Original subtitles

with myself this afternoon.

Well, you have your friends to play with, Buffy.

A friend just isn't the same as a brother.

Hi.

Hi, Susie.

Well, if it isn't Miss Sunshine Susie.

What's wrong with you?

Jody.

Let's have it.

Sissy, why don't boys like girls?

Well, who says they don't?

Jody's playing hide -and -go -seek in the schoolyard with his friends.

Oh, and they wouldn't let you play because you're a girl?

Well, don't worry, Buffy. They'll be only too happy to have you around when

you're older.

I hope so. I love to play hide -and -go -seek.

48, 49, 50.

Ready or not, here I come.

May I have that gun, ma 'am?

At least I caught you before you broke another window.

Will I?

Come with me.

Davis, resident.

Now, Mr. Davis, not at home. May I inquire who's calling?

The principal?

Trouble?

What sort of trouble?

Has the boy been hurt?

I see.

All right, then.

I'll be there directly, yes.

Goodbye, sir.

What happened, Mr. French?

I'm afraid Jody has run afoul of the school authorities.

It's unbelievable, sir. I mean, Jody simply would not commit such an act of

deliberate vandalism. Let me remind you, Mr. French, I caught the boy in the

act. He was just about to throw another rock.

No, I wasn't, Mr. Anderson.

Jody, you will speak when you're spoken to.

Yes, sir.

Sir, may I suggest that the boy's version of this regrettable incident

prove enlightening?

If you'd been a school principal as long as I have, Mr. French, you'd know that

a pupil's version of any incident is hardly enlightening.

Did I catch you with this rock in your hands, Jody?

Yes, sir, you did.

This rock came crashing through the lunchroom window.

Jody was just about to throw this rock.

It doesn't take a detective to reach the conclusion.

No, sir, it doesn't.

Under the circumstances, I must insist that Mr. Davis compensate the school for

a new lunchroom window.

I know from unhappy prior experience it comes to $25

.29.

And Mr. Anderson took me to his office and called home. And Mr. French had to

come and get me.

Did you break the window?

No, but nobody will believe me.

I believe you.

Thanks. I wish Mr. Anderson would have called you instead of Uncle Bill.

Jody, Uncle Bill will believe you too.

Even against the principal?

Sure. Mr.

Anderson's been around kids all these years.

And just look.

Kids are new to Uncle Bill, and he understands them just fine.

I guess it's something about love.

Yeah. I hope Uncle Bill loves me $25 .29 worth.

$25 .29?

That is the precise amount, sir.

If you ask me, it's a lot of money for an old window.

What happened, Jody? He didn't do it, Uncle Bill, honest.

Hey, I'm trying to get his story, okay?

Why don't you tell him, Jody? He didn't give me a chance.

Well, how'd you happen to be standing there with a rock in your hand?

Well, we were playing hide -and -go -seek, and I was it.

And just as I was going to look for the guys, I heard some glass smashing.

Was there anybody else around?

No. So I ran around the corner and I saw the broken lunchroom window and a rock

on the ground.

So I picked up the rock and the principal saw me.

Then any other kids see the window broken?

I don't know, Uncle Bill.

And then the principal took me to his office until Mr. French came and got me.

Did you tell the principal what you just told me?

Sure.

He didn't believe me.

Well, no worry. I believe you.

The principal will believe me, too.

I'm sorry, Mr. Davis. I question the boys who were playing with Jody.

None of them saw any other boy.

He didn't break that window, Mr. Anderson. He says he didn't.

Mr. Davis, there is an apparent in this district who admits his son is

destructive.

Sure.

But I know he didn't do it.

I'll have to insist you pay for it.

That'd be an admission of guilt, wouldn't it?

Well, either you pay for the window, Mr. Davis, or I'll have to suspend him.

I'm sorry, but those are the rules.

But I didn't do it, Uncle Bill. I'm not going to pay for the window.

Well, I suggest you take the weekend and think it over, Mr. Davis.

Thank you.

There's an old American expression, sir.

Just pay the man the $2.

Not $2, it's $25.

And 29 cents.

I'm not paying it either.

You mean Monday's my last day of school?

If Jody doesn't go to school, I won't go either. You are going to school.

But it's not fair for Jody to have a vacation all by himself.

Bucky, being suspended is not a vacation.

I don't see any difference.

He won't be going to school.

He's going to have a tutor.

Sir, might I suggest the possibility of putting Jody into a, well, into a

private school?

That is a thought, too.

Wouldn't it be cheaper just to pay for the window than sending me to a private

school, Uncle Bill?

Yes, it would be cheaper, but that's not the point.

Uncle Bill, if Jody gets to go to a private school, I'm going to go to one,

Okay, we'll think about that.

Now go on to bed, will you? It's getting late. Come on, scoot.

Anything about private schools?

Not very much about such American institutions, sir.

But I seem to recall Mrs.

Runyon mentioning that her son attended such a place.

That's right. He goes to Bradfield or something like that.

Does Mark still go to Bradfield?

Of course. Why?

I'm thinking of sending Buffy and Jody to a private school, too.

Oh, I think that's a very good idea.

You do? Why? There are many advantages to a private school.

Like what?

Well, I think the reasons are kind of obvious.

Why don't I bring Mark over on Sunday and you can see for yourself?

Okay. Come over in the afternoon and we can have dinner later.

You're not thinking of transferring them in the midterm, are you?

Might not have any choice.

And this is my son, Mark. Hello, Mark.

Hi. How do you do?

Jody wants to take Mark down to your room.

Mark can tell you all about his school.

Come on.

I'll help Mr. French with refreshments. Okay.

You want to go out on the terrace? That overlooks the city, you know. I wish the

city could be overlooked.

Nice room we've got here.

Want to play checkers?

I don't think so.

How about cards?

You wouldn't happen to have a chemistry set with the microscope, would you?

We don't even have a chemistry set.

Too bad.

I have an experiment I have to do for science class Monday.

You have a science class at your school?

Uh -huh. Don't you?

Once a teacher brought a rabbit to show us. Does that count?

Oh, I forgot.

You go to a public school.

We have a science class and a music class and an art class.

We have all those in one teacher.

Do you have any famous people's children going to your school?

Carlos Mendez's father is famous.

Mendez? What's he famous for?

He's a fighter.

And so is Carlo.

And the baker's daughter, Linda, she goes to our school.

He is famous?

Sure. He sends all the broken cookies to our school.

Well, I mean really famous.

Like we have the son of a heart surgeon who just did a transplant.

And the son of an actress who won a Tony Award this year.

Is he on television?

No, a stage actress.

She's on Broadway.

Guy, maybe we'll like going to your school.

Care for some lemonade, Mrs. Runyon? Oh, thank you, Fizzy.

Uncle Bill? Do you want to have any?

No, I'm going to the park with Sharon.

It was nice meeting you, Mrs. Runyon. I hope we'll be seeing you and Mark again.

Well, it was wonderful meeting you, Fizzy. I'm sure you will. Oh, good. Bye

-bye. Bye, honey.

She's a nice girl, Bill. Really nice.

She sure is.

Now, you think private school would make her any nicer?

Of course not.

But Sissy spent her formative years in the Midwest, not in city schools.

The schools are changing, and not for the better.

I don't know. Buffy and Jody are good kids.

Because of the way you're bringing them up.

But in the public schools, they're being shortchanged on education.

What do you mean?

Well, the size of the classes, for one thing. In sum of marks, there are only

seven children.

Seven?

That's individual instruction, isn't it?

Right. In the public schools, I understand it's practically standing

And there's another thing.

And we're studying about Wall Street.

I think I'd like to be a broker when I grow up.

Really?

What's a broker?

A man who deals in stocks and bonds.

Oh.

You know a lot of things that we don't know, Mark.

Well, they teach us at school.

Do you play stickball there?

What's stickball?

Oh, boy, we found something you don't know.

Judy, why don't you go outside and show them how to play?

Okay, come on.

And you must admit, Bill, that private school is much better preparation for

college. You got a point.

And don't forget, we'll be seeing each other at parents' meeting.

Uncle P .L., the 63rd Street Tigers are practicing in the park. Can we go?

Can I watch, Mother? He can play. Everybody gets to.

Boy, is it rough?

No, it's a street version of baseball, that's all.

Please, Mother?

He'll be all right.

I guess you think I'm being overly protective, but Mark is all I have, and

not used to unsupervised sports.

Jody will supervise him.

Hi, guys.

Hi, Jody. Hi.

We've almost got enough for a practice now.

Who's he?

His name's Mark. He knows a lot.

Hi. You can play second base.

Except we're going to have to show him how to play.

You mean he doesn't know how to play stickball?

That's the one thing he doesn't know.

Come on, Carlo.

Hi. Hi.

Isn't it great about Ralph Bunch?

Ralph who?

Bunch. Who does he play for?

Poor people.

He sure doesn't play for the 63rd Street Tigers.

Hi. Hi.

What do you think about admitting Red China to the UN?

Beats me.

What do you mean by that?

I didn't mean anything by that.

Say, I envy you speaking a second language.

What language is that?

You're Chinese, aren't you?

My parents are.

Hey, Carlos.

He talks a second language.

Mark wants to talk Puerto Rican to you.

No, I don't. What's the matter with Puerto Rican?

Nothing's the matter with Puerto Rican.

Except at school I'm studying French.

Bonjour. Comment allez -vous?

What did he say?

I think he wants you to fight.

No, he doesn't. Well... Clobber him.

Come on.

Let him alone, Carlos.

Can't you see he doesn't want to fight?

Fighting is uncivilized.

No, it's not.

Maybe it is at his school, Carlos.

I don't think I made a very good impression.

Well, I can show you how to play stickball, Mark, but I can't show you

make a good impression.

Come on.

You stay there and watch.

Maybe I'll show you how to pitch.

You, um, I guess it's because you're smarter than I am.

practice while you're in school next week.

Yeah, well, I better go to bed now.

School tomorrow.

Gosh, I never thought I'd be so sorry I couldn't go.

I'll miss you.

Walking to school at recess and walking home.

And twice in the coat room.

Arriving and leaving.

Yeah.

But, maybe if I used the money in my piggy bank to pay for the window, then

wouldn't be like Uncle Bill paying for the window.

And then I could go with you in the morning.

I've got over a dollar saved up. You can have it.

Thanks. Maybe I'll ask Uncle Bill if he can lend me the rest of the money. Like

at the bank.

Here, Uncle Bill.

What's that for?

A down payment on the broken window.

You didn't break that window.

I know.

But if somebody doesn't pay for it, I'll be suspended tomorrow.

That's why I'm trying to make up my mind about this school here that Mark goes

to. Looks like a good place.

But Buffy and I would rather stay where we are.

Why?

We like a public school better than a private.

How come?

Well, Mark's even worse at stickball than I am.

You can't blame his school for that.

Maybe not.

You got any other reasons?

Well, I don't know how to say this.

Well, go on and say it anyway.

The 63rd Street Tigers think Mark's weird.

What do you think?

I think Mark's very smart.

But he doesn't know how to get along with regular kids.

Well, that's a pretty serious indictment.

What's indictment, Uncle Bill?

It's a big word I shouldn't have used.

I bet Mark knows what it means.

He probably does.

I bet none of the 63rd Street Tigers knows what it means.

That's why we don't want to go to Mark's school.

We want to get along with our friends.

We don't want them to think we're weird.

I wouldn't want that either, Jody.

And part of getting along with kids is going to school with them.

That's right.

So please, Uncle Bill, can we stay in our own school?

You bet you can.

Thanks, Uncle Bill.

Here.

No, you go put that away. We're not going to pay for that.

No, I'm going to get a lawyer and I'm going to go to court.

And we're going to fight that suspension.

You're that determined to keep the children in public school?

Yep. The kids are more determined than I am.

Well, I think you're being unfair to them.

Oh, listen, if everybody sent their kids to private school, who's going to be

around to improve the public school, huh?

Well, that's not your concern.

Yes, it is. The kids are going to go through problems. They've got to grow up

solve them.

I'm so sorry, Bill.

I was looking forward to going to parents' meetings with you.

Well, we'll think of some other reason to get together, I guess.

Eleven times ten equals a hundred and

ten.

Spend it.

We'll now proceed to the twelve times table.

But, Mr. French, it's after three o 'clock.

School's out.

Jody, I will be the one to announce when the lesson is over.

Boy, you should take the fun out of being suspended.

Well, we don't care to have you falling behind in your studies.

Twelve times one equals twelve.

Twelve times two equals twenty -four. How's it going, Mr. French? Oh,

splendidly, splendidly. We've now reached the twelve times table without

serious hiccups.

Where's Buffy?

She's in the living room talking to Carlos. He came home with us.

Hey, me.

May I be excused, Mr. French?

Yes, it is now recess.

I brought your homework, Jody, and I also brought Carlos.

Hi, Carlos.

Hi. How was school?

Not too good without you, Jody.

How was being home?

Terrible. Mr. French is even tougher than the teacher.

I didn't know you got to spend it till Buffy told me.

My uncle's trying to unsuspend me.

He's getting a lawyer.

Gee, Jody, would you have to go to jail?

No, not if Uncle Bill tells the lawyer I didn't break the window.

Hi, Uncle Bill. Hello, kid.

Uncle Bill, you know Carl from the stickball team?

Sure, hi.

He wanted to come home with me to see Jody.

Oh, that's nice. Jody can use some friends now.

Mr. Davis.

When will Jody be able to come back to school?

I don't know. We've got to prove he's innocent first.

Could they keep him away for good?

I sure hope not.

Mr. Davis, Jody didn't break the window.

How do you know?

Because I did it.

That's why I came over.

You?

I was worried about Jody.

Why?

I was mad at the lunchroom. I spilled my soup and they wouldn't give me any more

and I didn't have any more money.

Still hungry, huh?

Why didn't you just admit it to the principal?

Because I couldn't pay for the window.

I knew you had a lot of money and it wouldn't hurt you.

But then I heard Jody was suspended.

Oh, boy, now I can go back to school.

Now, wait a minute, Jody.

You still can't pay for the window, can you?

No, now they suspend me, and my father will be angry.

He says school's more important.

He's right, too.

He says it'll make life better for me than it is for him.

Was your father ever suspended?

My father never went to school.

Okay, Colonel, you go tell the principal you're sorry, and I'll see they don't

suspend you.

Are we going to lend him our lawyer, Uncle Bill?

No, now we're going to pay for the window.

Here you are, children.

Thanks, Mr. French.

French, you did a good job with the tutoring.

Thank you.

Thank you, sir.

I'm glad that they re -admitted Jody to school. I only hope that, well, he

didn't fall too far behind.

Far behind?

Mr. French, I'm the only one in my class who knows the 12 times tables.

The rest of us are only up to our eights.

I bet if I stayed suspended, I'd be the smartest kid in my class.