Perfect Strangers (1986–1993): Season 2, Episode 17 - Ten Speed and a Soft Touch - full transcript

Larry and Balki spend time with a teenager who seems headed down a path of delinquency, but Larry thinks their efforts are for nothing when he suspects the boy of stealing his childhood bicycle.

(THEME SONG PLAYING)

* Sometimes the
world looks perfect

* Nothing to rearrange

* Sometimes you
just get a feeling

* Like you need
some kind of change

* Nothing's gonna
stand in my way

* This flame in my heart
like a long-lost friend

* Gives every dark street
a light at the end

* Standing tall

* On the wings of my dream

* On the wings of my dream



* Through rain and thunder
the wind and haze

* I'm bound for better days

* It's my life and my dream

* And nothing's
gonna stop me now

* Nothing's gonna stop me

* It's my life and my dream

* Nothing's gonna stop me now

* Nothing's gonna stop me now *

Oh, great. Here, just set
them down. Easy, real easy.

Just set them down there.
Real easy.

Thank you.

Can I help you?

where do you
keep your T-shirts?

Well, I keep them
in my drawer.



Where do I come up with them?

No, okay. Eh, ahem.

The T-shirts are right here

and I think this one
is in your size.

Hey, hey! Don't hustle me.

Okay. Uh, you look around first
and... And then I'll hustle you.

My marbles.
My slingshot.

Ah! A third-grade
test paper.

Look at that, I got an A.
Oh!

Minus.

Well, I saved all
this stuff from childhood.

My parents sent everything.

Ah-ah-ah. That's not trash.

Looks like garbage to me.

What this? A crutch?

No.

No, that's not a crutch.
It's a pogo stick.

Well, of course it is.
Don't be ridiculous.

You got a pogo ball
in here, somewhere?

Balki, here. Let me
show you how this works.

This is the greatest
toy in the world.

I spent half my childhood
on this thing.

Ooh!

What else does it do?

Nothing else. That's it.

Guess you had to be there.

Right, fine.
Fine, forget it.

Just trying to share
a little bit of my life.

Oh, cousin, I'm...
I'm sorry.

Did you pay money for this?
No, forget it.

Oh, oh. My bike.

Black Beauty.
How are you, fella?

Balki. This is
my bike, Black Beauty.

Black Beauty and I
grew up together.

We even did a wheelie once,
didn't we, fella? Whoo.

(CHUCKLES)

Hey, if you're finished
talking to the bicycle,

can I buy this pen
and get out of here?

That's a good choice,
a very good choice.

You know,
they're only 50 cents
and they write forever.

You're a very
smart shopper.
Yeah, yeah.

And, uh, a very busy
one too. Hey, what's this?

But you'll need
batteries for that.

Balki, he was stealing.

I wasn't gonna steal it.

Oh, cousin, he, uh,
probably meant to pay for it

and then he forgot.

Yeah, that's it.
I forgot. Can I go now?

No, you cannot go now.
I want your name and address.

I am going to
call your mother.

No, you're not.

Oh, wait a minute. You
forgot your notebook.

"Eddie."

Eddie. Uh-huh.

"Eddie Harris,
315 Lincoln Avenue."

Well, I'll be snookered.
So do we.

Howdy, neighbor.

Look, I don't want any trouble.

I just moved in.
I'll make you a deal.

You don't call my mom, and I
won't come in your store again.

Okay?

Okay.

But don't
let it happen again.

Boy.

A kid starts off shoplifting...

Pretty soon he's stealing
hubcaps, then the whole car.

Ends up in and out of prison.

Never has a shot
at a decent life.

Oh, cousin, that's terrible.

Yeah, it is.

If only someone would take
the time to point him

in the right direction.

Maybe he'd have a chance.

Well, I gotta get
this stuff upstairs.

But, cousin, we have the time.

Well, maybe we could
spend some time with him.

I mean, I'm pretty good
with kids.

I grew up with a lot
of brothers and sisters.

Tomorrow's Saturday.
We could start helping him then.

Or we can start right now.

Give me 25 cents.
Okay. Why?

Well, we gotta pay for the pen
we let him walk out with.

That's right, Mrs. Harris,
your son, Eddie.

Yeah, we really do want
to spend the day with him.

Yes, I'll be sure to
keep my hand on my wallet.

I understand that
it's my funeral

but I'm willing to
take that chance.

Yeah, bye-bye.

Interesting woman.

I'm beginning to get some
insight into Eddie Harris

or Fast Eddie, as his mother
affectionately calls him.

Why she call him that?

Well, probably because
he's growing up too fast.

He's been arrested twice
for shoplifting,

and she didn't go into it,

but they can't
go back to Florida.

Oh, cousin, that the
saddest story I ever hear.

Hmm.

Except for the woman I read
about in the checkout line

who had feet
the size of watermelons.

Well, we can't
help her, can we?

No, no.

But we can help Eddie.
Yes.

We'll use the three P's.

Patience, perseverance
and pride.

Well, cousin, I was thinking
maybe we could, er,

play boochi tag with him.

No, no. No boochi tag.

We're not playing
any Mypos games.

Oh, but cousin, it's fun,
and it's really easy to play.

Balki, I said no.

You're it.

Balki, I told you,
I'm not playing.

Yes, I know, but...

You have to
because you're it.

Boochi, boochi, boochi.

And, you know, once a game
of boochi tag starts,

you have to play it
until it's over.

No, I don't have to.

Well, okay, in that case,
you just have to be it forever.

Boochi, boochi, boochi.

(SIGHS)

Balki, I'm not playing
any childish game of tag.

You're it.
(GASPS)

Boochi, boochi, boochi.

Boochi.

(GRUNTS)

Boochi, boochi, boochi.

(LAUGHING)

(BOTH PANTING)

Ah.
Ah.

All right. All right.

You win.
Mmm-hmm.

Boochi, boochi, boochi.

Ha!
Ha-ha.

Yah!
Ho-ho.

What's this?
Hmm? Oh.

Boochi, boochi, boochi.

You're it.
No, I'm not.

Yes, you are.
I just tagged you.

Yes, I know but I'm not it.

Why not?

Did I mention that
Dimitri was the boochi?

You made that up.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Eddie.
Eddie.

Hi, Eddie.

So let's get this over with.

How do you feel
about pottery?

What?

Are you serious?

Or we could go on a walking tour

of the major architectural
sights downtown.

Or we could play video games
until our eyes fall out

and then eat hot dogs
until we bust a gut.

Now, that sounds better.

Okay, let's go.

You know, Balki.

I really had
a great time yesterday.

I saw him smile twice.

Did you notice after we
bought him the 12th hot dog

he said thank you?

You know, I think we have
a gift for working with kids.

Yeah, I do too.

Balki.

What are you doing?

Looking for those
Monster Man tattoos.

Surprise. I already got them.

Maybe we should
give those to Eddie.

I don't think so.

You know, he's
not such a bad kid.

I don't know why his mother
gives him such a hard time.

If she just had a
little faith in him.

Just a little bit
of trust, you know,

that would be all it would...

Balki, Balki.

What, what?
Black Beauty is gone.

That rotten kid stole my bike.

Let's go upstairs to Eddie's
apartment and get Black Beauty.

Wait a minute.
Wait a minute.

How can you be so sure it
was Eddie who took the bicycle?

Who else could it be?
He's the only thief
who lives in the building.

Wait, wait.

Maybe he did take it
but just to borrow.

Oh, I'm sure you have
a perfectly logical

explanation for
his borrowing my bike.

Well, of course I do.
Don't be ridiculous.

What is it?
I don't know.

But, cousin,
if you want to help somebody

you've got to give him
the benefit of the dou-wet.

Dou-wet?
Dou-wet.

You have to trust him.

Balki, his own
mother doesn't trust him.

The entire state of Florida
doesn't trust him.

Eleven million
people can't be wrong.

No, wait a minute,
wait a minute. Wait.

Now, cousin, Eddie is coming
down here in a minute.

You have to promise
you'll give him a chance.

Remember the three P's.

Patience, perseverance
and pride.

Balki, when it comes
to Eddie, the only three P's

are police,
prosecution and prison.

Cousin, this is America.

And every man is innocent
until proven guilty.

You haven't even heard
his side of the story yet.

Now, you promise me,
that you will keep an open mind.

No. I don't have
to promise anything.

What are you doing?

Promise you'll keep
an open mind.

No.

Promise?
No!

Well, then I'll just
hold you here

until your hair falls out.

All right, all right. I promise,
I will keep an open mind.

Okay.

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

So, are you guys
ready to go?

You're not going
anywhere, punk.

Cousin.

I thought we were
going to the movies.

Cousin Larry is a little upset
because his bike is missing.

Hey, don't look at me, I don't
know anything about his bike.

You see?
Mmm-hmm.

Then what's he doing
with this?

It's one of Black Beauty's
streamer strands.

I found it in the hall.
Oh, yeah, tell me another.

I want my bike back,
you freckle-faced felon.

This is very important, and I
want you to tell me the truth.

Did you take
Cousin Larry's bike?

No, I did not take his bike.

I knew you didn't do it.

You just can't
accept it, can you?

When are you gonna see this kid
for what he really is?

Does he have to
steal your shoes?

Eddie, do me a favor.
When you take his wallet,

leave his driver's license.

I get enough of this
garbage at home.

I'm calling Eddie's mother.
No. Why you do that?

Because she can
get my bike back.

But cousin,
Eddie did not take the bike.

And you'll get him
into trouble.

Don't worry about Eddie.
I'm sure he'll continue

a life of crime and someday
write a best-selling book.

But, cousin, he told us...

Why you can't
trust and believe him?

Oh, trust Eddie?
Believe Eddie? Fine.

Yeah, why don't we just
invite him down here

to steal whatever
his little heart desires?

No, no. Why stop at Eddie?

Why not invite every thief
in the city?

Hey, everybody,
we've got a new stereo.

Anybody wanna steal it?
Help yourself!

It's bargain day at Larry
and Balki's Rip-Off City!

Oh, cousin.

Ah! Ow! Oh. Oh.
Ooh! Ooh!

Got you.
Oh!

You seem troubled.

Do you think so?

Yes, I can tell because
that vein on your neck

is popping out
and your upper lip
has disappeared altogether.

I'm calling Eddie's mother.

No, no, cousin, cousin...

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Cousin...

(KNOCK ON DOOR)

Hello, Mrs. Harris,
this is Larry Appleton.

(GASPS) Cousin, it's your bike.

It's about Eddie.
Cousin.

I'll have to call
you back. Bye-bye.

Jennifer, Black Beauty.

Oh, thank you.
I've been working on my tan.

It seems okay.
No nicks, no dents.

Where did you find it?

I found it in the hallway.

You borrowed it?

Well, yes,
my car was in the garage

and I needed
to go pick it up.

Oh, it's no bother.
I didn't miss it at all.

Didn't miss it at all?

Was that you?

Well, it's my childhood bike.
I'm kind of attached to it.

I think it's obvious
that Larry's suffering

from severe separation anxiety

caused by the temporary loss
of his childhood bicycle.

Where do you learn
stuff like this?

I watch Oprah.

Thanks again, Larry.
Oh, any time, Jennifer.

Bye.
Bye.

(BIKE HORN HONKS)

Got my bike back.
Mmm-hmm.

Mmm-hmm.

It wasn't stolen.
No, no, no.

I know what you're thinking.
Oh...

You're thinking that
I didn't give Eddie a chance.

And you're
disappointed in me

because when
the going got tough...

I gave up on him.

And, uh...

Uh... No.

No?

Come in.

My mom said I had to come
down here. What do you want?

You got your bike back.

Eddie, I know
you didn't take it.

You stole your own bike?

What a lame-o.

I'm guilty of accusing
you falsely. I was wrong.

I'm sorry.

Can I go now?

See, I have this problem.

So, I thought I'd give it
to somebody who could use it.

Are you interested?
You're giving me your bike?

Yeah.

I don't get this guy.

Sometimes I don't either.
He's very complex.

But inside that little man,

beats a heart
as big as a liver.

I never had a bike before.

Well, you do now. (CHUCKLES)

Ah, thanks.
I'll take good care of it.

Could you do me
one favor, though?

Could you tell my mom
you gave it to me,

so she doesn't think
I stole it?

Sure thing.

That was a very
nice thing you did.

Ah, big deal.

I gave him a bike.

I also called him a thief
and a freckle-faced felon.

I thought
I was good with kids,

but I really
messed up this one.

That's not true.

You made a very good
start with him

and then something
bad happened.

And then you lost your mind.

Thanks for clearing
that up for me.

Cousin, you pointed him
in the right direction.

And if he follows
your example,

someday he'll be
as good a man as you are.

Well, I think maybe
he should aim higher.

This Mypiot thinks
it's pretty high.

I know how to
cheer you up.

We could play
a game of boochi tag.

Oh...

No, no, Balki.

I don't want
to play boochi tag.

Boochi, boochi, boochi.

Ahhh!