Fifteen
cartoon starring a small boy
and the forgotten number 15
[The first part is spoken. A boy is standing under a row of white blocks with a number and possibly that number of dots on each one.]
Boy: Here I go, counting to twenty.
[As he counts each number, he skips under its block, so we see more of them as he goes on.]
One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen, fourteen...
[As he pauses, trying to remember the next number, the "15" block grows arms, legs, a ponytail, and the face of a teenage girl.]
Fifteen: Well, go on.
Boy: Who are you?
Fifteen [jumping down]: Who am I? I'm the number that comes after fourteen. I'm fifteen!
Boy: So that's what you look like! Every time I start to count to twenty, I forget all about you.
Fifteen [sighs]: You're not alone. You may not know this, but, of all the numbers from one to twenty, I'm the hardest to remember!
[singing a fifties-style do-wop song]
Please tell me why
You pass me by!
You remember every other teen
Female Chorus: Teen, teen, teen!
[We see a chalked-out hopscotch board with some teen numbers drawn on it.
The boy jumps on most of them, but hops right over 15.]
Fifteen: You always skip me.
Why didn't they tip me?
[She starts to cry.]
How hard it is to be fifteen!
Chorus: Fifteen!
Fifteen: Oh, I had to learn the hard way what life is all about
Of all the teens
I had to be the one who is always left out!
Ohhh!
[The boy is getting ready to take a picture of some numbers.
Fifteen pops into the frame, waving.]
Fifteen: Don't count me out yet
Right from the outset
I've made an effort to be seen!
Chorus: Seen, seen, seen!
Fifteen: Someday you'll need me
So learn how to read me
Then, somehow, life won't seem so mean
Hey!
Just take a look at fifteen
Chorus: Oooohhh, fifteen!
Transcribed by Silvery Shoe