The Flying Nun (1967–1970): Season 1, Episode 24 - Cyrano de Bertrille - full transcript
Pedro Alvarez and Juan Cortez are business partners of a produce business, Juan the business oriented partner, Pedro the customer oriented partner. When Pedro reveals he is illiterate (he can't read a letter from his girlfriend in Miami, Ethel Tarnower), Sister Bertrille suggests that he learn to read and write. He takes her suggestion and shows up unannounced in her kindergarten class. Although she doesn't think her class the best venue, Sister Bertrille is buoyed by Pedro's eagerness. Others are not as easily swayed. The Reverend Mother is echoing the concerns of traditional Bishop Pool that Pedro would be a disruptive influence to the convent, and Juan just wants Pedro back at work. But Sister Bertrille eventually convinces the Reverend Mother that Pedro should stay since his learning progress would convince Bishop Pool of the need for an adult English class. In class, Pedro has a roller coaster of emotions matching his learning curve, which is mainly flat. Just as Pedro's about to quit, Sister Bertrille convinces him to stay by telling him of the importance of books, as demonstrated by the sonnets of Elizabeth Barrett Browning, and the fact that Ethel will soon be visiting when he can recite sonnets to her. At the bishop's first inspection, he is less than impressed by Pedro's demonstration, first by the fact that Pedro didn't read but memorized a sonnet that he recited, and second in a banner he made for the bishop where Pedro spelled the bishop's last name Fool. But there is another month until the end of the semester and Pedro will have to be better prepared for the bishop's next visit then. Pedro's progress is steep this time, and is all ready for the bishop when all of a sudden he stops his learning. Ethel has sent him a letter, a letter he reads himself. It is a Dear John letter. He feels his reason for learning is no more. On the bishop's next visit, Sister Bertrille finally convinces Pedro to show up. Pedro does, not to make a presentation, but rather to tell the bishop all the benefits that reading and writing has provided him. The most important of these benefits is that he can now read the business' books, and has learned that Juan has been robbing him blind for the past 15 years.
[dog barking]
(Jacqueline) THERE ARE SOME
NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY
WHICH ARE DEVASTATINGLY OBVIOUS.
BUT THERE ARE OTHERS,
SO COMPLETELY HIDDEN,
THAT NO ONE COULD
KNOW THEY EXIST.
THERE YOU ARE, SISTER.
THAT AMOUNTS TO,
3... $3.52.
UN MOMENTO. YOU'RE TAKING MONEY
FROM A RELIGIOUS SISTER?
SHAME ON YOU, JUAN.
FORGIVE ME, SISTER.
EXCUSE ME, SISTER.
PEDRO, THE CHURCH FEEDS
OUR SOULS, NOT OUR STOMACHS.
DO YOU KNOW, SISTER,
HE'S MISSED MASS
FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS?
I HAD A COLD.
WELL, REALLY, I THINK I OUGHT TO
GIVE HIM... NO, NO, NO, NO, SISTER.
IF YOU HAD A BUSINESS HEAD...
CAN YOU COUNT TO 20 WITHOUT
REMOVING YOUR SHOES?
IF NOT FOR ME, I DON'T GIVE
YOU 2 MINUTES TO GO BANKRUPT.
UH, I APOLOGIZE, SISTER. I
AM A PILLAR OF THE CHURCH,
ASK ANYONE. IDIOT.
HE NEVER GOES TO CHURCH.
SISTER, MAY I SPEAK
TO YOU? I THINK THAT I...
OH, NO, NO, NO,
SISTER. I NEED A FAVOR.
OH, IT'S POSTMARKED MIAMI.
THAT'S WHERE I
SPEND MY VACATION.
ETHEL TARNOW?
OH, SISTER, WHAT A LADY.
WOULD YOU READ IT?
I'M AFRAID MY EYES SEE WELL,
BUT THEY UNDERSTAND NOTHING.
YOU MEAN TO TELL
ME YOU CAN'T READ?
PLEASE DON'T
LAUGH AT ME, SISTER.
IN MY WHOLE LIFE I NEVER
LEARNED TO READ OR WRITE.
SO PLEASE, SISTER.
WELL...
"DEAR PEDRO, I THINK
YOU'RE THE WARMEST
"AND THE KINDEST
PERSON I'VE EVER MET.
I LOVE YOUR BLUE EYES AND
THE CUTE DIMPLE IN YOUR CHIN."
PEDRO, WE HAVE CUSTOMERS.
FORGIVE ME, SISTER,
BUT IT IS A BUSINESS.
PLEASE GO ON, SISTER.
OK, LET ME SEE WHERE I WAS.
UH, "PLEASE WRITE ME SOON.
YOUR DEAR FRIEND, ETHEL TARNOW."
WRITE?
ME? WRITE?
OH, SISTER, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
SISTER...
NOW, PEDRO, DON'T
LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT.
BUT JUST A FEW LINES,
SISTER. WELL, IT'S DISHONEST.
BUT I'D TELL YOU WHAT TO
PUT DOWN, WHAT'S IN MY HEART.
YES, BUT SOONER OR LATER
SHE'D HAVE TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH.
I'VE GOT A BETTER IDEA.
LOOK FOR AN IGNORANT
WOMAN, YOU MEAN?
NO. LEARN.
LEARN?
ANY CHILD COULD DO IT.
I OUGHT TO KNOW. I TEACH SCHOOL.
GOOD MORNING, CLASS.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO...
HE SIMPLY MUST GO.
OH, REVEREND MOTHER, HE
HAS HIS HEART SET ON STAYING.
IT WON'T BE EASY TO EXPLAIN
YOUR DECISION TO HIM.
IT WILL BE EASIER THAN
EXPLAINING PEDRO TO BISHOP POOL,
WHEN HE VISITS NEXT MONTH.
OH, YES.
IF ONLY HIS IDEAS WERE
A LITTLE LESS STODGY.
WHY, THINK OF ALL THE OTHER
PEDRO'S THERE MUST BE IN THIS TOWN.
WE COULD START A
WHOLE ADULT SCHOOL.
SISTER BERTRILLE, DO YOU THINK THAT,
THAT IDEA HAS NOT OCCURRED TO US?
WE HAVE REQUESTED PERMISSION
OF THE BISHOP DOZENS OF TIMES.
WHY HASN'T HE SEEN
THE NEED? BECAUSE HE...
HE'S... STODGY.
IN THE BISHOP'S VIEW,
THERE ARE OTHER MORE
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS.
YES, BUT THAT WAS BEFORE PEDRO.
DON'T YOU SEE, REVEREND MOTHER?
IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE
THE NEEDS OF ONE MAN,
WHO'S SO DESPERATE
FOR AN EDUCATION
THAT HE HAS TO
STUDY WITH CHILDREN,
REVEREND MOTHER, WE CAN
HELP HIM AND HE CAN HELP US.
VERY WELL, SISTER BERTRILLE.
BUT IT WILL NOT BE EASY.
YOU WILL HAVE TO SHOW NOT
ONLY PEDRO'S DESIRE TO LEARN,
YOU WILL HAVE TO SHOW RESULTS.
DON'T WORRY, REVEREND MOTHER.
I PROMISE YOU. WITHIN ONE MONTH,
PEDRO ALVAREZ WILL
BE READING AND WRITING.
WELL, YOU'LL BE AMAZED.
NOW, I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION.
IF YOU THINK THE ANSWER IS YES,
THEN YOU WRITE IT ON THE BOARD.
IF YOU THINK THE ANSWER IS NO,
THEN YOU WRITE THAT ON THE BOARD.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND? YES.
THE QUESTION IS,
PUERTO RICO IS LOCATED
IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. YES OR NO?
OF COURSE, THE ANSWER IS "NO."
WELL, THEN WRITE
IT ON THE BOARD.
HOW DO YOU SPELL "NO"?
N-O. N-O?
HOW DO YOU SPELL "N"?
NO, YOU DON'T SPELL
"N," YOU MAKE AN "N."
HERE. I'LL SHOW YOU.
N-O.
NOW CAN YOU REMEMBER? CERTAINLY.
OK, YOU DO IT.
OF COURSE. SIMPLE.
(Juan) UH, PEDRO, PEDRO,
EXCUSE ME, SISTER.
THIS IS MADNESS, I TELL YOU.
WE HAVE A BUSINESS FULL OF
CUSTOMERS, AND THEY ALL ASK FOR YOU.
I... I MUST BRING HIM BACK.
I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND.
WILL IT HELP YOU
TO GET A HEAD FULL
OF USELESS KNOWLEDGE
WHILE THE BUSINESS SUFFERS?
COME, I'LL DRIVE YOU TO
THE STORE. WHAT DO YOU SAY?
A "P" IS CLOSED
AND AN "F" IS OPEN.
THIS IS AN "F."
"P" IS CLOSED
AND AN "F" IS OPEN.
RIGHT. NOW, I WANT
YOU TO MAKE A WORD
USING THESE 2 LETTERS.
WHAT'S THAT?
FLIP.
"TOM WAS VERY
ROW-OOG, WITH HIS SISTER."
VERY WHAT? R-O-U-G-H.
UH, "ROUGH."
ROW-OOG IS
"ROUGH?" (Bertrille) YES.
YOU SEE, SOMETIMES IN ENGLISH,
O-U-G-H IS PRONOUNCED "UFF,"
AS IN "ROUGH."
HMM.
"TOM WAS VERY
ROUGH "TO HIS SISTER.
SHE RAN THRUFF THE HOUSE."
SHE RAN WHERE?
T-H-R-O-U-G-H. "THRUFF."
OH, WELL, SOMETIMES IN ENGLISH
O-U-G-H IS ALSO PRONOUNCED
"OO," AS IN "THROUGH THE HOUSE."
"SHE RAN THROUGH THE HOUSE.
"WHERE WAS SHE? TOM LOOKED.
"HE HEARD A LITTLE...
"COO"? "CUFF"?
WOULD YOU BELIEVE "COUGH"?
YOU KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE, SISTER?
I BELIEVE THAT THESE WORDS
ARE THE INVENTION OF LUNATICS.
NOW LOOK AT THIS.
CAN YOU TELL ME
WHAT IT IS? AN APPLE?
AN APPLE. AN APPLE.
NOT A PEAR OR A
PRUNE OR A BANANA.
AND THIS, FOR ALL
ETERNITY, IS A BANANA.
ALL MY LIFE I KNOW A THING,
BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT
IT, IT TELLS ME WHAT IT IS.
NOW THAT YOU TELL
ME HOW TO SPELL IT,
IT'S NEVER THE SAME THING TWICE.
WHAT'S WRONG, SISTER? PEDRO...
SISTER, I'VE HAD
ENOUGH OF THIS LUNACY.
I'M GOING BACK TO
THE THINGS I KNOW.
I DON'T NEED TO SPELL THIS
TO KNOW IT IS DELICIOUS.
PEDRO ALVAREZ,
YOU ARE DISRUPTING THE CLASS.
I AM SORRY, REVEREND MOTHER.
HAVE A BANANA. THANK YOU.
SISTER BERTRILLE.
I'M SORRY, REVEREND MOTHER,
I THINK I CAN HANDLE THIS.
PEDRO, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.
SOMETIMES WORDS DRIVE ME CRAZY.
TAKE THE WORD "I" FOR INSTANCE.
IF I SPELL IT WITH A CAPITAL
LETTER "I," IT STANDS FOR MYSELF.
IF I SPELL IT A-Y-E,
IT MEANS "YES."
WHAT DO YOU
SUPPOSE E-Y-E SPELLS?
BLINK?
"EYE." SEE? ANYBODY
COULD BE CONFUSED.
WHAT'S WEEK? UH, NOT STRONG?
7 DAYS. WHAT'S BEAT?
STIR.
TRY VEGETABLE. HOW'RE
WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW?
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO TELL.
♪ FLOUR IS A POWDER ♪
♪ USED IN BAKING BREAD ♪
♪ NOT TO BE CONFUSED
WITH THE FLOWER ♪
♪ THAT YOU FIND
IN A FLOWER BED ♪
♪ NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH BED ♪
♪ YOU COVER WITH A SPREAD ♪
♪ WHICH IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED ♪
♪ WITH A SPREAD LIKE JAM ♪
♪ BUT THE JAM YOU'RE
IN IF YOU MISSPELL LAMB ♪
♪ ON A SPELLING EXAM ♪
♪ 'CAUSE YOU'VE NEVER ♪
♪ LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE ♪
♪ WEATHER IS WHAT TELLS YOU ♪
♪ WHEN IT'S COLD OR HOT ♪
♪ NOT TO BE CONFUSED ♪
♪ WITH WHETHER WHATSOEVER ♪
♪ AS IN WHETHER OR NOT ♪
♪ NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH KNOT ♪
♪ THE DISTANCE ON THE SEA ♪
♪ WHICH IS NOT TO BE
CONFUSED WITH THE LETTER "C" ♪
♪ THE VERY FIRST
LETTER IN CATASTROPHE ♪
♪ WHICH IS WHAT YOU'LL BE ♪
♪ IF YOU NEVER LEARN
TO READ AND WRITE ♪
♪ A PLAIN CAN BE AN OPEN FIELD ♪
♪ BENEATH THE DEEP BLUE SKY ♪
♪ OR A SUPERSONIC JET ♪
♪ THAT TAKES US WAY UP HIGH ♪
♪ NOW JUST SUPPOSE
I SAID TO YOU ♪
♪ MEET ME ON THE PLANE ♪
♪ IF YOU CAN'T SPELL ♪
♪ I'D LIKE TO WARN YA ♪
♪ YOU MAY WIND UP ♪
♪ IN CALIFORNIA ♪
♪ IF IT SOUNDS CONFUSING ♪
♪ THINGS WILL TAKE A TURN ♪
♪ SO JUST RELAX AND
ABSORB THE FACTS ♪
♪ IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN ♪
♪ THOUGH YOU'RE 5 OR 50 ♪
♪ I'M SURE THAT YOU'LL DO WELL ♪
♪ WHICH IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED
WITH THE HOLE IN THE GROUND ♪
♪ BUT THE "WELL" MEANING
SWELL THAT YOU ONLY CAN TELL ♪
♪ WHEN YOU LEARN HOW TO SPELL ♪
♪ YES YOU'VE GOT
TO LEARN TO READ ♪
♪ YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO READ ♪
♪ YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN ♪
♪ TO READ ♪
♪ AND WRITE ♪
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH
THE OPPOSITE OF WRONG.
I HOPE I'M NOT
DISTURBING, SISTER.
OH, NO. I WAS JUST READING.
ABOUT TOM AND HIS SISTER?
[laughing] NO.
I WAS READING A GROUP OF SONNETS
BY ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.
SISTER, I AM LEAVING
SCHOOL. WHY?
AFTER ONE MONTH
OF VERY HARD WORK,
IT'S NO BETTER. LOOK,
ANOTHER ONE FROM MRS. TARNOW.
I RECOGNIZE THE WRITING,
BUT NOT ONE WORD.
I DON'T NEED AN EDUCATION,
TO LEARN HOW STUPID I AM.
DON'T YOU WANT TO
KNOW WHAT SHE SAYS?
IT'S A SHAME.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING
TO DO WHEN SHE ARRIVES?
SHE'S COMING HERE?
IN A MONTH.
GOOD. GOOD.
I'VE BEEN WASTING MY
TIME WITH CHILDREN.
I'M A MAN, SHE'S A WOMAN. I'LL
TELL HER WHAT'S IN MY HEART.
YOU CANNOT LEARN
THAT FROM BOOKS.
"HOW DO I LOVE THEE?
LET ME COUNT THE WAYS.
"I LOVE THEE TO THE
DEPTH AND BREADTH
AND HEIGHT MY SOUL CAN REACH."
THAT'S IN A BOOK?
WELL, IT'S DIFFERENT
FROM HOW TOM
BEHAVES WITH HIS SISTER.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
IT WOULD BE NICE
TO BE ABLE TO...
READ IT TO HER? YES.
THAT TAKES TIME AND PRACTICE.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT
SURE IF A "P" IS AN "F"
OR AN "F" IS A "P,"
BUT DON'T GIVE UP YET, PEDRO.
SISTER, MAY I BORROW
YOUR LITTLE BOOK?
YES.
THANK YOU.
I'LL SEE YOU IN CLASS, SISTER.
[children chattering]
HOW ABOUT AN ORLANDO CEPEDA?
I ALREADY HAVE 2
ORLANDO CEPEDAS.
OH, OK.
CARMELITA, I HEARD YOU IN CLASS.
YOU READ PRETTY GOOD.
DID YOU EVER HEAR OF
ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING?
WHAT TEAM?
OK, CLASS...
(children) GOOD
MORNING, BISHOP POOL.
GOOD MORNING, CHILDREN.
WHERE IS, UH, PEDRO ALVAREZ?
(Bertrille) OH, WELL,
I GUESS HE'S ILL THIS
MORNING, BISHOP POOL.
WELL, THE IMPORTANT THING IS
THE CHILDREN ARE ALL PRESENT.
THIS ILLUSTRATES
MY CHIEF OBJECTION
TO YOUR ADULT SCHOOL IDEA.
GROWNUPS ARE SIMPLY UNRELIABLE.
BESIDES, THEY HAVE TOO
MANY RESPONSIBILITIES.
EXCUSE ME.
I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYBODY.
BISHOP POOL, I AM PEDRO ALVAREZ.
I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE
LEARNING TO READ.
RIGHT.
AND I'M GOING TO READ
SOMETHING FOR YOU NOW, BISHOP.
"HOW DO I LOVE THEE?
LET ME COUNT THE WAYS."
ELIZABETH BARRETT
BROWNING, MY FAVORITE.
"I LOVE THEE WITH A
PASSION PUT TO USE
"IN MY OLD GRIEFS,
"AND WITH MY CHILDHOOD'S FAITH.
"I LOVE THEE WITH A LOVE
"I SEEMED TO LOSE
WITH MY LOST SAINTS,
"I LOVE THEE WITH
THE BREATH, SMILES
"TEARS OF ALL MY LIFE.
"AND, IF GOD CHOOSE,
I SHALL BUT LOVE THEE
BETTER AFTER DEATH."
"SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE."
(Bishop Pool) I'M VERY
IMPRESSED, MR. ALVAREZ.
A REMARKABLE JOB OF TEACHING.
(Bishop Pool) PLEASE,
MR. ALVAREZ,
FAVOR US WITH
ANOTHER. ANOTHER WHAT?
WELL, ANOTHER SONNET, OF COURSE.
COME, COME, MAN.
NOW, REALLY, BISHOP.
I AIN'T GOT TIME
TO MEMORIZE THE WHOLE BOOK.
MEMORIZE?
(Bishop Pool) MEMORIZE.
I AM PROFOUNDLY SHOCKED THAT YOU
WOULD ATTEMPT TO WIN MY SYMPATHY
FOR YOUR ADULT SCHOOL
IDEA WITH THIS... ONE MOMENT.
I DID WRITE SOMETHING.
CARMELITA, SIT DOWN.
I WORKED VERY HARD AT THE STORE
IN MY SPARE TIME AND
DURING BUSINESS HOURS, TOO.
AND, UH, JUAN ALMOST KILLED ME.
(Pedro) BISHOP, I HOPE
YOU'LL FORGIVE ME, UH,
I RAN OUT OF CLOTH AND,
UH, I USED THE ABBREVIATION.
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW I FEEL.
YOU SEE, THE BISHOP
FEELS THAT PEDRO
IS A DISRUPTIVE INFLUENCE
AND HE HAS NO BUSINESS
IN A CHILD'S SCHOOL.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO
PUT HIM IN AN ADULT SCHOOL.
UNFORTUNATELY,
BISHOP POOL ENVISIONS
THE MORE ILLITERATE
MEMBERS OF HIS FLOCK
LEARNING TO SPELL
HIS NAME THAT WAY.
AS WE ALL KNOW, A LITTLE
LEARNING CAN BE A DANGEROUS THING.
WELL, WHAT ABOUT PEDRO? DOES
HE WANT ME TO UNLEARN PEDRO?
OUR SEMESTER WILL
BE OVER IN A MONTH.
AND IF PEDRO IMPROVES,
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE
THAT THE BISHOP MIGHT RETURN.
IF ONLY TO HEAR PEDRO
CLEAR HIS GOOD NAME.
OH, HE'LL IMPROVE, I
GUARANTEE HE'LL IMPROVE.
COULD HE GET ANY WORSE?
"TOM...
"HAS..." THE... BAAL." BALL.
(Juan) PEDRO, PSST,
PSST, PSST. PEDRO.
UH, HELLO, SISTER.
NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
JUAN, IS THIS NECESSARY?
OH, SURE. PEDRO CAN
TELL FROM THE OUTSIDE
HOW A WATERMELON WILL
LOOK ON THE INSIDE. LET ME SEE.
PEDRO, I REALLY THINK THAT...
MOMENTITO, SISTER. POR FAVOR.
(Pedro) TURN IT AROUND.
THAT WATERMELON
IS OLDER THAN I AM.
WELL, COME TO THE STORE
AND TELL HERNANDEZ YOURSELF
IN THE MIDDLE OF
"TOM HAS THE BALL"?
YOU'RE INSANE? PEDRO...
THAT'S IT. I'VE HAD
ENOUGH OF THIS.
PEDRO, PLEASE TAKE YOUR
SEAT. CERTAINLY, SISTER.
[mumbling]
PEDRO, I'M SORRY TO KEEP
YOU AFTER CLASS LIKE THIS,
BUT I WANTED TO
TALK TO YOU ALONE.
YOU SEE, YOU'VE BEEN READING FOR A
WEEK, NOW, WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT.
DON'T YOU PRACTICE AT HOME?
WELL, THE ONLY PLACE TO PRACTICE
IS AT THE STORE AND
JUAN IS ALWAYS THERE,
AND I WOULDN'T GIVE HIM
THE SATISFACTION, SISTER.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE
READY FOR THE BISHOP THIS TIME.
AND...
(Pedro) MR... UH, MRS.
SISTER, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
MRS. TARNOW ARRIVES IN 2 WEEKS.
WE'VE GOT TO CRAM.
[inaudible]
AGAIN, PEDRO.
OH, SISTER. I'M
SO TIRED, SISTER.
AND ME, I'M READY TO DANCE?
I'D GIVE ANYTHING RIGHT
NOW TO HAVE 40 BLINKS.
COME ON, PEDRO. READ AGAIN.
"TOM HAS THE BALL. SEE TOM.
SEE THE BALL. RUN, TOM."
I DON'T SEE THE
POINT IN THIS, SISTER.
MY GIRLFRIEND'S NAME IS ETHEL.
E-EXCUSE ME, SISTER.
I WOULD LIKE A FAVOR.
WELL, WHAT IS IT, FERNANDO?
EXCUSE ME FOR A MOMENT.
THE BALL'S UP ON THE
ROOF, TO THE LEFT.
(Fernando) THROW
IT TO ME, SISTER.
ALL RIGHT, PEDRO, IF YOU'LL
CONTINUE WITH YOUR READING.
SISTER, THE PRESSURE,
SISTER, IT'S MAKING ME SICK.
I AM SEEING... SEEING WHAT?
I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT, SISTER.
LIKE A BIRD, YOU
FLEW LIKE A BIRD.
YOU SAW ME FLY? YES, TWICE.
ONCE UP AND THEN DOWN.
COME TO THINK OF IT, IT'S
LOGICAL THAT IF YOU GO UP...
PEDRO, I THINK MAYBE THE, UH,
PRESSURE IS GETTING TO YOU.
MAYBE YOU'D BETTER
HAVE A RECESS.
A RECESS. YES.
THE HOPSCOTCH TEAM IS
WAITING. YES. THANK YOU.
IT'S MY TURN.
OK, PEDRO, LET'S GET CROAKING.
OPEN YOUR BOOK.
NO. NO?
NO.
TODAY, I WILL READ
SOMETHING ELSE.
NOW, YOU READ ME MANY TIMES
BEFORE LETTERS FROM MIAMI.
WELL, TODAY, I, PEDRO ALVAREZ,
IS GOING TO READ YOU A LETTER.
I'M SO NERVOUS.
"DEAR PEDRO.
"ONCE AGAIN, I FEEL
I MUST WRITE TO YOU
"AND TELL YOU WHAT A
WONDERFUL PERSON YOU ARE.
"YOU HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN SO UNDERSTANDING
"AND SO WARM, I FEEL I CAN
POUR OUT MY HEART TO YOU."
OH, SHE'S GOING TO POUR
OUT HER HEART TO ME HERE.
"A FEW DAYS AGO, I MET
ANOTHER WONDERFUL MAN
AND I HAVE DECIDED
TO MARRY HIM."
MAYBE THERE'S A MISTAKE.
WELL, MAYBE THERE IS A MISTAKE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VERY MUCH.
THAT WILL BE ALL, FERNANDO.
I SUPPOSE PEDRO'S IN
HIS STORE RIGHT NOW
LETTING JUAN TELL
HIM WHERE TO GO.
AND ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL
PLANS FOR THE ADULT SCHOOL,
POOF, GONE FOR A SMOKE.
OH, DON'T BE TOO
DISTURBED, SISTER.
WE'LL CONVINCE THE
BISHOP ANOTHER TIME.
YOU DID YOUR BEST.
OH, I'M NOT WORRIED
ABOUT THE SCHOOL.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT PEDRO.
EXCUSE ME.
WERE YOU AWARE OF FERNANDO'S
PICTURE OF YOU, SISTER?
UH, WELL,
PERHAPS THAT'S HOW
HE SEES ME, BISHOP.
IF YOU'LL EXCUSE
ME, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
THIS IS THE STORY
OF MY VACATION.
THANK YOU. I SHALL
ENJOY IT TREMENDOUSLY.
I HOPE SO. I DIDN'T.
THINK OF ALL YOU'VE GAINED.
A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU
COULDN'T EVEN SPELL "NO,"
AND NOW, YOU CAN READ AND
WRITE A THOUSAND TIMES "NO."
SURE, I READ.
I READ UNHAPPINESS,
THAT'S WHAT I READ.
PEDRO, IF YOU WON'T
THINK OF YOURSELF,
THINK OF THE OTHERS.
THINK OF THE ADULT SCHOOL.
CAN'T YOU HELP THEM?
THEY'RE MISERABLE
ENOUGH WITHOUT MY HELP.
NOW, LOOK, WHERE'S JUAN?
I NEED SOMEBODY TO SIGN THIS.
PEDRO, COME BACK TO THE
SCHOOL AND SHOW BISHOP
HOW MUCH YOU'VE LEARNED.
IT'S OUR ONLY CHANCE.
YOU TELL THE BISHOP, SISTER,
THAT I AM SORRY I
EMBARRASSED HIM.
I CAN'T LEAVE UNTIL
SOMEBODY SIGNS THE INVOICE.
JUAN?
I'LL SIGN IT. GIVE IT TO ME.
YOU? YES.
YOU COULDN'T HAVE DONE
THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO, EITHER.
[truck door opening]
[truck door closing]
[truck engine starting]
I AM DEEPLY HONORED
BY YOUR PRESENTATIONS, CHILDREN.
AND UNTIL NEXT SEMESTER,
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.
UN MOMENTO. POR FAVOR.
[mumbling]
SIT THERE.
(Pedro) NOW, ONCE AGAIN
I WANT TO APOLOGIZE
TO EVERYBODY,
ESPECIALLY BISHOP POOL.
AND I HAVE NOTHING TO PRESENT,
BUT I WOULD LIKE
TO SAY SOMETHING.
I MUST CONFESS,
I WAS NOT ABOUT TO
COME HERE TODAY.
FOR A LITTLE WHILE, I FORGOT
ABOUT THIS NEW WORLD,
THIS WONDERFUL WORLD.
AND I SUDDENLY REALIZED
THAT I CANNOT BECOME THAT
WORLD'S OLDEST DROPOUT.
IMAGINE, IN A RESTAURANT
I ORDER A COMPLETE
FULL MEAL FROM THE MENU.
AND IT'S A TERRIBLE MEAL,
BUT IT LOOKS GOOD TO READ.
I'M NOT AFRAID OF
OPENING A BOOK.
BOOKS ARE MY FRIENDS NOW.
BEAUTIFUL BOOKS LIKE DICKENS,
AND SHAKESPEARE AND
ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.
BUT THE MOST WONDERFUL BOOKS
OF ALL ARE THE ONES IN MY STORE.
BECAUSE NOW I CAN READ THEM.
AND I CAN SEE HOW
MY BEST FRIEND,
AND PARTNER, JUAN CORTEZ,
HAS BEEN ROBBING ME BLIND
FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
THANK YOU, SISTER.
JUST GOES TO PROVE,
NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY,
A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE CAN
BE A MARVELOUS THING.
(Jacqueline) THERE ARE SOME
NEEDS IN OUR COMMUNITY
WHICH ARE DEVASTATINGLY OBVIOUS.
BUT THERE ARE OTHERS,
SO COMPLETELY HIDDEN,
THAT NO ONE COULD
KNOW THEY EXIST.
THERE YOU ARE, SISTER.
THAT AMOUNTS TO,
3... $3.52.
UN MOMENTO. YOU'RE TAKING MONEY
FROM A RELIGIOUS SISTER?
SHAME ON YOU, JUAN.
FORGIVE ME, SISTER.
EXCUSE ME, SISTER.
PEDRO, THE CHURCH FEEDS
OUR SOULS, NOT OUR STOMACHS.
DO YOU KNOW, SISTER,
HE'S MISSED MASS
FOR 3 CONSECUTIVE WEEKS?
I HAD A COLD.
WELL, REALLY, I THINK I OUGHT TO
GIVE HIM... NO, NO, NO, NO, SISTER.
IF YOU HAD A BUSINESS HEAD...
CAN YOU COUNT TO 20 WITHOUT
REMOVING YOUR SHOES?
IF NOT FOR ME, I DON'T GIVE
YOU 2 MINUTES TO GO BANKRUPT.
UH, I APOLOGIZE, SISTER. I
AM A PILLAR OF THE CHURCH,
ASK ANYONE. IDIOT.
HE NEVER GOES TO CHURCH.
SISTER, MAY I SPEAK
TO YOU? I THINK THAT I...
OH, NO, NO, NO,
SISTER. I NEED A FAVOR.
OH, IT'S POSTMARKED MIAMI.
THAT'S WHERE I
SPEND MY VACATION.
ETHEL TARNOW?
OH, SISTER, WHAT A LADY.
WOULD YOU READ IT?
I'M AFRAID MY EYES SEE WELL,
BUT THEY UNDERSTAND NOTHING.
YOU MEAN TO TELL
ME YOU CAN'T READ?
PLEASE DON'T
LAUGH AT ME, SISTER.
IN MY WHOLE LIFE I NEVER
LEARNED TO READ OR WRITE.
SO PLEASE, SISTER.
WELL...
"DEAR PEDRO, I THINK
YOU'RE THE WARMEST
"AND THE KINDEST
PERSON I'VE EVER MET.
I LOVE YOUR BLUE EYES AND
THE CUTE DIMPLE IN YOUR CHIN."
PEDRO, WE HAVE CUSTOMERS.
FORGIVE ME, SISTER,
BUT IT IS A BUSINESS.
PLEASE GO ON, SISTER.
OK, LET ME SEE WHERE I WAS.
UH, "PLEASE WRITE ME SOON.
YOUR DEAR FRIEND, ETHEL TARNOW."
WRITE?
ME? WRITE?
OH, SISTER, THAT'S IMPOSSIBLE.
SISTER...
NOW, PEDRO, DON'T
LOOK AT ME LIKE THAT.
BUT JUST A FEW LINES,
SISTER. WELL, IT'S DISHONEST.
BUT I'D TELL YOU WHAT TO
PUT DOWN, WHAT'S IN MY HEART.
YES, BUT SOONER OR LATER
SHE'D HAVE TO FIND OUT THE TRUTH.
I'VE GOT A BETTER IDEA.
LOOK FOR AN IGNORANT
WOMAN, YOU MEAN?
NO. LEARN.
LEARN?
ANY CHILD COULD DO IT.
I OUGHT TO KNOW. I TEACH SCHOOL.
GOOD MORNING, CLASS.
TODAY WE'RE GOING TO...
HE SIMPLY MUST GO.
OH, REVEREND MOTHER, HE
HAS HIS HEART SET ON STAYING.
IT WON'T BE EASY TO EXPLAIN
YOUR DECISION TO HIM.
IT WILL BE EASIER THAN
EXPLAINING PEDRO TO BISHOP POOL,
WHEN HE VISITS NEXT MONTH.
OH, YES.
IF ONLY HIS IDEAS WERE
A LITTLE LESS STODGY.
WHY, THINK OF ALL THE OTHER
PEDRO'S THERE MUST BE IN THIS TOWN.
WE COULD START A
WHOLE ADULT SCHOOL.
SISTER BERTRILLE, DO YOU THINK THAT,
THAT IDEA HAS NOT OCCURRED TO US?
WE HAVE REQUESTED PERMISSION
OF THE BISHOP DOZENS OF TIMES.
WHY HASN'T HE SEEN
THE NEED? BECAUSE HE...
HE'S... STODGY.
IN THE BISHOP'S VIEW,
THERE ARE OTHER MORE
IMPORTANT CONSIDERATIONS.
YES, BUT THAT WAS BEFORE PEDRO.
DON'T YOU SEE, REVEREND MOTHER?
IF WE CAN DEMONSTRATE
THE NEEDS OF ONE MAN,
WHO'S SO DESPERATE
FOR AN EDUCATION
THAT HE HAS TO
STUDY WITH CHILDREN,
REVEREND MOTHER, WE CAN
HELP HIM AND HE CAN HELP US.
VERY WELL, SISTER BERTRILLE.
BUT IT WILL NOT BE EASY.
YOU WILL HAVE TO SHOW NOT
ONLY PEDRO'S DESIRE TO LEARN,
YOU WILL HAVE TO SHOW RESULTS.
DON'T WORRY, REVEREND MOTHER.
I PROMISE YOU. WITHIN ONE MONTH,
PEDRO ALVAREZ WILL
BE READING AND WRITING.
WELL, YOU'LL BE AMAZED.
NOW, I'LL ASK YOU A QUESTION.
IF YOU THINK THE ANSWER IS YES,
THEN YOU WRITE IT ON THE BOARD.
IF YOU THINK THE ANSWER IS NO,
THEN YOU WRITE THAT ON THE BOARD.
DO YOU UNDERSTAND? YES.
THE QUESTION IS,
PUERTO RICO IS LOCATED
IN THE PACIFIC OCEAN. YES OR NO?
OF COURSE, THE ANSWER IS "NO."
WELL, THEN WRITE
IT ON THE BOARD.
HOW DO YOU SPELL "NO"?
N-O. N-O?
HOW DO YOU SPELL "N"?
NO, YOU DON'T SPELL
"N," YOU MAKE AN "N."
HERE. I'LL SHOW YOU.
N-O.
NOW CAN YOU REMEMBER? CERTAINLY.
OK, YOU DO IT.
OF COURSE. SIMPLE.
(Juan) UH, PEDRO, PEDRO,
EXCUSE ME, SISTER.
THIS IS MADNESS, I TELL YOU.
WE HAVE A BUSINESS FULL OF
CUSTOMERS, AND THEY ALL ASK FOR YOU.
I... I MUST BRING HIM BACK.
I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND.
WILL IT HELP YOU
TO GET A HEAD FULL
OF USELESS KNOWLEDGE
WHILE THE BUSINESS SUFFERS?
COME, I'LL DRIVE YOU TO
THE STORE. WHAT DO YOU SAY?
A "P" IS CLOSED
AND AN "F" IS OPEN.
THIS IS AN "F."
"P" IS CLOSED
AND AN "F" IS OPEN.
RIGHT. NOW, I WANT
YOU TO MAKE A WORD
USING THESE 2 LETTERS.
WHAT'S THAT?
FLIP.
"TOM WAS VERY
ROW-OOG, WITH HIS SISTER."
VERY WHAT? R-O-U-G-H.
UH, "ROUGH."
ROW-OOG IS
"ROUGH?" (Bertrille) YES.
YOU SEE, SOMETIMES IN ENGLISH,
O-U-G-H IS PRONOUNCED "UFF,"
AS IN "ROUGH."
HMM.
"TOM WAS VERY
ROUGH "TO HIS SISTER.
SHE RAN THRUFF THE HOUSE."
SHE RAN WHERE?
T-H-R-O-U-G-H. "THRUFF."
OH, WELL, SOMETIMES IN ENGLISH
O-U-G-H IS ALSO PRONOUNCED
"OO," AS IN "THROUGH THE HOUSE."
"SHE RAN THROUGH THE HOUSE.
"WHERE WAS SHE? TOM LOOKED.
"HE HEARD A LITTLE...
"COO"? "CUFF"?
WOULD YOU BELIEVE "COUGH"?
YOU KNOW WHAT I BELIEVE, SISTER?
I BELIEVE THAT THESE WORDS
ARE THE INVENTION OF LUNATICS.
NOW LOOK AT THIS.
CAN YOU TELL ME
WHAT IT IS? AN APPLE?
AN APPLE. AN APPLE.
NOT A PEAR OR A
PRUNE OR A BANANA.
AND THIS, FOR ALL
ETERNITY, IS A BANANA.
ALL MY LIFE I KNOW A THING,
BECAUSE WHEN I LOOK AT
IT, IT TELLS ME WHAT IT IS.
NOW THAT YOU TELL
ME HOW TO SPELL IT,
IT'S NEVER THE SAME THING TWICE.
WHAT'S WRONG, SISTER? PEDRO...
SISTER, I'VE HAD
ENOUGH OF THIS LUNACY.
I'M GOING BACK TO
THE THINGS I KNOW.
I DON'T NEED TO SPELL THIS
TO KNOW IT IS DELICIOUS.
PEDRO ALVAREZ,
YOU ARE DISRUPTING THE CLASS.
I AM SORRY, REVEREND MOTHER.
HAVE A BANANA. THANK YOU.
SISTER BERTRILLE.
I'M SORRY, REVEREND MOTHER,
I THINK I CAN HANDLE THIS.
PEDRO, I KNOW WHAT YOU MEAN.
SOMETIMES WORDS DRIVE ME CRAZY.
TAKE THE WORD "I" FOR INSTANCE.
IF I SPELL IT WITH A CAPITAL
LETTER "I," IT STANDS FOR MYSELF.
IF I SPELL IT A-Y-E,
IT MEANS "YES."
WHAT DO YOU
SUPPOSE E-Y-E SPELLS?
BLINK?
"EYE." SEE? ANYBODY
COULD BE CONFUSED.
WHAT'S WEEK? UH, NOT STRONG?
7 DAYS. WHAT'S BEAT?
STIR.
TRY VEGETABLE. HOW'RE
WE SUPPOSED TO KNOW?
THERE'S ONLY ONE WAY TO TELL.
♪ FLOUR IS A POWDER ♪
♪ USED IN BAKING BREAD ♪
♪ NOT TO BE CONFUSED
WITH THE FLOWER ♪
♪ THAT YOU FIND
IN A FLOWER BED ♪
♪ NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH BED ♪
♪ YOU COVER WITH A SPREAD ♪
♪ WHICH IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED ♪
♪ WITH A SPREAD LIKE JAM ♪
♪ BUT THE JAM YOU'RE
IN IF YOU MISSPELL LAMB ♪
♪ ON A SPELLING EXAM ♪
♪ 'CAUSE YOU'VE NEVER ♪
♪ LEARNED TO READ AND WRITE ♪
♪ WEATHER IS WHAT TELLS YOU ♪
♪ WHEN IT'S COLD OR HOT ♪
♪ NOT TO BE CONFUSED ♪
♪ WITH WHETHER WHATSOEVER ♪
♪ AS IN WHETHER OR NOT ♪
♪ NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH KNOT ♪
♪ THE DISTANCE ON THE SEA ♪
♪ WHICH IS NOT TO BE
CONFUSED WITH THE LETTER "C" ♪
♪ THE VERY FIRST
LETTER IN CATASTROPHE ♪
♪ WHICH IS WHAT YOU'LL BE ♪
♪ IF YOU NEVER LEARN
TO READ AND WRITE ♪
♪ A PLAIN CAN BE AN OPEN FIELD ♪
♪ BENEATH THE DEEP BLUE SKY ♪
♪ OR A SUPERSONIC JET ♪
♪ THAT TAKES US WAY UP HIGH ♪
♪ NOW JUST SUPPOSE
I SAID TO YOU ♪
♪ MEET ME ON THE PLANE ♪
♪ IF YOU CAN'T SPELL ♪
♪ I'D LIKE TO WARN YA ♪
♪ YOU MAY WIND UP ♪
♪ IN CALIFORNIA ♪
♪ IF IT SOUNDS CONFUSING ♪
♪ THINGS WILL TAKE A TURN ♪
♪ SO JUST RELAX AND
ABSORB THE FACTS ♪
♪ IT'S NEVER TOO LATE TO LEARN ♪
♪ THOUGH YOU'RE 5 OR 50 ♪
♪ I'M SURE THAT YOU'LL DO WELL ♪
♪ WHICH IS NOT TO BE CONFUSED
WITH THE HOLE IN THE GROUND ♪
♪ BUT THE "WELL" MEANING
SWELL THAT YOU ONLY CAN TELL ♪
♪ WHEN YOU LEARN HOW TO SPELL ♪
♪ YES YOU'VE GOT
TO LEARN TO READ ♪
♪ YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN TO READ ♪
♪ YOU'VE GOT TO LEARN ♪
♪ TO READ ♪
♪ AND WRITE ♪
NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH
THE OPPOSITE OF WRONG.
I HOPE I'M NOT
DISTURBING, SISTER.
OH, NO. I WAS JUST READING.
ABOUT TOM AND HIS SISTER?
[laughing] NO.
I WAS READING A GROUP OF SONNETS
BY ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.
SISTER, I AM LEAVING
SCHOOL. WHY?
AFTER ONE MONTH
OF VERY HARD WORK,
IT'S NO BETTER. LOOK,
ANOTHER ONE FROM MRS. TARNOW.
I RECOGNIZE THE WRITING,
BUT NOT ONE WORD.
I DON'T NEED AN EDUCATION,
TO LEARN HOW STUPID I AM.
DON'T YOU WANT TO
KNOW WHAT SHE SAYS?
IT'S A SHAME.
WHAT ARE YOU GOING
TO DO WHEN SHE ARRIVES?
SHE'S COMING HERE?
IN A MONTH.
GOOD. GOOD.
I'VE BEEN WASTING MY
TIME WITH CHILDREN.
I'M A MAN, SHE'S A WOMAN. I'LL
TELL HER WHAT'S IN MY HEART.
YOU CANNOT LEARN
THAT FROM BOOKS.
"HOW DO I LOVE THEE?
LET ME COUNT THE WAYS.
"I LOVE THEE TO THE
DEPTH AND BREADTH
AND HEIGHT MY SOUL CAN REACH."
THAT'S IN A BOOK?
WELL, IT'S DIFFERENT
FROM HOW TOM
BEHAVES WITH HIS SISTER.
THAT'S BEAUTIFUL.
IT WOULD BE NICE
TO BE ABLE TO...
READ IT TO HER? YES.
THAT TAKES TIME AND PRACTICE.
I KNOW YOU'RE NOT
SURE IF A "P" IS AN "F"
OR AN "F" IS A "P,"
BUT DON'T GIVE UP YET, PEDRO.
SISTER, MAY I BORROW
YOUR LITTLE BOOK?
YES.
THANK YOU.
I'LL SEE YOU IN CLASS, SISTER.
[children chattering]
HOW ABOUT AN ORLANDO CEPEDA?
I ALREADY HAVE 2
ORLANDO CEPEDAS.
OH, OK.
CARMELITA, I HEARD YOU IN CLASS.
YOU READ PRETTY GOOD.
DID YOU EVER HEAR OF
ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING?
WHAT TEAM?
OK, CLASS...
(children) GOOD
MORNING, BISHOP POOL.
GOOD MORNING, CHILDREN.
WHERE IS, UH, PEDRO ALVAREZ?
(Bertrille) OH, WELL,
I GUESS HE'S ILL THIS
MORNING, BISHOP POOL.
WELL, THE IMPORTANT THING IS
THE CHILDREN ARE ALL PRESENT.
THIS ILLUSTRATES
MY CHIEF OBJECTION
TO YOUR ADULT SCHOOL IDEA.
GROWNUPS ARE SIMPLY UNRELIABLE.
BESIDES, THEY HAVE TOO
MANY RESPONSIBILITIES.
EXCUSE ME.
I APOLOGIZE TO EVERYBODY.
BISHOP POOL, I AM PEDRO ALVAREZ.
I UNDERSTAND YOU'RE
LEARNING TO READ.
RIGHT.
AND I'M GOING TO READ
SOMETHING FOR YOU NOW, BISHOP.
"HOW DO I LOVE THEE?
LET ME COUNT THE WAYS."
ELIZABETH BARRETT
BROWNING, MY FAVORITE.
"I LOVE THEE WITH A
PASSION PUT TO USE
"IN MY OLD GRIEFS,
"AND WITH MY CHILDHOOD'S FAITH.
"I LOVE THEE WITH A LOVE
"I SEEMED TO LOSE
WITH MY LOST SAINTS,
"I LOVE THEE WITH
THE BREATH, SMILES
"TEARS OF ALL MY LIFE.
"AND, IF GOD CHOOSE,
I SHALL BUT LOVE THEE
BETTER AFTER DEATH."
"SONNETS FROM THE PORTUGUESE."
(Bishop Pool) I'M VERY
IMPRESSED, MR. ALVAREZ.
A REMARKABLE JOB OF TEACHING.
(Bishop Pool) PLEASE,
MR. ALVAREZ,
FAVOR US WITH
ANOTHER. ANOTHER WHAT?
WELL, ANOTHER SONNET, OF COURSE.
COME, COME, MAN.
NOW, REALLY, BISHOP.
I AIN'T GOT TIME
TO MEMORIZE THE WHOLE BOOK.
MEMORIZE?
(Bishop Pool) MEMORIZE.
I AM PROFOUNDLY SHOCKED THAT YOU
WOULD ATTEMPT TO WIN MY SYMPATHY
FOR YOUR ADULT SCHOOL
IDEA WITH THIS... ONE MOMENT.
I DID WRITE SOMETHING.
CARMELITA, SIT DOWN.
I WORKED VERY HARD AT THE STORE
IN MY SPARE TIME AND
DURING BUSINESS HOURS, TOO.
AND, UH, JUAN ALMOST KILLED ME.
(Pedro) BISHOP, I HOPE
YOU'LL FORGIVE ME, UH,
I RAN OUT OF CLOTH AND,
UH, I USED THE ABBREVIATION.
IT DOESN'T MATTER HOW I FEEL.
YOU SEE, THE BISHOP
FEELS THAT PEDRO
IS A DISRUPTIVE INFLUENCE
AND HE HAS NO BUSINESS
IN A CHILD'S SCHOOL.
THAT'S WHY WE WANT TO
PUT HIM IN AN ADULT SCHOOL.
UNFORTUNATELY,
BISHOP POOL ENVISIONS
THE MORE ILLITERATE
MEMBERS OF HIS FLOCK
LEARNING TO SPELL
HIS NAME THAT WAY.
AS WE ALL KNOW, A LITTLE
LEARNING CAN BE A DANGEROUS THING.
WELL, WHAT ABOUT PEDRO? DOES
HE WANT ME TO UNLEARN PEDRO?
OUR SEMESTER WILL
BE OVER IN A MONTH.
AND IF PEDRO IMPROVES,
THERE IS A SLIGHT CHANCE
THAT THE BISHOP MIGHT RETURN.
IF ONLY TO HEAR PEDRO
CLEAR HIS GOOD NAME.
OH, HE'LL IMPROVE, I
GUARANTEE HE'LL IMPROVE.
COULD HE GET ANY WORSE?
"TOM...
"HAS..." THE... BAAL." BALL.
(Juan) PEDRO, PSST,
PSST, PSST. PEDRO.
UH, HELLO, SISTER.
NICE TO SEE YOU AGAIN.
JUAN, IS THIS NECESSARY?
OH, SURE. PEDRO CAN
TELL FROM THE OUTSIDE
HOW A WATERMELON WILL
LOOK ON THE INSIDE. LET ME SEE.
PEDRO, I REALLY THINK THAT...
MOMENTITO, SISTER. POR FAVOR.
(Pedro) TURN IT AROUND.
THAT WATERMELON
IS OLDER THAN I AM.
WELL, COME TO THE STORE
AND TELL HERNANDEZ YOURSELF
IN THE MIDDLE OF
"TOM HAS THE BALL"?
YOU'RE INSANE? PEDRO...
THAT'S IT. I'VE HAD
ENOUGH OF THIS.
PEDRO, PLEASE TAKE YOUR
SEAT. CERTAINLY, SISTER.
[mumbling]
PEDRO, I'M SORRY TO KEEP
YOU AFTER CLASS LIKE THIS,
BUT I WANTED TO
TALK TO YOU ALONE.
YOU SEE, YOU'VE BEEN READING FOR A
WEEK, NOW, WITHOUT ANY IMPROVEMENT.
DON'T YOU PRACTICE AT HOME?
WELL, THE ONLY PLACE TO PRACTICE
IS AT THE STORE AND
JUAN IS ALWAYS THERE,
AND I WOULDN'T GIVE HIM
THE SATISFACTION, SISTER.
BUT IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE
READY FOR THE BISHOP THIS TIME.
AND...
(Pedro) MR... UH, MRS.
SISTER, WHAT DOES IT MEAN?
MRS. TARNOW ARRIVES IN 2 WEEKS.
WE'VE GOT TO CRAM.
[inaudible]
AGAIN, PEDRO.
OH, SISTER. I'M
SO TIRED, SISTER.
AND ME, I'M READY TO DANCE?
I'D GIVE ANYTHING RIGHT
NOW TO HAVE 40 BLINKS.
COME ON, PEDRO. READ AGAIN.
"TOM HAS THE BALL. SEE TOM.
SEE THE BALL. RUN, TOM."
I DON'T SEE THE
POINT IN THIS, SISTER.
MY GIRLFRIEND'S NAME IS ETHEL.
E-EXCUSE ME, SISTER.
I WOULD LIKE A FAVOR.
WELL, WHAT IS IT, FERNANDO?
EXCUSE ME FOR A MOMENT.
THE BALL'S UP ON THE
ROOF, TO THE LEFT.
(Fernando) THROW
IT TO ME, SISTER.
ALL RIGHT, PEDRO, IF YOU'LL
CONTINUE WITH YOUR READING.
SISTER, THE PRESSURE,
SISTER, IT'S MAKING ME SICK.
I AM SEEING... SEEING WHAT?
I DON'T WANT TO SAY IT, SISTER.
LIKE A BIRD, YOU
FLEW LIKE A BIRD.
YOU SAW ME FLY? YES, TWICE.
ONCE UP AND THEN DOWN.
COME TO THINK OF IT, IT'S
LOGICAL THAT IF YOU GO UP...
PEDRO, I THINK MAYBE THE, UH,
PRESSURE IS GETTING TO YOU.
MAYBE YOU'D BETTER
HAVE A RECESS.
A RECESS. YES.
THE HOPSCOTCH TEAM IS
WAITING. YES. THANK YOU.
IT'S MY TURN.
OK, PEDRO, LET'S GET CROAKING.
OPEN YOUR BOOK.
NO. NO?
NO.
TODAY, I WILL READ
SOMETHING ELSE.
NOW, YOU READ ME MANY TIMES
BEFORE LETTERS FROM MIAMI.
WELL, TODAY, I, PEDRO ALVAREZ,
IS GOING TO READ YOU A LETTER.
I'M SO NERVOUS.
"DEAR PEDRO.
"ONCE AGAIN, I FEEL
I MUST WRITE TO YOU
"AND TELL YOU WHAT A
WONDERFUL PERSON YOU ARE.
"YOU HAVE ALWAYS
BEEN SO UNDERSTANDING
"AND SO WARM, I FEEL I CAN
POUR OUT MY HEART TO YOU."
OH, SHE'S GOING TO POUR
OUT HER HEART TO ME HERE.
"A FEW DAYS AGO, I MET
ANOTHER WONDERFUL MAN
AND I HAVE DECIDED
TO MARRY HIM."
MAYBE THERE'S A MISTAKE.
WELL, MAYBE THERE IS A MISTAKE.
THANK YOU. THANK YOU, VERY MUCH.
THAT WILL BE ALL, FERNANDO.
I SUPPOSE PEDRO'S IN
HIS STORE RIGHT NOW
LETTING JUAN TELL
HIM WHERE TO GO.
AND ALL OUR BEAUTIFUL
PLANS FOR THE ADULT SCHOOL,
POOF, GONE FOR A SMOKE.
OH, DON'T BE TOO
DISTURBED, SISTER.
WE'LL CONVINCE THE
BISHOP ANOTHER TIME.
YOU DID YOUR BEST.
OH, I'M NOT WORRIED
ABOUT THE SCHOOL.
I'M WORRIED ABOUT PEDRO.
EXCUSE ME.
WERE YOU AWARE OF FERNANDO'S
PICTURE OF YOU, SISTER?
UH, WELL,
PERHAPS THAT'S HOW
HE SEES ME, BISHOP.
IF YOU'LL EXCUSE
ME, I'LL BE RIGHT BACK.
THIS IS THE STORY
OF MY VACATION.
THANK YOU. I SHALL
ENJOY IT TREMENDOUSLY.
I HOPE SO. I DIDN'T.
THINK OF ALL YOU'VE GAINED.
A FEW MONTHS AGO, YOU
COULDN'T EVEN SPELL "NO,"
AND NOW, YOU CAN READ AND
WRITE A THOUSAND TIMES "NO."
SURE, I READ.
I READ UNHAPPINESS,
THAT'S WHAT I READ.
PEDRO, IF YOU WON'T
THINK OF YOURSELF,
THINK OF THE OTHERS.
THINK OF THE ADULT SCHOOL.
CAN'T YOU HELP THEM?
THEY'RE MISERABLE
ENOUGH WITHOUT MY HELP.
NOW, LOOK, WHERE'S JUAN?
I NEED SOMEBODY TO SIGN THIS.
PEDRO, COME BACK TO THE
SCHOOL AND SHOW BISHOP
HOW MUCH YOU'VE LEARNED.
IT'S OUR ONLY CHANCE.
YOU TELL THE BISHOP, SISTER,
THAT I AM SORRY I
EMBARRASSED HIM.
I CAN'T LEAVE UNTIL
SOMEBODY SIGNS THE INVOICE.
JUAN?
I'LL SIGN IT. GIVE IT TO ME.
YOU? YES.
YOU COULDN'T HAVE DONE
THAT A FEW MONTHS AGO, EITHER.
[truck door opening]
[truck door closing]
[truck engine starting]
I AM DEEPLY HONORED
BY YOUR PRESENTATIONS, CHILDREN.
AND UNTIL NEXT SEMESTER,
THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS YOU.
UN MOMENTO. POR FAVOR.
[mumbling]
SIT THERE.
(Pedro) NOW, ONCE AGAIN
I WANT TO APOLOGIZE
TO EVERYBODY,
ESPECIALLY BISHOP POOL.
AND I HAVE NOTHING TO PRESENT,
BUT I WOULD LIKE
TO SAY SOMETHING.
I MUST CONFESS,
I WAS NOT ABOUT TO
COME HERE TODAY.
FOR A LITTLE WHILE, I FORGOT
ABOUT THIS NEW WORLD,
THIS WONDERFUL WORLD.
AND I SUDDENLY REALIZED
THAT I CANNOT BECOME THAT
WORLD'S OLDEST DROPOUT.
IMAGINE, IN A RESTAURANT
I ORDER A COMPLETE
FULL MEAL FROM THE MENU.
AND IT'S A TERRIBLE MEAL,
BUT IT LOOKS GOOD TO READ.
I'M NOT AFRAID OF
OPENING A BOOK.
BOOKS ARE MY FRIENDS NOW.
BEAUTIFUL BOOKS LIKE DICKENS,
AND SHAKESPEARE AND
ELIZABETH BARRETT BROWNING.
BUT THE MOST WONDERFUL BOOKS
OF ALL ARE THE ONES IN MY STORE.
BECAUSE NOW I CAN READ THEM.
AND I CAN SEE HOW
MY BEST FRIEND,
AND PARTNER, JUAN CORTEZ,
HAS BEEN ROBBING ME BLIND
FOR THE LAST 15 YEARS.
THANK YOU, SISTER.
JUST GOES TO PROVE,
NO MATTER WHAT THEY SAY,
A LITTLE KNOWLEDGE CAN
BE A MARVELOUS THING.