- Liz: I knew it. I could spot a lifer a mile away!
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: Hey, I'm no lifer!
- [pauses]
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: What's a lifer?
- Liz: Kids like us who go from foster homes to group homes to joints like this.
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: That's not me.
- Liz: Look, there are only two types of kids in this world: lifers and Bradys.
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: Bradys?
- Millie: Yeah, like the old TV show "The Brady Bunch."
- Weezie: Yeah, you know, Greg, Bobby, Marcia, Jan, Cindy, and...
- Liz: She gets the idea. Perfect kids with perfect parents! Their biggest problem is how to fit all their new clothes into their closet.
- Weezie: That was one of my favorite episodes.
- Simon P. Chillings: The rules clearly state that the foster child must be provided with his or her own bedroom.
- Betty Johnson: Let me get this straight. Punky isn't allowed to share a room with her best friend, so she has to go to Fenster Hall and share a room with four strangers?
- Simon P. Chillings: Well... yes.
- Betty Johnson: Well, the bozo who came up with that ought to have his qualifications checked!
- Henry Warnimont: Punky, I can't adopt you.
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: I don't understand. Don't you want me?
- Henry Warnimont: Oh, honey, I want to adopt you more than anything in the world. The thing is I can't right now.
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: Why not?
- Henry Warnimont: Mr. Chillings thinks I can't support you until I get my business together and I can't do that until I leave the hospital.
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: Oh. Hey, I know. I'll stay here and nurse you back to health. Kleenex? Uh, aspirin? Bedpan?
- Henry Warnimont: Punky, you can't stay here.
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: Where will I live?
- Henry Warnimont: Fenster Hall.
- Penelope 'Punky' Brewster: No! Please let me stay with you!
- Henry Warnimont: Punky, it'll only be for a little while. Three short days and then you can stay with Mrs. Johnson and Cherie until I come back home again. Oh, come on, Punky, chin up. Just remember, even though we may be separated for a little while, our hearts will always be together.