The Long Run The Story of Tracy Beaker

# I can make my world come true All my dreams will see me through

# Doesn't matter what may come my way

# Believe me now I will win some day. #

Ben, Jackie.

Ben, Ben...MINE!

-What's the Brownhurst Academy?

-It's Jackie's letter!

-It's a sports academy Jackie applied to.

-Can

-I

-open it?

-No, Jackie doesn't read YOUR stuff!

-Give it here!

What? Leave me alone!

Ben, Ben, Ben, Ben!

-Well, Jackie?

-I've got it! I've actually got it!

-Well done!

-Can I have your room?!

You are happy, aren't you? You are going to take it?

-It's none of your business!

-Jackie?

-You're already packing my bags!

On your marks, get set, go!

And Jackie Hopper is off to a slow start!

Will she make up her pace and get back in the race?

Jackie, calm down! You don't have to decide now.

-I don't wannna think about it at all!

-Look, it's all mine!

-How do

-I

-get some?!

-It's from Penelope, my foster grandma.

She loves me very much, so she gave me £100.

-I'm going to spend, spend, spend. Anyone coming?

-Me!

-OK, let's run for the bus.

-No way! I'm not doing any running all day.

We'll get a taxi, or better still...

a limousine!

-£100?! Unfair, or what?

-WE need grandparents. Then we'd have money!

-And maybe they'll foster us!

-Where do you find grandparents?

-At Bingo!

-In old folks' homes?

-Yes, they get dumped there!

-Like us!

-We invite them over and wait for the cash!

We don't want old people here. They sleep all the time.

You want money, don't you?

So you're just gonna leave, just move out?

-Tracy, did YOU mind leaving the Dumping Ground?

-It wasn't easy.

But you're happier now?

You know what the hard thing is? There was always people around.

-Cam's place is pretty quiet.

-I can't imagine leaving.

-Are you gonna turn them down?

-I dunno.

-I wanna go, but I don't know if I can move again.

-Really?

-I'm not gonna think about it today.

-OK, let's talk about my £100.

D'you think it's enough to buy a new bike?

And it looks like Jackie Hopper may not be up for this race!

Will she be defeated so soon?!

Yeah, I'm phoning from the Du... Cliffside.

-We wondered if any old people...

-RICH old people!

..nice old people could visit us.

..Because we're lonely. We've all just been dumped here.

-Old people must get lonely. Nothing to do but...

-Count their money!

(No!) ..er, watch Countdown!

We thought we could invite them over for a bit of fun.

The paperwork's not a problem. Sid deals with that.

Yeah? ..Of course. Um...

Sid, they want to talk to you about Form 21C Subsection A.

-Could you lend me 55 quid?

-I've only got 25. It's for new trainers.

You're always buying sports stuff!

Maybe I should look for some more funky shoes today.

Oh, there's some! ..Those there.

-What're you doing?

-I don't have to buy those trainers.

-I can be normal!

-It's not normal to be hypnotised by trainers!

Come on.

Come ON!

-Will training be much better there?

-Let's talk about something else!

Hopper is first at the finishing line!

-It's like there's some weird force at work here!

-Jackie...

-It's like someone is saying...

-Let's get some lunch.

Hello. This is Layla and I'm Lol.

-I like reading.

-(Gardening!)

-And gardening.

-I'm into board games.

-I love board games, too.

-You know, I really hate them!

-I do, too!

-Henry, can I take your coat?

-Oh, yes. I'll just take my wallet.

-Lots of money in it?

-Not a bean Just my bus pass!

(I dunno. This seems kinda mean.)

- Let's have a tour. - I'll help! This way! Through here.

(You can't back out now. C'mon.)

Here - make the most of it. It'll be all salady stuff at the Academy.

You'd be better off hanging round people with normal appetites - me.

-This is how much NORMAL people eat?

-It's how much

-I

-eat.

OK.

And what has happened to junior track champion Hopper?!

She has certainly, er...grown in stature since we last saw her.

-Hello. Can I help you?

-Could I have another cup of tea, please?

Or more cake? A nice slice of Battenburg?

-Can I recite you my poem?

-If you must(!)

Poor orphan child, no proper home

Lies in the gutter, lies there alone...

-OK, I give up. Who ARE they?

-They just turned up on the step.

-They'd lost their...

-Dog.

-..dog.

She shivers, she weeps So lonely, so cold...

I said I'd seen it, so they should come in for a cup of tea

while I told them what the dog looked like.

-Surely they know what their own dog looks like?

-Um...

-Old people can be forgetful, sir. ..Cuckoo!

-I'll cuckoo YOU!

And as the sun rises The cold light of morn

Shows poor little orphan Quite dead in the dawn.

OK, they can stay, but not for long.

- Would you like me to sing a song? - I'd rather you didn't.

-That second shake was a mistake.

-That third one was a REAL mistake.

-I shouldn't have finished off yours.

-No. ..C'mon.

-Let's jog it off.

-I can't move!

-And I thought we weren't...!

-You're right. No running.

I think I need some chocolate. ..What? Always room for chocolate!

And this is mine and Roxie's room. Nice, huh?

-Are you sure you don't want to hear my song?

-I drew you a picture.

Hold this. ..And this!

Did you hear when we came in - "Lots of money in it?"

-No! Is that why they're...?!

-Yes.

-I say, Dora, shall we have a bit of fun?

-Oh, yes. I think we should.

Oh, here it is.

-Who are these people?

-Me, my sister Roxie, and my brother.

-Oh, dear.

-Your family fell out of the ugly tree!

-And hit all the branches!

-It's no good - I have to go!

-But people will miss you!

-Layla thinks you're wicked.

-But my training!

-It's not like friends.

What would YOU do if it was you?

-I'd stay where people cared about me.

-They did at the Dumping Ground,

but you still left to live with Cam.

Now, I think Jackie Hopper is determined to give up.

Will she go off on the wrong track?

Or will she return to the race?

What's the big deal? If you love running more than us, just leave!

-Or stay. It's not complicated.

-I suppose, but...

-What?

It'd be like leaving Grandpa again. I was so miserable.

And the only person who could make it better wasn't there.

It took ages before I felt at home.

I don't wanna go through that again, not if I've got a choice.

-Ooh!

-There's nothing interesting in there.

Dance mats! Our Jody's got one of these! I'm ever so good!

Let's go back to the lounge.

-You've got no rhythm!

-Have to!

-Have not!

-You're not like grandparents!

-We don't want to be your grandparents!

Maybe some money will fall out of my pockets while I'm dancing(!)

-I want another go! You're hogging it!

-I beat you, so it's my go!

-(We have to make them go.

-But the plan!

-The plan failed.)

Tea's up! I thought our guests might like...

No, I think we've outstayed our welcome!

Come along, dear. ..I may be old, but I'm not stupid.

-And I'm certainly not deaf!

-I suggest if you want pocket money,

you earn it! ..Thank you!

I wish they'd liked us. I really want a grandparent.

You've got me. I'm like your grand-brother.

I'm better than both of those two put together.

-So have our friends departed?

-Yeah, finally.

-And this was your idea?

-And Crash's.

Good. Since you liked them so much, you're going to work at their home

-during half term. A couple of hours a day.

-Oh, no!

-Great idea, Lol(!)

-You agreed to it.

-"We'll make big money!"

-Come on!

This race is definitely giving young Hopper some problems.

Will she stay the course?

-So it'll be too hard to leave?

-I suppose.

Friends are more important than running.

I'll miss running.

-Jackie...

-Yeah?

I was wrong. You should go to the Academy.

You don't have to choose between running and friends.

We'll still be here for you.

Even if some of us are a bit unhelpful!

-I'll miss you.

-I'll come and visit.

I'll get Cam to drive me and I'll write every day.

-OK, every week.

-Me, too.

You're gonna be a great runner.

-You're gonna make loads of new friends, just as good as us.

-Yeah?

And Jackie Hopper finishes the race!

This girl has got a great athletics career ahead of her!

Bet they're not as cool as us!

Are you all right?

Hay fever?

Me, too!

Subtitles by Alison Semeonoff BBC Broadcast - 2004

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