7th Heaven

Eric: (Annie's eyes are filled with tears) Are you okay?....no, you're not okay. What's the matter? Annie: Ruthie said she hates me. Eric: I'll go talk to her. Annie: No, please don't. Let me handle this in my own way, okay?

Annie: (helping Ruthie scrub the walls): I think we need to spend a little more time together. Ruthie: I think we need to spend a little more time apart. Annie: Fine. When you want my help, you let me know.

Ruthie: I love you. Annie: I love you, too. Oh, and it feels so good to hear you say that, because I know you've been mad at me. Ruthie: But I don't really hate you. And I'm sorry I said that. Annie: I know. Ruthie: Does your heart still hurt? Annie: I wish I could say no, but my heart does still hurt a little, even though I know you don't really hate me. Ruthie: But I want your heart to feel better now. Annie: I know you're a little girl, and this is a very big lesson, but sometimes when you say something, the words seem to have a power all their own. So even if you want to take them back, you can't. And even though you may say you're sorry, it doesn't always fix things, at least not as quickly as you'd like them to be fixed. You just give me some time, and my heart will be fine. Ruthie: Oh, so then it's just my mouth I gotta worry about!

Student: (in response to Simon's idea to talk about the Holocaust as told by Mrs. Kerjesz in his report) My dad says that's all just a hoax, that there were no Concentration camps. (an awkward silence fills the classroom) Teacher: Simon, I think it's very important that you talk to your friend and share her story with the class. If you can do that, I think I can guarantee you an A on your oral presentation.

Eric: I'm really sorry if Simon bothered you. Mrs. Kerjesz: I know what he wanted. He wanted to ask about something he saw the other day. (pulls up her sleeve to reveal numbers) Could an innocent boy like that really understand my story? Eric: Well....yeah, I think he can. But I don't want you to feel pressured to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable. Mrs. Kerjesz: Oh, I talk about it. With my friends who are survivors. We have common ears, we can hear each other. Other people....they don't hear us so well.

Annie: You know, Ruthie, when someone does something wrong, they need to take responsibility for it. And sometimes when they're angry, they say things that aren't nice and aren't true. I was hoping that after a while you would have time to think about what you said, and you would apologize. Do you remember when you said you hated me? I know you don't like to be punished, but saying you hate me really hurt my feelings.

Matt: You're still upset about Ruthie? Annie: You know? Matt: Dad told me. Annie: I know she didn't mean what she said. It's just those words coming out of that sweet little face. How could she even think hate, much less that she hates me? It's like my heart hurts.

Lucy: So what do we do now? Mary: We try to live with our sorry selves and never do anything like this again.

Lucy: We're sorry. If it's any consolation, we learned a big lesson. Matt: No, it's not a consolation, because any lesson you learned was at my expense!

Lucy: We're really sorry. Joanne: You should be! If you had bothered to get to know me, I'm a pretty nice person. And I try to treat others the way I want to be treated. Lucy: And yet, if you made the same mistake we did, you'd want them to forgive you, right? Joanne: I wouldn't make the same mistake you did.

Mary: We're really sorry if we hurt your feelings. Joanne: "If"? If you hurt my feelings? You think I have fake teeth, a boob job, and that I can't microwave my own food. That's right, I have perfect hearing too. I heard every word you said.

Ruthie: I hate Mommy and that's that. Simon: Well, if I were you, I'd think before I said that out loud again. Besides, I know you don't mean it. Ruthie: Why not? Mary and Lucy hate Joanne, and they mean it.

Eric: Come on, I want you to come in with me. Simon: Do I have to? She always gives me something I don't want. Last week, she gave me a ball of string. Eric: Well, you could always use a ball of string.

Eric: I'm making dinner, your mom's taking the night off. Simon: Yeah, I just got the word on dinner straight from the horse's mouth.

Simon: I'm really sorry about what happened to your family. Mrs. Kerjesz: Yes, I'm sorry, too.

Ruthie: I didn't paste or cut anything, it's not fair! Annie: I think it's plenty fair. Ruthie: I hate you!

Annie: What are our rules with drawing? Ruthie: No drawing on the walls, or the tables, or furniture, or anywhere but paper. Annie: That's right. So why break the rules if you know the rules? Ruthie: I don't know. I just got bored, I guess.

Mrs. Kerjesz: If only we could we just stop hating each other...if only.