All language subtitles for Bee Season 2005.e

Number 14... Eliza Naumann,

Oakland Tribune,
Oakland, California.

-'Oppidan.'
-'Oppidan.'

My father told me once...

that words and letters hold all
the secrets of the universe.

That in their shapes and sounds,

I could find everything
and see beyond myself...

to something special,

perfect.

My father told me once...

that I could reach
the ear of God.

Eliza?

'Nozzle.'

From KQED public
radio, this is 'The California Report.'

I'm Scott Shaffer. On today's show,
people from all over the country...

...thousands of
supermarket clerks are on the picket line.

70,000 union workers at Vons...

...walked off the job late Saturday after
contract negotiations fell through.

At issue are...

Ron says the Alfa's
gonna be ready this afternoon.

-Great.
-So I'll pick it up and stop for groceries.

-Okay.
-Hey.

-Hey, what are you doing?
-That's my breakfast.

This is terrible stuff. How
do you eat this?

-I'll see you later.
-Yeah, see you.

-Bye. Thanks for the ride.
-Okay, bye-bye.

Bye.

-Got your lunch?
-Mm-hmm.

Bye, sweetheart.
I'll call after school.

-Okay.
-Okay. Bye-bye.

Thanks, Mom.

Hey, wait up!

Eliza, let's try 'possibility.'

'Possibility.'

P-O-S-S-I...

B-I-L...

-I-T-Y. 'Possibility.'
-Correct.

Courtney. 'Graphite.'

-Correct.
-O-R-O-W...

-That's incorrect.
-O-R...

Incorrect. I'm sorry.
You're excused.

-C-L-T...
-'Placebo.'

-P-L-A...
-'Random.' 'Indemnity.'

-I-N...
-'Flux.'

-'Flux.'
-'Fluorescent.'

-F-L-U-O...
-'Archaeology.'

A-R-C-H-A-E...

O-L-O-G-Y.

Who's going to be
handling it? Who do we have this year?

We've got Louis, Thomas...
We've got... So, that's James.

Uh, 'Aspects of Biblical
Religion.' Ron usually takes that.

Look again. Uh, 190:

Topics in Religious Studies,
the Upanishads.

I could do that or...

-Coffee? -On the stove.
-Thanks.

You know that dinner of
yours? We used every pot in the house.

That wasn't worth washing
a pot or two? Or 10.

-What's this?
-He's helping her with Hebrew school.

Do you understand
a word you're saying?

-I understand a lot of it.
-Yeah? Okay.

-Translate, hotshot.
-Um, it's about where Abraham sacrifices...

-No, not sacrifices.
-...uh, starts...

-Yes?
-...to sacrifice Isaac to God?

-You're being a bully.
-A bully?

Maybe, but why shouldn't
he know what he's saying?

Isn't God in the words?
See, God is the words.

The spoken words,
the utterances.

How do we reach
the ear of God, Aaron?

Exactly. You
speak with him. It's ridiculous.

Most Jews don't understand what
they're saying in services.

Well, that's what attracted me.
The mystery of it all.

I thought it was Dad's cooking.

Very clever.

You missed a spot.

You're slipping. Come on. Let's go.
Let's play. Let's go.

Come on.
We'll finish this later.

Hey, what do you think
about changing the tempo...

I love this piece.
You been working on this?

Good night, honey.

-Hey.
-Could you drive me somewhere?

So, uh, what is this again?

I told you already.
The district spelling bee.

Don't you have to win
your school bee to be in that?

-Uh-huh.
-God, Elly, that's great.

Wow.
I'm totally impressed.

Dad must be in Dad heaven.

-He doesn't care.
-How can you say that? He loves this stuff.

I put the letter under his door.
He never said anything.

I'm sorry.

The spelling bee is
a truly American tradition.

I'd like to welcome you to the
Oakland Tribune District Bee.

Spellers, be proud.

You are examples of the best
and brightest in our area.

'Sequel.'

'Sequel.'

S-E-Q-U...

-E-L.
-Correct.

'Orangutan.'

O...

'Turpitude.'
'Fresco.' 'Homonym.'

Hom... Homonym.

H-O...

M-O-N-Y-M.

Correct.

'Coyote.'

-'Coyote.' C-O-Y...
-'Affix.'

'Susurration.'

'Dendroid.' 'Extenuate.'
'Notorious.'

'Anvil.' 'Hydrofoil.'
'Graduate.'

-'Oasis.'
-'Hoodlum.'

'Macrame.'

M-A-C...

R-A-M...

-...A-Y?
-Incorrect.

S-A-L-I...

N-E. 'Saline.'

So, a paradox.

God is... everything...

A perfect, luminous essence.

But even God wants more...
To experience more, to give.

So God creates a vessel,
a container,

that can receive this...
gift of God's pure light.

His divine light
pours into the vessel.

-Come stand here.
-The vessel, of course,

can't contain the magnitude of this
light, and it shatters.

Destroying the vessel, and
scattering its broken shards...

in a big bang of creation.

Now, man's job is to locate
and gather these shards...

to make the vessel...
Our world... whole again.

Now the cabalists called
this fixing, this mending...

They called it...

Tikkun...

Tikkun olam, the fixing of the world.

Now, any act of goodness,
altruism, kindness,

that contributes to that idea
is considered tikkun olam.

It's an extraordinary idea... that we
can restore what has been shattered.

In fact, it's our
responsibility to try,

each of us.

Out of the very pieces
of the destruction,

God has left us hope.

--Polytheism
papers due next Tuesday.

Elly, this is fantastic.
Why didn't you tell me?

-I did, but you didn't say anything.
-Hmm?

She thinks you've
been ignoring it.

I put the letter
under your door.

What letter, honey?

From Dr. Morris.

Dr. Morris?

It's probably in the mess
on your floor, Dad.

-I'm really sorry. I didn't see that letter.
-She beat out a lot of kids.

Yeah?
You'd have loved it.

Did you do that?

Oh, man.

I got another chance now, don't I? Because
you moved up to that next level, right?

-The regional bee in Sacramento.
-Oh, perfect.

Perfect. We'll all go. This is
really, really important, and this...

This is a beautiful thing.

Let's take this home. We'll
show it to your mom, all right?

We'll put the top down
on the Alfa.

Wow, what a great day!

It's okay.

Go with Dad.

I'll, uh, see you at home.

Okay, in the Chronicle, the Trib and
the Montclarion. Listen to this.

Wow. 'Winner
of the spelling bee...'

'that took place Saturday afternoon
at Albany High School...

was sixth grader
Eliza Naumann.'

'Sixth Grader Bests
Middle Schoolers.'

Let me see.

That's great. I'm proud of you.
'Naumann casts a spell.'

-You know, you've always been good at spelling.
-Yeah, but not this good.

-It's not important.
-Of course it's important.

You know, there are people
who believe...

that letters are expression
of a very special primal energy,

and when they combine
to make words, they...

They hold all the secrets
of the universe.

You remember the Vikings?

Okay, the Vikings
called this epli.

Now, when they took it across the sea
in their ships, it became apfel.

Across another border,
it became appel.

By the time it got to us,
it was 'apple.'

A-P-P-L-E. Its spelling
contains all of that.

It holds its history inside it.

Yeah, but that's not the secret
of the universe.

Isn't it? Yes, thanks.

'Miss Naumann, youngest district
spelling champion ever.'

-You know that?
-Mm-mmm.

Wow. Mimi?

Mimi, we're all going to
Sacramento next month.

We came here for the
science fair. Remember?

Yeah.

Come on. Let's take a picture.
Excuse me. Could you hold this?

-Everybody.
-All right.

Smile.

-There you go.
-Thanks. Thanks a lot.

-'Lorgnette.'
-'Lorgnette.'

L-O-R-G...

N-E-T...

-T-E?
-Correct.

-'Dandelion.'
-'Dandelion.'

D...

A...

N...

D...

E-L-I...

O...

N.

-'Dandelion.'
-Correct.

-'Daguerreotype.'
-'Daguerreotype.'

Incorrect.

-'Chiliastic.'
-'Chiliastic.'

-'Inchoate.'
-'Inchoate.'

Correct.

'Suture.' 'Iridium.' 'Nomic.'

'Staccato.' 'Pharmacopoeia.'

-'Glissando.'
-'Glissando.'

G-L-I...

'Glissando.'

S...

A-N-D-O. 'Glissando.'

I'm afraid that's incorrect,
but don't leave the stage.

If number 26 misspells her
word, the bee will continue.

If she spells it correctly,
she'll be the winner.

Number 26,
your word is 'batik.'

-'Batik'?
-'Batik.'

'Batik.'

Wow!

Yes!

That's my girl! I can't believe it.
Oh, that's great!

I brought you a glass of water.

-Thanks.
-Here you go.

Hmm. Is that
my old suitcase?

Dad gave it to me
for the state bee.

I didn't know we still had it.

My parents bought it for me
when I went to boarding school.

Were you scared?

At boarding school?

Um... No. Uh...

I was already about your age.

There was nothing
to be scared of.

-Why'd they send you?
-Hmm.

That's what people did.

Were you there...

when they died?

Uh... yeah. Um, yeah.
I was at school.

Mm-hmm.

This is for you, Elly.

It was mine.
My mother gave it to me.

What is it?

Oh, no, no, no. Oh, no.
Don't... Don't...

It doesn't come apart.
It's a... It's a kaleidoscope.

You look through it
and see things.

Hold it towards the light.

-Hmm?
-Like that, yeah.

Oh.
Turn it.

I used to carry it with me.

Mmm. I loved the way
it holds the light.

Do you see that?

Elly?

Um...

When you're trying
to spell a word...

what happens... to you?

I mean, when
you close your eyes?

I start out hearing it
in my head...

in the voice of whoever said it.

Then the voice changes...

into something else.

The word's voice.

And then I can see it.

What?

The word.

I can see the word.

Mom?

Go to sleep.

Mmm.

Good night, Mom.

What you did today at the bee...

it was, uh,

remarkable.

Good night.

Were you there...

-when they died?
-Were you there...

-when they died?
-Were you scared?

I'm tired. I'm tired.

You know, Elly's never
had anything like this.

I used to carry it with me.

Mimi? Mimi?

On y va maintenant, ma douce.

Hey, sweetheart.

You look like you
could use a snack.

I cut up some cheese or you can
have a cookie if you want, but...

all that sugar,
you'll probably crash later on.

-Protein's better.
-How come you're home?

I came home to be with you.

Come on in. Come on.

Come on in.

You know, I thought this could
be our study area, right here.

Now, we don't have
as much time as I'd like,

but I think we can get through
a lot before the state bee,

and then, hopefully,

we'll have another chance
for the nationals.

What do you think?

You know, it'd be like
you were one of my students.

I'm pretty good
at this kind of thing, you know.

That's Mom.

-Hi.
-Hi, honey. Are you okay?

Dad's here.
We're in his room.

-Dad?
-He's gonna help me study.

He wants to talk to you.

-I'll see you later.
-Okay.

-Bye.
-Bye.

-Okay. Hey.
-Hi. What's going on?

-I rearranged some office hours so
you don't have to rush home. -Oh.

-Anything wrong?
-No, I'm...

I'm-I'm fine. I'm just...

-Uh... Mimi.
-make sure...

-It's okay. We're having a good time.
-Okay.

Okay. Bye.

What happens to you

-when you close your eyes?
-...when you close your eyes?

Do you see what I see?

What happens to you, Elly...

when you close your eyes?

-Do you see what I see?
-...what I see?

In the world.

-In the light...
-light...

In everything around us.

Here.

Hey!

-You all right?
-I'm fine.

Yeah? I expected you hours ago.
Where you been?

I was starting to worry.

Called your cell.
You didn't answer.

-Oh, I forgot to charge it.
-Oh, right.

Uh, Phil asked me to co-author
the Lancet paper.

I guess he wants someone
to wash his Petri dishes.

I thought you
only washed my dishes.

Hmm?

-There's food here.
-Thanks. I got something.

All right. Aaron?

Aaron!

Not so loud.
Elly's studying.

I want you to write the letters.

All right. I'm gonna
start you off here now,

but you gotta keep your
eyes closed, okay?

Take a deep breath.

And just say
the letters to yourself.

The whole thing,
backwards and forwards.

Uh-huh. Relax.

Just... Just concentrate
on the letters.

Good.
Good, keep going.

V-W-X-Y-Z-Y-X-W-V-U...

T-S-R-Q-P-O-N-M-L-K...

Open your mind
to the letters, Elly. Concentrate.

Put each one in your mind.
Let them flow through you,

from your hand to the pad.

Okay. You can stop.

That was wonderful,
really wonderful.

I didn't do it.

You know, it's not
what they look like,

it's what they feel like.

You were perfect.

Okay, I'd like us to try something
else now, a little bit different.

Now, I want you to close
your eyes, take a deep breath.

And now I want you
to open your mind...

to all the words in the universe
that contain the letter E.

E...

E...

-Two, uh, chocolate Kwik shakes.
-Okay.

Really good.

-Oh, great. Is this our champion?
-That's my girl.

-Elly, this is John.
-Hi.

I brought you here,
Elly, because I want us...

to start thinking about
something beyond just spelling,

beyond letters and words.

You know that
to become a professor,

I had to write a thesis,
kind of a book.

I wrote about
something very special.

About kabbalah...
Jewish mysticism.

And one of the most famous
of the Jewish mystics...

was a man called
Abraham Abulafia.

What's a mystic?

A mystic is a person...

who believes that you can talk,

really connect with God.

Not just pray,
but have God listen,

and sometimes, in special cases,
have God talk back.

Aaron sings to God.
I've heard him.

Yeah, well, we all can do things
in praise of God...

Write poetry, simply pray.

But I'm talking about
something more,

something that
almost no one can do,

something beyond words.

What?

Let God flow through you.

Abulafia believed that
by concentrating on letters,

the mind could be opened up...

and reach what he called shefa.

What?

The most special way
of being together with God.

Steps to getting there
are in these books.

Exercises, words and letters.

-Like what we've been doing.
-Yes, exactly. Let me show you.

Elly?

Mmm?

Elly?

Elly.

Bad dream?

I have a present for you.

It was mine when I was your age.

But we'll pick something up before you
leave tomorrow, if it doesn't fit.

Get dressed for
school now, okay?

Thanks, Mom.

-Hey.
-Hey. Hey. What's up?

-Uh, nothing.
-I'm late. Uh...

-I was returning your Brodsky.
-Oh, God. I forgot about that.

Yeah, could you put it on top of my desk?
I got to go. See you.

-Okay. Bye.
-Bye.

Have mercy on us all.

Make us worthy to share
eternal life with Mary...

Oh, sorry. Excuse me.

...the apostles
and with all the saints...

who have done your will
throughout the ages.

May we praise you
in union with them,

and give you glory through
your son, Jesus Christ.

This is the Lamb of God who takes
away the sins of the world.

And happy are those who have
been called to his supper.

The body of Christ.

Dad? Is God red?

Red?

No.

The support about
which a lever pivots: 'fulcrum.'

I've almost got it.

F-U-L-C-R-U-M.

Well done, Elly Belly.
Okay. 'Puerile.'

Maybe that's enough
spelling for now.

Okay. Earth to Aaron.
Come in, Aaron.

-What?
-So how about it? What do you think?

How about what? I asked
you 10 minutes ago.

You think you and Mom will survive a few
days while we're at the state finals?

Yeah.

Sure. Whatever.

Aaron? You didn't
eat anything.

Thought he liked my cooking.

Okay, 713. This way.

It's on this side.

Here it is.

Wow, look at this.

Adjoining rooms, pretty cool.

Why don't you pick one, honey?

Which one do you want?

This one, I think.

Take the other one.
It's got a better view.

You'll like it better.

You wanna practice a little?

-Mm-hmm.
-Good.

Tiger?

-Tiger!
-Oh.

Come here. Come on.
Sorry about her.

Don't worry about it.

-So, are you?
-What?

A Hindu.

-Oh, no. No.
-Too many gods?

Yeah, something like that.

-I'm Chali.
-Aaron.

-Nice to meet you.
-You, too.

-School stuff?
-Uh, no. Just checking it out.

Something's missing.

How do you mean?

From your life.

Yeah, I guess.

I used to feel that way.

I was raised a Catholic,
but it felt like empty ritual.

Yeah, my mom was Catholic,

and she, uh, converted
when she met my dad.

We're Jewish.

-Can I give you something to read?
-Yeah, sure.

My number's on the back.

Oh, awesome.

-It was nice to meet you, Aaron.
-Yeah, you too.

Girl. Come on, you.

-Bye, Cali.
-Chali.

Chali.

That is correct. Except that you've
omitted the last and most important word.

9:30.

Uh... Y-You're not
riding with me?

No, I've got some stuff
to do after school.

-You-You sure?
-Yeah.

Hi, you've reached Saul Naumann. Leave
me a message and I'll get back to you.

'Selenic.'
'Selenic.'

S...

E-L...

L-E-N...

I-C.

'Selenic.'

That's incorrect.

'Cumulus.'

'Cumulus.'

Hurry up!

Hi. Um, I'm here
to see Chali.

Here, is it here?

Is it the light here?

The air?

The noise?

The dirt?

Everything?

Everything here?

Everything.

God has left us hope. God has
left us... God has left us hope.

...E-E-N. 'Duvetyn'?

That's incorrect.

'Cotyledon.'

'Cotyledon'?

That is correct. 'Cotyledon.'

May I have a definition, please?

A cotyledon is the primary
or embryonic leaf...

or leaves of a seedling.

What is the derivation, please?

'Cotyledon' comes to us
from the Greek.

C... O...

T...

Y... L...

E...

D...

O... N.
'Cotyledon.'

Correct.

-Hey.
-You're late.

-Mom knew.
-Well, she's late too.

Guess what? Your little sister won.
She's going to the nationals.

-Yeah?
-Washington, D.C.

I'm cooking a victory dinner.

Evening, champ. What'll it be?
Broccoli or beans?

I know, I know, but
you gotta eat something green.

-Do you want a... -Congratulations.
-Thanks.

-So what happened while we were gone?
-Nothing.

Nothing? Something's gotta
happen in three days.

-Not really.
-No?

You know, I left a sonata
on your bed before I left.

Yeah, I found it.

Want to give it a try
tomorrow, maybe?

Um, I'm going out for pizza
and a movie tomorrow.

There wouldn't be a girl involved in
this pizza-movie venture, would there?

-No, there wouldn't.
-You don't have to be embarrassed about a date.

-It's not a date. So...
-Okay.

Uh, I've got homework.

-Dinner in an hour.
-Yeah.

Fine.

-Mim, is that you?
-Yeah, I-it's me.

-Mom?
-Yes?

I think the blouse is lucky.

-I'm gonna wear it at the nationals.
-Elly, you startled me.

-I didn't know you were still up.
-I was watching TV.

Let's put you to bed.

I love you, Mom.

Me too.

G-Go to sleep now.

I love you, Elly.

We're not alone.

Any of us, we can
make connections.

Tikkun olam. Yes, we can
fix what's been broken.

We can make things whole again.

Gathering shards.

Yes. Together.

Hold me.
Please, hold me.

Hey!

H-Honey.

Oh, honey.

Oh, honey.
Oh, God.

How about this one?

Okay, thanks.

Sure I can't tempt you, Aaron?
It's really good.

That's my ride.

We only need three.

-That's perfect.
-Thanks. Okay.

-I'd like to meet your friend.
-Maybe next time.

There's a girl at the gate.

Hi.

-Hey, uh, hi.
-Hey. -Hi.

-Hi.
-Hello.

Aaron, introduce
your guest here.

-Hi, I'm Aaron's dad.
-This is Chali.

-Chali.
-Chali?

-Yeah, Chali.
-Chali. Okay.

-I'm Miriam. Nice to meet you.
-Hi. Nice to meet you.

You want some, uh,
chicken before you go?

-Oh...
-I'm famous for the sauce.

-She doesn't want any.
-No? Let her answer for herself.

Actually, I don't eat chicken.

-Why not?
-'Cause I'm a vegetarian.

Oh, interesting.
I was a vegetarian once.

Okay, let's go.

Come on. Okay. It was
nice to meet you all.

-Okay.
-Bye.

-Nice meeting you.
-Have fun. Come again.

I grill a mean tofu.

Bye. See you later.

Okay, my translation.

This notebook is my translation
of Abulafia's words.

It's his guide, Elly,
for reaching shefa.

'Cleanse your heart and soul.

'Permute the letters
back and forth.

'This will arouse in you many
words, one after the other.

'You will feel then as if an
additional spirit is within you.

'You will experience
ecstasy and trembling.

'In this manner,
you will reach beyond yourself.

'Go slowly,
as the path is dangerous...

and must be travelled
with caution.'

-I'd like us to try this.
-What?

A permutation.

Other people...

have tried to do these,
but almost no one has felt...

that special feeling
that he wrote about.

I haven't been able to do it.

I tried. It was very important
to me, but... I couldn't.

But I think maybe you can.

I think you have
what Abulafia had.

I saw it on the stage
at the bee.

I think you can use
his methods to achieve shefa,

to reach the ear of God.

Let me show you what I mean.

Let's permute
the word 'Earth.'

What's inside
this word? 'Earth.'

'Heart.' 'Rathe.'

-Like in Boggle.
-Yeah, like that.

Except the combinations don't have
to mean anything in the usual sense.

Try another one.
You do it. Uh, 'library.'

Make yourself right.

Cleanse your heart and soul. Permute
the letters back and forth.

Permute the
letters back and forth.

-You will feel then...
-You will feel then...

...as if an additional spirit... as
if an additional spirit is within you.

In this manner you will... In this
manner you will reach beyond yourself.

Go slowly,
as the path is dangerous...

and must be travelled
with caution.

Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare,

Hare Rama,
Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare,

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare,

Hare Rama, Rama Hare...

Yeah?

-It's me.
-Hey.

She was nice.

Thanks.

It smells nice in here.

I'm sorry I'm late.

Where were you?

Miriam? I'm just tired, and
I want to go to sleep.

Will there be supervision?

I took the blue sleeping bag.

All right.

-Hi. Uh, Aaron's going camping.
-Just for the weekend.

Mom said it was okay.

Alone?

Uh, no.
With the Sierra Club.

-Bye.
-Bye. Thanks a lot.

Bye.

I like camping.

Elly, I want you to
take one simple, easy breath,

and draw the sound out
from very deep inside of you...

till you can taste it completely.

And when you're ready,
just let your body move.

What's wrong?

Why do you look like that?

Dad?

You moved the way
Abulafia described it.

I want to do more.

Remember what I told you?

We're gonna take
our time with this.

Okay. If we go too fast,
this could be dangerous.

What we're doing here is a very
special kind of knowledge.

The words in this notebook
are very powerful.

We'll see how it goes
after the nationals.

It... It feels so light.

Yeah. Yeah, light.

All right.
Just one more time.

# Adonai #

Hare Rama, Hare
Rama, Rama, Rama, Hare, Hare,

Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna,
Krishna, Krishna, Hare, Hare...

-Hello.
-Hello.

I'm really happy here, Chali.

Oh. Oh. It's okay.

Oh, dear.
Why didn't you wake me?

I just found you here.

You're bleeding.

-What is this?
-Uh...

Oh, I must have bumped...
Bumped my head on the table.

-How'd you do that?
-I don't know.

Hey, what's going on, Mim?

-Nothing.
-Nothing?

Is there something
you want to tell me?

What?

Because I don't know what you're doing.
I don't know where you've been.

I don't know where you went.
I don't know anything.

I'm sorry.

What's the matter with Mom?

Oh, she just fell
asleep here, honey.

In the kitchen?

Yeah, she's okay.
She's... She's okay.

Your brother's
coming home tonight.

We're gonna... We're gonna have
a nice family dinner.

Hey.

Hey. Back from the wilderness.

-All in one piece.
-Yeah.

See the article on Elly
today in the paper?

No. About her going
to the national bee.

So how 'bout you?
Sacrifice any virgins out there?

Hey.

She's been gone all day.

She didn't take the car.

And in the morning...

her head was bleeding.

You saw that?

Her head was bleeding?

Elly...

if-if I tell you something,

will you promise
to keep it to yourself?

I didn't go camping.

Where'd you go?

To a place for...

people who want
to get closer to God.

Dad wants to get closer to God.

Yeah, well.

Do you like it better...
there?

Hello? Yes, this is Mr.
Naumann.

Yes, Saul Naumann.

Look.

Your mother's been...

I'll call you as soon
as I know everything, okay?

Is it because of my spelling?

It has nothing to do with you.

Go to sleep.

What is this?

It's the address your wife gave
as her place of residence.

She had the key in her pocket.

Manager said she's had
the space for years.

We're looking into how much
of this stuff is stolen.

-Mind if I smoke?
-No.

She's in the hospital.

She was exhausted.

Sick and confused.

Can I see her?

I don't know. Some hospitals
have rules about children.

-But I'll see later when I get there.
-Will she get better?

Yeah, yeah.
Of course she will. Yes.

Aren't you riding with us?

I've got some stuff
to do before school.

You didn't eat anything yet.

Good-bye.

-Bye, El.
-Bye.

-Maybe we'll try some take-out tonight.
-Yeah, maybe.

Did you see it?

Yes.

It's beautiful, isn't it?

I've never
seen anything like it.

It's beginning
to hold the light.

I'm sorry. I don't understand. The
shards, putting them together.

Tikkun olam...
To make things whole.

Hold the light.

You showed me.

Miriam, it...

It was a metaphor.

A... A poem.

Yes, a poem.
I made a poem.

The police think that you took
all those things.

Some of them are mine... ours.

And some aren't.

I needed more.

They said they found you
in another family's house.

I need you to come home, honey.
Kids need you to come home.

I don't want
to come home right now.

They're not going to prosecute.

They just want to make sure
that you get some help.

All you got to do, is
you say you're sorry

that you took the things
that didn't belong to you.

I'm not sorry.

It wasn't stealing.

-Miriam, please, just...
-I thought maybe you'd understand.

I do understand. I do. But
I need you to come home.

Stop it. You don't understand.

I can't go home
with you now, Saul.

Look at me.

What do you see?

You...

You love to talk...

Talk about things that don't...

that don't come from your heart.

You talk and talk
and talk and talk.

Are they all empty words?

Do you want to understand?

Understand me?

This?

That room, those things...

It wasn't...

Miriam, please.
Please, talk to me.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

I-I want to go back
to my room now, please.

Tell me what's wrong, please.

I just wanted to hold
the light, that's all.

I didn't do this to hurt you.

She took some things she thought
were hers, but they weren't.

The doctors are
working with her now.

She said she
didn't want to see me?

Elly, she's...

She's really not ready to
see anybody right now.

She took all that stuff and now
we can't go to the finals.

What are you talking about?
Who told you we're not going?

It's my fault, isn't it?
That's why she's sick.

No. That's...

That's not why she's...

It is nobody's fault, all right?

We'll go to the finals,
and your mother will watch.

It's on TV. We'll tell her
about it, okay?

All right.

Okay?

I'm sorry, baby.

Yeah?

Aaron, where are you?

No, uh...

No, they're keeping
her in the hospital.

I'll explain when...
When you get home.

Of course you will
be coming home.

Where are you?

Aaron?

Where...

I can't deal with this now.

Shit!

Where am I calling?

The what?

All right.
Stay in the car.

I've come for my son.

Yes?

If you don't give him to me,
I will call the police.

-Come in.
-Right.

Oh, Aaron.

All right, get dressed.
We're going home.

I am dressed.

Then let's go.

You can't keep me from coming back.
Oh, really? Watch me.

-I really can't believe you did this.
-Get in the car.

Don't talk to me.

Get back here.
You're acting like a child.

-Eliza has more sense.
-Of course you think that.

She agrees with everything you say.
Talk about brainwashed.

I'm not finished.

Don't walk away!

You're going to stop me
from going to my room now?

-I want you to come here...
-You do not get to tell me what to do...

-Control what I feel or think.
-Stop it.

-I'm not Eliza. I'm not Mom.
-Goddamn it!

-You do not talk to me like that!
-You don't fucking control me!

She's not even in the hospital, is she?
She just got tired of being here.

Tired of you and your house and
your cooking and your religion...

and your everything, and you
just can't face the truth.

You want to know
the truth, Aaron?

Your mother has been stealing things
for years. Maybe her whole life.

She's very sick.
She's in a mental institution,

and I don't know when or if
they will give her back to me.

You're the one who's sick.

-Me?
-Yeah, you.

Who's the one who's
walking around in a sheet?

-In orange bedsheets!
-Stop it.

-Aaron,
-Stop it!

-you are a baby! You're a kid.
-Stop it!

You want to go to... Go to your room.
Go to your fucking room!

-Go!
-Why can't you live your own stupid life?

Why do you have to drag me
and Elly into it?

Why can't you leave us alone?

Aaron.

Aaron?

Please, God.
Please, please, please...

We can talk...

Really connect with God.

Not just pray...

but have God listen.

And sometimes

in special cases...

have God talk back.

Got it?

Okay, this way.

Chris Wilcock,
Midland Monthly News.

-'Ecchymosis.' -
'Ecchymosis.'

E-C-C-H-Y...

M-O-S-I-S.

-'Ecchymosis.'
-Correct.

Number 13.

Arrow Arram, Hillsdale Morning
Sun, Hillsdale, Michigan.

'Thanatophidia.'

Please, please make sure
that she knows I called.

All right. Thank you.

Dad?

Hey. Hey, you were incredible
up there today.

Thanks.

-What's your brother doing?
-Watching TV.

You want to try a few more,
just to keep loose?

Mmm, I don't know. Okay.

All right, no thinking.
'Usurper.'

U-S-U-R-P-E-R.

'Piazza.'

P-I-A-Z-Z-A.

'Origami.'

'Origami.'

O-R-I...

G-A-M...

I.

You can do this.

Yes, you can.

He should leave you alone.

It's okay.

He just wants this for himself.

You know, he's using you,
like he used Mom,

and like he used me.

I just think you should
forget about him.

That's all I mean.

He needs this... all the
attention and the control...

And he doesn't even know it.

He needs Mom.

What are you doing down here
this time of night?

I want to see
the television cameras.

You in that spelling
contest tomorrow?

I don't see them.
The cameras?

I guess they don't
bring them till the morning.

You better get back to sleep before your
mother comes down here looking for you.

She won't.
I need to win first.

Don't be silly. Nobody's mother
needs her to win anything.

Go slowly.

-The path is dangerous...
-The path is dangerous.

-And must be travelled with caution.
-With caution.

The words in this notebook
are very, very powerful.

Permute the
letters back and forth.

Permute the
letters back and forth.

This will arouse in you
many words, one after the other.

The light.

You will feel then as
if an additional spirit is within you.

Light, light, light, light.

Light, light, light...

Cleanse. Heart.

Let God flow through you.

I want to reach the ear of God.

To reach the ear of God...
I want to talk to God.

The sounds.

The letters.

The letters.

The sound.

Elly?

Hey, Elly.

You okay?

What happened?

It's 7:30.

We've got to get you cleaned up.

Come on.

-Let's get you ready for the...
-Everybody up?

I got orange juice, croissants.

This is it, kiddo.

This is the one.

Come on. Let me help you.

These are the final rounds, and
they're on national television.

Everyone up here is already a champion.
So let's have some fun.

Deepak Shri, the
Portland Sentinel.

-'Strongylid.'
-'Strongylid.'

S-T...

R-O-N-G...

-'Abiogenist.'
-'Abiogenist.'

-'Strongylid.'
-A-B-I-O...

G-E-N-I-S-T.

-'Sacculate.'
-'Abiogenist.'

S-A-C-A-L-A-T-E.
'Sacculate.'

Incorrect.

Eliza Naumann, Oakland Tribune.

'Toolach.'

'Toolach.'

T-O-O...

L-A-C-H.

We can fix what's been broken.

N-O-C...

T-I-V-A...

-Margaret Ricski, Denver Standard.
-G-E-N-T.

'Recidivism.'
'Noctivagant.'

'Recidivism.'

Incorrect.

R-E-C...

I-D-I...

V-I-S-M.

-'Recidivism.'
-Correct.

Jeffrey Prather, Gardner Star Times.
'Photophygous.'

-'Photophygous'?
-'Photophygous.'

P-H-O...

T-O...

P-H-I...

G-O-U-S.

'Photophygous.'

Incorrect.

Number 14, Eliza Naumann,

Oakland Tribune,
Oakland, California.

-'Oppidan.'
-'Oppidan.'

O-P-P-I-D...

A-N. 'Oppidan.'

Correct.

Margaret Ricski.
'Solipsism.'

'Solipsism.' S-O...

L-Y-P...

S-I-S-M.

'Solipsism.'

I'm afraid that's incorrect.
Please do not leave the stage.

The rules require that the next
speller spell both this word...

and an additional word correctly
to become the champion.

'Solipsism.'

'Solipsism.'

S-O-L-I...

P-S-I...

S-M.

-'Solipsism.'
-Correct.

One more word for
the national championship.

'Origami.'

'Origami.'

Eliza?

O-R-I...

G...

A...

M...

Y.

'Origami.'

Incorrect.

'Origami.'

'Origami.' O...

R-I-G...

A-M-I.

-'Origami.'
-Correct.

Number 26. One more word
for the national championship.

'Catastasis.'

'Catastasis.'

C-A-T...

-A-S-T-A-S...
-Dad?

I-S. 'Catastasis.'

Dad?

Congratulations.
Ladies and gentlemen,

the new national spelling bee
champion from Denver, Colorado.

My father told me once
that I could reach the ear of God...

That words and letters would
guide me to reach beyond myself,

to know the world
as whole again.

And like the ancient mystics,

God will flow through me.

And we would be together.

She's my daughter.