Boychoir

Okay! Okay! Enough! Enough!

Now, who wants to tell me what the time signature is for this song?

Four-four.

Anybody?

It's a four-four.

Come on! You learned time signatures last week!

You will remain nothing more than an unmusical mob!

You want a four-four?

I'll give you a four-four.

Stop it. You stop!

- Hey, Stet. - Hey, Curly.

Someone saw your mom out with a skinhead in Midland.

Shut up, okay?

I thought she only dated Mexicans.

Hey!

- Ah! - (STET SHOUTING)

Talk about my mom like that one more time, Jimmy!

- One more time! - (JIMMY MUMBLING)

Keep your head up when you walk, boy.

Go to hell!

That's what I thought.

Hmm...

- Wake up. - Hmm...

- Mom, wake up. - What?

You promised you wouldn't do this anymore.

- (SIGHING) - How'd it get so late?

Here.

- What happened? - Hmm...

- You're not gonna work? - (SIGHING)

I don't even know where you work.

It's a restaurant, okay? I told you already.

- Oh, so you're a waitress. - No, I'm a zoo keeper.

The... What's her name called? Um...

- (WATER POURING) - The principal, Ms. Steel,

she wants to see me again tomorrow.

What is it this time, Stet? Huh?

More fights? You cutting class again?

Stet!

We're one minute late.

Three minutes late. Your watch is slow.

- Why are we singing here? - Oh, the usual.

Testing new music, tryouts, auditions.

Use it as a rehearsal.

Alright, gather round. Stay focused,

- no matter what the battlefield. - (SCHOOL BELL RINGING)

Paul, have you seen Stet? He was supposed to find me.

- What did he do now? - You really want to know?

Uh, no. He's coming to the concert.

I don't think this is the time to reward Stet

- for his bad behaviour. - Yeah, but this is different.

You remember me telling you about these kids, right?

How they train to sing and tour the world?

- Yeah. - (KIDS CHATTERING)

Alright, so pay attention, Stet.

- Quickly and quietly. - Mr. Carvelle?

I'm Patricia Steel. We spoke on the phone.

Thank you so much for coming to our school.

I've been looking forward to this for a long time.

- You're very persistent. - Well, I suppose I am.

- Could you excuse me? - Yes.

We have with us today

one of the world's finest youth choirs,

under the direction of the great master Mr. Anton Carvelle.

Please welcome The National Boychoir!

Stet?

- Stet! - It was on the floor.

I was gonna give it right back. I didn't know

- that it was yours... - Just come with me.

No attitude. Do you understand?

Just look him in the eyes and give him a firm handshake.

You only get one chance at a first impression.

- What are you talking about? - It's a tryout, Stet.

They're going to audition you.

I brought him here for you.

- Stay here, Stet. - Let's get it over with.

Mr. Carvelle...

this is the boy that I told you about.

He has an amazing voice.

First of all, I'd like to know what type of training he's had...

Drake, let's just hear him. I don't have time for this.

Yes. Stet, if you could start...

Hey, this is Debbie.

If you want to leave a message for me or for Stet,

- you know what to do. - (BEEP)

It's your mom. She had an accident.

- I'm sorry, Stet. - (SOBBING)

Are you okay?

Everyone that Father gives to me will come to me

and I will never turn away those who believe in me...

You sure you don't wanna go over there?

Okay.

You must be Mr. Owens.

Stet?

We commit her body to the ground.

Earth to earth, and dust to dust.

The Lord bless her and keep her.

The Lord make His face to shine upon her...

Actually, we had your name on the file,

- or rather your lawyer's name. - I did help support them, yes.

But in 12 years, you haven't seen him.

This was a long time ago. I...

I hardly knew her.

But I always did what was right, because of the boy.

So, in terms of legal custody...

I have a family already. I was married when I met her.

You understand that.

Now, I'm not disputing paternity.

What's... what's best here

is that the boy is placed in foster care.

Oh, I don't think so, Mr. Owens.

Stet, he has talent, musical talent.

I don't know what you're talking about.

I know you have no wish to be involved with his life,

but the fact is there are other places for him

other than foster care.

There's a private school. It's on the East coast.

I don't know how he gets in, or if he gets in,

but he has a chance at a better life.

It will save you a lot of time... and exposure.

- I'm just saying. - (PLANE ROARING)

Expectations are, at least from the market,

that you will see about 160,000 jobs created...

6.9%... (TURNING OFF THE RADIO)

Hey, hon, it's, uh... it's me.

Uh, listen, my... my flight was cancelled.

Yeah, yeah, I know.

I guess there's a storm in the Midwest.

No, no, no, it's fine, I got another flight tomorrow.

I'm coming into Newark sometime in the afternoon.

Tell the girls I love them. Bye. I'll call you later.

Bye.

Is that the family you already have?

Yeah.

You can sing, right?

- E flat. - What?

The squeak in the shoe.

I'm sure you understand this was an unplanned meeting

and Mr. Carvelle is a very busy man.

- So am I, actually. - (DOOR OPENING)

Okay. Go ahead, Stet.

Hm... Odessa. I remember.

You walked out on me.

That was a first.

Am I right?

Sing. Sing anything.

Um... Wow, thank you, Stet.

Um... would you step out and give us a minute?

- (DOOR OPENING) - (CHUCKLING) Wow... wow...

Well?

- No. - I agree.

For Christ sakes,

the kid probably sings better than half of this school.

He has neither the desire nor the discipline for this school.

And he doesn't know when or where to breathe.

Well, his technique needs work,

but that's to be expected.

There are other considerations as well,

starting with the calendar. We're well into the fall term

and we only accept new students

at certain periods of the year.

He's too old. Most of the boys here

have already had years of rigorous private training

and they play other instruments along with voice.

Well then, teach him something.

Mr. Owens,

this is the premier boychoir school in the nation.