"And two coconut and, let's see, two of the glazed." " And that'll do it." " That'll be 2.40, sir." " All right." " There you are." "And your change." "Thank you." " Can I help you?" " Yeah." "Let me get my list out." "I got stuck ordering for everyone." "Oh, well, lucky you." "Okay, all set." "Okay." "Denise wants two plain." "Angie, two powdered." "Mandy, two jelly." "Darlene, two chocolate." "Sandy, two coconut, and Betsy, two glazed." " That'll do it." " Nothing for you?" "No, I'm on a diet." "And they sent you to pick them up?" "Yeah, well, I'm the only one with a car." " I've got a lot of willpower, though." " Oh, well, good for you." "Are you in a sorority or something?" "Yeah, well, it's a girls' club, really." "Well, there you go." "It's 3.10." "Three dollars and 10 cents." " Thanks." " Good night." " Good morning." " Good, my foot." "We didn't finish our last assignment till 2:00 in the morning." "I thought we could sleep in." "I thought so too." "But the boss has other plans." "Can't we start the assignment a little later in the day?" "I'm afraid not." "School starts at 8:20." " School?" " That's right, teacher." "Teacher?" "What are you playing, Repeat After Me?" "Jonathan, I don't wanna be a teacher." "Mark, you can't always do everything you want in this world." "Now, you hurry up and get ready." "I don't wanna be late the first day." "I'll make you a cup of coffee." "Coffee, coffee, not good for you, keep you awake." "I just want a couple more minutes to get scrunched under the blankets here." "The assignment will be graded on content, on spelling and on neatness." " Yeah." " Can it be typed?" "No, I think you can all use a little work on your penmanship." "Your name, please?" " Me?" " Yeah." " Jack Mason." " And your reason for being late." "I didn't get here on time." " You have no excuse, then?" " No." "Report to me this afternoon at the end of your regular classes." "I can't." "I've got practise." "Not today, you don't." "Look, I can't miss practise." "We've got a big game on Saturday." "You should have thought of that this morning and been here on time." " And sit up." " What?" "You heard me, sit up." "People tend to think better sitting up." "I'm only gonna be your substitute teacher for the next couple of weeks." "During that time, I expect your full attention and cooperation." "And I expect you to be here on time." "I enjoy teaching and I want my students to enjoy learning." "If we work together, I think we can have some fun over the next couple of weeks." "So here we go." "Your essay assignment," ""What a Friend Means to Me."" "I don't want you to use any relatives in the friend category." "It can be a friend from here at school or someone you met on the outside." "It makes no difference." "Yeah?" " Can it be a boyfriend?" " No." "No boyfriends and no girlfriends." "I want this to be based on true friendship rather than just a crush." "I think once you begin to really get into this subject, you're gonna discover even more about the importance of a true friend." " Jonathan." " Hey, how's it going?" "It's not." "Now, listen, you've gotta get me out of this assignment now." "Why?" "What's wrong?" "Do you know what my next class is?" "No." " Sex Education." " What?" " Sex Education." " So?" "So?" "I don't know what to say to these kids." "I mean, it's embarrassing." "We never had this kind of thing when I was a kid." "We learned what we learned from just sitting around with the guys talking." "Yeah, and how much misinformation did you learn from just sitting around with the guys talking?" " Well, a lot, but" " I'm afraid you're on, Dr. Kinsey." "Jonathan." "You want it on the board or on paper?" "What?" "What do you mean, what?" ""I will not be late for school,"" "I think you're a little old for that." "Sit down." "I've been going over your progress reports." "Keep going the way you are, you're not gonna graduate this year." "So?" "What do you mean, so?" "Is that all it means to you?" "Hey, a lot of people don't graduate." "What's the big deal?" "I mean, I'm out of here this year, diploma or not." " And what are you gonna do then?" " What everybody else does." "Get a job." "And what kind of a job do you think you're gonna get without a high school diploma?" "Don't start that crap." "I'm gonna get the same kind of job with or without it." "My old man never even went to high school." "He's done all right." "Well, I'll bet if your father had it to do over again," " he'd have gone for the diploma." " Bull." "He knows it don't mean nothing." "I mean, come on, a year after you graduate, you forget half the stuff you learned." "You know, if it wasn't for playing ball, I'd have quit a long time ago." "So you think school is just one big, fat waste of time, huh?" "Yeah, I do." "You spend most of your time learning a bunch of boring stuff you'll never use anyway." "That's true." " You like sports?" " Yeah." "Do you just go out and play the game, or do you work out?" "What are you talking about?" "You know, work out, get in shape, exercise." "Yeah." "I mean, I don't like to work out, but you gotta, to get in shape." "Well, life's a game you're gonna be playing a long time after you hang up the cleats." "It's a game you play with your body and your mind." "That's why it's important you get your mind in shape." "Sure, sometimes you have to learn some things you'll never use, and sometimes it's very boring and sometimes it's tough." "But not as tough as it is out there." "That's why you gotta see to it that mind gets some exercise." "So the next few weeks, I'm not gonna be your teacher." "I'm gonna be more like a coach." "I'm gonna exercise that mind of yours." "What if I don't want to?" "What would happen if you went to your baseball coach and said you didn't feel like working out?" " He'd kick me off the team." " Right." "I'm gonna do the same thing." "You don't work out for me, I'm gonna kick you out of school." " Are you kidding me?" " No, I'm not kidding you, Jack." "You're not here to take up space or waste people's time and money." "Being able to go to school is a gift." "And the way you say thank you for that gift is by learning." "I'm gonna arrange with another of the students to tutor you in math, starting tomorrow." "After practise, of course." "All right, go on and play ball." "That's it?" "I can go?" "That's it." "Jack." "Do you care if you lose a game?" "Sure I care." "No one wants to be a loser, right?" "That's funny, I thought you did." "Hey, I saw that once." "You guys gonna go to that game tonight?" " Yeah." " No." "Hey, Mark." "Let's go, school's over." "Mark, you all right?" "Jonathan, you won't believe what I found out today." "Jenny?" "It's awfully late." "Aren't you through with your homework yet?" "Just a few more minutes, Mom." " All right." "I'll see you in the morning." " Okay." " Hey." " I am out of here." " Did you wanna see me, Mr. Smith?" " Oh, yeah, Jenny, come on in." "Jenny, I wanna ask you a favour." " Sure." " There's a student in my class who's fallen way behind in algebra." "He needs some tutoring, and since you're the class whiz in algebra," "I was just wondering if you could help him." "You know, maybe two, three times a week after school." " I guess I could." " I'm not gonna kid you." "He's very stubborn." "It's not gonna be easy." "I'll do my best." "I'm sure you know the boy, it's Jack Mason." "Jack Mason?" "Yeah." "He's over at baseball practise right now." "Why don't we run over there and you can make some arrangements?" "Something wrong?" "No." "No, nothing's wrong." "Good." "All right, then." "Let's go." "What time should I pick you up tonight?" "Oh, I don't know." "I should be home about 6:30 or 7." "Okay." "I'll pick you up at 7:30." "Hey, Jack?" "You know Jenny Bates." "Yeah." "I've seen her around." "Yeah, well, Jenny's been kind enough to agree to tutor you in algebra." "Oh, really?" "Thanks a lot." "She's free tonight, so you might as well get started." "This evening..." "What's the matter?" "What's wrong?" "Yeah, I was gonna go out this evening." "At 7:30." "Yeah, but you wouldn't want Jack to miss his chance to graduate." "He hasn't got much time left and he's got a lot of work to make up." "Don't you, Jack?" "Yeah, I suppose I do." "Okay, you're all set, then." "Jenny, thanks again." "You live near the school?" "Yeah, Langley, 243." "Okay." "I'll be over after practise." "Six or so." "If that's all right." "It's fine, just fine." "Going to her place?" "I'm jealous." "I'll see you about 6 or so." "Thanks for breaking our date." "Hey, I wanna play ball, what was I supposed to do?" "Well, I mean, we could go all the way this year." "Well, not with me." "Hey, what was I supposed to do?" "Oh, nuts." "No, no." "See, right here." " Y equals" " Come on." "What's the use?" "I can't learn this stuff." " You just started." " Yeah, well, I'm just stopping." "Mr. Smith is going to expect you to turn this homework assignment in tomorrow." "Yeah, I know." "Hey, look." "All I'm trying to do is get by till the end of the year so I can play ball." "Couldn't you just do these problems for me?" "I mean, it'd only take you a couple minutes and I'd be out of here." "No, I can't." "Why?" "Come on." "Nobody would know." "You would and I would." "Well, I'm sure as hell not gonna tell anybody." "I can't." "Besides, it wouldn't be fair to you." "That's the dumbest line I've ever heard." "Come on." "Be a friend, huh?" "I'm sorry." "All right, forget it." "When they kick me out of school, you just remember whose fault it was, all right?" "Hey, here's a good one for you, Jonathan." "What's the definition of a dead atheist?" "I couldn't guess." "All dressed up and no place to go." "That's cute, real cute." "What kind of homework assignments you give out today?" "None." "What kind of homework are you gonna give to a Sex Education class?" "I was talking about your history class." "Oh, that." "I just had them read a couple chapters." "Hello." "Yeah, yeah, hold on." "Jonathan, it's for you." "It's Jenny." "Yeah, thanks." "Hello, Jenny?" "No, no, not at all." "Oh, he did, huh?" "Yeah." "I told you he was stubborn." "No." "No, no, you did the right thing." "Yeah." "Okay." "Okay, thanks for calling." "The kid, huh?" "Yeah." "He asked Jenny to do his homework." "She said no, so he split." "Jonathan, I don't think you're gonna be able to turn this kid around." "Well, we shall see what we shall see." " I'll be back." " Where you going?" "Go talk to Jack's father." "I got it." " Mr. Mason?" " Yeah, that's right." "I'm Jonathan Smith." "One of Jack's teachers." " Oh, yeah." " Is Jack here?" "No, no, he's..." "He went out on a date." "I wonder if I could talk to you a minute." "Who is it, Arnie?" "One of Jack's teachers." "Come on in." "Oh, thank you." " Would you like a beer or a soda?" " No, no." "I'm fine." " Hello." " Hello, Mrs. Mason." "This is Mr. Smith, Ellen." "I won't take too much of your time." "I know it's late." "I suppose you know Jack's been having a problem at school." " He's not into drugs, is he?" " No, no." "Not that I know of." "It's his schoolwork." "I'm afraid, the way he's going, he's not gonna graduate." "Well, Mr. Smith, I know you're trying to help, but..." "You know, Jack's just never been much of a student." "He's always squeaked by, but I think most of the time, teachers gave him a break because of sports, you know?" "Yeah." "Well, he's not gonna squeak by this year." "Well, like I said, he's not much of a student." "I was no great student either." "I guess he's a chip off the old block." "Yeah, but certainly you want him to graduate." "Well, hey, he does, he does." "I never even went to high school, I'm doing fine." "I know." "Your son told me." "Matter of fact, I think he uses you as an excuse." "What are you talking about?" "What I mean is I think he feels you're proud that you didn't finish school." "Well, hey, let me tell you something." "At his age, I was working." "I still am." "The same company, the same job." "This'll be my 20th year." "And that's very commendable." "But it's tough enough out there for kids with a good education." "He'll be fine." "Just like his old man." "He'll be fine." "Thanks for dropping by." " Mrs. Mason" " I said, thanks for dropping by." "The nerve of that guy." "He was only trying to help." "Bull." "He was trying to put me down." "Looking down his nose at me because I didn't get no diploma." "How many people you know have the same job for 20 years?" "Why, Arnie?" "Why what?" "Well, you know, why have you been at the same job for 20 years?" "You've been with that company all this time and you never got a promotion." "Hey, I work damn hard, damn hard, don't you forget it." " Look, I was only" " You think you can do better, you go out and get a damn job." "Never mind." "So you got me kicked off the team." "Jack, I think we should discuss this after class." "Hey, there is no after class for me." "Thanks to you, I'm out of here." "You haven't been kicked out of school." "Oh, come on." "I told you why I was here." "To win a championship." "One lousy thing is all I wanted." "One thing to remember from this stinking school." " But you fixed that, didn't you?" " Oh, no, Jack, you fixed that." "But it's still not too late." "The hell it isn't!" "You know, if you weren't a teacher, I'd bust your face." "Come on, what good is that gonna do?" "It'd do me good." "You think you're such a big deal in the classroom, talking to us like we're kids." "You think you'd be such a big man behind the stands with me?" "I don't know, let's find out, huh?" "Okay, let's go." "All right, I want everybody to continue on with the test." "No one leaves the room until I come back." "Okay, any time." "I'm right here." "Oh, I get it." "I hit you first, then you call the cops, right?" "No, I'm not gonna call anybody." "All right, then." "Let's get it on." "What do you think this is gonna prove?" "Just shut up and fight." "You think beating me up is gonna make you a man?" "I am a man!" "You're a boy!" "And that's not a putdown." "You're the age of a boy." "You act like a boy and you fight like a boy." "The trouble with you is you're probably always gonna be a boy." "Well, I haven't got the time or the patience to mess with you anymore." "I've got kids in my class who are working on being grown-up." "And to be honest with you, they're better off without you around." "Come on, Jonathan, will you stop worrying?" "It wasn't your fault." "Yes, it was." "I lost my temper." "Hey, even the boss got ticked off a few times since he created this place, you know." "Yeah, well, I'm not the boss." "It's my job to help, not let my anger get in the way." "Jonathan, if you ask me, the kid got what he deserves." "I mean, when you were a kid, would you ever have thought about hitting a teacher?" " Of course not." " Well, there's your answer." "Good riddance to bad rubbish." " Oh, hello, Jenny." " Hi." "Is Mr. Smith here?" "Yeah, sure." "Come on in." "What can I do for you, Jenny?" "It's about Jack Mason." "Yeah, what about him?" "Well, I feel as though it's my fault he got kicked off the team." "Come on, it's not your fault." "You did the right thing." "You wouldn't be helping him by doing his work." "I know that." "It's just that I wish he could have another chance." "You know, lots of times people seem to be a certain way, and it's not always their fault." "I mean, I don't know what he's been through, or what his problems might be at home and all." "I just wish he could have another chance." "All he wants is trouble." "He brings it on himself." "But that's just what I mean." "He's not hurting anybody else, just himself." "And that makes him a sad person, not a bad person." "You're quite a lady, you know that, Jenny?" "Me?" "Yeah, you." "Look, if I give him another chance, will you work with him again?" "Sure I would." "All right." "All right, we'll try it again." "Thanks." "Find anything good?" "Hey, Jack." " What?" " You find anything good?" "No, not yet." "What about a sporting-goods store?" "You know all about that stuff." "I'll bet Mr. Deemer could use a good jock for a salesman." " He was the first one I called today." " And?" "He said I'd have to get my diploma first." "Oh, yeah?" "After all the business we've done in his store?" "Well, from now on we buy your equipment someplace else." " I don't need equipment, remember?" " Hey, don't raise your voice to me." "Take it easy, you'll find something." "Hi, Jack." " What do you want?" " I wanna talk to you." "Me or my dad?" "You." "Come on, you trying to tell me you're not gonna clue him in on what happened today?" "What happened?" "The fight, man." "I'd hardly call that a fight, Jack." "Can I talk to you or not?" "Come in." "What do you want?" "I came to talk to Jack about going back to school." "Well, he's not." "Going out tomorrow, look for a job." "He'll be fine." "What kind of job?" "Any kind he wants." "Like the kind at Bill Deemer's Sporting Goods?" "How'd you know about that?" "Bill Deemer's an old friend of mine." "Yeah, well, he's not a friend of ours." "Look, you're wasting our time." "Jacky will get a job." "You'll see." "Pay his way just like his old man." " And where will he live?" " What?" "Where will he live?" "Here." "With us." "He'll chip in." "He's not gonna be no leech." "No." "He can't live here." " What are you talking about?" " You heard me." "He's a man." "He's out of school." "He takes care of himself." "I just told you, he'll chip in for the rent." "And what about all the rest of it?" "The cooking, the cleaning, the washing." "Oh, no." "He either finishes school or he goes." "I'm not gonna spend the rest of my life taking care of you two." " Hey, now, you listen to me" " No, for a change, you listen to me!" "Look, I know that I'm as much at fault in this as you are." "I didn't stand up to you when I should have." "Well, there's nothing I can do about what's past, but there is something I can do about what's happening right now." "Well, he's my son, I say he stays with us." "Then he stays with you, because I won't be here." "I'm not gonna watch him throw his life away anymore." "Ellen?" "You see what you've done?" "Get out of here." "No, wait, Dad." "Mom's right, and he's right too." "He's giving me another chance." "I should take it." "All right, one more strike and you're out." "I gotcha." "Jenny's agreed to tutor you again." "Hey, not her." "I'll go back, but you give me another tutor." "Why not?" "She's the one that got me into this in the first place." "You're always ready to blame somebody else, aren't you?" "It's either Jenny or forget it." "Okay." "I'll be going, then." "By the way, it wasn't my idea to give you a second chance." "When you see Jenny tomorrow, you ought to thank her." "Look why don't you go on in and tell your mother that you're going back to school?" "Hey, what are you doing here?" "I thought you quit." "No, I changed my mind." "Can you play ball?" "If I do my work." "All right, congratulations." "Hey, let's go to the movies tonight." " I'll pick you up after practise." " I can't." "I have tutoring." " Not with fat Jenny?" " Hey, lay off her, okay?" "Listen to you." "You're the one who said that she turned you in." "I know what I said." "Just leave her alone." "Hey, I'll leave you both alone." "Come on." "Look, I gotta go." "I'll talk to you later." "Hey there." "Is the club meeting at your house this Friday night?" "Yeah." "Yeah." "We're gonna have some special fun." " Oh, yeah?" "What's going on?" " Initiation." " Initiation?" "This time of year?" " This one's special." "You're gonna love it." "I'll see you in a minute." "Hi, Jenny." "Hi." "Hey, I wanted to thank you for being so nice to Jack, you know, for helping him and all." "Oh, that was nothing." "But it is." "I mean, all the girls at the club are talking about it." "And we were wondering if you would like to join us." "Join you?" "Yeah, you know, be a member of the Ditchers." " Are you serious?" " Of course I'm serious." "Well, yeah, sure, I'd love to." "Great." "Okay, initiation is Friday night." "It's just some goofy stuff, whipped cream and junk." "Nothing rough." " Friday's fine, just fine." " Okay." "Eight o'clock?" "Oh, and there's one rule." "You cannot say anything to anybody, and that means anybody." "I won't." "Oh, can I tell my mom?" " If she won't tell anybody." " Oh, she won't." "I promise." "Okay, I'll see you Friday." "Mom, yeah, hi." "I'm gonna be in a club!" "The girls' club." "Yeah, yeah, Mom, and I'm gonna lose weight." "Yeah, all the girls are skinny." "Yeah." "Mom, I promise." "Yeah." "Mom, I've got friends." "Oh, gotta go." "I love you." "I can't believe it." "A B-plus." "It's like a light went on." "I mean, I always thought I was too dumb to learn that stuff." " You just never tried." " I never had anybody help me before." "You know, it sounds crazy, but this past week, I actually liked school." "I'm glad." "So the usual time?" "Oh, I can't." "It's Friday." "I've gotta be someplace." "Oh, okay." "Tomorrow night's okay." "On Saturday?" "You sure?" "You're not busy?" "If it's okay with you, it's okay with me." "All right." " All right." "I'll see you tomorrow night." " Okay." "Hey, it's a quarter of." "I'm ready." " How do I look?" " Very nice." "Mom, I lost six pounds this week." "That's good." "Mom, I lost six pounds." "Can't you be a little bit more enthusiastic?" "Honey, I'd like to be, but this isn't the first time you've started to diet." "It needs to last a little while." "But this time it's different." "I've got a reason." "And I need you to encourage me." "Please?" "All right, I will." "I promise." "I will." "Thanks, Mom." "I gotta go." "What a night." "Here she comes!" "Perfect timing." " Hi, Jenny." " Hi." "Come on in." "Everybody, you know Jenny." " Hi." " Hi, Jenny." "Hey, before we start the initiation, we're gonna give you something to wear." "Girls, you guys get the junk ready." "Come on." "Here we go." " What's this?" " Just a bathing suit." "Well, I don't wanna ruin it." "I can just go home and get something." "All the girls wore one of these." "Well, it's just that I'm on a diet right now, you know." "Oh, come on." "It's just us girls, just a bunch of friends." "You gotta be a good sport." "That's one of our rules." " Okay." " Now, go on." "I'll tell you when we're ready." "Okay." "Oh, what the heck." " Okay, you guys, she's getting ready." " Yes!" "Perfect!" " Hi." " Hey, what's with all the cars outside?" "Just the girls." "We're having club night." "Then why'd you call me to go to the movies?" "We're only gonna be a few more minutes." "Now, wait in here, okay?" "Okay, but the show starts in 15 minutes." "We'll make it, don't worry." " Hey, towels are no fair." " But I feel kind of funny." "Come on, you gotta be a good sport if you wanna be in this club." "Come on, here we go." "This is gonna be fun." "Okay." "Now, you go in here and I'll go see if they're ready, okay?" "Okay." "You ready?" "Oh, my God." "Let me out." "Let me out!" "Please, let me out!" "Let me out, please." "Let me out!" "Let me out!" "Don't do this to me." "Come on, Arlene, that's enough." " No!" " Come on, that is enough." "Debbie's right, let her out." "Oh, God." "You guys are no fun." "What's this all about?" "We're just having a little fun." "Stop being so serious." "You call that fun?" "You're sick, you know that?" " Jenny." " She'll be all right." " Come on, we'll go to the movies." " Take a hike." "Jenny!" "Jenny!" "Boy, am I glad this assignment is over." "I was never meant to be a teacher." "I don't have the patience for it." "Hello." "Yeah, Jack." "Oh, no." "You've gotta be kidding." "No, I think I know where she is." "I will." "I will, right." " Come on, let's go." " Where we going?" "I thought this assignment was over." "Yeah, so did I." "I don't wanna teach anymore." "And there's your change." "Thanks." "Oh, hi." "They got you ordering again tonight?" "No, these are for me." "Two of everything on the top shelf." "I thought you were on a diet." "No, what for?" "Everyone loves a fat girl." "We're happy." "We laugh all the time." "You never have to worry about your boyfriends being around us." "We're jolly, you know." "Hey, are you okay?" "Just hurry up and fill the order." "Hi, Jenny." "Mr. Smith." " How much will that be?" " That'll be 5.50." "Keep the change." "Jenny, I wanna talk to you for a minute." "I'm in a hurry." "It's initiation night tonight and I'm picking up the doughnuts for all my friends." "I know, Jack just called me." "It was all just a big joke." "Just a joke." "Put the fat girl in a bathing suit in front of Jack." "He was there, I'm sure he got a big laugh." " He didn't know a thing about it." " Yes, he did." "Arlene is his girlfriend." " He had to know." " He didn't know." "When he called me, he was upset, he was worried about you." "No, he wasn't." "You listen to me." "Now, what those girls did to you tonight was hurtful and it was cruel." "But what you're doing now is just as wrong." " But I want them to be my friends." " Well, they're not." "And who the heck wants people like that as friends, anyway?" "You don't understand." "You don't know what it's like being a fat girl." "Listen, if you don't like the way you are, then do something about it." " I've tried." " For how long?" "Until something like this happens and you start it all over again?" "Jenny, listen." "The best friend you've got in this world is you." "If you don't like yourself, it doesn't make any difference how many other people do." "You want me to drive you home?" "Yes." "Thanks." "Mark, you follow us, will you?" "God, why is he here?" " I don't wanna see him now." " Why?" "Because he saw me." "He's here because he cares about you." "Now, you said you had no friends." "You've got one now." "Don't turn away from him." "Now, go on." "Go on." " Are you all right?" " Yeah." "I couldn't believe those girls tonight." "I tried to stop you, but..." "They're just a bunch of dummies." "You really were worried about me, weren't you?" "Of course I was." "It kind of scared me, you were so upset." "I know, because you saw me." "Nothing like a fat girl in a bathing suit." "Then lose weight." " God, I want to." " Well, then do it." "If I can pass algebra, then you can lose weight." "I'll tell you what, you don't let me get away without studying and I won't let you get away with eating." "By the end of the year, you'll be thinner and I'll be smarter." "What do you say, friend?" "Sounds good, friend." "You wanna go watch some TV?" "Yeah." "Yeah, I would." " You know something?" " What?" "I do love this job." " You know what?" " What?" "So do I."