1. When you first become
a teenager,
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2. you think it's cool
to just be a teenager.
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3. Then you find out
no matter how cool you act,
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4. if you don't look cool, you
might as well be 5 years old.
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5. And the coolest thing
you could have when I was 13
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6. was a leather jacket.
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7. He might not have a daddy,
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8. but he's got a leather jacket.
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9. Keisha, you got
a leather jacket too?
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10. My mom just got it
off layaway for me.
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11. I was thinking
about getting one.
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12. You are? Why?
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13. Look at me.
I'm skinny and I'm short.
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14. I'm not gonna
become cool overnight.
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15. You don't look
that bad, though.
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16. Yeah, but I need something.
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17. Think a leather jacket
would help?
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18. I guess.
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19. All I was thinking is that
the right leather jacket
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20. would have turned me
from this guy... into this guy.
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21. Chris.
That leather jacket is cool.
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22. Let's hang out.
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23. As soon as
I'm finished posing.
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24. I knew where to get
a leather jacket.
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25. Now all I needed was money.
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26. A leather jacket? What do you
need a leather jacket for?
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27. Keisha said it was cool.
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28. Think a leather jacket's
gonna make you cool?
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29. It made these guys
gazillionaires.
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30. It could. The only thing is,
I don't have $50.
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31. Just save up your allowance.
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32. My what?
Your allowance.
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33. It's money that your parents
give you every week.
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34. I'd heard about allowances,
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35. but I didn't know
they actually existed.
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36. I thought it was just something
that happened on TV.
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37. Here you go, son.
A thousand dollars.
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38. Thank you, father.
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39. Since my father
was always working,
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40. he always seemed
kind of grumpy.
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41. It seemed like there was
never a good time
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42. to ask my father for money.
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43. Daddy, can I have $15
to go on a field trip
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44. to the Statue of Liberty?
Okay.
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45. Hey, Dad, can I have $5
to go to the show?
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46. Okay.
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47. Baby, can I get $25
to go shopping?
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48. Okay.
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49. It looks like this might be
a good time after all.
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50. Hey, Dad?
Can I get a leather jacket?
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51. A leather jacket? You got
some leather-jacket money?
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52. What do you need
a leather jacket for?
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53. What's wrong
with Drew's old coat?
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54. Instead of Drew wearing
my old clothes,
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55. I wore his old clothes.
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56. I think I was the first kid
to get hand-me-ups.
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57. It's too small,
it's out of style
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58. and it's just not cool.
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59. It ain't supposed to be cool.
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60. It's supposed to be warm.
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61. Being warm is cool.
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62. I'm not asking you to buy it.
I'll save up.
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63. Save up what?
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64. I was hoping you can give me
an allowance.
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65. I know it sounded like
an innocent enough question,
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66. but here's what he heard.
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67. Since you work
like a slave all day
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68. and don't have time to enjoy
your money, can I have it?
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69. I'm not giving you money
for doing nothing.
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70. An allowance?
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71. I'll allow you
to sleep here at night.
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72. I'll allow you
to eat them potatoes.
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73. I'll allow you to use my lights.
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74. I'll allow you
to drink my Kool-Aid.
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75. I'll allow you to nibble
on them green beans.
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76. I'll allow you
to look at that TV.
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77. I'll allow you
to run up my gas bill.
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78. I'll allow you
to walk up my stairs.
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79. I'll allow you to ask me
these ridiculous-ass questions.
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80. Why should I give you
an allowance
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81. when I already paid for
everything you do?
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82. Who you know that gets
an allowance? Huh?
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83. I'm finished.
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84. I was talking to Greg.
He said that he gets $5 a week.
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85. Sounds like Greg's
doing better than me.
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86. Ask him for an allowance.
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87. You want to buy a leather coat,
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88. you need to get
a leather-coat job.
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89. While things might have been
tight with my father,
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90. my mother was getting loose.
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91. She was always happy when
she had the house to herself.
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92. She caught up on her reading.
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93. She talked on the phone.
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94. She ate expensive candy
she hid from us.
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95. But there was one thing
that she never counted on
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96. to mess up her day.
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97. Coming...
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98. What are y'all doing here?
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99. Something went wrong
at our school.
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100. Something about the paint.
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101. Before vending machines were
put into schools,
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102. hungry kids often snacked
on lead paint chips.
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103. Mm.
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104. This is good!
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105. If we had ladders,
he'd have ate the asbestos.
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106. I want one!
Me too! Me too! Me too!
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107. Come on, me too!
Hey, give me some!
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108. So we can go back
after they finish
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109. repainting our classrooms.
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110. All right, well,
stay out of my way,
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111. 'cause I'm cleaning up.
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112. What are we gonna do all day?
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113. I don't know. Go play.
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114. But you all better not mess up
my house till after 4:30!
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115. I mean, asbestos kills.
A little paint ain't gonna hurt.
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116. After a day out of school, my
mother wasn't having any fun.
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117. And neither were
Tonya and Drew.
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118. What are you doing?
Nothing.
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119. When broke kids get bored,
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120. they play one of the cheapest
games ever invented:
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121. "I Dare You."
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122. I dare you
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123. to put these ice cubes
under your armpit.
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124. For how long?
One minute.
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125. Okay.
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126. Whoo! Ah!
One...
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127. two...
Count normal, Tonya.
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128. Three...
What is wrong with you?
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129. I dared him to put
ice cubes under his arms.
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130. Take the ice cubes
from under your arm.
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131. Not... in the glass.
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132. Boy, people gotta drink
from that.
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133. Okay, I dare you to drink it.
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134. You better not. That's nasty.
I'm not.
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135. Know what, since y'all
want to dare so bad,
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136. dare each other to sit down and
act like y'all got some sense.
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137. How about that? I'll be glad
when y'all go back to school.
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138. You are driving me
up the wall.
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139. Two walls.
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140. Now you have to do something.
That's nasty.
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141. Meanwhile, I felt like
the only guy on earth
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142. without a leather jacket.
You got a leather jacket?
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143. Cool, huh? My dad got it for me
at the army surplus store.
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144. Hey, weren't you the one
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145. who said leather
didn't make you cool?
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146. Yeah, but I was wrong.
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147. So, what did your dad say
about an allowance?
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148. He said no...
for about two hours.
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149. Hi, Greg. Nice jacket.
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150. Wait, she's talking to you?
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151. Cool, huh?
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152. I gotta get me
a leather jacket.
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153. Finding a job when you're 13
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154. is not the easiest thing to do.
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155. I applied for easy jobs...
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156. Now, why would I pay you
to put groceries in a bag
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157. when I can put them in a bag
my damn self?
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158. I applied for hard jobs...
Security guard, huh?
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159. You ever been shot?
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160. I even applied for jobs I
didn't know I was applying for.
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161. You any good with matches?
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162. There's a new barber
down the block.
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163. He needs to be taught a lesson.
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164. I dare you
to slide down these stairs
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165. on your back.
Give me the towel.
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166. Only place more dangerous
than the streets of Brooklyn
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167. were the hallways of Brooklyn.
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168. After running out of options,
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169. I could only think
of one person
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170. that could help me find work.
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171. Hey.
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172. Dad, can you help me
get a job?
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173. What?
I want to get a leather jacket.
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174. I've been trying to get a job,
but it's not working out so far.
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175. You want it that bad, huh?
Yeah.
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176. Want to come to work with me?
For real?
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177. Yeah. Tomorrow's Saturday.
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178. You can come do deliveries
with me.
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179. I'll be back in a few hours.
Now, be downstairs at 3:30.
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180. Not 3:31.
Don't worry. I'll be down early.
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181. No such thing as early.
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182. You're either on time
or you're late.
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183. I was committed to getting
that jacket.
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184. Nothing was going to stop me.
Nothing except a nap.
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185. He pulls up and shoots
the 12-footer.
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186. Vandross got the rebound.
He lays it up and in.
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187. I thought my father would be
mad that I missed work.
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188. Instead of getting
a leather jacket,
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189. I thought I was
gonna get a leather belt.
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190. What happened this morning?
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191. I overslept.
How come you didn't come get me?
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192. You the one want the job.
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193. Job ain't gonna wait for you.
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194. In the game of dare,
there are no rules,
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195. there are no regulations
and the game doesn't end
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196. till somebody's dead.
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197. I dare you.
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198. What you gonna give me?
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199. Two dollars.
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200. Drink it. Hurry up.
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201. Hurry up, Tonya.
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202. More.
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203. Drink it. Whoa!
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204. Heh-heh, cool.
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205. How was it?
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206. Give me my $2.
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207. The next morning,
I was up earlier
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208. than a Marine
with a paper route.
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209. Coffee?
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210. Working with my father
was mind-blowing.
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211. I couldn't believe
how big it was,
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212. how loud it was,
how fast everything was going.
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213. I felt like an Amish kid
in Vegas.
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214. Come on.
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215. What's up, George?
Hey, Herc.
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216. What's up?
Hey!
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217. Who's this?
That's my son, Chris.
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218. Who's Herc?
Herc, like Hercules.
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219. That's a strong man.
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220. The only other names
I knew my father by
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221. were the words
my mother called him,
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222. and they didn't have nothing
to do with being strong.
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223. So, little Herc,
you funny like your old man?
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224. My father's funny?
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225. Nah, he ain't that funny.
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226. Funnier than you two corny...
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227. My father never cursed
at home,
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228. so hearing him curse
at the job
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229. made me feel like
I was in a secret club.
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230. Get to work before
I bring your mama back in here.
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231. Oh, no. No mamas.
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232. Yeah, okay, whatever you say.
See you, Little Herc.
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233. Tell your mama
to come back here too, man.
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234. Hey, let's get to work.
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235. I haven't heard cursing
like that
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236. since my father stepped
on my mother's bunion.
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237. At home, the dare game
was over,
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238. but the trouble
was just starting.
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239. What's wrong, baby? I heard you
all the way from my room.
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240. My stomach hurts really bad.
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241. Let me feel.
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242. Oh, no. You're burning up.
Let me feel your tummy.
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243. Okay, baby, I'm gonna take you
to the emergency room.
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244. I'm gonna get your coat.
Drew, get up!
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245. Going to the doctor
was serious business,
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246. because usually, if something
was wrong with one of us,
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247. my parents thought they could
fix it with Robitussin.
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248. Ow! I burned my finger!
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249. Oh, let me see, boy, let me see.
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250. Oh, take some Robitussin.
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251. Looks like a tooth
broke off.
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252. Mm. I'll go get the Robitussin.
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253. What?
Chris just got hit by a car.
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254. Oh, my God,
I'll go get the Robitussin.
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255. I'm not telling her.
You're the one who drank it.
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256. You dared me!
Shh. Be quiet.
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257. Okay, come on. Let's go.
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258. It was cold outside.
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259. I was tired,
and those papers were heavy.
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260. I was starting to wonder
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261. if that leather jacket
was worth it.
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262. Hey, Chris.
What time you getting off?
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263. Never.
I gotta pay off this jacket.
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264. Okay, that's it.
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265. Good. Now can we have a break?
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266. We don't get a break
for another three hours.
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267. Come on.
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268. If you watch TV, you know
that an emergency room
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269. is one of the most exciting
places you can be.
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270. Wrong.
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271. Yeah, Charlie and Karen,
They broke up.
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272. No!
Well, he went back to New York.
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273. Excuse me, nurse. My baby's
stomach is killing her.
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274. The thing about people who work
in emergency rooms
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275. is they're not the ones
with the emergency, you are.
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276. Really? Oh, but did you see
Tracy with her new man?
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277. But do you see me standing here
with a sick child?
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278. Do you see me here
talking to somebody?
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279. Quit hollerin' at people!
I don't need this.
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280. My man has three jobs!
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281. Being at work with my father
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282. was one of the coolest things
I ever did. We broke laws...
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283. Oh! Hey, we can make it!
That's red!
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284. Hold on, man. Here we go. Whoa!
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285. Let's go! Let's go!
Aah!
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286. Whoo!
Ha-ha-ha!
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287. Yeah!
Yeah!
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288. cursed people out.
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289. Hurry up! Let's go!
Get out of the way!
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290. Kiss my ass! That's right!
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291. You too! That's right!
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292. That was one of the most
exciting nights of my life.
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293. We delivered papers
in Brooklyn.
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294. We delivered papers in Queens,
Little Italy, Chinatown,
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295. Spanish Harlem,
Puerto Rican Harlem,
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296. the Bronx, Greenwich Village.
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297. We delivered papers to people
I didn't even know could read.
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298. And after delivering more than
15 tons' worth of newspapers,
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299. all I could think was,
"Where the hell is the sun?"
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300. Um, number 36, the doctor
will see you now.
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301. Oh, no, no, no! Come on!
This is ridiculous!
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302. Who's gonna help my baby?
That man's been shot.
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303. Just because she's not shot
doesn't mean she isn't hurt.
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304. If this wasn't an emergency,
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305. we wouldn't have come
to the emergency room.
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306. Look, if she doesn't get
to see a doctor,
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307. we're gonna have
to get you a doctor.
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308. Yeah. Now.
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309. I'm sorry it took you
so long to get in.
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310. It's about time
somebody threatened
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311. to kick that nurse's ass.
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312. Mm, I think we have
to run some tests.
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313. What kind of tests?
Well, first we need
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314. to draw some blood,
little lady. I'll be right back.
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315. Mama, I don't want...
Baby, you have to take the test
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316. in order for you to feel better.
Mom, uh...
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317. I have to tell you something.
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318. What?
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319. I dared Tonya to drink
a hot sauce shake.
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320. A hot sauce shake? Girl, what in
the world would you do that for?
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321. He dared me!
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322. Doctor, I don't think
that'll be necessary.
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323. My son dared her to drink
a hot sauce shake.
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324. A hot sauce shake?
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325. Yeah, you know, vinegar,
hot sauce, syrup and milk.
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326. I didn't know
it'd make her that sick.
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327. I know what to do.
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328. Here.
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329. What is this?
Ipecac.
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330. This is to induce vomiting.
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331. When she's done,
she may have a slight cough.
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332. Give her some Robitussin.
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333. She'll be fine.
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334. Ain't no fussin'
with the 'Tussin.
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335. Ow!
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336. Julius, you gotta take that
truck back over to DeKalb.
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337. I'll do it tomorrow.
No, I need it done now.
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338. You can't find somebody else?
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339. Why should I find somebody else?
I found you.
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340. I want that truck
back over to DeKalb now.
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341. The only person I ever saw
tell my father what to do
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342. was my mother.
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343. You just gonna let him
tell you what to do?
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344. Either that or I won't have
nothing to do. Come on.
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345. Ow.
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346. That hurt.
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347. You worked hard.
Yeah.
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348. Feels kind of good, don't it?
Yeah.
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349. After everything
I'd been through,
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350. I understood my father
a lot more.
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351. Because when you work
that hard,
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352. you think about every dime
you spend.
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353. And I was thinking about how
I was gonna spend mine.
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354. Twenty-five dollars?
That's right.
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355. You earned every penny.
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356. Don't forget
to ice down your arms.
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357. But I need 50 for the jacket.
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358. No, you don't. You want 50.
There's a difference.
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359. When I asked you for the jacket,
you said I should get a job.
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360. And I got a job.
Job didn't pay enough.
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361. Man, you got $25.
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362. I didn't make my first $25
till I was 30 years old.
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363. And I still got two of 'em.
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364. Look, you want the jacket,
save your money.
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365. You can work with me
again next week.
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366. Okay.
Hey...
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367. Bye, Mommy.
See ya.
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368. Have a good day at school.
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369. A few days later, Drew
and Tonya were back in school
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370. and my mother could
go back to her routine.
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371. I've never seen a woman
so happy to clean.
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372. Ooh!
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373. Hello. Hello.
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374. Meanwhile,
I was still wishing
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375. my job had worked out
a little better.
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376. After all I'd gone through
with my father,
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377. I appreciated him
that much more.
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378. Hi, man.
How do you like my jacket?
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379. You got that one?
I got the last one on sale.
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380. But I didn't go out
in the middle of the night
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381. and do all that work
for nothing.
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382. Aren't you hot in that thing?
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383. Please. I'm fine.
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384. Chris?
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