Lockie Leonard (2007–2010): Season 2, Episode 8 - The Information Age - full transcript
The Leonard family joins the information super highway - but how much information is too much?
- Every
year around birthday time
there's a day that starts
out seriously weird.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this.
Looks more like this.
- Mom, can you
please just take the photo.
I'm getting lockjaw here.
- It is possible you
could undermine the air
of casual naturalism
you're aiming for, Joy.
- Yes, all right, okay, good.
Before every birthday,
Mum mails a letter and
photos of us to Nan and Pop.
She's careful to give them the
right amount of information
just in case they want more
and come looking for it in person.
- Lockie's
birthday's coming up soon.
- Which one is he again?
- The taller one, I think.
- That baby's still crawling.
This is 18 months old.
- It isn't natural.
- Perhaps we should
pay them another visit?
- Whatever for?
We know what we look like in a photo.
- Yes.
- Here's the question,
how much information is
too much information?
That's too much information.
- And Pops is keeping us up to date
with his sporting activities, right, Joy?
- Right.
- Nice tee shirt.
- Too much
information is all the stuff
you'd really rather not know about.
Like...
- I've got 17 pimples on my backside.
And if you join the bumps with a crayon
they spell hot pants.
- Joy, I think it's time
we kiss passionately
in front of the children.
- So it is.
- That's the concept
of too much information for you.
But, at the same time,
is there such a thing
as not enough information?
It seemed Vicki thought so.
- Dear Lockie,
heaps of stuff's happened
since I last wrote to you,
but if you really want
to know all about it,
you'll need to check out my
HeadSpace page on the internet.
- It was
the fifth letter from Vicki
since she went away to boarding school.
Every one of them talked about
how great the internet is,
and how I was missing out
'cause I wasn't on it.
I think she was trying
to tell me something.
- My birthday wish list.
- Look, I'm not sure we need a computer
in this house, Lockie.
- What would we use it for?
- We could use it to help with schoolwork,
send emails, maybe get
ourselves a HeadSpace page.
- What's a HeadSpace page?
- I don't know, but I want one.
Everyone else is zooming along
on the information superhighway,
and we're being left behind.
- Look, the thing about computers, Lockie,
I'm not sure I completely trust them.
- It is a bit like inviting
the rest of the world
into the house.
- What's wrong with that?
- Well, where would they all sleep?
- Wire strippers.
- Wire strippers.
- Soldering iron.
- Soldering iron.
- Cordial.
- Cordial.
- Looking good.
- Yes.
- I'm going in.
- Ms. Archer came to my
place last night for dinner.
- The teacher came to your house?
- With a Pavlova.
- Pavlova?
This is serious.
- I knew something was wrong
as soon as Dad put on the apron.
- Pavlova, great!
- Yes, Pavlova.
Whoops!
- Excellent, you brought your recorder.
Please, come in.
- Hello, Geoffrey.
- Good afternoon, Ms. Archer.
- I know I'm your teacher,
but when we're out of school,
I'd love it if you'd call me Leoni.
- She wanted
me to call her Leoni.
- You can't speak to
her like she's a person.
She's a teacher.
- I know!
So what did you call her?
- Nothing, there's no way she's
getting a Leoni out of me.
- Was the Pavlova good?
- Ask somebody who ate it.
- Your, um, your clothes are excellent.
- Thank you, I like your vest.
- I've got a whole range
of vests, actually.
One of them is made out
of recycled plastic bags.
- I'd like to see that.
- Mum made that vest.
- Pardon?
- Mum, you remember her?
About this tall, dark
hair, good at welding?
- I believe she's in Scandinavia now.
- Yeah, Mum won the
Gertrude Stein Fellowship
at the University of Stockholm.
They've asked her to be a professor.
- Who has?
- The university head boss dude.
He says she's the best heavy
metal sculptor in Norway.
- Stockholm's in Sweden.
- Yeah, yeah, she's big there, too.
The sound of Rev jamming
with the teacher was way too
much information for Egg.
- Yeah.
- Ready?
Ta-da!
- Happy birthday, Lockie.
- It's a day early.
- Is it all right if I'm
still wondering what it is?
- It's a computer.
- Is it pedal-powered?
- No, that's just to keep fit
while you're using it.
- That was Marjorie's idea.
- Can we keep it?
- These are the computer rules.
One.
- The computer stays in the lounge room.
- Where we can see it.
- Unless you're outside.
- Cor...
Two.
- A maximum of 30 minutes
computer time per child per day.
- 30 minutes?
- We thought we'd err
on the side of generosity.
Three.
- You must tell us which
home webs you're dialling up.
- Websites.
- Yes, those, as well.
- That is all.
- So,
Phillip and Marjorie dragged
the Leonard family onto the
information superhighway.
- Nice.
Sure, we may not have been
in the fastest lane on the highway,
but at least it meant I could finally
share more information with Vicki.
- Hi to all my HeadSpace friends.
I thought you'd all like
to know that the other day
I had a seriously evil
math test, two hours,
300 questions, and I got a B.
This is the dress that I wore
to the Redmont College ball.
Isn't it cool?
I came first in the Bonsai
Paper Mache competition,
which is weird because my
artistic talent is microscopic.
Now you've seen my life, where's yours?
- It's here, in Angelus.
- But when are you gonna build yourself
a HeadSpace page and show me?
- Cupcake, Lockie?
- Are you real?
- Of course I am.
- Thanks.
- Thanks, Marj, love your work.
- One is he again?
- The older one.
- No, that can't be Nan and Pop.
- No, they've got knapsacks.
- How long do you think they're
planning on staying, Joy?
- They didn't even tell
me they were coming.
It's not right!
- I know it's not, but
they are your parents.
Boys, prepare to be
artificially welcoming.
- We've hauled 30 kilometres in two days.
- Why, for Heaven's sake?
- A charity walk for
people with plastic hips.
- So how long do
you think you'll stay?
- A couple of days
rest before moving on.
- Could you turn that off, Dad?
- Do you have any lemonade?
- Here you are.
And while you're at it,
have one of my cupcakes.
My secret recipe.
- Nan, Pop, meet my best friend--
- Marjorie?
- This
was old information for Nan.
She knew exactly who Marjorie was.
- Phillip with his friend, Marjorie,
and the De Havilland Mosquito
fighter bomber Mk VI,
which they built together.
I don't believe it.
- Nor me, either.
After the Mk V, De Havilland
ceased production of the bomber
and concentrated on the Night Fighter.
Everybody knows that.
- Pop, pack the knapsacks,
we are going to Angelus.
- Dad's not home.
- I came to see you, Geoffrey.
- What for?
- I think we need to talk.
- Okay.
- Do you know how to turn off the mower?
- Yeah.
- Would you please turn it off?
Well, that's a bit better.
I'm sorry to interrupt you.
- Yep.
- Just a thought, since you didn't eat
any Pavlova last night,
I thought you'd might like
to try something else.
Cheesecake.
- It's a bit early for me.
- The thing is, I like your
dad, quite a lot, actually.
- Well, better get back to the mowing.
- I know you miss your
mum, and I don't want to,
you know, replace her.
I just...
Anyway, I'm pleased we had this chat.
I'll just leave this here.
- I don't know what to say.
- Just explain what you're
doing to make sure the child
reaches her milestones.
- Milestones?
- Do I have to spell it out?
Walking, Joy.
Our family are all great walkers.
This one's letting the side down.
- No, she's just taking her time.
- How much more can she possibly need?
- Can you turn that thing off, please.
- I thought you'd like to
document the child's progress
in audiovisual form.
- Excuse me, just for a second.
- See what I found beside Phillip's bed?
Evidence.
- Age is just a state of mind.
I've never heard anything more absurd.
- Look at the signature.
It's from her.
- Yours scientifically, Marjorie.
You're not going to turn
this into a competition,
are you, Nan?
- Competition?
I wouldn't even consider
something so undignified.
Cupcake, darling?
- No, thanks, Nan, maybe later.
- Why not have one now?
- Well, I'm a bit full.
But they do look delicious.
- They are, it's the extra bran.
So you won't need to get your
cupcakes anywhere else now,
will you?
- No, I guess not.
- Good boy.
- Nan trying
to be friends with Phillip?
Way too much information for him.
- Lockie?
Lockie?
- What are you doing?
- You know, hanging out
with the washing machine.
What are you doing?
It's a beautiful day, you
should go to the beach.
Blob and I can come with you,
straight away if you'd like.
- I would, but I have
to collect information
for my HeadSpace page.
- What kind of information?
- Anything going, but
I need a video camera.
- I think I can
organise one of those.
- This is Angelus Beach,
I come here a lot.
And this is my board, and my wax.
- Is that all you're going to say?
- What else should I say?
- I don't know, man, it's your life.
- This is Egg, he's my best friend.
Say hello, Egg.
- Lockie, Vicki knows this stuff already.
- Egg had a point.
Vicki knew just about
everything about me already.
I had to find some new
information, but what?
This is the grass at
the front of my house.
It's probably a bit longer
since you last saw it.
Good?
This is the tee shirt I wore last weekend.
I still haven't put it in the wash.
I should do that.
This is some of what we're
having for dinner, broccoli.
Interesting.
- Hey, that's my camera!
- Geoffrey, this
cheesecake is spectacular.
Do you want some?
- No, it would be a betrayal.
- A betrayal?
Of whom?
- Mum.
- Why?
- I don't want you to hang
out with Ms. Archer anymore.
She's a space invader.
- I don't understand.
- It's like she sees a
space, and she invades it.
And she's not allowed to.
This is Mum's space, not hers.
- But don't you want me to be happy?
- In this moment,
Egg knew he couldn't stop his dad
from hanging out with Ms. Archer.
- Whatever you want, Dad.
- Mr. Eggleston, is there
anything you'd like to share?
- It wasn't me.
- No?
- When it was you who
unlawfully imprisoned
Ms. Archer in her
classroom only a week ago?
- Yeah, but I--
- I don't want your excuses!
I want a confession!
- But
Egg had nothing to confess.
Technically, it was
the fire drill's fault.
- Mr. Squasher, I'm sure
Geoffrey wasn't involved in this.
- This was
worse than the cheesecake.
Ms. Archer standing up for Egg?
It felt like an even
bigger space invasion.
- Come on, then, let's hear it.
- And if
Egg couldn't stop his dad
from hanging out with Ms. Archer,
he figured this was the next best thing.
- I did it.
And I'll do it again tomorrow.
- Even if it meant
using false information.
- Marjorie, this is
seriously good French toast.
- I changed the egg, milk
ratio, as you suggested.
- I knew it.
- Hi, Nan.
- I thought you said you
wouldn't get your cupcakes
from anyone else?
- This is French toast.
- I'll bet it is.
So, now you've got yourself a new Nan,
I suppose you don't want the
old one cramping your style.
- Sorry?
- Well sometimes sorry just isn't enough.
- I don't quite understand.
- It's okay, Marj, I'll deal with this.
- So, now it's Marj, is it?
- Wait, Nan, it's not what you think.
- Don't take me for a fool, Lockie.
- Phillip.
- That's what I said.
- It's just French toast,
it doesn't mean anything.
- It may be just French toast to you,
but to me it's bread soaked in treachery.
- Don't worry, Phillip,
she needs to be on her own.
- Nan
and Pop were in our beds,
so Phillip and I got the lounge room.
Normally that would be a serious pain,
but tonight I was glad
to be near the computer,
'cause I really needed to know if Vicki
was still talking to me
after all that boring stuff
I put on my HeadSpace page.
I just had to wait for
midnight to roll around
so I could use my next
half hour of computer time.
- Hey, Lockie, I loved the stuff
on your HeadSpace page.
- You liked that stuff, really?
- Yeah, amazing.
I had broccoli for dinner, too.
And the grass at the front of your house?
Wow, it must have grown
at least seven millimetres
since I last saw it.
So when are you gonna
put some more stuff up?
- I couldn't
decide what was weirder,
Vicki not hating the information
I put on my HeadSpace page,
or her wanting more.
- Happy birthday, Lockie.
- Happy birthday, Lockie!
- Thanks.
- Good in all weather, those.
A friend for life.
- My favourite colour, how did you know?
- From your mother and I.
- A camera.
Thanks Mum, thanks Dad.
- What a good idea.
- It's second-hand, but
the bloke in the shop
reckons it's the best you can get.
- Three years ago.
- It's all charged up and ready to go.
- So now there's no excuse for
you not putting information
on your Space Head interpage.
- This is Mum and
Phillip walking to school.
This is the bus stop where
I sometimes catch the bus
to the shops instead of riding my bike.
- Lockie, can I ask you something?
Do you really think that
Vicki, and the world,
for that matter, would find
this information useful?
I mean, surely you and
Vicki don't discuss these
kind of--
- Boring, mundane--
- Trivial things in person?
- Suddenly,
I realised Mum was right.
- Mum, maybe half an hour
internet time per day
is a bit too generous after all.
This was the first time
I'd ever worked out
something before Vicki did.
After school it was my birthday picnic,
and everyone was invited.
But, according to Nan,
not everyone was welcome.
- This is a family only event.
- What about Egg?
- Egg?
- I've had quite enough
of you and your food.
- Maybe you and I should go for a walk.
- A walk?
- Will they be okay alone?
- They're okay.
This is something they need
to work out by themselves.
- Nice cold drink, darling?
Marjorie says I should be
seeing more of my grandchildren,
not just sending letters and photos.
- Sure, Nan, but only if you
really feel that you have to.
- Yes, of course!
- Look!
Trust Blob to upstage me
at my own birthday party.
- Maybe you should put that
on your HeadSpace page.
- I thought
about it, but in the end,
there are some things
which belong in the moment,
and not on the internet.
And those, they're the coolest,
most important bits of information of all.
("Make it Last" by Kate Miller Heidke)
year around birthday time
there's a day that starts
out seriously weird.
Unfortunately, it doesn't look like this.
Looks more like this.
- Mom, can you
please just take the photo.
I'm getting lockjaw here.
- It is possible you
could undermine the air
of casual naturalism
you're aiming for, Joy.
- Yes, all right, okay, good.
Before every birthday,
Mum mails a letter and
photos of us to Nan and Pop.
She's careful to give them the
right amount of information
just in case they want more
and come looking for it in person.
- Lockie's
birthday's coming up soon.
- Which one is he again?
- The taller one, I think.
- That baby's still crawling.
This is 18 months old.
- It isn't natural.
- Perhaps we should
pay them another visit?
- Whatever for?
We know what we look like in a photo.
- Yes.
- Here's the question,
how much information is
too much information?
That's too much information.
- And Pops is keeping us up to date
with his sporting activities, right, Joy?
- Right.
- Nice tee shirt.
- Too much
information is all the stuff
you'd really rather not know about.
Like...
- I've got 17 pimples on my backside.
And if you join the bumps with a crayon
they spell hot pants.
- Joy, I think it's time
we kiss passionately
in front of the children.
- So it is.
- That's the concept
of too much information for you.
But, at the same time,
is there such a thing
as not enough information?
It seemed Vicki thought so.
- Dear Lockie,
heaps of stuff's happened
since I last wrote to you,
but if you really want
to know all about it,
you'll need to check out my
HeadSpace page on the internet.
- It was
the fifth letter from Vicki
since she went away to boarding school.
Every one of them talked about
how great the internet is,
and how I was missing out
'cause I wasn't on it.
I think she was trying
to tell me something.
- My birthday wish list.
- Look, I'm not sure we need a computer
in this house, Lockie.
- What would we use it for?
- We could use it to help with schoolwork,
send emails, maybe get
ourselves a HeadSpace page.
- What's a HeadSpace page?
- I don't know, but I want one.
Everyone else is zooming along
on the information superhighway,
and we're being left behind.
- Look, the thing about computers, Lockie,
I'm not sure I completely trust them.
- It is a bit like inviting
the rest of the world
into the house.
- What's wrong with that?
- Well, where would they all sleep?
- Wire strippers.
- Wire strippers.
- Soldering iron.
- Soldering iron.
- Cordial.
- Cordial.
- Looking good.
- Yes.
- I'm going in.
- Ms. Archer came to my
place last night for dinner.
- The teacher came to your house?
- With a Pavlova.
- Pavlova?
This is serious.
- I knew something was wrong
as soon as Dad put on the apron.
- Pavlova, great!
- Yes, Pavlova.
Whoops!
- Excellent, you brought your recorder.
Please, come in.
- Hello, Geoffrey.
- Good afternoon, Ms. Archer.
- I know I'm your teacher,
but when we're out of school,
I'd love it if you'd call me Leoni.
- She wanted
me to call her Leoni.
- You can't speak to
her like she's a person.
She's a teacher.
- I know!
So what did you call her?
- Nothing, there's no way she's
getting a Leoni out of me.
- Was the Pavlova good?
- Ask somebody who ate it.
- Your, um, your clothes are excellent.
- Thank you, I like your vest.
- I've got a whole range
of vests, actually.
One of them is made out
of recycled plastic bags.
- I'd like to see that.
- Mum made that vest.
- Pardon?
- Mum, you remember her?
About this tall, dark
hair, good at welding?
- I believe she's in Scandinavia now.
- Yeah, Mum won the
Gertrude Stein Fellowship
at the University of Stockholm.
They've asked her to be a professor.
- Who has?
- The university head boss dude.
He says she's the best heavy
metal sculptor in Norway.
- Stockholm's in Sweden.
- Yeah, yeah, she's big there, too.
The sound of Rev jamming
with the teacher was way too
much information for Egg.
- Yeah.
- Ready?
Ta-da!
- Happy birthday, Lockie.
- It's a day early.
- Is it all right if I'm
still wondering what it is?
- It's a computer.
- Is it pedal-powered?
- No, that's just to keep fit
while you're using it.
- That was Marjorie's idea.
- Can we keep it?
- These are the computer rules.
One.
- The computer stays in the lounge room.
- Where we can see it.
- Unless you're outside.
- Cor...
Two.
- A maximum of 30 minutes
computer time per child per day.
- 30 minutes?
- We thought we'd err
on the side of generosity.
Three.
- You must tell us which
home webs you're dialling up.
- Websites.
- Yes, those, as well.
- That is all.
- So,
Phillip and Marjorie dragged
the Leonard family onto the
information superhighway.
- Nice.
Sure, we may not have been
in the fastest lane on the highway,
but at least it meant I could finally
share more information with Vicki.
- Hi to all my HeadSpace friends.
I thought you'd all like
to know that the other day
I had a seriously evil
math test, two hours,
300 questions, and I got a B.
This is the dress that I wore
to the Redmont College ball.
Isn't it cool?
I came first in the Bonsai
Paper Mache competition,
which is weird because my
artistic talent is microscopic.
Now you've seen my life, where's yours?
- It's here, in Angelus.
- But when are you gonna build yourself
a HeadSpace page and show me?
- Cupcake, Lockie?
- Are you real?
- Of course I am.
- Thanks.
- Thanks, Marj, love your work.
- One is he again?
- The older one.
- No, that can't be Nan and Pop.
- No, they've got knapsacks.
- How long do you think they're
planning on staying, Joy?
- They didn't even tell
me they were coming.
It's not right!
- I know it's not, but
they are your parents.
Boys, prepare to be
artificially welcoming.
- We've hauled 30 kilometres in two days.
- Why, for Heaven's sake?
- A charity walk for
people with plastic hips.
- So how long do
you think you'll stay?
- A couple of days
rest before moving on.
- Could you turn that off, Dad?
- Do you have any lemonade?
- Here you are.
And while you're at it,
have one of my cupcakes.
My secret recipe.
- Nan, Pop, meet my best friend--
- Marjorie?
- This
was old information for Nan.
She knew exactly who Marjorie was.
- Phillip with his friend, Marjorie,
and the De Havilland Mosquito
fighter bomber Mk VI,
which they built together.
I don't believe it.
- Nor me, either.
After the Mk V, De Havilland
ceased production of the bomber
and concentrated on the Night Fighter.
Everybody knows that.
- Pop, pack the knapsacks,
we are going to Angelus.
- Dad's not home.
- I came to see you, Geoffrey.
- What for?
- I think we need to talk.
- Okay.
- Do you know how to turn off the mower?
- Yeah.
- Would you please turn it off?
Well, that's a bit better.
I'm sorry to interrupt you.
- Yep.
- Just a thought, since you didn't eat
any Pavlova last night,
I thought you'd might like
to try something else.
Cheesecake.
- It's a bit early for me.
- The thing is, I like your
dad, quite a lot, actually.
- Well, better get back to the mowing.
- I know you miss your
mum, and I don't want to,
you know, replace her.
I just...
Anyway, I'm pleased we had this chat.
I'll just leave this here.
- I don't know what to say.
- Just explain what you're
doing to make sure the child
reaches her milestones.
- Milestones?
- Do I have to spell it out?
Walking, Joy.
Our family are all great walkers.
This one's letting the side down.
- No, she's just taking her time.
- How much more can she possibly need?
- Can you turn that thing off, please.
- I thought you'd like to
document the child's progress
in audiovisual form.
- Excuse me, just for a second.
- See what I found beside Phillip's bed?
Evidence.
- Age is just a state of mind.
I've never heard anything more absurd.
- Look at the signature.
It's from her.
- Yours scientifically, Marjorie.
You're not going to turn
this into a competition,
are you, Nan?
- Competition?
I wouldn't even consider
something so undignified.
Cupcake, darling?
- No, thanks, Nan, maybe later.
- Why not have one now?
- Well, I'm a bit full.
But they do look delicious.
- They are, it's the extra bran.
So you won't need to get your
cupcakes anywhere else now,
will you?
- No, I guess not.
- Good boy.
- Nan trying
to be friends with Phillip?
Way too much information for him.
- Lockie?
Lockie?
- What are you doing?
- You know, hanging out
with the washing machine.
What are you doing?
It's a beautiful day, you
should go to the beach.
Blob and I can come with you,
straight away if you'd like.
- I would, but I have
to collect information
for my HeadSpace page.
- What kind of information?
- Anything going, but
I need a video camera.
- I think I can
organise one of those.
- This is Angelus Beach,
I come here a lot.
And this is my board, and my wax.
- Is that all you're going to say?
- What else should I say?
- I don't know, man, it's your life.
- This is Egg, he's my best friend.
Say hello, Egg.
- Lockie, Vicki knows this stuff already.
- Egg had a point.
Vicki knew just about
everything about me already.
I had to find some new
information, but what?
This is the grass at
the front of my house.
It's probably a bit longer
since you last saw it.
Good?
This is the tee shirt I wore last weekend.
I still haven't put it in the wash.
I should do that.
This is some of what we're
having for dinner, broccoli.
Interesting.
- Hey, that's my camera!
- Geoffrey, this
cheesecake is spectacular.
Do you want some?
- No, it would be a betrayal.
- A betrayal?
Of whom?
- Mum.
- Why?
- I don't want you to hang
out with Ms. Archer anymore.
She's a space invader.
- I don't understand.
- It's like she sees a
space, and she invades it.
And she's not allowed to.
This is Mum's space, not hers.
- But don't you want me to be happy?
- In this moment,
Egg knew he couldn't stop his dad
from hanging out with Ms. Archer.
- Whatever you want, Dad.
- Mr. Eggleston, is there
anything you'd like to share?
- It wasn't me.
- No?
- When it was you who
unlawfully imprisoned
Ms. Archer in her
classroom only a week ago?
- Yeah, but I--
- I don't want your excuses!
I want a confession!
- But
Egg had nothing to confess.
Technically, it was
the fire drill's fault.
- Mr. Squasher, I'm sure
Geoffrey wasn't involved in this.
- This was
worse than the cheesecake.
Ms. Archer standing up for Egg?
It felt like an even
bigger space invasion.
- Come on, then, let's hear it.
- And if
Egg couldn't stop his dad
from hanging out with Ms. Archer,
he figured this was the next best thing.
- I did it.
And I'll do it again tomorrow.
- Even if it meant
using false information.
- Marjorie, this is
seriously good French toast.
- I changed the egg, milk
ratio, as you suggested.
- I knew it.
- Hi, Nan.
- I thought you said you
wouldn't get your cupcakes
from anyone else?
- This is French toast.
- I'll bet it is.
So, now you've got yourself a new Nan,
I suppose you don't want the
old one cramping your style.
- Sorry?
- Well sometimes sorry just isn't enough.
- I don't quite understand.
- It's okay, Marj, I'll deal with this.
- So, now it's Marj, is it?
- Wait, Nan, it's not what you think.
- Don't take me for a fool, Lockie.
- Phillip.
- That's what I said.
- It's just French toast,
it doesn't mean anything.
- It may be just French toast to you,
but to me it's bread soaked in treachery.
- Don't worry, Phillip,
she needs to be on her own.
- Nan
and Pop were in our beds,
so Phillip and I got the lounge room.
Normally that would be a serious pain,
but tonight I was glad
to be near the computer,
'cause I really needed to know if Vicki
was still talking to me
after all that boring stuff
I put on my HeadSpace page.
I just had to wait for
midnight to roll around
so I could use my next
half hour of computer time.
- Hey, Lockie, I loved the stuff
on your HeadSpace page.
- You liked that stuff, really?
- Yeah, amazing.
I had broccoli for dinner, too.
And the grass at the front of your house?
Wow, it must have grown
at least seven millimetres
since I last saw it.
So when are you gonna
put some more stuff up?
- I couldn't
decide what was weirder,
Vicki not hating the information
I put on my HeadSpace page,
or her wanting more.
- Happy birthday, Lockie.
- Happy birthday, Lockie!
- Thanks.
- Good in all weather, those.
A friend for life.
- My favourite colour, how did you know?
- From your mother and I.
- A camera.
Thanks Mum, thanks Dad.
- What a good idea.
- It's second-hand, but
the bloke in the shop
reckons it's the best you can get.
- Three years ago.
- It's all charged up and ready to go.
- So now there's no excuse for
you not putting information
on your Space Head interpage.
- This is Mum and
Phillip walking to school.
This is the bus stop where
I sometimes catch the bus
to the shops instead of riding my bike.
- Lockie, can I ask you something?
Do you really think that
Vicki, and the world,
for that matter, would find
this information useful?
I mean, surely you and
Vicki don't discuss these
kind of--
- Boring, mundane--
- Trivial things in person?
- Suddenly,
I realised Mum was right.
- Mum, maybe half an hour
internet time per day
is a bit too generous after all.
This was the first time
I'd ever worked out
something before Vicki did.
After school it was my birthday picnic,
and everyone was invited.
But, according to Nan,
not everyone was welcome.
- This is a family only event.
- What about Egg?
- Egg?
- I've had quite enough
of you and your food.
- Maybe you and I should go for a walk.
- A walk?
- Will they be okay alone?
- They're okay.
This is something they need
to work out by themselves.
- Nice cold drink, darling?
Marjorie says I should be
seeing more of my grandchildren,
not just sending letters and photos.
- Sure, Nan, but only if you
really feel that you have to.
- Yes, of course!
- Look!
Trust Blob to upstage me
at my own birthday party.
- Maybe you should put that
on your HeadSpace page.
- I thought
about it, but in the end,
there are some things
which belong in the moment,
and not on the internet.
And those, they're the coolest,
most important bits of information of all.
("Make it Last" by Kate Miller Heidke)