Smart Guy (TV Series)
Trial and Error (1997)
Tahj Mowry: T.J. Henderson
Photos
Quotes
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T.J. Henderson : You stated you found glycerol and potassium permanganate both on your gradebook and on your desk?
Mr. Bringleman : Yes.
T.J. Henderson : When I analyzed the book, I wasn't able to find either chemical. Do you think if we sent them to an independent lab, they'd be able to find them?
Mr. Bringleman : I don't have the slightest idea.
T.J. Henderson : Well, I suppose we can take your word for it. After all, you teach four sections of chemistry.
Mr. Bringleman : Back to back.
T.J. Henderson : Sounds stressful. I bet after four straight hours of teaching thickheads like Mo Tibbs, you've certainly earned yourself a break.
Mr. Bringleman : Yes, I'd say so.
T.J. Henderson : And when you take a breather, you like to visit the wide open spaces of Marlboro country, isn't that right? Isn't it true every day after fourth period, you step outside the school building and smoke a cigarette?
Mr. Bringleman : It's not illegal.
T.J. Henderson : But it's yucky. And on the day of the fire you weren't able to get your smoke because Principal Whitfield asked you to take over Mr. Bell's fifth period class, isn't that right?
Mr. Bringleman : I don't remember.
Principal Whitfield : Oh, I do. I remember. That's correct, T.J. Go on.
T.J. Henderson : And after four tough classes, the tobacco monkey on your back was going, "Eee! Eee! Eee!" So, by seventh period you were desperate. So desperate in fact that you lit a cigarette in your own classroom.
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Floyd Henderson : So, you really think Mo didn't do it?
T.J. Henderson : I'm sure! 'Cause I have the wide-eyed innocence of a child.
[Floyd stares at T.J]
T.J. Henderson : Don't ask. It's a long story and it ends with Mo being nude in the garage,
Floyd Henderson : And so many stories do.
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T.J. Henderson : I found charcoal and nicotine residue on your burnt gradebook. So, it wasn't Mo Tibbs that set the lab on fire. It was your cigarette left carelessly burning on the desk. Wasn't it?
Mr. Bringleman : No!
T.J. Henderson : Wasn't it?
Mr. Bringleman : No!
T.J. Henderson : Wasn't it?
Mr. Bringleman : No!
T.J. Henderson : Wasn't it?
Mr. Bringleman : No! Don't you get tired of this?
T.J. Henderson : I'm ten-years old. This is what I do. It was your cigarette, wasn't it?
Mr. Bringleman : No!
T.J. Henderson : Wasn't it?
Mr. Bringleman : No!
T.J. Henderson : Wasn't it? Wasn't it? Wasn't it?
Mr. Bringleman : No! No! Yes!
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Tasha Yvette Henderson : We finally got a chance to rehearse the play now that the trial is over with.
T.J. Henderson : It's not over with yet.
Tasha Yvette Henderson : Well, Bringleman certainly thinks so. I saw him standing in the parking lot, humming "Don't Worry Be Happy" and chain smoking Lucky's.
T.J. Henderson : He was smoking?
Floyd Henderson : He was humming "Don't Worry Be Happy"?
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Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : What are people at school saying about me? Everybody knows I'm innocent, right?
T.J. Henderson : Not everybody. More like nobody.
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : You believe me don't you? You *have* to believe me.
T.J. Henderson : Why?
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : 'Cause you have the wide-eyed innocence of a child. Kids can always see the truth.
T.J. Henderson : Since when?
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : Since always! Like in that Frankenstein movie. That little girl in the woods? She was the only one who knew that Frankenstein was sweet and innocent. She gave him a flower.
T.J. Henderson : Then he killed her and threw her in the lake.
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : Okay. But what about that baseball guy, Shoeless Joe? They accused him of throwing the World Series but that little kid believed in him. He looked up and said, "Say it ain't so, Joe."
T.J. Henderson : But it was so and they banned him from baseball!
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : I'm gonna need you to bend on some these man! All right, all right. This one's an alternate since you done shot everything else down. Emperor's New Clothes?
T.J. Henderson : [Intrigued] Go on.
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : All right! Now, the only one who could see that the emperor wasn't wearing any clothes, that he was naked, was that little kid.
T.J. Henderson : Actually that one works.
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : Well then look at me man. I'm not wearing any clothes.
T.J. Henderson : [T.J. stares at Mo for a long time] Oh my gosh! You really didn't do it!
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : No!
T.J. Henderson : You really are telling the truth!
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : That's right but no one believes me!
T.J. Henderson : I believe you.
Morris L. 'Mo' Tibbs : Aw, what do you know? You're just a little kid!