Paulie Page #6

Now, if that gap could be bridged,

we could truly understand each other.

Won't you consider helping us?

Tell you what. I'm gonna have

you moved out of here tonight.

And I promise you,

I will take you to see Marie

when we're done.

Maybe I'm the one

who should be locked up.

You promise?

I promise.

(Man) We're going to

ask you some questions.

We'd like for you

to identify the picture.

- What is this?

- Duck.

- What is this?

- Kite. Umbrella.

I don't see

how this is bridging the gap.

I know this is frustrating,

but we have to follow protocol

to prove that you're capable

of cognizant speech.

Everyone can see that I can talk.

- What is this?

- Now, what is that word again...

for a dish composed of meat,

fowl, fish or vegetables,

covered in a layer of paste

and baked?

Oh, yeah. It's a pie. Then again,

a pie can be a magpie,

a collection of rules, a copper coin

or what you call a fine lookin' lady.

And if you don't believe me,

look it up, blondie.

Pie can also mean a whole, as in

the pie of which we crave a piece,

like the whole enchilada,

the big salami, the grand prize.

The talking bird which you hope

will make you rich. That kind of pie.

Me! I'm the pie here.

And if you don't mind...

taking your fingers

out of me for a moment,

I'd like to get some lunch,

you lab rat!

How do I score that?

You said that?

I told you,

talking just gets you into trouble.

No. It's not that.

It's how you say things.

You have to be careful.

Woman say, "You like my hat?"

You say,

"No, make you look like floor lamp."

You get punch in nose.

I got worse than that.

- (Snoring)

- (Door opens and closes)

(Dialing phone)

(Reingold)

Yes, Dr. Manning, he's asleep.

- Yeah, this will put us on the map.

- (Grunt)

This will change everything.

I'm telling you,

he is the most extraordinary

creature I have ever encountered.

Yeah, well,

I have grant committees

from the N.I.H. and the N.S.F.

Some guy from the National Geographic

is talking about a special.

(Chuckling)

Mmm.

Actually, I have located the owner.

It's Marie Alweather.

- She lives in Cambria, California.

- Marie?

Uh, yes.

Yes, I understand.

No, I agree.

There's no legal requirement

that we have to return him.

He's the property

of the Institute now.

(Paulie) What?

- So, I'll see you tomorrow.

- (Paulie) Property?

OK. Bye-bye. (Hangs up)

It is the thing that makes us us.

And because language is so tied...

to what it is to be human,

we have always been urged not

to attribute human characteristics,

like consciousness

and logic and feelings,

to our non-speaking animal subjects.

Until now.

What we are proposing...

is a multidisciplinary

research program,

that will not only unlock

the mystery of animal communication,

but get to the heart

of language itself.

And just as every journey

starts with a single step,

this program starts with a single,

extraordinary subject.

- Hello, Paulie. How are you today?

- (Squawk!) Paulie want a cracker!

(Laughing)

I thought you liked mangos the best.

(Paulie) Paulie want a cracker.

(Chuckling) Well, we can get

a lot of crackers later.

Let's, uh, take a look

at the flash cards.

(Paulie)

'They wanted a talking bird? Fine.

'I was gonna give them

a talking bird.'

- What is this?

- Up yours.

- What is this?

- Up yours, jackass!

- (Indistinct chattering)

- This is just opening-night jitters.

- What are you doing?

- Up yours!

- Why are you doing this?

- You promised.

Liar. Liar!

Liar! Liar! Liar!

Liar! Liar!

- Close the door!

- (Gasping)

Can't have him

trying to fly away again.

He could seriously injure himself.

(Grunting)

I'm just gonna cut a few primary

flight feathers. It won't hurt.

No. Oh, come on. (Grunting)

- This is for your own good.

- Don't! (Grunting)

(Paulie) 'They were cutting me.

'They were taking away the one thing

that made me different from them.'

(Crying) No!

(Paulie)

I never talked to anybody again.

Then when I started biting people,

they moved me out of the sun.

When was that?

I can't even remember.

(Door opens)

(Virgil) Wrap it up down there.

Don't forget to lock up.

We will find your Marie.

That's what they all said.

Now, we'll get you out, Paulie.

What... What are you...

What are you doing, Misha? Come on.

I don't think you know

what you're doing.

They could have you deported.

Come on, Misha.

You're making too much noise.

You're destroying laboratory

property. They're gonna fire you!

Misha.

(Panting) Come, Paulie. Come on.

Don't be afraid.

Come.

Come, Paulie.

Let's go.

You tell me Dr. Reingold

find where Marie lives.

Maybe address is still in his office.

Not in "Paulie" file.

Not in "Parrot" file.

Not in any bird file.

Look in the human file.

Look under little girls.

- Look in the "Marie" file.

- "Marie?"

Alweather. Alweather!

(Misha) Marie Alweather. M.A.

What? What is it?

"M.A."

M.A. Marie Alweather.

Cambria, California.

Hello?

Excuse me, please.

Sorry I'm calling so early.

Does Marie Alweather live there?

(Paulie) Marie?

Can you tell her I found Paulie.

Marie! Marie! Hey, Marie, it's me!

- Shh.

- Marie! Marie! It's me, Paulie!

(Laughing and cheering)

No, uh, l-l-I'm telling you...

- Paulie. I found him.

- Marie! Marie! Marie!

What do you think you're doing?

Uh, I've come cleaning office. So...

But I later come back.

What's the bird doing

out of his cage?

Well...

Get the bird.

Come on.

- Look, just grab...

- No. No!

- (Squawking)

- No! Hey!

- What do you think you're doing?

- I'm taking him.

- You're what?

- I'm taking him where he belongs.

He belongs to the Institute.

No, he belongs to little girl

who needs him.

And you knew.

You knew it all the time.

Paulie, come.

Who do you think you are?

I am Mikeal Andreovich Belenkoff.

And you are a liar and a coward

and a very rude man.

And you're fired.

No. No. I am not fire.

- I am quit.

- You...

(Paulie) Uh-oh.

Stop that man!

It's locked!

- (Knocking)

- Get out of the way!

Get somebody!

(Reingold) Open this door!

Open this door!

(Reingold) Don't do this!

- Paulie.

- Wait.

- Come. Come.

- Wait!

- Where you are going?

- Come on. Help me.

(Squeaking)

(Loud animal noises)

(Woman) Yeah, it's just

about half a mile down the road.

Bye. Good luck.

I think this is the one.

I can't breathe.

Look.

(Paulie) It's her. Misha, it's her.

(Misha) Now I can't breathe.

(Paulie) Marie? Marie?

- No, no, no. Please, please, wait.

- It's not her.

- Not?

- It's not Marie.

(Door closes)

(Sighs)

- Maybe it's wrong house.

- It's always the wrong house.

Paulie?

Paulie, is that really you?

It's me, Paulie. It's Marie.

No.

Paulie, don't be afraid.

I just grew up, that's all.

Go away. Leave me alone.

Paulie?

I'm sorry. We are in shock.

- Paulie, come back here.

- It's not Marie. It's not her.

(Marie) # You're the song

that the tree sings

# When the wind blows

# You're a flower

# You're a river

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