- [a tow truck driver, a fellow veteran, is asking Edgar about his PTSD symptoms]
- Tow Truck Driver: Dreams?
- Edgar Quintero: Some real bad ones.
- Tow Truck Driver: Hypervigilance?
- Edgar Quintero: I saw a sniper on the overpass.
- Tow Truck Driver: IEDs in the trash?
- Edgar Quintero: Yes! Roadside trash is the worst. Why can't they just throw it away?
- Tow Truck Driver: Suicidal thoughts?
- [Edgar, who contemplated running into traffic today after an unhelpful meeting with the VA, doesn't answer]
- Tow Truck Driver: You know the stats? Twenty-two every day. Though, in truth, there are some Vietnam dudes that are jackin' up our numbers, but still.
- Edgar Quintero: I thought starting today, things would get better. But they don't give a shit.
- Tow Truck Driver: Here's what you gotta understand: They're not evil. None of 'em are. The military's job is to sand down our humanity just enough to where we can take a life. That's it. Afterwards some totally separate branch gets to deal with all these purposely broken motherfuckers. Not only is that impossible with the resources, that's just impossible, period.
- Edgar Quintero: Yeah, well, then what are we supposed to do?
- Tow Truck Driver: Not wait for someone to help you. Figure out what works. My man Carter, he hunts all the time. This big chopper pilot I know... he goes to yoga. And we make fun of him, but it seems to work.
- [Edgar laughs]
- Tow Truck Driver: [petting a dog in his lap] Jorge hikes the PCT once a year. I got this companion dog. I wanted a big mean dude, but the organization gave me this little scrub.
- Edgar Quintero: Mm.
- Tow Truck Driver: He saved my life. This guy. This other bro I know locks himself in his bedroom and stabs his closet door. I mean, he's not gettin' his deposit back, but once the rage passes, he's fine. I know you don't want to hear this, but the minute you stop lookin' for someone else to cure you, maybe you start livin' again.