"You've hit rock bottom" "You're slime no one wants to touch" "Your beloved booze has pushed you into the river where you are now sinking." "I also sunk..." "I know what it means to sink." "What it means to be human carrion." "My body was numb and my heart empty." "So one night... a diabolic thought entered my mind..." "and I thought to myself..." ""Since I don't feel anything, how can I know if I am still alive?"" "I decided to find out and went for an axe." "I woke up in a hospital and found Her in front of me." "When I wanted to kill myself because I was  sick of everything I saw..." "I woke up  her image was in front of me..." "Saint Mary of Lourdes." "Me, the lowest scum on earth, wanted to die at her feet but instead, I got life." "She leaned over this piece of human garbage, put her arms around it and lifted it." "She stared at me and said:" """My dear son...""" """My dear son...""" ""... why do you wound the heart of the woman who loves you, who incessantly weeps for you"." "It was a miracle." "And now she comes to you  clean..." "untouched by soiled hands and begs:" ""stop deceiving yourselves"." "You must be born again." "You must believe in the miracle." "She wants to give you." "She begs you to accept it." "Open your unclean hearts and let her in and she will free you from the filth and addictions." "Look... and feel her press you against her heart." "Follow Her!" "Return to life like children," "like helpless handicapped and criminals, suicides..." "Help me, mom..." "I want to live..." "MIRACLE SELLER" "We have a favor to ask you." "Word has it that you are headed for Lourdes." "These are our prayers." "It isn't much, but it will buy you a bit of gas" "I bring you there in my heart and in my prayers..." "Thank you." "May I?" "I also have something for you." "Of course..." "She never refuses anyone." " You gave me an empty card." " I gave you 50 zloties  buy me a half a liter of vodka and keep the change." "What?" "You can drink it with me if you want to..." "What are you talking about?" "You know very well you"re not going anywhere." " I don't understand." " You are as weak as I am  and you have to come to terms with that... and not promise them miracles!" "You"re a sick man." "I can give you a reference for both the homeless shelter and the sober house." "But that"s not the point." "You only recently recovered from your illness and your body is still weak." "You need calm." "Just a year ago you were a patient of mine, and now you want to cure cure others." "You don't believe in miracle of healing." "You should know that." "In medicine there is a state, we call "compassion fatigue"." "You're shouldering too large a load." "You can't take it." "The Virgin Mary can take it." "I still have to visit a few places before I leave." "I beg you." "Do me this favor." "Call the shelter." "I won"t do it, because I wouldn't be doing you a favor." "You are too weak for such an enterprise." "You simply don"t believe." "I will not give you a reference." "I advise you to stay here." "HOMELESS SHELTER IN TOMASZOW LUBELSKI" " Give me the knife back!" " Leave those kids alone." "Aren't you ashamed of yourself?" "Why do you beat the children?" "The choice is yours:" "If you want to turn your back on the Virgin Mary." "I'd hate to be in your shoes on judgment day." "What are you talking about?" "Are you trying to scare or threaten me?" "They'll get killed if they stay here a day longer." "...and this one is trying to be a tough guy." "He's sto'en Gypsy's knife before trying to escape." "Can you believe it?" "Where are you going?" "The police already caught you twice." "You're not allowed to move around freely." "They'll soon come to take you back to the camp." "Chechens." "A whole group escaped from a refugee camp in Biala Podlaska." "So what?" "Listen, this pilgrim is going to France." "Take him to the TV room and keep an eye on him." "You'll sleep here tonight." "You'll be safe." "But really  are you mutes... or are you just fooling me?" "Brats..." "Did you hear it?" "That Pole is going to France!" "You have blood on your lips." "I know what it means to hit bottom." "What it means to be human carrion..." "A rag no one wants to touch..." " To be ashamed of your own shadow..." " Keep it down!" "I can;t hear the TV!" "...I know, but the situation is such that I can't wait much longer." "I must leave soon." "Yes..." "Of course..." "So I will call you again then..." "Yes..." "Thank you very much." "Get the hell out!" "Now!" "Out!" "This is my private car." "You understand?" "Out!" " Are you dumb?" "Get out!" " I beg you!" "We are going to France." "Like you." "What?" "!" "Our daddy." "France." "Take us there." "Please!" "Lyon." "France." "You're out of your mind." "I'll take you to the gas station and I drop you off there." "Is that clear?" "!" "This is the end of our trip." "It was a pleasure meeting you." "France... there!" "Tomaszow... there!" "Hey!" "What the hell did I say?" "!" "Get out!" "We had an agreement." "There is the train station." "There are also buses." "Out!" "I'm going to go pay for the gas now." "So when I come back I want you out of here." "The police is there." "I'm sure you understand that." "When I come back I want you out of here." "Let's go!" " What are you waiting for?" " Let's go or he'll call the police." " I'm not jumping." " Why not?" "Let's go to the bus station and take a bus." " We'll get caught there" " No, we won't." " Yes, we will." " No, we won't!" " Yes, we will!" "Yes we will!" " No, we won't!" "There you go they won't catch us." "Thieves!" "Thieves!" "You... thieves!" "What more do you want from me?" "I have nothing." "You took everything I had." "Who is a thief?" "I know who stole your money!" "HOMELESS SHELTER IN TOMASZOW LUBELSKI" "Let's get out of here." "That Pole is a bad man." "You're the one who's bad." "He will take us to our father." "You trust him?" "He will take us there." "Then I'll go alone." "I am looking for this man he's got dark hair." "They call him Gypsy." " Give me my money back!" " Hey!" "It's pilgrim!" "Don't play stupid." "Give me my money back!" "What if I gave you a hit?" " He stinks of vodka." " He's a swindler!" "I gave him money for the trip." "I'll give him something too..." " Find the money?" " Find no money and I'm sick of you." "Out!" "I said get out!" "I beg you, sir..." " Out!" " Are you crazy?" "!" "There he is..." "Swindler!" "Stop him!" "Hey, Pole!" "Our father was going to give Adul 5000 Euro." "Now he will pay you." "Adul helped us escape from the camp but the police caught him." "Are you crazy?" "This is father, and this is Adul." "Now you get the payment." "I'm Urika and he is Hasim." "Okey?" "I don't want to know you and I don't want your money!" "I want the money they stole." "Because of you." "It"s all your fault." "You follow me like shadows." "You're nothing but trouble." "Your money won't get me to Lourdes, and besides I don't want it." "I want you to find someone else." "Do you understand?" "You are a pain." "A pain in my Iife, a nuisance to my work." "I don't want to have anything to do with you." "Do we understand each other?" "No?" "You don't understand, do you..." "Then I don't understand either." "Fuck it all!" "I"m through with you." "Pole, where are we going?" "Sorry about that..." "As I said I can't help you." "But why?" "Mrs. Jaworska said that I couId come to you." "So here I am..." "Maybe but I still won't let you see the people in there." " Why not?" " I said, no!" "But sir..." "You yourself are a drunk, sir!" " I beg your pardon?" " You yourself are a drunk, sir!" "You said you haven"t drank in two years and you know very well that it isn't true." "You're going to France." "We give you money for trip." "And father will give more." "He works in Lyon." "You don't have to tell him everything." "He's taking us there." "He must know everything." " Father will pay." " And you?" "Wi'll you pay?" "Will you buy me a beer?" "Urika, I am over here!" "When we get to Lyon  I'll ask dad to buy me a pair of these." "How do you know they have these shoes there." "I know..." "... because K-Maro has the same." " I saw it on his music video." " Nonsense..." "His are different." "What's the problem?" "He wants to buy shoes?" "He's just dreaming." "Your son doesn't like baths, does he?" " He's not my son." " You could still take better care of him." " What did she say?" " Nothing." "Just that you're cute." "We're late." " ...unless we wait until tomorrow." " We break in." "Good." "Let's get in." "Don't you touch me." "Not allowed!" "You first!" "I climb by myself." "Crazy man!" "Come on, I'll show you..." "Urika!" "Urika!" "You aren't going to wather with him!" "Don't you dare!" "You see..." "You won"t sink..." "I"m swimming!" " Don't touch me." " All right, take it easy!" "When I tell you to get out of the water  I mean it." "You must listen to me!" " That's what Abdul said." " Coward." " You're crazy!" " You're a coward!" "Stefan!" "How old are you anyway?" "I leave you guys alone for a few minutes  and you're already at each other's throats." "Do I look like a nanny?" "I'm not made for this." "I can't do this." "Give me the hanger." "Do you understand?" " Where have you bring it from?" " From Grozny." "You shouldn't be talking to him." "What's written here?" " What does it mean?" " It's a poem:" "through your heart..." "How do you say it..." " It flows?" " Yes!" "A river of love..." "flows through your heart..." "What are you saying, girl?" "What secrets are you talking about?" "Stefan!" "Thanks!" "You're a wise girl, you know..." "Too bad all children in the world aren't like you." "Why are you so silent?" " He's not coming back." " He wouldn't leave his car." "I am Zbigniew Magierski... but you can call me Zbysiek." "We are going to the border." "Germany." "Can you take us?" " Where?" " France." "We have more." "All right, Gypsy, give me the money!" "If you break my door handles I"II break your necks!" "Give me the money I said!" "OK." "In that case you'll have to tell the police who you robbed." "...and they take you back to the camp." "Here!" "You were lucky to get into my cab." "Now get out, you hear me?" "!" "Go back to Asia." "Damn..." "Everything will be fine." "We will go back and figure something out." "I don't want to go back there." "We have no money for the trip." "We must go back." "I have money." "I..." "I stole the pole's money." "I managed a small a small gift today." "Please!" "What are you afraid of?" "I don't want to..." "It's not the first time after all." "Or do you think it is the last one?" "Aqua vita, the heart of our culture!" "Cheers, my friend!" "Oh my God..." "Nurse!" "I spend two thirds of my life here." "Am I supposed to not give a damn?" "!" "I can't accept the thought that my work is so nonsensical and stupid." "My dignity won"t allow it." "Do you remember what dignity is?" "If you feel that the church will solve your problems then you should go your own way." "Because I unfortunately no longer see a solution." "Please, forgive me." "I need help..." "Please help me." "Please help me." "I betrayed the children..." "There were these kids who wanted me to take them home..." "They escaped from the camp..." "They sort of hung on to me..." "I abandoned them." " What are you talking about?" " I abandoned them." "I'llI come back here, but first..." "I must take them home..." "because they need me." "They need me." "You know very well what will happen if you leave this place." "Nothing will stop you from drinking." "I will not hold you here, but I warn you that... death awaits you beyond that door." "You can go if you want to..." "You're a free man." "You heard me." "I will not stop you." "Urika!" "What's wrong?" "Nothing." "Hey!" "It's me." "I'll take you to France," "OK?" "What are you doing?" "Where are you going?" "Forgive me if you want, and if not, then too bad." "I want to help you, but..." "I don't know if I can..." "I don't know how long I can withstand it..." "I'm very ill." "You'll make it." "Tell him he'll make it." "Do you know this?" "Well?" "We agreed we were going to cooperate, didn't we?" "If you're going to behave that way we're never going to get anywhere." "Fine." "I'm mad too." "You're not funny." "You're not angry at all, you know?" "You're stupid." "He bugs me too." "What are we going to do, Pole?" "I don't know..." "I'll go to the border and take a look around." "Then stay in the car." "I'm leaving the keys, my driver's license and my passport." "Here..." "What do you need?" "To be honest with you, rain but two bags of chips will do for now." "How much  does that small bottle of vodka cost?" "Three euros." "would you like it?" "I stole them." "So, you see?" "I came back!" "Are we partners now, or aren't we?" "Shake my hand." "You bought vodka!" "What?" "You're deceiving us!" "What did you say?" "How can you say something like that to me?" "I couId be your father." "Where's your conscience... and respect..." "Can't you see what I'm doing for you?" "What am I going to do with this kid?" "He didn't mean to, Stefan." "You won't win!" "You won't win!" "Here you go..." "I will never be a saint like you..." "I'm nothing but a pathetic drunken bastard." "But, take a load of this, I'll get you home anyway... and I swear." "I won't go anywhere near the stuff..." "before I do it." "Just to get rid of you." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry." "I didn't mean to." "No problem, buddy." "Well..." "I'm not going." " I canit swim." " You don't have to." "You're going to anyway." "We'll make life vests." "I don't want to." "Think about your father!" "He's waiting for you on the other side." "Imagine his face!" "He raises his hands and shouts:" ""Don't be afraid, my son!" "..." "What's wrong?" "He doesn't remember father." "What?" "He was small boy..." "I don't remember him either." "Hey, stop it." "Stop it." "But he remembers you!" "He's waiting for you." "Do you have any idea how happy he will be when he sees you?" "Goodness gracious!" "He will be so happy!" "He'll hug you and lift you up off the ground..." "Your father is there..." "There's no answer." "So what?" "He stepped out of the house." "He probably went to work." "He has to make a living like any decent father, right?" "Give me the hammer." "Stefan, take this off me!" "hold on to the rope!" "Polishman!" " Polishman!" " Hasim!" "Hasim!" "Hold on to the rope!" "Shut up and pull!" "Swim ahead!" "Stefan!" "You are alive!" "Get up!" "How much do we have left?" "What?" "Money." "How much do we have left?" "In Chechen: "Tell him"." "Hasim wants to say something." "What?" "No money left?" "He has money." "Will you tell me how much is left?" "In Chechen:" ""tell him you have his money"." "How much?" "!" "Two thousand." "You're a rich boy." "Enough for a bus." "What's wrong?" "Do you need to pee or what?" "I'm the one who stole your money." "Stefan!" "He apologizes." "Do you have everything?" "In French:" ""Doesnt your father feel well?""" "In French:" ""Do you need any help?"" "Give me the water." "Sandwich?" "How about an apple?" "You must eat something." "If you don"t eat, you'll die!" "The Pole wet his pants." "It's nothing." "We are almost home." "What if he isnlt there?" "Stefan." "Mahmud Gamzatov." "So, how are things in Chechnya?" "We are from Dagestan." "I was working in Grozny when the kids were born." " I heard you are going to Lourdes." " Yes." "My brothers will drive you there tomorrow morning." "That's your payment." "Five thousand Euros" "But really..." "You must accept it." "That was the agreement." " It's not necessary." " You must know we are very grateful." "And we are even." "We are even." "Stefan..." "Urika wants to tell you something." "She wants you... to stay for her wedding." " What?" " Urika..." " She"s twelve years old." " Thirteen." "You're kidding right?" "My goodness!" "This is what this whole trip was about?" "Urika, don"t tell me you want to get married!" "Don't think I'm going to abandon you..." "Urika, don"t tell me you want to marry someone you've never seen before." "This is Europe." "You don't want to..." "Tell me you don't want to get married." "Well, you want to get married?" "Yes..." "Stefan..." "You were like father to us..." "If whenever, wherever  you would need anything  you should know we are always ready to help you." "Kids..." "If you want, you can be our guest  but of course, we do not want to delay your trip." "Holy Mother... of us all..." "Keep them from going astray as I did." "I leave them in your care." "Your devout servant, Stefan."