Alien from L.A.

- Wanda, the creep broke up with you

over your answering machine.

- I just wanna know why he broke up.

He doesn't like you.

Thanks, Stacy.

You shoulda gone blonder.

He's here.

Oh, yeah.

Hi.

- You got my message, right?

Yeah, I did, Robbie.

I just wanted to.

- Wanted to, what, harass me about breaking up?

No, I just wanna know why.

What did I do wrong?

- Didn't do anything wrong, Wanda.

I thought you really liked me.

You said, "I was special,"

so naturally, I wanna know why.

- Wanda, you never want to go anywhere.

I do so.

- I know, two blocks to the beach.

You didn't want to go on the camping trip

to the Grand Canyon, or rock climbing in Yosemite,

or to the Fourth of July party in Ensenada.

I get car sick.

- I told you I'd fly you there.

- I'm scared of flying, you know that.

You're scared of everything.

Okay.

What else is wrong with me?

Look, what's the point?

You obviously have a serious problem,

and we've wasted the whole summer because of it.

There's only two weeks left in August

and I wanna salvage something, all right?

- Robbie, please, let's talk about it.

I can change.

I wanna change.

Just tell me what you don't like about me.

You won't change, Wanda.

- Please, Robbie, give me a chance.

What don't you like about me, and I'll change.

- All right, your glasses make you look stupid,

your hair's ugly, you dress like a nerd,

you walk like a clod, and your voice gives me a headache.

Is that enough?

- How come you never told me this before, huh?

Why'd you even go out with me in the first place

if I'm such a geek?

- Look, Wanda, I'm really sorry I hurt you,

I didn't mean to.

But you are who you are,

and we're just not right for each other.

Good-bye.

Yeah, sure, okay.

Whoa, way to go.

- All this rejection is really getting to me.

I mean, it seems ever since I was a kid I've been rejected.

Hey, you.

Even my own dad, he left me.

- He's an explorer, Wanda,

it's his job to travel and not be home.

For 10 years?

Well, so he's been real busy.

And what about my mom?

She's left.

- (sighs) She got hit by a car and died, Wanda,

she didn't have a choice.

Sorry.

- Oh, you're right, she didn't have a choice but my dad did.

Where's Wanda?

No one wants me for anything.

- I want ya, honey, I want you to get your butt out

of this car and come give me a hand.

I'm dying here.

I'm Wanda Saknussemm,

and I'm not gonna be afraid to change my life.

This time, I'm gonna do it.

This time, I'm...

please, God, you make something happen in my life,

anything at all, really.

Anything.

Ah.

Wanda Saknussemm?

Ew.

I can't believe it.

I'll bet it's from my brother-in-law.

You're Wanda Saknussemm?

- Behind the counter, and tell her to get her butt out here.

I need those four shakes.

- I ordered a cheeseburger. - And I ordered

a cheeseburger, too. - Three burgers.

Oh, excuse me.

Wanda Saknussemm?

- Ah, yeah, I'm Wanda Saknussemm.

Special delivery from Africa.

Would you like to sign here, please?

There we go.

Right.

That's great, thanks very much.

Right.

Mm-hmm.

Oh, my God.

What's the matter?

My father's dead.

It says, "He fell down a bottomless pit."

I'm sorry, Wanda.

Who wrote you?

A man named Paddy Mahoney.

He says, "He was dad's friend and business partner."

He owns a bar somewhere in Zamboanga, North Africa.

Mr. Mahoney wants me to come see him.

He even sent a plane ticket.

Why?

- I guess Dad's made a will he wants me to deal with.

- You're not gonna go are you, honey?

- But I should probably go, Auntie Pearl.

I mean, Mr. Mahoney thinks it's important enough

to send me a plane ticket,

and I would like to see where Dad lived.

I've always been curious about his life.

- Honey, going to Zamboanga ain't like going to the beach.

It's a long journey, and you never know what might happen.

- I've been lookin' for somethin' to change my life,

maybe this is it.

I know I said anything, but isn't this a little extreme?

- Wanda, you never want to go anywhere.

Wish me luck.

I get car sick.

- I told you I'd fly you there.

- I'm scared of flying, you know that.

- You're scared of everything.

I can change.

I wanna change.

- You won't change, Wanda.

I'll show you, Robbie.

- Your father was a great man, a pioneer.

His colleagues thought he was crazy.

They laughed at him.

He dedicated the rest of his life to proving them wrong

and regaining his self-respect.

- So, all this time he's been searching

for the center of the earth.

- Yes, his excavation is down in the basement.

Hey, cool.

I'm surprised to see this.

- Your father cared a lot about you.

- Well, he sure showed it in a weird way.

He was a strange man.

You look like you could do with some rest.

- Boy, it's a long trip to Africa.

But I'm glad you invited me, Mr. Mahoney.

Probably the only chance I'll have to get to know him.

He left so long ago.

Did you try to find my dad?

I, I tried.

We keep the pit lit.

I go down there every day, look for him,

but it all seems so unlikely.

- I woulda given anything to see him again.