Sue: Not so fast. Summer's not officially on till my graduation on Friday, when you watch me accept my special award, presented by the principal in front of everyone. [screams]
Frankie: Oh, honey. Well, you certainly earned it.
Frankie: [v.o.] Boy, did she earn it. Sue'd set her sights on the perfect attendance award years ago, and nothing was gonna make her miss a day of school.
[flashback to a red-nosed Sue sitting at her desk with bottles of cold medicine:]
Frankie: Here.
[flashback to Sue rushing to her locker to vomit]
[flashback to Sue sneezing as she climbs rope in gym class, causing her to crash to the floor]
Sue: I did it. I put myself and countless others at risk, but it was worth it!
Mike: We're very proud.

Axl: I hope you know you have sent me to the dumbest school in the world!
Mike: Seemed like a good fit.
Axl: So I didn't do my community service. You know, like, helping poor people or whatever. And if I don't get my 30 hours done by Friday, they're saying I'll flunk civics, and we'll have to pay for some stupid class I have to take in the summer!
Mike: And you're just telling us now? Why didn't you do the assignment?
Axl: Because... It shouldn't be an assignment! They're forcing me to help people against my will! I don't know. Doesn't that seem like communism or something? Did I use that right?
Mike: As much as I'd love to join in on your war on community service, you're doing it.
Axl: Ugh!

Brick: We're doomed. [whispers] Doomed.

Brick: But I can only remember the days I wasn't in the middle of a book. What did I do on September 8th?
Frankie: That was the first day of school, and after school, we... [groans] I don't know. You know, maybe it would be easier if we start with holidays. Thanksgiving. There was turkey, and... someone was over. Wait. Did we go to Janet's? No. Yes? Wow. I should be able to remember this.
Frankie: [v.o.] What was wrong with me? I mean, I used to have a great memory, but lately...
[flashback to Frankie walking into a room:]
Frankie: [sighs] I know I came in here for something.
[flashback to Frankie on the phone:]
Frankie: Hello? Wait. Sorry. Who did I just call? [sighs]
[flashback to Frankie going to see Mike in the kitchen:]
Frankie: Mike, this is really important-
Mike: Hang on a sec. Okay, what?
Frankie: [sighs] Thanks. Now I don't remember.
[present:]
Frankie: What were we talking about again?
Brick: How you don't remember anything.
Frankie: Right.

Sue: So how are you doing?
Brick: I'm up to December, and I'm realizing from the things that I'm remembering, that we spend an awful lot of time watching TV.
Sue: Wait a minute. You did October? Do you have any idea what happened on October 13th?
Brick: Let me check. "Went to library. Someone checked out The Pelican Brief and never returned it. I wonder if it was me."

Mike: Don't you start. You knew you had community service. Why didn't you say something three months ago?
Axl: 'Cause whenever I tell you anything, you always bite my head off! You ways think I do everything wrong!
Mike: Why would I think that? Maybe it's 'cause thanks to you, I'm driving around with 50 chicken Parmesans on the day of Sue's graduation.
Axl: See?! You never say anything nice to me. You always act like I screw up. All I know is, I got two jobs while I go to school, I never miss a sports practice, I took that weird wizard girl to prom! I do plenty of good stuff.
Mike: [sighs] You really think that? That I don't say anything nice to you?
Axl: [sighs] I don't know. Sometimes.
Mike: Yeah, well... You, kids, are the best thing that ever happened to me.
Axl: Really? You must have a really sucky life.
Mike: Yes, I do. [both chuckle]

Ms. Rinsky: So you hosted a boy from Japan. Oh, that must have been fun.
Frankie: Yeah, was a great year, lots of memories. So I should be...
Ms. Rinsky: Interesting how his handwriting progressed throughout the year, then declined... Then progressed again.
Frankie: He, uh, writes different, you know, depending on the day. [chuckles] You know Brick.
Ms. Rinsky: What would you say was your favorite part of April? Disneyland on the 8th. [gasps] Paris on the 9th. And this morning's entry... "In the car, trying to finish my journal I've been writing the last two days because I didn't do my assignment like I was supposed to."
Frankie: I don't think you need to read the rest...
Ms. Rinsky: "'Cause mom says Ms. Rinsky's too lazy to read the whole thing."

Mr. Sholin: We have a very special achievement to honor. There is one student who has never missed a single day of school, one student who, simply by showing up, has demonstrated incredible determination and commitment. Trust me when I say it is rare that I find a student with this much perseverance. So please join me in honoring this amazing accomplishment and this amazing student.
Frankie: [v.o.] This was it, the moment she'd been waiting for, the moment Sue'd finally get the recognition she deserved. [Sue stands up]
Mr. Sholin: Our perfect attendance award recipient... Barb Heckie. [applauase]
Frankie: No!
Mike: Aw, man. This can't happen! They can't do this to her! She's gonna be crushed!
[On stage, Sue laughs and shrugs her shoulders. She laughs hysterically]
Frankie: [v.o.] But she wasn't.
Frankie: [laughs] I know.
Frankie: [v.o.] Then it hit me. I may not remember exactly what happened on November 14th or March 12th, or whether I left the car running in the parking lot right now... But the point is, these are the moments you remember.

Axl: God! I've been looking at pamphlets for a whole hour. That should count as one of my hours right there. 29 more to go. Whoo!
Mike: Stop screwing around and pick something. Tons of good options here. Helping out at a nursing home.
Axl: No.
Mike: Planting trees.
Axl: No! Nothing sad, nothing hard, nothing gross.
Mike: How about washing-
Axl: Unless that ends in "hot chicks" that's a definite "no." Hey, I could help people who can't play video games, like, if they don't have thumbs or something.
Mike: Oh. Hey, look at that. They have that right here.
Axl: Really?
Mike: No, not really, you idiot. Come on. You got 20 waking hours to do 30 hours of community service. I'm picking for you. Here. "Meals That Heal" and "Time with Tots." Done.
Axl: Or I could just stay in my room and jam and come up with an awesome song that'll make the whole world happy.
Mike: The world's been through enough. Make the call.

Frankie: Wow, Brick. Can you believe it? Only a couple more days till you're a fourth grader.
Brick: Yeah, I'm not sure that's gonna happen.
Frankie: What?
Brick: Apparently, I missed some sort of journal assignment, and if I don't turn it in, I'm not necessarily moving up to fourth grade.
Frankie: Damn it, Brick! How does this keep happening? You're the smartest kid I know, and every year we got to wonder whether you're gonna make it to the next grade!
Brick: I know it's frustrating. I kept thinking I was gonna do it, but then I just didn't. I blame myself partly.
Frankie: I blame yourself all-of-ly. Now you're gonna go, and you're gonna find out what's required, and you're gonna get it done. We are not spending another year with Ms. Rinsky!