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.
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.
www.frendz4m.com
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 haven'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?
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.
- 15-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– 15-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.
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.
Well, that makes the equity in the apartment even more valuable.
- Changes like this are hard. - It's my house, I won't sell my house.
- Mr. Raki, I– - Go away! You're hurting my ears!
- I'm not gonna sell my house. - Calm down.
I'm not selling my house!
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.
www.frendz4m.com
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.