[00:00.00] This comedy centers around a proud father's attempts to help his children,
[00:06.87]attempts which somehow or other always end up embarrassing them. For the sake of fun it carries things to extremes,
[00:16.59]but nearly everyone can recognize something of themselves and their parents in it.
[00:23.07]FATHER KNOWS BETTER by Marsh Cassady
[00:27.90]My dad's a nice man.Nobody could possibly believe that he isn't.Yet he's..,well,
[00:35.37]he's always doing these stupid things that end up really embarrassing one or more of us kids.
[00:41.93]One time,see,my brother wanted to buy this guitar.Been saving money for it for a long time.
[00:50.36]Then he got a job at this fast-food place,OK?Waiting tables.
[00:55.64]It was Sean's first actual job,and he was real happy about it.
[01:01.10]He figured in two or three months he'd have enough money to buy exactly the kind of guitar he wanted.
[01:07.89]Mom and Dad were proud of him, and well, OK, he's my big brother,and he's always pulling these dumb things on me.
[01:16.33]But, well, I was proud of him too. You know what happened?I hate to tell you because:
[01:23.98]Father knows better!
[01:28.08]Good evening, sir. May I help you?
[01:31.79]Good evening.
[01:33.07]Oh, no!
[01:34.48]I'm looking for the manager.
[01:36.84]That would be me, sir.
[01:39.60]I'm Sam Thompson. My son works here.
[01:44.10]Oh, you're Sean's father.
[01:46.84]Yes. It's his first job, you know.I just wanted to check that he's doing OK.
[01:53.76]Oh, fine. No problem.
[01:57.89]What did I do to deserve this?Tell me what?
[02:02.59]Hiring him was a good thing then?
[02:06.04]Well, yeah, I suppose so.
[02:10.77]Go home, Dad. Go home. Go home.
[02:15.71]I'm sure he's a good worker but a typical teenager, if you know what I mean.
[02:22.84]I wouldn't know.
[02:25.95]He's a good boy.And I assure you that if there are any subjects that need to be addressed,
[02:33.94]Sean and I will have a man-to-man talk.
[02:38.28]I don't think that will be necessary...
[02:43.27]Oh,no problem.I'm proud of my son. Very, very proud. And I just wanted you to know that I'll do
[02:53.04]anything I can to help him through life's dangerous sea.
[02:58.23]Aaaargh! Aaaargh! Aaaaaaargh! Son,
[03:03.14]I didn't know you were here.
[03:05.89]It's where I work,Dad.
[03:08.00]Of course. I mean,I didn't see you.
[03:11.58]I can't imagine why
[03:13.65]Your manager and I were just having a nice chat.
[03:17.72]Father,you know better than that.
[03:21.46]If that sort of thing happened only once in a while,it wouldn't be so bad. Overall,
[03:28.38]I wouldn't want to trade my dad for anyone else's. He loves us kids and Mom too.
[03:35.85]But I think that's sometimes the problem. He wants to do things for us,
[03:42.82]things he thinks are good. But he needs to give them more thought because:
[03:48.73]Father knows better!
[03:51.97]I have a surprise for you, Diane.
[03:56.17]You have..,a surprise?
[04:00.20]Well, whatever it is, dear, don't keep us in suspense.
[04:06.00]Well, you know,Dan Lucas and I work together?
[04:10.54]Kyle's father?
[04:12.60]Don't interrupt, dear, your father is trying to tell you something
[04:17.70]Something Diane won't want to know,I'll bet.
[04:21.09]Whatever would make you think that?
[04:24.12]Sean, dear. Heidi, sweetheart, don't distract your father.
[04:30.34]Sorry, Mom.
[04:32.38]Now then. As I was saying, I know how much you like young Kyle.
[04:38.57]Father!
[04:40.45]It's true, isn't it? Didn't I hear you tell your mother that you wish Kyle wouldask you to the senior prom?
[04:48.57]Uh-oh
[04:49.52]Oops!
[04:50.61]Please, children, please. Your father is trying to speak.
[04:55.44]Yes-I-said-that-why-are-you-asking?
[05:00.02]Well then.
[05:02.05]"Well then" what?!
[05:04.40]What did I say? Did I say something wrong?
[05:08.53]Not yet, he didn't.
[05:10.80]But you know it's coming.
[05:12.61]Children, please. Do give your father the respect he deserves.
[05:18.90]Yes, Mother.
[05:21.15]Well,today I saw Dan and asked if he'd like to go to lunch at that
[05:27.34]French restaurant on Third Street. You know the one, Mother.
[05:31.76]Well, yes, I believe I do.
[05:35.36]My treat, I told him. And, of course, he was glad to accept.
[05:40.82]Why wouldn't he be?
[05:42.60]Well, yes.
[05:44.66]What-has-this-to-do-with me?!
[05:48.40]Diane, sometimes I just don't understand your behavior. I try mybest.
[05:56.26]I'm sorry.
[05:57.83]Thank you, Diane.Please do go on, dear.
[06:02.97]As I said
[06:06.00]We know what you said, Daddy.
[06:08.54]Er...uh, what's that?
[06:11.70]She said, "We know what you said, Daddy."
[06:16.27]Yes, yes, of course.
[06:19.30]Do get on with it,dear.I've made the most glorious dessert.An old recipe harided down to me by my great Aunt Hilda
[06:30.92]Mother, please!
[06:34.08]Yes, dear?
[06:36.59]At any rate, Dan's a nice guy. Never knew him well.Found we have a lot of the same interests.
[06:45.13]Our families, our community, global peace,human welfare.
[06:51.61]That narrows it downt, all right.
[06:54.46]Father?
[06:56.03]Yes, son?
[06:57.52]I do believe Diane would like to know the surprise.
[07:01.93]Thank you, Sean.I owe you one.
[07:05.06]Well, yes. Here it is then. I told Dan of your interest in his son.
[07:12.35]You what?
[07:14.26]Diane, what has come over you? I just don't understand the younger generation. Why back in my day
[07:23.66]Mother, please!
[07:27.19]What, what? What?
[07:29.52]Mother, I believe she wants Father to continue.
[07:33.56]Get this over with, more likely.
[07:36.46]Daddy, please, tell me. Now. Right away. What did you say, Daddy?
[07:41.95]Please. Tell me, what did you tell Mr. Lucas? Tell me, please. Please, tell me.
[07:48.66]Well, now, isn't this nice. It looks like my little scheme is a success.
[07:55.82]You're so eager to find out ... makes a man feel as if it's all worthwhile.
[08:01.99]Can you believe this?
[08:04.10]Oh, sure. Can't you?
[08:06.69]Yes, well, I told him how much you liked young Kyle, and how you'd been wishing he'd ask you to the prom.
[08:15.65]You didn't! Tell me you didn't!
[08:19.57]Oh, yes. Anything for my children.
[08:24.63]And ..and
[08:27.98]Diane, are you all right?
[08:32.05]Well... what did he say?!
[08:35.45]Well, of course, being the sort ofman he is-frank, understanding,
[08:42.27]he said he'd speak to the young man, insist he give you a call.
[08:48.30]Whaaaaaat!
[08:50.42]Father, you know better than that.
[08:53.86]I do? Yes, yes, I guess I do. I' ve... done it again,haven't I?
[09:05.07]Can you imagine how humiliated I was? An honor student,class president.
[09:11.65]And Father was out asking people to have their sons call and ask me to the prom!
[09:17.87]But that's dear old dad. Actually, he is a dear. He just doesn't stop to think.
[09:24.51]And it's not just one of us who've felt the heavy hand of interference.
[09:29.34]Oh, no, all three of us live in constant dread knowing that at any time disaster can strike because:
[09:37.33]Father knows better.
[09:41.12]So this is our new student, is it?
[09:46.42]That's right.
[09:48.51]What's your name,young lady?
[09:51.70]HEIDI Thompson.
[09:53.58]I'm sure you'll find the students friendly. And the
[09:58.31]teachers more than willing to answer questions.
[10:02.20]She is an exceptional young woman, you know.
[10:06.46]Daddy !
[10:08.37]Very,very bright.
[10:10.48]Yes,now if we can get you to fill out--
[10:15.81]Don't know where she got her brains. Her mother, I suppose.
[10:20.67]Oh, I was bright enough. But nothing like HEIDI. All her teachers have told Mrs. Thompson-
[10:28.74]that's her mother and me that she was just about the brightest-
[10:34.12]As I said, if you have proof of vaccinations--
[10:40.68]Besides being bright, she's very, very talented.
[10:45.72]Please,Daddy, don't do this.
[10:48.93]Well,of course I will, darling. I'm proud of you. Your mother and I are proud of you.
[10:56.30]Why just last year, in her last year ofjunior high School, before we moved,
[11:02.91]Heidi placed first in the county in the annualspelling bee !
[11:08.03]Isn't that wonderful? And she plays the piano like an angel. An absolute angel.
[11:16.28]Daddy, please. Please, please. Daddy, I have to go to class.
[11:21.33]I want to go to class. Please let me go to class.
[11:25.66]See what I mean? Such an eager learner. I can't imagine anyone's being more
[11:31.88]eager for knowledge than my Heidi. My little girl.
[11:36.37]Yes, well, be that as it may
[11:41.28]Aaargh! Aaaargh! Aaaargh!
[11:45.36]HEIDI,DIANE and SEAN:Daddy, you know better than that !
[11:49.83]Er, uh, I do?
[11:54.89]Language Sense Enhancement
[11:58.00]2 Read aloud the following poem
[12:00.93]Perspectives David Anthonu
[12:05.24]I,when young,meant to change the world.Now I see that the world has changed from my point of view.
[12:15.66]Read the followling quotations Learn them by heart if you can.You might need to look up new words in a dictionary
[12:24.78]Each generation imagines itself to be more intelligent than the one that went before it
[12:31.86]and wiser than the one that comes after it. Georqe Orwell
[12:37.86]If youth Is the season of hope,it is often so only in the sense that our elders are hopeful about us Georqe Eliot
[12:50.25]It is one of the capital tragedies of youth-and youth is the time of tragedy
[12:56.91]that the young are thrown mainly with aduits they do not quite respect H.L.Mencken
[13:05.42]Youth is a blunder;manhood a struggle;old age a regret. Benjamin Disraeli
[13:15.56]4 Read the following humorous story for fun. You might need to look up new words in a dictionary
[13:22.82]During one "generation gap" quarrel ujith his parents young Michael cried.
[13:29.85]"I want excitement,adventure
[13:33.69]money,and beautiful women
[13:36.85]l'll never Find it here at home,so i'm leaving.Don't try and stop me"
[13:43.64]With that he headed toward the door. His father rose and Folloujed close behind
[13:51.29]Didn't you hear what I said?I don't want you to try and stop me."
