The Wonder Years (1988–1993): Season 5, Episode 23 - Back to the Lake - full transcript

As summer begins, Kevin is dismayed that almost all the fun of previous summers is gone. All his friends are working summer jobs, and his Dad wants him to do the same. Feeling that the ...

-♪ 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 ♪

-GROWING UP, SUMMER
VACATION MEANT ONE THING...

FUN.

TWO SOLID MONTHS OF
GOOFING OFF, HANGING OUT,

SLEEPING LATE.

JUNE, JULY, AND
AUGUST WERE A TIME

WHEN ANYTHING WAS POSSIBLE...



-HEY, EVERYBODY.

- WHEN THE HARDSHIPS
OF SCHOOL WERE OVER

AND THE PROMISE OF
GREAT TIMES LAY AHEAD.

-HONEY, YOU'RE LATE FOR SUPPER.

-OH, SORRY, I WAS PLAYING BALL.

IS THERE ANYTHING TO EAT?

-YEAH, I'LL HEAT
YOU UP SOMETHING.

-GREAT.

-AS FOR ME, THAT
SUMMER OF 1972, I WAS 16.

STILL YOUNG ENOUGH TO BASK
IN THE PLEASURES OF SUMMER,

THE REAL DELIGHTS.

THE HARBINGERS OF DOOM.

-WAYNE, WHAT'S THE
MATTER WITH YOU?

-NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS, DORK.

-WHAT, IS HE SICK?

-WORSE.

-HE GOT A JOB.

-OH.

-YOUR FATHER FOUND
WAYNE A POSITION AT NORCOM.

-ON THE LOADING DOCK.

-YOU'RE KIDDING!

-IT WAS GRIM.

WITHIN HOURS OF HIS GRADUATION,

MY BROTHER HAD BEEN SHANGHAIED
BY THE AMERICAN WORKFORCE.

-WELL...

CONGRATULATIONS, BUTTHEAD.

I'M SURE IT'LL BE GOOD FOR YOU.

-SHUT UP, SCROTE.

-NOT THAT I WASN'T SYMPATHETIC.

STILL, IT WAS ABOUT TIME
THE WAYNER GOT A TASTE

OF THE OLD PURITAN WORK ETHIC.

-OH, COME ON, WAYNE.
DON'T LOOK SO MISERABLE.

-ONE MORE WORD, AND
I SWEAR I'LL KILL YOU.

- OOH!
- HERE YOU GO, HONEY.

-I MEAN, AFTER ALL, THIS WAS
WAYNE'S PROBLEM, NOT MINE.

-AND HOW ABOUT YOU?

UNTIL, OF COURSE...

IT WAS.

-ME?

-YOU.

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA
DO FOR A SUMMER JOB?

-WELL... UH...

I, UH...

-OH, GOD.

HERE THEY CAME,

THOSE TWO WORDS THAT
MEANT DEATH TO SUMMER FUN.

-START LOOKIN'.

HA!

- "START LOOKING."
CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT?

-NATURALLY, I TOOK MY
CASE TO A HIGHER COURT.

-I MEAN, HERE IT IS,
TWO DAYS INTO SUMMER,

AND HE WANTS ME TO GET A JOB.

- IT'S NOT FAIR.
- WELL...

-I MEAN, WHAT DOES HE THINK
I AM, SOME KIND OF MACHINE?

-WELL, YOU DO HAVE A POINT.

-OF COURSE I DO.

-YEP, I WAS BUILDING AN
AIRTIGHT DEFENSE HERE.

-BESIDES, I MEAN,
IT'S ONLY JUNE, RIGHT?

THERE'S PLENTY OF
TIME TO LOOK FOR WORK.

-SURE.

-I MEAN, WE JUST
FINISHED FINALS.

WE DESERVE A
LITTLE... RELAXATION.

-SURE.

-AND THERE IT WAS.

A MANIFESTO WORTHY
OF THE BILL OF RIGHTS.

-MY GAME.

-WANT TO PLAY AGAIN TOMORROW?

-I CAN'T TOMORROW.

I'M WORKING. I GOT A JOB.

-PAUL, THIS IS TOTALLY
UNACCEPTABLE!

-THE ROTTEN, NO-GOOD TRAITOR.

-LOOK, KEV, I DIDN'T
HAVE A CHOICE.

MY FATHER KNOWS THE OWNER
OF THIS RESTAURANT, MR. CHONG.

-WAIT.

YOU'RE WORKING AT A
CHINESE RESTAURANT?

WHAT ARE YOU GONNA BE
DOING, CHOPPING ONIONS?

-WELL, ACTUALLY,

I'LL BE FUNCTIONING
AS ASSISTANT MANAGER.

YOU KNOW, ORGANIZING
THE KITCHEN,

SUPERVISING THE BUSBOYS.

-WELL, THAT'S GREAT.

I DON'T BELIEVE THIS!

- WHAT?
- COME ON.

WE'RE GONNA BE WORKING
FOR THE REST OF OUR LIVES.

THIS COULD BE OUR LAST GREAT
SUMMER TOGETHER, RIGHT?

-WELL...

-THERE. WHAT COULD HE
POSSIBLY SAY TO THAT?

-IF YOU WANT,

MAYBE I CAN GET YOU A
JOB WITH ME AT MR. CHONG'S!

THANKS BUT NO THANKS, PAUL.

-KEV...

-NO, REALLY, IT'S FINE.

-AFTER ALL, IF PAUL WANTED
TO SQUANDER HIS YOUTH,

WHAT DID I CARE?

SO MY DAYS WOULD BE BORING.

-WINNIE!

-THAT JUST LEFT ME
MORE ROOM FOR...

-KEVIN!

- MY NIGHTS!
- HI!

-WINNIE COOPER.

THE VERY REASON SUMMER
EVENINGS WERE INVENTED.

-YOU ALMOST READY?

-WHAT TIME IS IT?

IT'S ALMOST 8:00.

YOU GET OFF IN
20 MINUTES, RIGHT?

-WELL, NOT EXACTLY.

I HAVE TO WORK TILL 11:00.

11:00?!

WINNIE, I THOUGHT WE
HAD A DATE TONIGHT.

-WELL, WE DID.

BUT THE MANAGER ASKED
ME TO SWITCH SHIFTS.

-WHAT?

YOU MEAN EVERY NIGHT?

-I HOPE YOU'RE NOT MAD.

-WELL... NO.

-HEY, SO WE'D HAD A SETBACK.

WE COULD WORK THIS OUT.

-WINNIE, JUST TALK TO HIM, OKAY?

FOR US.

I MEAN, THINK ABOUT IT.

WE COULD TAKE STARLIT DRIVES,

ROLL DOWN THE WINDOWS,
TURN UP THE RADIO.

-YEAH, I WAS COOKIN' HERE.

-MAYBE... DRIVE UP
TO THE POINT AND...

-WAITRESS!

-RATS!

-KEVIN, I CAN'T.

-FINE, THEN!

WHILE YOU'RE WORKING,
WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO DO?

-WELL...

-OH, NO. NOT HER.

NOT WINNIE. NOT MY BEST GIRL!

-MAYBE YOU SHOULD GET A JOB.

-UGHHHHH!

-JUST SORT OUT THE JUNK
AND THROW IT IN THE TRASH.

WHEN YOU FINISH WITH THE CLOSET,

I WANT YOU TO START
ON THE GARAGE.

-EVIDENTLY, THERE
WAS NO END TO THIS.

-MOM!

-KEVIN, IF YOU'RE NOT
GONNA HAVE A JOB,

IT'S ONLY FAIR THAT YOU HELP

WITH RESPONSIBILITIES
AROUND THE HOUSE, RIGHT?

-RIGHT.

-AND THERE YOU HAD IT.

THE VERDICT WAS IN.

THE COURTS HAD RULED.

-I DON'T BELIEVE THIS.

-I'D BEEN SENTENCED
TO JUNE IN HELL...

TWO MONTHS OF HARD
LABOR, HEAVY LIFTING, CHORES.

IT DIDN'T SEEM FAIR.

NOT THAT I MINDED WORK.

I JUST COULDN'T
SHAKE THE FEELING

THAT OUT THERE,

THE WORLD WAS
FULL OF ADVENTURE...

ROMANCE...

MEMORIES.

-CARA.

KEVIN?

I WANT YOU TAKE WAYNE'S SHEETS
DOWN TO THE LAUNDRY ROOM.

-WAYNE'S SHEETS?!

-OKAY, ENOUGH WAS ENOUGH.

I WAS A MAN AT THE
END OF HIS ROPE.

IT CAME DOWN TO THIS...

I COULD SPEND MY
SUMMER HAULING SHEETS

OR TAKE THE SOFTEST,
CUSHIEST WAY OUT I COULD FIND.

-HEY, PAUL? YEAH.

LISTEN, IS THAT JOB STILL OPEN?

-I MEAN, AFTER ALL, HOW
BAD COULD IT POSSIBLY BE?

STUPID QUESTION.

-HEY, KEV. HOW'S IT GOING?

-HOW DOES IT LOOK
LIKE IT'S GOING?

-IS SOMETHING WRONG?

-I THOUGHT YOU TOLD ME I'D
BE DOING WHAT YOU'RE DOING.

-NOT EXACTLY.

I SAID I'D SEE WHAT I
CAN DO ON SHORT NOTICE.

-WELL, THANKS FOR NOTHING.

HUH?!

-WHAT'D HE SAY?

-I THINK HE SAID THOSE ONIONS

SHOULD BE CHOPPED
A LITTLE FINER.

-GREAT.

JUST GREAT.

-LOOK, KEV, DON'T
GET DISCOURAGED.

I'LL TELL YOU WHAT...
IN A FEW DAYS,

I'LL SEE IF YOU CAN GET
MOVED UP TO NOODLES.

-YES, SIR.

YES, SIR!

BUTTHEAD.

-FACT... I HAD JOINED THE RANKS
OF THE GAINFULLY EMPLOYED,

AND THERE WAS NOTHING I
COULD DO ABOUT IT BUT... SULK.

-KEVIN? ARE YOU
ALL RIGHT IN THERE?

-DON'T COME IN! I'M NAKED!

-OH.

-THINGS HAD GONE
FROM BAD TO MISERABLE.

MY BEST FRIEND WAS A JERK.

MY BEST GIRL WAS
ON A CAREER TRACK.

AND THE ONLY PERSON
WHO UNDERSTOOD ME...

SEEMED A MILLION MILES AWAY.

-I THOUGHT YOU WERE
GONNA LIGHT MY CIGARETTE.

-SO, I'VE BEEN EXAMINING
THE LAYOUT TO THE KITCHEN.

PRETTY INEFFICIENT.

I MEAN, NOW JUST TRY
THIS ON FOR SIZE, OKAY?

WHAT IF WE TAKE ALL THOSE JARS

AND PUT THEM ON
THE HIGH SHELVES,

THEN TAKE THE CANS AND PUT
THEM IN THE CABINETS TO THE BACK.

THAT WAY THE BUSBOYS WON'T BE
KNOCKING INTO THE SAUCE JARS...

-THERE ARE TIMES IN A YOUNG LIFE

WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO
SOMETHING FOR YOURSELF,

WHEN YOU HAVE TO STAND
UP FOR WHAT YOU BELIEVE IN...

WHEN THE WORLD HAS CLOSED
THE DOOR ON ADVENTURE...

AND YOUR ONLY CHOICE...

IS TO BUST OUT.

-KEVIN, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?

-WE'RE CALLING IN SICK TODAY.

-WHAT?!

-YOU HEARD ME.

-BUT WE CAN'T DO THAT!

WAIT A MINUTE. WHERE
ARE WE HEADING?

-NORTH. TO THE LAKE.

-IT TOOK ABOUT THREE HOURS

TO TRAVEL THE DISTANCE
FROM DRUDGERY TO PARADISE,

FROM HARD LABOR
TO SUMMER MEMORIES.

SURE, IT WAS IRRESPONSIBLE.

BUT DEEP DOWN,

I KNEW IT WAS THE SMARTEST
THING I'D EVER DONE.

-THIS IS THE DUMBEST
THING YOU'VE EVER DONE!

DO YOU REALIZE THAT
NO ONE IN THE WORLD

HAS ANY IDEA WHERE WE ARE?

-SO? IT'S PART OF THE ADVENTURE.

-I DON'T WANT AN ADVENTURE.

I'M AN ASSISTANT MANAGER.

I WANT TO GO HOME.

-FACE IT, THE GUY HAD ALL
THE DERRING-DO OF A NEWT.

-LOOK...

WE CAME ALL THIS WAY, SO
YOU MIGHT AS WELL ENJOY.

BESIDES, WE'RE NOT
LEAVING UNTIL WE FIND HER.

-WHO?

-CARA.

-AND HOW ARE WE GONNA DO THAT?

-DON'T WORRY.

I KNOW WHERE TO FIND HER.

-YEAH, AND WHERE'S THAT?

-EASY. THE DRIVE-IN.

-WELL, AT LEAST WE
GOT GOOD SEATS.

-SO WE'RE HERE A LITTLE EARLY.

HAVE A LITTLE FAITH,
WILL YOU? SHE'LL SHOW UP.

-YEAH? WHEN?

-I DON'T KNOW...
WHEN IT GETS DARK.

-GREAT.

-YEP. ALL WE HAD TO
DO NOW WAS SIT BACK

AND WAIT FOR DESTINY
TO TAKE ITS COURSE.

DESTINY...

OR ONE 6-TON BULLDOZER.

-HEY, WHAT DO YOU GUYS
THINK YOU'RE DOING HERE?!

-WE'RE WAITING FOR SOMEONE!

-WELL, WAIT SOMEWHERES ELSE!

WE'RE TEARING THIS
WHOLE PLACE DOWN!

NOW, GET OUT OF HERE!

-GOT ANY MORE GREAT IDEAS?

-A FEW.

-WELL, ONE OR TWO, ANYWAY.

OKAY, NONE.

HI, MR. CHONG?

HI, IT'S PAUL.

YES, SIR. I KNOW I'M LATE, SIR.

-THREE HOURS LATER,
WE CALLED HOME.

-YES, SIR.

NO, SIR. IT WASN'T DELIBERATE.

-IT WAS HORRIBLE.

-YES, SIR, I STILL WANT
TO WORK FOR YOU.

-AFTER HALF A DAY
SCOURING THE TERRITORY,

WE'D REACHED A DEAD END,

NOT A SIGN OF HER ANYWHERE.

MY PLAN TO BUST OUT HAD
TURNED OUT TO BE A BUST.

AND NOW... THERE WAS NOTHING
TO LOOK FORWARD TO, BUT...

TRUE LOVE.

-YES, SIR, WE'RE ON
OUR WAY HOME NOW.

KEVIN, WHERE ARE YOU GOING?

-NOWHERE.

-KEVIN?

KEVIN!

-BUT FROM NOW ON,
THERE WAS NO GOING BACK.

-HI.

-IT WAS A MOMENT
WORTHY OF GREAT POETS.

-WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?

-WELL...

YOU KNOW, I WAS JUST, UH...

I WAS...

ACTUALLY, I CAME TO SEE YOU.

-OH.

-I MISSED YOU.

-YEAH.

I MISSED YOU, TOO.

-BINGO.

-SO, UH...

DO YOU THINK MAYBE YOU
CAN GET OFF IN A LITTLE WHILE?

-IT SEEMED LIKE MY WHOLE WORLD

WAS RIDING ON
WHAT SHE SAID NEXT.

-I'LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO.

-GREAT.

-THAT EVENING, DRIVING
THROUGH THE DARK,

SURROUNDED BY THE
SOUNDS OF SUMMER NIGHT,

I WAS CERTAIN I'D FOUND
WHAT I'D BEEN LOOKING FOR.

SURE, CARA AND I HADN'T SEEN
EACH OTHER FOR EIGHT MONTHS,

BUT SOMEHOW... I SENSED
EVERYTHING WAS RIGHT.

IT WAS... PERFECT...

THE NIGHT, THE STARS.

-LOOK HOW CLEAR THE SKY IS.

-YEAH.

-SUMMER'S GREAT, ISN'T IT?

-I GUESS.

-IT WAS LIKE NOTHING
HAD CHANGED.

WELL, ALMOST NOTHING.

-DID YOU GET MY CHRISTMAS CARD?

-OH.

SURE.

YEAH.

-YOU DIDN'T WRITE ME BACK.

-WELL... YOU KNOW...

I'M NOT MUCH OF A WRITER,

BUT I THOUGHT ABOUT YOU A LOT.

-KEVIN...

WHY ARE YOU HERE?

-I TOLD YOU.

I DROVE ALL THE WAY
UP HERE TO BE WITH YOU.

-MY GOD.

DIDN'T SHE UNDERSTAND?

-YOU WANTED TO
SEE ME, DIDN'T YOU?

-YEAH.

IT WAS JUST KIND OF A SURPRISE.

I MEAN, IT'S BEEN A LONG TIME.

-AND THE WAY SHE SAID THAT,

THE SOUND OF HER VOICE...

THE LOOK IN HER EYES...

I GUESS I KNEW WHAT
HAD TO HAPPEN NEXT.

-WAIT.

-WHAT'S WRONG?

-I BETTER GO HOME.

-WHAT?

WHY?

-I DON'T KNOW. I HAVE
TO WORK TOMORROW.

-ALL RIGHT, WELL, THEN
I'LL DRIVE YOU HOME.

-NO. I'D RATHER WALK.

-CARA, WAIT.

CARA!

-YOU'RE BACK.

YEAH.

-WHERE'S CARA?

-KEV, WHAT HAPPENED?

-BUT THE PROBLEM WAS,
I HARDLY KNEW MYSELF.

-NONE OF YOUR BUSINESS.

-OH, FINE. THAT'S JUST FINE.

-I'M GOING TO SLEEP.

-WHAT, HERE?

KEV, WE ARE NOT...
REPEAT, ARE NOT... GOING...

-PAUL, WILL YOU JUST
GET OFF MY CASE?!

IT'S LATE,

AND I DON'T FEEL LIKE DRIVING
HOME TONIGHT, ALL RIGHT?

-SUIT YOURSELF.

GOOD NIGHT.

-YEAH.

-OF COURSE, THAT
NIGHT I DIDN'T SLEEP.

I LAY THERE, FEELING
BAD ABOUT WHAT I'D DONE...

RUNNING OFF, FULL
OF SUMMER MADNESS,

USING CARA, LEAVING WINNIE.

I FELT LIKE A STUPID,
SELFISH ADOLESCENT...

WHICH... I GUESS I WAS.

-OKAY. WE FOLLOW
THIS ROAD INTO TOWN.

THEN WE CAN TAKE A SHORTCUT
TO BARTON'S CROSSING.

-RIGHT.

THEN IT'S A STRAIGHT
SHOT DOWN I-91,

SO MAKE SURE YOU
GET PLENTY OF GAS.

-WHATEVER YOU SAY, PAUL.

-THE NEXT MORNING, I'D MADE
UP MY MIND ABOUT TWO THINGS...

ONE, I WAS NEVER GONNA
SPEND ANOTHER NIGHT

IN AN OLDSMOBILE...

AND TWO...

SOMEHOW I WAS GONNA
HAVE TO MAKE THIS RIGHT.

-HEY.

-HI.

-LISTEN...

I'M SORRY ABOUT LAST NIGHT,

ABOUT NOT WRITING,

ABOUT COMING UP HERE AND...

-YEAH, WELL, ABOUT THAT...

-NO, LET ME FINISH.

-IT WAS TIME TO TELL HER.

I HAD A LIFE. I HAD A JOB.

I HAD A GIRLFRIEND.

- SEE, CARA...
- KEVIN...

I HAVE A BOYFRIEND.

-WHAT?

-WE'VE BEEN GOING
OUT SINCE FEBRUARY.

I SHOULD HAVE
TOLD YOU LAST NIGHT.

I'M SORRY.

-WELL...

THAT'S GREAT.

-YOU THINK?

-YEAH.

I REALLY DO.

-I MEAN, WHO WAS I TO STAND
IN THE WAY OF TRUE LOVE?

-HEY.

SEND ME A CHRISTMAS CARD?

-I WILL.

-BUT I DIDN'T.

AFTER ALL, WHEN YOU'RE
16, 8 MONTHS IS A LIFETIME.

AND TIME HAD MOVED ON...

FOR BOTH OF US.

-♪ TRAVELIN' AT NIGHT ♪

♪ THE HEADLIGHTS WERE BRIGHT ♪

♪ AND WE'D BEEN
UP MANY AN HOUR ♪

-AS FOR ME, I HAD MY
OWN ROADS TO TRAVEL.

-♪ AND ALL THROUGH MY BRAIN ♪

♪ CAME THE REFRAIN ♪

-WAIT A MINUTE.
WHAT ABOUT THE GAS?

-NO. WE GOT ENOUGH.

- BUT...
- PAUL, COME ON.

WE DON'T HAVE TIME.
WE GOT TO GET BACK.

-♪ AND HOME SINGS
ME OF SWEET THINGS ♪

♪ MY LIFE THERE
HAS ITS OWN WINGS ♪

♪ TO FLY OVER THE MOUNTAIN ♪

♪ THOUGH I'M STANDING STILL ♪

-MAY I HELP YOU?

-SURE, I HAD A RESTLESS SPIRIT.

BUT I KNEW WHAT WAS GOOD FOR ME.

-YEAH. HOW ABOUT A SHAKE?

-I GET OFF IN 20 MINUTES.

-I'LL BE HERE.

-AND THE WAY I SAW IT...

THE SUMMER WAS YOUNG.

-♪ LA, LA, LA, LA, LA ♪

♪ OOH OOH OOH ♪