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The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two · 2020 — Chapter 4 of 20 · 2'45" · B1

Kate and Jack Reach the Pole, Explained: a real drag

Kate tries to slip away from her family, and Jack follows her onto an airport shuttle. The friendly driver offers a shortcut, and the two kids tumble out into the snow and realize, "I don't think we're in Mexico anymore." It is a small escape that turns into a much bigger journey.

What happens

At a resort in Cancun, Kate wants to leave her family and sneaks off, telling Jack to go to Kids Club without her. She climbs into an airport shuttle whose driver offers a shortcut; moments later the two children are stranded in the snow, certain they have left Mexico behind.

Travel & hotelsParents & kidsConfessingSuggestingFriendsB1fastamericanClean
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Listen for

take something personallya chain of commanda real dragin the meantime

00:00 / 02:45
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  17. ❝ MonologueThe fake driver's runaway story6 linesPractice page ↗
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Phrase of the scene

a real drag

something or someone boring, tiring, or annoying

假司机为了套近乎，主动说自家以前也特别烦人，跟凯特装作感同身受。

Waiting in line for an hour is a real drag.

Also in this scene

  • take something personally

    往心里去、觉得是在针对自己

  • a chain of command

    指挥层级、上下级关系

  • in the meantime

    during the time between two events

Everything marked in this scene

30 notes across 39 lines

Phrase · A2something is this wayHey, um, Kate! Where are you going? Kids Club is this way.
Phrase · B1go ahead and do somethingI'm gonna go to the bathroom, but why don't you go ahead and head over there,
Grammar · B1why don't you

why don't you

I'm gonna go to the bathroom, but why don't you go ahead and head over there,
Phrase · A2in a few minutes/daysand I'll meet you in a few?
Soundin a few

liaison

and I'll meet you in a few?
Phrase · B1a direct orderGo to the Kids Club, Jack. That is a direct babysitter's order.
Phrase · A2X years older than someoneYou're only three years older than me.
Grammar · A2older than me

comparative

You're only three years older than me.
Phrase · B2a chain of commandBut I believe in a chain of command, so I'll save you a spot at the slime-making station.
Phrase · B1save someone a spotBut I believe in a chain of command, so I'll save you a spot at the slime-making station.
Phrase · B1pop a tireDriver just popped a tire, so I'm taking people over in the meantime.
Phrase · B2in the meantime

during the time between two events

Driver just popped a tire, so I'm taking people over in the meantime.
Soundin the meantime

liaison

Driver just popped a tire, so I'm taking people over in the meantime.
Phrase · B1take a shortcutI'm gonna take a little shortcut. Should get us there in half the time.
Phrase · B1in half the timeI'm gonna take a little shortcut. Should get us there in half the time.
Phrase · B1something isn't going so wellSo, I take it by the early checkout, your vacation isn't going so well.
Phrase · B2a real drag

something or someone boring, tiring, or annoying

My family was a real drag, too.
Slang · B2dragMy family was a real drag, too.
Phrase · B1run away from somethingRan away from that nightmare a couple years ago.
SoundRan away from

liaison

Ran away from that nightmare a couple years ago.
Phrase · B1around someone's ageRight around your age.
Phrase · B1be supposed to be doing something-You're supposed to be watching me. -[device beeping]
Grammar · B1supposed to be

be supposed to

-You're supposed to be watching me. -[device beeping]
Phrase · B2take something personallyLook, Jack, don't take this personally or anything…
Phrase · A2it looks like somethingThis looks like the North Pole!
Phrase · B1should have brought somethingI knew I should've brought my puffy jacket.
Grammar · B1should've brought

should have

I knew I should've brought my puffy jacket.
Soundshould've brought

elision

I knew I should've brought my puffy jacket.
Phrase · B1freeze to deathWe're gonna freeze to death out here.
Phrase · B1come for someoneHe'll come for us… I hope.

Kate and Jack Reach the Pole, explained

What's really going on

The scene runs on one child's quiet decision to disappear. Kate's lines are calm and practical, but what she is describing is a plan to leave: she tells Jack to go on ahead and promises to catch up, while Jack insists, "I'll wait for you." Their small argument over who is in charge is funny, but it also shows how alone she feels. The escape itself is handed to her by a stranger with a shortcut, and the punchline is a joke about distance: "I don't think we're in Mexico anymore." What makes the moment land is the contrast between Kate's flat voice and the scale of what happens to them; the running away she wanted becomes a journey she cannot control.

Theme

Coming of ageKate decides to run from her family and has to face the consequences of a choice made alone.
Family conflictKate feels her family has moved on without her, the feeling that pushes her to leave.

Listen for

  • in a few — liaison
  • in the meantime — liaison
  • Ran away from — liaison
  • should've brought — elision
I just thought it was best for everybody if I wasn't even here.

Kate's reason for leaving, framed as a kindness to her family rather than an escape.

They can have their new little family without me.

The hurt underneath the decision: she believes she no longer fits in her own home.

I don't think we're in Mexico anymore.

The dry punchline as the two kids realize the shortcut has taken them somewhere impossible.

We're gonna freeze to death out here.

Jack's panic in the snow, setting the stakes for the journey ahead.

Questions about this scene

Why does Kate leave the Kids Club?

She does not want to be watched and is quietly planning to leave her family, so she sends Jack ahead and slips off.

How do Kate and Jack end up at the North Pole?

A stranger offers to drive them to the airport in an airport shuttle and takes a shortcut, which carries them out of Mexico entirely.

What does Kate say about her family?

She says she thought it was best if she was not around, and that her family can have their new little family without her.

What does Jack do when Kate tells him to go ahead?

He refuses and says he will wait for her, which is why he follows her onto the shuttle.

What does the driver offer the kids?

He says the driver popped a tire and he is taking people over in the meantime, then offers a shortcut that should save time.

The Christmas Chronicles: Part Two · 20 chapters

All chapters →
Up next · Chapter 5took matters into my own handsKate Wakes Up at the North Pole
Chapter 1come from a long line ofBelsnickel Reveals HimselfChapter 2could care lessKate Grumbles Through a Beach ChristmasChapter 3the time of one's lifeKate Sees Through the BribeWatching · Chapter 4a real dragKate and Jack Reach the PoleChapter 5took matters into my own handsKate Wakes Up at the North PoleChapter 6time stands stillSanta Tours the VillageChapter 7whipped upKate and Jack Stay One NightChapter 8one of a kindMrs. Claus Tells Santa's Origin StoryChapter 9buy some timeBelsnickel Steals the StarChapter 10one way or anotherSanta Flies with Seven ReindeerChapter 11not a moment to loseMrs. Claus Arms Jack With CookiesChapter 12hallowed groundSanta Returns to the Elf ForestChapter 13a tear in the fabric of timeThe Sleigh Tears Through TimeChapter 14for all I knowKate Gets Stopped at the AirportChapter 15the sky is fallingKate Confesses to a StrangerChapter 16see something throughKate Meets Her Father DougChapter 17a game of chickenMrs. Claus Stops the Chicken GameChapter 18at the end of the daySanta Talks Belsnickel DownChapter 19from time to timeThe Last Sleigh Ride HomeChapter 20one day at a timeKate and Jack Come Home
Chapter 4 of 20 · about 63 min to go