Front of the Class Page #3

---

while there was no cure,

there might be ways to live a normal life.

It's a church, Mom!

Honey, you're not going to have to get a Bible lesson.

This is just a support group.

Do I have to?

You need to connect with other people who have Tourette's.

Find out how they live with it. OK?

Let's do it.

I'm not going in there

Honey...

I'd never seen anyone with Tourette's before.

There were eye blinkers and nose twitchers.

Foot stompers and neck jerkers. Some of them yelped and coughed.

Is this what I looked like to other people?

Come on, Bobo.

We're here to learn. Let's start learning.

The Americans with Disabilities Act gives us

the right to do anything or go anyplace that we want to.

But try going to a movie.

Or a concert or a restaurant.

That law doesn't mean anything

when people are yelling at you to shut up.

I come home and my parents close the windows and blinds

because they don't want the neighbors to see me tic.

No one was even trying to be accepted.

The audits were out of work. The kids stayed at home.

I knew one thing...

I didn't want to be like them.

Even the coaches on his team wouldn't accept him.

Oh, I'd had it.

Of course, you're home-schooling, too?

No. Brad goes to school like any other kid.

These kids are not like any other kids

school's a waste of time for them.

I took him out at the third grade

just to save my sanity.

You want my advice...

...you'll do the same.

Yep. Thanks.

Let's go, Bobo.

It's supposed to be a support group! Where's the support?

Supposed to just hide away for the rest of your life?

I'm really so sorry that I brought you there, honey, let's just forget this

I don't want to forget this, Mom.

Those people let Tourette's win.

I'm never gonna do that.

It's difficult to imagine that at the age of twelve

I would find a genuine philosophy to live by.

But here it was. This defining moment.

To always face my adversity head on.

When I went to my next interview, I decided to be even more up front.

Get the Tourette's stuff out of the way first

and then dazzle 'em with my approach to teaching.

you seem to have been very successful

...in spite of your Tourette's.

I've worked very hard to become the best teacher I can be

Thank you for coming in. I'll let you know.

Thanks.

So much for being up front.

For my third interview,

I decided to discussing about my Tourette's at all.

Each week I like to send home a progress report to my students' parents.

Um, I like to give my students a voice in their learning to be hands-on...

and interactive in the classroom...

but also to keep the parents closely involved!

Ron, it was a huge mistake not mentioning my Tourette's.

It was, you know, I was trying to hide it

Fat chance.

Okay, that's the negative

No. The negative is you've gotta stop stressing out.

You're stressing me out.

But the positive is that, hey,

the others didn't seem to have a problem with it, right?

I just, I gotta wait for a call.

The positive is you're coming out with me.

My new girlfriend she has a roommate

Will you stop trying to set me up?

When I am ready to date, I will date.

Come on, she heard all about you

she still wants to meet you.

Oh thanks. Real kind. Listen, I want to relax. OK?

I want to watch the Braves.

We all want to watch the Braves. Get changed.

So, Ron tells me that you're on a big job hunt.

How's it going?

Ahh, pretty good.

Except no one's hired me yet.

I guess they're all too busy fighting to get me.

You do this?

I'm impressed by this.

-You should be. -I was not expecting this.

That's amazing.

But I'm pretty good.

You are.

So you are really a sports fan?

Ah, yes. Big time. Soccer, softball...tennis.

Yep, I played a lot in college,

but I'm not good enough for the pros.

I hear that because I wish I was good enough to be him.

Who?

Him.

Oh, you want to be a mascot?

-His name is Homer...-Homer.

And it's a lifelong ambition.

OK. All right.

-Don't look now. -OK.

Don't look now, but there's this guy behind us

and I don't know what his problem is. He keeps staring.

Ahh. I actually get that look a lot.

It's a look of envy.

He's thinking, "How can l make cool noises like that guy? "

You have such a great attitude about your...

Bye Homer! Bye. Bye, Ron!

Bye.

Bye, Homer! Go, Braves!

So that must have gone well, huh? Did you ask her out again?

Yeah, I asked. But, it's second date syndrome.

You know, I'm a great guy, she had a lot of fun, but, umm...

Your tics are just too cool for her?

Actually, no, she says because my roommate's breath smells so bad.

What do you mean?

You know what I mean.

This is Brad. Ahh, hey, Dad.

Yeah, no, Ron, Ron told me you called.

I just, ahh, you know, I've been so busy that, ah...

No. I haven't had lunch yet.

All right, that sounds great. Where do you want to meet?

Lunch at Dad's work.

He wouldn't have to worry about my noises there.

Let me know if you need any more of those trusses, OK?

All right.

Hey.

Hey, Dad. See you found your way.

Yeah.

Let's grab lunch outside my office.

Be a little more private.

All right.

Diane's wondering when you're gonna come by.

I guess you've been pretty busy with the job hunt. Any luck?

Still interviewing.

How's that going?

Are they giving you any trouble with your, uh...?

You can say the word, Dad: Tourette's.

Some of them are. Some of them aren't.

How's your money holding out?

I'm not asking you for money.

I know that. You never ask me for anything.

No.

But if you ever do get short, you know you gotta job with me here.

I'm going to teach, Dad.

OK?

I can't let anything get in the way of that.

OK. I'm jut saying there's nothing wrong...

...with keeping your options open in case things don't work out.

You know, there are other things besides teaching.

Not for me.

Dad could never understand my optimism.

Like when I graduated to middle school.

I was really hopeful that things would be different.

What's the matter Brad? Eat alone?

Make a fresh start. New school. New friends.

Same result.

Today, we're going to be talking about fractions.

Fractions are your friend...

Use fractionsin every day life.

You just don't realize it.

For example, say your mother bakes a pie.

She cuts that pie.

Cohen! Just go to the principal's office.

Not the best way to introduce myself to the principal.

What do you think a school's for, Brad?

I'm sorry I keep disrupting the class

You're not answering my question. What's a school for?

To educate, isn't it?

To use knowledge to wipe out ignorance?

The school orchestra's having a concert this afternoon.

You planning on going?

No, sir. My tics will ruin the music.

I want you to be there.

Everybody just keep your seats for a minute, please.

Thank you. Did you enjoy the concert?

Great job.

Did you hear any noises during the quiet parts?

YES!

Yeah. So did l.

They're pretty annoying, aren't they?

The person making those noises is Brad Cohen.

Come on up here, Brad.

Do you like making noises and upsetting people, Brad?

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes