"THE MEDAL OF HONOR" "Bucharest, 1st December 1995" "What the fuck are you knocking for?" "It's still not warm, don't you understand?" "Do you have any idea how cold it is in here?" "I'm not pulling your leg." "I'm speaking to you nicely." "It's been 14 degrees centigrade for more than a week now, it's cold, don't you get it?" "We're wearing our coats." "Come on now, turn the heating on!" "You think I enjoy calling you?" "Please..." "All the best." "I really showed those guys at central heating who's boss, and it will all be solved in a couple of days." "Do these people play with our lives, or what?" " Nice to see you, Mrs. Baitan." " Good morning, Mr. Izbasescu." "I brought you the pension really early this time." " If you sign here... please..." " One second." "Baitan..." "Right..." "Thank you." "10, 20, 50." "1, 2, 3, 4 thousand..." "And 4 hundred..." " You really don't have to..." " Thank you very much!" "One moment please, this is also for you, a little letter from Canada..." "Thanks." " Good morning, Mr. Ion." " Good morning." " See you on the 8th." " What?" "No, on the 6th!" "No, those beginning with an "I" are on the 8th now." "Is it my fault that you are at the end of the alphabet?" "It's not really at the end..." "It's I from "Ion", for Chrissake..." "What about those whose names begin with an X?" "But you're not like Mrs. Baitan, with a" "I have something for you." "A registered letter." " Who sent it?" " It's an official letter." " What do you mean, "official"?" " Damn, I don't have it now." " It got lost?" " No, it's because of something else." "You'll have to go to the Post Office." "Take this little note there." "Or I can bring it tomorrow." "No, I'll go there." "You've got me worried." " Official, you say?" " Yeah, it has the official stamp." "I hope they don't out down my pension." " Anything could happen." " Bye, Mr. Izbasescu." "Thanks and sorry again." "All the best." "Why not look before opening the door?" "What if it was Leuneanu?" "Well, it was Izbasescu, but it could've been Leuneanu, you can never really know, can you?" "Is it from Cornel?" "It must be from him, who else would write to us?" "What does it say?" "Is everything fine?" "Of course he's well, because if he were sick in the hospital, God forbid, he wouldn't be writing to us..." "What about me?" "Is there anything about me?" "The handwriting is so ugly!" "Why could he never learn..." "What's this?" "What does he mean am I still alive?" "I'm going to the Post office and to the market." "I'll buy some beetroot from the peasants." "If they don't have any, I won't buy it canned, it tastes like pig feed." "You should use this one..." "Like this..." "Not with my bayonet..." "POST OFFICE" "Excuse me, miss..." "I've just been notified through an official letter that I have to receive this..." " You couldn't have been just notified." " Excuse me?" " Ion lon." " Ion I. Ion." "You haven't just received it, it was sent last week." " The postman brought it today." " That's different." "You received it today, we sent it when we were supposed to." "Pusa?" "Will you bring me, please, one of those anniversary medals from the second case there, the white one, yes." "Ma'am, can you please tell me what do they give us these medals for, precisely?" "What do you mean there aren't any left?" "Go to the table, write as follows "The undersigned, ID number, address," "I have received today, date, one anniversary medal" and sign it." "I'll have your medal before you finish the form, okay?" "Yes Pusa, they are there, you just don't see them." "That's not true!" "He left her for his secretary." "No, Mrs. Petrescu, Mrs. Zaharachescu told me, and she's living in the same building with them." "She must know!" "She knows everything..." " Hello, ladies!" " Good clay, Mr. Ion." "Who's winning?" "Eh, as if you didn't know..." "It's good I caught you, because I wanted to call you." "I wanted to ask you about this treatment I'm taking for tachycardia." " Should I take Metopronol, or not?" " Take it!" "Take it!" "One 100mg pill in the morning and half in the evening." "That's what the doctor told me, too." "Thank you, Mr. Ion." "Why don't you ever play with us?" "Because you don't gamble, so what's the use?" " Mrs. Petrescu, I'm waiting..." " Patience!" "I no longer have the patience." "He ran off with his secretary and the marriage fell apart." "You could've invited me, I wouldn't have played, anyway." " About 15 grams." " Is that a lot?" "It's only plated with gold, I'm not interested." "So..." "That's about 300 thousand, right?" "Don't you get it?" "It's plated." "It's not real gold." " And how much gold is in there?" " About half a gram." "But as a whole, how much is it worth?" "You're driving me crazy!" "I'm not interested, get it?" "You veterans are always trying to sell me stuff, and then your families come here and raise hell saying you have Alzheimer's and you didn't know..." "Listen..." "I was notified that I've received a medal." "It says that now it's been 50 years since WW2 ended when we defeated fascism, I've received a medal of honor which is plated with gold, it weighs about 15 grams and a gram is 21 thousands in the city." "Do you want to see it?" "Look..." "Look..." "The box is pretty too." "And the medal is beautiful..." "What I don't understand is why they gave it to me." "It says that it's for "special deeds in a time of armed conflict"." "I'd like to talk to you about it." ""Pay the maintenance bill, neighbor, we're not playing games here!"" "In... veritas" "Milk" "Good afternoon" " Is this the Veterans' Association?" " Of course, come in." "What can I do for you, sir?" "It's about these medals of honor plated with gold, awarded for the war." "I wanted to ask you what exactly they were awarded for." "I don't want to say anything stupid." "I'll ask." "Micky," "I need some assistance..." "Okay." "One moment, please." " At your command, darling!" " It's about some medals." "General Damian C. Anghelescu, 3rd division Mountain Corps." " At your service!" "Ion lon." " Nice to meet you." " Sit down." " You first..." "I see you've already met our lady." "What's all this about?" " Something about some medals, right?" " Yes, that Medal of Honor." " The anniversary medal for WW2." " Exactly..." " So, what about it?" " You're the one who grants them?" "No, sir." "The Ministry of Defense takes care of this." " We take care of our veterans." " If I may ask..." "What did you receive the medal for?" "In '41, in Sevastopol, under heavy artillery and gunfire." "A Soviet bunker was causing serious losses among our soldiers." "So I decided to blow it up with grenades." " You did well." " "Duty comes first"." "That's the motto of the Mountain Corps." " Well then, thank you for..." " Wait..." " Are you a member of our association?" " No..." "Ginuta, give me an application form please." " Don't bother..." " There's no bother." "That's what we're here for, to get organized." "I wouldn't join right now." "What?" "Didn't you say you were on the front line?" "You're one of us, a veteran!" "What the hell are you doing there?" "I'm looking for that form, what do you think I'm doing?" "I came here for this medal, but if you say it's been awarded by the Ministry of Defense, then I'll go there." "Good bye q" "You will be a father, Valentin!" "Hello." "Hi, dear." "How are you?" "I'm so happy to hear you." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello, who's there?" "Hi Comel." "She's not here, she's in the bathroom." "Why don't you want to talk to me?" "I was not in the secret police..." "Of course they asked me to join." "And you were also in the Communist Youth Association." "You did jail time for nothing, my boy." "You still haven't learnt." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Miss, I wrote "the undersigned, I hereby ask you to analyze the circumstances in which I was granted the Medal of Honor by..."" " The anniversary medal." " Can I see them in person?" "Why do you want to upset me?" "I've already explained that you can't." "You don't belong to our chain of command." "You've written an inquiry, now go home and wait for the board to answer." "Miss, I think there's been a mistake..." "There's been no mistake, I've double-checked the list." "Go home and when they have an answer, you'll receive it." "Okay miss, I'll wait." "My best regards." "The letters I sent you during the war..." "Are they still in Comel's room?" "I love you, lonut." "August '44" ""My dearest Ninotchka,"" ""days seem like ages without you here"." "It's Leuneanu." "Mr. Ion, open up, I know you're in there." "Come on." "Mrs. Nina, please!" "I think he's gone." "Listen to this," ""As I wrote to you on the 25th of August," "I'm on patrol with Vasile and Petre." "Earlier on, I was on a mission on the banks of Dambovita." "I heard shooting, but I did not see any Germans." "It's rumored that they're in retreat, that it will all be over, and I'll be coming back to you sooner than I thought." "I've found one of their cannons, and it was loaded!"" "Listen to this bit!" ""Petre had seen a parked car full of Germans in the valley, and Vasile said that, as the cannon is already loaded, we should fire at them, so we opened fire." "I don't know if we hit them or not, because they were far away." "But then some Germans appeared and they start firing at us." "We had to fall back because we were on a reconnaissance mission and there were only 3 of us."" "See what I'm saying?" "Well, Nina, they give away one of these Medals of Honor even for destroying a bunker at Sevastopol." "So, they must have given me one for this thing with the cannon." "It can't be anything else, trust me, I've read all the letters." "The truth has seen the light!" "Hello?" "Good afternoon." "Petre, please..." "I'm lon lon." "We met during the war." "Why can't he speak?" "Don't say he can't, if he can!" "Doesn't he hear at all?" "I can talk louder..." "Then there's something wrong with the tympanum or the internal ear." "And doesn't he have one of these hearing machines?" "Then what's the problem?" "And he let them steal it from his ear?" "Don't take your shoes off." "Come on in." "Good day, madam." "Sit down." "I came by your door earlier." "I didn't hear anything." "Did you ring the bell?" "Of course I did." "I already prepared the receipts." "Mr. Leuneanu, I've come to you on a rather more personal matter." "Tell me, Mr. Ion." "Have you received, by chance, any letter lately?" "I'm always receiving letters." "I'm the administrator." "It depends what kind of letter..." "From the Veterans' Association or from the Ministry of Defense?" "No, I didn't..." "And what if you did receive a letter from the Ministry, saying, that you were to be promoted, what would you do?" "Well, if it's a written order, I will accept, no?" " Okay, Mr. Leuneanu." " That's it?" "!" "C'mon neighbor, tell me what's bothering you, we've been living together for some time now..." "Is it about Comel?" " I became deaf." " Since when?" "Sorry?" "Tell me since when have you become deaf." "About a week or two." "Then you need one of these hearing thingies." "That's it..." "I was wondering if you could give it to me, to see if I get along with it." " It's the only one I have." " Yes, that one." "No way, neighbor, it's an intimate thing..." "How's Cornel?" "Why doesn't he come to see his parents?" "He wants to, poor boy, those at the hospital won't let him." "They've just promoted him." "He's chief of the department now." "And your grandson..." "What's his name...?" "Yeah..." "He's growing really fast..." "He should be this high..." "He already knows the alphabet." "We speak every day on the phone, cause he's calling me, but it is not the same as being face to face." "Neighbor, please, pay the maintenance bill." "I'm not hearing well and God knows what else wrong with me, and you go on and on about that maintenance bill." " At least for one month..." " Okay, I'm an honest man." "If I told you I'd give you money, then I'll give it to you but please help me with that hearing thingy." "I wanna ask you something about what we've just discussed." "Wait, I haven't finished the story about the artists." "In Iasi, they put us all in a room to eat with the Mayor and the Deputy of the First Secretary..." "A lot of good food and drink like at a wedding..." "At midnight, one chick comes to me and tells me..." ""2 o'clock, in front of the Opera, I'll be waiting."" ""Phwoar!" I'm thinking..." ""I must go there."" "Before, I jerk off once or twice, sol can do her longer," "I get to the place, I wait It passes 3 o'clock." "Then a hand touches my shoulder." "It's the gorgeous babe, dressed in a mink coat." "She goes "Sorry I'm late, I didn't know what to wear"." "We go to the car and she takes off the coat and..." " Naked..." " Completely naked!" "She pulls my trousers off, and right when I'm about to give it to her big time she goes:" ""I can't do it, I have the clap"." ""But do you eat out?" "Do you suck cock?"" ""Yeah, but I won't swallow."" "So, you say we hit that car?" "Once again..." "We opened fire according to the circumstances." "I mean, there were no measurements, we estimated it." "Therefore, I cannot possibly draw a conclusion." "But were those in the car the ones firing back at us or were there others?" "So..." "Every 7- 8 minutes, we observed infantry forces approaching and outnumbering us." "But they were not the ones in the car, they couldn't fit into a single vehicle." "So there were others firing at us." "Fuck off, you've grown so senile you can't remember what happened?" "I keep thinking we should've reported the episode." "What if the Ministry starts asking questions?" "It was reported, by myself, that there was nothing to report." "So, you did not receive a letter from the Veterans' Association..." " or from the Ministry of Defense?" " No, what letter?" " A notification or something..." " Why?" "Have you?" "If you didn't receive one, then why should I?" " You're right." " As I was saying..." "If we didn't hit that vehicle, we must have hit something, that shell must have gotten somewhere?" " Yeah, basically." " So, the Germans were running away." "That's why they left behind the loaded cannon." "So why would they turn around and attack us?" "What do you mean "why"?" "We opened fire!" "Well, precisely!" "This means they were not coming back for nothing," "I mean, if someone's shooting you, you flee, you don't go towards the shooter." "We must have hit them were it hurt the most." "That must be it!" "I can say neither yes nor no." "Where it hurt them the most, that's where we hit them!" "Listen!" "Who's making you come here and fuck with me?" "Stop talking so dirty!" "What the heck?" "We reminisce, that's all..." "Let me take this," "Old wanker," "The Heroes' station" "For the Army Doctors" "For the Heroes of the Artillery" "Nina!" "Ninotchka!" "Ninotchka!" "My clearest Ninotchka, I'm officially informing you that on the 25th of August 1944, at about 12:35 hours," "I opened fire in the Dambovita banks area, hitting the fascists in their weakest spot." "Their headquarters, that is." "You're shivering, my dear." "You're burning up." "What do you mean "no"?" "BAD DEBTOR" " Hi, Mr. Ion!" " Hello, Sorin." "Going for a walk?" "It's only yesterday that your mother, may God rest her soul, and Tomita, your papa, were taking you for a walk." "Time goes by fast." "So this is, in short, how we managed to destroy the Fascists' Headquarters in '44." "You know the rest:" "The Germans were driven out of the country, by heavy fighting, cause that's the only way to do it, and, in the end, they had to surrender." "Interesting, what can I say?" "I'm no good at History," "I watch, now and then, the history programs." "And you really think this rotor is causing the glitch?" "That's what I told you on the phone, right?" "Then why don't they repair it or change it with a new one?" "Who's there to repair it?" "They've all been like this since Ceausescu, and we keep mending them, and putting them back together." "It's unacceptable!" "It's 14 degrees centigrade inside!" "I'm okay, I've hardened myself in life and in war," "I'm used to being cold, but my wife can't handle it." " So that's the trouble." " It has no power." "Tell me where I have to go, what doors I have to open, and I'll go, I won't mind it." "One can't make people live in the cold, at 14 degrees!" "I'll tell you a secret:" "Do as you please." "At least we should know what we are paying for." "And let me tell you something else." "Even if they change the rotor and put in a mega rotor instead, we'll still be losing heat along the line." "Do you know at what temperature the heated water leaves here." "You see, you don't know." "I'll tell you 70 degrees centigrade!" "And do you know what temperature it is when it reaches you?" " 14 degrees." " Not really." " 35 degrees!" " Yeah, right..." "But I'm telling you... this is not the problem." "It's the pipes!" "They're not properly insulated." "They must all be changed with some new ones..." "But who's gonna care?" "And what are we, poor us, supposed to do?" "What can we do?" "I'd buy a radiator, but the electricity bill would make me broke." "Do as I tell my woman to do." ""Put on a sweater and thick socks."" "Cheers!" "Ninotchka, drink the tea, take the aspirin, you'll sweat a lot, and by tomorrow morning you'll get rid of the cold." "Take the aspirin too." "Why won't you take it?" "It's cold, isn't it?" "Don't worry, in a couple of days, they'll turn the heating on." "Nina, really, it's been 6 years and you're still not over it?" "If you don't talk to me, I can't understand you." "How was I supposed to let him flee the country like a miserable prick?" "If he had been patient for at least one more year..." "He could have left after the revolution legally." "Am I right or what?" "Then why don't you talk to me?" " "Michelle turned..."" " Michelle!" ""Michelle turned towards him." "She had tears in her eyes and she looked more beautiful than ever." "I couldn't tell you he was your son," "I was afraid you'd think I was begging for your love, said she in a trembling voice."" "Do you like me reading to you, Ninotchka?" "How could I?" "You've just read me the ending." "You are as bold as you are beautiful." "Ninotchka, did you know you have the smile of a child?" "Yes, you have." "And you have the walk of a deer, dancing through the fallen leaves." "And your voice is like the song of the lark..." " Good morning..." " All my respect to you, sir." "Here's your pension and an official letter from Cotroceni Palace." "Could it be from the President?" "Who knows?" "Sign here, please." "Thank you." "So, 50.000, 60, 70, 81, 82 thousand and... 100, 200..." "I don't have 300." " Oh, congratulations for the medal." " Thank you." "Do you have 1.000, so that I can give you 500?" "1.000, 1.000..." "One could see you used to be a book-keeper!" "I think that starting next month it will show in the pension." " What will show?" " This medal." "It will show, clearly, but in February or March..." "Why?" "Don't I get the veteran benefits?" " I don't have 1.000..." " Okay, leave it." "Thank you!" "Did you go make inquiries about how much the veteran pension is?" "What do you mean?" "Isn't it automatic?" "Automatic?" "Given the size of your pension, it might not even be that big." " Really?" " Go and see for yourself." " At the House of Pensions, right?" " Yes." " They'll tell you when and how much." " Good to know." "Thank you." " Bye." " Cheers!" "All the best to the wife." "And what does the President write to you about?" "I wanna know why you don't talk to me." "You know why..." "At least you could invite me to play some rummy..." "Will you tell me about the letter or not?" "How would you feel if I decided not to talk to you anymore?" "What's there to talk about?" "You shouldn't have interfered in the boy's life!" "On Friday evening, we are invited by Mr. President to the official ceremony celebrating the victory." "Will you tell him you voted for the Nationalists?" "One moment, please." "Ninotchka, can you see who it is?" "Good evening, Mrs. Baitan..." "Is he at home?" "Yes, come in." " Good evening!" " Congratulations!" "Is it true?" " Pretty much..." " Congratulations and good luck!" "Sit down." "I hope you don't want me to pay for November, too..." "No!" "There's something else, but I don't want you to misunderstand me." "I'll pay for it when I'll pay for December." "That's not it!" "After all, we're all decent human beings!" "No, the problem at hand concerns all of us..." "What problem?" "There's this villa being built next to us, and it takes the light away from those living on the same side as me." "I bet they don't even have authorization, and even if they did, it's unacceptable, right?" "Right..." "Therefore, in our last meeting it was proposed to send a complaint to the President, given that you'll see him..." " You'll go, right?" " I can't refuse him." "Then, maybe you could hand him our request." "Certainly, give it to me." "But I haven't written it yet." "Well, get on with it, because tomorrow I'm going." "I don't really know how to write it..." "He's the president, not the guy from the gas company..." "Then take a piece of paper and write what I tell you." " Mr. President." " Dear Sir, Mr. President." "Wouldn't this be better:" ""Dearest Sir, Mr. President?"" "No!" "You've asked me, you should do as I say." "In the name of our committee of house owners..." ""Residents" would be better..." ""Resident" is a kind of "owner"." "We hereby call your attention..." "We hereby respectfully call your attention to the following injustice..." "to the following abuse." "Who was on the phone?" "Comel?" "Please ask her, if you're so kind, to tell me who it was." "This is between the two of you, I cannot interfere." "Then you're on your own with the letter!" "And even if you write it, I won't deliver it." "Mrs. Nina, I'm begging you, in the name of the residents..." "Come on, it's not for me, you'd be helping all of us." " It was Comel." " What was he saying?" " He has been granted citizenship." " What citizenship?" "Canadian." "Nina, what's with this kid?" "He's sinking lower and lower." "How can he be "Canadanian" if you and me are both Romanians?" "Canadian!" "Hello, Cornel dear?" "It's me, your father..." "No, nothing's wrong, what could be wrong?" "That's bothering you now?" "Where do I have your number from?" "You could've told me "Good evening, dad"..." "What time is there?" "!" "Oh..." "Sorry, but as we don't speak too often, I didn't know that..." "Cornel, dear, listen to me, I have good news." "So listen!" "Would you agree to..." "Stop interrupting me, cause it might interest you..." "I could ask Mr. President, who has invited me to a ceremony celebrating the war..." "I could ask him, then, to find you a good position in one of the Bucharest hospitals, and you could come back home..." "How can he be in the secret police?" "He's the President..." "I've never spoken to the secret police..." "It was someone from the Militia and I thought they'd make you come to your senses since you wouldn't listen to me..." "What about when I was copying other students' course work for you because you couldn't understand their handwriting, you don't remember that." "Doctor Cornet, do you?" "No, that's not important, is it?" "I've just received a medal for what I did during wartime..." "No, they didn't give it to me so that I would vote for them," "I won't vote for them anyway..." "Why can't you be reasonable?" "Listen, if you don't want to come, then maybe my grandson does..." "Jos..." "Joshue, right, why couldn't you give him a proper Christian name?" "Put him on the phone, he might want to visit us..." "Comel, wait!" "I'm calling you, why would you pay for it?" "Put him on the phone..." "He's sleeping?" "Isn't he going to school?" "Oh, yes..." "Comel, my boy, give me your address, please, so I can send the child a Christmas present..." "Hello, wait a minute..." "Cornel, please..." "Mr. President, I represent a homeowners' association..." "Not owners..." "Residents!" "We hereby ask you to be kind enough..." "Mr. President, sir, you must help us get the rotor changed because our heating doesn't work." "We're paying the heating bill, but we don't get any heat." "Hey Mister, you with the bag, come here, please..." " You can't get in with that thing." " It's for Mr. President..." "It stays here, with me." "Sir, we've all contributed to this nice gesture, it's a pity to waste it." "Leave it here and he'll get it, you have my word." "But the vodka is not for the President..." "That's okay..." "You can take it when you leave." "Then write on it that it's from the Block P1 owners' association, which is on 2 Triumph Street in Sector 6, and I'll tell the President you have it." "Go..." "And take the bag, too." "Wake up, Romanian, from your deadly sleep" "Into which you've been sunk by the barbaric tyrants." "Now, or never, your fate renew, to which your enemies will bow too." "Congratulations..." "Congratulations, General." "Oh, Mr. President, we did what we could, and if we could have, we would have done more..." " You did enough." " I serve my country." "Thank you and congratulations." "I serve my country." "Congratulations." "Mr. President, sir, I am very glad to see you here..." "We did what we could, you know, we destroyed the Fascist headquarters with what we found one of their cannons." "That was both quick and ingenious." "I have two letters of request, one about the rotor in the central heating station, which was approved by the Mayor's Office, but there is no money for it, and the second is about the illegal construction" "of a yellow villa next to our block on Triumph street." "My people will get on it." " We all voted for you, you know!" " All the best." "I've left a little something for you at the security gate." "Everyone from the block contributed I'm sure you'll like it." " Thank you." " I serve my country." "Tell me, Ninotchka dear, are you proud of me?" "If your mother and father could see me now!" "There would be no more:" ""Why aren't you an officer yet?"" "That's what I have always said:" "Don't judge a man by his uniform, because you can never know what he is capable of in his heart." "Who filled my son's head with all this nonsense allowing him to treat me like this?" "Cornel has had something against you since 1988." "I guess I'd have to be a general for everyone to be pleased for me." "Look, I talked to the President the same way I'm talking to you." "Cut the nonsense!" "If I was ever concerned about you being poor, I'd never have married you." "Really?" "Then why did you go for a walk with Berindei while I was in the army, because he had land?" "Your father was pushing you not to marry a poor fellow." "But who did I marry, Berindei or you?" "Then why didn't you take my surname, why did you keep your own?" "Was "Nina lon" not good enough for you?" "You think "Baitan" sounds nobler?" "Stop picking on my father, he always helped us." " Who brought money into this house?" " Whose house is this?" "But who's been working day in and day out for 40 years straight?" "Who kept your son in college?" "And what's my reward?" "You're not talking to me!" "I'm not allowed to read one goddamn letter!" "And for what?" "For wanting what was best for him!" "It doesn't matter, there are others who appreciate me." "I think it's quite ironic that we hit the Germans with their awn cannon, so they'd know what it feels like." "But weren't you afraid, Mr. Ion?" "You can't afford to have fear, you have to do your duty." "I told myself "God help us" and I opened fire." "What's up with Mrs. Popescu?" "She's always the first one here..." " She's coming..." " Let's start without her." "I was just saying..." "Maybe it's her..." "I can't say anything right." "Yes?" "Who?" "You don't say!" "Where did she fall?" " Mrs. Popescu collapsed." " Jesus, poor thing!" "When did it happen?" "This morning?" "You're coming back from the hospital?" " It's a heart attack." " Who?" "Mrs. Popescu..." "She's in pain, the poor thing." "I can imagine." "We were waiting to drink some coffee together and seeing she didn't come," "I thought something must be wrong." " A stroke in the brain." " She's never late." "Yes, I'll tell Mrs. Petrescu and we're going to see her." "Bye!" "Be brave!" "She slipped in the bath-tub and fractured a thighbone." "Jesus!" "Poor thing!" "This is the beginning of the end." "Where is she now?" "In the Emergency Room." "She'll be operated on tomorrow." " If she's there, it will be okay." " Call a taxi and let's go." "Yes?" "Is it you, love?" " I was just about to..." " It's Comel, from Canada." "No, there's nothing wrong..." "We're just going to the hospital to see Mrs. Popescu." "She's telling him about Mrs. Popescu!" "He's calling from Canada." "Right!" "Right!" "So, tell me, what's up?" "No way!" "Joshua and Rita too..." "Joshua is coming!" "He's coming!" "Let's not talk so much, because you'll have to pay a lot..." "Joshua is coming!" "I'll finally meet my grandson." "Bye, dear..." "Cornel is coming home." "You win some, you lose some." "We are but toys in the hands of fate..." " We are but toys!" " That's life Mr. Ion." "He is coming with the boy and the wife too." "When?" "He doesn't know yet, it depends on the plane ticket." "He was hoping sometime around Christmas..." "What are you doing?" "Sir, can you tell us how you terminated them Germans?" "Sorry?" " How did you kill all the Germans?" " Oh, the war..." "The Germans were our allies and we were fighting against the Russians." "And in August 1944 we decided to be Russian allies and fight against the Germans." "And the Germans were upset." ""Hey," they said. "We've been friends for so long."" "And we said "That's enough!" Then the Germans began firing at us." " We didn't like being fired at..." " So you killed them." "Yeah!" "I found a German cannon they had left behind, and I fired it at the Fascist headquarters and I smashed them all!" " You were the one firing?" " Of course!" "That's why they have decorated me." "And then the Communists came." "They had tanks." "The heating's working now!" "I had to go all the way to the President." "If you can imagine." " Come in!" " Mr. Ion, I have to go..." " C'mon, one drink!" " Good day, Mrs. Baitan." "Good morning, Mr. Izbasescu!" "Look Ninotchka, a letter from the Secretary of State." "Who knows, they might promote me!" " It's really warm here!" " We have a new rotor!" "You know how we sleep at night?" "Without blankets." "Goodbye winter clothes!" "I poured some for you too, Ninotchka." " No, thank you..." " Not even on special occasions?" "No." " Cheers!" " Cheers!" "Mrs. Baitan!" "Cheers!" "So, let's see." "What does it say?" "Ninotchka, give me your glasses, please, I can't see very well." " They've promoted me." " What did they make you now?" "They've promoted me on merit." " Yeah, but what rank were you?" " Sergeant." "So they've made you a lieutenant now..." "My grandfather was made lieutenant after he died." "He wasn't even a sergeant." "He was only a troop leader." "So what did they make you?" "What does it say there?" "It says:" ""Following your letter of request from December 4th 1995, the special committee..."" "They made me lieutenant." "Senior lieutenant!" "Senior, right!" "The promotion is even more important." "Congratulations!" "I really must go..." "Thank you and congratulations." "Goodbye!" "Mrs. Baitan..." "I'm happy for you!" "Bye..." "It's closed!" " Don't you see it's closed?" " Miss..." "Please, there's been a disaster." "Help me see the commission." "Didn't you receive an answer?" "I received a letter telling me there was a mistake with the medal." "I know, I sent it to you." "Go home, and we'll see what happens when you receive the answer to your request." "Miss..." "What are you doing?" " I'm begging you, accept this please." " Behave yourself!" "If you're interested to know, Mrs. Popescu's operation succeeded." "Has anything happened?" "Are you going to tell me?" "Is it about the letter?" "Mamma told me you want to come home..." "Yeah... yeah... and when?" "Okay..." "Comel, listen, I'm not feeling very well." "If you could..." "Why aren't I asleep?" "I want to talk to the boy, he's my grandson, after all." "Please, please..." "Yeah, I'll wait..." "Hello, Joshue..." "It's Grandpa speaking..." "Grandpa!" "Grandpa from Romania..." "Your grandpa..." "Hello?" "Joshue!" "Hello?" "Cornel, I don't understand a word he's saying..." "What do you mean "He doesn't speak Romanian"?" "Thank you..." "Madam, please..." "What would you recommend for my grandson?" "Well." "It depends on your budget and his age." " How old is he?" " Almost 5." "I'm only asking because when they're growing up there's a big difference." "Is he mentally developed?" " He knows English, too!" " You don't say." "Then you should give him a Santa Claus book." "The holidays are coming." "This one for example." " How much is it?" " 15.000..." "Is it?" "!" "What about those toy soldiers?" "They're made of plastic, but they're for 8-10 year olds." " 80 year olds?" " 8 to 10 year olds!" "May I see them?" "They're not recommended for 4 to 5 year olds, there's a risk they might choke on them." "He's almost 5 and he's well developed." " He can write, too..." " As you please..." "How much is everything?" "Including the book." "So we were here, well organized, with the cannon, and when we opened fire, the Germans came from over there." " So where was the cannon?" " Here, but I only have toy soldiers." "Let's say this is the cannon." "I'm not the one you have to persuade." "Go into the other room, to Ginuta, write down the events of 1944, state the nature of the problem." " And bring the letter back to me." " And then?" "I'll write a letter of support and you'll hand it in to the Ministry" " I've already been there." " Come on, Mr. Ion, write the letter." "I'm begging you, please, help me, General, with this serious injustice." "Don't worry, we'll help you." "That's what we're here for." "That is why I told you to join our association." "Okay, I'll do it, but help me, please." "If we have to, we'll go to the National Television and we'll mention something in the Army Hour." "No, let's keep the media out of this one." "Back again?" "Didn't I tell you to wait at home?" "Miss, I have a letter of complaint signed by many veterans and by the Mountain Corps, in which they demand that you don't take my medal away." "I cannot accept any letter before you receive the final decision." "It was signed by Vasile Floare and Petru Mandru, who saw with their own eyes how I destroyed the headquarters..." "There's been a typing error, an "I" instead of a" "The medal was not for you, lon I. Ion, but for lon J. Ion." "Do you understand?" "If you had stayed at home," "I'd have sent you the decision by now." " Miss, I'm not feeling very well..." " Don't try anything with me!" "You'll receive the decision by mail." "Sign for it, and then you can give me the complaint and whatever." " I'm dizzy." " Go home, then!" "When you come back with the complaint and the final decision, you must bring me the medal." "What do you mean bring you the medal?" "I have to give it to the right guy, it's on the inventory." "He's waiting for you." "Good day." "Mr. Ion... we thought about a campaign urging the residents to pay the maintenance bill." "We want to put a picture of you on the bulletin board." "You would be wearing the medal and you would set an example." "It would say "Neighbor, don't forget to pay your bill!"" " What do you think?" " I haven't paid it either." "We've all thought about that and we've decided to take some money from the expenses fund so that you can pay your debts and become an example." "So you are "up to date", as they say." "I have no photo with the medal." "We'll take a pretty picture with a professional photographer." " Joshua asked about you." " About me?" "Let's take the photo and send it to him." " Let's do it, if we have to." " Thank you." "Do you have any idea how much the bill is?" "Turn the heat down!" "You're bankrupting us!" "This is no incubator!" "Goddammit!" "Damn heating company..." "The kids called, they'll be here on Friday." "Aren't you happy?" "Darling, there's a gentleman looking for you." " Good day, what can I do for you?" " Good day." "Are you Mr. Ion J. Ion?" " Yes." "And you are?" " Ion I. Ion, with an 'I' from 'Ion'." "What a coincidence!" "Well, it's not really the same because I have a "J" from "Jean"." " No, it is a true coincidence." " Sit down." "Shall I bring you some homemade jam?" " I don't want to bother you." " It's no trouble at all." " Nice place you have here." " A bit too small." " We did what we could." " It looks really nice." "Tell that to my wife." "She'll be happy to hear it." "So..." "There's been a confusion with the "J" and the or with the "I" and the I'm not sure anymore." "What kind of confusion?" "It's about this Medal of Honor I've just received." "Those from the Ministry say they have to take it from me and to give it to you." " My?" " That's what I said." " Thank you." " You're welcome." " You have a really nice place here." " Do you like it?" "I'm happy." "It's a bit small, but it's enough for us two." " The jam is really wonderful." " You flatter me." "But my husband deserves the credit." " He chooses the cherries." " Have you heard that, darting?" "The Ministry wants to give me some sort of medal." " Those good-for-nothings!" " You're absolutely right, madam." "Let me tell you, I'm mad with rage." "How can they possibly take my medal away from me?" "I'm no longer surprised at anything coming from the Ministry of Defense." "Mr. Ion, that's great news." "I brought a paper for you to sign, stating the fact that you don't want anything to do with my medal." "What could I want?" "I don't want anything to do with it." "The Ministry and the army no longer exist for me." "Then you can sign this paper, as I've asked you." "My husband doesn't like reminiscing about the war." " Please sign it for the Ministry." " I thought I was clear enough." "I don't want anything to do with the Ministry and the veterans!" "They no longer exist for me!" "Don't you understand?" "Please, sir, sign it, so that justice can be made." "I won't sign it!" "Please leave me alone!" "I'm begging you, please, sign it!" "My son is coming home from Canada and he'll find me without my medal." " I'm asking you to..." " What are you asking me?" "Do you know what I think?" "You're a fraud, sir, you stole my medal from me." "Were you even in the war?" "How dare you talk to me like this?" "'MW Won't you sign it?" "Take this and do it yourself." "I thought you wouldn't come back and I'd have to send someone for you." "Miss, I've spoken to lon J., with a "J" from "Jean", and he doesn't want any medal whatsoever, and he even signed a statement." "Sir, you're driving me nuts!" "I have to give him the medal, because it's in the inventory and he has to sign for it." "After that, if he wants to give it back, that's something else." "Do you understand?" " He's just said he doesn't want it." " You don't understand." "Give me the medal and leave me in peace." " It's my medal!" " No, it's the Ministry's." "Come on, give me the medal without causing a scene." "Miss, I'll go on a hunger strike!" "I'm old and sick, I hardly managed to get here, and my son is coming from Canada to see me and my medal." "Miss, are you still there?" "Stop him!" "He's the guy who stole the medal and won't give it back!" "How long will you annoy me?" "They out my wages by 10 per cent because I wrote an I instead of a J, at a time when I'm about to have my child." "Please, don't take my medal!" "You had to come around with your fucking complaints, instead of shutting the fuck up." " Leave me alone!" " Fucking idiot." "It's inhuman. inhuman." "Inhuman!" "Cornel dear, I thought I was helping you when I told the militia to keep you locked up for a while, so that you'd change your mind about leaving me." "You're the only one I have, I didn't mean to hurt you." "I'm sick and I don't want you to see me like this." "It would be better if you came in the summer, because it's cold now." "I can't wait to see you." "Starting from January 1996, Italy will take over the Presidency of the E. U..." "President Iliescu had a 30 minute discussion with Pope John Paul II." "This was their 3rd such meeting, following the ones in February '91 and September '92, since Romania resumed its diplomatic relations with the Vatican in 1990." "The main topic was the properties of the Church confiscated by the Communists in 1948." "Are you ready?" "We have to go, the airplane is about to land." "You haven't seen him in 7 years." "Pawnbroker and Jeweler" " Joshua!" " Let him play, Comel." "How could he know what a "VEF" is?" " Give it to grandma!" " Careful with that." " Cornel, tell her to eat some more." " She'll eat, if she wants to." "She must be hungry." "So tell me, are you going to invite us to Canada?" "I am but do you have enough money?" "Yeah, but only for a one way ticket." "Give me the empty bread basket, please." "Cornel, how do you manage about food?" "Pretty good." "When Rita doesn't cook, I do." "And when we're not in the mood, we go out." "Don't tell me she can make cabbage rolls like Mrs. Nina's." "No, we buy them from the Romanian store." " And where do they get them from?" " There are all sorts of agreements." "The bread arrives!" "Give me a clear "yes or no", will you, is it better in Canada or over here?" "That is the question!" "Comel, I want you to visit Mrs. Popescu..." " Good evening." " Look who's here!" "Long live, Mr. Ion!" "Is this the war veteran who's photo I have to take?" " He is our decorated hero." " Our pride and glory." "How are you, dad?" "They haven't seen each other for 6 years." "This is Rita, my wife." "He's my father." "Easy, don't get so excited or you'll spill the liqueur." " I'm the father." " She's happy to meet you." "Congratulations!" "One of my uncles has a similar one." "He's a bit shy, but he'll get used to you." "Welcome back!" "Cheers!" "Mr. Ion, I'll immortalize you in my pictures, but don't look at me, act like I'm not here." "So, now we're clear about the cabbage rolls." "What about the Easter cake?" " Leave him alone." " Do we have to talk only about food?" "Do you have Easter cake like your Mother's over there?" "Do you know how much they charge for a cake at the Romanian store?" "14 dollars." "14 dollars?" "That's more than our monthly maintenance bill." "Dear, how much do you pay for the ingredients for one cake?" "The eggs are 400, the flour is 150 the cocoa, if it's good, is about 1.000, so, in all, about 2.000." "How much is 2.000 lei in dollars?" "Careful!" "It's not real dollars, but Canadian dollars." "It's worth about 80 cents." "So let's say one dollar." "Can you compare one dollar against 14?" "Well, that's Canada for you "The Land of Plenty!"" "Let's have a picture of the kid holding the medal." " Does he understand any Romanian?" " Only a few words." "What a pity..." "He has Romanian blood in his veins." "Do you know what business would really work in Canada?" "Meatballs!" "Which side are you on?" "The French or the English?" "It's like over here..." "with Moldavians, Transylvanians..."