High School - Hallway
Ruthie: Hi...
Vincent: Hi...
Ruthie: I'm Ruthie Camden.
Margot: Yeah, I know. I'm Vincent's new girlfriend.
Vincent: This is Margot.
Ruthie: I just thought I'd say hello so things wouldn't be awkward every time I see the two of you.
Margot: Awkward for...?
Vincent: Maybe we'd better get to class... ah, it was good to see you, Ruthie.
Margot: Hey, preacher girl, you didn't by any chance buy that jacket at Second-Hand Rose, did you? 'Cause I think, it was mine.
Ruthie: My mother bought it for me. I don't know where it came from.
Margot: Next time why don't I just bring you whatever I'm throwing out. You can have it all for free, I mean, it's just stuff I don't want. Hey, are you with me or with her?
High School - Bathroom
Girl 1: Are you okay?
Girl 2: Call the school nurse.
Zoe: No, no, I, I'm okay. I, I just faint like this sometimes. It's nothing. It happens all the time. Please, just get away from me. You can't say anything to Martin about this. What's the deal?
Ruthie: You wouldn't understand.
Zoe: Try me. You might be surprised.
High School - Hallway
Martin: What's going on?
Vincent: Hey, look ah, tell Ruthie I'm really sorry when you see her.
Camden's House - Sam and David's Room
Annie: You still don't have a temperature.
David: But I feel kind of cold.
Annie: (sighs)
Annie: Well... maybe this will make you feel better.
David: Thank you, Mommy.
Annie: You're welcome, sweetie.
David: Can I have some chocolate pudding?
Annie: Chocolate pudding... is that what you want.
David: I think it would make my throat feel better.
Annie: Your throat still hurts?
David: Just a little bit.
Annie: Okay, I'll be right back.
Sam: I'll have some pudding, too.
Annie: Oh honey, it's too close to dinner. How about an apple instead?
Sam: David's eating pudding.
Annie: He's sick. I'll get you an apple. Come on, I don't want you to get whatever David has. You can help me start dinner. We're having homemade chicken soup.
David: I love chicken soup.
Annie: I know you do.
Pete's Pizza
Zoe: I'm so glad you didn't have practice today.
Martin: Yeah, me too, coach gave us the day off 'cause we won the tournament, but we're back at it tomorrow.
Zoe: This is good... but Antonio's is the best.
Martin: I've never been there.
Zoe: You should go, it's so much better.
Martin: Yeah, but it's expensive. I can't afford it.
Zoe: You're driving a new car, I'm sure you can afford pizza at Antonio's.
Martin: My dad brought me the car and he can afford it only because I'm staying with the Camdens for free. It would be kind of rude to ask to use their car. And since I can drive, I can take Ruthie to school or the twins or run errands. Otherwise, I'd just be a freeloader.
Zoe: But still, it's a nice car.
Martin: Yeah it is, and I'm very grateful to have it, but I'd rather have my dad home and take the bus. No, really.
Zoe: Well, I'll take you to Antonio's. It'll be my treat. My family goes there all the time.
Martin: That's okay. I can't really see putting on a jacket and tie for pizza.
Zoe: Then we'll have the mussels. They are just to die for. You don't mind if I take this home do you? My housekeeper loves this place.
Martin: Uh, sure, if you want.
Zoe: I feel so badly for Ruthie and Vincent.
Martin: I guess she had a hard time seeing him at school today.
Zoe: Yeah, especially since she was wearing his girlfriend's jacket. Oh, no, I wasn't supposed to say anything.
Martin: About...?
Zoe: Well...
Camden's House - Kitchen
Annie: Oh, hi there.
Ruthie: Hi...
Annie: How was your day?
Ruthie: It was fine.
Annie: It doesn't sound like it was fine. Did you see Vincent?
Ruthie: Yeah, I saw him, it's no big deal.
Annie: Hey, what happened to your new jacket?
Ruthie: Oh, I must have left it in my locker.
Annie: Well, don't forget to bring it home tomorrow. It looked really cute on you, don't you think?
Ruthie: If Vincent calls, I'm not home.
Annie: Does that mean you're expecting him to call?
Camden's House - Upstairs Hallway
Sam: Want this?
Ruthie: No, thank you.
Sam: David's eating pudding.
Ruthie: Good for him.
Sam: All I get is this yucky apple.
Ruthie: You better be grateful you have something to eat, okay? There's nothing yucky about an apple. It's good for you. Eat it... and be happy about it.
Camden's House - Sam and David's Room
David: How's the apple?
Sam: It's delicious. Wanna swap?
David: No, I don't.
Camden's House - Nursery
Savannah: (baby noises)
Lucy: Oh, hey, you look nice, where are you going?
Kevin: I thought since your mom was making soup for dinner, that maybe I could take you out for let's say... a steak?
Lucy: Are you kidding?
Kevin: Just the two of us... maybe someplace dark and romantic. We'll let your mom keep an eye on Savannah.
Lucy: Oh Kevee, I can't do that.
Kevin: Because...?
Lucy: Well, because my mom is busy taking care of David. He's sick.
Kevin: I asked her. She said she would.
Lucy: Well, I don't want her going back and forth between David and Savannah, because I don't want her to get sick.
Kevin: But wouldn't it be nice to get out alone, just the two of us?
Lucy: Oh, I'm sorry, don't be sad. We'll go out some other time.
Kevin: Maybe I could bring our dinner up on a tray and we could light some candles and have a romantic dinner in the room.
Lucy: You have the cutest little nose. It's so teeny tiny, I don't know how you get any air. Oh, it's the cutest wittle nose. Yes, you do.
Kevin: (sighs)
Camden's House - Kitchen
Phone: (rings)
Eric: How's, how's David feeling?
Annie: Well, um, he says, he says he's feeling fine, but his throat hurts and he says that he's cold a lot. I mean, he could be coming down with the flu, but he seems to have an appetite.
Eric: Hmm, I'll go and check on him.
Phone: (rings)
Annie: Hmm, hmm, could you do me a favor and take the garbage out?
Eric: Of course...
Annie: Thanks...
Phone: (rings)
Eric: Can I assume that that's Vincent calling Ruthie?
Annie: I think so.
Phone: (rings)
Camden's House - Attic Room / Vincent's House
Phone: (rings)
Vincent on Phone: Please, just talk to me. C'mon...
Camden's House - Kitchen
Kevin: Is there anything I can do to help out with dinner?
Annie: Ah, pretty simple meal. Chicken soup, a salad, and muffins. I think I've got it all under control. Everything okay?
Kevin: Kind of, I mean, I guess I'm just adjusting to being a dad. Hey, just the man I wanted to see.
Eric: Hey, Kev...
Kevin: Could we talk outside?
Eric: Yeah...
Camden's House - Back Porch
Kevin: So... how's it going?
Eric: You tell me.
Kevin: Good, good...
Eric: You wanted to talk to me about...?
Kevin: Oh, it's just... I don't know... I... How was your day?
Eric: Fine, busy, but fine. How was your day?
Kevin: My day at work was fine, busy, but fine.
Eric: And things at home are...?
Kevin: Fine...
Eric: You, you sure?
Kevin: Yeah, everything at home is fine.
Eric: Savannah is...
Kevin: Fine...
Eric: Lucy is...
Kevin: Fine... Hey, thanks for the talk.
Eric: Hi...
Martin: Wait...
Martin: Ah, I was just wondering what you're doing with Ruthie's jacket.
Eric: I thought this was Ruthie's jacket. I found it in the garbage can. You know why Ruthie's jacket would be in the garbage.
Camden's House - Attic Room / Vincent's House
Vincent on Phone: I'm never going out with her again.
Ruthie on Phone: Why not?
Vincent on Phone: Why not? Because she was really mean to you, I had no idea she could be like that.
Ruthie on Phone: Are you sure? I mean, maybe that's the kind of girl you really like. Rich, skinny, mean.
Vincent on Phone: I made a mistake.
Ruthie on Phone: Yeah, you did.
Phone: (rings)
Vincent on Phone: Look, I feel really badly about what she said to you.
Ruthie on Phone: Oh, do you?
Vincent on Phone: Yes, I, I look, I think she was trying to embarrass you because basically she's just insecure about herself.
Ruthie on Phone: Don't make excuses for her, there's no excuse for her pointing out that my mother buys me used clothes that weren't good enough for her.
Phone: (rings)
Ruthie: What?
Camden's House - Attic Room / Zoe's House
Zoe on Phone: Ruthie... is that you?
Ruthie on Phone: Oh, hi, Zoe.
Zoe on Phone: Look, I just wanted to call and say thank you for being so nice to me today in the restroom, especially after that little disaster you had with Vincent's a girlfriend. What a little witch.
Ruthie on Phone: It's not that big a deal, I would have forgotten about it by now if Vincent would quit calling and trying to talk to me about it.
Zoe on Phone: I don't know Ruthie, if you can't talk to Vincent, you should tell someone, it helps to talk, it helped me to talk to you about my situation.
Ruthie on Phone: I'm sorry about what you're going through. You really should talk to my dad? He's good at helping people.
Zoe on Phone: No, you promised not to tell anyone.
Ruthie on Phone: And I won't unless you tell me to.
Zoe on Phone: Well, I'm not going to tell you to, and I especially don't want you to say anything to Martin.
Ruthie on Phone: I promise, I would never say anything to Martin, but my dad is different, he's kind of in the business of helping people and anything you say to him would be completely confidential.
Zoe on Phone: No, my parents knew they'd die. Just don't say anything.
Ruthie on Phone: I'm not going to, I just think you should say something.
Zoe on Phone: You got embarrassed today at school, how'd that feel?
Camden's House - Kitchen
Annie: I don't usually see this as the answer, but I'm gonna call the girl's mother.
Eric: That's probably not a good idea.
Annie: Well, then I'm gonna talk to her, I'm going to call this... what's her name?
Eric: Margot... but you can't call her either, not without saying something to Ruthie and embarrassing her all over again.
Annie: I don't buy the kids that many things from used clothing stores, you know, I, I just try to buy just a few nice basic pieces that fit with our budget and then I, I sorta just, you know, fill in with some of those things. There's nothing wrong with that.
Eric: I totally agree.
Annie: You know Ruthie knows where this came from.
Eric: It's okay, you didn't do anything wrong and, and neither did Ruthie.
Annie: I knew something was up when she came home. You know, I'm gonna go to talk to her.
Eric: How are you going to do that without telling her that Zoe told Martin and he told me?
Annie: I'll just tell her I found it in the garbage.
Eric: I think we should just put it back in the garbage and let Ruthie handle this, the way Ruthie wants to handle it.
Annie: Even if it means throwing away a perfectly good jacket that she likes?
Eric: I don't think she likes it anymore. And, we've have a little time, you know. The trash pickup isn't until Wednesday, so why don't we just play this one by ear?
Camden's House - Kevin and Lucy's Room
Kevin: I got some listing from the realtor today; maybe the two of us could look at them together tonight.
Lucy: Yeah, sure.
Kevin: I'm really looking forward to having our own house.
Lucy: Me too, but I'm gonna miss living here.
Kevin: I am, too. It's been nice, but I miss having any real privacy, you know?
Lucy: We have privacy.
Kevin: It's just that, we're right next to everyone's bedrooms and I sense that maybe you don't want to get close because we're kind of right in the middle of everyone.
Lucy: Oh, you've a little... toothpaste... oh... There you go, sweetie. What were you saying?
Kevin: Oh, nothing.
Lucy: You know, I'll go down and help my mom finish up dinner; I'm hungry.
Kevin: Yeah, so am I. You finish up here, I'll go set the table, or something.
Lucy: Oh, you're such a...
Kevin: ...good little boy?
Camden's House - Sam and David's Room
Sam: I know you're not sick.
David: Yes, I am.
Sam: Yeah, well I'm be sick tomorrow.
David: So am I.
Sam: You had your turn sick today.
David: I'm not done with my turn yet.
Sam: I'm gonna tell mommy you're not sick.
David: If you do that, you can't be sick.
Sam: (sighs)
David: I might be sick all week. You can be sick all next week.
Sam: I don't want to be sick next week. I want chocolate pudding right now.
David: It's all gone. You're gonna get in trouble. I'm going to tell mommy you did that.
Sam: Go ahead... I'm going to tell her you're not sick.
Camden's House - Kitchen
Kevin: Hey, where is everyone?
Martin: I think Reverend and Mrs. Camden are ah, taking out garbage.
Kevin: Together?
Martin: Yeah...
Kevin: That's what's made their marriage last so long, doing everything together.
Martin: I haven't noticed that they do that. They seem pretty independent to me.
Kevin: Yeah, but they're together when it counts.
Martin: Hey, maybe you can help me out with something. I want to break up with Zoe. I never really wanted to be with her, and now I really don't want to be with her.
Kevin: So don't be with her.
Martin: Don't I have to say something?
Kevin: Why?
Martin: I think she thinks I'm her boyfriend, but I also think she thinks I'm not good enough to be her boyfriend.
Kevin: Because...?
Martin: She's always talking about money and how much she pays for things and all the fancy places her and her family go. It makes me really uncomfortable.
Kevin: But you don't have like a commitment or anything, you didn't agree to just see each other, be boyfriend and girlfriend?
Martin: We never talked about anything like that. She just kept asking me out and following me around.
Kevin: So just ignore her for a while and believe me, she'll find someone else to follow around.
Camden's House - Kitchen
Lucy: You hardly ate anything... still feeling sad about Vincent? It's okay, Ruthie, it's okay.
Ruthie: Yeah, I know it will be. And by the way, if you want to talk to someone like that, the baby's upstairs.
Lucy: She's been in a bad mood ever since Vincent broke up with her.
Kevin: I don't know, she didn't seem like she was in such a bad mood until you, you know, talked baby talk to her.
Lucy: I was just being sympathetic and believe me; she's in a bad mood. Finished with your soup?
Kevin: Yeah, but I'll clear the table.
Lucy: You've got one more bite, you want to finish it?
Kevin: I don't want to finish it, thanks.
Lucy: Oh, come on, just one more wittle bite.
Kevin: Put down that spoon, or I'll... I'll...
Camden's House - Upstairs Hallway
Eric: Hey, look who I found awake.
Kevin: Here, I'll take her.
Eric: You're, you're gettin' much better at that. You're lookin' like a pro.
Kevin: I really love her, you know.
Eric: I know.
Kevin: But I also love her mother who is also my wife.
Eric: I'm gonna go... do something... in my office. Calls... a lot of calls to make. I can't seem to get caught up.
Savannah: (baby sounds)
Lucy: Ah, she's probably hungry, I'll take her.
Kevin: Okay... you know, once she gets on a bottle, I'll be able to feed her, I can help you out more.
Lucy: Is that what's wrong with you, Mr. Crabby? You wanna feed the baby?
Kevin: That's part of it.
Lucy: What's the rest of it?
Camden's House - Nursery
Kevin: I'm sorry I snapped at you downstairs. It's just I feel you've... kind of... well...
Lucy: Been ignoring you?
Kevin: It's not that, it's just that, it's just that I miss being intimate with you.
Lucy: And by intimate, I guess you mean... I knew you didn't want to just look at listing tonight, I knew you were just trying to trick me. You know, I'm doing the best that I can. I'm a new mother and I know that's not more important than being a wife, but...
Kevin: I wasn't trying to trick you. I just wanted us to be close.
Camden's House - Sam and David's Room
Annie: Okay, I'm gonna read you a story, but then I want you should get some rest and so you'll feel better in the morning. I don't want you to miss another day of school.
David: I hope I feel better tomorrow.
Sam: Yeah, me too.
Annie: What is that mark on the wall?
Sam: I must have dropped that.
Annie: It looks more like you threw this at the wall. You, you didn't throw the apple at your brother, did you? Sam...
Sam: I'm sorry.
Annie: Why would you do that?
David: He was jealous that I was eating pudding.
Annie: Well, we're going to get something and clean that up and then I want you to bed.
Sam: But I thought you were gonna read us a story.
Annie: I'm gonna read David a story and you're gonna sleep in Ruthie's room.
Sam: In Ruthie's room?
Annie: Yes, so you don't get whatever David has.
David: Maybe he already has it; maybe he should sleep in here.
Sam: No, I feel fine. I'll sleep in Ruthie's room. That'll be fun.
Annie: But, we're still gonna talk about throwing the apple, all right? I'll be right back.
David: Can I have some more Jell-O?
Annie: Yes, you may. I'll bring you some Jell-O?
Sam: I get to sleep in Ruthie's room, and you're gonna be in here all alone in the dark.
Camden's House - Attic Room / Vincent's House
Vincent on Phone: My parents thought I was getting too serious too fast, so...
Ruthie on Phone: Why'd they think that?
Vincent on Phone: Because all I do is talk about you and talk to you on the phone, and go out with you, so yeah... that's why.
Ruthie on Phone: Well, you can stop talking about me and thanks to you, I can't go out with you or any other guys because I went out with you last week and I got in trouble just so you could break up with me. I'm grounded for a month.
Vincent on Phone: Then, why don't I ground myself for a month and then we can both go out again. We can go out with each other.
Ruthie on Phone: What about Margot?
Vincent on Phone: I already told Margot after seeing what she did to you today, I never wanted to see her again.
Ruthie on Phone: Really?
Camden's House - Kitchen
Door: (knock)
Zoe: Oh, I thought you might be in here. I was just over at your apartment.
Martin: I didn't know you were coming over. We just saw each other this afternoon.
Zoe: And? Don't you want to see me?
Martin: It's not that, it's just that I got homework and stuff.
Zoe: We could do our homework together.
Martin: No, I really need to concentrate; I've got an algebra test tomorrow.
Zoe: Yeah, I do too. Look, I called you like ten times; you haven't returned any of my phone calls.
Martin: I know. How'd your housekeeper like the pizza?
Zoe: What does that suppose to mean?
Ruthie: Hi...
Martin: Where are you going?
Ruthie: I think I may have dropped my jacket on the way home from school.
Zoe: Margot's jacket... I thought you tossed it in the garbage can. What?
Ruthie: I told you that I didn't want anyone to know. You told him?
Zoe: So what? Obviously you told him about me.
Martin: Told me what?
Ruthie: Wait, I didn't tell him anything. I didn't tell anyone. I keep my promises.
Martin: I don't know what's going on here; I just really don't want to see you anymore.
Eric: Washing your own clothes this time of the morning?
Ruthie: Yeah, I wanted to wear my new jacket. Who told you?
Eric: Who told me what?
Ruthie: Who told you that I got my jacket out of the garbage?
Eric: No one... I didn't know it was out of the garbage.
Ruthie: But you knew it was in the garbage.
Eric: I saw it there, yeah.
Ruthie: I was just upset, I'm over it.
Eric: Upset about...?
Ruthie: Wait... if you saw it was in the garbage why didn't you take it out and ask me about it?
Eric: Ah...
Ruthie: Oh, because, Zoe told Martin and Martin told you. And you said nothing because you didn't want me to know that you knew about what happened at school yesterday. And I guess mom knows.
Eric: So you're going to wear it again to school today to let everyone know you don't care what they think?
Ruthie: Yeah, I am, especially Margot.
Eric: Vincent's new girlfriend...
Ruthie: No, were back together. And when I'm not grounded anymore, we're going out again, after I ask you and if you let me.
Eric: We can talk about it, but let me ask you something. Are you just confident because you're back with Vincent? If you and Vincent hadn't gotten back together, would you still be wearing the jacket again today?
Ruthie: Yes...what difference does it make?
Eric: I don't know, sometimes if you do the right thing for the wrong reason, it has a way of backfiring on you.
Ruthie: Meaning...?
Eric: Only what I said. Have a nice day and by that I mean be nice.
Martin: Hey, if you need a ride to school, I can take you.
Ruthie: I'm just wondering, I'm gonna wear this jacket to school to make a point to Margot that I have no problem wearing her old jacket. I like it, but I'm wondering, who else would I be making a point to? Did Zoe tell just you or everyone?
Martin: I don't know for sure, but probably everyone. She likes feeling superior to other people.
Ruthie: What do you mean by that?
Martin: I mean she thinks she's better than everyone else, including me, so I broke up with her last night. And by the way, what do you know about her that I don't know? What were you guys talking about last night in the kitchen?
Ruthie: You broke up with her?
Martin: Yeah, I did.
Ruthie: I guess I didn't realize it. You can't break up with her.
Martin: Ah, yes, I can, I did.
Ruthie: Sometimes when people act superior like that, they're really feeling kind of... inferior.
Martin: If you have something you want to tell me, tell me. Fine, it probably wouldn't make any difference. I don't care. I don't like her, I really don't like her. Let's go.
Camden's House - Sam and David's Room
Sam: We stayed up all night eating cookies and Ruthie read to me. Not just one book, a lot of books.
David: If you stay home sick today, I can sleep up there tonight and we'll eat cookies and she'll read books to me.
Eric: All right boys, let's go.
David: Sam's sick.
Sam: No, I'm not.
David: Yes, you are.
Eric: Okay, why don't you both tell me what's going on.
Camden's House - Kevin and Lucy's Room
Kevin: See you later.
Lucy: I'm sorry about everything. I've missed being your wife.
Kevin: Not as much as I've missed being your husband.
Lucy: No, probably not. What do you say we take a look at those listings tonight? We really should get busy finding a house.
Kevin: I couldn't agree more.
Lucy: Oh, ah, by the way, you didn't mention anything to my mom or dad, did you, you know, about us?
Kevin: Not a word.
Camden's House - Upstairs Hallway
Eric: Have a nice day.
Kevin: Yeah, I will. You have a nice day, too.
Eric: I will.
Kevin: About yesterday...
Eric: I don't want to know.
Kevin: I kind of realized that. Sorry...
Eric: Not a problem.
Kevin: We're looking at house listings tonight.
Eric: Great, that's a start.
Kevin: Yeah, hopefully we'll be out of here by summer.
Eric: Hmm, hopefully...
Annie: Hey, shouldn't you and the boys be on your way? David's not saying he's sick again. Is he?
Eric: No, he saying Sam's sick. Long story short, ah, David just stayed home to get some attention and some food. He really likes pudding. Yeah, and today he wants Sam to stay home, so tonight he can stay up in Ruthie's room like Sam did last night and eat cookies all night.
Annie: You know, yesterday the thought crossed my mind that David was faking his little illness, but I actually felt guilty for even thinking of accusing him. I ah, because the other kids they were so much older the first time they pretended to be sick.
Eric: Yeah, well, I think these two are going to be more trouble than all the other five rolled into one. They need our complete attention.
Annie: Meaning...?
Eric: Meaning, that as much as we love our new granddaughter, I think it's time to give the Kinkirks a little push out of the nest so we can focus on our two little ones.
Annie: (sighs)
High School - Hallway
Margot: I see you're wearing my jacket again.
Ruthie: I like this jacket and I have no problem wearing it. And I don't care who knows it was yours.
Margot: My mother bought it for me.
Ruthie: And my mother bought it for me.
Margot: My mother passed away from cancer last year. My dad tried every experimental treatment in the world to help her. And the insurance didn't cover any of that so he pretty much went through his life savings and he lost his job because he couldn't travel anymore, he wanted to be with her. Over the past few years, we lost my mom, we lost our house, we lost everything but each other.
Ruthie: I didn't know.
Margot: We're doing better now, but only because we decided to accept some help. I guess when I saw you wearing that coat, I just kind of flipped out. I wanted to hurt you because I was feeling hurt. I'm still in a lot of pain, but I'm sorry for what I did too you, I'm sorry I embarrassed you. I gave that coat away because I didn't want to be reminded of my mother. And also, you know, the profits from that store go to cancer research.
Ruthie: (tears up)
Margot: No, don't. I didn't want to hurt you again. I just wanted to offer up an excuse for hurting you yesterday. I'm really not that bad person... well at least not all the time.
Ruthie: I'm really not a bad person either, but today I am. I talked to Vincent last night and...
Margot: And he doesn't want to date me and the two of you are going to go out again, I know, he told me.
Ruthie: Yeah, I figured you knew. So now that he and I are back together, I thought I'd throw it in your face, but not only did I get him back but I'm also confident enough not to have to have new clothes all the time.
Margot: Should we call it even then?
Ruthie: Oh, no, after what you've been through, it's hardly even.
Margot: Okay, you want to give me my jacket back, I hate seeing you wear it.
Ruthie: It's the least I can do.
Glenoak Community Church - Church Office
Door: (knock)
Alan: Hi, Reverend Camden?
Eric: Yeah...
Alan: I'm Alan. I'm Zoe's dad.
Eric: Ah yeah... Zoe... she's a nice girl. Ah, sit down.
Alan: Thanks. You may remember that I called you a few months ago when I was afraid you wouldn't think very much of my daughter falling asleep on your couch? Actually, I was afraid you wouldn't think much of me not knowing that my daughter wasn't home all night.
Eric: Ah, no judgment, really... raising a teenager is filled with challenges.
Alan: (nods)
Alan: I'm afraid that my wife and I have been a little too concerned all around about what people think of us and my daughter. You see...
Alan: (clears throat)
Alan: ...I lost my job a couple of years ago. Before that, we were doing pretty well, getting by anyway, but now... now... frankly, I can't feed my own family. Wait... just let me get this out. My Zoe cares a lot about the young man who is living at your house, Martin Brewer? And, well, Zoe confided in your daughter, Ruthie, about our situation after... apparently passing out at school yesterday. Well, Zoe thinks that Martin doesn't want to see her anymore because were... I guess, there's no other way to say it, we're poor, and sir, we're hungry. No, no, no, no, I will not go on food stamps.
Eric: Err, these are not food stamps, look there are no food stamps anymore, it's like a credit card, you know you run it through the machine at the checkout, just like anyone else.
Alan: I couldn't ask my wife to do that... no.
Eric: There are a lot of people in this same situation and like you, they don't want to take advantage of the government's help, but... try to think of it like social security. If you retired, you'd take your social security payments, wouldn't you?
Alan: It's not embarrassing to take social security payments, this is embarrassing. I can't feed my own family. By the time we make the mortgage payments, pay the utilities, keep on fixing up that piece of junk I'm driving, there's just no money left over for food. I lost my job, but I went out and got three jobs. I was working eighteen hours a day most days, then I lost one of my part-time jobs and now I just don't know what to do... my wife's working, too. We're trying to sell our house before we lose it, but it needs so many things done to it, and we can't afford to fix it up, and nobody's buying it, even in this market.
Eric: Believe me there are a lot of people in your same situation... hard-working people. Because income hasn't kept up with the cost of living. Does Zoe understand what the situation is?
Alan: Yes, she does, but it's painful enough without making her suffer, so we try to give her as much as we can. She's a teenage, she wants to fit in, but it seems that the less we have, the more she needs to be like all those teenagers who have everything. We never had that much to begin with, but we could eat without worrying about it.
Eric: Ruthie didn't tell anyone anything about your family. Martin broke up with Zoe because he thought that she thought she was too good for him.
Alan: I'm not surprised. Hum, she's got that look, you know. She's a beautiful girl.
Eric: Yeah...
Alan: She wants to be rich, she pretends to be rich, she's ashamed to be who she is and that's probably because my wife and I are ashamed to be who we are.
Eric: You're honest, hard-working parents doing the best you can, the very best you can. And after doing the best you can do, if you need a little help...
Alan: I need a little help... a little help.
High School - Hallway
Veronica: My parents both work, they pay their bills. After Friday's school lunch, I don't eat again until Monday's school lunch. During the weekend when I get really hungry, I just try to go to sleep. Hey, wait up.
Jeff: (sighs)
Jeff: I didn't even know we were on the food stamp program until my mom told me. When my dad left, I just assumed he was paying for everything. I guess I took it for granted. I don't take food for granted anymore.
Karlee: We basically survive on cheap processed foods because we couldn't afford good food. I wasn't doing well in school because I was always tired and I couldn't concentrate. Then my aunt brought my parents information about the food stamp program and now we eat real food. My mom started cooking after she checked out their free nutrition education program. Now, I'm pulling a "B" average.
Grant: I eat at a friend's house whenever I can. If not, then I borrow money from them so I can get something to eat, but I don't tell them it's for food and I can never pay them back, so I'm running out of friends.
Trisha: My family is very proud. "Never go outside the family for anything" is our motto. My brother and his family moved in because he was in a traffic accident and had to quit his job. We can barley put food on the table. I tried to talk to my parents about getting some assistance. I did some reading and even checked out a few programs but they said, "Our family doesn't take charity". But then they say, "Education is the most important thing". Hello? Try going to school on an empty stomach.
Glen: Hey, I've used every excuse in the book to cover when I go out with friends to a coffee shop or somewhere to hang out. I just ate... I've got food allergies... I'm not hungry... I don't care what anyone says, a teen's entire social life revolves around food... hanging out at restaurants and that blows when you don't have any money for food.
Ruthie: I didn't say anything, honest.
Zoe: Hey, Martin...
Martin: Oh, hi... I've got to go, I was just on my way to the library.
Zoe: Look, I completely understand why you don't want to go out with me anymore, but you don't really know me because I was too ashamed to tell you the truth.
Camden's House - Back Porch
Ruthie: (sighs)
Ruthie: Remember you told me to be nice?
Eric: Yeah...
Ruthie: You were right. You never know what someone's goin' through, you know?
Eric: Yeah, I know. Sometimes even when you do, you can't say anything, even though you want to help them. Zoe's father came in to see me today. He told me.
Ruthie: I never told Martin, I never told anyone.
Eric: I know.
Ruthie: I guess I just never think that there are people going to bed hungry, other than the people I see on the street and in the line at the church when we feed the homeless.
Eric: And yet, over nine-and-a-half-million people in the United States will go to bed tonight wondering how they're going to feed their families tomorrow.
Ruthie: Do we not have enough food for them or is there just no way to get them the food? How can there be all these hungry people when we're living in a country that has so much? Why... why can't we feed all the hungry people in the world?
Eric: I think we can, but one of the things we're gonna have to do is take the shame out of being hungry. It should be shameful to let people go hungry, but it seems in our society since the very beginnings, we've made needing help shameful. There is help out there... we all have to work to, to change what society values, but in the meantime, there is help. *
Fait par moran50
