The Luck of the Irish

---

Everyone in the world,

is different from everyone else.

That's easy to see.

Just look.

But everyone is lucky enough

to have one thing in common,

One thing that binds

everyone together.

[ AMERINDIAN MUSIC ]

[ APPLAUSE ]

Everyone has a heritage,

a family history,

traditions

handed down from grandparents

and great-grandparents.

Our next performer

is Kyle Johnson.

[ CALLING ]:
Kyle.

Hey, I'm down here!

Kyle.

[ WHISPERING ]:
Kyle.

[ KYLE ]:
But what if I'm not that lucky?

What if I'm the only person

who doesn't have a heritage?

What if I'm...different?

I said I'm down here!

[ KYLE ]:
Can't you see me?

[ WHISPERING ]:
Kyle.

Aah!

[ MOTHER ]:
Kyle.

Huh!

It's time to get ready for the game.

Go, Eagles!

I must have zonked out.

I was having

this really weird dream

about this Heritage Day thingy

that's going on at school.

- Pregame anxiety. Everybody gets it.

I used to dream

I was at the game wearing nothing

but my underwear.

and I was just in the band.

You'll do fine, Kyle.

You always do.

Here, have some yogurt

and a fruit bar.

It'll help you keep

your energy up.

That sounds good.

I might have some of that myself.

Where's our family from, Dad?

We're from right here, Son.

No. No, I mean,

where do we come from?

You know, what's our heritage?

We moved here from Cleveland.

We're Americans, Kyle.

That's all the heritage we need.

Hey, come on, Kyle.

You're gonna be late

for the game. Let's go!

Don't forget to wear

your lucky coin.

I had this really weird feeling.

Like there was something

they weren't telling me.

This was the first time our school

had ever made it to the State

basketball playoffs.

[ FANS CHEERING ]

Get over, Russell. Find your shot!

Tonight was

the Quarter Finals,

and we were goin'

all the way this year.

State Champions.

[ CHEERLEADER ROUTINE ]

And I was the reason why.

Yeah!

Everything was goin' my way.

I was one lucky guy.

[ GIRLS ]:
There's Kyle!

[ BOY ]:
There he is!

[ GIRL ]:
Great, Kyle!

[ EVERYONE CHEERING ]

Gee, that was a lucky shot.

Hey, luck's got nothin' to do with it.

Lookin' good, Kyle.

Yeah, I taught him

everything he knows.

[ MORE CHEERING ]

Hey, Kyle.

Oh! Hi, Bonnie.

- You know I'm in charge of

the Heritage Day committee.

You're in charge of,

like, every committee.

I mean, somebody's gotta do it.

I'm putting together

the program, and I wanted to know

what you're going to do for Heritage Day.

I don't know.

I mean, you know,

this whole Heritage Day thing,

it's like so Public Television.

It's your history.

Yeah, but I mean, history...

You know, it's like

so ten minutes ago.

Now, sports,

That's what's happenin' now.

That's where

I'm comin' from. Heh!

That's right.

Well, even if you are

some kind of mindless jock,

you still got a heritage.

Mindless?

- America is a nation of

immigrants, Kyle,

everybody's ancestors came from

another country.

Yeah, I'm part Cherokee.

So, where's your family from?

Is Johnson an English name,

or did they change it

from Johannsen,

or something?

Uh, we're from Cleveland.

Ha, ha. Very funny.

Now, come on, you know

what I mean.

[ BELL RINGS ]

Look, uh, I've got a test, OK?

See you guys later.

Uhh...jocks!

[ BELL RINGS ]

Time's up, people!

Put your test papers

on my desk

on your way out, please.

Thank you.

You'd be better off

leaving 'em blank, Kyle.

Remember, I subtract points

for wrong answers.

Summer school!

[ BOTH LAUGH ]

I do it specifically to discourage

what you just did--

Guessing at the answers.

You know, in real life,

you can't depend on luck

to make up for not knowing.

These answers are all correct.

Oh, this looks great!

- Thanks.

So, is this like Italian food or

something?

It's something I saw in

Eat Smart Magazine.

Why?

Oh, I just thought, you know...

maybe it was, like, an old family recipe.

[ CLUNK ]

You're lucky your mom makes you

such healthy meals, Kyle.

It's probably why you're

such a good athlete.

Kyle just has a

natural talent for sports.

Yeah, you know, it's probably genetic.

I mean, I bet, if you go back

far enough,

We've had great athletes

in our family for generations.

You know,

great soccer players,

maybe?

Or, uh, cross-country skiers?

Or...

bullfighters?

You better eat your salad.

You don't want the oil to separate.

Uh...yeah, Dad.

Yeah.

UM, I was talking with the girl

in charge of the Heritage Day

committee--

[ KATE ]:
Is it Bonnie Lopez?

She's always in charge of everything.

I know.

[ LAUGHS ]

Yeah. anyways,

she says that everyone's family

comes from somewhere else.

I mean, if you go back far enough;

we couldn't have always lived

in Cleveland.

Unless we're Indians.

But...

We're not Indians, are we?

I don't think so.

OK, then what are we?

You know, where do we come from?

I think your great-grandfather

moved there from Mount Buffalo.

No, Dad. I mean before that,

before we came to America.

Why are you so interested in

your family all of a sudden?

I don't know.

I mean, you know,

with Heritage Day coming up,

I don't want to be the only kid

who doesn't know what he is.

You're Kyle Johnson.

You're a good student,

A good boy,

A great athlete.

Just because

some people are obsessed

with where their ancestors

came from,

doesn't mean you have to be, too.

Mom, I'm not obsessed.

Being an individual

is what America's all about, Kyle.

Doesn't matter where you're from.

You can be anything you want to be.

[ KATE ]:
Fresh ground pepper?

[ KYLE ]:
There it was again

the feeling that they were

hiding something from me.

At school the next day,

I tried to find out what it was.

If you're looking for sports trivia,

Try Gofindalife.com.

Actually, I'm looking for

information on my family.

You know, my heritage.

Man, there sure are a lot

of people named Johnson.

Yeah, 4 million pages.

Maybe you should narrow

that search down a little.

Uh, why don't you start

with your father, and trace your family

back that way?

Well, I tried that,

but I couldn't find him.

Did you look in Cleveland?

[ SIGHS ]

Here, move over, let me try.

Look, you don't have to help me.

I'm head of the Heritage Day

committee, remember?

It's my job to help the heritage-impaired.

It's not important to me anyway.

I mean, so what

if Im from Germany,

or England, or whatever?

Doesn't mean anything to me.

Then why were you on the computer?

OK, what about your mother's family?

Where are they from?

I don't know.

Well, half of your heritage

comes from her, you know.

Well, yeah, but...

I never really thought about

my mom's family.

Well, what was her last name

before she got married?

Don't tell me,

You don't even know

your mother's maiden name!

How are you ever gonna

get a credit card?

Look, if you really want to find out

about your family heritage,

you might try talking to your parents.

They are your family.

I couldn't tell Bonnie that I thought

my mom and dad were

hiding something from me.

That day, after school

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