"( Horn honking )" "I'mAlexMack." "Iwasjustanaveragekid untilanaccident changed my life." "Andsincethen..." "Nothing'sbeenthesame." "( Zapping )" "MybestfriendRay  thinks it's cool." "MysisterAnnie thinks I'm a science project." "Ican'tletanyoneelse know ." "Notevenmy parents." "IknowtheChemicalPlant wantsdme andturnme into some experiment." "Butyouknowsomething?" "Iguess I'm not so average anymore." "Now, the reason I've decided to combine my eighth and ninth grade classes is because we're starting a very special unit a unit designed to spur your interest in science." "Now, offhand, how many of you intend to go on studying science after high school and into college-- hands?" "Hands?" "Hands?" "Hands?" "Hands?" "Oh, good, good, okay." "Okay, a few of you." "Great, great, because we got some wonderful things planned for this week." "We've got slide shows." "We've got film strips." "We've got lecturers coming." "We've got a lot of things that you'll be interested in." "Hey, huh?" "Hope this is science-related." "( Laughs )" ""Hey, guys and gals, Paradise Valley Chemical" ""sponsors teen night" ""next Friday, 7:00 P.M." "Starring Jimmy T. and the Wanderers."" "That's great." "It's not science though, Ray." "Uh..." "Tonight, why don't you write me a two-page paper on "why I love science."" "Okay?" "Can I double-space it?" "No, you can't." "Thank you very much." "And all of you owe me a five-page assignment in two weeks on which area of science interests you the most and why." "That way, we can decide on which way this unit will go, all right?" "( Bell ringing )" "Great, oh, you're all released." "( Tires squealing )" "Hey, kid, get back here!" "Hey, kid, get back here!" "Hey, kid, get back here!" "Hey, kid, get back here!" "Hey, kid, get back here!" "Hey, kid, get back here!" "It's a miracle." "Get up and get to work." "I was having my dream again." "Good, did you manage to miss the hydrant this time?" "No, this is different." "Vince, whoever it is dropped a piece of paper out of their backpack." "It could be a clue." "Right, I'll decide what is and isn't a clue, David." "I can't exactly rely on you now, can I?" "Why can't you treat me with more respect?" "I'm trying." "You're trying." "Well, you wouldn't know it." "I'll treat you with some respect when you do something to earn it." "I'm a human being, Vince." "So what?" "Oh..." "Some of the guys they hire bring down our team's whole level of professionalism." "( Whirring )" "That's better." "Going to the concert?" "Jimmy T. and the Wanderers are cool." "I heard them in Ty Robinson's garage." "Why would the Plant give a concert?" "O I don't know, my Dad said it was a way of giving to the community." "Anyway, who knows with them?" "Mr. Mack:" "Alex!" "Just a minute." "Could you come here?" "Ray, there's no way I'm going." "You realize that." "I just can't take the chance." "What if Scott wanted you to go?" "That's not going to happen." "Well, see you, Ray." "You got to start your science essays." "Aw, man." "( Singing tunelessly )" "What's up, Dad?" "Oh, guess who called?" "Your science teacher, Mr. Hendricks." "You're kidding me." "Why would he call you?" "I haven't messed up yet." "We just started." "No, no, no, he's just concerned about kids losing interest in his class and he wants me to share my passion about that mysterious world we call science." "Really?" "Oh, no." "When are you coming in?" "Tomorrow morning." "What?" "We have so much work to do." "Where are we going?" "Where do you think?" "To see if I can find you something to wear." "Alex!" "Mr. Mack:" "Hey, kids!" "Dad, please, no jokes." "Hey, Mr. Mack." "Hello, ladies, oh, too bad you're going to miss a high-speed chase through the world of nature with me, Jorge Mack as we investigate..." "Dad, would you please stop?" "( Sighs )" "Jorge?" "So, whether it be igneous or whether it be sedimentary the rocks of the Paradise Valley Region provide a fascinating look into the world of geology." "Any questions?" "Uh, yes, Steve." "( Kids laughing )" "It's Scott." "You said we could tell the future by looking at rocks we found, how?" "That's a good question." "( Bell ringing )" "Let's have a big hand for Mr. Mack for coming in, huh?" "Thanks, kids, it was a little bit of heaven." "I'd like to mention that if any of you want to join me on one of my weekend nature walks" "I'd be happy to... hands?" "Anyone?" "No takers?" "Look at this locker." "What, you have a maid come in and straighten up?" "No, Ray." "It's called being organized." "Hey, Nicole, Robyn, Ray." "What's up, Scott?" "Where's Alex?" "She just left with her dad." "Why?" "Yeah, why?" "Nothing, I just wanted to ask her something." "Really?" "Well..." "We could ask her for you." "Oh, no, that's okay." "It could wait." "( Bell ringing )" "Oh, see you guys later." "Bye." "( Laughs )" "So, that wasn't so bad, was it?" "It was okay." "You know, in high school, my nickname was satin steel." "Hey, maybe I could talk to Hendricks about making regular appearances." "Hey, Alex!" "Alex." "What's up?" "We think Scott's going to ask you to the Jimmy T. concert." "We're not sure, but he said he had to ask you something." "You assumed that was it?" "What else could it be?" "We even heard that next week" "Kelly's going out of town." "Well, we're about to find out." "Okay, tell us what happened later." "Every detail." "Hi." "Hey, Alex" "Mr. Mack." "Sam!" "Uh, Scott." "I was wondering if I could join your nature walks." "I'd love to have you." "How's Saturday?" "I'll meet you here, 8:00 A.M.?" "I'll bring the gear." "I'll be here." "Um, Scott?" "My friends said you were looking for me." "Yeah, but it was nothing." "Forget it." "I'll see you later." "The kid went that way and the piece of paper flew out this way." "It's been over a year." "So, I doubt we'll find anything." "But tomorrow, the PVC-120 vac detector comes in and we'll use it here." "If it does pick something up we could have our first dyed-in-the-wool clue." "That's what I said that's what I said and then you insulted me." "Oh, stop being so sensitive, David and just know that I am very, very proud of you." "And, uh, could you, uh, grab that safety cone for me?" "Later, Dave!" "( Tires squealing )" "Vince!" "Vince!" "Nicole:" "He obviously was going to ask you." "I agree with Nicole." "I was standing right there." "I could tell." "You've been talking for an hour." "He didn't ask her, so forget it." "He's never going to ask me after a day with my dad." "Do you think I should ask him?" "What if he says no-- the embarrassment could be lethal." "I just hate the idea of Scott spending all day tromping around with my dad." "It doesn't seem like a big deal but it bothers me." "I wouldn't trust your dad either." "I know he means well but he could end up doing a lot of damage." "Yeah, somebody should keep an eye on them for you." "But if you guys sign up for the walk it'll seem way too convenient." "I can't be there Saturday." "I know another way this problem could be addressed." "Robyn and Ray would have to get involved." "Robyn:" "I'm available." "I don't know what you guys are talking about but I'm absolutely, positively not going to be involved." "This is Alex, how's it going?" "We're stationed on the path." "...great place to hike." "Be careful of snakes." "Ray, do you see anything?" "Mayday, mayday!" "Hang on, Alex." "Over and out!" "Garden hoses can be dangerous." "Reminds me of a story about Alex." "Alex must have been about ten." "Somehow, she got her toe stuck in the end of the garden hose." "Really?" "That's pretty funny." "What's happening?" "Robyn:" "Your dad's relaying the garden hose incident, stand by." "We had to call the paramedics to finally get her out." "( Laughing )" "This way." "( Laughing )" "Robyn?" "Robyn:" "...Her toe stuck in..." "Robyn, come in." "( Static )" "Scott:" "I know this sounds dorky but there's something about nature" "I've always liked." "Especially stars, I don't know why." "Mr. Mack:" "You know, there's a great telescope at the Plant." "It affords a great look at saturn, rings and all." "That's something to do my assignment on." "I'm there next week." "If you'd like to come, you're welcome to." "Next Friday?" "That's the night of the concert we could do it another time." "No, I have to be serious about this." "There will be other concerts." "Next Friday's fine." "Super, look forward to it." "Hey, Mr. Mack, what's this plant?" "Scott, put that down!" "That's poison oak!" "Uh, we better get back right away." "Um..." "Ray?" "Yeah?" "Your hat." "Cool, huh?" "Yeah..." "But apparently it's made of poison oak." "What?" "( Screaming )" "So, you should probably take a hot bath and then mix a solution of epsom salts and aspirin." "Does it itch now?" "No, I think I'll be okay." "So, does Alex ever do this sort of stuff with you?" "Not very often, no-- actually, never." "Well, I better get going." "Thanks again." "I'll see you next Friday." "Friday." "( Whimpering )" "I take it that means something's wrong." "Why is this happening to me?" "It's not fair." "Love never works out the way you want it to, Alex." "Get used to it." "That's not true, except I'm not sure what the problem is." "The problem is that Scott thinks Dad is the next coming of Indiana Jones or something." "I remember that stage-- it won't last." "You know, Alex, that Scott is a really great kid." "Yes, Dad, I do realize that." "Everyone thought he was possibly, maybe probably going to invite me to this concert." "Now he'll be looking at planets." "How did you know he was going to look at planets?" "Well, that's not really important." "Listen, why don't you just go with them to the observatory?" "Like that won't be too obvious." "Do me a favor, don't help." "Dad, can't you cancel the planet thing with Scott?" "Then he might ask me." "I don't know how I can do that, Alex." "Alex..." "What do you like about Scott, anyway?" "Isn't he just your basic jock?" "No, he's not your basic jock." "He's just a very nice guy, okay?" "That's it?" "He's... nice." "Look, Annie..." "There's something about him." "He's cute, a star athlete." "He could walk around the school like he owns it, but he doesn't." "He helped me my first day at Atron when Jessica was picking on me." "That was a long time ago." "Is he smart?" "I've never heard him say more than two sentences at a time." "You don't have to talk a lot to be smart, Annie." "You could be thinking smart things." "Alex, I didn't realize how much this all meant to you." "I'm not exactly sure what I did wrong." "( High-pitched humming )" "The PVC-120 should pick up any microscopic remnants of things that were left here within the last year or so." "We'll take what we get to the lab." "Questions?" "Comments?" "Uh..." "After we're done can I take this baby over to my apartment?" "I'm having company this weekend." "And you wonder why I insult you." "Are you mad because you're not invited?" "It's only family." "Of the 1,500 microscraps of paper you found we cross-referenced fibers these were the only ones that emanated from school-issued paper." "Because of erosion and other factors we were only able to extrapolate this much handwriting." "In your opinion, could we match that handwriting if we had a sample?" "Like, for instance, in a guest book." "The kind one might place at the entrance of a Junior High School function." "You take this prototype and match it against your guest book and I like your chances." "Yes!" "Do you mind explaining what you plan to use this for?" "Yes, I do mind, Kramer." "But, if you must know, we're doing it for Dave." "We're trying to rectify a horrible mistake that he made last year." "He doesn't like to talk about it." "Oh, I'm sorry I brought it up." "That's okay, Vince brings it up all the time." "Mr. Mack:" "Barbara, I'm leaving, honey." "So, I'll be heading out now." "Sure you don't want to come, Alex?" "Completely and totally sure." "Hey, how about we head over to the diner and we'll get some dessert?" "No thanks, I'm not that desperate." "Gee, thanks a lot." "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that." "I know, if you change your mind" "I'll be inside, okay?" "Okay." "Dave:" "Thanks for coming." "Please, sign in." "Oh, shut up!" "Hey, kid, move on!" "So, you couldn't convince Alex to come, either?" "Hey, I tried." "She's overreacting to Scott not asking her." "There's more to it." "The Plant is not Alex's favorite place." "She better get used to it." "She will be trapped here." "What is that supposed to mean?" "You know exactly what that means." "Everybody in Paradise Valley ends up working here." "Not Alex, definitely not me." "Well, not me, too." "Not me, three." "So far we don't have a match but I think it's going very well, Vince, very well." "Oh, great, I know my confidence just skyrocketed." "Vince, will you stop with the insults?" "I have feelings, too." "I mean it." "Right." "Hey, kid, don't forget to sign the book." "Can you see Saturn?" "It's light yellow, and has the rings." "To be honest..." "Not really." "Yeah, I know." "It's pretty cloudy tonight." "( Music faintly audible )" "Hey... that's a pretty snappy tune." "That's Jimmy T. and the Wanderers." "You know that concert I was telling you about?" "Yeah, I've been hearing about it everywhere." "So, uh, did Alex go with her friends?" "You know, I don't think so." "Uh, but maybe she did." "Uh, no, I'm pretty sure she didn't." "She was watching TV when I left." "So, you still mad at Dad?" "I guess not." "I mean, it's not his fault." "I shouldn't have made such a big deal about Scott asking me, anyway." "I mean, there was really no proof that he was going to." "Well, then why didn't you ask him?" "I thought about it for, like, a second but then I chickened out." "Hey, maybe that's what happened to him." "I doubt it." "You know, Alex, this is Saturday night." "There's really no reason for you to be here with me." "How about I drive you over to the Plant?" "I'm sure Ray and the girls would love to see you and, you know, there's going to be other chances if Scott wants to ask you out." "Yeah, you're right, okay." "It's no use." "I can't see a thing." "I know." "( Sighs )" "Sorry." "No, it's not your fault." "I mean, maybe we should just call it quits for tonight." "I guess so." "So, Scott, where are you off to?" "Oh, I was probably just going to go home and get started on my paper anyways." "Well, I thought you might want to go to the concert." "Uh, yeah, but I don't really feel like going alone." "Well, that's what Alex said." "Well, didn't her friends go?" "Oh, right, it's confusing." "Well, maybe she's still at home." "What's your number?" "( Rings )" "Mr. Mack's voice:" "You've reached the Mack residence." "Please, leave a message." "( Beeps )" "No, there's no answer." "( Hangs up phone )" "But thanks for all your help." "I'll see you around." "Oh, sure thing." "Uh, you going home?" "Yeah." "Scott." "Oh, hey, Alex." "What happened to the planets?" "They're still there." "It was too cloudy to see them." "I was about to go home and get started on my paper." "What will you do yours on?" "I don't know." "There's so much science in my family" "I've grown to hate it." "I was right not to ask what I wanted." "Which was?" "To go on that nature walk with me." "But I didn't because I thought you would think I was boring." "Maybe a little weird, but not boring." "Are you saying your dad's weird?" "That's what I'm saying." "Don't tell me my dad hasn't said some strange things to you." "Yeah, like that satin steel thing?" "He doesn't look like the type everyone would call satin steel." "I know." "Can you believe it?" "I think it never actually happened but Dad wished it did and he said it so many times that he believes it now." "Are you going to go to the concert?" "Yeah, I thought I'd check it out." "You want to go in with me?" "Yeah..." "Yeah, I do." "Let's go." "I think we're close-- I feel it." "Oh, great." "El Braino thinks we're about to hit pay dirt." "Why do you have to be so mean?" "Oh, why don't you just relax?" "Hey, put that down." "That's the original." "If we don't have that we can't match the signatures." "I've been wanting to do something like this for a long time, Vince." "Oh, ho..." "I'll have you tarred..." "Feathered..." "Fired..." "If not worse." "If we don't have that paper we can't find the kid." "Come on." "Don't be the bonehead you so obviously are, Dave." "Give me that paper!" "Give me that paper!" "I'll cut you open and take it out!" "( Gasping )" "Don't..." "Don't swallow it." "If we hate it, we can leave." "If I can look at planets with your dad" "I think I can listen to Jimmy T. with you." "Actually..." "I'm glad we're here." "Yeah." "Me, too." "Dave ( Faintly ):" "How do you like that, Vince?" "Vince ( Struggling ):" "Give me back the paper, Dave!" "Captioned by Grant Brown"