Mitch contemplates all this. He exchanges some glances with John (who apes Mitch's "deep in thought" face) and Linc, before finally motioning Butchie and Shaun over. They each take a hand and pull him down to the floor, resting another hand on Mitch's shoulders; John smiles. "Back in the game, Mitch Yost," he says. Mitch seems only mildly reassured by that.

And everyone's caravanning to the parade -- Shaun, John, Butchie, and Tina are riding in the caged back of the El Camino. As they motor down the streets of Imperial Beach, Aleman the Stabby Vato and his crew happen to be assembling outside a trailer. "Stare me down!" John shouts at him. "Stare me down!" Aleman does not consider that playful banter, because he and his pals run off. I guess some people are big ol' scaredy-cats when the guy who they stabbed and left for dead comes back to taunt them. Vietnam Joe is watching all this from the VFW Hall across the street. "I guess you're back," he says, probably to John. Apparently, he is.