Day 5.133 Spy vs Spy

Jack has just said an emotional good-bye to Tony and Michelle. They have conspired to fake his death to appease (trick) the Chinese and to satisfy the requirement to not involve the US Government. He is being the quintessential good solder by not selling out the same people who asked him to save their butts. In a provocative and powerful final scene ending Season Four, Jack calls ex President David Palmer to thank him for the honor of serving his country. Palmer returns the sentiment and acknowledges that Jack is now officially dead. As Sean Calloway's always appropriate and stirring score reaches a crescendo of emotional magnificence, Jack dons his aviator shades and walks down the train tracks into the sunrise. It is over. By losing everything he has won the day (every minute of the 24). He has saved a million civilian lives without creating an international incident and not forcing Presidential plausible denial as a seditious cover-up. He has done the dirty work for America.

It is without shame that I freely admit to you that I have learned more about some very important values from this show than from 50 years on the street.

Honor. Loyalty. Dedication. Team effort. Focus. Humility. Meaning. Passion, Friendship. Training. Grace under Fire. Culture. Politics. Corruption.

To name a few.

People keep telling me that if I like 24 (and I do) that I will love The Wire. They may be right but that misses the point. My point. I don't watch 24 for the entertainment, although that is one of its attractions, I am not in my second round of viewing every episode of every season because of the drama, although that is off the charts, nor am I into binge watching as a sport or major escape.

I watch because I relate to the characters and wish to reciprocate somehow. I want to be on their team. I want the challenge, the real time flash of life or death. I want a platform to test myself. Am I brave? Am I courageous? Will my number be called when a dirty, messy, ugly deed needs doing? How will I respond? Will I crumble under extreme pressure? Will I talk?

There are a warhead full of correlations between the crisp screen-writing that propels the 24 conflict between Jack and the bad guys and the way that we train and race. If Jack can keep at maximum for 24 hours, surely I can keep 85% for one.

Et cetera. Ad nasuem. Spy vs Spy.

And into Season Five we go.

I am off to Santa Fe tomorrow, final gear check and packing underway. I believe all the ducks to be in tight formation.

Going to get me some of those shades and walk right into the sun.