Columbus Page #3

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Yeah, he had this idea,

Polshek did...

of architecture being this sort

of healing art.

That it had the power

to restore...

and that architects should be

responsible.

Do you mind if I...

For the tour?

No.

Anyway, all the details of this

building are mindful of that...

"responsibility", especially

since it was a structure...

for mental health.

This building was meant to be

both a literal...

and metaphoric bridge.

Polshek had the same idea

for the Clinton library.

Did your dad tell you all this?

No. I think he was planning

on writing something...

about Polshek, but then he found

out that Polshek was writing...

his own book.

It came out very recently.

And you read it?

Some of it, the part

about this building.

And you don't care

about architecture?

I skimmed it, it was in my

father's room when I got here.

Wait, so you... you just recently

read about this building?

Yes, does that matter?

No, I guess not.

You're funny.

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

- Hey.

- Hey.

What are you doing tonight?

I'm hanging out with my mom.

Well, I'm free.

So?

So, let's do something.

Did you not hear me?

What, are you getting me back

for the other night?

What?

When I hung out with my friend.

No, why would I?

God, I can't believe you have

a master's degree.

And don't forget it.

Of course, it's the worst degree

you can get.

Better than no degree.

Nice.

Hey, I was just joking.

I know.

C'mon, we were just joking.

You just called my degree

the worst.

Yeah, I know, we're good.

We're fine, just leave me alone

and never talk to me again.

Have fun without me.

Hey, should I hang out with you

and your mom tonight?

Seriously?

Yeah.

No, never.

- You sure?

- No, goodbye.

All right.

Uh, Mom, it's me, call me back.

Hey, I know you're at work,

but I'm just checking in.

Call me, okay?

Hey, sweetie.

I have to get back in a second,

but your mom's fine.

Yeah, I've been trying to get

a hold of her all night.

Her phone's out of charge.

Okay. Why couldn't she come out?

We have a supervisor with us

tonight.

You know, we're not supposed

to have visitors...

or phone calls or texts.

Sorry, I was worried.

I told her I'd run out.

You know how she is.

Yeah, okay, sorry, I hope you're

not gonna get in trouble.

[VANESSA] I'll be fine,

but I should head back up.

Okay, could you just tell her...

that I'm gonna pick her up

tonight?

No, sweetie, I'll give her

a ride.

She wanted me to tell you that.

Okay, she wants you to rest.

I gotta go.

Hey.

[JIN]

What's going on?

I want to show you something.

It's late. I think I should

probably not.

[CASEY] It's not even midnight.

You're such an old man... c'mon.

It's number three on my list.

Number three, really?

Mostly because... it was the

beginning for me, you know?

This one here?

Yep.

And you didn't know anything

about it?

Nothing.

I just saw it from over there.

I'd probably seen it a thousand

times before...

but this one night,

I was getting in my car...

and I looked up and...

saw it.

So I jumped back in the car

and drove up here.

Same spot and I just stared

at it for a really long time.

What was it?

Not sure...

It had to have been something.

Well, it was a pretty miserable

time in my life.

When you mentioned the whole

"healing" thing...

it sort of made me think

of that moment.

I don't know if I believe that,

you know?

That architecture has the power

"to heal."

That's a fantasy that architects

like to tell themselves.

Or people like my father.

People who are invested

in architecture, you know?

I wasn't claiming to be healed.

I'm sorry, I wasn't trying

to be dismissive.

You were telling me it was a

miserable time in your life.

What was going on?

(SIGHS)

I don't really want to talk

about it.

I just wanted you to see

this building.

Please, tell me.

I just need a cigarette.

Cassandra?

Want to pass me those?

Thank you.

You know, meth is a big thing

here... meth and modernism.

Meth is big everywhere.

Even in North Korea.

Really?

Yeah. In China. Everywhere.

Huh.

Were you addicted to meth?

No.

Your mother? Does she do meth?

What?

Sorry. That just sounds funny.

Funny, how?

"Your mother, did she do meth?"

What?

You don't hear it?

Hear what?

"Your mother, did she do meth?"

What?

"Your mother, did she do meth?"

- I don't...

- Never mind.

So, did she?

Did she what?

[JIN] You know?

No, no, I don't, what are

you asking?

Did your mother do meth?

That was even worse.

[JIN]

So she did?

No, she did.

But it was just because this

sh*t-head guy cheated on her.

That's her real addiction...

sh*t-heads.

Sorry.

Yeah, it got really bad

after the last sh*t-head...

the worst, really.

When was this? How old were you?

15, 16.

Sorry.

There were nights that my mom

just wouldn't come home at all.

I had no clue where she was.

That's when I started coming

here.

I found it weirdly comforting.

In the middle of all the mess,

in this f***ing strip mall...

there was this...

This...

I sort of weirdly became

obsessed with this building...

after that.

That's when I discovered Deborah

Berke, who designed it.

And I learned about Saarinen,

whom she adores, and...

just started reading all this

stuff.

Suddenly the place I'd lived my

whole life felt different...

like I had been transported

somewhere else.

God, Dad would've loved you.

Yeah?

Yeah.

And you don't?

So things got better?

Sort of. Yeah, I mean... slowly.

It was hard. It was really hard

for a long time.

We sort of hit bottom before my

mom was willing to do anything.

It got ugly.

Just...

I'd rather not talk about it.

I met Deborah Berke last year.

[JIN]

Really?

Yeah, the Museum brought her

into town...

to discuss the Miller House.

She was amazing.

I sort of followed her around,

like a little fan girl...

and we actually hung out a few

times, but no big deal.

Yeah, she told me I should come

out to New Haven.

To Yale?

No, no.

She thought I could get into the

University of New Haven.

She had some connections there.

She also said I could audit

some of her classes at Yale.

Maybe even intern at her firm

in New York.

Really? You want to become

an architect?

I don't think so.

I never really thought about it

until she brought it up.

But you'll go, right?

No... we don't have the

resources...

and I really think I should

stay with my mom.

She's doing really well.

We're happy.

I just think I should stay here.

(KEYS JINGLING)

(DOOR OPENS, CLOSES)

(SHOWER RUNNING)

(SPEAKING KOREAN)

(SPEAKING KOREAN)

(SPEAKING KOREAN)

(SPEAKING KOREAN)

(SOFT MUSIC PLAYING)

(MUSIC CONTINUES)

So he built this 22 years later?

Was the father still alive?

Uh, no.

Er, I don't know, uh,

Eliel died in...

19... when was it?

Let me... let me check.

No, don't! Don't. Give me a

second. No. Stop! Seriously.

Eliel died in 19...

19... 50, 1950.

Yeah, so he was... he was

definitely dead.

Yes, 1950. The tour guide

nails it.

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