All language subtitles for Family Ties s04e07 The Old College Try

I bet we've been together for a million
years.

And I bet we'll be together for a
million more.

Oh, it's like I started breathing on the
night we hit.

And I can't remember what I ever did
before.

What would we do, baby, without us?

What would we do, baby, without us?

And there ain't no nothing we can't love
each other through.

What would we do, baby, without us?

Sha -la -la -la.

Mail call.

Gas bill.

Electric bill.

Where's Andrew? I've got his diaper
bill.

I have to give it to him in the morning.
Mallory and Nick are putting him to

bed. At least some college catalogs came
for you.

Oh, good. I was waiting for those.

You going to live here or at the dorm?

I ordered them from Mallory. I think
it's about time she got her applications

together. Ohio State, Rutgers,
Bloomingdale's.

Mallory sent for that one. Oh, well, we
know she can get in there.

Hey, Ma.

Oh, it's all right. I invited Skippy
over for dinner tonight. His parents

out. Oh, it's nice. What's the occasion?

Well, they said they wanted to eat in
the company of civilized human beings.

Well,

we don't feel that way here. Welcome.

Well, we finally got Andrew to sleep.

Nick read to him.

What did you read to him, Nick?

Motorcycle maintenance, by one.

I hope you left out the dirty parts.

Ah, Nick.

Hey, Alex.

I'm my little friend.

Hey, Nick.

I'm fine, thank you.

Hey, I noticed you're all dressed up
again, you know.

That's a cute little outfit you got on
there.

I was hoping you'd notice.

Who is that?

That's Nick, Mallory's new boyfriend.

Hey. I'm out of here.

I'll see you later, babe. Bye, Nick.

Hey.

Hey.

Hey.

Oh,

Mallory. A lot of catalogs came for you
today. You probably want to start

looking through them.

Oh, my Bloomingdale's catalog. Thanks,
Mom.

Honey, I was referring to the college
catalog. You have to start deciding

you want to apply.

never a rush, Mom. Oh, look, this is too
important to put off, Mal. You don't

want to find yourself scrambling at the
last minute.

That's right, Mal. A lot of those
schools in the Philippines fill up

quick.

I'll tell you what.

I'll divide the catalogs into categories
of the schools that are sure things,

possibilities, and long shots.

Oh, you really don't have to go to all
that trouble, Mom.

Are you kidding, honey? I have been
looking forward to this moment for 17

Oh, great.

lot for pembroke they have one of the
most progressive curriculums in the

country now they emphasize creativity
and individuality over grade point

what a revolting concept this is such a
great time to be a young woman yeah

everything is open to you there is so
much you can do all right i'm sorry

i know i tend to get a little emotional
when i think of everything that's in

store for you

Alex, I need your advice.

I have to break Mom's heart, and I know
you can tell me the best way to do it.

You flatter me.

Alex, what would you say if I told you I
didn't want to go to college?

I'd say I think the academic world could
survive the blow.

What about Mom?

It'll kill her.

Why is it so important for her that I go
to college?

Come on, Mallory, look.

No one is expecting you to go to
Harvard.

You put in a few years at a junior
college, you come out with a diploma,

everybody's happy and you're none the
smarter.

What do you say?

Alex, I've already made up my mind.

I'm not going to college.

What are you going to do?

Mallory, are you going to marry Nick?

I mean, did it ever occur to you that at
least one of you should know how to

read?

Alex, I'm not marrying Nick. I have big
plans, you know.

I'm going to work my way up to assistant
manager of the boutique, and then I'll

be manager, and then I'll become a
buyer, and then I'll have my own shop,

then I'll have a chain of shops, and
then I'll keep expanding until I'm the

largest retailer in the country and a
major fashion trendsetter in the entire

world.

Then what?

Alex, I'm serious.

Well, then, uh... I think you should say
to Mom what you just said to me.

With the same passion and the same
conviction.

Every time I start to, I chicken out.

Well, Mom is no dope, you know.

Come next fall, she's going to notice
you're still here.

I know.

I know.

I'm going to tell her.

All right. Got a plan of attack?

No. Do you have any statistics to back
up your position?

No.

Do you have any idea at all what you're
going to say to her?

No.

Enjoy college.

Mom, I just don't feel right about this.

Oh, honey, this is your first college
interview. It's understandable if you're

little nervous.

But I'm here with you.

Mom, before we go through with this,
there's something I've been meaning to

you. I haven't said it before because I
haven't known exactly how to put it.

Elise, good to see you again. How are
you? Fine, fine, Frances. This is my

daughter, Mallory.

Francis Wilder. Hello, Mallory. It's a
pleasure to meet you. Please, sit down.

Oh, at least you can stay a few minutes
while we get acquainted.

Then Mallory and I will have a private
interview.

Okay.

So, Mallory, tell me about yourself.

Well, um, I'm 17.

I have two brothers and a sister.

No, no, no, no. I mean, tell me about
yourself.

I think what Francis wants to hear is
something more personal about your

your dreams, your fears, that kind of
thing.

Oh.

Do we have to start with such a hard
one?

No, we can start with something else.

What did you enjoy most about high
school?

I don't like high school very much.

Well, honey, I know that's not true. I
know you're enjoying your senior year.

Don't worry, Elise.

Mallory's not the first person to sit in
that chair and say she didn't like high

school.

Take the courage to be honest.

I hated high school.

So, Mallory, did you find high school
dull?

Not exactly dull.

Unchallenging? No, not that either.

Mundane? Excuse me?

You know, mundane. Of a pertaining to
the world characterized by the

the transitory, the ordinary.

No, not exactly.

Well, what then?

Hard. Hard?

Difficult. Not easily yielding to
understanding.

Please, I know what hard means.

Sorry. Exactly what do you find hard
about high school?

Exactly everything.

Look, I...

Well, Mallory's always had trouble
applying herself, but she's got a lot of

potential. I mean, all of her teachers
have said that from the very beginning.

She's creative in so many ways.

Mom, really?

Well, it's true, honey.

Remember that poem that you wrote in the
third grade and you got it and recited

in front of the whole class?

It's a good poem.

Recite it for Frances now.

Oh, this is embarrassing.

No, go on. I'm sure she'd love to hear
it. I'll start you out.

Sky down to the ground, never the other
way around.

Mom, the poem is ten years old.

Hold up.

Mallory, have you written any poems
recently?

No, I'm not good at that. I'm not good
at anything in school.

Honey, that is perfectly fine. Come on,
Mom, I'm not smart. Why am I the only

one who could accept that?

Because it's not true. Yes, it is true.
Look, I don't want to go to Pembroke.

I'm sorry. Miss Wilder.

Honey, there are lots of other schools.

No offense, Frances.

Look, I don't want to go to any other
schools either, Mom. I don't want to go

college.

How'd the interview go?

Mallory, I'd appreciate it if you would
stand still while I'm talking to you.

Thank you.

Now go to your room.

Gladly, I won't have to listen to you
lecture me anymore on the importance of

college education.

How'd the interview go?

I'll tell you how the interview went,
Stephen. Your daughter...

It's true, Mom. She told me last week.

If you knew she didn't want to go to
college, why didn't you tell us?

Oh, because I didn't think it was my
place to interfere.

When has that ever stopped you before?

Wait a minute, wait a minute. Mom, come
on. Don't take it out on me because

you're angry at Mallory.

I'm not angry at Mallory. I'm surprised
and angry.

Look, I know how much this means to you,
Elise, but we can't always expect

Mallory to do what we'd like her to do.
Don't you start caving in, Stephen. This

is very important.

future. Who's caving in?

You are. I can tell by your posture.
You're taking on that let's be

slouch.

She's right, Dan. You're slouching.

That is just my normal slouch. I have no
intention of being reasonable.

Good.

Although if I were going to be
reasonable, I would have to say I'm not

completely sure we should force Mallory
to go to college.

I knew it. It may not be the right thing
for her.

Dad, you're slouching again.

Before I go to my room, I have to say
one thing.

Go ahead. A lot of successful people
didn't go to college.

Abraham Lincoln?

Thomas Edison?

Moses?

Moses?

going to Dartmouth?

All I'm saying, if I'm not good at
something, why should I do it?

Mallory, you're 17 years old. You have
your whole life ahead of you. You have

idea what kind of subjects might excite
you in school, what new ideas might open

up to you, and new areas you've never
dreamed of before.

See, this could be the most special time
of your life, but it comes once.

Who's winning?

Jennifer, we are in the middle of a
discussion.

What'd she do?

I'll tell you later.

Look, Alex, Jennifer, your mother and I
want to talk to Mallory alone.

No, it's okay. They don't have to leave.
I've already said everything I have to

say. To whom? Your friends?

Nick? I mean, they may not think college
is important, but we do, and you

certainly haven't...

out of this has nothing to do with him
doesn't it well maybe if you had a

boyfriend who was in school you might be
a little more interested in going

yourself

Just in time to check out my latest
sculpture.

What do you think?

Everything is a mess. It's horrible,
Nick.

What, too much yellow?

No, the sculpture is beautiful. I just
got other things on my mind right now,

okay? My life is falling apart.

Hey.

What happened?

I got in a huge fight with my parents.
They're going to force me to go to

college. Think about that.

Can I get you something to eat?

Yeah, yeah. I think my aunt went
shopping today.

Yeah, she did.

Some baking soda?

Ketchup?

Nick, didn't you hear what I said?

Yeah, I heard you.

Well, you don't have to hold anything
back. My parents are acting like

You can say whatever you want.

Okay.

I think your parents are right.

I think you should go to college,
Mallory.

I can't believe it. Why?

I don't know. I've always had this
picture of you in college, you know?

I'd come by, you'd cut class.

We'd go places.

You know, see?

And then at night, you'd come by here,
and you'd tell me what you'd learn, and

could learn, too.

You see, it'd be just like I'd be going
to college with you, except I wouldn't

have to get up in the morning.

Mallory, I think you're making a big
mistake.

Someone as smart as you should go to
college.

Are you kidding me?

I'm not smart.

You know how I feel when I'm in class?

I feel like two men in suits are going
to come in and point a finger at me and

say, you get out of here, you don't
belong here.

Hey, that's what happened to me.

You know, except in my case, they were
right.

I'm afraid.

Of what?

Failing.

Letting my parents down.

I'm just afraid I'm going to be lost.

Hey, I'll find you.

Do you really think I'm smart?

If you were, you wouldn't be able to
appreciate my sculpture.

You know, I mean, other people, they
come up to it and they say, what's that?

They just make a face.

But you know how to find something in
them. You know how to see things. You

know, that's why you should go to
college.

You might be able to see things, things
that could change your life.

You know, this does kind of make me
think of sailboats and a seashore on a

summer day.

Families playing, children.

Flowers and peace.

What do you call it?

12 -car pie, love.

The important thing is that you see
something.

It doesn't matter what.

Do you really think I'm smart?

I know you are.

Hey, that doesn't mean I don't think
you're beautiful, too.

You're great, Nick.

Yeah, yeah.

I guess I better be going. My parents
are probably worried about me.

Uh, hey, Mallory, could you do me a
favor?

Sure.

Uh, just don't tell your parents that I
agreed with them.

You know, it may spoil our relationship.

Oh, it's just you.

Not the thrill it used to be, huh, dear?

No sign of Mallory, huh?

At least.

You can't worry about Mallory every time
she walks out that door.

She's a big girl now. I'm sure she's
fine and she'll be home any minute.

How can you be so sure?

Fathers know these things.

It's the paternal instinct.

The thick sense.

Also, I called Nick.

She's got 12 minutes to go. If she's not
home in 30 seconds, I'm calling the

police.

Are you, uh, you doing all right?

Yeah, I guess so. I don't know. I've
been better.

Look, Mallory's a terrific kid.

She's never been a great student, and
she's never enjoyed school.

Subconsciously, at least, I think we
both knew this was coming.

I don't want her to miss any
opportunity, Stephen. I don't want her

through life wondering what might have
been.

I don't think there's a person in the
world who doesn't wonder that from time

time. Except maybe Alex.

Andrew's calling for you guys. You
better hurry up. He's fading fast.

Yeah, I gave him a cup of black coffee.
That'll hold him till you get up there.

Hi.

Oh, hi.

Did I miss dinner?

Yeah. Good thing, too.

We had lima beans.

I hid mine under the mashed potatoes.

That is the first place they look,
Jennifer.

I saved you a lamb chop. It's in Alex's
briefcase.

Hey.

Mom and Dad feel upset?

They're calming down.

So how come you don't want to go to
college, Mallory?

Same reason you told Mom and Dad.

You don't want to take piano lessons.

Be a waste of time.

I'm starting piano lessons next Tuesday.

It was either that or help around the
house an extra hour every week.

That's blackmail.

When you're 12, they call it creative
parenting.

All right, who put the lamb chop in my
briefcase?

I don't know. It must have been the lamb
chop fairy.

Hey, Mel, when did you get back?

Just now.

Listen, if you want to avoid a
confrontation with Mom and Dad, you

out of here. They're going to come down
any minute.

I might as well get it over with.

Listen, you know, my feeling is that
they're split on this, you know, and you

could use that to your advantage.

I mean, play them against each other.

You divide and conquer.

When I say divide and conquer, I mean
that in the most respectful.

Now, obedient.

Coming!

Hello.

Hello. Hi.

Sorry I was gone so long. I hope you
weren't worried. I was at Nick's.

Mallory, we have to talk. I know.

Look, I was discussing with Nick this
college thing. What Nick says has no

bearing on this situation.

His opinion is completely irrelevant. He
is not a member of this family.

He thinks I should go to college.

I've always liked that boy.

I'm really confused. I don't know what
to do.

Listen to Nick.

You've got to understand, it's not just
that I don't want to go to college.

I have big plans.

I want to work at the store full time.

can't make a career out of that.

Well, I don't plan on being a saleswoman
forever.

See, by the time I'm through, I plan on
owning a whole chain of stores.

I even have a name for them.

They'll be called What's In Store.

Do you get it?

What's in store and what's in store?

That's very good, Mallory. I'd certainly
shop there.

Dad, it's going to be only women's
clothing.

Well, then I'd just browse there.

I think that's a great ambition, honey.
I also think there are a lot of things

you could learn in college that would
help you to run a business successfully.

Not just that, Mom.

I'm afraid I won't do well in college
and that I'll let you down, that I'll be

disappointment to you.

Mallory, don't ever think you're going
to disappoint us.

We just want you to keep your options
open.

That's all we're saying. Don't be afraid
to try new things.

Okay, I have a proposition for you.

I go to college for a year.

But at the end of the year, if I don't
like it and I don't want to go back, you

respect my decision and not fight me on
it.

I've got to admit, it sounds reasonable.

And I'm not slouching.

I like the idea, too.

I'm sorry, Mom. I know this has been
real hard on you.

Oh, honey, if I've acted crazy, it's
only because I want the best for you.

And I'm going to have it. I promise.

Listen, Mom and Dad, about that divide
and conquer crack,

I didn't.

I mean, surely you don't think that I'm
coming!

Sit, Ubu, sit.

Good dog.