04x03 - A Test for Living

[bunniefuu]

May I speak to
Dr. Shuman please?

We're going to find out what
the heck is going on here.

Stop! Stop it!

My wife and I have
decided to commit him.

If you do that, he won't
have any chance at all.

What chance does
he have now, Doctor?

What chance do we have?

What if Timmy is autistic?

Are you going to
help him get better?

I'm sure going to try.

Timmy is not autistic.

You could be wrong.

Then what gives you the
right to challenge our opinion?

An eight-year-old boy
lying on a slab downtown.

Gentlemen, you
are about to enter

the most fascinating
sphere of police work,

the world of forensic medicine.

Take it real slow and
double check the bushes.

I don't like it at all.

You know, an eight-year-old kid,

he could be n this
area anywhere.

You know, my sister
lost her son once.

He was about the same age.

And you know what happened?

He'd decided to go
visit his grandmother.

The difference is this kid walked away
from a home for the mentally Ret*rded.

Chances are he won't
be able to help himself.

Lieutenant, this is Keefer.

There's something in the
drainage ditch over on top end.

We're going down. Over.

Okay, Keefer.

I hope it isn't him.
I'm going to go over.

Okay, Lieutenant. I'll stick
around here just in case.

Oh, my God.

- Good morning, Sam.
- Good morning, Quince.

You look like I feel.

What's the matter? You taste
your own coffee this morning?

Steve Borden. Eight
years old. Mentally Ret*rded.

Not the best way
to start the day, is it?

How did he wind up
in the drainage ditch?

No one seems to know.

An eight-year-old
mentally Ret*rded kid

slips out of Carstairs
Mental Institution,

he's found a quarter of a mile away,
nobody knows how he got there?

Could he have been taken there?

Did you see any
signs of foul play?

None. No contusions or bruises.

And the x-ray
didn't show a thing.

Well, he was severely Ret*rded.
Thirty, IQ and a language deficit.

I want to show you something.

The volume and the contour
of the cranium looks normal.

There's no calcification.
The suture lines are normal.

And the sella's intact.

This is the language area. I
bet that's where the damage is.

Then why didn't it
show up on the x-ray?

Well, it doesn't have to.

Maybe he suffered an
injury when he was young.

Quince, there's no record of it.

Sam, I don't blame you for bein' mad,
but don't jump all over me, will you?

Maybe it happened
when he was very young.

The skull was soft and it moved.

It could have absorbed
the impact of a blow

and not show up on an x-ray,

and still cause damage
right underneath there.

I'll bet the damage is no more than
three millimeters away from there.

Sam, you want me
to do this one alone?

- No.
- Let's go.

Here, Sam, have Garvis
run a fix on that, will you?

Fine.

No evidence of
megacolon or volvulus.

No enlargement of the liver.

Contour is normal.

Lymph nodes show no
enlargement or gross abnormality.

Spleen is of normal
size and configuration.

Blood flow through his
heart follows a normal course.

All chambers are intact.

The algae stain and liquid in
the tracheal bronchial tree...

Look at that froth, Sam.

And the massive pulmonary edema
makes this a straight-forward drowning.

That explains what happened.

Well, let's go into the
brain and find out how.

Well, we sawed off the frozen
sections and look what we got?

Ventricles, basal ganglia
and thalamic nuclei, all normal.

If you ever have to open
me up and look at my brain,

I hope it's as
normal as this one.

I can't make any
sense out of this, Sam,

but I'm sure going to try.

Give me the Children's
Hospital please.

Neuro-psychiatic division.

May I speak to
Dr. Shuman please?

We're going to find out what
the heck is going on here.

Any chromosomal abnormality?

There was nothing
wrong with his genes.

His karyotype was normal.

So you are sure that there's nothing
genetically wrong with this child?

The tests that we've done and those
by the state hospital cover everything.

It doesn't add up, Herb.

Severe retardation and a virgin
brain make strange bedfellows.

No, not necessarily.
I'll get back to that later.

How about... rubella syndrome?

There was no evidence that
his mother had German measles.

Are there any other
possible viral infections?

Not from the brain sections
that we did. Here take a look.

- There, you see it's normal.
- Huh.

Did you check for
retrolental fibroplasia?

His eyes were okay.

And if you check those records,
you'll see that he wasn't premature

and they didn't have
to give him oxygen.

How about lead encephalopathy?

Herb, I feel like we're
playing 20 questions.

No poisoning.

His red blood cells
weren't stippled,

and I checked the level
of lead in his long bone.

It's normal.

Well, then I don't
think this child

was what people think of
as just mentally Ret*rded.

Because we can't find
any proof of brain damage?

Well, it's partly that.

But there's always a small
percentage of Ret*rded children,

with his IQ level

who don't show any
signs of brain damage.

So I'm not disturbed by that.

Now he's described
here as a mute.

Yet at age three, he
could say a few words

and then he could talk
in simple sentences.

But at age five, he
stopped talking altogether.

I think he was autistic.

How does that translate
in human terms?

Well, if I'm right,

that with special treatment
and the right education,

Stevie Borden might
have been taught.

At least a third of all
autistic children can learn.

I'm not saying
they're going to go out

and become president
of a big corporation,

but they can be
taught to function.

To dress and feed themselves,
to occupy themselves

and not be a total burden to
society, their parents or themselves.

And you're saying he was
thrown into the pot at Carstairs?

Unfortunately yes.

What about the doctors?

How come they don't
spot the difference?

I mean like this guy in charge of
the institution where they boy was?

- What's,
his name Blenham, is that it?
- Right.

The doctors are the
ones we're trying to teach.

Well, why don't we
go talk to Dr. Blenham?

We'll give him a course
on Autism One and Two.

There are no autistic
children here. I know.

I've worked with
them a long time.

This was his bed right here.

You know, Doctor, in your
records he was described as mute.

But his medical history
before he came here

indicated he spoke at one time.

No, there was never any indication
of speech ability during his stay here.

How often was he tested?

As often as our
facilities would allow.

Which wasn't very
often, evidently.

There were only two notations
in his chart about testing.

He was here for, what,
three years, wasn't he?

Doctor, we've got a
funding problem here

and there are times when we
simply have to rely upon judgment.

And that's something that
grows out of experience.

Lunch.

Excuse me, gentlemen.

Time for lunch, let's go.

Come on. You should see what
we have today. Let's go, fellas.

That's it. Come on.

- Holy mackerel.
- What's the matter?

There are at least two kids
here that I would test for autism.

What are you telling me for?
Why don't you tell Blenham?

- Professional ethics.
- Professional ethics?

Listen, it's his
word against mine.

I say autistic, he
says no, it's a draw.

Sure, only the kids lose.

Listen, I could be wrong.

Well, it's better to be
sorry than playing it safe.

Sure, Quincy.

Quincy, you are the
last person in the world

to talk about playing it safe.

Here, you sit on your
exalted little ivory tower

protected on all four sides

by your civil service job, by
your pension, by your tenure.

Besides, he isn't a fagin.

He's a fair to middlin'
doctor doing his best.

And for very little pay.

I'm sorry, Herb.

You think that
belonged to Stevie?

Oh, that's a tough one.

I use that a great
deal with my patients.

- Sir?
- Yes, sir?

Did this belong to Stevie?

You would have thought
so the way he loved it.

No, it belongs to the ward.

How'd it get under his bed?

You found this
underneath his bed?

Yeah, how did it get there?

I don't know.

Everything that
these kids play with

is locked up in the toy
room at the end of each day.

Maybe you forgot to collect it.

No, sir, I didn't
forget to collect it.

This is routine. I do this
every day, five days a week.

Is the toy room
locked with a key?

No, it's a combination
lock. Why?

The back gate that Stevie got
out of, combination lock, too?

Yes, it is.

Did he ever go with you to the toy
room and see you open the lock?

I couldn't keep him away.

Hey, wait a minute. I
know where you're headed.

There's no way that this
child could have remembered

the combination of the toy room.

He couldn't even dress himself.

The two don't
necessarily go together.

I don't understand that.

Not too many people do.

- Thank you.
- Sure. Excuse me.

Okay, Herb.

An eight-year-old kid who
can put that puzzle together,

and who can memorize
the combination of the lock

to the toy room and
to the gate in the back.

If you were a betting man,
what would your diagnosis be?

Autistic.

And let professional
ethics be damned.

Thank you.

- Now a toast.
- No, Herb, a pledge.

To see that these injustices
against autistic children are stopped.

Did I just hear the
Lone Ranger speak?

Yes, you did. And I'm Tonto.

Dr. Herbert Shuman, I'd like
you to meet Danny the magician.

Hi.

He can make the taste
disappear from food in a minute.

Oh, I can't knock my steak.

This is the most sumptuous
lunch I've had since I left the army.

The army? What does that
tell you about his taste buds?

That he's welcomed
here any time.

Which is more than I can say

for a man who puts
ketchup on his French toast.

And a doctor yet. Ciao. Ciao.

Did you really put
ketchup on French toast?

No he's crazy.

It was chutney-flavored
barbecue sauce.

Say, did you check
with Astin about the boy?

Yeah. He said Stevie's parents
claimed the body a couple hours ago.

Good.

Does it surprise
you that they cared?

No. It pleases me.

You have no idea what the parents
of an autistic child go through.

Disappointments and confusion.
Because of misdiagnosis.

They're ground-down emotionally,
physically, and financially.

That's why parents will allow
their children to be committed.

They just run out of gas.

- Like this Timmy Carson boy.
- Who's he?

He's a seven-year-old
autistic child

who's seen at
least seven doctors.

Seven doctors?

That's not all.

He was recommended for
an autistic children's program.

When the kid was
tested for eligibility,

the educator in charge

claimed that the boy
made eye contact with him.

And that was enough

for him to reject
Timmy from the program

and classify him
as not autistic.

One eye contact, one opinion,
no tests and the kid's out?

That's right.

I tried having him re-evaluated,
but it's like fighting City Hall.

And the school program
closes in four days.

Well, suppose he doesn't get in?

He'll be institutionalized,
just like Stevie.

Why can't the parents keep him at
home and teach him themselves?

He needs specially
trained teachers.

Besides, there's chaos in
the family because of Timmy.

His father says that either
Timmy is committed or he's leaving.

How can he do that?

Oh, don't judge him too harshly.
He's got a lot going on his side.

I don't believe that.

Look, why don't you meet him?

They're throwing a birthday party
for Timmy's sister Lisa tomorrow.

I was supposed to be there
but I have to fly to Seattle.

I won't be back until Thursday.

But you could examine Timmy.

You know, do a
neurological examination

and that, along with the information
that his mother can give you,

it might be grounds
for a re-evaluation.

Come on, Herb, give
me a break, will you?

Four days,
suppose I can't do it?

Well, then they'll pull the
shade down on Timmy's life.

The decorations are terrific.

Well, don't look at me.
That's Mary's department.

She worked on
it until last night.

It shows.

This punch is getting a
little low, I better fill it up.

I'll be right back.

We're just going
to start the games.

Hi, dear.

- Hi, there.
- Hi, David.

Lisa, Cindy's here.

Cindy, go give Lisa her present
and wish her a happy birthday.

Happy birthday, Lisa.

Thank you, Cindy.

Why is he doing that?

Oh, he likes to
play his own games.

- Is he getting better?
- Oh, sure.

Okay.

Okay, everybody, we're
going to play Blindman's Bluff.

Come on.

And who's going
to be the blind man?

- Anybody wants to?
- Me.

The birthday girl.

Come on, Lisa, turn around.

- Okay. Can you see?
- Nope.

- Not a thing, huh?
- Right.

Okay. All right. Ready?

One, two, three!

Timmy! Stop! Stop! Stop it!

Ow! Timmy!

Ow!

David!

It's all right,
Timmy. It's all right.

I've got him now. I've got him.

Come on.

Timmy, it's all right. It's
all right. Timmy, it's all right.

I'll take him to his room.

Oh! Oh. I'm sorry.

Thank you for coming.

It's a shame for Lisa.
She's such a nice girl.

We don't want to ruin her party.

We'll stay if you
keep him someplace.

Where? Where shall I keep him?

Shall I lock him in
his room or a cellar?

I was only thinking of Lisa.

I know. I know.

Please forgive me.

Goodbye.

Oh, Dr. Quincy.

Are you all right?

Oh, I'm fine. The
skin isn't even broken.

Welcome to the
battleground, Doctor.

This is the worst ever.

Is your son all right?

Oh, yeah, he's all
right. But we're not.

Let me do that.

Why don't you sit down,
let me clean that up?

This party meant so much to her.

And it had to happen
in front all of her friends.

Her seven-year-old brother is
known as the neighborhood weirdo.

People just don't understand.

Maybe they understand
too well, Mary.

Doctor, I appreciate
your trying to help us,

but my wife and I have
decided to commit him.

If you do that, he won't
have any chance at all.

What chance does
he have now, Doctor?

What chance do we have?

What if Timmy is autistic?

If he was, they would have
accepted him in that program.

Maybe they don't
understand his problem.

Well, who does?
The doctors don't.

The schools don't.
Our friends don't.

And what about my daughter?

This was her birthday party.

She's a nine-year-old child.

This is supposed to
be a happy time for her.

And she is going through hell.

David, he is our responsibility.

And we have tried to fulfill
that responsibility, Mary.

God knows how we've tried.

Doctor, look,

can you offer me some hope?

Can you show me some
light at the end of the tunnel?

Because if you can, I
will keep the boy here.

Can you?

No, I can't.

Can you tell me I'm
not going to have to

watch my wife cry herself
to sleep every night?

That I won't have to hold
my breath to hide my fear

every time I come home?

Wondering what terrible
thing he's done today?

Don't you understand,
Doctor, I love that boy.

More than anybody
will ever know.

I love my son.

But I can't let him go on ruining
three lives without some hope.

- Thank you.
- You're welcome.

Hey, I almost forgot to
wish you a happy birthday.

It was too bad about the cake.

Mom had it made special.

You're going to invite me
to your next birthday party?

I don't think I'll
have a party then.

But you can send me a card.

You got a deal.

Is it because of Timmy that you're
not going to have another party?

When he gets better,
then maybe I'll have one.

You're not mad at him, are you?

I was. But I'm not now.

You're a terrific girl.
Do you know that?

You see, there's a reason
he behaves that way.

I guess so.

Sometimes he can be so nice.

Yeah? When is that?

When I play hopscotch.
He smiles all the time.

Do you think it would be
all right if I went to see him?

I think so.

Are you going to
help him get better?

I'm sure going to try.

He looks so much like a
child at peace, doesn't he?

Yes, he does.

But look at all the
havoc he created.

Would you give me a
chance to change that?

Try to prove that he's
autistic and can learn?

But the program
closes in three days.

God created this whole
world in six days, Mrs. Carson.

Maybe we can create a
new one for Timmy in three.

Palate of the arch,
normal height.

It's not too high, not flat.

No sign of down syndrome,

mongoloid features or
other congenital diseases.

Is all this conclusive?

No, no. I'm just trying to
gather enough evidence

to get Timmy re-evaluated.

His fingers are
of normal length.

I'll trade you, sweetheart.

I'll trade you give me that.

Here you go. Okay.

Well, the palm and
palm creases are normal.

No simian creases.

That's good, Timmy, really good.

- How you doing?
- I'm battin'
almost a thousand.

I hope you're not gonna
knock me out of the box.

Not me. No abnormal
sugar or amino acid levels.

What about the
chromosome analysis?

- That's normal.
- Oh, good!

Jelly beans, Dr. Quincy?

Mr. Fujiyama.

I don't know what to say.

I mean, our subjects
are sitting up these days?

- Oh, this is Timmy Carson.
- Hello, Timmy.

Would you mind stepping over
here for just a moment please?

Both of you.

Jeff, watch him, will you?

What are you doing bringing a
young child into a place like this?

Let me tell you, Sam.

Don't explain anything to me!

While you're playing roulette,

you know how much you cost me
an hour and you cost me an hour

and this room cost
me hundreds of dollars!

- Do I see the Carroll case? No.
- Sam.

- Do I see the Levine case? No...
- Sam.

Well...

You must have gotten
here at 7:00 this morning.

- 5:30.
- 5:30.

Listen, what's going
on around here?

Herb Shuman thinks
that Timmy is autistic.

We want to try and prove it and
get him into an educational program.

We need the room
for just one more hour.

- He's autistic?
- We think so.

- He's
an adorable kid, isn't he?
- Yeah.

Well, don't be too long.

- What else?
- As far as I'm concerned,
the clincher.

The two EEG tracings with
sleep and they were negative.

You sure convinced me.

I wish you were both named
Phillips. Get out of here.

I'm going to test his feet.

There you go, buddy.

Send in Dr. Quincy please.

- Mr. Phillips?
- Doctor,
what can I do for you?

- Won't you sit down?
- Thank you.

I wanted to talk to you
about Timmy Carson.

Timmy Carson?

You interviewed him for the
autistic children's program.

You turned him down because
you said he made eye contact.

His parents are Mary
and David Carson.

Oh, yes. I remember Timmy.

Very nice parents. Very nice.

What about him?

I'd like you to re-evaluate him.

Oh, Doctor... I wish...

I'm sorry.

We're very busy here.

The Carsons are very desperate.

I'm sorry about that. But there's
nothing I can do about that.

Timmy is not autistic.

There's no reason
to see him again.

You could be wrong.

There's always that possibility.

But it's my opinion
and I have to live with it.

Yes, you do.

Timmy made strong eye contact.

So he made strong
eye contact. So what?

Autistic children
avoid eye contact.

Why do you pigeonhole
these kids like that?

Why do you categorize them?

Where is it stamped in granite
that they never make eye contact?

Nowhere.

But I've worked with
these children for years

and I know what
I'm talking about.

Oh, you're a doctor?

No, I'm not a doctor.

These are the results of
neurological and medical tests.

We could find nothing
organically wrong with Timmy.

We've had cases
like this before, Doctor.

I can appreciate your
advocating for this child,

but Timmy has been evaluated

and there's no reason
to bring him back.

Look, if he's not autistic,

then the Wright Institute might be
the best place in the world for him,

but if he is,

then I think he deserves to get
every chance he can to learn.

But he can't learn.
Timmy can't learn.

Besides, I don't make the
rules. I just try to administer them.

In this district alone, we have
a six-week backlog of cases.

There's no way I can reprocess
the children I've already seen

and still get to the
ones I haven't seen.

Even if you've made a mistake?

Doctor,

just what is your
field of specialty?

Forensic Pathology.

- A pathologist?
- That's right.

Then what gives you the
right to challenge our opinion?

An eight-year-old boy
lying on a slab downtown.

I don't know what
you're talking about.

So excuse me.

I think there's nothing
further for us to discuss.

Oh, another one
of your opinions?

Stamp this in granite.

I believe that Timmy is autistic
and deserves another chance.

So for the next few days
if you feel uncomfortable,

don't look up.

Because I'll be
sitting on your head.

It's not a matter of
helping that boy anymore.

You fixed it. You
made it political.

So somebody complained. So what?

I couldn't even get a word in

to explain what you're
trying to do for Timmy.

You've got to stop
harassing Phillips.

Now that's an order and
that order came from way up.

You mean him?

Oh, that's funny. You
think you're funny?

Sometimes I think Austin Barnes
does confuse himself with you know who.

Oh!

- Austin Barnes?
- Right.

Tell me something.

Who is Austin Barnes?

- Who's Austin Barnes?
- Yeah.

- You're kidding?
- No.

- Austin Barnes? Oh, good grief!
- What?

Austin Barnes is our
civil service commissioner.

You mean the man in
charge of the whole...

Yes.

The guy who wrote the bill
on the budgetary cutbacks?

The guy that I have tried to
manage some rapport with

so you can have a
new Beta machine.

He scares you, doesn't he?

No, he doesn't scare
me. He worries me a lot.

You scare me.

Doesn't he come up
for re-appointment soon?

About two months.

Why on Earth would you
even ask such a question?

What are his chances
of getting re-appointed?

As good as political
appointments can be...

Quincy, where are you going?

I'm going to find out if the
commissioner knows how shaky his job is.

Quincy!

Mr. Barnes, I hate to cut in
on your lunch hour like this

but I'm kind of
running out of time.

The head waiter
said it was urgent.

Why didn't you
give him your name?

Well, to tell you the truth,

I was afraid if you knew who
I was you wouldn't see me.

I'm Dr. Quincy.

Oh, Dr. Quincy.

The pathologist who's an
expert on child behavior.

Oh, no, no, no. I'm not.

- And making trouble.
- No, I didn't mean...

Didn't Dr. Astin give
you your orders?

- To lay off?
- To lay off.

Yes, he did. Do you mind if I
sit down. Thank you very much.

Mr. Phillips must have hollered
very loudly to involve you, Mr. Barnes.

I have the overall
responsibility for his department.

I would expect him to.

Well, I'm still surprised
that he went whining to you.

What, with all the
responsibilities that you have?

Re-appointment time coming up,

and even though
this could be serious.

Serious? What could be serious?

Something wrong, sir?

Yes, you.

You are wrong.

I eat alone, Doctor,
because I have an ulcer.

I'm not supposed to get upset.

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't
know you had an ulcer.

Listen, the last thing you need to
hear now is the truth. I'd better...

What truth?

Oh! No, sir, no. Excuse me.

Sit down, Doctor.

I would like you to tell
me what this is about

before my stomach explodes.

Mr. Barnes, I performed an
autopsy on an eight-year-old child

who was in a mental institution.

Proper pre-cautions for
his safety were not taken

because no one realized
that he was autistic.

How do you know that?

We more or less proved it with
an autopsy and his medical records.

But even if you're right, it was
an honest mistake, wasn't it?

You're right, Mr. Barnes.
It was an honest mistake.

But if it happens again,

people might think it
was a stupid mistake.

Oh?

I mean, if the same thing
happens to Timmy Carson

because of a misdiagnosis
by one of your teachers...

Well, what with re-appointment
time coming up and everything,

you could be
sitting on a volcano.

You're painting me
into a corner, aren't you?

Oh, no, no, no. I
didn't mean to do that.

The hell you didn't.

You're handling me, Doctor,
and I don't like to be handled.

Just trying to keep you from
looking at the help-wanted ads.

Okay. I'll talk to Phillips.

Thank you, Mr. Barnes. You
won't be sorry. Thank you.

Would you care for some hot
barbeque sauce on your steak, sir?

And so, like all politicians,

all you have to do is
plant the seed of doubt.

They'll do the rest.

It seems paranoia
goes with the office.

Tomorrow morning,

Timmy gets re-evaluated.

Hey, didn't you two hear me?

Timmy's going to get
another chance to go to school.

We heard you, Doctor.

We committed Timmy.

He's going to an
institution in the morning.

Well, can't you postpone it?

No, we can't.

Why not?

Because we don't want any
more disappointments, Doctor.

We want to stop
that merry-go-round,

get off and simplify
our lives and Lisa's.

Well, sweeping Timmy under
the rug won't simplify anything.

You don't know me well
enough to talk to me that way.

I'm sorry.

But why won't you give us this
chance to prove that he's autistic?

How have I grown to
hate that word "autism."

Why can't you be honest?

Autism is just a cosmetic
word for retardation.

That is not true.

And because a lot of people
say, that doesn't make it so.

Dr. Shuman explained
it. Autism is a disease.

We shouldn't make
it a death sentence.

Are you saying that
autistic children are normal?

No, I'm not saying that. I'm
talking about the 30% that can learn.

Can learn to function for
themselves, dress themselves,

play the piano,
lead a happy life.

There was a time when
epileptics were treated like lepers.

Nobody believed
they could learn either.

Well, they were wrong.

Just as I believe Mr. Phillips
is wrong about Timmy.

And if Timmy fails
that test tomorrow,

then you walk away consoling yourself
that you did the best that you could.

And we are stuck
with the debris again.

Well, I don't think our marriage can
take another disappointment, Doctor.

We'll just have to take
that chance, David.

Mary...

What time do you want to
pick up Timmy in the morning?

- Hi, Herb!
- Quincy!

Mrs. Carson, how are you?
Hello, Timmy, how are you?

Dr. Shuman, thank
you for coming.

Oh, that was nothing.
They're waiting for us.

- When did you get in?
- This morning.

I guess Dr. Green told you
what was going on, huh?

Pretty much so. Say you,
you've been getting around.

- Hello, Mrs. Carson.
- Mr. Phillips.

Hello there, Timmy.

This is Dr. Green.

She's the one who will be
doing the testing on Timmy.

- Hello.
- Hello.

Hello, Timmy.

- Oh, this is Dr. Quincy.
- How do you do?

Dr. Quincy, you
sure do make waves.

Mr. Phillips.

Hello, Doctor.

Mrs. Carson, I don't know whether
Dr. Shuman has explained to you

what the procedure is.

We're going to be giving
Timmy some pre-school tests.

Now some of them
involve talking.

Some of them involve
playing with objects.

They're just standardized tests

that have been given to thousands
of children all over the country.

You'll be able to stand here

and watch them through
the one-way mirror

and hear what's being said.

Okay.

Timmy, you want to come with me

and have some jelly beans
and play some games?

Come on, let's go.
If you'll excuse us.

Mrs. Carson, if you'd like
to step over to the window,

I'll get a chair for you.

No, thank you. I'll stand.

If he does well on the tests, they'll
have to take him into the program.

Oh, oh, easy.

Sometimes he'll just stand
in front of his mirror at home

and do that for hours.

Okay, Timmy.

Timmy.

Come on, Timmy. Let's
go play a game now, okay?

Okay? Come on. Come on.

Oh, sit down here. You're going
to like this game, sweetheart.

You want a jelly bean? Huh?

I'm gonna have one.
They're really good.

Here.

Aren't they good?

Okay. Now we're
going to play a game.

Now the first test will be
words and word groups.

Now I want you
to repeat after me.

Say "kitty."

Say kitty.

Say "birdy."

Say birdy.

Say "dinner."

- Say dinner.
- Good boy.

Now say, "Nice, doggy."

Timmy, look at me.

Say, "Nice, doggy."

Say, "Nice, doggy."

Say, "Nice, doggy."

No, Timmy, look at
me. Say, "Nice, doggy."

Say nice doggy.

"The big box."

The big box.

Good boy, Timmy. Okay.

Good boy.

Have a jelly bean. There you go.

Okay, Timmy.

Now we're going to play
another game. Come on.

Mrs. Carson, this
is a puzzle test.

And the age level for this
test is for a boy his age.

And he'll be given


We'll let all the pieces
fall out. Here we go.

Give me the pieces,
give me the pieces.

Here's how we play the game.

Come on, Timmy. Come
on, sweetie. I'll help you.

Put the pieces in the puzzle.

Untestable.

Okay, Timmy. We're
playing another game.

Come on. Come on,
sit up. That's a boy.

Give me the star.

The next test is
building a pyramid.

See? Look. Okay?

A four-year-old child

should be able to reconstruct
a pyramid in 35 seconds.

Okay?

You ready? You ready?

And go.

Come on, Timmy,
build the pyramid.

Untestable.

Give me the blocks.

Come on, pay
attention. Pay attention.

We're gonna play another
game. This one's real easy.

Okay. All you do

is gather up all the blocks and
throw them back into the box.

Come on, Timmy. Ready and go.

He'll be given 30 seconds.

The age level is three years.

Put the blocks in
the box, Timmy.

Throw all the blocks
back in the box.

Throw them back in the box now.

Untestable.

Here we go.

That's a boy.

Boy, you're a sore loser.

It usually works for me.

You go through
this all the time.

How do you stand
the frustration?

You don't.

You just continue trying
to do the best you can.

That's what David
Carson said I would say.

I did my best. My best.

A lot of sound and
fury signifying nothing.

Will you stop that already?

What's the matter with you?

There is nothing
the matter with me.

We're tryin' to talk here.

You're gonna put away
the chips, put them away.

Don't take all night with them.

Oh!

I'm not in a hurry,
even if you are.

I like the way this stuff feels.

It reminds me of my
youth in Las Vegas.

Maybe Timmy just
likes the way they feel.

Maybe Timmy wants to
take his time. Just like Danny.

We're not going to put
Danny in an institution, are we?

An institution? I didn't
do nothing wrong.

Neither did Timmy.

If he could have
taken his sweet time,

maybe he would
have passed the tests.

No, that's not
standard procedure.

It isn't done that way.

What's more how fast he can do
them or whether he can do them?

You know what I'm
going to do, Herb?

Tomorrow morning I'm going
to get Dr. Green to retest Timmy.

How are you going
to get her to do that?

Don't you worry,
buddy. I'll get her to do it.

Yeah, but how?

I want you to plead with her.

I'm hungry.

Would you go ahead with Timmy?

I'll wait here.

- For your husband?
- Well, he may come.

Come on, Timmy, let's go.

You won't understand
what I'm saying,

but I'm going to
tell you anyway.

A few days ago, a little boy
just like you, Stevie Borden,

d*ed unnecessarily.

I'm gonna do everything I can
to see that you make up for it.

By living.

Thank you for coming.

And thank you for doing this.

Dr. Quincy, I want
you to know up front

that I'm not here
because of you.

I'm here out of
respect for Dr. Shuman.

If Mr. Phillips finds out I'm
doing this, it could mean my job.

I appreciate that.

Is there any particular
test you'd like to start with?

I understand that the
puzzle is the toughest.

Yes. That's for a boy his age.

I'd like to start with
that one please.

Okay. If you'll excuse us then.

May I have your stopwatch?

- My stopwatch?
- Yeah.

I have to time him.

Anyway, this isn't official.

I know. Please.

Thank you.

Okay, Timmy, game time.

That's 12 minutes, Quincy.

There you go with the
time factor again, Herb.

Dr. Quincy, whether it is


I just don't think that
Timmy is going to do it.

Since we haven't got 12 years,
we'll end this fiasco right now.

I'm really sorry about this.
It will never happen again.

Dr. Green, I'd like to see you
in my office in five minutes.

Oh, please. Don't blame her.

It's an appointment I
don't want you to miss.

He did it! Did you see that?

- Mary, he did it!
- My God, he did!

That's... That's typical
of an autistic child.

One minute he can't do it
and the next minute he can.

Of course, you gentlemen
realize this kind of testing...

Is unofficial, I know.

There's no chance he'll
be admitted this year.

Our school system
is very complex.

It needs the structure.

Yes, but if the
structure is all wrong...

Then I'll do everything
I can to correct it.

But I will not disregard it.

You did it!

Anyway,

I don't think Timmy
will have any trouble

being accepted in
the system next year.

Thanks to two stubborn

teachers like you.

- Danny.
- Yeah, Quincy?

Is she beautiful?

- Oh, she's a living doll.
- Are you ready?

Everything's perfect.

She'll be right out. Okay.

Anyway, Timmy made a
real believer out of his father,

so David's keeping him home.

And Dr. Green is going to work
with Timmy on a regular basis

until the educational
program starts.

Hey, Quincy. Oh, hello, Doc.

Quincy, tell him how I
helped you solve the case.

- Is that right, Doc?
- What case?

The case, the kid, the chips.
Remember I threw you a chip...

You solved the case?

No, you solved the case.

How quickly they forget.

Remember the other night?

He was sulking,
moaning and groaning...

Hey, how come you look
good? You're going to a funeral?

I happen to have a
heavy date tonight.

Oh, who with?

Oh, the most beautiful girl
you've ever saw in your life.

Is she really beautiful?

Oh, I'm telling
you. She's great.

Where?

She's in the ladies room

and no cracks when
she comes out all right?

♪ Happy birthday to you

♪ Happy birthday to you

♪ Happy birthday, dear Lisa

♪ Happy birthday to you ♪