CHANGING TIMES

Stock Shot: Outside Station. Day

Scene: Station kitchen.

(Hank and Tyler are hanging a sign that says 'Congratulations Jamie')

Hank: Looking good. You ready?

Tyler: Yep, I almost got it. There we go.

Brooke: Famous punch coming through. (Carrying a big bowl of it.)

Hank: Is it good? It's gotta be good.

Brooke: Could be the best batch I've ever made.

Alex: (Entering.) Hey guys, he just pulled into the lot.

Val: Oh, he's gonna be so surprised. (They all duck down behind the table. Val grabs a camera. Jamie walks in, taking off his sunglasses. Looks around, confused.)

Everyone: (Jumps out.) Surprise!

Jamie: What it this?

Alex: Congratulations, you passed the EMT test. (Shakes his hand.)

Jamie: I did? (Still looks stunned.)

Alex: I just got the letter, it's official. You're now a genuine, bona fide EMT Basic.

Hank: No doubt. As of today you can check vitals, give oxygen, treat wounds. . .

Jamie: I hope I do okay.

Brooke: Don't worry, you'll be fine. (Innocently.) Punch?

Jamie: Sure, thanks. (We hear Hank laugh a little.) Guys, you didn't have to do this, really. (Looking at the decorations.)

Val: Yeah we did, it's your welcome to the club. Now, how bout a picture of the squad with it's newest EMT. (Hands the camera to Alex.)

Hank: Yeah, that's a great idea. (The all group around Jamie and take a glass of punch.)

Tyler: I'd like to propose a toast. To the EMTs who came before us and those that will follow after.

Jamie: Cheers.

Hank: Cheers.

(Jamie takes a sip of his punch, everyone else either turns to watch him or pretends to take a sip. The look an Jamie's face is one of total disgust.)

Jamie: (Spits it out. Everyone is laughing and Alex is taking pictures.) Oh, what it that?

Brooke: (Proudly.) Lemon juice, vinegar, Tabasco and clam sauce.

Jamie: Oh that's foul. (He's still spitting. Stuffs a napkin in his mouth the get rid of the taste.)

Brooke: Thank you, that you very much.

Hank: Good job. (Pats Brooke on the back.)

Alex: It looks like we've got a few keepers here. (Shows the photos.) Especially this one where he can't find a place to spit.

Hank: Let me see, let me see. (People are still laughing.)

Jamie: Well, I'm glad I could give all you guys a good laugh.

Hank: No, chill. Everybody gets the EMT punch. Check it out. (Leads him to a locker marked 'EMT only') Voila. (The door is covered in pictures of Hank, Val and Tyler getting the punch. Jamie laughs.) You like that? There you go. (Puts two photos of Jamie up.) Now you really are one of us. (Points to a picture.) I love this one right here.

[Opening Credits]

Stock Shot: Outside Lanier home. Day.

Scene: Lanier living room.

(We hear Brooke practicing the piano. Val is picking things up from around the house.)

Val: Brooke, are you cleaning the piano or playing it?

Brooke: Both. I love the way the keys feel when they're all clean.

Val: (Drops her backpack on the floor. She picks up something off the table and uncovers a piece of paper.) Oh, note from mom. (Reading.) Family meeting tonight.

Brooke: Maybe dad got a new job? Then we could go back to buying the good paper towels. (Holds up the remains of one she was using to clean with.)

Val: I don't think so. The doctors said he still needs time for his heart to heal.

Brooke: Maybe mom got a promotion.

Val: She just started three weeks ago. (Picking up more clothing. We hear a car pull up.) And I guess that rules out new car.

Brooke: Hey, maybe it's a family vacation. Since dad needs a rest this is a perfect time. Oh, I hope it doesn't interfere with my piano recital.

Val: Brooke, I don't think we're going on a vacation.

Brooke: Did you know my piano teacher wants to have the recital here? It's kind of an honor. Plus we have a big house. (The door opens.)

Joanna: We're home!

Steve: Hey guys.

Val: Hi. (Beat.) Mom, is everything okay?

Joanna: Sure honey, everything's fine.

Steve: (Puts his hands on his wife's shoulders.) But we do need to talk.

(Cut to parents sitting on the couch and clasping hands. They're facing Val and Brooke.)

Joanna: The cardiologist says your dad's doing great, but she doesn't think he should go back to work just yet.

Steve: And that means we're going to have less money so we have to downsize.

Brooke: No sweat, I can live with the cheep paper towels.

Steve: Brooke, honey, I wish it was as easy as just cutting corners. (Takes a deep breath.) We have to sell the house.

(Cut to reaction shots of Val and Brooke looking shocked.)

Brooke: Our home? How can you even think about moving?

Steve: Well hopefully it's only temporary. But we just can't afford to live here right now.

Brooke: Temporary? When can we move back?

Joanna: Well, we're not sure. Everything's a little uncertain.

Steve: Which means that instead of using up out savings, the smartest thing we can do is find a less expensive place to live. I'm sorry.

Val: Dad, it's okay. We'll be fine.

Brooke: But, it's home.

Scene: Lanier driveway. There's a 'For Sale' sign.

Brooke: Why couldn't this happen after the piano recital? (Kicks down the sign.)

Val: Brooke! (Starts fixing this sign.) Brooke, it take months to sell a house. And then you have to ask around and that takes months. We'll still be here for your recital. Heck, we'll probably still be here for Christmas. (Beeper goes off and Val leaves.)

Scene: The hallway of a daycare center.

Teacher: Vomiting, fever, kinda delirious. She keeps talking about tapioca pudding and Amelia Eirhart.

(There's a woman in the bathroom leaning over a toilet and a little boy standing over her.)

Kyle: Play with me.

Teacher: Oh Kyle, not now. Ms. Ann is sick. (Pulls him away.)

Hank: It's probably flu or food poising. (Val and Tyler go into the bathroom.) Uh, check her temp. (To Teacher.) So it just came on all of a sudden?

Teacher: Yeah, I was right in the middle of reading Bambi and she just started heaving all over the alphabet blocks.

Kyle: Eew. (Looking at the blocks.)

Teacher: Oh, Kyle no. The blocks are icky. (Picks him up. To Hank.) She could have found somewhere better than the block bucket to get sick.

Jamie: Well you said yourself it hit suddenly.

Teacher: Well, even still. . . Ohh (she's starting to look sick too. Hands Kyle to Jamie.) Oh dear. . . (puts her hand over her mouth and turns away.)

Jamie: Are you alright? (We hear her throw up and see Jamie cringe.) Ugh.

Hank: (Into a radio.) The women are stable but their fevers keep spiking. So now there's like a million kids with no teachers and we haven't been able to reach all their parents.

(The kids seem to be acting wild. Some are crying. It's chaos.)

Val: (Talking to a little kid a shaking a banana.) No no no, honey, we don't hit out friends with the banana.

Jamie: Whoa, whoa. (Runs to keep Kyle from more throw up.) Kyle, Kyle. No, no. Doll buggy's icky, doll buggy's icky. (Picks him up and carries him away. To himself.) What a week. (To kids.) We're gonna have a little quiet time.

Hank: Hey guys, Alex is going to put the on call squad on stand by while we take the teachers in. (Val is holding a little girl.) Meanwhile, I'm really sorry to say it, but we've gotta leave two of you behind.

Jamie: I'm guessing low EMT on the totem pole gets the stay, right?

Hank: Sorry. And Val. . .

Val: Oh, don't tell me you're going to be totally sexist and make the woman do the child care, are ya Hank?

Hank: Apparently not. Tyler, good luck. (Tyler doesn't look happy, but takes the little girl from Val.)

Tyler: Come on. Hey Hank, Val, maybe we should rethink this. Guys, guys, don't leave me here. (The kids keep running around.)

Scene: Brooke and Nick are outside talking and walking to Brooke's house.

Brooke: And they're talking about moving to Prospect Heights.

Nick: Well, at least it not so far that you have to change schools are anything.

Brooke: Yeah, but it's so far that I'll have to start taking the bus and so far that I wont be able to ride my bike to piano lessons and so far I can't hang out with you and Amy.

Nick: So uh, I guess what you're saying is so for no good? (Weak laugh.)

Scene: Daycare center.

Tyler: Bu-bye Emily. (They wave. He holds up a dog puppet and barks.)

(Jamie's entertaining Kyle by blowing on his arm.)

Kyle: Again, more putt-putt.

Tyler: (Sitting down and rubbing his shoulder.) Ah, I think I pulled something giving those kids horsy rides today.

Kyle: Again, more putt-putt. Again.

Jamie: (Desperately.) You gotta help me, my lips are gonna fall off my face

Tyler: It kinda looks like you gave your arm a giant hickey.

Jamie: (looks at it.) Oh, that's great. You know, this is not exactly the start I pictured as an official EMT.

Tyler: Well, what did you expect?

Jamie: I don't know, something more serious, more important, dignified. You know, not so much. . .

Kyle: Putt-putt!

Jamie: (Quietly.) Putt-putt.

Scene: Brooke and Nick walking.

Brooke: I'm sorry I bit your head off, I've been bummed since that stupid 'for sale' sign went up.

Nick: Um, what sigh?

Brooke: (There's no sign up. Excited.) They changed their minds! I knew they couldn't sell the house, I knew it! (Starts running inside.) Yes, yes, I knew it!

Scene: Station kitchen. Val is making a sandwich. Brooke comes in upset.

Brooke: They sold the house!

Val: What?

Brooke: Our house, it's sold. And we have to be out in two weeks!

Val: Brooke. Calm down, you're not making any sense. Nobody moves in two weeks.

Brooke: Yeah. well, tell that to mom and dad. They said we'll get some bonus if we're out in two weeks.

Val: It takes the bank longer than that to do the paperwork.

Brooke: Well the buyer's some important vice president of a big company. I think they have their own bank. And there goes my piano recital.

Val: Two weeks?

Brooke: And we're not even going to get one last Christmas at the house.

Val: Come on, moving too a smaller house could be fun if we make the best of it.

Stock Shot: The new Lanier house. Day.

Scene: New Lanier house.

(They're moving into the new house. And all of them are carrying boxes.)

Joanna: Girls could you bring those boxes in here please?

Brooke: (Looking around.) It's so tiny.

Joanna: Your dad and I think it's kinda cozy. Bedrooms are great, you wanna see?

Brooke: Where are we gonna put the piano?

Joanna: It's a problem we're still trying to solve. Brooke, honey, right now there's no room for the piano.

Brooke: Well, then how am I supposed to practice?

Joanna: Could you use the one at the school?

Val: And doesn't Nick have a piano? I bet you could practice there.

Joanna: Oh sweetheart, I'm sorry honey, listen to me. Hopefully all this is just going to be temporary. But in the mean time storing a baby grand would cost us a fortune.

Val: And that piano's worth a lot of money, which we could use right now.

Brooke: (Upset) Fine, go ahead and sell it, I don't care.

Joanna: Brooke, honey, wait a minute. (She slams the door.)

[Commercial Break]

Stock Shot: Outside new home. Day.

Scene: Val and Brooke's room.

(Val is unpacking boxes and Caitie is helping.)

Val: This place is so way more crowded than I ever thought. And there's only one phone line and she gets on the internet the second she gets home from school so I miss all of my phone calls. And she. . .

Brooke: (Enters.) I had to get off the computer because mom needs it for work. This place is the worst. (Sits on the bed.)

Val: (Pissed off.) Brooke, we were kinda having a conversation here.

Brooke: So? It's my room too.

Caitie: She's got a point.

Val: I would just like a little privacy, please.

Brooke: Well, it's not my fault we're all crammed in here like rats.

Caitie: Are you kidding? Only two to a room? And your bedspreads even match. In my house we have eight people, three bedrooms and one bath, okay? That is crammed like rats.

Val: No, it's just because we're both used to a lot more space and being alone.

Caitie: Well, you've just got to learn to be alone inside your head. You know, like mentally create a space. Even if you're in a crowd. I'll give you guys pointers.

Brooke: Great, then we'll both turn into antisocial misfits like you.

Val: Brooke! (Brooke leaves.) Oh, I so do not need this attitude from her. What is her problem? (Caitie picks up the trash can and shows something to Val.) Brooke threw away her sheet music?

Caitie: She took a pretty big hit when her piano got sold. No wonder she's got an attitude.

Stock Shot: Outside station. Day.

Scene: Inside station.

(Val is looking through the want adds in the paper, circling some of them. Tyler walks in.)

Tyler: Second hand mattresses?

Val: No, musical instruments. I'm looking for a cheep, upright piano for Brooke.

Tyler: I thought you said there was no room.

Val: I thought maybe we could put it in the basement, of course then she'd need a space heater in winter.

Tyler: You know, you could get her a keyboard. Slide it right under the bed, that's where mine is.

Val: You play keyboard?

Tyler: Well, sort of. See, I had this band in junior high, Tyler and the Turbos. (Val laughs.) We only lasted a month, probably because we only knew one song and none of us could sing.

Val: I'm sorry I missed that.

Tyler: I'm not. But if Brooke wants my old keyboard she could have it. I mean I could use the space under my bed.

Val: Tyler, thank you. That's really nice of you. (Alarm goes off.)

Stock Shot: Outside daycare.

Scene: Inside Daycare.

Teacher: We though for sure we'd made it. I mean it's been over a week, but no. Now the kids have the flu.

Hank: What's that smell?

Teacher: Oh, I'm afraid the little ones are sick from both ends. Big time. (The kids are all worn out, nothing like they were before. There's paper towels all over the floor.)

Tyler: We're gonna need some bigger towels.

Val: Any really high fevers, loss of consciousness, convulsions, shaking?

Teacher: No. . . just sick. And very cranky.

Hank: First off we'll check vitals. And watch where you step.

(They carefully walk around the towels and start taking vitals.)

Jamie: Hey, come one. What is this? Another initiation for my first week? Number one, the punch. Number two, well number two?

Tyler: No, no, even the fiendish Brooke couldn't come up with something this bad. Hank, would you open a window? My eyes are starting to water.

Hank: (Breathing in fresh air.) Unless somebody's got a dangerously high fever you should just send them home.

Teacher: And risk the lawsuits? No, no, you are taking them to the hospital. (Hank starts dialing a phone. Shots of people checking fevers.)

Kid: I wanna go home.

Kyle: (Weakly.) Putt-putt man. (Tyler's taking his fever.)

Tyler: Jamie, I think he wants putt-putt man.

Val: Um, putt-putt man? (Jamie goes over. Val's laughing.)

Jamie: (Blowing on his are.) There, how's that? You feel better buddy? (The kid just looks at him and rubs his head.) Uh oh, I think it's gonna be a big one. (Gets out of the way.)

Tyler: (Shaking his head at Kyle, who's about to throw up.) No, no, no. (We hear him throw up and Val laughs/cringes. In stunned disbelief.) I've been hit.

Scene: Brooke and Val's room.

(Val is setting up Tyler's old keyboard in her room. There's a bow and a sign that says 'Happy Housewarming Brook'. Brooke walks in.)

Val: Surprise!

Brooke: Thanks, but I'm not playing anymore. (Slams the door.)

Val: What?

Brooke: Things change. That's a part of my life that's over.

Val: (Crumples up the.) Brooke! For once could you at least try to have a good attitude about things?

Brooke: No! I'm sick of having a good attitude! I was happy in our old house. Why did this have to happen?

Val: I don't know why! But did you ever stop to think that you're not the only person in this family who's had to move into a smaller house?! And in the meantime the rest of us are living with a real pain in the butt! (Leaves the room.)

Scene: Station.

(Jamie and Hank are filling out paperwork. Tyler enters.)

Tyler: Three days! Twenty one showers and I still smell like baby barf!

Hank and Jamie: You don't smell!

Tyler: I'm telling you, it's seeped into my pores.

Jamie: And I'm telling you, it's seeped into your brain.

Tyler: Say what Putt-putt man?

Jamie: I told you not to call me that. (Tyler laughs.)

Alex: (Entering.) Hey guys, they want you back at the daycare.

Hank: No no no.

Tyler: I can't take it. . .

Hank: No no.

Scene: Daycare Hallway.

(The guys are wheeling a gurney down the hall. The teacher is running down the hall with a kid in her arms.)

Tyler: Incoming.

Teacher: Oh, relax. It's just finger paint. (They look relieved.)

Hank: (Cautiously) How many sick this time?

Teacher: Oh, nobody's sick. We have something to give you. (Tries to figure out a place to put the kid down.) One second.

(The kids are all sitting in a group in the main room. Kyle is holding out a card.)

Kyle: Here, Putt-putt man. (Sits down.)

Jamie: Thank you for service above and beyond the call of duty.

Tyler: You can say that again.

(Jamie glances at Tyler, who give him a look that says 'go ahead' Jamie blows on his arm. The kids cheer. He bows.)

Scene: Brooke's room. Music: "Crash And Burn" by Savage Garden.

(Brooke is at her desk doing homework.)

Joanna: (Knocks and opens the door.) Brooke, honey, can you run the garage opener back to the old house? I forgot and drove off with it. (Puts it on her desk.)

Brooke: Can't Val do it?

Joanna: She's out buying charcoal.

Brooke: Dad's barbecuing?

Joanna: We're just happy he's finally got his appetite back again. Gotta run.

Scene: Lanier's old back yard. Music continuous from previous scene.

(Brooke is biking up the driveway. Brooke sees Val's car there. She stops and take off her bike helmet. Cut to her wheeling her bike around back. Val is sitting on the steps, a bag of charcoal by her feet.)

Brooke: What are you doing here?

Val: Oh, thinking about a barbecue made me kinda homesick. You were only two so I don't know if you'll remember, but it took Dad a whole summer to build that thing. We sure had a lot of fun here.

Brooke: I didn't think you cared.

Val: Brooke, of course I care. But mostly I keep thinking 'so what if we had to sell the house, we could have lost dad.'

Brooke: I know, I know it, I'm sorry I've been such a jerk. It's just so hard to leave home. Why do things have to change?

Val: I don't know why. I just know that they do and the trick is to learn to go with it. Try and enjoy it, look for the challenge.

Brooke: Our new room seems more like a nightmare than a challenge.

Val: You know, I remember when you learned to ride a bike. You'd ride back and forth like a little pro and then as soon as we'd take off your training wheels, kaboom, you'd fall down. So we'd put them back on and you'd practice some more and then we'd take them off and you'd fall again.

Brooke: I still have a scar from one of those falls.

Val: Yeah, but you didn't give up. You kept trying until you learned to ride the bike. And when you did you could go places you'd never been.

Brooke: Yeah, like all the way to the end of the block.

Val: And then to the park, and to your friends and to school. And back home for one last visit. (Unrolls a blank piece of paper.)

Brooke: What's that for?

Val: I didn't want to leave the hearth stone with our handprints.

Brooke: Yeah, well you're gonna need something more like a crowbar. That's set in concrete.

Val: No, all I want is a rubbing. (She places the paper over the stone and covers it with black chalk/charcoal.)

Stock Shot: Outside Lanier home. Night.

Scene: Kitchen.

(Val is studying with her head in a book. She looks up when she hears the piano. Discord sound of lots of keys pressed at once. Cut to Brooke upstairs cleaning the keyboard. Val come up behind her. Brooke grins at her. Val shuts the door and sits down next to Brooke. Brooke opens to a song and they both play. Episode ends with a shot of the handprint rubbing hanging on the wall. The prints are labeled and there's a heart drawn between them.)

[Fade Out]

Transcribed by: MM

Written by: Marcy Vosburgh
Original Air Date: September 16th, 2000

Cast Info
Kevin Hicks- Alex Freeman
William Greenblatt- Nick
Ezra Perlman- Teacher
Lori Hallier- Joanna Lanier
David McIlwraith- Steve Lanier
Anthony Paton- Arthur
Karen Hines- Nine
Jane Cooke- Ann
Hannah Reid- Emily

Music:
Crash And Burn- Savage Garden

© Alliance Atlantis, Disney / Transcript by MM