All language subtitles for growing_pains_s02e11_choices

Go, you mighty Hooters! V, V, victory
for Bob, our varsity! Victory for

varsity! Go, Hooters!

Mike Seaver to the principal's office.

Mike Seaver, come to the principal's
office immediately, mister.

Well, I mean, it's like a scientific
fact that you can be cute or you can be

deep, but only one in a million can be
cute and deep. Yeah.

It's like last summer I thought I might
try being really deep this year, but...

Okay.

So then, um, what would you call someone
like Carol Seaver?

Pathetic.

Look, Carol, I need you to write me a
note, okay? To the principal's office.

Mom's handwritten.

What'd you do this time?

Uh, I don't know yet, so why don't you
make it one of those all -purpose deals,

okay?

Hey, Tom, how you doing?

Stand still.

What are you, nuts? You're my sister.
You're a bookend. You even studied

lunch.

Uh, scratch that last announcement.

Carol Seaver, come to the principal's
office, please.

That's Carol Seaver.

All right.

Sorry, Mike.

It was an honest mistake.

Hey, no sweat.

Is Mom home yet?

Nope. Dad?

In with the patient, but I get to talk
to him first.

Yeah, well, I want to talk to Mom
anyway.

Ben,

you know you're not supposed to be
pigging out like that.

Yeah, well, it's not for me. It's for
Mike.

Hey, thanks, Benny.

Did the principal decide to name the
school after you?

Nerd High?

Well, as a matter of fact, he called me
in to say that if I wanted to, I could

skip a grade.

Whoopee.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, Carol.

If you skip a year, that means we're
both going to be in the 11th grade

together.

Well, only for a year, and then I'll
move on to 12th grade, and you can have

11th over yourself again.

It's Jerry.

Look, Jerry, I can't talk now, all
right? I just got the worst news.

Now, believe me, nothing you can say is
going to cheer me up right now.

Oh, yeah? How incredibly gorgeous is
she?

Are you serious?

Oh, whoa.

Yeah, I don't know, man. I mean, it's a
school night.

She's a stewardess? Oh, really?

Just let me run up by my dad. It makes
him feel involved.

Well, Mr. Bendel, for our next session,
I'd like you to think about why it is

you have so much difficulty just talking
to people.

Well, okay, then. I'll see you next
week.

Hey, Dad!

Dad! Mom! Is that Mom?

Dad, please watch it!

Carol. I want to talk to Mom.

Fine. Mike. I want to go out tonight.
It's a school night.

What happened to fine?

So, Carol, what do you need to talk
about?

Well, did the principal call you today?

Oh, no. What did Mike do now?

Nothing. It's me. I wanted to tell you
first.

I'm sorry. You're just not going
anywhere until I have some details.

All right, Dad. Man to man, the truth.

I've agreed to go out on this blind date
with a shy, young, fragile girl who's

only in town for one night.

A traveling high school girl?

Exchange student, yeah.

No.

Well, if it's okay with Mom, is it okay
with you? Yeah, good luck.

What did you do now?

Nothing.

Carol's the one who got sent to the
principal's office.

Carol, honey, what's the matter?

Carol, honey, I'm sorry. There's
something very wrong.

Carol's going to skip a grade. Well, I
have to pass the 10th grade proficiency

test, of course, but... Well, that's
nice.

Jason.

It's very nice.

Honey, he's thrilled.

Mom, listen, just real quick. Dad says I
can go out tonight if it's okay with

you. Okay.

Thanks.

Nice? I said very nice.

I don't understand you, Jason. Skipping
an entire grade is a real achievement.

Well, it can be, but there are some
recent studies that add a little... I

want to hear about recent studies that
add a little...

I mean, this is Carol, our daughter.
She's different.

She has goals, ambitions.

Like her mother.

Exactly.

Something wrong with that?

You said you didn't want to hear about
it.

Well, I wasn't ready then. I am now.

Okay.

Well, the question is not whether she
should skip the 10th grade, but why she

wants to. Is it because you want her to?

Is it because with the additional
workload she won't have time for the

activities she's not too comfortable
with anyway?

And won't she be even more uncomfortable
with kids who are a year more mature?

And what if she fails?

Is she really ready for that kind of
pressure?

Do you have any idea how frustrating it
is to be married to someone who's always

so rational?

Not a clue.

Excuse me.

I'd just like to express my thoughts on
Carol skipping this grade.

You know, I have an older brother who
cares for... No, no, I'll just say it.

loves his younger sister.

I'd just like to say... Please don't let
Carol skip his class.

I won't ask much from you guys. A little
allowance, some shelter from the rain,

a burger now and then. Get up, Mike.

I'm not asking for myself, no.

Personally, I would find having Carol in
the class a delightful experience.

I'm asking on behalf of the entire 11th
grade.

And what's their problem?

Well, basically, they feel that with
Carol in the class, we'll have exceeded

nerd quota.

Oh, really?

Hey, Dad, you know how it is. It's a
very delicate balance.

One more nerd tips.

Chaos.

Honey,

dinner will be ready in just a minute.

Now I lost my appetite, Mom. I'm
studying about the Donner Party.

Oh.

Oh, listen, Carol, just one quick
question.

Sure. This business of skipping a grade,
you would be doing it for yourself,

right? Of course.

Okay.

And it isn't to avoid a year's worth of
social activity and keep your nose

buried in books instead of interacting
with other kids, is it?

Great. And you've thought about the
additional pressures, right? What

What pressure?

That's my girl.

I'm just curious.

Does this seem wrong to anyone else?

Mike, help your brother with the dishes,
please.

Sure, Dad.

Ben, the dishwasher's that way.

I'm finished talking about this. I have
to go study.

I'm finished, Jason. Go ahead, Carol.

See what I mean?

She thought this completely through.

I don't know why I let you get me so
worried about it. Well, I just can't

but wonder... Boy, if I'd had that extra
year, things would be a lot different

for me.

I would have graduated in 68, had been
in 74, gone back to work in 84.

Why, I'd be a year younger.

Carol, if you skip a grade, won't you
miss your friends?

Well, it's not like I'm going to be
changing schools, Dad.

I think she should skip the grade.

It's a chance to mess up Mike's whole
year.

My life is good.

Well, I do admire your determination.

And you remind me of your mom.

Yeah, but I won't make the same mistake
she made with the marriage and family

bit.

Did she just say... Yes, she did.

Marriage and family are a mistake. Where
would she get such an idea?

Oh, honey, don't blame yourself.

Me?

Me? You're suggesting that I gave her
that idea?

No, no. No, no.

I mean, I love being married to you. I
love my family. I mean, there's times I

think about it when I almost gush.

I know that. I've seen you gush.

Then where would she get such an idea?

Well, probably from some adult she
admires.

Who?

I would guess somebody close to her.

A woman.

Yes.

Oh, I see. So now we're back to accusing
me.

Well, maybe she's misread your decision
to go back to work. Maybe you do put a

little too much emphasis on excelling.

Just like potty training.

What?

Do it for Mommy.

Do it for Mommy.

Do it for Mommy!

Excuse me, I have to go to the bathroom.

Carol, why don't you and I go out for an
ice cream cone and we'll discuss

skipping that grade, okay?

I'm too fattening.

You have nothing to worry about.

thinking about me.

You were saved by the bell.

I got it, I got it, I got it, I got it.
I got it, I got it.

I'm gonna get it.

Hi, I'm Kitty from Bravo Airlines. You
must be Mike.

Hey, did I luck out this time or what?

I mean, I usually don't go out on blind
dates, but I just broke up with my

boyfriend 12 and a half days ago. His
name was Rico and with, like, no warning

whatsoever, he dumped me. Talk about
immature.

Yeah, how do you do? I'm Jason Seaver.
I'm Mike's dad.

Mike?

Hi there.

Kitty, I'm sorry Mike can't go out with
you tonight.

Oh, why? Is he sick?

No, he's young.

And, Mike, why don't you take Kitty out
on the porch, and maybe you can explain

further. Uh, no, no, Dad, I don't
think... Jason?

What's going on? Maggie, this is Kitty.

This is the woman you gave Mike
permission to go out with tonight.

I didn't. You did.

Uh, Kitty, we must talk.

Well, the usual punishment, or are you
feeling creative tonight?

I can't think about it now, Jason. I
have to talk to Carol.

Yes. Okay, okay, okay.

Hello, Carol.

Got a minute?

I just got a pass. Well,

that's what I wanted. If we do all
finish high school a year earlier,

college a year earlier, start business a
year earlier, become Time Magazine's

Woman of the Year a year earlier.

Well, before you hit retirement, I'd
like to have a word with you.

I mean, I might be overreacting, and I
probably heard you wrong, but I thought

you said some silly thing about marriage
and family being a mistake.

Right.

Right? Yeah.

Where did you get an idea like that?

From you.

Oh, honey, you know that I don't feel
that way at all. I mean, I love you. I

love being married to your dad. I love
raising your kids. Ask anyone we know.

Give me a phone. I'll dial.

Mom, why are you getting so excited?

Why? Because I get the feeling that we
haven't been talking about you skipping

grade. We've been talking about you
skipping life.

But for as long as I can remember,
you've told me to work hard and think

college and a career. Oh, sure I did. So
what's the point of doing that just to

get married and to give it up like you
did?

I haven't given up anything.

Mom, you worked for Newsweek and quit to
raise kids.

Yes, but now I've gone back. to work
and... For a local newspaper.

The Long Island Herald is number one in
Syosset and number two in Massapequa.

Exactly.

Oh, Carol, look, honey, I know this is a
little complicated.

I mean, sure, I'm sorry that I missed
the big time, but I'm not sorry at all

about getting married or having three
great kids.

Do you understand?

Yes.

Are you sure?

Of course. You think you have to say
this because you regret what you had to

Oh, no.

No. No.

Of course you do. And don't worry about
it because I am going to make you so

proud of me that you are going to go
crazy.

I'm already there.

You see, Kitty, I used to be much older
than this. Oh, dear.

It's an extremely rare... to these.

That was really amazing.

Oh, and tragic, too.

I would think so.

As far as I know, there's only two
reported cases in the world. Me and Dick

Clark.

But you don't show your pain.

No.

No, I don't.

Do you have any idea what it's like
going through puberty backwards?

I can imagine.

If they ever find a cure for this, give
me a call.

You can count on it.

I have seen

the future.

And it is good.

Jason, do me a favor.

Shoot me.

We can do it on the front lawn, turn on
the sprinklers, no mess at all.

So it went well.

Oh, honey, this is all my fault, and do
you know why?

Of course you know why. You know
everything.

Well, it's my... She thinks I'm some
kind of a saint who gave up everything

you and the kids.

Does she know that's the choice you
made?

Yes.

And she didn't believe me.

Oh, I wish she'd been around before she
was born.

You know, that might work.

Don't humor me when I don't make any
sense.

Oh, honey, if you have any ideas, I'd
love to hear them.

I didn't think so.

What are you still doing away? Well, I
just have something here I think you

might be interested in. Not another song
by Gary Puckett in the Union Gap.

No, why do you say that?

Because every time you get out the old
tape recorder, it's to play some

old songs.

Well, Gary Puckett happens to be an
artist.

And that's not what this is about.

I feel how hard studying can do, Dad.

Well, just listen when you have a
chance.

Listen. The Blast from the Pet, 1971.

It is Gary Puckett.

You're in the way, Mr. Severs. I'm a
doctor.

So am I. You're still in the way. Come
on, honey. One more push.

Sure. Where else am I going to go?

One. Two.

looks like you.

Where is she going to go to college?
Before we decide on her college,

we give her a name?

Well, Jason, maybe Carol won't go to
college.

Carol? I've always liked that name.

A woman who regretted her choice.

I always thought... Oh, boy, oh, boy,
oh, boy, were you wrong.

So you did what you wanted to do.

I still am.

So you're saying I should have a family?

No.

So you're saying I should have a career?

No.

Mom, I'm really getting confused here.

Good. Because that means you're
beginning to realize that you have

Well, as long as we're set up, how about
some classic Gary Puckett?

Hot. Was she hot?

Well, let's just say that on a scale of
one to ten, she was a 747.

So my mom says, take that lewd blouse
back, young lady.

Well, your mother's great compared to my
mother. I swear, I have, like, no

choices. I mean, it's like she's sick of
her life, so she wants to leave mine.

My mother's not like that.

Are you talking to us?

Yeah, my mother likes me make my own
choices.

She wants me to make my own choices.

He expects me to make my own choices.

Isn't that incredible?

Too much studying.

No, no.

See? It's all up to me.

Uh -huh. Do I really want to spend every
lunch hour studying?

Yes, we came up with that right after
fire.

Bill, when will I get into the tape you
made when I was born?

Your tape?

Um... Well, you see, Ben, old buddy,
when first you have children, you want

capture every moment. And then... I
think we probably packed yours in a

different box.

I'll get it in the morning. All right!

Jason, we didn't make... a tape when Ben
was born. Well, not yet. We haven't.

Oh, wait a minute.

Now, you remember how it goes.

One, two, three.