"Sure it's all right, my stopping off to see Scotty and Diane?" "I told you no problem." "But we're supposed to start this new assignment." "I'll stop off at the hospital and get the information." "Hospital?" "I thought we're gonna be coaches." " We are." " Oh, great." "Boy, that's right up my alley." "Did I ever tell you that I was on the all-city police squad" " for two years in a row?" " Two years in a row." " You know what they called me?" " Magic Fingers Gordon." "Must've mentioned that before, huh?" "About 372 times since we first met." "I think your record was seven times during the Super Bowl last year." "We're not coaching football, it's track and field." "Track and field, that's great." "Do you know that I ran the hundred in" "Ten-point-nine." "I must've mentioned that too." " You know what they called me?" " Express Train Gordon." "Track and field." "Boy, that's right up my alley." "Hope we get some good material." "Some kids are special." "Well, all of these kids are." "We're coaching Special Olympics." "Special Olympics?" "Oh, I don't know if I'm cut out for something like that." "You just said it was right up your alley." "I know, but I thought you were talking about normal kids." " These kids are, well, you know." " Retarded." "Yeah." "I mean, what can they do?" "You know, it's sort of sad." "Why?" "Because they're not as smart as you and I?" "Well, yeah." "Mark, compared to Einstein, you and I are retarded." "You feel particularly sad about that too?" "I guess you're right." "Hospital's right up there." " I'll see you over at Diane's later." " All right." " Drive careful." " Oh, yeah." " Here are your coach's manuals." " Thanks very much." "I'm sure you and your friend will work out just fine." " Where is Mark anyway?" " He stopped off to see his cousin." "Tell you the truth, I think he's a little afraid about coaching these kids." "Let me tell you something." "That's the best kind." "He'll spend some time with these kids and" "Well, we kind of have an inside joke when we get a new coach that's afraid like that." "They spend one afternoon with our athletes, and we go like this:" "They're hooked, you know." "That's the way it'll be with Mark." "It's just gonna take a little time." "Yeah." "Speaking of time, I've got a class." "We'll get in touch with you tomorrow." "You'll go through our training school, then jump right in." "Sounds good." "You have the games every four years, just like the Olympics?" "We have international games every four years, but Special Olympics is a year-round sports programme with training and competition in 22 different summer and winter sports." "You're gonna be amazed." "People always are when they see the skill and courage of people with mental retardation." "Oh, I know." "One of the saddest things is you'll see somebody, a kid that's worked really hard in school, and gets placed in a regular class with non-handicapped kids." "They're able to do the class work, but out on the playground, they're the ones standing alone with no friends, or sitting on a bench all by themselves." "There's a kid named Todd that I would love to get into the programme." "We got a referral from his teacher and I've tried a couple of times." " Maybe you could give it a try." " Hey, I'd be happy to." "Well, I've gotta be going." "It was nice meeting you." " And I'll get you Todd's address." " Thanks very much." "Dr. Lanigan, report to emergency." "Dr. Lanigan, report to emergency." "Hey, Scotty, you old ambulance chaser." "How you doing?" "Jonathan." "What are you doing down here?" "Mark and I are gonna work here for a while." " What are you doing here?" " Seeing the doc about my test results." "Sperm count and such." "I'm nervous as hell." " You want some company?" " You bet." "I'm heading thataway." " You got it." " Seven-six-six-nine-nine." "How's the law business?" "Hey, I'm Perry Mason on wheels, what can I tell you?" " How's Diane doing?" " She's great." "Too great." "Wish we could get a little morning sickness going here, you know?" "I mean, I guess you already know about it from Mark." "I think Diane's mother puts out a newsletter." "Well, you and Diane haven't been trying for that long, have you?" "No, but, you know, when you're in a chair you kind of wonder what other parts don't work the way they should." "Look, you and Diane are gonna make great parents." "If there's any problem there's all kinds of alternatives." "Yeah, yeah, I know." "But it's like the old commercial:" ""Mother, please, I'd rather do it myself."" "Here we are." "Well, here you go." "Cross your fingers for me." "You got it, buddy." " Here's some hot coffee." " Thank you." "What time is it?" "4:45." "I'm worried about Scotty." "Why?" "I mean, he's feeling okay, isn't he?" "Oh, he's fine." "I'm just worried about how he's gonna feel if the tests show he's got a problem and he can't have any kids." "Yeah." "But you know, today with artificial insemination, you can almost pick the kind of kid you want." "Yeah, but the kind of kid he wants is a little Scotty." "And that's what I want too." "Oh, Mark, it just doesn't seem fair." "I mean, he's been through so much already." "Why can't God give him a break this time?" "Maybe he will." "Yeah." "Yeah, maybe." " Scotty, what?" " Look who I found." " Hello." " Jonathan, hi." " Diane, how are you?" " Good." " Oh, it's good to see you." " Oh, it's good to see you." "Well, where've you been?" "I was getting worried." "Wrong question." "What's the right question?" " How are you?" " Fine." "No, no, my dear, "How are you?" is what you ask me." " How are you?" " All in good time." "And now let's see what Jonathan has behind door number one." "Well, let's see, right behind door number one, we have:" "And just to show that I'm not a sexist chauvinist pig," " hit it, Johnny boy." " Ta-da." "Now, ask me how I am again." " You mean..." " Yes, ma'am, I'm potent." "Brimming over with virility, a veritable stallion on wheels." "The bottom line is we can make a baby, baby." "Scotty." "Scotty." "A baby." "Oh, boy." " A little nervous, huh?" " Yeah, a little." "It'll pass, believe me." "They're great kids." "You're gonna love them." "Okay, everybody, listen up." "This is Mark Gordon, your coach." "Let's give him a big, "Hi, Mark."" "Hi, Mark." "Okay, coach, you're on your own." "Hi, guys." "Now, listen, when I call your name you just say"here," okay?" " Jimmy." " Here." " Mary Beth." " I am here." "And Kyle." "Kyle." " All right, Kyle's not here." " Kyle's right over here." "Kyle, when I call your name, you say "here," okay?" "Kyle, when I call your name, you answer up, okay?" "He can't speak any." "Right, okay." "Yeah." "Do you have to go to the bathroom?" "Why do you ask me that?" "Because you can't stand still." "That" " I'm just a little nervous." "I don't have to go to the bathroom." "How come?" "How come what?" "How come you're very nervous?" "Well, I'm just nervous, you know, that I won't be a good coach for you." "Actually, I'm scared to death I won't be a good coach for you guys." "Do you know the oath?" "What oath?" "That's what we say in Special Olympics." "Okay, let me go here." "Come here." "Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in my attempt." "Oh, yeah." "I should've remembered that from the training school." "That's okay." "We learn slow too." "You have to try, that's all." "Yeah, you're right." "You're right." "And I will." "I'll try." " Good job jumping." " All right." "Way to go." "Okay, who's next?" "All right." "Hey." "Way to go." "All right." "Way to go." "That's right." "Here we go." "Yeah." "Come on!" "Come on." "You're gonna get it." "Come on." "I'm sorry, Diane." "I wish I had better news." "Dr. Wexler call the operator please." "All this time we thought-- Well, I thought it was Scotty." "Isn't there something I can do?" "Some kind of operation?" "Some..." "Some..." "Thing?" "You could get a second opinion." "But I think the answer will still be the same." "I can't--I can't ever have a baby?" "I'm sorry." "It's my turn, Scott." " Not yet." " I want a turn." " You're not getting one." " You always cheat." "You're a bad sport, Mary Beth." " Excuse me, are you Mrs. Burke?" " Yes." "My name's Jonathan Smith." "I'm with Special Olympics." "Oh, nice to meet you, Mr. Smith." "You're here about Toddy." "Right." "Yeah, we got a referral from his teacher." "She thought he could get a lot out of Special Olympics." "She's right." "If you can get him in that programme, it would be the best thing for him." "But that's an awful big "if."" "Matt Roarke was out here several times." "Toddy just doesn't want anything to do with it." "Toddy doesn't want anything to do with anything right now." "What's he like to do?" "If he had his way he'd watch TV all day long." "Sounds like a lot of other kids." "Well, it's more than that with Todd." "It's his way of escape." "Thirteen's a difficult age for any kid, but for one who's mentally retarded, it's even harder." "Especially with his peers, the other kids in the school." "I think that'd be all the more reason he'd wanna be in Special Olympics." "Give a chance to prove to himself he can do lots of things, plus make friends." "You don't have to convince me." "You gotta convince Todd." "What about his parents?" "Well, they gave him up to foster care years ago." "That's what they were encouraged to do." "They pay his bills, but they haven't seen him in years." "Today it's different." "We encourage families not to give up their retarded children." "And that's what's so good about the Special Olympics, what it does for the families." "It gives them such a sense of pride." "Whereas before, maybe there was only despair. "Why me?"" "Come on, let me take you up to Toddy's room." "Hi." "It's free time." "I don't have to do anything." "Mrs. Burke said so." "That's fine with me, Todd." "I just wanted to talk to you." " My name is Jonathan." " I don't wanna talk." "Can I come in?" "No." "Anybody home?" "No." "Well, then who keeps saying no?" "Nobody." "I bet it's not nobody, I bet it's somebody." "Go away." "How come?" "Because I'm mean." "Oh, yeah?" "I bet you're not as mean as me." "I am too." "Yeah?" "How mean?" "Real mean." "Show me how mean you are." "I mean, can you make a mean face or something?" "Oh, come on, that's not mean." "I'll show you mean:" "Look at this." "Oh, yeah?" "Look at this:" "Oh, yeah?" "Look at this:" "Oh, yeah?" "Look at this:" "Okay." "All right, you're right." "You win." "That's the meanest face I ever saw in my life." "You're pretty good at that." "Of course, I bet there's a lot of things you're good at." "Look, I'm a Special Olympics coach, we'd sure like to have you come down and find out some other things you're good at." "I'm not good at nothing." "I'm dumb." "I don't think you're dumb." "Then you're dumb." "I haven't been mean to you, Todd." "Please don't be mean to me." "Then--Then go away." "I don't wanna do nothing." "I can't do nothing and you can't make me." "You're right about that, son, I can't make you." "You have to want to." "Well, I don't." "Go away." "Okay." " I hope this roast isn't too burnt." " Are you kidding?" "I love it." "It's like that Cajun style where they sear everything." " What do you call that?" " Burnt roast?" "Very funny, very funny." "Listen, I was thinking, you guys said if you had a kid, if it was a boy, you were gonna name it after me." "But what if it's a girl?" "So I says to myself, "What do we do then?"" "So I thought of the best name in the world for a little girl." "Markette." "What do you think?" "Markette." "That sounds like a place where you buy groceries." "He's right." "Mark, if it's a boy, you'll be the namesake." "But you better leave the naming of the girl up to Diane." "Okay, okay." "So, what've you picked?" "I hope it at least starts with an M." " Diane?" " Honey, what's wrong?" "We aren't gonna have any children." "We can't." "What are you talking about?" "All my tests came out fine." "It's not you, Scotty." "It's me." "I can't have any children." "Is this some kind of joke, or what?" "Does" " Does this sound like a joke?" "When did you find out?" "Today." "I'm sorry." "Me and my big mouth." "I'm sorry." "Well, it's a tough break, but it's not the end of the world." "What?" ""It's a tough break, but it's not the end of the world?"" "Like this is no big deal?" "I didn't mean it that way and you know it." "Well, you thought it was a pretty big deal when you couldn't have kids." " Wasn't it?" "Wasn't it a big deal?" " All right, it is a big deal." " But it's not my fault." "Why are you--?" " That's right." "It's not your fault, so it's not your problem, right?" "Well, it is my problem, Scotty." "It's very much my problem." "I'm sorry, but you better go." "Yeah." "Mark." "Take that baby stuff with you." "Well, just give it some time." "He'll come around." "Look, Diane, you knew he was stubborn when you married him." "Yeah, okay." "I'll call you later." "How's she doing?" "She's down." "Can't say I blame her." "They really got into it last night after we left." "She mentioned adoption." "Scotty went through the ceiling." "Hey, come on, don't blame it all on Scotty." "You saw the way she got on his case last night." "She's feeling a lot of guilt." "They're both talking, but nobody's listening." "Yeah." "I mean, why do things like this have to happen to people like them?" "I mean, I know couples that spit out babies like bbs, and they don't give a damn about them." "Here are two people dying to have a kid and they can't." "If they want a child bad enough, they're gonna have one." "Well, I hope so." " Come on, we'd better go." " Yeah." "Why don't you head to the field?" "I'll meet you there." "What's up?" "I just wanna stop by Scotty's office for a minute." "You want me to go along?" "No." "Sometimes it's easier to talk without a relative in the room." "No matter what you say, Scotty's gonna think you're siding with Diane." " I'll see you at practise." " All right." "They pay you $100 an hour to look out the window?" "Where's Mark?" "Figured Diane would send all the troops in force." "Diane doesn't even know I'm here." "But you've talked to her." "Mark did." "Well, what I told her last night is final." "We're not going to adopt and that's it." "Oh, your decision is final." "That's right." "Hey, it must be good to be king." "What happens if Diane disagrees with you?" "You just:" "Chop her head off or what?" "I'm not in the mood for your humour right now, okay?" "Why did you wanna have a child in the first place?" "For the same reason anyone wants to have kids." "I'm no different." "But you are different, you're in a wheelchair." "What are you getting at?" "Just that maybe you wanted to have a child that looked exactly like you, a little Scotty, to run and play, and do all the things you couldn't do." "Yeah, I wanted a kid who could do all those things." "What's wrong with that?" "Nothing." "The child doesn't have to look like you to do those things." "I don't want to adopt and that's really all there is to it." "Why not?" "Hey, I don't owe you an explanation." "No, you don't owe me one, but what about Diane?" "That's our business and not yours." "Hey, I'm sorry to question you, king." "I think you better go." "Fine." "It's a good thing you asked me to leave." "If we kept talking, you might have to tell the truth about why you don't wanna adopt." "You might have to tell me you're filled with pain and you blame Diane." "It's all her fault." "And this is a great way to get even, isn't it?" "You don't know a damn thing, you know that?" "Really?" "If the shoe was on the other foot, and you couldn't have children, would you have adopted then?" "This carpet needs a good shampooing." "Diane?" "One of the problems I have is that when we have a fight," "I can't play the big love scene like they do in the movies, and gently take you in my arms, and turn your face to me." "Please look at me." "I hurt you last night." "And..." "And I wanted to." "You see, I fell into that damn trap of feeling that no one could suffer as much as I do." "And I wanted you to, because..." "Inside" " Oh, hell, I don't know, I guess I'm just a damn jerk." "But I wanna live my life with you, grow old with you, raise children with you." "And if we can't have a child of your womb, then let's have a child of our heart." "You mean..." "Adopt?" "Yeah." "Scotty, I love you." "I love you too." "Hey!" "There you go." "Hey, I think you're getting faster than your old man, huh?" "Oh, he already is, I guarantee it." " Your kid's doing great." " Yeah, he sure is." "He's staying in his lane and getting faster all the time." "Really proud of himself and we're proud of him too." "Well, get your stuff, that's all for today." "What a sweet kid." "Yeah, I know." "Has he..." "Has he been able to say anything?" "I mean, have you heard him say anything at all?" "Well, no, not yet, but he's trying real hard." " That's the main thing." " He'll talk one of these days." "One of these days the light will go on and he'll say, "Mama." I just know it." "Hey, you all set?" "Bye, Mark, and thanks." "No, no, no." "That's the other way around." "Thank you for letting me know your kid." "See you." "Come on, honey." " Take care, Kyle." " Bye-bye." "Well, how's it going, coach?" "As a matter of fact, it is going great." "Hey, take a look." "Hey, Scotty and Diane." "What are you two doing down here?" " We came down to say thanks." " For what?" "We've just come back from the adoption agency." "That's great." "They have a list of forms to fill out there that you wouldn't believe." "How long will it take?" "It's hard to say, because there's such a long wait for healthy newborns." "They said what?" "About three years?" "Hey, if I was a kid and I needed a family," "I'd say you two were worth waiting for." "Well, like I said, I just wanted to thank you for that talk you gave me." "My advice is like yours, counsellor, it comes with a price." " You name it." " All right." "Diane, I'm gonna borrow your husband for a few hours." "Sure, can you drop me off at home?" " You got it." " Okay, let's go, counsellor." " Hey, what's the hat for?" " I'll tell you on the way." "I am so happy!" "That's great." "Hi, Todd." "Who are you?" "My name's Scotty." "A friend of mine asked me to come and see you." "His name's Jonathan." "He's a coach at the Special Olympics." "Remember him?" "Yeah." "What is that thing?" "It's a control that makes my wheelchair go forward when I want it to." "It helps me get around." "What do you need it for?" "Because I can't move my arms or legs." "Does it hurt?" "What?" "Your arms and legs." "No, they just don't work." "I hear you told Jonathan you don't wanna be in Special Olympics." "I'm not gonna either." "And you can't make me." "You told him you don't want to be in Special Olympics because you said you can't do anything." "Is that right?" "Yeah." "See this baseball cap on my head?" "Yeah." "It's pretty nice, isn't it?" "Yeah." "Why don't you take it off my head and try it on?" "Come on." "Fits great." "You keep it." "Thanks." "How come you don't wanna be in Special Olympics?" "Because kids make fun of me." "Oh, yeah?" "I've had some kids make fun of me in my life." "Why?" "Because I'm in this chair." "Kids can be mean." "Yeah, they can." "But I'll tell you something." "The kids in Special Olympics aren't mean." "You know why?" "Because everybody's training to do their best." "Everyone is important." "Everyone is special, like you." " Are you special?" " Yeah." "Yeah, I guess I am." "We both special." "Right." "That's why we have to stick together." "See, Todd, I bought that cap when I thought I was gonna have a little boy." "And I was going to save that cap until the little boy was old enough to be able to run and jump and play." "And then I was going to give the cap to that little boy." "You know why?" "Why?" "So I could watch him." "So I could watch that little boy when he ran and when he jumped and when he played." "And it would be almost like I was out there running and jumping and playing." "And he'd probably be able to run twice as fast because he'd be running for both of us then." "What happened to that little boy?" "Well, he was never born and he never will be born because my wife and I can't have children of our own." "So I wanna ask you to do something for me." "What?" "I want you to take that cap, and I want you to go down to Special Olympics, and put that cap on, and run just as fast as you can." "So fast you'll feel the wind whip past your ears." "So fast those mean kids who made fun of you and me won't even be able to see you." "They'll just see a blur go whizzing by." "But I'll be able to see you." "I'll be up in those stands and I'll see you with that cap on, and it'll be almost like seeing me run down there." "And I'll be shouting just as loud as I can:" ""Come, on, Todd."" "And when it's over, you'll tell me what it's like." "What it's like to run that fast and hear a whole stadium full of people cheering and calling your name." "Because that's something I'll never be able to do." "But that's something that you can do." "All you have to do is want it and try." "Can you do that, Todd?" "I could do that." "Okay." " All right." " Up and over." "Here we go." "Go, Ron, go." "Hi, Kyle." "Look, there's somebody I want you to meet." " This is Todd." " Hi." "Can't you talk?" "Well, you see, Kyle hasn't learned to talk yet, but he's working really hard on it." "Like you're gonna be learning about running, you know?" "Kyle already knows that." "Knows about the starting position, how to stay in his own lane, how to break the tape at the end of the race." "I'll tell you what we're gonna do from now on." "What we're gonna do is we're gonna use the buddy system." "You guys know what that is?" "That means you're gonna be buddies, you know." "You're gonna be friends." "Each of you has something the other needs to learn." "You can teach each other." "You can help Kyle with words," "Kyle can help you with the track stuff, okay?" " Okay." " Okay." "What do you say we have a race?" "Find out what kind of speed you got." "Come on Kyle, let's show him the starting position." "All right, here we go." "All right." "On your mark." "Get down there." "Down, down, down." "Get set." "Bring it up." "All right, Todd." "Come on, you try it." "Come on." "All right, on your mark." "Set." "Todd, get your head up." "Go!" " Go, Todd." "That's a boy." " Come on, Kyle." " That's a boy." " All right, Todd." "Go." "Is that your son out there?" "The one with the cap?" "Well, the cap is mine." "The boy's just a friend." "Way to run, guys." "Way to run." "All right, everybody out." "Thank you, Jonathan." "My pleasure, Mary Beth." "Scotty's gonna be my Dad." "What?" "Scotty and Diane." "They're gonna be my family." "They're gonna come and take me to their home, and I'm gonna live with them and be their little boy." "Todd, did Scotty tell you that?" "He said he wanted to have a little boy." "Look, Todd, I know what he said" "He gave me his cap because he doesn't have a little boy." "So he gave me the cap and I'll be his little boy." "Look, Todd, it's not that simple." "Yes, it is." " It's simple." " No, it isn't." "Look, Scotty likes you very much." "He wants to be your friend." "So does Diane." "But they want a little boy." "And I'm a little boy." "And me and Scotty are special." "He said so." "Yeah, you're special, all right." "Pick you up for practise tomorrow, okay?" "Okay." "Hey, Todd?" "You did great today." "Because I'm running for Scotty too." "Dr. Bryant?" " Yes?" " My name is Jonathan Smith." "Smith." " You're a new patient, aren't you?" " Oh, no, sir." "I'm with Special Olympics." "Oh, I see." "Well, if you can leave some literature and some envelopes," "I'm sure we can make some donation." "That's very kind of you, but I'm not here for a donation." "I'm here because your son enrolled in Special Olympics and we try to encourage as much family participation as possible." "I see." "How is he doing?" "Well, today was his first day, but I think he's doing fine." "Just needs a lot of encouragement, you know." "Well, they're very good at that at the group foster-care home." "I know, but I was kind of hoping you and your wife could come out and watch him run and practise a little bit." "Or at least see him race in Special Olympics." "I appreciate your coming down here, Mr. Smith." "And I'm glad that Todd is able to participate." "I'm sure it'll be very good for him." "Truth is is that we haven't seen Todd in a number of years." "And I don't think it would be good for him to pop back into his life for a track meet." " Now, I understand that, doctor, but" " Let me finish, Mr. Smith." "We have two other children, and when we found out that Todd was retarded," "we consulted the best people in the field." "If there was any hope that something could be done..." "But there's not any hope." "He's retarded." "And that's that." "We..." "We can't take care of him as well as they can." "I mean, that's what they told us." "The doctors." "We tried." "We have two other children who need us too, so it just wasn't fair to them and it wasn't fair to him." "So we placed him in a foster care home and..." "It wasn't an easy decision, Mr. Smith." "I'm sure it wasn't, doctor." "We did what was best for our family and best for him." "Now, I don't wanna upset that and reopen a lot of old wounds, I..." "Wouldn't be good for him and it wouldn't be good for us." "Excuse me." "Mr. Smith." "Thank you for what you're doing for the boy." "I'm that glad he's able to get some joy out of his life at least." "Goodbye, doctor." " Great." "Just what I needed." " Well, just thought you ought to know what he's thinking, so the next time you see him" "The next time I see him?" "There isn't gonna be a next time." "Scotty, you just can't drop the kid like that." "That's the only thing I can do." "I know what disappointments are about." "I'm not gonna build the kid up for something that can't possibly happen." "Well, maybe it can happen." "What are you talking about?" "Well, you know, he's such a sweet kid, and, well, I've been thinking there's so many different kinds of parents waiting to adopt a healthy newborn, and a boy like Todd really needs someone." "Yeah, but we don't need him." "Maybe you do." "Oh, get serious, Jonathan, and you too, Diane." "His own family gave him up." "The child is retarded." "How would we take care of him?" "Nothing is more dependent than an infant." "How would we take care of an infant?" "But an infant grows up." "Oh, well, if that's what you want, why don't we adopt an adult?" "We could always adopt Mark." "You can't afford to feed him." "Very funny." "I am serious here." "There is no way we can adopt that kid." "We don't even know him." "Honestly, Diane, you see a kid and two seconds later you want to adopt him." "I just have a special feeling about him, that's all." "Well, your feeling doesn't seem to take into consideration the facts." "There are practical considerations here." "Scotty, there were practical considerations when I fell in love with you too." "I'm not saying that we should jump into this, but..." "Well, I was thinking maybe we could have him over for a weekend and get to know him." "I don't wanna get to know him." "I don't wanna hurt him, and I don't wanna hurt us." "Jonathan, you asked me why I wanted to have a kid, and you were right." "Part of it was to see him do all the things I can't." "But part of it was to share whatever I have with him." "I can't share my body with a kid," "I can't go out and chuck the ball around with him, but I can share my mind." "I have a championship mind." "That's what I have to give." "That's all I have." "What could I give to a kid like Todd?" "Love." "Everything in life can't be answered by that one word, Jonathan." "It was for me, Scotty." "He is mentally handicapped, I am physically handicapped." "Why can't you see that?" "Look, I don't wanna hurt the kid." "You tell him I'll go to the big track meet" "The Special Olympics, whatever it is." " when he runs his race, as a friend, as a buddy, and that's all." "I am not going to pick him up, show up at practise and all the rest of what he wants." "Well, I am." " What?" " You heard me." "I am." "Yeah?" "Well, I say you're not." "Scotty, ever since I've known you, you've wanted to be considered the same as any man." "What's that got to do with anything?" "Well, tonight you've achieved your goal." "You are as much of a chauvinist jerk as any man I've ever known." "I love you, Scotty, but I won't take your macho junk anymore than I would some other man's." "Good night." " Come on, come on." " Come on." "Come on, come on." "Why doesn't Scotty ever come down to practise?" "Oh, Todd." "Todd, he doesn't want to build you up to think that he's gonna be your dad." "He just wants to be your friend." "But why doesn't he wanna be my dad?" "I think he's scared." "It's because I'm dumb." " It's because I'm dumb, isn't it?" " Todd, no, it isn't." "Listen to me." "I think he's scared that if we adopt you, he'll lose me in a way." "I really think that's a big part of it." "He's afraid that I won't have enough time left for him." "And it's not just because he's in a wheelchair, and I have to do a lot of things for him." "I think that's what any man feels whenever a new child comes into the family." "But I wouldn't be any trouble." "I promise." "I can make my bed." "I wouldn't leave my toys out." "He can even ask Mrs. Burke at the home." "I can make my bed." "Oh, I know you wouldn't be any trouble, and I'm sure you'd help out at home." " But, but" " I gotta show that I can do stuff." "I gotta show him I wouldn't be any trouble." " Todd, it isn't that simple." " Yes, it is." "It is simple." "If I win the race, he'll know." "He'll see me with his hat, and then you'll know." "Todd, where are you going?" "I gotta go back and practise some more so I can win the race." "Then he'll know." "Todd?"