect.

You know,

a wise man once said

"Ecology and progress

must somehow

find a way to live together."

What wise man was that?

Clark Kent.

Ah.

Ah!

[bell tolling]

Oh.

Oh, hey, when you talk

to your mom

wish her

happy birthday for me.

Well, thanks, Lana.

Yeah, what did you

get her?

Nothing yet.

I need help.

Can you guys, lend me

some good taste?

Lana, can you lend me some

of your good taste?

Sure.

Um, I have a little

time today so.

Uh, T.J., drop of my

assignment for me.

- I can't make journalism.

- Where are you going?

I've an appointment

with Hogan.

- This is the only time he had.

- What about me?

He said no pictures, man.

(Hogan)

I'm not going

I'm just happy who ever turned

it over put it back again.

Well, I don't think there'll

be any more problems

as long as everyone

is reasonable.

When I was in college I blew off

a lot of steam myself.

Ah, what do you mean,

reasonable?

Well, certain compromises

have to be made.

Ah, look this project

has fallen way behind as it is

and there are lots of people

waiting desperately to move in.

Mr. Hogan, I was talking with

the Indian woman, and she's--

She's crazy!

Crazy!

She talks to birds.

Mr. Hogan, she might be crazy,

but she makes a lot of sense

when she talks about

the wetlands being developed.

Look, kid, I'm caught

between a rock in a hard place.

I'll tell you what..

I'll talk to the mayor.

I'll talk to the city council.

I'll-I'll see what I can do.

I'd appreciate it, Mr. Hogan.

In the meantime,

I'll put the project on hold.

That's great.

Mr. Hogan, I don't know

how to thank you.

Thanks again, Mr. Hogan.

[no audio]

That woman is causing us more

trouble than she's worth.

Tell me about it.

We've lost two crews.

Scared away by

her Indian mumbo jumbo

and stupid magic spells.

And on top of that she's talked

to the city council

and held up our permits.

Then made a big stink

at the bureau of Indian affairs.

Yeah, you just say the word

and she's history.

I just said it.

Oh, how'd the pictures turn out?

Oh, terrific.

Hey, take a look.

Oh, yeah.

That's nice.

Bebe Fisher, where'd you

get this? That's great.

Hey, that's the wrong

batch of film.

Man!

So, uh, how did things

turn out with Hogan?

Listen, come here.

"Builder bows to environment,"

by Clark Kent.

"The controversial low-income

housing project

at the wetlands

has been put on hold."

How'd you do that?

Hogan's a decent guy.

Last of a dying breed.

Why are you always so cynical?

That's part of being

a newspaper man. Cynicism 101.

Oh, do me a favor.

Take this to layout.

Where are you going?

I'm gonna go tell the

Indian woman the good news.

Say hello

to Bebe Fisher for me.

[insects chirping]

[frogs croaking]

You again.

Just wanted say

I spoke with the builder

and he stopped work.

He understands the problem.

The construction

has not stopped.

That's impossible.

I just spoke with him.

Two liars talking to each other

only make more lies.

I'm not lying.

You must trust me.

You've done enough harm.

You cannot be trusted.

[rattling]

For your treachery.

You who have betrayed the sacred

ground will suffer for it.

Ah.

[rattling]

"Was covered", is an example

of the pluperfect tense.

It denotes an action

or state as completed

before a past time,

specified or implied.

I am getting through

to you people, aren't I?

Present tense, question?

T.J.

Ah, Mr. White

I believe Mr. Kent

is trying to contact you

without disrupting the class

which, of course, he has done.

I'm sorry, Professor Rogers.

Well, Mr. White.

Move it.

An action verb.

(T.J.)

Yes, ma'am.

(Rogers)

Miss Lang, Mr. Kent was

I don't know why

I'm taking English.

I'm a photographer, aren't I?

We've been had.

Hogan's a liar.

He never stopped work

on that project.

I've had it

with this tense.

He's got some explaining

that's all I know.

- I hope she doesn't flunk me.

- Will you come on? Let's go.

- Where?

- To see Hogan.

What about that article

you wrote, um

"Builder bows to environment?"

Advanced stupidity 3A.

I should've doubled checked.

If Hogan knows this is going

to be on the front page

then maybe we'll get

some answers.

- From him?

- Yes.

[chanting]

Ah!

Come on.

[dramatic music]

[cawing]

[hissing]

[screech]

Take it easy, will you, Clark?

I can't believe how naive

I was to be taken in by that.

We're not going to be much good

wrapped around a tree.

"Kid, I'm stuck between

a rock in a hard place."

Yeah, you're beautiful

when you're angry, Clark.

I can't blame the Indian woman

for feeling I'm the enemy.

She put me under some spell.

I lost all my powers.

Powers? What are you talking

about, powers?

Powers, powers.

Mental powers.

I mean, I could hardly think.

I mean, even now

I'm being vague.

Yeah, a little.

[tires screech]

What can I do for you?

We're looking for Mr. Hogan.

Well, you can see

he's not in here.

Can you tell us where he is?

Who wants to know?

We're reporters

for the Herald.

This is T.J. White.

I'm Clark Kent.

Well, I'll tell him

you were looking for him.

Okay.

Take some pictures, T.J.

Okay.

Hey, hey, what are you doing?

Put that camera away.

Who told you

to take pictures?

He did.

Put the camera away,

do you hear me?

Put it away, you hear?

You can't take pictures.

Hey, it's the public's

right to know.

You are begging for trouble.

He doesn't want us

to take pictures.

Don't take them.

Let's just go.

Come on.

Hey, Clark. Well, get a load

of this. Trans Allied steel.

"Gentlemen, this is a caution

to you

"that the shipment of steel..

Ta-da-da-da

"is not suitable

for construction purposes.

"As recorded earlier the cost

of construction quality steel

is four times the"--

We rejected that shipment.

Look, we haven't done business

with Trans Allied steel

for months now.

Yeah?

Well, someone's been playing

trick or treat with you, buddy

because you've got a million

tons of steel there

that's marked

Trans Allied steel.

I think you better tell us

where Mr. Hogan is.

- What do you think, T.J.?

- Yeah, I think so.

Yeah, I think I'd better.

He's at the South Lake

construction site.

Thanks a lot.

Phew!

Trans Allied.

Can you believe

what a scam this is?

I mean, Hogan charges

the city top dollar

for construction

quality material

and ends up using this,

this low quality junk.

Get pictures of every piece

of garbage material here.

This man is dead meat.

It's gonna make some story, huh?

Yeah. Call the city

building inspector.

Let him know

and call the cops too.

- Okay.

- Alright.

[cawing]

[hissing]

[theme music]

[theme music continues]

Thank you for saving my life.

I was wrong about you.

You were right

about a lot of things.

I made a promise to you.

I'm on my way

to make good on it.

Thank you.

Damn!

The building inspector

and the cops.

Think of me as a friend

of the court.

- What court?

- Criminal.

Starting at the bottom

of the list, you're a liar.

Second of all,

you're a vicious cheat.

Stealing from the city

and endangering people's lives

by building

with inferior materials.

You don't know

what you're talking about.

And worst of all,

you're a would be m*rder*r.

Attempting to k*ll an old woman.

Now.

There.

[dramatic music]

[police siren wailing]

Get my lawyer.

Alright, get my lawyer.

You can't do this to me.

You can't..

What? I wan't

I have my rights.

Hogan. I'm a developer.

Get away.

(Clark)

T.J., they look

In their natural habitat.

- Hey, hey, hey.

- Ha.

Sweet.

I'm developing houses

for the poor, you..

Argh!

What's the matter, Clark?

I just don't like the way

this article sounds.

It makes all construction

workers seem like thieves.

Hogan is the exception.

"Low-income housing project

at the wetlands

"that has caused such

an ecological furore

"has been cancelled.

"City council has pledged

to find another place

in town to build."

Wait.

Oh, there is one mistake, Clark.

[phone rings]

There's only two 'R''s

in furore, not three.

Yeah, he is.

Just a minute.

Clark, it's your mother.

Ahem.

Hello, Ma.

Present, what present?

I didn't get you a pr..

Yeah, well.

I mean, how do you like it?

Happy birthday.

# Happy birthday to you #

# Happy birthday to you #

# Happy birthday, Ma Kent #

# Happy birthday to you #