In junior high school there were days when you felt like
nothing was worth getting out of bed for.
"My Girl"
But then, you remembered...
You were going to see her...
Your day was gonna have all these moments...
Moments that were full of...
Possibility. When you were sure that something - something...
Kevin? /Was going to happen.
And then, there were the moments that made you really, really...
Nervous.
"Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned."
What do you think the poet is trying to say?
I don't know why,
but ever since I'd broken up with Becky Slater...
I felt uneasy whenever I saw her and Winnie together.
Throughout literature, we see images of women as...
Avenging harpies driven by mad fits of jealous rage.
In Greek mythology, there's Aphrodite, whose insane jealousy...
Of Helen of Troy triggered a war...
Which led thousands of men... To gruesome, agonizing deaths.
I started to think...
A dumpee could really do a lot of damage to a dumpster.
A girl like Becky Slater could -
But is this a fair portrayal of women?
Or, does it say something about men's fears and insecurities?
I don't think women are like that.
I think most women, when their feelings are hurt, just get really sad.
God, she was beautiful. And she was right.
I wasn't being fair to poor Becky.
After all, I was the one who had hurt her.
And the sad thing was I liked Becky.
I really did. We'd really had some laughs together.
So we were at the dance, right? And Paul - you should see Paul -
he's doing the swim with Carla, you know?
Only he's so nervous,
he's swimming like a sea monkey. He's like -
And then Carla? You know,
she's like standing there, like staring at him,
and she's dancing like one of her feet has fallen asleep,
but she can't decide which one, so she's like..."
well, is it this one... or maybe it's this one or this one...
She's like dancing in Jell-O. She's like -
Kirk McCray, he's the best. Alright, here.
"Hi. I'm Kirk McCray. If I'm gonna dance,
I have to be very, very careful.
'Cause if I move too fast,
girls have been known to drop dead right down on the dance floor. Huh!
Ooh, there goes another one. Sorry, pretty baby."
Kevin!
Oh, and then there's Winnie. There's always Winnie, you know?
She's like the ultimate Miss Priss.
She walks up to you like this.
"Hi, Kevin. Hi, Paul."
You wanna look at her and say, "What's the matter, Winnie,
forget to take the hanger out of your shirt?"
Kevin!
Oh, and then when she dances,
it's like, the Bride of the Mummy does the pony.
You know, she's all -
Kevin, you're so mean!
Whoa-boy, I guess it was sort of mean.
Some of those remarks were the kind of things
that might look bad out of context.
Why do you think the scorned lover,
seeking revenge is such a recurrent theme in literature?
I think revenge is just a natural part of life.
When someone does something bad to you,
you feel like doing something even worse back to them.
That's just normal.
Winnie was giving me the cold shoulder.
I had a bad feeling Becky had told her somethin'.
Winnie? Did Becky say anything about me?
Like what?
Uh...nothing. I don't know...Did she?
No.
You sure? / Yeah.
Well, then, what's the matter?
Hold these!
Winnie?
I think I'm sick.
Oh, you're sick!
It was great! She was sick!
Becky hadn't told her anything!
That's terrible.
You should probably go.
Well, do you need anything? Uh, do you want anything to eat?
No! No, I'm not hungry.
Well, your mom's not here. Who's going to take care of you?
Don't bounce.
Sorry.
You got a fever alright.
Uh, I'm gonna stay here until your Mom gets back.
C'mon, let's get you under the covers.
But I don't want you to get sick.
Don't worry. I never catch the flu.
OK, what else do you need?
You want me to turn the radio on or something?
Yeah.
Kevin?
Yeah?
I have this...this quilt that,
you know, my grandma made when I was little -
You have a blankie?
It's not a blankie - it's a quilt.
It's very warm and I always use it when I'm sick, and -
Oh, oh, I understand.
These things are very important. So where is this blankie?
In the closet.
It's on the top shelf.
Better? / Better.
Sitting there with Winnie I felt...electrified.
Something was about to happen. Something big.
Kevin?
Wow! What a look! She was makin' my knees sweat!
Yeah?
Kevin...
Yeah?
I think...I think... / Yeah?
I'm gonna throw up!
Yes! This was goin' great!
It was a magnificent stroke of luck.
Winnie was sick for a week.
I brought her her homework assignments...
I took care of her.
I entertained her.
We were closer than we'd ever been.
And I was happier than I'd ever been.
Chapters five and six,
and answer the study questions at the end of each chapter.
How's Winnie doing?
Well, she's nauseous, she aches all over,
and she's running a temperature of a hundred and one!
Things were perfect.
Hi, Kirk! / Hi.
Hi, Carla! / Hi!
Becky. I had to patch things up with Becky.
I wanted the whole world to be as happy as I was.
Hi, Becky!
I just wanted to let you know that I'm really sorry things
worked out the way they did.
But, I'm really glad we're friends now.
I really am. And, I just want you to know that
I, I think you're great. Really great!
Thanks!
Oh, you know, Winnie wanted me to say hi to you if I saw you.
She's still sick, you know.
Oh, I know. The poor thing.
I'm gonna stop by and visit her on my way home from school today.
Great! That's really great! Maybe I'll see you there.
Maybe.
See ya! / See ya!
What a girl! I'd completely misjudged her,
she wasn't holding a grudge against me, she was my friend.
I had so many friends.
Sea monkey?! You think I dance like a sea monkey?!
Uh-oh.
What is that supposed to mean, I dance like a sea monkey?!
Paul, I didn't call you a sea mon -
well, OK, fine, I called you a sea monkey, but I -
Funny, Kevin. You're a real laugh riot!
Carla, you know how sometimes
you say silly things that you don't really mean -
Like some people look like they're dancing in Jell-O?!
Yeah, that would be one. Kirk-bo -
What's your point, Arnold?! You think I'm stuck up?!
No, I mean, I -
Let's just get out of here, you guys!
We don't need to hang around somebody like this.
Yeah! / Yeah!
Aw, c'mon, you guys! You guys!
You know maybe I'd been wrong again about Becky Slater.
Maybe she did hate me.
Maybe my love for Winnie had blinded - Oh, no, Winnie!
Becky was on her way over there!
Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned!
Oh, sorry, Bobby. /I walk like a duck?!
No! I mean, could we talk about this later?
Boy, these people were touchy!
Uh-oh, Donna Holton, did I, uh - no, I never said anything about her.
I sing like a frog?!
Except that.
Of course not. You can't believe everything you hear, Donna.
Sorry, I gotta run. / Hey!
I never realized I'd slammed so many people.
My locker smells like a stockyard?
I'm gonna miss my bus, so, uh...
Boy, you get on a roll and...
Hey!
I drive like an old woman, huh?!
Winnie, I don't know what Becky told you,
but whatever it is, it is not true!
Are you saying Becky's a liar? /Well, no, but -
Because Becky's my friend!
And I wouldn't want anybody to say anything bad about her
if it weren't true! /Well, well, no, it's just that -
You know, some people think that if you can't say something nice
about someone, you shouldn't say anything at all!
Winnie, listen -
You know, Kevin,
I just never would have thought that you could be...that kind of person!
Ooh, not "that kind of person."
Winnie, it was just a stupid joke.
I mean, I-I didn't even mean it. Really, I didn't. I-I mean,
you know me better than that. It was just to be funny.
Haven't you ever said something mean about somebody just to be funny?
Eh, I guess not.
Look, Winnie, I'm sorry. I'm really, really sorry.
I'm really...sorry.
Well, don't tell me you're sorry. Tell Paul and Carla and Kirk.
Huh?
I just know if you'd said something like that about me,
I'd be really mad at you.
What did you say?
I said, "if you'd said something like that about me, I'd be really mad."
his was weird.
Becky had told Winnie everything I'd said about everybody except her.
But I wasn't gonna spend my teen years waiting for
the other shoe to drop. I was gonna have it out with her.
Nothing was gonna get in my way. Nothing.
Certainly not my best friend in the whole world
whom I'd ridiculed and treated shabbily,
who was sulking around my locker trying
his hardest not to look like he was giving me the chance to make it up to him.
Paul?
I don't wanna talk to you!
Paul, look...
I know I hurt your feelings and I'm really, really sorry.
And I'm gonna make it up to you really, really soon.
I said I don't want to talk to you!
Anyone that could be so mean that -
Hey, where are you going?!
Oh, I'm gonna be right back,
and then you can be as mean to me as you want.
Hey, wait a minute! Fine, go!
Alright.
C'mon. C'mon! Slam me.
Just forget it.
No, c'mon, lay into me.
No!
Paul, I was mean to you,
now you be mean to me. Imitate me. Make fun of me.
Who wants to imitate you?
Alright, fine, I'll imitate myself. Here.
Well?
Well, it's hard. Can't really think of anything I do stupid.
Oh, yeah, right! Try the way you look -
the way you talk - the way you walk!
You have those stupid chipmunk cheeks! And your hair?
You look like you're wearing a cat on your head!
See? That wasn't so hard.
And let's face it, you're not exactly Mister Coordination!
You couldn't catch a football if your life depended on it!
Mm-hm, great.
And that stupid jacket!
You've never been to a Jets game in your life!
Uh-huh. / I hate the way you sing!
Alright, Paul...
Let me tell ya, your breath is not - / Alright, Paul!
So are we still friends?
Well, why would I wanna be friends with a guy who wears a cat on his head?
I gotta go.
Hey, wait! We haven't even scratched the surface yet!
We could spend the rest of the day on your chin!
Hey, Slater!
As I approached my nemesis,
a million thoughts raced through my mind.
Who was Becky Slater? What did she want?
Why did she have to have such a good memory?
I felt sorta like Clint Eastwood confronting my mortal enemy.
Becky.
Kevin.
Well, that was about the extent of my Clint Eastwood.
Let's face it, if you're not gonna shoot somebody in a situation like this,
all you can really do is - complain.
Why are you spreadin' all those stories about me all over school?
I never said anything that wasn't true!
Well...you know... some people think that...
if you can't say something nice, then you shouldn't say anything at all.
Oh, great - suddenly you're Mr. Nice Guy. Well, excuse me -
I didn't know.
Look, Becky, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that we broke up,
I'm sorry about the whole thing.
Yeah?! Are you sorry you just used me to get to Winnie?!
Are you sorry you just pretended to like me the whole time
when you really just liked her?! '
Cause, you know, I really think that's a terrible thing to do to a person.
Look. I really liked you. I really like you a lot.
Well, whoop-dee-doo.
Well, what do you want me to say?!
Does it make you feel better making my life miserable?!
Yes, it does.
So, what are you gonna do?
Go around and make everyone hate me forever?
No, if you got some horrible disease,
or got into a really bad accident, I'd probably stop.
Well, good. Somethin' to look forward to.
Look, just tell me one thing -
why didn't you tell Winnie what I said about her?
Or are you just waiting for the perfect moment
to completely ruin my life?
What kind of person do you think I am?
A vengeful harpy driven by mad fits of jealous rage.
I mean, Winnie's my friend.
I would never tell her anything like that.
It would hurt her too much.
So, you mean you're... not gonna tell her?
Course not!
At that moment, I found myself wishing it was possible
to like two girls at the same time.
Winnie would always be the love of my life,
but that Becky was really somethin'.
Sure, she had her flaws, but you know what?
The girl had heart.
Of course...I told Paul and Carla, and Kirk and Eric and Wendy
and Cindy, and Kathy, well, Kathy Bedlow and Kathy Sifuentes,
and Tony and Bob and Sheila, and Nancy and Tom and Beth
and that whole group, and Rodney the janitor, and...
Mom, I feel terrible.
I know you do, sweetheart.
It's not the flu. I said some stuff about some people at school.
And then, they all found out what I said,
and now everyone hates me.
Well, honey, it can't be that bad.
It is.
What'd you say?
Well, I said that Bobby Jensen walks like a duck.
Oh, well, c'mon... that's not so terrible.
And that, Paul dances like a sea monkey.
You said that?
And, Winnie walks around like she forgot to take the hanger out of her shirt.
That's not nice.
Everybody's gonna hate me.
I could see the thoughts forming in my mother's mind.
Things like: 'Well, you made your bed
and now you're gonna have to lie in it.'
Well...we all make mistakes.
I think your friends'll forgive you.
You want me to bring you the TV?
OK. Thanks.
I felt so much better, I wanted to cry.
How bad could I be? My mother still loved me...
But from now on, I'd be a better person.
If I didn't have anything nice to say,
I wouldn't say anything at all. If only Winnie would -
Kevin? There's someone here to see you.
Hi. /Hi.
I hope you didn't catch the flu from me.
Hey, I knew the risks.
Very cool.
Before you bend steel with your bare hands
you might wanna lose Mr. Snuffles there.
Well, I'll...leave you two alone.
"Miss Priss"?! / Huh?
"Bride of the Mummy"?! /Winnie it was just a joke!
A joke!
I'll show you a joke!
"Hi, I'm Kevin Arnold.
And I'm really nice to people's faces,
and then I cut them down behind their backs!"
Oh, are you sick?! Here, I'll take care of you!
What's the matter - stomach feeling a little queasy is it?!
Feels like the least little thing might set it off?!
Winnie, please...
Maybe I should get you something to eat!
How about some...cole slaw?! Liver?! Fried squid?!
Winnie...Ugh...
Oh, you poor thing, you're not comfy!
Let me fix your pillows!
Oh, you have fever, you're burning up!
That's OK, I'll help you!
Poor baby, now you're cold! Well here's your blankie!!
I guess that's when it hit me.
Winnie wasn't going to forgive me for the things I'd said.
It could only mean one thing...
She wanted me bad!