"Therlon was feeling a kind of reality in his gut... that made his journey seem distant... his quest wasteful and insignificant." "The forest was basking in the glow of the fire of Evermore." "All that mattered now was the fire burning in Therlon's being... and the world stretching out beyond fairytale, in all directions." "Emerson, I just put clean sheets on." "Honey, that's wonderful..." "Has that happened before?" "Take a break, Kaya." "Sweetie, it's nothing to be embarrassed about." "I wasn't embarrassed..." "until you opened your mouth." "I remember my first wet dream." "That's really interesting, Rog." "I thought something was wrong with me." "That was perceptive of you." "Brat!" "I 'm trying to have a father son talk here." "Okay then, son, how did that first wet dream make you feel?" "Sticky." "Guess some things never change." "So, how often do you masturbate?" "After every meal." "And I floss too." "I only mention it because... you know, the more masturbation, the fewer the wet dreams." "But I like the dreams." "Yes, but son, too much laundry is bad for the environment." "Where are you going?" " It smells good." " Thanks." "There's a package at the post office?" "Em's standardized tests." "I thought the whole point of home schooling... was to get away from that kind of crap, the standardized world." "Okay, Rog, I 've heard the speech." "We have to think about the future." " Exactly what I 'm thinking about." " Your 1 3-year-old son's future." " Right." " Wash your hands." " Yes, Mom." " Help me chop some veggies." "I'm working." "And my hands are really dirty, apparently." " This is pointless." " Are you done then?" "Do I have to be good at everything?" "You have to know how to add." "People use calculators, Kaya." "They even have solar powered ones." "Okay." "Your math... is... at a grade four level... age nine." "Who cares about grades?" "Any university will require that you have basic math skills." "The Evermore books will be published before I 'm even sixteen." "I 'll be too busy for university." "I just don't think he's interested in math." "I think he's interested in reading, writing, and sex." "I found our Tantric sex book in his bedroom." "Look, if you can't get him interested in math... you think that school can?" "I don't know, Rog, but I do think that a little more structure..." " Could be a good thing for Em." " You've already made up your mind." "Well, then, you don't object?" "Why bother?" "Good." "Oh my God." "I 'm freezing." "I don't like being all wrapped up in this endless winter." "If you're cold, you should wear pajamas." "No, I like sleeping naked." " You should try it sometime." " Oh, Jesus, God." "Don't, don't, don't, come on." "Keep them, go ahead, keep them." "Well, at least one male in this house is interested in sex." "It's just too bad it's not my husband." "M r." "Grant?" "So that's you?" "U p at the lake in the hay house?" "Straw bale." "Straw bale." "And you say that your son's written a novel?" " He'd been writing plays before that." " Wow." "But he stopped because he said Shakespeare had already... done it all before, so why bother?" "He'll be an interesting addition to the class." "There's not a lot of writers in the bunch." " M r." "Grant." " Good morning." " Maybe you could meet him." " Pardon me?" "Well, it's a big change for Emerson." "He's always been home schooled and he needs some encouragement." "Would you come to dinner?" " At your house?" " Tomorrow?" "Tomorrow?" "Tomorrow, fantastic." "Thank you so much." "A demain I" "Mananal" "Em, honey?" " Emerson?" " I'm not going to that school." "What are you trying to prove?" "J ust hold still for a minute." "What am I?" "Your poodle?" "Emerson!" "At least you're not the only one who's nervous." "Why should I be nervous about meeting some backwater teacher?" "He got that attitude from you." "Well, he lives in town, Em." "Truth is, we're more backwater than he is." "We live here 'cause we want to... not because we couldn't live anywhere else." "J ust give the guy a chance." "Aren't you gonna brush your hair?" "Brat." "Shouldn't you iron that shirt?" "Behave." "Sorry I'm late." " Come on in." " Yeah, thanks." "Sorry we don't have any cola." "Oh no, that's okay." "I 'm a bit of a colaholic... but I 'm sure I 'll survive for an evening." "So, you've been here for six years?" " Longer than that." " Emerson was five." " So, thirteen... eight... years." " Eight, yeah." "And you built the house yourself?" "We did it together." "Kaya designed it and I built it." "There was a dump here when we bought the land." "But we reclaimed it and made this." "Wow." "So that's what you do?" "You build houses?" "No, I turn shit into gold." " Literally." " At least the shit is literal." "No, I 'm designing a system that starts with human excrement... and processes it through a living network of plants and organisms." "What comes out at the other end is fertilizer." "Potentially, fuel..." " Ah, "gold. "" " Potentially." " How's that going?" " S-l-o-w-l-y." "Thank you, Kaya." "I 'm working alone now." "See... my partners were having trouble seeing the potential in shit." "So, I let them buy me out and it's given me all this freedom." "It's been good, really." "Last couple years, I've been working on a new approach, and..." "How about you, Don?" " What?" " What's your story?" "Oh, not much of a..." "I grew up here and I went to U niversity in Halifax." "And then, I came back here to look after my mother." "That's pretty selfless." "She ended up in a nursing home in Halifax, ironically." "And I'm still here." " What about you, Emerson?" " Me?" "What are you doing here, or are you just with them?" "I hear you're a writer." " Sort of." " Your mother says you wrote a book." "Yeah." "Then not sort of, you're a writer." "What's it about?" "The sex lives of Hobbits." "Okay." "So beach reading, there's a market for that." "So, this is going to be a big change for you." "What will?" "Coming to Chez, after home schooling." "What's Ohez?" "The school." "Chezbrook County M iddle school, where I teach." "I'm not going there." "You're not?" "Sorry." "So, what am I doing here?" "Washing our dishes." "Orap." "Bye, love." "Harvard, here I come." "Have fun I" "Okay, why did Frankie stay home from the competition?" "Did any of you actually read it?" "What about you, Todd?" "Me?" "Did you read it?" "Yeah, I just forget." "Okay, open your books." "We're gonna read pages 1 8 7 to 1 92 again, now." "Hello, Emerson." "Here's your desk." "Class, this is our new student, Emerson Thorsen." "Page 1 8 7." "We are all going to make Emerson feel welcome, aren't we?" " No." " No." "Okay, page 1 8 7." "So, are you a boy or a girl?" " Do I have to choose?" " Yeah, right." "Most of us don't choose, we know." " Well, that's boring." " Are you insulting me?" "Not at all." "I think you're cute." " Anyway..." " Hey." "Grade 6." "Dougie Mallard, hit me with a plank." "J ust think of it as a rite of passage." "You mean like, with the Hobbits?" "Yes, that's right, exactly." "Oh my God." "And this is fine with you..." "this kind of bullying?" "No, it's not fine." "But maybe Emerson needs to learn to deal with stuff like that." "What do you say, Emerson?" "Why ask now?" "I didn't want to go there in the first place." "Don't you care anymore?" "Kaya?" "About the things we used to care about?" "Things?" "I care about Emerson." "I care about you, me... about doing what's right for our family." ""Oh, what's right for us?" This school is clearly great for him." "I sure don't hear you coming up with anything at all." "So you fly into Cancun, 22-day tour, wonderful, guided." "That is where you start." "Twenty-two days." "They take you through Mexico." "Then you go through..." "Belize and Honduras and then basically what happens is... you can stop in any small town you want." "They give you 2, 3 days." " Climb volcanoes if you want to." " Yeah." "Yeah." "Hello." " H i." " Hey, how ya doing?" "This is Denny." "H i, are you new around here?" "No, born two miles from this spot." "I 've never seen you around before." "But I 've seen you." " Claire, you want a drink?" " Sure." "I 'll take a rum." "I 've had my eye on you." "Should I be concerned about that?" "Yeah, I think you should be very concerned about that." " I 've got an extra drink here." " I 'll be out in a minute." "Hard at work?" "No rest for the wicked." "What happened to your face?" "Rite of passage." "Oh." "Successful?" "Remains to be seen." "You're fantastic, Emerson." "No problem." "Excuse me." "Come on, class." "It isn't that difficult." "We'll never get through the book at this rate." " Maybe they're just not inspired." " What?" "The characters in this book are thin." "The plot is contrived and it has no theme." "Except something like..." ""You can do whatever you want to if you put your mind to it. "" "Which is the usual bullshit old people lay on young people... to hypnotize them into a life of pointless wage slavery." "I thought this was an English class." "Why don't we study someone who could actually write?" "Like Shakespeare?" "Well, don't hold back Emerson." "Tell us what you really think." "I don't have anything to add." "Well... how 'bout the rest of you?" "Do you agree with Emerson, that this book is bullshit?" "Laura?" "I agree with Emerson." "Okay, then." "Well." "No more Snowboard Snowjob." "This story takes place in France." "But not a France you could visit now... or 400 years ago, because it takes place in the imagination." "It is a land where good wins out, and true love prevails." "Who can tell me the difference between comedy and tragedy?" " I n a tragedy..." " Emerson, raise your hand, please." " I n a tragedy..." " And wait to be called on." "Anyone else?" "Emerson?" "I n a tragedy everyone ends up dead, and in a comedy they all get married." "Okay, that's as good a definition as any." "Laura?" "A comedy is funny and a tragedy is sad." "Okay, good Laura, good." "Now who can tell me what these are?" " Jeff?" " Feelies?" "Feelies?" "Those things you put on e-mails?" "Ah, no that's not exactly what I had in mind, no." "No, Debra?" "Like you said, comedy and tragedy." "Very good." "Emerson?" " Masks of comedy and tragedy?" " Suck up." "Yes, ah, good, yes." "And what do they tell us about these dramatic forms?" "Debra?" "How they make us feel?" "Yes, true, they show us our own faces." "But they also have a secret." "Tragedy starts down here." "There are problems in the world." "But we try to solve the problems." "At first, it seems like we're making progress." "But then, unforeseen complications, and things start to go bad." "Maybe it's fate, or maybe it's something wrong in us... but soon everything we do makes things worse... and things end up badly indeed." "Comedy starts here, on an up, everything is fine... as it should be, peaceful, safe." "Oh, but things don't stay that way for long, and soon there are problems." "Maybe it's a necessary change, or maybe someone meddles... and makes a mess of things and disturbs the perfect calm of life." "And the problems get worse." "But we fight to solve the problems." "And because we mean well, even... if we are a little foolish... in the end, our best hopes are realized... and things end up better than ever." "Shakespeare?" "Are you gay?" "Why?" "I nterested?" "J ust hold on a moment." " H i." " How's it going?" "Oh my God." "Thank you." "There." "Okay?" "How did you get her to do that?" "Girls like long hair." "Hello?" "U h, who's calling?" "Oh, wait a minute, I'll see." "It's for you, someone named Denny." "I can tell him you'll call back." "That's okay." "Yeah." "Whatcha reading, Em?" "J ust school." ""And one man in his time plays many parts." "H is acts being seven ages. " As You Like lt." "They teach this in grade 7 at Ohezbrook Oounty?" "M r." "Grant's a rather interesting character, actually." "Really?" "No, that's great, really." " Enjoying hell today?" " Not bad actually." "Really?" "We're gonna get into a little Shakespeare." "That sounds subversive." "What happened to Snowboard Snowjob?" " We ditched it." " Are you insane?" "You'll send those kids out in the world without Snowboard Snowjob?" "You won't be laughing when they start mangling Richard I I I." "As You Like lt." "You won't be liking it too much." " Are you the new doctor?" " No, Mother, I 'm your son, Don." "You?" "What?" "No." "You're nothing like him." "No surprise that boy ended up alone." "People get what they deserve." "You should be careful." "You don't want to end up like him." "You don't like to talk, do you?" "I talk." "No, but I mean it's not your impulse to talk." "What does that mean?" "I mean I like it." "I 'm sick of men who talk." " Your husband talks a lot." " Yeah." "Right." "Actually, no." "My husband likes to pronounce, he likes to proclaim." "I guess that's why you're here with me." "Yeah, maybe." "And just who are you?" "Who are you?" "What you see is what you get, I guess..." "What do you think about?" "What makes you happy?" "Thinking doesn't make me happy." "This isn't something I do, sleep with other men." "What?" " Does that surprise you?" " Does what surprise me?" "That I don't do this?" "Do what?" "Seems like you do now." "Yeah, I guess." "Maybe this is just an anomaly." "Or... maybe this is the beginning of something." "I don't mean with you necessarily." "I mean, just..." "You know what?" "What?" "You're right." "I don't like to talk." "I was thinking, maybe we should stop having potlucks." "Because?" "I think we need to focus more on the family." "Where'd that come from?" "I 'm worried about you and mom." "Yeah, I..." "I know we've been quarreling... a lot." "And, you know, that's just a thing... we're going through a phase, you know." "So you still love one another?" "Of course." "But... hey, if love could solve all the world's problems, you know..." "Well... of course love can... solve, you know, some of them... a lot, love can do a lot." "Okay, that's it." "All right, let's hear it... what've you got..." "Laura?" "M ine's not any good." "We're not interested in good." "Good's not allowed." "Has anyone here written anything good?" "No?" "See?" "Go on." "The Kiss." "He who is rude reads next." "Go on." "One mouth." "Two lips." "A smile." "A frown." "A chew on some food." "Top lip touches bottom lip." "It happens many times a day." "Then, one day, two lips touch two other lips." "Your lips and my lips become our lips." "For a moment." "That's lovely, Laura, really." "I mean, it can go a bit further, don't you think?" "It can?" "You have a strong image." "Fill it out from the inside... with characters or something that happens because of the kiss." "A kiss can change everything." " Yeah, what about you Todd?" " What about me?" "Read." " Why me?" " I heard you snicker." "Read." "I like summer." "That's when my neighbor, Betty McDonald... takes off her bikini top to feel the sun on her big round size 38D..." " That's lovely." "That's beautiful." "Thank you Todd." "That's quite enough." "Your story was good, Laura." "No it wasn't." "Good's not allowed." "That is so weird for a teacher to say." "M r." "Grant has gotten weird." "Plus he said 'bullshit' about Snowboard blowjob." "He could get fired for that." "It was bullshit." "He could get fired for the swearing, stupid." " And other stuff, too." " What stuff?" "J ust stuff." "M r." "Grant?" " Could I speak to you?" " Sure, Emerson." "So, this is the Shakespeare kid." "Oh, Emerson, this is Ms. McPherson." "H i." ""Oh God, God." "How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable seem to me... all the uses of this world. "" "Hamlet." "Yes." "Excuse me, Mary." "So, what's up, Emerson?" "Well." "I haven't given it to anyone else to read." "Not even your parents?" "They just tell me how great it is." "And that's a bad thing?" "Well..." "I want a more expert opinion... and... this is kind of embarrassing, but..." "I don't really know what it's about." "I mean, I know what the plot is and everything." "But when I try and explain what it is really about..." "I get... stuck." "Yeah, well that's..." "you know, normal." " It is?" " Oh yeah... you're probably just too close to it." "I'll give it a read and..." "I'll..." "let you know my impressions." "Thanks." "So it's not about the sex lives of Hobbits?" "No, I was kidding about that." " Yes, I thought, perhaps." " Yeah." "I 'll look forward to it." "Morning." "Morning." "Morning." ""Love is merely a madness and I tell you... deserves as well a dark house and a whip as madmen do. "" "Oh, whip me baby." ""And the reason why they are not punished and cured is... that the lunacy is so ordinary that the whippers are in love too. "" "I gave M r." "Grant my book to look at." " He's going to read it." " Oh, I 'm jealous." "He's not like one of those guys who never left here." "He went to a good U niversity." " I mpressive man." " You're such a snob." "What are you talking about?" "I think Emerson is lucky to have a teacher like M r." "Grant." "Every kid should go to a school like that." "Oh, shut up." "He is much smarter than you are." "Here, here." "Than both of you." "And nicer too." "Emerson?" "Can I talk to you?" "What?" "Your parents may seem silly but love them anyway Remember that song?" "Grownups still must grow up each and every day" "Is that what you are doing with that Denny guy?" "Growing up?" "What?" "Are you spying on me?" "I saw you get out of his truck." "And how is that any of your business?" "You're right." "It has nothing to do with me." "Oh, come here, sweetie." "I 'm..." "The forests around the castle of Evermore were thick and deep." "Amongst the trees, it was dark even on the sunniest day." "For a man to make his way through... it was necessary to hack a narrow path with his sword." "Even then, the branches tore his clothes, scratched his skin... did everything they could, so that he would not pass." "Few they were who tried." "Fewer still who succeeded." "No, look." "You can cancel the five." "Okay, try that." "There." "That's better." "Okay, we're about out of time." "I want you to finish the worksheets at home tonight." "You okay?" "Is it much further?" "We're almost there." "We could take a sauna before we work on our math." "It's getting kind of hot in here." "That's the idea." "Haven't you had a sauna before?" "I think I need my puffer." " So how you doing?" " Pretty good." " Hey, Emerson." " Oh, hi." "How about one of those magic massages?" "Oan we do it later?" " You made it." " I hope I 'm not late?" "Oh no." "Oome in." " H i." " Hey, hi." " Cooking is not my strong point." " That's great." "Throw your coat over there, you can grab yourself some food." "Great." "Yum." "I 'll get you a plate." "So what inventions are you cooking up these days?" "I nventions?" "You know." "Saving the world and all that?" "Oh God." "You really expect me to do that?" "No, I don't mean..." "Oh, no, I... thanks for asking, it is a good question." "But you know what?" "I resign." "I once and for all, I resign from save the world bureau... the world doesn't want my fucking help anyway." "it's made that very clear." "And I 'm tired..." "I 'm tired of being everyone's Saint Green." "Making you all feel so good and righteous." "No more saving the world, is that all right with everyone?" "Because maybe we could take on a smaller task... like... considering someone's feelings every once in a while or... living our ideals in some of the things we actually do." "But no." "I guess we'd rather have someone come along... and kindly save it all for us, thank you very much... so we don't have to notice our complacency and our hypocrisy... and our sheer and utter failure to make any fucking difference whatsoever." "So..." "Spanokapita's up." "So... good." "Saved by the Spanokapita." "So thanks, thanks for a..." "no, no, it's a good question." "Really." "So, I 'm glad we had a chance..." "I really like the Ostrakoi in your book." "They're so wise, mysterious." "Probably you noticed, but I made that name up from the Ostrakon." "No, that went right by me." "The Ostrakon... refresh my memory?" "Those tablets the ancient Greeks used... to exile citizens if they were too powerful or smart." "That's where the term ostracize comes from." "Plus, it sounds cool." "What's so amusing?" "It's like you never seen those things before." "You've a very special home." "I guess so." "I 'm sure yours is nice too." "Yeah." "You want to know a secret?" "My house is a disaster." " Really?" " Yeah." "You always lived alone?" "Who said I lived alone?" "I..." "I had a partner for a long time." "They weren't right for you?" "No, actually, they were perfect for me, I was the problem." "But I 've just decided that some people were meant to be alone." "I like being alone, sometimes." "She was making noises like this..." "I moved my finger in and out." "I finger fucked her." "That was your dick man, it just looked like your finger." "Shut up." "Hey, let's go over to Emerson's house." "We can get naked." " Fuck you." " You wish." "Queer." "Morning, Emerson." "What's this?" "I burnt it for you." " It's some music I like." " Oh." "Well." "Thank you." "I'll let you know what I think." "I'm going out." "Don't you want to know where I 'm going?" "You're doing what is right for us, isn't that what you said?" "Em, come get your stuff." "Hey." "I 'm glad you are having such a good experience with M r." "Grant." " You don't sound glad." " Oh, I am..." "He's your first teacher." "That's important." "That's good." "It's just, you know, that's different from a friend, obviously." "Why can't your teacher also be a friend?" "Well, for one thing, he's 3O years older than you." "So, do friends have to be the same age?" "Don't lawyer me, Em, I 'm just saying you know... keep it in perspective." "Thanks for the advice." "All I want is" "To be in his movie" "And not just be old worms of yesterday" "All I want is" "To be in his movie" "And not just be old worms of yesterday" "We" "Oh" "Oh We Oh" "We" "Oh" "We Oh" "We Oh" "Oh We Oh" "All I want is" "To be in his movie" "And not just be old worms of yesterday" "All I want is" "To be under his covers" "And not simply be" "A time from yesterday" "All I want is" "To be in his movie" "And not just be old worms of yesterday" "All I want is" "To be under his covers" "And not simply be" "A time from yesterday" "Oh We Oh" "Oh We Oh" "We Oh" "Oh We Oh" "We Oh" "Oh We Oh" "We Oh" "Oh We Oh" "All I want is" "Warmth from his smother" "And not just be" "Frozen for an age" "Oh my longing" "To be bare on your knee" "And that not just be home from yesterday" "All I want is" "Warmth from his smother" "And not just be" "Frozen for an age" "Oh my longing" "To be bare on your knee" "And that not just be home from yesterday" "Olaude?" "Don?" "Oh We" "Oh We Oh" "We Oh" "Oh We Oh" "We Oh" "Oh We Oh" "It's cold." "All I want is" "To be in his movie" "That's a nice song." "It was a gift." "Not cheating again, are we?" "No, I 'm single, it's just a friend." "It's a love song." "Everything is a love song." "No." "That is a love song." "I have to say..." "I didn't expect to see you here." "I guess you come here a lot." "It's not my first time, no." "Did you come here when we were together?" "Oh, Jesus, Olaude." "Does it really matter?" "No." "We were good together." "I know." "It was me." "All me." " That is not what I 'm saying." " No, that's the truth, isn't it?" "Oh great." "That just lets you right off the hook, doesn't it?" "What do you mean?" "Never mind." " Well, well, what's this?" " Oh, nothing." " We have an admirer, do we?" " No." "Or is it two Shakespearian scholars passing sonnets betwixt them?" "It's nothing, it's just a kid." "Is that why I don't see you any more?" "Of course not." "Methinks the lady doth protest too much." "Oh, don't be ridiculous." "Ridiculous, now am I?" "You want to be careful with that sort of thing." "It could get a bit sticky." "This is a beautiful..." "love sonnet, Emerson." "Why did you send it to me?" "I was reading it." "And it made me think of you." "Well, that is very flattering." "" I n faith I do not love thee with mine eyes..." ""for they in thee a thousand errors note." ""But 'tis my heart that loves what they despise..." ""who in despite of you is pleased to doubt. "" "You know, I remember being your age." "And it was difficult being different, in a place like this." "And if you ever need to talk about it, I 'm here." "M r." "Grant, I 'm not gay." "Emerson." "Oh well... am I misunderstanding?" "Why did you send me this?" "I wanted you to know how I feel... about you." "It's not about being gay, or straight." "Those are just labels." "Okay, then... how were you hoping that I would respond?" "'Cause you understand I'm your teacher." "You can have a crush on me, but it's not mutual." "It can't be mutual." "But we're friends." "It's not like I want to have sex with you or something." "No." "I just want to feel close." "Okay... okay then." "Great, good, Emerson." "I'll..." "I'll see you tomorrow." ""Youth, you have done me much ungentleness... to show the letter that I writ to you. "" ""I care not if I have." "It is my study to seem despiteful and ungentle to you. "" ""You are there followed by a faithful Shepard;" "look upon him, love him." "He worships you. "" ""Good shepherd, tell this youth what it's to love. "" " 'Tis to love." " "Tell this youth what 'tis to love. "" ""It is to be all made of sighs and tears, ; and so am I for Phoebe. "" "Sighs and tears, think about it." "" It is to be all sighs and tears;" "and so am I for Phoebe. "" " "And I for Gaminede. "" " Ganymede." "Ganymede." ""And I for Rosalind. "" ""And I for no woman. "" "" It is to be all made of faith and service;" "and so am I for Phoebe. "" ""And so am I for Ganymede. "" ""And I for Rosalind. "" ""And I for no woman. "" "" It is to be all made of fantasy, all made of passion..." ""and all made of wishes." ""All adoration, duty, and observance." ""All humbleness." "All patience, and impatience." ""All purity, all trial, all observance." "And so am I for Phoebe. "" "Hey, Sauna Boy, where are you going?" "Why don't we all get naked in your sauna?" " Go ahead." " You would like that, you perv." " It was your bright idea." " Oh yeah?" "C'mere, Jeff." "This queer is calling you a liar." "What is it that you want anyway?" "Why don't you go back to Queerville, or wherever it is you came from?" "You okay?" "How long does this rite of passage thing last?" "Good question." "So your parents aren't here?" "Are you okay?" "Do you want me to wait?" "So you don't know where your parents are?" " Check it out." " Emerson, no!" " My parents let me." " No." " Seriously, they do." " No." "It's not a good idea." "What's the big deal?" "It's illegal, you're a minor, I 'm your teacher." "Shall I go on?" " How about a drink?" " I don't drink." "I mean a cola." "I got some cola for you." "I 'll have a cola if you put that down." "Thank you." "Your dad is an important man." "He sure acts that way." "What are you doing?" "I 'm taking a sauna." "I 've heated it up." "You want to join?" "Emerson, I don't think so." "What, now minors aren't allowed to take saunas?" "Yeah." "You know what, I better go." "Hey, Emerson." "Emerson." "Emerson." "Emerson, give me my keys, now." "Here's your drink." "What would your parents think?" "They'd think you're being pretty up tight." "What are you freaking out about?" "My fucking keys." "Now!" "Your ice is melting." "Come on, man." "You can't take a sauna with your clothes on." "I'm not taking a sauna." "It'll make you feel better." "You're so tense." "I've got an idea." " I could give you a massage." " Emerson..." "I give my parents' friends massages all the time." "They say I have magic hands." "Yeah." "Thank you." "No." "Why do you say no to everything?" "You think you're alone... but you're not." "What are you so afraid of?" "Emerson, what's the matter, baby?" "Okay good... good, let's do it." "Rog?" "Rog?" "My God." "What's happened to you?" "Rog?" "What happened to you?" "What is it?" "What is it?" "Where's M r." "Grant?" "M r." "Grant is off sick today." "I 'm your substitute teacher." "Now can we get out our copies of Snowboard SnowJob." "Olaude?" "I need to see you." "Don?" "Don?" "It's Claude." "Oh, yeah." "Oh, yeah." "Yeah." "Yeah." "Yeah." "M rs." "Thorsens, this is M r." "King calling from the school." "Your son Emerson ran out of class apparently... at the start of second period and hasn't been seen since." "I wonder if you could give me a call." " What were you doing in there?" " What are you doing here?" "Were you having sex with that guy?" "You wouldn't make love with me... but you'd have sex with someone you didn't even know?" " How'd you get here?" " Answer me." "None of your business." "Your parents know you're here?" "My parents don't own me." "Fuck you." "Emerson." "Shit." " Hello?" " Hello?" " Kaya." " It's all right." "Don?" "Hello?" "Hello?" " Rog, that's private mail." " That's Emerson's seal." "" I n Faith I do not love you with my eyes..."" "Oh my God." "but 'tis my heart..." "Who you calling?" "Redial." " Hello." "I 'm looking for Don..." " Grant." "Grant." "Don Grant." "Yeah, I think he might be with my son, Emerson." "Well, do you know where Don is?" "Hey!" "You look a little cold." "I wonder why?" "It's freezing out." " Are you looking for a date?" " Emerson I" "Sure." "Let's go." "Emerson!" "I'm just gonna wash up." "It's not a toy." "So, what is it that you do here?" "I 'm not at liberty to discuss it." "Shh." "Oome on." "This is the chair I like to use." "Oan I have a drink?" " You're not a druggie, are you?" " No." " What?" " No, I sit in the chair." " Oh, sorry." " Yeah." "Aren't you gonna take it?" "How old are you, anyway?" "Sixteen?" "You don't look sixteen." "Actually, my dad says that I have an intellectual age of thirty-five." "You don't want me to be your dad, do you?" "No." "Yuck." "That's good." "I'm not very good at the dad thing." "So I sit in the chair and look out the window... in case someone might go by." "Are there other people in the building?" "Well, no." "Well, maybe." "Probably not." "But don't you think the idea makes it more exciting?" "Have you done this before?" "Of course." "Lots of times." "Like, why do you think I got in your car?" "Well, how about taking your clothes off then?" "You first." "I don't take my clothes off." "Do you have any candles?" "What for?" "Atmosphere." "Maybe you should take your pants off now." "Oan I use your washroom first?" "Yeah." "Okay." "It's in there." "H urry up." "I 'll be real quick." "Yeah!" "I 've been trying to call you for over an hour." "Where are you?" " I thought you were coming over here." " I was, but..." "Do you have some kid with you?" "Because his parents are calling here." "They're on their way in here." "He followed me here." "So he is with you." "No." "I mean, yes." "He's..." "I 'm waiting for him." "So what am I supposed to tell them?" "I don't..." "I 'll call you back." "I think it's time you came out." "What are you doing in there?" "Sir?" "What?" "I've never done this before." "And I'm not sixteen." "I'm thirteen." "Shit." "I turned thirteen last October." "Listen, I was just trying to get my friend mad." "I thought he would follow me here." "And I think you could get in a lot of trouble." "So I 'm just going to come out of here now... and I 'm not going to take my clothes off." "I 'm leaving your money in the sink." "I just want to leave." "Okay?" " Okay?" " Okay." "Now get the fuck out of my office, please." "Yeah!" "I need an update." " I need to tell them something." " Oh God." "Hello?" "What do I tell them?" "Tell them he's safe and that he's with me and... and that we'll... we'll meet at your place." "Are you all right?" "Are you sure?" "Hey." "Hey." "Hey." "It's okay." "It's okay." "It's okay." "It's okay." "It's okay." "It's okay." "You're all right." "You're all right." "You're good." "Claude?" "I can't find the teabags." "Right where they always were." "What's he dreaming?" "I couldn't begin to..." "Our son... and yet I couldn't begin to imagine what he's dreaming." "Isn't that something?"