Learning to Fly

Eric, this college where you're going for an interview What, Beach State? Yeah. This is, like, a real college, right? Uh, because we're looking over this letter you got from the admissions office, and there are an awful lot of typos in it. Show me one. "Yours truly, the Bean of Admissions. " Yeah? So? Well, it's a very difficult school to get into. They just don't let anybody in. Oh, I am so psyched about this road trip. Beach State's been recruiting me since kindergarten. My dad's good friends with the bean. Has anyone seen Topanga yet? No, and she better hurry, man, because if we get there too late, the tide comes in, and then you can't park on campus. You know something? You're right. Why don't you help me load the car. Drop the umbrella, grab my boogie board. Well, they're my ride. Uh, whoa, whoa, whoa. You. Back up. We're okay with you going overnight with Topanga. We just want to make sure we're clear on the sleeping arrangements. Ah, interesting. A little concern on the part of the parents. You're worried Cory may get a little freaky this weekend? Anything happens to Topanga, I'll kill you. You like her better than me. Eric, I think it's fine that you look at other colleges. I just hope that you give serious consideration to Pennbrook. Do you really think I'm Pennbrook material? I mean, they've got that huge campus, all those 100-year-old buildings, all those smart people. I mean, I'd get trounced there. Well, it will be a challenge, but when you graduate, you'll have a degree that actually means something. I don't know, Mr. Feeny. I mean, right now, Beach State seems like a sure thing. Yes, well, sometimes a sure thing is not the best thing. But I know you'll do what's right. Hey. Okay, you're here. Great, we can go. All right, Topanga, all packed and ready to go Except you have no suitcase and no sleeping bag. Why, Miss Topanga, I am flattered and more flattered. Cory, I'm not going. And less flattered. My aunt wouldn't let me spend the night away unsupervised. Unsupervised? I'll be there. That's kind of the problem. She feels that, at our age, it might be improper. Listen, Topanga, we are old enough to make these kind of decisions on our own, and now your aunt comes along and puts the kibosh on the whole deal. I'm calling her, okay? Cory? What exactly did you think was going to happen this weekend? Topanga, I don't know, I mean, there's a beach, there's a moon, there's you, there's me. I'm sorry. I can't go. You know, I can't believe that you're going to let your aunt get in the way of us being together alone for a weekend. Topanga, why doesn't this mean as much to you as it means to me? That's not fair. I don't think it's very fair, either, okay? Where's she going? Not with us. Oh, cool, I can take my lounge chair. Shh, shh. Afternoon, Mrs. Blutemann. Ja? It is always good afternoon when there are no boys. There are no boys? Of course there are no boys. This is a sorority house. Ja, I am so sure. Uh, not to be a snitch, but I think some of the pledges tracked in dirt again, and, I think they had boys. Boy dirt? Not on my watch. Eric. Oh! Wow. It's all coming true. What is? My fantasy, Cor. I've had this exact dream, like, a million times. Boy! I'm just delivering a pizza. Leave it on the stoop. Oh! Who was that? The house mom. She catches you, she'll boot me out of the sorority. See, boys aren't allowed upstairs. Especially, not in the bedrooms. How did you know she was going to say that? My dream. It's exactly my dream. I don't want to be in your dreams. Uh, Julie, it's good to see you again. Yeah, it's great to see you, too. I appreciate you letting us stay here. No, I do. I also appreciate you letting our friends stay here. You're not even going to know we're here. Wow, your roommate's a pig. Uh, that's my side. Wow, you're the pig. Don't sit there. Mary Beth will have a cow. My roomie's a total neat-freak. She's cool with us staying here, though, right? Mmm, probably not, but Mary's always at her boyfriend's place, anyway. He's quarterback of the football team. You know, this dream thing is getting eerie. Hey, come on, what do you say we windsurf around the campus? All right. All right. Hey, guys, uh, have fun. Don't touch anything and stay away from me. Cory, why so down in the mouth? We're alone in a sorority, man. All girls, all the time. We are standing in the forbidden zone surrounded by women. Yeah, right. Surrounded by women, except for the one that should be here. Oh, well, this is cute. Hey, thanks. Shawn Hunter, and you are Ignoring you. Mrs. Blutemann! No, no, no. My brother's friends with your roommate. Oh, well, that's different. Boys! Many boys! No boys! Uh, Mrs. Blutemann, they must've climbed out the window. Why are you doing this to us? We're invited guests. And I love you. Why are you still here? You know, this may be my first time in a sorority house, but I'm detecting a little bit of an attitude. You got a name? Yeah Trouble. All guys are trouble. Why should you be any different? She just broke up with her boyfriend, you know, the quarterback guy. How does he know that? I dreamed it, Miss Birthmark- on-her-tochus. Shawn, Shawn, go easy on her, okay? Listen, I'm sorry, okay? With what you're going through, you probably don't need us to deal with, but, don't worry, we'll be out of your way very soon. You're a sensitive guy. Yeah, well, I wear a lot of light colors, so Uh, Shawn can I see you for a second? Uh, listen, in this recurring dream, what happens next? Uh, let's see. I'm left alone with a beautiful sorority girl. She just got dumped by her boyfriend. She's not too fond of men at the moment, so she wreaks havoc on me, emotionally, and physically. I see, and yet, there's only one detail that doesn't exactly mesh with your dream. What's that? The sorority girl's staring at me. The rec room. All right. Well, let's see. We've been water-skiing, snorkeling, played a little beach volleyball. What do you say we take a break and see, like, where the learning goes on? Well, we can check out the lab where Dr. Halberstram won the Nobel Prize for his cloning experiments. Kidding! Dr. Halberstram's a walrus. Oh. You know, there's got to be more to a school than just the beach. Eric, where's the problem? After all the hard work we put in at John Adams, this is our reward. Yeah, but then what? You know, I've been out in the real world for a year. I know that to make it out there, you got to come out of this place with more than just a good tan. What are you worried about? The real world is, like, four years away. Hey. Yes. Oh. Oh, so you want your things back now? That's fine. Here are your CD's. They'll be on the front lawn with your television set! That was my sleeping bag. Cory, we got to get out of here. I think this woman is out of sorts. In my dream, this is the part where she turns around, and the first guy she sees, she traps in her evil man-hating web of vengeful sexuality. Get out. Okay. I want you to stay, because you're a sensitive guy, and I want to talk to you. Well, okay, but maybe just for a minute. He wants to dump me? No great loss. I never really meant anything to him, anyway. He never really wanted to be with me, so Listen, I know that can make you feel bad, okay? I mean My girlfriend was supposed to come with me this weekend and at the last minute, she bailed, you know? I mean, I was really looking forward to spending time together, but I guess she wasn't. Relationships. Yeah, relationships. You know, they're so complicated. Hardly worth it. I'm through with men. Me, too. So, you want to party? You want to party or what? Uh, Mary Beth, let us be absolutely clear of your definition of party, lest we should send out invitations and, I don't know, hire a clown. Am I making you nervous, Cory? Nervous? No. No, not if there's going to be a clown. No clowns. Just you and me. Uh, and candles, huh? You're, you're lighting candles. Aromatherapy candles. Here. Smell. Mmm. Corn bread and pine needles. Actually, it's ylang-ylang and sandalwood. Sandalwood oil helps stimulate the mind and exalts calm and reflection. And the ylang-ylang? What does that stimulate? I Oh, no. Uh, listen, Mary Beth, I'm sorry, but I can't be here during this, the time of your great stimulation. I'm stuck. Uh, listen, Mary Beth, I am very flattered, but I do have a girlfriend, you know. Her name is Topanga. Topanga? Sounds like a freeway exit. What, you don't believe me? Fine, I'll prove it to you, okay? Hi, Miss Curtis? Hi, it's me, Cory. Is Topanga there? Uh Uh, no, she can't call me back. I'm on that trip. You know, the one you wouldn't let her go on? Uh, really? Huh, that's weird. No. No message. Bye. Topanga lied to me. She never even told her aunt about the trip. Hey, that's mine. Well, love is loss. Sounds like she didn't want to come with you. Yeah, I know. I mean, she blamed it on her aunt, while the whole time it was me she didn't want to be alone with. I'd be alone with you. Listen, you just broke up with your boyfriend, okay? I just got in a fight with my girlfriend. We're both very vulnerable. I don't want to do anything I'm going to regret. Cory, sounds like you were counting on spending some time with a woman this weekend. If you pass this up, you'll regret it. And now the starting lineup for the At first, the big man, Cecil Fielder. At second I won't tell anyone. I'm going to go take a shower. So that was it? Not even close. I'll be right back. Don't you go anywhere. Oh, well, that's just crazy. Oh, boy. Look at you. You like the way I look? Uh, yeah. Uh, okay, stay there. Don't come any closer. Okay, one, two, three, red light. See, now you're just going to lose the game. No, we're both going to win. Uh I can counter that move. See, I'm on the wrestling team, so I'll just So am I. Sorry. Uh I'm sorry. I didn't know you were Have you seen my brother? Present. Okay, um Well, I'll just get a few things and be on my way. Like you seem to be. Uh, Eric, listen, this isn't what it looks like. Oh, I know, you were just wrestling. Uh, Mary Beth, my brother's here, okay? That's okay. Uh, not for me. Could you maybe give us a minute or two? Fine, um I'll go down and get my laundry, and then I'll be back. I know what you're going to say. No, Cory, you don't. You're a big boy. You know what you're doing. Nothing was going to happen. You don't have to answer to me, Cor. Did you know Topanga lied to me? Then she had this coming. And Mary Beth is beautiful, and she's here, and no one's ever going to know about it. Except for Mary Beth and you. You know, Eric, we had this whole weekend planned out, okay? Why didn't Topanga want to come with me? And, tomorrow, Mary Beth will be gone, and so will 16 years of a great relationship with somebody you really care about, somebody you love, somebody who's worth waiting for. Listen to me, Cory. Throughout your life, there's going to be a lot of opportunities that come up. And they're going to seem great, and they're going to seem wonderful, and they're going to seem like they make your life a heck of a lot easier, but you have to walk away. And, you know, at times, it's going to be really difficult to do that, but you have to, because you deserve better. But, hey, you know something? It's your life, Cor. It's your decision. You know what's best for you. Now, if you don't mind, got to meet Julie and her study group for jet skiing. You know, Eric, you deserve better, too. What do you mean? Listen, if you go to this school, you're going to feel good for, like, a day, and then you won't. Okay, I mean, I know you have worked so hard and so long. You deserve to go to a place that's worthy of all that effort. Okay? You should go to Pennbrook. The interview. You blew the interview, huh? I never went, Cor. You know, I got scared. It seemed hard, so, I left. But this place, Cor, this is a sure thing. How am I supposed to walk away from a sure thing? So, what's it going to be? I need to tell you something. I love my girlfriend. Like that. Let's go. Hey, lookie what I found. I'm sorry, Eric. Your interview was two days ago. You didn't show up. You didn't even notify us. Now, if you'll excuse me, there are other applicants who were responsible enough to show up at their scheduled time. I'm sorry. I was scared. I'm not here to listen to excuses. It's not an excuse. It's how I felt. I mean, I'm still scared now, but not getting into college has determined who I am for too long, and I just want to make sure I go to the right school. Well, what makes you think that this is the right school for you? Look, I need Pennbrook, okay? All my life I've heard about how much potential I have and what I'm capable of. And I used to think it wasn't much, but now I do. And I just want to make sure I go to the right school. I want to see what my potential is. I don't want to go to some school that won't test that. I want to go here. You had your chance, Eric. No. Pennbrook is my chance. You're supposed to accept people that want to learn and study and grow, and if you don't then this school isn't living up to its potential. And I want my interview. Well, I think you just had it. You lied to me. You're right. I did. I was just worried about being alone with you overnight. Then you should've told me that, okay? If you didn't trust me, Topanga, you should've told me. And you can also tell me When did you ever say no to me that I didn't listen? When did you ever worry about being alone with me? Never, Cory. I was worried about me. I was worried about what I might do alone with you and the beach and the moon. I know I'm not ready yet. Listen, I know things are going to happen between us when they're supposed to happen. And I know I'll wait until they do. Yeah? How do you know? Well, I just know that the best things in life are worth waiting for. Yeah. I feel that same way about you, Cory. Yeah? Mmm. Sure. You know, you're a very sexy boy, Cory. Really? I'm a sexy boy? Thanks. Can't wait to tell Shawn. Well, here it is. My letter from Pennbrook. I can't, I can't. Here, you do it. Okay, okay, okay. Open it. This is it. Open it. All right. Come on! All right, all right, all right. Oh, boy. Oh, boy, this is bad. What? What, what, what? Now, Eric, that Dean Bolander is a tough cookie. How do you know her? She's been after me for years. Ooh, this just keeps getting worse. Just tell me! Okay, okay. First of all, they're charging an arm and a leg. And they want you there, like, a week before Labor Day for some kind of orientation deal. I'm in? I'm in! I'm in! Yeah! Knew you could do it. Congratulations, Eric. Job well done. Thank you, Mr. Feeny. Oh, thank you for everything. Well, it's what I do.