A Little Game

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Our story begins,

as so many do,

in a doctor's office.

You're 100% sure, Doc?

Well,

in my line of work,

nothing's 100%,

but I'm sure.

Oh, we're having a boy.

Which led to one name

being settled on,

a very popular name,

as it turned out.

Max!

I didn't do it!

Not you.

Max!

He bit me first!

No. Max Kuftinec!

Coming, Ms. Winter!

And in China, it's considered

polite to burp when you eat.

It shows

you like the food.

Cool!

Gross.

Max, your father is

picking you up early today.

Get your things ready.

Yes, Ms. Winter.

Max, it's been nice

having you in my class.

I'll be back tomorrow,

Ms. Winter.

Hey, we're just

checking it out, okay?

No decisions yet.

Obviously Max

is very bright.

What can you

tell me about her

that her test scores

can't? Hmm?

Well, uh,

Max has always been...

She's been a self-starter

ever since...

Sarah felt foolish reducing

their daughter to a bunch of words

that a thousand other parents

must have said about their kids.

We can't describe

what's so great about Max,

you know, any more

than I can tell you

what's great

about the color blue,

but you would be lucky

to have her.

What do we do?

I don't know.

She's happy now.

I know.

And even with

the scholarship,

we would still have to come up with

at least another couple thousand.

That's just this year.

Well, I could ask

for a raise.

They just gave you one.

I could ask for a raise.

They owe me one.

I guess my first question is why?

I mean, I like PS 41.

And you always tell me

how lucky we are

to have a great

local public school.

Yes, and that's true,

but you're the smartest kid

in your class

right now, right?

Maybe.

Well, maybe it would be

good to be somewhere

where you weren't

the smartest kid.

Someone's gotta be.

I know, Max.

I know.

Who knows how far

you could go in life?

We just want to give you

every opportunity to do that.

Right, and ultimately,

this is your decision.

Mm-hmm.

But Papa and I

think this would be

very good for you,

and if you don't like it, you

can always go back to PS 41.

That's right.

Okay.

So how would I

get there?

Okay. Well, you would

take the subway,

and Papa

would go with you.

When I can.

Hang on a sec.

What do you mean,

"When I can"?

I can't be late to the

restaurant every day.

No, I'm not talking every day.

I'm talking a couple times a week.

Well, how... this is not

what we talked about.

It is what...

I told you...

Look. Look. Look.

I'll just go alone

when Papa can't take me.

It's fine.

It's fine.

I walk

to PS 41 by myself.

I take care of Jez

by myself.

I'm not

a baby anymore.

Tom lay in bed that night

wondering if they'd made

the right decision.

Sarah wondered if she

was a good parent or not.

Max wondered

what the library would be like

at the Blackstone Academy.

Jez slept.

I'm going to a new school today.

Really?

Yes.

I'm not

a baby anymore.

If I don't see

my daughter,

at least I get to see

my granddaughter, huh?

It's your fault, Yaya.

Fault? How?

You were such a good cook

that you made Mama into a chef.

You're a tricky one,

matia mou.

Your brains you get from your

mother, not from that one.

Go round and round.

Yaya's got

no energy today.

Come on. Tea.

Let's get some tea.

So, this new school,

it's better, right?

You know...

they're smart,

they take you.

I don't know.

I think it'll

be good, but...

Uh, I'm sorry.

I don't speak Greek.

You work

in Greek cafe. Why?

I don't know.

Cold. Tea ice-cold!

I'm sorry.

I'll heat it up for you.

In Greece, never serve tea

like that, never.

But it was steaming

in your...

Maxine, you don't

contradict Yayas.

Maybe they teach you that

in your new school.

But I didn't...

Eh!

What I tell you

all your life?

If you make a mistake,

admit it.

Right. So?

I apologize, Yaya.

Good.

You're not a baby anymore,

matia mou.

You must make

your own decisions.

Like my Yaya said,

"You don't let life

happen to you.

You happen to life. "

Sounds better in Greek.

Hi.

Hey.

They're all freaked out

about something.

They said the last thing they

could do is give me a raise.

So what do we do?

I don't know.

We could take out a loan.

Not with our credit.

Well, we could borrow

money from somebody.

From who?

You want to go door-to-door

in the building,

ask people to loan money

to the super?

You gotta

get real here, Tom.

I'm gonna take

extra shifts.

No.

There's no other option.

I love you so much.

There's nobody

who's loved more than you

in this whole world.

You hear me?

I mean, there might be some

people loved as much as you,

but nobody is loved...

I know, Dad.

Now go away.

I hate it when you need them

more than they need you.

Laura Langer.

You're new here.

Tom Kuftinec.

You'll be happy here.

It's a great place.

And 40% of graduates

go to Ivy League schools.

Not that we're thinking

about that kind of thing yet.

Heh.

A new routine was soon set.

Tom would drop Max off

in the morning,

and she would come home

by herself after school.

Can't let things get you down.

Listen, things

will get better.

No, but I'm

telling you it's... Watch it!

No. It's

a totally great show.

You have to watch it.

What are you

wearing?

Hey, Maxie.

Hi.

Hey, you want

to come along?

I gotta fix

the lock on 16D.

Um, no, thanks, Papa.

Hey,

how was school today?

Fine.

Well, what'd you

do today?

Nothing.

Okay, I'll be back

as soon as I can.

You call me

if you need me.

Excellent.

There's a choice period

after lunch today, Max.

You might consider visiting

the chess club then.

There are other girls

there with your skills.

But I don't know

how to play chess.

That's okay.

They can teach you.

Do you have a book

that could teach me?

Heh. It's much better

to learn from a person.

The advisor

is Mr. Eckhard.

He's an excellent

teacher. Okay?

Before you came,

I was the third-best

math student in the class.

Now I'm the fourth.

And who might you be?

I'm Max Kuftinec.

I'm here

for the chess club?

Excellent.

What's your level?

I've actually

never really...

Mr. Eckhard, Max is

a friend of mine.

I'll play with her.

Well, thank you,

Isabella.

That's very hospitable

of you.

Let's see

how smart you are now.

Go ahead. You're white.

Oh, my God.

You don't know

how to play.

You don't even know

how to make the first move.

That's pathetic.

One day, I'm going

to come back here,

and I'm going to teach you some manners.

Yeah, well,

good luck with that.

What happened?

Why did she leave?

To be honest, Mr. Eckhard,

I don't think

she liked you very much.

I'm sorry.

Hey, kids!

Hi.

Papa, do you think you

could teach me how to play...

Maxie, I gotta run.

Mrs. Rosenhirsch

has mice.

One of them's

in the bathtub

with Mrs. Rosenhirsch.

Okay, listen,

if I'm not back by 7:00,

get dinner

out of the fridge, okay?

I love you two! Call me

if you need me, all right?

Becky Langer.

Sophie Glass.

Isabella Diaz.

Max Kuftinec.

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