"Born Under A Bad Sign"
Beat it, squirt!
But that's my locker.
Not anymore.
Eddie Pinetti.
The scourge of RFK junior high.
He gave new meaning to the word "mean".
Not that Eddie had any particular reason for being rude, insensitive and sadistic.
It was just kinda...who he was - a bully.
Eddie was a force of nature.
Like tornados...
Or flash electrical fires.
Or fate!
That was it. Fate.
Maybe I knew even before it happened...that I...had an appointment with destiny.
But destiny has many faces.
Hey, wake up, huh?
Sorry.
I was more in love with Winnie than ever.
And I knew she was feeling something, too.
Boy, she really hates you!
She doesn't hate me. She's just mad.
Uh...no. She told Carla she hates you.
She really said that?
She said she never wants to see your face again!
Hey, I'm just being honest.
I better go talk to her.
I'm telling you, she hates you.
Yeah. You said that.
OK, so Winnie and I had had a misunderstanding.
Maybe I acted badly. But wishing she'd never seen my face? I don't think so.
Beat it! (Frowns.)
Whoa!
(you hurt to me, make up the wind)??
Only one thing to do - turn on the innocence.
Winnie! Why are you so mad at me?
OK, OK - don't worry.
Just keep up that sheepish "what did I do?" look and her heart will melt like so much wet Jell-O.
Don't try to fool me, Kevin! (Shot of Kevin dropping his shoulders.)
You've changed.
You talk behind people's backs!
You're just not a nice person.
Now leave me alone!
Now wait a minute - "not a nice person"? "Not a nice person"?!
I am too a nice person!
Hah!
Hah? Hah?!
The...root causes of war.
Who can name a few?
Kevin!
The...root causes of war - name one.
I think, uh, uh...a root cause of war...is, uh...
Misunderstanding!
You know...(gestures)...war starts when people don't understand each other. Or-or when they hear...false information.
Or, or, something like that.
You're referring to, say...
Different cultures?
Sure. (Nods.)
Hey, I was cookin' here! I was sounding...philosophical...smart...nice.
Elaborate...please. (Frowns.)
Well...say there's this culture that's good. And there's this second culture that's also good.
But then this third culture comes along...
And tells the first culture that the second culture said something bad about them, when they didn't really mean it.
And then, when the second culture tries to apologize, and the first culture won't even listen to to 'em...
And pretty soon, everything gets misunderstood and out-of-control! And it's not fair, because - !
Mr....Arnold?
I was in a bad mood. I had been laughed at...
Mocked...my self-image was getting tarnished...
And that's where Eddie Pinetti stepped in - like fate.
Hey, that's Winnie's locker!
True, it was Winnie's locker.
However, you'd have to be a moron to point that out to Eddie. Right?
Hey! Pinetti!
That's not your locker!
No kidding!
Hey!
I said - that's not your locker!
So?! (Frowns.)
So, you...shouldn't...(shrugs)...go in it, then. That's all.
I "shouldn't", huh?
No.
So in other words...you have a problem with this? (Frowns.)
Well...uh...
Now at this point...
All I had to do was just say - "nice, talkin', Eddie", and split.
No harm done. Right?
Yeah, I got a problem. (Nods.)
I give up!
Sure do! You know what your problem is? Me!
Well no turnin' back now. Time to test the old theory...
Stand up to a bully and he'll back down.
I'm not afraid of you.
Yes you are. (Frowns.)
Eddie?!
I never thought I'd be happy to see Mr. Diperna.
What's going on here?
Nothin'.
Uh...we were just talking. (Smiles.)
Just talking?
OK - things were under control now.
If he'd just leave well enough alone...
Pinetti, I'm getting pretty damned...sick and tired of you.
Uhnnn!
Maybe you should apologize.
Huh?
What was he doing?!
Apologize to Arnold!
Uh, uh, really...that-that's not necessary, because, uh -
Apologize, Eddie. Say you're sorry.
I'm sorry, Arnold.
I could feel his eyes - like hot coals.
Doesn't that feel better, Eddie?
Alright, everybody, back to business!
I'll be keeping an eye on you.
Both of you.
Then it was over. It happened so fast I hardly had time to think about why...
All I knew was...
Eddie was definitely not feeling better.
Are you crazy!
Eddie Pinetti is a killer! He removes tonsils with his bare hands.
He does eye surgery!
I know.
So why'd you do it?
I didn't do it.
It...it just happened.
And that was true...kinda.
Well, there's only one thing for you to do!
You gotta give him money!
What?!
Hey, I heard that works. I'll even pitch in!
I'm not going to do that!
Well, you don't think he's just going to forget about it, do you?
Paul was making sense. Maybe I had acted a little hastily. But wait a minute -
What was this? All over the room kids were looking in my direction.
Even Winnie!
So she'd heard about the great defense of the locker.
Kevin...
Hi, Carla!
Hi!
Is it true?
About what? (Frowns.)
About Eddie?
Well...yeah!
Oh, God!
Yep. The news was spreading.
And the ice...was definitely melting.
Maybe I'd just take a stroll over there, and...
Kevin?
What?
Guess who.
It's Eddie. Pinetti!
Thanks!
The door was open, so I thought I'd pay you a little visit. You know, I've been thinkin' about ya, Arnold.
Really? (He smiles timidly.)
Thinkin' I'm gonna remove your tonsils with my bare hands.
Yeah, I was just telling him that.
Shut up!
You're scared...aren't ya?
Scared? Me? Nahhhhh.
Uh...
Even though my feet were sweating...and my cheek was starting to twitch.
Uh...
Everybody was watching. I had to do something - so I did.
Huhhh-uh...
Sorry?
Pinetti!
Aren't you in the wrong room?
Later, Arnold...when Diperna's not around. You're gonna be...glue.
Nice! Nice image.
I can't believe you did that!
Neither could I. But I had. So maybe there was a - a reason. Some kinda message in it all.
Wait a minute - wait a minute!
Paul, what's he doing with her?
We don't know, we don't care.
But Paul, the guy's putting his hands all over her!
Even worse - she seemed to like it!
This didn't make sense, unless -
Carla, what's going on with them?
You mean, Winnie and Eddie?
"Winnie and Eddie". The sound of it made my heart sink.
They've been going out since last week. Didn't you know that?
But... why?
I don't know. Because she likes him.
And suddenly I heard the tumblers clicking into place.
I don't want to talk to you!
You have to talk to me!
Give me one good reason.
Eddie Pinetti!
What about him?
Winnie! He's a-a-a-a-...a goon! A maniac!
No he's not! He's a nice person.
Ouch!
He's just misunderstood.
Look, Winnie, this guy could really hurt you!
You mean you! That's what you're worried about.
Alright, me and you! Both of us.
W-well, you started it. Eddie told me!
Now that was a picture! I could see the tears running down his cute little pock-marked cheeks.
Besides...
He's not gonna hurt anybody.
But I don't get it. I mean, what do you see in him?
Well...he's honest! And at least he doesn't talk about people behind their backs! (Frowns.)
And I really don't think this is any of your business, anymore. Goodbye, Kevin!
Well, I was on my own, now.
And who knew? Maybe Winnie was right - maybe Eddie really was misunderstood.
Nope!
I understood him just fine.
Where you been Arnold? I haven't seen ya around the last couple days.
W-well...I've...been kinda busy. Haven't I, Paul?
I-I can vouch for that, personally. Owwwwwww!
You know, it seems like you've been avoiding me. Is that so?!
That was totally untrue. I'd simply found a new route to school. And a new locker, and a broom closet on the second floor.
Look, uh, could we talk?
About what?
I think he wants to give you money. Right, Kev? Owwwwww!
Um, well, I-I've been kinda in a bad mood.
And, um, I-I was wondering if we could forget about the whole thing?
Well, this was encouraging. An appeal to reason, and Eddie was responding!
You want to forget about it, huh?
Uh, yeah...kinda...if-if it's OK with you?
And for just a moment, a look of respect crossed Eddie's face. Mutual respect.
Hey!
I'd never been hit before - I mean - really, really, hit.
And ya know what? It hurt. Really, really, hurt.
Eddie Pinetti never forgets! Think about it, Arnold.
Know somethin'?
Winnie Cooper was right.
He really is a jerk!
Hey, Kevin, are you OK?
Yeah...
But I wasn't. And not just because of the punch. Had Winnie really said that? Aw, heck!
Honey, you're not eating.
I'm not hungry.
Even if I had been, no way I was going to take on an ear of corn with a busted jaw.
But you love corn on the cob!
I'll take it.
Thank God so far no one had even noticed my souvenir.
With a little luck...
Uh, Kevin? What's that on your face?
Oh, um, it...it-it's nothing.
Looks like a huge hickey.
It's not!
Kevin, what is that?
Yeah, what the hell is that?
It-it's...nothing. Really.
Eddie...heh-heh...Pinetti.
Who's Eddie Pinetti?
Wayne!
Well he's this guy...in eigth grade who rips out kids' tonsils with his bare hands.
Wayne!
Kevin picked a fight with him.
I did not!
Eh, that's what I heard.
Kevin, he hit you?
Look, Mom, it's no big deal. (He shrugs.)
He hit you?!
Kids today!
They're animals.
Wait a minute, wait a minute.
I want to know what's goin' on here. I want to know now.
Dad meant business. And the truth is, at that moment, I really needed him.
Well...
Go on, tell him. Tell him you're in over you head.
Well, s-see there's this kid...
That's it. There's this guy who's twice your size, and you're afraid.
And...there was this fight.
And there's gonna be more of 'em, unless somebody does something to stop it.
Go on, tell 'em.
And...that's all. It's over.
It's over?
Well...Yeah. (Nods.)
I guess I was hopin' he'd see through me. See I was lyin' through my teeth.
See a scared little kid who didn't have a -
Well, then...if it's over, it's over. (Nods.)
Yeah.
That's what I said.
(Shot of the front of building as Kevin walks out, happy and smiling. "Respect" plays throughout.)
The next few days were about as fun-filled as they come.
You had to hand it to old Eddie. He really had a sense of humor.
The worst thing was - I was beginning to accept it.
I didn't like myself much.
Well, you gotta do something. Maybe you can learn Jujitsu. My uncle knows Jujitsu.
Oh, great - then let your uncle fight Eddie!
I was just trying to help.
I know.
Hey, listen. For what it's worth... I'm with you all the way.
Good old Paul - a friend in need.
Just that, I only have this one pair of glasses...(gestures)...and...(shrugs.)
I understood. This wasn't Paul's problem. Besides, I was gettin' used to the idea of life without tonsils. Without pride. Without Winnie.
Stop that! Eddie!
And then, fate took one final turn.
Cut it out. Stop it! Cut it out, Eddie! Knock it off!
Come on, you like it!
I don't like it!
I didn't like it much either.
Even though it was really none of my business anymore.
Come on, let's go - she's OK now.
But on the other hand...
Hey!
What did I have to lose?
Hey, look who's here. It's the twerp!
Except parts of my body.
What's the matter, Arnold?
You need another delivery of jock straps?! (Smiles.)
OK, very funny, Pinetti!
Eddie didn't know it but I'd formed a plan.
Look -
Eddie and I were going to have a little talk - about fairness, about right behavior, about...chivalry.
Hey! Come on!
But then...
Something inside me...
Snapped.
From deep inside I felt...rage! Not just for me, but for every kid who had ever been picked on...
Humiliated...bullied.
For every kid who'd gone home ashamed.
I put every shred of dignity and self-respect I had into that punch.
Unfortunately...
My aim was bad.
Even more unfortunately, Eddie's wasn't.
Those next ten minutes were...kind of a blur.
Ugh!
Still, as Eddie worked out his deep-seated feelings of inadequacy, I began to realize something.
Sooner or later this would be over. And I...
- Stop! Would survive.
- Hit him, Eddie! - Stop it!
Let him go!
You're pathetic, ya know that?
Maybe, but I was a nice guy.
Let's go.
Can you move?
Yes.
Kevin? Are you alright?
Does it matter?
You're all such jerks.
So I guess Winnie finally forgave me.
So...are you guys gonna to help me up?
You know, I think I'm gonna need a little help getting home.
Did you really tell Eddie I was a jerk?
Maybe...But I was mad.
Well, so...now we're even. I mean, uh, I-I did something wrong and stupid...and now you did something wrong and stupid back. Right?
I don't know what you're talking about!
Well...Rome wasn't built in a day!
It's fate, Winnie.
Huh?
Never mind.