Strange Behavior

We're leaving now, Bryan.

Okay, Mom.

Okay, all you cats out there.

Well, it's 9:00 in Galesburg

and apparently three or four of those big trees

are already down on the Cullum Avenue way.

I guess you could say it's real dangerous,

woo, out there tonight so watch out.

The college even reports some students have drowned.

So for all you kids that didn't make that drowning scene,

here's a song from the Pop Mechanix.

Oh, shit.

Pipsy?

Is that you?

Here, girl.

Hey, Jerry!

You know what it's like to dry your hair

when the electricity keeps going out?

Yeah, we know, Barbara.

We're trying to fix it now.

Well, if your boys are counting on breakfast,

you better hurry it up.

You just keep it hot for us now, Barbara.

Well, Jerry Hendrix, I may blush.

I'm awake.

I swear to God I'm awake, Dad.

And Donovan, call the college, will you,

and tell those guys to start taking down the bleachers.

This town's gonna be a mess for a couple of days, huh?

Oh!

Oh, shit.

Yeah, here, too.

Yeah, probably Paul up at Water and Power

screwing big Annie again.

Hey!

Toss me a town, will you?

I cut my lip here.

Yeah.

Okay, look, call Chicago and get a weather report,

will you?

If this thing's gonna turn into a monsoon,

I want to know about it.

Okay.

Do you have to do that at the table?

It's gotta be done.

One of life's little chores, you know.

It's enough to gag a maggot.

You were rolling around here kinda late last night,

weren't you?

Had to fill out my application.

Dad, I still want to go to Galesburg.

Yeah, you know the old expression,

I know what's best for you?

Deeply.

Well, you don't seem to be getting the message.

But I like it here.

It's our home.

You like it here, you come back and live here.

I want you to get away,

see some things, get an education,

then come back and stay.

But you know I won't.

No one ever does.

Morning, boys.

Morning, Mrs. Haskell.

I don't know what's happening to this town.

The electricity doesn't work,

the phones don't ring.

Do you know I did the Bailey house yesterday

and all four of their TV sets were out.

Mrs. Haskell, a guy could get a disease

walking around on this floor, you know what I mean?

You wouldn't know a clean house

if it bit ya.

Comedian.

Did you know the um, Hoffmans have gone away again?

They must leave those kids alone

for six months out of every year.

I buy the food and let me tell you,

it just rots in the icebox.

All those kids ever eat are Twinkies.

They're just like animals.

Except for young Timothy, of course.

And there's an orgy there every single night.

Let me tell you, one night when...

Morning, Mr. McNally.

See you later!

Why all the books, Oliver?

Oliver!

Uh, just a little extra studying.

The lights, please.

Jesus, Mildred, answer the phone.

Here.

Here are your messages according their importance.

Oh, great.

Picked up Ralph Festerman again.

Ugh, Flo is on her way.

Did you call the college like I asked you to?

John, the mayor's been calling.

His son is missing.

I need a beer, Donovan.

You know, they're a little bit more than worried.

They went out last night, came home late.

He was gone.

Who?

The son, Bryan.

His bed wasn't slept in, that's how they noticed.

Oh, I'm sure he's all right.

Now, what about the trees that are down?

Garbage is taking care of that with Nelson.

Have 'em out of there by noon.

You got that thing cranked all the way up?

Look, John, if you want that any colder,

you're gonna have to buy a new one.

Jesus, Donovan, I was just asking.

We know you speak phonetically, Waldo,

it doesn't mean you have to write that way.

Cindy McDonald.

Believe me, Cindy, sleeping on it didn't help.

I agree with you, Tommy, that Jane Eyre

is a woman with many problems,

however to suggest that all she needed

is a good roll in the hay is perhaps

missing the point slightly.

Ah, nice work, Roger.

Now, here's a paper that had me completely baffled.

Mr. Myerhoff.

Nice work, an A.

It's incredible, an A with my name on it.

Well, maybe he got his mother to

stay home last night and help him.

Maybe I should get my mom to come down here

tomorrow and beat the crap out of you.

Oh, yeah, well maybe you'd like to come out

later and try it, huh?

Oh, no problem, Waldo, no problem.

Come on, this isn't free school.

Pete, Pete, can I have a word with you?

Sure.

Oh, yeah, right.

I'll just be cooling my heels out in the hall or something.

You want anything?

One of these?

No, thanks.

Yeah, they get smaller every year.

I saw Bob Cartwright yesterday.

He told me that your class is doing

extremely well in college applications.

The problem is my best student

hasn't submitted one yet.

You've got to get one in soon, Pete.

Don't worry about it, I'm working on it.

Is there anything I can do to help?

No, it's my father.

He uh, he won't help me out with my

application to Galesburg.

He has this thing about Eastern schools.

Did you know that he'd been accepted

to several Ivy League schools?

No.

Yeah, it was a big item in our class.

Why didn't he go?

Well, he met your mother.

Listen, I gotta go.

Pete, how's he doing these days?

Oh, he's fine.

I gotta go, um, I'm in a hurry.

Uh, don't worry about it, I'll get something in.

What's up?

Oliver, I need some money for that

goddamn application to Galesburg fast.

Yeah, you got no problem.

I know where you can make lotsa money.

Yeah?

Yeah, no prob.

Oliver, who wrote that paper for you?

I did, honest to God, I swear to God.

I mean, I don't know what happened.

Oliver, you couldn't get an A on Sesame Street.

Look!

Hiya, John.

How much?

19 cents.

Where's the mayor?

He's in the back, go on through.

Hi, Randy.

Hi.

Listen, I hope you're not too worried about this now.

I got Donovan out snooping around.

You know, everybody's keeping an eye out for him.

He'll turn up.

Thanks, John.

You and Linda didn't have a beef with him

or anything, did you?

No, nothing like that.

He was just doing his homework when we left.

Mm-hmm.

Well, I'll call you about six.

Look, there was something.

Yeah?