Ernie and Bert in “Unfinished Business”

Lets see, I'm going to make an X on the blackboard here. That is I am going to try to make an X. I'm not really sure what an X looks like. Hmm... maybe an X looks like this. [hums while writing a number 2 on a blackboard] No no no. That's not an X. That's nothing but a 2. I'll get rid of that. Let's see. Maybe an X looks like this. Is that an X? No no no. That's not an X. That's nothing but a DUMB 3. Get rid of that one. I guess I really give up on it. I'll wait till ol' Bert comes along. He'll tell me how to make an X. But meanwhile, I'll play myself a game with tic-tac-toe. [Hums while writing two vertical lines and two horizontal lines] And then we go, TICK... TACK... and TOE. Ha! I win! [snickers]. But I still don't know what an X looks like.

Hey, Ernie.

Hey, Bert. Okay. Listen, Bert.

Hey, Ernie!

Yes?

Hey, I see you're doing pretty good with your X's there.

Wait what?

Yeah, your X's on your board. Hey, let's count them, okay? Yeah. Okay. There's 1 X.

You mean that? You mean that thing with that and that? That's an X.

Yeah. That's right. That's an X. Let's count them now. 1 X, 2 X's, 3 X's, 4 X's, 5 X's down in the corner. Hey. That's great, Ernie. You've been studying. OK. Keep up the good work. See you later.

Oh wow! Look at that. I made an X. I made 5 X's. I knew what an X was all along and I didn't now that I even knew it. She was, "I'm gonna go out to make myself an X so that I can carry me wherever I go. Boy. Am I happy? Wow.