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turning to page one
turning to page one
Will is in Lambeau's office. Lambeau is at the board, working on a diagram as Tom takes notes. Will seems disinterested.
LAMBEAU
This rectangle is subdivided into
rectangles. One edge of an inner
rectangle is an integer. Can you prove
that one edge of the larger rectangle
is an integer?
WILL
Of course.
LAMBEAU
Okay. How?
WILL
It's an integer proof.
Lambeau smiles.
WILL (cont'd)
What? Hey, look buddy my time's almost
up. You want me to sit here for an
hour and write it out?
Lambeau says nothing. Will gets up and goes to the board.
WILL (cont'd)
Look, I'll give you the key steps to
it but I'm not gonna do the whole thing.
Lambeau keeps smiling.
LAMBEAU
That would be a monumental waste of
time, wouldn't it, Will?
WILL
I think so.
LAMBEAU
I happen to know so.
Lambeau rises and goes to the board.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
You're thinking too hard. What if I
did this?
He draws a vertical line through the diagram.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Now, what if I do this?
He draws a horizontal line through the diagram. He hands Will the chalk.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Have you ever played checkers?
Will realizes what Lambeau is getting at. In a flash he starts drawing lines through the diagram, energized.
WILL
You color-code it. Half-red, half-
black. If that's an integer--
Lambeau steps in, writing with him [Will].
LAMBEAU
What's that?
WILL
Half-red, half-black--
LAMBEAU
--that?--
WILL
--Half-red, half-black--
LAMBEAU
--That edge!
WILL
An integer.
The two stop. They are silent for a moment. Like two gunfighters after a duel, they put down the chalk.
LAMBEAU
(checks his watch)
It would appear we got that proof in
under the wire after all. It's not
how hard you look at things, young
man, it's the way you look at them.
If you take aim before you fire, you
will find the most difficult problems
become, quite literally, child's play.
Will gets his coat.
LAMBEAU (cont'd)
Will, you've managed to offend four of
my colleagues so much that they refused
to come back. You're meeting with the
leading hypnotist in the country next
week and Tom and I plan to sit in on
the sessions, so I expect you to behave
appropriately.
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