Original subtitles

( Applause )

{ plays jazzy "Don't Blame Me" )

Woman: Amazing player, huh?

Boy: Plays flat.

Flat?

Flat fingers.

Ms. Gimpole says "Curved fingers.”

Does Dad play with flat fingers?

I never noticed.

I bet he plays with flat fingers.

Like this Thelonious Monk did.

When he calls on my birthday,

I'm gonna ask him.

Okay.

Mom?

Which would you rather,

rich or famous?

Rich, definitely.

No. Famous, definitely, for me.

Which would you rather,

electric chair or life in prison?

Life in prison. You?

Electric chair.

'Cause I'd die from being cooped up anyway.

Which would you rather,

no hands or no feet?

I'd keep the hands.

Me too.

Don't you think they could make me something

to press the pedal with?

Yeah. I think then they could make you wooden feet

or something to press the pedal with.

And to walk with.

Tomorrow when I go practice

at the Vanguard, can I use fiat fingers?

Sure.

Mom?

Thanks for not naming me Thelonious.

{ playing "“Fur Elise" badly )

( to the beat ) Mex-ic-0, Mex-ic-0,

Mex-ic-0, Mex-ic-0,

Mex-ic-0, Mex-ic-0...

{ continues chanting )

Tem-po...

Mex-ic-0, Mex-ic-0,

Mex-ic-0, Mex-ic-0,

Faster.

{ bell rings )

{ playing jazz )

Hey, Miles, I'll meet you there, okay?

Okay.

{ jazz playing on stereo )

Is he coming tomorrow?

Yup.

- Oh, is this his new one? -Yup.

Man, he's so cool.

"Cool"?

Cool don't say it.

He is a higher level of cat.

He is the cat who is the cat.

Man with accent: Excuse me.

Uh, could I use your telephone

And your WC?

"WC"? What the hell kinda English is that?

Why can't he say crapper like everyone else?

{ coin drops in pay phone )

{ man speaking foreign language )

What, are we starting a halfway house

for these little motherfuckers?

And what do we say when the cops come in

and see peewee here having a drink at the bar,

"We wish to welcome you

to munchkin fucking land"?

Chill out, man.

They can stay till we open up, all right.

Chill out, chill out.

Easy for him to say. I'll probably end up

sharing a cell with a guy named Bubba.

{ playing along with stereo )

Man on phone: But at least please try and understand,

I cannot make the call!

I lose my goddamn coin!

Look, I apologize for the "goddamn,*

but goddamn! I cannot make the phone call!

{ mimicking accent ) I apologize for the goddamn,

But goddamn!

I apologize for the goddamn, but goddamn.

I apologize for the goddamn, but goddamn!

We're gonna have to start paying him soon, I guess.

He's getting to be good as his dad.

Fuck his old man.

Motherfucker's probably got a big old mansion

on Sunset Boulevard,

Panasonic view, all the babes you can eat--

won't even give his poor kid a fucking piano.

Little fuck's gotta come here and play.

Hey, Miles,

you want I should take up a collection,

get you your own piano?

I'm gonna get that kid a fucking piano

whether he likes it or not!

Hey, Miles!

I'm gonna get you a fucking piano!

He's happy.

These fucking kids nowadays--

ungrateful little motherfuckers.

You offer them a goddamn piano,

they throw it back in your face.

Hi, Miss Perlman.

Hey, Miles, does your mom have a lot of boyfriends?

No. Nobody wants to go out with her at all.

{ door opens )

Hi, honey. How was practice?

Guess what? Kingston gave us

Tyrone Park's new CD.

Wow.

Hi, Laura.

Hi, Todd.

Wow! The whale dress fits!

{ whispering ) Miles!

What's that, sweetheart?

Nothing, just "wow."

It fits real good. It's even tight.

Uh-oh. ll don't know if that's--

I mean, is that good?

(tic)

Uh-oh,

looks to me like somebody's got the hiccups. Boo!

Ha ha ha!

Oh, I think that dress looks really lovely on you, Lily.

You're gonna be the belle of the ball.

I just love it. You did a fantastic job.

Know what? I think I'm gonna wear it home

and give my husband a little surprise.

That's a good idea. Well, good-bye, Lily.

(tic)

Oh, sweetheart,

try drinking out of the wrong side of the glass.

Sometimes that works.

Good-bye, Lily.

Todd, honey, I think it's time

that you went back downstairs.

I think your grandfather's probably expecting you.

Looking good, Laura.

Thank you, Todd.

Good-bye.

Good-bye.

Good-bye.

Good-bye, Todd.

He's a sweetie.

He's a retard.

Stop it, Miles.

Yeah, and that lady--

stuff a few more hams in there,

why don't you, fatty?

That's enough. Go to your room.

I didn't say it in front of her.

I don't want to hear it at all, ever.

And anyway, you did. "Whale dress"?

"Whale dress" just slipped out!

Unh!

Yeah, why'd she say the hiccups?

She thought that's what it was.

Ye-- yeah, well,

she shouldn't have opened her big, fat mouth,

if she doesn't know what she's talking about!

If I hear one more "fat” or "fatty" out of you,

you are in big trouble!

( Softly ) Fat, fat-fat-fat.

Fat-fat-fat, fat...

Fat! Fat fatty...

Fat!

Fat!

(tic)

Fat! Fat!

(hie)

Fat fatty, fatty...

{ running footsteps )

Fat-—-

Okay.

Okay, honey.

Okay, calm down.

Fat.

It's okay.

Can't you just make one phone call

to help out your own son?

Well, he's-- you know-- I just thought

since you knew him, it would be good,

except for he'll probably meet him anyway

playing at the club, so...

Yeah.

1 did try. He wasn't very nice.

And I was really scared to ask him about it.

I'm so bad at talking to people anyway.

I'm just-- I-- no, I'm not a recluse.

I'm just, you know--

It's hard sometimes,

everything with Miles. It's just...

hard to do alone.

{ Hindu accent ) Hello, my name is Gandhi,

for hungry guru dinners.

So whether you're fasting for peace,

or just had a light lunch,

try my hungry guru dinners.

- And I can do Thelonious, too. -You can?

Mm-hmm. From watching the movie last night.

Let's see.

You didn't record that... You didn't record that...

Oh, I hate when you do that, Miles.

It looks like you're holding your breath.

I'm not holding my breath, Ma,

just holding my feelings.

Mom,

all my habits

are they gonna get worse like Thelonious Monk?

No. No, honey.

I don't know what was wrong with that guy,

but you can't compare yourself to him in that way.

E-Except everybody thinks

both of us are weirdos.

Who's everybody, Denny Harley?

Mostly him, yeah.

Yeah, well, you go up to Denny Harley and say

Listen, Denny, want to imitate something about me?

Why don't you imitate my piano playing?

You can be rich and famous someday like I'm gonna be

instead of the loser you are now, asshole.

Say that to him, okay?

Okay.

Call him asshole like 1 did, too.

Okay.

Or... Bonehead.

Whatever you think is stronger.

No, asshole probably is.

{ imitating tic )

Girl: "I'd be nice to everyone,

Even those who aren't as famous as me.

I admire Itzhak Perlman because I play the violin too.

I would like to be just like him when I grow up,

Only not crippled.”

Ms. Gimpole: Dennis Harley!

Continue, continue.

"Like once, I was in line for a movie,

And Itzhak Periman was there in crutches,

and the manager recognized him because he was famous.

He said Mr. Periman, You don't have to stand in line.

Here, ticky, ticky, ticky.

How come you're always doing this?

Uhh...

Because! Same as you're always doing this.

That's it.

No, you don't!

Did you just laugh at me?

Yeah, did you?

Laugh at me?

Huh?

Did you? Uh... Uh...

Laura: Listen, Denny,

you want to imitate something about me?

Why don't you imitate my piano playing?

Then you can be rich and famous someday

like I'm gonna be

instead of the loser you are now...

Asshole!

{ improvising solo )

{ microphone feeding back )

Ew, sounds like shit.

"Sounds like shit.” Did you hear him, Kingston?

"Sounds like shit.” Sounds like the shit

is what it sounds like, Tyrone.

Sounds like the shit. The shit, the real shit.

Thank you, man, but I was talking about the monitors.

Oh, shit--

1 got it. 1 got it.

Can I ask you a personal question?

Why aren't you making millions?

This I wanna know.

Kiss my ass, Kenny G.

Now, what is up with that shit, huh?

I tell you, I was at a gig the other night with Joe Zawinul.

So Joe is going on and on about Kenny G,

about how he never swung a day in his life,

and he can't play, and how come--

how come he sells so many CDs.

So there's a chick sitting there,

and the chick finally has had enough,

and she stands up, she says,

"If he can't play, how come it sounds so good?"

And he turns to me and he says,

"The bitches know."

"The bitches know." Ha ha!

Whoo-hoo.

Which one of you cats is Miles?

Hey, you're Miles.

Yeah. I'm Miles.

Yeah, I asked you that because I hear you're a decent player.

I need somebody to play some changes for me,

and, uh...

ll just don't want to get in the middle of some hassle

between you and your loan shark or anything.

He's not a shark. It's just Denny Harley.

Who are you, his bodyguard?

No, I'm his friend Todd.

What happened to Denny Harley in all of this?

Oh, he went home crying.

His mom had to come pick him up.

Oh, well, see now, now you're frightening me.

I mean, you know, if I blow a wrong note,

are you gonna send me home crying?

Hey, Tyrone, baby, you all set, man.

Check it out.

So, what you gonna do, Miles?

You gonna play or not?

Todd: Go play. Go play.

Yeah, all right.

Come on.

All right, my man, give me some rhythm changes in b-flat.

Eight-bar intro.

(tic)

{ tic continues )

Hey, man, that's-- that's cool.

That's cool, uh...

let's forget about it for today, all right?

I gotta go some place for a while anyway.

{ playing jazz )

Ms. Gimpole: Mrs. Garrity,

several members of the board have asked me to relay to you

that they would like Miles

to go back on his medicated patch

if he intends to keep his scholarship.

Is this because of the fight yesterday?

The fight yesterday was of great concern to them,

and I was forced to consider

that the medicine might help Miles

to deal with his terrible anxiety problems.

When he performs at recitals.

Oh, you can't do that to him, Ms. Gimpole.

I mean, you've seen for yourself what he's like,

when he wears that thing.

He says he doesn't even feel alive

when he wears it,

and he can't play the piano at all.

I understand...

but, frankly, I cannot be a convincing advocate

before the board

without addressing...

the critical

flat-fingered problem.

Mrs. Garrity...

the great musicians--

Rubinstein,

Horowitz,

they did not squander their talents.

If he will allow me to teach him,

my recommendation

Is simply this.

If he hold his hands

like this,

he will always have control.

Like this...

chaos.

Chaos.

Ahem!

Ill-- I'll tell Miles.

Hey, Miles, you know why I took up the saxophone?

Because of Tyrone Park.

Yeah, but mainly because of your mom.

Because of my mom?

Yeah. You know how her voice

sounds like that song Tyrone was playing?

You know, all hoarse and stuff,

all high and low at the same time.

Todd, just shut up.

Just shut up a-about her, okay?

Miles,

why did your dad leave your mom when she's so nice and beautiful?

1 don't know.

Maybe 'cause of me.

What'd you do?

1 got weird.

{ piano playing slow jazz )

{ saxophone playing )

{ playing quick tempo )

Dad, yeah,

it was like we were talking to each other.

Yeah, like laughing,

or having our own private joke.

Uh-huh. Yeah.

Well, you know what he said?

He said that, like, I got your thing, man.

Like, I'm gonna be one of those smooth cats one day,

just like you.

Uh-huh.

Yeah.

Uh-huh.

Yeah.

Well, I have a question.

Dad, do you play with-- with curved fingers

or flat fingers?

Yeah, me too!

Miles--

Uh-huh.

All right, I'll get her.

Ma, phone.

All right. Love you too.

Bye.

Hey, what's up?

Miles, honey, could--

could you go down to the store

and get us some bread?

Sure.

Thanks.

Bye, sweetie.

( Softly ) Michael, I will not talk to you

about this when he's here. If you want to talk about it,

call me back when he's at school or something.

Bye, honey.

And by the way, did you also hear how happy he sounded?

No, he just met him at the club.

Isn't that great?

I had nothing to do with it.

And Tyrone Park didn't know anything about it.

I think that's best.

What?

Peggy's shrink in Los Angeles

is diagnosing a boy in New York he's never met?

Oh, that's... Ha!

That is so beautiful!

Yeah. Well,

you can tell Peggy to tell Peggy's shrink

that it's not psychological.

It does not just happen when he's nervous, Michael.

It happens when he's bored, it happens when he's calm,

it happens when he's excited about what's for dinner.

The only time it doesn't happen

is when he's sleeping or playing the piano.

Oh--

Oh, come on, I don't want to go through this with you again.

You don't have to do the swearing thing

to have it, Michael.

Just face it! He's got Tourette Syndrome.

Big deal!

He's got a few less inhibitors in his brain

so everything comes out a little freer. So what?

He's also an incredible kid!

What?

You said you were coming here to visit him.

Oh, no. I'm sure he'll be thrilled

to spend an hour with you while you change planes.

Okay, good-bye, Michael.

Good-bye, Michael.

Good-bye, Michael!

Asshole!

(tic)

I-- I forgot what you wanted me to get.

(tic)

Mom, which would you rather:

Normal...

a-and can't play the piano,

or weird and can?

Oh, Miles...

Mom, really. You have to pick one.

Okay, I pick weird and can.

Satisfied?

Dad wouldn't.

Wouldn't what?

Y-you know, p-pick that.

Your dad just gets worried about you, is all.

He wants you to be happy.

Why'd he leave?

Oh, Miles...

Why did he?

So many reasons.

Couldn't stand to watch me any--

Anymore, could he?

No.

No, baby. Is that what you think?

I don't do it on purpose.

I know, sweetie.

Well, he thinks--

He thinks so.

No, he doesn't.

You know what, Miles?

1 think you got to go out and visit him again

and get reacquainted with each other,

don't you think?

Come on. Remember how much fun you had

last year when you went out to LA to see him?

1 didn't.

Yes, Miles. Remember?

You went to the opening of that big movie he scored?

L1 didn't go.

Yes, you did, Miles. You told me all about it.

You got to see all those movie stars and stuff.

I made it up.

What?

Dad wouldn't let me go.

He said--

He said it was too important a night for him

and that my noises would bother the people in the audience

trying to watch the movie.

I would have concentrated really hard, Ma.

I would have focused and everything.

Everything.

I wouldn't have made a sound.

I know, baby. I know you wouldn't.

I know, sweetheart.

{ Jazz music playing )

Isn't he fierce?

Yes.

Hey, you stay back here, you're cool, all right?

Nah, it's dark. He could be a midget.

Thank you so much.

Sparky Williams on the bass.

And Tiny Niner on the drums.

Thank you.

You know, a kid told me today that, uh...

that he was inspired to take up the saxophone

when he heard me practicing this song.

He said that hearing the sax

reminded him of his girlfriend's voice,

and when he heard me play the song,

he felt closer to her.

So, uh, I want to dedicate this song

to Todd's girlfriend.

Todd?

Uh, I also want to dedicate this song

to all the rest of us romantics out there who,

like Todd, were inspired to take up the sax

to get laid.

First sight.

When he comes out, I want you--

I want you to meet him.

I don't want to meet him, Miles.

You go... You go meet him.

Mom, you never want to meet anybody.

I do to, Miles. I've met all of your friends.

I mean adults.

They're coming out.

Hey, man.

- You were on fire! - That was you up there, baby.

Wiles, do I have ice cream on my face?

He sees you, Miles. Go over there now.

Jeez, Ma,

you're more immature than the girls in my class.

Hey, Little Chops!

-Yo, man. - What's up?

Hey, listen, man,

You kicked my ass the other day.

So where you learn to play like that?

When I was your age, I couldn't even find my dick.

Shh!

She's my mom.

Hi.

Hi.

Miles' mom.

- Laura. - Tyrone.

I know.

-You-- - Uh, do-- oh.

Sorry. I'm sorry.

No, I just--

You look very familiar to me. ll don't know...

Oh,

maybe from around.

Um, do you--

Can't remember what I was gonna say.

That's all right. Happens to me all the time.

Oh, I know.

Do you like to play the saxophone?

Duh, Mom.

Yeah. Yeah, I like it a lot.

Huh.

No wonder you're so good.

I was thinking, when you were playing

that solo and...

it was so beautiful,

it sounded like the horn was crying

or something. So beautiful.

I've never--

I've never heard that sound.

Thank you.

"The bitches know"?

- Aw, man, - Miles.

You'll get me in trouble with your mother.

Why, did you teach him that?

Well, ahem! Ahem!

Ahem!

Uh, in a way, yeah.

Ahem! Ahem!

A-ahem! Ahem!

Man: Hey, Tyrone!

10 minutes.

I'm there.

1 got to get back in.

Nice meeting you, Laura.

All right.

See you.

Uh, hey, Tyrone!

You know, my mom does all the instruments, too.

What was the song about, mom?

Miles!

Uh, um...

"Halston Blues' Flat. " No, wait...

"Blues in Hoss's Flat." Yeah.

She can play all those instruments?

No, she can do them, like...

{ imitating horn)

Oh, you know, she's also a very good sewer.

Could you make me a tux?

Yeah!

How many you need?

One.

-Mom? -Hmm?

I never thought that

there was anybody in the world like me.

There isn't, Gandhi man.

{ Hindu accent ) Why, yes,

in my foreign land, I'm the only one

who can speak to the cows.

Good night, sweetie pie.

- Good night. - I love you.

Love you too.

Hey, Miles.

I'm gonna kill you, Miles.

{ horn blaring )

Come on, Ticky boy!

If you don't tic yourself death, Ill kill you with this.

Come on. Come on!

Hey, hey, gimme that!

Please don't hurt me!

It's just a water gun!

Please! I swear!

ow!

Miles!

Come on, come on.

Hang here.

What's your name?

Denny Harley.

I thought so.

What'd you say to Miles in there?

Nothing.

Good.

When I ask Miles tomorrow after school,

what did Denny Harley have to say today?

What's his answer gonna be?

Nothing?

Now you got it-- uh!

Hey, that's what Miles does.

Listen,

Denny, why do you suppose both Miles and I do this?

Are you related?

Well, yeah, in a way,

but...

it's because we both know the code.

- What code? - "What code"?

The Tic Code.

"The Tic Code"?

Yup.

You see Miles over there?

Yeah?

He knows everything we're saying.

Everything?

So, uh, you and Miles,

you made this whole thing up?

No.

The CIA did.

A lot of people know it now.

They do?

Oh, yeah.

So, Denny, this is a...

Sorry, Denny.

You okay?

Yeah.

What-- What'd you say to him?

I just brought him up to speed.

You know, my Dad gave my Mom a real gun.

I know where it's hidden.

I-- 1 could shoot Denny one day.

Oh, save your ammunition.

If you wanna go to jail do it over a worthier dude.

Which would you rather,

shooting yourself or drowning yourself?

Miles.

I'd pick shooting. Shooting myself.

Like this kid at my school.

Shot himself at the 79th Street Boat Basin

'cause he was caught cheating on a social studies test.

Ah, shit That's deep, man.

I'd do that too. Shoot myself at the Boat Basin

and wash out to sea so my mom wouldn't have to view the body.

Well, that's very thoughtful of you, I think.

Kids didn't use to tease me like this.

I mean, I wasn't always the way I am now.

I know it's hard, Miles.

So, look, is your mom gonna make me one of those tuxes

like I wore at my cousin's wedding?

Yeah. My grandfather taught her.

But not too many men go to her,

'cause they're embarrassed about the measuring part.

I'm cool with that.

You think it's all right,

me showing up without an appointment?

Yeah. I mean. She's not doing anything.

{ singing loudly )

Mom!

Aah!

I swallowed my gum.

I knew I should have made an appointment.

Yeah...

You should have made an appointment.

Give us a story, man.

- 1 got a good one. - Oh, I'm so happy.

This is one of my best. No, really.

I'm in San Francisco, doin' this gig...

I'm working the Harvey.

1 just get back from the 'niner game.

1 pick up this chick, taking her to my hotel...

1 said, "No matter what goes down,

you gotta pretend to be the maid.”

- Pretend to be the maid? - Pretend to be the maid.

3:00 AM, my wife busts in the door,

the chick jumps up nude...

starts dusting.

True story.

"True story,"” my ass.

The last time this guy got laid, Truman was president.

Yeah, Truman Capote.

Hey, ease up, man.

But you can't talk.

What?

Any chick coming near you

is gonna smell like a ride through Gary, Indiana.

You better quit wearing that smelly shit.

And give up the voodoo powers?

Never, never.

Yeah-- but do the powers work?

Do they work? I'll tell you something,

chicks love the power.

Check it out.

Here's a guy that has respect for the voodoo.

My guess is that Todd here,

is the only man at this table who has his shit together

where women are concerned.

Right, Todd? What's your girlfriend's name?

Laura.

Laura That's like Miles' mom.

Yeah, just exactly like my mom.

Todd, Laura's your girlfriend?

- He's boning Miles' mom? - No!

No...!

Come on!

What's wrong with you? He's in love with her, that's all.

He's got good taste in women.

Yeah. I love her so much, I wrote a song for her.

Todd wrote a song for his woman.

Let's hear it.

{ humming "Habanera" from Bizet's "Carmen" )

{ all start humming )

That's "Carmen"!

He's got good taste in women, and music.

{ all singing ) J La-daa... s

JLadaa...?

Hey, Miles, do I have to plagiarize an opera

to get your mom to go out with me?

No. She really wants to go out with you.

How do you know?

Because ever since she met you,

she keeps asking if her butt is too big.

Todd: "After slicing the chicken's throat,

Place it on top of the Denny Harley Doll."

Did you ask Sparky if fried chicken works

as good as killing a live one?

Uh-oh.

We can't do anything without knowing that stuff.

Man, we were so close.

L1 guess we'll have to try again tomorrow.

Tyrone: "Doo-do-da, do-do, do-day--" I know you've heard that.

Laura: 1 didn't notice.

It's jazz, you know, that sounds like a mistake.

You know,

I really enjoyed playing with your boy.

He loved playing with you so much.

That guy's like a junior genius.

He usually gets too nervous to play

in front of people he admires.

He can't play in front of his father at all.

He can't even sit down at the bench

and his...

Yeah, yeah...

I think it meant a lot to him

to see someone with a similar

neurological problem.

“Neurological problem"?

I've heard it called many things,

But never a "neurological problem."

What do you call it?

I call it something 1 don't like to talk about.

So,

when am I gonna hear you do the parts

of "Blues in Hoss's Flat"?

- Never. - Never?

Come on, Miles says you're the greatest.

Oh, Miles is a little salesman

- haven't you noticed? - There's no salesmanship necessary.

I like the way you do “That's all.”

I haven't done it.

Not last night, I mean, before.

- You heard me play? -Yeah.

When did you hear me play?

How many times have you heard me play?

- All, I guess. -All?

I haven't been to all of my gigs.

Well, just-- just in New York,

in the past year or so,

just the early shows, so, not really "all," at all.

You know...

we should have picked "Death,"” instead of "Worship."

Uh-uh. Sparky said we couldn't pick "Death,"”

or else he wouldn't let us borrow the book.

Anyway, I can make Denny Harley call me "The Czar."

No, not death... Catatonia.

Cater-what?

Like in "The Tomb of Ligeia,"

When they think she's dead.

She scratches into her coffin,

her hands get all bloody, she's screaming and stuff?

We should have picked that one.

Oh man, you really shouldn't have said that.

Now I'm gonna be too scared to go down to your apartment.

Hey, do you hear scratching?

Todd, wait 2 minute.

What?

It's just Stevie scratching.

No, he's a black cat. He'll jinx us.

- He's a blind cat. - Miles!

No.

It's my mom.

She's back from her date already.

- She's on a date? - I'm not even supposed to be here!

She's on a date?

{ mimicking trumpet )

Take a nice big breath.

{ mimicking drums )

Wanna give me some bass?

{ mimics jazz bass )

Hi.

Good night.

You're not leaving.

I don't want to.

Then don't.

She was kissing him.

He dissed me. You dissed me.

C-can I still stay at your place?

Hey, Ma,

isn't this the song you do all the instruments to?

Yeah.

I'm gonna go outside for a few minutes.

We're looking for a sexy black sax player.

To play backup for us, and we think that you're it.

I don't want to open up a can of worms,

but you know how I feel about the vocalist thing.

Not with them, of course,

but I think a couple of cuts on the new disc with vocals,

could be big. Don't look at me like that.

Did it hurt Kenny G. to have Michael Bolton?

- I know they're a little-- - Morris, I gotta go.

All right, that was a bad example,

but Coltrane had Johnny Hartman, right?

Gilberto and Getz?

Morris...

You were great tonight.

Morris,

why does he keep making those weird noises?

He's getting over a bit of a drug problem.

Yeah. Very realistic.

I thought one of you cats was my agent.

You dissed me, man. I saw you kissing Laura.

Miles, give me a moment.

Come here, Todd.

I'm sorry you had to see that, man.

-You dissed me. - You're right.

You're right, ll dissed you, I'm sorry.

I should have talked with you first,

since I knew how you felt about her.

Yeah. I found her first.

I know. I know you did,

but the thing is, Todd,

I'm a lot older than you, man,

ll don't have as many years left to fall in love as you do.

Yeah.

My grandfather said, Miles needs a father figure.

You're probably better at that stuff than I am.

Probably.

But you are a smooth cat. By the time you're 16,

you're gonna have chicks coming out of your ears.

You think so? I'm a smooth cat?

Yeah. The smoothest.

The cats in my band

have been writing down your operations for future reference.

Like what? Like how I dress real sharp,

write all those love songs,

know all the right things to say to chicks?

All of that. All of that, man.

We cool?

Yeah.

Yeah, my brother. Thank you.

- Where's your mom? - She's outside...

waiting for me and Todd.

She didn't want to bother you, because she thought--

I guess, that one of those blondes was one of your girlfriends.

She thought she was wearing the wrong dress, too.

Hey, Snow White!

1 think you left a couple of your dwarves inside.

- Are they bothering you? - Nah, nah. They're cool.

Don't you want to be back inside with your fans?

No. You want to be alone?

I just thought you'd wanna be...

ll don't have a girlfriend.

- What? - A girlfriend, a lady...

ll don't have one. Miles was telling me--

Oh...

Anyway, ll don't have one.

Oh.

But things could change.

You are so pretty.

You're so pretty, too.

What?

Nothing. I was just laughing.

When I first met you, you were different.

Two weeks ago?

That's not when I first met you.

I first met you six months ago.

Outside the Blue Note.

The Blue Note?

Yeah. I asked you if you'd talk to my son

about, you know, and you said,

you don't do “charity gigs,"” and got mad at me.

That was you?

Yeah.

I was gonna tell you before, but--

What happened is that Michael,

when he played with you, he noticed that

you...

He didn't really notice,

but when Miles started to do it, he thought

that maybe it would be nice

if you two could get together,

because you had a similar--

“Neurological problem"?

So, all of those gigs of mine you came to,

you were just trying to build up the nerve

to hook me up with Miles,

Maybe give him a "pep talk," or something?

No, I-

- I gotta go back inside. - Tyrone...?

{ coughing )

Hey, Ma. Wanna hear something really funny?

Sure.

Chester and Sparky

said that I'm a white cat

who plays like a brother, right?

So the next time I'm hanging around them,

I'm gonna say...

"Yo, man, I'm not gonna sit on my black ass

listening to you white mu'fuckers bullshit no mo"."

That is not funny.

I do not want to hear you say those swear words again.

I was just imitating.

Well,

don't do it anymore. It's not nice to imitate.

You laugh when I do Gandhi man.

That is so different.

For one thing, you don't use swear words

when you do Gandhi man, and for another, it's--

Maybe I shouldn't laugh...

Miles, just finish up and get ready for school.

About time, Mr. Tyrone.

There is a very lovely lady who's been waiting for you

about three hours in here.

- Hi. - Hi.

I fixed your jacket.

When you left...

Thanks-- thank you.

You could have left it with Marvin. You didn't have to wait.

That's what I kept telling her, Mr. Tyrone.

And the tux?

I meant to tell you,

you can come over any time now,

because I'm ready. I mean, the tux is--

for a fitting, I mean.

Yeah, I'm...

I'm real busy now, Laura.

I don't know if I can get over there.

I just thought you'd want your tux.

Tyrone, I feel so-- The whole thing last night...

Hey, Mr. Tyrone? Ever have a chance

to play with Englebert Humperdinck while you were in Vegas?

No, Marvin.

That's a shame.

I feel so bad about what happened last night.

1 wanted to talk to you about it,

last night it just came out all wrong.

It's cool. It's cool, Laura.

Just trying to help your kid. I understand.

It happens.

But I want you to know that

all those times ll came to see you,

I wasn't only coming just for Miles.

You would have to be some crazy groupie

to come to all my gigs as a fan, anyway.

You paid the cover. That's all I care about.

In fact, I'm thinking of charging people double, you know?

Get to hear some music, see some tics?

Marvin, what's up with the elevator?

Marvin: I wish I had $100

for every time somebody said that to me.

Look, Laura, let's just

take this thing a little slower.

Maybe keep it on a friendship tip.

Oh...

All right.

You didn't do anything wrong.

I just don't want to be thought of as the Touretie's guy.

I'm sorry that I gave you the impression

that I thought of you as anything but a musician...

and a man.

Boys: Blood of a chicken, eye of a cow,

Dennis Harley will worship us now.

Blood of a chicken, eye of a cow,

Dennis Harley will worship us--

Ouch!

Aw, man.

{ class bell rings )

- Let's go. - Wait. Look.

- What's that? - A piece of Tyrone's tux.

Me and Tyrone talked about it. We're cool.

I wasn't gonna burn it.

What does the book say

about getting people to hang heavy?

{ door closing )

Miles? Psst!

Hey, Miles?

Will you teach me?

Please?

Teach me.

Teach you what?

Well... You know...

Hey...

What was that?

You know it, too?

How come everyone knows it but me?

Knows what?

( Softly ) The Tic Code.

( Softly ) Maybe it worked.

Yeah...

maybe it worked.

I'm glad that we're taking this slow.

You're right.

It really takes the pressure off things.

Yeah.

So...

it's good...

we're taking it slow.

Yeah.

( Faintly ) Yeah.

Satin buttons okay?

Yeah.

I'll make this round.

Could you...?

Sorry.

Miles...

{ chuckling )

Tyrone?

How does Herbie hold his fingers?

Why? Teacher still trying to get you to play

with your hands with pennies on them?

Yeah.

She says I'm picking up bad habits.

Has she ever seen Horowitz play?

Horowitz is her idol.

She loves classical music.

Yeah, well,

I happen to love classical music, too,

and Horowitz was an idol of mine,

so she's got good taste.

Yeah.

But, obviously, she has never seen Horowitz play.

Because if she had, she would know

that he played with flat fingers.

He did?

Flat, flat, flat.

Flatter than the state of Kansas, man.

What? I went to Julliard, I know my shit.

Miles, I forgot to tell you...

your dad called.

Is Saturday at 4:00 okay?

Why do I have to go to the airport?

That's where your dad's gonna be.

I don't want to miss any of Tyrone's recording session.

We'll be going all night, man.

We'll be going for a while.

Can't you tell him I couldn't make it

because I was watching Tyrone play?

Honey, he's your dad. He wants to see you.

Can't ll see him on his way back?

Miles...

Okay.

Hey, Tyrone?

Did my Dad ever make fun of you?

Make fun of me? Why would he do that?

Okay, honey, you know,

you're overtired. Everything will be fine in the morning.

- Go to sleep. - Okay. Good night.

- See ya. - All right.

Tyrone: It's just a trip to the airport, baby.

For Miles, it's everything.

For him, it's just a way of killing time

in his layover from Budapest,

or wherever he's going.

"Gee, what should I do, buy myself a paperback?

I think I'll drag my kid out here to entertain me.”

Cashier: $27.50. Please.

Laura: Miles, honey?

Tyrone: Come on, man.

Is my shit bothering you, babe?

No, no. I was just thinking...

Wiles and I saw this documentary on Thelonious Monk,

and he did some stuff that made me think-- have you seen it?

A while ago. I don't remember.

They kept talking about that he had mental problems,

and they kept talking about maybe he had drug problems,

but he did all this compulsive stuff,

like compulsive touching, and turning around,

- and I kept thinking, maybe-- - Aw, Jesus!

Maybe this guy had Tourette's,

and nobody knew how to diagnose it--

Okay, maybe I'm wrong about it.

Miles got me thinking about it, because of his--

Miles! Hey, Miles, come on!

- Hey, Todd. - Come on, Miles!

Okay, honey. You can go.

Watch the cars.

What do you think? You think Thelonious Monk had it?

What?

I'm still not allowed to talk about this?

You do whatever you want, babe.

I'm going upstairs.

It's just hard for me

not to talk to you about it, Tyrone.

- I mean, it's so-- - Obvious?

Minor. It's so minor.

Minor to who, Laura? Not to you,

you're obsessed with this shit.

Obsessed, I haven't talked about it since our first date.

That's bullshit. You're like a motherfucking dam breaking

with your Thelonious Monk shit.

I told you, Miles noticed a similarity.

I thought it was interesting.

“Interesting?" Like a fuckin' freak show!

No, but I don't think it's odd

that I want to talk to you about it once in a while.

My god, I've watched my son

be humiliated by it for years,

and tomorrow's a big day for him,

his father's done half the humiliating,

So, yes, it's on my mind.

What are you gonna do? Find more people with tics

for him to meet? There's a baseball player who's got it.

Why don't you take him to a ball game?

- Cut it out. -Jazz clubs,

baseball games, you'll sit through anything, won't you?

So long as you can eventually discuss your favorite topic.

- My favorite topic? - If it wasn't for Miles,

and his tics, you'd never leave this fucking apartment!

God damn it!

Fuck!

1 got it.

1 got it, I said!

Stop yelling at me! Stop insulting me!

I'm sorry I brought it up.

I'm sorry you don't like to talk about it,

but I have a little boy who goes to school every day,

and comes home calling himself a weirdo.

I can't help but be sorriest about that.

Let me pull your coat to something.

He is right!

People like me and Miles-- are weirdos!

And the sooner he realizes it, the better!

You know what, Tyrone?

You can call yourself anything you like,

but while you're in my house

don't you ever talk about my son that way again.

Fine!

1 think I've been in your house a little too long as it is.

In fact, why don't you find yourself

another blind cat to rescue?

I'm a little tired of being your latest charity case.

{ door slams )

Miles, what are you doing?

Oh, no...

For-- for Dad.

Oh, baby.

You don't need this.

-Yes. ll do. - No, you don't, Miles.

No, you don't.

Mom?

When I make myself stop,

do I look like 2 zombie?

Why? Did someone tell you that?

I was just wondering.

Mom?

What's the longest time--

that I stopped?

When you try to stop it,

doesn't it always come back worse afterwards?

So what?

Even if I do look bad afterwards,

Dad won't see it.

Man: A limo, a limousine, Because it's a long flight.

Just...

Oh-- gotta go. My son just arrived,

looking like a goddamned teenager.

Yeah. Do Svedaniya.

See you in a day. Good.

Hey, champ. How are you doing, man?

Look at you, man. Look at the size of you.

You're-- gigantic!

You almost pass the height requirements for a 12-year-old,

and you still got a couple of weeks to go, right?

Yep.

How's everything? How's school?

Fine.

Great.

You didn't happen to see Peggy

on the way up in the elevator, did ya?

No.

I don't know where she went off to, but...

oh, well.

If she doesn't make it in time for take off,

it's you and me, buddy, off to Budapest.

Hey, champ, looks to me like you got your...

problem under control. That's great, man.

That's really great. Good for you.

You must be outgrowing it.

I mean...

you looked like a regular Mexican jumping bean

the last time you came out to visit, am I right?

Listen...

you got a pretty big birthday coming up.

In a couple of weeks?

I wanted to be here in person to tell you about

this very special birthday present I'm giving you.

A piano?

No...

even better-- much better.

I promise.

L1 don't have to tell you about it, I'll show you.

I want you to say hello to your new stepmother.

And, soon to be, new baby brother.

Pretty cool, huh?

Oh...

she's been puking through the whole pregnancy.

She'll be out in a minute.

What do you think? That's cool, right?

A baby brother?

Will you leave him, too?

What?

If he turns out like me

will you leave him, too?

Michael: Does he think we'll be one happy family again?

Peg's a little creeped out by the Tourette's thing.

Maybe you could...

get a genetic test, or something,

Whatever they do?

Just to show-- just to see...

if it was you who gave it to him,

just to set her mind at ease, you know?

There is no genetic test for it, Michael.

I'm not entirely convinced it's Tourette's anyway.

We were upstairs for a while,

there wasn't a chirp out of him.

{ whimpering )

Are you sure you still want to go to the session?

Okay.

{ saxophone riffing )

Solly, give me a little more in the cans, all right?

- Let me hear it. - Okay.

Hey-- how you doin', man?

How'd everything go with your dad?

T-Tyrone,

I was thinking...

if you and my mom got married

it would be really cool, because...

first of all, you already have the tux,

and...

she could wear one of the white bride dresses

because she's never been married before.

Miles, that's not gonna happen, man.

- LI-It's not?

Your mother and I are--

We're too different. We're very different.

-Y-You are? -Yeah.

W-Why are you?

Miles,

it probably boils down to the fact that we're--

It's a cultural thing. She's white, I'm black.

That means right from the beginning,

we just speak a different language.

-You do? -Yes.

Yes, we do.

It makes it that much harder to communicate,

- When things-- - Tyrone?

- Break's over, all right? - All right.

We gotta get something down now,

or we won't have anything before the gig.

- Okay. All right. - Enough chat-chat.

Look, Miles,

let's forget about it for today, all right?

Let's just get into the music.

Just the music, man.

- Miles, what's happening? - Hey, hey, what's going on?

Fine.

Sit on down here with the cats. Hang out here with us.

Okay, we're ready.

- Take one. - Good.

Let's lay it down.

This is a slate. We are rolling...

Miles, put these on.

Let's go.

We are recording.

One, two...

{ music plays )

{ Miles' voice ) What's that?

I hear something.

{ vocal tics, chuckling )

Cut!

Sorry guys.

We're getting some strange sounds.

I'm sorry. That's me.

That's me. I was...

I was laughing at my own lousy playing.

Let's try it again.

{ sounds continue )

Is it that kid? Is that kid laughing?

Huh? Is that fucking kid laughing?

Yeah, we're still getting that sound.

See what it is.

Make sure it's not that fucking kid.

Tyrone: I need you to lead me in there.

Pull me right in. I feel like I'm...

Dragging it, Tiny. You know what I mean?

Trying to...

Solly, can I get

a little bit less-- Solly?

Can you give me a bit less...

in the cans next time?

Yeah, okay.

Thanks, Solly.

Good man.

- What? What is it? - Look...

It's the kid, but...

I don't think he can--

ll don't want to hurt his feelings.

You don't want to hurt his feelings?

He's laughing during a recording session,

And you don't want to hurt his feelings?

1 think there's something wrong with him.

You're damn straight something's wrong with him.

This kid thinks this whole thing is a fucking joke.

The talkback mike is on. They can hear us.

Oh, I'm sorry. Excuse-- hey, kid!

Let me ask you something. You think $1000 an hour is funny? No?

Then stop laughing. Remember the talk we had?

- Tyrone?! - Miles!

What is this shit? Tyrone, what did we say?

- Get him out of there. - Miles!

Get him the fuck out of here, now!

- Motherfucker! - What? Hey, hey--

You know what's fucking funny?!

You know what's motherfucking funny?!

Your face!

Your fucking face, right now, is hilarious to me!

Tyrone, take it easy!

Take it easy? He wasn't laughing, you stupid son of a bitch!

Who did this to me?

- Sweetie, why are you back so soon? - ( phone ringing)

- Did you give me my tics? - Miles, what happened?

- ( Answering machine beeps ) - Answer the question!

- 1 don't know. - Get off-- get off.

{ answering machine ) Hello, Laura, it's Tyrone.

- If you're home... - I hate him!

I hate him so much! I hate him!

I hate you!

You're the reason he broke up with us.

Honey,

sometimes things between people just don't work out.

You were hanging out with Tyrone before he met me.

You two can still be friends.

I don't want him to be my friend.

{ sobbing )

I want him to be my father.

- You already have a father. - He dumped me, too.

No, he didn't, sweetie.

Yes, he did! I hate him!

I hate Tyrone. I hate my whole stupid life!

Miles, Miles!

Stop it give me--

Get away from me!

Please--!

I hate you, I hate you!

I wish I had a real family,

with a mother someone wanted to marry!

Did you ever think

plenty of people would want to marry me,

if I weren't stuck with a brat like you?

Why didn't you have an abortion, then,

if you wished I was never born?!

Because you're my baby!

You're my baby.

Can I have some change?

You called the police already?

They're coming over? Go home.

I know it's hard to sit and wait,

but he's probably on his way home right now.

You gotta be there when he gets there, all right?

- Some change? - Change?

Change, change, change...

{ voices echoing )

{ tugboat horn blows )

Your mom's freaked out worrying about you.

Does she know about that?

No.

You get caught cheating on some social studies test?

No.

Mind if I get rid of that?

That's how you knew I was here, right?

About the story I told you...

of Runt Stubblefield, who shot himself?

Runt Stubble...?

That's the kid's name?

No wonder he shot himself.

- I chickened out. - No...

you smartened up.

No...

it would have been the right thing to do.

My Dad's having this other kid, so...

he won't miss me.

And my mom,

she could get married

if I wasn't around.

No, man.

You're wrong about that, Miles.

I know not to you, because she's white.

Miles,

I said it was about the racial thing with your mom--

it wasn't, man.

It was never about the racial thing.

I was just embarrassed to be with her

because of my...

Tourette's.

Because I dug her so much.

-You were? -Yeah.

Pretty dumb, huh?

Yeah, but, she doesn't mind.

She's used to it with me.

I'm not saying it makes any sense,

It's just the way it is.

But, don't you just hate it?

D-don't...

you wish you could rip it out of your body?

Yeah. Yeah.

But I tell you, Wiles,

it's all relative, man.

I was on the road in '72 with these cats.

One cat stuttered real bad,

another cat was blind,

the other cat used to shoot up

in the back of the tour bus every hour.

Compared to these guys, 1 was, like...

a pillar of the community.

But, Miles,

when we would get up on the stand to play,

I mean, we were--

we were like angels for all anybody cared,

because our shit was so tight.

The music was so smokin', man.

That's why I love music so much.

- Hey, Tyrone? -Yeah?

You ever had that thing, where you're looking at something

and it just screams out at you to touch it?

Sometimes, but my thing is

I gotta have everything facing in the right direction.

- The same direction. - Oh, yeah,

like all the pennies have to be "heads up"?

{ laughing )

- No, man, "tails." - "Tails"?

My stuff has got to be "tails,” or I'll have a heart attack.

What about when you can hear music backwards

and forwards in your head at the same time?

That happens to you, too?

-Yeah. Think it's Tourette's? - I don't know, man,

I always thought it was because I was a genius.

- Really. - What about when you can

see yourself doing something dangerous,

like breaking glass, or jumping in front of a car?

- That happens to you? -Yeah.

Wiles, before I threw that gun in the river,

I pictured myself blowing my brains out.

- Click-- boom! - Me, too.

-You? - Yeah, really.

( Applause )

Hey, mom? Which would you rather?

Flat fingers like Thelonious,

or fiat fingers like Horowitz?

Laura: Flat fingers like Miles.

Tyrone: Flat, fiat, flat, flat.

Mom? Which would you rather?

Pennies facing "heads,"

Or pennies facing "tails"?

Is this a trick question?