Franny Question time. What exactly are you?
I don't know.
Okay. We can rule out genius.
Scenes with Franny
10 scenes Franny Kids these days. No control. Now back in my day...
Franny Oh, here we go with the ancient history lesson. Enough!
Franny Well would you look at that. He loves to run. It's in his heart!
Yeah, but that's still not enough.
Franny You could train him. Then it would be enough.
Let me put it this way, Franny. The legs are too short, the head's too big, he's got about as much chance to race as me. Besides, (walking away) I have go better things to do.
Franny Oh, go fix your hair.
I heard that.
Franny Where are you running off to? You've got a big day tomorrow. You can't go.
I need to make things right with Sandy.
Franny Okay. I understand. But listen, a little advice from an old goat. Relationships are like racing. When you do it for love, you've already won.
Franny There's Sandy.
Yeah, and there's Sir Trenton, all fifteen hundred pounds of him. We'll never get her out of there.
Okay, we can rule out genius. [Franny kicks him] Hey!
Franny Don't make me chew open a can of pony whup.
Save the sweet talk for later.
Franny [Stripes starts giggling] [to Stripes]
Don't pay any attention to him. Listen, he's all whinny and no-bite. I'm Franny, this is Reggie, and Mr. Sensitive here is Tucker.
And that old goat there is an old goat. [the door opens] Uh-oh, it's the Chief.
Franny He can be your student, and you can be his cousin.
I swear, Franny! The more any animal can be funny looking, the more you wanna keep him!
Franny Keep him? But, Tucker, you used to be nice.
Yeah, but I got over it.
Franny Why do you have to be such a horse's [bleating] a-a-a-a-a-ass?
Both
Side by side on my piano keyboard--
Get off me, you stupid flies! Get off!
Man, "Ebony and Ivory" didn't work. That's a first.
Told you we should've rapped.
Franny [to Stripes]
Stripes, you know walking away isn't gonna solve anything.
Not a chance. The Chief will never go for it.
Franny Of course he will. Just like somebody else I know. He just needs a little push.
Franny Take it easy on him.
[to Goose, as Franny munches on some hay]
Tucker doesn't understand. He didn't even know that I was a zebra. He doesn't get it. What's he ever done?
Now, let me tell you somethin', kid. I've made a few claims about ponies. This guy's all hair, and no brains.
Franny [to Stripes]
That's just about enough out of you, young colt. [to Goose] And, Goose, BANG!
AAAGH! Hit the hay!
Franny [Goose falls onto a pile of hay] [to Stripes]
Come here. [to herself] These people think they know everything. You tell somebody something, they get an attitude.
[Goose pops his head from the hay, with strands of hay on his crest feathers]
Hey, I didn't know that goat was packed.
Franny [Franny leads stripes to a desk with photos on it]
Come up here. I want you to take a look up there. You tell me what you see.
Franny No. Look closer.
[Stripes turns his focus to the left most photo, and his anger softens to shock]
That's Sir Trenton!
Franny And who else?
Tucker!
Franny That's right - Tucker. He trained Sir Trenton. He and the Chief trained all the winners, and not one of them ever... EVER... thanked him.
How come he never said anything?
Franny Because to him, actions speak louder than words. He believes in you, and you're gonna have to believe in him too.
[For the first time, Stripes feels ashamed of his behavior as he continues looking at the photo. Hours later, elsewhere, Tucker is standing on the hill overlooking the raceway, when Stripes walks up to him]
I'm sorry for the way I've been acting. I'm the last one who should be name calling.
Come on, look at me kid; when you got legs shorter than a sheepdog, you get used to being made fun of. I can relate.
[sighs]
It's just... ah... I'm not really a racehorse. I'm a... [sighs again].. I'm a zebra.
So what? To me, you're just a horse with stripes who needs an attitude adjustment.
Tucker, you don't really think I have what it takes, do you?
Listen to me, kid; you're right. You don't have the strength or natural ability of one of the thoroughbreds..
.. but have got more heart than all of them put together.
But the gate.. I freeze up. It keeps me from running. I don't know what it is; I-I can't do it.
Look, most horses are afriad of the gate at first. It's perfectly normal, but they get over it - you will too. You just keep running, okay? And let the chief worry about the gate; he knows what he's doing.
[Stripes takes a moment to consider]
Oh, that's just great. The race is in four hours.
Franny Well, uh, he went out last night, he said he was gonna go find Sandy, and he...
And, well, Miss Softy, you just let him go, didn't you? [to Goose] Goose, time to earn your keep.
I'm on it.
Other characters in Racing Stripes
More Whoopi Goldberg characters
Deloris Van Cartier
Shenzi
Fantasy
Oda Mae Brown
Rose Schwartz
Vera Baker
Valerie Owens
Ranger Margaret