7th Heaven s01e17 Episode Script
Choices
[SCHOOL BELL.]
This is detention, folks, not kindergarten.
Take your seats and at least pretend you're being punished.
Don't worry.
They're not gonna bite.
Well, except for that guy maybe.
- I'm Camille.
- I think I've heard of you.
- I'm Mary Camden.
- You're the minister's daughter, right? - Guilty.
- So, what are you in for? Tardiness.
What about you? - Smoking.
- Oh.
In the boys' locker room.
Wow.
- Do you wanna go to the mall? - I gotta ask my parents first.
- To go to the mall? - Yeah, they keep a pretty tight rein.
We'll just have to get them to loosen up, won't we? - How about a hamster? - No, I don't like hamsters.
- So I can have something else? - Happy's enough pet for one family.
But Happy's Simon's pet.
I want my own.
How about a little bitty goldfish? That won't be no trouble.
- Any.
- Any what? - A goldfish won't be any trouble.
- I know, so can I have one? - No, honey.
- Can I walk Happy? Not by yourself.
Wait for Simon, OK? - Oh.
Hi, guys.
Where's Mary? - Basketball practice.
- In the off-season? - You know those chicks.
- They're fanatics.
- Wow.
- Lucy, your dad wants to talk to you.
- Am I in trouble? Why do you think you're in trouble if one of us wants to talk to you? Experience.
[DOORBELL.]
- Annie.
- Tom.
What a great surprise.
Come on in.
How are you? So, Tom, are you a full-fledged minister now? - Not yet.
Still second to the throne.
- We've missed you.
I think you were the best associate pastor that Eric's ever had.
- You're still in Denver? - For the time being.
- What does that mean? - I'm a little tired of it.
- I thought I might take a vacation.
- You couldn't do better than Glenoak? I thought you might have an opening for an associate pastor.
I really wish you'd called first.
There's no room in the budget right now.
That's OK.
This trip was just a lark.
Spur of the moment.
I really had no expectations.
So, if one of you could be kind enough to call me a cab, I'd like to find a room in a cheap hotel.
I can get you a good rate at the Holiday Inn.
- Great.
- Holiday Inn? I'd be insulted if you didn't stay with us.
We have so much to catch up on.
- Well, if you insist.
- I do.
Why not? Great.
Thanks.
If you don't mind, I'd like to wash up.
It's upstairs to the left.
- Isn't this great? - Well, it's not great.
I've never been that crazy about Tom.
- I thought you were.
- Well, I'm not.
He always seems to be hiding something.
- Whatever I did, I am sorry.
- What? Mom said you wanted to talk to me.
Yeah.
I just wanted to remind you that confirmation classes start this Sunday.
You're 13, so you can join the church as an adult now.
- That's it? - Yeah.
Oh.
I thought it was something important.
Sign me up.
- I wanna hold the leash.
- I let you for most of the walk.
Yeah, thanks a lot.
Look.
- Hey, it's mine.
- Now it's mine.
- I picked it up first.
I'm telling Mom.
- Wow.
- I wonder who lost it.
- No one in our family.
This is $50.
- Maybe we should give it back.
- To the sidewalk? - We don't know who it belongs to.
- Should we give it to Daddy? We could give it to Dad, or first we can sit down and discuss this like adults.
OK.
Discuss what? How we can spend it.
Oh, hi.
How was practice? Good.
I admire you trying to keep up your game during the off-season.
Thanks.
Hey, Mom, can I go to the mall with Camille tonight? No way.
I just thought with practice you'd be too tired to go to the mall.
I'm not too tired and I wanna hang out with Camille.
Who's Camille? I've never heard you mention her before.
She just transferred in last fall.
OK, but after dinner.
We have a guest.
Tom Harrison.
You mean the really good-looking guy who trained to be a minister with Dad? So grab some napkins and help me with the table.
Hey, Camille isn't somebody you should be hanging out with.
- She's nice.
What's your problem? - She has a reputation for being wild.
Yeah? Well, so do you.
OK.
The right thing to do would be to return the money.
Since we don't know who to return it to, we can do something good with it and that would be right, too.
Yeah, but maybe it would be righter to tell Mom and Dad.
Yeah, but if we do and they let us keep the money, they wouldn't let us spend it.
- We'd have to save it.
- That's no good.
Ruthie, this is a big decision and we have to handle it right.
Let's flip a coin.
Heads, we keep the money, and tails, we'll do two out of three.
OK.
- It's heads.
- Yes! - $50 is a lot of money.
- How much is it? $50 is 5,000 pennies.
We're rich.
Hi, Tom.
Lucy? I can't believe that's you.
How old are you now? - Thirteen.
- Wow.
I know.
I'm starting confirmation classes this Sunday.
Mom thought you could help me study.
I guess I could do that.
But choosing your religion is one of the most important choices you ever make.
Before I was confirmed, I investigated every possible choice.
I never thought about having a choice.
I just assumed I'd join Dad's church.
Oh, no.
You always have a choice.
It's a lifetime decision, and it shouldn't be entered into lightly.
Would you like some salad dressing? No, I'll wait till dinner.
There's something going on with Tom we don't know about.
All I know is that he's charming, good-looking and a charismatic speaker.
You think he's good-looking? Tom? Yes, he's good-looking.
But not as good-looking as you are.
So, can I help with dinner? I wanna earn my keep.
- Sure.
- Vegetarian lasagne? - You remembered I'm a vegetarian.
- Of course I remembered.
How did you make the béchamel sauce? I still haven't figured out how to make it without dairy.
All you need is vegetable stock and cornstarch.
Will you get the recipe from your grandmother for that chocolate cake? - Dad, can you take us to the mall? - We need to go real bad.
- What for? - To look at some stuff.
Sorry, but we're gonna be eating soon and I'm not really a mall guy.
Hey, Mary's going with Camille.
Maybe Simon and Ruthie could go with them.
Great idea, Matt.
Thanks, Mary.
Dinner's in five minutes.
We'll be there.
You know, Annie, there's been something I've been wanting to tell you.
I can't decide whether I should.
Well, I'm a good listener.
I have references.
Are you having problems being a minister? I have a lot of experience listening in that area.
Yeah, kind of.
It's just that Never mind.
I don't wanna dump my problems on you.
Let's just have a good time.
- You sure? - Yeah, I'm sure.
If you change your mind, you know where to find me.
- [ANNIE CLEARS THROAT.]
- Hi.
Thanks.
I hope you don't mind entertaining Tom.
I've got so much paperwork to catch up on.
- Really? What kind of paperwork? - Just the usual old church stuff.
Maybe you could find some of that usual old church stuff to include Tom in.
Mom, do I have to? Just let me hide out for 20 minutes, OK? OK.
- Wanna hide out with me? - Mm-mm.
- Oops.
I'm sorry.
I'll come back later.
- You do that.
Lucy, no, come back.
Come back.
He's all yours.
- So how can I help you? - I just wanted a book on Buddhism.
- Are you doing a paper for school? - Not exactly.
I was talking to Tom about my confirmation.
He encouraged me to look at all my religious options.
- Like Buddhism? - For starters.
- Why Buddhism? - I don't know.
Richard Gere likes it.
Well, yeah.
OK, OK.
Yeah, here you go.
Anything else I can offer you? We got Judaism, Catholicism, Hinduism.
The Sufis are interesting.
I'll just look into the Buddhists for now.
OK.
This is all right with you, isn't it? Yeah, it's fine.
You should know something about other religions.
- What? - We're bored.
Can't we go to the pet store? It's right next door.
We promise we won't get lost or talk to strangers or anything.
You're acting like their mother instead of their fun older sister.
- I agree.
- Maybe I should go with them.
No.
I need your opinion on this dress.
I can tell you right now you'd look great in it.
Just let me try this on, then we'll go to the pet store and catch up with them.
- Try that on.
- No, I don't need anything.
Do you have something to wear to a fraternity party? - What party? - Tonight.
You have to come.
There'll be tons of older guys there.
Mature guys, not like the nerds we go to high school with.
It'll be so cool.
I'm lucky I got to come to the mall.
My parents aren't gonna let me go to a party, especially a fraternity party.
Right.
So that's why you're not gonna ask them.
I can't believe I'm beating you.
I've never beaten you at gin.
I am the gin king.
One day they're gonna write songs about me.
Yes! Gin.
Let's see what you got.
Uh-oh.
Ooh.
- You can't.
- Admit it.
I hate to interrupt your fun.
I just got off the phone with Judy Calloway.
She's not doing so well.
The Judy who was living with the artist who used to dress like a rock star? Judy married him and then they got divorced shortly after that.
About six months ago he committed suicide.
Judy's having a hard time dealing with it.
You could come with me.
I think Judy's getting bored with my company.
No, I can't.
I'm not good in those situations.
I'm tired from my trip.
I'm gonna go to bed.
- What about our game? - I've got a headache.
Sorry.
- Something's not right.
- I know.
- Let's give him time.
- I gotta get over to Judy's.
- I'd be happy to go with you.
- That's a great idea.
Do you mind watching Lucy? We're going out for a bit.
Sure.
I have no life.
Why not? $530.
That oughta cover the next two deliveries, plus today's.
Hamsters breed like crazy.
This is like money in the bank.
We sell the little devils as fast as you deliver 'em.
It's funny, though.
Kids want puppies.
Parents want hamsters.
Nice doing business with you.
Did you hear that? That guy's making money raising hamsters.
A lot of money.
If we could raise puppies, we could raise hamsters.
We'll hide them until we make enough to go to college.
Daddy would like that.
- How about a couple of ferrets? - I told you to stay away.
Ferrets are illegal.
Come on.
Two hamsters, a boy and a girl.
If you have two that are married, we'll take them.
And where's your mom and dad? Well, they're at home.
See, we're gonna surprise them.
Sorry, kid.
We don't sell pets to minors.
Pssst.
Come here.
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
- What are those? - They're ferrets.
- The Rolls-Royce of small rodents.
- They're cute.
These little beauties are the fastest money-making animals on the market.
And the easiest to take care of.
All you need is a shoebox with some holes, exercise, some breadcrumbs.
Wait a minute.
How much are they? We only have $50.
That's 5,000 pennies.
No kidding? Well, normally they're 50 bucks apiece.
But you two look like nice kids, so I'm gonna let you have them for half price.
Deal.
What? Buddhists believe suffering is inherent in life.
- Then I must be a Buddhist.
- Not funny.
You can study to be a Buddhist, but come Sunday you'll be in confirmation classes.
Dad seems open-minded about me investigating other religious options.
It's a trick.
I don't know what he's got up his sleeve, but it's his sneaky way of getting you to do what he wants you to do.
I'm so glad you could come over.
When you wanna go back to church, when you're ready, I'd be happy to pick you up and sit with you.
I miss it, but I don't miss all the pointed questions and the pity faces people make at me.
Bill wasn't satisfied to be the talk of the town while he was alive.
His suicide has practically made him Glenoak folklore.
Stopping people from gossiping is a power I wish I had, but Why do people bother trying to come up with an answer? Bill felt he had no other way out of his sorry, mixed-up life than to end it.
Do you remember Tom Harrison, the associate minister? - The good-looking one.
- You think he's good-looking? - Yes.
Is he back? - He's staying with us a couple of days.
You should have brought him with you.
We have something in common.
Neither one of us got along with Bill.
I'm sorry if I seem a little flip, but even with a good therapist, I'm still a little angry.
Truth, I'm still a lot angry.
Would you two stop? You've been squirming around the whole way home.
- What are you so happy about? - Nothing.
Where's Mom and Dad? - They're out visiting someone.
- I'm gonna go to bed now.
- Good night.
- Me, too.
- I guess I might as well go too.
- It's nine o'clock.
- Yeah, I'm tired.
- No, really, what's up? Nothing's up.
I'm tired and I wanna go to bed, all right? Luce, I need you to do me a big favour.
- I'm listening.
- I'm going to a fraternity party.
Right.
And I'm going to a rave with Johnny Depp.
Mom and Dad are letting you go? I'm gonna sneak out.
I need you to distract Matt in the kitchen.
- If anybody comes, say I'm asleep.
- Sure you wanna do this? Yes.
Go.
- Good luck.
- I owe you big.
Do you ever.
Try for the next ten years.
I'll take one of those, bartender.
I enjoyed hanging out with you tonight, but we didn't get to talk much.
- What do you wanna talk about? - Well, this whole Buddhist thing.
- It's complicated.
- Well, then don't be a Buddhist.
No, I really need your advice on this.
It's important.
Please.
[HAPPY BARKS.]
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
I knew you'd come.
Here.
- What's this? - The dress you tried on at the mall.
- It still has the security tag on it.
- You didn't think I was gonna buy it? Here.
There.
Now it has a slit up the leg, which is perfect.
You have great legs.
Put it on.
You'll look hot.
The question isn't whether I wanna be a Buddhist but whether I'm informed enough to choose any religion.
I mean, I'm not even the same person I was even a year ago.
By next year, who knows who I'll become? It's important to have some foundation.
- Finally.
- Sorry.
How are the kids? Hungry.
They've been down for snacks.
- You didn't give them sweets? - They were hungry.
They didn't wake up Tom coming in and out? I doubt it.
Tom's not here.
- He went out for a walk.
- It's getting late.
- Did he say where he went? - No.
- So where's Mary? - She came home and went to bed.
- She was exhausted.
- She's feeling OK, isn't she? I'll check on her.
- I'm a little hungry myself.
- Well, what can I get you? I think I'll go with bachelor steak.
- What's that? - A bowl of cereal.
Look at this.
We've got mice, big mice.
I hope we've got some traps.
You're gonna eat that after mice? - Can I get you another one, Tom? - No.
Five's my limit.
I'm the designated walker.
Since you're drinking Slice, you can have another one.
No, thanks.
It's time I hit the road.
- It was good to see you again.
- I've been good company, haven't I? Being good company is my job.
- What do I owe you? - 7.
50.
OK.
That's odd.
I thought I had a $50 bill in here.
- Here.
Keep the change.
- Thanks.
- Are you sure you're OK? - Never said I was.
Hey.
- Hey.
I'm Jason.
- Hi.
I'm Mary.
- Max, meet your date, Mary.
- Nice.
- You want a brewski? - No, thanks.
Get her a beer, and I'll take one too.
- Date? Where's the party? - This is the party.
Me and Jason and you and Max.
Isn't Max cute? You cannot leave me alone here.
Promise.
- You're kidding, right? - No, I'm not kidding.
Stop being a baby about this, OK? Just relax.
A beer for you and for you.
Come on, babe.
I think these two wanna be alone.
Can I take your jacket? Sure.
- You wanna sit down on the couch? - Sure.
- They're gone.
- So is our five million pennies.
- Five thousand pennies.
- Well, they're gone just the same.
[HAPPY BARKS.]
Listen, you two should be in bed.
- We are.
- You know what I mean.
I'm gonna go get Happy and then I'll come back and tuck you in.
You want me to get Happy for you? She's been a little crazy all night.
- Who knows what's wrong with her? - I do.
I'm afraid we've got mice.
BOTH: Mice? Don't worry.
I'm gonna get some traps tomorrow.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Mary, good night.
- No.
I've gotta talk to you, but I don't wanna wake Mary.
- What is it, honey? - It's this whole confirmation thing.
- Do you wanna talk about it? - Well, maybe I should talk with Dad.
Not that I don't value your opinion.
But this is more of a Dad thing, since he started it.
Fine.
No problem.
[SQUEAKING.]
I just wanted to return your Buddha book.
Thanks.
Do you have anything on Quakers? No more Eastern-based religions? I'm not very good at meditating.
Meditation is a little like prayer, only less talking, more listening.
- You know me, I'd rather talk.
- So why do you wanna be a Friend? - A friend? - Quakers are generally called Friends.
They're a peaceful, nonviolent group, and very socially conscious.
That's true.
And as far back as the days of Reconstruction, Quakers rebuilt churches that had been burned.
No, I didn't know.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Sure.
Are you sure you don't mind about this? No, it doesn't bother me.
- Good night, Mom.
- Good night, honey.
You know, if Lucy's exploration is bothering you, you should say something.
I don't want her to choose my church just cos of me.
If you mean that, it's very liberal of you.
I'm getting worried about Tom.
I think maybe he's hiding something.
He didn't hide his feelings about going to Judy's.
He used to be great with people.
It's not like he hasn't dealt with grief before.
Are you OK? No, I'm not.
What's up with this guy? Maybe the job's getting to him.
Maybe he's depressed.
- What do you think? - I don't know what to think.
I'm gonna go look for him.
- Beep me if he comes back.
- OK.
Sure you don't want a beer? - Yeah, I'm sure.
- All right.
Camille, can I talk to you for a second? Yeah.
- Hey, man.
- Hey.
She seems really uptight.
Are you sure she's 18? - Did she say she was 18? - Camille said she was 18.
- Then she's 18.
- Are you having fun? No, I'm not having fun.
I wanna go home.
I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to leave.
Maybe your date could take you.
- He's been drinking all night.
- You're gonna have to make a choice.
Either wait for me or let him drive you home.
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
[SCREAMS.]
The mice! I got the mice! I got the mice! I got 'em! They're not mice.
They're our ferrets.
Our ferrets? They're handfuls of fun that breed well in captivity.
They better not be breeding in Camden captivity.
Not so far.
Look, it's a long story.
Well, I've got time, and you're not going anywhere, probably ever again.
Dad left a half-hour ago and Mom just saw a mouse, so everybody went running to her room.
- Like it's something you'd run to see.
- Get Matt now.
By the time I'm ready to go to college, it'll cost $25,000 a year, or approximately 500 ferrets.
That's if the going price for ferrets holds.
If the price goes up, then someday you might hear, "Paging Dr Simon Camden".
Sorry to interrupt but, Matt, you have a phone call.
It's a girl, and you might wanna talk to this girl in the other room.
I have a feeling that she's very special.
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
[HAPPY WHIMPERS.]
- Those mice are mutated.
- They're not mice, they're ferrets.
And they're not mutated, they're cute.
Wanna buy a couple and help us go to college? My friend is at a party that got out of hand.
I'm gonna give her a lift.
- Matt.
There and back.
It's late.
- All right.
Med-school dreams aside, those ferrets are going back to where they came from.
That might be a problem.
- Tom.
- I'm sorry.
I was just No, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to interrupt.
It's OK.
He had me on hold anyway.
What's going on, Tom? We worked together for two years.
I don't feel like I ever knew you.
What are you really doing in Glenoak? Forget it.
I'm thinking of leaving the church.
Before I'm asked to leave.
Why would you be asked to leave? I frightened the congregation and humiliated myself last Sunday.
- By? - I had a seizure.
I have epilepsy.
Epilepsy? - That's what you've been hiding? - Yeah.
And it's not the kind where you just stare blankly into space and make some little repetitive gesture that seems a little curious.
I lose consciousness and convulsively shake on the floor.
Grand mal seizures, that kind of epilepsy.
- That's the one.
- I'm sorry.
I had no idea.
Are you on medication? You under a doctor's care? I take medication and I see a doctor.
But every couple of years, it just happens, and it happened last Sunday.
I can feel it coming on.
My hands started tingling and I had a headache.
My mouth tasted like it had a penny in it.
I thought I could sleep it off, but I was supposed to give the sermon.
You couldn't talk to your minister? You didn't think he'd understand? Up until a week ago nobody knew.
Now they all know.
You should've seen the look in their eyes when I came to.
They were terrified.
I never wanna see those people again.
I never want them to see me.
I never want anyone to see me like that again.
I think you may be the strongest man I've ever met.
What? I don't know how you've kept all this to yourself for so long, at the same time trying to help everybody else.
No, no.
I'm not a strong man.
I feel the same way Judy must have felt.
I don't wanna answer the questions or explain what happened.
And like her husband, I don't wanna deal with my life anymore.
Doesn't sound that way to me.
Sounds as though you're dealing with it for the first time.
I don't think God put you on hold.
I think God brought you here.
- I cannot believe you.
- I know.
I shouldn't have done this.
But I don't wanna hear about it right now.
I just wanna go home.
OK.
Are you bailing? What's wrong? That's right.
She's leaving and so are you.
Thanks for the stern-dad impersonation, but I can make it home on my own.
I'm not leaving a 16-year-old here.
Relax, Mr Cleaver.
It's not the first time.
If you're not in the car on the count of three, I'm putting you in.
One two We're gonna find you good homes.
Just not this home, OK? [FERRETS SQUEAK.]
I'm beat.
I think I'm gonna hit the sack.
- For real this time.
- You have the mice in custody? Mice? You have mice in this house? - No, we had ferrets in this house.
- What? Simon and Ruthie bought them at the mall for $50.
- How did they get their paws on $50? - They found a $50 bill in the driveway.
That 50 was lucky.
Are you gonna let them keep them? No.
Simon and Ruthie are lucky that I'm keeping them.
Can I have them? The ferrets, I mean.
- They're illegal.
- That's why they're so hard to get.
Besides, I think they'd make good company for me.
So? Our friend has an incredible story.
He wants to tell you before he goes back to Denver.
Did you say our friend? Since I found out what he was hiding, I've got a whole new perspective.
Wait.
This is the friend who was at the party? Mary has something to tell you.
I snuck out to a fraternity party with Camille.
How many ways could you go wrong in one sentence? And who's Camille? - She's a girl I met in detention.
- ERIC: Oh.
That's a great place to mingle and form friendships.
Dad, I know.
And I'm sorry.
That covers it.
Talk to me when they're done.
- Are you OK? - Yeah, I'm fine.
That's good.
What were you thinking? What processes in your head led you to the conclusion that this would be a good idea? I need to know.
It'll comfort me in the home.
At first I thought it'd be kind of adventurous.
You want adventure, clean out your closet.
I don't care why you thought it was a good idea.
I'm here to tell you that it wasn't.
And I hope you enjoyed the outdoors.
You'll probably never be there again.
School, church and back for 30 days.
No TV, no phone, no nothing.
You will be a model prisoner or you'll get another 30 days.
Understand? - Was your sister covering for you? - She didn't really have a choice.
She had a choice.
And so did you.
And you both blew it.
We'll talk about this more in the morning.
OK.
We're glad you're back home safe and sound, OK? You know we love you.
Yeah.
Lucy can keep Mary company for the next two weeks.
If they conspire against us, we'll never make it through the next few years.
I don't disagree, but don't rush up to Lucy.
I have a plan that's gonna put her in confirmation class first thing Sunday morning.
- What about time to search? - She can search all she wants.
She'll do it from confirmation class.
I'm surprised to hear you say that, Mr Liberal.
I'm surprised myself, but it's been that kind of day.
Guys don't think like girls, so you gotta trust me.
I know.
Where did you get that dress? - Camille shoplifted it for me.
- What? I didn't know.
She had it when she picked me up.
And you put it on and went to a fraternity party.
Some choices can change your life.
I know.
It was stupid.
- I'm sorry for everything.
- Look, it's OK.
It's OK.
But a word of warning.
From now on, I'm gonna be watching you like a hawk.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
- I was just - Eavesdropping.
That's not very nice.
- I'm gonna say good night to Lucy.
- She's probably already asleep.
Bet she's not.
- Good night, Luce.
- Night, Dad.
Good night, Mary.
Night.
Good night, Dad.
Night, Mary.
- Dad? - Yes, sweetheart? I'll see you at confirmation class Sunday.
OK, honey.
I'll look forward to that.
TOM: We constantly have to make decisions, some easier than others.
Should I go to a party even if my parents wouldn't want me to? Should I rat on my brother or sister when I know they could be in danger? Should I spend found money? Then there are tougher decisions with greater consequences.
To what extent do I let my child make his or her own choices? Do I face my problems or turn away? Do I keep holding onto the past or do I grasp onto the future? How do we decide what choices to make? A friend of mine told me ask yourself if the choice serves you.
Does it serve anyone else? Does it serve life itself? Cos if it doesn't, it could be the wrong choice.
- Do you mind if I quote you on that? - ERIC: No.
But we have to leave for the airport.
You're right.
- Thanks for the dress rehearsal, folks.
- No, thank you.
- Can we give you a lift? - No.
I think I'll stay a while.
It feels good just to be here.
Since we came to church today, do we still have to come back tomorrow? I was thinking of bringing you here every Saturday.
- Would that be good for everyone? - No.
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
This is detention, folks, not kindergarten.
Take your seats and at least pretend you're being punished.
Don't worry.
They're not gonna bite.
Well, except for that guy maybe.
- I'm Camille.
- I think I've heard of you.
- I'm Mary Camden.
- You're the minister's daughter, right? - Guilty.
- So, what are you in for? Tardiness.
What about you? - Smoking.
- Oh.
In the boys' locker room.
Wow.
- Do you wanna go to the mall? - I gotta ask my parents first.
- To go to the mall? - Yeah, they keep a pretty tight rein.
We'll just have to get them to loosen up, won't we? - How about a hamster? - No, I don't like hamsters.
- So I can have something else? - Happy's enough pet for one family.
But Happy's Simon's pet.
I want my own.
How about a little bitty goldfish? That won't be no trouble.
- Any.
- Any what? - A goldfish won't be any trouble.
- I know, so can I have one? - No, honey.
- Can I walk Happy? Not by yourself.
Wait for Simon, OK? - Oh.
Hi, guys.
Where's Mary? - Basketball practice.
- In the off-season? - You know those chicks.
- They're fanatics.
- Wow.
- Lucy, your dad wants to talk to you.
- Am I in trouble? Why do you think you're in trouble if one of us wants to talk to you? Experience.
[DOORBELL.]
- Annie.
- Tom.
What a great surprise.
Come on in.
How are you? So, Tom, are you a full-fledged minister now? - Not yet.
Still second to the throne.
- We've missed you.
I think you were the best associate pastor that Eric's ever had.
- You're still in Denver? - For the time being.
- What does that mean? - I'm a little tired of it.
- I thought I might take a vacation.
- You couldn't do better than Glenoak? I thought you might have an opening for an associate pastor.
I really wish you'd called first.
There's no room in the budget right now.
That's OK.
This trip was just a lark.
Spur of the moment.
I really had no expectations.
So, if one of you could be kind enough to call me a cab, I'd like to find a room in a cheap hotel.
I can get you a good rate at the Holiday Inn.
- Great.
- Holiday Inn? I'd be insulted if you didn't stay with us.
We have so much to catch up on.
- Well, if you insist.
- I do.
Why not? Great.
Thanks.
If you don't mind, I'd like to wash up.
It's upstairs to the left.
- Isn't this great? - Well, it's not great.
I've never been that crazy about Tom.
- I thought you were.
- Well, I'm not.
He always seems to be hiding something.
- Whatever I did, I am sorry.
- What? Mom said you wanted to talk to me.
Yeah.
I just wanted to remind you that confirmation classes start this Sunday.
You're 13, so you can join the church as an adult now.
- That's it? - Yeah.
Oh.
I thought it was something important.
Sign me up.
- I wanna hold the leash.
- I let you for most of the walk.
Yeah, thanks a lot.
Look.
- Hey, it's mine.
- Now it's mine.
- I picked it up first.
I'm telling Mom.
- Wow.
- I wonder who lost it.
- No one in our family.
This is $50.
- Maybe we should give it back.
- To the sidewalk? - We don't know who it belongs to.
- Should we give it to Daddy? We could give it to Dad, or first we can sit down and discuss this like adults.
OK.
Discuss what? How we can spend it.
Oh, hi.
How was practice? Good.
I admire you trying to keep up your game during the off-season.
Thanks.
Hey, Mom, can I go to the mall with Camille tonight? No way.
I just thought with practice you'd be too tired to go to the mall.
I'm not too tired and I wanna hang out with Camille.
Who's Camille? I've never heard you mention her before.
She just transferred in last fall.
OK, but after dinner.
We have a guest.
Tom Harrison.
You mean the really good-looking guy who trained to be a minister with Dad? So grab some napkins and help me with the table.
Hey, Camille isn't somebody you should be hanging out with.
- She's nice.
What's your problem? - She has a reputation for being wild.
Yeah? Well, so do you.
OK.
The right thing to do would be to return the money.
Since we don't know who to return it to, we can do something good with it and that would be right, too.
Yeah, but maybe it would be righter to tell Mom and Dad.
Yeah, but if we do and they let us keep the money, they wouldn't let us spend it.
- We'd have to save it.
- That's no good.
Ruthie, this is a big decision and we have to handle it right.
Let's flip a coin.
Heads, we keep the money, and tails, we'll do two out of three.
OK.
- It's heads.
- Yes! - $50 is a lot of money.
- How much is it? $50 is 5,000 pennies.
We're rich.
Hi, Tom.
Lucy? I can't believe that's you.
How old are you now? - Thirteen.
- Wow.
I know.
I'm starting confirmation classes this Sunday.
Mom thought you could help me study.
I guess I could do that.
But choosing your religion is one of the most important choices you ever make.
Before I was confirmed, I investigated every possible choice.
I never thought about having a choice.
I just assumed I'd join Dad's church.
Oh, no.
You always have a choice.
It's a lifetime decision, and it shouldn't be entered into lightly.
Would you like some salad dressing? No, I'll wait till dinner.
There's something going on with Tom we don't know about.
All I know is that he's charming, good-looking and a charismatic speaker.
You think he's good-looking? Tom? Yes, he's good-looking.
But not as good-looking as you are.
So, can I help with dinner? I wanna earn my keep.
- Sure.
- Vegetarian lasagne? - You remembered I'm a vegetarian.
- Of course I remembered.
How did you make the béchamel sauce? I still haven't figured out how to make it without dairy.
All you need is vegetable stock and cornstarch.
Will you get the recipe from your grandmother for that chocolate cake? - Dad, can you take us to the mall? - We need to go real bad.
- What for? - To look at some stuff.
Sorry, but we're gonna be eating soon and I'm not really a mall guy.
Hey, Mary's going with Camille.
Maybe Simon and Ruthie could go with them.
Great idea, Matt.
Thanks, Mary.
Dinner's in five minutes.
We'll be there.
You know, Annie, there's been something I've been wanting to tell you.
I can't decide whether I should.
Well, I'm a good listener.
I have references.
Are you having problems being a minister? I have a lot of experience listening in that area.
Yeah, kind of.
It's just that Never mind.
I don't wanna dump my problems on you.
Let's just have a good time.
- You sure? - Yeah, I'm sure.
If you change your mind, you know where to find me.
- [ANNIE CLEARS THROAT.]
- Hi.
Thanks.
I hope you don't mind entertaining Tom.
I've got so much paperwork to catch up on.
- Really? What kind of paperwork? - Just the usual old church stuff.
Maybe you could find some of that usual old church stuff to include Tom in.
Mom, do I have to? Just let me hide out for 20 minutes, OK? OK.
- Wanna hide out with me? - Mm-mm.
- Oops.
I'm sorry.
I'll come back later.
- You do that.
Lucy, no, come back.
Come back.
He's all yours.
- So how can I help you? - I just wanted a book on Buddhism.
- Are you doing a paper for school? - Not exactly.
I was talking to Tom about my confirmation.
He encouraged me to look at all my religious options.
- Like Buddhism? - For starters.
- Why Buddhism? - I don't know.
Richard Gere likes it.
Well, yeah.
OK, OK.
Yeah, here you go.
Anything else I can offer you? We got Judaism, Catholicism, Hinduism.
The Sufis are interesting.
I'll just look into the Buddhists for now.
OK.
This is all right with you, isn't it? Yeah, it's fine.
You should know something about other religions.
- What? - We're bored.
Can't we go to the pet store? It's right next door.
We promise we won't get lost or talk to strangers or anything.
You're acting like their mother instead of their fun older sister.
- I agree.
- Maybe I should go with them.
No.
I need your opinion on this dress.
I can tell you right now you'd look great in it.
Just let me try this on, then we'll go to the pet store and catch up with them.
- Try that on.
- No, I don't need anything.
Do you have something to wear to a fraternity party? - What party? - Tonight.
You have to come.
There'll be tons of older guys there.
Mature guys, not like the nerds we go to high school with.
It'll be so cool.
I'm lucky I got to come to the mall.
My parents aren't gonna let me go to a party, especially a fraternity party.
Right.
So that's why you're not gonna ask them.
I can't believe I'm beating you.
I've never beaten you at gin.
I am the gin king.
One day they're gonna write songs about me.
Yes! Gin.
Let's see what you got.
Uh-oh.
Ooh.
- You can't.
- Admit it.
I hate to interrupt your fun.
I just got off the phone with Judy Calloway.
She's not doing so well.
The Judy who was living with the artist who used to dress like a rock star? Judy married him and then they got divorced shortly after that.
About six months ago he committed suicide.
Judy's having a hard time dealing with it.
You could come with me.
I think Judy's getting bored with my company.
No, I can't.
I'm not good in those situations.
I'm tired from my trip.
I'm gonna go to bed.
- What about our game? - I've got a headache.
Sorry.
- Something's not right.
- I know.
- Let's give him time.
- I gotta get over to Judy's.
- I'd be happy to go with you.
- That's a great idea.
Do you mind watching Lucy? We're going out for a bit.
Sure.
I have no life.
Why not? $530.
That oughta cover the next two deliveries, plus today's.
Hamsters breed like crazy.
This is like money in the bank.
We sell the little devils as fast as you deliver 'em.
It's funny, though.
Kids want puppies.
Parents want hamsters.
Nice doing business with you.
Did you hear that? That guy's making money raising hamsters.
A lot of money.
If we could raise puppies, we could raise hamsters.
We'll hide them until we make enough to go to college.
Daddy would like that.
- How about a couple of ferrets? - I told you to stay away.
Ferrets are illegal.
Come on.
Two hamsters, a boy and a girl.
If you have two that are married, we'll take them.
And where's your mom and dad? Well, they're at home.
See, we're gonna surprise them.
Sorry, kid.
We don't sell pets to minors.
Pssst.
Come here.
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
- What are those? - They're ferrets.
- The Rolls-Royce of small rodents.
- They're cute.
These little beauties are the fastest money-making animals on the market.
And the easiest to take care of.
All you need is a shoebox with some holes, exercise, some breadcrumbs.
Wait a minute.
How much are they? We only have $50.
That's 5,000 pennies.
No kidding? Well, normally they're 50 bucks apiece.
But you two look like nice kids, so I'm gonna let you have them for half price.
Deal.
What? Buddhists believe suffering is inherent in life.
- Then I must be a Buddhist.
- Not funny.
You can study to be a Buddhist, but come Sunday you'll be in confirmation classes.
Dad seems open-minded about me investigating other religious options.
It's a trick.
I don't know what he's got up his sleeve, but it's his sneaky way of getting you to do what he wants you to do.
I'm so glad you could come over.
When you wanna go back to church, when you're ready, I'd be happy to pick you up and sit with you.
I miss it, but I don't miss all the pointed questions and the pity faces people make at me.
Bill wasn't satisfied to be the talk of the town while he was alive.
His suicide has practically made him Glenoak folklore.
Stopping people from gossiping is a power I wish I had, but Why do people bother trying to come up with an answer? Bill felt he had no other way out of his sorry, mixed-up life than to end it.
Do you remember Tom Harrison, the associate minister? - The good-looking one.
- You think he's good-looking? - Yes.
Is he back? - He's staying with us a couple of days.
You should have brought him with you.
We have something in common.
Neither one of us got along with Bill.
I'm sorry if I seem a little flip, but even with a good therapist, I'm still a little angry.
Truth, I'm still a lot angry.
Would you two stop? You've been squirming around the whole way home.
- What are you so happy about? - Nothing.
Where's Mom and Dad? - They're out visiting someone.
- I'm gonna go to bed now.
- Good night.
- Me, too.
- I guess I might as well go too.
- It's nine o'clock.
- Yeah, I'm tired.
- No, really, what's up? Nothing's up.
I'm tired and I wanna go to bed, all right? Luce, I need you to do me a big favour.
- I'm listening.
- I'm going to a fraternity party.
Right.
And I'm going to a rave with Johnny Depp.
Mom and Dad are letting you go? I'm gonna sneak out.
I need you to distract Matt in the kitchen.
- If anybody comes, say I'm asleep.
- Sure you wanna do this? Yes.
Go.
- Good luck.
- I owe you big.
Do you ever.
Try for the next ten years.
I'll take one of those, bartender.
I enjoyed hanging out with you tonight, but we didn't get to talk much.
- What do you wanna talk about? - Well, this whole Buddhist thing.
- It's complicated.
- Well, then don't be a Buddhist.
No, I really need your advice on this.
It's important.
Please.
[HAPPY BARKS.]
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
I knew you'd come.
Here.
- What's this? - The dress you tried on at the mall.
- It still has the security tag on it.
- You didn't think I was gonna buy it? Here.
There.
Now it has a slit up the leg, which is perfect.
You have great legs.
Put it on.
You'll look hot.
The question isn't whether I wanna be a Buddhist but whether I'm informed enough to choose any religion.
I mean, I'm not even the same person I was even a year ago.
By next year, who knows who I'll become? It's important to have some foundation.
- Finally.
- Sorry.
How are the kids? Hungry.
They've been down for snacks.
- You didn't give them sweets? - They were hungry.
They didn't wake up Tom coming in and out? I doubt it.
Tom's not here.
- He went out for a walk.
- It's getting late.
- Did he say where he went? - No.
- So where's Mary? - She came home and went to bed.
- She was exhausted.
- She's feeling OK, isn't she? I'll check on her.
- I'm a little hungry myself.
- Well, what can I get you? I think I'll go with bachelor steak.
- What's that? - A bowl of cereal.
Look at this.
We've got mice, big mice.
I hope we've got some traps.
You're gonna eat that after mice? - Can I get you another one, Tom? - No.
Five's my limit.
I'm the designated walker.
Since you're drinking Slice, you can have another one.
No, thanks.
It's time I hit the road.
- It was good to see you again.
- I've been good company, haven't I? Being good company is my job.
- What do I owe you? - 7.
50.
OK.
That's odd.
I thought I had a $50 bill in here.
- Here.
Keep the change.
- Thanks.
- Are you sure you're OK? - Never said I was.
Hey.
- Hey.
I'm Jason.
- Hi.
I'm Mary.
- Max, meet your date, Mary.
- Nice.
- You want a brewski? - No, thanks.
Get her a beer, and I'll take one too.
- Date? Where's the party? - This is the party.
Me and Jason and you and Max.
Isn't Max cute? You cannot leave me alone here.
Promise.
- You're kidding, right? - No, I'm not kidding.
Stop being a baby about this, OK? Just relax.
A beer for you and for you.
Come on, babe.
I think these two wanna be alone.
Can I take your jacket? Sure.
- You wanna sit down on the couch? - Sure.
- They're gone.
- So is our five million pennies.
- Five thousand pennies.
- Well, they're gone just the same.
[HAPPY BARKS.]
Listen, you two should be in bed.
- We are.
- You know what I mean.
I'm gonna go get Happy and then I'll come back and tuck you in.
You want me to get Happy for you? She's been a little crazy all night.
- Who knows what's wrong with her? - I do.
I'm afraid we've got mice.
BOTH: Mice? Don't worry.
I'm gonna get some traps tomorrow.
- Good night.
- Good night.
- Mary, good night.
- No.
I've gotta talk to you, but I don't wanna wake Mary.
- What is it, honey? - It's this whole confirmation thing.
- Do you wanna talk about it? - Well, maybe I should talk with Dad.
Not that I don't value your opinion.
But this is more of a Dad thing, since he started it.
Fine.
No problem.
[SQUEAKING.]
I just wanted to return your Buddha book.
Thanks.
Do you have anything on Quakers? No more Eastern-based religions? I'm not very good at meditating.
Meditation is a little like prayer, only less talking, more listening.
- You know me, I'd rather talk.
- So why do you wanna be a Friend? - A friend? - Quakers are generally called Friends.
They're a peaceful, nonviolent group, and very socially conscious.
That's true.
And as far back as the days of Reconstruction, Quakers rebuilt churches that had been burned.
No, I didn't know.
- Thanks, Dad.
- Sure.
Are you sure you don't mind about this? No, it doesn't bother me.
- Good night, Mom.
- Good night, honey.
You know, if Lucy's exploration is bothering you, you should say something.
I don't want her to choose my church just cos of me.
If you mean that, it's very liberal of you.
I'm getting worried about Tom.
I think maybe he's hiding something.
He didn't hide his feelings about going to Judy's.
He used to be great with people.
It's not like he hasn't dealt with grief before.
Are you OK? No, I'm not.
What's up with this guy? Maybe the job's getting to him.
Maybe he's depressed.
- What do you think? - I don't know what to think.
I'm gonna go look for him.
- Beep me if he comes back.
- OK.
Sure you don't want a beer? - Yeah, I'm sure.
- All right.
Camille, can I talk to you for a second? Yeah.
- Hey, man.
- Hey.
She seems really uptight.
Are you sure she's 18? - Did she say she was 18? - Camille said she was 18.
- Then she's 18.
- Are you having fun? No, I'm not having fun.
I wanna go home.
I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to leave.
Maybe your date could take you.
- He's been drinking all night.
- You're gonna have to make a choice.
Either wait for me or let him drive you home.
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
[SCREAMS.]
The mice! I got the mice! I got the mice! I got 'em! They're not mice.
They're our ferrets.
Our ferrets? They're handfuls of fun that breed well in captivity.
They better not be breeding in Camden captivity.
Not so far.
Look, it's a long story.
Well, I've got time, and you're not going anywhere, probably ever again.
Dad left a half-hour ago and Mom just saw a mouse, so everybody went running to her room.
- Like it's something you'd run to see.
- Get Matt now.
By the time I'm ready to go to college, it'll cost $25,000 a year, or approximately 500 ferrets.
That's if the going price for ferrets holds.
If the price goes up, then someday you might hear, "Paging Dr Simon Camden".
Sorry to interrupt but, Matt, you have a phone call.
It's a girl, and you might wanna talk to this girl in the other room.
I have a feeling that she's very special.
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]
[HAPPY WHIMPERS.]
- Those mice are mutated.
- They're not mice, they're ferrets.
And they're not mutated, they're cute.
Wanna buy a couple and help us go to college? My friend is at a party that got out of hand.
I'm gonna give her a lift.
- Matt.
There and back.
It's late.
- All right.
Med-school dreams aside, those ferrets are going back to where they came from.
That might be a problem.
- Tom.
- I'm sorry.
I was just No, I'm sorry.
I didn't mean to interrupt.
It's OK.
He had me on hold anyway.
What's going on, Tom? We worked together for two years.
I don't feel like I ever knew you.
What are you really doing in Glenoak? Forget it.
I'm thinking of leaving the church.
Before I'm asked to leave.
Why would you be asked to leave? I frightened the congregation and humiliated myself last Sunday.
- By? - I had a seizure.
I have epilepsy.
Epilepsy? - That's what you've been hiding? - Yeah.
And it's not the kind where you just stare blankly into space and make some little repetitive gesture that seems a little curious.
I lose consciousness and convulsively shake on the floor.
Grand mal seizures, that kind of epilepsy.
- That's the one.
- I'm sorry.
I had no idea.
Are you on medication? You under a doctor's care? I take medication and I see a doctor.
But every couple of years, it just happens, and it happened last Sunday.
I can feel it coming on.
My hands started tingling and I had a headache.
My mouth tasted like it had a penny in it.
I thought I could sleep it off, but I was supposed to give the sermon.
You couldn't talk to your minister? You didn't think he'd understand? Up until a week ago nobody knew.
Now they all know.
You should've seen the look in their eyes when I came to.
They were terrified.
I never wanna see those people again.
I never want them to see me.
I never want anyone to see me like that again.
I think you may be the strongest man I've ever met.
What? I don't know how you've kept all this to yourself for so long, at the same time trying to help everybody else.
No, no.
I'm not a strong man.
I feel the same way Judy must have felt.
I don't wanna answer the questions or explain what happened.
And like her husband, I don't wanna deal with my life anymore.
Doesn't sound that way to me.
Sounds as though you're dealing with it for the first time.
I don't think God put you on hold.
I think God brought you here.
- I cannot believe you.
- I know.
I shouldn't have done this.
But I don't wanna hear about it right now.
I just wanna go home.
OK.
Are you bailing? What's wrong? That's right.
She's leaving and so are you.
Thanks for the stern-dad impersonation, but I can make it home on my own.
I'm not leaving a 16-year-old here.
Relax, Mr Cleaver.
It's not the first time.
If you're not in the car on the count of three, I'm putting you in.
One two We're gonna find you good homes.
Just not this home, OK? [FERRETS SQUEAK.]
I'm beat.
I think I'm gonna hit the sack.
- For real this time.
- You have the mice in custody? Mice? You have mice in this house? - No, we had ferrets in this house.
- What? Simon and Ruthie bought them at the mall for $50.
- How did they get their paws on $50? - They found a $50 bill in the driveway.
That 50 was lucky.
Are you gonna let them keep them? No.
Simon and Ruthie are lucky that I'm keeping them.
Can I have them? The ferrets, I mean.
- They're illegal.
- That's why they're so hard to get.
Besides, I think they'd make good company for me.
So? Our friend has an incredible story.
He wants to tell you before he goes back to Denver.
Did you say our friend? Since I found out what he was hiding, I've got a whole new perspective.
Wait.
This is the friend who was at the party? Mary has something to tell you.
I snuck out to a fraternity party with Camille.
How many ways could you go wrong in one sentence? And who's Camille? - She's a girl I met in detention.
- ERIC: Oh.
That's a great place to mingle and form friendships.
Dad, I know.
And I'm sorry.
That covers it.
Talk to me when they're done.
- Are you OK? - Yeah, I'm fine.
That's good.
What were you thinking? What processes in your head led you to the conclusion that this would be a good idea? I need to know.
It'll comfort me in the home.
At first I thought it'd be kind of adventurous.
You want adventure, clean out your closet.
I don't care why you thought it was a good idea.
I'm here to tell you that it wasn't.
And I hope you enjoyed the outdoors.
You'll probably never be there again.
School, church and back for 30 days.
No TV, no phone, no nothing.
You will be a model prisoner or you'll get another 30 days.
Understand? - Was your sister covering for you? - She didn't really have a choice.
She had a choice.
And so did you.
And you both blew it.
We'll talk about this more in the morning.
OK.
We're glad you're back home safe and sound, OK? You know we love you.
Yeah.
Lucy can keep Mary company for the next two weeks.
If they conspire against us, we'll never make it through the next few years.
I don't disagree, but don't rush up to Lucy.
I have a plan that's gonna put her in confirmation class first thing Sunday morning.
- What about time to search? - She can search all she wants.
She'll do it from confirmation class.
I'm surprised to hear you say that, Mr Liberal.
I'm surprised myself, but it's been that kind of day.
Guys don't think like girls, so you gotta trust me.
I know.
Where did you get that dress? - Camille shoplifted it for me.
- What? I didn't know.
She had it when she picked me up.
And you put it on and went to a fraternity party.
Some choices can change your life.
I know.
It was stupid.
- I'm sorry for everything.
- Look, it's OK.
It's OK.
But a word of warning.
From now on, I'm gonna be watching you like a hawk.
[CLEARS THROAT.]
- I was just - Eavesdropping.
That's not very nice.
- I'm gonna say good night to Lucy.
- She's probably already asleep.
Bet she's not.
- Good night, Luce.
- Night, Dad.
Good night, Mary.
Night.
Good night, Dad.
Night, Mary.
- Dad? - Yes, sweetheart? I'll see you at confirmation class Sunday.
OK, honey.
I'll look forward to that.
TOM: We constantly have to make decisions, some easier than others.
Should I go to a party even if my parents wouldn't want me to? Should I rat on my brother or sister when I know they could be in danger? Should I spend found money? Then there are tougher decisions with greater consequences.
To what extent do I let my child make his or her own choices? Do I face my problems or turn away? Do I keep holding onto the past or do I grasp onto the future? How do we decide what choices to make? A friend of mine told me ask yourself if the choice serves you.
Does it serve anyone else? Does it serve life itself? Cos if it doesn't, it could be the wrong choice.
- Do you mind if I quote you on that? - ERIC: No.
But we have to leave for the airport.
You're right.
- Thanks for the dress rehearsal, folks.
- No, thank you.
- Can we give you a lift? - No.
I think I'll stay a while.
It feels good just to be here.
Since we came to church today, do we still have to come back tomorrow? I was thinking of bringing you here every Saturday.
- Would that be good for everyone? - No.
[FERRETS SQUEAK.]