Arlene I got to take a shower.
What?
Arlene I smell horrible.
No you don't! You smell like a rose or something.
Arlene Are you sure?
Yeah, yeah, I'm sure.
Played by Helen Hunt 
Pay It Forward (2000) · 31 quotes
Pay It Forward (2000) · 31 quotes
Tied for most-quoted character in Pay It Forward (2000): in 13 of its 31 quotes
Most scenes with: Eugene (7), Trevor McKenney (2)
, so I'm just gonna tell you the truth. [A beat.] I have a problem. [A beat.] I have a really bad problem. I gotta stop. [A beat.]
Scenes with Arlene McKinney
12 scenes Arlene Arlene Arlene Arlene Sit down, I want to talk to you.
You want to lie to me.
Arlene Jesus, you are really somethin'.
Thanks. I appreciate the euphemism. I always wanted to be somethin'.
Jerry
You ever been on the street?
Arlene My mom took us pretty close.
Jerry
Well, you can't know. Not until you look at a dumpster. But when you climb into that thing for the first time and you pull those newspapers over you, that's when you know you've messed your life up. Somebody comes along like your son, and gives me a leg up, I'll take it. Even from a kid, I'll take it.
OK. You know, I'm going to have to consult my spirit guides here, because you tell me that Trevor is withholding from you, but you won't tell me anything specific and you still want me to sit here and divine why.
Arlene Divine why? You always talk like that?
Yes.
Arlene You go to some big, fancy school?
Yes.
Arlene Think you can stop rubbing my nose in it?
Arlene McKinney Mr. Simonet?
Yes, I'm Eugene . . .
Arlene McKinney Hello.
Hello. [A beat.]
Arlene McKinney What is this assignment?
'Scuse me?
Arlene McKinney What did you tell my son to make him bring a homeless man into my house? [A beat.]
Uh, I have two problems. One, I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about and two, I don't know who you are.
Arlene McKinney Arlene McKinney. My boy is in your social studies class. Trevor.
Trevor. He's very attentive. He's very, uh, exigent, which I like. [A beat. He notices some confusion on Arlene's face.] Exigent. It's challenging, testing -
Arlene McKinney I know what it means. Would you like to tell me why my kid brought a bum into my house?
I have no idea.
Arlene McKinney Bullshit.
Mrs. McKinney, I don't know how your son interpreted the assignment.
Arlene McKinney How do you think he interpreted it? [A beat.]
Well, I don't know. My suggestion to you is if you wanna know, why don't you go home and talk to your son?
Arlene McKinney Hey! I talked to him.
Really? Then, why did you come all the way down here to ask me what the assignment is? [A beat. He points to the board.] It's not a state secret. [A beat.]
Arlene McKinney Yeah? And? [A beat.]
It's an assignment I give out at the beginning of every year to inspire. I don't expect them to actually change the world.
Arlene McKinney You don't expect them to change the -
Excuse me. It's to get them to think, not walk on water. It's a very good assignment.
Arlene McKinney You give them an assignment you don't think they can do? What kinda teacher are you?
I didn't say that. You know, they make attempts. Every now and then, they clean up a little graffiti before they lose interest -
Arlene McKinney Hey! This is my kid. You don't know him. [A beat.] You tell him he can do something, and he's gonna believe you. And when he can't, it's gonna wipe him out. They oughta fire your ass outta here right now.
Well, they probably won't do that because I fill a very excellent quota. I'm just this side of parking in the blue zone.
Arlene McKinney Oh, so you think you can do whatever you want just 'cause your face is messed up? [A beat.]
Mrs. McKinney, why don't you put down in writing your little and loud complaints, and I'll make sure they get put in the suggestion box. [A beat.]
Arlene McKinney Jesus. You are really somethin'.
Thanks. I appreciate the euphemism. I always wanted to be somethin'.
Arlene McKinney I gotta take a shower.
No. What?
Arlene McKinney I smell horrible.
No you don't. No, you smell good. You smell like, uh, roses or something.
Arlene McKinney Let me just wash under my arms really quick -
Arlene McKinney [Trevor puts deodorant under Arlene's arms for her.]
Are you sure?
Yeah, yeah, I'm sure.
Arlene McKinney Do you look down on me?
What?
Arlene McKinney Do you look down on me?
No.
Arlene McKinney 'Cause I don't talk like you. I haven't read the stuff you read.
What are you talking about? That's not pertinent, and you know it.
Arlene McKinney Don't talk to me like that!
Well, I'm sorry, but that's the way I talk, you know. Words are all I have.
Arlene McKinney Why? Why? 'Cause you think you look like shit? Is that it? I don't care about your burns, Eugene, if that's even what they are. Is that what they are?
Yes.
Arlene McKinney Okay, well, whatever happened to you, you look good to me. [A beat.]
You look good to me, too.
Arlene McKinney Okay. So? [A beat.]
So, I've never been here before. [A beat.]
Arlene McKinney Okay. So, you're scared. I'm scared, too. Listen. Bad things have happened to me, okay? I can't take my shirt off with a guy without five beers in me, but I want that with you. More than I'm scared, I want that.
[Eugene walks away from Arlene and turns to try saying something to her. He then turns off the music on his stereo. A beat.]
You don't see me. [A beat.] All right? My life . . . my life is familiar. My life is . . . it's manageable. It's manageable. Everyday . . . I have a thing I do everyday. It's all I've ever known. And it's a routine and as long as I have that, as long as I have that, I'm okay. I'm okay. If I don't have it, I'm lost.
Arlene McKinney So, is that all you want? Your goddamn manageable day?
It's what I have.
Arlene McKinney No, it isn't.
It is what I've always had.
Arlene McKinney Is it what you want?
Yes, it's what I want!
Arlene McKinney I don't believe you.
Arlene McKinney [She tries kissing Eugene, but he rejects her advances. A beat.]
Okay. If that's the best I got.
Arlene McKinney Yes, it is! Something's been offered to you here, and you don't want it! Maybe you're scared to get rejected. Well, I can't reject you! You're too quick for me!
[Eugene Simonet, having just spent the night with Arlene McKinney, goes to the bathroom, only to accidentally walk in on Trevor McKinney flushing the toilet. Eugene gasps.]
Trevor!
It worked!
Oh, God!
[He runs back to the bedroom, closing the door, but Trevor listens behind the door. Inside the room, Arlene McKinney and Eugene are getting their clothes on.]
Does he always get up this early?
Arlene McKinney What?
Oh my God! This is not good. He just saw me.
Arlene McKinney It's okay.
It's not. I'm his teacher.
Now, you have to pay it forward, too! Eugene?
[He gets his stuff and heads to the door, Arlene walking behind.]
You had a sleepover, didn't you?
Why don't you go back to bed?
Why?
It's too early for you to be up, and I've got to get to school anyway.
No, it's not. It's no early. No, it's a Sunday.
It's a Sunday?
Yeah.
Arlene McKinney It's a Sunday.
So, stay. So, stay. My mom will make you breakfast. She makes great eggs.
No, I can't. You don't understand. I have a whole schedule that you don't know about. And I do it every Sunday, and now, it's all gone cuckoo-ey.
Well, all right. We'll bring everything here. Come on.
[Eugene steps out the door.] [to Arlene McKinney]
Will you please take care of him. I'll call you later, all right.
Arlene McKinney All right.
Bye.
Arlene McKinney My God, Trevor!
You like him?
Arlene McKinney I want you to understand.
Oh, it's not necessary. Really. No explanation required.
Arlene McKinney Wait. Please don't talk to me like that. We had 13 years in, Eugene. He's sober now. We've never been sober together.
Well, I wish you luck.
Arlene McKinney I - I feel like I gotta give him a chance.
A chance. A chance for what?
Arlene McKinney To change. To try to make up for lost time.
Oh, what? To take Trevor to some ball games? Do some real daddy things with him?
Arlene McKinney Yeah. He promised to try. What do you want me to do?
Oh, I don't know. Be smart.
Arlene McKinney He's his father, Eugene.
He impregnated you, Arlene. In what other way has he been a father to Trevor? Unless knocking somebody around is a new family value.
Arlene McKinney What are you talking about? He never touched Trevor.
Oh, that's right. Only you. He only took it out on you. That's so much better. [A beat.]
Arlene McKinney What did Trevor tell you?
Enough. [A beat.] Christ, Arlene, secrets like that shouldn't be kept. What good does it do Trevor?
Arlene McKinney You weren't there. Ricky never meant to hit me. We were drunk.
Christ! What is it with women like you? Is that really something you tell yourself? "Oh, it's okay. He beat me. Trevor's okay"? Trevor has locked himself in a bathroom, and he can't breathe, and he's - and he's hoping and praying that it will stop!
Arlene McKinney Trevor never went through that.
How do you know what Trevor went through? How do you know? How do you know the next time, after you, he doesn't come for Trevor? I know what I'm talking about, Arlene! My father got on his knees and begged my mother, and my mother, she always took him back. I never understood it. She'd cover the bruises and the cuts, and she'd take him back. Because he begged, and he cried. And now, you ask me what happened after he came back.
Arlene McKinney No.
No! Go on! You said you wanted to know what happened to me! Now, ask me!
Arlene McKinney I don't like this.
Did he hurt you, Eugene? Ask me! [A beat.]
Arlene McKinney Did he hurt you?
Not for long. By 13, I was gone. I ran away. But, I missed her. So, I had to go back and see her. And so one night, I did. Now, ask me what happened that night. What happened that night you came back, Eugene?
Arlene McKinney What happened?
He was there. Drunk as usual. Only this time, I wasn't the same. I was 16 years old, and I was no longer afraid of him. And when I looked him in the eye and told him if he ever touched her again, I would kill him, he knew. He knew that he would never exist for me again. [A beat.] And I'm standing in front of the house, I'm telling her, I'm screaming for her to come out. I'm telling her she doesn't have to - she doesn't have to take it anymore. She really doesn't. She can come with me now. I don't even see it coming. He hits me in the side of the head with a two-by-four, and I'm bleeding from my ear. And then he's dragging me. He's dragging me behind the house and into the garage and then he's gone. A minute. Five minutes. I don't know. And then he's back, and he's wetting me down. He's wetting me down, and I don't understand. I don't understand why water should smell so bad. I don't understand. And then I see it. I see . . . this . . . gas can. This red gas can from his truck. [He cries. A beat.] And he looks at me one last time, and he lights a match. [A beat.] And the last thing I remember, and I'll never forget it, were his eyes. His eyes, because they were filled with this . . . immense . . . satisfaction.
Arlene McKinney [Arlene is crying, too. A beat.]
I'm so sorry.
Don't. Don't! Don't! Don't tell me how sorry you are for me! [A beat.] Just tell me how you're going to stop it happening to Trevor!
Arlene McKinney He would never do that.
Oh, Jesus, Arlene. He doesn't have to. All he has to do is not love him.
Arlene McKinney Get out!
Ricky McKinney
[She runs into Trevor McKinney's room and locks the door.]
Huh? You know, I liked you a whole lot better when you had a few drinks in you!
Ricky McKinney
[He pounds the door.]
You want me out of the house? I'm out!
Arlene McKinney [to Trevor McKinney]
Sorry. [A beat.] I think I made a mistake.
Arlene . . . I don't wanna be one of those people he's talking about. And I've become one. I don't wanna spend another second of wasted air. Please don't let me stay trapped in here forever.
Arlene McKinney I won't.
I don't wanna spend another second without you.
