do understand?
I want to tell you about myself.
I grew up under the portrait of
a man I never met.
He was a hero, they said.
A man who wasn't afraid to apply
for emigration when his chances
were nil.
But mostly, he was going to
conquer the Universe.
A genius. The new Einstein.
Kiss me.
Not like that. For real.
Elena.
You're supposed to know how to
take a risk.
This is my cab. Yours is the
next one. See you tomorrow.
Hi.
Morning.
Were you waiting for me?
Yeah. You want to get some
sleep?
It's already morning.
Why bother?
What do you want most of all
right now?
Seriously?
Absolutely.
An interesting question.
There's no rush.
Think about it.
I'd really like to see the house
where I grew up.
Something has definitely changed
here.
I can't believe this.
We're finally alone.
To think that, in this yard, I
spent several thousand of my
childhood days.
I recognize it, but, at the same
time, I don't.
I have this strange feeling I'm going
to wake up in New York any minute now.
You know, I can't find our
windows.
It's as if they disappeared.
Maybe I am sleeping?
Or losing my mind.
The window has been bricked up. The
building was remodeled five years ago.
They were going to tear it down,
but changed their minds.
Stop, kike!
Stop. kike! Stop kike!
Kike-take a hike!
We've got you now!
Ugh! I smell garlic!
Ugh! The kike stinks of garlic!
You're Sasha Greenberg, aren't
you?
Yes, I am.
I'm Volodya Listov.
We've got you now, you dirty
kike!
On your knees, kike!
Down, I said!
Do you recognize me?
We haven't seen each other in,
what, since we were twelve or
so, when you moved away.
I recognized you, though.
We used to be friends when we
were kids.
When we were little, we used to fight,
of course, but kids are supposed to.
Repeat after me:
"I am a dirty kike..."
I am a dirty kike...
"I stink."
I stink.
"I am gross."
I am gross.
"I am begging you to beat the
shit out of me."
I am begging you to beat me.
Then we used to share a desk at
school.
I, a young pioneer of the Union
of Soviet Socialist Republics,
here, before my comrades, do
solemnly swear to always uphold
the ideals of Lenin and Stalin
and to fight for Victory of
Communism everywhere.
To fight for the ideals of Lenin
and Stalin. Be prepared!
Always prepared!
You're lucky you ran into me. I am
the only one left of the old tenants.
Everyone's been moved out to the
new developments.
The building's not the same,
either.
All the walls have been moved
around.
I can't even show you your old apartment
- it doesn't exist anymore.
I am the only one who could get
a place here after they renovated.
And that, um, only because it was mainly
my efforts that saved the building.
You must be pretty powerful to
be able to save buildings.
Don't you know? I'm a writer.
Pretty famous too, in a way.
Where do you live, What do you do?
I live in America. I'm in
cosmology -
that's a science about how the
Universe works.
Interesting stuff! Do you want
to come in for a while?
We can talk, have a drink over
old times.
I really don't think so.
We're on a very tight schedule.
We have to meet someone in a
half hour.
Krymsky. At his church. Then
Sasha has to give his report.
Krymsky, the millionaire? I know
him a little. If you don't mind,
I'd like to join you.
Morning. Hello.
Hello. Good morning.
(BAND PLAYING)
Ah, my worst enemy!
Good of you to join us!
What brings you here?
I've long been curious to see what
you do here. You have an objection?
Not at all! Welcome, welcome.
Any tongue-lashing by your magazine
is just free publicity for us.
(BAND PLAYING)
You see, he calls me his worst enemy!
And he's not far from the truth.
Why, of course, I am.
Look! He's turned God's house into
a honky-tonk, for Christ's sake!
You people want me to be happy
about it?
Would you prefer if it were
still a warehouse for boots?
I didn't turn it into a
warehouse.
I would prefer it to