The Essence of a Penguin

Atypical 3×6

Sam: No rules?!

Gretchen: Hey, did you know that when Christopher Columbus discovered the penguins, he wanted to call them turd birds? That's a true story.
Zahid: For real? Turd birds?
Sam: No, not for real, none of that is real.

Zahid: Funny thing. Um, we were about to order, and Gretchen convinced me to give up gluten. So no corn dog for me, but it's cool. It's cool, I mean, corn dogs are just salty meat rockets wrapped in a blanket of... fluffy sugar cake. I mean, what's good about that?

Evan: So is this, like, a normal day for you guys? Just sitting around waiting for a call to come in?
Doug: Well, we don't just sit around and do nothing.
Evan: If that's what you're saying.
Doug: Oh, no, that's not what I was say... 'Cause staying vigilant even when you're waiting is the hardest part of the job.
Evan: Right.
Doug: But there can be a lot of sitting around.

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Zahid: You know, Gretchen likes what she likes and hates what she hates, but sometimes I'm just like, "Hey, girl, you're not always right about everything."

Professor Shinerock: Oh, Sam, no, no, no. No. What has the world done to you? This is what your penguin does. It's not who she is.
Sam: What does that mean? What is essence?
Professor Shinerock: I think sometimes the essence of a thing can be as much about what that thing is not... as it is what it is.

Sam: See? Even Google doesn't know what the essence of a penguin is. Google!

Sam: It's a big deal when a penguin has an irregularity in their routine because penguins are so consistent. I love that about them.

Sam: The essence of anything is the thing that stays true about them in any situation. And the essence of a penguin is similar to the essence of me, Sam Gardner. We're both consistent... But a penguin's essence is so much more than that. Penguins need each other. They look out for the good of the colony. And once a penguin decides to do something... there's no changing her mind. Because the essence of a penguin comes down to this: penguins live in abnormally harsh conditions and they never leave. They're one of the few species that stays, struggles and perseveres. So to me, that's the essence of a penguin. It stays. Which I can appreciate because sometimes college feels like that, too. So I guess in a way you could say I'm like a penguin and Denton is my Antarctica.
Professor Shinerock: Sam, permission to hug you.
Sam: Permission granted.

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