All language subtitles for Eight Is Enough s03e15 The Yearning Point

you promised to help me win the spelling
prize?

When did I do that, Nicholas?

Well, if you don't remember, we could
just say it was yesterday.

If I don't remember, then maybe it was
somebody else who promised you, or maybe

it never happened.

It happened with Nancy.

Then ask her.

She wasn't as easy to interrupt.

Now, come on. Any word on the list.

All right, all right. I guess that's the
quickest way to get ready.

But just tell you missed the first word,
all right?

You ready?

Mm -hmm.

Formulate. Formulate.

F -O -R -M -U -L -A -T -E.

Not bad.

Bad B -A -D.

All right, wise guy.

Spelling. Spelling. That's not on the
list.

Yes, it is. Right here at the top of the
page.

Spelling list.

You give up?

Nope.

F -P -E -L -I -M -G.

Spelling has two L's, Nicholas.

Goodbye.

Mary, how many are the Teeter?

There's a magic in the early morning.

When the sunrise smiles on everything
around.

It's a portrait of the happiness that we
feel and

always will.

Oh, it is enough to fill our lives with
love.

Oh, we spend our days like bright... and
shiny new dine

if we're ever bothered by the

changing time there's a plate of

homemade wishes on the kitchen window
and it

is enough to fill our lives

Check.

Pen.

Films. Films.

Tom, I think we're ready.

I'm never really ready. Let's start out
with a nice small one. Okay, how about

the dentist?

Dentist? I said a small one. Do you
realize that there are 320 teeth in this

family?

Car insurance?

Oh, no. Ever since Tommy's been driving,
that one gives me hives.

How about the telephone bill?

How about this family taking a vow of
silence?

Tom, we have to start someplace.

Oh!

Headache? Headache.

Aspirin? Aspirin.

At least that's tax deductible.

They're the same girl. She's only a
sophomore.

did this modern interpretation of a
bluegrass tune that brought down the

Oh, let's see it. Okay, it went... Hey,
good memory.

I wish you guys could have seen the
whole recital.

It's cheaper this way. Gee, I'm sorry I
missed it, Elizabeth.

I haven't seen you this excited about
anything since we had our own phone.

Well, who would have thought a troupe of
college dancers could be so fantastic?

What college were they from?

Wellington. Wellington, no wonder.

they have the best dance school in the
whole country.

You know, their graduates go straight
into professional ballet and Broadway

musicals. How come I never heard of
Wellington?

It's in Vermont.

Oh, that explains it, Nancy. You've
never heard of Vermont.

I have, too, heard of it. It's full of
rocks, and it's usually buried under

of snow.

Ooh.

Sounds like heaven.

Hey, we're in luck. There's no line.

Yeah, that's because there are no
tickets.

Great. Four people and three tickets?
Fun date.

Hey, no problem.

We'll switch to contingency plan B.

Which is?

The old side door sneak in. Now I'll go
in with the ladies and you wait in the

alley till I can let you in. No way.

I'm tired of hearing my car sit through
a closed door.

I'll take the ladies inside.

I might be persuaded to part with a
ticket.

Oh, yeah? How much?

Twelve dollars.

Twelve dollars? It only costs six.

Supply and demand, gentlemen. I know you
understand.

I got three.

I've only got five. We're four short.

We'll pay you back.

Enjoy the show.

Enjoy the profit.

There ought to be a law against
scalpers.

Yeah, but there isn't.

See you inside.

Morning.

Now this is ridiculous.

Sacramento State only has two dance
courses.

Ballet for Weight Control and Disco
Dance Aerobics.

Disco Dance Aerobics. Well, you know why
that is? Because the Fine Arts

Department was duped to politics, so
they lose dance to phys ed. Wellington

offers complete Bachelor of Arts degrees
in the dance. Are you sure?

Well, I'll show you when I get the
catalog, but that's what I was told by

guidance counselor.

Guidance? One of my children is seeking
guidance? Well, let's declare a holiday.

Hire a band. This moment will go down in
history.

Look, everybody.

It came.

What came?

The tools of my new profession.

Oh, you're becoming a professional
scissors sharpener?

No, professional hairstylist.

Congratulations, Nancy. What beauty
college are you attending?

Oh, I don't have time for beauty
college. Besides, this way doesn't

creative individual talents. This way?

Yeah, this way. I sent away for this
coupon on the back of American

and I got in exchange this beautiful
professional hairstyling kit. What'd the

coupon say, Nance? If you can clip out
this ad, you can cut hair?

Style hair, Mayor. There's a world of
difference.

Besides, that's what this instruction
manual is all about in the first

Lots of luck.

Yeah. I'm going to need luck.

But what I really need is actual
advertisements of my work.

And the instruction manual for deaf
-muting members of one's own family.

Uh, you want to style our hair? Yeah,
free of charge, free of charge. Too high

price. Yes.

But I'll eventually be charging up to
$50 per styling for women.

And, uh, $40 per styling for men, Daddy.
Yeah, but this walking advertisement

has got to run.

fit you in.

Chapter 2.

You and your scissors.

And this is the Wellington Library with
the clock tower. Did you ever see a more

beautiful campus?

Nope. Not even deducting 50 % from
normal catalog exaggeration.

But they have a student -teacher ratio
of 12 to 1.

Oh, and take a look at the dance
program.

An integrated course of study designed
to develop competency in performance and

choreography as well as critical
appreciation.

Pretty spiffy.

What's this place cost?

It couldn't be any more than your med
school.

It has to be, Elizabeth. It's clear
across the country.

Well, you don't have to bark at me.

Who's barking? You are. If I don't
complain about the cost of your

then you don't complain about mine.

Come on, scalping's an old -fashioned
word.

We prefer to think of it as shrewd
investing.

Yeah, now, Entertainment Investments
Incorporated anticipates doubling its

capital assets.

You see, we take advantage of the
fluctuations in the market value of Ted

tickets on the day of the concert.

Fine, I'll put you down for five shares
at a dollar each.

Par value.

All right, thanks.

Yeah, this is Tommy.

Bradford. From history.

Hold on a second.

Honestly, Susan, I'm available to style
your hair any time you say. Honestly,

Nancy, no thanks.

I'm letting my hair grow down to the
floor and out the window. It's the

thing, the Rapunzel look.

Hey,

Harry. Yeah, here I am.

Hey, how would you like to get in on the
ground floor of a potential

conglomerate? Yeah, Entertainment
Investments Incorporated.

We just happen to have one last vacancy
on the board of directors.

Yeah, you'll be vice president.

Hi, Nicholas.

What have you got there?

Oh, Elizabeth's college catalog.

Oh, really?

Dad, are you going to buy Elizabeth a
college?

Buy her a college? No, no, it's not that
kind of a catalog. You don't buy

colleges. You sort of purchase units of
knowledge.

How much is spelling?

No, no, but you see, you have to
purchase the courses in one lump sum,

they call it a tuition.

Here, let me show you.

Let's see now.

Here it is.

The tuition and fees for this college
are $7 ,500.

a catalog, just like I figured.

Oh.

Like you figured?

Sure, I knew that once you read it, Dad,
you'd want me to go to Wellington.

Oh, yes, it is very impressive, but... I
never dreamed any university could be

so perfect.

It's like they knew exactly what I
wanted and built a school just for me.

Did you look at the Sacramento State
catalog?

Oh, yeah, for as long as I could stand
it.

Well, how about the other California
schools, like Berkeley?

Davis. Well, once I learned about
Wellington, I stopped looking.

Maybe you better look again. I mean,
California has some fine public

and you've never lived 3 ,000 miles away
from your family in the snow.

Right, but it's about time I stopped
being a provincial sun freak.

Dad, do you realize how beautiful New
England is? You're gonna love it when

come visit me.

I, uh, I don't think that we'll be
visiting you in New England.

Then I'll send you lots of postcards.

I'm afraid you won't be seeing it
either.

Are you saying you don't approve of
Wellington?

Oh, no, no. I approve of it, all right.
It's just that... I'm afraid I can't let

you go there.

Daddy, how can you say such a thing?

I'd give anything in the world not to
have to say it. It's just that... It has

nothing to do with Wellington.

It has nothing to do with you.

It's all my fault.

Your fault.

I don't have the money to send you
there.

You don't have the money for me.

Well, then how come you have it for
everybody else?

Couldn't we get financial aid from the
government?

Well... We may be too poor to send
Elizabeth to Wellington, but we're too

to accept subsidies.

That's why they call it middle class.
You get squeezed from all directions.

Couldn't Elizabeth get a student loan?

What? Do you know what kind of a debt
would be hanging on her? About $40 ,000?

That's a little double -digit
exaggeration, isn't it? No, it isn't. I

not just tuition. It's room and board
and books and the student health plan.

to mention the flight out, the flight
back, and all those...

Cross -country phone calls.

Elizabeth could write letters.

Today,

you trade money this size for stamps
this size.

No, no, she'll just have to go to a
California state college like her

She's going to hate that.

Yeah, well, that's too bad. There's
nothing else we can do.

I should have started a savings account
for Elizabeth when she was first born.

Trouble is, when she was first born, I
had nothing to start it with.

She had that old Bradford family habit.

Needing groceries.

Did you read this last page?

No. I was struck deaf, blind, and dumb
from the prices on the other page.

Well, read it.

Right here. Where?

The Sarah Wellington Dance Scholarship.

It's four years full tuition. And if you
could get the Sarah Wellington

Scholarship... Well, then that means
that Wellington would cost the same

as we're paying for Mary, Joanie, and
Susan. We could actually swing it,

Elizabeth. Do you think I could qualify?

You've got the grade. All you have to do
is get 700s on your college boards, and

that's a piece of cake.

Mm -mm.

Not when I took them. It was a piece of
torture.

Nancy, if you really want to help out in
this conversation, go back to sleep.

We'll get the 700s. I'll help you every
way I can.

Oh, you don't have the time. I'll make
the time.

This scholarship is the only way that we
can make Wellington work for you. And

that's what we want, Elizabeth.

We really do.

I know that now, Daddy.

I'm sorry I yelled.

Forget it. I seem to recall I hold a few
house records for yelling around here

myself.

Now that you're friends again, Daddy,
you'd be a lot more helpful if you'd

kiss her goodnight.

All right. It's done. It's done.

Good night, Daddy.

Good night.

Good night.

Okay, Coach, where do we start?

How are you on verbal analogies?

A little shaky, but I'll be better when
you tell me what they are.

They're word sets that relate to each
other in the same way.

For example, what's the relationship
between acorn and oak?

Acorns grow into oaks. Do wheel and car
have the same relationship as acorn and

oak? You can't plant a wheel and grow a
car. That's good thinking, so it's not a

verbal analogy.

But it sure would solve the
transportation problem. Please, no

college boards take their questions in
your future deadly serious.

And the next analogy.

Nibble is to bite as itch is to scratch.

Think about it.

Nibble is to bite as itch is to hurt.

I'm hurting, I'm hurting.

Wrong.

Okay, then it's 25.

Still wrong.

26. You're putting me on.

Elizabeth, look.

The differences increase each time, all
right? So the next number is 19 plus 7,

26. You say so.

It doesn't matter what I say. Look, I've
already passed this test. You've got to

know. Okay, okay. But, you know, math is
to Elizabeth like clear as the mud.

I mean, this is a dance scholarship,
right?

Sure, it's a dance scholarship, but I've
been so busy with verbal analogies and

mathematical sequences that I've
forgotten which foot is left and which

right. Oh, no, Elizabeth, come on.
You're going to blow it. I mean, you'll

qualify for that scholarship unless you
have a knockout dance audition.

Okay, so I'll start rehearsing. Yeah?

Rehearsing what?

I could do that one I did for the junior
class frolics. No, you won't. It's

amateur night.

Thanks a lot.

You'll thank me more than a lot.

I'm taking you to Gwen Elkhart.

Gwen Elkhart?

Yeah.

But she's got the best professional
dance company in Sacramento.

Yeah, I know.

How do you know her?

She taught a body movement workshop one
time in the university theater.

She probably won't remember me, but I'll
introduce you to her anyway.

I mean, if you don't dazzle Wellington
with your brains, maybe you'll dazzle

with your feet.

Think so?

Track one.

Two over three. Four, release right.

Six, lift. Seven and eight. Contract.

One, two over three. Four, release left.
Six, and lift the arms. And side, and

center, and side, and center. Side and
center, and side, and hold.

And relax.

Hello, Joni Bradford, entering like a
timid chipmunk.

Everybody get ready for floor process.

Hi, Gwen. I didn't mean to disturb you.
How nice to see you, dear.

Thank you. Let me guess. You want me
once again to teach Grayson boys to 36

drama students with, what, 72 left feet?

No, not this time, Gwen.

But you can sell some insurance to my
sister, Elizabeth.

Maybe we'd better move to my space.

Okay.

Scholarship insurance.

Now I understand.

To what school, Elizabeth?

Wellington. Oh, say no more.

I wanted to go there myself.

We'll have our first class tomorrow.

You mean you'll take me as a student?

Oh, you make it sound so institutional.

We're all students here.

We will explore the world of dance
together.

Sounds perfect to me.

Let's see.

Wellington, here she comes.

What? Who?

Entertainment Investments Incorporated.

Oh, no, no, I'm sorry. I think you have
the wrong number.

Yeah, well, your hot tip is very wrong.
This is a private home, not a place of

business.

No, I don't know their number.

I don't play the stock market. The only
investments I make are in dentists and

education.

Boy.

Dad.

I can barely see your ears. I left them
at the office. Dad, you've got cute

little ears. I think you should show
them off more.

Like if I give you this young, executive
pompadour look?

Uh, no, I tell you, I think that you
should work with somebody with a full

of hair. I don't have enough hair for
you to even learn on. But, Dad, Dad,

you're perfect. I mean, I know you don't
have a lot, but what you have is very

challenging.

Oh, hi, Dad.

You're just the person I need to talk to
if you're not busy. Oh, no, no, not at

all. Listen, thank you. I don't mind
sniffing while you chat.

Listen, the last Bradford ever to be
scalped was back in 1837.

I'm going to keep it that way. But, Dad!

Oh,

boy, thanks. Do I owe you one?

Could you owe me about $40 a month?

Huh? All my daughters are trying to clip
me.

What's the $40 for?

It's to help me with the scholarship.

See, Joanie turned me on to this
terrific dance teacher, and I really

she'll help improve my chances.

That's one investment I can't afford.

Whom do I make this check out to? The
Elkhart Community of the Dance.

Oh.

You know, Elizabeth, I'm very pleased
with the positive approach you're taking

towards the scholarship challenge.

How is your college board training
coming?

Well, Abby says I'm ready for a trial
run.

Terrific.

I'm not so sure I agree with her.

Stop, put your pencil down, close your
booklet, and look up at me. The

examination is over. I think I'm over.

Yeah, think how I'm going to feel after
two hours of grading all this.

Be kind, Abby.

Kind is not in the college board
vocabulary.

In the middle or out on the side?

Who knows where the queen of hearts
lies?

Watch the card with the bent corner
right there in the middle. That's the

Right there.

No, no.

You're done.

Just don't get any bright ideas about
the company's 60 bucks.

That money's to be invested in tickets.
That money is for a profit.

I'm tired of waiting in line.

Hey, uh, are you playing for quarters or
are you playing for, uh...

Real money.

Why not?

Follow the cards and watch my hand, and
you'll know where the little lady lands.

There she is right there.

What do you got, Tal?

ESP?

Yeah, it is quicker than the hand.

How about that? Great. Now the company
can buy another ticket. The company

have to buy any tickets. I'm going to
double our investment right now.

Tommy, that's the money for the tickets.

Hey, be cool. I know what I'm doing.

All right.

Over and under, out and in, whoever
finds her is bound to win.

Better luck next time, pal.

When our investors hear about this,
there won't be a next time.

You graded me already?

Yeah, well, you left a lot of answers
blank at the end of each section, which

means we're going to have to work on
your speed.

Just give me the numbers, Abby.

Okay. You made 540 on math and 565 on
English.

I'll never break 700.

Sure you will. It just means that we
have to double up on our cramming

and push harder.

Plie one.

Two, releve three.

Four, extend side.

Two, three, four, turn out five. Hold
six, seven, lower eight.

Good. Lighten up.

Try it with looser movements, more
flowing and graceful.

Watch, Andy.

Take over, woman, will you?

Come with me.

Yet I can feel the tension that was
plain enough from the way you were

You're tied up in knots about something.

I have been a little distracted lately.

A little distracted.

You're totally rigid.

Now, what's the matter?

I just took a practice college board,
Gwen. You know what I got? Middle 500s.

What I need is... What you need is to
relax.

Now, I'm going to show you an exercise
that will free the real Elizabeth.

Your arms are balloons.

As you take a deep breath from the
abdomen, they inflate.

They rise.

As you exhale, they deflate, coming to
rest again at your sides.

Good. That's good.

Do it again.

Now, Elizabeth, you cannot allow
yourself to worry about something if it

you so anxious you can't function.

Don't talk. Just breathe.

Now, you are here to celebrate the joy
of dancing.

Let go, Elizabeth.

Ten years younger. No, you can't. Every
time you wave those scissors at me, one

hair falls out and another turns gray.

Oh, come on, Daddy. I've got to have
practice.

Please. You better find somebody else.
See, your father's hairs are on the

endangered species list.

That means you have to have an
environmental impact report to cut them.

True. Now, do you want to be the first
hair stylist in history to be picketed

the Sierra Club?

All right, nobody's seen you. We
haven't? No, and if anyone calls, tell

not home, except for Danny.

Well, what do we say when people call?

Tell them I moved to Pakenstein. Only
Nicholas knows where that is.

I'd better see what that was all about.
Oh, Daddy, you're just trying to get

away from me. I can tell. Why do you say
that when all I want to do is get away

from you?

Oh,

an unidentified flying Bradford.

Elizabeth, you are made for the college
board session.

Oh, thanks, Abby, but I won't be needing
any more coaching.

You're just going to be satisfied with
500?

That's not going to get you into
Wellington.

Who needs Wellington?

I'm going to become a professional
dancer.

These beads are really groovy,
Elizabeth.

I'm just going to leave this here until
you're certain you don't want it.

I'm not only certain, I'm positive.

Now take it to the garage.

Okay.

You know, sometimes you have to live
with a thing before you're really sure

for you.

Only if you don't know what you really
want.

Sometimes you only think you know what
you want.

This time I know.

Goodbye, door.

Hello, garage.

Elizabeth, what have you done?

Where's my bed?

My bureau.

My John Travolta poster.

Nancy, how could we find our true selves
in all that clutter?

Clutter? That wasn't clutter. That was
my life. And I want it back.

Oh, now you hold on. This is my space as
well as yours.

Correction.

That half is your space, and this half
is civilization.

Danny suggested that I shouldn't bet our
entire capital assets, but I picked the

queen five times in a row when the other
guy was betting.

Because you happened to notice that the
queen had a crimp in the corner.

Yeah. Only this poor dumb guy that's
betting, he doesn't notice the crimp,

he's always losing.

Why didn't you tell me you were there?

I was down in Stockton rigging a
scaffolding, friend. Even from there, I

recognize the oldest con game in the
world. Me conned?

Well, the first guy, the dumb one, he's
the shill.

Oh, now you tell me. Didn't it strike
you as odd that you were the only one in

the world that could see the crimp card?

No, at the time, it struck me as lucky.

Hey, how come you know so much?

Did you fall for this when you were my
age?

No way.

I read about three -card modding in a
book.

Here.

Read.

A complete history of con games?

Now, if you'd had that yesterday, you
might still have your investor's $60.

Yeah, well, it might as well be $1 ,000.

Just think of it as an investment in
your personal education.

Hey, do you mind if I borrow this for a
while?

Eddie Birdsteed says that you owe his
big brother $18.

You'll get it back.

All right, now I have three cards here.

Two aces and a queen, and what you have
to do is tell me where the queen is.

But Eddie said that his big brother's
going to twist your head off when he

you alone.

He's not going to find me until I'm
ready. Now I'm going to move these cards

around, and I want you to keep your eye
on the queen. Now watch carefully.

All right, which one's the queen?

What's the matter? Weren't you watching?
Why didn't you pick this one?

I don't like that one. The corner's all
bent.

It's all my fault.

Your fault?

Come on, Tom.

If I could afford to send Elizabeth to
Wellington, she never would have met

Gwen person.

Dad, don't blame it on Gwen.

She's right, Tom. From everything I hear
about Gwen Elkhart, I think I'd like

her a lot.

Oh, how can you like a person who fills
your daughter's head with space?

I tell you something. I am going to
forbid her to go back to that dipsy

studio. I wouldn't do that if I were
you.

I mean, would you rather have her
imitating Gwen here in our house or

someplace else?

No, Elizabeth would never leave home.
Oh, wouldn't she?

Yeah, Dad.

That's what you said about David.

Well, I wish you would have been more
encouraging about her college board

scores. I had to tell her the truth. I
couldn't lie to her.

This way, if she works hard enough, she
might make the 700s on the real test.

All right, that's exactly what I'll tell
her.

No, I'll tell her.

Why you?

Because I won't tell her. I'll suggest.

Yeah, Dad, it works great. You ought to
try it sometime.

Oh, really?

Really. Is that an order or a
suggestion?

But you put a lot of work into preparing
for the college boards, and we were

making progress.

It just seems to me that you owe it to
yourself to go back to work and get

for the real test.

I think I owe it to myself to explore my
potential as a dancer.

Fine, but can't you also explore your
very real potential as a student,

it's at Wellington or anywhere else?

You know, I, uh, felt tension in this
space, Abby, and I think it's coming

you. Here, stand up and I'll show you
something, okay?

Okay.

But Elizabeth, tension is a very real
part of life, you know? I mean, it means

that we're making an effort, and an
effort means that we're not copping out.

Don't talk, just breathe. Okay, I'm
breathing.

Okay, now close your eyes.

and imagine yourself suspended from the
ceiling. Your arms are balloons, and as

you take a deep breath from your
abdomen, they inflate.

Elizabeth, I'm not in the market for
exercise. Can't we talk about the

The college boards make me feel A,
rigid, B, uptight, C,

dumb, D, nauseous, and E, all of the
above.

Hey, I don't know which hurt worse,
striking out with Elizabeth or

how smug I was with you.

So now you learn being a father is not
as easy as it looks. Not even for a

woman.

Do you think she's good enough to be a
professional dancer?

You're asking me, the man who does the
box step on your toes?

It's just such a terribly hard life.

I'd hate to see her fail at it.

Because I failed her.

That's not true.

Look, all the other girls got to go to
the college as they wanted to.

Even David and Nancy got not to attend.

Why can't Elizabeth go where she wants
to? I'm not going to let you take the

for this. You know, there is a limit to
what one man can provide for his family.

And you've already exceeded that quota
by at least 6 .2 children.

I'm not impressed with that statistic.

And neither is Elizabeth.

It looks like a very interesting dance.

Does it? Yeah.

Is that something that Gwen taught you?

Oh, no, I'm making it up.

Oh, really?

That's what they call interpretive
dancing. What is your creation about?

Oh, well, I'm calling it Dance of the
Imprisoned Spirit.

Wow, that sounds heavy, doesn't it?
Yeah, Gwen thought it was the perfect

expression of my existential self.

Oh, you mean that Gwen thinks that
you're imprisoned?

Oh, no, she thinks I was, but now I'm
breaking free.

That's what I'm calling my last
movement. Freedom found.

And what does Gwen think about that?

Oh, well, she hasn't seen it yet, but
I'm sure she'll love it.

Especially when I burn the book.

What? Wait a minute. When you burn the
what?

College board manual.

No, no, no. Bradfords don't burn books.
Any books.

It's a symbolic ritual of my rebirth.

It's sacrilege.

I should have known you wouldn't
understand.

I understand. I understand perfectly.

You can't do this to yourself.

And you can't do it to me. And you can't
stop me.

All right.

In the middle or on the side? Who knows
where the lady hides?

Over and under, out and in. Whoever
finds her is bound to win.

Aw, not again.

I'm wiped out.

Sorry, stranger, but the queen is over
here.

Anyone else?

Today could be your lucky day.

Okay, my friend. You look a lot brighter
than whoever that was.

I admire your confidence.

Follow the cards and wash my hands, and
soon you'll find where the lady lands.

Congratulations. Would you care to go
for a spa?

Care to come to my office?

It's a contest, right?

Each succeeding Bradford has to top the
exploits of his or her senior sibling.

Please tell me you're the last of the
Bradford litter, huh?

No, sir. I have a younger brother.

Give me strength.

How much younger?

Nicholas is nine.

Perfect. My ulcer will mercifully have
put me in the cemetery before he reaches

high school.

Now tell me, why were you turning our
nice Sacramento campus into Las Vegas?

Uh, what you don't understand, sir, is
we were only doing research.

Oh, yeah, that's it. Research.

For a class paper?

What exactly were you researching?

The history of con games.

It's really fascinating.

You see, the three -card money, which we
were field testing, is the oldest

recorded con in history.

And the second oldest is the research
paper con.

Tell me, what class was this paper for?

We haven't decided yet.

Good.

Then you can turn it into me.

Ten thousand words.

Ten thousand?

With footnotes. On my desk, Monday
morning.

You know, Gwen, you were right. I am the
imprisoned spirit.

Whoa, Elizabeth.

When we discussed the theme of your
dance, I said we all make ourselves

prisoners in some way.

I didn't know you had parent problems.

Do I?

Then use the energy of that turmoil to
help choreograph your workshop number.

Okay, and I'll use the feeling of
freedom and space that you give me.

Fine, if you think that'll work for you.

It'll be the best part.

Oh, Gwen, I'm so glad to be here with
you and become part of your company.

If that's what you want, I hope it works
out.

Works out? I don't understand. I thought
you wanted me to become a dancer.

I do, and I hope your dance is a very
impressive tryout.

Tryout? Nobody said it was a tryout. I
guess everybody knows that, child.

Next month's workshop is always the
audition for my professional ensemble.

So that's the way it works, huh? Oh,
now, don't look so stricken. I will be

available any time you want me, and your
sister Joanie will be a big help.

As long as I don't tell Dad she's doing
it.

One, two, three, four, and round and
two... Stop! It's wrong!

Okay, go ahead.

Now, will you please pay attention to
what you're doing? Elizabeth, I was

attention. No, you weren't. You counted
wrong and threw me off.

Elizabeth, look, maybe you're just
having trouble with this particular part

today. No, this is the crucial movement
in the whole dance. It's where I break

free and get reborn.

Yeah, I know.

Well, maybe you just can't relate to
those feelings right now. Look, I don't

need any of your dumb comments. I just
need you to count right for once, okay?

Well, how much did you get for my bike?

The best offer so far is 40 bucks.

It's worth at least twice that much.

Try telling that to a customer who's
just counted six missing spokes.

Great.

I sell my bike for a 40 -buck loss, and
that still doesn't get our investors off

our cases.

Not to mention the buck we lost to the
guy we were supposed to be conning.

We're going to need jobs.

Who's got time?

I'm only up to word 4 ,752 on Gillette's
paper.

How about you?

2 ,471.

It's 7 ,223.

We'll die from writer's cramp. Yeah, if
our investors don't kill us first.

7 ,224.

What are you doing?

I'm trying to relax.

Can you relax and cut my hair?

No way.

But you always used to cut my hair. And
if you don't do it now, Nancy's going to

bald me.

I see the problem, but I don't have the
time.

You don't have time for anything
anymore.

I've got to get ready for my dance.

I sure do like the old Elizabeth better.

The old Elizabeth?

Yeah. She was more fun.

No, the old Elizabeth worried too much.

Not as much as she worries now.

You mean you're accusing me of
deliberately avoiding my very own

daughter? Yeah, ask yourself, Dad.

When was the very last time you even
spoke to Elizabeth?

Well, let's see. It was four days ago.
She ran out of the kitchen when I yelled

at her, and then I kicked the
refrigerator in frustration.

Four days, huh? Well, at least he's not
ignoring the calendar.

No, Dad, I don't think you're avoiding
Elizabeth.

Oh, thank you, Joan.

I think you're conducting a cold,
calculating campaign of disapproving

Hmm, that sounds interesting.

I might try that if my present tactics
don't work.

Oh, come on, Dad. How can you be using
tactics on Elizabeth if you don't even

anything about her? Yeah, Dad, this
can't go on. Try having your bedroom

out. Actually, I think this whole matter
is the fault of a horoscope.

See, you know what I'm doing? I'm
keeping a very close eye on...

Jupiter and Venus rising?

Tom, the girls deserve a straight
answer.

All right, the girls are right. I am
avoiding her until my throat gets better

and then I can really yell at her. Tom.
I don't know what to do with her. She's

got me stymied. When I figure something
out, I'll let you know.

What about you, Abby?

Well, lately I've been asking myself one
simple question.

Yeah?

What could be the worst thing that could
happen to Elizabeth if she becomes a

professional dancer?

Besides starvation?

Well, did you like it?

Well, I can see how hard you've been
working.

The concept showed genuine emotion, and
there was some wonderful fluid movement.

Thank you.

However, I'm afraid your timing was off.

My timing?

In the cloak, it doesn't work. It's
really much too cumbersome.

But the cloak is my old self.

Not having it would force you to be...

More inventive in portraying your
rebirth.

Okay.

Well, if that's what you think, will it
be okay then?

Well, the number needs a lot of work,
Elizabeth.

But, of course, in the long run, the
more you put in it, the better your

are. What about in the short run?

Well, you must realize there will be
others at the tryout who've had a lot

experience than you.

So, in other words, it's not a 700?

No, not yet.

But you have made progress.

And I think you owe it to yourself to go
back to work and get ready for the real

competition.

I never expected you to use that awful
word.

Then maybe you haven't been listening.

One student out of 500 makes it into my
dance company.

One company out of 100 keeps its head
above water.

If this were a non -competitive world...

Do you think I would be struggling to
survive in Sacramento?

What about celebrating the joy of dance?

The joy of everything, Elizabeth, is
working at it.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Hi. Hi.

I didn't make it.

Yeah, she said it needed work. Lots of
work.

I'm sorry.

I'm not.

You're not?

Yeah, I left the studio angry.

You know, in real hurt.

But then walking home, I realized that
Gwen was right.

I mean, I... I expected to walk in there
and dazzle her after only three weeks'

work. I expected to set the dance world
on fire or something.

You have talent, Elizabeth.

Maybe, but talent isn't enough.

It takes work.

Lots of work.

Abby, I may have blown my audition, but
I hope I haven't blown it with you.

No such luck, kiddo.

You mean you still help me with my
boards? Oh, try and stop me.

Thanks.

So, back to the books.

Two dollars for a haircut?

Yeah, that's my final offer.

People don't pay to give haircuts. They
pay to get them.

Trust me, Nicholas.

Trust me.

Come on. Sit on the bed.

No! No!

I'll cut your hair, Nicholas.

All right.

You'll do no such thing, Elizabeth.

Save me! Nancy, it's Nicholas's hair,
and he wants me to cut it. Do I muscle

on your dancing?

No, but I wouldn't care if you did. What
do you mean you wouldn't care? These

days, if I did anything or said anything
about your dancing, you'd divide me in

half. Actually, I've decided the only
dancing I'm good at right now is the

sidestep. The sidestep? Kind of a detour
boogie. I guess I thought I could just

dance away from all my problems, but it
doesn't work like that. Oh, Elizabeth, I

can't believe you're saying this.

I can't even believe my arms didn't
stretch.

But I love it. Yeah.

Good to have you back. Thanks.

Okay.

Personally, I think it would be great
for your apartment.

In other words, you can't stand them
either.

Well, how about Nicholas's Playhouse?

I tried that. He said he'd rather throw
up.

Oh, what's this?

Elizabeth is back with us.

How far back?

Well, I just repainted her room, and I'm
about to move her furniture back.

And tomorrow we start more crammy
sessions for the college boys, and

her dancing around that.

See? My strategy. It works. Oh, what a
liar. What strategy?

How do I know? I haven't figured one out
yet.

That's what I thought.

You know, somebody up there really likes
you, Tom.

Obviously you're not referring to our
second floor.

Obviously.