Uh... oh, no.
I suppose there's one in every group, one oddball...
- who never fits in. - Let's go get him.
- Come on! - Yeah.
Well, that was me...
- Aah! - David Gordon.
I found my escape through my stories.
My imagination was a... was like a rocket ship...
that took me far away where I could look at life...
from a safe distance...
which, I guess, is what l... I now do in my books.
As unlucky as I was in childhood...
I was very, very lucky as a writer.
Um, so instead of becoming a well-adjusted, normal person...
I became a kind of a deranged, successful person.
And I' not sure which is preferable...
but it doesn't really matter 'cause you don't get to choose.
But to answer your original question more directly...
yes, I do believe that in every work of fiction...
there is one character that, for the author...
is in some ways autobiographical...
and that certainly holds true for Dracoban.
You know, like in a dream...
one character, um, usually represents you...
but in this case, it's not who you expect...
um, because, you see, I' not the human.
I' the creature.
Is that good?
David.
Hey, Harlee.
Thought I might see you here today.
Yeah. I thought I might see you, too.
Sweet of you to come.
Yeah, I think... I think we spent...
almost every single birthday together since the third grade.
Hi, Somewhere.
Somewhere's happy to see you.
So what do you think, honestly?
Are you kidding?
I love the idea of you adopting a child.
I think it's so beautiful...
for you to open up your heart like that.
Liz thinks I' crazy, you know?
I mean, what if she's right, you know?
What if I'... What if I' not up to it?
Let me tell you something.
My mother raised five kids, and never, for one second...
did she question whether she was cut out to be a parent.
And she was great, right?
No, the worst.
Her shrink has a house in Laguna because of her.
Oh.
Just the fact that you're even asking yourself the question...
pretty much proves you're qualified.
Most people spend more time worrying about...
how to raise tomatoes than they do their own kids.
You even imagine how happy Mary would be about this?
Yeah, but that's not a good enough reason to do it.
You've got a lot of love left in your heart.
You better come back here!
Hi, david. Hi.
Hi, Sophie. It's been a long time.
Yeah, yeah, been a few years.
You look well.
Thanks. You, too.
Come on, throw the ball!
Just not ready to commit to something like this.
I' sorry.
Didn't you know I was gonna ask you something like this?
Didn't want to say no over the phone.
Right.
It didn't seem right.
I' really sorry.
When girls go shopping...
Hi.
What's your name?
Esther.
Hi, Esther.
I know who you are.
You do?
You're the man who Sophie called about dennis...
but you don't want him 'cause your wife's dead.
Who told you that?
Dennis.
Are you a friend of his, or what?
No. He's a weirdo.
He doesn't have any friends.
He doesn't?
Where is he hangin' out?
He's in the box.
He doesn't come out until night.
Why does he do that?
The sun. He hates the sun.
Why does he hate the sun?
I don't know. Because he thinks it's too sunny?
Right.
I told him you were weird.
He is in the box.
Oh! Man! Ooh!
But I don't understand...
why did she call you in the first place?
Well, she thought she had found a good match for us.
Aren't, like, single men like the bottom of the totem pole?
Hey, I am not a single man.
I am a widower...
and that is the worst of all worlds.
I am in the ground below the totem pole.
Oh, wow, you know what?
I think it was really insensitive of her...
to call in the first place.
I mean, it's only been two years.
- Oh! Oh! - Hey!
- Guys, get off the dog. - We're just playing.
- Yeah. - Oh!
That dog is like 200 years old in human...
Would you do that to Grandma?
Guys, get off!
They drive me nuts, and they're mine.
I mean, I don't know why Mary even wanted to adopt.
Well, she was adopted herself and, you know...
Yeah, but it was something you were gonna do together...
- and, you know. - Yeah. Yeah.
But, hey, it's not gonna happen.
You're like preaching to the converted.
Okay. Good...
because here's a voice from the trenches...
"Parenting is really hard."
All right?
It's hard, and you need at least two people.
Well, you know, we had Mom and dad.
We had two people, and they hated being parents.
I' just saying there are no guarantees.
There's plenty of single parents.
All right. Well, I don't want to see you get hurt.
I mean, you could have a kid of rage or something.
Kid of rage?
Yeah, well, there was some TV movie...
and they were crazy.
Listen, I got to go take The Omen One and Two...
to soccer practice, okay?
So just stay here. You made the right choice.
That was a good decision, okay?
Have some coffee or some food or something.
We have snacks.
Hey, I miss her, too.
Somewhere a dog barked...
and then he licked his privates.
What do you think, Somewhere?
You think we could do it alone?
Huh?
Anybody home?
Uh, listen, Chief, I, uh...
I brought you some sun block...
very strong stuff.
SPF 45... That's sun protection factor...
and, uh, helps you against the ultraviolet rays...
which are... You know, they call them the UV rays.
Anyway, it's hypoallergenic and waterproof.
Just leave it for you.
Hi, Sophie, how you doin'
Not bad.
You good?
Good.
Didn't expect to see you back here.
Yeah, I wanted to bring the kid some sun block.
Oh.
What was that?
It's his Polaroid.
He likes taking pictures. There's no film in it.
He's just... ha... likes taking pictures.
Hmm.
Just as a point of interest...
what made you think I'd be a good match...
for a boy who spends most of his time in a box?
He thinks he's from another planet.
Yah! Aah!
Aah!
Yah! Unh!
- Cut! - Looks great.
Looks great, guys. Thank you.
- We're going in. - So, buddy, what do you think?
Where is the pathos?
What?
Dude, where is the pathos?
The Earl of dracoban is dying.
- This is a guy... - Buddy!
Who has fought his way across the galaxy.
Lastupon... Lastupon was a blue dwarf
that became a red giant.
It's the red dwarf phase of the giant.
What are you talk...
Look, I don't know what I' talkin' about.
But this I do know...
I see a production that is honoring the world of your book.
Really, takin' it very seriously.
That's what I see.
- Speaking of your book... - Aah!
Guess who I got a call from today.
Your publisher, our publisher.
- Tina. - Tina.
Did she ask you how The Revenge of Dracoban is coming?
No, she shouted it.
Ah.
You know what the problem is?
When I wrote the novel...
there's this giant massacre at the end and everybody dies.
- I know. - All the characters are dead.
I know. I sold it.
It's a problem.
That's great.
Let's move on to the master scene.
What am I gonna tell Tina?
Tell Tina that somewhere in the deepest, darkest bowels...
of Castle Zeptar, the earl's necromancers...
are bringing him back to life against his will...
if that's possible. Is that any good?
Sure.
Lighting!
Good morning! Your sword!
Move ahead!
David, and, hello, earth to david.
A kid who sits in a box all day...
is a giant red flag, all right?
It's like the equivalent of buying a used car...
and ignoring the oil spill in the driveway.
You know, for a non-writer you're becoming the queen...
- of the muscular analogy. - Okay.
Listen, the thing about kids...
and I wouldn't trade mine for the world...
is that they keep comin' at you, all right?
They're... They're like mosquitoes...
suckin' the life out of you.
They take away your life, your privacy, your identity.
You should work for Planned Parenthood.
You joke.
You forget that whole shelf-full of books you wrote...
or your knowledge of California wines...
or that you ever ran a marathon.
All right, here's the thing, Liz.
I never ran a marathon.
I don't want to run a marathon.
I want to do something meaningful, you know?
And I get all the arguments against it.
I even get the one that says...
"I don't know if I want to bring another kid into this world."
But how do you argue with the logic...
of loving one that's already here?
Trans fobo med/o. Trans fobo med/o.
- Dennis! - Tran fobo med/o.
Dennis, what are you doing?
- It's raining! - I' waiting for david.
What?
The man with UV protection.
Come in.
Get over here!
Ahem, anybody in there?
Brought you somethin'
One, two, three, four...
Those really help cut out the glare...
uh, one...
in your ongoing battle with the sun.
Thank you.
You're welcome.
One...
Quality throw, chief.
Nice to see ya.
Very nice to see ya, actually.
He's not a puppy in a window, you know?
I know.
All right, catch it, catch it.
- Go for it. - Okay.
You see, he's been abandoned, emotionally abused...
he's classified as "hard to place."
He's... He's never had a family of his own.
I know, but am I the right person for him?
I mean, I' just a writer.
He's seen a lot of doctors, if that's what you mean.
That's not what he needs.
Oh, you!
At least tell me what you're thinkin'
I' thinking I must be out of my mind.
I see you remembered your sunscreen.
You know, it works just as good if you don't put so much on.
Is that your weight belt?
Earth's gravity is weak.
Mars is constantly pulling me back.
So without all that stuff...
you think you'd just float away?
Uh-huh.
That ever happen before?
Yes.
When?
With another mommy and daddy.
Sophie, someone
- stole my ice cream! - Hey! Wait up!
Uh, uncommunicative...
a tendency to steal things...
inability to form personal attachments...
or distinguish between right and wrong...
and he thinks...
He thinks he's from outer space.
Not to put too sharp a point on it...
but I think he thinks he's from Mars.
How do you plan to deal with that, Mr. Gordon?
Fantasy is my business.
It's... lt's what I do for a living.
And one of the things I've learned about fantasy...
uh... in my own life...
is that it can be a survival technique...
you know, kind of a coping mechanism...
a way to deal with problems that are bigger than you...
bigger than you're...
you're capable of dealing with.
Uh, so, uh, you know...
the... the... the short answer is, um, you know...
try to find that balance between socializing him...
and letting him be who he is.
So, um, you know...
um, so, you know, on the one hand...
uh, help him out as much as I can...
and on the other hand, uh, if he wants to...
If this little guy wants to believe...
he's from another planet...
you know, I mean, who am I to argue?
This isn't science fiction. This isn't a short story.
Very often, with our children...
we don't get to have a second draft.
Yeah.
A single man raising a child with problems...
that are not common, that are not easy...
you're gonna need all kinds of help.
You'd need to include us...
- Mm-hmm. - Include me.
Does anybody have anything?
No.
We're gonna take some time and think about this.
Thank you, Mr. Gordon.
We'll let you know.
Hello.
Hey, man, what's up?
How's things on the planet?
Go away.
What?
Hello.
Hey.
Liz, I can't talk right now. I' waitin' for the call.
But you have call waiting.
But I don't trust it.
Your uncle is nuts.
Hello.
Really?
Yes!
Thanks for comin' out here with me today.
It's pretty.
I thought you'd like it. It's cool.
I like the holding-down belt.
You can wear the holding-down belt...
all day long if you like.
Listen, dennis, Mr. Lefkowitz...
said you can come live in my house if you want.
It'll only be temporary at first...
but if you like it, you could stay.
I eat Lucky Charms.
I am a big believer in a substantial breakfast.
Get your suitcase for you.
I got it.
Okay.
Go ahead.
You can cut through here.
Oh, right over here.
Yeah, yeah.
This way, young squire.
Hey, Somewhere!
Hey, Somewhere, Somewhere, down, boy.
Down, boy. Hey, sorry.
That's just Somewhere.
It's just his way of saying hello.
We don't have those where I come from.
You're not a dog person, huh?
I' just waiting for the boys to get home.
Well, what is he doing now?
He's just... He's just in his room.
Should I give him some space or go in there?
I'll call you back. I'll call you back.
This is kind of an a... of an interesting thing.
It's a special night light.
But as you can see, it has pictures of the planets...
and the solar systems...
and, you see, they kind of spin around.
It's got mirrors.
And lights on the bottom and pictures.
That's not right.
Yeah?
Well, what do you mean?
You'll have to make the ceiling bigger...
and you'll have to make your planet like this.
You're... You're absolutely right.
For the... For it to be accurate...
the ceiling would have to be, I don't know, 100 feet long...
and the earth would be the size of a pea.
Very, very good.
How do you know that much about scale?
It took a very long time to get here.
A very, very, very long time to get here.
You can get rid of some of those old clothes if you want.
Or we can keep that old stuff...
till it literally disintegrates and falls off your body.
That's a good way to go, too.
That's kinda cool.
I used to be good at video games.
It's not a game.
It's not?
Whatever it is, it's cool.
Should I close the door...
or should I just leave it open or halfway?
Leave it open?
Mid-way?
Just think of it as a bigger box.
All right, dennis, I think you're gonna enjoy this.
But, listen, before we eat, rules of the house...
first rule, no girls after 10 P.M.
Just kidding on that one.
Uh... the first rule is that there...
There really aren't any rules, you know?
Just maybe some basic stuff about...
Oh!
Better put a sticker there, I guess.
Listen, maybe we can, uh, have a...
I don't know, more of a guideline...
more than a rule, that we don't...
um, wear the sunglasses indoors...
just for navigational purposes.
I mean, this is a grilled cheese sandwich.
Uh, I made you a grilled cheese sandwich...
'cause I love grilled cheese sandwiches.
I think that they're, you know, an American classic.
I used to eat these a lot when I was a kid.
I loved 'em.
I eat Lucky Charms.
Yeah, sure, for breakfast, you can have Lucky Charms...
or maybe some granola or yogurt, any kind of cereal.
That sounds great.
So, anyway, bon appet/t.
Try that.
I eat Lucky Charms.
Oh, here we go.
Look at that.
All right, let's get more...
because, you know, you never know.
We gotta stock up.
Never know if there's gonna be the avian bird flu...
or bubonic plague...
or any other sort of pandemic is gonna come along...
and really wreck your day.
Want to make sure you have the right supplies.
This stuff has... This stuff has gotta have...
a shelf life of about 33,000 years.
If anything happened...
the, um, apocalypse, the four horsemen show up...
this stuff is still magically delicious.
We're Lucky Charms guys.
Mary?
Dennis, are you okay? What are you doin'
Watching you.
Oh!
It's a little late for that.
Dennis?
Dennis, what are you doin'
Come on, let's... Let's put the camera away.
Dennis, please. Let's put the camera away.
Come on now.
Beware! I almost disney-grated you.
You almost disintegrated me?
Why would you want to do that?
Hey, it's the, um... ahem.
It's the middle of the night, chief.
What are you doin' with all these pictures?
And what are you doin' up?
Learning.
Learning? Learning what?
How to be a human and part of a family.
I think you speak for a lot of us there.
Um...
That's very good.
That's very realistic.
Um, maybe we ought to pick this up in the morning...
over a bowl of Lucky Charms, what do you say?
Maybe we should go to bed now.
Yeah, yeah, I saw that.
That's a very good expression.
Yeah?
Yes, Mr. Gordon. Hi, Mr. Lefkowitz...
- from Children's Services. - Wh-What? Who?
This is Mr. Lefkowitz from Children's Services.
Oh, hi. Hello, sir. How are you?
Well, good.
More to the point, how are you?
Couldn't be better. Couldn't be better.
Good. How's dennis?
Is there anything we should talk about?
Mr. Gordon?
Hello, Mr. Gordon.
Uh, yeah. I' here.
Yeah, hi. I was asking if... if...
do you have any concerns about dennis...
that you'd like to talk about?
No, no. Everything's going great.
Couldn't be better, sir.
Hmm...
I think it's time to get you out of the house.
Listen, imagination is a rare commodity.
Dennis has the soul of an artist.
He could grow up to be, you know...
become a prodigy like... You saw Amadeus.
He could be a little Mozart in waiting for all you know.
Mom, he's being gross.
- Come on. - Guys, let it go, okay?
Remember?
It all ends up in the same place, right?
Come on, guys.
I mean, I want to be sensitive, but he's a mess.
Hey, that's sensitive?
You should hear blunt.
No, but really.
Listen, my point is that not everybody is born to be...
a go-with-the-flow, happy little Gap-kid.
Right now, it looks like he's gonna grow up...
to be Tiny Tim with a ukulele, all right?
What, are you breeding geniuses now?
Mozart, by the way, died in a hovel at 27, drunk and...
Unspecified fever at 35.
Stuff like that.
Sure, we all enjoyed his music, but did he enjoy himself?
Give me a chance.
You know, david, as far as I' concerned...
they're all from Mars. At least your kid admits it.
See, this is a smart man.
That's the correct answer, man.
- Smart man. Right. - You married a smart man.
I know. I agree they're all from Mars.
Strike two!
Two and two the count...
as Bobby Miller gets ready for the pitch.
As Bobby Miller gets ready for the pitch.
Here we go.
Strike three!
That was a nice strike-out, huh?
It's called a strike-out.
It's pretty cool, huh? You want a peanut?
You know what's really cool about baseball?
You know what I love about baseball?
Baseball is the only sport...
where you can fail 70 percent of the time and still be great.
It's about trying hard and never, ever, ever givin' up.
Just think about it.
If you get a hit three out of every 10 times...
you're at bat, you're really good.
If you do a little bit better than that...
just a little bit better than that...
maybe 3.2, 3.3 times...
you're great, and you could be a star.
And you're gonna make it to the Big Show.
And if you do that on the Big Show...
you're a superstar.
Superstars don't exist.
Only supernovas or white dwarfs.
I deserve you.
I really do.
You're out.
This guy doesn't look like much of a hitter.
But we believe, don't we?
Come on, now!
Strike three!
It's not lookin' pretty.
We're down by seven runs.
We're not hittin' a lick.
Come on, batter.
We need a hit.
Right on the ball!
Yeah!
There you go.
Got a single. Get something started.
I did it.
You did what?
I made a Martian wish.
You made a...
You made a Martian wish?
Yeah. Martians can wish for stuff.
Like hits?
Whatever.
You know, sometimes I make earth wishes...
but they don't always work out.
Well, listen, since you're in the wishing mode...
see this guy comin' up to the plate?
Wish for a home run.
Go! Go! Go!
That ball is gone!
Want him to win?
Unbelievable. What an awesome display of power.
You're a prognosticator, you're a scholar...
and now you're a baseball fanatic, and I like it.
...all the way back to 1973.
Let's hear it for those Coal Miners. Now...
Unbelievable game.
This isn't looking pretty.
Do you know we spend an average of two weeks...
in a lifetime waiting for traffic lights?
I remember when all these lights...
were timed, you know, when they were synchronized?
And you could just find this little seam in the universe...
and float through.
Wow. Did you see that?
Yup. I just gave you three minutes of your life back.
Well, thank you. I'll use them wisely.
Do that again.
Nope.
Why? 'Cause you don't want to or 'cause you can't?
I only have so many Martian wishes.
That's fair.
But if you want, I can give you one.
Who wouldn't want one?
There, I just gave you a Martian wish.
Don't waste it.
I absolutely won't. I promise.
I'll use it for something really important.
That was really intense.
You're just a freaky little dude, man.
Ahem.
Hey, Somewhere.
- This is Harlee. - Hi.
She's... She's our good friend, me and Somewhere.
She helped design this whole garden, so...
Nice frame.
I've heard a lot about you.
You want to say hi?
- No? - It's okay.
Don't worry. Don't worry.
Isn't he wild?
He's great, like a little Andy Warhol.
He has the same social skills, by the way.
You know what I think it is?
What?
He's an old soul.
What does that mean?
Seriously.
It just means he's figured it out.
You're one relentlessly sunny individual.
Yeah, well, I don't always wake up that way.
And that is what we so admire about you.
This particular move here that he's got goin'...
can't be sanitary or safe.
He likes to vacuum.
No, no, no, he thinks he is the vacuum.
There's a difference, see?
That's so Zen.
It is, kind of, isn't it?
Yeah.
See? More sunshine.
Keep your hips towards me, though, if you can.
Just move this foot a little towards me.
No, no, not that part of your hips.
Just square yourself up this way.
Right like that, right?
And then hand on the bat...
and, remember, you're gonna step forward.
When you hit the ball, you can yell, "Hot coffee!"
Say it.
Hot coffee!
Say, "Hot coffee!"
All right, forget it.
Seven out of ten times you can fail...
but you're still a star.
A little better than that...
you'll go to the Big Show for a cup of coffee.
I like this game.
I know. It's good, right?
It's a great game.
So, eye on the ball and swing.
That was a little late.
Watch the ball hit the bat.
Watch. Just have your eyes go right there.
What is with your pitching?
- Here we go. - Oh!
That was a little too early.
- But it was so good. - Yeah.
It was a good form.
Almost, dennis, that was nice.
All right now, with fierce determination.
Want to see you, you know, just groove on it.
You know, get a little attitude.
You know, a little swagger. You touch the plate.
Come on, you're a lefty.
You're weird, you're eccentric, nobody understands you.
You don't even understand yourself.
You know what I' sayin' Yeah.
Yeah.
Yeah, that's what I' talkin' about. Yeah.
Now hands back, give me the eagle eye.
I' scared.
That's what I' talkin' about.
Oh! Oh!
Hot coffee!
Hot coffee.
Oh! Hot coffee!
Yeah, you drove it it down the line.
That's a fair ball! Run!
Run! Run, dennis!
Fair ball! Run!
Drop the bat and run. Run.
Run!
- Dennis, run. - Go, run! Run!
- Come on! - Run! Quick!
Come on now.
Oh, thank you, sweetie.
What was that for?
'Cause they're giving medals to all the wrong guys.
Hello, my name is Jeff.
Hey, buddy.
I' a friend of your... david's...
um, and I have this present for you.
You're his agent.
Yes, I am.
Wow, that's, pfft, very good.
I' impressed.
Where is, um, david?
Is he inside?
Is he writing? Is he writing inside?
Okay, buddy, listen, I'...
- Hey, Jeff! - Hey, buddy, how are ya?
Good to see you. You met dennis, huh?
Yeah, we've just been getting to know each other.
If he gets hungry...
Lucky Charms all night long, right?
Lucky Charms.
Knuckles?
He's not... It takes a while.
Hi. We're gonna go.
See you, buddy. Nice to see ya.
God, I' so proud of you, man...
- Yeah. - Re-entering your life...
fantastic.
It's not going very well.
Buddy, you know what?
There is a long and proud tradition...
of asking for help in the form of a nanny.
- No! - There's absolutely...
No, there's no shame in that.
I' not talking about...
I' not talking about dennis. He's fine.
I' talking about, you know...
the book's not going particularly well.
What... What's, um...
What's going on with the book?
Does that mean like...
sagging-in-the-middle not good or what?
- No. - Like the ending?
You havin' a hard time noodling the ending?
Can I help you? Is there anything I can help...
No, no, it's just that there's an essential idea...
I haven't come to grips with.
But you know the great thing about dennis?
He is a fountain of ideas.
He is challenging all my assumptions, all of them...
every one of them, and I am going with it.
I just got to learn to be a little less rigid.
Or a little more rigid.
Yup, it's great.
I' so excited...
that you're figuring out the rigidity...
but, buddy, I am livin' The Revenge of Dracoban...
on a daily basis...
and the forces of darkness are closin' in on me, man.
Tina's coming to town.
Yeah, she's havin' a big black tie party for you...
- and she expects you - Party?
To ritualistically hand over to her...
the first draft ever written...
of The Revenge of Dracoban Part Two, the sequel.
When?
About six weeks from now.
You know, so that's it.
When?
January 28th.
She's doing it January 28th.
What is the significance of that date?
I don't know.
She's doing a book signing or something that night.
The book signing at the...
I got to get a sitter!
Buddy, are you losin' your mind?
No.
Because if you are...
I just need a little bit of lead time.
Don't you think I deserve that...
- after all these years? - Don't worry.
You sure you don't want me to come in with you?
Yes.
Yes, come in?
No. Don't come in.
Don't come in.
You need the umbrella?
Yes.
And the weight belt's an absolutely essential item?
- # Just let your feelings roll on by # - Uh-Huh.
Okay. You're gonna have...
- a great first day. - # Don't wear fear #
#Or nobody will know #
- # You're here # - dennis. Dennis. Dennis.
- # Lift your head # - Listen, just...
#And let your feelings out instead #
Just be yourself.
#Don't be shy #
That's all you got to do, okay?
#Just let your feelings roll on by #
#On by #
- # You know love # - dennis, dennis, dennis, dennis.
- # Is better than a song # - That way.
#Love is where all of us belong #
#So don't be shy #
#Just let your feelings roll on by #
Hey, Zack, you wanna play football?
Hey, retard.
Yeah, we see you.
You little punks.
Sir, is there a problem?
Uh, no, no, no...
not at... I' just here to watch.
Yeah, that's a problem.
No, no, no.
This is a total misunderstanding.
This is not what it appears to be.
Do you... I' a new parent.
That... That...
He's my... He's my son...
and it's his first day...
and I was really concerned.
I came to check on my daughter.
Oh.
That's my baby right there in the brown.
- Driving the, uh... - Mm-hmm.
Which one's yours?
Over off on the side there...
hanging upside down.
- Weirdo. - I know.
Good luck to you, sir.
Yeah.
He says he's counteracting earth's gravitational pull...
because it impedes the blood flow to his brains.
That's what the yogis believe.
Yogis don't have to go to second grade.
Hey, there's no harm in being a little eccentric.
This I know.
So, he thinks he's from Mars...
and you write about Mars, that's great.
A little Martian chose you to teach him about being human.
Come on. He came to earth to document our existence.
Listen, when I was 11 years old, I saw The Sound of Mus/c...
and from that moment on, I was convinced...
I was the lost von Trapp sister.
You?
Yeah, but did you go to school in lederhosen?
Yes, I did.
That's a good look for you.
- He's a sweet little boy... - Yeah.
But, uh, he's not like the others.
- Really? - Mm-hmm.
The, uh, social worker says...
he has above average intelligence...
but, you know, I guess...
it just takes time for him to adjust.
He steals from the other children.
Steals?
We find things in his cubby: Shoes, pencils, retainers.
Um, you know, dennis has a really curious mind...
and I think he just really needs...
You know, if it were only...
If it were only about the stealing...
but dennis needs special attention...
that we're simply not equipped to offer here.
What do you mean you're not equipped to offer?
I' sorry.
About what?
What are you saying?
You're saying you're throwing him out?
Well, that's really...
That's really cold.
- Mr. Gordon. - Hi.
Dennis and I had a nice, long chat.
Good. How'd that go, pal?
I' an intelligent being.
I completely agree.
Yeah.
Um, why don't you and I chat?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. You want to wait here?
What do I do for dennis?
I mean, to...
do what you're doing.
Just, you know, you got to give this some time.
You know, doctor, I' really concerned.
I mean, he's not making any friends...
and he's not relating to me particularly well...
and he just got expelled from school for stealing...
and he's a very isolated little guy.
And when he, uh, you know, when he's vulnerable...
and scared like that, I just...
I mean, when he tells me...
he thinks he's gonna float away.
He probably thinks he's gonna float away...
because he's very smart...
and he sees that he's living in a world...
where things and people do disappear.
I could give him a prescription, but, honestly, I...
I think that seeing how another intelligent being...
keeps his feet on the ground...
would be far more therapeutic for dennis.
Mr. Gordon, all parents feel...
like they're the blind leading the blind.
Sure.
Listen, pal, I got to talk to you about something.
Um, after Christmas break, we're gonna start a new school.
And I want to see how you feel about it...
because that can be kinda scary, startin' a new school...
and, you know, your teacher thinks it's a good idea...
and... and... and so do I.
And, um...
Uh...
It's good to measure things, huh?
Anyway, how do you feel about it?
You okay to take a fresh start?
Take a fresh run at a new school?
Would you be up for that?
Hmm?
What are you looking at?
That's where they found me...
on the grass by the big, round building.
It was raining.
You know what's weird is that was so long ago...
I would think you couldn't remember it.
I couldn't, so how could you?
They'll come back someday to get me.
Like, like summer camp?
You don't believe me.
So Martians can read minds, too, huh?
Martians can do lots of things you can't.
Besides changing traffic lights, what can you do?
We can taste color.
Okay.
You can taste color.
Prove it to me.
Off with the glasses, close your eyes.
They said this would happen.
Open up.
Open... don't... You were lookin'
You were totally lookin'
Right, open up. Here we go.
What color is it?
Red.
All right, but that one doesn't count...
because we had obvious ethical complications.
Open up.
Green.
Very good.
Open up.