Spinning Man Page #3

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proposes that before

a person can walk across a room,

he must go halfway.

But before he gets halfway,

he must cover

a quarter that distance,

and so on and so on to an infinite

number of decreasing distances.

Based on this logic, the man was

never able to take the first step.

Zeno demonstrated, in a way,

that motion was impossible.

Mr. Barnes.

Here.

Do you agree with zeno?

Um, yes.

So you will be unable

to leave this room

after my thrilling

lecture is over?

Looks like we're all stuck here.

Well, I mean,

it's a play on words.

It makes sense, but it doesn't.

Yeah, you're on the right track.

A paradox exposes

the limits of language.

We all know from experience

that we are able

to walk across a room.

It's only in our language

that uncertainty arises.

Do you have a dollar in the same

way that you have a headache?

As long as there

are verbs like "to be"

or adjectives like "true" or

"false," we will continue...

And this is a quote from

our friend wittgenstein...

We will continue

to "stare at something

which no explanation

seems able to remove."

- Yes.

- So there's no such thing as truth?

Well, let me ask you this.

Can I tell you the truth,

or can I tell you what I perceive

or interpret as the truth,

as best my memory will allow?

Anyway, we're getting

ahead of ourselves,

so let's stick with the paradox.

One crumb at a time.

Hi. Am I early?

No. No. I'm just getting a jump

on these. Come in.

Oh, you can leave that open.

Okay.

How's your semester so far?

Hectic.

I'm taking 18 units.

Eighteen?

That's pretty.

That new?

Oh. Oh, yeah.

I got that in, um,

Boston over summer.

You've got a good memory.

I can barely remember last week.

Do you remember...

Last semester?

I'll take that as a yes.

We don't have to bring that up.

No, I... I'd rather we did.

Should I get the door now?

Yeah.

I wanted to apologize.

Um, I was in a pretty bad place

last year,

and...

You were...

You tried to help me,

and I took advantage of that

in a really big way.

And, um, I want to say

that it was a...

A moment of weakness,

but it wasn't that.

It was just a moment

where I didn't think,

and... I want you to know

how stupid I felt

and how truly sorry I am.

Well, Anna,

i appreciate your candor

and your honesty,

and I accept your apology.

Thank you.

I just want us to forget

about it and be normal.

Well, if you're willing to

rebuild the trust between us,

then so am I.

You're such

an incredible person.

- Ah.

- And I mean that

in a strictly platonic way.

I do.

And I actually

did come to talk to you

about your book if that's okay.

Great.

Wow, I wish some of my critics

read it as thoroughly

as it looks like you have.

Or even some of my colleagues,

for that matter.

Come in.

Hmm. Good afternoon, professor.

You got a second?

W... well, as you can see,

I'm with a student right now.

It'll just take a second.

Hmm, look at that.

You write that?

Yeah.

Thick.

Actually, do you mind

waiting outside,

and I'll see you in a moment?

Sure. Take your time.

How long have you known

the good doctor?

Few years.

Nice guy?

Everybody here is nuts.

I actually have

a meeting off campus,

so I don't really have

time to talk.

No problem. I'll walk with you.

I wanted to talk

to you about the 28th some more.

You wanted to, past tense?

Have circumstances changed?

Ah, figure of speech.

I want to talk to you now.

Well, you're talking to me.

You said you picked up

your daughter

from camp that day.

Is that correct?

Yes, that's what I said.

Mm-hmm. Is that what you did?

Well, considering my daughter is

not still at camp waiting for me,

I'd say, uh, yes,

that's what I did.

- No stops?

- No stops.

Camp counselor said she waited

with your daughter

for 40 minutes

before you showed up.

Well, is tardiness

a crime these days?

No, but obstruction is.

And how am I doing that?

Where did you get my notes?

Found it in a garbage can

up by the lake.

You sure you didn't stop there,

maybe on the way?

I... it's possible.

I... i-- I go

to the lake sometimes.

I sit in my car. I do work,

look out at the water, and

just clear my head, you know?

And is that what you did

on the 28th?

I don't remember. I might have.

I might have gone there

that morning or the day before.

I... i-- I can't be certain.

What I'm sure of is that I... I had nothing

to do with this girl's disappearance, so...

Look, do... do you have

any more questions?

'Cause I really need to go.

No. No more questions.

Thank you.

Dr. birch, your car

has been impounded

by the hillside

police department.

The car will be returned

when the department...

You're kidding?

I've been nothing

but cooperative.

Well, since your statement

contradicted

the physical evidence...

- Contradicted?

- ...We thought a thorough search of your car...

And this is how you do it?

You leave me stranded at work?

Ah, listen.

I tried to tell you

the tow truck was here,

- but you had me wait.

- You didn't tr...

This is unbelievable.

- This is theft.

- Believe me,

I want to clear this up

faster than anybody.

Now, let's just go back

to those 40 minutes.

Look, you can arrest me,

if that's your intention.

I'm not answering another question

until I speak to my lawyer.

Honestly, I wish

you called me earlier.

I just thought if I answered

their questions,

it would go away.

That's what everybody thinks,

but cops don't ask questions.

They plant land mines.

It's okay, though.

We're... we're in good shape.

Paul, I know

you mostly handle divorces.

- Divorces, malpractice, fraud.

- Uh...

This town's too small

to specialize.

I'm just wondering if... you know,

are you used to a case like this?

Well, do you mean a kidnapping,

or do you mean a murder?

Maybe a rape, runaway kid,

hostage situation?

I don't know what kind of case this

is, and frankly, neither do they.

They don't have a body,

a cause of death, a motive.

They don't even have

a crime yet.

All they do have is

an uncorroborated statement

and a warrant I wouldn't pick up

my dog's poop with.

You gonna try those ribs?

'Cause I'm telling you,

they're gonna change your life.

So what should we do now?

Stay on defense.

You did the right thing

not letting them

search your car,

- because now if they find anything...

- They won't.

But if they do,

we can get it thrown out.

Look, this...

This isn't some Metropolis.

When a kid goes missing here,

everybody knows about it.

The cops need a suspect, fast.

They get sloppy.

Coincidence put you

in the crosshairs.

That's the plain sh*t of it.

Good news is all we have to do

is nudge 'em to one side.

Hey.

Oh, by the way, Deb wants

to have you guys over

for dinner sometime.

Oh, great.

I'm sure Ellen would like that.

Check the stalls.

- Huh?

- The stalls. Check.

You understand

that I'm your attorney

and any communication

between us is privileged, right?

Yeah.

Then I want to get this clear.

You did not have a relationship

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