- Ben: Michael's almost 16. We're about to stop parenting.
- Headmaster: Parenting never stops.
- Ben: Don't you ever say that!
- Michael: [to Ben and Susan] For God's sake, it's 1:30! How am I supposed to push against my boundaries if I don't have any? Where's the challenge? It's like I'm Steve McQueen in 'The Great Escape', except, except the Germans have let me out, given me a motorbike and an A-Z of Hamburg!
- [first lines]
- Susan: [talking on telephone] But I don't understand, Headmaster; why do you want to see us?
- [pause]
- Susan: Michael! Yes, well of course I know where he is; he's at school.
- [Michael enters the room behind Susan]
- Susan: Yes, your school. Yes, I'm sure.
- [pause]
- Susan: Michael is not taking unauthorized absence again. He's not the truanting type. My son is an A-star student, not some woolly-hatted skateboarding loser. May I suggest you look for him in the usual place at the top of his class.
- [Michael pops open a soda tin]
- Susan: Aah!
- [stares at Michael, who leaves the room]
- Susan: No, no; no, no, it's nothing. No, we'll be right there
- Michael: The fact is, that now that Mum is "hands-off", it's like there's two Bens, and one of you has to go.
- Ben: What?
- Michael: You're expendable.
- Ben: Erm, I'm what... expendable?
- Michael: That's another thing. You're very slow on the uptake.
- Ben: Michael, are you firing me?
- Michael: Very, very slow.
- Ben: I don't believe this. You can't fire me. I quit years ago.