Guest
A masked boy goes in through Punky’s window and steals her jewelry box, prompting her to follow in pursuit as that was the last possession of hers that was owned by her mother. The trail ends at an abandoned house, when the boy, T.C. Finestra (Billy Lombardo), unmasks and presents his findings to an older street thug who calls himself Blade (James LeGros). Blade takes care of T.C. — but only if T.C. steals things for him. Blade opens Punky’s jewelry box, only to discover school supplies and a few trinkets, and angrily remarks to T.C. how hard he works to provide for him, and that he’d better get his act together by stealing more expensive items, and then Blade stomps off. Punky, who has gotten her jewelry box back, feels for T.C. and invites him back for supper at her place, where Henry decides that T.C. should go to Fenster Hall. Henry gives T.C an ultimatum: either he can be dragged out kicking & screaming or he can accompany Henry in a civilized manner, but either way he is headed to Fenster Hall, prompting T.C. to be cooperative with Henry and Punky. Mike Fulton, Fenster Hall’s head caseworker for boys, is helpful, but T.C. tires quickly of Fenster Hall, so he escapes and goes back to Blade. Blade smugly praises T.C. for fleeing Fenster Hall and remarks that he is returning. When T.C. is perplexed that Blade actually wants T.C. back there, Blade says it is because he knows Fenster Hall has advertised an upcoming auction, presenting the chance for a juicy larceny. T.C. returns to Fenster Hall to begin the plan to steal the money. T.C. still isn’t much for the place, merely planning to do the job and get out, and the other boys remark how his attitude stinks. Mike, who has been trying to keep the peace, manages to get the group calm enough to get T.C. to talk. T.C. opens up to Mike, and gives up his tough guy act. T.C. tells Mike and the others that his mother died when he was born, and his father descended into alcoholism, drug abuse and constantly shouting at T.C. for “killing“ Mrs. Finestra. Mike tells T.C. that Mr. Finestra was wrong to blame him for his mother’s death. There were worse problems, T.C. had lived in a trailer park and his father drifted from one menial job to another, constantly proving an unreliable employee and poor breadwinner. One day, T.C. came home from school to find an empty spot where his trailer once stood, with no sign of his home, or his father, causing T.C. to break down in tears. Mike says that it is grueling for a young boy to deal with, but attacking others or blaming himself for his father’s misdeeds is unhealthy. Later, the auction starts, and Betty and Henry bid against each other for the birdhouse that T.C. made. After the auction, T.C. steals the metal cash box, ready to give it to Blade. However, when alone, T.C. thinks to himself how immoral it is, and realizes that Fenster Hall cares more about him than Blade. Blade unexpectedly shows up at Fenster Hall to get the money from T.C., who begs Blade that he will go back with him and steal, but to leave Fenster Hall alone. Blade gets into a tirade about how he cared for T.C. when no else would, causing T.C. to retort that is a lie; Mike cares about T.C., while Blade guilt-tripped T.C. into committing robberies. Mike appears, saying Blade can have the money but not T.C., and Blade attacks Mike with his knife. Mike defends himself and Blade retreats with the cashbox, but not before giving Mike a gash. T.C., impressed that Mike put himself in harm’s way for T.C., says that he will try to follow Mike’s ways from now on. The kids are glad that T.C. is OK, not caring about the stolen cashbox. T.C. appreciates it, but says that he removed the cash from the box before Blade showed up, and Fenster Hall cheers. Later, Punky tells Henry that the police arrested Blade at the hospital, where Blade was being treated for a broken toe—Blade opened the box, and when he saw that there was nothing in the box, he got so angry that he threw it down, and it hit his toe.
