1. As rough as I had it as a kid,
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2. even I got excited
when Christmas came around.
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3. Chris, how do you
spell "cabbage"?
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4. C-A-B-B-A-G-E.
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5. Thanks. "Cabbage Patch."
Oh, Chris!
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6. Look at this cool BMX bike.
Oh, that's cool.
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7. Chris, what are you
putting on your list?
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8. I'm not writing a list.
That's for kids.
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9. I wasn't writing a list
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10. because the only thing I wanted
was a portable cassette player.
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11. Having a Walkman meant you
could even listen to bad music
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12. and nobody had to know.
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13. I had been leaving that ad
all over the house,
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14. so I was pretty sure
my mother got the hint.
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15. Since I only wanted one gift,
I knew I'd get it.
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16. This was going to be
the best Christmas ever.
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17. Happy Kwanza, Kunta Kinte.
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18. Well, maybe notever.
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19. I'm getting a ColecoVision.
Wait.
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20. You have an Atari and
you're getting a ColecoVision?
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21. Yeah. What are you getting?
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22. I'm getting a Walkman.
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23. No way.
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24. It's the only thing
I've been asking for.
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25. I would kill for one
of those. You're so lucky.
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26. How come your dad
doesn't get you one?
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27. Censorship.
He wants to makes sure
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28. he can hear the music
I'm listening to.
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29. First rap was fun,
then rap was gun.
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30. Let me go, you bitches.
You're punks, both of you.
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31. West side! West side!
Jeez, kid, will you shut up?
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32. Years later,
Greg played some Ice Cube
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33. and his own father shot him.
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34. Class, since this
is the season of giving,
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35. I'd like you all to bring in
canned food items,
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36. so we can donate them
to those less fortunate.
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37. It's funny how most people
only think about
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38. feeding the needy
during Christmas.
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39. I'm sure there's a lot
of hungry people
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40. during President's Day.
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41. Yes, Chris?
Do we have to bring in cans?
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42. Can we bring in, like,
boxes of food?
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43. You don't have
to bring anything,
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44. but that's
very thoughtful of you.
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45. I know this time of year
must be hard for your family.
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46. No. We're doing fine.
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47. I know. I know.
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48. She made it seem
like we were having
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49. a bowl of steam
for dinner that night.
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50. Who used up all the hot water?
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51. It's five degrees outside.
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52. What you trying to do,
kill me?
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53. Chris said it was cool
when he took a shower earlier.
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54. Oh! The hot water heater's
probably broken again.
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55. Think you can fix it?
I'm already holding it together
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56. with duct tape and hangers.
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57. We're just gonna have
to replace it.
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58. Well, baby, how much
do you think that's gonna cost?
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59. More than I got.
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60. Will we have enough money
to buy Christmas presents?
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61. I thought you finished shopping.
I bought a few things,
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62. but I have got to get
that Walkman for Chris.
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63. He's been giving me hints
since Thanksgiving.
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64. These kids get
too many gifts on Christmas.
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65. When I was a kid,
instead of buying gifts,
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66. my father used to call
the cops on Christmas
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67. and tell us
the house got robbed.
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68. In order to make
extra money for Christmas,
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69. my father would do any job.
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70. That'll be $30.
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71. He worked as a cab driver.
That's okay.
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72. It was easy for him
to pick up odd jobs
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73. for extra money
when he needed it.
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74. Merry Christmas.
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75. Lint roll, sir?
Yeah.
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76. He worked as a lint roller.
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77. Thank you.
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78. He even worked
as an oil taster.
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79. This is 10-W 30.
You need 10-W 40.
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80. Now, that's a father.
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81. Drew.
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82. Drew.
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83. Drew!
Ow!
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84. What'd you do that for?
How do you spell "Malibu"?
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85. M-A-L-I-BOO?
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86. You still writing that
stupid Christmas list?
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87. It's not stupid.
Yes, it is.
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88. Everybody knows there's
no Santa Claus, Tonya.
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89. That's not true.
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90. And it's not stupid.
You're stupid.
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91. You're stupid.
You're stupid.
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92. Drew, stop calling
your sister stupid!
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93. My mother had amazing hearing.
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94. We couldn't do anything in our
house without her hearing it.
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95. Chris! Quit throwing cotton
balls all over the place!
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96. What are y'all arguing about?
Nothing.
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97. Drew said there's
no such thing as Santa Claus.
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98. What are you talking about, boy?
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99. Of course there's
a Santa Claus, baby.
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100. Hey.
What's up, bro?
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101. We're having
a food drive at school.
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102. Can I bring some canned goods?
Okay.
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103. But don't take generic brands.
Only store brands.
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104. I do not want
those people thinking
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105. we can't afford to donate food.
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106. My mother would give away
all the food we had
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107. if she thought it would prove
we didn't need it.
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108. How come you said
my list is stupid?
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109. Because everybody knows
there's no Santa Claus.
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110. Come here, let me
show you something.
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111. Where are we going?
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112. I'm taking you to the toys.
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113. Santa doesn't come
down the chimney.
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114. We don't even have
a chimney, we have radiators.
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115. You ever heard of Santa Claus
coming through radiators?
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116. But how can we have
our toys already
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117. if I haven't even
finished my list?
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118. Because.
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119. Hey, man. What you doing?
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120. I'm taking canned goods
to school for the needy.
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121. Man, that's $2.89 cent
worth of food.
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122. What you trying to do,
feed the needy or be the needy?
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123. Rochelle!
Julius!
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124. My parents tried not argue
in front of the kids,
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125. so instead,
they just made faces.
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126. They make curse-out faces too,
but we can't show you those.
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127. Meanwhile, Drew was showing
Tanya something
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128. no kid should see.
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129. See, I told you.
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130. Whoa! Cool!
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131. Tonya wasn't the only one
having a bad day.
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132. Is there something wrong?
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133. Have a seat, baby.
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134. The last time they asked me
to sit down
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135. before they told me something,
The Jackson Five broke up.
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136. Hey, Chris. Heh.
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137. Um, baby, look, I know you've
been looking forward
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138. to getting that new Walkman
for Christmas.
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139. And, Chris, I've always
wanted my kids
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140. to have a better Christmas
than I had growing up.
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141. But the older you get,
the more you learn
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142. about the sacrifices
you have to make.
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143. Sacrifices?
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144. Uh...
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145. Uh...
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146. Like not getting
a new pair of work boots
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147. so you kids can have shoes.
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148. Or like taking
the subway to work
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149. so your wife can use the car.
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150. Mom, Dad, I'm 13.
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151. You're not getting
a present for Christmas.
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152. He said that
like we're out of bacon.
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153. We gotta buy
a new water heater.
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154. Well, then, we need a plan
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155. to tell Drew and Tonya.
Tell them what?
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156. That they're not
getting presents.
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157. Who said they weren't getting
anything?
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158. Wait, they're getting stuff
and I'm not?
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159. You're older, Chris.
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160. They wouldn't understand.
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161. Am I gonna get anything?
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162. Oh, baby, you'll be able to use
up all the hot water you want.
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163. So all I'm getting
is a clean ass?
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164. Steaming hot.
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165. So you're not getting
anything for Christmas?
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166. Nope.
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167. Man, nothing for Christmas?
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168. Isn't that considered
child abuse?
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169. Sure does feel like it.
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170. They'll put something
in your stocking.
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171. Maybe some leftover sausage.
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172. There's gotta be
a law against this.
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173. Oh, Chris, look at you.
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174. You didn't have
to bring any food.
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175. Sometimes I forget
how strong your people are.
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176. What do you mean,
how strong my people are?
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177. What do I mean,
how strong your people are?
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178. You shall overcome someday.
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179. See me after class.
I have something for you.
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180. Okay.
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181. Do I look like
Malcolm X to you, lady?
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182. How would you like
to overcome a brick?
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183. Tonya, I thought you were
gonna put up the decorations.
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184. I don't want to now.
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185. Why not?
Because.
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186. You and Daddy lied to me.
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187. We lied to you? About what?
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188. I know there's no such thing
as Santa Claus.
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189. When my mother heard
Tonya say those words,
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190. it was like she wasn't
her baby anymore.
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191. What else did you
lie to me about?
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192. Are you gonna kick me out
if I get pregnant?
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193. Is it true you ain't
taking care of no baby?
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194. Can I really not bring
a white boy home?
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195. Does the Foreman Grill
really knock out the fat?
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196. Can I really get a loan
with no money down?
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197. Are you my real mother?
Mama, I want answers.
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198. Tonya, like Mommy told you,
thereisa Santa Claus.
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199. So how come there's a room
upstairs full of presents?
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200. Who told you that?
Drew showed me.
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201. Drew, get in here!
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202. Yes, Mom?
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203. Did you show Tonya
the presents upstairs?
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204. Yeah.
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205. We need to talk.
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206. Uh... no.
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207. Hold on, Mama. No, no.
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208. My mother talked about beating
us all the time,
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209. but the only time
she ever beat us
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210. is when she said
she wanted to talk.
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211. And she talked the hell
out of Drew that night.
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212. Oh.
Well, what's all this stuff?
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213. I got it from my teacher.
Hm.
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214. She thinks that we're
underprivileged and starving.
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215. Oh, no. Mm-mm.
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216. Absolutely not.
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217. I am not gonna have
them people thinking
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218. that we don't have
anything to eat.
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219. She wasn't too proud
to take those olives.
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220. Where you going?
I'm taking this
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221. to put more food in it.
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222. You're taking this back.
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223. My mother was so upset
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224. about people thinking
we needed charity,
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225. she almost forgot
she felt guilty
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226. about not getting me a gift.
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227. Chris, wait a minute.
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228. Look, I'm sorry.
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229. I know all of this
is not your fault.
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230. I know it seems kind of crazy
with me giving back free food
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231. when we can't even afford
to buy you a Christmas gift.
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232. It's okay.
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233. After that, my mother gave me
the one gift she could afford.
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234. She was really nice to me!
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235. Who needs Christmas when all
your wildest dreams come true?
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236. Chris gets the big piece.
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237. I got the big piece of chicken.
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238. Merry Christmas.
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239. I didn't have to do any chores.
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240. Tonya, wash the dishes.
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241. I thought Chris
had to do 'em.
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242. You thought wrong.
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243. I got Tonya in trouble.
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244. Ow! Ow!
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245. Mama, Tonya hit me twice.
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246. It felt so good, I was thinking
what life would be like
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247. if I never got a present.
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248. Get up and let your brother
watch TV.
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249. But, Ma!
But nothing! Get up.
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250. I wondered what I could get
if the roof caved in.
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251. Mwah!
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252. Hey, Drew, can you
pass me the remote?
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253. Tsk, yeah, right.
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254. Ma...
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255. I couldn't believe
how good I had it.
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256. Meanwhile,
Tonya didn't believe anything.
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257. Mama, is cornbread
made of corn?
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258. Mm, no.
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259. I think it's made
of cornmeal. Why?
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260. Just checking.
Why, you want Santa Claus
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261. to bring you
some cornbread for Christmas?
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262. He could bring it with
your Cabbage Patch Doll.
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263. Hey, hey. Stop it. Okay? Enough.
Leave your sister alone.
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264. Drew, you believed in the Easter
Bunny till about her age.
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265. Chris, you near lost
all your teeth
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266. before you stopped believing
in the Tooth Fairy.
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267. There's no Easter Bunny
or Tooth Fairy, either?
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268. Uh...
No, baby, he...
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269. He didn't mean that.
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270. Somebody better give me
my teeth back.
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271. Baby, I didn't mean it!
I didn't mean it!
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272. Julius! I can't believe you!
I want my teeth back!
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273. Baby, no...
Tonya!
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274. We were joking!
It's a joke!
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275. It's a... Ha-ha! It's a joke!
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276. That's her. She said Santa
can't come to our house,
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277. 'cause all we have
is space heaters.
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278. Santa can't come
through a space heater.
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279. What kind of children
are you raising?
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280. This girl's going around
crushing dreams.
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281. Is that what you want her to be?
A dream crusher?
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282. No, but I—
That girl needs to be stopped.
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283. Tonya!
It's the truth!
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284. Normally, my mother would smack
the grease out of Tonya's hair.
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285. But she couldn't smack her
for telling the truth.
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286. What's that?
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287. My mom made me bring
all this stuff back
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288. to prove that we can afford
to donate food.
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289. Hey, yo, I got
something for you.
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290. Thanks! What's this?
Open it.
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291. "Computer Games."
Who is it?
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292. George Clinton.
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293. There's a song on there,
"Atomic Dog,"
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294. I heard it on the radio.
It's really funny.
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295. Think I'll like it?
I don't know.
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296. When you finally get your
Walkman, you'll have a tape.
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297. I always liked
that Greg was so optimistic.
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298. To this day, he still thinks
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299. Al B. Sure's gonna make
a comeback.
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300. But if Santa Claus is not real,
why do people make it up?
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301. Tonya, Santa is
just a way to teach kids
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302. about the spirit of giving.
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303. He's just a symbol,
that's all.
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304. Oh.
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305. Tonya, you're a big girl,
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306. and now that you're old
enough to know the truth,
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307. it's your responsibility
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308. to not spoil it
for other kids, okay?
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309. Because you want to give them
something to believe in.
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310. Exactly.
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311. That's my big girl. Mwah!
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312. So you do understand.
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313. Yeah. It's okay to lie.
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314. Aw, good night, Mommy.
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315. You think explaining
Santa Claus to Tonya was hard,
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316. you should have been there
for the birds and the bees.
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317. Ew, that's nasty!
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318. Nobody ever seems to get
any sleep on Christmas Eve.
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319. Everybody's up
for different reasons.
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320. What you doing, baby?
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321. Setting out
milk and cookies.
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322. We talked about this.
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323. We did.
And they're not for Santa.
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324. They're for you.
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325. Thank you, baby.
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326. But since I wasn't getting
anything,
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327. I didn't have that problem.
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328. On Christmas morning, I even
took my time going downstairs.
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329. Now that Tonya knew there
wasn't a Santa Claus,
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330. her complaints went
directly to my mother.
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331. Mama, I wanted a Cabbage Patch
Doll with long hair.
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332. How about you have
no doll with no hair?
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333. Oh, thank you.
Okay.
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334. Chris, this one
is for you, baby.
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335. Is it a new album?
Open it and find out.
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336. They were giving those away
at the doctor's office
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337. I deliver papers to.
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338. Thought you could use it
for school.
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339. Thanks. I will.
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340. Hey, Chris, what'd you get?
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341. A calendar.
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342. A calendar?
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343. Yeah, that's what I wanted.
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344. See, now, look here.
Did you know that May
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345. is High Blood Pressure Month?
No.
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346. You would if you had a calendar.
See?
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347. All y'all should ask
for calendars next year.
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348. That's a good idea.
Hey, Chris, wanna go
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349. ride my bike outside later?
By "later," he meant summer.
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350. Yeah, sure.
Hey, Chris. You can have this.
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351. Are you sure?
Yeah. I'm sure.
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352. Baby, that's so nice.
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353. That's what I thought too.
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354. Yes! I win again!
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355. In your face! Ooh!
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356. What now?
I don't get New Year's?
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357. Mwah! Thank you.
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358. For what?
For the way you've handled
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359. not getting what you wanted.
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360. You've really made
us proud, man.
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361. Drew and Tonya are kids.
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362. They need Christmas presents
more than me.
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363. You know, you're really
growing up, Chris.
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364. It's kind of nice having
another man around the house.
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365. It was weird.
That morning with my parents
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366. felt better
than any gift I ever got.
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367. Here you go.
What's this?
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368. Toy store coupon,
50 percent off.
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369. It's good till March.
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370. By the end of the day,
it didn't even matter anymore
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371. that I didn't have a gift,
because I had a good day.
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372. And right now, I'm with
Mrs. Vivian Morello.
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373. Hey, that's my teacher.
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374. It is?
Mm-hm.
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375. Every year,
my students collect food
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376. for the very poorest,
most destitute
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377. and neediest families.
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378. These people are so poor,
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379. they probably don't
have anything
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380. but the clothes on their backs.
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381. Even though they're
embarrassingly underprivileged,
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382. they're just too proud
to ask for help.
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383. Too proud to ask for help.
And they're poor.
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384. Tonight, we're going to give
a family this basket.
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385. Now, who wants somebody
coming to their door on TV
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386. talking about
how poor they are?
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387. This is so exciting.
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388. Mm, I'll get it.
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389. You got it?
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390. Merry Christmas!
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391. Chris!
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392. Stay tuned for scenes
from our next episode.
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