"There's this tribe in South America called the Ishkanani." "That means "Fierce People"." "They're the meanest people in the world." "They'll cut off your thumbs and they'll shit in your hammock... just like we say hello." "Look at that jerk!" "That's me at 15." "That's me in our loft in New York City." "That's my father, Fox Blanchard... the anthropologist who made first contact with the Ishkanani." "I was conceived after my mother attended his lecture at her college." "Never met him." "But just shy of my 16th birthday... he surprised me with a copy of his documentary... and an invitation to spend the summer with him and the Fierce People." "That's my mom." "I don't know who that guy is." "Back then she was a professional masseuse." "Very professional." "She held a degree in Swedish massage... and she never slept with the clients." "This man probably got many things from my mother that night... but a Swedish massage was definitely not one of them." "Mom liked to brag that Ogden C. Osborne... seventh richest man in America... once gave her a $1,000 tip and all he got was a one-hour back rub." "She bought a pair of binoculars for me and eight balls of blow for herself." "It's supposed to be this big tragedy if the kid's parents get high... but my mom was kind of fun when she was loaded." "I mean, how many kids can say their moms like debating... whether Space Ghost could beat up Speed Racer?" "But most of the time she wasn't fun at all." "Especially in the morning." "Especially this morning." "Finn!" "Get in here!" "Get this thing off me!" "Mom!" "What the hell are you doing?" "We have to get my passport!" "You gotta get it together!" "I know what you are looking for!" "I'll be fine as soon as I get a pick-me-up, you know?" "The passport office closes at four." "I'm leaving tomorrow." "To the Ishkanani, life-altering moments don't happen by accident." "They would say that that bookcase didn't fall... it was pushed by evil spirits... who steal the souls of children while they sleep." "I've always believed invisible forces were at work that day." "Forces I didn't yet understand." "There you are." "Go." "Everybody on the ground!" "Now!" "On the ground!" "You could've said it was for me." "You didn't have to take the blame." "Really?" "Well, do you want me to go back and tell the truth, mom?" "It's right there." "I would be more than willing to do that." " My God!" "I can't believe you're..." " Give me the phone." "The telephone, please?" "I need to be alone." "A series of forever-altering events." "A tumbled bookcase, a drug bust and a phone call." "The phone call to the seventh wealthiest man in America." "A man so rich, he promoted his chauffeur to be chief of police... in his own little kingdom." "Mom?" " What?" " There's a cop downstairs." "Pack your stuff." "We're leaving." "Mom!" "What's going on?" "Where's this guy taking us?" "We're going to Mr. Osborne's place in the country." "What?" "The geezer from the hospital?" "What's she gonna do with him?" "The courts have placed you in my custody... while your mom gives Mr. Osborne physical therapy." "My mother is a fucking masseuse, all right?" "This summer, you're gonna have to start watching your language." "Summer?" "What the hell do you mean?" "Are you crazy?" "I gotta be in New York for court, mom." "No, you don't." "Mr. Osborne took care of all that." " Isn't that great, Lambie?" " What do you mean?" "I'm not such a bad mother." "This is the story of my time amongst the Fierce People... during the summer of 1980... in deepest, darkest New Jersey." "Mr. Osborne's got 9,356 acres." "Over 10 square miles." "See that?" "Makes his pear brandy just the way they do in France." "Let's do it." "It's a dream." " Thank you." "Bye." " All right." " Thank you." " Bye." "Thank God I wore underwear." "Making punch?" "I got my first AA meeting today, Finn." " I'm gonna do things right this time." " I'll say." "You've never had a rich boyfriend before." "I told you, Mr. Osborne is not my boyfriend." "He's a kind man who's willing to help us out." "You find this book here?" "I've had that book for several months now." "Really?" "Does it have a happy ending?" "Does being a shit about all this make it easier for you?" "In a word, yes." "You gonna snort that?" "Whose car?" "Mr. Osborne's butler brought it back for us to use." " Can I drive it?" " You don't have a license." "You're the one who said it was for us to use." "I did say that." "I know you're mad at me..." "Mad?" "No, I'm grateful." "I almost got stuck having to spend the entire summer... in the South American rain forest with the Ishkanani." "But, lucky me, I get to be here with you, which is wonderful." "Go ahead." "If you get arrested, I'll just say you stole it." "It's actually not as much fun if you're not down for the count." "Thank you, sir." "The servant's entrance is in the rear." "You'll find appropriate parking there." "Herbert!" "No!" " Let me get that for you." "You go in." " Thank you." "Herbert, if you had any idea... how long I've been waiting to get this woman across my threshold." " Whitney!" " Hi, Whitney!" "Gentleman and a scholar." "Whitney!" "Gentleman and a scholar." ""Dear dad, since I can't be with you and the Fierce People..." "I'll make an anthropological study of the people of Vlyvalle." "From the society magazines left around the house we're staying in..." "I'm able to figure out who is who." "It's weird how much they're like a tribe." "By my count, Mr. Osborne has had about six wives." "His daughter lives here with her two kids." "The chief's grandson flies around in a hot air balloon... with a babe in a dashiki." "And his sister is into horses." "And there's this cop who runs errands for Mr. Osborne." "And he looks just like Barry White." "Now Mom, she also works for the chief."" " Daddy?" " Herbert." " Daddy?" "Hi." " Hi." "You didn't tell me that your new friend was a doctor." "I felt so foolish yesterday." "The maid was just going on and on and on about Dr. Earl this... and Dr. Earl that." " Felt foolish?" "Amazing." " I thought she was just a masseuse." "Well, you were wrong." "Dr. Earl, meet my daughter Pilar." "It was nice to meet you, Dr. Earl." "Christ!" "No wonder I'm sick." "What's wrong?" "I never told anyone I was a doctor!" "For 10 square miles I'm king." "If I say you're a doctor, you're a doctor." "Which is not to say there's anything wrong with being a masseuse." "Okay?" "Oh, God!" "Oh, God!" ""There's this big retard in the woods who draws dirty petroglyphs... who's obviously gotta be somebody because he's a fifth." " And there's this weird..."" " Finn!" " "And, dad..."" " Finn!" ""We've got a maid." "And she's my age."" " You wanna shotgun?" " Sure!" "What is it?" ""And very friendly."" "You wanna fool around?" "Sure." "You're weird." " Jilly." " I still have to vacuum." "Jilly, I'm sorry!" "It's just that..." "Just never seen him before." "The Ishkanani say that everyone has an animal spirit." "It's called your nureshi." "It's a spiritual counselor that keeps the tribe from breaking your taboos." " He's really talented." " I'm not sure what mine is yet." "Mom!" "Look at that." "I'll stop giving you shit about Osborne if you put that one on." "Come on, please!" "And I'll put that tallyho outfit on... and we can parade around with that stuffed dog thing." " The color matches your eyes." " Hi!" "Her eyes are the color of celery?" " How you doing, Liz?" " You know, one day at a time." "That's what they say, right?" "This is my son, Finn." "And this is Dr. Leffler." "You can call me Dick." "Nice to meet you, Dr. Dick." "I left a message on your machine... see if you wanted a lift to tomorrow's nooner." " I'd like that." " Great." "Till then." "See ya." "Mom?" "You're allowed to date Dr. Dick while you're sleeping with Osborne?" "His name is Dr. Leffler." "I met him at AA." "You're not supposed to know that because it's anonymous." "I'm not dating him." "And cut it out about me screwing Osborne!" "You think it's a good idea, sleeping with Osborne's doctor?" "Jesus, Finn!" "I didn't mind my mother doing Osborne." "I mean, she's done worse." "I just didn't like her thinking that she was fooling me." "Bryce!" "Open up this door." "Bryce!" "Open this door immediately!" "I know that you're in there." "Coco, if you wanna hide from me... you should make less noise when you're rutting!" " What are you doing?" " Nothing." "If you wanna keep your job, you should spend less time eavesdropping." "I don't work for you." " What's your name?" " Finn Earl." "Right, the famous doctor's son." "Bryce, this is rude!" "You already stood me up for tennis!" "We're gonna be late to see your father!" "I don't know what he sees in that girl." "She claims to be a Nigerian princess." "But people claim to be all sorts of things they're not these days." "Don't they?" "Honor bright." "Are they making faces behind my back?" "No." "Get back!" "No Bryce, no Coco." "My thanks, young squire." "And your name is, sir?" " Finn." " Finn!" "You're a gentleman and a scholar, and a most gifted bullshitter." "Thank you." "Where is your grandfather's house?" "Walk through those big firs, stay on the path and you can't miss it." " Got it." "Thanks." " Good day." " Bye, Finn." " Bye." "You smoke pot with my girlfriend again, you're dead." "Now get the fuck out of here." "Fuck!" "Shit!" "Shit!" "Oh, man!" "Oh, God!" "I'm so sick of you bastards shooting our deer!" "I didn't do anything to your deer!" " Get it off me now!" " Shit." "Shit!" "You're lucky you didn't hit a tendon." "How did you catch your foot?" "I landed on a tin can." " I don't like to be lied to." " It's the truth, I swear." " What are you guys doing here?" " We were upstairs visiting your father." " What has my daughter done to you?" " Nothing." "She helped me." " If I were you, Finn, I'd sue us." " Bryce, this is not funny." "I got here as quick as I could!" "Lambie!" " Mom, I'm fine." " What did you do?" " Nothing, nothing." "Stop." " Are you all right?" "Don't freak out." "I'm fine." "I'm sorry, I have no insurance." "She doesn't have to worry about the bill." "Finn and I are old friends." " You raised a gentleman and a scholar." " Thank you!" "Where are we going?" "Dad, I would like you to meet Mr. Finn Earl." "What's wrong with him?" "He's in a coma." "Gates says it was a stray bullet." "Fucking poachers will shoot anything that moves." "You don't like me putting up the traps, dad... but somebody's gotta stop 'em." "Leffler says he can't hear what I'm saying." "Do you think it's weird... that I talk to my dad if I know he can't hear me?" "I've never even seen my dad and I write him letters all the time." "He always likes meeting my friends." "We are friends, right?" "You don't hold the whole trap thing against me, do you?" "No." "I'm actually kinda glad it happened." "I mean, you know..." "Me, too." "Maya seems like a nice girl." "Yeah." "She's okay." "She invited you to her birthday party?" "No." "Are you invited?" "Nope." "Adolescence is a time of indulgence for the girls." "What's the chivalrous thing to do when you make out with a girl... with her comatose father laying next to you like a big root vegetable?" "I knew I should call her." "But what do I say?" ""Hi." "I like kissing you." "Thanks for letting me touch your boob." "Can I do it again?"" "Finn!" "Finn?" "Could I have some privacy, please?" "I'm trying to make a phone call." " Okay, I'll tell Maya Langley to beat it." " What?" "Shoot!" "Dammit!" "Shut up!" " I just Windexed that!" " Yeah, well, too bad." " Hi." " Hi." "I got tired of waiting for you to call me." "I don't know if I should let my sister see that, Finn." "That's a film my dad made..." " on his first trip to South America." " Your father's Fox Blanchard?" "I read him in my anthro class at Harvard." "Maya... do you realize this man's father is the Elvis of anthropology?" " Well, I guess I do now." " It's movie time." " What is that?" " A tapir." "It's a small hog pig-like animal." "How are they gonna eat all that?" "After a feast, the women hide the leftovers in their vaginas." " That's disgusting!" " Fantastic!" "God, your dad is so cool." "You look like him." "I was gonna spend the summer doing field work." "I would kill to be doing that with your father." " Why don't you go?" " I got busted." " What for?" " Coke." "Very cool." "I'm impressed, Finn." "My mother thought living in Vlyvalle would be a wholesome influence for me." "I think the Ishkanani have it all figured out." "What do you mean?" "It's fuck, kill." "Unlike us domesticated creatures, they like something, they fuck it." "If they don't, they kill it." " Do you always have to say "fuck"?" " Virgins fall into two categories." " Finn, you paying attention?" " Yeah." "They either love the F word and they don't wanna do it... or they hate the F word and they're dying to do it." " Cut it out!" " Let's watch it backwards." "Stop it!" "Fuck." "Kill." "Fuck." "Kill." "Fuck." "Kill." " Want me to see if I can get you in?" " Maya invited you!" "You want me to speak to her?" "For me?" "Oh, no." "That's not likely." "Then I guess I should throw this away then." " Are you serious?" " Serious." " Oh, really!" " Really." "My foot!" "So that's Osborne's new super drug." "I wonder if she charges the old goat by the hour or by the orgasm." " You know, Mom?" " What?" "Since you've gotten sober, you've gotten much better looking." " It's hardly the time to put me down." " No, I'm serious!" "Really!" " Okay." "Thank you." " You're welcome." " I've gotta have a drink." " No, you don't have to have..." " Just a little get-through." "Relax." " You don't have..." " Just to calm my nerves." " Liz!" " Liz..." " Hi!" " I've been looking everywhere for you." " I'm right here." " You look amazing." " Thank you." " I want you to meet some friends." " Okay." "All right." "I go to the doctor." "I feel like I got an elephant standing on my chest." "He says, "There's nothing wrong with you." "Go home."" "So I go to this other doctor, he gives me antibiotics." " He's fantastic." "I mean I feel..." " What?" "What the hell is that?" "Who did that?" "I like the way you eat shrimp." "Marcus Gates, son of a black man." "Finn Earl." "Osborne invited me here to meet a fat cat... who bought a scholarship to Princeton." "What's your excuse?" "I'm an anthropologist doing a study of primitive peoples." "You definitely picked one twisted tribe." "I'm here." "You got any questions?" "Yeah." "Who's the guy with the woman in the crown?" "Oh, yeah." "Gershons." "Hawaiian royalty." "The husband pulled strings for Osborne over on Wall Street." "Hawaiians?" "Why don't any of the Hawaiians here look Hawaiian?" "It's asshole code for people of the Jewish persuasion." "The natives don't want anybody to know that they're anti-Semitic." "My age ended my position in life." "It warms my heart... to see you all so..." " Grandpa?" " Daddy?" " Daddy!" " Shit." "I just wanted to see if you'd miss me." "I really hurt my knees." "Herbert, my hat." "Maestro, if you please." "A pretty girl is like a melody" "That haunts you night and day" "Just like the strain of a haunting refrain" "She'll start up on a marathon" "And run around your brain You can't escape" "She's in your memory" "By morning, night and noon" "She will leave you and then come back again" "A pretty girl is just like a pretty tune" "Happy birthday, Maya." "Finn!" "Finn!" " They were horrible to you, right?" " No." "Sexy liar." "I didn't know the Ishkanani went for public displays of affection." "Maya, when did you start dating the help?" "For your information, Finn's mother and my grandfather are old friends." "Paige, can you help me with this?" "I can't seem to get it right." " Bryce, you're not wearing underwear!" " I know!" "It looks like a penis, only larger." " Paige?" " Here comes my mother." "Hold this." "Hi, Mommy." "Pay attention, Finn." "There's gonna be a quiz on this afterwards." " Mom, spare us." " Your mother is teaching Yoga... to Happy Rockefeller." "The stepson was eaten by cannibals." "McCallum is over there." " Ian and Dwayne look like relatives." " That's very observant, Finn." "They're not the only ones of our tribe with hair the color of cheese doodles." " There's Pete, the bartender." " Bryce..." "Thank you, Jenny." "Take Jenny." "All their mothers were maids." "They used to call him "Maid To Order McCallum"." "Why would any maid want to sleep with McCallum?" "Not all of them did." "McCallum doped up Dwayne's mother and dead-horsed her." "That's just vulgar." "I'm getting tired." "Not too many of those, Pilar." "Good night." "Herbert." "We can smoke." "Were you one of the doctors who worked on my father at Sloan Kettering?" "We both know I'm not a doctor." "I thought as much." "So how long exactly have you been friends with my father?" "You should ask him that." "If my father answered my questions, then I wouldn't have to ask you." "Liz..." "Hi." "I'll leave you to it." "I wanted to wait before this next song to ask you to dance." " You don't wanna do that." " It's just a sip." "It's more vodka than Cola." "We let Pilar think we don't know." "So much for the slow dance." " Let's cut a rug." " All right." "Ready?" " Here we go." " My God." " Downshift to second!" " What the hell do you mean?" "You gotta spend the night!" "Mr. Osborne wants you at his house for lunch tomorrow... one o'clock sharp." "Don't be late." "Finn Earl, sir." "Hi." "Hi." "You know, I hear a lot of rumors... and innuendo about your mother and me." "The only innuendo I know is that you're nailing my mom." "Nailing your mom?" "Don't you ever use that expression in reference to your mother, you hear?" "Your mother and I... we're just friends." "What?" "You bring us out here, you give us a house... but there's nothing between you?" "Why should I believe you?" "Sit down." "Sit down!" "What are you doing?" "Take a good look, sonny." "You're only gonna get to see it once." "You don't have any balls." "Precisely." "Surgical procedure is called an orchiectomy." "The theory being that if they cut off your balls... it'll slow down your cancer." "My prostate..." "You know what a prostate is, right?" "It's a little thing, it's up your ass." "Mine, unfortunately, was the size of a baseball." "I was in a coma." "My then wife gave them the green light." "When I met your mother..." "I was a eunuch." "You know what a eunuch is, don't you?" "Well, if that doesn't satisfy you, you can get the hell out of my house." "On the other hand, if it does, we could have lunch." "Your choice." " Lunch." " Good choice." "Herbert!" "When they cut your balls off... you'd expect your voice to go up an octave." "But mine didn't." "I'm not trying to be a wise-ass... but why are you and my mother such good friends?" "Wise-ass." "I didn't meet your mother until a year ago." "The surgeons had just performed... their dastardly deed on me." "I was pretty down." " Hello." " And your mother walked into my room." "Hi." "She was like an angel." "I dropped my cartridge." "I tell you what... if you still wanna pull the trigger after I give you a foot rub..." "I'll give you your bullet." "Okay?" "She saved my life." "Here." "You're gonna need this." "It's a toothpick." "Gold." "Gold toothpick?" ""Dear dad, today I met the chief." "It's weird how wrong you can get things in your head."" "Good morning, sir." "No, hold on a second." "Not like that." "That lower down the shaft." "Take this." "Couple them together." " Over?" " Wait a second." "Stand still." "What are you doing?" "Imagining what it would've been like to have been with you." " How was it?" " It's not over yet." "I almost forgot, I've gotta move our one o'clock to four." "That doesn't work for me." "Dick has invited me to the golf luncheon." "The golf luncheon." "And that's important, isn't it?" "Well, it is important to me." "I don't pay you to go to golf luncheons with Dr. Dick." "I'm going whether you like it or not." "I'll have a severance check dropped off for you this afternoon." "And thank you for fucking up my game!" "Shit." "Don't do this to me." "How can someone so exquisitely beautiful... so intelligent... and so complicated as you are... get sucked in by a scared, suburban phony like Dick Leffler?" "I'm really trying... to take my life seriously." "Okay." "Look... you take the next two weeks off... and you two lovebirds can have my place in East Hampton." "Really?" "Thank you!" "Thank you." "Just remember, this place isn't as goddamn fabulous as it looks." "You ever notice the resemblance between your grandfather and Finn?" "If I thought Finn was one of grandpa's bastards..." "I wouldn't let him sleep with my sister, would I?" "Fortune time!" " What are you doing?" "It's my deal." " Relax." "Enjoy the show." "You're not going to do something that I'm gonna regret, are you?" "This is going to be fun." " It's gonna be fun for everyone." " It's never fun." " No, Bryce." " Last time he did this, people cried." " You got me fired once this summer." " You'll like this." "For Marcus Gates I predict... in 20 years time, you'll be senator... from the great state of New Jersey." " Bravo, Marcus." " Senator Gates." "Well done." "What, we don't rate a fortune of our own?" "No, you both inherit from the same trust." "See, they're cousins." "Coal mine." "I smell Episcopalian voodoo." "The past and the future are connected here." "Oh, yes." "Your great-grandfather made his fortune by putting children to work in mines." "When they got older and went on strike, he shot them." "Bryce." "He poisoned his partner and he had sex with his son's wife." "Here's where the curse comes in." "A robber baron begets three generations of losers... each lamer than the next." "By the time you're old and gray... you'll have to suck up to people you wouldn't share a toilet seat with now." "You are such an asshole, Bryce!" "I don't make the future, I just predict it." " Finn!" " Bryce, please don't." "Seriously." "Stand up." "Trust me, you'll like it." "For Finn I predict... graduation from Harvard with honors." "First contact with a tribe of cannibals in South America." "I see a beautiful wedding to my lovely sister, Maya." "And last but not least I predict lifelong friendship with myself." " Welcome to the tribe, brother." " Thank you." "Hi!" "Apple juice." "What is this place?" "This is my island." "You're the first boy I ever brought here." "Take off your clothes." "Close your eyes." "Come on." " Shit!" " Oh, Jesus!" " What the hell was that?" " Our clothes are gone!" "Oh, my God!" "Christ!" "When you and Osborne talk, do I ever come up?" "How do you mean?" "Sometimes I think he hasn't made up his mind about me." " He thinks you're great." " He said that?" "Well, he must like you a little... or he wouldn't have given us his house in East Hampton for two weeks." "How about that?" "He did what?" "What did you tell him?" "What does he think this is?" "I might have said that you liked me." "Jesus Christ." "What are you trying to do to me here?" "Why?" "What just happened?" "Look, the bastard lost his balls, but he didn't lose his pride." "There are rules out here." "This you do not advertise." "Is that so, Dr. Dick?" "If I were you, I'd tell your son to get ready for a fall." "My son?" "He's hanging out with the Langley kids, getting bombed every night." "What?" "Finn?" "Alcohol is the least of it." "Bryce and Maya are always getting high." "Listen to me." "My son would never do drugs." "You just don't get it, do you?" "You and Finn are toys to them." "And why would you set your son up for a lifestyle he's never gonna have?" "Where have you been?" " I was swimming up at the lake." " Naked?" "With Maya?" " Somebody stole my clothes." " Jesus, what's all over you?" "Mom, come on!" "Could I get dressed and then we'll talk about it?" "Let's talk about this." " You know what this is?" " It's not mine." " Really?" " Really." " Cut the crap!" " No, really." " You wanna get fucked up?" " Mom, that's not..." " What are you doing?" " I have a great idea." " What are you doing?" " Let's get high together." "Stop." "Don't do it." "Mother, son." "I know about this, Finn." "Mom, don't do this." "Please stop!" " Don't do it!" " You ready?" " Please, stop it!" "Mom, stop!" " Why?" "'Cause I'm tired of being your excuse for screwing up your life." "Get up." " Summer's over for you." " Mom?" "There's gonna be some changes around here." "Like getting a job." "I'll tell Mr. Osborne we don't need Jilly anymore." "You'll clean the house." "I'll pay you whatever Jilly got." "What?" "You bring me to a place where everyone's rich... and you want me to be the maid?" "Finn!" "Che cosa fai, kiddo?" "Actually, I'm looking for you." "Get in the car." "Would madam prefer her coffee with one lump or two this morning?" "I took the liberty of making an assortment of breakfast meats... for madam this morning." "This isn't gonna let you off the hook." "Can you not do that right now?" "I'm eating." " So sorry, madam." " Thank you." "Of course!" "Very, very sorry." " What are you doing, Finn?" " Corralling dust bunnies!" "You know, I'm really gonna miss working for you." " What are you talking about?" " I'm afraid..." "I'm going to have to give madam notice." "I'm still mad at you, Finn." "I know it'll be very difficult to find someone to replace me... but you're just gonna have to." " You don't get it." "I'm serious." " So am I." "I'm working for Mr. Osborne now." "Full time." "Really?" "Well, then go downstairs, get on the phone... and tell Mr. Osborne you're sorry, but you don't wanna work for him." "I'm sorry, I can't lie to someone who's done so much for us." " You don't call the shots here." " No, Mr. Osborne does." "Pretty snappy, uh?" "What is this?" " Like a war club?" " Jesus Christ." "Be careful, son." " Why?" " My testicles are in there." "Stop." "You're so..." "No, that's from Borneo." "Witch doctor gave it to me in 1945." "There's a picture around here of me and Stillwell and Doolittle somewhere." "I'd love you to find that." "Any of the pictures from World War ll... just put it in a stack marked "World War II"." "Christ, would you look at that!" "And anything you don't know or don't recognize somebody... just put it in a pile called "See Osborne"." " That is gonna be a pretty big pile." " That's why they call it a job." "Who is this?" "That's Creamsicle." " Her name was Creamsicle?" " No." "No, she smelled like a Creamsicle." "Mr. Osborne, Creamsicle's don't smell." "Smells good, doesn't it?" "King of Norway introduced me to her." "She had a mole... shaped like Cuba." "She and Billy Holiday got into a catfight over me." " Feet." " Feet." "The two of them used to sing duets, one in each ear." "Billy Holiday could sure sing." "Creamsicle used to hit the high notes." " Bye, Finn." " Bye." "Feet." " Jesus!" " You have no right... to undermine my authority with my son." "He asked me for a job." "I gave him a job." "And thank you, too, for sabotaging me with the doctor." " The house in East Hampton." " You knew it would scare him off!" "No, it was a gamble." "I just thought the odds were in my favor." "You don't want Finn lollygagging around the clubhouse all day long." "Let him work for me." "I'll teach him some things." " Things he can never use?" " For God's sakes, woman!" "What is your problem?" "I don't like... feeling jealous of my son's happiness." "You are such a good mother." "Not yet." "But I will be." "Robert!" "He practically did every permutation of that..." " That's very dashing." " That's me." "The one next to me is Walter Chrysler and that's..." "What's his name?" " The fella who wrecked the railroads." " What's this?" "Bryce and me." "Hot-air balloon race." "We won the State Championship." "Is that Maya's father?" "He was shot?" " Yeah, stray bullet." " Who shot him?" "Probably a poacher." "I think maybe it was somebody who didn't like rich people." "Grandpa!" "I'm sorry I'm late." "I couldn't find my uniform." " Because I gave it to Finn!" " Daddy, I don't think it's a good idea." "For Christ sakes, he's won it 4 times in a row!" "You don't care, do you?" "No, that's fine." "I was gonna suggest it myself." "Good luck." "Everyone's counting on you." "Gotta keep that trophy in the family." "Bryce, I've never done this before." "I don't know what to do." "Ballooners!" "If he has a heart attack while you're up there, just pull that cord slowly." "I'm not deaf, you know?" "Come on, Finn, get in here." "A heart attack..." "Looks like you've been replaced, Bryce." "Good to have new blood in the race." "Gives the competition a chance." "It's okay, mom." "Steady!" "Go!" "High." "Smile." "Very good!" "Excuse me." "Sorry." "Just one second, everyone." " I have an announcement to make." " This better be good, Bryce!" " Bryce for president!" " Tonight's your lucky night." "Thank you." "To acknowledge the good fortune we enjoy here in Vlyvalle... next year, over on the south pasture... we're gonna be opening the Ogden C. Osborne Youth Center." "It's gonna be a year-round home..." " Did you know about this?" " No." "Did you?" "...for kids who don't have the same opportunity." "Over my dead body." "Stop it!" "What are you doing?" "Stop!" "Throughout history, rape has been used as a weapon in tribal warfare." "An Ishkanani warrior believes if he is humiliated... his "nureshi" or animal spirit will be so ashamed... that it will literally claw itself free from the warrior's soul." "Lambie!" "It's time to get up!" "Mr. Osborne called!" "He wants to start early today!" "Finn!" "Hey, sleepy." "What time did you get in last night anyway?" "Honey?" "What is this?" "What happened to you?" "Somebody jumped me." "What?" " What does that mean?" "Who?" " I didn't see him." "What do you mean?" "Somebody just hit you and ran away?" "Yeah, sort of." " Where did this happen, Finn?" " In the field, mom." " In the field?" " I'm fine!" "Just let me sleep!" "Okay." "Okay." "Gates, I did not bring my son here to get beat up in a field!" "I wanna know who did this!" "I'm okay." "I want you to let me pamper you." "I brought you some ice for your eye." "Honey?" " What happened to you?" " Mom, just leave it alone." "Mom, please." "It's okay." "Let me see." "It's okay." "Let me see." "My God!" "Baby!" "Baby!" "Oh, my God!" "Mom, please wait!" "You can't..." " You can't tell anyone." " Who did this to you?" "I don't know!" "But you can't tell anyone, mom." "Swear." "He's fine." "He just needs some rest." " You didn't sound like he was fine." " I know." "I overreacted." "Let me go up and talk to him." "Maybe I can jog his memory." " He didn't see who did it." " I want Dick to have a look at him." " Stay where you are." " In order to make an official report..." "I don't need an official report." "If you need help with anything, just gimme a call." " I need some painkillers." " I can only prescribe painkillers if..." "Give her the goddamn pills." "Thank you." "I'm sorry if I worried anybody." "Liz, tell him not to worry." "We'll find out who did this." "Okay." "Find out what really happened." "I'm so sorry." "I thought we'd be safe here." "I just want everything to be okay." "I'm so sorry." "I made a list of all the people who might have had reason to do this." "Once you've lost your nureshi, there's only one way to get it back." "Find the guy who did it, cut his heart out... and show it to the village." "What are you doing?" "Packing us." "For New York." " I shouldn't have brought you here." " I'm staying." " What?" " I'm staying." "Why?" "So I can find out who did this to me." "I thought you said you didn't want anyone to know." "I don't." "Just can't leave here until I get my nureshi to come back." " Lambie..." " Don't call me Lambie anymore." "Stop." "Your girlfriend's here." "Don't call her that." "I swear to God, I could kill Dwayne and those poachers." "Couldn't have been Dwayne." "He was busted... dealing deer antlers to Fish and Game agents an hour before he got jumped." "Grandpa had Gates question McCallum." "You wearing my jacket, he didn't exactly love my Youth Center idea." " What've you two been up to?" " We had been planning a big party." " What's the occasion?" " It's your birthday." " Finn is not ready for a party." " No!" "I want a party!" "Let's have a party!" "Let's invite the guy who beat me up!" "He didn't just do this to you, Finn." "He did it to my family." "First my father gets shot, now you get beaten up." "Maya will understand if you go back to New York till we catch this guy." "I wanna be here when they get him." " He could come after you again." " Then I'll know who he is." "You're tougher than you look." "Come here." "This makes us more than friends." "Now don't tell anyone about this." "I missed you... so much." "Watch it." "My ribs still hurt." " Does it hurt to kiss me?" " No, of course not." "Then why don't you?" "I don't know." "My mother might come in." "What is it with you?" "You never wanna kiss me." "We're never alone." "Why did you tell everybody at your party... that my mother and your grandfather were old, old friends?" " They are old friends." " She's your grandfather's masseuse." "Why couldn't you tell people the truth?" "Are you embarrassed that I'm not rich?" "Is the fact that I am rich and you're not gonna be a problem?" " 'Cause, Finn, if it is..." " What?" "You're gonna dump me?" "You're gonna do that anyway!" "It's a joke between us." "Sooner or later, you're gonna get bored screwing the poor boy at the party." "Why do you hate me so much?" ""Dear dad... you know the thing the Ishkanani say about showing a heart to the village?" "Well, that's the part that's gonna be a problem for me." "If everybody knows what happened, for the rest of my life it'd be:" ""You know Finn Earl... the guy who got beat up and dead-horsed by some guy?"" "And no matter how great things turned out... even if I ended up marrying Maya and I became a famous anthropologist... people would always say: "No question, after Finn got it in the ass... he really got his shit together."" "Mr. Osborne thinks it's time for you to get back to work." "I'll wait for you downstairs." "Have a look at that." "She's really got a lot of pubic hair." "That woman is my mother." "I'm serious." "That fella there... he ran the telegraph company." "You know who took this Kodak moment?" "No." "My father." "This?" "Blackmail." "Pure and simple." "My dad leveraged this guy to get his telegraph company... to get our little hardware store... the contract to supply his company with all the copper wire... they were gonna string across these great United States." "This dirty little picture... brought us wealth, class... and respectability." "Why are you showing me this?" "Ex malo bonum." "Out of bad comes good." "That's what people like you and me are put on this earth to prove." "What really happened to you?" "What did my mom tell you?" "She said you got beat up." "Said she didn't want to say anything more." "Neither do I." " What's wrong with you?" " Fuck you!" "Fuck you, too." "I'm sorry, Jilly." "I didn't mean to..." "What's wrong?" "Dwayne knocked me up." "What are you gonna do?" "Christ." "I'm seventeen." "I can't even afford to look after myself." "I know it's not much, but will this help?" "What's wrong?" "I'm the one that's pregnant." "That guy that beat me up didn't just..." "Finn!" "You are never..." "Shit!" "Finn!" "Finn..." "If a prospective bridegroom exhibits cowardice in battle... the maidens will undergo a ritual bath in the Orinoco." "Cleansed by the river spirits, a new marriage will be arranged... with an acceptable young warrior." "Now that you're not dragging us to Finn's birthday party..." "Whitney!" "Don't run away." "Where you going?" "Whitney!" "Whitney!" "Whitney!" "Whitney, can I come in?" "You were there the night Finn got hurt." "Right?" "And... you saw what happened, you saw who did it, right?" "Who did this?" " Can you tell me?" " Gentleman and a scholar." " What?" " Gentleman and a scholar." "Gentleman and a scholar." "Gentleman and a scholar." " Miss Earl, sir." " I have something to say to you." "You said you wanted to know what really happened with Finn." "What messed him up with Maya." "Why don't you ask that sick, twisted grandson of yours?" "Are you telling me Bryce beat up Finn?" " He didn't just beat him up." " What else did he do?" "I can't." "I promised Finn I wouldn't." "Then you tell me what you know." "Oh, Jesus..." "I don't think... and I don't believe... that my grandson... is capable of..." "If you value our friendship... you won't ever bring up this matter again." "What do I tell my son about people like you?" "Maya!" "I need to talk to you." "I can understand your grandfather protecting the prick for screwing you." " But the maid?" " Maya, please." "Maya!" "Jesus Christ!" "Bryce, what are you doing here?" " What the hell are you doing here?" " I have a present for you." "Check this out." "This is a real monkey skull." "These are real quail feathers." "The Ishkanani wear this when they're feeling fucked up." "Helps them see the spirit world." "Check it out." "Yes, Finn, this is a happening look." " You've gotta talk to her for me." " Who?" " Maya." " Oh, it'll blow over." " You screwed the maid." "So what?" " It's not like that." "It's really not..." "Don't worry about Maya." "I got something that is gonna cheer you up." " Close your eyes." " I'm not in the mood." "Trust me, you will be." "Come on, close them." " What the hell is that?" " It's liquid acid." " Oh, shit!" " Relax." "I don't think that's gonna help." "You don't wanna fight it." "This stuff will make you see everything." "I'll catch you later then." "Children are sacred to the tribe." "Their souls being more vulnerable to the "yamahiroterri"... and the other spirits of the underworld." "Children are nurtured, protected and loved." "There is a special bond between mother, father and child... that extends from this life into the next." "How many forest spirits do you have?" "The Shaman reminds our anthropologist that there are three forests." "The here and now, the one we go to when we die... and the forest beneath us." "The underworld, where evil spirits... wait for a chance to rise up... and steal the souls of our children." "Think, Finn." "Think of Speed Racer... and his struggle with Racer X." "Finn, listen to the Shaman." "He is asking you to remember the myth of Racer X..." "Speed Racer's darker half-brother." "The Shaman reminds your father that the soul is always in jeopardy." "The myth of the jaguar, how does that connect to my son's sadness?" "Can you speak to him for me?" "Tell him I love him?" "Marriage is for life." "Our concepts of separation, divorce... remarriage, and a second family... are unthinkable to the Ishkanani." "The good and the bad are within you, Finn." "Finn, listen to the Shaman." "Your nureshi is waiting to see... how you fight this battle inside yourself." "He is saying your nureshi has not deserted you." "Grandpa?" "What do you think?" "You care about people, Bryce?" "Yes." "That's what this is about." "I don't mean do you care what they think about you." "Do you care about what happens to them?" "I'm sorry, Grandpa, I'm confused." "Did you take your medicine today?" "Don't fool with me, boy." "I can eat you for breakfast." "You and I both know... that your father wasn't hit... by some stray bullet, don't we?" "Why Finn?" "Why did you do that to Finn?" "You gave him my place in your balloon." "That's my place, Grandpa." "That's mine." "It's not his." "I'm your grandson." "He doesn't even belong here." "Two thousand years ago, I would've done that in front of the whole village." "They would've clapped." "You made a mess of everything." "Get out of my sight." "Get that thing out of my sight." "Go on, get!" "All turned to shit." "You disgust me." "I said..." "No!" "Grandpa won't wake up!" "Somebody!" "Grandpa won't wake up!" "The family is having people over for a wake." " They didn't invite us." " I'm inviting you." " We're leaving." " What do you mean, we're leaving?" "I'm not staying here a moment longer." "What happened between you two?" "He loved you." "You know what?" "You don't wanna go, that's up to you... but I'm going, 'cause he was a good friend to me." "Just make me" "Make me a pallet on the floor" "Just make me" " Make me a pallet on the floor" " It's Creamsicle." "And if you make me a pallet" "On your floor" "And it's because, I swear..." "When this is all over, we'll get him." "That you made me a pallet" " Who is that?" " A pair of tits." "Put the pictures down." "Get your hands off the pictures!" "Okay." "Grandpa always said you had what it takes to end up with the most toys." "What is that supposed to mean?" "He also said you couldn't trust happiness." "Or was it money?" "I don't know." "I can't remember." "Maya, I'm really sorry about everything." " You wanna see my tattoo?" " Sure." "I did it with a razor blade and charcoal." "Sorry I left off the second "N"... but I passed out before I could finish it." " It's "Fin"." "It means "the end"." " I know what it means." " Young love." " What is that shit?" "It's Grandpa's ashes." " He hasn't even been cremated yet." " I know." "Finn knows what I mean, right?" "Isn't that called "endokenblu"?" "Freak." "What's with her?" "Trouble in paradise?" "Here." "Fire me up." "Cool lighter, huh?" "Keep it." "You've earned it." "Hey, Lambie." "Looking for me?" "You were supposed to use that on yourself." "That night on the field, I just had to know what it would feel like." "Stop moving." "Everyone wonders what it would feel like to do whatever they want... to take whatever they want." "I followed that urge to the end of the road." "I own my own hunger." " Can you say the same?" " You are such a sick fuck." "Come on." "Come on." "Do it!" "Do it." "Where you going, Lambie?" "Where you going?" "Marco?" "Marco?" "You're supposed to say Polo, Finn." "After your funeral, I'll fuck your mother like I fucked you." "Christ!" "That hurts!" "No!" " No, Finn!" " Shut up!" "You fuck!" "Welcome to the tribe, brother." "What are you doing?" "That's not our car." "It is now." "I'm taking it as severance pay." "Oh, God." "Now what?" "I'll see if we left anything." " Hi." " I can't stay long." "They're shipping me off to some boarding school in Switzerland." "Can I write you?" "Gates just told us what happened." "I didn't..." "I didn't know about my brother." "I mean, about anything." "It seems like..." "My whole life I've never really known a thing." "I'm really sorry." "It's okay." "Finn, I'm so sorry." "I'm not." "I got to meet you." "You better write me." "Definitely." "Definitely." "This was on my grandpa's desk." "I was supposed to give it to you." "I'm gonna miss you." ""'Ex malo bonum.' Out of bad comes good." "That's what people like you and me are put on this earth to prove."" "By the time I finally met my father... he'd moved on to a different tribe." "I too had moved on, I guess." "As anthropology ceased to have the hold on me it once did." "But I did learn this much." "We are the sum of all of the people that we have ever met." "You change the tribe and the tribe changes you."