[Melody] Hi, my name is Melody Brooks.
And for the price of a smoothie, you can save a child like me with cerebral palsy.
No, I'm just kidding.
I don't want your money, and I don't want your pity either.
Go ahead and stare.
It's 2002.
You've never seen a girl in a wheelchair who doesn't talk before?
It's not like I have nothing to say.
Oh, believe me, I have so much to say, but my tongue won't cooperate.
[inhales sharply] I know what you're thinking.
I sound pretty grown-up for a 12-year-old, right?
I told you I can't talk.
So I don't have a voice.
This will all go a lot better if you just listen.
-Obviously, this isn't my voice. -[chattering on TV]
I have no idea what my voice would sound like.
So I can sound like whoever I want.
[mom] Honey! Come on, please.
Well, I have to say, that earns "tutu" pieces of candy.
-[mom] Great. Okay. Now brush your teeth. -I love you.
[Melody] And I love Jennifer Aniston.
So, of course I picked her voice.
And I'm just borrowing it.
It's not like I stole it.
Sharing is caring.
[mom] Did they take our insurance?
[dad] I was on hold for, like, two hours, and then they hung up.
[mom] That's so annoying.
You know what? Mr. Grossman canceled his hygiene appointment today,
so I'll just try them then.
[Melody] This is Ollie.
I wanted a dog, but my parents said it's too much work.
Here, boy. Here, boy. Ollie. [kissing]
Come on. Heel!
-[mom] Come on. Penny, get dressed. -[Melody] Heel!
See? He's getting pretty good.
-[children] Trick or treat! -Just a minute!
[mom] Penny, come here. Come on. You gotta put this on, okay?
[Penny] But I'm bored.
-[mom] You can be bored as a farmer. -[dad] School day.
-[mom] Oh, yes. -[Melody groans]
Why can't he just leave the TV on?
[mom] …appointment that my daughter, Melody, has
with Dr. Spencer for three o'clock.
-[Penny mumbling] -[dad] Here you go, sweet girl.
[Melody] I love to make lists.
Here is a list of things I'll never get used to:
butts in my face because people don't see me,
staircases…
[dad] Ollie.
-…people who say hi but sound so sad… -[whispers, indistinct]
[Melody] …how JLo's hair always looks perfect…
[mom] The school's getting a new playground.
-[dad] That's a good thing, right? -[mom] I can't believe…
[Melody] …early mornings,
the feeling of POP ROCKS in my mouth…
[mom] There's not one accessible swing.
[dad] Maybe it's not the final…
[Melody] …that dessert is not considered a complete meal.
[mom] Penny, we gotta go. Let's do this.
[dad] Please remember this is about Melody, okay?
-[mom sighs] -[dad] Just don't make this about you.
-[mom] Penny. Penny. -[Penny giggles]
-[mom] You have to come. We're late. -[dad] That's not you?
-[mom] Come on. -[dad] Out, out. Come on.
[sighs] Penny.
[mom] Penny, come on. You're gonna have to put these on in the car. Okay.
[sighs] Okay.
[straining] I love--
[mom] I love you too, kitten.
Um, all right. We don't-- Don't do that now.
-[dad] Huh? -Come on. Can you help me carry this out?
And just put it in the car.
Love you, ladybug.
-[Penny] Coming back again. -[mom sighs]
[Melody groans]
Five minutes. That's it.
-Wow. You are a very funny clown. -[dad] We have to go.
We already missed the bus today.
-Thank you. -And you… are so in style right now.
[dad] Penny!
Hop in, hop in, hop in.
[chattering on TV]
[dad] What are you doing?
[Ollie thuds]
[gasps, straining] Dad!
Dad! Dad!
[panting]
[exclaiming]
Dad!
[screams]
[panting]
[exclaiming]
[gasps]
[pants]
[exclaims]
[screaming]
[door opens]
Melody, what is it?
Are you okay? Let me see.
Oh, Melody, what happened?
Oh, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie, Ollie.
Come on. Oh.
[groans] You've gotta be more careful with your tray. You're gonna knock into--
-This is a mess. -[gasps]
-[dad groans] -[groaning]
[dad] Oh, you're making us so late.
-Look at this. There's water everywhere. -[groaning]
Stop, stop. Just stop.
I don't wanna hear it.
All right?
[groans] Geez.
[groans]
[sighs]
I'm sorry I yelled.
It wasn't fair.
I lost it. I'm sorry, Melody.
That's not on you, okay?
[Melody] Now he wants to talk?
[dad] I should have put Ollie's bowl on a higher shelf.
[Melody] It's too late.
Sweet girl, are you listening? I said, "I'm sorry."
Melody.
Please don't-- [sighs]
[neighbor] Yoo-hoo!
-[dad whispers] Oh, Mrs. V. -Yoo-hoo!
Uh-oh, here comes trouble!
-Hi, Mrs. V. -[Mrs. V] Hiya, Melody.
Have I got a present for you, girl.
[dad] We're running a little late. We're late for school.
Don't let me hold you up. But let me tell you what I found.
Boxes of old dresses, hats, feather boa.
Perfect for Halloween. When you wanna pick 'em up?
-Well, we'll be back later, so… -Oh, okay.
-Well, go, go. -[classical music playing]
-[laughs] What are you waiting for? -["Dreams" playing]
-Have a nice day at school, Melody. -[dad] Thank you, Mrs. V.
-Okay, watch yourself. -[Mrs. V] Okay.
-[dad] All right. -[Mrs. V] I'm good.
Pretty pumpkin for a pretty girl.
[song continues]
♪ Oh, my life ♪
Bye, Melody!
[dad] All right. Away we go.
♪ Every possible way ♪
♪ And, oh, my dreams ♪
♪ It's never quite as it seems ♪
♪ Never quite as it seems ♪
[strains]
[dad] Let's go.
♪ Now I'm feeling it even more ♪
Come on.
[Melody] This is my school.
No, no, no. No, not that way.
We're in the trailer over here.
[dad] Let's go. Let's go.
♪ Then I open up and see ♪
♪ The person falling here is me ♪
[Mrs. Billups] In the alphabet--
Hey. I'm sorry. Hi, everybody.
[Mrs. Billups] Hi, Melody. Good morning.
-We haven't started, so-- -[dad] Yeah. Sorry.
-Hi, Sue. Sorry. -Hi, Melody.
We missed the bus again. Hi, everyone.
-[assistant] Good morning, Melody. -Okay, bye. Miss you too.
[Mrs. Billups] All right. One, two, three. Eyes on me.
Carl, maybe you can zoom zoom this way.
-And Willy. -[Willy] Yep.
[student speaks indistinctly]
[Melody] This is H4-6.
It's been my classroom since kindergarten.
I've had the same teacher for seven years.
I'm like Lisa Simpson.
[student] Here.
-[Melody] And this is Maria. -Here.
We've known each other forever.
-[Mrs. Billups] Everybody ready? -[Willy] Everybody is ready!
What does the alphabet start with?
Melody, do you want to continue watching?
[Mrs. Billups] And let's all sing a nice big, big, proud belt.
Or do you want to continue listening to your book?
Yeah? Okay.
[Mrs. Billups, singsongy] A!
[students, singsongy] A.
[Mrs. Billups] Oh, you have more in you than that.
One, two, three.
-[students screaming] -[Mrs. Billups, singsongy] A!
[laughs] Whoo-hoo!
-[student 1] Wow! -[student 2 screams]
[Mrs. Billups] Very good.
And what is A in sign, you guys?
[student 3] …E, F, G…
[students chattering]
[Mrs. Billups] Well, if it's there. But-- [laughing]
All right. So, you guys--
[student] Jodie!
[voice on recording] Are you there, God?
It's me, Margaret.
I can't wait until two o'clock, God.
That's when our dance starts.
[Melody] Things I want…
[audiobook continues]
[Melody] …cool clothes,
a boy to like me,
to be able to put on mascara without poking my eye out.
There are a lot of things that I want.
-[whispers] Can I take these off? -[coos]
-[Mrs. Billups] So, A, B, C… -There we go.
-Hi. -[Melody coos]
I'm Katherine. Nice to meet you.
[coos]
Oh. What you reading?
-Can I see? -[Melody coos]
[Katherine] Oh, my goodness.
I love this book.
-[chuckles] Have you read it before? -[coos]
-Looking up means "yes"? -[coos]
Got it.
Ooh. This is a good one.
You know, my favorite part is when Margaret and Janie go to buy pads…
[chuckles] …but then they see the boy at the register, and they run away.
[laughs]
What's yours?
[Mrs. Billups] A, B, C, D, E-- Oh, uh, let's go back to A.
And try down a little lower.
So, A, right?
-[assistant] So you've been listening? -[Mrs. Billups] Do this.
Wanna put one on?
Are we being helpful?
[Katherine] The party?
-[chuckles] -[Katherine laughs]
Norman's birthday party.
-[laughs] -[laughing] Okay.
Why do you think Margaret lies about Philip's kiss at the party?
-Because she was trying to be cool. -[chuckles]
[Katherine] Yes, she was.
Yes, she was.
Mm-hmm. Awesome.
[Mrs. Billups] Melody is a joy to have in class.
She is a very sweet girl.
My summary is on page ten, but in short, she meets or exceeds all my expectations.
Thank you. That was wonderful, Mrs. Billups.
Now, here we have the individualized education plan goals that we devised.
-If everyone takes a look at page ten. -[Katherine] Thank you.
I'm sorry, I have a question.
-That's why we're here… -[dad] Right.
…uh, Mr. Brooks. [clears throat]
If Melody exceeds your expectations, why don't you raise your expectations?
[Mrs. Billups] Oh, Chuck.
Melody does very well for her abilities.
She listens.
-She has the classroom routines down pat. -Right.
-Has she complained? -Never.
She adores Mrs. Billups.
It's just she-- she shows a great capacity for curiosity.
You know, at home, she watches a lot of documentaries.
She-- She loves her telescope.
Uh, we go to museums.
I'm sure Melody enjoys her time together with you.
But it's-- it's more than that, Mrs. Antenucci.
It's that--
[sighs]
She loves to learn.
We see it in her eyes.
So I just-- I-I'm wondering if--
[teacher] Mr. Brooks, we design IEPs based on standardized assessments,
not on the looks in children's eyes.
Uh, what Mrs. Gardner means--
It-It-- It's hard to be objective about your own daughter's limitations.
-Yes? -[Chuck] Yeah.
Okay. Um, why don't we resume and take a look again at the-the--
Uh, of-of course…
You know, the assessments only tell us how likely she is to succeed.
Not if she will or why she may not.
Mr. Brooks, I am working on a program that is a part of--
This is, uh, Ms. Ray.
She's a student from the university.
A postdoctoral fellow.
Uh, she's here today to observe.
Yes, I just-- I just really think that Melody might benefit from--
I'm so sorry I'm late. Sorry. So sorry.
I got caught up with my little one in kindergarten.
-Hi. I'm Diane. -Hi. Dr. Ray.
-Thank you for being on the team. -[Katherine] Thanks.
-[Mrs. Antenucci] Uh, well… -Babe.
[Mrs. Antenucci] …she's actually a student from the university, but---
Okay. I, um, think we're gonna need to get into that. [laughs]
Um, how is our girl?
["In the Hall of the Mountain King" playing]
[Penny] You got a two.
[Diane hums]
-[Penny] One. Two. -[doorbell rings]
-Chuck, can you get that? -Yeah.
[Penny] Uh-oh.
-[laughs] -[Melody laughs]
-Maybe we have a trick-or-treater. -[Chuck laughing]
What's the scoop, girls? How do I look?
-[Melody laughs] -Scoop rhymes with poop.
I mean, yeah. She's not wrong.
[Diane] You look good, Daddy.
-[Chuck] Thank you. [laughing] -I don't think Einstein wore a lab coat.
Happy Halloween!
-Oh. -[Katherine] Mr. Brooks.
-Hello. -Hi.
-I'm sorry. -[Katherine] Um, you're fine.
-[Melody grunts] -Katherine Ray.
[Chuck] Right. Yeah, of course. How you doing?
Doing good. Uh, we never got a chance to really talk.
[Chuck] Diane, do you wanna come out here?
-[Diane] Yeah. -[Penny] Poop, poop, poop.
[groans]
[Penny] What? It's fun to say.
-[Chuck] Do you know who I am? -I do. I do.
-[Chuck] You remember Katherine? -[Diane] Of course. From the IEP meeting.
-[Chuck] Diane. -Nice to see you again.
You too. What's up?
-I wanted to talk to you about Melody… -[Penny] Uh-oh.
-…and the program I'm doing. -[Melody grunts]
[Diane] Okay.
I would love to start taking Melody out of her class
and integrate her into the regular classrooms.
So you wanna take Melody out of special ed?
Yes. One afternoon a week.
And not anything super extraordinary.
It would just be for sixth grade.
It took us so long t-to get Melody
to a place where she's valued, respected and safe.
[Diane continues, muffled]
I mean, you're young, you don't have kids. I mean, it's just that--
And I-I don't think we're about to put that at risk for your project.
This might be an opportunity for her to prove herself, Diane.
Prove herself for what?
-Calm down. -I mean, prove what? I'm not--
[muffled] I-I don't-- I just don't feel good about, uh…
[Penny mumbling]
[Katherine] If you don't mind, I'm gonna give you a little bit of paperwork.
Just to ease your mind, Willy's parents already signed off,
and I would be in the classroom with her at all times.
[Diane] I don't know.
[Katherine] I only want the best for Melody.
-[Diane] Thank you for stopping by. -[Penny] One. Two…
[Chuck] Thank you very much. Happy Halloween.
[Katherine] Happy Halloween.
[Diane sighs]
[vocalizes]
Oh, it was, um--
-Don't worry about it. Don't you worry. -[Melody groans]
[vocalizes]
[sighs]
All right, let's go. Who's ready?
-Time to trick-or-treat. Huh? -[Penny giggling]
-[Diane] Let's do it. -[Chuck] You ready? Let's go.
[Diane] These cookies are as frosted as they're ever gonna be.
[Chuck] Come on. [growls]
[trick-or-treaters] Ten, nine…
[Melody] I love Halloween.
…seven, six, five…
[Melody] It's the one time people stare at me for the right reasons.
…two, one!
Blast off!
[all cheering]
["Where Do I Belong" playing]
♪ Drifting out like a satellite ♪
Are you sure she doesn't need help?
[Melody] Nope, she's got it.
Good. You did a very good job.
[Melody] She pats me like a dog like that every year.
One of these days, I'm just gonna bite her.
[partygoers chattering]
[chattering, laughing]
♪ Yeah, I feel ♪
♪ Where do I belong? ♪
[Maria] Hi, Melody. Wanna do a race?
[Melody] Things I love…
-[Maria's mom] What'd she say, honey? -She said yes.
[Melody] …the sounds my wheelchair makes when I go super fast,
-sparkly dresses… -[Maria's mom] I'll be right here.
[Melody] …having the coolest Halloween costume every year,
palindromes,
daddy longlegs spiders because I read they're friendly…
Come get me, Mom!
-[Melody] …my family… -[Chuck] Go, Melody!
[Melody] …and, of course, outer space.
[Maria's mom] Maria!
[Maria mumbles, laughing]
[Maria] Melody!
[cheers] Catch me!
[Mrs. V gasps]
Oh, girls. Look at this!
Huh?
-Uh, well, I think Melody claimed that. -[Penny] I want that one.
-But, uh… -[Penny] I like it.
…Penny, I did promise you a boa.
[Diane] Hello! I'm home.
-[Mrs. V gasps] Oh, hi. Hi. -[Diane] What's all this?
[Penny] Mommy, look! I got a boa.
-[Diane] Yes, you did. -[Mrs. V] Take it upstairs
-and put on your sparkle shoes. -Good day?
-Okay? -Sparkly shoes!
I just-- I was expecting you to pick these up before Halloween.
Oh.
But I-- I figured you just got busy, and so here I am.
-[Chuck] Yeah, here she is. -[Diane] Yeah.
[Mrs. V] Yeah. See, it's fine.
You know, the girls can play dress-up anytime.
-Besides, it was starting to gather dust. -Hey, baby.
I'm gonna go put this in your room.
[mumbles]
[Diane] Pasta?
-[Chuck] What do you think? -[Diane] Yeah.
[Chuck] I was looking at the paperwork Katherine brought about the program.
[Diane] I-- Yeah, I-- I told you it's too risky.
-Ooh. Are these cookies? -[Diane] Yes.
-Halloween. -[Chuck] Oh, yeah. Help yourself.
-Those are from yesterday. -[Mrs. V] Oh, thank you.
Is this from Melody's school?
Mmm. This is a great idea.
A regular sixth-grade class?
-Mel, you're gonna love this. -[Chuck] We haven't discussed that yet.
-We have discussed it. -[Mrs. V] You're gonna learn history…
[Diane] And I don't think it's something that we're leaning towards.
…math, social studies.
-[Melody chuckles] -[Mrs. V] All alongside your peers.
Oh, my God. This is so great.
-[Diane] That's a parental decision. -[Mrs. V] Yes! "Want"!
I know you want. Of course you want.
I would want this too. This is fantastic.
[Diane] Vi, it's a parental decision.
-[Chuck] Sure. -[Melody vocalizing]
[Diane] We have not-- Back me up.
-Sure. -Okay, okay, okay.
-It's still on the table. -Okay. Ooh. I guess I-- I should go.
I should go.
[Diane] Thank you for those beautiful dresses.
-[Mrs. V] Mm-hmm. -Why did you make me the bad guy?
[Chuck] How am I making you the bad guy?
-No, how am I doing that? -[stammers] Well, we talked about it.
Parents think their kids need to be protected.
That's all.
[grunts] "F-A-I-R."
Unfair.
Right. Unfair.
So, what are you gonna do about it? Hmm?
-Hmm. -Listen. Hey.
[sighs]
You're gonna have people taking care of you the rest of your life.
At some point, you better learn just because someone wipes your ***
doesn't mean you have to kiss theirs.
Okay?
Okay, you got it.
[Diane] It's not hidden. She knows about it.
-Are you serious? -[Chuck] No.
[Chuck, Diane whispering]
[door closes]
[Melody] Things I hate:
French braids,
sweatpants,
shoelaces,
-sauerkraut… -[door opens]
[Chuck] Good morning.
[Melody] …opera…
[Chuck] How you doing?
[Melody] …classrooms in trailers…
Beautiful day.
[Melody] …being ignored.
[sighs] You have a good snooze?
-Hey, let's go. -[Melody] Mmm.
Mmm.
[Chuck] Come on. Let's go.
-[Chuck] Look, we gotta get up now. -[grunts]
[Chuck] Come on, come on.
You got school today. Come on.
-Melody. -[groans]
-Please. -[groaning]
[Chuck] Melody, I need you to not do this. Not today, baby.
Please help me here. [sighs]
All right, fine. But I-- I get five minutes too.
-[exhales sharply] -[Melody groans]
-[Chuck imitates snoring] -[chuckles]
-Huh? -[groans]
-You up now? -[groans]
Decided my snoring wake you up?
-[Melody groaning] -[Chuck sighs]
Don't fight me, please.
All right. There you go.
-All right. Okay? -[groans] No.
-Hey. -[whimpers]
-Come on. -[groans]
[Melody] Mm-mmm.
[Diane] Okay. Now it's a hunger strike.
Come on, Mel. [sighs]
[Chuck] Well, maybe we should give this sixth-grade-classroom thing a chance.
[Diane scoffs]
Who's gonna turn the pages of her book?
Who's gonna take her to the bathroom?
[Chuck] I don't know, but at least she'll get an education.
[Diane] Yeah.
You've not fought these people like I have.
Next thing, they're gonna be shoving 'em all into mainstream classrooms.
[Chuck] Well, maybe that wouldn't be such a bad thing.
[Diane] Oh, maybe they can just do away with special ed entirely
and spend the money on football jerseys.
"Oh, we don't need specialized teachers."
-It just-- It doesn't feel right. -[Diane sighs]
Fine.
Fine. Sign her up.
And when she comes home crying because they shove her in the back
and no one pays any attention to her except the bullies, you clean it up.
[groans]
I don't know about you…
but this, uh, Mr. Dimming…
["Blows By" playing]
He's gonna be pretty lucky to have you in his class.
♪ They're all fast cars ♪
♪ Take our fast hearts away ♪
[Melody chuckles]
♪ No time for stopping now ♪
♪ No time ♪
♪ I want to live now ♪
♪ I want to have those silent times ♪
♪ I want to be unsure ♪
♪ Unaware of time gone by ♪
♪ I need to give now ♪
♪ Let my hands and my mind ♪
♪ Grab on to the dusty air ♪
♪ Before it all blows by ♪
[singer vocalizing]
[indistinct]
♪ Before it all blows by ♪
[no audible dialogue]
♪ Before it all blows by ♪
[Mr. Dimming, indistinct]
They don't know what to expect.
They didn't even know if the world was flat or not.
They might fly off the end of the planet.
They didn't know.
This is why we're here.
Why do we study the past?
Why?
Why do we study the past? Rose.
To prepare for the future.
[Mr. Dimming] Why do we study the past, Rodney?
To prepare for the future, Mr. D.
I assume that everyone did their reading last night?
-[students murmuring] -Oh, that didn't sound good.
-[student] No. -All right. Pop quiz.
-[students groaning] -[knock on door]
-[Mr. Dimming] Saved by the bell. -[Katherine] Hi.
-[Mr. Dimming] Hi. -[Katherine] Come on in.
[Willy] Hi. How are you?
You must be our-- our visitors from, uh, H4-6.
-[Willy] Yes, we are. -[Katherine] Yes, we are.
Hi, I'm Katherine.
-Nice to meet you. -Hey. Wallace Dimming.
Um, who do we have here?
[Katherine] Oh, this is Willy.
-And this is-- -[Willy] And this-- this is Melody.
[Mr. Dimming] Okay. Well, there's, uh, some room in the back.
Someone's absent today, so there's an empty desk.
We're gonna sit in the middle. So we can see you.
-[Willy] Hi. -Okay.
Can you guys just scoot your chairs to the side? Thank you.
Come on back. Come on back. Don't be afraid, Melody.
[Willy] Hello.
Hi.
-[Katherine] All right. -[Willy] I am ready as rain.
And can you ladies scoot to the side, so she can squeeze in?
Perfect. See, Melody? Perfect fit.
Willy, let's leave the lady alone.
Thank you.
Sit next to me.
All righty.
Can you squeeze in? Yep.
[Mr. Dimming] I didn't forget about our quiz, okay?
[claps] So listen up.
First question's worth, oh, why don't we say 1,000 points.
A thousand points?
[Mr. Dimming] According to your textbooks,
who was the first European to "discover" America?
Oh, that's easy. Come on.
[Mr. Dimming] Mmm.
-Jodie. -Christopher Columbus.
[imitates buzzer sound] Wrong. Sorry.
Not Christopher Columbus.
Anyone else?
Rodney, I thought this was an easy one.
I just thought why don't you give someone else a chance, Mr. D.
[students laugh]
Uh. [clears throat]
Yes, in the back.
Uh, I believe it's Melody?
[Katherine] Leif Erikson.
[chuckles] Nice.
Um, Mr. Dimming, she didn't actually say anything.
[Mr. Dimming] Thank you, Claire.
Um, yes, that's correct, Melody.
So you get the follow-up bonus question.
Where was Leif Erikson from?
[student snickers]
[Katherine] "I-C-E"--
[Willy] Boring, boring.
[Katherine] Wi-- Willy, shh.
[students snickering]
-[Katherine] Okay. "L"… -[whispers, indistinct]
-[Jodie] That's so mean. -[Katherine] "…A-N-D."
Perfect.
Iceland. He was-- He was sailing from Iceland.
Don't worry about it.
[Mr. Dimming] In the Dutch East India Company,
there's a crazy story about what happens when Henry Hudson's crew mutinies on him.
-So, do the reading tonight… -[bell rings]
…and you can participate in the discussion tomorrow.
-[students chattering] -That's class.
-Have a great rest of your day. -What do you think of sixth grade?
It-- It just feels smelly.
Oh, it f-- Okay. Thank you for that.
[Mr. Dimming] Um, Ms. Ray. A word, please?
Oh.
You should go make some friends.
Yes, ma'am. If you can raise your hand in class, you can make a couple friends.
[mouthing words]
-[Claire] Rose, are you coming? -[Katherine] Willy.
[Claire] Did you do the math?
[Jodie] Uh, I did the math, but, like…
[Claire] Okay, so my mom is gonna drive us. So just hurry up.
[clears throat] I was assured that this would not be a disruption.
[Katherine] It won't.
Presume competence, and I promise you're gonna be very impressed.
Hi.
[Katherine] Willy, why don't you come over here?
"Shoes." Sorry, I--
[Melody] Uh.
Oh, thanks. Your shoes are, uh…
-They're nice too. -[chuckles]
-[chuckles, grunts] -[Rose chuckles]
So you two are gonna be in our class every week?
Mmm.
-Hey, Rose. -Cool.
-Are you coming? -Yeah.
-[Claire] Let's go. -I'll see you next time.
-[Claire] Run, run, run. -[Jodie] Let's go. Let's go.
-Run. She's gonna literally kill me. Go. -[Rose] Sorry.
[Katherine] Melody, you ready to go?
[Melody] Things I never did before today:
Be in a class that was all sixth graders. Check.
[Diane] What was that?
[Melody] Answer the teacher's question when no one else knew. Check.
-What? -[Melody giggles]
[Diane gasps]
How dare you? [chuckles]
[Melody] Talk to Rose. Check, check, check.
Take a bath by myself.
[sighs] Someday, maybe.
-Wouldn't that be nice? -Here.
-But my mom loves this. -You okay?
So I throw her a bone every now and then.
[Diane] Well, truce.
-Time out. Time out. Time out. -[Melody chuckles]
Um, I keep forgetting.
There is an exhibit at the university on interstellar objects.
-Do you wanna go? -[grunts]
Yeah? No? Maybe so?
Friend? Yeah, you can bring a friend.
You want me to call Maria's mom?
Who's Rose?
-How about this? -[Melody] No.
-[groans] That's hideous. -Melody, you just have to pick something.
-[Melody groans] -[Chuck] Penny.
Your friend's gonna be here in a minute.
[groaning]
This?
[Melody] Oh, my God.
[Diane] Over. What?
[Chuck] Penny, come on.
-Tights? -[Melody] Yes. Finally.
Yes? No, we're not wearing tights. They're impractical.
We're gonna be getting in and out of cars and using the restrooms.
-The public restrooms. -[groans]
-[Melody] Then pick something good. -I got it.
-[Melody] A skirt. -Put it on.
-We gotta get ready. -[groans]
What? It's a shirt and pants.
[doorbell rings]
[narrator on TV] The humpback whale was given its name
because of the shape of the hump on its dorsal.
-Hi, Mrs. Brooks. I'm Rose Spencer. -[Diane] Hi.
Um, I parked my bike at the end of your ramp.
Is that okay?
Yeah. Um, welcome.
Come in.
Uh, Melody, your, um--
Rose is here.
-Hi. -Hi.
[narrator] Each whale has its own unique pattern on the underside…
Oh, why don't you turn off the TV, kitten?
-Um, so you're in, um… -[TV volume increases]
[narrator] …for identifying individual whales.
-…Mr. Dimming's class? -Yes.
-How's that? -Hi.
-What toy do you wanna be? -[Rose] Ooh, wow.
[Chuck] Hey, you must be Rose.
-[Rose] Yeah. -[Chuck] Hi, nice to meet you.
-Ooh, what's this? -[Penny] Daddy, we're playing.
[Rose] The red fire truck has a ladder. That's cool.
To save cats in trees?
[Chuck] Penny, that can't be what you're wearing.
-No, no, no! Get back here. [grunts] -[Penny giggles]
[Chuck] All right. We have liftoff in T-minus two minutes.
-[imitating rocket] -[vocalizes]
Ah. Oh.
[vocalizes]
You good?
Yeah.
-[Chuck] Penny. -Cool.
Uh, we're gonna go soon?
-Yeah. -[Rose] I heard it's a lot of fun there.
[coos]
So, Rose, we're-- You know, we're happy that you decided to join us.
[Rose imitates rocket]
-[Penny giggles] -Sure.
My mom says just 'cause some kids are different,
doesn't mean we shouldn't treat them like normal people.
-What-- What's normal? -[grunting]
-I mean, am I normal? -[Rose] No, no, no, no, no.
Are you normal? I-I-I tend to think that normal is--
Hey, Mom, we're trying to make friends here.
Whoa.
-[Penny yips] -So, girls, what do we think?
A little spa-- space time or…
[sighs]
[Penny] Mommy, I wanna go over there.
Okay. We're gonna go over here.
Huh?
-To this thing. Okay. -[Penny] Over here.
[Rose] Do you know a lot about, like, space or whatever?
-[coos] -That's cool.
I mean, you must get to watch a lot of TV.
No offense or anything, but my mom won't let me do anything that's not productive.
Like, on Mondays, I have my math tutor,
and then on Tuesdays, I have chess, and then Wednesdays…
[space museum narrator 1] …nebula is a type of interstellar cloud…
[Penny giggles]
[narrator 1] …that is so dense that it obscures the visible wavelength of light…
[narrator 2] The distances between planets…
[Rose, Claire, Jodie laugh]
[Melody] Things I can do that you only think I can't:
make people laugh,
a relay race,
algebra,
feed myself,
beat you at a staring contest.
[Chuck] Hey, Rose.
Can you try to remember to include Melody?
Sorry, girls.
I was just with her. I saw my friends and wanted to say hi.
[Chuck] I understand.
I know it's easy to get excited and run off,
but just remember that Melody can't go everywhere that you can.
[Claire] Wait, are you talking about the special ed kid?
[Chuck] I know it's nice to hang out with your friends.
I'm just trying to say that maybe you could find a way to include her.
Okay?
Where is she?
[Stephen Hawking] Although we are puny creatures on a cosmic scale,
we have established a sort of order in one small part of the universe.
We have managed to understand some of the workings of the universe
and may even find a complete theory before too long.
If we do that…
[Chuck] Melody.
Hey, Mel, you can't run off like that.
Do you understand?
[Hawking] When we were young, we weren't afraid to ask why…
[Chuck] That's Stephen Hawking.
He's kinda like you, huh?
-Mmm. -No?
-[chuckles] -Mmm.
"Talk."
[Hawking] But I don't agree.
[Chuck sighs]
[Diane] Oh, God. Penny took forever.
-Is Mel asleep? -Yeah.
[Diane] What's this?
"Let your fingers do the talking with this innovative"…
"Join the conversation."
"Medi-Talker."
Hmm. It's called AAC.
A-Augmentative and alternative communication.
Sounds like it's for an illness.
-She's 12 years old, Di. -Yeah, I-I know.
She doesn't need to be pushed on a swing.
She needs to be hanging out.
She wants to be calling her friends on the phone and gossiping about boys and--
[Diane] I know.
-How much is it? -Oh, it's easier said than done.
-[Diane] How much? -Seventeen thousand dollars.
Ah.
That's just the device alone, not including add-ons.
-What about insurance? -[Chuck] No.
I talked on the phone for two hours with someone. [stammers]
Did you explain? I mean, you can't take no from these people.
Oh, I explained.
I begged.
I yelled.
I apologized for yelling.
I apologized for the tone of my apology until the lady said
that her shift was over and that I had to call back on Monday.
And now I don't know what I'm supposed to do.
What am I supposed to do?
You're supposed to bring in the big guns.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Okay.
[employee 1] Good morning, this is Billander Insurance. Please hold.
[phones ringing]
[employee 1] Thank you for calling Billander Insurance.
Hi.
Oh. Hi. Can I help you?
[Diane] Uh, no, I don't think so.
What's your, um… [smacks lips] …your supervisor's name?
-Oh, Mrs. White. -Yeah.
-Oh, I love your blouse. -Thank you.
And what's Mrs. White's boss's name?
-Mrs. White's? -Yeah.
-Mr. Potts. -Okay.
But he's the vice president of the company,
so he doesn't usually do that much--
Oh, "Leonard Potts." I see it. Thank you so much.
-I'm gonna sit there and wait. -He doesn't usually help people.
-That's not-- -[Diane hums]
You-- You're just gonna sit there?
Yeah. I'll just wait.
[humming]
[employee 2] There's a woman sitting right outside your--
-[Diane] Tell him I have plenty of time. -She's got plenty of time.
-No, she, um-- -[humming]
[employee 2] She's-- I think--
She took out knitting, sir.
What do you think of these?
"Not cool."
Hey, do you have these in any other color?
I think she was thinking of maybe, you know, something a little cooler.
[groans]
These are the only kind that fit her pronation.
-Okay. -[cell phone rings]
-[Melody vocalizes] -Hey, did you chain yourself to a desk?
-[Diane] After all that, it went well. -[whispering] It's your mom.
I mean, well, they wanna get her assessed.
Oh.
I mean, I guess before they pay for her to talk,
they wanna make sure she has something to say.
-Are you feeling a bit nervous? -[coos]
[Melody] Okay. I've done, like, a hundred of these.
No sweat, Melody. You got this.
Here's what we're going to do.
We're going to take all of those nerves and bad feelings,
and we're gonna put them in a box,
and we're just gonna put it away on a high, high shelf.
[gasps]
-All gone. -Hmm.
-Okay. -Mmm.
Now…
I'm going to ask you some questions,
and I want you to give me your best answer.
[Diane] God, this is so stressful.
Why do these always take so long?
It's gonna be fine.
[doctor] Which one of these is not like the others?
[Melody] Not like the others. Not like the others.
Okay. Well, tomatoes are gross.
Balloons you can't eat.
Strawberries have seeds on the outside.
Cherries have a pit.
And bananas are yellow.
So, I guess the real question is, which answer does she think is right?
[doctor] Which one?
[Melody] Maybe banana?
Balloon. No, banana.
Balloon. Banana, balloon, balloon, banana.
[inhales deeply]
[clears throat]
[Melody grunts] Why didn't I pick the banana?
[taps tray]
Because you can't eat a balloon.
[Melody groans] Great. Well, that went well.
[doctor] Let's try another.
Mr. and Mrs. Brooks.
-Hi. Thank you. -Come, please.
-[doctor] If you could just grab the door. -[Chuck] Sure.
[doctor] Thank you.
[phone ringing]
[receptionist] Hello, Dr. Hughly's office.
[Dr. Hughly] I'm sorry about the delay.
[patient vocalizes]
[electronic voice] Do you want to see a movie after this?
Yes. Oh, my God.
[receptionist] Can you hold for a moment? I'm gonna go to the back and check.
I just can't approve a Medi-Talker at this time.
[sighs] Hmm.
[Chuck, Dr. Hughly speaking, indistinct]
[Dr. Hughly] Because her cognitive results are…
-[Chuck] Sure, they're glaringly low, but… -[Dr. Hughly] Hmm.
[Diane speaks, indistinct]
[clears throat]
[Melody cooing]
[grunting]
I know that her test scores-- We've been through that.
[indistinct]
["Swinging on a Star" playing]
♪ You may grow up to be a pig ♪
[Chuck] I know.
I know you're bursting with so much to say.
-And we're gonna prove that. -[coos]
Hey.
♪ Or would you rather be a fish? ♪
♪ A fish won't do anything-- ♪
[Melody] My dad thinks there's a solution to every problem.
-Me and Mom know better. -Hey, wait up.
[Melody] It's not like Katherine could just snap her fingers
and make all of our problems disappear.
Excuse me? This is the Department of Education, yeah?
-Yep. -Thanks.
-Uh, sir? Sir. -[employee] Uh-huh?
Hi. Do you know where I might find Katherine Ray?
-Dad. -Melody?
-Mr. Brooks. -Hey.
-Hi. -Hey.
-Is everything okay? -Yeah.
-Sorry to spring this on you. -Oh.
Uh, surprise. We had asked a doctor to fill this out.
It's an assessment for insurance for an AAC device.
Oh, let me see.
I don't know if you've heard of that. It's like a-a Medi-Talker.
Um, well, they told us that it would be a waste of our time.
It's not a waste of time.
-Well, we agree with that. -Yeah.
[Chuck] But we thought maybe you would know somebody here
at the university who might be able to help.
[Katherine] "…specialty or expertise."
Yeah. Do you know anyone at the children's hospital or--
Mr. Brooks, this says a doctor with a relevant area of specialty or expertise.
It doesn't say anything about a medical doctor.
-Oh, yeah. I know. I knew-- I knew that. -[both chuckle]
Okay, let's see.
Um, "Patient is capable of learning." Check.
"Patient understands complex concepts."
Absolutely.
"Patient follows multistep instructions." Check.
Signed Dr. Katherine Ray, PhD.
Done. [chuckles]
[Melody] My bad.
Things I'm gonna do with my Medi-Talker:
Call all my friends on the phone,
interrupt somebody,
prank call Mrs. V,
-give a classroom presentation… -Come on.
[Melody] …recite a poem,
yell to my neighbors,
order food in a drive-through,
use a walkie-talkie,
do karaoke,
-demand a later bedtime… -There he was, the UPS guy…
[Melody] …thank Katherine,
tell Penny to stop stealing my lip gloss.
I said to him, "You have to give me the package.
They've been waiting for it for forever.
And so you have to do this."
-[Diane grunts] -So that you could talk to everybody.
And it was so excit-- And I was so--
And I must have looked so ridiculous, and he probably thought that I was crazy.
-But I said you have to give this to me. -[Diane] Thank you.
I pretended to be you. [chuckles]
That's fraud.
-[Melody chuckles] -Look.
-Look. Look at that. -All right.
-See? You see that? -[vocalizes]
[gasps]
All right. Let me look what we're supposed to do first.
-"Setting up the systems." -[Mrs. V] That's a great color, right?
"Chapter"… Okay.
Well, wait. We have to set up our voice preferences first.
-[groans] -Wait. I gotta read the instructions.
"Word windows. Word windows are the building blocks of Medi-Talker.
You can use the built-in word bank as well as type your own words."
-Oh, look. You can have music, games. -[Medi-Talker chimes]
-[electronic voice] Medi-Talker. -That's really cool.
-Or we could just go ahead without a clue. -[Melody chuckles]
-Okay. Let's see. -[Mrs. V chuckles]
[Diane] "Setup. Voice setup."
[Medi-Talker] Voice setup. Choose your voice.
-Mmm. -[Diane] Whoa, whoa, whoa.
Let your sister do it. Let your sister do it.
English.
No, English US.
English.
-[Medi-Talker] Hello. -[Diane] Hello.
-To English US. Child. -Mmm.
-[Medi-Talker in British accent] Hello. -No.
[chuckles] I like that one.
-You do? -[chuckles]
All right. I shouldn't pick. You pick. You pick. It's your voice.
-Okay. -[Medi-Talker speaking Japanese]
[all laugh]
Oh, goodness.
[Medi-Talker speaking Mandarin]
[whispers] She's gonna get a voice.
[Medi-Talker speaking German]
-[Medi-Talker speaking French] -[coos]
-Melody? -[door closes]
Guys?
[sighs] How you doing?
-[vocalizes] -Is that it?
[vocalizes]
Mmm.
[Medi-Talker] Daddy, Ollie jumped out of his tank.
[Chuck cries]
[cries, laughs]
[Melody coos]
Hey.
You sound beautiful.
-Yeah, you do. -[coos]
[Penny] Daddy!
[Chuck] Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah. Oh, yeah.
-[Diane] You sound beautiful. -[Chuck] Oh, my God.
Let me see this thing.
[chuckles]
-You got more? -[Diane] Yeah, she does.
[Medi-Talker] Hello. How are you today?
[Chuck] What do you think of that?
[Medi-Talker] Thank you for asking.
[Diane] Show him that one.
[Medi-Talker] I have an idea.
[Chuck chuckles]
Why do we study the past?
-Connor. -[Connor] To prepare for the future.
But why do we study the past?
Beth?
We study the past to prepare for the future.
Mmm. But why do we study the past?
[Medi-Talker] We study the past to prepare for the future.
-[students murmuring] -[Connor] Whoa.
Cool.
Make it say something else.
Wait, is that a talking computer? [chuckles]
[Willy] You're not supposed to call out, Melody.
Okay, Willy. Okay. Thank you.
Okay, guys. It's actually not the computer that's talking.
It's Melody that's talking.
Wow, Melody, that's a very cool, uh, fancy new gadget.
Uh, but I will say that Willy is right.
Uh, please wait for me to call on you before you answer out loud.
Um, okay.
As I think most of you know, I coach the school's Whiz Kids team.
[students cheering]
[Mr. Dimming] Yeah, right? Yeah.
Give it up for Whiz Kids.
This is, uh, a very exciting time in the school year
where we select our team for the season.
-Tryouts are upon us. -[student cheers]
[Mr. Dimming] Think about it. Dig deep. Look inside yourselves.
Do you have what it takes to join the storied ranks of the Spaulding Whiz Kids?
-[students cheering] -[student] Yes!
Sorry, what? I-I actually couldn't hear you.
-[students cheering] -[exclaims]
-What? -[students cheering]
All right. How do we do this?
[Mr. Dimming] Okay, okay.
We'll see. We'll see. I'll see you at tryouts.
All right, now back to work.
We're talking about the Founding Fathers,
George Washing Machine and Thomas Jelly Stone.
[Melody] Boys who have said hi to me in the hallway:
-Willy… -[Rose] Oh, my God, Connor.
[Melody] …Connor…
[laughing] Okay, um, are you gonna try out for Whiz Kids?
Uh, yeah, it's fun, and my mom says I have to, so--
[Claire] Oh, mommy issues.
[Melody] …the fifth grader whose name I don't know.
Rodney, once.
But he may have been saying memory, and not Melody.
[Medi-Talker] Hello.
How are you today?
Uh. Hi, Melody. Cool machine.
[Medi-Talker] I want…
toilet.
[Claire] Thanks for sharing.
-[Rose] Uh, okay. Uh, we gotta go. -[Medi-Talker] I want to ask--
[Claire] See you, Rose.
Um, I'll talk to you later, okay?
So, how are things?
[Medi-Talker] I am happy.
Thank you for asking.
You are happy. Thank you for asking, huh?
[sighs] Let's look at these options.
"I am sad. Thank you for asking.
I am excited. Thank you for asking.
I am hungry. Thank you for asking."
Those are your only feelings?
-Mm-hmm. -Come on, girl.
Let's see what else we can make it say.
[Diane sighs]
[Chuck] "Your shoes are so cute.
Where did you get them?
I love that skirt."
What-- Is everything about clothes?
-"Hey, what's up?" -[Melody] Mm-hmm.
"Hey, what's up?" That's what you want to say?
-[vocalizes] -All right.
"That's the bomb." Is that something people say now?
"Holy crap nugget." That's not even a word.
-[Melody chuckles] -What are you doing?
Katherine sent this list of phrases home
that Melody wants to be able to say.
[Diane] Ah.
"I have the best dad in the world."
-Oh. -[chuckles]
-[Chuck] Let me try it. "I have the"-- -[groans]
[Chuck] Wait. Wait, wait, wait, wait.
I think-- Wait. Let's see.
[Medi-Talker] I have the best dad in the world.
Oh, well, you never know when you might need it.
All right. What's that one?
Oh, sweetheart. Why would you ever wanna say these words?
[Diane] Oh, stop. She gets to say whatever she wants.
We don't get to police it.
[Chuck] Mom, read them before you say all that.
-Look at this. -[Diane sighs] Okay.
-[Chuck] Here, give it a try. -Okay.
-"Fart." Really? -[Melody chuckles]
"Fart nugget."
[Melody, Chuck laugh]
[Diane] "Butt cheek." Butt cheek is such a good word.
Butt cheek. [laughs]
Oh, oh. What did I do?
Okay, wait. I got it, I got it.
Um. "Shut up…
you-- you mother"--
["Save The World" playing]
…in-between. Not quite high school yet.
Anybody got any ideas of what that might have been like?
Off the top of your head.
Any thoughts?
An adventure.
A new world out in front of you.
That's what it was like for some of these explorers.
Uh, yes, Jodie.
♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
Look at that.
♪ Oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh ♪
[bell rings]
♪ Whoa, oh, oh, oh ♪
[gasps]
[Medi-Talker] Hey, what's up?
Sorry, Melody. I really gotta get inside.
[Medi-Talker] Your shoes are so cute.
What did it say?
[gasps]
[Medi-Talker] I can help study for Whiz Kids.
Melody, you seem nice and all,
but, um, I don't think-- I don't think I need your help to study.
[vocalizes]
[Medi-Talker] Trivia. General.
-Which is the fastest land animal? -[stammers]
[Medi-Talker] What was the pen name of Theodore Geisel?
[Rose] What other subjects are there?
[Chuck sighs]
All right, you want to move back a bit?
Careful.
-Welcome. -[Chuck] Hey.
-How you doing? -Great.
-Thanks for coming. -Of course.
Um, you girls can work, um--
[smacks lips]
Right-- Right here. [chuckles]
Just wait a second though, 'cause the carpets--
-No, Mom. It's fine. -It'll take a second. Um--
Oh, perfect. [chuckles]
-Oh, do you need a hand with it? -Oh, no, I got this, um--
We'll just, uh… One at a time, and then you can come on forward.
Here we go.
All right. Move forward.
Great.
Okay, and forward.
And stop.
Let me get this out of the way.
Okay.
Last one. [sighs]
And forward.
Forward and stop.
[chuckles]
Perfect. Good job.
-[Chuck] All right. -Perfect.
-[chuckles] -Uh, I'll leave you to it.
-I'll see you. Thank you. -You're welcome.
[chuckles]
Well, you girls have fun. [chuckles]
[Rose sighs]
Sorry, my mom's, like, a total clean freak.
Mmm.
[Rose sighs]
Uh, so, wanna get started on the questions?
Yeah.
[Medi-Talker] Trivia.
General.
How long is the regular term for a US representative?
Two years?
Four years?
Six years?
Seven years?
Two.
[Medi-Talker] That is correct.
What is the deepest place on Earth?
The Krubera Cave?
The Mariana Trench?
The Aleutian Trench?
-[sighs] -[Medi-Talker] The Mulu Cave?
Who's even heard of these places?
-[Medi-Talker] Connor. -[Rose] Connor?
He's not even half as smart as he thinks he is.
[Medi-Talker] He's nice.
You like him.
-[vocalizes] -Yes, you do.
You wanna kiss him!
-[gasps] -[groans]
Why not? It's fine. He's cute.
I mean, he's kinda conceited, but he's not so bad.
[Medi-Talker] I will never kiss.
That's not-- [sighs]
You don't know that.
Hmm.
[Rose] So, what happened to you anyway?
[Melody vocalizes]
Sorry, I shouldn't-- I shouldn't have said that. Sorry.
You don't have to answer it.
[Medi-Talker] I have cerebral palsy.
A condition caused by damage to the part of my brain
that controls how I move and talk.
-Does it hurt? -Mmm.
[Medi-Talker] Other people.
-Other people who have it? -Mmm.
[Medi-Talker] They hang on you.
They hang on you with their eyes.
[sighs]
[Medi-Talker] Trivia. General.
In what year did the Constitutional Convention take place?
-1787. -[Medi-Talker] 1492?
177-- That is correct.
[Rose chuckles]
One hundred official test questions from Whiz Kids headquarters in Washington, DC.
I can read each prompt one time
and each answer only once just as it is done in the competition.
What is that? Connor, would you check on the door please?
[Connor] Uh, yeah.
[Mr. Dimming] Um, each question has four multiple-choice options.
A, B, C, D, obviously.
You will be chosen to be a member of Whiz Kids
based on your score and only your score.
[Connor] Hi.
Melody. Hi, can I help you?
[Medi-Talker] Quiz team.
But, I mean, Mr. Dimming, she's from the re--
[Mr. Dimming] Claire, that's enough.
[Claire] Sorry. I mean she's-- she's from the special room.
-Is she, like, even allowed to do this? -[Rose] So?
Are you scared she'll get a better score than you?
[students clamoring, laughing]
Um, is Ms. Ray with you today?
-[Sue] I'm here, I'm here. Hi. -[Melody] Uh.
[Sue panting] She's fast.
[chuckles]
Um, you know that this isn't a club, right?
Yes.
-You understand that? -Mm-hmm.
This is a-a competitive team.
-Yeah. -Right?
So only four students can represent our school in competition and two alternates.
[Medi-Talker] I'm not fragile.
[chuckles]
Um, okay. Well, let me get you an answer sheet.
Okay, everybody focus up. Eyes up here. Attention, please.
This is serious.
Okay, I want everyone to just do your best.
And if you start to get tired, you start to lag,
just think about all the preparation.
This is-- This is where it pays off.
All right, here we go.
Question number one.
Which is the largest country by population?
Question number 77.
Who wrote the book For Whom the Bell Tolls?
A, Gertrude Stein?
B, Ernest Hemingway?
C, Robert Jordan?
D, Sinclair Lewis?
Question number s--
Seven, eight, one, two, three, four…
[Claire] Yeah, okay.
…five, six, seven, eight and one.
[Rose] I think we're up.
[Jodie] Maybe the "Macarena" would work.
[Rose] Melody, hey.
Did you know that Melody suffers from cerebral palsy?
-Uh, yeah. -Yeah. Sure.
[Rose] What did you get on the lost city of gold question?
I already told you it's Shambala.
-[Claire] It's El Dorado. -Mmm, no, it isn't. [chuckles]
-It's Shambala. -Did you--
-It's El Dorado. -[Jodie] No, it isn't.
-[Claire] It's El Dorado. -[Medi-Talker] El Dorado.
See? El Dorado. We're all right. Majority.
-Oh. -You lose.
-[Jodie] Okay, I see my mom. Let's go. -Oh, saved by the bell. Okay.
-[Jodie] Oh, my God. -[Claire] You're just mad today.
I don't know why.
Maybe you're getting too much confidence from that outfit.
-You're literally half-naked. -[Jodie] Oh, my God.
["Elvira" playing on radio]
[Rose] Um, it was cool that you came in today.
Like, if you want to, you should be able to try out like everyone else.
[Mrs. V] Hey!
Melody! Yoo-hoo!
-[students laughing] -Yoo-hoo! Come on.
Let's go. Let's go. Let's go.
Do you know that person?
[Mrs. V] And up and down and up and down and-- Hey, kids!
Yoo-hoo! I'm gonna start to dance.
Come on. Come on. Let's go.
[Medi-Talker] I'm not suffering.
What do you mean?
[Medi-Talker] I have cerebral palsy.
-A condition caused by damage… -I didn't mean it like that.
…to the part of my brain…
[Mrs. V] Melody, come on.
…that controls how I move and talk.
[Mrs. V] We gotta go. Go, go. Let's go.
Hey, Mel.
You wanna go to the mall this weekend?
Yeah.
[Mrs. V] Come on.
♪ My heart's on fire for Elvira ♪
[Medi-Talker] I definitely made the Whiz Kids.
Course you did.
You're a fighter.
-♪ Giddyap ♪ -♪ Oom poppa, oom poppa, mow mow ♪
[Rose] Oh, this is where I got my shoes. Like, my really sparkly ones.
Oh, my God. I was headed toward the escalator.
I don't even think of you as disabled anymore. I just--
Isn't that funny?
I can't believe the grand opening of Tread is today.
They have a deejay and everything.
[chattering, laughing]
[Rose] Oh, my God. This line is so long.
[sighs]
[Medi-Talker] I have an idea.
What is it?
Just wait a second.
Um, excuse me, sir. Can we go in?
[bouncer] After you wait in line like everybody else.
But, um, my sister here,
she's only allowed out of the hospital for a few hours,
and-and she really wants to go in.
-[bouncer] It's not my call. -Dude, just let her in.
-[bouncer] I wish I could. -Yeah, let her in.
Let her in. We don't care.
-[bouncer] Please. -She's in a wheelchair.
[fake coughs]
[customer] Come on. Seriously?
-Okay, just go. -Really?
-I mean, thank you so much. Thank you. -Quick, come on. Go, please, go.
-We'll go. -Thank you. Sorry.
["Like I Love You" playing]
[Rose] Oh, my gosh. Like the big one?
[both laughing]
Close your eyes. We can rinse it, okay?
What do you mean, no? Okay, I promise you! I wouldn't--
♪ Baby, just remember ♪
♪ Sing a song with me ♪
You look good.
Ooh, I mean…
-Very cool. -[both chuckle]
♪ You're a good girl And that's what makes me trust ya ♪
-These. Yeah. -[gasps]
♪ Late at night I talk to you ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
[laughs]
♪ I could change your life ♪
[music stops]
-Can I have a bite? -No.
[music resumes]
♪ Drums ♪
♪ Hey! ♪
♪ It's kinda special, right? ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
♪ You know ♪
♪ You think about it ♪
♪ Sometimes, people ♪
♪ And that's what it is ♪
♪ Now, everybody dance ♪
-[students clamoring, cheering] -Yeah, yeah! Go! Go!
[student] Oh, my God.
Good morning, Spaulding students.
This is Mr. Dimming with a quick announcement.
We had a great turnout for this year's Whiz Kids tryout,
so thank you to all who participated.
It was, uh, really, really tough to make this decision,
but the-- the numbers don't lie.
And now, without further ado, here are your 2003 Whiz Kids!
-Hey. Is this it? -Yeah.
Okay.
The four students who will represent our school in competition:
First, with a score of 89, Rose Spencer.
Give it up for Rose.
[laughs]
[Mr. Dimming] Coming in with a score of 91, Rodney Walsh.
-Yeah! -That's what I thought.
-Yeah! -That's what I thought. I'm the best.
-I'm literally the best. -You didn't know.
Give it up for Claire West.
-[cheering] -Ah, Claire!
[giggles]
Finally, with a score of 97.
That's a new school record, by the way.
Drumroll, please.
[imitates drumroll]
[imitates cymbal crash]
Connor Bates.
-[cheering] -I did it! Yes! Yes!
[Mr. Dimming] Congratulations to our team.
Go Spaulding Shooting Stars.
[students giggling, chattering]
[Mrs. Billups] Oh, there we go.
[Melody] Things about the world I don't understand…
[Mrs. Billups] All right, Melody. Here, let me put this on.
[Melody] …war…
[Mrs. Billups] Have a nice evening.
[Melody] …why so many things have to be so hard…
Melody. Did you hear? I made Whiz Kids.
[Melody] …how telepathy works…
…I would get it, but I did.
And Claire and Jodie were playing…
[Melody] …pity…
It's kind of hilarious.
[Melody] …why most people don't even see me…
[chattering]
[Melody] …French kissing…
[chattering]
[Melody] …why anyone would like mayonnaise.
"Yeah, guys. Like, I'm the smartest, because, like, I made it,
and I had a really high score." And we're like, "No one cares, Connor."
[Diane] Yeah, the man owes you an explanation.
-[Mrs. V] You are damn right. -[Chuck] Wait a minute. Hold on a second.
-[Mrs. V] Sorry for cursing. -[Chuck] We don't know what happened.
[Diane, Mrs. V] We do know what happened.
[Diane] Melody told Mrs. V she got all the answers correct.
[Mrs. V] I'm telling you, something stinks.
[Chuck] Penny, come eat your apples.
I'm gonna call this Dimming guy myself.
[Mrs. V] Oh, that's good.
[Chuck] Diane, I know you're upset, but you were the one…
[Medi-Talker] Don't want quiz team.
Don't want.
Don't want quiz team.
-Don't want. Don't want. -We have to at least consider--
[Melody exclaiming]
[Medi-Talker] Stop. You stop.
[Melody exclaiming]
[Medi-Talker] Will hurt Rose.
[Diane] Rose?
What does Rose have to do with this?
If you've made the team, then you should be on the team.
[Mrs. V] You're not a quitter. I won't let you be.
[Diane] Yeah, I'm gonna reach out to Katherine for help.
This is Melody's answer sheet, and this is his answer key.
Wait, she went through my desk. You went through my desk?
-[Diane] Yes, she did. And thank you. -[Mr. Dimming stammers]
-[Diane] Tell him what's on there. -[Mrs. Antenucci] Uh. This is, um…
[Diane] You can say it. Melody got every answer correct.
Every single one.
[Mr. Dimming scoffs] What?
No, that can't happen.
[Melody] Wait, what?
[Chuck] Just 'cause it's never happened doesn't mean that it can't happen.
-[Melody] But it did happen. -[Mr. Dimming] No!
Teachers cannot speak like this.
[Medi-Talker] I didn't guess one time.
[Diane] I know you didn't, sweetheart.
[Mrs. Gardner] I think I see what's going on here.
-Uh, may I? -Yeah, of course.
[Mrs. Gardner sighs] Melody.
-This is important. -Mm-hmm.
I need you to be honest.
Did your classroom aide help you with those answers?
[Chuck] Sorry, what are you suggesting?
-It's just a question. -[Melody coos]
Because maybe sometimes, uh, you get torn between two answers,
A or B, but you see your aide's pen hovering over one and not the other?
[Chuck] Oh, that doesn't sound like just a question.
[Diane] Yeah, it's because it's not a question. It's an accusation.
All right. Everyone, let's just take a breath and calm down.
-[Medi-Talker] Mine. -Yes.
[Medi-Talker] Answers. Mine.
-All right. Thank you. -[Diane] Yes.
[Chuck] Sorry.
Uh, you know what? No, I'm not sorry. You know what?
Mrs. Gardner, my daughter has integrity,
and I don't need a fancy degree to see that.
My wife can see it. She can see it.
Why can't you?
If she says that she aced her test, then she aced it.
And whatever you say, it doesn't matter.
I'm sorry. You can just-- You can forget it.
[Melody chuckling]
[Mrs. Antenucci] Is she okay?
-Yeah, she's fine. -She's laughing.
The point is that Melody got a perfect score.
So why isn't she on the Whiz Kids team?
-[Diane] Yeah. -Uh…
I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation.
[Chuck] Well, let's hear it.
[Diane sighs]
Well, I mean-- [stammers]
Y-Y-You put these kids in my class.
I have no training for this.
Right? I have no expertise.
I don't know how to talk to your child.
I've never worked with someone with her condition before.
I mean, I have no doubt that Melody is a kind, nice girl. I just--
[Diane] She's not just nice.
She's bright.
She's capable.
Wallace. Please tell me you have an explanation.
W-What do I have to explain? This isn't a test.
It's not for grades.
It's not a class.
This is an extracurricular team.
I didn't think I needed to. This doesn't happen. I--
I didn't grade her answer sheet.
That's what it's called.
-[Elena] That's the worst word. -I didn't make the word.
[Rodney] I'm gonna be honest. Maybe it's just a period on top of the line.
That's literally what it is. You don't have to be so defensive about it.
All right, all right. Whiz Kids, Whiz Kids, listen up. Please.
Sit down.
Jodie, Claire. Please.
Rodney, pizza out. Thank you.
Listen, eyes up front.
There has been a change to the Whiz Kids roster.
Melody Brooks will join the team for the competition.
[Claire scoffs] But Mr. Dimming…
[Mr. Dimming] Look, Melody earned her place on the team
like the rest of you.
And if a mistake was made, it was mine.
My fault.
[Rodney] Mr. D, that makes no sense. There's already four of us on the team.
You can't just remove somebody for somebody else.
[Mrs. Antenucci] Rodney.
Rose Spencer will become the first alternate.
[Rose] Why me? I have put in so much time for this.
[Mr. Dimming] You had the lowest tryout score, Rose.
[Mrs. Antenucci] Elena and Jodie will still escort them to the tournament
and to Washington if we qualify.
Thank you very much.
Go Whiz Kids.
-[Rodney] Connor. -[Connor] Geez.
I'd like to speak to you outside right now.
[Mr. Dimming] Okay, everyone.
Uh, we've got a few weeks to regionals, and we got a lot of work to do.
Let's, uh, gather round.
[Mrs. Antenucci] I've seen all types of teachers.
Wallace Dimming is one of the good ones.
-He cares about his kids. -Melody is his kid too.
You violated his trust.
You tarnished his reputation.
You cannot ask him to welcome you back after this.
[scoffs] Fine.
But we both know you never wanted my program to begin with.
I admire your idealism, Dr. Ray.
I really do.
But I have to work in the real world.
What world do you think Melody lives in?
When you're done here, what do you think was gonna happen?
Those kids were always gonna go back to special ed.
I can't afford to hire someone to babysit them,
and even if I did, and it had all the magical benefits that you seem to imagine,
what then?
More disabled kids would move into my district.
-They need resources to support them too. -[scoffs]
Did you ever think of that?
You know what?
Thank you.
You just helped me figure out my thesis for my book.
Disabilities don't hold students back.
Schools do.
["Le triangle des Bermudes" playing]
[Melody] People I think should marry each other:
Maria and Rodney,
Katherine and Matthew Perry,
Claire and Dr. Evil…
Stop playing with your food.
[Melody] …Mr. Dimming and nobody…
Whoa! So cool.
[Melody] …Connor and me.
[Rodney] Let me see it.
-I want one. -[Rose] Me too.
[Melody] Even if Rose wasn't mad at me, she still wouldn't sit with me.
Being special usually means being separated.
-[Claire] I'm not sad. You're sad. -[Jodie] Oh, my God.
You.
[Melody] At least I still get to sit with the cool kids.
[Penny] Melly!
Whiz Kids, Whiz Kids, Whiz Kids!
Time to get up, time to get up, time to get up, sleepyhead.
I have a surprise for you.
[Melody gasps]
Do you like it?
-[Melody exclaims] -Aw.
God, it's gonna be a good day.
I think this-- Yeah, this is it.
Oh, man. Look how cool this is.
This is so cool.
Oh, yeah!
[Mr. Dimming] All of our hard work is leading up to this-this match.
-This event. Stay present. Stay focused. -[Chuck] You okay?
Hey, remember this is what you worked for, okay.
You got this. All right? Yeah.
-[Paul] Melody Brooks? -[Diane] Yeah, hi.
How's it going? My name is Paul. I'm the stage manager here.
-[Diane] Hi, Paul. -[Paul] Can I steal you just for a second
so I can show you the set and the stage and everything?
-[Diane] Okay, she's got this. -[Paul] All right, you ready? Let's roll.
This is the set.
This is-- This is where your team will be standing.
And, uh, that's your podium at the very end there,
if you want to go check her out.
We adjusted the height.
It's gonna line up with your chair a little bit easier.
And it's pretty simple, I mean, there's the, you know, buttons.
And ask you a question, you hit whatever button is lined up with the answer.
A, B, C or D.
Um, but also I-I think you're gonna do great.
Um, and between you and me,
even though I'm supposed to be neutral and best team wins,
knock their socks off.
Okay, mop the floor with them.
I know you got it in you, okay?
[Medi-Talker] Thank you.
[announcer] Will all contestants please stay in the backstage area?
What do you think? Glasses on or off?
I mean, I can barely read the questions, Paul.
-Claire, let me have it, please. -[Claire] No, it's mine.
[Mr. Dimming] One sec, Rodney.
-[Claire] Looks like my grandma. -[Rose] Doesn't matter.
[Claire] I'm gonna tell my grandma you said that.
[Rose] No. [chuckling] No.
[vocalizes]
[Rose sighs]
[Claire scoffs]
[Medi-Talker] I'm sorry.
[Rose] It's fine. Don't worry about it.
I only ever hung out with you because my parents promised me an iPod.
[announcer] Will all contestants please stay in the backstage area?
-[Chuck] Hey, there she is. -[Penny] Rosie.
-[Chuck] Hey, hey. -Hi, Penny. [chuckles]
-There she is. Hi! -[Chuck] Penny. Come here.
[Chuck] Come on, bud.
Yeah, sure. Go to the bathroom.
-Uh, we're gonna, uh, go to the bathroom. -[Chuck] Sure.
-Can you keep an eye on her? Okay. -Yeah, I got it. Come on. Oh, boy.
[Claire] 'Cause I like it.
I just want to know if I can, like, keep it on one side or the other one.
[announcer] Whiz Kids family and friends, please begin finding your seats.
The show will commence in 20 minutes.
-[Claire] Do you have any gum? -[Elena] Mm-mmm.
[door closes, locks]
[Diane] Do you wanna tell me what happened?
-[Melody whimpers] -[Diane] No?
[Diane sighs]
It's hard sometimes, huh?
Having CP.
Hmm.
Yeah. Mad.
Yeah, it makes you mad.
"Feel. Problem."
Like a problem?
-Mmm. [chuckles] -[Diane] For who?
[sniffles]
[Diane] No.
[Melody] Mmm.
[sighs]
[Medi-Talker] I love you too.
[Diane] Say it again.
Come on.
[Medi-Talker] I love you too.
[Melody sighs]
[Diane kisses] I love you so much.
Say it again.
Go on. Say it one more time.
[Medi-Talker] I love you too.
[both laughing]
[presenter] Live from the JCMB studios in sunny Sacramento.
It's the tri-city Whiz Kids regional finals.
Hosted as always by the anchor who puts the action in Action Eight News.
Len Kingsley.
After the preliminary rounds, only two teams remain.
And it all comes down to this.
Twenty-five questions. Four points apiece.
Destiny, a button press away.
[audience cheering]
[presenter] Len, tell these Whiz Kids what they can win.
Right now, one of these two teams will win the chance
to compete in Washington, DC at the National Championships for…
ten thousand dollars!
[audience cheering]
Without further ado, let's welcome the Whiz Kids.
From Perry Valley Elementary in Perry Valley.
Come on out.
[audience cheering]
[spectator] Let's go, Perry Valley!
And from Spaulding Elementary in Aster Grove.
-Let's bring it. -Walk, walk.
-Let's go. Go. Go. -[Len] Here they come.
Come on. Come on. Go. Smile. Smile.
[audience applauding]
[Len] Here they come.
[Len] Well…
-All right. All right. -Okay, shh. You guys.
Everybody settle in 'cause this is gonna be a fun one.
Everybody ready?
-Here we go. First question. -[laser sound effect plays]
The Battles of Lexington and Concord were fought during what year?
A, 1773?
B, 1775?
C, 1776?
Or D, 1855?
-[bell chimes] -[bell chimes]
[bells chiming]
Everybody in?
[bell dings]
And the answer is…
-B, 1775. -[Connor] Yes.
[audience cheering, applauding]
[Len] Next question.
What does the word "oxymoron" mean?
I don't know that one.
[Len] A, a combination of contradictory words?
B, a sequence of rhyming words?
C, a word that phonetically imitates sound?
Or D, an ignorant literary character?
[bell chimes]
[bells chiming]
-Everybody in? -[sighs]
[bell dings]
[audience cheering]
Question five.
You know the guy.
[Len] What does a numismatist study?
Question eight.
Which poet said,
"Laughter is the language of the soul"?
The answer, of course, is B, Pablo Neruda.
[Connor] Yes!
[Len] Question nine.
Question ten.
Question 11. [exclaims]
Question 14.
What species of shark is said to be the largest ever?
A, great white?
B, whale shark? C, plesiosaur?
-Or D, megalodon? -Megalodon.
What was that, dear?
Answer's D, megalodon.
[audience applauding]
Question 24.
In what country can Machu Picchu be found?
A, Costa Rica?
B, Peru?
C, Saudi Arabia?
-[no audible dialogue] -Or D, the Netherlands?
[bells chiming]
[bell dings]
[Len] The answer is B, Peru.
Oh! Yeah.
Yes!
[Len chuckles] Wow. Wow.
Two-point difference, and one question to go.
-Here it is. Final question. -[laser sound effect plays]
What Latin term or phrase means "at first sight"?
A, prima facie?
B, carpe diem?
C, e pluribus unum?
Or D, pro forma?
[bells chiming]
[chiming continues]
-We in? We in? -[bell dings]
And the answer is…
-A, prima facie. -[audience applauding, cheering]
[Len] Oh, wow.
With an un-- unusual turn of events,
the score between our two finalists is tied at 83,
but there can only be one winner which means…
-One moment, one mo-- -[audience laughs]
[chuckles] Just one moment. Yes?
[audience murmuring]
[Len] All righty.
Which means we will have what the Whiz Kids call
a lightning round.
[thunderclap sound effect plays]
[Len] Players, you have 30 seconds to choose a member
to represent your team in a head-to-head matchup.
The first one to get the question wrong, their team loses.
The other team, well, they're off to the nationals. Go.
[contestants chattering]
No, I'll do it.
[chattering continues]
-[crew member mutters] Yes. -Yeah, shh. Quiet.
Ten thousand dollars on the line, and you're so sure of yourself.
[contestants clamoring]
Connor had the highest score. Mr. Dimming said--
No, I didn't. [clears throat]
[Claire] Why are you coughing like that?
Melody had the highest score.
[Rodney] I think he's got a point. She's barely even gotten a question wrong.
[Len] Ten seconds.
If she goes, we're gonna look like-- We're gonna look funny, okay?
[Connor] Holy crap, Claire.
How funny are we gonna look if we're the losers?
-Ten seconds and we're arguing. Just vote. -[Rodney] Then it's Melody.
Time's up! Teams, send up your contenders.
[audience cheering]
[Paul] We're live in five, four, three, two…
[Len] Yeah!
And we're back with the lightning round.
We have Trevor from Perry Valley Elementary
and Melody from Spaulding Elementary.
Yeah!
[Chuck] Oh! Oh! Oh!
-Oh! [laughs] -[screams]
Melody, Trevor, are you ready?
Ready, Mr. Kingsley.
Quiet, please.
Remember, kids, the first team that gets a question wrong, they lose.
[inhales sharply] First question.
What is hexadactylism?
A, double vision?
[Len] B, left-handedness?
C, having six appendages on a hand or foot?
Or D, a form of cancer?
[bell chimes]
Having six appendages is correct.
[indistinct]
[audience cheering]
[students cheering]
[Len] Next question.
Who is the composer of "Rhapsody in Blue"?
A, Mozart?
B, Gershwin? C, Beethoven?
Or D, Berlin?
[bell chimes]
[indistinct]
[bell chimes]
B is correct.
Are these kids good or what, huh?
Wow.
Question three.
In outer space, a cloud of dust and gas that blocks light from other objects is:
A, a black hole?
B, a rogue planet?
C, an Oort cloud?
Or D, a dark nebula?
[bell chimes]
[bell dings]
And the answer is…
Lord, give me strength.
[Len] …D, dark nebula!
Spaulding wins it all!
[laughing]
[audience cheering]
[cheering]
[Len] Congratulations, Spaulding.
Spaulding will now travel to Washington, DC
to compete in the nationals.
[Rodney] Hey, dude. We won.
[Len] I just want to thank all the competitors today.
It was a tough one.
I'll see you all at next year's Whiz Kids.
Until then, I'm Len Kingsley.
Take good care.
[Paul] And we're out.
-Congratulations. Congratulations. -Oh, thank you kindly.
Congratulations all around. Way to go.
[students chattering]
-[Jodie retches] It's stressful. -[glass tinkling]
Hey, everybody. If I could have your attention for a second.
Um, I just want to say you were all great today.
Yo. Look over at her.
[Mr. Dinning] It was a real team effort. I'm proud of you. You should be proud too.
[teacher] Hear! Hear!
-[Mr. Dinning] Now we're moving on to DC. -[Claire] Oh, my God.
[Mr. Dimming] The nation's capital.
You know, face the best of the best of the best.
-Embarrassing. -[chuckles]
[Mr. Dimming] You know, we gotta keep practicing,
keep preparing for the future, right?
[students cheer]
-[Mr. Dimming] Now you get-- -[students cheering] Yeah!
[Mr. Dimming] Now you get what I've been talking about, right?
[students applauding]
[Mr. Dimming] Here's to you. Go Spaulding.
To you.
[Medi-Talker] They don't want us in class anymore.
Why aren't you angry?
If I was stuck making anthropomorphic trees
and playing hygiene bingo for years,
I would punch a hole in the wall.
[Medi-Talker] I would probably miss.
[Katherine] Melody, they are gonna say that the kids don't feel safe.
That you take time away from instruction.
That you just can't learn.
But even if that were true,
you deserve to be in those classrooms, just like everybody else.
[Medi-Talker] I'm excited about Washington.
Even if they don't want me, they need me.
[Katherine chuckles]
[Melody] Things I'm excited about:
The first one is flying on an airplane.
I love flying on airplanes, which I hardly ever get to do.
Oh. Hello.
[Melody] The second one is staying in a hotel.
Come on. Come on in.
[Melody] I just love how everything is so neat and tidy, and the bed is always made.
Be on national television, which I am so excited about.
[Mrs. V] I have a present for you.
[Melody] Make Mrs. V proud.
And be a Whiz Kid.
Even though I almost wasn't.
[Mr. Dimming] Yeah, the-- the DC metro is actually really safe.
See, I actually did a semester at Georgetown,
uh, and for someone who loves American history, it's just the best place.
There's so much.
Hold on. Don't look. Don't look.
[breathes shakily]
Okay.
That's for you to wear to nationals for Whiz Kids.
We're gonna make these sparkle, like you're gonna sparkle.
[chuckles]
[Medi-Talker] Thank you.
So today is the big day.
Flying to DC.
So we better get a move on. We better decorate.
-[cell phone rings] -[Mr. Dimming] Oh, God. What is this?
[Elena] Connor, you have maple syrup all over your face.
-Hello? -[customer service agent, indistinct]
Oh, my God.
Uh, uh, miss, miss, miss, miss, check.
Check, now.
Uh. Oh, no.
Oh, boy. Oh, boy.
Uh, whoa. Everyone, listen. Listen. Listen up. Listen up.
Rodney. Rodney, stop it. Stop-- Stop eating.
-They've canceled our flight. -[students] What?
They're gonna try to get us on an earlier one, but we gotta go.
We gotta go. Come on. Come on. Am I-- Am I speaking English?
[knocking on door]
[Mrs. V] That's your mom. Ooh, she's so early.
-[Diane] Oh, I'm sorry to burst in on you. -You're here already
-to pick up the MVP. -Yes. Yes, they're canceling flights.
-There's a storm to the east. -Oh.
-[Diane] Come on, Penny. -[Mrs. V] Oh, my.
-[Penny] Hi, Mrs. V. -[Diane] They canceled our flight,
but Mr. Dimming called, and I think we can get on an early one.
-Thank you for taking Penny. -[Mrs. V] Come on, Miss Penny.
-Love you. -[Mrs. V] Come on. Come on, kiddo.
Shoes. Where are her shoes?
[chuckles]
["Family Affair" playing]
-[Chuck] Got it? -[Diane] Yes, got it. Go. Go. Go.
I don't know how long they'll hold it.
Come on. We can do it. [panting]
-Let's go! -[Chuck] Come on. We gotta go.
[Diane] I left my makeup on the counter.
-[Chuck] It's okay. It's okay. -[Diane groans]
-Come on. Hold the-- Oh, my God. -[Chuck] I got it. I got it.
[Diane] If we miss this…
-[Chuck] Diane. -No, no, no, no, no.
-[Chuck] The door. The door. -Oh, my God.
The elevator is out of order.
Sorry. Sorry. Careful.
Sorry. Sorry. Let's go! Let's go!
[Melody groans]
Excuse me. Hi.
[agent] Ma'am, you have to wait your turn.
Yes, we are on 606 and it's boarding.
-Okay, these are your ID's? -[Chuck] Thank you. Sorry.
-We've been waiting. -You'll be fine.
[agent] Uh, Brooks…
-[Diane] Need to take off my watch? -[Chuck] Sorry. Can I put that in there?
-You can have her step on through. -[Chuck] Oh, no. She can't step through.
-It's only, like, ten feet. -[Diane] She doesn't step.
-You're gonna have to carry her. -[Diane] Oh, my God.
-[Chuck] You need help? -[Diane] Uh, no, no. Thank you.
♪ Now ya floatin' So you gots to dance for me ♪
♪ Don't need no hateration ♪
-Come on. Come on. -[Diane] Yeah!
Yes. [shrieks]
-[Chuck] Hey. Hey. Hi. -[sighs] Thank God.
-[agent] How can I help you? -We are here. Sorry. We're late.
Brooks family. [pants]
Oh, I'm afraid-- Flight 606? The doors have already closed.
-What? -No, but we're here.
I mean, we just got here. This is our flight.
We're ticketed. These are--
-[Medi-Talker] It's very important. -[agent] I understand.
Yes. Yeah, we're with a group of kids. It's a-- It's a quiz team.
[agent] Yeah. They were a raucous group.
-[Chuck] They're already on board? -[Diane] Wait, what?
I'm very sorry that you won't get to cheer on your friends.
-[Diane] She's on the team. -[agent] Wow.
[Chuck] Can you radio the captain or something? We have to get on board.
[agent] Once the doors are closed, I can't open them. It's an FAA regulation.
-I'm not sure that's entirely true. -You could open them.
It is quite true, sir.
-[Medi-Talker] Is there another boat? -[Diane] Mel. Mel, stop.
[agent] The plane is about to taxi.
-[Chuck] There's nothing else? -[Diane] What about another airline?
You're welcome to try another.
-[Medi-Talker] Please. Please. -[Chuck] It's sitting right there.
[Medi-Talker] Please. Please. Please. Please.
[Chuck] We have somewhere we need to be.
[airplane engine roaring]
[Chuck] I'm looking at the plane right now.
-Why can't we just go-- -[Diane] We need to be on this flight.
I don't understand. I really don't understand. Please.
-I need to follow her. -[Chuck] Yeah.
Mel. Melody.
[no audible dialogue]
[airplane departs]
-[cell phone beeps] -[sighs]
-[sighs] Everyone's in DC except Melody. -[Diane sighing]
Antenucci told me to call Mrs. Gardner.
Gardner said I should call Dimming.
Dimming just told me to call Antenucci.
[Diane sighs]
[Chuck sighs]
[sighs] I actually thought that machine had changed things.
[sighs]
[Melody] Things I can't do:
walk,
sing,
brush my own teeth,
reach a high shelf,
go upstairs in my house without being carried,
go to the bathroom alone.
[knock on door]
[door opens]
[vocalizes]
Hey.
I made you a milkshake.
[Melody] Make an airplane on time because I wasn't invited to breakfast.
Please talk to me.
[both sigh]
I love you.
[Chuck] Yeah, milkshake. That's right.
-Yeah, it was an accident. Uh-huh. -[footsteps on stairs]
Look-Look, I just need you to tell me if I can get this thing fixed or not.
Yeah, a milkshake.
Yeah.
What if I did turn it on before it dried?
Really?
[vehicle door slides closed]
Thank you.
[phone beeps]
Penny, come on.
Come eat your breakfast.
[Diane] Okay, I know you're upset, but that thing was expensive.
We cannot express our anger that way.
Every single--
[sighs] Penny.
Because your decisions, they impact everybody.
-[Melody exclaiming] -Oh, God. I can't right now. Okay!
-Just give me a second, please! -[thud]
-Oh, God. What was that? -[Melody panting]
[Melody screams]
[gasps] Oh, my-- Penny!
-[shrieks] -[Diane] Chuck!
-[Penny sobbing] -[Diane] Chuck! Chuck!
[ignition warning beeping]
[Melody] Stop.
Such a small word.
Trapped in my mind.
[police officers chattering]
[Chuck] Is that a smile?
Is that a smile I see?
There it is. You're better.
I think she's better.
[sighs] She's gonna be okay.
Just some scrapes and bruises.
[whimpering]
-What? -[whimpering]
-Head. -[whimpers]
Brain, brain, brain.
No, her brain is gonna be fine.
She's gonna be perfectly fine.
I'll get you out of here. [sighs]
[Melody whimpers]
[sighs]
[Chuck] Thank you.
[whimpers]
No.
It wasn't your fault.
Hey, look at me.
-I was the one who wouldn't listen. -[whimpers]
You tried to warn me.
You tried to slow me down, but I wouldn't listen.
[Melody sniffling, sobbing]
I mess up all the time.
-[grunts] -Yeah, I do.
And I was wrong every single time.
You have a voice.
-And it is beautiful. -[chuckling, sniffling]
-[chuckling] -And you have so much to say.
Yeah, that's what makes your voice your own.
And I want you to use it.
Okay?
I want you to-- to sing, to scream, to…
[laughs] …I don't know, tell jokes.
[chuckles]
[Diane laughs]
[sniffling, sobs]
I'm done fighting your battles. [sniffles]
Let them hear you.
-Okay? -[whimpers]
Please, please.
Get up here.
-[breathing heavily] -[Melody sobbing]
-What are you gonna say? Huh? -[chuckles]
[breathing heavily]
[Melody chuckles]
[chuckling, sniffling]
It's good to be home.
Back from DC with you guys.
So, uh, let's get started.
Why do we study the past?
[knock on door]
Oh, uh-- Melody.
Mr. and Mrs. Brooks, um--
What are you doing here?
She knows that the mainstreaming program has ended, right?
She wants to talk to you.
Oh, I'm so sorry about what happened with DC.
I tried to get them to hold the flight.
-We didn't want anyone to-- -Excuse me.
[Mr. Dimming] What? I--
[Medi-Talker] Was everyone invited to breakfast?
[Medi-Talker] Except me?
[Claire] Well, it's-it's kinda gross watching you eat.
-Shut up, Claire. -[student] Dude.
-You all said it. -Shut up.
She would have made the plane if she was there.
-Yeah. -[Connor] Then maybe we would've won.
[Medi-Talker] No matter what I did or how good I was,
you never treated me like a part of the team.
That's not true. You were a huge part of the team.
You did so well--
[Medi-Talker] Mr. Dimming, I have something to say.
You have to wait.
Okay.
[Medi-Talker] There's always weather or a broken elevator.
Or someone in an accessible stall.
It stinks, but that's just how it is.
It goes with the chair,
but you shut me out.
You excluded me.
That was a choice you made.
And you know what?
-I don't care. -[sighs]
[Medi-Talker] Not anymore.
If I make you uncomfortable, deal with it.
If I disgust you,
if you pity me,
it's your problem.
Not mine.
Yeah, I need a push sometimes,
but I won't be pushed around.
[students chuckle]
[sniffles]
[Medi-Talker] We study the past to prepare for the future.
And this classroom is the only place in school
where I can do that.
I just want to be in sixth grade.
[sniffles]
[Medi-Talker] So I am staying.
[both chuckle]
-I mean, where does she come from? -I don't know.
Hey, hey, hey. Come on. Come on. Come on.
[Mr. Dimming, indistinct]
[sighs]
She's her mother's daughter.
No, she's not.
So much cooler.
[sighs]
This is true.
[Mr. Dimming] "We hold these truths to be self-evident,
that all men are created equal."
Who said that?
Thomas Jefferson.
Wrote that in the Declaration of Independence, of course.
Next question.
Who said the famous line--
[Melody] Doesn't matter what I sound like.
All that matters is what I have to say.
[Medi-Talker] Because I'm not going anywhere.
[Mr. Dimming] Melody.
["These Are Days" playing]
♪ These are the days ♪
♪ Oh ♪
[Melody] Jen, I just have to say thank you so much
for letting me borrow your voice.
It was so much fun.
I just really, really appreciate it.
[Jennifer Aniston] Oh, Melody, please. Are you kidding?
My pleasure. And anytime.
[Medi-Talker] I'm kinda liking this Medi-Talker voice.
I think I've got it from here.
[Jennifer Aniston] Okay.
Suit yourself.
♪ I promise ♪
♪ Will the whole world be warm as this? ♪
♪ And as you feel it ♪
♪ You'll know it's true ♪
♪ That you are blessed and lucky ♪
♪ It's true ♪
♪ That you are touched by something ♪
♪ That'll grow and bloom in you ♪
♪ These are days ♪
♪ You'll remember ♪
♪ When May is rushing over you ♪
♪ With desire ♪
♪ To be part of the miracles you see ♪
♪ In every hour ♪
♪ You'll know it's true ♪
♪ That you are blessed and lucky ♪
♪ It's true that you ♪
♪ Are touched by something ♪
♪ That'll grow and bloom in you ♪
♪ These are days ♪
♪ These are the days ♪
♪ You might fill with laughter Until you break ♪
♪ These days you might feel A shaft of light ♪
♪ Make its way across your face ♪
♪ And when you do You'll know how it was meant to be ♪
♪ See the signs Know their meaning ♪
♪ It's true ♪
♪ You'll know how it was meant to be ♪
♪ Hear the signs And know they're speaking to you ♪
♪ To you ♪
[singer vocalizing]
[song fades out]