Poetic License: And Ode to Holden Caulfield

"Poetic License: And Ode to Holden Caulfield”

Original Airdate: 20-NOV-1998 Written by Erica Montolfo. Directed by William Russ Courtesy of Dennis’s Boy Meets World Transcript Source. Transcribed by Dennis

Opening Credits

[SCENE – Feeny’s class with, of course, Cory, Shawn, Topanga, and Angela in attendance. Feeny hands out a paper, the holds on to the remaining one]

Feeny: Now, this next poem is quite special. The manner in which the poet expresses emotion is truly eloquent. The piece is entitled “An Unpublished Manuscript for J.D. Salinger”.

Cory: (To Shawn) Nappy time.

Feeny: (Reading poem) “It is possible to assonate my heroes with the scope of my individualism. However, by their own persistence to themselves, I believe that they have chosen me to pursue a self. What is literature but the illumination of that which I would write? Salinger speaks through me, to me, whispers, ‘Where to, little boy?’ My answer is the doggerel pen to page which lights consistently the pathway home. It is on that road that I alone can trip my way back to myself.”

Cory: Aw, come on!

Feeny: Would you care to analyze this poem, Mr. Matthews?

Cory: Yeah, I’ll take a stab. (Stands)

Feeny: Stab away.

Cory: You call the poetry? Feh! And alright already with this J.D. Salinger thing. I mean, hello? Name dropping? And haven’t we had just about enough of “Catcher in the Rye”? I mean, what’s he written lately? Am I right?! (Pumps fist in the air, class remains silent. After a pause, Cory sits back down)

Feeny: Well, on that note, we will have to pick this up at our next session. (Class begins to disperse)

Angela: Cory, you’re nuts. That poem was so incredible. It was beautiful.

Topanga: I can’t believe someone our own age wrote that.

Feeny: Someone like Mr. Hunter? (Hands Shawn paper)

Cory: What?

Shawn: Yeah, I wrote that poem.

Angela: (To self) I knew it.

Cory: I liked it!

[SCENE – Feeny’s classroom, continued from earlier]

Feeny: (Steps down towards room’s front) You have any more poems?

Shawn: I, uh, really wouldn’t call them poems. I just write stuff down. I’ve been doing it since I can remember.

Angela: (Steps towards Shawn) I can’t believe you never told me.

Cory: I can’t believe you never told me.

Shawn: I never told anyone, okay? I just do it for myself. (Collect books, stands) Get my feeling out. (Walks towards the front of the room)

Feeny: Shawn, I host poetry readings at the Student Union Friday evenings. If you would feel comfortable sharing some of your… (Drifts off)

Shawn: I don’t know, Mr. Feeny, it’s…

Cory: (Runs up and puts his arm around Shawn, interrupting him) (To Feeny) That sounds awesome! Perhaps I could read some of my poems, too.

Feeny: (Disbelievingly) You have poems?

Cory: Well, I wouldn’t call ‘em poems, I just… I just sort of write stuff down.

Feeny: (Looking disgusted) I can’t wait. (Walks away)

Cory: Alright! See ya Friday night! (Feeny exits, waving bye-bye meagerly) (To Shawn) My poems are money, because they’re so funny. (Smiles)

Shawn: (Smiles, shaking head, walks towards door) Well have fun.

Cory: Alright! Hey, Shawn? (Shawn exits into hallway) Shawn? Shawn! (Cory follows him) Listen! Come on, don’t just blow this off! (Angela exits into hallway with Topanga)

Shawn: Cor, enough with the pressure.

Cory: No, I know you. If I don’t pressure you, you’re gonna flake.

Angela: (Interjecting) Hey, Cory! Shawn doesn’t wanna read his poems, than I think you should respect that.

Cory: No, because Shawn never wants to do what’s best for him.

Topanga: Come on, Cory, leave him alone.

Cory: Shawn, just come with us, okay? If you wanna read poems you will, and if you don’t you won’t.

Shawn: Will it shut you up?

Cory: Will you come?

Shawn: Fine. (Walks away)

Cory: (Proudly to Topanga and Angela) He’s gonna write a poem. In his dorm, and not his ho-em. (Musing at the poor poem) Hey! Alright! This is so easy! (Walks away)

[SCENE – Jack, Eric, and Rachel’s apartment. The three are trying to study. Eric, reading his book, continually clicks his pen. Rachel exhales loudly while playing with her hair, then looks over to Jack. Jack takes a big, loud bite of his apple. Rachel, twirling her hair, continues staring. Jack takes another loud, elongated bite. Rachel looks back to her books, Jack begins chewing, then looks to Eric, who is still clicking his pen. After a while, Eric looks up suspiciously at Rachel, who is looking at Jack again. Eric then glances between Rachel and his book before losing it.]

Eric: ENOUGH WITH THE HAIR!

Rachel: (Restrained anger) What?

Eric: You heard me.

Jack: She couldn’t hear anything over that pen. Click click. Click click click click click.

Rachel: (To Jack) I don’t need you to defend me, apple boy!

Eric: (To Jack, mockingly) Crunch! Crunch crunch crunch crunch! (Jack and Eric begin repeated “click” and “crunch” respectively)

Rachel: SHUT UP! Shut. Up.

Eric: (To Jack) Crunch.

Rachel: Look, I know these finals are worth ninety percent of our grades but it doesn’t mean we have to behave as wild animals do.

Eric: Talk. Talk talk talk talk talk talk talk TALK! Would you shut up and let me study?!

Rachel: Fine! (This and the next 6 lines overlap)

Jack: Fine!

Eric: That’s great!

Rachel: Fine!

Eric: That’s great!

Rachel: Great! Read your book, great.

Eric: Shut up.

(Jack takes another loud apple bite)

Eric: Oh, THAT’S IT!! (Closes his book, stands) I’m going to the library, you people are so uptight I can’t even think! And you know how hard this is for me in the first place. (Walks to door)

Jack: Yes, we do. (Eric exits) Finally, now maybe we can get some studying done?

Rachel: Finally!

Eric: (Reenters) I don’t know where the library is… (Jack & Rachel take their books & exit with Eric)

[SCENE – Library. It is quite crowded with quiet, studying students. Rachel, Eric, and Jack enter and find seats. Jack and Rachel are next to each other with Eric at an adjacent table]

Eric: (To self) Ah, this is better.

Students: Ssshhhhhh!!

Eric: Sorry.

Audrey: (Sitting across from Eric) You don’t sound sorry, you sound loud.

Students: Ssshhhhh!!

Audrey: (To Eric, sarcastically) Thanks, now they hate me, too.

Kid behind bookshelf: SHUT UP!!

Audrey: You shut up! (Points to Eric) And you shut up, everybody SHUT UP! Oh, I hate college!

Dick: The pressure. The pressure, it’s killing me! (Stands) AAAAHHHHHH!!!! (Falls against bookshelf and cries)

Jack: (To Rachel, meanly) What’s the matter with him?

Audrey: (To Jack) How would you like to have a book shoved down your throat?

Rachel: (Turns to Audrey) Hey, wait a second, he’s a friend of mine!

Audrey: (Stands imposingly. She is much taller than a sitting Rachel) You want a piece of me? (Rachel stands, she is a head taller than Audrey) (Audrey runs) AAAAHHHHHH!!

Rachel: (Chasing Audrey) Come back here you little twirp!

Dick: (To Jack) I don’t like your face.

Jack: (Stands) Well I don’t like… your pants!

Kid behind bookshelf: SHUT UP!!

Dick: What’s wrong with my pants?

Kid behind bookshelf: SHUT UP!!

(All of the students begin talking simultaneously, arguing)

Eric: (Stands) Hey! Hey! Hey! HEY! (Everyone shuts up and looks at Eric) What is happening here?

Rachel: (Walks into view carrying Audrey over her shoulder, who is trying to escape, but failing, by hitting Rachel’s back) I’m about to beat the crap out of the troll. (Walks away)

Eric: (Paces around table) Look at what we’re doing to ourselves. I mean, these finals are turning us into monsters.

Kid behind bookshelf: So what do we do?

Eric: (Points to bookshelf) That’s a good question. (Paces towards room’s front) (Rachel and Audrey have reappeared, standing in the background) I’d like everybody to take off their left shoe and make a pile right here in the middle of the room right now. (A barrage of shoes falls in front of Eric, including one from behind the bookshelf) What’re you thinking about right now?

Kid behind the bookshelf: My foot’s cold!

Eric: (Paces back around table) Exactly! You’re not thinking about the you-know-what’s.

Rachel: What?

Eric: Can’t say it. Look, we all know how important these you-know-what’s are to our futures. Not only here at Pennbrook, but for the rest of our lives. But the only way we’re gonna do well is if we relax. (Puts arm around a nerdy looking kid) You know, we calm down a little bit, we stop biting each other’s heads off, and who knows? Maybe we can even have a little fun, huh? (Messes up nerdy kid’s hair in a big-brotherly fashion) That’s what I call the Eric Matthews foolproof study system. (Look nerdy kid squarely in the eye) Hello, I’m Eric Matthews. (Paces towards room’s front again) First thing’s first, Rachel, I want you to shake hands with the troll and I want everybody to come down here and grab a shoe. You will find who owns that shoe and take ‘em to the movies. Come on, go.

(The students go forth and grabs shoes. Jack picks up a big brown one and looks ate the bottom)

Jack: Ew! There’s gum all over this one.

Dick: Do you like popcorn?

Jack: Do I.

Dick: Crunch during the movie, I’ll push your nose into your brain. (Takes his shoe, hands Jack’s back to him)

[SCENE – Poetry reading at the Student Union. A crowd contain Shawn, Topanga and Angela watch as Cory reads poetry with a student behind him drumming the bongos dramatically. Cory makes a fist to signal the stopping of the bongo drumming]

Cory: (Reciting poetry) All day long, I think of you. How do you do the things you do? I love you, girl, with all my heart. Because you’re pretty! And you’re smart. (Bongo drumming) To-panga! (Subdued applause) (Cory walks towards his friends) Tough room…

Feeny: (Steps in front of the microphone) The final poet for this evening will be Mr. Shawn Hunter.

Shawn: (Look shocked, turns to Cory) I can’t believe you. When are you ever going to learn to stay out of my business?

Feeny: Mr. Hunter?

Cory: (To Shawn, pats his back) Come on. We’re all here for you.

Shawn: (Takes his notebook with him as he goes behind the mike on stage. He clears his throat uncomfortably, then looks at Angela before talking, awkwardly) You don’t know it, but sometimes… You don’t know it, but sometimes… I… (Angela eyes him thoughtfully, as he stares at her uneasily) I’m sorry, I can’t. (Rushes out)

Cory: (Stands) It’s okay, everybody! It’s okay! Huh, Cory’s here! (Walks towards stage) Just a touch of stage fright. (Gets behind mike) Y’know, his poems are even better than mine, huh? (Takes Shawn’s notebook, which he had left on a nearby stool) Alright, I’ll just, uh, read the one that he was gonna read. This one’s called Top of the World. (Angela & Topanga look on intently) (Reading) “You don’t know it, but sometimes I go to a hill that overlooks the landscape's mask of city lights for a sip of momentary grace. On this brink of everything I know, I can gain an eyeful of the lost Atlantis in the human soul, and a breath that fills my lungs with the air between two stars. If you were now to capture this elation in the framework of your mind, or find transcendence through these words, then at most you would know nothing of the beauty your existence throws to me. (Shawn steps in and watches Cory) For mine is a love no experience, no thought, no measure, no words could ever degrade into reality by virtue of degree."

Angela: (To Topanga) I don’t understand.

Shawn: (Angrily, rushes in and grabs Cory) (Simmering anger) Come with me. (Drags Cory out)

Cory: Shawn…?

(Cory and Shawn go out onto the patio)

Shawn: Okay, how do I put this? (To Cory) Who do you think to are?

Cory: Why, that’s a silly question, Shawn. I’m your best…

Shawn: (Interrupting) No, no, no, no, no. No jokes, no backpedaling, look into my eyes, Cory. I am dead serious. We have a problem here.

Cory: Shawn… I’m sorry.

Shawn: No, no, no, no, no…

Cory: I…

Shawn: That’s not what I want to hear, not this time. I want to hear that you were wrong. That I asked you to back off and you wouldn’t take no for an answer. That you totally disregarded my feelings! You went way to far this time, Cory!

Cory: Alright! Alright! I did that. Okay, but I just wanna say…

Shawn: (Interrupting) Oh, there better… There better not be a “but”!

Cory: I did this for your own good!

Shawn: (Laughs quietly in disbelief) You have no idea what my poetry is about, do you? That poem that Feeny read in class, do you even know what that was about? (Cory stares at him silently) Nothing. Cory, I can’t say certain things, so I write them down. That’s how I get them out. Now, I do that for me, not for anyone else.

Cory: I heard the poem, Shawn.

Shawn: You heard it, but you didn’t listen to it. That poem you just read, do you even know who that was about?

Cory: Me.

(We see that Angela and Topanga are listening, but Shawn & Cory don’t notice)

Shawn: It’s about Angela. I wrote that for her.

Cory: Well… (Paces away)

(Shawn sees Angela and Topanga, who walk out onto the patio. Angela, almost crying, shrugs, and then slaps Shawn’s cheek and exits into the Student Union)

Topanga: Angela, wait. (Follows her)

Shawn: (Looks at Cory, then shrugs) (Sarcastically) Thank you. (Exits)

[SCENE – Angela & Topanga’s dorm. Angela sits on her bed, alone, when Cory enters]

Cory: I don’t know what to say.

Angela: Well, that’s a first.

Cory: Listen, I’m sorry I read Shawn’s poem. And… No. I’m not sorry I read Shawn’s poem. I mean, don’t you see that he would love to tell you how he feels?

Angela: Then he should tell me.

Cory: Angela, he’s writing poems for you. I mean, he obviously is still in love with you. (Sits next to Angela) And I know you still love him. Remember? You told me, we were in the bathroom and you were in the towel and we hugged…

Angela: (Interrupting passively) I remember. Maybe I still do have feelings for Shawn. Okay, but that doesn’t mean we should be together. I’m finally okay. I’ve started to move on.

Cory: Then what was the slap about?

Angela: How can he still have feelings for me and not want to be with me?

Cory: I don’t know.

Angela: Y’know, he broke up with me. He’s the one that wanted to meet new people. If he can’t tell me how he feels about me, then… then what are we?

Cory: Well, it’s not my nature to interfere. (Stands) I don’t know, maybe his poetry is the only true way that he can tell you how he feels. Y’know, so… meet him halfway. Tell him how you feel.

[SCENE – Student Union. Shawn sits in front of the fireplace, writing in his notebook. Angela approaches and stands in front of him]

Shawn: (Stands) Angela…

Angela: Go ahead.

Shawn: You sure? You’re not gonna hit me again, are you?

Angela: I’m sorry I did that.

Shawn: No, it’s cool. I probably deserved it.

Angela: Your probably right.

Shawn: (Clears throat, sits and casts his notebook aside) Look, I’ve been going over those words in my head over and over again ‘cause I wanna say this right.

Angela: (Sits) Oh, just… (Puts her hand on his) Just take your time.

Shawn: We used to talk. I mean, really talk. I miss that.

Angela: I miss it, too.

Shawn: Things just got weird. I mean, I got weird. But I don’t want us to ever stop talking. I couldn’t stand that.

Angela: Oh, neither could I. And when I heard that poem…

Shawn: (Interrupting) Yeah, the poem. That’s… that’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I wrote that a long time ago.

Angela: (Laughs, trying not to cry) You did?

Shawn: (Not noticing) Yeah, like, way before we broke up. So, you don’t have to feel weird and, y’know, everything’s okay.

Angela: (At a loss for words) Oh, well, great. Because, um, it would’ve really be awkward knowing that you still had feelings for me. Y’know, when I’ve clearly moved on.

Shawn: (Looking suddenly solemn) Right. So, I guess we’ve both moved on.

Angela: Yeah. We can just go forward as friends.

Shawn: Good friends.

[Camera pans out on the two of them staring into each other’s eyes over a fire]

[SCENE – Hallway at Pennbrook. Rachel is talking to Audrey when Jack approaches]

Jack: Hey. Are we ever gonna see you two apart?

Rachel & Audrey: Not if we can help it! (Giggle)

(Enter Eric)

Eric: Hey, everybody!

All: Hey!

Eric: When’s the next test? Hey, who cares?

Jack & Eric: Hey!! (High five) (Students laugh)

Jack: Listen, man. I thought I’d be the last person to say this, but, uh, hey. (Dick approaches) Thanks for letting us all know we just had to mellow out.

Dick: By the way, what’s the success rate of this system of yours?

Eric: System? What system?

Audrey: The “Eric Matthews Foolproof Study System”.

Eric: Oh, dude, totally made that up! (Group groans and confusion) I know, I know, stop grumbling. I know you guys are all interested to see if this is gonna work, and y’know what? So am I.

Dick: (Steps forward imposingly) So are you? You don’t understand that we’re all gonna fail and get in a lot of trouble… (Group complaints and advances on Eric, who becomes overwhelmed by the numbers of the crowd)

(Enter Feeny)

Feeny: (Silencing the madness) Okay, what has he done now?

Jack: Talked us into this idiotic study system of his.

Feeny: Oh, interesting, hm. Ladies and gentlemen, (Posts paper) your grades. (Walks away)

(The students cluster around the paper that Feeny just posted. Everyone seems to be happy, with many kids saying “yes” audibly. Audrey, however, is too short and cannot see from the back)

Audrey: (Hopping) I can’t see!

Rachel: (Turns to Audrey) (Quickly) Audrey, you got an A, too! (They leap up and down together in girlish screams of delight)

All: (Chanting) Eric! Eric! Eric! Eric! (Exits)

(Feeny pulls Eric aside, away from the exiting mob)

Eric: Feeny, Feeny, Feeny…

Feeny: Hang with me, hmm?

Eric: Well, I did nothing wrong. Is it a crime to take off your left shoe and your friend to the cinema?

Feeny: Take off you left shoe?

Eric: (Laughs) Oh, not now, Feeny. Come on. No, it’s just that everybody was so uptight about the finals, I just, y’know, tried to relax ‘em a little.

Feeny: Oh, I see, congratulations. I’m impressed with your insight. A recent university study showed that nonstop focusing on one’s studies hindered performance. So, it’s a good idea to put down the books, clear one’s mind…

Eric: Yeah!

Feeny: After one had studied thoroughly and absorbed the material!

Eric: Yeah!

Eric: You forgot that part, didn’t you?

Eric: (Nodding) Yep, yep… I didn’t do so good, did I?

Feeny: (Mockingly) Yeah! (Grabs Eric’s arm and drags him over to the grade sheet)

Eric: D’oh!

Feeny: I told you! (Forces him into the classroom)

[SCENE – Student Union. Shawn sits on the couch with his notebook when Topanga enters behind him. She covers his eyes]

Shawn: (Greeting) Hey. (Topanga walks around the couch) They’re not here yet.

Topanga: You’re kidding me, we’re gonna miss the movie.

Shawn: I know.

Topanga: (Sits) So, uh, is everything okay with you and Angela.

Shawn: Yeah, we talked it out and I told her that I wrote the poem before we broke up, and everything’s okay.

Topanga: Good. (Shawn takes the book, which was laying on the couch) Hey, wait, Shawn, is that the book that you wrote the poem in?

Shawn: Mm-hm.

Topanga: Isn’t that the book that I gave you for your birthday?

Shawn: What’s your point?

Topanga: Well, my point in that you and Angela broke up before your birthday, you couldn’t have written that poem two months ago. (Realizes) Shawn.

Shawn: Okay. Okay, you caught me. I wrote it after we broke up.

Topanga: How long after?

Shawn: Not long after.

Topanga: How long after?

Shawn: I wrote it two weeks ago, okay?

Topanga: Oh, Shawn, you still do love Angela! (Jumps into hugging Shawn)

Shawn: (Uncomfortably) Okay, let’s keep it down, let’s keep it down. (Topanga lets go) I can’t get her out of my mind, y’know? (Topanga nods) I miss her. I miss how she made me feel. I miss the fact that I could tell the things that no one understands, not even Cory.

Topanga: Well then tell her that, Shawn.

Shawn: I can’t… I can’t tell her that…

Topanga: Why not?

Shawn: Because I told her that I needed my space. I told her that I wanted to meet new people. I did this.

Topanga: If you two love each other you should be together! Maybe if Angela knew how you felt…

Shawn: (Interrupting) No, it’s too late. Angela’s not in love with me any more. She told me she’s over me, she just wants to be friends.

[Cut to the patio outside the Student Union. Angela approaches with Cory behind her]

Cory: Hey! Listen, are you okay with us all going out? I mean, I hope I didn’t mess everything up for you.

Angela: I’m okay. (Grabs his collar endearingly) You mean well, you always mean well.

Cory: You know I didn’t tell Shawn about how you feel, right?

Angela: I know.

[Cut to inside the Student Union, continuing Shawn & Topanga’s conversation]

Shawn: I want you to promise me. Promise me you’re not gonna tell anyone, even Cory.

Topanga: Okay.

Shawn: I mean that. (Holds up pinky) Pinky swear.

Topanga: (They hold pinkies) I swear.

(Enter Cory and Angela)

Cory: Hey. What’re you swearing?

Topanga: I swear that I’m going to kill you if we miss this movie. (Stands, eying Shawn)

Shawn: (Stands) What took you guys so long?

Angela: I’m just tying up some loose ends, right Cor?

Cory: (Looking at Angela) Yeah. (Looks to Topanga & Shawn) Hey, we better get going if we don’t wanna miss this movie.

(Topanga & Angela walk away, Cory stops Shawn)

Cory: Are we okay?

Shawn: You’re my date, aren’t you? (They exit)

[TAG – Another poetry reading at the Student Union. Cory is onstage. The audience applauds]

Cory: My next poem is called Frustration. (Bongos drumming) (Looks thoughtful, then pleading) Come on, TOPANGA! (The audience wearily applauds as Cory & the bongo drummer pump fists simultaneously) I call this next poem Feeny. (Bongo drumming, Cory does a corny dance move) Mr. Feeny is very smart. On many subjects, including art. And yet he can’t help me with my frustration COME ON TOPANGA!!

-End-