6. The Lottery

Netflix presents Surviving Hawkins, starring Maya Hawke and Sean Maher, written by Lauren Chippen. It's pissed, Mr. Hauser. You think you can hide your true nature, but you can't. I know what you really are. I don't know what you're talking about. I know about the car. About what you get up to. Excuse me? You're not going to get away with it. Whatever you think you know, you are wrong. And I will find out who this is. Not before it's too late. Good morning! Someone finished her math test in record time and was feeling very beneficent, so decided to use her free time to get her favorite English teacher a fresh cookie from the cafeteria. That someone is me. Obviously. And that cookie is for you. Thank you. That's it? No questions about me finishing a math test with ten minutes to spare? You're not going to shower me with praise for using the word beneficent? Yes. Well done. Eat your cookie while it's still hot. Right before lunch is the best time to get them, and I almost never have the chance. Hmm. What's eating you? I mean, I just... Never mind. I'm just tired. Well, chin up. We're almost at the break. Only three and a half more hours. Wow. You didn't even have to look at the clock. You really do want to get out of here, huh? I do. What about teaching being, like, your reason for existence? Even people who love their jobs need a vacation from time to time. Well, some of us will be using our breaks to work more. Picking up shifts at the movie theater? Yep. Need to take advantage of the free time as much as I possibly can. Well, what about... Oh, I don't know. enjoying your holiday break? Sure, I'll do that too. My parents always have this big holiday party with all their weirdo hippie friends, which is usually pretty fun. That does sound fun, actually. A break from the Hawkins monotony. It really is. It's so hard to imagine any of those people existing outside of this one party because they're so unlike anyone else in Indiana. They all have amazing stories and weird kids, and I think it might be the one thing right now that's going to get my parents to relax. Sounds like the holidays might be a good time to float the idea of Europe to your parents. That's what I was thinking too. Especially if I can get my parents' own friends to tell me how much I need to travel and expand my mind or whatever. Then maybe my mom and dad will be more willing to listen. I can rub the hypocrisy right in their face. Use the fact that people they trust, other adults, are totally supportive of my going to Europe. That's smart. Really? No warning against trying to manipulate my parents? No last-minute attempts to get me to give up Operation Croissant for good? I'm tired. Remember? What's going on with you? I know that the morning freshman class can get on your nerves sometimes, but you seem... What? You seem pissed off, to be honest. Well, that's accurate. Mr. Hauser? I told myself I wasn't going to keep talking to you about these things. Robin, did you tell anyone about the ride home I gave you the other week? What? Why? I got another call. Oh. I don't want you to think that you and I have a secret or anything. I really don't want that. Whoever's calling me seems to think that I... That you... Oh, my God, that little snake. Dash, it's Dash. Of course he's the one who's been calling you, threatening you. Dash? I don't know how I didn't see it until just now. He has a free period right before lunch, and he was always warning me off you. He was? Yeah, but I don't... Look, Dash is an idiot. He's judgmental and mean and... And he's been warning you about me? He doesn't like that I've been spending my lunches in here. He thinks... I don't know. Oh, God. I'm gonna kill him. It's one thing to go on and on about you. It's another to directly harass you. Why would you tell him I gave you a ride home if you knew that he felt this way about me? Well, I didn't. Not exactly. I mentioned something about your car, and he made some leaps. And these leaps led him to... To think that you were, like, you know, being inappropriate with me. Right. That's... That's unfortunate. it You seem weirdly calm Well it definitely a problem if not the problem I was expecting What did you tell him exactly I told him that it not like that that you not like that And that's it? That's all you said? You didn't tell him why? Why what? Why I wouldn't. I couldn't be interested in you in that way. Uh, yeah, because it's gross and you're not a creep. Yes, of course, that. But did you tell him about the other reason? What other reason? You don't know. Ah. Mr. Hauser, what's going on? Do you remember the lottery, Robin? What, the short story that you assigned us last week? Uh, yeah, it rings a bell. I have the paper with the black dot. Every town I've ever lived in, I have it. And people are always looking for someone to... Someone to... Stone to death? Not literally. Ideally, but... Yes. So it's very important to me that no one knows I have the black dot. Do you understand? Not really. I thought you knew. About me. And while I know you wouldn't pick up stones, I thought maybe now Dash knew too. But if you didn't know enough to tell him, then... The slip of paper is still safe in my pocket. I have no idea what you're talking about, Mr. Hauser. I know, Robin. I know. Well, want to clue me in? Robin, the night when I came to the theater to see Terms of Endearment... Yeah? Well, I wasn't just seeing a movie. Okay. Wait, does this have to do with the car that you got into? Based on the look on your face right now, I'm guessing that wasn't something I'm supposed to know. Though I probably should have assumed that, given you went out of your way to hide the fact that you were getting into someone else's car. Robin, you better start explaining. Fast. Oh, okay, yeah, so Dash was there, in town, that night, on a date. And he might have been spying on you, and I may have joined in. You what? I saw someone following you, and I got worried, and then it turned out to be Dash, and he was convinced that you were up to no good, which was ridiculous, except that you snuck through an ice cream parlor to get into a car that wasn't yours, which was weird. It was a friend's car. But why meet them in an alley? Why didn't they just pick you up at the theater? They were parked over there, and it was convenient. Okay. But why would you be meeting a friend at 10 o'clock on a school night? Basically nothing in Hawkins is open. Robin, can you think of any reason I might be getting into someone's car at night? A reason that I wouldn't particularly want to talk to a student about. Oh, that kind of friend. Mm-hmm. Right. Right. Cool. I don't get it. You were seeing a movie alone. If you're dating someone, why wouldn't you go with her? I did. That's what I was trying to tell you. I did go with the person I'm dating. But I didn't see you with anyone except... Front Row Center. Dash didn't see who else was in the car, did he? No. No, he definitely still thinks that you... But Mr. Hauser? If so, that means that you're, um... But you... See? I knew you would figure it out eventually. But... Look, Robin, I don't mind you knowing about me. I know you're not going to use it against me, but other people will. So I really need this to stay between you and me. Yeah, of course. I won't tell anyone, I promise. Good. Good. All right. One last secret. Wait, really? Yes. When Barb came to see me, she was doing something kind for me. What do you mean? She knew. About me. Oh. How? She happened to see me. And my friend, he was dropping me off at school early one morning, and Barb happened to be there to study at the library before class. She was always very studious. And she told you what she saw? Yes. She knew that anyone else seeing what she saw might not... She was a good person. And she was doing a good thing by talking to me. And I really, really hope she's okay. Me too. Mr Hauser what are you going to do about Dash Barb was right to try and protect you if Dash talks to someone like another teacher I know People might pick up stones even if they throwing them because of a lie I could try talking to him. No, no, no. I don't think that's a good idea. It should be me. I'm the authority here. Hey, Mr. Hauser? What's the punishment for pulling the fire alarm when there's no fire? Two days suspension. Robin? Robin? Robin, what did you do? I didn't do anything. Dash, who I know for a fact has a free period right now, who is obsessed with his perfect attendance record, pulled the fire alarm. I saw it with my own two eyes. I swear. Ah, there he is. Robin, this is a terrible idea. You have to do what you need to do to survive within the system, right? Well, Dash is the system. Break him and your life gets a lot easier. I don't think I'm supposed to break my students. If you have to leave Hawkins because people start throwing stones, then you don't get to help more people. Isn't that what's important? Mr. Montague. Mr. Houser. Do you have anything to say for yourself? Excuse me? A student saw you pull the fire alarm, Dash. What the hell are you talking about? You know the penalty for this kind of behavior is a two-day suspension, which would be quite a ding for your untarnished record. Now, I know it's the last day of class before winter break, so you might be feeling a little antsy. You're cracked. I didn't pull a fire alarm. Well, I have an eyewitness who saw you pull it. I wonder who Principal Bell is going to believe. What? Who? I swear I didn't. You know, maybe if you focused less on making phone calls in your free period and more on your schoolwork, I could trust that you're telling the truth. You think you could stop messing around with the phones? Yeah. Yeah. Okay, I'll stop. I promise. Great. Great, then. I guess my eyewitness must have been mistaken. Have a wonderful holiday, Mr. Montague. Robin, what the hell did you do? I don't know what you're talking about, Dash. If you try to mess with me, I swear to God, I... You'll what, Dash? Start a rumor about me? You go after my favorite teacher again, and I promise you, you will find out just how vicious the Hawkins rumor mill can be. Everything okay? Oui, très bien. Good. Thank you. Anytime. I would love if we never repeated any part of this particular experience. All clear. Hey, Watson. Sorry. Hey, Mr. Houser. Mr. Harrington. Super stoked to read Hamlet over the holiday, Mr. Houser. I'm glad to hear it, Mr. Harrington. Sorry for the collision. That's okay. Nance! There you are, Nance. Hey. Have I told you yet today how pretty you look? Several times, actually. Okay, okay. But have I told you yet that you look really pretty? I do not get it. What, Nancy sees in Steve? No, I mean, not that. Well, yeah, I mean, definitely that, but more... Something's going on with him. What do you mean? I don't know. There's been, like, some kind of cosmic shift in Steve Harrington in the past few weeks. On my first day at the movie theater, he was cleaning up the graffiti his friends had made. Voluntarily. I guess we never really know people. Everyone has layers. Even Steve Harrington? Maybe he lives in two worlds, too. Maybe you've only been seeing one part of him. I doubt it. you usually get what you see with the students of Hawkins High. I take that to mean you haven't found anyone interesting enough to take to Europe? You would be right. Well, I mean, there is one person, but I'm not sure. Milton? Yeah, I mean, Milton is great, and I'd still like to, um... It'd be nice to hang out with him again once the monster settles back down. But? But I don't know. Believe it or not, I've been trying to give other people a chance. That's good. So who's the lucky person? Uh, remember Tammy Thompson from Our Town? Also my student for the past year and a half? Right, uh, yeah. Yes. She's nice, and I like how much she cares about singing. She gets really excited about the things that she likes, even if they aren't cool, and she's always, I don't know, she always smells like raspberries, which I think would be nice to travel with, especially if you were, you know, staying in gross hostels and stuff. Right. And I have this feeling that she secretly like really funny Anytime we talked there a nice rhythm to it Like she making me smarter or wittier or something I don know Why are you smiling like that No Nothing I have literally never seen that smile on your face. What smile? Like, happy. But sad, too. Yeah. Yeah. What gives? I'm just... I'm very glad you're giving other people a chance. Okay, weirdo. So you don't think it's totally crazy of me to want to ask someone I haven't hung out with all that much to go to Europe with me for two months? I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to ask her to hang out first. Right. Like, become friends with her. Yeah. Exactly. You know, I'm glad that I've become someone you can trust. Why do I get the feeling there's a but coming? But I'll always be here. So you don't need to worry about ditching me from time to time to make new friends or anything else. I won't. I promise. Mr. Hauser, you're happy, right? Even if you have to be camouflaged? You said it's worth it? It is. I really do love this school, and like I said, Hawkins has its charms. Right. Front row center. Exactly. But that doesn't mean that you have to make the same choices. There are places where you don't need the armor. Okay. What's wrong? I really needed to get those papers graded before lunch was over. Doing your homework the day it's due. Very disappointing. Well, if someone hadn't interrupted my one free period today, maybe I wouldn't be so time-crunched. Oh, sure. Blame the cookie-bearer. Don't expect any more cookies next semester. How will I survive? All right, you should get to class. I have history now with Tam. Maybe I could talk to her? See if she likes cuisson? I think that's a great idea. Right. Good. Oh, wait, I almost forgot. These are for you. Are you giving me a signed reading over break? Oh, it's a Christmas gift. Oh. I don't, I mean, I didn't get anything for you. You got me a cookie. That doesn't count. This is like a real present. Don't stress about it. I was in the used bookstore and I just, I happened to find this copy of Anna Karenina. Is this in Russian? You said you wanted to learn. I... Thank you, Mr. Hauser. And then, the other one is... Zami. A biomythography. Audre Lorde. She's amazing. A kindred spirit, I think. A feminist, an activist. I really think that you'll like her. Another female author for your bookshelf. This is, um, really, really nice. I don't know what to... I really get it now. What you meant about working within the system. The things you have to do to survive. And I know it must suck. But it works. What you're doing. The choices you've made. That slip of paper that's always burning a hole in your pocket. I'm trying to say thanks, I guess. I'm glad it's all worth it for you because... Well, I'm... I'm just really glad that you're my teacher. That's all. Thank you, Robin. I... Thank you. Right, so I should... Hey, Mr. Hauser! Hiya, Tam! Hey, Robin, you coming to history? Yeah. Yeah, I'm coming. Thank you. Merry Christmas, weirdest girl in Hawkins. Merry Christmas, only good teacher in Hawkins. Transcription by CastingWords Mar as Mr. Hauser, written and directed by Lauren Shippen. In this episode, you also heard the voices of Mike Cifalo as Dash, Andrew Nowak as Steve Harrington, Shelby Young as Nancy Wheeler, Ian McEwen as Teacher, and Alana Fox as Tammy Thompson. Editing and sound design by Brandon Grugel. Lillian Holman is our production manager. And if you haven't already, go read Rebel Robin to get the full story behind Robin's friendship with Mr. Hauser and how she managed to survive sophomore year. We'll see you next time.