diff --git a/scratch/src/scratch b/scratch/src/scratch
index 5ca37e0..bd8c95a 100644
--- a/scratch/src/scratch
+++ b/scratch/src/scratch
@@ -25,16 +24,29 @@ export SQUEAK_FAKEBIGCURSOR=0
 
 usage()
 {
-    echo "Usage: scratch [--param value] [-vmopt value] [arg value]"
+    echo "Usage: scratch [--help] [--param value] [-vmopt value] [arg value]"
     echo "       where --param is --vm, --image, or --document;"
     echo "       -vmopt is an option passed to the Squeak VM;"
     echo "       and args are passed to the Squeak image."
 }
 
-while [ -n "$1" ] ; do
+if [ $# -eq 1 ] ; then
+	case "$1" in
+	    --help)
+		usage
+		exit
+		;;
+	    /*) DOCUMENT="$1"
+		;;
+	    *) DOCUMENT="$PWD/$1"
+		;;
+	esac
+	shift
+else
+    while [ -n "$1" ] ; do
 	if [ -z "$2" ] ; then
 	        usage
-		exit -1
+		exit 1
 	fi
 	case "$1" in
 	        --help)
@@ -76,7 +88,8 @@ while [ -n "$1" ] ; do
 			;;
 	esac
 	shift
-done
+    done
+fi
 
 # do not crash on dbus errors
 export DBUS_FATAL_WARNINGS=0
@@ -84,11 +97,9 @@ export DBUS_FATAL_WARNINGS=0
 # make Compose input methods work
 [ -z "$LC_ALL" ] && export LC_ALL="$LANG"
 
-# if pulseaudio is running, use it. Otherwise fall back to ALSA
+# if pulseaudio is running, use it.
 if pulseaudio --check 2>/dev/null ; then
     VMOPTIONS="$VMOPTIONS -vm-sound-pulse"
-else 
-    VMOPTIONS="$VMOPTIONS -vm-sound-ALSA"
 fi
 
 # VM, Image, and Document are non-optional