1. Just about everything
I ever went through
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2. in school was hard.
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3. The work was tough.
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4. "Q"
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5. The people were mean.
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6. Go ahead.
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7. Are we having a fight
or a dance
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8. You know
I can't dance.
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9. But the one thing
about school that was harder
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10. than anything else...
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11. Chris, wake up.
was getting there.
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12. It's time to go to school.
You can't learn nothing in bed.
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13. Tell that to Kim Kardashian.
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14. While most people kids
were still sleeping,
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15. I had to get my clothes on,
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16. wash my face,
brush my teeth, eat...
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17. Hey-hey-hey!
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18. Wait-wait-wait-wait-wait!
Wait, wait!
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19. and then catch three buses.
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20. If I got the first one
on time,
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21. it gave me just enough time
to catch the second one...
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22. which usually made me right
on time to catch the third one.
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23. And if nothing went wrong,
I'd be on time.
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24. Hey, Chris.
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25. Hey.
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26. After you.
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27. You're late.
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28. Now go to the principal's office
and get a tardy slip.
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29. Here.
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30. Just for the
record, Chris,
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31. you can't afford
to be late again.
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32. The clocks in this school
are set
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33. to Eastern Standard Time,
not CP time.
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34. What difference does it make
if I'm late?
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35. We took all our tests.
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36. We only got, like,
one more week to go.
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37. Counting today, you have been
late 29 times
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38. this year,
and 30 is the limit.
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39. If you're late again,
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40. you will not be promoted.
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41. You will have to repeat
the tenth grade.
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42. Say what?
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43. Say word.
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44. Oh, there's a word I want
to say, all right.
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45. Captioning sponsored by
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46. Captioning sponsored by
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47. While I worried about
getting to school,
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48. Tonya was worried
about getting out of school.
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49. Boy, slow down!
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50. You're acting like your food
is trying to get away from you.
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51. I'm trying to get to bed.
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52. I'm really tired.
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53. Hey, Daddy,
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54. can I get my hair done
at Nessa's for graduation?
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55. Sure, baby.
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56. Can I get
a new dress, too?
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57. You don't need
a new dress.
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58. You can wear
your church dress.
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59. But I wore that
for Easter.
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60. If I wear it
for graduation,
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61. I'll look back
at the pictures,
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62. I won't know
what I'm remembering.
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63. You'll remember
that we couldn't afford
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64. to buy you
two dresses.
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65. Plus, in one of the pictures,
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66. you'll be holding
the chocolate bunny.
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67. Love you.
Good night.
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68. Good night.
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69. That's okay. I've been saving
up for this.
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70. How many times does a girl
graduate from sixth grade?
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71. In Bed-Stuy, five.
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72. Thanks, Daddy.
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73. What are you writing, Drew?
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74. It's a list of things
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75. I can do on Amateur Night
at The Apollo.
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76. I'm gonna try out.
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77. Drew, that's
a tough audience.
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78. You can't just go up there
and do anything.
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79. They will boo you faster
than Casper on Halloween.
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80. Stevie Wonder could see
before he did Amateur Night.
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81. They booed him blind.
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82. They booed Magic Johnson
so bad, he gave up singing.
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83. Magic Johnson is
a basketball player.
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84. Now.
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85. Well, they're not
gonna boo me.
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86. That's what Roseanne said
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87. before she sang
the national anthem.
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88. I made it on time.
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89. The joke was there was nothing
to be on time for.
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90. Good morning.
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91. Okay.
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92. Amy, Bethany...
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93. Bill...
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94. Bobby...
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95. Caroline...
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96. Chris...
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97. Here.
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98. David...
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99. Donna,
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100. You do realize no one's here
besides me?
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101. You think I want to be here
doing this, hmm?
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102. Last week of school,
everybody's out having a picnic,
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103. playing softball.
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104. But I gotta be here with you.
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105. So I'm gonna
take attendance.
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106. And you're gonna sit there
and you're gonna shut up.
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107. Frank, Garrett...
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108. Meanwhile, my father was
about to make a huge mistake.
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109. Hey, Pam.
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110. Oh, Julius, thank God.
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111. Why, what happened?
You hit the number again?
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112. No, I need $25.
See, I left my wallet at home,
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113. and I need to pick up
my dry cleaning
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114. Pam, you know how I feel
about lending people money.
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115. Like the Klan feels
about black people.
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116. Julius, you know
I'm good for it.
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117. You'll get it back
so quick,
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118. you won't even know
you gave it to me.
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119. Save yourself some time.
Don't give it to her.
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120. Didn't you hair
used to be yellow?
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121. That's blonde.
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122. My father used to say to me,
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123. "There's no such thing
as early.
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124. You're either on time or late."
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125. You waiting on the bus?
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126. Yeah.
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127. It was on time today.
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128. What do you mean?
It always comes at 7:22.
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129. It ain't supposed to.
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130. Supposed to come at 6:58.
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131. God!
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132. I'd been worried all week
about what would happen
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133. if one thing went wrong.
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134. I never considered what would
happen
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135. if everything went wrong.
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136. Ladies and gentlemen,
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137. this car is now going express
to Far Rockaway.
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138. Far Rockaway?
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139. That's far out the way.
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140. Ten stops past
where I have to go.
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141. A wise man once said,
"Never challenge worse."
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142. I was a block away from school
with 60 seconds to make it.
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143. I didn't think things
could get worse. I was wrong.
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144. Oh, my God, my baby!
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145. Freeze!
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146. This the guy?
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147. The guy that what?
The guy who stole my car.
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148. I didn't...
Shut up.
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149. How tall are you?
I'm five-seven.
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150. I did not steal...
Shut up!
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151. No, I don't think it's him.
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152. Are you sure.
Take a closer look.
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153. He was wearing a mask.
He was wearing
a mask?
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154. He was wearing a mask.
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155. Cover your face.
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156. Not your eyes,
your mouth.
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157. What'd he say?
He said, "Give me your car.
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158. Say, "Give me your car."
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159. Give me your car.
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160. Give me your car!
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161. Give me your car.
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162. No.
That's not him?
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163. No.
Are you sure?
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164. Yeah.
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165. All right, beat it.
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166. You're late.
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167. Please, Mr. Thurman.
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168. Principal's office.
You're late.
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169. Mr. Thurman, please,
I can't be late.
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170. Then consider yourself early
for next year.
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171. Usually, my mother was my
judge, jury and executioner,
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172. but now she was my lawyer.
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173. Why does he have
to repeat the entire
tenth grade?
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174. Can't he just repeat
one day?
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175. Let me put it
in your vernacular.
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176. Rules is rules.
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177. What did you say?
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178. It's okay, Ma.
She does that.
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179. I'll explain it later.
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180. Well, I don't understand
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181. why you can't make an exception
for him
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182. I mean, didn't he pass
all his tests,
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183. including his finals?
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184. Yes,
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185. but this isn't about education.
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186. This is about punctuality.
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187. Look, could I appeal
to a higher authority
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188. and have Chris promoted
liked we did
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189. when the Vice Superintendent's
daughter got pregnant
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190. and missed
the entire tenth grade? Yes!
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191. But you don't really
want your son being coddled
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192. and helped through life
and all of its obstacles
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193. like some rich little
white girl, do you?
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194. Say yes, say yes!
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195. No. No, I guess you're right.
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196. I am.
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197. You may not realize
this now, Chris,
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198. but making you repeat
the tenth grade
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199. is the biggest favor
I'm ever going to do for you.
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200. While I was trying to make
the grade at Tattaglia,
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201. Drew was figuring out
how to make the cut.
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202. Amateur Night?
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203. Amateur Night?
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204. Are you crazy?
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205. Are you crazy?
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206. You know, the Pope came
to Harlem once.
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207. Tried to give mass
at the Apollo.
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208. Got booed off.
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209. Got booed off.
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210. Man, that crowd was tougher
than the Vietcong.
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211. Tougher than
the Vietcong.
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212. You know, we all performed
at the Apollo.
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213. Oh, yeah?
What'd you do?
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214. Sang Luther Vandross'
"A House Is Not a Home."
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215. Boo!
Get off
the stage!
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216. ♪ Said when there's no one
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217. ♪ But a
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218. Wow! So, what happened?
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219. Got booed off.
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220. He got booed off.
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221. Meanwhile, I was going down
like O.J. in the Vegas trial.
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222. Chris, this is
your own fault.
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223. If you would've told me
you were having problems,
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224. then I could've
done something.
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225. It's not the end
of the world.
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226. Most people don't get
to finish the tenth grade once.
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227. You get to do it twice.
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228. It's kind of like
working a double shift.
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229. Do you know how embarrassing
that's gonna to be?
As embarrassing
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230. as being 40 and still
living with your mother
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231. 'cause you were too stupid
to listen to her
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232. and repeat the tenth grade
and get your diploma?
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233. Ma, if I'm late again,
I'm gonna be
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234. in the tenth grade
for the rest of my life.
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235. Then be on time.
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236. May I be excused?
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237. Yeah, go ahead.
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238. If you want to sulk,
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239. go sulk—it's not
gonna change anything.
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240. Ask Hillary Clinton.
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241. Drew, what's
taking you so long?
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242. Hey, Mom, come
look at my hair.
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243. Oh, that's nice!
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244. Vanessa better get
back here soon.
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245. You did a great job.
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246. I don't know,
I think
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247. it should cover
more of her face.
So, Julius,
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248. what do you think?
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249. Looks nice.
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250. Yeah, just wrap it up
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251. for the next couple
of nights— it'll hold.
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252. That's what they told
Michael Jackson about his face.
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253. Go help your brother.
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254. So, how much do we owe you?
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255. Uh, with your discount, $25.
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256. Julius, pay her.
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257. Ooh, dinner smells good.
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258. Ooh, and lamb chops—
ooh, I love lamb chops.
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259. Well, Chris isn't hungry— you
can have his plate if you want.
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260. Oh, thank you.
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261. You know, I had
reservations
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262. at Pastures and Shores, but, uh,
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263. now I can keep the money.
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264. You gonna do
something special with it?
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265. Like pay off some debts,
something like that?
No.
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266. See? That's the best thing
about having money is
I don't owe anybody.
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267. My father was trying
to get his cash out of Pam,
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268. and my mother was trying
to get me out of the house.
Chris, time to get up.
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269. I'm not going to school today.
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270. What's wrong
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271. No, I'm not sick.
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272. I'm dropping out.
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273. And in about an hour,
I'll be coming to.
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274. After my mother tried
knocking some sense into me,
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275. she tried to talk
some sense into me.
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276. Chris, I'm not
gonna sit back
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277. and watch you
throw your life away.
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278. Mom, you can't make me go.
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279. I did not spend all these
years trying to make sure...
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280. He's right, Rochelle.
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281. We can't force him to go.
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282. But if you think you're
gonna sit around this house
all day, think again.
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283. If you don't go to
school, you go to work.
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284. Well, what kind of job
is he supposed to get
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285. with a tenth
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286. I don't know, ask George Bush.
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287. What's it gonna be, Chris?
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288. So that's it?
You're quitting school?
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289. Look, I'm not repeating
the tenth grade.
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290. I don't know what else to do.
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291. Well, have you thought
about a G.E.D?
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292. G.E.D.?
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293. In the job market,
it would put you
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294. on an equal level
with any ex-con.
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295. Except for the ones
who finished high school.
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296. I suppose it's
for the best, though.
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297. How's that?
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298. If you're a sophomore
and I'm a junior,
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299. there's no way I could ever
be seen with you again.
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300. I don't have any more
cool points to lose, dude.
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301. From the zero
you started out with.
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302. Hey, Kelly, Alex.
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303. So, is it true, you flunked out?
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304. I didn't flunk out.
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305. But I am leaving school.
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306. Cool. You want
to hang out sometime?
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307. You're kidding me, right?
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308. No, I mean, I've been
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309. beating the crap out of you all
these years, because secretly,
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310. I've been envious
of your determination
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311. and your accomplishments.
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312. I was only trying
to crush your spirit
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313. so I wouldn't feel inferior.
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314. But now that
you're dropping out,
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315. society will take over,
so we can hang.
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316. So, who are you gonna
pick on when I'm gone?
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317. Just give me a minute.
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318. All right, go ahead.
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319. While I was getting beat
by the system,
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320. Drew was drumming up
a new idea.
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321. Oh, yeah!
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322. Yeah!
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323. That's it!
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324. Oh, cool!
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325. While I was trying
to get a handle on my future,
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326. my father was trying
to get a handle on his cash.
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327. Hey, Julius, what are
you doing over here?
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328. You need a shave?
No.
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329. I need $25.
$25?
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330. I don't know, that's a lot.
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331. I'm not comfortable with
loaning out that kind of money.
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332. Neither was I when
I loaned it to you.
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333. Can I get my money back, please?
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334. Oh, my God,
I forgot all about that.
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335. How do you forget
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336. where you got some free money?
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337. How do you forget where
you got some free money?
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338. I found $20 dollars one time.
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339. I was on Flatbush Avenue
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340. in front of
the check cashing place.
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341. It was 5:07 p.m.
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342. on a Wednesday.
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343. 64 degrees.
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344. I remember it like
it was yesterday.
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345. I found a ten, a five,
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346. a two dollar bill,
two dollars and fifty
cents in quarters,
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347. three nickels and 25 pennies.
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348. One of them
was Canadian.
I'm sorry.
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349. Why didn't you
just say something?
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350. Why didn't you
just pay him back?
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351. Um, can I pay you back tomorrow?
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352. I left my wallet at home.
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353. You've got a cash register
right there.
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354. After all
my parents did for me,
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355. I tried to do
something for myself.
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356. G.E.D.?
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357. Yeah, it's just like
graduating from high school.
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358. No, it's not.
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359. Do you get
a G.E.D. cap and gown?
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360. Could people sign
your G.E.D. yearbook?
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361. Do they have a G.E.D. reunion?
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362. Yes, it's called
"Flavor of Love."
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363. Ma, a lot of people got
their G.E.D. and did fine.
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364. I looked it up.
Yeah
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365. Bill Cosby got a G.E.D.
So what,
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366. you want to be comedian? Ha!
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367. Very funny.
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368. Chris, is this
what you want to do?
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369. Yes.
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370. I'll make you all proud of me.
Okay.
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371. As long as you're out
when you're 18.
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372. It'll be all right.
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373. If he doesn't
make us proud,
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374. I'll kill him,
and nobody'll ever know.
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375. While I was marching to the
beat of a different drummer,
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376. Drew was beating the odds
at the Apollo.
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377. All right!
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378. All right!
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379. Now, that boy is smart.
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380. I just knew he was
gonna get booed off,
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381. but everybody knows
you can't boo kids
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382. and you can't boo God. Mm!
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383. At least he's not singing
"A House Is Not a Home."
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384. What are you doing?
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385. I'm singing "A House
Is Not a Home."
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386. After Drew got
his standing ovation,
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387. Tonya got one, too.
Congratulations.
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388. Hi, baby!
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389. That's my daughter.
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390. That's my daughter.
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391. After taking the G.E.D.,
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392. I wasn't sure
if I had passed or failed,
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393. but I knew
there was no turning back.
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394. Pencils down.
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395. Next to a pregnancy scare,
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396. waiting for the results
from my G.E.D.
Copy !req
397. was one of the scariest
moments of my life.
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398. Who gets that
fried crust?
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399. Hi, baby.
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400. Hey. Where's
Drew and Tonya?
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401. They're walking
over from Doc's.
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402. There you go.
Thank you.
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403. Hey!
Hi, Mom.
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404. I want fried crusts.
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405. Don't fill up on it.
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406. Where's Daddy?
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407. In his skin—
when he jumps out,
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408. you can jump in.
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409. ♪ Hold on
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410. Ma, I heard they were hiring
at Red Lobster.
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411. They're not hiring you.
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412. I wonder how hungry people
have to be to eat a lobster.
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413. Like, who looks at that and
says, "Man, that looks good"?
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414. Have you thought about
what you're gonna do
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415. if you don't pass the G.E.D.?
Hey, everybody.
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416. Hey, Daddy.
Hi.
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417. What's that?
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418. Chris's G.E.D. results.
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419. Did
Open it.
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420. Is that fried crust?
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421. Yeah, and it's good.
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422. What's it say?
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