All language subtitles for Punky Brewster s03e10 Fighting City Hall

Maybe the world is blind.

Or just a little unkind.

Don't know.

Seems you can't be sure.

Of anything anymore.

Although.

You.

It happens to be a magnificent opera.

Opera? We thought you were torturing
cats in here.

Look at that lady.

She's wearing an iron bra.

Boy, that must be cold.

It helps her hit the high notes.

How did you girls get so filthy?

Except maybe new blue cheer?

Punky made the game -winning catch.

Spud hit a high fly to deep left.

Punky leaped over the tractor tires,
slid through a mud puddle, and speared

One hand!

Just before she fell into a trunk of
old, rusted -out Studebaker.

Taste the cake.

I don't want you playing in that empty
lot. It's dangerous.

Why don't you play in the park?

The closest park is five miles away.

Hey! What if they turn that vacant lot
into a park?

Tunky, it's not that simple.

It takes a politician to make a park.

Why don't we hire President Carter?

He needs a job.

That's not the way it works. First, we
have to draft a citizen's petition.

Too bad. I'm too young and you're too
old.

For what?

For the draft.

That's not what I meant.

First we make a request for the park.

Then we choose a spokesperson to present
it to the city council.

But who's going to be the spokesperson?

Oh, we'll ask Mrs. Johnson. She has a
loud mouth.

I mean, she's very articulate.

She can't. She's on an emergency call
for the hospital this month.

In fact... I'm the emergency call for
the kitchen.

I have to make her dinner.

Bye!

Well, Henry, I guess that leaves it up
to you.

Leaves what up to me?

Being to the council.

Oh, sorry, I can't.

Why not?

I have to photograph the... Halley's
Comet.

But Halley's Comet won't be back for
another 75 years.

A good photographer prepares.

Henry, something tells me that you're
not telling me something.

Sit down, Frankie.

I have to reveal something that may come
as a big shock to you.

What is it?

I am... not perfect.

Yes, I have faults.

I know that.

You do?

Name one.

You're grumpy, absent -minded, and tight
with a buck.

That's three. I only asked for one.

Sorry.

I have another fault that I'm sure
you're not aware of. What is it?

I'm terrified of public speaking.

You are?

Henry, I thought you weren't afraid of
anything.

Oh, well, generally, I am fearless.

But in high school, I had to make a
speech about the bald eagle. I called it

big bald beast in the sky.

Good title.

Unfortunately, the title was all anyone
heard.

And I saw those faces staring at me.

My palms got sweaty.

My mouth dried up.

And my voice went up three octaves.

It was horrible.

I'm sorry, Panky. I can't do it.

That's okay.

Who needs a park anyway?

I'll just hang up the old glove, put
away the spike, sit around here, get

fat.

And have nine chins.

All right, all right.

I'll make the speech to the city
council.

Thanks, Henry. I know you'll be a great
speaker.

Of course I will.

You want to hear the opening of my
speech one more time?

That's just plain rude.

Hi, Henry. What's up?

My blood pressure. My speech is
terrible.

No, it isn't. Oh, yes, it is.

It's boring even for dogs.

Don't worry, Henry. I've got your answer
right here.

I picked up this... book at the library,
just in case you needed it.

How to get laughed at in public?

Why doesn't that reassure me?

Tell us how to get interesting and funny
speeches.

Chapter one, warm up your audience with
a joke.

But I don't know any jokes.

I got a great one out of the book.

Mr. and Mrs. Schultz go into a
psychiatrist's office, and Mrs. Schultz

Doctor, you've got to help my husband.
He thinks he's a dog.

The doctor turns to the man and says,
Have a seat on the couch.

And Mrs. Schultz says, He's not allowed
on the couch.

That's funny.

But does the book say how to handle
paralyzing hot... Stopping fear?

Yeah, there's a whole chapter on this.

See, here's a cartoon of a guy wearing
rubber underwear.

Ooh, I'll see you later.

We've all read the report.

All in favor of increasing the
retirement benefits for city workers?

Aye.

Opposed?

Motions carried.

He is so cute.

Cherry, he's too old.

He's got to be at least 20.

No wonder he's so interested in
retirement benefits.

Well, that takes care of the city's
business for this evening.

And now it's time to lend an attentive
ear to our most important concern, the

citizens of Chicago.

That's you, Henry.

I know. Look, my palms are sweating.

Now, before we begin, may I remind
everyone that Public Access TV will be

televising at this time.

It is our pleasure to open the floor to
anyone who wishes to speak.

I'd like to propose that the council
members get a whopping raise in

salary.

Sit down, Mother.

This is not the proper time.

Well, when is the proper time?

You promised me a snowblower.

Anyone else?

Please.

Here goes nothing.

Ladies and Council of the Gentlemen.

That's just plain silly. I meant... What
I meant was... Hit

them with a joke, Henry.

Right.

When I look around the room, I'm
reminded of the...

Couple who went to the psychiatrist's
office.

The name was Schultz.

The couple, not the psychiatrist.

I don't know his name.

Or her name. Let's make it a hymn.

Mr. Schultz, Warnemont, the council is
not interested in hearing jokes, if

that's what that was.

And now do you mind getting on with it?

Oh, yes, of course.

I'm here to strongly... that this
distinguished body

establish my proclamation for the
children

of our neighborhood.

Mr.

Wernimont, are you all right?

Beckmeyer, he reminds me of the bald
eagle.

It's high school all over again.

Now, see here, Mr.

Warnermont, there are other citizens
waiting.

Oh, I know, Mr. Baldmeyer.

I mean, Beckmeyer.

But I'm not feeling quite well. Maybe if
you put on a hat?

What? I'm feeling a little queasy.
Where's the little councilman's room?

It's right down the hall.

Is it okay if I leave?

All in favor of his leaving, I...

to make you some tea?

Sure, Punky.

Go ahead and make some tea while I cover
up all the mirrors.

Why would you do that?

I never want to look at myself again.

Pardon yourself.

It wasn't that bad.

It was horrible.

All my friends saw me choke on
television.

Come on, nobody watches that city
council stuff.

Hello?

No, this is not the residence of Choke
Warnemont.

Nobody watches, huh?

Henry, I know you think you really
bombed out tonight, and you did.

But this turned out to be very lucky for
us.

Lucky?

Yeah, when you were in the bathroom, I
made our speech for the park. And let's

face it, they loved me.

Who wouldn't?

Isn't that great?

I'm very happy for you.

I can't wait till next week.

Next week?

Yeah, that's when they'll give us
approval on the park.

I'll make another stirring speech.

You're going to write a speech?

Nah, I'll just wing it.

Henry, don't forget how bad you were
real quick.

I hope so.

Good night, Frankie.

Good night, Henry.

Hey, there's Choke Wernemont.

Steve! Steve!

And so, I feel the extra traffic lights
will save lives and benefit the entire

community. Yeah, way to go!

Way to go, Cherie.

What a quirky man.

Now, remember, Punky, I'm not going to
say one word.

You don't have to. We're just going to
get the good news, go home, and

celebrate.

Now, next on the agenda... Listen, what
about my snowblower?

Sit down, Mrs. Beckmeyer.

Our next order of business is the vacant
lot on the corner of Pierce and Pulaski

Streets. That's us. So when do we start
growing grass and putting down the

basin?

We appreciate your enthusiasm, Ms.
Brewster, and we are considering your

petition for a park.

However, there's another fine citizen of
Chicago who's been working very hard on

his own plans for this lot, and we've
agreed to let him voice his point of

views, too.

That's the democratic way.

Yeah, I guess.

That's a good attitude.

Mr. Arnold?

Oh, thank you.

I hope the council's had a chance to
read our land use and development study.

We certainly have, Mr. Arnold. Well,
good. The General Casimir Pulaski

Shopping Center, honoring that famous
Polish -American patriot, has been

meticulously planned.

Casimir would have been proud.

Cashmere?

I think he's the guy that invented
sweaters.

And now, if I may.

I'd like to remind the council that I'm
paying the city well over appraised

value for that lot.

Plus those wonderful taxes when we open.

Thank you very much for your valuable
time.

Oh, and please enjoy those free Casper
coupon books.

Oh, dry cleaning.

Is the council ready for a vote?

Good. Now, all those in favor of the
Casimir Pulaski Memorial Shopping

Aye.

Opposed? Me.

Wait a minute here.

What about our park? When do we vote for
that?

Miss Brewster, we must think about the
economics.

Now, a shopping center will generate
jobs and revenue. A park will generate

grass and weeds.

We must consider the highest and best
use of this land.

What do you mean, highest and best use?

You promised us a park.

Yeah. I'm sorry, but the council has
voted. So I hereby declare... Hold it.

I have something to say.

It's right down the hall.

I have something to say, and I'm going
to say it, if not to the council, then

the concerned citizens of Chicago.

Unless you consider this to be your own
private club, sir.

Why, of course not.

Every citizen in Chicago is entitled to
express opinion.

In the last few weeks, I made a
disturbing discovery.

I found out that my daughter is an
underprivileged child.

She is deprived of her God -given right
to play shortstop without sliding into

broken glass or into a rusty Studebaker.

I invite any one of you to drive through
our neighborhood. What will you find on

every corner?

This man's sign.

Coming soon, another minimart, courtesy
of Arnold.

Featuring chicken on the stick, chicken
on fire, chicken all night.

I got into your dad.

I don't know, but it sure isn't chicken.

Folks, we're swamped with shopping
centers, aren't we?

And the traffic that comes with them,
right?

You've had it up to here with the extra
trash, the extra noise, and the extra

crime. Let this council know.

Give me the sights and sounds of
children playing.

Show me grass and flowers blooming.

Let me hear the songs of birds nesting
in the trees.

Friends, it's time that we stop thinking
that the highest and best use of

Chicago real estate is filling your
pockets. It is time to fill our soul.

Sir, we will take your comments under
advisement.

And certainly by next week, we will
have... Let's take it to a vote!

All

in

favor of the creation of Pulaski Park?

Aye. Opposed?

Motion carried. Miss Brewster, you can
start oiling up your baseball glove.

I was?

Yeah, you gave a terrific speech.

Speech? Me?

Oh, my.