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to work within them.

What does that mean?

It means that

no force on earth

would keep me away that night.

Your future is starting.

One of the best parts

of my job is reading new writers

and occasionally,

even publishing them.

The fact is, talent happens

when it happens

and you have to be there

when it does.

Tonight, I'm delighted

to introduce

6 extraordinary voices.

New writers

for only a moment longer.

Proceeding then

in that ever-egalitarian thing

called alphabetical order.

In her story,

"Kupchino Station"

Diane Altschuler

brings to life

the Leningrad

of the early 1980s.

A city still bearing

the physical scars

of the Second World War

and now feeling the full

stifling effect

of President Jimmy Carter's

grain embargo.

Elainee, a refusenik

the character is based

on the author's mother

earns a small hourly fee

standing in line

on behalf of

a wealthy neighbor to buy...

I'm not comfortable.

Shh.

It's the husband.

She brings the husband?

Dad, please.

I'm sorry.

But I feel I should

get mad at somebody.

Only I'm not sure who.

We'll discuss it after.

All I'm saying

is that civilization

is organized by couples...

for better or worse.

Frequently worse, I grant you.

But there's a reason for it

which is that

it's not confusing.

I'm begging you.

Are you saying

you disagree with me?

Would you for Christ's sake

watch your son's finest hour?

Brian Bloom's story,

"Run From Becky"

is about a forbidden liaison

between two Westminster

best-in-breeds.

One, a German Shepherd

and the other

a Nova Scotia

Duck Tolling Retriever.

I have been reading

your magazine since my parents

got me a subscription

when I went away to college.

That makes me very proud.

Thank you.

And a copy of the "New

Yorker's View Of The World"

cover hangs in

our guest bathroom.

A lovely tribute and soon your

son's story will hang right beside it.

Oh, no. It's gonna hang

in the living room.

Of course. Of course.

But if he keeps writing

the way he is now

he's gonna fill every wall

in the house.

That's very kind.

You are a very nice man.

Thank you.

I thought

you were gonna be gruffer.

Didn't you think

he'd be gruffer?

I was expecting a real SOB.

Okay, then.

Can I borrow the two of you

for just one moment?

Yes.

Excuse us?

The all-important

schmoozefest.

Go. Do.

Nice save.

So I assume you'll be rescinding

the award now.

What? You think

I don't have parents?

Besides, everything I said

to you was true.

All the winning stories

were terrific

but yours carried with it,

I don't know..

...the tease of greatness.

Make of it what you will.

Thank you.

We'll see each other again.

Golly.

Golly?

You are a person

who says, "Golly?"

It just came out.

First time in my life.

Okay.

Listen, fast and close.

Come here.

Okay. My boss is upstairs

at the reception.

He wants to meet you.

He read your story

or at least, half of it.

He loved it.

He... he said

it was a little episodic

which only means he read it

in several sittings.

He loves your voice. Loves!

He wants you to start a novel.

He wants to publish you.

He... he never says that.

He hates everything.

He just wants to meet you

for one minute first

and make sure that

you're not a lunatic...

What the hell is wrong with you?

She brought Valery.

Of course, she did.

Rules are rules.

So this shouldn't bother me?

It doesn't bother you at all?

To see them here, on a night

like this, in your world...

Okay. Get your head right.

Get your head right right now

because you're about to have

the most important conversation

of your life.

And it's not just

your future here.

It's mine too.

So can you do it?

Can you put the French lady out

of your mind for 9 seconds?

Please.

Just stick out your hand.

Say, "How do you do, sir?"

like a normal human being

so you can have the career

that you have always dreamed of

or are you just gonna blow it

and incinerate

and dissolve like a Kleenex

in a fat man's sneeze?

Is... is your head right?

Is your head right?

Is... your head... right?

You are much crazier

than I am.

Is your head right?

Yes. Yes.

My head is right.

Okay.

Okay.

"How do you do, sir?"

That's all you have to say.

"How do you do, sir?

How do you do, sir?"

"How do you do, sir?

How do you do, sir?"

Brian Bloom, I would like you

to meet Jonathan Galassi.

Our publisher.

How do you do, sir?

Did Jane tell you

to say that?

Yes. She did, sir.

Well... over the coming years

I want you to do

almost everything she says.

I'm pretty sure I already do.

I can't wait to read

what you write when..

...you've got something

to write about.

On that day

I'll be honored

to publish you.

The honor will be all mine.

Uh, that is my happy noise.

I don't mean to meddle,

but you don't stop

being a parent just because

your son's name is in the paper.

I appreciate that, dad.

Sam, he will figure it out.

Can I finish

this conversation?

You have finished it 8 times.

In 30 years,

I don't remember once

ever being able

to finish a sentence.

Well, with your subjects,

you don't deserve predicate.

Oh. What is that?

A grammar insult.

A syntax barb.

Not everyone is as lucky

as we were, alright?

Not everyone has it simple.

I know that.

Do you remember

how sure we were?

And how quickly

and how little was in our way?

Do you remember

what you said to me

after the very fist time

we had intercourse?

Are you hungry?

Before that.

Yes. I remember.

I should go.

Why are we leaving you here?

I'd like to walk.

Why?

There's a lot to think about.

You could get mugged.

By who?

An exhausted office worker?

Arlene,

your son is a madman.

Because he walks?

You should try it.

I'm really glad

you guys came tonight.

Thank you.

Listen to me,

I couldn't be prouder.

Me too, son.

Honestly.

We are now officially

spending that law school money.

Half of it.

I love you both.

Please drive home safely, okay?

We'll give you two and half

rings when we reach.

Alright.

The GW or the Tappan Zee?

At this hour?

Hello.

I need your help

with jewelry.

I beg your pardon.

What jewelry stores

does Arielle respect?

It's midnight.

Yes.

Why are you asking me this?

Because I'm spotty

on women's accessories.

Why are you

buying her jewelry?

Do I have to say?

You're gonna be my writer.

I'm going to be your editor.

We're going to have

this kind of relationship.

What kind of relationship?

The kind where you call me

in the middle of the night

asking me crazy questions

and I talk you off the ledge.

Could you please just tell me

where to shop for her?

What genre of jewelry?

There are genres?

Fun or important?

Important.

You can't afford important.

As important as I can afford.

Give me a dollar figure.

$6000, including tax.

Dior.

Okie-dokie, then.

I'm gonna get

some sleep now, okay?

I knew you'd know.

I wish it were

tomorrow at 5.

Can you stay

for another moment?

There's something I wanna say.

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