Hello? Is anyone listening to me? I need a car!
AnnieHello! Earn money and buy one.
You guys bought Matt a car. Why can't you buy me a car?
Annie
Matt was going to college. You, on the other hand, are not going to college. You are working, so you can buy your own car. How much money have you saved this summer?
Saved? On what I make? Please. You guys are forcing me to buy on credit, and you can stop talking about college, because I'm not going to college until I figure out what I'm going to college for.
Well, maybe so you can earn a living and someday even have your own house, and your own car.
Well, maybe I don't want to have my own house. You don't own this home; this is the Church's home.
Yes, but this house is a benefit of my job, which I earned after five years of college and we do have a car. Two cars. Well, three if you count the one we bought for Matt, who's in college.
Annie (to Eric): I've signed up for school today.
Annie
College, Crawford. I want to get my teaching credentials in early childhood education.
Now? You do know that we have 7 kids now.
Annie
We have the twins and Ruthie, but Simon starts high school tomorrow, Lucy graduates high school this year, Mary's out of high school and working and Matt is out on his own.
Eric (to Annie): Matt is hardly out on his own. He sleeps out on his own. He's still a kid.
Annie
Oh stop it. He and Heather are practically married.
No they're not. That's just what we say to each other whenever we think those two might be shacking up. And Mary is going to college, she's going to go to college eventually... I hope, as soon as she figures out that she doesn't enjoy minimum wage jobs.
Annie
Unfortunately, I think Mary is quite happy with her stint in the world of minimum wage.
Well I'm not happy with it. With my luck she'll probably decide to go to college when Lucy decides to go and with Matt's we'll have 3 tuitions to pay, oh plus yours. And by the way, who says that Lucy won't have the kind of senior year that Mary had. And Simon is starting high school. Do you remember what it was like when Matt started high school? High school boys are, well they're high school boys. And we shouldn't forget Ruthie, who is well on her way to being more difficult than all the other kids rolled into one. Oh and bonus, the twins are entering the terrible twos. They are not entering, they are there.
Annie
So what are you saying? That the family is so dangerous that I can't take 1 or 2 hours away from them to take one course? I'm going back to school!
When were you going to tell me this, as you were backing out of the driveway tomorrow morning?
Annie
No, I planned to tell you just when I told you.
(sarcastically) Well, thank you, Mrs. Camden!
[to her parents as they are visiting Eleanor Roosevelt School] They have horses! Horses!
MMrs. McCool
The school offers both English and western style instruction.
MMrs. McCool
We feel the children work hard during the day. At night, they should be free to relax and be kids. After all, we do have them seven hours a day. Of course, if Ruthie would like to spend time at home studying any subject beyond the core curriculum, we'll set up an individual program for her.
I may want to do that, considering I don't have to be at school until TEN!
MMrs. McCool
[laughs] We have a flexible schedule. Students can start as late as ten, but then they go until five. Not every student does his or her best work early in the morning. Plus, we have a 14 to 1 student ratio and a whole list of after-school trips and projects. Last year, we took a group of students to the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. and met the President. I think that Ruthie would make a wonderful addition to our school. If you have any questions, please call.
EAEric and Annie
Thank you. [they shake her hand]
MMrs. McCool
Bye, Ruthie. [leaves]
Boy, when God answers a prayer, he answers a prayer!
Annie
Does that mean you want to go to school here?
Why is Mary's car in the driveway? Isn't she supposed to be at work, or did she get fired again?!
You tell us. Is this your day off?
Annie
Did you get fired?
Building burned down? Business close for an epidemic?
I just got another job that's all. I'm working at Pete's Pizza. I just didn't like the pool hall. I kept getting the day shift, and, well, I like the night life, I like to boogie.
Is it me or is she starting to spin?
Annie
What are you doing?
Annie
What are you doing with that man?
Look, Johnny is a great husband and father.
Annie
He tried to hit you. He would have hit you if my husband hadn't stepped in.
Annie
Do you love Mercy?
Annie
Then why do you keep putting her at risk? If Johnny had hit you, or if someone had called the police, you and Johnny would be in jail right now. If that happened, then what would happen to Mercy?
[about his earring] But if I take it out, the hole will close up!
That's not fair. Why can't I keep the earring?
Because you look like a girl!
Annie
You went out of the house tonight without our permission. You went to the house of someone we don't know and have never met. At that house you allowed that someone we don't know to pierce your ear.
Be grateful that the only thing we're doing is making you take out your earring out.
[about Mary] You know, she quit her job at the pool hall, she quit her job at Pete's Pizza. She doesn't have any friends. Well, not any good ones. She needs a job.
Annie
Yes, Mary needs a job, and money, and friends, good ones. But she has bills to pay. She also needs to take a job to pay those bills. And the job she takes probably won't be a job she loves or even likes. And then she'll see how important it is to have a job you love. And jobs people love usually involve training and/or education. That will force her to set goals and move forward
Are you just going to will her into this realization?
Annie
She's not on our schedule. We need to give her time. She'll realize it when she realizes it.
In the meantime, no job plus no money equals no car, right? I mean, if she can't pay for the car, she'll lose it.
Annie
So let her lose the car.
This isn't about losing Mary's car. This is about losing Mary!
Annie
You think I don't know that? You know, just because I'm not a minister or a therapist doesn't mean I don't know when she's in trouble. I'm her mother! And I think she needs to be the one to ask for help, and she's not ready yet!
Well, I'm her father, and I say she needs help now, whether she asks for it or not!
Annie
What you mean to say is that you're the expert, and what you say goes!
Annie
You stole $500 from your own brothers?! From babies?!
I'm sorry, it's all my fault. Punish me any way you like.
Matt: What's going on?
What do you think is going on? Your 10-year-old sister is lying about stealing money so the rest of you can cover for Mary.
Annie
Is that it? Is that the truth!?
No! You're wrong! I took it. I'm very bad. I'm a very bad girl.
No, Ruthie. I'm a very bad big brother for letting this happen.
[after her parents find a joint in her bedroom] I can't believe you searched my room! What are you, communists? I have rights, you know!
Annie
I guess I just can't explain this often enough. A right is something that can never be taken away from you. For example, you have the right to be indignant now, and I can't take that away, but privacy? Well, privacy is a privilege when you live with your parents, and privileges can be taken away. Now, we knew that you were in trouble, but we had no idea that you were this far down the road!
Annie
You stole money from your own brothers?! From babies?! This is pathetic. Really pathetic. We had no idea that you were this far down the road.
Life gets so complicated when you don't tell the truth.
So what's best for everyone is to ship me off to Siberia to live with old people?!
Annie
Yep, that's basically it. You will live with your grandparents, you will take a job working at a homeless shelter, with your first few checks going to Sam and David. And in January, you and Grandma will take a course.
What if I am not going to do this?
Annie
In my heart of hearts, I know this is the right thing. This is the right thing to do! I love you! Remember what you said, it's better to have an angry kid then a dead kid!
We talked to Mrs. McCool.
Annie
Why would you make up stories about the family like that?
I thought that if I got people to feel sorry for us, they'd stop talking about Mary. I thought that if Mary knew everyone was talking about her, she wouldn't want to come home. I'm still mad at her for messing up, but I want her to come home.
Norton [to Annie] So this is your mother? I see the resemblance and I like it. What you say, Mama?
Annie
I say you're all pathetic. Go home.
Why don't you go home? You don't belong on the streets 'cause you got no respect for me. For no man. Maybe I should teach you some respect.
Annie
You want a piece of this? I brought seven kids into this world. I can take one out.
Annie
If you weren't available to baby-sit Sam and David, who do you think I could get to baby-sit?
Well Ruthie's not old enough, so Robbie?
Annie
NEVER!
Annie
And you know why? Robbie is just the border. You do not leave our children with the border. Not the children we created and I gave birth to. Responsible family members and qualified babysitters only. Robbie is neither. He is just a border
Annie
You need to find him a job so he can find a place to live.
I'm working on it. Even Robbie's working on it.
Annie
Well, work faster. Why do you like him so much?
Why do you like him so little?
Annie
If Mary finds out he's living here, there's going to be hell to pay. That's right, I said it. HELL! So get him out.
7th Heaven · 700 quotes
