7th Heaven s03e18 Episode Script

You know what the worst part is? It's not alleged.
- What? - It's true.
I've never done anything like this before, but I did have a A relationship with a grad student.
It's been over for a while.
Don't know how the school paper got wind of it.
I never meant for anyone to get hurt.
Brenner has to be fired.
We don't need to learn anything a man with his character could teach us.
Hey, I hear those guys are organising a campus walkout later to express their moral outrage on the whole Brenner thing.
You guys gonna attend? I mean, we can get some moral outrage to go.
Well, I might check it out in a car-wreck kind of way.
I mean, not that I like what Brenner did.
But I don't think the man's private life is our business.
Oh, I'm not thrilled with him either, but I'm not married to him.
And the girl he had the affair with isn't any kind of victim.
She's, what, a third-year grad student who knew he was married? Women like that make the rest of us look bad.
On the other hand, I work two jobs, and I'm in debt up to my ears, and some girl sleeps with the university president.
And he has the financial-aid office go over her aid application with a fine-tooth comb? Give me a break.
Come on, the financial-aid office said her aid package was determined over the summer, before her classes or the affair even started.
I mean, we don't know for sure she got special consideration.
And even if she did, it didn't cost us anything.
Oh, yes, it did.
We just don't know how much yet.
--but none of them will begin to excuse this.
I mean, come on, not cheating on your wife with a student? - Should be an easy one, shouldn't it? - Yeah.
Look, I like you, Camden.
You're a hustler, and you got pluck, but I can't extend you any more credit.
A newspaper route is a tough job.
And collecting from each and every subscriber on your beat is a tough but necessary part of the job.
So if you can't do it, I'm gonna have to find somebody else who can.
I understand.
But don't worry, it won't come to that.
Glad to hear it.
Mr.
Daniels said I have to get Mr.
Malone to pay up or I'm fired.
As your assistant, that means me too, right? Great.
Just great.
- Oh, thank you.
- You're welcome.
Thanks.
Have a nice day.
I can't believe you hit a car in the school parking lot.
I mean, you weren't even parallel parking or playing fire drill in traffic.
You were just vertically backing out.
For your information, I didn't hit anything.
I dinged a back bumper.
Barely.
You'd need a magnifying glass to see it anyway.
Maybe we should've stayed until the car's owner showed up.
We couldn't.
We had to pick up the captains of industry so they could get home to their precious paper route.
Besides, I put a note under the car's windshield wiper with my name, my number, and a very clear message: "call me.
" - What are you gonna do? - I don't know.
The most important thing is making sure that Mom and Dad do not find out about it.
I killed the station wagon, and that put us in the Meals on Wheels van, so any car thing, no matter how small or accidental, is gonna set them off bigtime.
Maybe I can pay off the damage by myself and they'll never even know it.
And how are you gonna pull that off? I am going to pray that the car I barely touched belonged to a guy, and then, well, I'm me.
Mr.
Malone, hi.
Can you hold up a second? We have to collect today.
No, it's very important.
It's not fair.
We were fast this time.
I know.
We cut 12 seconds off our sidewalk-to-porch time.
That's it, then.
We're fired, canned, down the gutter.
No, we're not.
- Well, not yet, anyway.
- I'm listening.
Well, I could make up what I owe the newspaper out of pocket.
That way it'll buy us some time to get Malone to pay up.
Won't that cut into our profits? Let's get Mom to squeeze the money out of Mr.
Malone.
She can do it, too.
I know, but we can't ask her.
Because then she'll think we can't handle the job and she'll make us quit.
Besides, we can never be captains of industry if our mom has to strong-arm people for us.
We need Jean-Claude Van Damme.
He could do it.
- Do we know him? - Nope.
Not yet.
Rats.
- Hello.
- Papa's home.
Daddy's home, yay.
What's the word? I don't know.
Since Jack hasn't offered to resign yet, the board of trustees is scheduled to vote on his tenure situation in a couple of days.
They have no legal argument against him, though.
The student was consenting and of legal age.
There's no clause in Jack's contract or the school charter prohibiting student-employee fraternization.
There's no morals clause? The involvement was not legally immoral.
Just realistically.
Do you think Jack Brenner's fit to lead the university? I don't know.
You know, admissions are up, the number of grants approved has increased, minority recruiting's strong.
I know that Jack's done an incredible job.
That's not what I'm asking.
I'm asking if you think he's fit to lead the university.
The university our son attends.
I don't know.
I mean He's not the man I thought he was, or I guess the man I want him to be, but should he be fired for that? Thank you.
Thought you might need to top off your tanks.
Thank you.
- How's everything on the route? - Okay.
Except we can't collect from Mr.
Malone.
Yep, and no collecting means we're fired.
We'll really miss you.
But maybe we can still get together for juice boxes.
- Or a hoagie.
- Don't you worry.
I haven't liked Dan Malone since I politely asked him if he could use a little less aftershave, because it was killing my begonias.
And he, with his big, smart mouth, said, "Move upwind.
" Hello.
Hi.
This is Miles Olsen.
Mary Camden left a note on my car saying I should call her.
Yeah.
Hi, this is Mary.
- How are you? - Really good, thanks.
So, about that note on your car.
I thought we should get together and talk.
Listen, Mary, I'm really flattered.
But you're not my type.
If you still wanna get together, knowing that we'll never be anything more than friends, great.
Otherwise, I'm sorry.
That's it? That's why you called? Well, there is the one other little thing.
I was wondering if Lucy would go out with me.
I think she's a goddess.
Yeah.
How about, say, a burger, tomorrow, 4:30, pool hall? Great.
I have your address, and I'll pick up Miss Lucy Camden then.
Great.
Hey, Luce.
Guess what? Miles Olsen wants to go out with you.
- Who? - Miles Olsen.
He was just on the phone.
He's a junior.
We've seen him around.
Why can't I picture him? I don't know, but he called you a goddess.
You're kidding.
Cool.
Why didn't he ask me out himself? Oh, he's shy, you know, afraid of rejection, blah, blah, blah.
I haven't been out with anybody since I broke up with Jordan.
This could be a dream come true.
Yeah.
For all of us.
This is supposed to be an institution of higher learning, a path to principles and ideals.
Do we want a man who cheats on his wife and family determining that path? No.
Then we need to make sure the board of trustees knows how we feel before they vote.
- How you doing? - You can't tell? I'm brimming with moral indignation and damnation.
Brenner is a cancer on the backbone of this institution.
An institution that he has preyed upon in every possible way.
Then I've obviously come to the right place.
I think he's about to tell us what time the stoning starts tonight.
You don't like what I'm saying? Because you don't speak for me.
You don't speak for most of the people on this campus, and I wanna make sure the board knows that.
Just because you have the loudest voice doesn't mean you're the only one that should be heard.
Hey, you guys.
How did your paper route go today? - Good.
- Real good.
It just-- It takes so long to do everything.
Of course, we're not operating at peak efficiency yet.
We're still honing our routine.
So I'm trying to keep my expectations at bay.
Not to be too self-critical.
- Oh, that's probably a good idea.
- Well, it all starts with self-love.
Yes, I've heard that.
Hello, Camden residence.
Yeah, hey, Mrs.
Hinkle.
Hold on a sec.
Oh, take a message.
Your father will be home shortly.
She doesn't want Dad.
No, she doesn't want you either.
She wants to speak to Simon.
I'm there for my subscribers Yep, that's how we do it.
We're there, except for when we're sleeping.
Or at school.
Or in the bathtub.
We're there.
Hi, Mrs.
Hinkle.
Excuse me one second.
Mom.
Oh, sorry.
Yeah? Okay, goodbye.
Our Malone collection problems are over.
Mrs.
Hinkle has a plan.
Hey.
- Thanks.
- You're welcome.
- So? - So, does it matter? I don't know.
It might.
I've known you for a long time, and I'd like to understand.
You're a friend, and Well, as unfair as it may be, I expect certain things from you.
Well I'm sorry if I've fallen short of your expectations.
But I have to say, in defence of the indefensible until recently, I'd met everyone else's.
Including my own.
When Gillian and I got married, we had our eyes set on an outcome, and we made every choice necessary to keep us on track.
And after all the sacrifices and the hard work, there I was.
Not only in a place in my life that I'd expected, but a place in my life that I'd wanted.
You're lucky.
You got to satisfy your dreams.
No, just my expectations.
For some reason, in spite of everything, I kept wanting.
Jack.
We all have things we wish we had, things we regret not doing.
Yeah, well, this one time, I decided to regret something I did do.
And I do.
That is disgusting.
I told you.
Hello.
Am I interrupting? - Nothing.
- Nothing.
No.
Nothing.
We were just touching the soft spots on the babies' heads.
- Why? - Because they're there.
And Ruthie didn't believe it.
wanna know why babies have them? Not really.
I just ate.
Did you ever fish? - Years ago.
- Do you still have your stuff? Try the garage.
But stay away from the hooks.
Okay.
Dinner was great tonight.
Dinner was great? Well, thank you.
So who wants to do what, when, and with whom? Miles Olsen, a junior who goes to our school and who we both know, asked me out for a burger at the pool hall tomorrow afternoon at 4:30.
He'll pick me up here.
I'll be home by 7.
And we'll stay here before we leave.
Whom we both know.
But otherwise, nicely done.
Solid preparation, beautifully executed.
Bravo.
If it's okay with your father, it's okay with me.
- Really? - Yeah.
Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you.
And you, what's your story? Just here for moral support.
- Oh, aren't you sweet? - I have my moments.
Yes, you do, but this is probably not one of them.
- This is gonna be great.
- I'm glad everything's gonna work out.
I wonder where my yearbook is.
I wanna see what Mr.
Miles Olsen's all about.
Sorry I took so long.
I ran into Jack Brenner in the parking lot.
Why are there black fingerprints on Sam's head? Same reason that they're on David's.
It's newsprint.
- Okay.
- How'd it go with Jack? Well, you know, I don't excuse his behaviour, but I understand it a little better.
Really? Because I understand that he hurt his entire family and the university with one irrevocable selfish act.
- He's got a problem.
- No.
No argument there.
He's got nothing but problems.
If there's a price to pay for this kind of thing, Jack's paying it.
- Maybe, but is it enough? - For whom? It's okay.
Put him down.
Your brother's here.
What happened to you? Some people at school wanted to stage a walkout to let the board of trustees know they want president Brenner fired.
I wonder if all this devotion to morality started before or after this particular incident.
We disagreed with the whole vilify and run-him-out-of-town tone, but the moral minority didn't seem interested in our opinion.
I see.
So people started pushing and shoving, typical crowd stuff.
I caught an elbow.
- I mean, it looks worse than it is.
- Oh, good.
Campus security broke the whole thing up pretty quickly, but we got ticketed $200 for disturbing the peace.
- Yes, you did.
- I'm sorry about that.
I'll pay for it.
But I couldn't just stand there and listen without saying something.
I mean, it's not about morality or politics, it's about privacy.
I don't like what Brenner did.
I don't respect him for it.
But I know what it's like to live in a fish bowl.
I'm a minister's kid, and people judge the things I do as if they have a right to, and harshly.
Like somehow I'm supposed to be better than everyone else.
- I don't know how you do it.
- Trying to lead by example is Well, It's how I always wanted to live my life, not just my job.
Even if I didn't have a parish full of people watching over me, I guess I believe somebody else always would be.
- I get it, Dad, I really do.
- So do I.
We'll help you out with this.
And that, I'm gonna get an ice pack.
Is the kitchen still open? Yeah, and what you don't eat, put on your face.
I don't mean to jump on your turf, Dad, but nothing freaks me out more than other people's moral certainty.
I understand that too.
I'm sorry, Ruthie.
I didn't know the route would be so exhausting you'd sleep through Xena.
I thought it'd be fun.
We'd make some money for college and get great jobs.
Live in the lap of luxury.
But all I'm doing is wiping you guys out.
I didn't mean for anyone to get hurt.
I'll watch Xena for you.
Tell you what happens in the morning.
You were right.
I have seen Miles Olsen around.
I just never knew his name until now.
Until you told him, the king of jerk-wads, that I'd go out with him.
I hit his car in the parking lot.
What? Miles' car was the object of my unfortunate microscopic dinging.
He thought I left him the note because I wanted to go out with him.
He called to let me down easily, because he wanted me to put in a good word for him with you.
- Flattered, but no.
- You have to go out with him.
He didn't even mention the ding when he called.
And when and if he does ever notice that amoeba of a ding on his bumper, he'll be a lot more inclined to let it slide, because it was accidentally made by the beloved sister of his goddess.
- I'm gonna puke on you.
- You don't even know him.
You might like him once you got to know him.
You don't wanna be shallow, do you? I might.
I could be worse things.
He called you a goddess, Luce.
How long has it been since somebody called you that? Somebody not related to you.
Somebody not Dad.
That's something.
And, of course, the fact that you owe me for the rest of time as you know it That's something too.
If you have to go, Dad, I'm sure that Mom could embarrass me in front of Miles enough for the both of you.
I know.
That's one of the many delicious reasons I married her.
But don't you worry, when it comes to your dating life, I got nothing but time.
If you don't want me to go, just say so.
Miles, this is my wife, Annie.
- How do you do, Mrs.
Camden? - Nice to meet you, Miles.
And you know Mary and Lucy, of course.
- So, Miles, tell us about yourself.
- Yeah.
Okay.
I'm a Gemini with a 2.
9 grade-point average.
My hands were one letter over to the right in the typing final, so I failed that.
But I'll make up for it in summer school.
My dad's retired.
He had a heart attack early.
And my mom's a golf pro at the Glen Oak country club.
Here's my home number, the make, model, and licence plate number for my car, the number for the pool hall, and a copy of my valid driver's licence.
I plan to go to college, although I'm still exploring career goals.
And if you want Lucy home at 7, I'll have her here at 6:45.
That-- That'd be great.
- Have a good time.
- Shall we go? Doesn't seem like Lucy's type, does he? Well, Jordan was kind of a face man, so maybe this time Lucy's looking a little deeper.
Maybe she's like a pig with truffles, only she's rooting around for substance and depth.
Plus, Miles thinks she's a goddess.
What does Lucy think of Miles, though? I think she thinks it's nice being called a goddess.
You're gonna have some fun with our daughters while I'm working, aren't you? - I did carry twins for nine months.
- Enjoy.
I have a few things to do at the church, and then I'm gonna go over to the Brenners'.
- Good luck.
- Thanks.
Oh, hi.
Can I get you guys something for the road? No thanks.
We'll get a wee morsel of something over at Mrs.
Hinkle's.
Don't make her go to any extra work.
We won't.
We just like to check in on her every day to make sure she's okay.
Yeah, and sometimes use her bathroom.
But mostly we need her.
She's our Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Did you get that light bulb? Mrs.
Hinkle's lamppost light is out, so I thought I'd replace it when we delivered her paper.
Is this paper route everything you wanted it to be? Sometimes yes and sometimes no.
We have a responsibility to our subscribers.
What if someone doesn't get a job because they didn't get the want ads? Or what if someone doesn't know who to vote for? Or they don't have enough to eat because they didn't get their coupons? Mrs.
Hinkle says we're her favourite newspaper people.
Mine, too.
Of all time.
So Xena got the Amazon god to fight Callisto and then they got frozen in lava? - Yep.
- What a good one.
Mary? Oh, hey, Doug.
Look, I wanna apologise for yesterday.
Things got out of control, and I'm sorry.
Yeah, they did.
Thank you.
I don't have a handle on this whole situation, but why do people care so much? It's weird, because I don't understand why people seem to care so little.
Hi.
I hope I'm not interrupting.
- Mom, we're on the job here.
- I know, and I'm sorry.
I'm not checking up on you.
I was just in the neighbourhood.
Mom, the neighbourhood is pretty much our office.
Why don't you go inside and get your mom a snack? And find some zesty condiments.
Okay.
They can always use a wee morsel of something at this point in the route.
It's very nice of you to feed them, but I don't want you going to any extra time or trouble because of them.
You know, I never really got the hang of cooking for one instead of four.
And if you multiply that by a few years, that leaves an awful lot of extra leftovers and time on my hands.
And frankly, I could use a little trouble now and then, just to keep things from getting dull.
I understand you're helping Simon and Ruthie out with a little something.
I don't know what you're talking about.
Thanks for helping my kids.
Thanks for sharing your kids.
We know you're busy, so we figured you'd like your snack to go.
Yep, and your condiments.
Now that I know what they are.
And the juice? Delicious.
Well, I left the twins fed and changed, sound asleep with Mary, who's only been baby-sitting, what, six or seven years? So I should run.
Okay, then.
Well, I'll see you later.
- Clear.
- It's time.
We ride.
Oh, I'm sorry.
I'm sorry.
No, no.
Really.
I'm sorry.
Here.
Here.
- I'm sorry.
- It's fine.
Fine.
Sorry.
Why don't we sit down and talk, get to know each other a little? Sure, let's rap.
That'll be $18.
50, please.
Stuck, huh? No-pest strip.
I found them in the attic when I was packing to move upwind.
You know, you could have gotten those kids fired by your selfishness.
And we would've been stuck with some newspaper-delivering ninny.
Your actions have consequences for others.
Consequences bigger than a few dead begonias.
For the last time, my aftershave did not kill your begonias.
Oh, you're right, I'm sorry.
Your aftershave just made them kill themselves.
- Eighteen.
- Fifty.
Fifty.
Hey, isn't that your sister over there? Yes.
Don't look, and don't let her know we're here.
Because? It's embarrassing to have your big brother and his girlfriend and his friend watch you have a date.
- Aren't you done early? - Sort of.
My last-period class is debating the Brenner affair for the millionth time.
And frankly, I've heard enough.
I'm paying tuition to learn something.
My money and time are wasted while everyone yammers on about stuff we already know.
I mean, let's get on with it already.
No kidding.
Besides, where was all the outrage when those two frat guys drugged and raped that sophomore girl at their kegger last year? There were no walkouts or demonstrations.
Nobody talked as if the frat house should be burned to the ground.
The whole thing just disappeared.
Thanks.
Thank you.
Come on, Doug.
Don't let this whole thing spiral into madness, man.
It's pizza.
Hey, how'd your parents take your ticket news? Oh, man, not great.
And I'll bet you didn't think we had anything in common.
I'm sorry to just drop by.
I'm surprised that we didn't pass each other at the university.
Don't worry about it.
I left the office a little early.
I've been the object of enough supportive looks for one day.
I just wanted to see for myself how you were doing.
I'll keep the supportive look to myself.
Thank you.
And I really can't tell you how I'm doing, because I'm not sure yet.
You know, everyone knows that Jack has worked hard on behalf of this university for 15 years, but everyone seems to have forgotten that I have too.
However, now that I'm the pitiful wronged wife, the victim, as it were, my campus popularity and acknowledgement have jumped to all-time highs.
I've never been more liked and appreciated.
What are people thinking? That I'm jealous? Or, God forbid, envious of this girl? For what? I have worked hard for the things I've achieved.
And this girl wanted to achieve something-- I don't know what.
--by sleeping with a married man.
Gee, that's never been done before.
And if that's her best career plan, she's in for a rude awakening.
I don't understand where, in 1999, girls are getting the message that that's the way to go.
What are we teaching our daughters? What have I taught my own? You've taught them that if something has value and it's worth working and fighting to get, then it's worth working and fighting to keep.
It still hurts, though, doesn't it? Oh, yeah.
So I just demanded that Coach Tremaine let me do the shuttle run again, and that's how I got my eighth-grade Presidential Fitness Award.
Fascinating.
Hey, sorry to interrupt your great date and everything, but Mom needs your help with the twins.
Lucy's the only one that can get them to sleep.
Sorry.
Duty calls.
- Well, tomorrow, my queen? - Yeah.
That would be great.
- Call us with the details.
- I'll see you tomorrow.
Oh, no.
I gave him a chance, and I went out with him once, mostly to help you out, but never, never, never again.
You have to.
One date isn't enough to forge a forgiveness-inclined relationship.
To do that, you need time.
More time means more dates.
No.
Please.
Mom and Dad will kill me.
They will never let me drive again.
They don't have the money to fix the proton-sized ding on his bumper, and neither do I.
I helped you out because you're my sister, and I love you, and you asked me to.
- Well, I love you, too.
- Okay, fine.
You love me, but you love driving and not getting killed by Mom and Dad more.
Annie came by and spoke to Gillian this afternoon.
So you and I have talked, and Annie and Gillian have talked but have you and Gillian talked to each other? Not really.
Of course, after the board votes tomorrow, I'll probably have nothing but time to talk.
Just don't know if Gillian will be there for me to talk to.
Maybe I should just resign.
Save them the trouble of a vote, give everyone what they want.
Well, think about it.
Ask yourself what's best for the family.
The university is kind of like your family.
So, what's best for it? You know, research has proven that unless there's some kind of abuse or addiction, that the parties involved should get counselling and stay together.
Look, I don't know.
That's a long road.
And I can't do it without Gillian.
And I don't even know how she feels about it.
Or me.
I don't think you should resign.
I think you should fight.
I think we both should.
So where's Lucy? We don't wanna be late.
I'm sorry.
She's just not up for another date.
I know our first date was a little rocky, but this time I brought baby pictures and my journal from Big Red's Cowboy Camp.
- Two summers' worth.
- That's great.
I just don't think it's gonna work out between you two.
So why didn't she tell me herself? She's shy, doesn't wanna hurt your feelings, blah, blah, blah.
Well, what about you? I got two monster truck tickets burning a hole in my pocket.
I don't think so, but thanks anyway.
I don't get it.
If no Camden women wanna go out with me, why'd you leave that note on my car? Because I dinged your car in the school parking lot and I thought we should talk about it.
And you figured I wouldn't get in your face about it if I was going out with your sister.
Are you talking about this? Yeah.
I am-- I am really sorry.
I'll pay for it, I promise.
I'll have to make payments, but I'll pay for it.
You didn't do that, I did it.
Last year.
You didn't notice that your ding had already rusted? Oh, cool.
That's great.
I'm glad you think so.
Look, Miles, I am really sorry about everything.
Yeah, you said that, but for some reason, I don't feel any better.
Of course, on the bright side, it keeps my zero-point-zero average with women intact.
Well, maybe you'd have better luck if you didn't refer to us as a statistic.
Just a thought.
But you are a really great guy.
Because a creep would've blamed me for the ding, taken the money and ran.
Especially after what I did.
But you didn't.
Creep? No.
Schnook, probably.
No, it makes you an honest guy with character.
And that's kind of refreshing.
But you might wanna get a few dates under your belt before you pull out the whole Big Red's Cowboy Camp thing.
But otherwise Who knew the whole thing would be so hard? It's hard for everybody, not just you.
But if you ever want to talk - I mean, you have the number.
- Thanks.
- I might take you up on that.
- Good.
Why does Sam have black fingerprints on his head? Newsprint.
What happened to Miles? Change of plans.
Lucy decided he wasn't her type after all.
- She asked you to tell him that? - No, I offered.
- I knew it'd be hard for her.
- How nice.
I'm just a little surprised Lucy waited until her date was in the driveway before she had her sister go cancel on him.
She's usually more considerate than that.
Yes, I am.
Okay, so I sort of tweaked Miles' car in the school parking lot, but I left a note for him to call me.
And when he did, all he could talk about was how much he wanted to go out with Lucy.
I mentioned it, and they went out.
And as it turns out, I didn't even touch his car.
So no damage, no date, no nothing.
So you just coerced your sister into going out on a date so you could avoid taking responsibility for your own actions? It's not like she didn't wanna go out with him.
- Totally.
- I don't care.
You're older.
You're supposed to be more mature and experienced.
Even if your younger sister were willing, I expect you to make the right decision for everyone involved.
But instead, you decided to lie too many times to count and use your sister and an innocent guy.
And now you're trying to defend that decision? Interesting choice.
I didn't mean for anybody to get hurt.
A family's a lot like a pond.
If something happens to one of us, it's like dropping a stone in that pond.
It makes ripples.
And no matter what you did or didn't mean to do, those ripples inevitably extend outwards and touch other people.
Now, Lucy learned that lesson from you at Miles' expense.
Now it's your turn.
Go help your brother and sister with their route.
Why? They wanted the paper route, not me.
Because I'm asking you to.
And because 20 minutes of your time will save them one hour.
Maybe if you watch them, you might learn something about commitment to someone other than yourself, diligence and compassion.
I'm really sorry.
I know that it's not enough, but I am.
No, it's not enough.
But at least you know that.
Why does Sam have fingerprints on his head? Never mind.
Are you really that desperate for a date that you'd go out with someone you have no real interest in? Yes? Goddess.
Mom, he called me a goddess.
Plus, I was trying to help Mary.
And mostly I was just being pathetic.
Well, it sounds like you could use something to do besides thinking about your dateless self.
I thought you guys were going to the board of trustees vote.
Well, I figured Dad would give us the blow-by-blow later.
- I need a favour.
- Name it.
- Oh, thanks.
- You're welcome.
Thanks, Simon.
- Yeah.
- All right.
Thank you, son.
Vampire.
Harpy.
Is there anything else to take into consideration before adjourning to vote? Yes? I'm Eric Camden.
I'm the minister at Glen Oak Community Church.
With all due respect, I think we can all guess what the minister's gonna say.
I was gonna say that Jack Brenner's a friend of mine.
A convenient time to have you for a friend.
And I don't like what he did.
So.
- Should he be punished? - Yes.
- Yes.
- He should.
How? How much? By whom? And who gets to decide? And when will it be enough? But then, wait a minute.
Isn't this a private matter? Shouldn't he and his family have the right to deal with this privately? Well, then again, it involves his position at the university and a student in attendance here, so the whole thing gets a little grey and very public.
And the only things that these questions seem to get us are more questions.
And I have to tell you, I've thought of nothing but these questions since the whole thing came out.
And I don't have the answers.
I have opinions.
And opinions aren't enough.
And then it occurred to me that maybe we as human beings were never meant to try to answer these kinds of questions.
Maybe we're supposed to look to something higher, like the law, because Because the law protects us from our most human self, from the self that falls short of expectations, from the self that makes mistakes, and from the self that says, "an eye for an eye, and while you're at it, get two.
" I've heard a lot of Bible-thumping lately, and quoting and misquoting.
Because, conveniently for some, the Bible can be punishing when we can't.
When we're out of compassion or weakness, tempted to vary our ethics depending on the situation.
Ironically, the law can be merciful when we're tempted to be vengeful.
And right now, who isn't tempted? In one selfish, unthinking act, Jack Brenner's behaviour forced us to try to answer questions that never should've been asked.
When all's said and done, we're no better off.
No smarter, no safer, no happier for having debated and name-called and beat each other up with the Bible and the law and our interpretations of both.
But Like ripples in a pond, that's the way it is with families.
It doesn't matter that Jack Brenner never meant to hurt anyone.
The inherent connection between all human beings guarantees that someone will get hurt.
Because we are, whether we like it or not, one family-- The human family.
--and what happens to one of us, one way or another, happens to us all.
I expect someone as smart as Jack Brenner to remember that.
I I hope this board does.