not in a long time. so are we going for a ride? what do you think? it's perfect. my first car. i can't believe it! so? rebecca: get in! ( engine starts ) this car is great, dad, but i bet you spent a fortune on it. not really. i got a good deal. try the horn. ( horn honking ) it's got a good radio and tape deck-- everything a musician needs on a long trip. look at that view, huh? i'm going to miss this place. sure you are. boston's been your home for 28 years. when i think about leaving, i get butterflies in my stomach.

you'll be fine. yeah, you'll be o.k. i hope so. ( mumbling ) you're talking to yourself. it's an old habit. boy, you have a lot of bags. maybe i shouldn't take all this stuff. well, bt what if i need it? i hope we can fit all these suitcases into the car. we have to! oh, i have some things to show you. here's a list of what needs to be done on a regular basis. put out the garbage, recycle the glass and the cans, the newspapers and the cardboard. don't put anything... dad's on my case about all of that. you need to help him keep the place clean, buy the groceries... i'm starting to realize how nice it is to have a big sister around.

this will be perfect. it's going to be kind of strange without you. ( coughing ) ♪ go to sleep ♪ the stars are brightly shining ♪ ♪ go to sleep... ( knocking ) hi. are you all packed? almost. i want you to have this. dad! another present? what is it?

mom's necklace. do you really want me to have this? it's beautiful. thanks, dad. i'm sorry your mother isn't here to say all the right things so i'll try myself. it's o.k., dad, you don't have to... this is your home. if you ever need help or change your mind, or anything... remember, we're here. thanks, dad. thanks for everything. i love you. well... i'll miss you, god knows.

well, you'd better get some sleep. you got a big day tomorrow. 'night, dad. 'night. for crying out loud. your sister won't be able to see! all right, already! are there any more bags? no, this is it. i'll put these in the trunk. o.k. hey, guys, where is she? don't worry. she's still here. ( laughs with relief ) hey!

oh, i couldn't let you go without saying one last goodbye and to give you this. ah, yes, the mystery present. oh, sandy, a diary! it's perfect! i want you to write down all the good stuff. what about the bad stuff? oh, absolutely! i want it all in writing. and remember, since i gave you the diary, i get to read it. over my dead body! kevin: hey... i have something for you, too. rebecca: kev... see... a little something for good luck. a four-leaf clover! i love it. it's a key ring for your new car. thanks, kev. i guess it's that time. i'll see you, sis.

don't get lost. i'll try not to. i can't believe you're going! i know. well... well, call us tonight and tell us how you are. i will. and... have a good trip, becky. don't worry about us. just be careful. your guir. oh, put it in the back seat. remember, don't pick up any hitchhikers... except for the cute ones! ( engine starting ) bye. bye, rebecca. be careful.

sandy: bye! ( car engine stops )

well, this is it, mom. i'm off to san francisco. i'll try and do my very best. keep an eye on kevin and dad for me, hm? i miss you, mom. bye. speaker: rebecca got a used car from her father and that shows that her father approved her going away to san francisco. it's perfect. my first car. i can't believe it! speaker: sandy gave rebecca a diary. oh, sandy, a diary.

it's perfect! speaker: kevin gave rebecca a key ring with a four-leaf clover. oh, a four-leaf clover. speaker: her father gave rebecca a necklace that belonged to her mother. mom's necklace. it was a gesture of continuity that now the daughter is going to wear this. i think it's a great gesture of love and also of giving. it's beautiful. rebecca's mother died long time ago. it was very hard on the family. before rebecca drives to san francisco she stopped at her mother's... what was it? woman: grave. graves, yes. well, this is it, mom. i'm off to san francisco. speaker: she went to her mother's gravesite because somehow she always feels that her mother is with her. is it a goodbye, or is it a moment of sharing her dreams? woman: both. both. man: no, sharing. definitely sharing.

ted states. i'm leaving the east coast driving west for new sights, new adventures." "day 2: i drove all day through the midwest." "day 3: i crossed over the mississippi and into the plains." "this is the 4th day of my drive across the united states. "it's the desert. "the land is flat and barren, but beautiful, in a strange way." ( tex-mex music playing )

rebecca: ♪ she's not the kind to stay in one place for too long ♪ ♪ you don't have to tell me that. ♪ ♪ she's not the kind of... the music on the radio out here is sure different from boston. i'm really starting to like this tex-mex music. vocalist: ♪ don't tell me her eyes are bright ♪ ♪ and she loves to dance till the morning light. ♪ ♪ all i want to know both: ♪ where's my baby tonight? ♪ so where's my baby? ♪ can anybody say? ♪ one day she's here beside me ♪ the next day she's in l.a. ♪ so where's my baby? ♪ what's this all about? ♪ one day she's here, the next, she's moving out. ♪ the car has been pretty good so far, but it's a gas guzzler.

i have to fill it up a lot. hi. what can i do for you? boy, it's a hot one. yeah, and i hear it's going to get hotter. fill it up? yeah, please. uh, regular, unleaded. oh, and can you check the oil? do you have a rest room? yup. it's around the corner. the key's inside. excuse me, where's the key? it's hanging near the door. i don't see it. on the hook, by the phone.

i put in two quarts of oil. two quarts? why so much? i don't know. maybe there's a problem. do you really think there's a problem? i can't tell. i'm not a mechanic. but the owner, he'll be back in about an hour. he's a mechanic. you should check with him. well, do you think i should wait? it's up to you. mae i'll go on. how much do i owe you? that'll be $15.75 for the gas plus the oil-- $18.90. cash or credit card? cash. you drove all the way from massachusetts by yourself? yup. that's a heck of a drive. how far are you going? san francisco. ( whistles ) keep your eye on that oil, o.k.?

i will. thanks. good luck! ♪ yeah, where's my baby? ♪ does anybody know? where am i going to sleep tonight? i hope i can find a cheap motel out here. maybe there's something down this road. ♪ where's my baby gone? the sundowner motel. great. ♪ ...she's moving on. oh, no. it's out of business. oh, great. san francisco is still 500 miles away.

heck, i'll drive straight through. no more motels. i'm just going to get there. ( engine runs rough, then stops ) oh, don't tell me. now what am i going to do?

hi. hi! hello. ( cranking dead engine ) do you want to roll down your window? car trouble, huh? look, don't worry about me. i was just taking pictures over there. well, why don't you pop open the hood, and i'll check it out, o.k.? o.k. try it now. ( cranking engine ) o.k., start it up. ow! ooh! are you all right? oh, my god, i am so sorry. do you want to sit down? look, i'm so... oh, god, i'm sorry. let me see. it's not bleeding. it's not your fault, it's o.k. i know it's not my fault, but it's my car and i feel terrible.

i should get this hood fixed. yeah, that's a good idea. look, i'm sorry i scared you. oh, it's o.k. it's just with all the stories you hear, you have to be careful. so, should we try your car one more time? yeah. o.k., start it up. ( cranking enge ) m afraid i don't know what's wrong with your car. it's not getting any gas. it may be the fuel pump. well, now what am i going to do? i see you're from massachusetts. boston? mm-hmm. where are you going? i'm not going anywhere until i get my car fixed. o.k., well, why don't we take my car and, uh, we'll try to find a gas station or at least a pay phone. maybe you could go and i'll just stay here with my car. that's not a good idea. it's late, and everything's going to close soon. well, there has to be a 24-hour place.

this isn't boston. things pretty much close at sundown. well, there's got to be a place around here somewhere. hey, shh. we're in the middle of nowhere. you may have to wait until morning. oh, i don't, i don't... i guess i don't have much choice. so, you should take anything that's valuable. i think your car will be safe, but you never know. my car's just up the road there. my name's alberto. mine's rebecca. nice to meet you. nice to meet you, too. are you a photographer? no, actually i'm an architect. photography's just my hobby. oh, what do you take pictures of? desert, sunsets, shadows, light. ow. what is it? are you o.k.? i'm fine. oh, i can drive if you're not feeling well. really, really, i'm fine.

do you want me to turn the heat on? the desert gets cold at night. oh, no, i'm fine. do you have any idea where we are? yeah, mt. eagle road. what's that over there? looks like a hamburger stand or something. maybe i could make a phone call from there. alberto: hello. yo! hey. hello, we need a phone. we have car trouble. where's she going? i don't know. hello... great! now what?

narrator: now, let's review and discuss the story. rebecca is driving through the desert. she stops at the gas station. something is wrong with her car. her car has no oil and she's having car trouble. two quarts? why so much? i don't know. maybe there's a problem. do you really think there's a problem? i can't tell. i'm not a mechanic. but the owner, he'll be back in about an hour. he's a mechanic. you should check with him. she decides not to wait for a mechanic. she drives away and it's a big, empty space. she comes to the motel, and it's totally deserted. she drives away, and... suddenly, in the middle of the desert, her car breaks down.

oh, don't tell me. now what am i going to do? she doesn't know who's coming. car trouble, huh? look, don't worry about me. i was just taking pictures over there. well, why don't you pop open the hood, and i'll check it out, o.k.? ow! ooh! speaker: she feels very scared, helpless. look, i'm sorry i scared y. oh, it's o.k. it's just with all the stories you hear, you have to be careful. o.k., well, why don't we take my car and, uh, we'll try to find a gas station or at least a pay phone. maybe you could go and i'll just stay here with my car. that's not a good idea. it's late, and everything's going to close soon. well, there has to be a 24-hour place. this isn't boston. things pretty much close at sundown. well, there's got to be a place around here somewhere.

hey, shh. we're in the middle of nowhere. you may have to wait until morning. oh, i don't, i don't... i guess i don't have much choice. speaker: i think rebecca has to be very careful in taking alberto's offer. rebecca has to make an evaluation. she needs to make a clear judgment: "who is this alberto?" i would go with him not because he is attractive-- because i'm by myself there. i would agree. i would go with him, too. maybe because he's attractive, as well. oh, yes. i wouldn't do it. when you are alone in the middle of the desert and your car is not working, and there is nothing else in sight, then you have to take a chance, and in this case, i think she was right to take alberto's offer.

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