This is a disaster, Sean. I brought you in here because I wanted you to help me with the boy, not to run him out.
I know what I'm doing with the boy.
I don't care if you have a report on the boy. I don't care if you have a few laughs, even at my expense, but don't you dare undermine what I'm trying to do here.
"Undermine."
This boy is at a fragile point right now—.
I do understand, he is at a fragile point right now, okay? He's got problems.
Well, what problems does he have, Sean? That he's better off as a janitor? Better off in jail? Better off hanging out with a bunch of **** gorillas?
Why do you think he does that, Gerry? Do you have any ****in' clue why? Mm?
He can handle the problems. He can handle the work, and he obviously handled you.
Gerry, listen to me, listen. Why is he hiding? Why doesn't he trust anybody? Because the first thing that happened to him, he was abandoned by the people who were supposed to love him the most.
Oh, come on, don't give me that Freudian crap.
Listen, Gerry, and why does he hang out with those "**** gorillas" as you called them? Because any one of them, if he asked them to, would take a ****in' bat to your head, okay? That's called loyalty.
Yeah, that's very touching.
And who's he handling? He pushes people away before they have a chance to leave him. It's a defense mechanism, alright? And, for 20 years, he's been alone because of that. And, if you push him right now, it's gonna be the same thing all over again, and I'm not gonna let that happen to him.
Don't you do that, Sean.
What, Gerry?
Don't you do that, don't infect him with the idea that it's okay to quit, that it's okay to be a failure, because it's not okay, Sean. If you're angry at me for being successful, for being what you could have been, Sean—.
I'm not angry at you, Gerry.
Oh, yes you're angry at me, Sean. You resent me.
[appears behind door]
But I'm not gonna apologize for any success I've had. You're angry at me for doing what you could have done, but ask yourself, ask yourself if you want Will to feel that way. If you want him to feel like a failure.
Oh, you arrogant shit. That's why I don't come to the goddamn reunions: 'cause I can't stand that look in your eye, y'know? That condescending, embarrassed look.
[under his breath]
Oh, Sean.
You think I'm a failure. But I know who I am, and I'm proud of what I do. It was a conscious choice. I didn't **** up! And you and your cronies think I'm some sort of pity case, you and your kiss-ass chorus following you around going [singing mockingly] "The Fields medal, the Fields medal!" Why are you still so ****in' afraid of failure?!
[chuckles]
It's about my medal, isn't it? Oh, God, I can go home and get it for you, you can have it.
Oh, please don't. Y'know what Gerry? Shove the medal up your ****in' ass, alright? 'Cause I don't give a shit about your medal 'cause I knew you before you were a mathematical god, when you were pimple-faced and homesick and didn't know which side of the bed to piss on.
Yeah, you were smarter than me then and you're smarter than me now, so don't blame me for how your life turned out, it's not my fault.
I don't blame you! It's not about you, you mathematical dick! It's about the boy! He's a good kid, and I won't see you **** him up like you're trying to **** up me right now. I won't see you make him feel like a failure, too!
He won't be a failure, Sean!
But if you push him, Gerry, if you ride him—!
Sean, I am what I am today because I was pushed, and because I learned to push myself.
[opens door]
No, come in. I was just leaving.
