Original subtitles

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.