The Wonder Years (1988–1993): Season 4, Episode 7 - The Ties That Bind - full transcript

-♪ WHAT WOULD YOU DO
IF I SANG OUT OF TUNE? ♪

♪ WOULD YOU STAND UP
AND WALK OUT ON ME? ♪

♪ LEND ME YOUR EARS,
AND I'LL SING YOU A SONG ♪

♪ I WILL TRY NOT TO
SING OUT OF KEY, YEAH ♪

♪ OH, BABY, I GET BY ♪
- ♪ BY WITH A LITTLE HELP
FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ ALL I NEED IS MY BUDDIES ♪

-♪ HIGH WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ I'M SAYIN' I'M GONNA GET HIGHER ♪ - ♪
TRY WITH A LITTLE HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ WHOA-OA-OA-OA ♪

-♪ OH, OH, OH, OH ♪

-♪ SOMEBODY WHO
KNOWS QUITE SURE ♪



♪ BABY ♪

-♪ BY WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ SAID I'M GONNA MAKE
IT WITH MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ TRY WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

-♪ OH, I'M GONNA
KEEP ON TRYING ♪

-♪ HIGH WITH A LITTLE
HELP FROM MY FRIENDS ♪

♪ I'M GONNA KEEP ON
TRYING NOW, BABY ♪

-♪ OOH, OOH, OOH ♪

[NAT KING COLE'S
"AT LAST" PLAYS]

♪ AT LAST ♪

-BEFORE MY PARENTS
WERE MOM AND DAD,

THEY WERE NORMA AND JACK.

-♪ MY LOVE HAS COME ALONG ♪

-OR SO THE STORY GOES.



-♪ MY LONELY DAYS... ♪

-BACK THEN, THEY
DIDN'T HAVE MUCH,

SO THEY GOT BY
ON WHAT THEY HAD...

EACH OTHER.

-♪ ...AND LIFE IS LIKE A SONG ♪

-SOMEWHERE ALONG
THE WAY, THOUGH,

HEARTS AND FLOWERS
GAVE WAY TO OTHER THINGS.

GUESS IT KIND OF
TOOK 'EM BY SURPRISE.

-♪ THE SKIES ABOVE ARE BLUE ♪

-SO, LIKE ANY COUPLE
OF THEIR GENERATION,

THEY DID WHAT THEY HAD TO DO.

-♪ MY HEART IS WRAPPED... ♪

-THEY BECAME... PARENTS...

PROVIDERS.

-DAMN!

-WHAT IS IT, JACK?

-I THOUGHT WE PAID
THIS BILL LAST MONTH.

-THAT WAS THE ORTHODONTIST.

THIS IS THE DENTIST.

-PROPERTY TAX?

ALREADY?

-CORN OR CARROTS, HONEY?

-WHATEVER.

-BY 1970, MY PARENTS
HAD ELEVATED PROVIDING

INTO SOMETHING
CLOSE TO AN ART FORM.

-GUESS WE DIP INTO THE
CHRISTMAS CLUB AGAIN.

-DAD WAS THE MAESTRO
OF PAYMENT PLANS.

MOM WAS A VIRTUOSO
WITH VEGETABLES.

-BROCCOLI.

-YOU HAD TO HAND IT TO 'EM.

THEY WERE GOOD AT WHAT THEY DID.

AND, OF COURSE, IT WAS
ALL FOR A GOOD REASON...

-HEY!

- THEIR THREE
BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN...

-ARE WE GONNA
EAT HERE, OR WHAT?!

- WITH ALL THE RIGHTS
AND PRIVILEGES THEREOF.

NOT THAT WE TOOK
THE FOLKS FOR GRANTED.

IT'S JUST, WITH
THANKSGIVING COMING,

WE HAD CERTAIN... NEEDS.

-DADDY?

WHEN I GO BACK FROM BREAK,

I-I'M GONNA NEED
MONEY FOR A FEW THINGS.

OKAY?

-LIKE WHAT?

-SOME BOOKS, SOME ART SUPPLIES,

A YOGA MAT.

-A YOGA... MAT?

-WHAT THE HELL DO YOU
NEED A YOGA MAT FOR?

-YOGA.

-AND NO MATTER HOW
RIDICULOUS THOSE NEEDS WERE,

WE KNEW, SOMEHOW, THEY'D
COME THROUGH FOR US.

-WE'LL WORK IT OUT, HONEY!

-THANKS!

- I NEED A NEW STEREO.
- I NEED A NEW BASEBALL GLOVE.

-[GROWLS]

-BACK OF THE LINE, BUTTHEAD.

- HEY, I ASKED HIM FIRST.
- WHAT DO YOU MEAN?

I NEED A NEW STEREO.
- I NEED A NEW BASEBALL GLOVE.

I'VE HAD THE SAME
ONE FOR TWO YEARS.

I CAN'T PLAY WITH IT.
- I HAVEN'T EVEN HAD A NEW...

-FOR THE THINGS THAT WERE
REALLY IMPORTANT, ANYWAY.

-I HAVEN'T HAD A NEW
ONE FOR TWO YEARS!

-OH, MY GOODNESS.

THE STOVE'S OUT AGAIN.

-[SIGHS]

-EH, SHE'S DEAD ALL RIGHT.

DEADER THAN A DOORNAIL.

-[SIGHS] BUT, YOU CAN FIX IT?

-WELL, YEAH.

-[SIGHS] GOOD!

-I CAN FIX IT IF I
CAN FIND THE PARTS.

I'LL TELL YOU, NORMA.

I PROBABLY SHOULDN'T
BE SAYING THIS

WHAT WITH YOU BEING SUCH
A GOOD CUSTOMER AND ALL,

BUT, WELL, LET ME
PUT IT THIS WAY...

SHE'S OLD. SHE'S TIRED.

IT'S TIME TO BUY A NEW ONE.

-WHAT DO YOU MEAN,
"BUY A NEW ONE"?

-HI, JACK.

-WHY CAN'T YOU
JUST FIX THE OLD ONE?

-WELL, YOUR THERMOSTAT'S SHOT,

YOUR TOP BURNER'S NOT
JUICING OUT LIKE SHE OUGHTA,

AND YOU GOT ONE MEAN
SHORT-CIRCUIT IN YOUR WIRING.

-AND THERE IT WAS...

THE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED
OPINION OF A PROFESSIONAL.

DAD HAD NO CHOICE
BUT TO TAKE ACTION.

-I'LL GET MY TOOLBOX.

-HONEY, I DON'T THINK YOUR
TOOLBOX IS GONNA HELP THIS TIME.

I THINK WE NEED TO
BUY A NEW STOVE.

-SHE'S RIGHT, JACK...

AS MUCH AS I HATE TO SAY IT.

-POOR MOM.

ALL SHE REALLY WANTED
WAS A WORKING STOVE

SO THAT SHE COULD
TAKE CARE OF HER FAMILY.

AND POOR DAD.

ALL HE REALLY WANTED WAS
TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MOM

WITH A WORKING STOVE

SO THAT SHE COULD
TAKE CARE OF THE FAMILY.

-[SIGHS]

-OLIVE LOAF?

-AND POOR US.

ALL WE WANTED WAS SOMETHING
BESIDES COLD CUTS FOR DINNER.

SEEMED LIKE IT WAS TIME TO
EXPLORE THE ALTERNATIVES.

-JACK, I WAS CHECKING
THE PAPER TODAY,

AND MONTGOMERY WARDS IS
HAVING A SALE ON APPLIANCES.

-HOW MUCH WOULD A
NEW STOVE SET US BACK?

-ONLY ABOUT $250.

-DON'T SAY "ONLY" AND "$250"

IN THE SAME BREATH, NORMA.

-GEE...

HOW DO THEY GET THE LITTLE,
UGLY, GREEN OLIVES IN THERE?

-AND THAT ABOUT
COVERED THE ALTERNATIVES.

ALL BUT ONE.

-MAYBE I SHOULD TALK TO
MANAGEMENT TOMORROW,

ASK FOR A RAISE.

-IT WAS A BOLD AND
UNEXPECTED DECISION.

-THE COMPANY OWES ME, NORMA.

IT'S BEEN TOO LONG.

-GOOD IDEA, DAD.

-YOU CERTAINLY
DESERVE ONE, HONEY.

-AFTER ALL, DAD WAS
THE GREAT PROVIDER...

-WHOA! CHECK IT OUT!

- FULLY SUPPORTED
BY HIS PROVIDEES.

-WOW.

DAD, YOU LOOK GREAT!

-WHAT HAPPENED?

SOMEBODY KICK THE
BUCKET? [CHUCKLES]

-JACK...

-OH. [CHUCKLES]

-OH, JACK, ARE YOU SURE
YOU WANT TO WEAR THAT TIE?

-WHAT'S WRONG WITH THIS TIE?

-[CHUCKLES] JACK...

-IT WORKED FOR ME ONCE.

-MAYBE IT'LL DO IT AGAIN.

WISH ME LUCK?

-IT WAS NICE SEEING
MY PARENTS LIKE THIS...

-GOOD LUCK, HONEY.

- DOING WHAT THEY HAD
TO DO FOR THE FAMILY.

-BYE-BYE

-I GUESS WERE ALL KIND OF
CAUGHT UP IN THE MOMENT.

-HANDS OFF, SCROTE.

-OKAY, SO YOU'LL JUST HAVE
TO TAKE MY WORD FOR IT.

[DOG BARKING IN DISTANCE]

[CAR HORN HONKS]

THAT AFTERNOON,

I GOT HOME A LITTLE
FASTER THAN USUAL...

AND SO DID DAD...

WHICH COULD ONLY MEAN
THE NEWS WASN'T GOOD.

-SO, DAD, HOW'D IT GO?

-ROUGH.

-WELL...

MAYBE NEXT TIME.

-MAYBE...

AND MAYBE NOT.

[CAR DOOR CLOSES]

[CLEARS THROAT]

-YOU GOT THE RAISE.

-[CHUCKLES] NOT JUST A RAISE.

YOU'RE LOOKING AT THE NEW REGIONAL
MANAGER OF PRODUCT SUPPORT SERVICES.

-NOT THAT ANY OF US HAD A
CLUE AS TO WHAT THAT MEANT.

- [LAUGHS]
- RIGHT ON, DAD!

-STILL, IT HAD AN
IMPRESSIVE RING TO IT.

- HONEY, THAT'S GREAT!
- PRETTY GOOD, HUH?

-REGIONAL MANAGER?

-UH-HUH. REGIONAL MANAGER.

-'COURSE, UM...

THAT MEANS SOME
NEW RESPONSIBILITIES.

-WELL, YOU CAN HANDLE IT.

-I'LL, UH, HAVE TO GO
ON THE ROAD SOME,

MOVE AROUND FROM PLANT TO PLANT,

TROUBLESHOOT IN THE FIELD,

YOU KNOW, THAT SORT OF THING.

-DOES THAT MEAN YOU
HAVE TO TRAVEL, A LOT?

-WELL, SOME.

MAYBE JUST AT FIRST. [CHUCKLES]

I'VE GOT TO FLY TO
PITTSBURGH TONIGHT.

-SO SOON?

-WELL, THEY SAID WE NEED
SOMEBODY OUT THERE RIGHT AWAY.

-OH.

-BUT IT'LL JUST BE
UNTIL NEXT WEDNESDAY.

[VASE PINGS]

-AND SUDDENLY WE WERE
GETTING A PRETTY FAIR IDEA

OF WHAT A REGIONAL MANAGER DID.

-BUT, HEY, IT'S FOR
THE BEST, RIGHT?

[CHUCKLES]

-OF COURSE, HONEY.

-AND MAYBE IT WAS.

MOM LOOKED HAPPY.

-HEFTY RAISE, DAD?

-NOT TOO SHABBY, THERE, CHIEF.

-AND DAD FINALLY HAD THE
RECOGNITION HE DESERVED.

-NOW I'M GONNA GET YOU!

- PROTECT YOUR FATHER.
- GET OUT OF THE WAY!

-ALL RIGHT! [LAUGHS]

-THAT NIGHT, WE
WATCHED AS MOM AND DAD

SHARED A TENDER
MOMENT OF FAREWELL.

-WHERE THE HELL'S THAT DAMN CAB?

-CALM DOWN,
HONEY. IT'LL BE HERE.

-Y-YOU DIDN'T PACK
MY HANDKERCHIEFS?

- OH, THEY'RE IN THE CARRY-ON.
- OH.

[CAR HORN HONKS]

AH, IT'S ABOUT TIME.

OKAY. THAT'S IT, HUH?

-IT WAS STRANGE.

EVERYTHING WAS
HAPPENING SO FAST...

FOR ALL OF US.

-OH, UH, WHERE'S MY TICKETS?

-OH, THEY'RE IN
YOUR BREAST POCKET.

-SO, UH, THAT'S IT, THEN, HUH?

[CAR HORN HONKS]

O-OKAY, YOU KIDS. YOU BETTER TAKE
CARE OF YOUR MOTHER NOW, HUH?

- BYE, DAD.
- GO GET 'EM, DAD.

-BE GOOD, WILL YOU?

OH, YEAH...

WHY DON'T YOU GO AHEAD
AND BUY THAT NEW STOVE.

-[CHUCKLES]

-TAKE CARE, HUH?

- BYE, DAD.
- BYE, DAD.
- BYE.

[DOOR CLOSES]

-IT WAS AS ROMANTIC AS SOME
OLD MOVIE ON THE LATE SHOW.

WELL, AS ROMANTIC AS
MY PARENTS GOT, ANYWAY.

BUT, THEN, I GUESS
HE WAS IN A HURRY.

-JACK, IT IS
ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL!

[LAUGHS]

WELL, I SPLURGED A LITTLE
AND GOT THE EASY-CLEAN MODEL.

AND I WENT WITH THE WHITE.

-BY THE MONDAY
BEFORE THANKSGIVING,

THINGS WERE LOOKING UP AGAIN.

-NO, NO. WE'RE ALL FINE.

AND, UH, WE'LL SEE
YOU WEDNESDAY NIGHT!

OKAY. BYE-BYE.

-HOW'S DAD, MOM?

-FINE. JUST FINE.

ISN'T IT BEAUTIFUL?!

-REALLY NICE, MOM.

-AND IT WAS, AS STOVES GO.

-LOOK!

IT HAS MEAL MINDER...

"AUTOMATICALLY REGULATES
THE OVEN TEMPERATURE

SO THAT YOU'RE FREE TO
ENTERTAIN YOUR GUESTS."

OH, THAT'LL SURE HELP
WITH THE TURKEY THIS YEAR.

-[ Sarcastically]
PRETTY EXCITING!

-[SCOFFS]

WELL, I GOT TO GO TO SCHOOL.

-OKAY, SWEETHEART.

YOU HAVE A GOOD DAY.

-MAYBE I SHOULD
HAVE BEEN CAUGHT UP

IN THE SPIRIT OF
THINGS A LITTLE MORE,

BUT FOR SOME REASON,

I COULDN'T SHAKE THE FEELING
THAT SOMETHING WAS MISSING.

-SO, WHEN'S YOUR
DAD GETTING BACK?

-UH, W-WEDNESDAY.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT.

-HE MUST BE HAVING A BLAST.

-HUH?

-YOU KNOW, CATCHING
PLANES, STAYING IN HOTELS.

THAT'S GOT TO BE FUN.

-WELL... [SCOFFS]

HE PROBABLY WANTS TO GET HOME.

-OH, SURE. NO QUESTION.

-BESIDES, WE'RE DOING
PRETTY MUCH OKAY WITHOUT HIM.

IT'S KINDA... DIFFERENT,

KIND OF AN ADVENTURE.

-AND IT WAS, AS ADVENTURES GO.

-POT PIES!

[ MUSIC PLAYS]

THESE TOOK NO TIME
AT ALL IN THE NEW STOVE.

-AND LET'S NOT FORGET TO
MENTION THAT NEW STOVE!

-UH, MOM...

DON'T YOU THINK
THESE ARE A LITTLE...

UNDERDONE IN THE MIDDLE?

-WELL...

-YEAH. MINE'S STILL FROZEN, TOO.

[TAPPING]

-MUST BE THAT NEW TIMER.

I'LL HAVE YOUR FATHER TAKE A
LOOK AT IT WHEN HE GETS BACK.

[TELEPHONE RINGS]

[ MUSIC STOPS]

HELLO?

OH, HI, HONEY!

NO, EVERYTHING'S
FINE HERE... JUST FINE.

-TELL HIM "HI."

-OH?

WELL, DID HE SAY
THAT WAS DEFINITE?

WELL, CAN'T YOU FLY
IN THURSDAY NIGHT?

OH. NO, I KNOW IT'S EXPENSIVE.

NO, HONEY. OF COURSE.

I UNDERSTAND.

WELL, WHEN DO YOU THINK
YOU COULD COME HOME?

SATURDAY.

-SATURDAY?!

BUT THAT'S TWO DAYS AFTER...

-JACK, DON'T BE SILLY!

WE'LL BE FINE.

REALLY.

OKAY. BYE-BYE.

[RECEIVER CLICKS]

- "OKAY. BYE-BYE"?

SEEMED TO ME THIS CALLED FOR
A LITTLE FURTHER DISCUSSION.

-DAD'S NOT COMING
HOME FOR THANKSGIVING?

-NO.

HE'S GOT TO BE IN DENVER
FIRST THING FRIDAY MORNING.

-CAN'T HE JUST FLY IN FOR A DAY?

-NO, HONEY.

IT'S... IT'S JUST TOO EXPENSIVE.

- WHAT'S HE GONNA DO
FOR THANKSGIVING?
- KEVIN.

-I GUESS THAT WAS ABOUT
AS MUCH DISCUSSING

AS WE WERE GONNA DO.

-OH, I KNOW WHAT'S WRONG!

I FORGOT TO PREHEAT THE
OVEN BEFORE I SET THE TIMER.

-WELL, ONE THING WAS CLEAR.

BETWEEN DAD'S NEW JOB
AND MOM'S NEW STOVE,

THIS HOLIDAY WAS
GOING TO THE DOGS.

-[WHIMPERS]

-THAT NIGHT, I THOUGHT A
LITTLE FAMILY RECONNAISSANCE

MIGHT BE IN ORDER.

-WAYNE...

-WHAT?

-CAN I ASK YOU SOMETHING?

-THE ANSWER'S "NO."

-NO, REALLY.

H-HAVE YOU NOTICED ANYTHING...

FUNNY ABOUT THE WAY
MOM'S BEEN ACTING?

IT'S KIND OF LIKE...

THINGS ARE WEIRD AROUND HERE.

YOU KNOW?

-AND FOR A MOMENT, I
KNEW I WASN'T ALONE.

WAYNE ACTUALLY UNDERSTOOD.

-YOU KNOW...

YOU'VE GOT A BIG
GLOB OF TOOTHPASTE

RIGHT THERE IN YOUR NOSE.

[LAUGHS]

-STILL, MAYBE I WAS
OVER-REACTING.

-[SIGHS]

-OR MAYBE NOT.

-[SIGHS DEEPLY]

-AND WE'VE GOT A BEAUTIFUL
CRYSTAL-CLEAR AUTUMN DAY.

-THAT'S RIGHT, BOB.

-THANKSGIVING DAY.

WE HAULED OUT ALL
THE OLD TRADITIONS...

THE PAGEANTRY, THE CELEBRATIONS,

A DAY OF FAMILY...

AND OF CHILDREN.

[DISHES CLATTERING]

[LIQUID BUBBLING]

AND THROUGH IT ALL, MOM
WAS A COOKING MACHINE...

A WHIRLING DERVISH
OF DOMESTICITY.

AND AS MUCH AS SHE
HAD COME TO LOVE

THAT NEW STOVE OF HERS,

I HAD COME TO HATE IT.

[MATCH STRIKES]

[BEETHOVEN'S "9th SYMPHONY,"
2nd MOVEMENT PLAYS]

AND SO, THE TIME HAD ARRIVED

TO GIVE THANKS FOR
OUR MANY BLESSINGS...

TO CONSUME THE FRUITS
OF OUR BOUNTIFUL HARVEST.

FROM THE DEPTHS OF MOM'S STOVE

CAME A TIDAL WAVE
OF HOLIDAY FARE,

A SYMPHONY OF CORN AND CARROTS,

A BLITZKRIEG OF
POTATOES AND YAMS.

AND TO TOP IT ALL OFF...

A TURKEY THE SIZE OF A BUICK.

-WELL, THAT'S EVERYTHING.

-IT WAS ENOUGH TO
FEED A SMALL ARMY.

-TURKEY LOOKS GREAT, MOM!

-IT DOES, DOESN'T IT?

I FOLLOWED THE
DIRECTIONS IN THE COOKBOOK

THAT CAME WITH THE NEW STOVE.

-AND THERE WAS
NOTHING LEFT TO DO

BUT SIT DOWN AND DIG IN.

-[GASPS]

OH, MY GOODNESS!

I FORGOT THE NAPKIN RINGS.

-ONLY, FOR SOME REASON...

-OH, HERE THEY ARE.

- MOM WOULDN'T SIT DOWN.

-ONE FOR YOU...

ONE FOR YOU...

AND ONE FOR YOU.

YOU KNOW, THIS YEAR,

I TRIED GRANNY
APPLES IN THE STUFFING

INSTEAD OF GOLDEN DELICIOUS.

OH, AND INSTEAD OF
PUTTING THE MARSHMALLOWS

ON TOP OF THE YAMS,

I MELTED THEM DOWN AND
ADDED A LITTLE BROWN SUGAR

FOR FLAVORING.

THEN I PUT EVERYTHING
TOGETHER IN THE BLENDER

AND WHIPPED IT UP,

BUT IT STILL WASN'T
RIGHT, SO, THEN...

-WE SAT THERE WHILE
MOM KEPT TALKING

AND FOLDING HER NAPKIN.

- THREW IN A LITTLE
BIT OF COCONUT

JUST BEFORE I BAKED IT.

-IT WAS HORRIBLE.

THEN IT GOT EVEN WORSE.

[CLOCK TICKING]

HER SILENCE WAS
LIKE A CRY FOR HELP.

SHE WAS OUT THERE ON A LIMB.

[DISH CLATTERS]

SO I FIGURED I'D
COME TO THE RESCUE.

-MOM?

WHO'S GONNA CARVE?

-I DON'T KNOW.

[UTENSILS CLATTER]

-NICE GOING, BUTTHEAD!

-OH, HE HASN'T?

OH, NO, NO. THAT'S ALL RIGHT.

COULD YOU JUST LEAVE A
MESSAGE FOR HIM WHEN HE GETS IN?

TELL HIM THAT NORMA CALLED.

YES.

THANK YOU.

-WHEN YOU'RE 14, YOU
KNOW A LOT OF THINGS...

HOW TO THROW A SPIRAL,

HOW TO FIX A BIKE.

BUT STANDING THERE,

I KNEW I COULDN'T
FIX WHAT WAS WRONG.

-COME IN.

-MOM?

-HMM?

-I'M SORRY.

[TELEPHONE RINGS]

-HELLO?

JACK!

WELL, WHERE ARE YOU?

REALLY?

OF COURSE, HONEY.

[LAUGHS]

BYE-BYE.

PUT ON YOUR COAT.

WE'RE GOING TO THE AIRPORT.

-HE'S COMING HOME?

-NO, HE'S FLYING IN,
JUST FOR AN HOUR.

-BUT I THOUGHT HE SAID
IT WAS TOO EXPENSIVE.

-[CHUCKLES]

YEAH.

IT IS, ISN'T IT?

-THANKSGIVING NIGHT OF 1970,

MY FATHER CAME
HOME TO HIS FAMILY...

[WOMAN SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY]

THE FAMILY HE CARED FOR...

- HI!
- HI!
- HI!

-DAD, OVER HERE!

- THE FAMILY HE PROVIDED FOR...

BUT HE CAME HOME
TO SOMEONE ELSE, TOO.

HE CAME HOME TO
THE GIRL HE LOVED.

-I MISSED YOU.

-I MISSED YOU, TOO.

-MAYBE SOMETIMES THE SIMPLE
THINGS IN LIFE GET FORGOTTEN,

THE THINGS PARENTS NEED...

THE THINGS CHILDREN NEED, TOO.

BUT THAT NIGHT, MOM AND DAD...

JACK AND NORMA...

PROMISED TO REMEMBER.