chunk: At school the next day, Elliot begins to experience a psychic connection with the alien, including exhibiting signs of intoxication (because it is at his home, drinking beer), and he begins freeing all the frogs in his biology class. As the alien watches John Wayne hug Maureen O'Hara in The Quiet Man on TV, Elliot hugs a girl he likes. He is then sent to the principal's office.
  The alien learns to speak English by repeating what Gertie says as she watches Sesame Street and, at Elliot's urging, dubs itself "E.T." He reads a comic strip where Buck Rogers, stranded, calls for help by building a makeshift communication device and is inspired to try it himself. E.T. receives Elliot's help in building a device to "phone home" by using a Speak & Spell toy. Michael notices that his health is declining and that Elliot is referring to himself as "we."