good morning, junior, welcome to our country. max manages to sit up. wishes he hadn't.
you're in the city of joy.
oh, now we require that each visitor decide that for himself. this gentleman and a young lady brought you here.
i would have to inspect it more closely, but i believe that was one of our economy-size rats. max clambers for the door. too late, joan thinks to say.
watch your -- max cracks his head on the door frame.
oh no, i'm a corporate executive. doctor arrives at half seven, but only three days a week.
indeed. what brings you to our country?
ah, yes. i take it you didn't find it.
what do you do in america? max is slow to answer. discreetly, hasari hangs back, listens.
oh, how exciting. must be something illegal. are you a criminal of some sort?
i see. how long are you here? perhaps i could recruit you for --
how very distressing. why's that?
i can't imagine ever divining how to collect, but there are a few of us indians, you know, who believe the tourist trade ought to be encouraged.
i'm afraid they cleaned you out. ram, here's your first rider. take this.
go on, it's all right. you'll owe me two.
well, all right, junior, so you'll owe me three.
oh, it was just a whim in the beginning really -- to try to convince them not to be so bloody passive, that they could pull themselves up on their own. i get a little money from a swiss organization. now it's become a bit more than i can manage.
we just need a few more hands on this little life raft we've set afloat here.
you know what i've come to think in my middle age, max?
there are really only three actions open to a person.
to run, to spectate, to commit. max peers at her a moment, then around the square.
charity! it's not charity, dear child, it's love. you're very badly twisted around, aren't you?
good night, god bless, doctor. generous young man.
it was poomina who brought you to us. she has herself and her sister to support. it's all right, poomina. anouar, what is it? she moves to them. they're all three badly out of breath.
dr. sunil isn't here.
max, i wouldn't ask, but it's an emergency. a pregnancy gone awry. it's a leper. could you have a look? max is clearly thrown by the sight of the lepers.
good christ, son, because she's a leper doesn't mean she's not built like a woman!
it's too far.
oh nonsense! it's not contagious!
for a non-practicing doctor, that was pretty practiced.
max, please, won't you change your mind? we desperately need another doctor. full-time. think about it -- just give us a couple of months.
then what do you want? what are you going to be when you grow up? good night, aloka, hasari. joan goes inside, leaving max, aloka, and a very uncom- fortable hasari alone a moment.
jesus, my brother, you who i am trying to believe are the light and salvation of the puking world
please see that we are living in madness and darkness here.
 and we need help. om, jesus, om and amen. suddenly, he hurtles into motion. he runs down the alley, his stride stretching out, swallowing up the distance between here and the world beyond the city of joy in great gulps.
i'll be happy to buy the medication, but dr. loeb is not part of this endeavor, anouar; there is only his cherished memory.
well, well, well, i do so love to be surprised.
max, knock it off, give us a bit of hush. what happened?
and i'm a bloody bathing beauty.
smart girl.  so how long am i stuck with you?
not worth the aggravation of your prattle every day. six months -- and not a day less.
two months -- and that's my final offer.
jesus and mary. the lone ranger rides again. and now smiles creep onto all their faces as max goes inside, followed by joan.  and then aloka -- after she looks at hasari, gets his nod of encouragement. too late, joan says.
watch your -- thud!
well, i think we've got three very good potential scholars here. behind the children's backs, she points at manooj and indicates the kid's really got a head.
given him some time here, he'll be good enough for a proper school.
we'd like to better serve the entire community, mr. ghatak.
i understand the rent would have to go up if we rent larger quarters from you, mr. ghatak, but why should we have to pay more protection?
but we can't afford it!
if we pay you that, we won't have any money for supplies.
have you gone right off your rocker!? these people don't have a sense of humor. are you trying to get yourself killed?
stop it, you.  you.  you nudnick! he doesn't stop, and as she storms off down the street, he stays right on her, tickling away.
well, i think max has hit on the heart of what we're trying to build here: a self-help society. each of us has to decide for himself. as for me, i suppose i think, really, that if the bastards are going to suck us dry, i'd like to get in a couple of good left- handers before i turn the other cheek.
yes, mr. bhose?
they are going to be treated at the dispensary. you have no right to stop them.
go ahead, aloka, take them inside. the goonda puts his hand on aloka. the policeman in the b.g. keep their distance.
take your hands off her, you waster! joan is seized by a sudden fury and grabs the goonda. he grabs her much harder. said growls and pushes forward. several thugs turn, step in to neutralize him. joan elbows the goonda and tires to westle free of him. as a reflex he raises his hand. and as he does, it's seized.
we'll pay! all right then, so by all means, protect us! ashoka raises a hand, the goonda blows a whistle, and the fighting stops as suddenly as it began. the com- batants are breathing heavily. there is silence but for the groans and cries of the wounded and grieving.
i'll try.
not everyone's cut out for this. you did the best you could. better than many. it's all right.
you know, the fact is from the minute we're born we're shipwrecked. some see that as a lifetime of drowning, of fear, others only to endure, but to triumph. it's all in the individual spirit, isn't it?
then, by all means, go home, max, and go with my blessing and my eternal friendship. the candlelight flickers against them as they sit side by side. neither speaks.
hasari has forbid her to have anything more to do with us. he'd be very angry if he knew she was seeing you off. max looks at joan. looks out the window.
it's not like he's royalty or anything, so i'm not persuaded we have to wait for the plane to actually take off.
of course. come with me, please. joan leaves, followed by the goonda. max works care- fully at the fine line of scabbing on poomina's scar.  but then something takes his attention.
you'll never get a taxi at this hour.
i don't think it was an accident. i think they were aiming for max. so, what we have to ask ourselves is whether his presence is endangering all of us.
what's happened?
i hate to admit it, junior, but that was actually quite witty. she whacks him on the shoulder with a wet, muddy paw.
ut-nobody laugh; it's a natural disaster -- we have guests. everyone turns to.
sshh, sshh, sshh! no heroics, junior. lay back. you're all right.