"Oh, I'm so glad we moved, I think we're going to be very happy here." "Don't you agree Michael?" " Hi!" "Hello!" " Michael..." "There's your school, see your school?" "Do you see it?" "That's good honey, looks good." "I know how you love lamb chops." "What did Mr. Zellner think of your proposal?" "Well..." "Marty Smart." "He knows defoliants are a growth industry." "You glad we moved?" "Oh, I'm so proud of you Mr. Supervisor." "Bedtime." "Come on sport." "I'll carry you." "What's the matter?" "You're not scared of your room." "Are you?" "It's dark..." " It's the nightmares Nick." "Michael, the cellar's dark, your room's dark, everything's dark at night..." "Pretty soon, we'll turn off all the lights and it'll be dark everywhere." "You really like the dark, Don't you Michael?" "You can be yourself in the dark..." "But you know, there's one dark place that we have to be very careful in..." "Do you know where that is?" "Come on." "Up to bed." "When I was a little boy, I was just like you..." "I was afraid of everything..." "I used to think there was a monster in my closet." "and every night he would wait until I was asleep, and hide under my bed." "You know what happened?" "I grew up to be a big strong man, just like my dad... and I wasn't afraid of anything, ever again..." "Isn't that a nice story?" "Goodnight sport." "Goodnight..." "Hi..." "Hi baby..." "Just having a little midnight snack, eh?" "Maybe...just a little something..." " Yeah..." "Some of this maybe?" "Where is it Michael?" " You're hot." "Your cold." "You're getting hotter." "Nope." "You're getting warm, You're boiling..." "You found it..." "You dip it, after you cut it up Michael." "I don't want any breakfast today." " This isn't breakfast." "It was from the move, I cleaned out the refrigerator and everything got defrosted." "What did you find?" "Oh...this and that..." "I don't want any." "Don't touch that knife please." "I had a nightmare." "Oh Michael..." "You didn't take your pajamas off again, did you?" "The only time you have nightmares, is when you take your pajamas off, did you?" "You'll eat something, won't you baby?" "It was a mistake moving here..." "Michael, get out of here!" "Pow..." "Behind you soldier." "Let's show a little hustle." "It's dark..." "Well give me some light." "Great temperature regulators." "I don't like this cellar..." "The cellar is not a playground." "It's for the wine." "It ages there." "New house, new friends..." "Oh, Michael, things are really going to change for you, now that were here." "We'll have more time to spend together." "What do you say sport?" "Good morning Class." "Good morning Miss Baxter." "Good morning Miss Baxter, well..." "Welcome back from your summer vacations." "I hope you had a wonderful vacation," "I had a wonderful summer vacation." "We have two more additions to our class." "Who knows what that word "addition" means?" "*Cough*" "Well, we will study that word I think..." "Sheila Zellner and Michael Laemle, Will you please stand up?" "Uh, Sheila...we know you from Mr. Towler's class don't we?" "Welcome to section "a"... and Michael you're from..." "Massachusetts." "Welcome to your new school." "When we have new faces, we love to learn something new, don't we?" "Sheila, can you tell us something new?" "When you make a martini with an onion, it's called a Gibson." "Oh, that, that is new..." "Where did you learn that Sheila?" "My mom's bartending guide..." "We don't drink those things now, do we?" "Michael, can you tell us something new?" "If you take a black cat, and broil it on the oven, and you peel off the skin of the bones, and you take it off, and you chew on the bone, you'll be invisible." "Well... that's certainly new, but that's not true, that's not a fact," "I do not want anyone, doing this with their pets." "Michael, do you have any pets?" "Cats?" "How come you're so tall?" " I was left back." "Why?" " Doing things." "What things?" " Things." "Where did you learn that stuff about the cat?" " Lypholizer." "What does your father do for a living." " I don't know." "You're so weird." "Where you from?" " I'm from the moon." "Where you from?" "I'm from Massachusetts." "Are you really from the moon?" "Really?" " Of course I'm from the moon." "My family moved there when I was 3." "and we lived in this small little village of, earth people..." "Nobody knows about it." "I'm going back there, Once I have an education." "Really?" " Hmm Hmm" "What's it like up there?" "In the moon, you can eat whatever you want, and nobody tells you what to do, and?" " And if you spill on your dress, your parents don't yell at you." "Are parent's there?" "You ask alot of questions..." "I like that in a man..." "Can I visit you there?" " Aha" "Can I stay at your house?" " Sure." "Does Miss Baxter know?" " Know about what?" "About you coming from the moon." " No... and don't tell her, ok?" "I'm home." "Mom?" "You're home early." "Chateau Margot." "You have to let it breathe for tonight." "Michael..." "We didn't know when to expect you." "School was over about a quarter to 3." "Quarter to 3..." "We have to remember that..." "Elbows off the table Michael." "Michael met a little girl at school today." "Oh really?" "Was she pretty?" "She's an alien." "Foreign?" "She's from the moon." "We can't make friends by telling lies Michael." "Can you tell us something truthful, about this little girl Mike?" "She talked to class how to make a Gibson." "That's enough." "Eat your meat..." "Won't you try just a bite?" "Right Daddy?" "I don't see your eyes closed." "What's that on the ceiling?" "Why, it's just a little crack." "Let me explain something to you." "We use gas now," "Uh, we have to buy gas every month." "and the gas goes into the furnace, and it gets hot, and it travel's into these pipes, and they travel up the walls, and across the ceiling, and when the pipes get very hot, they expand." "Maybe they contract, I'm not so sure, but your father knows." "and when they do that, the plaster cracks." "I found a way where we never have to buy gas anymore..." "Really?" "Yeah..." "You find some people, but they have to be hanged, and you chop of their hand, and you throw them in the fire, and they burn forever." "Close your eyes." "I love you..." " I love you too." "I love you more" " No I love you more." "I love you more" " I love you more Goodnight!" "I'm thirsty..." "What are you doing up?" "Come on baby, Come on baby, Let's go to bed." "Let's go to bed, It's ok." "You're not scared are you?" "Don't be afraid." "You're safe." "Workbook time, These are your very own workbooks, you may keep them throughout the semester, and I would like you to write your names, on the upper right hand corners, of this workbook..." " I have a secret." "Michael, what are you doing here?" "Michael, Miss Baxter's going to catch you..." " It's about my parents..." "We do not get out of our seats without permission in this class, thank you." "Michael, Miss Baxter talking..." "Michael, sit down, thank you." "I will forgive you because I know, this is your special girlfriend." "*Giggling*" "Now please, turn to page 3 of this workbook, and you will see a box... and in this box, is what?" "A picture of a family?" "and beneath this box, is an empty box, and you will draw a picture of your own family." "Do not copy the picture above the box." "I want to see what your family looks like." "That way I get to know who you are, and how you see your family, isn't that fun?" "Laemmle's." "I'm so glad you could come in Mrs. Laemle." "I'm Millie Dew the school psychologist," "Now Michael's teacher was a little concerned about some things that Michael has been saying in class," "Particularly a picture that he drew." "So I had a..." "Oh my god, let me get my cigarette." "Be careful, be careful." "Almost started a fire..." "Ok, I'm sorry." "I wonder, Mrs. Laemle, Could you tell me a little something about Michael?" "Oh yes, he's very..." "He's not much of an eater." "I mean some evenings, I'll fix him a hot entree, vegetable, and a light dessert..." "He'll hardly touch it..." "Could you tell me, Do Michael and his father have a close relationship?" "Very close." "What kind of thing's do they do together?" "Oh, many things." "Like what?" "It's hard to say, I would just, I would have to say many things." "and just leave it at that." "What is that over there?" "a giant sea of tube molecules, is a plant's dream right?" "Wrong, it completely confuses, the plant's respiratory organelles," "See, it gets so excited breathing in the giant sea of tube molecule," "That it forgets to synethize glucose." "In other words, it forgets to eat..." "Now you take your standard jungle outposts," "Our planes, fly over... and drop a concentrate of this stuff." "and then what happens?" "your first light rainfall... and the catalyzed resident goes to town." "48 hours, this jungle is smouched" "You drop the pellets a week before monsoon, and presto." "The root system's dying, and the whole place gets washed away." "Just like little boy's who touch thing's they're not supposed to, don't smudge the glass Michael." "What a dad, huh Mike?" "You know what this is Mike?" "I think it's a pen." "It's an opportunity..." "I bet you knew this pen was made of chemicals." "But did you know that If I took the exact same chemicals that make up this pen... and recombine them, I could make, I don't know, an automobile!" "Maybe you could make, an electric light!" "The whole world is made up of chemicals Mike!" "You can make anything with them!" "But if you're smart, You'll make, opportunities." "No funny business at the Zellner's tonight Michael." "This is an important night for your father." "You like Sheila?" "Why don't you just..." "Play with Sheila..." "She's the plant manager's daughter..." "You be nice to her." "Do you need some help with that sport?" "Let's get buttoned up here first..." "You see Michael we have to, Fit in..." "This is a new place..." "Do you understand?" "So we must be on our best behavior." "7 milligrams the rat showed massive liver damage but it's 6," "Which means in a human liver..." " Does your husband make you as sick at dinner as mine does?" "Oh I behave myself, don't I dear?" "Well..." "One club." "One spade." "Pass!" "Marty did you deal me this mess?" "You know, you are making a glutton out of me," "How do you make this?" "Actually, I got it off the side of a corn chex box." "I don't believe that." " It's true!" "I don't believe that." "Instead of raisins, I used miniature marshmallows." "Mmm, So good!" "Oh, two diamonds." "Three of clubs." "I'm going to cut your little hands off, I'm going to cut your hands off," "Don't run!" "Michael!" "Don't worry it's not going to hurt, don't be such a baby." "I'm just cutting your hands off, Why should you be scared?" "Come on, stay still, stay still," "Stop, please stop." "Michael..." "What's that?" "It's the grownups." "What are they doing?" "Don't know, you can never tell..." "Last night my father emptied the dishwasher naked!" "Why?" " I don't know." "I hear your doing wonderful things with Aero Portal tissue." "Three spades..." "Don't give him a big head Gladys," "I'll have to give him another raise." "What are they doing?" "Changing..." "They change when they're alone..." "You know this is your fault!" "This iced tea is making me giddy." "This iced is tea is from..." "Long Island..." "You mean to tell me there's vodka in this?" " Just a little." "I can't believe it!" "Makes the bidding more interesting." "Well, I'm passing." "You pass?" "Pass." "It's your league Gladys." "Trump?" "You led Trump Gladys?" "Shoot me!" "What the hell." "Let's have another drink..." "I bet your really soaked..." "Don't use the cards!" ", the cards!" "Well I didn't have anything anyway!" "Alright, alright, now let's be serious here!" "You watching me?" "That's smart." "It's good to watch." "I bet you know what." "Other people are watching you!" "At School, At Home..." "Maybe even in the bathroom..." "Don't let them..." "First law of survival..." "Do you understand?" "That's the next best thing, to being invisible..." "Breakfast." "Michael, Michael, There's somebody very special who would love to meet you." "Come in!" "Michael..." "Come on in." "Come on." "Sit down." "Could I have your..." "I have a picture that you drew." "You drew this?" "It's very different." "It's very interesting, Can you tell me something about it?" "No?" "Ok..." "I'm Millie..." "How you doing?" "Aren't you going to tell me your name?" "You already know my name." "Yes, I do." "Alright..." "Hey..." "Michael..." "Would you like to play a game?" " What kind of game?" "So I'm going to show you some drawings and I want you to tell me what you think about them." "Alright?" "Ok Ok..." "What do you think is happening here Michael?" "What are they looking at?" "I want you to tell me what do you think they're looking at." " I don't know, but I'm scared..." "Of what?" " You know!" "you know what's in the picture." "Probably..." "But you tell me..." "You're not a real doctor." "I'm what?" "You're not a real doctor" " No I'm not." "I'm a social worker." " You didn't go to medical school?" "No, no I didn't, because I like doing research." "Why?" "I don't know, alot of people like doing research..." " Why?" "Would you...would you mind very much if I had a cigarette?" "No..." "Alrightey..." "I put them in my pocket..." "what?" "You're not a real grownup..." " I certainly am." "Real grownups don't get upset." "Hi Mort." "There's an interesting case I've been keeping an eye on." "I've observed some unusual reactions to the toxins..." "I thought you'd like to take a little peek, as long as your here." "Is he fresh?" "He looks fresh." " Yes sir, just came in this morning from central pathology." "Good..." "Alright, I'll need a 100 grams of liver tissue." "Purea?" " Yeah, Purea." "I'm going to be testing different concentrations of the toxins, to make up a few preparations." "You keep it sterile this time." " Sorry, I'll be sure to clean all the vessels." "Anything else?" "Yeah, we might as well get some amp tissue while were in there." "Okie Dokey." "Hi, dinners at 6." "What are we eating?" " Leftovers honey." "Leftovers from what?" "From the refrigerator!" "We've had leftovers every day since we moved here, I'd like to know what they were before they were leftovers." "Well before that they were... leftovers to be." "Eat your dinner honey." "No thank you..." "Your son..." "the vegetarian..." "Are you sick?" "You want to go to bed?" "Lily now damn it, we can't send him to bed every time he doesn't want to eat." "Daddy's had a rough day, why don't you go to bed early..." "Let him do it himself!" "You happy now?" "Mom?" "I didn't have a nightmare..." "Rise and shine!" "Oh lord Judith, I don't know..." "It's too early to say what's wrong with Michael." "I can't put my finger on anything specific." "He's too slippery..." "He's bright..." "He's rude..." "But he's very, he's perceptive..." "I don't think he trust me yet..." "I think he's scared." " Yeah." "God, I don't know, maybe he's just pretending to be scared." "He's an odd little boy" " Odd!" "You know what I wish?" " Hmm?" "I wish that I could label him, and put him in a box and say "Oh Judith"" ""Here's Michael the little manic depressed one"" "I can't find him, I can't define him, but you know something?" "I like it." "What are you doing up there?" "Looking at every little pore on your tiny little body." "Why aren't you at school today?" "I'm not going to go to school anymore, I quit school." "You're going to quit too, and were going to get fake drivers licenses, and get one of those camper trailer things, and at night you will be driving, and I would be inside making dinner," "and when you come home, we'll be so happy to see that were alive, that" "we'll never be punished again..." "You blew a fuse." "No, you can't have any!" "Sheila?" "Sheila!" "Sheila?" "You should come in here, it's really cool." "Please get out." "No, no, no, no, no!" "I will if you take off your shirt." "I'm not moving until you take it off Buster!" "I'm not allowed to go near the freezer..." "No, no, no, no, no, no..." "Michael!" "You can leave the book." "I'm going to tell you a story." "This is a story about a boy... a very naughty little boy... about your age... who thought he was better than everyone else..." "So he played where he wasn't supposed to play... and he, he destroyed other peoples private property... do you know why this little boy was this way?" "he only care about himself... and in the end, he grew up to be a very lonely, unhappy, self centered, little man... and do you know how this made his parents feel?" "Do you?" "I don't think that this is the way..." "You're scaring him." "Am I?" "Am I?" "Ho, well Mr. you scare me too." "You don't look like me, You don't act like me." "You hate me!" "Well you know what?" "I'm not so crazy about you either!" "Nick what are you doing?" "You are never to see Sheila Zellner again!" "Never!" "Sheila?" "Sheila?" "Sheila?" "Have you seen Michael Laemle?" "Why?" "Oh his parent's thought he might be here." "Well he's not my only friend." "Just asking." "But you are Michael..." "Your mother's nice..." "No she's not, she's horrible." "Just because she washes her puffy little hands before dinner, and puts her napkin on her knee and acts polite to you, you think everybody's parents are so wonderful." "It's not true." "Daddy had this really nice division manager... went out every day, stole cars, came home and beat his wife." "How do you know what your father really does all day?" "He goes to the plant." " Yes but how do you really know?" "He could be in jail and the guards could let him out at night so that he could go home and see his family." "So that his family won't find out he's in jail and get embarrassed." "How do you really know?" "Daddy says your father has alot going on inside his head..." "Doesn't say much..." "Just like you." "Want a ride sport?" "Into the foxhole soldier." "Where have you been sport?" " Nowhere." "Keep your damn hands off the laundry." "Sheila Zellner was a bad influence on you sport." "I think we can look forward to some improvement in your behavior." "Well this is just great!" "Do you know what our dinner looks like?" "Could you help me get the laundry out of the car?" "Hmm?" "Oh." "Isn't that nice?" "Daddy picked up the laundry." "How was school Michael?" " Great." "Eat Michael." "Thanks..." "Where did you find it?" "On the front lawn..." "Really?" " Nick!" "I'm not accusing him, I'm just asking..." "Michael..." "I did, I found it on the front lawn, next, to the, next to the door..." "Well, I think this meatloaf is dry." "Do you know what happens to little boys who tell stories?" "Honey..." " No." "The muscles in their jaws start to tighten... and their lips get stuck together permanently." "I don't think that's true." "I think it is..." "I don't feel well, I better go to bed." "Ok honey, I'll be up in a little while." " I may be sleeping." "Come here." "Don't I get one?" "He's having dreams again." "His head works overtime." "He has too many thoughts for a boy his age..." "I know what your parents do at night Michael..." "Think you want to tell me what you're doing up at 1 o'clock in the morning?" "Hmm?" "What's that in your pocket?" "Give it to me." "A snack..." "Now what did we say about snacks late at night Michael?" "Take your robe off and get into bed." "Now when we get up in the morning, you're going to brush your teeth twice as hard, and twice as normal." "Ok sport?" " Ok." "Good night." "Michael?" "Come right in." "What's the matter?" "I saw a bad thing..." "Maybe it was only a nightmare, come on sit down." "Sometimes you know we have dreams that we think we really saw something, and its only a nightmare." "Sometimes, these things are hard to remember." "Put yourself in the dream Michael..." "What do you see?" "I can't tell you..." "Yes you can, you don't have to be afraid Michael, you can tell me..." "It won't let me." "They hear everything." "Who Michael?" " My parents." "Michael don't be afraid, nothing's going to happen to you." "Where are you?" "In the hallway..." "Are you having a nightmare?" "It's night, but I don't think it's a nightmare." "Ok, good, what are you doing?" "There's a man there..." "What do you see Michael?" "Tell me." "Talk to me." "There's nothing to be afraid of..." "I'm here." "and I'd like to help you." "Michael if you can't talk about it..." "I can't help you, do you understand me?" "Michael, Michael!" "Michael wait!" "Michael!" "Michael..." "Michael wait!" "Give me your hand..." "Don't be afraid Michael, Did you have a dream about this cellar?" "Was this cellar in your dream Michael?" "What?" "What do you see?" "Come on Michael..." "Ok..." "Don't be afraid." "Maybe..." "Maybe you had a nightmare, maybe this basement was in your dream." "You think that's what it is?" "Michael, there's nothing to be frightened of." "What are you looking at?" "That's a rat!" "Is that what you were afraid of?" "Me too, a little." "It's ok, sometimes they just get in there in order to get warm," "It's getting cold, let me see, don't be afraid, ok?" "Michael!" " Michael..." "Michael!" "Come on!" "Michael?" "Michael?" "Michael." "Please don't hide." "Michael!" "Michael?" "Wash your hands Michael, Dinners ready!" "Michael?" "Are you ready to behave?" "I thought I'll tell you a little story..." "Want to hear a story?" "I'll tell you a little story and I want you to shut up until I'm finished..." "You eat people..." "I've been watching you Michael..." "You're an outsider..." "You're not like them..." "You're like us..." "I don't love you anymore." "Yes you do..." "We're bound for life." "No matter how much you hate us." "I'm untying you... and when your free..." "You can sit down with us and eat... or you can run outside and shout your little secret to the world... and you know what they'll do?" "Michael, Hmm?" "They'll come here..." "and they'll burn us..." "Is that what you want?" "Hmm?" "Do you want to see them burn your parents?" "Bin Jelly?" "I've trimmed out all the fat!" "I've been thinking about the mountains..." "We could move there..." " Hmm..." "Live simply back in the woods..." "With a major highway nearby of course, For the accidents..." "We'll have more time together." "Specially us Michael..." "There's so much I want us to do..." "Talk about..." "Plate?" "Hmm Mmm." "Well say something!" "Are you happy?" "He's tired." "He hasn't eaten a thing..." "Are you tired?" "I'll feed you..." "Just a few bites..." "I'm sure you'll acquire a taste for it..." "Your mother did." "I learned to love it!" "Open wide..." "Nick..." "Nick!" "Kids!" "Who made them bastards?" "Let go Nick!" "Let go..." "You'll hurt him Nick!" "We'll have another one Lily..." "We'll bring him up right!" "Michael?" "Where you going sport?" "Huh?" "Whe, Where are you?" "Huh?" "Well say something sport..." "Are my mother and my father in heaven grandma?" "Yes they are sweetheart." "Is heaven very far away?" " Yes very far." "I think we have a sleepy little boy on our hands." "Well up you go, off to bed!" "and tomorrow were going to do something fun!" "What do they eat in heaven?" "Oh, I really don't know." "Off to bed you two!" "Come on!" "You know pretty soon Michael..." "If you keep growing like this you're going to have to start carrying grandpa!" "I got your bed warmed up for you!" "Anyway..." "We'll have lots of fun tomorrow!" " Here we are." "In you go!" " Take off his slippers first!" "Nosedive, wow!" "Atta boy." "I love you grandpa!" "I love you too son!" " Good night dear." "I love you grandma!" "I love you too sweetheart!" "Come along mother." "Looks just like his daddy, doesn't he grandpa?" "Bigger eyes." "I don't see your eyes closed!"