Joe Clark:
[Clark's roof-top pep-talk to Thomas Sams]
Now, let me tell you something: The trouble with being a teenager is you don't know nothing. The problem with teenagers is you THINK you're smarter than people who've already been down the road you're traveling. You know what I'm trying to say, boy?
[Sams hangs his head; Joe picks it up for him]
Joe Clark:
DO YOU?
Thomas Sams:
Yes, sir.
Joe Clark:
Did you tell your father I threw you out of school?
[Sams hangs his head again]
Joe Clark:
LOOK AT ME, DAMN IT!
Thomas Sams:
No, sir.
Joe Clark:
Why not? No guts, huh? Afraid of what he's gonna say to you, aren't ya?
Thomas Sams:
My father doesn't live with us anymore, sir.
Joe Clark:
Oh, is that what you're doing now? Goin' around, feeling sorry for yourself, boy? Huh? Go on, get outta here! You're wasting my time!
Thomas Sams:
[crying]
Please, let me back, sir! I have to get back to school. I can't go home to tell my momma I got kicked out of school.
Joe Clark:
Now why should I let you back into my school, Sams?
Thomas Sams:
'Cause I'm gonna do better, sir.
Joe Clark:
How?
Thomas Sams:
By doing my work.
Joe Clark:
What else?
Thomas Sams:
And staying out of trouble.
Joe Clark:
What have you been thinking about all this time? Why should I believe you now?
Thomas Sams:
'Cause I changed my ways.
Joe Clark:
I don't believe you, Sams. I don't think you've changed a thing. Go on, jump!
Thomas Sams:
[sobbing]
No, I don't wanna jump!
Joe Clark:
Yes, you do! You smoke crack, don't ya?
[Sams hangs his head; Clark lifts it right back up]
Joe Clark:
You smoke crack, don't ya?
[Sams hangs his head again, sobbing]
Joe Clark:
LOOK AT ME, BOY! DON'T YOU SMOKE CRACK?
Thomas Sams:
Ye-ye... yes, sir.
Joe Clark:
You know what that does to ya? Huh?
Thomas Sams:
No, sir.
Joe Clark:
[tapping Sams's head]
It kills your braincells, son! It kills your braincells! Now, when you're destroying your braincells, you're doing the same thing as killing yourself; you're just doing it slower! Now, I say if you wanna kill yourself, don't fuck around with it! Go on and do it EXPEDITIOUSLY! Now go on and jump! JUMP!
Thomas Sams:
[crying]
No! I don't wanna kill myself, sir!
Joe Clark:
[calming down]
You're quite sure about this, are ya?
Thomas Sams:
Yes, sir.
Joe Clark:
[pause]
Alright, Sams, I'll tell ya what I'm gonna do. I'm gonna go back on my own word, just this once, and let you back into my school... 'cause you're still a baby and you don't know shit.
[points his finger at Sams]
Joe Clark:
But you understand this, boy. You're not gonna get a moment's rest! I'm gonna be on your case every minute! You mess up just once and you're outta here! Now you understand me?
[pause]
Joe Clark:
Do you understand me?
Thomas Sams:
Yes, sir.
Joe Clark:
[calmly]
Alright, go on back downstairs.
[as Sams departs from the roof, Joe turns away. His expression becomes grateful, as if to say, "At least I got ONE of those 300 back; I was hoping more of them would see the light."]
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05/03/2025 alle ore 08:51
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