What the Deaf Man Heard (1997 TV Movie)

Matthew Modine: Sammy Ayers

Quotes 

• Sammy Ayers : [narrating]  To my knowledge it is the only trial in the history of American jurisprudence that was over in just two spoken words.

  Sammy Ayers : [speaking out loud]  I... I do.

• [Sammy leaves the town by bus] 

  Sammy Ayers : [narrating]  I gave a lot of the money away. Norm and Lucille would never have to live in a bus shelter again. Tallassee would go around the world taking pictures to her heart's content. The Tynan home would become an estate for lost boys. As for Tolliver, I felt I had lost an enemy but gained a brother, so I felt an obligation to take care of his pocket money while he served his prison term...

• [last lines] 

  Tallasse Tynan : [sits next to Sammy]  So... what are your plans?

  Sammy Ayers : I... I guess I don't have any at the moment.

  Tallasse Tynan : Then I guess I got on the right bus.

  Sammy Ayers : I have something to show you.

  [takes out his mother's music box] 

• Sammy Ayers : It was then that I was struck by a revelation: if people thought you were deaf and not able to talk, they blurt out their true feelings without holding back.

• Sammy Ayers : [to Norm Jenkins]  From time to time... I thought if ever I could pick out a father, it might be somebody pretty close to being like you. Not exactly. Close.

• Sammy Ayers : If people thought you were deaf and not able to talk, they blurt out their true feelings without holding back.