The Spell

Fat Rita! Fat Rita!

- Line up over here and I'll be with you in a minute.

Is this for time?

Yes, this is for time.

I heard she was really slim

until she started eating everything in sight.

Now she wears all those big dresses

and old fashion sweatsuits

to hide all her lines.

Very funny.

All right.

And a grade.

Do I have to?

I'm afraid so, Rita.

Okay?

All right girls, let's go.

You can be excused.

- You know that guy from Fort Ord I was seeing?

What about him?

- He used to take out the home economics teacher

before she got fat.

Who'd want to take out that tubo?

You going up the rope like that, tubo?

- I'm warning you, Jackie, you better stop calling me that.

We'll just call you Moby Dick then.

Is it hard?

Kinda.

You going up the rope like that, tubo?

I gotta get to class.

Jackie and Rita.

Go.

Do a spin, Jackie.

I'll hold the end.

At the same time,

the agency issued new regulations

permitting diversions of propane gas...

and other high priority uses, if necessary...

What's so funny?

Here

Do you really need that second helping?

It's extra. We paid for it.

You aren't paying for it.

I'll take it.

- Don't you two have to get ready for school?

No.

Why not?

- Well it has to do with Jesus and it's not his birthday.

Oh, hilarious.

That's really hilarious.

Just trying to be helpful.

Well, don't be.

Is all this necessary?

Excuse me.

Kristina.

I'm not finished.

Why did you do that?

Huh?

You heard me.

That remark about a second helping.

Oh.

Because she's getting fat and you don't say a word.

You don't help her by humiliating her.

Let's get a governess in here.

Neither of us will have to do it.

She is too old for a governess.

Not a governess, per say.

A sort of,

housekeeper who's good at mediation.

Well, swell.

We can have a union.

The kids will have strikes and labor wars.

Okay.

Let's do something.

How about the grapefruit diet?

Glenn, she's an adolescent.

That's her problem.

Don't you remember when you were 15?

I do.

What a memory.

Well, it was tough.

I ate my way out of going to two proms.

Okay, how do we approach her?

Don't humiliate her.

You got it.

I got some stuff for Margaret to iron.

- Oh, she went to her sister's for a few days.

I'll do it.

No.

You'll like it.

I'll like it.

- Would you pick up a bottle of Caligastia?

I've tried all over town.

Would you try Applebee's?

Okay.

Bye.

Glenn?

Bye.

Is he gone?

Finish your breakfast, Kris.

What's your day like?

We're going shopping, remember?

Oh.

If I'm up to it, honey.

Rita did it again.

You know, ever since Jackie Siegel's accident,

she's been acting really strange.

That was nearly a month ago.

Some of the kids said when she fell...

Kristin.

How about doing the dishes for me, sport?

Okay.

You wanna talk?

Nope.

Bad one, huh?

What?

Real bummer?

Medium bad.

Might help to talk.

Might help you. Won't help me.

Okay.

What are you making?

You know, Rita,

you really make it very difficult for me to say I'm sorry.

- Is Kathleen still being peculiar?

I don't know. I haven't seen Ryan.

Kathleen doesn't want to see anyone,

especially me.

Something must have happened.

Best friends just don't turn off like that.

You know, he's called in a parapsychologist.

You're kidding.

No.

Analysis didn't do it,

so now he's looking for ghosts in her closet.

Weird.

The whole town is getting strange.

Ever since that Jackie Siegel accident.

Love it.

Seen the price?

Afraid to look.

350.

Oh, I hate it.

- Let's get the banana cake at Donatello's.

Oh, that cake is ruining me.

I don't even bother to eat it anymore.

I just supply it directly to my hips.

You don't wanna go?

I didn't say that.

Okay then.

Be honest, is the banana cake fresh?

Yes ladies, the banana cake is fresh

if there's any left.

What's the alternative?

Well we have two day old rum cake

and some nice éclairs,

if they haven't gone bad.

Is that what you want?

No.

No, we'll have the banana cake, if there's any left, please

and some coffee.

You too?

Yes.

He's something.

Are your girls gonna swim in the meet?

Kris is. Rita's too old.

Too old at 15?

Do you love it?

I guess Terri's gonna compete.

She's been so damned impossible, though.

I'm not counting on it.

And Lyn hates Jo Standish, so I don't know.

Who's Jo Standish?

The new gym teacher at school.

She's also the guidance counselor

and she's a tough one.

Well you have to be to handle our kids

eight hours a day.

Oh, I know.

Terri and Lyn are constantly at each other's throat.

Please, tell me I'm not alone.

You are not alone.

Thank God.

You are in luck, ladies.

Fresh banana cake.

Thank you.

- You know, Rita's having an awful time with it.

Kris and the other kids

know how to go right where it hurts.

With Rita, right now, it's her weight.

They call adults cruel.

Used to kill me last year.

I'd go and pick her up at school,

she'd be hiding in a building, waiting for me.

She'd only come out when she saw my car.

And even then, those kids still found a way to yell

some rotten thing at her to finish her off.

- I bet they take classes on how to hurt each other.

Sadism, 1-A.

Speaking of schools,

did you hear about that Webster Elementary school business?