A Little Game Page #5

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Look, I asked you

because I thought

you wouldn't be

scared to do this.

If you want to go back...

Please, don't play your

fourth-grade mind games on me.

Let's go.

So what's happening

at PS 41 these days?

Same as usual.

Oh, uh, there's

a new gym teacher.

Coach Z left?

Yeah.

And, uh, the new

gym teacher's a girl.

Wow, that's cool.

No, it's lame.

Whoever heard

of a girl gym teacher?

Oh, and the chess team

just finished second

at city championships.

Really?

Maybe I'll play

against them someday.

Heh.

They'll kick your butt.

They're good.

I said I was sorry.

Could have made us

some fake IDs.

I'm sorry.

I didn't realize you

had to be 18 to get in.

Well, will you at least

tell me now why we came here?

We came

to watch the horses.

Of course we came here

to watch the horses.

Why?

To see how they move,

what direction.

They move around the track in a circle.

Well, it's not

exactly a circle.

Okay. An oval.

Please don't tell me that's

all you needed to know.

Only $1.00!

Get it here!

Get it now!

Get it while it's still on

ice, ladies and gentlemen.

So, moving in an oval.

You know, some people

might think it was a bad idea

to send a 10 year-old-kid

to a racetrack.

I didn't send you

to a racetrack.

You sent yourself.

It's a small horse.

You have to make

a small oval.

Think of a horse

in the city.

It can't

cut through a block.

It's gotta make turns

at the corner.

Try going

a different way.

Okay. I got it.

What's next?

I want to see

your diarrhea.

You mean diary.

Mmm, macaroni and dirt,

my favorite.

Not macaroni

and dirt, Papa,

macaroni and cheese!

Mm-mm-mm. I saw Mama

cooking it this morning,

and this is definitely

macaroni and dirt.

You're silly, Papa.

Papa,

why doesn't Mama

eat dinner

with us anymore?

Because Mama's

gotta work, bug.

What's Mama's work?

I've told you before, bug,

she cooks for people.

She cooks for us.

Why does she have to cook

for other people, too?

Well, i-it's complicated,

honey.

It's not that complicated.

Jez, other people give her

money to cook for them.

Unless you have any money to give

her, she can't just cook for you.

I have some money.

No, you don't.

Yes, I do.

I have a nickel and

a penny and a dollar.

That's not real money.

That's just like...

Jesus, Max, stop!

Yeah, Max, cheeses!

Hey, hey, both of you!

The important thing is that

both of you girls know

that your Mama loves you more

than anything in the world, okay?

And when you eat the food

that she cooks for you,

it's like

you're eating her love.

That's kinda gross.

I'm not hungry

anymore.

Okay.

You're ready.

Make your own move,

any piece you like.

Are we going to play?

No, we're just going

to work on openings,

just the first

five moves.

But I'm ready

to play a real game.

I know how to move

all the pieces.

Fine. If you're ready

to play a real game,

then you

don't need me anymore.

I know

how to drive a car.

Doesn't mean I'm ready

for the Indy 500.

What... What do I move first?

What are you,

two years old?

Pick a piece,

and move it.

Brilliant move.

People will be talking

about it for decades.

Now, we already talked about

the Earth and the moon, right?

The sun is

4.5 billion years old.

Know what else is

4.5 billion years old?

What?

Those shoes.

Hey, do you want do some

more exploring today?

Well, I kinda have

to play chess today.

I can play chess.

For real?

Like, can you play well?

No, but I can play

a little.

Great. Will your mom

let you come?

I told her your ludicrous

nanny was picking us up.

I don't think that word

means what you think it means.

You ever think about

how random things are?

I mean, Isabella could have been

my best friend instead of you.

I doubt that.

What I'm saying is

that everything in life

is just...

I don't know... luck.

Those people could have

been my parents.

That could have been

my grandmother.

Or I might have had

two dads

and maybe lived

somewhere else.

For that matter,

I could have been a boy.

Eww.

I mean, why is

your name Becky?

Because Rebecca is

too long and boring.

What's your point?

Nothing. Come on.

Great.

Two six-year-olds.

That should equal

one 12 year-old.

We're not six years...

Don't bother.

Here's how

I'm starting today.

Pawn to E3.

Almost as earthshaking

as your last opening.

E3?

That's how you

describe moves.

The squares go across

from A to H,

and the squares up and

down go from 1 to 8,

so that square is E3.

Hey, I'm impressed.

You can count

to eight.

Just ignore him.

Not terrible.

Actually...

not terrible.

Papa!

Max?

Max.

Hey.

Come on, Maxie.

Talk to me.

Did you know that the sun

is 4.5 billion years old

and that in another 5

billion years, it'll burn out?

I don't think we need

to worry about that, honey.

Why not?

Because we

won't be here.

But where

will I be, Dad?

Where will I be

in 5 billion years?

I don't know, honey.

But I can promise you

one thing.

Wherever you are,

I'm gonna be there, too.

Huh?

How 'bout

a little beard scratch?

Heh.

Dad...

Yeah, honey?

I wish I didn't think

about these things.

I know, honey.

I think about 'em

sometimes, too.

But you know

when I never do?

When I'm with you

and your sister.

That must mean something,

right?

Good night, sweetie.

Hey.

Hey!

What's going on?

I told him we could only

play the first five moves,

but he wouldn't stop.

We'll stop

when I'm ahead.

It doesn't look like that

is ever gonna happen.

Scram.

Scram!

Come on!

All right,

we're gonna play

the first 20 moves each.

Try not to lose

before then.

Hello.

Hey.

How were the girls?

Oh, fine.

Do you remember

when Max was born,

like five minutes ago?

I remember three minutes

ago, when Jez was born.

They're closing

the restaurant.

When?

It's already done.

You know, apparently

they've been losing money.

But they offered me a

job at their other place.

In Boston?

No, no, no. You could get a

job at another restaurant here.

There's nothing

out there.

You know how many people

were coming in every day

looking for work?

It's just...

We are really lucky they

offered me this Boston gig.

Well, then you could

not work for a while, then.

Yeah, so we can not pay

Max's tuition for a while.

I know how to rotate

my schedule.

I can come back

twice a month.

The Chinese bus

is only $15.

They need me

to start next week.

Well, you thought

of everything then.

Are you mad at me?

You think

I want to do this?

You know, I think you don't want

to talk about it, is what I think.

What is the point of

going round and round?

You're gonna change

your mind five times

when we both know this

is the right thing to do.

Great. Fine.

Fine. It's not

like the kids

see you around here

anyway, so fine.

Oh.

If you had a decent job,

I wouldn't

have to do this.

Mama?

Who's awake down there?

What are

you doing?

You have

tiger scratches.

I also have a secret

I want to tell you.

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