Cory was still moping about his rejection from Penn when Shawn dropped by after school the next day. Shawn tried to cheer him up, but just ended up getting sucked into a review of every last-place fat camp and baseball trophy Cory'd ever won.

Trying to change the subject, Shawn picked up Cory's old ukulele. "Wait. You used to be pretty good at this thing."

Cory picked it up and started singing the song he'd made up back in fifth grade, about his dog having fleas, until Shawn couldn't take it any longer.

"Ok, you USED to be pretty good at it."

Shawn followed Cory downstairs, where Mr. and Mrs. Matthews were trying to convince Morgan to enter a talent show. Cory started in on his father as soon as Morgan left.

"Way to groom another eighth-place honorable mention, nothing special also-ran, Dad."

"Okay, what now?"

"What now?" "What now?" I could've been one of the greatest ukulele players in the world. Are you getting that this isn't about the ukulele? I could've been great at something, and you stopped me."

"We didn't stop you. You just lost interest."

"Oh, well, how come you didn't give me a paint set when I was two? 'Cause you were more excited about toilet training. "Cory big boy now," you would say. Oh, "Cory big boy now. You know, why didn't you ever push me to be anything great? You didn't help me find out what I was good at."

Shawn rolled his eyes. He loved Cory, but dear God could the kid get melodramatic.

"And I do not want to be one of these people, Dad, who has no first-place trophies and no special talents. I mean, why didn't you want me to be better?"

"Better? Better than what?"

"Better than what I am."

"You mean better than me."

"Yeah. Better than you."

Shawn was shocked. "Cory!"

Cory waved him off and turned back towards his father. "No, it's just I'm never gonna be great at anything because I was raised to be average. And I'm average because you're average."

Shawn grabbed Cory by the shoulders and spun him around. "Cory, just stop it! I realize that you're upset because you think Topanga and I are going to move on and leave you behind, but God Cory, can't you see that you're hurting people?"

"What do you care? He's not your father."

"Do you have any idea what I'd give to have him be my father?" Shawn hadn't meant to say that in front of Mr. Matthews and immediately regretted it.

Cory seemed taken aback. "Shawn, you just don't understand what I'm going through."

Shawn jumped at the chance to extricate himself from the situation. "You're right. Maybe I should just go."

"See you at school tomorrow?" Cory asked pleadingly.

"See you tomorrow."