Original subtitles

[ Door opens ]

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪

Joe: It's showtime.

Well, nearly.

There's still about an hour

until the new school year begins.

I've had first days of school every year since I was 5,

and I'm still not sure when it officially begins.

When I wake up?

When I walk into school?

When the first bell rings?

By any measure, in a short amount of time,

students will be in front of me,

and I will resume my societal responsibility

of teaching 10- to 13-year-olds

how to make music with their mouths.

♪♪

♪♪

I would say that the major difference

between being a teacher and a student

is that as a teacher, you get to drink coffee.

Which is good because I didn't sleep very well last night.

In the summer, I can cut back because the sun gives me energy,

but during the school year,

I need the little caffeine to get going.

So I can drink it all day and not crash mid-lesson,

I make my coffee incredibly weak.

If an espresso is a highly concentrated cup of coffee,

this is the opposite.

I call it classroom blend.

By the time I get back to my classroom,

I will have a full pot of coffee

that's as translucent as watered-down cola.

I supposed the other main difference

between teachers and students today

is that unlike the students' intense and exciting experience

of entering a new grade, teachers can see

that we're at the beginning of yet another cycle

that will repeat more quickly and predictably

until the permanent summer of retirement.

Perfect.

I'm not complaining.

Everything is fine in a new pair of sneakers.

Knock, knock.

Oh. Morning, Jon.

Hey, Joe. Mind if I come in?

I'm not gonna call you Bean Bitch.

I just smelled the coffee, and I was wondering

if I could join you.

Sure.

Have a seat.

You take it black?

Yep.

Well, how was your summer?

Crazy.

What happened?

Everything.

I had a summer fling.

Well, congrats.

Thanks.

She was beautiful.

Her name was Tammy, 48 years old,

a Navy vet who served in Operation Desert Shield.

We met in a wave pool in the Wisconsin Dells

and had an unforgettable two weeks of fajitas,

piña coladas, and sexo.

But then she had to go back to her oil job

in the Canadian tar sands.

Maybe you can meet up sometime soon?

Hopefully.

Oh, sorry to hear about your grandmother.

Thanks, Jon.

I was just thinking about what she'd have to say

at the start of this new school year.

I -- I kind of know

'cause last night I dreamt she told me.

Sorry. I know it's talking about dreams and stuff.

Eh, whatever.

But I walked into my backyard,

and she was right there, standing next to my bean arch.

What'd she say?

She asked me if I was eating all right

and told me to comb my hair,

and then some nice things she hoped for me and Sarah,

but I'd rather not share.

[ Slurps coffee ] Yeah, don't tell me.

You shouldn't trust me.

It's pretty funny.

We're both dreaming of older women.

Yeah, they're the best.

Agreed.

Anyway, good luck today.

Thanks for the coffee.

You, too, Jon.

[ Knocking ]

I'm inside.

Morning. Listen, if anyone

knocks on the door, no matter who it is,

do me a favor and never say, "I'm inside."

Yeah, I understand.

What period do you have lunch?

Fifth. You?

Bummer. Sixth. Oh.

You gonna eat in your car?

No.

Are you gonna panic when the students flood the hallways?

No, I'll be fine.

Sarah...

[ Southern accent ] you're my country girl.

[ Laughing ] Sorry.

[ Normal voice ] Come on.

Don't squish this beautiful sandwich I made for you.

Okay.[ Bell chiming ]

Here we go.

[ Chiming continues ]

Oh, good morning, Judy B.

Morning, William H.

Welcome back from the Naval Academy.

Morning. Morning.

Boy: Why are the lights out?

Just turn them on.

Morning. Morning.

Good morning, Mr. Pera.

Oh. Uh, you must be Gabriel Coskanin.

Yes, I'm Gabriel.

Oh, welcome to Marquette

and to Little Deer Middle School.

If I may, I'd like to say hello to everyone

at the beginning of class to introduce myself.

Okay.

Morning.

Morning. Morning.

Morning. Welcome back.

Morning. Morning.

Morning. Good morning.

Morning.Morning.

Morning.

Morning.[ Bell chimes ]

Morning.

Um, [clears throat] good morning.

Class: Morning.

Um, welcome to eighth-grade choir.

As many of you know, I'm Mr. Pera.

Everyone have a nice summer?

Class: Eh.

Okay.

Are you excited to be back.

Class: No.

Sorry.

I feel all those same things,

but a few weeks ago I came in

to set up the classroom, and without you,

the school feels like an incomplete place.

We're supposed to be here, you know.

Um, I thought it would be fun to start

by doing this old one.

Maybe you'll recognize it.

Pass them back.

Anyone needs one?

Yes, I love this song!

Joe: Oh, that's good.

Oh, but before we start to sing,

we -- we got a new student with us,

and he asked to say a few words.

So everyone welcome Gabriel Coskanin.

[ Applause ]

Hello. I'm Gabriel.

I'm from the Hitopo Scientific Research Base in Antarctica

where my parents studied ecosystem resilience

and adaptation.

For 12 years, I've endured harsh winters

and extreme cold temperatures of negative 49 degrees centigrade.

I've never left the continent until now.

I was collectively raised by all the international scientists

at the base, which might explain my unusual accent.

Now I've fulfilled my dream of moving to America,

maybe I'll be a famous movie star.

What kinds of movies do you want to be in?

I'd love to be in some Japanese-action films.

[ Murmuring and applause ]

All right. Thank you, Gabriel.

And, uh, let's sing. Everybody up.

If you don't know it, that's okay.

Just follow along the best you can.

[ Plays piano notes ]

A one, two, three.

♪ When this old world starts getting me down ♪

♪ And people are just too much for me to face ♪

♪ I climb way up to the top of the stairs ♪

♪ And all my cares just drift right into space ♪

♪ On the roof it's peaceful as can be ♪

♪ Ah, ah, ah

♪ And there the world below don't bother me ♪

♪ Ah, ah, ah

♪ Let me tell you now

♪ When I come home feeling tired and beat ♪

♪ Ooooh

♪ I go up where the air is fresh and sweet ♪

♪ Up on the roof

♪ I get away from the hustling crowds ♪

♪ Oooooh

♪ And all that rat-race noise down in the street ♪

♪ Ooooooh

♪ Up on the roof

♪ On the roof's the only place I know ♪

♪ Oooooh

♪ Where you just have to wish to make it so ♪

♪ Ooooh

♪ Let's go up on the roof

♪ Up on the roof

Nice, guys.

♪ And if this world starts getting you down ♪

♪ Ooooh

♪ There's room enough for two up on the roof ♪

♪ Up on the roof

Nice, guys.♪ Up on the roof

♪ Up on the roof

-♪ Oh, come on, baby -♪ Up on the roof

-♪ Oh, come on, honey -♪ Up on the roof

-♪ Everything is all right -♪ Up on the roof

♪ Up on the roooooof

Yeah, there we-- [clears throat] very good.

♪♪