[ THEME SONG PLAYS ] * I BET WE'VE BEEN TOGETHERFOR A MILLION YEARS * * AND I'LL BET WE'LL BE TOGETHERFOR A MILLION MORE * * OH, IT'S LIKEI STARTED BREATHING * * ON THE NIGHT WE KISSED * AND I CAN'T REMEMBERWHAT I EVER DID BEFORE * * WHAT WOULD WE DO, BABY * WITHOUT US? * WHAT WOULD WE DO, BABY * WITHOUT US? * AND THEREAIN'T NO NOTHIN' * * WE CAN'T LOVEEACH OTHER THROUGH * * OOH-HOO * WHAT WOULD WE DO, BABY * WITHOUT US? * SHA-LA-LA-LA CAN'T BELIEVEYOU DID THAT, DAD. I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DIDTHAT WAS SO WRONG, JEN. IT WAS PROBABLY THE SINGLEMOST EMBARRASSING MOMENTOF MY LIFE. THAT'S ALL. WHAT HAPPENED? DAD WAS DRIVINGCARPOOL TODAY, OKAY -- ME AND TWO OTHER GIRLSFROM THE EIGHTH GRADE AND MITZI KASSELMAN,A NINTH GRADER, CAPTAIN OFTHE CHEERLEADERS, AND VERY POPULAR. WE STOPPEDAT A RED LIGHT. IT WAS QUIET.AND THEN DAD SAYS, "WHY DON'T WE USE THIS TIMETO HAVE A MOCK DEBATE BETWEEN THE U.S.AND THE SOVIET UNION?" DAD, YOU DIDN'T. THEN HE TURNSTO MITZI KASSELMAN AND SAYS, "MITZI,YOU BE GORBACHEV." I'M DYING. WHO'S GORBACHEV? THAT'S WHAT MITZI SAID. IF I COULD HAVE CRAWLEDINTO THE ASHTRAY, I WOULD HAVE. LOOK, LOOK,UP UNTIL THEN, ALL THE TALK HAD BEEN ABOUTCLOTHES AND BOYS AND MOVIES. I THOUGHTA LITTLE GROUP DISCUSSION ABOUTTHE NUCLEAR ARMS RACE WOULD BE A NICECHANGE OF PACE. COME. MITZI KASSELMANAS GORBACHEV. THERE, THERE. WHO'S THIS GORBACHEV? I DON'T KNOW WHAT I DIDTHAT WAS SO WRONG. I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE NEXT TIME,TRY MITZI KASSELMAN AS REAGAN. WHA-- OH,IT'S JUST YOU, ALEX. I'M EQUALLY EXCITEDTO SEE YOU, MAL. SORRY. I WAS JUST, UH,HOPIN' IT WAS NICK. HE'S LATE, AND I'M WONDERINGWHERE HE COULD BE. MAYBE HE'S IN STOCKHOLM ACCEPTING THE NOBEL PRIZEFOR PHYSICS. WHAT TIME ARE YOUEXPECTING NICK? OVER AN HOUR AGO. HE SAID HE'D COME RIGHT OVERHERE AFTER HIS JOB INTERVIEW. JOB INTERVIEW?JOB INTERVIEW? JOB INTERVIEW?JOB INTERVIEW? I WASN'T SUPPOSED TOSAY ANYTHING IN CASE THEY DIDN'T HIRE HIM. WHAT KINDOF JOB IS IT? TEACHING ART TO KIDSAT THE "Y." BOY, IT WOULD BE NEATTO HAVE NICK AS A TEACHER. YEAH, YOU COULD ALLCUT CLASSES TOGETHER. [ MOTORCYCLE ENGINE REVS ] UM, OKAY, THAT'S HIM. PLEASE DON'T LET ON THATI TOLD YOU ANYTHING ABOUT THIS. IF HE FINDS OUT, HE SWOREHE'D NEVER SPEAK TO ME AGAIN. NEVER, YOU SAY? NEVER, EVER? HEY. HEY!HEY!HEY!HEY! DID YOU GET THE JOB? COME ON, ANDY. I THINK IT'S TIMETO GO UPSTAIRS AND PLAY NOW. SORRY. I DIDN'TMEAN TO TELL THEM. I WAS EXCITED.IT KIND OF SLIPPED OUT. HEY, I GUESSTHIS MEANS YOU'LL NEVER SPEAKTO OUR DAUGHTER AGAIN. AW, I-IT'S ALL RIGHT,MR. KEATON. YOU KNOW, I COULD NEVERREALLY BE MAD AT MALLORY. BUT SHE TOLD US,NICK... AFTER YOU ASKED HER NOT TOIN NO UNCERTAIN TERMS. YEAH, BUT, UH,SHE WAS JUST EXCITED. I DON'T MIND. NICK... SHE BETRAYED YOU. I THINK YOU HAVE NO CHOICEBUT TO LEAVE HER. IT REALLY DOESN'T MATTER ANYWAY,MR. KEATON, BECAUSE I DIDN'TGET THE JOB. Elyse: WHAT? I CAN'T BELIEVE THAT.YOU WERE PERFECT FOR THAT JOB. THEY SAID THATTHEY REALLY WANTED ME. THEY SAIDTHAT I WOULD BRING A, UH, NEW AND UNUSUALPERSPECTIVE TO THE PROGRAM. BUT THEY, UH, SAIDTHEY COULDN'T HIRE ANYBODY WITHOUTA HIGH-SCHOOL DIPLOMA. [ SCOFFS ] BOY, THAT'SA NEW ONE, ISN'T IT? SO WHAT DO YOUWANT TO DO, TONIGHT, MAL? WANT TO GO OUT,SEE A MOVIE? UM, SURE, IF THAT'SWHAT YOU WANT TO DO. I MEAN, IF YOU'RE SUREYOU WANT TO GO OUT. YEAH.WHY WOULDN'T I WANT TO? I DON'T KNOW. I KNOWYOU FEEL A LITTLE DOWN ABOUT NOTGETTIN' THE JOB. HEY, MAL, I'M FINE. I FORGOT ALL ABOUT IT. WHAT JOB? SEE? AW, NICK, I HATEWHEN YOU GET THIS WAY. IT'S NOT GOOD TO KEEP YOUREMOTIONS ALL BOTTLED UP INSIDE. YOU'LL END UP LIKE ALEX.YOU DON'T WANT THAT, DO YOU? NONE OF US WANT THAT, MAL. ALEX, IF YOU HADA LITTLE SENSITIVITY, YOU'D BE ABLE TO SEETHAT NICK IS VERY UPSET. LOOK, IF NICK IS SO UPSETTHAT HE DIDN'T GET THE JOB, WHY DOESN'T NICK GO BACK TO HIGHSCHOOL AND GET HIS DIPLOMA? HEY, HEY, HEY, NO WAY. I AM NOT GOIN'BACK TO SCHOOL. YOU KNOW, THEY MAKE YOUWRITE PAPERS AND TAKE TESTS. I DON'T LIKETO TAKE TESTS. YOU KNOW, YOU GOT TOPUT THESE TINY LITTLE CHECKS IN THE RIGHT BOX --TRUE OR FALSE? WHAT ABOUTA BOX FOR MAYBE? HOW COME THEY DON'THAVE A BOX FOR MAYBE? YOU KNOW, AND HOW ABOUTA BOX FOR "WHO CARES?" OR WHAT ABOUT A BOX FOR"ASK ME A DIFFERENT QUESTION"? HUH? I LIKED YOU BETTERWHEN YOU WERE BOTTLED UP. UM, NICK,WHAT ABOUT THAT? I MEAN, WHAT ABOUTGOIN' BACK TO SCHOOL? AH, IT'S NOT FOR ME. NICK, IT'S THE ONLY WAYYOU'RE GONNA GET THAT JOB. THINK HOW GREATIT WOULD BE TO TEACH THOSE LITTLEKIDS HOW TO BE CREATIVE. YOU'RE SO GOODWITH KIDS. YOU COULDREALLY INSPIRE THEM. ME AS A TEACHER. WOW! I'D WALK INTOTHE CLASSROOM, AND THEY'D STOP MAKIN'THOSE FUNNY LITTLENOISES THAT KIDS MAKE WHEN THE TEACHERCOMES INTO THE ROOM. THEY'D ALL SIT UP NICE ANDSTRAIGHT, AND THEY'D SAY, "GOOD MORNING, MR. MOORE." YOU KNOW, NOBODY'SEVER CALLED ME "MR. MOORE." EXCEPT MY GRANDFATHER -- HE COULD NEVER REMEMBERMY FIRST NAME. GOOD MORNING,MR. MOORE. GOOD MORNING, MALLORY. YOU'RE LOOKINGVERY CUTE TODAY. THANK YOU, MR. MOORE. OH, MAL, I WANTEDTHAT JOB SO BAD, I COULDN'T SLEEP FOR THREENIGHTS THINKIN' ABOUT IT. THEN, NICK,GO BACK TO SCHOOL. I MEAN, HOW MANY CLASSESARE YOU SHORT? ONE. ENGLISH. ENGLISH.I CAN HELP YOU. ENGLISH -- ENGLISHIS ONE OF MY BETTER SUBJECTS. I ONLY HADTO TAKE IT TWICE. CAN'T BELIEVEYOU DID IT AGAIN, DAD. WHAT DID -- WHAT DIDI DO THIS TIME? I FOLLOWED YOUR INSTRUCTIONSTO THE LETTER. YOU TOLD ME I COULDONLY TALK ABOUT HOW MITZI KASSELMAN LOOKED,AND THAT'S WHAT I DID. YOU TOLD HER SHE LOOKEDLIKE MRS. GORBACHEV. WHO TOLD HER TO WEARTHAT FUR HAT? YOU'RE NEVER DRIVINGCARPOOL AGAIN, DAD. GREAT! THERE ISN'TA FATHER IN AMERICA WHO WOULDN'T KILLTO HEAR THOSE WORDS. OR RUSSIA. HI, DAD.HI, HONEY. UM, WOULD YOU GUYS MINDLETTING ME HAVE THE LIVING ROOM? NICK'S GONNA BE OVERANY MINUTE. I'M GONNA HELP HIM STUDY. YOU'RE GONNAHELP NICK STUDY? I THOUGHT THE IDEA WAS FOR NICKTO PASS THIS COURSE. ALEX, I DON'T WANT YOUTO SAY ANYTHING TO NICK. HE'S GOT HIS FIRSTBIG TEST TOMORROW, AND HE'SNERVOUS ENOUGH ALREADY. I TELL YOU WHAT -- ANDY,WHY DON'T YOU TAKE YOURBROTHER UPSTAIRS AND PLAY WITH HIMUNTIL DINNER, AND DO NOT LET HIMOUT OF YOUR SIGHT. COME ON, ALEX.LET'S GO COLOR. I DON'T WANT TO COLOR. IT'S THE "WALL STREET JOURNALCOLORING BOOK." ALL RIGHT. [ SQUEALS ] COME ON! [ DOORBELL RINGS ] THANKS, MOM. HI, NICK.HEY. HEY, HOW'STHE STUDYING COMING? AH, TO TELL YOUTHE TRUTH, MRS. KEATON,IT'S NOT GOIN' SO GOOD. YOU KNOW,IT'S A LOT TOUGHER THAN SITTIN' AROUNDDOIN' NOTHIN' ALL DAY. WELL, I'M -- I'M SURE YOU'LLFIND IT JUST AS REWARDING. COME ON, NICK.WE GOT A LOT TO COVER BEFORE YOUR TEST TOMORROW. OKAY. NOW... WHAT IS A VERB? WHAT DOES IT DOIN A SENTENCE? UH, IT JUSTKIND OF SITS THERE, TRYING NOT TO BOTHERTHE OTHER WORDS. NO, NICK,A VERB IS A WORD THAT DOES SOMETHING ACTIVEIN A SENTENCE, LIKE "WALK"OR "RUN" OR "EAT." YEAH, BUT, UH,EATING'S NOT ACTIVE, UNLESS YOU EATAND RUN. WELL, YOU DON'T HAVE TOBE MOVING TO BE ACTIVE. YOU JUST HAVE TO BEDOING SOMETHING. WELL, WHAT ABOUTIF YOU'RE DEAD? I MEAN, YOU CAN'T BE ACTIVEWHEN YOU'RE DEAD UNLESS YOU'REA GHOST OR A VAMPIRE. WELL, YOU CAN USE VERBSFOR GHOSTS AND VAMPIRES. UH, JUST NOT FOR ORDINARYDEAD PEOPLE, HUH? I'M GONNA HAVE TOLOOK THAT UP. I THINK THEY HAVESPECIAL VERBS FOR THEM. YOU KNOW, THIS ISWITHOUT A DOUBT THE MOST INANEAND ABSURD CONVERSATION I HAVE EVER HEARD. ALEX, WHAT ARE YOUDOING HERE? WELL, I'M NOT DOING ANYTHING, SO I GUESS I'LL NEED ONE OF THOSESPECIAL VERBS. [ Laughing ] LIKE YOU USEFOR DEAD PEOPLE. ALEX, I ASKED YOU NOT TO COMEDOWN HERE WHILE WE'RE STUDYING. I'M SORRY, BUT I WAS JUSTIRRESISTIBLY DRAWN TOWARD THE -- TOWARDS THISAWESOME DISPLAY OF BRAINPOWER. YOU KNOW WHAT?IF YOU COULD HARNESS THE MENTAL ENERGYIN THIS ROOM, YOU COULD TOASTSOME BREAD. LIGHTLY. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO, ALEX,LOCK THE DOOR? I'M COMING, ANDREW.I'M COMING. YOU DON'T THINK I CAN PASSTHE TEST, DO YOU, ALEX? TRUTH? TRUTH. NO. DON'T PAYANY ATTENTION TO HIM. WHO ARE WE KIDDING?ALEX IS RIGHT. I AM WASTING MY TIME.I'M WASTING YOUR TIME. NICK, YOU CAN'T GIVE UP.THE TEST IS TOMORROW. MAL, I WAS BORNBEING ABLE TO FIX THINGS. I AM GOOD WITH MY HANDS,ALL RIGHT? OTHER PEOPLE, LIKE YOU,ARE BORN BEING GOOD AT SCHOOL. NICK -- MAL, I'M SORRY. I REALLY APPRECIATE WHAT YOU'RETRYING TO DO HERE FOR ME. I LOVE YOU FOR IT,BUT I'M QUITTIN'. I'M QUITTING SCHOOLBECAUSE I DON'T BELONG THERE. MALLORY, LISTEN, I DON'T THINKIT'S FAIR FOR YOU TO BLAME ME. NICK WOULD NOT HAVE QUIT SCHOOLIF NICK DIDN'T WANT TO. WE WERE DOIN' JUST FINEUNTIL YOU CAME ALONG. AT THE VERY LEAST,YOU OWE HIM AN APOLOGY. HE ASKED ME IF I THOUGHTHE'D PASS THE TEST, AND I GAVE HIM MY OPINION. WHAT WAS I SUPPOSEDTO DO, LIE? YOU SHOULDN'T HAVEINTERFERED, ALEX. WHAT WOULD YOU SAYIF NICK'D ASKED YOU IF YOU THOUGHTHE WOULD PASS? WELL, I WOULDSAY, UH... YES. I ALMOST CERTAINLY THINKHE MIGHT... PASS. OR MIGHT NOT. OH, STEVEN. WHAT WOULDYOU SAY, ELYSE? ME? I WOULD SAYI THINK HE WOULD PASS. YOU'D BE LYING. NOT NECESSARILY LYING. NOT NECESSARILYTELLING THE TRUTH. NOT NECESSARILY. I CAN'T BELIEVE YOU GUYS. NONE OF YOU THINKNICK CAN DO IT. I DO. THANK YOU, ANDREW. DO WHAT? IT DOESN'T MATTERWHETHER OR NOT WE THINK NICKCAN DO IT. IT ONLY MATTERSWHETHER OR NOT HE THINKSHE CAN DO IT. WELL, THAT'SA VERY GOOD POINT, JEN. BUT IF NICK THINKSHE CAN DO IT, HE'S WRONG. OKAY, LOOK, WE, UH --WE BETTER BE GOING. UH, THE, UH,PLAY STARTS AT 8:00. GOOD NIGHT, SWEETHEART.SLEEP WELL. WE'LL CHECK INON YOU WHEN WE GET HOME. OKAY, HAVEA GOOD TIME. BYE-BYE.COME ON. DRIVE SAFE.GOOD NIGHT. JUST WAIT A MINUTE, ALEX. I WANT TO TALK TOYOU ABOUT SOMETHING, OKAY? I AM REALLY TIRED ABOUTYOUR ATTITUDE TOWARDS NICK. YOU'RE WRONG ABOUT HIM. I KNOW THAT IF NICK AND ISTUDIED A LITTLE MORE, HE'D BE ABLE TO PASS THAT COURSEAND GET HIS DIPLOMA. OKAY, EXCUSE ME, MAL. I HAPPENED TO OVERHEAR ONE OF YOUR SO-CALLEDSTUDY SESSIONS, AND THERE IS NO WAY... THAT NICK IS GONNAGET THAT DIPLOMA. IN FACT,YOU'LL BE LUCKY IF THEY DON'TTAKE YOURS AWAY. [ KNOCK ON DOOR ] NICK. HEY. I'M, UH, SORRYABOUT BEFORE, RUNNIN' OUTON YOU, BABE. I CAME BACKTO APOLOGIZE. ANDREW,WAIT A MINUTE. WAIT A MINUTE,ANDREW. I THOUGHT YOUWERE GOING TO BED. I CAN'T SLEEP.I'M AFRAID OF THE DARK. I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO. I CAN'T CONVINCE HIMTO GET INTO BED. COME ON, ANDREW. NO! I'M AFRAID OF THE DARK.I CAN'T GO TO SLEEP. MAYBE IT'S BECAUSE YOU DON'THAVE YOUR DREAM HAT, ANDY. WHAT'S A DREAM HAT? WELL, YOU SEE,IT'S A HAT YOU PUT ON TO HELP YOU GET TO SLEEP AND HAVE GREAT DREAMSAT NIGHT. DO YOU HAVE ONE? SURE DO,BUT MINE'S AT HOME. TELL YOU WHAT, THOUGH. I'LL MAKE YOU ONE.WOULD YOU LIKE THAT? YEAH.YEAH. OKAY. NOW, YOU SEE,IT'S SHAPED LIKE A CLOUD, 'CAUSE THAT'S WHAT DREAMLANDIS MADE UP OF. AND IT'S GOT ALLTHESE STARS ON IT, BECAUSE THE SKYIN DREAMLAND IS FULL OF STARSWHEN YOU'RE DREAMIN'. AND IT'S ALSO GOTALL THE COLORS OF THE RAINBOW. YOU SEE? BECAUSE THAT'S HOWYOU GET TO DREAMLAND. YOU SLIDE UP AND DOWNON A RAINBOW. THAT'S A WONDERFULHAT, ANDY. YOU'RE REALLY LUCKYTO HAVE IT. WILL YOU HELP JENNIFERPUT ME TO BED? MY PLEASURE. COME ON. GREAT.SAY GOOD NIGHT. GOOD NIGHT.GOOD NIGHT. THAT WASIMPRESSIVE, MAL. I HAD NO IDEANICK COULD BE SO... USEFUL. I JUST -- I -- HE'S GOTA GREAT IMAGINATION. ALEX, YOU'VE SEENNICK WITH ANDY. AND YOU KNOWHOW GOOD HE IS WITH KIDS. THIS JOB MEANSEVERYTHING TO HIM. HE'S GOT TOGET THAT DIPLOMA, AND THERE'S ONLYONE WAY HE'S GONNA DO IT. YOU'VE GOTTO HELP HIM. ME? DON'T BE -- YOU GOT TOBE KIDDING, MAL. ALEX, PLEASE, YOU'RE THE ONLYONE SMART ENOUGH TO DO IT. YEAH, WELL, THAT'S TRUE, BUT I SHOULDN'T BEPENALIZED FOR THAT. [ KNOCK ON DOOR ] COME IN. HELLO, NICK. ALEX. WHAT AREYOU DOIN' HERE? SO THIS ISYOUR PLACE, HUH? IT'S EXACTLY HOWI IMAGINED IT WOULD LOOK. WANT SOME CHIPSOR NUTS OR SOMETHIN'? YEAH. YEAH, THAT WOULD, UH --THAT'D BE NICE, NICK. THANKS. YEAH, AND I, UH, THINKTHERE'S SOME MORE CHIPS IN THE COUCH THERE. THERE YOU GO. PUT ONA NICE SPREAD, NICK. SO, UH, WHAT IS THIS,A, UH, SOCIAL CALL? UH, WELL,ACTUALLY, NICK, I WANTED TO TALKTO YOU ABOUT SCHOOL. WHAT'S THERE TO TALK ABOUT?I'M QUITTIN'. I'VE BEENWATCHIN' YOU WITH ANDY, YOU KNOW, HOW GOOD YOU AREWITH HIM, WITH KIDS. AND, UH, I COULDN'T HELPTHINKING TO MYSELF, YOU KNOW,"THIS GUY DOES NOT HAVE TO BE A TOTAL DRAIN ON SOCIETY." HEY, THANKS. NO, NICK, LISTEN.WHAT I'M SAYIN' IS THIS. IF YOU DON'TQUIT THE CLASS, I'LL HELP YOU PASSTHE TEST TOMORROW. I AM NOT GOING BACKTO THAT CLASS. I ALREADY KNOWEVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW TO GET BY IN MY WORLD. THAT KIND OF LEARNINGIS FOR YOU AND YOUR WORLD, AND THAT'S A WORLD THATI DON'T WANT TO BE NO PART OF. THANK YOU, ALEX. NICK, NICK, COME ON. I'M NOT INTERESTED IN TAKING YOUOUT OF YOUR WORLD. IT'S SO CLEARLYWHERE YOU BELONG. I'M JUST INTERESTEDIN MAKING YOUR WORLD BIGGER. WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO YOUTHAT I GO TO THAT CLASS? BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANTTO MALLORY. AND IF IT'S IMPORTANTTO MALLORY, IT'S IMPORTANT TO ME. AND IF IT'SIMPORTANT TO ME... IT'S IMPORTANTTO THE WORLD. "I SHALL SPEND THE WINTERIN MINNESOTA." NOW, WHAT'S THE PERSONAL PRONOUNIN THAT SENTENCE? UH...PERSONAL PRONOUN... COME ON, NICK. THE WORD THATREFERS TO THE PERSON SPEAKING. UH, THAT WOULDBE ME, NICK. "I" ISTHE PERSONAL PRONOUN. THAT'D BE YOU, ALEX. COME ON. YOU'RE NOTGETTIN' THIS AT ALL. I AM -- I AM TRYING TO. THE TROUBLE IS, I AM NOTUSED TO DEALING WITH WORDS. YOU KNOW, I'M USED TO DEALINGWITH MUCH BIGGER THINGS, LIKE, UH, MOTORCYCLES. OKAY, NICK. ALL RIGHT. LET'S PUT THIS INTO TERMSTHAT YOU CAN RELATE TO. A SENTENCE IS JUSTLIKE A MOTORCYCLE. UH-HUH.OKAY? IT'S NOT GONNA WORK IF IT DOESN'T HAVEALL THE RIGHT PARTS. NOW, E-EVERY SENTENCENEEDS A NOUN, RIGHT? THAT'S THE WORD THAT ALLTHE OTHER WORDS REVOLVE AROUND. SO WHAT PART WOULDTHAT BE ON A MOTORCYCLE? HA! CHASSIS! GOOD. OKAY, GREAT. UM, NOW YOU ALSONEED A VERB, RIGHT, TO, UM -- TO SHOW WHAT ACTIONTAKES PLACE IN THE SENTENCE. NOW, WHAT MAKESA MOTORCYCLE MOVE? ENGINE. OKAY. ALL RIGHT.OKAY, UM... YOU STARTIN' TO UNDERSTANDWHAT I'M TALKIN' ABOUT NOW? NAH, BUT I'MHAVIN' MORE FUN. "THE ROSE IS BEAUTIFUL." NOUN? ROSE. ADJECTIVE? CARBURETOR. NICK. AH, I WAS JUSTFOOLING YOU, TEACH. IN THE SENTENCE"THE ROSE IS BEAUTIFUL," THE ADJECTIVE IS..."BEAUTIFUL"! BEAUTIFUL! HEY, YOU LOOK KIND OF CUTESITTIN' UP THERE ON MY BIKE WEARIN' MY JACKET. BET YOU'D GET THROWNOUT OF YOUR FRATERNITYFOR LOOKIN' LIKE THAT. NICK, I'D GET THROWN OUTOF MY FRATERNITY JUST FOR BEIN'IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD. WE'RE FROM TWO DIFFERENT WORLDS,AREN'T WE, ALEX? AT LEAST. I'VE SEENYOUR TYPE BEFORE. WE USED TO HAVE A NAME FOR GUYS LIKE YOUIN HIGH SCHOOL -- STUDENTS. YOU WERE ALWAYS SMART,WEREN'T YOU, ALEX? FROM DAY ONE, NICK. YOU KNOW, I REMEMBERWHEN I WAS A BABY LYING IN MY CRIB, LOOKING UPAT MY PARENTS, THINKING, "YOU PEOPLEHAVE A LOT TO LEARN." SCARY THING IS I JUST KEPTGETTIN' SMARTER. I MEAN,EVERY DAY, I'D THINK, "THIS IS AS SMARTAS A HUMAN BEING CAN GET," AND THE NEXT DAY,I'D BE SMARTER. AND I'D LOOK BACK AND SAY, "HOW COULD YOUBE SO STUPID?" ALL I REMEMBER IS LYING THEREIN MY CRIB, THINKIN', "WHAT THE HELLAM I DOING HERE?" HOUR TO THE TEST.YOU GONNA BE READY? I DON'T KNOW, ALEX. YOU KNOW, I GOT ALL THESELITTLE WORDS RUNNIN' AROUNDIN MY HEAD, TRYING TO FIGURE OUTWHERE THEY BELONG. I HOPE THEY ALLJUST DON'T PANIC AND RUN AWAYBEFORE THE TEST. THEY'RE NOTGOIN' ANYWHERE, NICK. THEY BELONG TO YOU NOW. AND I'M GONNA TAKEVERY GOOD CARE OF 'EM, ESPECIALLY THE VERBS, 'CAUSE THEY'RE SUCHBUSY LITTLE WORDS. GOT TO HAND IT TO YOU,NICK -- REALLY, YOU'VE LEARNED MOREIN ONE NIGHT THAN A LOT OF PEOPLE LEARNIN A WHOLE SEMESTER. THIS IS WHAT IT'S LIKETO BE A SMART GUY LIKE YOU? SOMEBODY ASKS YOU A QUESTION,YOU KNOW THE ANSWER. NO WONDER YOU LIKEYOURSELF SO MUCH. OH, IT'S -- IT'S 11:00. THE TESTHAS BEEN OVER FOR AN HOUR. WHERE IS HE?I DON'T KNOW. MAYBE HE GOT STUCKIN TRAFFIC. OH, THE LEASTHE COULD DO IS CALL! HE KNOWS WE'RE WAITING HEREON PINS AND NEEDLES. DON'T WORRY. I'M SUREWE'LL HEAR FROM HIM. I SHOULD HAVE GONE THERE.I COULD HAVE WAITED OUTSIDE. THAT WAY, I COULD HAVEBEEN THE FIRST ONE TO SEE HIS FACE,TO KNOW HOW HE WAS FEELING. THIS IS NICKI'M TALKIN' ABOUT! I-I'VE LOST MY MINDFROM NOT ENOUGH SLEEP. ANY WORD FROM NICK YET? NO. WELL, ANDY BOUGHT HIMA SPECIAL PRESENT. SHOW 'EM ANDY. WHAT HAPPENEDTO NICK'S LOLLIPOP? IT WAS A LONGRIDE HOME. ALEX, YOU LOOK TERRIBLE.WHY DON'T YOU GET SOME SLEEP? I CAN'T SLEEP UNTIL I KNOWWHAT HAPPENED TO NICK. IT'S NICE TO SEE HOW CLOSEYOU AND NICK ARE BECOMING. WAIT A MINUTE. LOOK, NICK AND IARE NOT NOW, NOR WILL WEEVER BE...CLOSE. NICK!WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? NICK, WE'RE DYIN'.HOW'D YOU DO ON THE TEST? I PASSED! OH, LET ME SEE! "C" MINUS! HE PASSED! NICK, YOU'RE A GENIUS. I AM SO PROUD OF YOU. AND YOU, TOO, ALEX. YOU REALLY CAMETHROUGH FOR ME, PAL. I APPRECIATE IT. HEY. THAT ISAN INTERJECTION. WHOA! AN EXCLAMATION. STOP IT! AN IMPERATIVE. I'VE CREATEDA MONSTER!