20x03 - Mr. George Baker

[bunniefuu]

♪ Butterfly in the sky

♪ I can go twice as high

♪ Take a look

♪ It's in a book

♪ A reading rainbow

♪ I can go anywhere

♪ Friends to know
and ways to grow ♪

♪ A reading rainbow

♪ I can be anything

♪ Take a look,
it's in a book ♪

♪ A reading rainbow

♪ Reading rainbow

♪ Ooh

Hi. Aren't human beings amazing?

I mean, look at all
the fun and interesting
things we know how to do,

And what's most impressive
is that every single one
of these skills was learned.

Once you know how
to do something,
it seems easy,

But getting there,
or getting good,

Is always a real challenge.

Nice. Thank you.
Ha ha ha!

Just because a thing
is difficult

Doesn't mean
you shouldn't learn it.

In fact, according
to mr. George baker,

You shouldn't let anything
stand in your way,

Not even years.

His story is in this book
called "mr. George baker."

[Man imitating drums]

Man: "mr. George baker,"
written by amy hest,

Illustrated by jon j. Muth,

Read by wayne brady.

Brady: see this man,
this one here
sitting on the porch?

Ha. That's mr. George baker,

And he's years old.
No kidding!

"Hurry up, harry,
mr. Harry in charge."

That's george all snappy
and happy in the morning.

He always calls,

"Hurry up, harry,"

When I'm crossing lawns,
his and mine,

And he's always there first,
waiting on the porch.

See this man,
this one here,

Zipping up his book bag?

His book bag is red like mine,
and there's a book inside,

But george can't read.

Wow.

Years old,
and he never learned how.

"Hmm. That must be corrected,"
says george.

I really like his sweater,
all hangy with buttons.

It's chilly in the morning,
and we both hug our knees

And wait.

[Humming]

We wait, watching leaves
blow off trees.

They fly for a while,
they float,

They tumble for a while,

They swoop.

Now the screen door creaks...

[Imitates creaking]

And you know who
teeters out?

Mrs. Baker.

And some people say she's .

"Well, here you are, harry,
looking after my george."

Mrs. Baker puts a sack
on the step beside george,

And there's lunch
in the sack for later.

"For the man I love,
says mrs. Baker.

[Kiss]

"Ha ha ha!

Why, mrs. B, you flatter me."

George gets up,
all crookedy and slow,

And the next thing you know,
they're dancing.

Ha ha ha!

[Imitating drums]

Then mrs. Baker gives
a wave and a wink.

"Good-bye," she says.

"Be good," she says

And goes on back in the house
with purple shutters.

[Door creaks and shuts]

George baker and me--
heh heh heh--

George baker and i,

We sit on the step and wait.

[Humming]

Side by side, we wait.

See these
crookedy fingers going...

♪ Ta-tap-a-tap-a-tap-tee

On his knees?

They fly across his knees.

[Imitating drums]

George baker is a drummer man,

And some people say he's famous.

[Imitating drums]

"Shh. Listen."

George gets up real slow.

I take his hand,
and he takes mine,

And we shuffle down the walk
to the big school bus.

Vroom.

[Hisses]

"Morning," says the driver.

"Huh. We've been waiting,
answers george.

There are kids on the bus
plus grownups on the bus.

They all want george.

"Over here," they cry.

"Sit here," they say.

Uh-uh-uh.

But george sits with me
each and every day.

See this man,
this one in room ?

That's mr. George baker,

And he's years old.
No kidding.

He's learning to read
with the grownups in room ,

And my room is
right down the hall.

I'm learning, too,

And it's hard.

"We can do it,"
says george after school.

Our books are green,
and his lips sound out
the letters real slow,

But his fingers fly
across his knees
like a big old drum.

[Drums playing]

[Imitating drums]

Mr. George baker,
the famous tappety-boom drummer,

Wasn't really years old.

Nope, not at all.

He was years young.

He viewed every day of his life
as a new beginning.

His age didn't matter.
His determination did.

People are never
too old to learn.

In fact, some people,
like mr. George baker,

Make learning
a lifelong adventure

That keeps them young
and kicking.

[Blues music playing]

Burton: meet the steppers,

A dance group of seniors
between the ages of
and years old.

Oh, no. We're
just gonna do our
exercises right now, ok?

Burton: their leader is
barbara taylor,

A former school principal
and lifelong dancer.

I think that what
we will do is--

Because that ending
is important.

Taylor, voice-over:
I'm barbara taylor,

And I'm .
I'm gonna be
new year's day.

[Blues music playing]

Burton: many of the steppers
had never danced

Before joining the group,

But they wanted to learn
something new.

Taylor, voice-over:
I got involved with the steppers

By invitation of the founder.

I went there in ,
and I've been there ever since.

They didn't let me go.
Ha ha ha!

A little bit lower.

Taylor, voice-over:
I think in many ways
that dancing movement

Is life-giving.

Woman, voice-over:
it makes you get up
in the morning,

Take your shower,
fix your hair,
fix your nails,

Put on your stuff,
and get out and present
yourself to the world.

Taylor: and go.

Taylor, voice-over: they find
that they can use muscles

That they didn't think
they could use anymore.

Taylor: I want
your faces so you have
a little smile.

Woman, voice-over: I became
part of the steppers
the year my husband d*ed.

It gave me, I can't tell you,
how much joy and love

And, um, gave me a life.

Good to see you.

Woman, voice-over:
we all love each other,

And we learn from one another.

Taylor: I'm watching you now.

Got it?

[Blues music playing]

Taylor, voice-over:
I'm watching for the timing,

I'm watching
for their movement,

Ways that we can improve,
especially according

To the particular dance
that we're doing.

Let your hands
relax at first, not...

Taylor, voice-over:
we may be women with years,

But we can gain a measure
of affection, so to speak.

You know what?
You lost the--
I think you lost...

Taylor, voice-over:
when I'm doing choreography

And trying to come up
with something new,

I play the music a lot,

And I may be playing the music

While I'm in the kitchen cooking

And dreaming up what
I'm gonna do to it.

And then I'll go in
and concentrate

On putting movement
to the music.

Thinks we're gonna
run out of music.

Woman, voice-over:
oh, the rehearsals.

That's where you really learn

Something maybe
you did not know.

Well, let's--shall we
try that one again?

Is that--let's try
that one again.

Go back and come out.

Come on.

One. One!

Woman, voice-over:
we have to do it

Over and over
and over and over.

You know,
do you want me to sink?

♪ Do do

Woman, voice-over:
we don't remember, as well,

And, you know, it can be
a dance we've done times.

If we don't practice it,
i, personally,

Will forget a little bit.

Taylor: and you get
on the back row
so you can see.

We're leaving out
a whole movement,

But you'll get
the rhythm, I think.

Burton: even seniors
who are disabled

Are included in the steppers.

Taylor, voice-over:
evelyn has been an inspiration

To all of us.

She is game to get up
and try anything.

Oh, boy.

Taylor, voice-over: the women
have gone through working

With some brand-new music
a couple of times,

And we're getting ready
to do it as a final run.

All right, ladies.

We're gonna put
evelyn on the back
row for this time.

Taylor, voice-over:
and I didn't know whether
she was gonna be able

To catch on that quickly.

She got up there
just like a real trooper,

And I was just--
I felt like doing a shout
in the middle of the floor.

Taylor: yeah. She got it.

Looking good!

Let me see your smiles.

You better go on up.

Go up, gloria,
that way.

Evelyn goes
at the end going off.

Go ahead, evelyn.

No. No. You have to do
more of that.

Ha ha ha!
Ha ha ha!

Taylor, voice-over:
all the things that people say
about old people can't learn,

They just didn't meet
the steppers.

Woman, voice-over:
you've got -year-old people

And -year-old,
and a lot of them are .

Oh. It's been marvelous,
marvelous.

Woman: back, it's
a back facing.
Much better.

Taylor, voice-over:
it's just a joy to see

How so many of the women
have developed.

Woman: oh.
Isn't she cute?

And I don't mean
just developed as dancers

But developed as people.

They are more caring
for one another.

I love this one.

All right!

Taylor, voice-over:
a certain amount

Of community has been built.

[Women laughing]

Woman: that's
a weird-looking--

That is some kind--
well, it's unusual.

It is, it is.

The performance
will be friday, july .

Taylor, voice-over:
when we get together
and really do a great show,

We come away thrilled.

The first number's
"every day."

So you're leading in
on one line.

Willa, voice-over:
oh, I love it.

It's just like
academy award night...for me.

I don't know
about nobody else,

But I am at my best.

If you turn on the music,

Put me in the spotlight,
I will perform for you period.

Taylor: hit it, maestro.

[Blues music playing]

Taylor: the audience
gives us a real lift.

We have audiences
that just make you dance,

They are so appreciative
of what you're giving.

[Audience laughing]

Janice: I just feel
good and great

When I can get up
and get before an audience

And just let it rip.

[Pop music playing]

I feel that I'm bringing
some joy and happiness

To somebody else.

[Cheering and applause]

Taylor, voice-over:
I'm a great-grandmother,

And I want
my great-grandchildren to know

That as long as we live
we can still learn,
develop, and grow.

You know, now that I
think about it,

There are a lot of things
that I haven't learned

That I'd still like
to know how to do

Like learn italian
or tap dance

Or even take t'ai chi.

I've always wanted to learn
how to take t'ai chi.

How about you?

Is there anything that you'd
still like to learn?

I really want to learn
how to scuba dive

Because I think
it would be cool

To, like, go underwater

And be able to breathe
and see all the fish.

Like a doctor would,
I'd like to do surgery.

How to make
new inventions

So the world
would be better.

I'm tough because
I have brothers,

And I want to learn
how to play football.

I'd like to learn
how to build a car.

How to sail.

Skydiving.

Play the piano.

I wanted to learn
baseball.

I want to be
really good at math.

Play the piano,
but I don't know

If it's too late now
or not,

But as long as
there's life,
there's hope, right?

Learn how to act.

I'd love to
captain a ship.

I'd like to drive a car.

Learn how
to love more.

I would like to learn
how to do cool yoyo tricks.

I want to
learn how to do gymnastics

So I can go
to the olympics.

I'd like to go in orbit
around the earth. Ha ha ha!

No matter what it is
you set out to learn,

It helps to have
a good teacher,

And the best teachers
are those with lots
of experience.

Now that usually means
someone who's older,

Someone who's done it
him or herself lots of times

And is ready to pass on
their knowledge

To someone like me or you.

Shake it...

And lay it down.

Burton: when alfie lepore
was a child,

His father taught him
how to bake.

Now alfie's the teacher
passing his knowledge

On to his grandchildren.

Lepore: yours is gonna
come out much quicker.

You can tell
because you can feel

The pastry bag
in your hand.

Alfie's family
has been baking
for generations.

For years,
they've owned ferrara's bakery

In the heart of new york city's
little italy.

Lepore: we've been
a family business

At the same location

Since .

I am a direct descendant
and third generation.

There is now my nephew
and my daughter behind me,

And then they've got
a group of little ones.

Burton: alfie's daughter
gabriela started working
here as a little girl.

What time's
the second shift
come in?

Gabriela, voice-over:
it's all one big family job.

Whatever needs to get done
gets taken care of.

Burton: everyone in the family
participates in the business,

Including the kids,
and they start very young.

When you come
to ferrara's the first time,

It probably seems
a little bit busy.

In the back is the bakery,

And they make all the pastries.

Burton: ernest, alfie's nephew,
is in charge of the kitchens.

He bakes everything
in the ferrara tradition.

Man: this is
a family recipe.

My mother worked on this
for many years at home,

Coming up with the recipe,

And we were guinea pigs
for many years, tasting.

She was in search of making
the perfect new york cheesecake.

I find it very hard

Telling the difference
between the ferrara cheesecake

Made at ferrara

And the cheesecake
made in my mother's house.

Delicious.

[Speaks italian]

You got to just
try to stay

Even with the top
of the tart
just going around.

Burton: alfie loves to share
the skills he's learned
with this grandchildren,

And they eagerly devour
whatever he says,

As well as the pastries.

Gonna get
any fruit?

You can start
with the kiwi

Right in the center.

Gabriela: my father
teaches these kids the basics,

You know, consistency,
quality, presentation,

Let it always be the same.

These go into
the display case long ways,

So you want them
to face so the customer
can see them.

Oh.

Let's see you do it.

Gabriela: to see my father
in the bakeshop with my kids,

Putting that last touch on it
and being proud to put it

In the pastry cup
and bring it out,

He gets so excited to see
that this business could survive

Another , , years.

How do they look?

They look good enough
to eat to me.

Do they look
good enough to buy?

Yes.
Yes.

That's what's important

Because we're here
not only to eat,
we're here to sell.

Lepore, voice-over:
I would love to see
my daughter's children

Follow in this business.

I don't know
how likely that is.

You're talking going deep
into fifth generation.

You'll be at years
at least by that time.

And he's gonna
pull it down once,
twice, times,

Ernest, voice-over:
he loves to be with children,

And he gets to interact
with them,

And he shows them that,
"yes, I'm going to work,

But I do something
that I love to do."

Drop with your left,
pick up with your right.

Ernest: and when he
makes work fun,

The kids understand
work should be fun.

Lepore: this way,
one hand

Always is clean.

Girl: it's nice when we see him.

Like, we never knew how
to do those and what they were.

We, like,
dunked them
in the chocolate

And then just
put them in
and designed them,

And we didn't know
how to do those.

You can stay higher.
That's it.

That's it.

Ok. Here's how
we fill it.

I'm gonna reach over
and show you
on a larger one.

You go in,
and you squeeze.

Move the bag out
and the shell out
the opposite way.

Try it with this bag.

Here. Let this sit.

That's probably stuck...

Right in the mouth.

That's great.
That one's great.

Burton: learning
the family business

Means more than just baking.

It also means eating.

The kids get to test lots
of different recipes

And help decide
on new flavors.

We have a new gelati here.

It's called...

[Speaks italian]

What do you like
about it?

I like it because
you get a little
bit of chocolate

And a little bit
of vanilla.

Raise your hand
if you think we should
keep both flavors.

What?

You like those?

Lepore, voice-over:
my dad always told us,

"If a child did not eat it,

"Don't bother making it

"Because it will never
be a success

If a child doesn't like it."

Girl: how could she
live here?

Ernest: with any family

That's been doing something
for years

And always manages to find
the next person,

The next generation who takes up
and carries the torch,

I'm very proud of that.

You're gonna take
your fingers in it.

Burton: it looks like
the ferrara family

Will be making sweet treats
for other families

For the next years.

Girl: I think I will
want to work here one day.

Do you like
coming down?

Yes! Very much.

Because I'm already
working here a little bit.

Ha ha!

How about you, george?

Splat! Yeah!

This is wonderful.

You know, of all the skills
you'll ever learn

The most useful
is probably reading.

It takes a lot of time,
determination,

And a lot of hard work,
but once you know how,

It's your ticket to knowledge.

So here are books
that will make you glad
that you learned how to read,

But you don't have to take
my word for it.

Hi. My name is brandon bennett.

Did you ever read
"the music in derrick's heart"?

Well, I did.

The first part is when
derrick saw slim percing

Bobbing his head side to side.

It was uncle booker t.

He practiced the harmonica
with derrick.

He gave derrick the harmonica.

Every time he practiced,
he said, "do I have
the feeling now?"

Uncle booker t. Said,
"slow down."

One day, uncle booker t.'S
hand grew weary,

And he had arthritis.

It was painful.

Derrick knew what would
cheer up his uncle.

He played soft and smooth.

Then uncle booker t. Said,

"Yes, you've got it.
It's perfect, it's perfect."

The best part in the book
was when derrick had got
the feel of the harmonica.

On a scale of to ,
I rate this book a .

I'm joshua,

And I just finished reading
"grandfather counts."

It starts by the grandfather
coming from china

To visit his family.

He starts talking
to the family in chinese,

But they don't understand
what he's saying.

They can't communicate.
They feel kind of sad.

When they could
communicate more,

Well, I think they were
really happy.

This book was fantastic.

It was very interesting.

It encouraged me to communicate
with my grandma better

Because she could only
speak russian.

I think this is
a very good book,

And the end might be
very surprising.

Hi. I'm emma,
and I just read the book

"A bird about to sing."

It's about this girl
named natalie,

And she loved to write poetry,
but she didn't feel

That she could read it
to anyone.

One day, her teacher
brought her to a poetry reading,

And everyone read their poems,

But when it was her turn,
she stood there,

And she couldn't do it.

On the way home on the bus,

She whispered to her teacher

That she wanted
to read her poem,

And when she was done with it,

She figured out
that everyone else on the bus

Was from the poetry reading,
and they listened to her.

After that, she felt like
she could read it
to people then.

The author really showed
how natalie felt about her fear.

She was like a bird
that lost her voice,

And when she read her poems,

It was like she got
her voice back.

So that's why it's called
"a bird about to sing."

If you were to read
one book this year,

This would be
a very good one to read.

When you're a kid,
it's hard to imagine

That you'll ever grow up
and get old.

Ha ha ha! But you got to
trust me on this one.

You will.

Besides, it's not
how many years you live.

It's how many years you learn.

You see, there's always
something new to discover
whether you're or ,

So why not learn
to make learning

A part of your life, hmm?

I'll see you next time.

[Blues music playing]