When You Finish Saving the World (2022) Movie Script
1
(SYNTHESIZER PLAYING
8-BIT TUNE)
Yo, yo, yo,
it's TheRealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to say dobry dzien
and happy Wednesday
to my friends in Minsk,
and ni hao and happy Thursday
to my tigers out in Liajing.
Xie xie for waking up
so early.
And of course, dhonnobad
to all my devoted
Chittagong gals,
glad to see the floods
haven't affected
your internet connections.
Y'all look super clear
and ready for a show.
Today, I'm debuting
a tera lift new song
for my favorite people
in the whole, wide world,
My Hi-Hat fans.
(STRUMMING GUITAR)
Pieces of gold
straddling paper
Owing to nothing
and turning to vapor
The air is thin
the locks are set
You lift your chin
she feigns regret
Two high-speed trains
on parallel tracks
(MUFFLED SINGING)
Happy birthday to you
(MUFFLED PEOPLE
CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY)
CATHY: Here's for
the birthday girl!
LESLIE: Yes! Oh, thank you!
Oh, look at that.
Looks good!
CATHY: Evelyn!
Have a piece of cake!
What's the occasion?
It's Leslie's birthday!
Yup, I'm 21!
(LAUGHS)
Some of the women
can hear the singing.
LESLIE:
Oh, no, really?
Yes, I'm doing intake
with a new resident
and her two children.
Shit. It's my fault.
My voice carries.
Me too.
Sorry, Evelyn.
LESLIE: We'll try
to keep it down.
Okay.
CATHY: And we'll clean up
before your 3 o'clock.
Thank you.
Congratulations
on your birthday, Leslie!
(CLASSICAL PIANO
MUSIC PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS)
There's a tajine
in the oven.
Did you have
a good day?
(DOOR CLOSES)
EVELYN: Ah, a woman came
into the shelter today.
She was about 26,
her kids were eight and four.
Last night,
her husband came home
and locked the kids
in the basement
while he assaulted
their mother upstairs.
The police came
and only spoke to the husband.
Luckily,
the eight year old
recorded the audio
on his phone.
So, you know,
every cloud, right?
How was your day,
my dear?
ROGER: It was
very productive.
Good, I'm glad.
She told me once
I told her twice
Her cold eyes melt
they melt like ice
That's the way
The earthquake rumbles
(DOOR KNOCKS)
EVELYN: Ziggy?
The house of cards
Falls down and tumbles
(DOOR LOCK CLACKING)
That's the way
the cookie crumbles
Down
(EXHALES) Woah,
that was the first time
I ever played that song.
I can't believe
it went so well.
I hope you guys
had as much fun as I did.
Remember to upnote me
in the corner,
and if you like what
you heard, feel free to tip.
(COMPUTER CHIMING
INTERMITTENTLY)
And there's
the early bird,
Ludmila!
Nishrita, coming in
close second!
And not to be done outdone,
gracias to the Huertos family
for all your generosity.
You guys are all tera lift!
So make sure you all
come back next week
where I'll be debuting
a new song
about a girl
that I like at school.
This is TheRealZiggyKatz,
thanks for tuning in!
(KEYBOARD CLACKS)
Mom!
Mom, did you try
to open the door
while I was
live streaming?
(GUITAR HUMS)
Ah, motherfucker.
Dad?
ROGER: Yeah?
Did Mom try
to open the door
while I was
live streaming?
ROGER:
I don't know,
ask her.
Mom, did you open my door
while I was... Shit! Sorry.
Did you try to open the door
while I was live streaming?
EVELYN: I'm taking
a shower, Ziggy.
Did you?
EVELYN: What's
"live streaming?"
Where I basically
make all my money.
Where thousands of kids
who are desperate
to hear me perform
log on every week
and tip me and upnote me
and I'm one of the highest
performers on the site.
EVELYN: Well,
that all sounds
very impressive.
It is.
And, uh, what do you
plan on doing
with all that
hard-earned money?
ZIGGY: Uh, spend it.
On what, my child?
(SIGHS) I don't know.
Probably a new guitar
and a new mic and probably
a better translation software,
because I want to play
for African kids
and they have like a hundred
different languages there.
So you're going to use
the money you make
from playing your songs
to buy more equipment
to play your songs?
ZIGGY: Yeah.
(SCOFFS)
Well, that's
a tautological nightmare,
don't you think?
ZIGGY: What?
Well, it sounds like
you're on an exhausting loop.
Have you thought
about an endgame?
Oh, an endgame?
I don't know,
I'm gonna be rich
and you're gonna be poor?
Oh, you're
going to be rich?
And I'm going
to be poor?
(SCOFFS)
ZIGGY: Yeah, just don't
open my door again.
When you're live streaming?
ZIGGY: Right.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Right.
(CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC
PLAYING)
EVELYN: Hmm.
And the hearts of palm.
Wow. Where'd
you get the chicken?
ROGER: Patsy's farm.
She also had a surplus
of tomatoes, which I bought.
Oh, very good.
I'll make a gazpacho
tomorrow.
I mean, it's basically
giving the guitar away.
To get a Strat
from that year
at that price
is basically free,
you know?
Just make sure
you don't play the blues!
What?
You don't play
blues music, do you?
No, I play folk rock.
Classic folk rock
with alternative influences.
I don't know
what that means.
Well... (SIGHS)
I could play it for you.
I just debuted
a new song,
Truthaches.
I could show it to you.
What did you
say it's called?
Did you say Truthaches?
Yeah.
Do you want to hear it?
Well, I'm assuming
that we're
not your
target audience.
ZIGGY: Right.
I mean, it's geared
towards teenagers,
am I right?
Yeah, I... Sure.
Because it's
incredibly unethical...
White people
playing blues music.
Did you ever read
Amiri Baraka?
ZIGGY: Who?
Roger, please.
Because he's very explicit
on the issue
of cultural
appropriation.
Jesus Christ, Roger!
Dad, I don't play
blues music.
God, just shut
the fuck up.
ROGER: Okay, okay!
I was just...
I was just saying.
(MUFFLED ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS)
(FOOTSTEPS THUDDING)
Hey, Mom,
can you drive me today?
Are you ready
to go now?
Yeah, just give me,
like, five seconds.
(FOOTSTEPS THUDDING)
(INHALES, EXHALES)
(SIGHS)
(INTENSE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER CAR STEREO)
(ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
PLAYING LOUDLY)
(MUFFLED ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER CAR STEREO)
EVELYN: You're
on the city council,
how difficult is it
to get some goddamn painters
in here, Homer?
We have women coming in,
it's the middle of
the goddamn night, they have
nowhere to park their cars.
We're talking about two white
lines on the fucking asphalt.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
DIDI: Um, Ms. Katz?
I just wanted
to let you know
I just did outtake.
(STAMMERS) Hold on
a second, Homer.
Yeah, I'm going home.
Well, to my sisters,
but I'm getting
out of here.
Yay, me!
That's wonderful, dear!
Can I give you a hug?
Um, yes. Of course.
You saved my life.
You saved my daughter's life.
I'm very proud of you, dear.
Very proud of you.
I'm sorry
about that, Homer.
CYRIL: What?
LILA: No, no, no.
The US not only ignores
human rights abuses,
but they purposely,
maliciously profit off them!
And the worst offense
is this sanctimonious,
savior complex
where we're distributing
our morally superior values
to the unwashed masses,
like they're just,
sitting around the desert
waiting for someone
to descend from the heavens.
CYRIL: But what
would you rather,
for China to swoop in?
Or maybe Russia?
Or maybe some other
amoral actor?
It's not like
the US steps out...
Yo, Z,
you want a hit?
No. Shut up,
I'm trying to listen.
CYRI:
...starts handing out
free bread.
LILA: By that logic,
we should just occupy
every country
that might be
at a slight risk
of intervention
because
we're the bastion
of peace
and equity.
Yeah, I feel like...
Thank you for
making my point.
LILA: I was
being sarcastic.
BECKY: Oh, no. Don't do this.
CYRIL: So was I.
Thank you.
LILA: You're infuriating!
Yo, I agree
with you, Lila.
(CYRIL LAUGHS)
Thank you, Ziggy!
See, someone's got my back!
Yeah, of course, man.
BECKY: Uh, huh. Yeah.
LILA: Yeah. Very.
How?
What?
How do you
agree with Lila?
Oh, shit, yeah.
Um...
Well, you mentioned
China, right?
Yeah.
Cause I play music for these
Chinese girls on Hi-Hat.
I actually have
like 20,000 followers,
and I'm in the
top percentage
of performers. I'm...
I'm validated
and I'm starred,
which is tera
hard to get.
And, like, the girls
I play for are super dope.
There's this one girl,
SeaKitten, that's her handle,
who tipped me
20 credits last week...
(CYRIL LAUGHS)
...after I wished her
a happy birthday so...
So, I guess, just in terms
for what you're saying, Lila,
like, I totally
agree with you.
BECKY:
A stirring defense!
(CYRIL LAUGHS)
Becky, don't
be a dick.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
EVELYN: Ladies.
WOMAN 1: Oh, hey.
ANGIE: And he's not a big guy
and he wasn't even drunk,
but he's got his hands
around my neck.
Was this the first time
he did this?
Well, it was the first time
that day. (CHUCKLES)
Then, he just kind of gets up.
He says he's got to go pee.
Mmm-hmm. And then
you called the police?
No, I didn't call the police.
Oh. Um...
It says, uh...
Sergeant McKenna
brought you in. I thought...
Oh.
ANGIE: Right, well,
Kyle called the police.
Yeah, uh, I called them.
Eh, where were you?
I was just next door
at Sean's.
Yeah,
his friend Sean's.
They've been
friends since...
Right...
Whatever.
...forever. Like...
So she
texted me, and, uh,
I ran back home.
How old
are you, Kyle?
Seventeen.
He's my little
knight in
shining armor.
KYLE: Mom.
ANGIE: You are.
You're the only
good thing in my life.
Thank you.
It's true.
It's true,
kids are just
pure love.
Do you know
what I mean?
EVELYN: Mmm-hmm.
You know, when he was just
six years old, um, Ms...
I'm sorry,
what's your
name again?
I'm Evelyn.
Evelyn.
Shit, I'm sorry.
Well, when Kyle
was six years old,
his father hits me
and I get this nasty cut
over my eyebrow,
and I didn't even know
that Kyle knew anything.
I mean, who knows what
kids know about their parents?
But, anyway,
he comes into the room,
he says he's had a bad dream,
can I come
and stay in his bed?
Mom, stop.
No, she needs
to hear this, okay?
So, anyways,
we're laying in bed
and I just whisper to him,
"Do you want to tell me
about your nightmare?"
And he says,
"I didn't have a nightmare."
He just knew I needed to get
out of that room, you know?
He's only six years old.
So, he just...
I'm a bad mother.
EVELYN: Angie.
No, no, no.
I'm a bad mom.
Angie, you're not
a bad mother.
You're in
the right place.
You're very,
very safe
and you'll have
two very comfortable beds
for as long
as you need.
All right, well...
Hey, Mom,
you know what I think
you could use right now?
ANGIE: What?
A new tissue.
(LAUGHS)
That's... That's... Yeah,
don't touch me with this...
(ANGIE LAUGHS)
Take that.
KYLE: All right,
okay, sorry.
ANGIE: Thanks.
(DRILL WHIRRING LOUDLY)
(WHIRRING CONTINUES)
ZIGGY:
I told her twice
Her cold eyes melt
They melt like ice
And that's the way
The earthquake rumbles
(DOOR THUDS)
EVELYN: Hello?
The house of cards
falls down and tumbles
What the hell
are you doing?
Installing a
red beacon light
so people know
when I'm live streaming.
And by people
you mean...
I mean you.
Well, I...
And to a lesser
extent, Dad.
Well, it's nice
to be ranked first.
Yeah, so when
this light is on,
you don't knock or come in
or make any noise.
All right,
and when it's off
I'm free to go about
my business,
to enjoy the rich
pageantry of life?
What? Yeah, sure.
Yeah.
It's a good system.
(DRILL WHIRRING)
(INHALES)
You know, there are a couple
of projects around the shelter
that could use a handyman.
Like what?
Uh, well, I've been waiting
on these goddamn painters
to come out for this residents
parking spot out front.
Oh, yeah?
Mmm-hmm.
Just some white paint
with some blue trim.
Wouldn't the city
need to do that,
if it's like,
a street parking spot?
I suppose so,
but I'm sure there's a bunch
of other stuff.
Just some bathroom mirrors
and some...
And light fixtures.
(DRILL WHIRRING)
Maybe on the weekend,
you could come in
for a couple of hours
and then afterwards
we could...
We could go out
to dinner together?
This weekend?
Yes.
And it'd be, like,
as a volunteer?
As opposed to what?
A paid employee.
Oh, yes.
A volunteer.
I'm busy
this weekend.
Uh, okay.
Yeah,
so it'd be impossible.
(DRILL WHIRRING LOUDLY)
You're a very lucky boy.
What?
Nothing.
Nothing.
You've never seen a day so
But the days
when you were young
You never seen
a day so foggy
She's the cat
You're the doggy
But it ain't raining
cats and dogs
It's dry as a bone and
you're high with the hogs
She pays no mind
you pay the cost
You cannot find
what seems so lost
She's everything
to you and more
And everything
in four by four
You ate it up
the night before
Sixteen and lonely
at the door
Like 32 year olds ashore
JACKIE: Yo, dudette,
you wanna hit?
ZIGGY: Obviously not.
JACKIE: All right.
ZIGGY: Could you try
to speed up?
JACKIE: Yeah, sure.
One sec.
MALE SINGER:
'Tis the final conflict
Let each stand
in their place
The international
working class
Shall free the human race
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
I didn't know you'd be here.
What a cool coincidence.
Lots of people
from school are here.
It's not that mind blowing.
Yeah, totally.
It's like,
"Hey, everybody from school.
Tera lift to see you guys."
Cool.
Well, it was good
to see you.
Have a nice time.
Hey, I thought
it was lift
the way you were
talking the other
day at lunch.
Like, about all
the political stuff.
I just thought you
were super honest
and passionate.
And, like, I write music.
Yeah, you were saying.
Yeah,
and in my music,
I'm all about
being passionate
and honest too. And...
I have 20,000 followers,
and I think what
they like about me
is my passion
and charisma.
(STAMMERS) And I thought
you had that too.
Thanks.
Uh, I don't really think
about it in those terms,
like, as a commodity.
Oh, lift.
Have you ever thought
about what you could do
with a platform
like that,
or are you just happy
taking people's money?
Um, I guess
the first thing.
Because it sounds
like you have a really
good opportunity
to start a
grassroots movement
about
environmental issues
that concern you
or political corruption,
especially if you're
streaming in countries
that are in need
of organizing
from non-political
actors.
Yeah,
I don't know, man.
I think I'm more
of a vacation.
Like, they deal
with all that shit
all day.
Like the corruption,
and the poverty
or whatever.
Like,
they're just, like,
wandering
the dirty streets
of their towns,
and then
they come home,
and they see my page
and it's, like...
(IMITATES RELIEVED SIGH)
Right.
Like, sometimes I feel
like the world would be
a better place
if people
just chilled out
and listened
to music, you know?
Hmm.
But, I mean,
I guess
I could think about it.
It could be kind of lift
to change it up sometime.
Yeah, it could be.
Because, like you said,
I got a huge platform, 20,000.
So...
(FEEDBACK OVER MIC)
EMCEE: Hear ye! Hear ye!
We will not stand by.
We will stand up
through revolutionary art.
Let the performances commence.
Are you gonna
do anything?
I have a poem.
Oh, lift,
I have a song.
MAN 1: It's starting,
it's starting.
MAN 2: Yo, yo, yo, what's up?
What's up?
This piece is
about the patriarchy,
of which
I'm a reluctant member.
(8-BIT SYNTHESIZER
MUSIC PLAYING)
Sonia, hello.
How you doing?
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Hello.
KYLE: Oh.
Hey, Evelyn,
how you doing?
Very well,
thank you.
How about you?
Do you like it here?
Do you have
any complaints?
Oh, no, not really.
I mean, it's great.
My mom's happy here,
that's the main thing.
Hmm. What are you
working on over there?
It's algebra.
Oh, I would offer
to help you,
but I don't remember
how to do it.
It's cool. I... It comes
kind of easy to me.
Well, you're
naturally very bright.
Where do you
go to school?
Hamilton.
Oh, my son
goes there.
It's a big school.
Yes, it's too big,
I think.
So, I need your help
with something.
What?
I need
someone tall.
(KYLE INHALES)
I used to rake in like 200
to 250 bucks in a weekend.
Oh, that's quite
a lot of money.
You think?
I do. I...
I do think...
But the restraining order kind
of killed the whole thing.
I mean,
any guy that hits his
wife is terrible my book,
but I could take it,
you know?
Now, I literally got
no income.
Well, would you ever want
to work anywhere
besides
the autobody shop?
I don't know,
my dad owned the place,
so it was kind of perfect.
It'd be like your son
working here.
You said you
had a son, right?
Yes.
Yeah, so it'd be
a sweet job.
I mean, if your mom
owned the place.
Oh, um, can you pass me
a screwdriver?
The, um, yellow one?
Oh.
The flat head.
Oh!
The yellow one?
KYLE: Yes.
Thank you.
EVELYN: Here you go.
KYLE: And I was
seriously good at it, too.
I mean, my dad
used to say
that, uh, kids make
the best mechanics,
because they got
tiny little fingers.
Actually, it sounds
kind of creepy
when I say that.
It does sound
a little creepy, yes.
(AWKWARD CHUCKLE, INHALES)
(EXHALES)
You're not going
to become him.
What?
You're not going
to become him, Kyle,
if that's what you're
worried about.
What? No... Why would I...
I'm not worried about that.
Oh, right. (STAMMERS)
Of course not.
Why would I become him?
He's a dick.
Yes. Yes. No...
(STAMMERS)
My mistake.
I'm like a normal dude.
Yes, you are.
You are. You're...
You're better than normal.
I was, um...
I was very taken with the way
you behaved with Angie,
(STAMMERS) with your mother
the other night.
What do you mean?
Well, you were
very gentle
with your mother
at a very
vulnerable time.
Um, if I can
speak freely,
I was moved.
Yeah, well, my mom's
gotten the shit
kicked out of her
since she was born.
I know. (SIGHS)
Do you?
Well, I...
I can imagine.
(INHALES)
Kyle, would you be
open to discussing options
for your future
other than the body shop?
Like what?
Well, are there any other jobs
you might be interested in?
Uh, when I was a kid,
I always wanted
to play for the Pacers.
The Pacers?
Yeah, the
basketball team.
(GASPS) Oh, right, yes!
Well, um, is there
anything else?
Anything a little
more practical?
The body shop's
practical.
Yes, of course.
Yes. Yes, it is.
You know...
(CLEARS THROAT)
I was just like you.
When I was your age,
I was determined
to become the editor
of Rolling Stone Magazine.
And then when
I went to college, I...
I met someone
who introduced me
to a life
of social service.
And I'm,
I'm embarrassed
that I ever considered
anything else.
Yeah, I mean, yeah.
But people still need
to have their cars fixed.
Oh, of course they do.
So it's not like
a totally stupid job.
Oh, yes. Yes, no, it's...
It's a very good job.
It's...
It's a very
important job.
But you have
an unusual heart, Kyle.
I mean, most...
Most boys your age
can't bring
themselves to be kind,
and you can't
help yourself.
You really think so?
You're a special person.
(SIGHS)
I'm sorry.
No, it's cool.
You know,
my friend Margaret runs
the social work
program at Oberlin.
Where's Oberlin?
Well, it's, uh,
just next door
in Ohio.
It's actually
a very beautiful town,
and you'd be surrounded
by, by people like you.
Bright, curious,
good, young people.
How much is it?
Well, there are all
sorts of scholarships
for people like...
For people
in your situation,
and Margaret
owes me a favor.
Let me make
a few calls.
Seriously?
Absolutely.
Yo, thank you
so much, Evelyn.
It is unquestionably
my pleasure.
Ohio.
PERFORMERS: And we both
never tell a lie.
Or do we?
EMCEE: That was very powerful.
Thank you so much.
Um, up next
we have Lila Stryjewski
with an original poem.
Yo, good luck, Lila.
Not that you need it.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Hi, everybody.
Um...
This is something I wrote
about the Marshall Islands.
They're in the Pacific Ocean,
and they've been
exploited for centuries,
and now they're literally
sinking due to the effects
of global warming.
Um...
I don't know
if it's any good or...
I guess
that doesn't really matter.
Anyway, here it is.
"Floating little worlds
Bobbing in the sea
"Unsuspecting
"Unexpecting
"War to shed his grace on thee
"So it's 1526
"When the Spaniards
starts to run
"Like Pamplona bulls
in China shops
"Ain't colonialism fun?
"Then it's German New Guinea
"But the age old story
"And I'll give you the skinny
"But it's deliberately gory
"Enslaving their people
for some Copra Cabana
"Until 1919
When they made way for Japan
"And...
"It was 1526
So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1885
So thanks for playing
"Now it's 1919
"So thanks for staying
"For the Japanese mandate
of the whole South Pacific
"And it's some
enchanted bullshit
"If you want to get specific
"You'll learn our language
"You'll eat our food
"And you'll get
no Domo Arigato
"Bet you didn't think
we're rude
"Then it was 1954
"So thanks for staying
"For the powerful US
"More like us versus them
"We'll drop a kilo
on your foxtrot
"You're a pig stuck in the pen
"We've worn out your bikini
"We've capped you at the knees
"Leave you praying
for the Spanish
"For a deadly disease
"And it was 1592
So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1885
So thanks for playing
"And it was 1919
So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1954
"Wish you were staying
"But you're not"
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
Thanks.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
ZIGGY: Lila?
LILA: Hey, dude.
ZIGGY: That was amazing.
Like, transcendent
or whatever.
Yo, sorry, man. I didn't
know where you went.
Who gives a shit?
Hey, Lila.
LILA: Hey, Jackie.
Lift poem.
Would you mind if I read
what you wrote?
What do you mean?
The poem.
Can I, like, have it?
What are you gonna do with it?
I don't know. Murder people
by paper cutting them?
No, I just...
I want to read it again.
EMCEE: (OVER MIC)
Uh, next up we have Ziggy Katz
with an original song.
He's new here tonight,
so be nice.
I guess that's me.
Duty calls, man.
JACKIE: He's a fucking genius.
LILA: Mmm.
Bloomington!
How's everybody feeling?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: All right.
(LAUGHS)
ZIGGY: Um, I wrote this song
when I graduated junior high,
and I had to say goodbye
to all my friends.
Sometimes, saying goodbye
to good friends is tera hard.
Follow me on Hi-Hat
@TheRealZiggyKatz.
And without further,
you know,
here's Alumni Alone.
We wait all year
for that special night
For those caps and gowns
And the flashing lights
Which says you did it
You're done
You passed the test
But what we left behind
never gets addressed
My friends, my friends
Where will you go?
To camp upstate
I'll miss you so
My friends, my friends
Where have you gone?
Josh and Reagan
Mark and Sean
I'm alone, I'm alone
I'm alumni alone
JACKIE: Yo, don't worry, man.
Those people are
a bunch of idiots,
they only care
about political shit.
You're like a real artist.
What are you talking about?
They loved me.
No, they didn't.
Those people were visibly
rolling their eyes.
I heard one girl say,
"This is bullshit."
And another one say,
"This is lame bullshit."
Dude, if I worried about every
fucker who didn't like me,
I'd never wake up
in the morning.
It's the nature of success.
Oh.
Yo, Moms, what's up?
I'm not shouting, Ziggy.
I'll speak to you
when you're closer.
Hello.
Hey.
How was your day?
It was great, yours?
Also very good, thank you.
(DOOR OPENS)
Hello.
(DOOR CLOSES)
ROGER: Where the fuck
were you guys?
ZIGGY: School, man.
EVELYN: I was at work.
Oh. Today was
my Chancellor Ceremony.
You knew this.
You both knew this.
Oh, shit. Was that today?
Oh, my God.
I'm so sorry.
ROGER: Oh, don't worry.
I'm sure they'll give me
another lifetime achievement
award at some point.
Dad, I am so sorry.
I had some important shit
to take care of,
and I just thought that
Mom was gonna be there.
Well, yeah, I guess I thought
that Ziggy was gonna be there,
so, I...
Jesus fucking Christ.
EVELYN: What?
You both could have come.
The two of you.
The two of us what?
ROGER: Everyone around me
is a narcissist.
ZIGGY: What does that say
about you?
That I'm unlucky.
I'm going upstairs to read,
try to keep it down.
(FOOTSTEPS RECEDING)
He seems upset.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(8-BIT SYNTHESIZER
MUSIC PLAYING)
(PANTING SOFTLY)
Ziggy, don't sneak up
on me like that.
Oh, sorry, can you take me
to school?
Are you ready to
go right now?
I'm right here, dude.
(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)
(CAR ENGINE STARTS)
(CLASSICAL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER CAR STEREO)
ZIGGY: (SIGHS)
Can I change the music?
To what?
Literally anything else.
I like to listening
to this music
on the way to work.
It's elitist.
No, it's not.
Of course it is. It's just
a bunch of rich, white men.
I don't care about that stuff,
but you pretend to,
so I just thought
you should know
it's kind of hypocritical.
Okay, thank you
for the advice.
Sure.
(CLASSICAL MUSIC
STOPS PLAYING)
You doing anything
interesting in school today?
No.
Reading any books?
Yeah, we're doing, um,
To Kill A Mockingbird
in lit class.
It's always Harper Lee
and never Toni Morrison.
What?
No, nothing,
I would just... I would just
suggest you push yourself
beyond the curriculum there.
Mom.
Yes?
Do you think
I could be political?
I'm sorry, what?
Like, there are these kids
at school,
and, like, they're super
political and stuff,
and I was just wondering
if maybe
you thought
that I could be too.
Mmm-hmm.
What do they talk about,
these other kids?
Just, like, everything,
like wars
and politicians,
and the environment.
What do they say
about all that?
Well, they're against
most of it.
I mean, not the environment,
they're for that.
Oh, that's a relief.
So, um,
what are you asking me?
Well, you're interested
in that stuff too,
so I was just wondering
if, like,
you had anything
for me to say to them.
To get them to like you?
What? No. I...
I want to be smart
and interested too.
Well, it sounds to me
like you want a shortcut
to sound intelligent, to get
some kids to like you.
I don't want a shortcut.
No? Well, no,
what is it then?
Because, I mean, if you want
to talk to these kids,
then you should just listen
to what they're saying
and form your own opinion.
I'm not gonna spoon-feed you
some cool line
about the Middle East
because you won't
learn that way.
Half the time
they're talking,
I don't even know
what they're saying.
Because you haven't
done the work.
What work?
Well...
Well, you can't just jump
right int the middle
of a debate about something
which you know nothing about.
Yeah, okay.
Look, if you don't
make the effort
to understand the issues
that are affecting society,
then your problems
extend far beyond
impressing your classmates,
and there's no shortcut
that I can give you...
Mom stop saying
fucking "shortcut"!
(CLEARS THROAT)
You know,
when you were
a little boy,
I brought you to every march,
every protest.
You were my little ally.
You'd play
all our protest songs
on that plastic rainbow guitar
that we got you.
Where Have All
The Flowers Gone,
The Fiddle and The Drum,
There Once Was A Union Maid.
You remember that?
Your life was gonna be happier
because you were
part of the struggle.
You were gonna be
one of the good ones.
And then something
switched in you.
You stopped being
interested in anything
outside your own little world,
and I...
I would take you with me,
but you would
always want to go home.
Sorry about that.
Now, I know that you want
to impress these kids.
But it's not going
to impress them,
if it doesn't come
from a sincere place.
So, do the work. Read.
Educate yourself
and then I'll help you.
And then we can talk about
some things for you
to say, okay?
Yeah.
Does that sound like a plan?
Yeah, it does.
Thanks for the advice.
Of course.
Have a good day, son.
(ZIGGY SIGHS)
(CAR ENGINE STARTS)
EVELYN: Jesus, Ziggy!
(BUTTONS CLICKING)
(OPERA MUSIC
PLAYING OVER CAR STEREO)
(CAR ENGINE RUMBLING)
(PENS SCRIBBLING)
(GLASS CLINKING)
I'm gonna go get
some baking soda.
Yo, Lila, what's up?
Hey, Ziggy.
Just getting some
baking soda or whatever.
Cool, man.
Hey, I just wanted
to say that I was, like,
rereading your poem
from the party.
I just think it was so lift.
Like, I love the phrasing
and the build and everything.
It's actually
tera sophisticated.
Thanks for the validation.
But you should probably
put your goggles back on
before Mr. Ryan sees.
What's he gonna do?
Arrest me?
You're a rebel.
Yup.
(ZIGGY EXHALES)
Just got the baking soda.
Actually, I'm just gonna
go get some more.
JACKIE: You're not gonna
help me?
Jackie, fuck off,
I'm doing something important.
Hey, and I also
just wanted to say...
Jesus, stop fucking
sneaking up on me.
Oh, sorry.
Uh, I also just wanted to say,
I know you talk about politics
all the time
and I probably don't look like
I know what I'm talking about,
but I actually know a lot
about all that stuff.
Like, you probably
wouldn't know
because I focus
so hard on my music,
but when I was a kid,
I went to every protest,
and every sit-in
and I was a real ally.
I even played
these protest songs
on this little plastic guitar.
Like There once Was
A Union Maid...
MR. RYAN: Ziggy, goggles.
Yup, shit, sorry.
MR. RYAN: Don't say "shit."
Yup.
So, that's just,
like, what I wanted to say.
Thank you for saying it.
You're welcome.
Ziggy.
Yeah?
You don't have
to be interested in politics.
But I am.
No, you're not.
It's obvious, but it's cool.
You think I'm stupid?
No, no, I didn't say that.
So, can you teach me?
About what?
I watch you talk about things.
Like... Like, big things.
And you talk about them
with such passion,
like the way most people talk
about shit
they just want to buy,
you talk about the world.
I want to be like that.
I want to be like you.
(KEYBOARD CLACKING)
(MUFFLED TELEPHONE RINGING)
(ELEVATOR MECHANISM HUMMING)
Hello, Marci.
Hi. Hi, Evelyn.
Are you having a good day?
Mmm-hmm. Yeah, it's good.
So far so good. (CHUCKLES)
Is your work going well?
Yeah, it's great.
Do you enjoy it?
Do you enjoy the work?
Yeah, of course,
it's very rewarding.
(CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY)
Will you tell me again how
long you've been working here?
Um, it'll be two years
next month.
Are you firing me?
No. Oh, no, no, dear.
You're a wonderful employee.
No, I'm just talking.
The elevator takes so long
to come here.
(SWITCH CLICKS)
That was a nice conversation.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
(8-BIT SYNTHESIZER
MUSIC PLAYING)
(ELEVATOR MECHANISM HUMMING)
Oh, hi.
Hello, I just, um, wanted
to see if you were all right,
if you needed anything
from me or from any of us.
No, it's been great,
everyone is so helpful, and...
Good, good.
Yeah. Uh, do you
want to come in?
Oh! Sure, why not?
(ANGIE LAUGHS SOFTLY)
Is Kyle here?
Oh, he's just in
the bathroom.
Uh, honey, Evelyn is here.
KYLE: Hey.
ANGIE: Oh, jeez.
How's it going?
Oh, very well. I was just
checking up on you,
making sure everything was
to your liking.
And I said it was and...
Is your shirt okay? (LAUGHS)
Oh, uh, yes, it is. I don't
know why I put this here.
Um, I brought you
this hat, Kyle.
Indiana Acers.
Yes, I noticed that,
I think the P fell off
in the dryer.
It was my son's,
but he no longer wears it.
He wears...
Well, actually, I don't...
I don't know...
I don't know
what he wears anymore.
Anyway, um, that is for you.
Thank you so much, Evelyn.
I remember you said
you liked them.
ANGIE: He loves them!
Evelyn! Kyle, say thank you.
I just did, Mom.
Well, it was the least
I could do.
Kyle was very helpful
with some minor repairs
around the shelter.
Oh, I heard. He said it was
the highlight of his week.
Well, I like staying busy.
Oh, um, well, in that case,
how would you like to
run an errand with me?
Mom?
You don't mind
if I borrow him,
do you, Angie?
Sure.
(CLASSICAL PIANO
MUSIC PLAYING)
Feel free to change
the station
if there's something else
you'd like.
No, this is cool.
It's not too stuffy?
MARCELLA: Okay,
now that's everything.
All right.
Kyle, just, um, just put these
in wherever it'll fit.
Don't be precious about it.
KYLE: Gotcha.
EVELYN: Not too heavy?
Of course not.
MARCELLA: Is that your son?
EVELYN: No, no, no,
he's just a...
He's just a kid
who works at the shelter.
So, you'll appreciate this,
Kyle,
Marcella does
all the translations
for Spanish speakers
at the shelter.
The women are
in and out of court
all the time with custody
and orders of protection,
and you cannot imagine
how rigged the system is
against non-native
English speakers.
But Marcella is a genius.
Please.
And that is not
an exaggeration.
I'm not a genius.
No, no, no.
You're more effective than
any lawyer we've ever hired.
Look, you can
tell him the truth.
I used to be a resident
at the shelter.
Oh, really?
My husband... My ex-husband
and I was undocumented.
I couldn't go to the police,
and I couldn't go back
to Honduras.
Shit. I'm sorry
that happened to you.
MARCELLA: Thank you.
My mom and I
are living there now.
Yeah, my dad's kind of a...
MARCELLA: I know.
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(MARCELLA SPEAKS SPANISH)
Oh, sorry, I was just saying
that my dad's
not really a great guy.
Uh, you speak Spanish?
I mean, high school Spanish.
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(CHUCKLES, SPEAKS SPANISH)
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(KYLE LAUGHS)
My goodness, you are
full of hidden talents!
Oh, I guess
I just got a good ear.
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(KYLE SPEAKS SPANISH)
Uh, okay, Kyle, I think that
we should be heading back.
I don't want your mother
to worry.
KYLE: Oh, I don't think
that she'll worry...
No, no. We really should go.
Uh, Marcella, thank you.
Thank you so much for this.
It was great to see you,
and I will just, um,
I will just bring my mug
into the kitchen.
MARCELLA: No, leave it.
No, no, I've got it.
I'm gonna pop it
into the dishwasher.
Oh, are these clean or dirty?
Marcella seems pretty cool.
She's fine. Do you want to
get something to eat?
Oh, I'm cool just to
go back if you want.
No, let's... Let's get you
something to eat.
I owe you.
(DISTANT TRAIN HORN BLARES)
(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
ZIGGY: Hello?
Hello?
Mom?
EVELYN: I don't suppose
you've had Ethiopian food
before, have you?
KYLE: Uh, no, definitely not.
EVELYN: You have to
eat with your hands.
I hope that's all right.
Do they give you gloves?
EVELYN: (LAUGHS) That's cute.
I... I think you'll enjoy it.
My son used
to love coming here,
and then
he started complaining
that it made
his hands feel dirty.
KYLE: That makes sense.
No! You know people
get their hands dirty,
it's a fact of life.
You understand that
because you work with cars.
KYLE: I feel like I should've
brought a fork.
EVELYN: Oh, no, stop it.
You're gonna be just fine.
After you!
KYLE: Thank you.
(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
Hi.
Oh, Jesus. Fuck, Dad!
When did you get home?
Just now! Where's Mom?
Working late, I guess.
Okay.
Do you want to, like,
order a pizza or something?
I made a duck.
ROGER: You want some wine?
No thanks, Dad.
ROGER: Yeah, it's not
very good anyway.
So which one is Marci again?
When you walk in,
she's the first desk.
You've seen her
a million times.
KYLE: With the thick glasses?
Mmm-hmm, yeah.
Exactly, Marci.
KYLE: And she used to be
a wrestler?
Mmm-hmm, I'm serious.
KYLE: Like, "This Thursday
at Bankers Life Arena,
"I challenge you, Undertaker,
in a fight to the death!"
No, no, no, no.
No, no, not like that.
No, college wrestling, you
know with the ugly one piece
and the soft helmet?
KYLE: Oh, I can't imagine her
doing that.
And apparently she
was ranked very highly.
KYLE: She was at IU?
Mmm-hmm, big 10 school,
full ride.
KYLE: For wrestling?
For wrestling,
they give out scholarships
for anything.
That's what we have
to find for you.
Right.
I'm still nudging my friend
at Oberlin,
but worst-case scenario,
we get you in IU
with a scholarship or aid.
They make the process
unnecessarily
complicated these days.
Yeah, I was, um, thinking
about all that,
like, since you mentioned it
the other day.
Good. Oh, me too.
Um, this is embarrassing,
but I actually got
an online subscription to
US News and World Report
(INHALES) just to check
the college rankings.
Oh, Evelyn, you don't have
to do all that for me.
Oh, no, but I want to.
I want to do it.
Have you thought
about a personal essay?
What's that?
Well, it shouldn't
be hard for you
because you've been through
so much.
But we'd have to codify it
in a way that feels academic.
Right.
And it should be fun.
You know?
It should be fun for us.
Cool.
Cool.
Um...
So do you like the food?
I do, yeah.
I mean, it mostly just tastes
like regular vegetables,
but it's good.
Because you're kind of
avoiding the red goopy stuff.
Yeah, because the red goopy
stuff is insanely spicy.
You know, in Ethiopia,
not eating the red goopy stuff
is extremely disrespectful.
Shit, really?
Mmm-hmm, in fact,
if you don't eat it,
they might even ask us
to leave.
Okay.
Shit. All right.
(GRUNTS)
KYLE: (COUGHS) Oh, God.
Kyle. (LAUGHS)
Oh, God.
Oh, Kyle.
I need a water.
Here take mine, take mine.
I... I was kidding.
(EVELYN LAUGHS)
Jesus.
"It's extremely
disrespectful."
Kyle... Kyle,
you need to lighten up.
(LAUGHS)
Oh, no, no.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Don't spit it out because
now they really will
ask us to leave.
Okay, good, I'm ready to go.
(EVELYN AND KYLE LAUGH)
Ziggy?
Yup?
Are you happy?
What?
Are you happy?
Are you really asking me?
Of course.
Um...
Yeah, I mean, I think so.
I mean, like, I'll have a
good thought in my head,
you know, like,
"You just wrote a lift song."
And, then, later I'll be
feeling bad about something.
I mean, it could be anything,
and the feeling
doesn't feel good anymore.
Does that make sense?
Like, I'll have
a logically good thought,
but my feeling is still bad.
And it just kills me because
it means that my thoughts
and my feelings
are disconnected,
and I could be
the most popular
songwriter in the world,
but it still won't
solve any real problems.
Because no matter what I do
in this world,
I'll always, kind of,
have a lingering pain.
Yeah.
ROGER: Mmm.
Why are you asking me?
'Cause I'm reading
this fascinating article
about teen suicide
and it's highest in
your specific age group.
Oh.
And you being white and upper
middle class and educated,
it's very high
for people like you.
Okay, thanks, Dad.
You want to read it?
No.
Mom's home.
EVELYN: Hello, boys!
ROGER: I made a duck.
EVELYN: Oh, boo!
I already ate.
You did?
EVELYN: Yes,
but I'll sit with you,
and I'll certainly have
a glass of something.
I opened the Malbec,
but it's not very good.
Oh, stop it,
Malbec's always good.
Hey, Mom.
Hello, Ziggy.
Dad's reading a fascinating
article about teen suicide.
ROGER: So what did you eat
for dinner?
I took Marci to the
Ethiopian restaurant.
It was her second year
anniversary
of working at the shelter
and I wanted to do
something nice for her.
It was delicious.
We ate with our hands
and it was very interesting.
Yeah, I know,
I love that place.
Mmm.
No, you don't.
Of course I do,
we used to go all the time.
Yeah, and you told me
it made you feel dirty.
It did, I had lentils
and shit all over my hands,
but I still liked it.
Oh, I didn't realize.
Maybe we can go back sometime.
Yeah, sure, maybe,
I don't know.
I have to go upstairs
and write a new song.
I'm live streaming
tomorrow, so.
Oh, don't worry, Dad and I'll
clean up your plate.
No, no, no,
it's all right.
I worked all day
and I'll just come home
and clean up after you,
I don't mind.
What do you mean
you worked all day?
You just went out
to fucking dinner.
ROGER: Ziggy, calm down.
Excuse me, I was with Marci,
we were discussing a grant.
It was work.
Yeah, I'm sure
it was really important
that you discussed a grant
at a cool restaurant
you used to take me to.
(EVELYN SCOFFS)
I don't have to defend
myself to you, Ziggy,
you're a child.
Yeah and you're a shitty mom.
ROGER: Ziggy, sit back down.
Shut up, Dad! Shut up, Dad!
Oh, you're a wonderful son.
I'm so very lucky.
You know what?
My songs make more money
than you'll ever see
in your fuckin' lifetime!
My songs will reach
more people
you'd ever dream of reaching
in your little shelter
in Indiana!
Oh, okay. Yeah, go write
your little teenage songs...
Boys and girls
holding hands
Fuck off.
EVELYN: Holding hand...
Shut the fuck up, shut up!
Holding hands
and kissing...
Kissing hands...
Shut up. Mom, shut up!
La, la, la, la, la
Yo, I'm actually
writing a song right now!
(SCOFFS)
It's a political song.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah! And it's gonna be
so political,
it's gonna change
the fucking world!
And you're gonna be
so embarrassed
that you didn't think of it.
Ziggy, Ziggy,
even if you wrote
the best,
most political-est song,
I doubt I'm gonna wish
that I wrote it.
(LAUGHS)
Just try not
to make any noise.
(HEAVY FOOTSTEPS)
(DOOR SLAMS)
ROGER: Ev.
I know, stop.
(LOUD GUITAR RIFFING)
You look out there
It's full of hot air
The fucking Congressman
Ooh, that's good.
The fucking Congressman
Fucking Congress...
(SOFTLY) Fucking Congress...
The fuck...
(KEYBOARD CLACKING)
Fucking Congress...
The fucking Congressman
Oxygen...
The fucking Congressman
uses all the oxygen
You'll look out there
It's full of hot air
The fucking Congressmen
uses all the oxygen
'Cause it's full
of hot air
(SOFTLY) This fuckin' sucks.
(CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC PLAYING)
MAN: There is pow'r
There is pow'r
In a land of working folk
When they stand
Hand in hand
ZIGGY: Lila, hey.
Yo.
I don't wanna interrupt
your time or anything,
I know that this is, like,
probably your favorite thing
in the world,
but I just wanted to say that
I wrote something for you.
And if you had any interest
or any time,
I'd love to play for you.
Like, outside,
alone if possible.
You wanna head out now?
Yeah, really?
Sorry, I'm just
a little nervous,
I've been, like,
practicing all day,
so that's probably why.
It's actually a little cold.
Yeah, yeah, so why don't, uh,
you sit there so that,
you know,
you're comfortable, right?
Uh, yeah, sure.
Dude, you're making
me nervous.
Oh, shit, sorry.
I'll just sit here
on the ground.
(ZIGGY SIGHS)
(BAG UNZIPS)
(SIGHS)
(GENTLE GUITAR STRUMMING)
Shit, it's actually
a little tough
to play from this position.
LILA: Do you wanna
come sit up here?
Where are you gonna sit?
I'm gonna sit here too.
Oh. Lift.
(SIGHS) Okay, um,
here it goes.
Sorry, it's a little smushed.
Floating little worlds
Bobbing in the sea
Unsuspecting, Unexpecting
War to shed his grace
on thee
Is this okay?
Keep going.
But it's okay
that I'm doing this?
We'll see.
So, it's 1526 when
the Spaniards start to run
Like Pamplona bulls
in a china shop
Ain't colonialism fun?
Then it's German New Guinea
but the age old story
And I'll give you the skinny
but it's deliberately gory
Enslaving their people
for some Copra Cabana
'Til 1919 when they made way
for Japan
And it was 1526,
so thanks for playing
Then it was 1885,
so thanks for playing
And it was 1919,
so thanks for staying
For the Japanese mandate
of the whole South Pacific
It's some
enchanted bullshit
If you wanna get specific
You'll learn our language
You'll eat our food
You'll get no domo arigato
Bet you didn't think
that we're rude?
And it was 1954,
so thanks for staying
For the powerful US,
more like us versus them
We'll drop a kilo
on your foxtrot
You're a pig stuck
in the pen
We've worn out your bikini
We've capped you
at the knees
Leave you praying
for the Spanish
For a deadly disease
And then it was 1592,
so thanks for playing
Then it was 1885,
so thanks for playing
Then it was 1919,
so thanks for playing
Then it was 1954
Wish you were staying
But you're not
ZIGGY: Hey, guys.
Hey, stranger,
where have you been?
ZIGGY: Just at a party
with some friends.
Anybody we know?
No, just actually some
really smart kids.
Some really political kids,
actually.
You wanna to sit down
and eat with us?
ZIGGY: Oh, no, actually I have
a livestream
in, like, 20 minutes.
You could just sit for a sec.
ZIGGY: Oh, no, guys, sorry,
thanks anyway.
EVELYN: Rog?
I left something
at the office.
I'm gonna go down there.
ROGER: You want me
to go for you?
No.
(FOIL RUSTLES)
(SUSPENSEFUL ORCHESTRAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
(CAR ENGINE RUMBLING)
(KEYS JINGLING)
(DOOR UNLOCKS)
EVELYN: Hey there,
smarty pants.
Evelyn, hey, what are
you doing here?
Oh, silly me,
I made too much food
and I thought
you might be hungry.
Thanks.
I actually
already ate, though.
Oh, it's pot roast.
Yeah, shit.
Sorry, my mom and I
just ate a couple hours ago.
Oh, yes, of course,
that makes sense.
Um, well, I left some
paperwork at the office
and that's why
I came in, primarily.
Well, yeah.
Thank you, so... Yeah,
thanks so much anyways.
Um...
Oh, I, um, I think we'll have
some good news
from Oberlin tomorrow.
Very exciting!
(SUSPENSEFUL ORCHESTRAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
(EVELYN SIGHS)
(CAR ENGINE RUMBLING)
I've secured two sponsorships,
both for $10K from Hair Today
and one
from the Clifford family.
Oh, well, that's tremendous.
Fred has never been
particularly eager
to part with his money.
CATHY: (LAUGHS)
But the downside
is we're only half sold
as of now.
I'm sorry, Evelyn.
Yeah, sorry.
Oh, no need to apologize.
You're doing the best you can.
CATHY: But, last year
at this time, we were sold.
Don't be so hard on yourself.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
ANGIE: Oh. (CLEARS THROAT)
I'm sorry I'm interrupting.
EVELYN: You all right, Angie?
Uh, can I talk to you
for a sec?
Oh, yes, yes, of course.
I shall return.
ANGIE: I don't know
how to tell you this.
Well, tell me what?
Well, it's about Kyle.
Oh, is he all right?
Is he hurt?
No, he's fine.
Oh! Oh, good!
Oh, don't scare me like that.
Kyle's going to be fine.
EVELYN: Oh, no, I know that.
No, I don't think you do.
No, I do.
He is an amazing kid.
You're very lucky.
I'm lucky.
(GRUNTS) Well, I believe that
Kyle has told you his plans
on working with his father
after he finishes school
at his father's shop?
The car repair shop.
Right, the car repair shop,
yes.
Uh, yes, yes,
we've been discussing that
and I've been encouraging him
to think outside the box
a little bit.
There are some
wonderful programs
where I think
that Kyle would excel.
He's... He's very curious.
He's unusually sensitive.
Yeah, I know that. (SCOFFS)
Of course, you do,
you're his mother.
Yeah, well, Kyle feels good
working with his father.
He already works weekends.
He makes good money,
and he feels good
about himself,
and you're trying to
push him into someplace
that's gonna make
him feel stupid.
No one's gonna make
that boy feel anything
less than brilliant,
anything less than what he is.
Well, he feels good
working with his father,
maybe not brilliant, but he
feels good about himself.
Well, imagine how good...
Imagine how amazing he would
feel with a college degree,
with something that he had
no expectation
of ever getting.
I think he must feel pretty
amazing when someone says,
"Hey, kid, you fixed my car.
You're 17 years old,
"and you fixed a car that
hasn't turned over in a year.
"Now I can get
to work on time.
"Now I can pick my kids up
from school."
Yes, yes, yes,
and I'm sure
that is a wonderful feeling,
and that is exactly
what I am offering him,
that feeling times a million.
Okay, well we don't want it.
(SCOFFS)
You don't...
You don't want it,
or does Kyle not want it?
Yeah, I don't want it.
CATHY: I mean, I think
we're gonna need
that kind of space.
Yeah, I mean,
it's a little echoey,
but the biggest problem
I'm having is Steven.
He's, like, texting me
every five minutes.
He thinks he's gonna be
the emcee.
He's working on his jokes,
but we're gonna
have kids there.
Well, I think the kids
are more important
as far as the community
and everything is involved.
(MUFFLED CHATTER)
(FOREBODING MUSIC PLAYING)
(WOMAN CHATTERING
INDISTINCTLY)
(FAST-PACED PIANO
MUSIC PLAYING)
(CAR HORN BLARING)
(TIRES SCREECH)
ANNOUNCER: (OVER PA SYSTEM)
Paging Kyle Marks.
Would Kyle Marks please
report to the office?
I repeat, would Kyle Marks
please report to the office?
BOY 1: Hey, get me a muffin!
Yo, shut up, man!
(STUDENTS CHATTERING)
GIRL 1: Oh, my God,
haven't you seen that?
GIRL 2: I know, it's like,
I don't even know
what to wear.
LILA: It's like,
you're egotistical. Really?
What, narcissism
and arrogance?
BECKY: Well, I... (LAUGHS)
ZIGGY: Yo, yo, yo,
how's it going everybody?
Hey, Lila.
Sit down, sit down,
Troubadour.
ZIGGY: Oh, lift!
Cool, no, I don't
wanna interrupt anything.
So, uh, what are you guys
talking about?
Becky's thinking about
getting her tongue pierced.
Which is obviously
a terrible idea.
Yes, I am. It's my tongue.
Uh-uh, not after you
get it pierced,
then it's the world's tongue.
You know that!
I just thought you guys
were talking
about political stuff
like you usually do.
It is political.
It's my body.
It's an important muscle.
You will have no taste buds.
Stop being rude.
Oh, no, I just want
like world politics
'cause Lila and I were kind
of working on this song
for the Marshall Islands.
Oh, really?
Yeah, um,
Ziggy did, like, the weirdest,
possibly nicest thing.
He took this poem I wrote
and set it to music.
Yeah, that's actually
why I came over here.
I played it last night
on Hi-Hat.
That's where I have
20,000 followers,
and I'm validated
and starred and everything.
CYRIL: You told us.
Oh, really?
BECKY: Mmm-hmm.
Oh, lift.
Anyways, I don't really
sing about political shit,
'cause I feel like people
don't really like that stuff,
and also it doesn't
really translate
because of
the language barrier,
but I played
the Marshall Islands song
last night, right?
And I got, like, 83 up notes,
which translates
to, like, 90 bucks
before Hi-Hat deductions.
CYRIL: Hmm.
And it's so funny,
'cause you, Lila,
you said that I had a huge
platform to be political.
And I never really wanted
to do that
because I thought it'd make me
less money,
but last night proves that
I can both be political
and make money.
CYRIL: Wow.
Isn't that awesome?
Kyle!
Hello! (PANTING)
How are you, dear?
Uh, I'm fine.
What's up, Evelyn?
Oh, I had to speak to you...
Oh, forgive me.
It's cool.
Is my mom okay?
Oh, yes, Angie's fine.
Oh, actually, I don't know.
I really don't know...
Wait, what happened?
I just spoke to her,
and she said that, um,
that you and she had discussed
what we had been
working on together,
and I wanted to get
some clarity on the situation.
Shit! Um...
I'm sorry about that.
What did she say?
Well, she said
that she was worried
that you wouldn't fit in
with the other students,
and that you wouldn't excel,
and both you and I know
that that could not be further
from the truth.
But I inferred
from what she said to me
that I may have overstepped,
and if I have,
I would be mortified.
Frankly, I would be mortified.
You know, she's just, well...
She's been
really emotional lately.
I told her not to talk to you.
Okay, okay, well,
I understand.
I mean, she's a good mother.
She's a very concerned mother,
and we've all been there,
and it's a big change.
I mean, not just for you,
but for your entire family.
Yeah, uh,
and what if I don't want it?
Don't want what?
School and all that.
Um, 'cause I don't think
that I really want to go.
I'm sorry, I know that you've
been thinking about it a lot
and that it's important
to you.
Just, uh, I talked to my dad
and, uh, we all think it's
a good idea
if I start working
with him more.
LILA: Ziggy, do not follow me.
ZIGGY: Lila, just explain
to me what I did wrong?
Why are you so fucking stupid?
Maybe I am. I just,
I thought you'd be proud.
Oh, proud? Proud?
How could I be proud?
You exploited me.
You exploited
the fucking poor people
in the Marshall Islands
like they have any more
reason to be miserable,
and you exploited yourself.
How the fuck
did I exploit anyone?
I wrote this killer
fucking lift song with you.
We worked together,
and I used it
to raise awareness
for a major world problem.
And then you would have
the audacity to brag about it
to me
like you're a fucking god.
Changing the world
takes doing real work
and actually giving
a shit about real people.
You can't...
But maybe
I can change things.
You can't.
No, maybe we can, like a team.
We're not a team, Ziggy.
You're like a little boy.
EVELYN: I know that's scary.
We all have imposter syndrome.
I understand that.
I am constantly striving
to have my character
match up to my ideals...
Okay, okay, yeah.
No, I understand.
But it steels you,
it strengthens you.
It's the only way
to learn and to grow
and to live
a more examined life,
to make an impact.
Not that...
Don't you want that?
Yeah, I guess.
Yes, of course you do. Because
that is what everyone wants.
I know, I just can't really
think about it right now.
No, but right now is the time.
Right now is the time
that you have
to think about it.
Evelyn, just please, stop!
Just, please,
please, just stop,
stop, please, stop!
Please!
I'm sorry. (SIGHS)
Oh, no, no.
(SIGHS)
You're not gonna, like,
kick us out, right?
What?
Like, if I don't
go to college,
you're not gonna
make us leave, right?
Oh, God. Oh, my God,
no, I mean,
oh, Kyle, these things are...
KYLE: Okay.
These things are separate.
These things are totally
separate. They're not...
All right, thank... Thank you.
Really, thank you, Ms. Katz.
'Cause my mom
really feels safe there.
Well, she is.
She is very safe there,
and you're both very safe.
(LOCKER SLAMMING)
(HEAD THUDS)
Ah, fuck.
(BREATHES HEAVILY)
'Sup?
'Sup?
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
(PEACEFUL PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)
(SOBBING)
(TELEPHONES RINGING)
Hey, guys, RealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to say happy 4th!
Uh, 4th of July,
or as we call it in America,
Independence day,
whatever that means.
Um, so, right now I'm going
to play a song called
Mouth of a Liar.
(GUITAR STRUMMING TUNE)
(MOUSE CLICKS)
(MELLOW PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)
Yo, yo, yo,
it's TheRealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to say dobry dzien
and happy Wednesday
to my friends in Minsk,
and ni hao and happy Thursday
to my Tigers out in Liajing.
Xie xie for waking up
so early.
And, of course, dhonnobad to
all my devoted
Chittagong gals.
Glad to see the floods
haven't affected your
internet connections.
You all look super clear
and ready for a show.
Um, so the first song
I'm gonna play
is a brand new debut
for my favorite people
in the whole wide world,
my Hi-Hat fans.
(SYNTHESIZER PLAYING
8-BIT TUNE)
(TEACHER
SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
(GUITAR STRUMMING UPBEAT TUNE)
Pieces of gold
Straddling paper
Owing to nothing
Turning to vapor
The air is thin
The locks are set
You lift your chin
She feigns regret
Two high-speed trains
on parallel tracks
Running out of steam
Not turning back
Two high-speed cars
on parallel streets
Never gonna crash
But never gonna meet
(CONTINUES PLAYING
UPBEAT TUNE)
She can't contend
With what I'm selling
I can't pretend
it's not foretelling
The ominous
The paranoid
The temporary
Polaroid
And at the starting bell
MARCI: Hi, can I get your mom?
Oh, no... Um, that's okay.
Thank you.
Will she wish you well?
Two high-speed trains
on parallel tracks
Running out of steam,
not turning back
Two high-speed cars
on parallel streets
Never gonna crash
Never gonna meet
(CHILDREN CHATTERING)
Excuse me, can I help you?
Uh, no, that's... That's okay.
Sorry, um, I'm...
I'm Evelyn Katz's son.
BARB: Oh, you must be Ziggy.
Yeah.
(GUITAR CONTINUES
STRUMMING TUNE)
(GUITAR STRUMMING STOPS)
YOUNG ZIGGY: (OVER COMPUTER)
What's up guys? Um...
I'm gonna be doing
a new thing on my channel,
uh, where I'm gonna vlog,
(CHUCKLES)
which is new for me, I think.
Um, I've never really
done this before,
but let's... You know,
we're gonna see
how it all goes down.
Um, by the way...
(TELEPHONE RINGS)
(YOUNG ZIGGY CONTINUES
SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
YOUNG ZIGGY: So, uh, thank you
so much for watching.
I hope you come back.
This has been,
uh, Ziggy Katz.
Thanks for tuning in.
There once was
a union maid
She never was afraid
Of the goons, and the ginks,
and the company finks
And the deputy sheriffs
that made the raid
She went to the union hall
When a meeting
it was called
And when the company boys
come around
She always
stood her ground
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
'til the day I die
This union maid was wise
To the tricks
of company spies
She'd never be
fooled by a company stool
She'd always
organize the guys
She'd always get her way
When she asked
for better pay
She'd show her card
to the company guard
And this is what she'd say
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
'til the day I die
Now, you gals
who want to be free
You gotta take
a little tip from me
Get you a man
who's a union man
And fight together
for liberty
'Cause married life
ain't hard
If you got a union card
And a union man
has a happy life
If he's got a union wife
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
'til the day I die
Oh, one more time
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
'til the day I die
(MELLOW PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)
(MELLOW PIANO MUSIC STOPS)
(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
(MELLOW MUSIC STOPS)
(SYNTHESIZER PLAYING
8-BIT TUNE)
Yo, yo, yo,
it's TheRealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to say dobry dzien
and happy Wednesday
to my friends in Minsk,
and ni hao and happy Thursday
to my tigers out in Liajing.
Xie xie for waking up
so early.
And of course, dhonnobad
to all my devoted
Chittagong gals,
glad to see the floods
haven't affected
your internet connections.
Y'all look super clear
and ready for a show.
Today, I'm debuting
a tera lift new song
for my favorite people
in the whole, wide world,
My Hi-Hat fans.
(STRUMMING GUITAR)
Pieces of gold
straddling paper
Owing to nothing
and turning to vapor
The air is thin
the locks are set
You lift your chin
she feigns regret
Two high-speed trains
on parallel tracks
(MUFFLED SINGING)
Happy birthday to you
(MUFFLED PEOPLE
CHATTERING INDISTINCTLY)
CATHY: Here's for
the birthday girl!
LESLIE: Yes! Oh, thank you!
Oh, look at that.
Looks good!
CATHY: Evelyn!
Have a piece of cake!
What's the occasion?
It's Leslie's birthday!
Yup, I'm 21!
(LAUGHS)
Some of the women
can hear the singing.
LESLIE:
Oh, no, really?
Yes, I'm doing intake
with a new resident
and her two children.
Shit. It's my fault.
My voice carries.
Me too.
Sorry, Evelyn.
LESLIE: We'll try
to keep it down.
Okay.
CATHY: And we'll clean up
before your 3 o'clock.
Thank you.
Congratulations
on your birthday, Leslie!
(CLASSICAL PIANO
MUSIC PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS)
There's a tajine
in the oven.
Did you have
a good day?
(DOOR CLOSES)
EVELYN: Ah, a woman came
into the shelter today.
She was about 26,
her kids were eight and four.
Last night,
her husband came home
and locked the kids
in the basement
while he assaulted
their mother upstairs.
The police came
and only spoke to the husband.
Luckily,
the eight year old
recorded the audio
on his phone.
So, you know,
every cloud, right?
How was your day,
my dear?
ROGER: It was
very productive.
Good, I'm glad.
She told me once
I told her twice
Her cold eyes melt
they melt like ice
That's the way
The earthquake rumbles
(DOOR KNOCKS)
EVELYN: Ziggy?
The house of cards
Falls down and tumbles
(DOOR LOCK CLACKING)
That's the way
the cookie crumbles
Down
(EXHALES) Woah,
that was the first time
I ever played that song.
I can't believe
it went so well.
I hope you guys
had as much fun as I did.
Remember to upnote me
in the corner,
and if you like what
you heard, feel free to tip.
(COMPUTER CHIMING
INTERMITTENTLY)
And there's
the early bird,
Ludmila!
Nishrita, coming in
close second!
And not to be done outdone,
gracias to the Huertos family
for all your generosity.
You guys are all tera lift!
So make sure you all
come back next week
where I'll be debuting
a new song
about a girl
that I like at school.
This is TheRealZiggyKatz,
thanks for tuning in!
(KEYBOARD CLACKS)
Mom!
Mom, did you try
to open the door
while I was
live streaming?
(GUITAR HUMS)
Ah, motherfucker.
Dad?
ROGER: Yeah?
Did Mom try
to open the door
while I was
live streaming?
ROGER:
I don't know,
ask her.
Mom, did you open my door
while I was... Shit! Sorry.
Did you try to open the door
while I was live streaming?
EVELYN: I'm taking
a shower, Ziggy.
Did you?
EVELYN: What's
"live streaming?"
Where I basically
make all my money.
Where thousands of kids
who are desperate
to hear me perform
log on every week
and tip me and upnote me
and I'm one of the highest
performers on the site.
EVELYN: Well,
that all sounds
very impressive.
It is.
And, uh, what do you
plan on doing
with all that
hard-earned money?
ZIGGY: Uh, spend it.
On what, my child?
(SIGHS) I don't know.
Probably a new guitar
and a new mic and probably
a better translation software,
because I want to play
for African kids
and they have like a hundred
different languages there.
So you're going to use
the money you make
from playing your songs
to buy more equipment
to play your songs?
ZIGGY: Yeah.
(SCOFFS)
Well, that's
a tautological nightmare,
don't you think?
ZIGGY: What?
Well, it sounds like
you're on an exhausting loop.
Have you thought
about an endgame?
Oh, an endgame?
I don't know,
I'm gonna be rich
and you're gonna be poor?
Oh, you're
going to be rich?
And I'm going
to be poor?
(SCOFFS)
ZIGGY: Yeah, just don't
open my door again.
When you're live streaming?
ZIGGY: Right.
(DOOR CLOSES)
Right.
(CLASSICAL PIANO MUSIC
PLAYING)
EVELYN: Hmm.
And the hearts of palm.
Wow. Where'd
you get the chicken?
ROGER: Patsy's farm.
She also had a surplus
of tomatoes, which I bought.
Oh, very good.
I'll make a gazpacho
tomorrow.
I mean, it's basically
giving the guitar away.
To get a Strat
from that year
at that price
is basically free,
you know?
Just make sure
you don't play the blues!
What?
You don't play
blues music, do you?
No, I play folk rock.
Classic folk rock
with alternative influences.
I don't know
what that means.
Well... (SIGHS)
I could play it for you.
I just debuted
a new song,
Truthaches.
I could show it to you.
What did you
say it's called?
Did you say Truthaches?
Yeah.
Do you want to hear it?
Well, I'm assuming
that we're
not your
target audience.
ZIGGY: Right.
I mean, it's geared
towards teenagers,
am I right?
Yeah, I... Sure.
Because it's
incredibly unethical...
White people
playing blues music.
Did you ever read
Amiri Baraka?
ZIGGY: Who?
Roger, please.
Because he's very explicit
on the issue
of cultural
appropriation.
Jesus Christ, Roger!
Dad, I don't play
blues music.
God, just shut
the fuck up.
ROGER: Okay, okay!
I was just...
I was just saying.
(MUFFLED ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)
(DOOR OPENS)
(FOOTSTEPS THUDDING)
Hey, Mom,
can you drive me today?
Are you ready
to go now?
Yeah, just give me,
like, five seconds.
(FOOTSTEPS THUDDING)
(INHALES, EXHALES)
(SIGHS)
(INTENSE ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER CAR STEREO)
(ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
PLAYING LOUDLY)
(MUFFLED ORCHESTRAL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER CAR STEREO)
EVELYN: You're
on the city council,
how difficult is it
to get some goddamn painters
in here, Homer?
We have women coming in,
it's the middle of
the goddamn night, they have
nowhere to park their cars.
We're talking about two white
lines on the fucking asphalt.
(KNOCK ON DOOR)
DIDI: Um, Ms. Katz?
I just wanted
to let you know
I just did outtake.
(STAMMERS) Hold on
a second, Homer.
Yeah, I'm going home.
Well, to my sisters,
but I'm getting
out of here.
Yay, me!
That's wonderful, dear!
Can I give you a hug?
Um, yes. Of course.
You saved my life.
You saved my daughter's life.
I'm very proud of you, dear.
Very proud of you.
I'm sorry
about that, Homer.
CYRIL: What?
LILA: No, no, no.
The US not only ignores
human rights abuses,
but they purposely,
maliciously profit off them!
And the worst offense
is this sanctimonious,
savior complex
where we're distributing
our morally superior values
to the unwashed masses,
like they're just,
sitting around the desert
waiting for someone
to descend from the heavens.
CYRIL: But what
would you rather,
for China to swoop in?
Or maybe Russia?
Or maybe some other
amoral actor?
It's not like
the US steps out...
Yo, Z,
you want a hit?
No. Shut up,
I'm trying to listen.
CYRI:
...starts handing out
free bread.
LILA: By that logic,
we should just occupy
every country
that might be
at a slight risk
of intervention
because
we're the bastion
of peace
and equity.
Yeah, I feel like...
Thank you for
making my point.
LILA: I was
being sarcastic.
BECKY: Oh, no. Don't do this.
CYRIL: So was I.
Thank you.
LILA: You're infuriating!
Yo, I agree
with you, Lila.
(CYRIL LAUGHS)
Thank you, Ziggy!
See, someone's got my back!
Yeah, of course, man.
BECKY: Uh, huh. Yeah.
LILA: Yeah. Very.
How?
What?
How do you
agree with Lila?
Oh, shit, yeah.
Um...
Well, you mentioned
China, right?
Yeah.
Cause I play music for these
Chinese girls on Hi-Hat.
I actually have
like 20,000 followers,
and I'm in the
top percentage
of performers. I'm...
I'm validated
and I'm starred,
which is tera
hard to get.
And, like, the girls
I play for are super dope.
There's this one girl,
SeaKitten, that's her handle,
who tipped me
20 credits last week...
(CYRIL LAUGHS)
...after I wished her
a happy birthday so...
So, I guess, just in terms
for what you're saying, Lila,
like, I totally
agree with you.
BECKY:
A stirring defense!
(CYRIL LAUGHS)
Becky, don't
be a dick.
(INDISTINCT CONVERSATION)
EVELYN: Ladies.
WOMAN 1: Oh, hey.
ANGIE: And he's not a big guy
and he wasn't even drunk,
but he's got his hands
around my neck.
Was this the first time
he did this?
Well, it was the first time
that day. (CHUCKLES)
Then, he just kind of gets up.
He says he's got to go pee.
Mmm-hmm. And then
you called the police?
No, I didn't call the police.
Oh. Um...
It says, uh...
Sergeant McKenna
brought you in. I thought...
Oh.
ANGIE: Right, well,
Kyle called the police.
Yeah, uh, I called them.
Eh, where were you?
I was just next door
at Sean's.
Yeah,
his friend Sean's.
They've been
friends since...
Right...
Whatever.
...forever. Like...
So she
texted me, and, uh,
I ran back home.
How old
are you, Kyle?
Seventeen.
He's my little
knight in
shining armor.
KYLE: Mom.
ANGIE: You are.
You're the only
good thing in my life.
Thank you.
It's true.
It's true,
kids are just
pure love.
Do you know
what I mean?
EVELYN: Mmm-hmm.
You know, when he was just
six years old, um, Ms...
I'm sorry,
what's your
name again?
I'm Evelyn.
Evelyn.
Shit, I'm sorry.
Well, when Kyle
was six years old,
his father hits me
and I get this nasty cut
over my eyebrow,
and I didn't even know
that Kyle knew anything.
I mean, who knows what
kids know about their parents?
But, anyway,
he comes into the room,
he says he's had a bad dream,
can I come
and stay in his bed?
Mom, stop.
No, she needs
to hear this, okay?
So, anyways,
we're laying in bed
and I just whisper to him,
"Do you want to tell me
about your nightmare?"
And he says,
"I didn't have a nightmare."
He just knew I needed to get
out of that room, you know?
He's only six years old.
So, he just...
I'm a bad mother.
EVELYN: Angie.
No, no, no.
I'm a bad mom.
Angie, you're not
a bad mother.
You're in
the right place.
You're very,
very safe
and you'll have
two very comfortable beds
for as long
as you need.
All right, well...
Hey, Mom,
you know what I think
you could use right now?
ANGIE: What?
A new tissue.
(LAUGHS)
That's... That's... Yeah,
don't touch me with this...
(ANGIE LAUGHS)
Take that.
KYLE: All right,
okay, sorry.
ANGIE: Thanks.
(DRILL WHIRRING LOUDLY)
(WHIRRING CONTINUES)
ZIGGY:
I told her twice
Her cold eyes melt
They melt like ice
And that's the way
The earthquake rumbles
(DOOR THUDS)
EVELYN: Hello?
The house of cards
falls down and tumbles
What the hell
are you doing?
Installing a
red beacon light
so people know
when I'm live streaming.
And by people
you mean...
I mean you.
Well, I...
And to a lesser
extent, Dad.
Well, it's nice
to be ranked first.
Yeah, so when
this light is on,
you don't knock or come in
or make any noise.
All right,
and when it's off
I'm free to go about
my business,
to enjoy the rich
pageantry of life?
What? Yeah, sure.
Yeah.
It's a good system.
(DRILL WHIRRING)
(INHALES)
You know, there are a couple
of projects around the shelter
that could use a handyman.
Like what?
Uh, well, I've been waiting
on these goddamn painters
to come out for this residents
parking spot out front.
Oh, yeah?
Mmm-hmm.
Just some white paint
with some blue trim.
Wouldn't the city
need to do that,
if it's like,
a street parking spot?
I suppose so,
but I'm sure there's a bunch
of other stuff.
Just some bathroom mirrors
and some...
And light fixtures.
(DRILL WHIRRING)
Maybe on the weekend,
you could come in
for a couple of hours
and then afterwards
we could...
We could go out
to dinner together?
This weekend?
Yes.
And it'd be, like,
as a volunteer?
As opposed to what?
A paid employee.
Oh, yes.
A volunteer.
I'm busy
this weekend.
Uh, okay.
Yeah,
so it'd be impossible.
(DRILL WHIRRING LOUDLY)
You're a very lucky boy.
What?
Nothing.
Nothing.
You've never seen a day so
But the days
when you were young
You never seen
a day so foggy
She's the cat
You're the doggy
But it ain't raining
cats and dogs
It's dry as a bone and
you're high with the hogs
She pays no mind
you pay the cost
You cannot find
what seems so lost
She's everything
to you and more
And everything
in four by four
You ate it up
the night before
Sixteen and lonely
at the door
Like 32 year olds ashore
JACKIE: Yo, dudette,
you wanna hit?
ZIGGY: Obviously not.
JACKIE: All right.
ZIGGY: Could you try
to speed up?
JACKIE: Yeah, sure.
One sec.
MALE SINGER:
'Tis the final conflict
Let each stand
in their place
The international
working class
Shall free the human race
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
I didn't know you'd be here.
What a cool coincidence.
Lots of people
from school are here.
It's not that mind blowing.
Yeah, totally.
It's like,
"Hey, everybody from school.
Tera lift to see you guys."
Cool.
Well, it was good
to see you.
Have a nice time.
Hey, I thought
it was lift
the way you were
talking the other
day at lunch.
Like, about all
the political stuff.
I just thought you
were super honest
and passionate.
And, like, I write music.
Yeah, you were saying.
Yeah,
and in my music,
I'm all about
being passionate
and honest too. And...
I have 20,000 followers,
and I think what
they like about me
is my passion
and charisma.
(STAMMERS) And I thought
you had that too.
Thanks.
Uh, I don't really think
about it in those terms,
like, as a commodity.
Oh, lift.
Have you ever thought
about what you could do
with a platform
like that,
or are you just happy
taking people's money?
Um, I guess
the first thing.
Because it sounds
like you have a really
good opportunity
to start a
grassroots movement
about
environmental issues
that concern you
or political corruption,
especially if you're
streaming in countries
that are in need
of organizing
from non-political
actors.
Yeah,
I don't know, man.
I think I'm more
of a vacation.
Like, they deal
with all that shit
all day.
Like the corruption,
and the poverty
or whatever.
Like,
they're just, like,
wandering
the dirty streets
of their towns,
and then
they come home,
and they see my page
and it's, like...
(IMITATES RELIEVED SIGH)
Right.
Like, sometimes I feel
like the world would be
a better place
if people
just chilled out
and listened
to music, you know?
Hmm.
But, I mean,
I guess
I could think about it.
It could be kind of lift
to change it up sometime.
Yeah, it could be.
Because, like you said,
I got a huge platform, 20,000.
So...
(FEEDBACK OVER MIC)
EMCEE: Hear ye! Hear ye!
We will not stand by.
We will stand up
through revolutionary art.
Let the performances commence.
Are you gonna
do anything?
I have a poem.
Oh, lift,
I have a song.
MAN 1: It's starting,
it's starting.
MAN 2: Yo, yo, yo, what's up?
What's up?
This piece is
about the patriarchy,
of which
I'm a reluctant member.
(8-BIT SYNTHESIZER
MUSIC PLAYING)
Sonia, hello.
How you doing?
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Hello.
KYLE: Oh.
Hey, Evelyn,
how you doing?
Very well,
thank you.
How about you?
Do you like it here?
Do you have
any complaints?
Oh, no, not really.
I mean, it's great.
My mom's happy here,
that's the main thing.
Hmm. What are you
working on over there?
It's algebra.
Oh, I would offer
to help you,
but I don't remember
how to do it.
It's cool. I... It comes
kind of easy to me.
Well, you're
naturally very bright.
Where do you
go to school?
Hamilton.
Oh, my son
goes there.
It's a big school.
Yes, it's too big,
I think.
So, I need your help
with something.
What?
I need
someone tall.
(KYLE INHALES)
I used to rake in like 200
to 250 bucks in a weekend.
Oh, that's quite
a lot of money.
You think?
I do. I...
I do think...
But the restraining order kind
of killed the whole thing.
I mean,
any guy that hits his
wife is terrible my book,
but I could take it,
you know?
Now, I literally got
no income.
Well, would you ever want
to work anywhere
besides
the autobody shop?
I don't know,
my dad owned the place,
so it was kind of perfect.
It'd be like your son
working here.
You said you
had a son, right?
Yes.
Yeah, so it'd be
a sweet job.
I mean, if your mom
owned the place.
Oh, um, can you pass me
a screwdriver?
The, um, yellow one?
Oh.
The flat head.
Oh!
The yellow one?
KYLE: Yes.
Thank you.
EVELYN: Here you go.
KYLE: And I was
seriously good at it, too.
I mean, my dad
used to say
that, uh, kids make
the best mechanics,
because they got
tiny little fingers.
Actually, it sounds
kind of creepy
when I say that.
It does sound
a little creepy, yes.
(AWKWARD CHUCKLE, INHALES)
(EXHALES)
You're not going
to become him.
What?
You're not going
to become him, Kyle,
if that's what you're
worried about.
What? No... Why would I...
I'm not worried about that.
Oh, right. (STAMMERS)
Of course not.
Why would I become him?
He's a dick.
Yes. Yes. No...
(STAMMERS)
My mistake.
I'm like a normal dude.
Yes, you are.
You are. You're...
You're better than normal.
I was, um...
I was very taken with the way
you behaved with Angie,
(STAMMERS) with your mother
the other night.
What do you mean?
Well, you were
very gentle
with your mother
at a very
vulnerable time.
Um, if I can
speak freely,
I was moved.
Yeah, well, my mom's
gotten the shit
kicked out of her
since she was born.
I know. (SIGHS)
Do you?
Well, I...
I can imagine.
(INHALES)
Kyle, would you be
open to discussing options
for your future
other than the body shop?
Like what?
Well, are there any other jobs
you might be interested in?
Uh, when I was a kid,
I always wanted
to play for the Pacers.
The Pacers?
Yeah, the
basketball team.
(GASPS) Oh, right, yes!
Well, um, is there
anything else?
Anything a little
more practical?
The body shop's
practical.
Yes, of course.
Yes. Yes, it is.
You know...
(CLEARS THROAT)
I was just like you.
When I was your age,
I was determined
to become the editor
of Rolling Stone Magazine.
And then when
I went to college, I...
I met someone
who introduced me
to a life
of social service.
And I'm,
I'm embarrassed
that I ever considered
anything else.
Yeah, I mean, yeah.
But people still need
to have their cars fixed.
Oh, of course they do.
So it's not like
a totally stupid job.
Oh, yes. Yes, no, it's...
It's a very good job.
It's...
It's a very
important job.
But you have
an unusual heart, Kyle.
I mean, most...
Most boys your age
can't bring
themselves to be kind,
and you can't
help yourself.
You really think so?
You're a special person.
(SIGHS)
I'm sorry.
No, it's cool.
You know,
my friend Margaret runs
the social work
program at Oberlin.
Where's Oberlin?
Well, it's, uh,
just next door
in Ohio.
It's actually
a very beautiful town,
and you'd be surrounded
by, by people like you.
Bright, curious,
good, young people.
How much is it?
Well, there are all
sorts of scholarships
for people like...
For people
in your situation,
and Margaret
owes me a favor.
Let me make
a few calls.
Seriously?
Absolutely.
Yo, thank you
so much, Evelyn.
It is unquestionably
my pleasure.
Ohio.
PERFORMERS: And we both
never tell a lie.
Or do we?
EMCEE: That was very powerful.
Thank you so much.
Um, up next
we have Lila Stryjewski
with an original poem.
Yo, good luck, Lila.
Not that you need it.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
Hi, everybody.
Um...
This is something I wrote
about the Marshall Islands.
They're in the Pacific Ocean,
and they've been
exploited for centuries,
and now they're literally
sinking due to the effects
of global warming.
Um...
I don't know
if it's any good or...
I guess
that doesn't really matter.
Anyway, here it is.
"Floating little worlds
Bobbing in the sea
"Unsuspecting
"Unexpecting
"War to shed his grace on thee
"So it's 1526
"When the Spaniards
starts to run
"Like Pamplona bulls
in China shops
"Ain't colonialism fun?
"Then it's German New Guinea
"But the age old story
"And I'll give you the skinny
"But it's deliberately gory
"Enslaving their people
for some Copra Cabana
"Until 1919
When they made way for Japan
"And...
"It was 1526
So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1885
So thanks for playing
"Now it's 1919
"So thanks for staying
"For the Japanese mandate
of the whole South Pacific
"And it's some
enchanted bullshit
"If you want to get specific
"You'll learn our language
"You'll eat our food
"And you'll get
no Domo Arigato
"Bet you didn't think
we're rude
"Then it was 1954
"So thanks for staying
"For the powerful US
"More like us versus them
"We'll drop a kilo
on your foxtrot
"You're a pig stuck in the pen
"We've worn out your bikini
"We've capped you at the knees
"Leave you praying
for the Spanish
"For a deadly disease
"And it was 1592
So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1885
So thanks for playing
"And it was 1919
So thanks for playing
"Then it was 1954
"Wish you were staying
"But you're not"
(AUDIENCE APPLAUDING)
Thanks.
(INDISTINCT CHATTER)
ZIGGY: Lila?
LILA: Hey, dude.
ZIGGY: That was amazing.
Like, transcendent
or whatever.
Yo, sorry, man. I didn't
know where you went.
Who gives a shit?
Hey, Lila.
LILA: Hey, Jackie.
Lift poem.
Would you mind if I read
what you wrote?
What do you mean?
The poem.
Can I, like, have it?
What are you gonna do with it?
I don't know. Murder people
by paper cutting them?
No, I just...
I want to read it again.
EMCEE: (OVER MIC)
Uh, next up we have Ziggy Katz
with an original song.
He's new here tonight,
so be nice.
I guess that's me.
Duty calls, man.
JACKIE: He's a fucking genius.
LILA: Mmm.
Bloomington!
How's everybody feeling?
AUDIENCE MEMBER: All right.
(LAUGHS)
ZIGGY: Um, I wrote this song
when I graduated junior high,
and I had to say goodbye
to all my friends.
Sometimes, saying goodbye
to good friends is tera hard.
Follow me on Hi-Hat
@TheRealZiggyKatz.
And without further,
you know,
here's Alumni Alone.
We wait all year
for that special night
For those caps and gowns
And the flashing lights
Which says you did it
You're done
You passed the test
But what we left behind
never gets addressed
My friends, my friends
Where will you go?
To camp upstate
I'll miss you so
My friends, my friends
Where have you gone?
Josh and Reagan
Mark and Sean
I'm alone, I'm alone
I'm alumni alone
JACKIE: Yo, don't worry, man.
Those people are
a bunch of idiots,
they only care
about political shit.
You're like a real artist.
What are you talking about?
They loved me.
No, they didn't.
Those people were visibly
rolling their eyes.
I heard one girl say,
"This is bullshit."
And another one say,
"This is lame bullshit."
Dude, if I worried about every
fucker who didn't like me,
I'd never wake up
in the morning.
It's the nature of success.
Oh.
Yo, Moms, what's up?
I'm not shouting, Ziggy.
I'll speak to you
when you're closer.
Hello.
Hey.
How was your day?
It was great, yours?
Also very good, thank you.
(DOOR OPENS)
Hello.
(DOOR CLOSES)
ROGER: Where the fuck
were you guys?
ZIGGY: School, man.
EVELYN: I was at work.
Oh. Today was
my Chancellor Ceremony.
You knew this.
You both knew this.
Oh, shit. Was that today?
Oh, my God.
I'm so sorry.
ROGER: Oh, don't worry.
I'm sure they'll give me
another lifetime achievement
award at some point.
Dad, I am so sorry.
I had some important shit
to take care of,
and I just thought that
Mom was gonna be there.
Well, yeah, I guess I thought
that Ziggy was gonna be there,
so, I...
Jesus fucking Christ.
EVELYN: What?
You both could have come.
The two of you.
The two of us what?
ROGER: Everyone around me
is a narcissist.
ZIGGY: What does that say
about you?
That I'm unlucky.
I'm going upstairs to read,
try to keep it down.
(FOOTSTEPS RECEDING)
He seems upset.
(DOOR CLOSES)
(8-BIT SYNTHESIZER
MUSIC PLAYING)
(PANTING SOFTLY)
Ziggy, don't sneak up
on me like that.
Oh, sorry, can you take me
to school?
Are you ready to
go right now?
I'm right here, dude.
(CLASSICAL MUSIC PLAYING)
(CAR ENGINE STARTS)
(CLASSICAL MUSIC
PLAYING OVER CAR STEREO)
ZIGGY: (SIGHS)
Can I change the music?
To what?
Literally anything else.
I like to listening
to this music
on the way to work.
It's elitist.
No, it's not.
Of course it is. It's just
a bunch of rich, white men.
I don't care about that stuff,
but you pretend to,
so I just thought
you should know
it's kind of hypocritical.
Okay, thank you
for the advice.
Sure.
(CLASSICAL MUSIC
STOPS PLAYING)
You doing anything
interesting in school today?
No.
Reading any books?
Yeah, we're doing, um,
To Kill A Mockingbird
in lit class.
It's always Harper Lee
and never Toni Morrison.
What?
No, nothing,
I would just... I would just
suggest you push yourself
beyond the curriculum there.
Mom.
Yes?
Do you think
I could be political?
I'm sorry, what?
Like, there are these kids
at school,
and, like, they're super
political and stuff,
and I was just wondering
if maybe
you thought
that I could be too.
Mmm-hmm.
What do they talk about,
these other kids?
Just, like, everything,
like wars
and politicians,
and the environment.
What do they say
about all that?
Well, they're against
most of it.
I mean, not the environment,
they're for that.
Oh, that's a relief.
So, um,
what are you asking me?
Well, you're interested
in that stuff too,
so I was just wondering
if, like,
you had anything
for me to say to them.
To get them to like you?
What? No. I...
I want to be smart
and interested too.
Well, it sounds to me
like you want a shortcut
to sound intelligent, to get
some kids to like you.
I don't want a shortcut.
No? Well, no,
what is it then?
Because, I mean, if you want
to talk to these kids,
then you should just listen
to what they're saying
and form your own opinion.
I'm not gonna spoon-feed you
some cool line
about the Middle East
because you won't
learn that way.
Half the time
they're talking,
I don't even know
what they're saying.
Because you haven't
done the work.
What work?
Well...
Well, you can't just jump
right int the middle
of a debate about something
which you know nothing about.
Yeah, okay.
Look, if you don't
make the effort
to understand the issues
that are affecting society,
then your problems
extend far beyond
impressing your classmates,
and there's no shortcut
that I can give you...
Mom stop saying
fucking "shortcut"!
(CLEARS THROAT)
You know,
when you were
a little boy,
I brought you to every march,
every protest.
You were my little ally.
You'd play
all our protest songs
on that plastic rainbow guitar
that we got you.
Where Have All
The Flowers Gone,
The Fiddle and The Drum,
There Once Was A Union Maid.
You remember that?
Your life was gonna be happier
because you were
part of the struggle.
You were gonna be
one of the good ones.
And then something
switched in you.
You stopped being
interested in anything
outside your own little world,
and I...
I would take you with me,
but you would
always want to go home.
Sorry about that.
Now, I know that you want
to impress these kids.
But it's not going
to impress them,
if it doesn't come
from a sincere place.
So, do the work. Read.
Educate yourself
and then I'll help you.
And then we can talk about
some things for you
to say, okay?
Yeah.
Does that sound like a plan?
Yeah, it does.
Thanks for the advice.
Of course.
Have a good day, son.
(ZIGGY SIGHS)
(CAR ENGINE STARTS)
EVELYN: Jesus, Ziggy!
(BUTTONS CLICKING)
(OPERA MUSIC
PLAYING OVER CAR STEREO)
(CAR ENGINE RUMBLING)
(PENS SCRIBBLING)
(GLASS CLINKING)
I'm gonna go get
some baking soda.
Yo, Lila, what's up?
Hey, Ziggy.
Just getting some
baking soda or whatever.
Cool, man.
Hey, I just wanted
to say that I was, like,
rereading your poem
from the party.
I just think it was so lift.
Like, I love the phrasing
and the build and everything.
It's actually
tera sophisticated.
Thanks for the validation.
But you should probably
put your goggles back on
before Mr. Ryan sees.
What's he gonna do?
Arrest me?
You're a rebel.
Yup.
(ZIGGY EXHALES)
Just got the baking soda.
Actually, I'm just gonna
go get some more.
JACKIE: You're not gonna
help me?
Jackie, fuck off,
I'm doing something important.
Hey, and I also
just wanted to say...
Jesus, stop fucking
sneaking up on me.
Oh, sorry.
Uh, I also just wanted to say,
I know you talk about politics
all the time
and I probably don't look like
I know what I'm talking about,
but I actually know a lot
about all that stuff.
Like, you probably
wouldn't know
because I focus
so hard on my music,
but when I was a kid,
I went to every protest,
and every sit-in
and I was a real ally.
I even played
these protest songs
on this little plastic guitar.
Like There once Was
A Union Maid...
MR. RYAN: Ziggy, goggles.
Yup, shit, sorry.
MR. RYAN: Don't say "shit."
Yup.
So, that's just,
like, what I wanted to say.
Thank you for saying it.
You're welcome.
Ziggy.
Yeah?
You don't have
to be interested in politics.
But I am.
No, you're not.
It's obvious, but it's cool.
You think I'm stupid?
No, no, I didn't say that.
So, can you teach me?
About what?
I watch you talk about things.
Like... Like, big things.
And you talk about them
with such passion,
like the way most people talk
about shit
they just want to buy,
you talk about the world.
I want to be like that.
I want to be like you.
(KEYBOARD CLACKING)
(MUFFLED TELEPHONE RINGING)
(ELEVATOR MECHANISM HUMMING)
Hello, Marci.
Hi. Hi, Evelyn.
Are you having a good day?
Mmm-hmm. Yeah, it's good.
So far so good. (CHUCKLES)
Is your work going well?
Yeah, it's great.
Do you enjoy it?
Do you enjoy the work?
Yeah, of course,
it's very rewarding.
(CHUCKLES AWKWARDLY)
Will you tell me again how
long you've been working here?
Um, it'll be two years
next month.
Are you firing me?
No. Oh, no, no, dear.
You're a wonderful employee.
No, I'm just talking.
The elevator takes so long
to come here.
(SWITCH CLICKS)
That was a nice conversation.
(ELEVATOR BELL DINGS)
(8-BIT SYNTHESIZER
MUSIC PLAYING)
(ELEVATOR MECHANISM HUMMING)
Oh, hi.
Hello, I just, um, wanted
to see if you were all right,
if you needed anything
from me or from any of us.
No, it's been great,
everyone is so helpful, and...
Good, good.
Yeah. Uh, do you
want to come in?
Oh! Sure, why not?
(ANGIE LAUGHS SOFTLY)
Is Kyle here?
Oh, he's just in
the bathroom.
Uh, honey, Evelyn is here.
KYLE: Hey.
ANGIE: Oh, jeez.
How's it going?
Oh, very well. I was just
checking up on you,
making sure everything was
to your liking.
And I said it was and...
Is your shirt okay? (LAUGHS)
Oh, uh, yes, it is. I don't
know why I put this here.
Um, I brought you
this hat, Kyle.
Indiana Acers.
Yes, I noticed that,
I think the P fell off
in the dryer.
It was my son's,
but he no longer wears it.
He wears...
Well, actually, I don't...
I don't know...
I don't know
what he wears anymore.
Anyway, um, that is for you.
Thank you so much, Evelyn.
I remember you said
you liked them.
ANGIE: He loves them!
Evelyn! Kyle, say thank you.
I just did, Mom.
Well, it was the least
I could do.
Kyle was very helpful
with some minor repairs
around the shelter.
Oh, I heard. He said it was
the highlight of his week.
Well, I like staying busy.
Oh, um, well, in that case,
how would you like to
run an errand with me?
Mom?
You don't mind
if I borrow him,
do you, Angie?
Sure.
(CLASSICAL PIANO
MUSIC PLAYING)
Feel free to change
the station
if there's something else
you'd like.
No, this is cool.
It's not too stuffy?
MARCELLA: Okay,
now that's everything.
All right.
Kyle, just, um, just put these
in wherever it'll fit.
Don't be precious about it.
KYLE: Gotcha.
EVELYN: Not too heavy?
Of course not.
MARCELLA: Is that your son?
EVELYN: No, no, no,
he's just a...
He's just a kid
who works at the shelter.
So, you'll appreciate this,
Kyle,
Marcella does
all the translations
for Spanish speakers
at the shelter.
The women are
in and out of court
all the time with custody
and orders of protection,
and you cannot imagine
how rigged the system is
against non-native
English speakers.
But Marcella is a genius.
Please.
And that is not
an exaggeration.
I'm not a genius.
No, no, no.
You're more effective than
any lawyer we've ever hired.
Look, you can
tell him the truth.
I used to be a resident
at the shelter.
Oh, really?
My husband... My ex-husband
and I was undocumented.
I couldn't go to the police,
and I couldn't go back
to Honduras.
Shit. I'm sorry
that happened to you.
MARCELLA: Thank you.
My mom and I
are living there now.
Yeah, my dad's kind of a...
MARCELLA: I know.
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(MARCELLA SPEAKS SPANISH)
Oh, sorry, I was just saying
that my dad's
not really a great guy.
Uh, you speak Spanish?
I mean, high school Spanish.
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(CHUCKLES, SPEAKS SPANISH)
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(KYLE LAUGHS)
My goodness, you are
full of hidden talents!
Oh, I guess
I just got a good ear.
(SPEAKS SPANISH)
(KYLE SPEAKS SPANISH)
Uh, okay, Kyle, I think that
we should be heading back.
I don't want your mother
to worry.
KYLE: Oh, I don't think
that she'll worry...
No, no. We really should go.
Uh, Marcella, thank you.
Thank you so much for this.
It was great to see you,
and I will just, um,
I will just bring my mug
into the kitchen.
MARCELLA: No, leave it.
No, no, I've got it.
I'm gonna pop it
into the dishwasher.
Oh, are these clean or dirty?
Marcella seems pretty cool.
She's fine. Do you want to
get something to eat?
Oh, I'm cool just to
go back if you want.
No, let's... Let's get you
something to eat.
I owe you.
(DISTANT TRAIN HORN BLARES)
(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
ZIGGY: Hello?
Hello?
Mom?
EVELYN: I don't suppose
you've had Ethiopian food
before, have you?
KYLE: Uh, no, definitely not.
EVELYN: You have to
eat with your hands.
I hope that's all right.
Do they give you gloves?
EVELYN: (LAUGHS) That's cute.
I... I think you'll enjoy it.
My son used
to love coming here,
and then
he started complaining
that it made
his hands feel dirty.
KYLE: That makes sense.
No! You know people
get their hands dirty,
it's a fact of life.
You understand that
because you work with cars.
KYLE: I feel like I should've
brought a fork.
EVELYN: Oh, no, stop it.
You're gonna be just fine.
After you!
KYLE: Thank you.
(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
Hi.
Oh, Jesus. Fuck, Dad!
When did you get home?
Just now! Where's Mom?
Working late, I guess.
Okay.
Do you want to, like,
order a pizza or something?
I made a duck.
ROGER: You want some wine?
No thanks, Dad.
ROGER: Yeah, it's not
very good anyway.
So which one is Marci again?
When you walk in,
she's the first desk.
You've seen her
a million times.
KYLE: With the thick glasses?
Mmm-hmm, yeah.
Exactly, Marci.
KYLE: And she used to be
a wrestler?
Mmm-hmm, I'm serious.
KYLE: Like, "This Thursday
at Bankers Life Arena,
"I challenge you, Undertaker,
in a fight to the death!"
No, no, no, no.
No, no, not like that.
No, college wrestling, you
know with the ugly one piece
and the soft helmet?
KYLE: Oh, I can't imagine her
doing that.
And apparently she
was ranked very highly.
KYLE: She was at IU?
Mmm-hmm, big 10 school,
full ride.
KYLE: For wrestling?
For wrestling,
they give out scholarships
for anything.
That's what we have
to find for you.
Right.
I'm still nudging my friend
at Oberlin,
but worst-case scenario,
we get you in IU
with a scholarship or aid.
They make the process
unnecessarily
complicated these days.
Yeah, I was, um, thinking
about all that,
like, since you mentioned it
the other day.
Good. Oh, me too.
Um, this is embarrassing,
but I actually got
an online subscription to
US News and World Report
(INHALES) just to check
the college rankings.
Oh, Evelyn, you don't have
to do all that for me.
Oh, no, but I want to.
I want to do it.
Have you thought
about a personal essay?
What's that?
Well, it shouldn't
be hard for you
because you've been through
so much.
But we'd have to codify it
in a way that feels academic.
Right.
And it should be fun.
You know?
It should be fun for us.
Cool.
Cool.
Um...
So do you like the food?
I do, yeah.
I mean, it mostly just tastes
like regular vegetables,
but it's good.
Because you're kind of
avoiding the red goopy stuff.
Yeah, because the red goopy
stuff is insanely spicy.
You know, in Ethiopia,
not eating the red goopy stuff
is extremely disrespectful.
Shit, really?
Mmm-hmm, in fact,
if you don't eat it,
they might even ask us
to leave.
Okay.
Shit. All right.
(GRUNTS)
KYLE: (COUGHS) Oh, God.
Kyle. (LAUGHS)
Oh, God.
Oh, Kyle.
I need a water.
Here take mine, take mine.
I... I was kidding.
(EVELYN LAUGHS)
Jesus.
"It's extremely
disrespectful."
Kyle... Kyle,
you need to lighten up.
(LAUGHS)
Oh, no, no.
Oh, no, no, no, no, no, no.
Don't spit it out because
now they really will
ask us to leave.
Okay, good, I'm ready to go.
(EVELYN AND KYLE LAUGH)
Ziggy?
Yup?
Are you happy?
What?
Are you happy?
Are you really asking me?
Of course.
Um...
Yeah, I mean, I think so.
I mean, like, I'll have a
good thought in my head,
you know, like,
"You just wrote a lift song."
And, then, later I'll be
feeling bad about something.
I mean, it could be anything,
and the feeling
doesn't feel good anymore.
Does that make sense?
Like, I'll have
a logically good thought,
but my feeling is still bad.
And it just kills me because
it means that my thoughts
and my feelings
are disconnected,
and I could be
the most popular
songwriter in the world,
but it still won't
solve any real problems.
Because no matter what I do
in this world,
I'll always, kind of,
have a lingering pain.
Yeah.
ROGER: Mmm.
Why are you asking me?
'Cause I'm reading
this fascinating article
about teen suicide
and it's highest in
your specific age group.
Oh.
And you being white and upper
middle class and educated,
it's very high
for people like you.
Okay, thanks, Dad.
You want to read it?
No.
Mom's home.
EVELYN: Hello, boys!
ROGER: I made a duck.
EVELYN: Oh, boo!
I already ate.
You did?
EVELYN: Yes,
but I'll sit with you,
and I'll certainly have
a glass of something.
I opened the Malbec,
but it's not very good.
Oh, stop it,
Malbec's always good.
Hey, Mom.
Hello, Ziggy.
Dad's reading a fascinating
article about teen suicide.
ROGER: So what did you eat
for dinner?
I took Marci to the
Ethiopian restaurant.
It was her second year
anniversary
of working at the shelter
and I wanted to do
something nice for her.
It was delicious.
We ate with our hands
and it was very interesting.
Yeah, I know,
I love that place.
Mmm.
No, you don't.
Of course I do,
we used to go all the time.
Yeah, and you told me
it made you feel dirty.
It did, I had lentils
and shit all over my hands,
but I still liked it.
Oh, I didn't realize.
Maybe we can go back sometime.
Yeah, sure, maybe,
I don't know.
I have to go upstairs
and write a new song.
I'm live streaming
tomorrow, so.
Oh, don't worry, Dad and I'll
clean up your plate.
No, no, no,
it's all right.
I worked all day
and I'll just come home
and clean up after you,
I don't mind.
What do you mean
you worked all day?
You just went out
to fucking dinner.
ROGER: Ziggy, calm down.
Excuse me, I was with Marci,
we were discussing a grant.
It was work.
Yeah, I'm sure
it was really important
that you discussed a grant
at a cool restaurant
you used to take me to.
(EVELYN SCOFFS)
I don't have to defend
myself to you, Ziggy,
you're a child.
Yeah and you're a shitty mom.
ROGER: Ziggy, sit back down.
Shut up, Dad! Shut up, Dad!
Oh, you're a wonderful son.
I'm so very lucky.
You know what?
My songs make more money
than you'll ever see
in your fuckin' lifetime!
My songs will reach
more people
you'd ever dream of reaching
in your little shelter
in Indiana!
Oh, okay. Yeah, go write
your little teenage songs...
Boys and girls
holding hands
Fuck off.
EVELYN: Holding hand...
Shut the fuck up, shut up!
Holding hands
and kissing...
Kissing hands...
Shut up. Mom, shut up!
La, la, la, la, la
Yo, I'm actually
writing a song right now!
(SCOFFS)
It's a political song.
Oh, yeah?
Yeah! And it's gonna be
so political,
it's gonna change
the fucking world!
And you're gonna be
so embarrassed
that you didn't think of it.
Ziggy, Ziggy,
even if you wrote
the best,
most political-est song,
I doubt I'm gonna wish
that I wrote it.
(LAUGHS)
Just try not
to make any noise.
(HEAVY FOOTSTEPS)
(DOOR SLAMS)
ROGER: Ev.
I know, stop.
(LOUD GUITAR RIFFING)
You look out there
It's full of hot air
The fucking Congressman
Ooh, that's good.
The fucking Congressman
Fucking Congress...
(SOFTLY) Fucking Congress...
The fuck...
(KEYBOARD CLACKING)
Fucking Congress...
The fucking Congressman
Oxygen...
The fucking Congressman
uses all the oxygen
You'll look out there
It's full of hot air
The fucking Congressmen
uses all the oxygen
'Cause it's full
of hot air
(SOFTLY) This fuckin' sucks.
(CONTEMPLATIVE MUSIC PLAYING)
MAN: There is pow'r
There is pow'r
In a land of working folk
When they stand
Hand in hand
ZIGGY: Lila, hey.
Yo.
I don't wanna interrupt
your time or anything,
I know that this is, like,
probably your favorite thing
in the world,
but I just wanted to say that
I wrote something for you.
And if you had any interest
or any time,
I'd love to play for you.
Like, outside,
alone if possible.
You wanna head out now?
Yeah, really?
Sorry, I'm just
a little nervous,
I've been, like,
practicing all day,
so that's probably why.
It's actually a little cold.
Yeah, yeah, so why don't, uh,
you sit there so that,
you know,
you're comfortable, right?
Uh, yeah, sure.
Dude, you're making
me nervous.
Oh, shit, sorry.
I'll just sit here
on the ground.
(ZIGGY SIGHS)
(BAG UNZIPS)
(SIGHS)
(GENTLE GUITAR STRUMMING)
Shit, it's actually
a little tough
to play from this position.
LILA: Do you wanna
come sit up here?
Where are you gonna sit?
I'm gonna sit here too.
Oh. Lift.
(SIGHS) Okay, um,
here it goes.
Sorry, it's a little smushed.
Floating little worlds
Bobbing in the sea
Unsuspecting, Unexpecting
War to shed his grace
on thee
Is this okay?
Keep going.
But it's okay
that I'm doing this?
We'll see.
So, it's 1526 when
the Spaniards start to run
Like Pamplona bulls
in a china shop
Ain't colonialism fun?
Then it's German New Guinea
but the age old story
And I'll give you the skinny
but it's deliberately gory
Enslaving their people
for some Copra Cabana
'Til 1919 when they made way
for Japan
And it was 1526,
so thanks for playing
Then it was 1885,
so thanks for playing
And it was 1919,
so thanks for staying
For the Japanese mandate
of the whole South Pacific
It's some
enchanted bullshit
If you wanna get specific
You'll learn our language
You'll eat our food
You'll get no domo arigato
Bet you didn't think
that we're rude?
And it was 1954,
so thanks for staying
For the powerful US,
more like us versus them
We'll drop a kilo
on your foxtrot
You're a pig stuck
in the pen
We've worn out your bikini
We've capped you
at the knees
Leave you praying
for the Spanish
For a deadly disease
And then it was 1592,
so thanks for playing
Then it was 1885,
so thanks for playing
Then it was 1919,
so thanks for playing
Then it was 1954
Wish you were staying
But you're not
ZIGGY: Hey, guys.
Hey, stranger,
where have you been?
ZIGGY: Just at a party
with some friends.
Anybody we know?
No, just actually some
really smart kids.
Some really political kids,
actually.
You wanna to sit down
and eat with us?
ZIGGY: Oh, no, actually I have
a livestream
in, like, 20 minutes.
You could just sit for a sec.
ZIGGY: Oh, no, guys, sorry,
thanks anyway.
EVELYN: Rog?
I left something
at the office.
I'm gonna go down there.
ROGER: You want me
to go for you?
No.
(FOIL RUSTLES)
(SUSPENSEFUL ORCHESTRAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
(CAR ENGINE RUMBLING)
(KEYS JINGLING)
(DOOR UNLOCKS)
EVELYN: Hey there,
smarty pants.
Evelyn, hey, what are
you doing here?
Oh, silly me,
I made too much food
and I thought
you might be hungry.
Thanks.
I actually
already ate, though.
Oh, it's pot roast.
Yeah, shit.
Sorry, my mom and I
just ate a couple hours ago.
Oh, yes, of course,
that makes sense.
Um, well, I left some
paperwork at the office
and that's why
I came in, primarily.
Well, yeah.
Thank you, so... Yeah,
thanks so much anyways.
Um...
Oh, I, um, I think we'll have
some good news
from Oberlin tomorrow.
Very exciting!
(SUSPENSEFUL ORCHESTRAL
MUSIC PLAYING)
(EVELYN SIGHS)
(CAR ENGINE RUMBLING)
I've secured two sponsorships,
both for $10K from Hair Today
and one
from the Clifford family.
Oh, well, that's tremendous.
Fred has never been
particularly eager
to part with his money.
CATHY: (LAUGHS)
But the downside
is we're only half sold
as of now.
I'm sorry, Evelyn.
Yeah, sorry.
Oh, no need to apologize.
You're doing the best you can.
CATHY: But, last year
at this time, we were sold.
Don't be so hard on yourself.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR)
ANGIE: Oh. (CLEARS THROAT)
I'm sorry I'm interrupting.
EVELYN: You all right, Angie?
Uh, can I talk to you
for a sec?
Oh, yes, yes, of course.
I shall return.
ANGIE: I don't know
how to tell you this.
Well, tell me what?
Well, it's about Kyle.
Oh, is he all right?
Is he hurt?
No, he's fine.
Oh! Oh, good!
Oh, don't scare me like that.
Kyle's going to be fine.
EVELYN: Oh, no, I know that.
No, I don't think you do.
No, I do.
He is an amazing kid.
You're very lucky.
I'm lucky.
(GRUNTS) Well, I believe that
Kyle has told you his plans
on working with his father
after he finishes school
at his father's shop?
The car repair shop.
Right, the car repair shop,
yes.
Uh, yes, yes,
we've been discussing that
and I've been encouraging him
to think outside the box
a little bit.
There are some
wonderful programs
where I think
that Kyle would excel.
He's... He's very curious.
He's unusually sensitive.
Yeah, I know that. (SCOFFS)
Of course, you do,
you're his mother.
Yeah, well, Kyle feels good
working with his father.
He already works weekends.
He makes good money,
and he feels good
about himself,
and you're trying to
push him into someplace
that's gonna make
him feel stupid.
No one's gonna make
that boy feel anything
less than brilliant,
anything less than what he is.
Well, he feels good
working with his father,
maybe not brilliant, but he
feels good about himself.
Well, imagine how good...
Imagine how amazing he would
feel with a college degree,
with something that he had
no expectation
of ever getting.
I think he must feel pretty
amazing when someone says,
"Hey, kid, you fixed my car.
You're 17 years old,
"and you fixed a car that
hasn't turned over in a year.
"Now I can get
to work on time.
"Now I can pick my kids up
from school."
Yes, yes, yes,
and I'm sure
that is a wonderful feeling,
and that is exactly
what I am offering him,
that feeling times a million.
Okay, well we don't want it.
(SCOFFS)
You don't...
You don't want it,
or does Kyle not want it?
Yeah, I don't want it.
CATHY: I mean, I think
we're gonna need
that kind of space.
Yeah, I mean,
it's a little echoey,
but the biggest problem
I'm having is Steven.
He's, like, texting me
every five minutes.
He thinks he's gonna be
the emcee.
He's working on his jokes,
but we're gonna
have kids there.
Well, I think the kids
are more important
as far as the community
and everything is involved.
(MUFFLED CHATTER)
(FOREBODING MUSIC PLAYING)
(WOMAN CHATTERING
INDISTINCTLY)
(FAST-PACED PIANO
MUSIC PLAYING)
(CAR HORN BLARING)
(TIRES SCREECH)
ANNOUNCER: (OVER PA SYSTEM)
Paging Kyle Marks.
Would Kyle Marks please
report to the office?
I repeat, would Kyle Marks
please report to the office?
BOY 1: Hey, get me a muffin!
Yo, shut up, man!
(STUDENTS CHATTERING)
GIRL 1: Oh, my God,
haven't you seen that?
GIRL 2: I know, it's like,
I don't even know
what to wear.
LILA: It's like,
you're egotistical. Really?
What, narcissism
and arrogance?
BECKY: Well, I... (LAUGHS)
ZIGGY: Yo, yo, yo,
how's it going everybody?
Hey, Lila.
Sit down, sit down,
Troubadour.
ZIGGY: Oh, lift!
Cool, no, I don't
wanna interrupt anything.
So, uh, what are you guys
talking about?
Becky's thinking about
getting her tongue pierced.
Which is obviously
a terrible idea.
Yes, I am. It's my tongue.
Uh-uh, not after you
get it pierced,
then it's the world's tongue.
You know that!
I just thought you guys
were talking
about political stuff
like you usually do.
It is political.
It's my body.
It's an important muscle.
You will have no taste buds.
Stop being rude.
Oh, no, I just want
like world politics
'cause Lila and I were kind
of working on this song
for the Marshall Islands.
Oh, really?
Yeah, um,
Ziggy did, like, the weirdest,
possibly nicest thing.
He took this poem I wrote
and set it to music.
Yeah, that's actually
why I came over here.
I played it last night
on Hi-Hat.
That's where I have
20,000 followers,
and I'm validated
and starred and everything.
CYRIL: You told us.
Oh, really?
BECKY: Mmm-hmm.
Oh, lift.
Anyways, I don't really
sing about political shit,
'cause I feel like people
don't really like that stuff,
and also it doesn't
really translate
because of
the language barrier,
but I played
the Marshall Islands song
last night, right?
And I got, like, 83 up notes,
which translates
to, like, 90 bucks
before Hi-Hat deductions.
CYRIL: Hmm.
And it's so funny,
'cause you, Lila,
you said that I had a huge
platform to be political.
And I never really wanted
to do that
because I thought it'd make me
less money,
but last night proves that
I can both be political
and make money.
CYRIL: Wow.
Isn't that awesome?
Kyle!
Hello! (PANTING)
How are you, dear?
Uh, I'm fine.
What's up, Evelyn?
Oh, I had to speak to you...
Oh, forgive me.
It's cool.
Is my mom okay?
Oh, yes, Angie's fine.
Oh, actually, I don't know.
I really don't know...
Wait, what happened?
I just spoke to her,
and she said that, um,
that you and she had discussed
what we had been
working on together,
and I wanted to get
some clarity on the situation.
Shit! Um...
I'm sorry about that.
What did she say?
Well, she said
that she was worried
that you wouldn't fit in
with the other students,
and that you wouldn't excel,
and both you and I know
that that could not be further
from the truth.
But I inferred
from what she said to me
that I may have overstepped,
and if I have,
I would be mortified.
Frankly, I would be mortified.
You know, she's just, well...
She's been
really emotional lately.
I told her not to talk to you.
Okay, okay, well,
I understand.
I mean, she's a good mother.
She's a very concerned mother,
and we've all been there,
and it's a big change.
I mean, not just for you,
but for your entire family.
Yeah, uh,
and what if I don't want it?
Don't want what?
School and all that.
Um, 'cause I don't think
that I really want to go.
I'm sorry, I know that you've
been thinking about it a lot
and that it's important
to you.
Just, uh, I talked to my dad
and, uh, we all think it's
a good idea
if I start working
with him more.
LILA: Ziggy, do not follow me.
ZIGGY: Lila, just explain
to me what I did wrong?
Why are you so fucking stupid?
Maybe I am. I just,
I thought you'd be proud.
Oh, proud? Proud?
How could I be proud?
You exploited me.
You exploited
the fucking poor people
in the Marshall Islands
like they have any more
reason to be miserable,
and you exploited yourself.
How the fuck
did I exploit anyone?
I wrote this killer
fucking lift song with you.
We worked together,
and I used it
to raise awareness
for a major world problem.
And then you would have
the audacity to brag about it
to me
like you're a fucking god.
Changing the world
takes doing real work
and actually giving
a shit about real people.
You can't...
But maybe
I can change things.
You can't.
No, maybe we can, like a team.
We're not a team, Ziggy.
You're like a little boy.
EVELYN: I know that's scary.
We all have imposter syndrome.
I understand that.
I am constantly striving
to have my character
match up to my ideals...
Okay, okay, yeah.
No, I understand.
But it steels you,
it strengthens you.
It's the only way
to learn and to grow
and to live
a more examined life,
to make an impact.
Not that...
Don't you want that?
Yeah, I guess.
Yes, of course you do. Because
that is what everyone wants.
I know, I just can't really
think about it right now.
No, but right now is the time.
Right now is the time
that you have
to think about it.
Evelyn, just please, stop!
Just, please,
please, just stop,
stop, please, stop!
Please!
I'm sorry. (SIGHS)
Oh, no, no.
(SIGHS)
You're not gonna, like,
kick us out, right?
What?
Like, if I don't
go to college,
you're not gonna
make us leave, right?
Oh, God. Oh, my God,
no, I mean,
oh, Kyle, these things are...
KYLE: Okay.
These things are separate.
These things are totally
separate. They're not...
All right, thank... Thank you.
Really, thank you, Ms. Katz.
'Cause my mom
really feels safe there.
Well, she is.
She is very safe there,
and you're both very safe.
(LOCKER SLAMMING)
(HEAD THUDS)
Ah, fuck.
(BREATHES HEAVILY)
'Sup?
'Sup?
(DOOR OPENS)
(DOOR CLOSES)
(PEACEFUL PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)
(SOBBING)
(TELEPHONES RINGING)
Hey, guys, RealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to say happy 4th!
Uh, 4th of July,
or as we call it in America,
Independence day,
whatever that means.
Um, so, right now I'm going
to play a song called
Mouth of a Liar.
(GUITAR STRUMMING TUNE)
(MOUSE CLICKS)
(MELLOW PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)
Yo, yo, yo,
it's TheRealZiggyKatz here.
Just want to say dobry dzien
and happy Wednesday
to my friends in Minsk,
and ni hao and happy Thursday
to my Tigers out in Liajing.
Xie xie for waking up
so early.
And, of course, dhonnobad to
all my devoted
Chittagong gals.
Glad to see the floods
haven't affected your
internet connections.
You all look super clear
and ready for a show.
Um, so the first song
I'm gonna play
is a brand new debut
for my favorite people
in the whole wide world,
my Hi-Hat fans.
(SYNTHESIZER PLAYING
8-BIT TUNE)
(TEACHER
SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
(GUITAR STRUMMING UPBEAT TUNE)
Pieces of gold
Straddling paper
Owing to nothing
Turning to vapor
The air is thin
The locks are set
You lift your chin
She feigns regret
Two high-speed trains
on parallel tracks
Running out of steam
Not turning back
Two high-speed cars
on parallel streets
Never gonna crash
But never gonna meet
(CONTINUES PLAYING
UPBEAT TUNE)
She can't contend
With what I'm selling
I can't pretend
it's not foretelling
The ominous
The paranoid
The temporary
Polaroid
And at the starting bell
MARCI: Hi, can I get your mom?
Oh, no... Um, that's okay.
Thank you.
Will she wish you well?
Two high-speed trains
on parallel tracks
Running out of steam,
not turning back
Two high-speed cars
on parallel streets
Never gonna crash
Never gonna meet
(CHILDREN CHATTERING)
Excuse me, can I help you?
Uh, no, that's... That's okay.
Sorry, um, I'm...
I'm Evelyn Katz's son.
BARB: Oh, you must be Ziggy.
Yeah.
(GUITAR CONTINUES
STRUMMING TUNE)
(GUITAR STRUMMING STOPS)
YOUNG ZIGGY: (OVER COMPUTER)
What's up guys? Um...
I'm gonna be doing
a new thing on my channel,
uh, where I'm gonna vlog,
(CHUCKLES)
which is new for me, I think.
Um, I've never really
done this before,
but let's... You know,
we're gonna see
how it all goes down.
Um, by the way...
(TELEPHONE RINGS)
(YOUNG ZIGGY CONTINUES
SPEAKING INDISTINCTLY)
YOUNG ZIGGY: So, uh, thank you
so much for watching.
I hope you come back.
This has been,
uh, Ziggy Katz.
Thanks for tuning in.
There once was
a union maid
She never was afraid
Of the goons, and the ginks,
and the company finks
And the deputy sheriffs
that made the raid
She went to the union hall
When a meeting
it was called
And when the company boys
come around
She always
stood her ground
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
'til the day I die
This union maid was wise
To the tricks
of company spies
She'd never be
fooled by a company stool
She'd always
organize the guys
She'd always get her way
When she asked
for better pay
She'd show her card
to the company guard
And this is what she'd say
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
'til the day I die
Now, you gals
who want to be free
You gotta take
a little tip from me
Get you a man
who's a union man
And fight together
for liberty
'Cause married life
ain't hard
If you got a union card
And a union man
has a happy life
If he's got a union wife
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
'til the day I die
Oh, one more time
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
Oh, you can't scare me
I'm sticking to the union
I'm sticking to the union
'til the day I die
(MELLOW PIANO MUSIC PLAYING)
(MELLOW PIANO MUSIC STOPS)
(MELLOW MUSIC PLAYING)
(MELLOW MUSIC STOPS)