Lost retainer scene


The parents were searching for their son's retainer in the trash. So where they going to "clean it up" and put it back into his mouth?

That seemed disgusting to me, just buy a new one maybe? fork up that money!

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Apparently.

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1989 had much cleaner trash.

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Not right away of course, lol. I'm sure they'd wash and sterilize it first, but its still a bit disgusting when you think about it.

Karen said it cost $200, which in 1989 money would be like $700 or so today probably. Even for a suburban, middle to upper class, well-off family like they were, that's still alot of money to cough up. Plus, Gil was under alot of pressure from his job as it was, which is probably why he got ticked off and they tried to find it.

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Yeah, for $700 I'd run it through the dishwasher a couple of times and then boil it.

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So in trying to save $200, they would wind up spending $500 on an insurance deductable after Gil wrecked the van.


LOL!

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He was ticked off looking thru the garbage and also realizing that Kevin was getting worse and worse. Look at how he cried over losing the thing. Maybe if he was getting better, he wouldn't have cried but just said "Hey, where did my retainer go?"
And yes, they would wash it when they found it. They didn't really show them finding it, but you can see they are finally driving home so they must have. I think maybe they should've shown Karen looking at it.

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I have brought up something to that extent too. I think it is this: they were worth 200 dollars and I guess that they didn't want to have to fork up another 200 if they could find it. Karen mentions it when Gil wants to just forget about it. And they could clean it up inside or at that place where Gil washes his hands compulsively outside. Also, since Kevin turned out to have gone home with his grandparents, they could've found it, cleaned it up, and then put it back in his mouth when they got home. Christ, can't you figure anything out?

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Of course they would've cleaned it. Haven't you ever lost your retainer? You look for it because it's a small fortune. If you're lucky enough to find it, you wash it because god knows where it's been.

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I don't think the question is 'were they going to wash it?' as much as 'after it's been God knows where, would you REALLY just wash it and put it back in the kid's mouth or just get new to be sanitary?'

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The answer is yes because it's crazy expensive to replace.

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Exactly! I can't tell you how many times I went dumpster-diving at school after accidentally tossing my retainer out on my lunch tray. I think I remember in the movie that it wasnt the first time that Kevin had list his, too, so not wanting to spend miney on yet another one would definitely warrant a search through the trash.

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You never had one as a kid but they accidentally get thrown away. You wash them in hot water and then they are fine. Its not going to kill you.

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