(Scene shows the garage. The friends are playing a board game, with each player having a structure built out of blocks.)
Hank: Oh, man! This is the most exciting game of Home Improvers ever! (thinking) What should I do, what should I do?
Tom: (snores, wakes up) Wha-? Uh, you should take your turn.
Ben: (impatiently) Actually, you should've taken your turn twenty minutes ago.
Angela: Seriously, Hank! Either pick a card, or drop a nail in the bucket.
Hank: (picks a card) Uh... yes! I get to put a roof on my gazebo! Now, do I go oxidized copper or straw? Hmm... what will I do?
Ben: (shouts) Will you go already?!
(A ball flies into the garage.)
Ginger: (from outside) Fore!
Ben: Incoming! (ducks)
(The ball hits a vase, knocking it over.)
Angela: Hey!
(The vase falls and breaks.)
Hank: Watch the gazebo, gaze-bro!
(Ginger enters in a tennis outfit and laughs, holding a racket.)
Tom: Since when do you play tennis?
Ginger: My parents said I have too much energy, so they signed me up for the eight-and-under championship. Where's my ball?
(Tom picks up the ball and throws it to Ginger.)
(Ginger hits the ball back, which hits Tom's structure, breaking it.)
Angela: Hey, not cool!
Hank: Ginger, you destroyed Tom's above-ground pool!
Ginger: Sorry, not sorry!
Tom: Oh, no! Looks like I'm out. But, tell you what, I'll go play tennis with Ginger, so you guys can just finish this game without any more interruptions, okay?
(The friends face each other.)
Tom: Nuh-uh-uh-uh-uh, I insist. (leaves with Ginger)
(Theme song plays)
(Scene cuts to the driveway. The hand device serves tennis balls to Ginger, who keeps missing the ball.)
Ginger: Darn it! This game cheats! (throws down racket)
Tom: Whoa, take it easy, Ginger.
Ginger: I can't take it easy! I want to win the eight-and-under tournament!
Tom: Ginger, do you know why I always win at everything I do?
Ginger: Because you cheat?
Tom: Yes, because I- wha- n-no! It's because I always make sure, no matter what, to take a moment to smile and enjoy myself.
(Scene cuts. Tom hits back several served balls. Ginger manages to hit a ball also.)
Ginger: Home run!
Tom: (hits ball) It's outta here!
(Tom and Ginger are hitting a ball when they are interrupted by Angela, who blows a whistle.)
Tom: Oh, wow!
Angela: Hey, someone wanna tell me what's goin' on here?
Tom: Uh, I am helping Ginger prep for a tennis tournament.
Angela: (blows whistle) Wrong! What you're doing is called goofing around.
Tom: We're just having fun.
Angela: Fun?! Youth tennis tournaments aren't about having fun, Tom. I learned that the hard way. (looks at sky)
Ginger: Who are you looking at?
Tom: Shh! Flashback.
Ginger: What's a flashback?
Angela: Shh!
(A flashback is shown of young Angela at a tennis tournament.)
MC: Ti, t-t-t-t-t-t- time, time, time for the eight-and-under finals, y'all! Angela...
Angela: (cheerfully) Woo-hoo! Let's hear it for tennis!
MC: ...versus Tatiana!
(Tatiana growls.)
MC: This should be all that and a bag of chips, and no matter what happens, you can't say Angela didn't have fun. (lies down)
Angela: (to audience) Hey, everyone, guess what? I thought of a tennis song. (blows kiss)
(While Angela sings, Tatiana sends many balls over, which Angela misses.)
Angela: (sings)
Over the net, into the square,
over the rainbow, and into your heart!
Tennis is a game for fun.
(spoken) Yeah, all right, woo-hoo! I fifteen-love love this crow-
(Tatiana hits a ball, which hits Angela's forehead.)
Angela: Ow! Ow...
(A cut appears on Angela's forehead.)
MC: That's game, set, match, Tatiana, everyone!
Angela: But wait! I was still doing my song, you guys!
MC: Congr-gr-gr-gratulations, Tatiana! Instead of a trophy, we got you a magical Pegasus pony!
(A one-horned horse appears.)
Pegasus: (whinnies) Come fly with me, Tatiana! You shall be our queen.
MC: Oh, by the way, he talks!
Angela: (holds head) Talking... unicorn... (whimpers)
(End of flashback.)
Angela: Tatiana grew up to become queen of the enchanted land of ponies, all because I wasn't focused on winning.
Tom: Oh, come on. None of that happened.
Angela: Oh, really. (shouts angrily) Then how do you explain this?! (shows forehead)
(There is a scar is on Angela's forehead where the ball hit.)
(Tom winces.)
Angela: Ever since that day I lost, not one thing has gone right for me.
(A child appears in a jetpack.)
Child: Oh, Ginger, aloooha!
Ginger: (upset) Aw, Darren!
Darren: You're practicing for the eight-and-unders? (laughs) I don't even know why you bother. Everyone knows I'm going to win.
Ginger: Get out of here, Darren!
Darren: Oh, I'll go. I'll go back to my castle-mansion that has fifty tennis courts.
(Ginger throws his ball at Darren but misses.)
Darren: (sarcastically) Nice shot. (laughs, leaves)
Angela: Ginger, you have got to beat that brat.
Ginger: When I-
Tom: No, he doesn't. Uh, yes, Darren's obnoxious, but who cares if Ginger beats him? He's playing in an eight-and-under tennis tournament. All that matters is that he has fun.
Ginger: But-
Angela: No! Fun never got anyone anywhere!
Tom: Oh, yeah? Why do you think I always come up with incredible inventions? Why do you think everyone loves me? Why do you think people see me and say, "Man, I wish I was that guy!"? Because, I always have fun. (traces with finger) F-U-N. Fun.
Angela: Ginger, I am going to coach you. It's gonna be hard, and it's gonna hurt, and you are going to wish you never picked up a tennis racket, but it will all be worth it in the end when you win.
Tom: Well, I'm also going to coach you, and I'm gonna make sure Angela's issues don't stand in the way of you enjoying yourself.
Ginger: Um, does anyone care what I think?
Tom, Angela: No!
(A montage is shown of Angela training Ginger.)
(Scene cuts to the park. Angela makes Ginger do sit-ups.)
Angela: (in megaphone) One! Two! Three! Four!
(Tom strums a tennis racket like a guitar.)
(Scene cuts to Angela and Ginger running through the park. Ginger is exhausted.)
(Tom offers Ginger a drink, but Angela takes it away.)
(Scene cuts to Ginger and Angela hitting balls.)
(Tom appears juggling tennis balls on a unicycle.)
(Tom falls off the unicycle. Angela smirks.)
(End of montage. Ben and Hank are still playing the game.)
Ben: Oh, come on! It's been two hours! Just make your move.
Hank: Hold on, Ben, don't rush me. I'm still deciding. Should I varnish the deck or repaint the porch? What's the difference between a porch and a deck, anyway? I think the porch is the one that has-
Ben: (shouts) Just do something!
(Tom and Angela enter arguing.)
Angela: Ugh, Tom, you know what? You couldn't be more wrong, okay?
Tom: Yes, I could, if I was you.
Ben: Where have you guys been?! Hank still hasn't taken his turn. Make him take his turn!
Hank: Hmm...
Angela: Focus, Hank. Competition is important. You owe it to yourself to do everything possible to win.
Hank: Hmm...
Tom: Don't listen to her, buddy. Do whatever you want. Just smile and enjoy the playing of the game.
Ben: Focus, enjoy the game, whatever! Just go already!
Angela: (to Tom) Ohh, so you think Hank should just waltz through the game, never trying, never caring? (scoffs)
Tom: And you think Hank should be so focused on wining at all costs that he can't appreciate a single second of his favorite home-renovation-themed board game? (sighs)
Angela: Yep, and he's gonna win!
Tom: Maybe he will, maybe he won't, but while he's playing, he's gonna be having a good time! (leaves)
(Ginger enters.)
Hank: (to Ginger) You know, Ginger, what they're saying could probably apply to your tennis tournament, too.
Ben: Would! You! Take! Your! Tuuuuuuurn!
(The next day...)
(Scene cuts to the tennis tournament. Hank and Ben are still playing the game at the tournament.)
Ben: (screams at Hank) Just go!
Hank: Hold on, this is the last move of the game.
(Ben grunts.)
Hank: The one that's gonna finally end it. And that move is... this- no, wait, thi- no. Ah-ha- uh-oh. Ye- no. I didn't take my hand off the piece. As long as you don't take your hand off it...
Ben: (grunts) That's it! I quit! (crosses arms)
Hank: You can't quit!
(A horn blares.)
MC: Wiggity-welcome to the youth tennis finals. It's Ginger versus Darren.
Darren: Aloooha!
MC: Listen up, listen up, listen up. There are two things that I know for sure. Number one, eight-and-under tennis is cool. Number two, MCing eight-and-under tennis tournaments for twelve years isn't depressing at all!
Tom: Psst, Ginger. Now remember, don't worry about the outcome. Just smile and have a good time.
Ginger: Right.
Angela: What? No! Ignore him, Ginger. No mercy!
Ginger: Okay!
Darren: Hey, Ginger, is Angela really your coach? (giggles mockingly)
Ginger: Uh, I guess.
Darren: Ha! Everyone knows she lost this tournament when she was a child. If she's your coach, you might as well forfeit! (giggles)
Tom: Hey, watch your mouth, kid! All right, Angela's a great coach. She's sweet, she's talented, she's the single most caring person I've ever met, and she's got amazing eyes.
Angela: Aw!
Tom: Eye-eye-eye-eye... um... great eye...sight. What I'm saying is, uh, Angela only wants what's best for, uh... Ginger here.
Angela: Huh?
Tom: Right?
Angela: No, Tom. I've been completely selfish. I've been trying to live through Ginger, and that's not fair to him or to me. (to Ginger) You know what, Ginger? Have fun.
Darren: You're a loser, your coach is a loser, and that guy who's secretly in love with your coach is a loser.
Tom: Whaaaat?
Angela: What the what now?
Tom: Ugh! Forget what I told you before. You gotta beat this kid.
Ginger: (Through his teeth) It is on!
(Ginger growls.)
(4½ minutes later...)
Darren: Fourteen-love.
(Darren serves the ball. Ginger fails to hit it back.)
MC: Game, set, match, Darren.
(Ginger groans.)
Darren: In your face, Ginger. (singsong) I'm Darren, I'm unstoppable, I'm the best at tennis!
Angela: Aw.
Tom: (to Ginger) Hey, buddy, at least you had fun.
MC: That did not look like it was fun for Ginger.
Ginger: Good game, Darren. (cries)
Tom: Hey, you know what? You made it to the finals.
Angela: Yeah, seriously. That is a huge accomplishment. I mean, who cares about some stupid tennis prize? I do.
MC: Congratulations, Darren! Instead of a trophy, we got you a ticket to the International Space Station!
Darren: (takes giant gold ticket) Sweet!
Ginger: The International Space Station?! Are you serious?!
Tom: International Space Station... what's so fun about that?
MC: Hey, and just for you, we filled the space station with candy, fireworks, and waterslides in zero gravity.
Tom: (gasps) That sounds amazing!
Darren: Look out, space station, here comes Darren! Jetpack engage! (leaves)
(Scene cuts to Hank playing the board game.)
Hank: Okay, I've made my decision.
Ben: Yes!
Hank: And I'm going crown-molding for the win! (places piece)
(Darren's jetpack malfunctions and he crashes into the board.)
Hank: Huh, guess we'll have to start over.
Ben: (frustrated) What?! (kicks Darren's jetpack)
(The jetpack activates and Ben flies into the air.)
Ben: Aah!
Hank: Whoa!
(Credits roll)