"You know that fire-eater that torched your tower?" "He was whacked out on something called spice... some new designer drug." "Maggie James was the most beautiful woman that ever graced the silver screen." "Miss James!" "You're alive!" "Did you work as a lifeguard in the summer of '62?" "I often worked the tower right across from your house." ""Stay on the mother ship... " we got to get there before they dump those drugs." "Well, the Waverunner's here, but where's everybody else?" "I don't know." "Maybe they didn't come." "Come on, let's go." "No, no, wait a second." "Thorpe told me the board of supervisors was going to be here." "Well, they're not, so, come on, let's go." "Look at that guy bringing that Addictor close to shore." "Please?" "Hey, get that thing out behind the surf line!" "Now!" "Damn it." "Dad, don't..." "please don't go out there." "What are you doing?" "Let go." "Dad, please don't go out there." " What is wrong with you?" "!" " Don't go out there!" "Let go of me!" "Come on, Dad, don't go out there!" "Help!" "Dad, come back." "Please don't go out there." "Dad!" "Dive down!" "Dad!" "Hobie." "Dad, you're all right." "Yeah, of course." "Okay, it's just a dream." "I was so scared." "It's okay, it's okay." "Just a bad dream, that's all." "I kept calling to you, but you couldn't hear me." "It was coming right at you." "It seemed so real." "What color was the Waverunner?" "Yellow." "Yellow." "The color of rescue vehicles." "Yeah." "Hey, Hobester, last night before we went to bed, weren't we talking about using Waverunners as rescue vehicles?" "Don't get them, Dad... something bad will happen if you do." "Ooh, Hobie!" "I'm serious, Dad." "It says in this book that some dreams are premonitions... like warnings not to do stuff, and this was one, I know it." "I know your dream seemed real, but it was just a scary dream, that's all." "But dreams can come true." "I'm not going to get run down by a Jet Ski." "Trust me." "Now, come on, finish your cereal." "We got a big day ahead of us." "Mitch, I've been round and around with the county on this." "They still think it's an unnecessary expenditure." "I'm telling you, Waverunners can save lives." "Theoretically." "Definitely." "Just get me a demonstration, that's all I ask." "You mean you expect them to come down here and get sand in their shoes?" "Better than between their ears, where it is now." "Look, if we get the factory to outfit a prototype... no expense to the county..." "and with a mock rescue, and we show them what Waverunners can really do." "You really feel strongly very about this, huh?" "Absolutely." "One Waverunner can take three guards to a rescue in a quarter of the time or let one guard bring in two victims without having to swim them through the surf." "Sounds like a dream." "You been talking to Hobie?" "Hobie?" "No." "Why?" "Never mind." "Just get me the demo." "No promises, but I'll, uh, I'll do my best." "Thanks." "Let me guess." "The redhead on the Rollerblades." "Nope." "What... some kind of problem?" "I'm afraid somebody died." "Where?" "On the gold coast, the old James house." "Ben, no one's lived in that house for 20 years." "Thirty-one." "Maggie James was living as a recluse in New England." "She didn't sell it, didn't rent it." "So if somebody new is moving in, she must have passed away." "That's too bad." "Maggie James was the most beautiful woman that ever graced the silver screen." "She was more provocative than Veronica Lake, more elegant than Grace Kelly, tougher than Bette Davis." "Wow." "Her last year in that house was my rookie year on the beach." "Did you get to know her?" "Sadly, no." "I just watched her from afar like a lovesick fool." "I don't believe that for a minute... not the legendary Ben Edwards." "I thought you dated every starlet who came within walking distance of your towel." "Starlet?" "Maggie James was a star." "Hey, it's me." "Listen, I'm going to be done in about ten minutes, so why don't you meet me here?" "We'll do a little workout, and then, uh, go get something to eat." "Yeah, I know." "Working Venice "is" weird." "Get this one..." "this is classic." "Some cult was down here earlier drawing circles in the sand so the spaceships could see where to pick them up." "And those are the sane ones." "Whew!" "You know, it sure is..." "it sure is getting hot in here." "Uh..." "Johnny..." "I think my tower is on fire." "Call it in, would you?" "Hey!" "Get out of there!" "What, are you crazy?" "You're going to burn yourself!" "Hey!" "Sumo." "Sumo!" "Sumo!" "Connors took him in." "Let me tell you, this crazy was sucking up too many fumes." "Eddie, I know Storch." "He's been working the strand for years." "He is not crazy." "Mitch, the man eats fire." "He "is" crazy." "So he cooks his food after he swallows it... big deal." "Mitch, the guy burned down my tower." "Yeah, I know." "Connors thinks Storch got a hold of some bad drugs." "What are you doing?" "!" "Your hair got a little singed." "Don't touch that!" "Miss James!" "You're alive!" "Do I look like a ghost to you?" "No, no, not at all." "Well, then I'm still flesh and blood." "Who are you?" "Why are you here?" "My name is..." "is Ben Edwards, ma'am." "I'm an LA County lifeguard." "I make up for this with experience." "May I say," "Miss James, that you're... you're just as... no, you're more beautiful than ever." "You may, but I don't believe it." "However, I love compliments." "You must be thirsty." "Yes, ma'am, I'm dry as a bone." "This house was, was so alive before I left it." "Always a party, "always" visitors." "But when I see it in my mind's eye... in my memory..." "I'm always alone at sunset." "Oh, I don't think I ever was." "Thank you." "Yeah, I wondered about that..." "Don't ask me questions, or you shall have to leave." "Oh, I'm sorry." "Never apologize." "No regrets." "That's the secret of life." "Turn sideways." "Fine." "Be stubborn." "Did you work as a lifeguard in the summer of'62?" "I thought you said questions were not allowed." "By you, not me." "Oh, no." "You answer my questions, I answer yours." "Now, why did you come back here after being away for 30 years?" "Well, I..." "I finally realized that I never should have left it at all." "Yes." "I beg your pardon?" "Summer '62, I often worked the tower right across from your house." "Some more sherry?" "Do you have any beer?" "No, I certainly do not!" "Maybe just a little, please." "Check it out." "Wow." "What happened?" "Ew!" "Don't touch it." "I'll ask Mitch to keep everyone out of the water." "But in the meantime, you get back to me and let me know why those fish died, as soon as possible." "Whew!" "This place stinks." "I don't smell anything, do you?" "No, but, Connors, you smell like dead fish." "You ought to try a different deodorant." "So what's up?" "What do you got?" "You know that fire-eater that torched your tower?" "He was whacked out on something called spice." "Spice?" "What's that?" "Well, it's some new designer drug, and this stuff is like dancing with death." "You know, we came this close to shutting down their whole operation last month." "What happened?" "Well, we got to the lab about an hour too late." "Now, they've set it up someplace else, but we haven't been able to find them yet." "Wait a minute." "That-that crazy kept... well, he kept saying, "Sumo, sumo. "" "Maybe there's something there." "Like what?" "Like he got it from some big fat wrestler?" "I don't know." "I don't know, that's just what he kept saying." "Dad, can't you just cancel the demonstration?" "Nope." "Then can you get somebody else to do it?" "Hobie, I'm going to do this and prove to you you don't have to be afraid of your dreams." "Dad!" "What?" "That jogger... it's the same one that was in my dream." "Come on, pal." "No, really." "It ran past the truck just like that." "I swear, I am not making it up." "It's did'ja view." "What?" "You know, where you're seeing something you've seen before." "Did'ja view." "It's "déjà vu. "" "I know, so don't go out on the Waverunner today." "Hobie, everything is going to be fine." "Don't worry." "That's what Lincoln said." "Lincoln?" "Lincoln who?" "Abe Lincoln." "Before he got shot, he had a dream about it, but he didn't pay any attention to it." "Not bad." "What are you doing up there?" "Top of the world, Mitchy-boy." "What's gotten into you?" "Sherry." "In teeny tiny glasses." "It's the most revolting liquid that has come out of a perfectly good grape." "How many of those teeny tiny glasses did you have?" "Two... but I broke one." "Maggie, she called me a clumsy oaf." "Maggie?" "You mean Maggie James?" "I thought you said she was dead." "That's how rumors start, Mitch." ""You're" the one who told "me. "" "Happily, I was misinformed." "She is still beautiful, Mitch." "And the woman breathes fire." "Ah..." "so do you." "When I left her," "I felt something that I hadn't felt in years." "Plastered." "Boiling." "Boiling?" "Like a volcano that's been dormant for a very long time." "You know, Ben, you're still my idol." "Come on, I'll help you down." "No, my good friend, no." "I want to stay out here and watch this beautiful view." "All right." "Just don't erupt." "That's impossible." "Test results are right here." "Read them for yourself." "You know, I've heard of putting spice on fish, but never to the point where they OD'd." "This is crazy." "How could a school of fish belly up with the same drug we found in that fire-eater?" "Hmm." "I guess this school didn't have a "just say no" program." "It's the logical explanation." "Why would anybody want to dump their drugs off a boat?" "Think about it..." "no fixed location." "They get busted, they can move wherever they want." "And then, if somebody finds them..." "That's right, they dump it in the water." "Let's contact the Harbor Patrol and the Coast Guard and get a list of all the boats that they've stopped recently." "Right, and in the meantime, we should check our own logs, too." "Okay." "Well, they're lovely." "I'm so glad you decided to visit again." "Waiting for notices can be "so" nerve-wracking." "Maggie James was a dynamic presence who mesmerized her audience with her rare and magnificent beauty." "I always welcome good reviews." "Come in." "Thank you." "A toast... to a beautiful sunset." "And a beautiful woman." "You're much better." "Oh!" "You know, I've got a great idea." "Why don't you and I take a midnight swim?" "No." "Oh, come on." "I know I'm a klutz on the dance floor, but in the water," "I'm like Fred Astaire." "I said no." "Why not?" "That is none of your business." "It's late." "I think you'd better leave." "Good night." "Maggie, if I've said something or done..." "Please." "Just lock the door on your way out." "Good night." "Thank you very much for a wonderful evening." "I really enjoyed it." "Dad." "Dad, watch out." "Dad." "Dad, behind you." "Dad." "Dad, watch out." "Dad, watch out!" "Dad." "Dad, behind you." "Wake up, wake up, it's okay, wake up." "It was the same one." "The same dream!" "Hobie, it's okay." "It's okay." "Why won't you listen to me?" "It's okay." "I'm here." "Miss James." "I didn't trudge all the way out here to be called "Miss James. "" "Oh?" "Why did you trudge all the way out here?" "I want to show you something." "Your profile hasn't changed in 30 years." "I took the photo myself." "My first happy year in this house." "I'd watch the young lifeguard in his tower, so at ease, so in command." "Maggie, why didn't you come out and say hello?" "Say something?" "I preferred the mystery... then." "And now?" "Now it's time for the denouement." "Would you like to know why I wouldn't go for a midnight swim with you?" "You don't have to tell me." "I need to." "Shauni, look at this." "What?" "The name of this "boat..." "Sumo. "" "That's what Fire Breath kept saying." "And check this out." "Coast Guard inspected this boat last Tuesday." "Let me see that." ""No running lights at night. "" "Mm-hmm." "I'll call Connors." "No running lights at night." "That's her slip." "Hey, excuse me." "Have you seen the "Sumo?"" "Yeah, she just put out a couple hours ago." "One night... 31 years ago..." "Jeffery Holton..." "That's the director." "He drowned here on this beach." "Yes." "Yes, he did." "Jeffery and I... went for a midnight swim... together." "He'd been drinking." "He... he couldn't make it back to the shore." "I tried to help him, but I wasn't strong enough." "When I staggered up onto the beach and passed your tower," "I couldn't help thinking, "where..." ""where was my lifeguard when I needed him?"" "It was midnight." "It was the last night I spent in this house." "And for over 30 years," "I've waited for someone to come and knock on the door and ask me about that night." "It was an accident." "When you're a movie star, there are no accidents, only scandal." "That's all the public remembers." "At least I avoided that." "I guess so." "You locked yourself away for three decades." "It wasn't so bad." "The more I stayed out of the public eye, the more they talked about me." "Did you injure your leg saving someone's life?" "My hip." "Yes." "What a movie this would make." "Not today, God forbid, but a classic movie." "The lifeguard hero and the movie queen reunited after 30 star-crossed years." "How do you think it would end?" "I haven't any idea." "Oh." "Would they let their golden opportunity pass them by and leave the audience in tears, or... or would they seize the moment and send the audience home elated and fulfilled?" "If I had the choice, I'd take the fulfillment." "So would I." "Ben, you're blushing." "No, I got a little sunburned, that's all." "You ought to put some lotion on it." "Some lotion..." "This is KMF-295." "Send your traffic, 63-60." "Roger, we have visual on the "Sumo"" "heading southwest at ten knots three miles south of Long Beach Harbor." "10-4." "Thanks for the assistance." "KMF-295 to Rescue Baywatch." "Coast Guard is responding." "Great, Shauni, thank you." "And, hey, send the Coast Guard my love, huh?" "You fellas ready to go for a ride?" "Better hang on to something." "Okay, just get us in there fast, Eddie." "Stay on the mother ship." "We've got to get there before they dump those drugs." "What happened?" "No go." "They turned us down cold." "What do you mean?" "I thought the demonstration was a success." "It was..." "what can I tell you?" "They still don't think the use justifies the expense." "Those shortsighted, blind..." "This is KMF-295 to Baywatch Dock." "Mitch, Eddie and Connors just found the drug lab on a boat." "They've been use Addictors to run the stuff to shore." "Mitch, two of them are headed your way." "What are you doing?" "Justifying an expense!" "Mitch, those aren't approved yet!" "If you break them, don't bring them back!" "Dad, watch out!" "Dad, behind you!" "Yeah!" "It was strange, Hobie." "It was like..." "What?" "I never saw the Addictor coming." "I mean, I never even heard it." "Suddenly, I hear you yelling," ""Dad, watch out!" "Look out behind you!"" "Like in my dream." "Yeah." "I dove out of the way of it just in time." "See, I told you." "Yeah, you did, you did." "All right!" "What do you mean, "all right"?" "Well, I had another dream about you getting married last night." "You did?" "To who?" "I don't know, but she sure was pretty." "That's good." "Was she a blonde or a brunette?" "Blonde." "She didn't say her name, huh?" "No, but I'll try and dream about her again tonight." "Well, if you do, come and wake me up." "Why?" "Well... your dreams sound like they're a lot better than mine." "You're it!"