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Helen Saunders, a wealthy divorcee, volunteers at the Ridley Center, but
makes the mistake of confusing guidance and support with money. She buys gifts for one
of the teenage probationers, Tony Brackett. Tony gets beat up by some skinheads and
robbed of his expensive shoes and jacket. When Helen finds out, she promptly replaces
the stolen items. Russell talks to Helen about the impropriety of volunteers giving gifts,
but Helen fails to see the harm. Helen invites Russell and Claire to dinner at her
beautiful home where she lives alone. Tony is there when they arrive, taking advantage
of the finer things in life, like Helen's hot tub. Russell is troubled and expresses his
concern that Helen is sending the wrong message. Russell explains that Tony needs
guidance, not a hand-out, someone to show him how to build a life for himself. When
Russell questions the impropriety of Helen having a young man at her house, Helen takes
offense. The following day, Tony's father finds Tony going through some things of his
and strikes him. Helen returns home to find Tony waiting for her (he talked the maid
into letting him in). On seeing the bruise on Tony's forehead, Helen offers to contact
Child Welfare but Tony tells her not to. He tries to talk Helen into letting him move in
with her, but Helen realizes this wouldn't be a good idea, angering Tony. Helen shows up
at the Ridley Center looking for Tony, trying to get him back on track. But Tony cops an
attitude -- he doesn't want to study, he wants to marry money, like she did. Russell talks
to Helen privately, who shares her own impoverished background, how she married for
money, and what she lost in return -- a family. That evening, Tony returns to Helen's
house and asks her for five hundred dollars. When Helen turns him down, he grabs her
car keys and takes off in her Mercedes Benz. Helen calls Russell who has her report it to
the police. By the time Russell shows up at Tony's house, the police are not far behind.
A police helicopter hovers overhead, prompting Russell to wonder what could have
raised the stakes. Tony explains, a neighbor saw him with a gun (his father's) and must
have reported him. Surrounded, Russell identifies himself to the police as a counselor at
the Ridley Center and asks for some time to talk Tony into surrendering. Russell tries to
get Tony to see that he'll only be at camp for six months and he still has a chance to turn
things around -- to not wind up like his father. Tony relinquishes the gun and surrenders.
LT impresses his Art teacher (Mr. Beckwith) with his photo essay on the homeless.
When Beckwith presses LT to explain the techniques he used, LT takes offense,
convinced Beckwith wouldn't be grilling a white kid like this. Dawn Sterling, a
classmate, approaches LT about taking some photos of her for her modeling portfolio.
LT agrees to photograph Dawn, resulting in some fairly suggestive photos. When Dawn's
mother finds out, she goes to the Principal to ask that the photographs be returned to her.
LT stands his ground, agreeing only to return the photos to Dawn. While on another
photo shoot, LT follows some fire engines to a breaking news event -- a dramatic rescue
effort from a car accident. LT snaps a series of photographs, including an action shot of
a fireman shielding a child from the explosion. Shamaya arranges a meeting between LT
and a friend of hers at the Denver Post who takes one look at LT's photos and hires him
on the spot.
Michael asks Dinah to spend the night while his parents are away. Dinah is opposed to
the idea, until he assures her he's not talking about sex, but just to see what it's like to be
a couple. Michael suggests she lie to her parents. Dinah is conflicted, but goes along
with the plan, telling her mom she's spending the night at Margot's. Things get a little
steamy at Michael's but Dinah's guilt pangs force her to return home without spending the
night. Dinah tells her mom the truth and apologizes, explaining her discomfort with the
deception.
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