The Cosby Show (1984–1992): Season 3, Episode 7 - Theo's Flight - full transcript

♪♪ [theme]

♪♪ [singing in Spanish]

♪♪ [ends]

Now that's what I call courage.

That guy was something else.

Hey, Dad. Hi, Dr. Huxtable.

How was school? Thrilling.

School was thrilling?

Yeah. In history class,
we had a guest speaker,

Captain Bill Melton of
the Tuskegee Airmen.

He was in a fighter
squadron in World War II.



You ought to have your
grandfather talk about those men.

Well, Dad, he told
us all these stories

about the missions
he flew in Europe.

Then he showed us films of the
jets the Air Force is using today.

Dad, it's amazing what
they do with those planes.

Yes, indeed.

When I saw that film and
I heard Captain Melton,

I finally realized
my purpose in life.

We both did. Which
is... [both] To fly.

Up in the wild blue yonder.

That's right.

Well, you guys graduate
from high school,

you apply to the Air Force
Academy or the Naval Academy...

Dad. Huh?



I wanna fly now.

Me, too.

Now, Dad, before you
say no, please hear me out,

because after you
hear what I have to say,

you are gonna
want me to fly, too.

I am? Yeah.

Okay.

I'm not just
doing it for myself.

If I learn how to fly, the
whole family will benefit.

We will?

Okay. Vacations. Uh-huh.

Remember when we drove
out to the Grand Canyon,

and how much you loved it?

Oh, yeah. It was
a nice vacation.

I know. And you always
talk about going back.

But nobody in the family
wants to take that long,

hot, dusty car
trip with you again.

They don't? No.

So I'm suggesting, Dad,

I could get us there
in no time... by flying.

[laughs] With me as co-pilot.

Let me just stop
this for one second,

'cause you guys are talking
about doing all this flying, but, um...

I mean, so far... You don't
have a plane or a pilot's license.

But I can get one
if I take lessons.

Yeah?

What are your, uh,
parents saying about this?

Well, I haven't asked them
yet. We stopped here first.

But a yes from you could
carry a lot of weight with them.

I'm flattered.

So do I get permission?

I'm not saying no.

Ha ha! All right!

But I haven't said yes.

That's okay, Dad. As long
as you're not saying no.

Well, I just want you to know

that something
of this magnitude,

we have to pass
by Mrs. Huxtable.

Fair enough.

Dr. Huxtable, we
welcome the opportunity.

I just... I just ask one thing.

When you get it ready to
pass it by Mrs. Huxtable,

I want to be there to see it.

Okay, Dad.

Thanks, Dr. Huxtable.

Now, come on.

We have to think of what to say
to mom before she gets home.

We'll just use the same
arguments that we used on your dad.

We can't. She's an
attorney. She's sharp.

Ohh! Jump back!

Will you look at this!

Mother's little cooks.

You never cooked for me.

Just walked in and said,
"Can we take flying lessons?"

And look at this!

Mrs. Huxtable's
favorite green olives.

I know. Ha ha!

Boy, you guys are cooking
up a little strategy here.

That's right, Dad.
We mean business.

All right.

Well, I just hope your mother
doesn't die of food poisoning...

before she gets to say yes.

Daddy! Hey!

I'm want to bring
somebody over to play.

Who? My boyfriend.

Ohhhh! Ohhhh!

Now come on. You
have a boyfriend?

Yes.

What makes him your boyfriend?

I told him he was.

Now, Rudy, I thought you
told me I was your boyfriend.

You're too old.

Cockroach, it's amazing.

You get turned down
by women of all ages.

Now, how did you come
to meet this boyfriend?

Did you see him
across a crowded room?

No, he sits next to me in class.

I see. And you really
kind of like him, huh?

Yes. All right.

Well, then you
have my blessings.

Would you please bring him over as
soon as possible so I can meet him?

Thanks. Yes.

Oh, oh, oh, one thing.

What is his name?

His name is Bud.

Bud?

That's right!

Hi, Mommy!

[Clair] Hi, Rudy. Cliff?

Could you come in here, please?

Yes, dear.

Come on, come on.
Get the stuff together!

I'm not finished
slicing the olives.

You don't have
time. Bring the jar.

Hey.

Cliff, we really have
to do something

about that crack
in the sidewalk.

I just broke the
heel off my shoe.

Okay, I'll give Mr. Lucas a
call first thing in the morning.

Uh, Mrs. Huxtable, would you like
us to take your shoe in to be repaired?

That's all right, Walter, I'll do it
myself tomorrow on the way to work.

Mom, how would you
like an hors d'oeuvre?

Not now, Theo, thank you.

Olive?

No, thank you.

That's okay, 'cause you can wait
for the spaghetti dinner we prepared.

Dinner?

Yes.

Okay, what do you want from me?

Clair, before they start this, if
you feel a loss of air pressure,

don't worry, because oxygen
masks will fall from the ceiling.

Dad.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Mom, I'm going to
ask you a question.

And before you say no, I want
you to promise you'll hear me out.

Okay, I promise.
I'll hear you out.

Now, I'm not expecting you to say
yes. I'll be happy if you don't say no.

Theo, what is it?

I wanna take flying lessons.

Flying lessons?

Now, you promised
you would hear me out.

All right. Go on.

Mom, ever since the dawn of
man, it has been his dream to fly.

And on December 17, 1903, on a sandy strip
of land in Kitty Hawk, North Carolina,

the Wright Brothers
made the dream come true.

Thanks to pioneers like them,

today anyone can share the
dream of soaring above the clouds.

I'm sure there's a point
in there somewhere.

It just so happens, only six miles
from here there's a small airport.

Where one can take an
introductory flying lesson for only $20.

Well, it's a little bit difficult to
picture my son soaring above the clouds

when he doesn't even
have a driver's license.

But, Mom, most experts say that it
is safer to fly than it is to drive a car.

I want you to know

that I have listened to
everything you have had to say,

and I am impressed.

You're obviously
serious about this.

Yes, we are.

Then I think you should
take a flying lesson.

What do you think, Cliff?

I'm behind you a
hundred percent.

I can fly! I can fly! Ha ha!

All right... Olive? Mmm.

Walter, if your parents
give you permission,

I'll take you to the
airport myself tomorrow.

Come on! Let's go ask! Yeah!

Wait, wait, wait.
What about dinner?

Enjoy it, Dad.

[both] ♪ Off we go into
the wild blue yonder ♪

I've been married to you for 23 years,
and you never cease to amaze me.

I amaze myself.

Do you realize
what you just did?

Yes.

You just gave your son
permission to take flying lessons.

Yes.

This doesn't worry you?

Oh, Cliff, I am going
to check out the airport.

I will make sure that they have
licensed, qualified instructors.

That isn't what I asked you.

I asked you if this
doesn't worry you.

I'm scared out of my mind.

Then why didn't
you tell them no?

I was waiting for you to say no.

I was waiting for you to say no.

Cliff, we made an agreement.

If one of the children showed
a sincere interest in something,

we would encourage them.

Well, he's obviously
sincere about this,

and one way to test
just how sincere he is

is to let him take
a flying lesson.

Do you think we
did the right thing?

What do you think?

I think we did the right thing.

So do I.

But if something happens,
it's gonna be your fault.

Uh-huh. Okay.

Well, thank you, Dr. Bershet.

Give my best to Bev.

Thank you. This
is helpful. Bye-bye.

Hi, Daddy! Well, how are you?

And who is this?

This is Bud.

Well, Bud.

How are you doing? Fine.

Good. Heard so much about you.

Can he stay here and play?

Uh, we have to call his parents.

His mom's waiting
outside in the car.

Okay. Pardon me,
Bud. I will go ask.

Come on!

[Cliff] Is it all right?

[car horn honks]

Okay.

Bud, you're in.

Good.

Now, would the two of
you like a delicious snack?

No, we're not hungry.

Oh. Bud, what about you?

We're not hungry. Okay.

Can we go outside and
play in the backyard?

Yes, but make sure you
stay in the backyard only.

We will.

Come on. You have
to hold my hand.

Vroom! Dad.

How was the flying lesson?

Incredible.

The best.

[both making airplane noises]

- Now, where's Mom?
- She's parking the car.

Dad, you should have been there.
We had the greatest instructor.

Yeah, he wore this
beat up old leather jacket,

scarf around his neck, and
these intense aviator glasses.

And they looked good on him, but on
us, they're going to look unbelievable.

So did you get off the ground?

Definitely! We climbed to about
7,000 feet and then we leveled off.

And that's when the instructor
took his hands off the wheel,

looked at me
and said, "Take it."

And you took it?

Dad... I took it.

All right.

There we were, soaring high
above the clouds, the earth below us.

It really put my
life in perspective.

How?

I have to be a pilot, Dad.

Me, too. And the instructor
said we can get our license

with about 50 hours
of flight training.

Well, how much... How
much does that cost?

About $50 an hour.

$50? Yeah.

[laughs]

Okay. Well, since it's
gonna cost that much,

I think there's something
I have to tell you.

If you don't mind,
just bear with me.

I have in my hand...
My tennis racket. Yes.

Theo Huxtable, age 11,

came to his mother and father
jumping up and down and said...

"I think I can put my
life in perspective.

I want to become a tennis
pro and win Wimbledon."

His mother and father said,
"Well, if he wants to do this,

then let us grant
him this wish."

The mother drove young Theo to
Bob Ryland's Tennis Camp for 3 weeks.

He played. He hit.
He ran, back and forth.

And then he had his first match.

And he lost.

And you came back here,

and you dropped the tennis
racket down and you said,

"I don't want to play anymore."

I said, "What happened?"

You said, "Well, the guy I was playing
against didn't hit the ball to me right."

Did you do that?

I was only 11 years old.

Ah! Only 11, he says.

Well, let's move ahead.

My guitar. Yes!

Age 14.

Young Theo Huxtable comes to his
parents again, jumping up and down.

"My life into
perspective," he says.

"I have a feeling
that I want to become

"the greatest rhythm and
blues singer in all the world.

Can I have a guitar, please?
Can I take lessons, please?"

He took one lesson.

Came home and he said,
"Lessons are not for me.

Learning the notes is not for
me. It's what's in me that counts."

Obviously, what's in him didn't
come out because I found this...

[plucks detuned string]

in the basement.

Look, Dad, I know I haven't
been serious about a lot of things,

but I'm super
serious about flying.

Okay. Let's take
for granted you are.

I have some important information
here about flying from Dr. Bershet.

He owns his own plane,
and he flies all the time,

and he gave me some
important information

on how much it would cost for the
five of us to fly over the Grand Canyon.

But we want to take
the whole family.

Yeah, but, son, you should now

the are certain members
of this family who know you

and would not go near that
plane if you were the pilot.

A Twin-engine
plane, fully equipped,

seating five passengers
costs $495,000.

$495,000?

Used.

Well, maybe we
could rent a plane.

I checked on that also.

Uh, $350.

We can handle that.

Per hour.

Per hour?

Per... hour.

Listen, maybe we should
forget the Grand Canyon

and just concentrate
on getting our license.

I agree.

Your license costs
$7,000 apiece.

7,000. That's expensive.

Yes, especially since you only
get $8.00 a week for your allowance.

Okay.

Theo, we've got
to find a way to fly.

We'll get jobs! We
can work after school!

And on weekends!

Hey, I'll work two jobs
if I have to. Me, too.

You will? Yes.

You promise?

Dad, I'm super
serious about flying.

If you're serious, then I will
pay for half of your lessons.

All right! Thanks, Dad!

Dr. Huxtable, if you do that, I
am sure my parents will, too.

Cockroach, we're in.

Mm-hmm. You know it!

Come on. We got
some planning to do.

Theo? Yeah?

You serious? Yes.

Okay, because I don't have any
room in that basement for an airplane.

Mom, are you really going
to let Theo fly a plane?

Well, if he does the work
and passes the test, yes.

You're going to
let Theo fly a plane,

and you won't let
me wear makeup?

Those are two different issues.

I agree.

One cost a lot of
money and one doesn't.

I could wear makeup
for $5.00 a week.

[laughs] And I know
another difference.

In order to fly a plane, you have
to get a license from the FAA.

In order to wear makeup, you
have to get a license from me.

Okay.

Hello. Cliff, come
here a second.

Now, I have been watching
Rudy play with Bud.

Look at this.

Home base is over here.

I thought you said
it was over there.

I changed my mind.
You're it. Count!

1... 2... 3... Count slower!

1... 2... Slower!

1... 2...

[sighs] I've never
seen her so bossy.

She is kinda pushy.

Well, I don't like
it. Call her in here.

Now?

I'm sorry. Okay.

Would you call
her in here, please?

All right.

Yes, now.

Rudy, Bud, come on in.

Can we have something to drink?

Sure. What would you like?

I want apple juice
and so does Bud.

Bud, is that what you want?

Yes.

I'm asking Bud.

I want apple juice.

Say "please." Please.

Rudy, before you
have your juice,

I'd like to speak with
you in the living room.

Okay.

And while they're talking,

you and I will have a
tall glass of apple juice...

man to Bud.

Okay.

Bud seems nice. Yes.

How are you getting along? Good.

Well, I noticed you playing with him in
the backyard, and you were very bossy.

You were telling him what to do, when
to do it, and how you wanted it done.

I know.

Why were you doing that?

So he'll do what I want.

Honey, maybe Bud doesn't
like to be told what to do.

Yes, he does.

How do you know that?

Because when I tell him
to do something, he does it.

Do you boss your other
friends around like that?

No, just Bud.

Why?

Because I like him the most.

You like him the most
because he does what you say?

Yes.

Honey, people do not like to
be told what to do all the time.

And if you don't stop that,
he might stop liking you.

Do you want that to happen?

No.

You don't like it when people tell
you what to do all the time, do you?

No.

Well, I think we
should work this out.

How's the apple juice, Bud?

Dr. Huxtable? Yes, sir.

My name's not Bud.

What is your name?

Kenny.

Why does she call you Bud?

She says she like
the name better.

So what do you like?

Kenny.

Well, why don't
you tell her that?

I don't know.

Well, Kenny, if you don't like
something that somebody's doing,

then you have to tell them that.

You have to say
no. You understand?

Yes. Well, let me
hear you say it.

No.

You can go, you
know, deeper than that.

[low voice] No.

Yeah.

You can go deeper
than that, can't you?

[lower voice] No.

There you go.

Hi, Bud!

Now's your chance.

Rudy... Mm-hmm.

My name's not Bud, it's Kenny.

Would you like
something to eat, Kenny?

Sure.

How about some
peanut butter and celery?

No.

How about some delicious grapes?

Yes. All right.

I think that after Kenny finishes
his snack, we'll take him on home.

[low voice] No.

Hey, Theo, I got a great idea.

Why don't we take our
dates to the prom in a plane?

Yeah!

We're going to look so
good walking in to the prom

with the leather jackets
and the aviator glasses.

We'll be able to dance
with anyone we want.

Cockroach, you
should look at this.

What?

Well, these figures.

After our parents give us half,

we still have to come up with
$3,500 apiece to get the pilot's license.

That's why we're
getting the jobs.

Yeah, but it's not
going to be that easy

making that kind of
money working part time.

Now if you figure in taxes,
we're going to have to work...

1,150 hours?

No problem. Wait,
you don't understand.

We go to school during the week,

we come home and
do homework at night.

The only time we can
work is on the weekends.

So we'll work a lot of
hours on those weekends.

How?

We have college
boards coming up.

And it takes a lot of time to
study for that pilot's license.

[sighs] You're right.

We'll be working and studying
every minute of the day.

It's going to take us
forever to get that license.

And next year is
our senior year.

Man, we're going to
miss out on everything.

I know. Senior year is
the best year of your life.

Yeah. [sighs]

Maybe we should just
buy the leather jackets.

So... what did you say to Rudy?

I told Rudy that she has to learn
to respect other people's wants.

She can't go around expecting people
to just do what she wants all the time.

Or it might be good-bye Bud.

[laughs] You mean
good-bye Kenny.

Who's Kenny?

Bud. What?

She named him Bud.

Hey.

Hi. How you doing?

The Tuskegee Airmen!

Cockroach and I have
been talking about flying.

Uh-huh.

And we figured since we'll both be
getting our driver's license next year,

we don't need to fly.

Now wait a minute. What
happened with the Tuskegee Airmen

and flying to the Grand Canyon with
the whole family or whoever wants to go

and life in the
proper perspective?

Those things are okay, too,

but to appreciate this great country of
ours, you have to see it at ground level.

Does this mean that
you never want to fly?

No. We're just saying we're
going to put it off for a while.

See, Theo and I feel that right now there
are more important things than flying.

Like what?

You know, like developing
academically and socially at school.

And spending time
with our families.

Well, I'm glad to see
that you boys have given

this such thought, and
I respect your decision.

Yes, we felt it was
the mature thing to do.

But we want to thank you
for being so supportive.

You're welcome.

We're going to go to Gerald's
house, but I will be back by dinner.

Okay. Bye.

Bye-bye.

They changed their minds!

Theo is not going to fly!

He's going to
stay on the ground.

Mmm, mmm. Life is beautiful.

I kind of feel a little sad about not
being able to soar over the Grand Canyon.

I think I'll take some
flying lessons myself.

You cannot do that.

Why?

Three good reasons. First of all,
to learn to fly, you should be young.

Second, you should
have spare time.

And as a physician,
you don't have that.

And third, you're not allowed.

Who says so?

I says so, Bud.

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