Father and Son
Thursday, May 15 2008 | Comments (0)
Dog and his son Leland take on some fugitives on the big island. Father and son team up to ambush one fugitive and track down another. Leland learns some valuable lessons on how crooks are caught!
Leland Chapman, Dog's number three son, runs the family's bail bond business in Kailua Kona, on the "big island" in Hawaii. A couple of his customers have decided to skip bail and Dog and Leland are teaming up to hunt them down.
As they get ready for their flight to the big island, Dog expresses dismay that Beth can't come along; he looks a bit lost at the prospect of hunting without her. But Beth knows that the two men need a father-son day (and she needs some time to herself to relax). Leland often handles things on his own, but he's glad to have Dad along for a hunt: "It's less dangerous if my dad is along."
Dog and his son like to work out before they hunt, so they stop in at the gym for some sparring. The gym is part of their usual routine, but today it's especially important because the man they're pursuing is a fighter and has a record for violence. Father and son spar for awhile, both giving it their all, swinging hard. But Leland wears Dad out eventually and they stop to rest.
Leland wasn't always this close to his Dad. Dog went to prison when Leland was two, and got out when he was four. Then it took Dog several years, and many court battles, to find out where his son was and gain visitation rights. Leland met his dad for the first time when he was eight. He was scared of him at first and refused to call him "dad." by the time he was twelve, Leland was determined to be a gangbanger. His mother, frustrated and unable to control him, sent him to live with Dog. Dog brought some discipline into his young son's life, and convinced him to stay in school. Of all Dogs children, Leland is the only one to finish high school.
Their workout done, they head to the office to track down their fugitive. Leland has been helping his dad run the business since he was 18. "I was workin' at K-Mart and I couldn't handle my job and I'd just had my first son and I called my dad up and he told me I could come work for him. I hung up the pay phone, punched out, and left."
At the office, Leland starts to look for his man, Paki, a domestic violence offender, fighter and drug user who has missed a court date. When Leland has no luck finding him, Dog suggests they call his girlfriend and finds the man is at her house! On the spot, Dog helps Leland cook up a ruse to lure Paki to the office. In a classic "good cop, bad cop" move, Dog gets on the phone and claims he is auditing Leland's files and found some of Paki's paperwork wasn't filled out. He angrily demands the man come in to the office now. Paki agrees to come right over. Leland calls the man again a few minutes later pleading for him to hurry up cuz DOg is mad; he needs Paki to fix things up so he won't be in trouble with his dad.
Dog coaches Leland through the whole ruse and Leland appreciates it. He's knows he's only been doing this job about 10 years while his Dad has been a bounty hunter for over 30. Plus his dad has a rapport with criminals: "I like my dad to handle stuff like this cuz they take him more seriously than they do me."
Dog and his posse set up their ambush; what Dog calls "arrest by appointment." He feels that home turf can give a dangerous man an advantage, so luring the man out to their turf is the smartest tactic. The team waits, ready for action. Tim is across the street watching, Leland is hiding "with the mosquitoes" in some nearby bushes. Dog sets Justin up as a "sailor" waiting on the street so he can follow Paki in and be right beside him as he enters the office.
Dog enjoys coaching Leland and Justin. "I'm training the next generation of bounty hunters and I'm teaching them the tricks of the trade."
The ambush goes off smoothly, and Paki doesn't resist. Though Justin doesn't really do his part. The men discuss Paki's drug use and Paki says he really needs their help. He was too high to remember his court date. Dog is more than happy to work with him to get him off drugs; they're there to help people: "We don't just arrest 'em and slam 'em we want to arrest 'em and fix 'em."
Leland has to take his man to jail, but there is another man who has failed to show for his court date. His house is on the way; there is a chance of getting a "two for one" deal! On the way to find the man, Dog calls Beth and tells her they got the first man and how good Leland did. After the call Beth muses about what a good influence Dog has been on Leland. "You become what you hang out with and he's become the Dog, the Baby Dog."
The second apprehension goes off smoothly. Dog and Tim burst into the man's appartment with Leland close behind. Dog gets the man in a headlock and presents him to Leland "Here's your fugitive son." It's reminicent of any predator teaching its young to hunt.
Some local children watch as the man is cuffed and thrown in the back of De Kine's white SUVs. Dog takes a minute to lecture them. "See that man. He was bad, He didn't go to school. Or Listen to his parents ... Are you going to go to school? Will you listen to your parents?" The kids nod, wide eyed.
At the jail, Dog is quick to praise both Leland and Justin for their part in the captures. He shows Leland the prison paperwork: "whos the arresting officer? Leland Chapman ... I'm proud of ya son."
The arrests are done, now its time to fly home and hit the beach! Leland and his son play in the surf. It helps that Leland is a Dad himself now and understands better where his dad is coming from. "My dad showed me it's important to be there for your kids. Your kids." Dog observes that it's important to be good, for your kids sake. "Your kids will follow in your footsteps, whether that's to prison or the straight and narrow. They'll follow your example."
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