Lessons Learned (Part I)
Meredith Baxter Birney…as...Elyse Keaton
Michael Gross…as…Steven Keaton
Michael J. Fox…as…Alex Keaton
Justine Bateman…as…Mallory Keaton
Tina Yothers…as…Jennifer Keaton

[Scene – The Kitchen]

ELYSE
Alex where do you think you’re going?

ALEX
Uh… Mom… I have a date!

ELYSE
Alex, I thought we went over this! You are NOT going out three days in a row!

ALEX
Mom… Mom… And I thought we went over, that…. I’m eighteen!

ELYSE
So?

[Steven and Mallory walk in the kitchen]

MALLORY
Mom what’s going on? I heard yelling!

ELYSE
Just me and Alex, fighting… again.

ALEX
Just because you start it all the time…

ELYSE
Excuse me?!

STEVEN
Come on guys! You’ve had this same argument millions of times!

JENNIFER
Come on Mom, calm down, you’re working yourself up for nothing…

MALLORY
Yeah Alex can’t you show mom some respect?

ALEX
And can’t you all understand I want to have some fun sometimes?!

MALLORY
Oh so you think you can have fun all the time at Mom’s expense?

ALEX
I’m not gonna stand for this anymore!

STEVEN
Alex!!

[Alex walks out of the kitchen, and Jennifer walks in]

JENNIFER
Whoa… what just happened here? Did Alex invest money and lose it again?

MALLORY
Hahaha Jen! He probably has, but just hasn’t told Mom and Dad.

ELYSE
Jennifer… Mallory… this is nothing to be JOKING about!

JENNIFER & MALLORY
Sorry Mom.

STEVEN
Kids… why don’t you two go see a movie tonight, we need to have a chat with Alex about the rules here.

MALLORY
Haven’t you already done that before? Many times?

ELYSE
Mallory, just go to the movie!

MALLORY
Fine, Mom. Jennifer, let’s go and get ready.

JENNIFER
Okay…

[Jennifer & Mallory walk out of the room, but then Jennifer runs back into the kitchen]

JENNIFER
Mom!! Dad!! Alex left a note! Read it!!

[Jennifer hands Steven the note]

STEVEN (Reading the note aloud)
”Dear Steven & Elyse… I have decided to leave the house and go out on my own, I think I can handle the real world without your help.”

[Mallory walks in]

MALLORY
He really is gone! His drawers are open, and now they are empty. He took all he could and he left… I guess I really do care about him.

JENNIFER
(sarcastically) You expect me to believe that?

MALLORY
(rolls eyes) Jen! This is a serious situation!

JENNIFER
Oh fine oh fine.

ELYSE
Wait everyone… we’ll wait for Alex to come back home.

MALLORY
Mom are you crazy?!

STEVEN
No wait Mallory I think your mother has a good point.

JENNIFER
I don’t know about this…

[The phone rings]

ELYSE
I’ll get that.

[Elyse answers the phone, and talks for a couple of minutes, then hangs up]

MALLORY
What is it Mom?

ELYSE
(Shocked) That was the hospital… Alex is in the Emergency Room… [Elyse faints]

STEVEN
Elyse!!! Girls, get your coats on, we are going to the hospital!

[Everyone looks shocked, and sad, and tries to get Elyse conscious again]

[Fade out]

TO BE CONTINUED

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PART II

[Scene – The Hospital… Elyse & Alex are both on hospital beds. Elyse is just waking up.]

ELYSE: (slowly) Steven… is that you?

STEVEN: Yes honey it’s me. You’re doing just fine.

MALLORY: Oh mom I’m so glad you are awake! Alex can wait to wake up.

JENNIFER: Yeah mom we are so happy for you. But… what happened?

ELYSE: I guess I was just under a lot of stress. Did they ever figure out what happened to Alex?

STEVEN: Yes, actually they did. One of his friends brought him here after he passed out, sorta like what happened to you.

MALLORY: Aww, I feel sorry for him… well… nah…

JENNIFER: Mallory, you know you do, deep down… VERY deep down…

MALLORY: I guess I’ve never thought about it.

JENNIFER: Just like you’ve never thought about anything else!

MALLORY: Jen, we all know I’m not the smartest person… unfortunately Alex somehow got all the brains in the family.

[Alex starts to slowly wake up]

ELYSE: Alex!! You’re back!

ALEX: M…m…mom? What are you doing…. Are you… pregnant again?

STEVEN: Doctor!! Doctor!! (a doctor walks in) How much medication did you give him?

ELYSE: Of course I’m not pregnant again Alex! I’m ill, like you!

ALEX: That’s real sweet of you mom, but you can cut the act, I’m fine now.

MALLORY: Alex, she’s serious.

ALEX: Hey can Mom and I have a moment alone? We need to talk.

STEVEN: Sure Alex. Come on girls, we can go get some jello in the cafeteria.

JENNIFER: Oh boy dad I can’t wait.

[Steven, Mallory, and Jennifer walk out of the room]

ALEX: Look mom, I’m really sorry about the way I acted, it was very irresponsible, and I was being inconsiderate of you and dad.

ELYSE: Alex, it’s okay, we still love you… we’ll always love you. It’s just that sometimes you need to listen to what we say, even if it isn’t what you want to hear.

ALEX: Even all that stuff about when you and dad were hippies?

ELYSE: (laughs) Well, we wish you would.

ALEX: (sarcastically) Like that would ever happen.

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[Scene – The Keaton living room. Alex, Elyse, Steven, Jennifer, Mallory, and Skippy are present.]

MALLORY: So Skippy, that’s the story of everything that happened the past two nights.

SKIPPY: So Mrs. Keaton is pregnant again?!

STEVEN: No Skippy!! At least not yet…

ALEX: Whoa dad… there’s children in the room.

SKIPPY: (whining) Alex I am not a child anymore!!

ALEX: See what I mean?

ELYSE: While we are all here why don’t we take out some of our old tapes and watch them!

SKIPPY: I think I am going to go back home now, I… uh… need to get home.

MALLORY: Skippy… for once, I think I’ll join you!

SKIPPY: Really?! A dream come true!

MALLORY: Don’t hold your breath.

[Skippy & Mallory leave the house.]

JENNIFER: Alex, will you help me with my homework?

ALEX: Gladly, Jen!

JENNIFER: You are the nicest brother!!

ALEX: Okay, don’t say that again!!

[Jennifer & Alex go upstairs.]

STEVEN: Finally, some time together, all alone.

ELYSE: How about we watch the movies together? Who needs the kids!

STEVEN: Sure thing, Elyse. It’s great to have you back!

[Steven & Elyse kiss]

[Fade out]