Episode Report Card LuluBates: A- | 5 USERS: A YOU GRADE IT Footprints
By LuluBates | Season 3 | Episode 21 | Aired on 2007.05.16
In the '70s, in England, a young Charlie is standing on the side of a public swimming pool refusing to jump in. I am totally with you, kiddo, those things are one step above petrie dishes. A man who is putatively Charlie's father is trying to talk him into jumping. "C'mon Charlie, jump in. I'll catch you, boy, I promise." Charlie refuses and his dad tries again, "Charlie, don't be daft, I'm going to catch you." An older boy jumps around in the pool and shouts, "No he won't." In a brilliant display of fathering, the dad shoves the kid underwater and yells, "Zip it you!" He then turns back to Charlie, "Don't listen to your brother. There is nothing to be afraid of. I'll catch you I promise." Charlie shuffles to the edge and jumps in. His dad doesn't catch him so much as let him fall into the pool and pull him up before he drowns. Charlie is very excited by this and his shouts, "I did it!" On the Island, he adds the moment to the list of magical life events. Desmond (who Charlie insists on palling around with because harbingers of doom make great drinking buddies) is sitting right next to him and asks him what he is writing down. Charlie won't say but instead asks about the moment of his death. Desmond gives him the deets: he's in a hatch, there's a blinking yellow light, he throws a switch, light goes off, and then he drowns. Charlie nods his head and asks when, but Desmond doesn't know. Charlie asks, "You sure you saw Claire and Aaron get on that helicopter?" Desmond nods. Charlie continues, "So before I drown, I just have to flip a switch?" Desmond says that's right. Charlie looks thoughtful, and then asks, "So, where is it then?"