Maestro Barenboim has asked Max to prepare a piece by Beethoven. But like the great master, Max also seems to be hampered by a physical handicap. Beethoven's late deafness is Max's too short left thumb, which makes it almost impossible for him to play the score. But Beethoven's sonata has it all, even though the master composed this work when he was already stricken with deafness. While Max is still thinking about his too-short left thumb on the way home, he meets Maurice, who tells him that Leon is completely off track because he will be standing next to his crush Tara at the graffiti competition.