I've lived my whole life on Normal Street.
There's a lake at one end,
and a forest of shady trees at the other.
But what lies in between is anything but normal.
Once a year the calendar comes around
to a special day,
one that celebrates only you.
And when it's your last birthday on Normal Street,
all you want to do is spend it
with the most important people in your life.
Let's go.
We're going to be late.
Like your dentist.
Mom, do I really have to do this on my birthday?
Honey, it's the only appointment Dr. Milano had available.
I'm sorry. Let's go.
Mel: What did you get him?
The Butler Bot 9000.
It does all sorts of stuff.
Well, it does some stuff.
Mostly makes grilled cheese sandwiches.
What about you?
A new fencing epee with left-handed grip.
- Cool. - Well,
it is his last birthday on Normal Street.
You're right.
Why does it suddenly feel
like a thing isn't enough?
We're throwing him a surprise party.
That should be nice.
But it shouldn't be nice.
It should be epic.
Gortimer needs to remember this day forever.
Joshua's recording it,
so he could always just watch the video.
Of course.
Are we rolling?
I'm always rolling.
Okay. Tell us about Gortimer.
Well, he's 15.
He's my best friend.
- He collects-- - No.
I mean, tell us what Gortimer means to you.
Why is he so special?
Well, there's lots of stuff.
Everyone already knows that Gortimer is a great friend,
but what you probably didn't know
is that Gortimer is the craftiest guy on Normal Street.
I am the least crafty guy on Normal Street.
You don't need to be. This is my ninth grade prank.
You're just the witness in case no one believes it was me.
Hey, big White Hat fan?
The biggest.
Come on. I've got to make middle school history.
Got to hand it to you.
They'll be talking about this for years.
What do you think? Another hundred?
[bell rings]
From this day forth,
any time anyone thinks of balloons,
- all they'll think of is-- - Ranger.
I regret nothing.
I regret everything.
A whole week of detention?
Mr. Bender wants to make an example out of me.
I'm going to miss the big bake-off on Friday.
But you're the defending champions.
I guess next year Grandpa and I will just have to stage our big comeback.
You're going to that bake-off.
Ranger: Here's the thing about Gortimer.
He may not think of himself as crafty,
but if a friend's in trouble,
he can outfox just about anybody.
Step 1, come up with a brilliant plan.
Step 2, gather intel.
Uh, Mr. Bender.
Uh, look, balloons.
What? Where?
Oh, Uh, sorry.
Never mind.
Step 3, recruit a cunning accomplice.
Mr. Bender, can I ask you a question?
I'm a little busy.
It's about...whales.
Oh.
By all means.
Were you aware
that whales are the largest animals on the planet?
Step 4, wheel and deal.
You want this when?
White Hat number 1. Mint condition.
Come back in an hour.
And if you've done all that correctly...
[recording] All right-- you-- can-- go-- now.
Really?
...well, you can pull off just about anything.
But the most important part of a plan:
timing.
It's Day 5, Mr. Bowen. You know the drill.
Gortimer thought of everything.
The judges didn't even know what hit them.
And then-- What's this?
I didn't find out what he did until the next day.
Día de los "balunes" was my crowning achievement,
but what he did was on a whole 'nother level.
Just when you think all is lost,
it turns out that Gortimer had your back the whole time.
He doesn't just have your back.
He'll give you his.
Let me explain.
Gortimer never lets me down...
literally.
[tapping]
Mel: You guys remember how I wanted to tap dance
for the talent show?
You made what?
Self-propelling tap shoes,
so I could practice whenever I had a free minute.
Looks like they work.
Too well. My legs are starting to go numb,
and I can't stop it.
I can't even slow down enough to take them off.
I got this. I've been taking shoes off
almost my entire life.
Ow. Ow!
Ow!
Okay! Okay!
Never mind. New plan.
[crack]
Won't the batteries just run out?
My legs won't last that long.
Plus, we're going to be late for school.
Well, uh, I can fix that.
What are you doing?
Giving taxi service at your...service.
Oh. Keep your hands, arms, and feet
inside the vehicle at all times.
I can't believe the shoes are still going.
I can't believe you're still going.
Oh. Catherine. Hurry.
Catherine!
Don't even need an explanation.
What can I do to help?
Get these off of me.
- Wait. - Ow!
Sorry.
Gortimer, your mom bakes tons of cookies, right?
Uh, yeah.
We need to go to your house.
We'll never make it.
Yes.
We will.
Brilliant.
Ready?
3, 2, 1.
Uh, careful. Your legs might--
...that.
Need a hand?
He carried me around all day,
even though he was exhausted.
I can't think of anyone else who would have done that.
Wow. I call Gortimer if we ever do chicken fights.
Come on.
That was nothing.
Do you want to hear a Gortimer story?
Well, I've got one for you.
One where he stares death in the eye
and doesn't even blink.
Gortimer is the bravest man
I've ever met.
Stanley: It all started when Mel tricked me
into being part of her brain booster experiment.
Want to be part of my brain booster experiment?
Absolutely.
I'd been in Mel's laboratory for days.
Mel: Why am I always the mad scientist?
I'm just a regular scientist.
Stanley: Who's telling the story? Anyway,
she wanted to turn me into a super genius
with her special brain food made of nuts.
But she didn't tell me what it tasted like.
[cough]
47.
El Niño.
Osmosis.
Easter Island.
The Mona Lisa.
Impressive.
You got them all wrong again.
Six days, and no improvement.
We're going to have to up the dosage.
If this doesn't make a difference,
nothing will.
Remember, a little bit at a time.
Got it.
Everyone knows the squirrels on Normal Street have it rough,
so I figured they'd be happy
to help dispose of Mel's experimental trail mix.
Unfortunately, it turns out
squirrels make awesome guinea pigs.
[growling]
Mel's brain food worked--
maybe a little too well.
[squirrels chittering]
When things go wrong on Normal Street,
there's only one place to turn.
The squirrels, they've gone--
- Don't say it. - Nuts?
You both are the worst. You know that, right?
[chittering]
Gortimer: Stanley, what did you do?
- [glass breaks] - Nothing.
Well, almost nothing.
[shatter]
What are we going to do?
Well, we can't just let them take over Normal Street.
Well, why don't we just ask them to leave?
Do either of you speak Squirrel?
You know, I never say stuff like this
when I'm not around you guys.
We don't have to talk to them.
We just need--
...a backpack. I have a plan.
Wish me luck.
Luck.
He led them all the way to Lake Normal.
But he had to make sure
they couldn't come back,
so Gortimer found them a new home.
One where they would never run out of food.
And they still live there to this day
in their own squirreltopia.
I so want to believe that.
Maybe I mixed up a few details,
but the point is: Gortimer, super brave.
Also, he's super tough.
Gortimer is, hands down,
the toughest kid on Normal Street.
Catherine: My black belt test was coming up,
and I needed to practice,
but finding a sparring partner
was proving to be a little bit difficult.
Stanley, I need a favor.
For you, anything.
I'm your man. What you need?
To practice karate on someone.
Sorry. Busy.
Ranger, do you want to spar after school?
Do I? Yes. Will I? No.
I like the way my bones are currently arranged.
You break one guy's leg,
and suddenly everyone's running scared.
Well, except for that guy.
You really need the practice?
All right. I got an idea.
Get your karate gear and meet me at my place tonight.
Meet your new sparring partner.
Gortimer, I'm not going to hit you.
You don't know what you're doing.
I don't have to. I'm completely covered.
Okay. Let me have it.
It wouldn't be fair.
Well, fair or not,
you're going to have to defend yourself.
Hyah!
Not bad.
I'm just warming up.
- Oof! - Sorry.
Lucky shot.
Good, good. I almost felt that one.
[grunting]
Thanks. This was a big help.
[gasp] No problem.
Gortimer took everything I could throw at him.
So did Catherine pass her black belt test?
With flying colors.
Oh.
And thanks to Gortimer,
I got my black belt.
I have a good one.
Gortimer helped me when no one else could.
Let's get started. Abigail is next.
Out again. Okay.
In that case, Ranger, why don't you go?
Did Abigail go home?
She's at the nurse. Panic attack.
She can't do an oral report.
When you title your book Great Expectations,
you're setting the bar pretty high.
Did Charles Dickens reach that bar?
I say yes.
So while Holden Caulfield may have been a member
of our great-grandparents' generation,
his perspective on adolescence still speaks to us all.
That was great.
You totally made me want to read that book.
I'm not worried about the report.
I just don't want to get up in front of everyone.
Well, maybe--
you can ask Ms. Francis
to let you do it after school.
I did.
No special treatment.
Well, you don't have any problem
reading your report in front of me.
Because you're you.
It's the rest of them that are the problem.
Then that's what we need to fix.
What's going on?
Why is everyone wearing blue?
Oh, it's True Blue Normal Schoo-- ool Day.
[chuckle]
I've never heard of this.
Well, it's new. Something I made up.
And you didn't tell me?
I'm the only one not wearing blue.
Well, not the only one.
Don't worry. It'll be fine.
Trust me.
All right, Abigail, last but not least.
I found something blue for you.
You'll do great.
J.D. Salinger's The Catcher In the Rye
is the quintessential...
...of his younger sister Phoebe,
Holden's behavior appears childish...
showing us
that, though we sympathize with Caulfield,
he's not meant to be the role model.
Maybe I don't know a hidden side to Gortimer.
I just know the regular Gortimer.
The one who's always there when I need him.
Can I go next?
He wasn't going anywhere without me,
no matter how long it took.
It was the worst sleepover ever.
It was the best sleepover ever.
Then we realized it was his shadow.
That night, Gortimer painted over the whole thing.
By morning, it was like it never happened.
When there aren't any easy choices,
I use Gortimer as my compass.
Even though we came in third,
he made me feel like a winner.
And there he was.
He had been waiting the whole time, just in case.
And that's when I realized
Gortimer makes me feel...
Brave.
Supported.
Included.
Inspired.
This is going to be the best birthday present ever.
Gortimer: Uh, I--
Surprise!
- [cheering] - Happy birthday, Gortimer!
[no audible dialogue]
Included.
Inspired.
Normal Street isn't going to be the same
without you.
None of us will.
Guys, I don't know what to say.
This is-- No.
No, you guys are the best present I could get.
I couldn't be me if I didn't have you.
I want to watch it again.
Gortimer: Even life's most precious moments
can slip by in a blink.
Try as we might,
the details sometimes fade away
until they're lost forever.
But if we're really lucky,
the feelings that those moments create...
will always be with us. tts:fontStyle="italic"> those moments create...