"All right." "I have enough information." "Look." "Mr. Feeny, we didn't do anything to provoke Frankie and Joey." "Thank you." "You may go." " Like this?" " Yeah, how are we supposed to get home?" "Wait till it's dark, then run very quickly." " You think we're OK?" " Yeah, yeah." "Everyone's in class." " We couldn't have picked a better time." " (bell)" "That's bad." "(whistling and jeering)" "Hey, Topanga, check out the new competition." "Pretty hot, huh?" "Look at them, they must starve themselves." "I just get so nervous around such beauties." "No wonder I never made the squad." "Well, Cory, those Buns of Steel videos must have paid off." "I want to thank you both for coming down to discuss this matter." "Now, Mr. Stecchino." " Yes." " Yes." " I was talking to Frankie." " Yes." "I was talking to little Frankie." "I was talking to this lad right here." "Now." "Whose idea was it to burn students' clothes and make them dress up in cheerleaders' outfits?" "I cannot say." "I must protect my friend, Joey the Rat." "Yes, well, it's too late." "Your friend, Mr. Epstein, has already been suspended." "This meeting is to try to save you from a similar fate." "Now, now, now, that won't happen to my boy, Mr. Feeny." "My boy, he's gonna straighten up and he's gonna fly right." "As an 11-time heavyweight champion of the world," "I guarantee you, my boy, he's gonna toe the line." "(barks)" "Mr. Stecchino," "I appreciate your passion, but you... you don't have to bark." "Poor Joey." "Poor me." "What will I ever do without my best friend?" "Someone who drags you down is not your best friend." "Now, I suggest you find a better crowd or you'll end up like your friend Joey." "You do what the man says." "You hear me?" " You don't have to yell." " No, he's not yelling." "Well, again, thank you for dropping down." "Oh, and Mrs. Stecchino." "I'm so sorry." " Ah, this sure feels better than those skirts." " Well, I don't know, Shawn." "I mean, there's something to be said for the freedom that they gave." "Yeah, you thought that too?" " No, no." " No, no." "Well, we better get out of here before Frankie comes looking for us." "Oh, not to worry, Shawn." "Mr. Feeny just read him the riot act, remember?" "I mean, even Frankie wouldn't be stupid enough to mess with us after that, right?" "Oh, you'd be pained at how stupid I could be." "You ratted on me and Joey." "And as Joey used to say:" "(high-pitched voice) "Live by the rat, and die by the rat." (laughs)" " Well, what does that mean?" " Well, why don't we ask him?" "Oh, wait, we cannot, for my one and only friend, Joey, has been suspended." "I walk alone in this world, except for the grilled cheese sandwich in my pocket." " So who dies first?" " Whoa, whoa, Frankie." "You know, what I'm getting here, pal, is that friendship is very important to you." "So how about this?" "You let us live, you got two new friends." "Who?" "Us." "Think about it." "We could, you know, hang out, go to movies, ball games, whatever." "Poetry readings?" " Poetry readings, we're there." " I hate poetry." "Shawn, if our friend who's gonna let us live likes poetry, then we like poetry." "Oh, poetry!" "I thought you said... "liver."" "So what do you say, Frankie?" "Friends?" "So this is a sincere effort and not just a phony move on your parts to avoid agonizing pain and suffering?" " Sincere." " Absolutely heartfelt." "This makes me very happy." " Come here, friends." " (Cory and Shawn groan)" "Oh, gosh!" "Nothing we ever do is right." "(phone rings)" "(phone continues ringing)" " You gonna get that?" " No." " Do you think it's her again?" " (beep)" "(woman) Hi, it's me again." "And we have an answer." "John, I'm not saying you're avoiding me." "Maybe you're still at work, maybe you're out of town, or maybe you and Eli are standing there right in front of the phone and you're doing that thing with your hand covering your mouth." "She always did give me the willies, man." "Anyway, I'm in town until Sunday and I just think we owe it to each other to sit down and talk." "No pressure." " Bye." " (beep)" "Man gets a call, hey, lots of calls, from what sounds to be a very attractive lady." "Man doesn't speak a word of it to his little buddy, Shawn." "Hm." "Interesting." "Shawn, there's nothing to tell or I would've told you." "Man gets all squirrelly every time this girl calls." "Makes a guy think man's keeping secrets from him." "OK, Shawn, do you wanna stop with the whole "man" thing?" "Man seems a little irritated lately." "It's no big deal." "It's a girl I dated a long time ago and it's over." "And don't you dare start the next sentence with "man."" "Dude's got a problem with the word "man."" "Shawn!" "Come on, John, give him something." "OK." "OK." "All right, Shawn, you know those three little words that are very difficult to say to a woman unless you really mean them?" "Is father home?" "No, Shawn." "I love you." "Oh, you're just a little vulnerable right now." "Man needs to take a little walk." " So who's this girl?" " You ever hear of the one that got away?" " That was her?" " Yeah." "Well, she left him, but I think John's the one that got away." "Away from what?" "Well, you know everything about John, right?" "Are you kidding me?" "I live with the guy." "I'm his little buddy." "We have no secrets." "So you know that his parents are real rich?" "He has parents?" "You see, John was brought up in a big, old, stone house in Connecticut." "Private schools, trust funds, everything." "Now, all he had to do was stay in the family business, he'd have been set for the rest of his life." "Yeah, well, clearly he chose a different route." "Yeah, he did." "But before he chose this route, he had this girlfriend, see?" " The answering-machine girl." " Melanie." "And Melanie's family grew up in a big old house too." "So everyone figured they'd get married and have rich little kids." " So why didn't they?" " Well," "Jonathan wanted his own life." "He didn't want his family's life." "Which caused disagreements between him and Melanie." "You understand?" "So he gave up the good life and all that money to be a schoolteacher and teach kids like me." "What do you think of your roommate now?" "That is one sad, twisted man." "I had a wonderful day at school today, Cory." "I think I'm gonna like being a regular guy and having regular friends like you." "That's really great, Frankie." "So, thanks for walking me home, OK?" "You're welcome." "Hello, Mrs. Matthews." "Is it OK if Cory sleeps over at my house this Friday night?" "Uh..." "Sure." "Excuse me, Mom." "I got a question for you." " Which part of... didn't you understand?" " All right, Cory, what's going on?" "Mom, it's Frankie." "I mean, it's suddenly like the guy's my new best friend." "I mean, he's not leaving me alone." "Well, maybe he's lonely." "Maybe he's just looking for people to hang with." "No, he doesn't need friends, I mean, he's Frankie the Enforcer." "Oh, Cory, everybody needs friends." "I'm sure that deep down inside he has some good qualities." "Why don't you try to find them?" "No, Mom, he's a thug, all right?" "I mean, he scares people." "He's made my life miserable since my first day at John Adams." "That sweet, polite boy?" "Oh, yeah, Cory loves sleepovers." "You know, in fact, with Monday being a holiday, why don't you keep him all weekend?" " I could do that?" " You wouldn't be a friend if you didn't." "Right, little bro?" "Whoa, John!" "You've been doing some heavy cleaning today." "Oops." "That's your cologne." " Oops, you've got noplace to live." " So you did it, didn't you?" "You called Melanie and we're all gonna move to a big house in Connecticut." " You been talking to Eli, huh?" " A little bit." "Look, that's only who she thought I was, Shawn." "It's not who I am." "So why do you think she called you?" "Because she wants to find out how I turned out." "How unhappy I am." "You know, how she made the right choice and I made the wrong one." "(buzzer)" "Get ready, Shawn." "You're about to meet Melanie Clifton, the richest girl in Westport, Connecticut." "She's gonna walk through that door, big old fur coat, jewelry, she's gonna take one look around this apartment, she's gonna criticize my lifestyle and then she's just gonna go on back to that big old house and all that money." "You just watch." "Would you be real upset if I went with her?" "Hi, John." "It has been way too long." "Nice place." "You know, it kinda reminds me of mine." " Hi, you must be Shawn." " Hi, you must be money, M-Melanie." " Cory." "Are you alone?" " No." "I tried to get away on my bike, but Frankie jogged behind me the entire way." "I mean, pound for pound, he is the fastest man on Earth." "Thank you, my friend." "I enjoyed our little workout." "Now, if you'll excuse me, I must replenish fluids." "Cory, the guy invited me to his house for a slumber party." "Oh, you're gonna be there too?" "Yes, that's great!" "You're not helping." "Look, my mom told me everyone has good qualities." "He doesn't have any good qualities." "He's a thug!" "Well, now he's our thug, all right?" "Let's just find the good." "What good?" "Wherever he goes people scatter." "Look, look at this guy give him his burger." "From your humble servant." "It's turkey." "I hope that's not a problem." "(Shawn) Seventh graders just give up their table." "Yeah, they bow down to him like he's the king of the school." " Cory." " Yeah?" "I think we have found the good." "Let us be sure." "If anyone needs me or Shawn, we'll be sitting right here with our new best friend, Frankie Stecchino." "Frankie, buddy!" " Where have you been all our lives?" " Around." "So, Melanie, this is a different look for you." "Jeans and a T-shirt, huh?" "What happened?" "Daddy cut off the credit cards, or what?" "Actually, John, I have my own credit cards now." "I started my own little business." "So you just dress this way to make me feel comfortable?" "No, I dress this way to make me feel comfortable." "This is what I wear to work." "I, um..." "I started my own little bookstore." "What?" "You don't work for your father anymore?" "No, no, not for a few years now." "No." "So I guess you're not the only one who can change their life, huh?" "Well, if I remember correctly, you weren't too happy with me when I changed my life." "Yeah." "I remember." "Actually, that's why I called." "Why, Mel?" "Why did you call?" "When you said that you were gonna become a schoolteacher," "I was angry at you for throwing away your life." "Because I thought it was just so great being this little rich kid." "Well, it was, it was a good life, but, Mel, you gotta realize that eventually you have to find your own life." "Yeah, but I didn't want to." "And what made me really angry was that" "I knew that once you did it that someday I was gonna have to do it too." "And that scared me because..." "I really loved my Beamer." "Yeah, those seats went all the way back, didn't they?" "Yeah, John." "So anyway, I guess the reason I called was that" "I wanted you to know that I was trying." "And now that we know who we are, hopefully you can think of me differently." " Do you still have the Beamer?" " Hey, a girl's gotta get around, you know?" "Ah, the lunchtime rush and nowhere to sit." "What shall we do, Frankie?" "Well, look." "A convenient opening." "Yeah." "See that, Frankie?" "You hang with us, the seats just open." "I see it different." "You know, guys, I've been thinking about our friendship and it dawns on me, what kind of friends are we?" "No, really." "Best friends." "Frankie, we value your friendship very much." " Dry-cleaning." " Dry-cleaning?" " They got the stain out." " Oh, thank you." "Thank you, young man." "You're too kind." " What's your name again?" " Robert." "No, not anymore." "From now on you are..." "Dances With Sweaters." "I like it." " Frankie, where are you going?" " I need to be alone and reflect." "What's the matter with him?" "Mind if I sit with you guys?" "Lost your way, Mr. Stecchino?" "Metaphorically speaking, yes, Mr. Feeny." "You see, I found some new friends as you yourself suggested." "Yes, Mr. Hunter and Mr. Matthews." "Well done." "I'm not so sure." "Mr. Feeny, you told me hanging with a better crowd would make me a better person." "And yet here I wander, like the Israelites in the days of Yul Brynner." "You're over my head, Mr. Stecchino." "I'm still Frankie the Enforcer." "Ah." "So your new friends are not what you hoped they'd be." "It's always the same, Mr. Feeny." "Harley and Joey, Cory and Shawn," "They just see this big guy who everybody's afraid of and they use my power for evil." "Why do you let them?" "If pressed, Mr. Feeny, I would just have to admit I want them to like me." " Is that so wrong?" " Everyone wants to be liked, Frankie." "Even you, Mr. Feeny?" "Don't tell the students." "It would only create chaos." "When will they stop taking advantage of me?" "As soon as you stand up to them." "Let them know how you feel." "I can do that?" "That, Mr. Stecchino, is the test of a real friendship." " But what if Cory and Shawn fail that test?" " Ah." "Welcome to my life." "Shawn, this is Frankie Stecchino." "I feel that you and Cory and me need to talk if we are really gonna be friends because it occurs to me that you don't know who it is I really am." "Please call me at your earliest convenience." "(barking)" "Please, Dad, I'm on the phone." "(beep)" "So she actually apologized for the way it ended?" "Yeah, she did." "But I gotta tell you, man, we had a great time last night." "Yeah?" "So when are we moving to Connecticut?" "We're not, Shawn." "We're staying right here." "That's probably better, John." "All that money would only spoil me." "By the way, would a pillow be too much to ask for?" "You know, what she was most sorry about is that she only knew me as this rich man's kid, you know." "She never really knew who I was or even tried to know." "You spent all that time together and you were never really friends." "Yeah, well." "I guess when you're young, first impressions are everything." "Sometimes you completely miss who someone really is, you know?" "Cory." "What's going on?" "Why did you want to meet me?" "I didn't." "I got a message that you wanted to meet me." "What?" "That makes no sense." "Makes a lot of sense to me." "Dances?" "'Twas I who called you both." "We seventh graders aren't gonna take it anymore." "No more giving up our food." "No more doing your errands." " What about my dry-cleaning?" " Finished." "Yeah?" "Says you and what army?" "My army." "We're kidding." "We love you guys." "Changing your tune?" "Tune changers?" "Robert, we can talk." "We can work this out." "Not so tough without your Enforcer, eh, boys?" "Frankie!" "Frankie?" "Raid!" "Wait, wait, wait, wait, guys!" "Guys, wait." "What are you running from?" " Frankie The Enforcer." " No." "No, that's only what you think of him as." "Shawn, what are you doing?" "They're leaving." "Go on." "Leave." "Leave, go back to your lockers." "No." "No." "Cor, I've got something to say." "I mean, have any of you ever really looked at Frankie Stecchino?" "Yeah, upside down." "No, I mean really looked at him." "I bet nobody here knows that this man has a very poetic soul." "Yeah, you know, he does." " I mean, he goes to poetry readings." " Yeah, that's right." "And believe me, deep down... he's gentle." "Yeah, and you guys should forget about what you think he is, all right, and... and just," "I don't know, take a good look at him and give him a real chance." "Kinda like we should have." "Showing his teeth." "Run!" "I'm sorry, man." "We tried." "All that stuff you said, did you mean it?" "Or once again were you just trying to avoid an indescribable pain?" "What do you think?" "I think I want to grab a burger with my two new friends." "What do you think?" " Sounds good to me." " Let's do it." "Yeah, we can get to know each other." "You know, Frankie, we're pretty lucky to have a friend like you." "Right back at you." "Yeah, I can't wait to see your dad work tonight." "So the match is at what time?" "Vader time!" "(barks)" "Papa, you don't have to be in character all the time." "Sorry, son." "I just..." "I just get so worked up when I'm defending my belt." "And no one, I mean no one, is gonna take it from me." "And that includes you, little man!" "Try it." "Go ahead." "Try it." " I would never..." " Try it!" " It's too much metal for me, really." " Come on!" "I would never make it through airport security." "I'm sorry." "(Amy) Cory!" "Who's barking in the kitchen?" "(growls)" "I am, little lady." "You got a problem with Vader?" "Bring it on." "Oh, knock it off, Francis." "You know, you don't act this way at the PTA meetings." "So, Frankie." "Word around the halls is you've gone soft." "The Enforcer is no more, sir." "Eric, just leave him alone, all right?" "After all he's done to me over the years, give me one good reason." "I'm gonna give you three." "(barks three times)" "(growls)" "Somebody get him a bone!"