A Dance in the Snow

* Snowflakes are falling

* Streetlights are glowing

* Another year older

* Another year gone

* Still get a stocking

* Still hang mistletoe

* We're all getting older

* Oh where does time go?

* I still feel like a kid at Christmas *

* Still got wishes on my wish list *

* With friends old and new

* Believing it's still true

* I still feel like a kid at Christmas *

* With you *

Ready.

You look magnificent.

I know.

Christmas dance, here we come.

- Wait! Weather check. - Oh. Of course.

Still safe. No snow.

Let's go.

(* Share My Christmas with You by SATV Music)

Oh, your headphones. I forgot them in the car.

I'm fine.

Yeah, it could get louder.

- C'mon! - Oh!

Okay, now put on a happy face.

Don't worry about me.

This is your night. I'm great.

I'm great too. Bye!

Bye!

Guess I'll just uh...

chaperone the snacks.

- Do you need any help with that?

Hi, Melanie.

Hi Mr. Hartman.

Please, call me Daniel.

- Jenny is a fantastic student. - Jenny talks about you all...

the time.

She's my favourite student,

but don't tell anyone I said that.

- I won't. Well, around here, anyway.

Uh, you really are her favourite teacher.

- Thank you. And you can tell everyone that.

I do.

It's important for her

to have a teacher that really appreciates her.

- But who wouldn't appreciate her?

- A lot of people. They don't mean to. They mean well.

But when they find out that she's autistic,

they either expect nothing of her or they think

she's a savant.

Ah. Well, no judgment here.

I think she's great.

She is.

Is that snow?

Is everything okay?

Just the sound, the snow.

I should've insisted she wear her headphones.

- Can I help you? - No. I just,

she needs me right now. I've gotta find her.

Jenny. Jenny. Jenny.

Are you okay?

The snow.

I should've seen that coming.

I'm sorry.

Come here.

Can we go home?

- Yep. Let's go home. Come on.

Hey. Whatcha workin' on?

College applications.

My little girl.

My little girl is a senior.

- I have been for four months.

Yes.

That's very true.

So where are you thinking?

I want to go to Hollinger.

Hollinger? Like, California?

- They have the best literature program.

- Yeah, yeah. They, uh, of course.

But it's in California.

It's okay. You know what?

We'll think about it. Okay?

The holiday dance is coming up soon.

Do you want to go shopping, get a new dress?

No, thanks.

- You wanna go to the dance though, right?

: "Two roads diverged in a yellow wood.

And sorry I could not travel both.

And be one traveler, long I stood.

And looked down one as far as I could"

And then Frost finishes triumphantly with,

"Two roads diverged in a wood

and I, I took the one less traveled by.

And that made all the difference."

You see, this is what great poetry can do.

Yes, yes, it makes you think.

But more... it inspires you to feel.

So,

what do you feel?

Jenny.

I feel excited.

I get to choose my road.

I get to choose my life.

Very good. And very true.

This is something I wish we'd all remember more often.

So let these great words inspire us today

and every day.

Oh, and for tomorrow, please read the chapter

on Edgar Allan Poe or you shall receive good grades nevermore.

Nice work today, Jenny.

I loved the poem.

Great words can inspire us.

- They inspired me. - Me, too.

Hey, is that a Hollinger crest?

You know, my sister studied there.

- Not exactly sure it'll be possible. It's far away.

- But they have an amazing lit program there.

I know.

- And you are an amazing lit student.

I know.

- Good. Well, I'd be happy to write a recommendation.

I mean it.

Have a good afternoon.

: I just don't get it.

Could she pick a college further from home?

- Maybe she just wants to spread her wings.

Uh, here you go, Gavin.

The volume should work on those ones. Okay.

You know, try something new.

Isn't that why you started the Possible Center?

To show neurodiverse teens

the breadth of their possibilities.

- Thanks, Vicky. I have read our mission statement.

I think I wrote it.

But couldn't she just spread her wings a little closer to home?

- Look, she is not trying to leave you.

I know.

It is okay to be sad.

Even at Christmas time.

And it's okay to be mad about the divorce.

To long for the past or worry about the future.

Thank you.

But this isn't about me. This is about Jenny.

Hmm.

Maybe it's the weather.

There's no falling snow in Southern California.

- She's still afraid of the falling snow?

- It was bad before but ever since the dance,

it's gotten worse.

: Oh!

I'm so sorry.

No, no. I'm sorry.

I must've been a little too focused

on my handiwork.

Apparently.

It's good to see you, Melanie.

- Nice to see you too, Mr. Hartman.

- Daniel. - Right.

Um... anyway,

I know the dance didn't go really well

for you and Jenny last year

and I just wanted you

to know if there's anything

that I can do to help make it better

just let me know.

- You could run for PTA president.

- No. That is Ms. Foy and she'd wipe the floor with me.

But honestly, I know they started planning.

So, I think they meet every Friday afternoon.

If you wanted to, maybe we could...

- It's okay. I... I've got it. But thank you.

Of course, yeah.

Poster looks great.

- Thank you. : Hi.

Bye, Mr. Hartman.

- Bye, Jenny. - Bye.

: Jenny...

You okay?

Jenny?

Hey, I was spinning.

Hey, I was talking.

Why are we talking?

Are you seriously considering

not going to the Christmas dance this year?

I don't want to go.

It's your last winter formal.

So?

- So the Christmas dance has always been a great way

for us to lift my--

Winter blues, I know.

But they are your blues, not mine.

Good. But we love Christmas.

And the dance has always been a great way to celebrate

that with everyone.

I know.

- Is this why you want to go to California?