"My favorite children's book is about a little prince... who came to Earth from a distant asteroid." "He meets a pilot whose plane has crashed in a desert." "The little prince teaches the pilot many things... but mainly about love." "My father always told me I was like the little prince." "But after I met Adam..." "I realized I was the pilot all along." " Morning, Adam." " Good morning, Kelli." " Good morning, Lulu." " Good morning, Adam." "I don't know what to say." " Say anything." " Okay." "Adam Raki is the cutest guy in the office." "How's that?" " That's fine." " Morning, Adam." " Good morning, Mr. Klieber!" " Morning, Kelli." " Good morning." " Good morning, Adam!" " How did she do that?" " What?" "How did she know it was me and then you talking?" "Voice recognition." "I put in voice patterns from some people and added SPLICE to the recognition system." "SPLICE stands for "Stereo-based Piece-wise Linear Compensation for Environment."" " It's an algorithm that I placed–" " Adam." "Adam." "Did Chatty Patty have SPLICE?" "Did Big Mouth Billy Bass have SPLICE?" "But you said I could make her sound like Kelli." "I said she could sound like Kelli." "I didn't say to give her free will." "She doesn't have free will." "5,000 at a hundred dollars, not five at a thousand dollars." "Capisce?" " Good-bye, Mr. Klieber." " Good-bye, Adam." "All of which gives us the rare opportunity... to explore the mysterious terrain... that lies between fame and craft... between the public persona and the private, precious self." "Ladies and gentlemen, the Actors Studio is proud to welcome... an actress we admire..." "Julia Roberts." "Perfect." " Oh." " Is this open?" "I mean, to residents." "Do you have a key?" "Yes." "I just moved in." "Beth Buchwald, 3A." "Adam." "Second floor." "Two." "You're not doing your laundry?" "Oh." "Yeah." "Looks like a bit of an emergency." "Would you mind letting me in?" " Yeah." "Yeah." "Sure." " Thanks." "I mean, I loved it." "Downtown's my hood." "But this place is bigger and it's right around the corner from Wildwood." "Can you see the sky from the third floor?" "I guess I would if the windows weren't covered in soot." "Some nerve, right... calling a school in the middle of Manhattan Wildwood?" "It's just temporary, actually." "The job, not the name of the school." "I'm a writer." "For children." "So it's a good experience." "What do you do?" "I help make toys." "Oh, you're an elf?" "No, I'm an electronic engineer." "Oh." "You need a card for the wash." "No, I've got one." "Funny." "I think I left mine upstairs in my packet." "Could I borrow yours for now?" "Okay." "Oh." "Right." "Thanks." "Good." "Good work, Beth." "Hi, neighbor." "There are new images of Saturn from the Cassini Project." "Oh." "God." "I always wish I knew more about space." "You did?" "Like what?" "I don't know." "You know, what's out there." "You have to narrow that down." "Yeah, I guess you're right." "Well, I have books, telescopes, star charts." "You could borrow some stuff." "We could go out, look at the sky... t-tonight." "Maybe sometime." "Sure." "Okay." "Well, I'll just be hauling these enormous grocery bags upstairs now." "Okay." "Okay." "What are you doing?" "Oh." "People watching." "Anyone in particular?" "Just people." "Listen, I'm going out with some friends tonight, later, if you want to come." "Oh." "They're people, so you might want to... watch them." "Uh-huh." "But if not, you know, that's fine." "No, I want to go, but, um, I– I don't think I can." " Okay, if you're busy." " No." "I mean, it's not a date." "It's just a little moving-in celebration, you know." "When?" "8:00. 8:00-ish." "Uh-huh." "Look, there's no pressure." "I'll just knock on your door on my way out, and if you can, you can." " Okay." " Yeah?" " Yeah." " Okay." "Adam?" "Adam." " See you later!" " Good night!" "I'm sorry I didn't come out with your friends." "No problem." "I get kind of overloaded." "I have something to show you." "Come in." "Come in." "Oh, my!" "You said you want to know more about space." "Because it looks like this people think of it as still... even though we know its expanding." "All parts of the universe are moving away from one another... most of them faster than the speed of light, except for" "I thought nothing went faster than the speed of light." "Right, right." "Nothing goes through space faster, but space itself g" "Do you know about the Big Bang?" "A little." "In the beginning, God crea–" "The inflation theory says the Big Bang came from as little as a 20-pound chunk of space... about 14 billion years ago... that expanded to the size of the universe in 10 to the minus-39 seconds." "Ten to the minus-39?" "A decimal point, 39 zeros, and then a one." "That's the fraction of a second in which the universe was formed." "That's billions and billions of times faster than light." "Ooh, that's... fast." "Yeah." "Wow!" "These are all pictures of stars and galaxies that have been traveling away from us... for hundreds of millions or billions of years." "But that's still nearby compared to most of the universe that we'll never see." "Never?" "Well, things that move apart faster than light can't ever see one another... because the light from one never catches up to the other." "After the Big Bang... the expansion of the universe slowed down." "But then, after seven billion years... for some reason it speeded up again... and it's been speeding up ever since." "Someday everything you see here will disappear forever." "And eventually the night sky... will be almost completely dark." "That's kinda sad." "Sad?" "Hmm." "I have been talking too much, so–" "No, it's... fascinating." " But I talk too much when I get excited." " No, really." "It's– It's amazing." "Well, I could tell you quickly about M-brane theory." "Oh, no, it's okay." "Maybe next time." "Okay." "It's very speculative." "Well, I should go." "Good night, Beth." "Good night." "Thanks." "I love your planetarium." "Oh." "You're welcome." "Oh, I could have waited, Daddy." "Not another day." "I wanted you out of that rat trap for five years." " They were mice." " But I was right, wasn't I?" "You love it." "It's okay." "It's not like the Village." "I've only met one person so far." " It's new." " He did have a planetarium in his living room though." "You were in someone's living room." "He's cute." "He lives in the building." "Whatever happened to Rich Lippmann?" "Not going there." "But what was the name of his company?" "Founder's Fund?" "Okay." "Okay." "So, your neighbor's an astronomer?" "No, he's an electronic engineer, whatever that means." " But he hasn't even said hello to me since the first time, so–" " So, he's an idiot." "No, it's me." "Didn't anyone tell you and Mom that only children are emotional retards... spoilt, too trusting and unequipped to cope?" "What were you thinking?" "That we had one perfect child." "How's school?" "We just started." ""The course of civilization is a race between catastrophe and education."" " John F. Kennedy." " I know." "Well, if you marry an investment banker... you could do whatever you want." "Rich Lippmann is a dick, Daddy." "Can we leave it at that?" "Don't say "dick" to your father." "No one's perfect, Bethy." "That's all I'm saying." "But their sensor systems have detected an error in analyzing space radiation." "Adam, I'm having lunch." " Speak English." " I'm sorry." "You see, the Star Tracker system is–" "No." "No more background radiation black holes or Mars robots." "Lunchtime is for guy talk." "Two guys talking about women, the weather and such." "You got it?" " But the Star Tracker system–" " No." "Hmm." "A woman moved into 3A." "All right." "Now, that's lunch talk." "So?" "So, that's all." "Come on." "A woman moved into 3A." "She looked–" "She looked nice." "Good." "Good!" " You gonna meet her?" " I did." "You did?" "We did laundry." "She came to my apartment." " She did?" " Yeah, I told her something about space." " Oh, Jesus." "How'd she take it?" " She liked it." "She–" "Well, bless my stars." "You gonna see her again?" "I see her almost every day." "You talk to her again?" "No." "Adam." "You're the man." "You have to start the conversation." "Ask her out." "Take her to dinner." "I can't do that." "H-How–" "Hmm." "This jackass locked himself out of his car." "Figures he can cuss me out on the phone." "Well, he ought to be chilled by now." "Harlan–" "Follow through, young man." "Follow through." "Are you and Mom still going to Barbados this year?" " Well, we're still deciding." " Oh." "Really?" "There's a little problem that has to be dealt with." " Between you and Mom?" " No, no." " At the firm." " Oh." "There was an indictment last March." "There was an indictment of the firm?" "No, of me, personally, no less." "It's nothing." "Some junior G-man playing Clarence Darrow." "But there's a trial date now.January 19." " A trial?" " Yeah, so we have to work everything out before then." "But bullshit, if you'll excuse the expression... expands to fill the allotted time... so now Barbados is up in the air." "Daddy!" "Don't worry." "But if you happen to come up with the next Harry Potter... we may need it to pay the ganef lawyers." " Over Friday for dinner, right?" " Yeah." " I love you, Daddy." " Love ya!" "Beth?" "Beth?" "Adam!" "I'm so sorry." "I just don't feel like any company tonight." "Oh, that's okay." "Come out with me." "I wanna show you something." "Beth?" " Adam, the park's closed." " J-Just a little bit further." " I wanna go back!" "I'm not–" " Shh-shh-shh." "Over here." " Adam, I–" " Shh-shh-shh!" "Raccoon in Central Park?" "That was so cool." "What are they doing here?" "Foraging." " How did you know where they'd be?" " They live here." "I used to come and watch them a lot." "It's quiet." "They don't really belong here, you know, but here they are." "They're coming back around in a little while." "You wanna wait?" "Yeah, sure." "Oh." "Mr. Klieber." "Yes." "That's all right." "I startled you." "Yes." "I just wanted to tell you what a good job you've done for us the last year and a half." "Well, that's good." "When your father explained your–" "When he explained your... things... well, I had my– my doubts, but he was right." "A man of your background at the salary you're getting has been a value to this company." " Well, that's good." " Yes." "But the world is changing." "You can't be the corner candy store anymore." " You've got to compete." " Candy store?" "5,000 at a hundred, not five at a thousand." "Adam, I've got to let you go." "But I will write you a recommendation that will knock your socks off." " L-Let me go?" " I'm truly sorry." "Yeah, but I– I don't wanna go." "I haven't finished." "I have a bid, Adam." "It's done." " You found a better chip?" " Not better." "Cheaper." "Look, go home." "Talk it over with your dad." " I'm sure he'll find you another job." " No, my dad–" "Kelli has your severance." "It's been a pleasure working with you." "And I mean that sincerely." "Good-bye, Adam." "Good-bye, Mr. Klieber." "Adam, dude." "Sorry about that, man." "Don't think about it, bro." "Something will come up, man." "I promise." "I'm so sorry, Adam." "See you around, okay?" "Excuse me, sir." "What are you doing there?" " I said, what you doin'?" " Watching the children." "Uh-huh." "Let me have some I.D., sir." "I-I was looking at the children." "Sir, turn around." "Put your hands on the fence, please." " Why–Why are you doing this?" " Lean forward, put your hands on the fence, please." "Turn around!" "Hands on the fence." "What–What are you doing?" "I'm taking your wallet out of your back pocket to check your identification, sir." " 1 5-Adam to Central-K, I need a name check." "Adam Raki." " Let's go." " Is this the man you reported?" " I wasn't the one who saw him." "Where do you live, sir?" "Please stay where you are." "Do you live or do you have business in this neighborhood, sir?" "Everything's fine." "Go on back inside." "Beth!" " Are you the one who reported this?" " Adam." " What's going on?" " You know this man?" "Yeah, he's my neighbor." "What happened?" "I– 1 5-Adam." "Raki" " R-A-K-I." "No hits." " He's clean." " All right." "Sorry about that." "Can't be too careful with kids, right?" "You can go." "Adam!" "Adam?" "Enough with the presents, okay?" "Well, that was kind of awful, wasn't it?" "I mean, God, you just stopped by to watch the kids." "I do that for a living." " Police freak me out too." "Okay?" " Do you wanna come in?" "Okay." "So, you live alone?" "Yes." "I mean, it's– it's big for one person." "For the city." "Well, my father lived here too." "Oh!" "Where is he now?" " Queens." " Queens." "He died six weeks ago." "Oh, God." "I'm so sorry." "My friend Harlan says Queens is where everybody goes to die... because they can't tell the difference." "That's–That's awful." "Harlan said it was a joke." "Oh, I meant about your father." "Uh–" " What about your mother?" " She died when I was eight." "I'm so sorry." "I had a really nice time last night in the park." "Were you excited?" " What?" " Sexually, when we were in the park." "No, not exactly." "Well, I ask because I was, and I wondered if you were too." "Thank you so much for the glass of water." "I– I should– I should be going now." "Because I said that thing about being sexually excited?" "No!" "No, no." "I just–" "Well– yeah." "Oh–" "Sometimes it's hard for me to" "I have this thing that makes it hard to, um- to a" "It's called Asperger's syndrome." "Oh." "One thing about it is not knowing what people are thinking." " Like right now." " Oh." "Right." "I guess I was wondering what that feels like for you." "It doesn't feel like anything." "It just is." "Okay." "My brain works differently from N.T.'s." "N.T.'s?" "Neurotypicals." "Sometimes I can't understand them... especially when they mean something different from what they're actually saying." "You don't do that?" "No, most Aspies are really honest." "Psychologists think it's a lack of imagination." "But psychologists are mostly N.T.'s." "Albert Einstein, Thomas Jefferson, Mozart, they all had lots of imagination." "They had Asperger's?" "Probably." "When I was younger..." "I would have just thought you were sexually excited because I was." "That's called mind blindness." "I had to learn to ask what other people are thinking." "I understand." "It's okay." "Oh." "I re– I really should go." "Okay." "I'm really sorry about your father." "Oh." "Can I see you again?" "Um, well, I'm– I'm right upstairs, so–" "Great." "Okay." "I'll see you." "Hi." " Do you have a minute?" " Oh, hey, Beth." "Sure." "Come on in." "Thank you." "Oh, you think it's a bad sign when the description of a school... bores its director?" "Um–" "What do you know about Asperger's syndrome?" "Oh." "Well, it's a developmental disorder, kind of a high-functioning autism." "What does that mean exactly?" "Well, there's a broad range." "It could be hard to tell." " It could be severe social interaction problems." " Uh-huh." "Maybe I should get in on this, interview the child and we can get some ser–" "Oh, no, no." "It's my neighbor." "He has it." "But he's really, really sweet... and kind of interesting." "Yeah, sometimes they can be quite brilliant." "It is on the autism spectrum." "Oh, you know, actually I think I have a–" "This is a first-person account." "Pretending to be Normal." "Oh, no, it's– it's not– it's not serious–" " Hmm." "Okay." " Thank you." "Sure." "Oh, Beth?" "Would you just take a look at this for me, please?" "Sure." "So, you're saying, really, that he's not prime relationship material." " Right?" " Um–" "Not really." " Well, well, it–" " No." "That's okay." "Thanks." "So, um, subtracting your father's liabilities– uh, credit card debt, funeral costs, fees, et cetera– from his assets reduces the, uh- the estate- roughly, $25,000." "And he bequeathed $5,000... to the Kids at Risk Music Fund... $ 10,000 to you, Mr. Keats." "Oh." "So, as his primary beneficiary, Adam–Adam?" "You inherit the remainder." "That would be the death benefit from Juilliard... and the funds from the T.I.A.A. retirement plan." "Also, there's approximately $300,000 worth of equity in the apartment." " So, assuming you sell, after closing fees and taxes, et cetera" " Sell what?" "We presumed that you'd be moving to a smaller place." "Move?" "Without your father's income, the mortgage payments are" "I don't wanna move." "Easy." "Think of it as an opportunity." "You might wanna try a different city." "Mr. Wardlow..." "Adam has never been out of the city alone in his life." "Well closer to home then." " With the income from your job–" " I don't have a job." "I was fired from my job." "Oh." "Oh, I'm sorry to hear that." "That makes the equity in the apartment even more valuable." " Changes like this are hard." " I won't sell my house." " Mr. Raki, I–" " Go away!" "You're hurting my ears!" " I'm not gonna sell my house." "I'm not selling my house!" " Calm down." "Cross your arms over your chest." "Mr. Wardlow, are we done?" "There are papers to be signed." " Can you send them?" " They need to be notar–" "Yes." "Yes." "Yes." "We, uh–We can do that." "Come on, Adam, let's go." "I can't–" "I ca– I can't move." "All right." "Come on." "You're not 10 years old anymore." "You need a job." " I got fired." " So what?" "You know how many times I've been fired?" "When your dad and I came back from the service..." "I might as well have had a three-day week." "Day one, I hate the freakin' job." "Day two, I hate the freakin' boss." "Day three, I hit someone and I gotta start all over." "I didn't hit anyone." "I never hit anyone." "Adam, you're 29 years old." "You can't pay your mortgage without finding a job." "So what are you gonna do?" "Hey, Bethy-boo." "Just wanted to make sure you got home okay." "You home okay?" "Call us." "Beth." "Are you there?" "Look, maybe the whole point was for me to find out what an amazing thing we have." "You're not really gonna throw this awa" "A-Adam?" "Wha–" "What?" "Get in here!" "Wh-What?" "What in the world were you doing out there?" "You could have been killed." " How were you gonna get down?" " Climb up." " Climb?" " It's rated for 3,000 pounds." "You said you couldn't see out of your windows." "I'm sorry!" "Why did you scream like that?" "Because I walked into my apartment and there was this strange man in my window." " It was me!" " But I didn't know that." "Oh." "I guess not." "Thank you for trying to–" "You're welcome." "Would you, um–" "Would you like some tea?" "Uh–" " Sure." " Okay." "Harlan said I should send out application letters and worry about the interviews later." "Interviews?" "Interviews usually don't go very well." "But you put in some applications?" "Eighty-seven." " Eighty-seven?" " Mm-hmm." "Applications and letters of inquiry." " You applied for 87 jobs?" " Including the letters of inquiry." " Today?" " Mm-hmm." " Wow." " "Wow"?" "I mean, that's a lot." "Well, I don't wanna move." "Yeah." "This is very good-smelling tea." "English breakfast." "My father calls it coffee without the bad breath." "Maybe I should go." "I'm sorry." "I'm just–" "S-Sorry?" "You're s–" " I'm a little upset." " Oh." "My father's an accountant... and he's been accused of doing something illegal." "Oh." "Did he do it?" "No." "No." "But tonight he said it looks like he will probably have to go on trial... and I know that your father just passed away, so I shouldn't even–" "Um, I–" "I can see that you're upset... but I don't know what to do." "Could you give me a hug?" "Yes." "Adam, I'd like you to give me a hug." ""'But he's naked, 'cried a little boy." ""All the people whispered among each other." "'He's naked!" ""There's a little boy who says the king is naked!" "'" ""The king shivered, for he was sure that the boy was right, but he thought..." ""'I must bear it until the procession is over.'" "And he walked even more proudly all the way back to the palace."" "So, what do we think?" "He was naked." "He ran around the whole town naked." "Yes, okay, he was naked." "Anything else?" "The little boy was bad." "Really?" "Why do you say that, Stephanie?" " Because he told." " That's dumb!" " Bruce." " But he was naked!" "Don't you think the king needed to know that he was naked?" "Well, he didn't have to yell it out." "He could have just gone over to him and whispered it in his ear." "Everybody else was just lying so nobody'd think they were stupid... and because they were afraid of seeing the king's weenie." " Weenie!" " Weenie!" "I like the boy." "I do too." "Maybe we should go." "Our table's next." "You can't eat macaroni and cheese every night." " Why not?" " Because it's a meager life." "Lacks stimulation." "Thanks for coming." "I-I know it's hard." "Okay." "This is better, right?" "Hello." "I'm Rom with an "M."" "I see you have drinks." "Would you like a wine list, or may I describe the specials?" "It's all right." "Um, we know what we'd like." "We'll take two tricolored salads... one grilled salmon on lentils with roasted potatoes and a Penne Alfredo." " And Ron?" " It's Rom." "Sorry." "Rom." "Could we get that all to go?" "It's macaroni and cheese!" " When in Rom." " What?" "How's the job hunt going?" "A lot of them were already taken." "I'm still getting responses though." "I'm sure the right thing will come along." "How can you be sure of that?" "I mean, I hope the right thing comes along." "My dad and I came out here to watch Hale-Bopp for five nights in a row." "Voyager 2 will pass within 4.3 light-years of Sirius, the dog star... in approximately 196,000 years." "I brought you something." "Oh." "Are there supposed to be presents?" "No, no." "It was just a spur of the moment kind of thing." ""How to Find Work That Works for People with Asper-"" "I thought it might be helpful." "Are you offended?" "No." "'Cause I was just trying to help." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "Try to be careful." "I had my heart broken by a big jerk recently." "I need time to take things slowly." "What did he do?" "While we were together, he slept with other women." "Not together together, but while we were in the relationship." "Oh." "So, I need to take things slowly." " No sex." " Right." " Kissing." " Yes." " Holding." " Yes." "And no sex." "Is that all right?" "Yes." "It's only been a month!" "How long it should be before you meet Adam is not written in scripture, Daddy." "You've just–You made that up." "Don't worry about me." "I'm fine." "Has there been any more news on the– on the court–" "Okay." "Okay." "Sure." "I will." "I'll tell him." "Okay." "I love you, Daddy." "Bye." "You can stay for an hour." "You might even have fun." "Well, I'd have fun at home." "It's not the gates of hell, Adam." "It's my friends." " You look great." " You've gotta meet the baby." "Her name is Ling Yao, which means beautiful jade treasure." " That's beautiful." " Don't you think?" "I mean, really, she is young enough." "We could call her anything." " Her name is Ling Yao." " That's what I said." " Well, that's who she was when we got her." " Oh, she's asleep." " I know." "Look at her." " Yeah, she is." "We have a video, of course." "Would you like to see the video?" "No, thank you." "Where's the bathroom?" "Down the hall, second right." "I'd love to see the video." " Oh, so now you're an expert." " Oh, come on." "Tory, you don't have to know a lot about Islam... to understand hunger or– or anger or desperation." "I mean–" "We don't understand who these people are, how– how they think." "I don't understand people from New Jersey." "Look, either you believe that human beings share some basic similarities... or you just throw the towel in." "Buying a telescope is a complicated decision." " You should focus on your interests." " No pun intended." " What?" " Focus?" "Right." "A-Are you interested in the solar system– moon, planets, et cetera?" "Or deeper space-nebulae, star clusters, galaxies." "Then you want a much larger lens with a Dobsonian mount." " The eight-bar refractors go up to 180 millimeters." " Hi, Adam." "Hi." "Michael's looking for a telescope to buy for her cottage in Kerhonkson." "For deep space in a static position... you could really think about some bigger reflectors–" "Have– Have you heard too much about telescopes?" "No." "No." "It's just some of what you're saying is going right over my head." "Oh." "Okay." "Well, I'll start over." "Three basic considerations." " Kind of lens." " Come say good-bye to Robin and Jen with me." "All right." " Thank you for the information." " Oh, you're welcome." " It's a very big decision." " Nice to meet you, Michael." "And you." "Wow." "I remember the other kids... chattering away before school or... at parties whispering to one another... and I'd always wonder what they were talking about." "Looked so easy." "One, then the other." "Laugh, laugh, laugh." "New topic." "Start again." "I started outlining my new book." " Really excited." " Well, that's good." "You're going to be the first person I thank... in my Newberry Award speech." "It's an award for children's books." "No, I know what a Newberry Award is." "Are you still gonna make them talk?" "Mm-hmm." "They're gonna be a typical New York family... except they live in the park, and they're raccoons." "Okay." "Your turn." "I think the father is gonna be in advertising." "Instead of making stuff up... why couldn't you write about the real raccoons?" "Because it's a children's book, not a nature book." "Well, I'd probably like the nature book better." "Yeah, you probably would." "What?" "I didn't mean–" "This is what I meant." "Oh." "Um... do you, um–" "do you want sex?" "I think I do." "You said you needed time." "Well, then take it very, very slowly." "This isn't fair." "What's fair?" "It's a small manipulation." " What, you aren't curious?" " Of course." "But if he isn't ready to meet us." "Yeah, well, sometimes you gotta give "ready" a little push." " Beth?" " Honey!" "Daddy!" "Mom!" "What?" "You–What are you doing here?" " We're seeing the play." " But I thought you–" " What?" " Hi, honey." "I thought we had your tickets." "No, we were going with the Pierces, and they couldn't make it." "Come on!" "We're not ogres." "At least Becky isn't." " This is Beth's mother, Rebecca." "I'm Marty." " Oh." " We've heard so much about you." " Oh, you have?" " Yeah." " Lovely to meet you, Adam." "Oh, thank you." " Me and my little girl, we are thick as thieves." " Hi, Daddy." "Hi, sweetie." "I just couldn't wait any longer." "We rarely go off-Broadway." "I didn't even know this theater still existed." "Oh, the Cherry Lane Theatre is the oldest continuously running theater off-Broadway." "Um– It was converted from a box factory in 1924... and-and then in the '20s and '30s and '40s... it presented the work of writers such as F. Scott Fitzgerald..." "John Dos Passos, Eugene O'Neill." "I used to bone up on conversation topics, too, when I had a date." " Marty!" " Ask Becky." "From 1951 to 1953, uh..." "Julian Beck and Judith Malina's Living Theatre was based here." "Oh, oh!" "In 1952, Judith Malina chased a fire marshal down the street... with a spear from her production of Ubu Roi." "Um, Endgame, by Samuel Beckett, had its American premiere here in 1957... followed by other new works such as Happy Days, also by Beckett, in 1962..." "Dutchman, in 1964, by LeRoiJones..." "The Happy journey to Trenton and Camden by Thornton Wilder in 196–" "B-But that– that's enough about the Cherry Lane Theatre." "Wh-What about the '7 0s?" " Well, in 1971, Godspell opened and then in 197–" " Adam, Daddy's joking." "Oh." "Oh." " I'm sorry." " No, no." "History is always very interesting." "Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats." " Come on." "In we go." "Shall we?" "Oh, they're dying to go to trial and get their pictures in the paper." "Well, it's-it's written all over them." " What does Mr. Beranbaum say?" " He's a lawyer." "He's paid to worry." "Bottom line, if the feds push this all the way to trial, we settle." " Right?" " He— He's sure they'll settle." "That's why you don't have to be there." " You said it would help if we showed our support." " You had to tell her that." "Your father's right." "You have work." "Mom, I'm covered at work." "I'm coming." "I need to be there for you." "What are you accused of, Mr. Buchwald?" "I'm accused of trying to help a friend." "That's what I'm accused of." " Beth's Uncle Eric" " Eric Cooper." " made his daughter, Jennifer, C.F.O. of his company." " But she's qualified, right?" " I mean, she went to Wharton." " Yes." "She's qualified." "Uncle Eric's not really my uncle." "He's an old friend of Daddy's, and Jennifer is his daughter." "She's young." "She made a few mistakes." "I carried them over from one year to the next... made her look a little better, even to her own father." "It wasn't even a hard call to make, but now they all think they've uncovered Enron." " Could you go to jail?" " Adam!" "No." "I'm glad you asked." "Bethy, I'm not going anywhere." "Any more questions, Mr. Prosecutor?" "No." "See?" "He fits right in." "You put him on the spot, confronted him, pushed him." "Well, I– I didn't understand what he was saying." "Maybe that's not his fault." "Monday he goes on trial, in case you didn't get that." "You don't talk about going to jail!" " It seemed like the important thing." " The important thing?" "All of a sudden you know what's important?" "You can't say two words on how you feel about anything... but you know what's important to my family." " I-I do–" " You know, my father's not some criminal, okay?" " Oh, okay." " Just forget it!" " Beth?" " I'm going home!" "And please don't follow me!" "May I come in?" "I'm sorry." "It's some chocolate." "I'm not Forrest Gump, you know." "Of course not." "I didn't me–" " Was that a joke?" "Are you joking?" " Well, I can joke." "I'm sorry." "I–" "I took it out on you." "I'm just–just scared for my father." "You can apologize too, you know." "Well, you said it was your fault." "I got an interview." "You did?" "Halloran Industries, research and engineering... for space communication and exploration." "Adam, that's– that's perfect!" "Break out the chocolate." "Let's go get some champagne." "Well, no, it's just an interview." "There's a saying in my family:" "It's never too early to drink the champagne." "You'd be good at this job, right?" "So all you gotta do is let 'em know it." "That's all?" "That's impossible." "When is it?" "It– February 3– 17 days." "Right." "So that's how long you got." "You gotta learn it during the day, and then I'll help you at night." "They'll think I'm a freak." "Fine." "Whatever you say." "Beth?" "Beth?" "Come on." "Whoa!" "In most interview situations... the greeting is done in the standing position." "Simple greeting. "Hello." "Nice to meet you."" "Basic greeting. "Hello." "My name is Jason." "Nice to meet you."" "Mr. Buchwald, how do you plead?" "Not guilty, Your Honor." "Involved greeting." ""Hello." "You must be Ms. Austen." "My name is Jason." "Nice to meet you."" "Mr. Raki?" "I'm Elizabeth Buchwald." "I'll be interviewing you for the job we discussed over the phone." " Phone?" " Nice to meet you?" "Oh, right, right." "Eyes." "Please, step into my office." "Make it a goal of your interview... to mention each of your strengths at least once." "The items listed as assets are really expenses... covered up in order to increase the earnings statement of the company." "Eye contact." "One way to get around the poor eye contact dilemma... is to have the candidate look at the interviewer's forehead." "Practice is needed, however, because it will still require an effort... to remember to look at a forehead." " Beth?" " No!" "Just once more, please." "Adam, can't you think about anyone but yourself, even for a minute?" " I'm sorry." " No." "Okay." "Tell me something about your previous work experience, Mr. Raki." "At your last job, how much of the work did you perform independently?" "How much as a team?" "Now, you've testified that your relationship with the Cooper family... is personal as well as professional, isn't that right?" "Yes." "Eric Cooper and I have been associated for over 30 years." "He's become a close friend." "But that doesn't mean–" "Would you tell the court a little... about your relationship with Jennifer Cooper?" "She's a wonderful young woman." "I've known her her– her whole life." "Isn't it true that you'd be eager to help Jennifer with any problem she was having?" " Yes." " Out of your affection for the family, of course." "Sure." "Now, Mr. Buchwald, would you feel compelled to help Jennifer... to preserve your own reputation?" "No." "Did you have an affair with Ms. Cooper in 2001?" " Objection, Your Honor." " Mr. Buchwald opened the door, Your Honor." "I understand the evidence, counselor." "Overruled." "Please answer the question." "Yes." "Briefly." "So, Jennifer had every reason to believe... that you would help her with this problem." "That had noth–" "The one had nothing to do with the other." "Nothing." "All rise." "Be seated." "Mr. Raki." "Hello." "You must be Doug Breindel." "I'm Adam Raki." " Pleased to meet you." " Come in." "Six inches by Sunday morning before this storm moves its way through" "So it is a major storm." " Beth?" " Adam, is Beth there?" "No, she isn't." "Marty pled guilty." "There's some discretion in sentencing." "The–The hearing is tomorrow." "We may have to make statements, but she isn't answering her cell." "I called the school, but they– she wasn't there." "Do you know when she'll be home?" "No." "I thought– I was waiting for–" "Adam, please." "Can you check her calendars, see if there's anywhere I can reach her?" "Okay." "Never mind." "Marty's coming." "I have to go." "They're–They're keeping him overnight." "Tell her to call me." "Tell her to call me right away." "Adam!" "I've been thinking about you all afternoon." "How did it go?" "I forgot my phone." "How did the interview go?" "Okay, you're right." " Right?" " My father and I arranged for us to meet." "You arranged?" "I knew they were gonna be at the theater." "They really wanted to meet you." "Now, will you please tell me what happened?" "You lied?" "Just a little." "Ha-ha-ha!" "Fooled you!" "Dumb Adam!" "Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb!" "Dumb, dumb, dumb, dumb Adam!" "Adam, I didn't– I– I'm sorry." "I–" " Adam, please just calm down." " No, I hate you!" " No!" " I hate you!" "I hope your father goes to jail forever." " I hate you!" " What?" "He's guilty!" "Your mother called." "And he's a liar like you, and he's going to jail." "I hate you!" "You're a child, Adam." "Fuck Asperger's." "You're a fucking child." "Liar!" "A long time ago, when I told Grandpa Morris... that I wanted to get married... he said Marty was great... but that he was an angles guy." "What does that mean?" "That he was a guy who plays the angles... in business, love." "He even said... he might wind up in jail someday." "And I told him he didn't understand Marty... and that even if he ended up in jail for life..." "I would never regret marrying him." "And I don't." "We have to help him now, Beth." "Tell the judge who your father is in your life... who he's always been." "Whatever... bad decisions he's made." "Okay." "Okay, Mom." "Now, I read that planets are lined up across the sky... like they haven't been in 30,000 years." "Uh-huh." "You didn't get the job you were going for?" "No." "That why you so down?" " Hell, I've lost more jobs than" " No." " Beth and I broke up." " Oh." "She lied." "She lied, and I found out about it." "I can't trust her anymore." "These all seem fine." "Now, before I went into the service..." "I met a girl who made me a promise." "When I came back, she was right there waiting for me." "But I found out she hadn't quite kept her promise... so I put some things in a bag and I left." "Never spoke to her again." "Though sometimes the wanting to was– was like a live animal clawing at my chest from the inside." "Thirty-five years." "She's the only picture in my head... can still stop me in broad daylight... and make me curse myself for a stubborn old fool." "It's not rocket science." "I'm saying you need to talk to the girl one more time, that's all." "No." "I don't know." "Liars is all you're gonna run across in this world." "A man has got to learn the difference between just plain liars... and liars worth lovin'." "Hmm?" "Harlan?" "If you called that girl... couldn't you stop cursing yourself for a stubborn old fool... even if you still had to be old?" "Be seated." "This court sentences you to a prison term of five years... 24 months to be served in a federal corrections institute... followed by three years of mandatory probation." "As per your plea agreement, you'll have one week to settle your affairs." "Report to the Corrections Department..." "Monday, February 9, at 9:00 a.m." "Adjourned." "You have one new message." "Adam, this is Rebecca." "Marty was sentenced to two years in prison today." "Of course we're all very upset, but Beth" "Anyway, we're going home to Westchester- 211 Richmond Road, Bedford Hills." "You have the number." "I" " I thought you should know where she is." "For months, all they wanted was for me to give them Eric Cooper." ""Do not go about as a talebearer amongst your people."" "At least I don't have to pack, right, Becky?" "We always pack too much." "This time, just the toothbrush." "Excuse me." "Let's talk for a minute." "Ah, Bethy." "Bethy." "Your mother's gonna need your help." "Yeah, I know." "There are things you do, there are things you have to do... and... you make your choices." "You live with them." "You and your mother will never want for anything." "I've made arrangements." "In two years I'll be back home... and this will all be over." "One more thing, about Adam?" "He's not for you." "It's not his fault, but he's-he's more like your child... than- than anything else." "He'll never be the kind of man that you can admire, that you can look up to." "And it's not fair that he should hope for something that's- that's- that's... impossible." "People with Asperger's get married." " They have families." " Married?" "He lives in another world." "You don't need to make that kind of compromise, Beth." "Um–You know this is the best thing." "You do know that, Bethany." "Beth?" "Beth Buchwald!" "Beth?" "Beth Buchwald!" " Beth Buchwald?" " Oh, God." "I'll get him." "Beth?" " Adam!" " Be–" "We–we have to talk again." "You scared me." "I thought you were gonna hit me." "No, I would never, ever do that." "The job was gone." "They hired someone for the job... but they have another one in an observatory." "They said I was just what they needed." "It starts in April, but it's in Flintridge, California." "I want you to come with me." "I could work, and you could write... and you wouldn't have to teach anymore." "Hello, Mr. Buchwald." "I came– Oh." "I'm sorry you have to go to prison." "I came to ask Beth to come to California with me." "I'd be engineering microchips for satellite guidance systems." "I have a job in Flintridge, California." "That's fine." "Congratulations, Adam." " But Beth won't be able to go with you." " What?" " The family needs her." "She's needed here." " I need her." "I can't go without her." " Well, I'm sorry, Adam, but she can't go." " No." " You can't do that." " Bethy." "Bethy." " You can't speak for me." " We agreed." " You don't make my decisions!" " We agreed!" " We're standing in the middle of the st–" " I don't care!" " Calm down." "Calm down!" " Your own choices– Liar!" "Cheater!" "Nothing will ever be the same!" "Nothing!" "I'm going now." " And I don't care what you think!" " Don't go!" "You can't!" " Let go." "Let go of me." " Get off of me!" " Adam!" " Oh!" "God!" "Adam!" " But you're coming to California?" " No!" " I mean, home, to the city!" " You're not coming to California?" " Maybe!" "I don't know!" "I'll think about it!" " Oh, okay." "Mom!" "I'm gonna take the car." "I'll leave it at the station." " Beth!" "Come back here!" "It didn't go well?" "What did he say?" "He wouldn't even see me." "I waited in the visiting room for an hour." "And finally a guard came and told me that he wasn't coming out." "Your mother said he wasn't ready." "I thought if I actually went." "I didn't think that he wouldn't even see me." " What are you gonna do?" " What do you mean?" "We're going, right?" "We're getting on a plane tomorrow and going to California." "You should pack." "You haven't packed at all." "Can you give me a minute?" "Okay?" "Just leave me alone for a while." "I'm not sure." "I mean, I should be sure, shouldn't I?" "Do you know what you want?" "We'll never have a moment where we look into each other's eyes... and know exactly... what the other person's feeling." "The idea of that wouldn't even make sense to him." "He's never told me that he loves me." "I don't know what it would mean to him if he did." "Yes." "Feeling loved is very important... but... loving, my precious girl–" "that's the necessity." "Mom, I gotta go." "I'll– I'll talk to you tomorrow." "Okay?" "I love you, Beth." "Adam?" "Why do you want me to go to California with you?" "What?" "What do you mean?" "Why do you want me to go?" "Um–" "You, um–" "You a-are... like a part of me." "Um... and, um..." "I n– I need you... uh, to–" "to, uh... help find a place to live... and to learn how to get to work and... to understand what it means when people say crazy stuff... and, um..." "I couldn't go without you." "I'm sorry." "I can't go." "If you want me to go because... you can't go without me, I–" "I can't go." " You sure about this?" " I have to go." "I have to go alone." "Give me that." "Hey, I want you to know..." "I made that call." "It took me a while to find her... but we're–we're gonna meet up." " The woman's even more stubborn than I am." " Oh, yeah?" "I'm just trying to say "thank you," damn it." "You're welcome, Harlan." "Actually, the best image resolution is achieved... by multiple smaller telescopes called interferometers." "Interferometers combine light waves... collected from the same source." "Um, a star, for instance, and the– the waves form an interference pattern... as they add together, or cancel out, add together, cancel out." "It's what we call constructive interference, or destructive interference... so that the light from two or more telescopes... can produce a brighter image than one alone." "Um–" "But sometimes it's best just to look up at the night sky." "Thank you." "Thank you so much, Mr. Raki." "All right." "We'll be heading out." "Watch your step." "Adam." "The top one's for you." "Um–" "Oh, Carol?" "Um, would you like me to help you with those?" "Yeah." "Thank you." " Hey, man." " Hello, Brian." "Oh, you still meeting up with everyone later?" "Awesome." "Dear Adam:" "Look how far we've come." "Love, Beth." "Adam, his mother and his father... were a family of talking raccoons... who lived in Central Park in the middle of New York City." "They didn't really belong there, but there they were."