All language subtitles for encore encoreHighway to Heaven S05E06 The Source.eng

[opening theme music playing]

[man on radio]
And that wraps up the news
for this evening.

Stay tuned for music
till midnight.

We'll be back then
for the midnight news.

What a joke.

What?

The news.
The news, it's a joke.

You learn about as much
from that as you do
a presidential debate.

I mean, what did we
find out from the news?

Found out there was
a train wreck in France,

a plane crash,
people fell off a sailboat,
presumed drowned.

Oh, and a secretary says
she slept with a senator

followed by some very bad jokes
by the weatherman. [chuckles]

They call that the news.

It's what the people want,
I suppose.

Yeah, little kids
want candy all the time,

but you don't give it to them.

You do if you're selling them
the candy.

Thank God for newspapers.

Why? How many people read them?

I mean, really read them.

How many people read anything
anymore?

Video stores are crowded.

-No big, long lines
in the library.
-[scoffs]

Getting worse all the time.

How do you turn it around?

In the home,
when kids are young,

turn off the set
and read to them.

Let them experience
the wonders of words.

Yeah,
what if the parents don't read?

Then they have an obligation
to their children to learn.

What do you mean,
go back to school?

Yeah, that's right.
Go back to school.

They got classes
in the evening.

Hey, turn right up here.
We're gonna take the freeway.

Where are we going anyway?

Back to school.

[playful music playing]

Doug.

Here you go, partner.
Another outstanding
Blue Jay Banner.

And how could we miss
with the lead article
on teenage sex?

Come on, it's in the writing.

If we keep it up,
one day it will be:

"McCormick and Rawlins
receive Pulitzer."

Why not?

How come your name
always goes first?

It sounds more
rhythmical that way.

That's a matter of opinion.

All right.
How about alphabetical order?

M comes before R.

How about I change my name
to Anderson?

We'll talk about it, okay?
But right now,
we gotta meet my dad.

He wants us to meet
the journalism sub.

Just what we need, a sub.

No problem.
We'll keep the guy in line.

Gentlemen, welcome.

I'm the principal.
Bill McCormick.

Pleased to meet you.
Jonathan Smith.

-Mark Gordon.
-Mark, how are you?

-Please, have a seat.
-Thank you.

I appreciate very much
both of you
substituting for us

on such short notice.

You come
very highly recommended,

so I know you'll demand
the best from our kids.

Now, Jonathan,
in addition to
teaching English,

you'll be serving as advisor
for the school newspaper.

That is an activity
that is near to my heart,

because my son Colin
is co-managing editor.

Well, terrific.
I'm looking forward to it.

Good.

And, Mark,
we have a full schedule
for you, too.

I understand
I'll be teaching Phys Ed.

Well, [chuckles] you've got
half of that right.

The subject you will be
teaching is Sex Ed.

[stammers] Sex Ed?

Well, I really wasn't planning
on that. I mean,
that's really not my thing.

Come on, Mark,
you've taught Sex Ed before.

I know that, Jonathan.

-You were great at it.
-Thank you.

-[intercom buzzes]
-Excuse me.

Yes?

Oh, good. Send them in.

Jonathan,
there's a couple of fellas
I'd like you to meet.

-Hi, Dad.
-Hi, son.

Mr. Smith, Mr. Gordon,

this is my son, Colin, and
his co-editor, Doug Rawlins.

-Pleased to meet both of you.
-Hi.

Mr. Smith, these two young men
have written top-notch
articles on everything,

from the homeless
to teenage sexuality.

And I don't mind telling you
that last subject
was not an easy one

to get past the school board.

Yeah, I can imagine.

Looks like you two
have quite a champion here.

Yeah, we sure do.

Mr. McCormick,
I'm sorry to interrupt.

-Well, what is it?
-A school bus
has had an accident.

It appears to be serious.

Oh, my dear God.

[siren wailing]

Hey, you all right?

Yeah. I'm just
a little shaky, that's all.

-Can you answer
a few questions for the paper?
-Yeah. All right.

-You're Ellen, right?
-Yes. Ellen Kayhill.

Yeah, we were in the same
biology class last year.

Can you tell us what happened?

It was just so strange.

The bus just went
right off the road.

Honey, are you all right?

-I'm okay, I'm okay, I'm okay.
-[whimpering]

Oh, thank goodness.

Was anybody hurt?

One of the kids has
a broken leg. I think maybe
that's the worst of it.

Oh, I heard about the accident
on the radio.

And I left the baby with mom
and came as fast as I could.

Honey, I'm glad you came.
I'm glad you came.

-We were real lucky.
-[siren wails]

You kids get away from there.
That's gasoline
coming out there.

Yeah, yeah. Okay.

All right. Thanks a lot.
We're gonna talk
to the bus driver.

-Okay. Bye.
-Thanks.

Did you notice my technique?

Woodward and Bernstein
would've been proud.

Do you realize you mention
those guys every day?

-[reporter] Mr. Nichols?
-[Larry] Yeah?

Brett Williams with
Leading News.
Can you tell us what happened?

Well, yeah, I was coming up
this curve here,

just like I do
every morning, and...

But as soon as I took my foot
off the pedal,

the bus just took off
like a shot.

The pedal must've
stuck somehow, I don't know.

And after that, Mr. Nichols?

Well, I jumped on the brake,
but it was too late.

It went right over.

-Did you hear that?
-Yeah.

The bus driver said
the pedal stuck. That's what
caused the accident.

So?

So if the gas pedal
stuck like that,

maybe the bus company
didn't maintain the bus.

You hear about sloppy
maintenance all the time,

you know,
with airplanes, trains.

Doug, there could be
a big story here.

So where do we start?

Bus yard.
Come on, let's hit it.

Okay, now I'm gonna
tell you kids exactly
what I told the cops.

Those school buses
are kept in A1 shape.

My own kids ride them.

But the driver, Larry Nichols,
said the gas pedal stuck.

Well, if the gas pedal stuck,
we're gonna find out why.

You said "if."

Do you mean maybe
it didn't stick?

Well, it's hard to--

Don't you put
words in my mouth.

What my colleague means is,

isn't it in the realm
of possibility that
it didn't stick?

Well, why don't we wait
till they finish
checking out the bus?

What about Larry Nichols?
Is he a good driver?

Well, Larry's been working
for me for seven years.

I never had a problem.

Well, maybe you can tell us
what kind of person he is.

You know,
something about his character.

His character?

He's a nice guy.

He's a family man.
He's a good worker.

Look, you wanna know
anything else about Larry,
you ask Larry.

Thanks.

-Excuse me, Larry?
-Yeah?

We're doing an article
for the school paper
on the bus accident.

Can we talk to you?

Oh, look, you guys,
I'm pretty stressed out
about all that.

-Another time, okay?
-But this won't take very long.

You gotta know that reporters
have been coming out
of the woodwork.

Why don't you read the article
in The Daily Register.

-I told everything to them.
-Well, we like to do
our own reporting.

Yeah, but I just don't feel
like going over it again.

Does that mean
you're refusing to talk to us?

Hey, you know, I think you're
getting a little pushy here.

And I'm wondering
why you don't wanna talk to us.

You know, kid,
I don't like your attitude.

-He's hiding something.
-Are you sure?

No. But I'm hoping.

Hey, Frieda. How you doing?

Oh, Larry,
I didn't expect you back today.

Well, I left my wallet and
stuff in my locker back here.

How you feeling?

Well...

I did a bunch of interviews,
and then I had to take
the blood test.

And then I get back here,

and a couple of kids
from the school paper
nail me outside.

You know, Frieda,
you should have heard them.

They talked to me
like I'm some kind of
criminal or something.

I did hear them.
They were in here
pushing for a story.

Oh, boy.

Well, I'm gonna go change.

Larry, you want to take
the day off tomorrow?

No.

No, I'll be fine.

But thanks, anyway.
I appreciate it.

Hello, Etta.
This is Frieda
from the bus yard.

Etta, who can I talk to about
a couple of kids working
on the school paper?

Okay. Thanks.

[bell rings]

Hi.

I'm Mr. Gordon.

I guess you could have read
that off the board.

Well, I'm gonna be
teaching your class
for the next few weeks.

So imagine we're
gonna be talking about sex.

[laughing]

Okay, what do you wanna know?

That's very funny.

Uh...

Well, how far have you gotten
in your books?

We're up to the chapter
on getting pregnant.

Getting pregnant.

-Well, that should be easy.
And, uh...
-[laughing]

No.

Look, I'll take the roll.

I'll take the roll.

Stephen Addison?

Hey, ready, willing and able.

[laughing]

Ellen Kayhill?

Ellen Kayhill. Is she here?

Oh, not here.

-David Cutler?
-I'm here.

Good.

-Oh, boy.
-[laughing]

-Jonathan?
-Yeah?

Hi. Do you mind
if I walk with you?

Not at all.

So how are Colin and Doug
doing with their investigation?

Well, that's a little
early to tell.

I did get a call from
Frieda Wallace at the bus yard.

It seems the boys are being
just a little too aggressive
in their interviews.

I talked to them about it.

I prefer to use
the word "assertive."

And it's a trait I've worked
very hard to instill in Colin.

The boy's doing just fine.

I understand you
being proud of your son--

Oh, I am very proud of him.
My boy has what it takes.

You know that he
and Doug are up

for the City Council Youth
Achievement Award this year?

-Oh, yeah, Colin told me.
-Good.

I just wanna make sure that you
don't put any kind of damper

on either of those kids.

You know what I mean.

-I'll certainly use
my best judgment.
-Of course.

Do you realize we've come up
with absolutely nothing? Nada.

Partner, we're just
warming up here.

Yeah, well,
maybe the bus accident
was just that, an accident.

You read about accelerator
pedals sticking all the time.

Douglas, can you imagine
Woodward and Bernstein
giving up?

If you mention those guys
one more time...

Excuse me.

-Hi.
-Hi.

Can I talk to you two
about something?

Sure.

It's about the bus accident.

What about it?

I can only talk to you
if you promise not to tell
anyone who I am.

No problem.

No, I mean it.
If you use my name,
I'll deny it.

Reporters never divulge
their sources.
You're safe, I promise.

It's about the bus driver.

What about him?

Well, he doesn't pay a lot
of attention when he drives.

He fools around sometimes.

Fools around?

The day of the accident,
he was fooling around.

I mean, with me.

He was coming on to me.

He was what?

He was coming on to me.

Could you explain
what you mean by that exactly?

He was goofing around.

You know, he kept staring at me

and winking at me
in the rear-view mirror.

Giving me these looks.

And that's when the bus
went off the road.

Did he just come on to you
all of a sudden?

No. He's done it before.

-He's even said things to me.
-What kind of things?

I don't wanna say.
It's too gross.

And the worst thing about it
is that he's married.

-I saw his wife
at the accident.
-We saw her, too.

Listen, Ellen, how long
has all this been going on?

For a while.

Maybe two months.

And I really-- I don't--

Look, maybe we should go
someplace more private.

I think I should go.

But we still wanna talk to you.

I don't know.

Remember, you promised not
to let anyone know who I am.

I mean, I wouldn't want
Larry coming after me
or anything like that.

Don't worry, you have our word.

Okay.

Partner, we've got
our Watergate.

[bell ringing]

With this girl coming to us,
we have a story a lot bigger
than a bus accident.

Wait a minute, wait a minute.
Slow down, Colin.

You're not there yet.
Got a long way to go.

But we've got a witness
who was actually involved.

Come on, Doug. One anonymous
witness does not make a story.

But what can we do?
She won't go public.

Look, you come up
with some hard facts,

then I'll think about
printing something,
but not until then.

All right. You want hard facts,
we'll get you hard facts.

Come on, Doug.

Boy, that Smith ticks me off.
Who does he think he is?

Hey, he's just trying
to do his job.

Well, his job is
being a teacher.
We're the reporters.

We've got
a hell of a story here,
and he won't let us print it.

-Not until we get more facts.
-That's a lot of bull.

He's messing
with my First Amendment rights.

Well, I'm not giving up.

This story's too big.
We could sell it
for a TV movie.

Hey, you think so?

I know so.

People love this
sordid kind of stuff.

Why else would they watch
a jerk like Geraldo Rivera?

How you doing, Larry?

Did you guys hear about
a man's home being his castle?

Yeah. Well,
this is real important.

Yeah? What is it?

One of the kids from the bus

has accused you
of causing the accident.

Now wait a minute.

You wanna run that by me
one more time?

This girl on the bus
said your mind wasn't
on your driving.

[chuckles]

-That's ridiculous.
-She says you were
coming on to her.

And you've also been
saying obscene things
to her for a long time.

What?

This is crazy. Who is she?

We're not at liberty to say.

Oh, don't give me that bull.

What you're saying is serious.
I've got a right to know.

Why don't we stick
to the issue?

Because as far as
I'm concerned,
there is no issue.

I haven't done anything wrong.

Larry.

Is everything all right?

It's all right, honey.

Now, listen,
if you're not gonna say
who's accusing me,

then you got no right
to say diddlysquat.

Now why don't you
get off my property.

[Colin] Remember.

We gave you a chance
to explain your side.

Hey, I don't know
what that girl said,
but I haven't done anything.

I'm not in the habit of
fooling around with teenagers.

Now get out of here. Now.

What's going on, honey?

Nothing, nothing.
Nothing's going on.

Come on, Ellen,
we just need
a little more information.

Would you please
stop following me?

This is too important.

Listen, you told us
Larry said obscene
things to you.

Do you know
if anybody else heard him?

-No, I don't.
-We don't have enough
to get this guy.

Is there anything
you haven't already told us?

Yeah.
Like, did he do anything else?

-Look, I don't wanna say--
-He did, didn't he?

Didn't he?

Well, he...

What is it? Talk to us.

What else did he do?

Are you sure
you'll never mention my name?

You can trust us.
We already told you that.

I don't know if I can say it.

Tell us.

He...

He touched me.

He what?

I don't wanna say
anything else.

Ellen, you can't let him
get away with that.
When did he touch you?

The first time I was the last
one on the bus after school.

I hate him.

I hate him.

Hi, Ernie.

-Hey, Doug. Colin.
-Ernie.

Say, I've been reading your
articles in the school paper.

Jimmy brings them home
all the time.

You two guys are making
a real name for yourselves.

We're trying.
That's why we're here.
We'd like to talk to you.

Me?
You're gonna do a story on me?

-Well, maybe someday,
but not right now.
-[laughs]

Shucks.

Do you think you could
give us some information
on Larry Nichols,

you know, the guy
who had the accident
with the school bus?

Larry? I've known him since
he was your age. Good kid.

So as far as you know,
he's never been
in any real trouble?

No.

Well, there was that one
silly mess years ago,

but nothing ever bad.

-Silly mess?
-Yeah.

Well, Larry was going
to night school getting
his high school diploma,

couldn't have been
more than 21.

This was long before
he met his wife now.

Anyway, he kind of
had a crush on
Mel Hudson's daughter, Wendy.

She was a senior
at Jefferson High.

A high school student?

Yeah, that was the problem.

You see, Mel was
overly protective of Wendy,

her being 17 and all.

Well, Larry took her
out one night,
kept her out too late.

Mel got all out of joint
and called the cops.

He pressed charges
against Larry

for contributing
to the delinquency of a minor.

Contributing
to the delinquency of a minor?

Yeah. Well,
Mel cooled down eventually
and dropped the charges.

Like I said,
it was all pretty silly.

Well, listen, kids.
I gotta scoot.

Okay. Thanks, Ernie.

You keep up those articles now.

I can't wait to see
the look on Smith's face now.

-Well, what do you think?
-I'm sorry, Colin.
I can't let you run it.

Why not? The stuff
Ernie Parsons told us nails it.

Oh, no, it doesn't.
You're jumping to conclusions.

Yeah, but there's
a real pattern here.

Larry Nichols was
fooling around with
young girls 15 years ago.

That's right, 15 years ago.

He was 21 years old,
and he went out
with a girl who was 17.

That's all he did
was go out with her.

You don't know
he did anything out of line.

The charges were dropped.

Lots of newspapers
would go with what we have.

Oh, you bet they would, son.
But that doesn't make it right.

Yeah, but if we don't
move on it,
somebody will scoop us.

Well, I'm sorry.
You're just gonna have to
take your chances on that.

Come on, Jonathan,
can't you get me out of
teaching this Sex Ed?

Come on, Mark,
there's nothing
I can do about it.

The boss gave you
the assignment.

The least you could do is try.

Get me something easy to teach
like chemistry or physics
or calculus.

You trying to tell me
you know more about calculus
than you do about sex?

That's not what I said,
and you know it.

Boy, I'd like to see you
try and teach this class.

Some of these kids,
they ask questions
that are not exactly angelic.

I mean, it's embarrassing.

Well, it's your job
as the teacher

to see to it that the kids
don't get embarrassed.

I'm not talking about the kids
getting embarrassed.

I'm talking about me
getting embarrassed.

Look at these drawings.

When I was a kid,
this is the thing you hid
under your mattress.

Excuse me.

Are you Mr. Gordon?

Yeah, that's me.

What can I do for you?

I'm Ellen Kayhill.

Some of the kids told me

you've been calling my name
in Sex Ed class.

Yeah, that's right.
Where have you been?

I just wanted you to know
that you can take
my name off the roll.

I dropped out of the class.

Oh, I see.

I wanted to take the class,
but my mom didn't like it.

I understand.

Yeah, see you.

Seems like a nice kid.

Kind of tense though,
wasn't she?

Yeah.

Yeah, she sure was.

Doug, we've gotta
get this story out.
Smith is spoiling everything.

Yeah, but, unfortunately,
the dictator--

I mean, the teacher
gets the final word.

But we can't just drop it.

Well, I see Woodward and
Bernstein are still working.

Boys want a lift?
I'm on the way home.

No, thanks, Dad.
I think we're gonna be here
for a little while.

All right.

Keep slugging.

Now you've got your dad
using that Woodward
and Bernstein line.

Doug, I know what I wanna do.

I wanna print
what we have on Larry Nichols.

[scoffs] Don't tell me,
tell Smith.

We tried that.

Now I'm gonna print it
without Smith's approval.

-You gotta be kidding.
-I'm not kidding.

-My father will back us.
-Are you sure?

He stood behind us
on the sexuality article,
didn't he?

-But that's a completely--
-Come on, partner.
Let's go for it.

I need some time
to think about this.

If we don't act on it now,
I know we'll be sorry.

Can't you see that?

Doug, we're reporters.
It's our duty.

-We have to do this.
-I don't know.

I'm gonna print it.

You want your name
off the story or on?

[sighs]

On.

Let's get to work, partner.

You had no right
to go behind my back.

Maybe we made an end-run,
but we had no choice.

The article is important
to this school.

Come on. What you printed
was irresponsible.
It's nothing but innuendo.

You didn't even bother to print
that the charges against
Larry Nichols were dropped.

Very, very convenient.

How about if we print that
in the next issue?

Oh, it's gonna be printed in
the next issue of The Banner.

Neither one of you
are writing the copy.

You're no longer
managing editors.

You can't do that.

I can't?

Well, let me
tell you something, son.
It's already done.

You two will be lucky
if you cover the school picnic.

I should have never
listened to you.

Relax.

I told you my father
would back us on this.

[door opens]

[scoffs]

You can go in now.

Thank you.

Jonathan, I...

I'm asking you to
reinstate the boys.

I'm sorry,
I can't condone their actions.

Oh, I grant you they should
have communicated with you.

Communicated?
They went behind my back.

I know that.

I know that. They...

They made a mistake.

But I know my son.

I know his feelings about
the First Amendment rights.

The First Amendment rights
don't give them license

to destroy the life
of an innocent human being.

Now wait just a minute.

I hardly think you can
call Larry Nichols innocent.

The man has a background
of this kind of thing.

What background?
The police charges
against him were dropped.

Charges are dropped against
guilty people every day.

Besides, the girl on the bus
didn't make up this story
out of whole cloth.

The girl on the bus
refuses to come forward.

She is obviously frightened,
so she went to her peers.

Look, Mr. McCormick,
I can see we are
not gonna agree

on how to handle
this situation.

Well, then you and I
will have to agree to disagree.

I'm sorry, Jonathan.

Those boys will have
their First Amendment rights.

As of now, I am reinstating
them as managing editors.

That is the end
of this discussion, Mr. Smith.

This whole thing is ridiculous.

My husband did nothing wrong.

She finished her bottle.

Look, we have nothing more
to say about it.

-Not another one.
-It's endless, honey.

Maybe we should get
an unlisted number.

That Register
sure did a number on us,

reprinting their stupid
high school story.

I'd give anything
to know who that girl is.

I've been racking my mind to
try to come up with something,

but I just keep coming up
with zero.

But why would she say
these things about you?

Diane, I already told you,
I don't know.
I just don't know.

You're beginning to have doubts
about this, aren't you?

You're beginning to believe
this crap, aren't you?

Honey, look,
it's only natural to question

why a young girl
would say what she's saying.

Are you asking me
if I'm telling you the truth?

No, it's not that.

Then what?

Well, are you
telling me everything?

Oh, that's great,
that's just great.

Now you're beginning to sound
like all the callers.

Look, we're dealing
with a teenage girl here.

Maybe she misinterpreted
something--

There's nothing to misinterpret
because nothing happened.

Do you hear me?
Nothing happened.

[doorbell rings]

Damn it.

If that's one more
trying to dig up dirt...

-Mr. Nichols?
-Yeah.

We're gonna have to ask you
to come downtown with us.

It's about the accident and
the allegations in the paper.

Are you kidding me?

Those are just
anonymous charges.
I mean, kids making up a story.

Yes, sir, but we've had
a lot of calls from
concerned parents.

You're gonna have
to come with us.

Doug, it's me.
They just let Larry go.

I don't know what
they found out,
but here's what I wanna do.

Early tomorrow morning,
when he pulls up to school,

I wanna be right on him,
7:30, sharp.

See you.

Larry Nichols was questioned
for over an hour,

but the chief of police
declined to discuss

the nature of those questions
with us.

Leading News will bring
an update on
the Nichols situation

as soon as we receive it.

-Larry.
-Yeah.

I need to talk to you.

Frieda, if this is about
that school paper--

No, it's more than
the school paper, Larry.

I don't know how
to tell you this.

I have been getting
a lot of pressure put on me,
and I've...

I, um...

I'm gonna have to let you go.

What?

You gotta understand.

I've been getting
a lot of flack from parents.

I hear they're even starting
a petition against you.

Frieda, look, I got a wife,
I've got a baby that
I have to feed.

I know.

I know it, and it kills me.

But, you know,
I could lose the whole school
contract over this.

I swear to you,
I didn't do anything wrong.

I believe you, Larry.

And I'm sorry.

But there's nothing else
I can do.

[banging]

Where's Larry?

Got fired this morning.

Ugh...

Here he comes.

Boy, isn't that something?
Larry Nichols getting canned?

-Nichols got fired?
-[boy] Yep, he's out of here.

We did it. We actually did it.
They axed Larry.

There's our headline
for the next Banner.

Why wait?

Let's get a special edition
out now.
We can scoop The Register.

You mean, now?
The photocopy room
isn't open yet.

You're forgetting.
We have a key
to the photocopy room.

-That answers that.
-Let's go.

Miss, it's time to go.

Oh, jeez, I'm sorry.
I didn't even see
where I was going.

-It's okay.
-No, no, that's my fault.

-There you go.
-Thank you.

-I'm sorry again.
-That's okay.

There, it's finished.

Work of art.

You realize we broke this case,
you and me.

Come on,
let's hit the copy machine.

The reporters at The Register
are gonna eat their hearts out.

Hey, somebody left
their binder here.

Ellen Kayhill.
There's her name.

[Colin] When was she in here?

[Doug] Oh, listen to this.

"Dearest, Larry,
I love you with all my heart"

Huh?

Listen to this one.

"Larry, you drive me to school,
and you drive me
wild with love."

Oh, man, this is weird.

"Larry and Ellen Nichols.
Mrs. Ellen Nichols"?

What is going on?

More than we thought,
that's for sure.

Mr. Smith?

[Doug] In here.

I'm looking for Mr. Smith.

He got my binder by mistake.

Is that my binder?

Yes, it is.

Would you give it
to me, please?

Ellen, we read the things
you wrote about Larry.

Let me have it.

Why did you write
that you loved Larry?

-You said you hated him.
-It's my property.
Give it back.

Ellen.

-I don't wanna talk about it.
-You have to tell us
what's going on.

Otherwise, we can't continue
to protect your identity.

You promised.

We promised because we thought
you were telling the truth.

You better tell us everything.
Now.

-I made it up.
-You what?

I made it all up.
I made up everything.

You mean,
Larry never said
anything to you?

No.

He never touched you?

No. Never.

The bus accident
had nothing to do with you?

No, it didn't.
It was just an accident.

Why did you lie?

I don't know.

I was...

I was just so mad at him.

For what?

Because I loved him.

I've loved him
ever since the sixth grade.

And still...

I'd look at him day after day,

too afraid to even talk to him.

And then
there was the accident.

And I saw her,
his wife holding him.

I didn't even know
he was married.

I hated her.

And I hated him.

I really--

I didn't mean for it
to go this far.

It just kept getting
bigger and bigger.

Please.

I'd just like my binder back.

[chuckles] Oh, yes, indeed.

I agree. They work very hard.

Yeah. [laughs]
I'll tell them that.

Oh, you bet I'll keep
my fingers crossed. Uh-huh.

Harold,
thank you very much
for calling.

-Goodbye.
-[knock on door]

Come in. Come in.

Come on in.
I've just got some happy news.

Colin, Doug,
because of your work
this year on the paper,

you've made the final round
of City Council Youth
Achievement Award.

Not bad, eh, Mr. Smith?

Oh, not bad at all, sir.

Colin, what's wrong?

This will explain.

[sighs]

The girl lied?

That's right.

About all of it.

[Colin] We wrote
that retraction to set
everybody straight.

Doug and I
are going to go
down to the paper,

and give them the whole story.

Yes.

Yes, of course.

You be sure to give them
the name of your source,
whoever she is.

She's the one that
created this mess,
in the first place.

No, she didn't.

Irresponsible reporting
created this whole mess.

Nothing's gonna be gained
by making that
girl's name public.

Mr. Smith is right, Dad.

Besides, we made a promise
to protect our source,

and that promise
has to be kept.

What that girl needs now
is some help.

I'll try and see
that she gets it.

Ellen.

You're waiting
for Colin and Doug,
aren't you?

No. I was...

They didn't tell
and nobody will.

I don't know why I did it.

It was so mean.

I feel so bad
about what I did to Larry.

I'd really like
to apologize to him,
but I'm afraid to face him.

I don't blame you
for being afraid,
but you're gonna have to do it.

You owe that to Larry
and to his wife.

Would you like
Mr. Gordon and I to drive you
over to Larry's place?

Yeah. That would be great.

Okay, come on.

Well, now that they printed
this retraction,

you know the bus driver's
gonna get his job back.

Are you gonna let Sarah
ride the bus with him?

No way.
I still think he's guilty.

You know what they say,
"Where there's smoke,
there's fire."

"Congress shall make no law

respecting an establishment
of religion

or prohibiting
the free exercise thereof,

or abridging
the freedom of speech
or of the press,

or the right of the people
peaceably to assemble

and to petition the government
for a redress of grievances.

Abuse the First Amendment,
and you destroy it."

[theme music playing]

sferastudios