"You don't understand, I never even been to college." "How does the boss expect me to help you on this assignment?" "Mark, will you relax?" "The boss knows what he's doing." "Relax?" "I mean, we're talking college here." "Might be easy for you to play professor, you're an angel." "But me, come on." "It's all been taken care of." "You're gonna be fine." "Oh, boy." "Hey, hey, hey, wait a minute." "The stuff, right?" "He's gonna give me the stuff." "I should've known." "No, no, no, Mark." "I always wanted to go to college." "But then, what the heck, why not just be a professor, huh?" "Professor Mark Gordon, that's got a nice ring to it, don't you think?" "Mark, you don't understand." "Well, of course, I understand." "Why wouldn't I understand?" "Excuse me, but you've got our only game ball." "Your game ball?" "Yes, sir, you see first floor is behind by a touchdown, so they went for the long ball." "Yeah, we can see that." "Well, gotta go." "We wanna finish this game before the new dorm monitor gets here." " Let's kick it over." " Do you believe that?" "They're playing football in there." "I pity the poor guy that has to babysit this group." "I mean, they don't need a dorm monitor, they need a policeman." "How about an ex-policeman?" "From Oakland." "No, Jonathan, wait a minute." "You don't mean" "Yes, I do." "I mean that." " The boss is making a mistake." " Don't say that." "He doesn't make mistakes." "You're gonna be fine, trust me." "Trust you?" "Trust you?" "Last time you said that I wound up with the body of a woman." "You know, you never looked better." "Professor Gordon, your boys are waiting." "We have to talk." "Hey, football game upstairs, five minutes." "Hey, I'll be up there." "Excuse me, sir." "If you're here to see your big brother you have to wait in the lobby." "Sir, I don't have a big brother." "Doesn't matter who, you gotta wait in the lobby." "Now, we have rules about visitors." "Sir, I'm not a visitor." "I'm a student." "I beg your pardon?" "My name's Christopher Gunn." "I'm supposed to be staying in this dorm." "Oh, yeah, Chris." "Yeah, I'm sorry." "I owe you an apology." "You know, I thought you were a regular kid." "Don't worry about it." "I'm used to it." "Mister...?" "I'm Mark Gordon, you can call me Mark." "Well, come on, I'll show you where you're gonna bunk." "Hike." "Come on, you guys, time-out, huh?" "We got the Super Bowl here." "Here we go." "What can I do for you?" "Danny, I'm Mark Gordon, the new dorm monitor." "This is Christopher Gunn, he's going to be your roommate this term." "This is a joke, right?" "No, it's no joke." "He's a freshman just like you are." "A freshman?" "He's just a kid." "Well, kid or no, he's gonna be your roommate." "I'll see you later." "Come on in." "Get out of here." "Your luggage came yesterday." "I put it in your closet." "Oh, thanks." "You got the room fixed up pretty neat." "Great pictures." "Yeah." "Yeah, it helps keep my mind focused on what I'm doing." "I take it you play football." "Yeah, I'm here on scholarship." "Oh, that's great, so am I." "I'm here for Western's computer programme." "It's one of the best in the country." "Oh, yeah?" "Computers, huh?" "I figured as much." "Yeah, that's my major." "What's yours?" "Football." "I just play football." "Danny?" "Does it bother you that I'm only 12?" "Well, you're not exactly who I had in mind for a roommate, but it could be worse." "Nice meeting you too, Danny." "What's this kid doing here?" "Hello, everybody." "As you can see by your monitors I'm Professor Jonathan Smith and this is Computer Science 101." "We're gonna start out this term by reinforcing our technical skills, then we're gonna move on to our goal of theory and laboratory application." "Each one of you will be required to create a computer programme of your choice and then to complete that programme as part of your term paper." "So before we begin I want each one of you to programme in your full name and then add a code name to identify your files." " Got you." " Got you." "That was great." "We do have to talk." "Hey, Danny, we're gonna go over to the campus centre." " Check out the action." " No, I gotta hit the books." "This psych class is something else." "Danny, you're my man." "I told you, I got psychology covered." "Come on, let's go." "Good man." "No, I really have too much work, but hey, thanks for asking." "Hey, Chris, your folks just called, they want you to give them a buzz." "Oh, thanks." "Hey, Mark, is it raining?" "Just in my room." "What?" "Will you call your folks?" "Hello." " Dad?" " Chris." "Chris." "Pam." "Pam, get on the kitchen phone, it's Chris." "Hi, son, how are you doing?" "Oh, pretty good, Dad." "There's quite a difference from my high school." "I bet." "How's that computer class shaping up?" "Oh, fine." "The professor seems to be real nice." "Chris, honey, have you made any friends yet?" "Well, gee, Mom, with all the subjects I'm taking there isn't a whole lot of time for socializing yet." "Remember to stay on top, you gotta sacrifice something." " Isn't that right, son?" " Yeah, that's right, Dad." "Is your roommate a nice boy?" "I mean, he's at least one person you can talk to?" "Yeah." "Yeah, Danny's a real great guy." "He's a big star on the football team, always got friends around." "Oh, that's good to hear, honey." "Remember, not too much running around." "Like you said, you're carrying a big load, son." "Yeah." "I'll be careful not to." "Listen, I have to get back." "I've got a whole stack of books waiting for me." " Nice to talk to you, bye." " Goodbye, Chris." "We love you." "I love you too." "Goodbye." "Here you are, man." "Psychology quiz notes." "I told you I'd take care of you." "Tim, I feel kind of weird using other people's notes." "What are you talking about?" "This is all part of the game plan." "Look, Danny, you're one of State's promising stars." "That entitles you to certain privileges, like these notes." "Danny, these are like study aids." "I mean, it's no secret about what we go through." "We practise every day until dark, then we miss two or three days a week to go play in an away game." "Come on, you need these just to keep up." "Danny, don't sweat it." "I'm the varsity manager." "It's my job to take care of business for you guys so you can just concentrate on football." "Look, if you have any problems with your classes, let me know." "Okay?" " Okay." " That's my man." "Oh, no, you don't." "I suppose you find this humorous?" "Right on cue, the whole entire bus moons their drill team and their marching band." "It was hysterical." "It was perfect." "The coach turned around" "Hi, guys, do you mind if I join you?" "Listen, kid, this is kind of a private party, you know?" "Oh, sure, no problem." "No problem at all." "You see some of that Dodger game?" "Chris." "Hi, Mark." "Professor Smith." "Chris, help your self." "Seats are kind of hard to come by out here." "Well, I don't want to intrude." "Oh, no, no." "Come on, sit down." "I gotta get back to the dorm, anyway, before somebody burns it down." "Remember, Jonathan, I still want you to talk to you know who about you know what." "You should've seen the coach's face." "Kind of tough being the youngest man on campus, huh?" "Yes, sir, it sure is." "That your roommate over there?" "Yeah." "With some of his friends." "Let me ask you something, Chris." "Do you like it here?" "Hey, Western State's a great school." "It's got one of the best computer courses in the country." "You know that." "That's not what I asked you." "It's a lot harder here than it was in high school." "I don't mean the classes." "It's the atmosphere." "I mean, before I just had tutors and very little contact with the other students." "And I got to live at home." "But here they treat me like some kind of" "Freak?" "Yeah, like a freak." "That's why you used it for your code name, huh?" "It's just the way I see myself, the way others see me." "Chris, you didn't think you were gonna come here" " and fit right in, did you?" " I'm a college freshman." "Who's 12 years old." "Pal, you're gonna have to adapt to them, they don't have to adapt to you." "You're right." "Hey, remember the old expression?" ""When the going gets tough--"" "The tough go shopping?" "At least that's what my mom used to tell my dad, anyway." "You really love working with those computers, huh?" "Yes, sir." "Me and the machine, just one-on-one." "And it doesn't know how old I am." "Well, listen, if you ever want to get in any extra lab time, you be my guest." "Gee, thanks." "I'd like that." "All right, then." "Well, I gotta get going." "I'll see you in class." "Chris." "You know what Tim said to you at lunch today?" "Oh, about you guys having a private party?" "Yeah." "Yeah, listen, see Tim" "Thing is Tim has a real problem when it comes to you." "Oh, gee, I never would've guessed that." "Chris, some people have a little trouble relating to you and he just happens to be one of those people." "Just him, huh?" "What's that mean?" "Well, I didn't notice you speaking up today." "Chris, I'm just your roommate." "Can we leave it at that, all right?" "I've got an away game, so this place is all yours." "Okay?" "Danny?" "Have yourself a great game." "Thanks." "You're welcome." "Hey, you guys, you're gonna be late." "Show starts at 9:15." "Hey, Chris, how you doing?" "Oh, great." "It's Friday night, you're still studying?" "No." "No, I just finished up." "Say, if you're not busy later, I've got a chess board." "Thanks, but I've got a previous commitment." "I should be going, I'm late." "Yeah, we'll play another time." "You have a good time." " Okay, I will." "See you." " See you." "One, please." " How old are you?" " Twelve." "I'm sorry, but no one under 17 is admitted unless accompanied by an adult." "All right, that's it, everybody." "As you know, Monday's a free day so there won't be any classes." "Have a nice long weekend." "Looks like you didn't have too much success today, huh?" "I just can't concentrate." "I couldn't even get access into the simple files." "You're welcome to stay and try to work it out if you want." "No, thanks." "I have to catch a bus." "Oh, you're going home for the long weekend, huh?" "You might say that." "Let's see, you live in La Porte, don't you?" "Yes, I do." "I'm going up to Clearview to fish this weekend." "I could drop you off at your house, right on the way." "Well, I'd appreciate that, but I don't want to put you out." "No, it's no problem." "I'll pick you up at the dorm about 4:30." "Chris, when I said I'd enjoy the company" "I didn't realise you only talked every40 miles." "I'm sorry, professor." "My mind is a million miles away." "You got troubles, huh?" "Professor, I'm not going home for a social visit." "In fact, my parents don't even know I'm coming." "I'm" "I'm going home to tell them I'm dropping out of Western State." " Good morning, Mr. Sunshine." " Morning." "Hey, you're not mad at me because I was gone all weekend, are you?" "No, sis, I'm not." "Well, something's got you moping around here." "Why didn't you let us know you were coming?" "I mean, we could have planned to do something." "There's Kimberly." "We'll see you next trip home, okay?" "It's not fair." "You've got a day off and so does Dad." "Good morning, Chris." "Morning." "Kerry says you took the day off." "Well, I kind of figured I deserved it." "Plus, it gives me a chance to get caught up around here and spend a little more time with you." "Still trying to get this old thing fired up again, huh?" "You know, you sound just like your mother." "All this old thing needs is a little TLC." "Dad, there's something that" "You know, I really think it's the carburettor." "I never was able to fix it, but you always could." "Now, help me out here." "Sure." "I see the problem." "Yeah." "There you go." "That ought to do it." "You know, Chris, it's times like these that I really miss you." "I miss you too, Dad." " You know how really proud I am" " No, Dad, please" "No, no, wait a minute." "Wait a minute." "Let me finish, Chris." "I mean" "You know, I never got a chance to go to college." "A place like Western State." "I mean it wasn't because I didn't have the grades, I did." "It's just that, well, dollars were kind of hard to come by back then." "So, here I am on down the road." "All the guys that I went to school with, they got a chance to go on to a state university." "Man, they just passed me by like that." "But, you know, it's okay." "Because my son is right up there with them now." "And you were there five years before their kids ever thought of getting there." "I mean, I'm so proud." "Anyway, you-- You were gonna say something?" "It was nothing, Dad." "Nothing at all." "What did I tell you?" "A lot of tender-loving care." "How you doing, Chris?" "Is this your school?" "Professor Smith." "What are you doing here?" "I got back early so I dropped by your house." "Your mom said you were out taking a walk." "I wanted to see where I'd be going to school if I were normal." "Chris, your intelligence is a gift." "You treat it like some kind of a curse." "Well, how else am I supposed to act?" "Professor, I'm 12 years old." "I should be out in that yard playing ball." "You tell your folks you were dropping out of school?" "No." "I just can't do that to them." "What are you gonna do now?" "I guess I'll go to the school where I'm supposed to belong." "What happened to you?" "Oh, I got sandwiched between two linebackers, but I'll be okay." " So did you win?" " Yeah, we killed them." "Hey, gimpy." "How's the knee feel?" "Hey, it's not bad." "It throbs a little now and then." "Dan, my man, have I got great news for you." "Do the words "Sigma Phi" mean anything to you?" " Yeah, a fraternity, right?" " No, it's not a fraternity, Dan." "It's the fraternity." "It's the hottest house on campus." "I got your name on their rush list." " You're kidding." " No." "I got your name on there, too, kid." " Me?" " Yeah, you." "Why?" " If you don't wanna be in a fraternity..." " No, I do." " I just thought" " Hey, come on." "You're Danny's roommate." "What's good for him is good for you." "Well, thanks.Thanks." "So, what do we have to do, Tim?" "Show up for hell night." "Give them a good showing, you're practically guaranteed to be voted in." " See you." " All right." "And, Tim, thanks again." "Hey, like I said, any friend of Danny's." " How's the den mother today?" " Oh, just great." "Great." "First they dump water on me, then chocolate." " Today they put yogurt in my shoes." " Oh, well, at least it's healthy." "Hey, Chris." "Looks like you had a lot better day today." "Yes, sir, it was great." "And I'm feeling great." "Well, that's good to hear." "You gonna stop by, do a little extra lab time later?" "No, sir, I have to go to hell night." "Hell night?" "What are you doing going to hell night?" "The Sigma Phi house wants me on their rush list." "Can you believe that?" "Well, I've gotta go." "I'll see you tomorrow." "Good luck." "I don't get it." "First they treat him like a leper now they're gonna rush him for one of the hot fraternities." "I mean, that doesn't make any sense." "You smell like yogurt, you know that?" "And again and again and again." "And again and again and again." " And again and again." " Doing fine." "And again and again and again." " You're halfway there." " And again." "And again and again and again." "And again and again." "It's on." "Yeah, hello?" "Dad, it's me, Chris." "No, nothing's wrong." "Everything's right." "Well, at least I think it is." "Dad, I may be voted into the best fraternity on campus." "Yeah, I'm sorry I didn't ask you about it." "But listen, I survived hell night." "No, I feel great." "Well, I just wanted to call and let you know, okay?" "Yeah." "No, I won't slack off my work." "I promise." "I love you too." "I'll call as soon as I know for sure." "Bye." "Man, I've been looking all over for you." "Here, this is for you." " What's this?" " It's your ticket to the big time, Dan." "You are now a member of Sigma Phi." "Hey, Tim, what about me?" "I don't know what to say, kid." "You didn't make it." "Hey there." "Danny's not here." "Actually, I came to talk to you." "I feel really bad about what happened." "Yeah, right, Tim." "I'm serious, Chris." "I thought you were a cinch to get in." "Yeah, well, I didn't, so would you leave me alone, please?" "What if I told you there was still a chance to become a Sigma Phi?" "What are you talking about?" "Listen, right now Danny's grades are borderline." "He's facing a really tough exam in history next week." "Now, unless I can get him the answers to the test, he's gonna fail." "That means he'd lose his eligibility to play football." "So?" "I mean, what does it have to do with me?" "You're the computer whiz, right?" "Right?" "All you need to do is tap into Fish's test file, get me the answers." "Are you crazy?" "No, I'm not." "It would show us you had a lot of guts, Chris." "In fact, I could guarantee that your membership would come up for another vote." "This time you'd get in." "Think about it." "I think you'd make a great Sigma Phi." " Mr. Smith?" " Oh, hi, Chris, how you doing?" "I thought I'd do a little lab time if it's all right." " Why sure." "Go on, help yourself, son." " Thanks." "Chris, you heard any more from that fraternity?" "Not yet." "But it looks pretty good." "Really?" "What did you have to do to get in?" "The usual." "You know." "Lots of raw eggs and stuff." "Is that all?" "Yeah." "Yeah, that's all." "Well, I'm all through for the night." "Keep working if you'd like." "Yes, sir, I would." "Okay, make sure you lock up when you leave." "I will." "Good night, son." " Professor Smith." "Professor Smith." " Yes, sir?" "Glad I ran into you." "I've uncovered a major rules violation." "I may need your help." " Certainly." " That's Danny Houser's test paper." "As you can see, missed almost every question." "What's unusual about that?" "I mean, history's not his best course." "True." "But look at this." "That's the answer key for the final exam." "He would have gotten every question correct." "Look at that." "Apparently they made a mistake, printed the wrong test." "Now I'd like for you to help me find out who did it." "I'll do what I can, sir." "Thank you, thank you." "Who do you think could've done it?" "Who's the computer whiz in my class?" " Chris?" " Yeah, Chris." "How could somebody that smart make that mistake and take the wrong test?" "He wouldn't." "I'll see you later." "You stupid jerk." "You know, you really screwed me up, Chris." "I just got a call from Fish." "He wants to see me." "He told me I missed every question on that exam." "God." "I don't know what I'm gonna do." "I mean, I can't play football anymore this year." "God, you are some kind of genius all right." "You got me the answers." "You got me the answers that go to a whole different test." "I gave you the wrong answers on purpose, Danny." "You what?" "Damn it, did you hear what I just said?" "I can't play football anymore." "So what?" "It'll give you more time to hang around those stupid frat rats you like so much." " Shut up." " That's it, Danny." "Go ahead, hit me." "Hit me." "It's no worse than anything else you've been doing." " What are you talking about?" " Oh, come on, Danny." "The whole time I've been here I've been nothing but a joke to you guys." "You, Tim, Brad, everybody." ""Let's have some fun with the freak." "Get him to think he's accepted, then go and dump on him."" "Oh, but then you guys make up for it." ""Just get some test answers and you'll be one of the guys."" "Well, I don't need it." "Do you hear me, Danny?" "I don't need it." "Look, Chris." "Danny, the professor will see you now." "How you doing, Chris?" "Oh, fine." "Just fine." "I just came from a meeting between Danny and Professor Fish." " Oh, yeah?" " Yeah." "Tell you, that Danny's really a good friend of yours." "Friend?" "Professor, I'm afraid you don't know Danny very well." "This computer's more of a friend than he'll ever be." "Oh, really?" "Why don't you ask that plastic friend of yours to give up a college scholarship." "What?" "Professor Fish offered Danny a second chance if he'd tell him who gave him the test answers." "He wouldn't do it, so now he's out." "But Danny just said he'd be ineligible, not lose his scholarship." "Well, he was wrong." "But then again, so were you, Chris." "If you knew it was me, why didn't you tell Professor Fish?" "Because I was hoping you'd do that." "Mr. Gunn, there is no room for negotiation here." " But I think there is." " Well, you're wrong, young man." "I gave Danny a chance." "He didn't take it." "Sir, I know who tapped into your test files." "You do?" "Tell me who it was." "I will, but only if you agree to reinstate Danny Houser's scholarship." "That is blackmail." "If you'll excuse me, professor, but I believe that's the same chance you gave Danny." "All right, I'll tear up the violation report if you give me the name of this cheater." "It was me." "I stole the test answers." "Oh, Mr. Gunn." "You do realise you'll be dismissed for that infraction?" "I know." "All right, you can--You can go now." "Of all the professors here, I thought you'd be the one who'd understand what that boy's going through." "I'm afraid I don't follow you, sir." "Oh, come on, Warren." "You were a child prodigy." "You know that boy didn't take those answers so he could cheat." "He did it because he was hurt and he wanted to strike back." " At who?" " At Danny, at anybody." "He so desperately wants to feel like he belongs here." "But he does." "The boy is a genius." "He's intellectually superior to practically everyone in this institution." "Warren, that's just the point." "He's a boy." "He's a 12-year-old boy who's forced to try to live like a man because God gave him superior intelligence." "Give him a chance." "I can't." "I'm sorry." "Rules are rules." "Oh, Warren, by the way, let me ask you something." "Did Alice Townsend ever thank you for getting the test answers for her in biology40 years ago so she could pass?" "How did you know that?" "She told me." "You know Alice?" "Yeah, she's an old friend of mine." "What a small world." "Alice Townsend." "How does she look?" "Just as lovely as she did when she was 19 and you were 13." "I thought you'd understand what it was like for a boy to live like a man." "No, no, that was different." "The only thing different, Warren, was you didn't get caught." "Yeah, well..." "All right, tell the boy he has another chance." "Okay." "If I were you I'd have a little talk with Tim McKenna, the varsity manager." "I think you'd find it very interesting." "Alice Townsend." " What are you doing?" " I'm packing." "They're kicking me out of here." "You're getting another chance, so you can unpack." "What are you talking about?" "Why didn't you just tell Professor Fish that I gave you the test papers?" "Because of what you said." "You were right, we were using you." "It was a lousy thing to do." "I don't blame you for doing what you did." "I deserved it." "You're better off not living with that bunch anyway." "Yeah, well, I don't have to worry about that anymore." "Why are they kicking you out?" "Because I told Fish it was me, and in return he agreed to let you stay." "Why did you do that?" "You're a great football player." "And you need the scholarship." "I'm just a kid." "I'm not supposed to be here for five years anyway." "You're not just a kid." "You're a hell of a lot more of a man than I am." "Chris, thanks." "You're welcome." "Hi, Danny." "You can stop packing, Chris." "You're not going anywhere." " I'm not?" " No." "Professor Fish changed his mind." "He's gonna give you another chance." "All right." "Well, since we're still gonna be roommates maybe I'd better teach you some study habits." "Thanks." "I think I'll be needing them." "I just wish there was something I could do for you, though." "As a matter of fact, there is." "And $4 is your change." "Thank you." "One junior, please." "I'm sorry, but no one under 17 is admitted unless accompanied by an adult." "It's okay, I'm with a friend." "One, please." "And there's your change." "Thanks." "Let's go, buddy."