" Enough, let's go." " Let me drive!" " Salvatore, not today." " Let me drive!" " I said not today!" " I want to drive!" " I'm driving." " I said no, we haven't got time!" "Well, okay, but look ahead and go slowly." "Okay." "Salvatore, slow down!" "Can we visit mum at the cemetery?" "No, there's no time today." "Salvatore, slow down." "I said slow down, Salvatore!" "Damn you!" "Dammit!" "Look at the mess you've made!" " Where are you going?" " Home, I'll walk back." "Walk back?" "Salvatore, come here!" "Cut it out, Salvatore, come here!" " We've got a lot of work to do." " No, leave me alone!" "We still have to go round to the quarry." "Salvatore!" " Who are they?" "What are they doing?" " That's the town band." "They're great!" "They're practising for the procession." "They practice for days." "They put the Saint on the trawler and then take her around... so she blesses the whole sea." "It's a great celebration." "My father always used to take me." "Will you take me too?" "Course I will, in spring." "And you know, they go right past our house." "You know?" "Right past our house." "Listen, Salvatore." "You spend your afternoons with me, we work together, we go places." "But you should spend the mornings in school." "No, school is boring." "Salvatore, school is important." "If only I'd had the chance!" "All we accomplish as grown-ups we build up in our childhood." "I never could go to school." "That's why I'm forced... to take on lousy jobs... with no certainty of being able to provide food for my family." " Really?" " This is life to me." " Hello!" " Four cartloads." "Go, I'll unload." "Salvatore!" "Get away!" "SIX MONTHS LATER" "Watch out!" "Get inside!" "Let's take the roll call." " Abu Abdillah Jasmine?" " Present." " Cammisuli Barbara?" " Present." " Forestieri Giuseppe?" " Present." " Giuseppe, stand up." " Present." " Franzò Corrado?" " Present." " Gennarino Angela?" " Present." "Incatasciato Salvatore?" "Stay home!" " Look at this fish!" " Fifty." " Eighty." " Let's make it sixty." "All right." " Goodbye." " Bye." "You know that pensions can only be collected by the account holder." "I need your grandma, Mrs. Trombatore." "Where is she?" "Mrs. Trombatore is an old lady, she can't wait around for you." "To collect her pension requires a proxy to someone of age." " I've told you before." " I ain't got no proxy." "We go through this every time, just give her the money!" " Where's your grandmother?" " There." "Just give him the money, he's her grandson!" "Calm down." "Tell your grandmother to appoint someone as her proxy, that'll solve everything... and we won't have to go through this every time." "Madam, you should appoint a proxy." "Three hundred." "Here's the money." "Come here!" "Slow down or I'll fall off!" "What a way to brake!" "Untie me first." "We need to get a new trike." "Slowly, slowly." "Come on, Pecora!" "Pecora!" "Fix the aerial, we're not getting anything." "This blasted TV is a real hassle!" "And what's there to see anyway, a bunch of prancing idiots?" "How's that?" " Good." "Leave it there." " Yes, like that." "Dammit!" "No picture!" "It only works when you're next to the aerial." "Okay, I'll just go stand on the roof!" "And we even have to pay for it!" "We need a larger TV, one that doesn't require an aerial." "You're really hooked up on this TV thing!" "I want a big one too, this big." "You have to wash my hair tonight, okay?" "Salvatore!" "Salvatore!" "Sir!" "Who are you looking for?" "What do you want?" " Summer break is truly over!" " So what?" "Being clever, are you?" "Term is started, but perhaps you're not aware of it." "Oh, I see." "Do you work here alone?" "How many crates of tomatoes do you produce?" "What's it you wanted to tell me?" "Don't you speak proper Italian?" "Let's get to the point, what is it you wanted to tell me?" " I'll be expecting you at school." " Sure, good luck to you!" "Don't be such a wise guy, I'm here for you and you're future." "Even if you don't come to school, I'll still be getting my salary." "And who's gonna pay me, so I can support my sister and grandmother!" "You might not believe it, but that's what books are for." "To help you support your grandma and... sister?" "Tomorrow I'll let books do the fishing!" "I won't be in school!" "Salvatore!" "Hurry up or Maria will be late for school!" " Salvatore!" " What do you want?" "Bastard!" "Come on, come here!" "Get out!" "Thank you, goodbye." "Hello, Salvatore." "But isn't a size four too big for your grandmother?" "How should I know?" "Size four?" " What are you doing?" " They'll be fine." "Look, Salvatore, next time don't come here." "We'll deliver them to your place." "Bye, sir." " Bye, sir." " Goodbye, don't run." "Have a good day." " Bye, sir." " Come in?" " Marco Brioni?" "In the flesh..." "Well, more bone than flesh... but with all the fresh air here I'll start exercising." "I should too, but never have time to go to the gym." "You'd be wasting your money, you're in great shape as it is." " Thank you." " You're the mother of?" "No." "My name's Laura Valvo, I'm a social worker from the local council." "I'm here for Salvatore Incatasciato." "He should have been here today." "And yesterday, and the day before etc." "He hasn't been for two months." "No... he comes, occasionally." "I know, last year he failed, but I'm sure he'll come round." "You know, cases such as this require a little patience." "We must act immediately, before it's too late." "And put him in a religious institution?" "He lost his mother... and his father died in front of him." "You'd separate him from the only family he has left?" "Who are you to make such decisions, or to interfere in his life?" "I'm a civil servant as, after all, are you." "We can't take decisions about someone else's life, but we can be of real help if we act appropriately." "That's our duty." "Think about it, sir." "Daniela?" "Hello, darling." "How's it going?" "No, I couldn't call you earlier, I had a class." "How's the work on the house going?" "Yes, I'll be back in Rome as soon as possible." "No, come on, you know... bye." " What are you doing?" "Get down!" " No." " Get down." " No." " You'll hurt yourself, get down!" " No." "Get down!" "You got sent out again?" "You'll fail the year." "They'll fail you, then you'll really be in trouble!" "Trust me, you won't make it to the end of the year." "And then you'll be sorry!" "You'll end up a real ass, believe me." "Your papers." " What's your name?" " Salvatore Incatasciato." "Salvatore Incatasciato..." " How old are you?" " Fourteen." "Here it says Incatasciato Giuseppe." " That's my father." " Your father?" "What have you got back here?" "Here?" "Diapers." "What are they for?" "My grandmother, she pisses herself." "And you, do you piss yourself?" "When I was your age, I already had a moustache." "But you haven't got a single hair." "I've got hair in other places." "And you're cheeky!" "Anyway I'm letting you go this time." "But next time I'll confiscate the trike and fine you." "Understood?" "Here." "What would I do without you?" " Come here." " Behave." " Give your grandma a kiss." " Behave." "Listen here." "The dress for my burial is ready." "Tell them to put me on top in the grave, not on the bottom or I'll choke." " My darling!" " Go to sleep." "Even death won't shut you up." " What's wrong?" " Don't know." "It's dead." "We should call a breakdown truck." "What for?" "Just wait." "Salvatore..." "What are you doing?" "Try and start it now." " What?" " Try starting it." "Not too much gas or it'll flood." "Salvatore, but..." "how did you do it?" "You got a well paid job, why don't you buy a nice car?" "Why are you driving this junk?" "Get yourself a Mercedes!" "Well done." "Salvatore, wait!" " Here." " I'm not a car mechanic." "Come on, take it." " Salvatore..." " I'm not a car mechanic." " All right, I'll see you in school." " Yeah, sure..." "I'll see you in school." "Thank you!" "So, Salvatore, is the pump working?" "Why?" "What's it to you?" "How are the tomatoes doing?" "When will you pick them?" "I know when." "Give them more fertiliser and when they're ripe bring them to me." "When they're ready, I'm taking them to the market." "Salvatore!" "When they're ready, you bring them to me." "You still owe me for the fertiliser and last year's plastic sheeting." "Have you forgotten?" "Listen, why don't you go to school like the other kids?" "You get yourself a nice house from the council, your grandma's got her pension, you'd get by." "And you'd make some money too, cause I'd buy this place off you." "You've got it all worked out!" "You'd like that!" "Now go before I split your head open!" "Salvatore..." "What are you thinking?" "You think I'm scared of thrashing you just because you're a kid?" "I'll be waiting for you next week at the market." " Salvatore!" " And give them more fertiliser." " Salvatore!" " I want the tomatoes to look good." "Hey, professor..." " Who were those people?" " Acquaintances." "Relatives?" "No, dealers." "They wanted to check my tomatoes." "Why, are you going to sell them your tomatoes?" "If the price is good." "When you're with me, try and speak proper Italian." "I'm Sicilian and I speak Sicilian." "What's that supposed to mean?" "Also my parents were Sicilians but Sicily's been part of Italy since 1861." "Who's been filling your head with that rubbish?" "No one, it's stuff one learns in school." "One learns lots of things in school." " What are these?" " Fasteners." "They go on top of the greenhouse to keep the plastic down." "Like those." " Can I try as well?" " You'll hurt your hands." "Don't worry." " Why do you want to get dirty?" " Don't worry." "There." "How about you coming to school?" "Let's not start that again." "Just mornings, one hour." "You bring in your sister and then leave a little later." "Well, we'll see..." "Everything all right, madam?" "Yes." "Open your geography textbooks on page fourteen and let's talk about children's rights." "There's a picture." "Who would like to comment on it?" "Come in." "The headmaster would like to see you, sir." "Will you tell him I'll be down in five minutes?" "No, please, it took me five minutes to get there, five minutes to go back and five more to get back here." "Haven't I walked enough?" "I'm not an athlete!" "Can you take care of them?" " Yes." " I'll leave you to it then." " Class, behave yourself, yes?" " Sir!" "May I introduce my girlfriend?" "Hello?" " Would you like some coffee too?" " A pastry, thanks." "That's right, that's right..." "Have a good laugh." "In my day you'd have got a good hiding!" "Come in." "Good morning, you asked to see me?" "Yes, Brioni, come." "You're acquainted with Dr. Valvo, right?" " We've already met." " Or clashed, rather." "Well then, let's not beat about the bush." "This boy... what's his name?" "Salvatore Incatasciato, I assume we're talking about him." "Incatasciato Salvatore..." "It appears he's repeated fifth grade two years running and this year he's yet to show up in school." "What do you think should be done?" "It's a simple case of absenteeism but there are reasons for it." "The boy has lost both his parents, witnessed his father's tragic death... but I believe he can catch up with regular meetings outside the school." "We can then bring him up to standard without the pressure that might undermine his psychological balance... and even compromise the chances of his returning to school... and full reintegration with his peers." "Yes, yes..." "The thing is, Brioni," "Dr. Valvo's report says differently." "The situation is rather more troublesome compared to your analysis." "His schooling appears to be the least of his problems." "The boy works as a farmer!" "I want to know who's exploiting him." "What's more he drives around town in a trike!" "Lives the life of an adult!" "Our duty is quite clear." "For a start, take the doctor's report... and read it carefully." "As I was saying, our duty is to bring him back to school," " the boy... what was his name?" " Incatasciato." "It's written here!" "Quite a report, well done." "Did the secret service help you?" "I'm only doing my job." "And I'm trying to do mine, as a teacher." "And since we can't tie him down... in the classroom for lessons" "I suggest we look for a different approach." "And what might that be?" "I could call on him in the afternoon for lessons." "So, the mountain goes to Mohammed." "Why not?" "What do you think, doctor?" "You know how I feel," "I've nothing more to add." "Alright, Brioni, let's give it a try." "Brioni!" "Marco, wait." "I'm sorry for being a bit harsh in the meeting with the headmaster." " So we're on first names now." " Well, we're the same age." "More or less." "If you're trying to sweeten me up as a parte of your tactics, forget it." "What's with all the anger?" "Look, I'm only here to help the boy," " it's what I'm paid for." " To spy on him?" "How do you propose I get my information?" "I'm supposed to investigate all cases that may be at risk and he's definitely at risk." "Yes, but I'm his teacher and I'm already taking care of him, dear..." " Laura." "...Laura!" "I'm sorry, but I've got to go." "But I do appreciate your effort." "Bye." "Snails!" "Get some!" "Get some, while they last!" "Can I have some?" " One kilo, ten euros!" " Give me some." " Salvatore!" " Here, on the house." "No, thanks, I don't eat that stuff." "And what do you eat, junk-food from the supermarket?" "Listen, I wanted to drop by your house today." " I'll be home in the afternoon." " Then I'll come by later." "Okay, professor." " Bye, Salvatore." " Bye, sir." "Get some while they last!" "Gently." "Easy with that brush!" " Salvatore!" " Oh, hello." "How'd it go with the snails?" "Great." "At that price... they're a give-away!" "Listen, Salvatore, I need to have a serious talk with you." "You have to work, I know that." "But you've got to study as well." "You're on about that again?" "I'm not trying to get you to come to school," "I know you don't want to." "But you're still a minor." "They can take you and your sister and put you in a foster home with priests or nuns and your grandmother in an old people's home." "If anyone tries that, I'll crack his head open!" "Calm down, that's not the point..." "This is a fight you can't win." "I can help you." "But only if you'll let me." " And what should I do?" " I'll come here each afternoon, after school, and you can study with me." "You can do it while you work, while you're picking tomatoes, or fixing the engine..." "Like a dream, eh?" "What a motor!" "If at the market we buy one kilo of pears... and we eat one weighing 300 grams, how much will the remaining four pears weigh?" "Seven hundred." "Yes, but say it all, give me the complete answer." " Seven hundred grams." " Perfect." "I'm impressed, you know?" "That wasn't an easy question." "Who's the genius that made that up?" "He could just as easily have said:" ""Take 300 grams from one kilo"." "Yes." "But in solving these exercises, we use pears as an example, or we could even use tomatoes." "For instance, if each tomato weigh 50 grams... and we were to fill a 10 kilo crate how many tomatoes would it take to fill the crate?" " One kilo and a hundred." " Correct." "But if a dealer were to say:" ""Give me a quintal of tomatoes", how many kilos would you give him?" " A hundred." " Correct!" "You seem to be doing okay in maths." "Let's check your wrinting." "I have to go now." "I've set you..." "Here..." "Page twenty." "You should copy it from here, where the mark is, down to this mark over here." "That's the mark there and here's a new exercise book," " it's all yours." " Consider it done." "Good." "I'd better go." "Don't work too late." "Boss, tell me what to do." " I'll work with you." " Train the tomatoes, so." "Train the tomatoes, so." "Try on this one." "This one?" " Careful." " I mustn't damage the flowers." " Right." " Because flowers produce fruit... which in this case are tomatoes." " Careful!" " Okay, okay..." "What happens if I break one?" " You pay for it." "Quite!" "It's this one." "Let's see who it belongs to, I'll answer it." "Hello?" "No, ma'am, you haven't got the wrong number." "No, this is your son's school, and I'm his teacher." "Do you think it's appropriate to call during class hours?" "Oh, sure... very well." "Then I'll pass on the message." "No, thank you for calling." "It is my duty to pass on such messages... during class hours." "Well done." "Thank you and goodbye." "That was your mother, she said that after school you're to go to your grandmother's because she's at the hairdressers' getting her hair set." "No, darling, not at all." "It's not like when we're here on holiday." "Yes, it's sunny, and there's the sea... but this time no one's playing guitar on the beach." "Why?" "It's just something that..." "Look, I'll call you back later." "I'll go home, get ready, and call you back." "Bye." "Snooping around here as well now?" "You're not on about that again!" "Thing is you remind me of a vulture circling its prey." " Thanks!" " You're welcome." "You're really making a big deal of it!" "To think I came to offer you a truce." "I wanted to..." "If you're here to apologise, I'm listening." "Apologise?" "Me?" "To you?" "No way!" "And what for?" "I thought that if we could find the time to talk this over quietly you could explain your point of view... and maybe even convince me." "I might even decide to give you and Salvatore a hand in the greenhouse." "What do you say?" "All right." "How about over lunch?" "Aren't you scared of eating out with a vulture?" "We step in precisely because teachers can't be expected to cope with what goes on outside the classroom." "School has its schedules, its syllabus..." "Its blackboards, its chalks, desks..." "School is made of people, school is what we make it!" "School is the life we live!" "Salvatore knows so much." "He knows how to grow stuff, how to fish..." "Do you know how to change a tyre?" "Once I had..." "I don't even know how to take out a sparkplug." "But you're a teacher, you don't need to know stuff like that." "You have a very specific role and you have an education that allows you to reason things out." "Salvatore may never become a teacher, but that doesn't mean his role will be any less important than my own." "Marco, forgive me if I say so, but I think you're misinterpreting the purpose of your role." "If you don't keep your distance, the boy will suffer from it." "As a teacher, I am more successful with Salvatore that with all my other pupils." "We talk to children who just don't listen to us because their families and society itself, teach them not to." "One minute spent teaching Salvatore in his boat or the greenhouse is worth more that all I do in class in a year." "Let's give them all jobs then, right from childhood!" "The girls could all be shop assistants or cashiers and in between sales their teachers can join them for the day's lessons!" "We're dealing with kids who only know how... to chat on their computers and send text messages with their mobiles." "But in tomorrow's society, those who know how to use their hands and who understand the nature of things, will have a..." "But children must learn playing, not working." "And what's playing?" "Is it flying a kite or making it and learn why it flies?" "But as a kid you played..." "You used to play, right?" "Yes." " And wasn't it fun?" " Yes, but..." "You really care about Salvatore, don't you?" "But school will be over soon and you'll leave." "And as long as his grandmother's alive, who by the way, can't take care of him or his sister, he'll carry on like this and he'll end up on the streets, maybe even fall in with criminals." "But if we protect him now..." "How?" "By breaking them up?" " They'll grow-up under tutelage." " Whose tutelage?" "The Authorities." "And then when they're older he and his sister will be reunited." "And the grandmother, what about her?" "Oh, dear, the grandmother!" "This is harmful." "You've no consideration for his world." "Of course I have!" "Do you think Salvatore is the first child I've delt with?" "I used to work in a big city and you've no idea what I was up against there." "I was new to the job and felt just like you do now." "I loved those children." "I was sure that giving in to them was better than standing up to them." "I didn't give a damn about what was best for society!" "And you know what happened?" "What happened was that someone used me... to take advantage of the children I was helping." "They put them out on the streets with guns and got them killed." "Yes but... now... you can't expect to make up for your past mistakes at Salvatore's expense." "I've already come to terms with my past and I've been fully acquitted." "But I'm wasting my time with you!" "...to the east by the Adriatic Sea to the west by the Tyrrhenian Sea, to the South by the Ionian Sea all of them part of the Mediterranean." "Let's drop the nets first." "Can you row?" "And do you know the difference between an island and a peninsula?" "I'll show you whether I can row or not!" "Gently." "Slowly." "Wait." "Why are you thrashing about?" "Salvatore..." "I must say," "I didn't think it'd be such hard work." "Show me." "No." "Here, like this." "What are you doing here?" "Well?" "Get your hands off!" "The tomatoes are good, well done Salvatore." "The last bit of fertiliser really did the job." "I'll see you at the market tomorrow." "Timpaliscia, you're playing with fire." "I never want to see you here again!" "Get out!" "I'll see you at the market tomorrow." " Good morning." " Hello, sir." "Hello, Salvatore." "I saw the dealers leaving." "Did they come to check the tomatoes?" "No, just visiting." "Today we'll do a bit of geography." "No, I've no time for lessons." "I've got work to do." "All right, I'll help." "We'll be done quicker that way and if we don't finish in time," " we can catch up tomorrow." " No, tomorrow I'm harvesting." "Okay." "If it's harvest time I'll help tomorrow as well." " What time are we starting?" " At five." " That early?" " That's life." "No, the small ones go there." "Come in." "Headmaster, the children are making a racket because Brioni isn't here yet." "What?" "And whoever excused Brioni?" " How should I know?" " Here, take my address book." "I'll take care of his class, you look up Brioni's number." "Call him on his mobile." "Get going, Zacco!" "Why was it white?" "I haven't understood a word." "Correct, because Garibaldi was brave and he wasn't afraid to ride a white horse." "Even though it made him an easy target." " In fact he was shot." " Where?" " In his leg!" " In his leg." " Yes, but where did it happen?" " In the Alps." "Brioni, what happened?" "Was there a mudslide?" "Has there been a flood?" "Well, let's just say I had a problem at home." "All right, I'll leave you to your class." "We were discussing Garibaldi and Italy's unification." " Thank you so much." " Children, behave now." "Aren't they a splendid class?" "I'm very proud of them." "Good, I too am very proud of my school." "I'll leave you to it." "Stand up for the headmaster." " Look at the tometoes I've brought!" " Not my kind of stuff." "What do you mean?" "They're no good, they're too big." " They're no good." " Okay." " Look at these tomatoes." " Let's see." " I'll give you fifty." " Eighty!" "That's my price, take it or leave it." "Are you nuts?" "The lowest price is one euro!" " That's the way it is." "Bye." " Go to hell!" "Salvatore, I was expecting you." "Come on, let's unload." "What's the price?" "Eighty, same as everyone." "Come on, unload before it rains!" "Can I taste one?" "It's nice." "Are they all this good?" "And how are your lessons going?" "Great." "My teacher's the best." "And what are you studying now?" "The complete fifth grade syllabus and no more asking questions." "We were only having a chat." " We're all friends here, right?" " Wrong." "We're here to work." "If you wish to sit in on a lesson, come back later." " We're harvesting today." " No, never mind." " I was about to leave." " Good." "Bye, Salvatore, nice talking to you." " Salvatore, here..." " Bye, professor, enjoy your work." " Thank you." " And your lessons." "What, do you think this is easy?" "Do you think I'm here to play games?" "We don't need you, just leave us alone!" "You're wrong, the boy needs both you and me." "So, how did it go at the market?" "Same as always." "What do you mean?" "Did it go well?" "80 cents." "The dealers fix the price." "You sold them at 80 cents per kilo?" "You're joking?" "In the supermarket they sell at nearly four euros!" "They're the bosses." " Who?" " The dealers." "Sir." "What did the social worker want?" "Nothing, don't worry about her." "You've got me." "God almighty!" "Sorry..." "I'm just a headmaster and you're right to keep me informed." "I'm only doing it for the boy." "Did you actually see Mr. Brioni working in the greenhouse with Salvatore Incatasciato?" "Yes, and also at sea, fishing." "What do you mean, fishing?" "The boy is also a fisherman, he has a boat and Mr. Brioni helps him out casting the nets." "Nets?" "Brioni's a teacher, not a fisherman!" "The matter is quite serious," " else I would never have dared..." " Let's not get ahead of ourselves." "Brioni is a very capable teacher, he has a way with his pupils and he's a very earnest man." "Undoubtedly so, but if only he'd co-operate..." "Yes, but just bear with me." "We've granted Brioni a whole term, let's see what he makes of it." "Meanwhile, you should cut him some slack." "Let's see how he gets along." "We must take a common course of action for the boy's benefit." "Is that clear?" "Very well, sir." "But it's your decision." "Good morning." "A coffee, please." "Celebrating a good deal, are we?" "Made a bundle of those poor devils... who sweat it out in greenhouses?" "What's it you say?" "Leave it to me, my friend, no problem." "And then fancy cars, watches, villas by the sea..." "You got a nice house by sea, yes?" " Who the hell's this guy?" " You should be ashamed!" "Who are you?" "What the hell do you want?" " You've no self-respect." " Push off!" "Forget him..." "He's nobody, a schoolteacher!" "Cheers." "Come here, I'll teach you a lesson for a change!" "And so the Roman soldier placed his hand over the brazier, and watching it burn, bellowed:" ""I punish my hand for it hath for it hath failed me."" "Brioni come into my office, we need to have a few words." "Children, I'm leaving the janitor in charge." "Please behave, and no talking, or else..." " Zacco!" "Zacco!" " Yes, headmaster?" " Take over." " All right." "Be good, now." "Be good!" "Would you please explain what the hell is going on?" " Thing is, this morning..." " No." "I'm not talking about you coming in late or your shoes being covered in mud." "What on earth has happened to your face?" " Nothing at all, I..." " Oh, nothing?" "Nothing at all?" "So now you've started working as a farmer?" "A fisherman?" "Did that harpy snitch on me?" "Please, spare me this charade!" "She's been spying on me... and I can't call her a harpy?" " Does that seem fair to you?" " Listen, what's her name?" "Dr. Valvo is only doing her job!" "Salvatore is a pupil in my school!" "And I'm his teacher, surely that stands for something!" "That's not the point." "The point is, Brioni, what have you done to your face!" "I fell down some stairs." "Are you making fun of me?" "All right, I was beaten up near my home." "Beaten up?" "Who by?" "They were strangers." "I've already been to the police, I think I know who sent them." "Why are you involved with these people?" "The dealers from the market, they've got a set up... with the wholesalers from out of town exploiting the local farmers..." " What?" " and Salvatore too." "I gave one of them a mouthful and he sent a couple of thugs to beat me up." "It's not a big deal." "Thugs, dealers, buyers, criminals..." "This is too much!" "I'm sorry, but I think you're making a serious mistake." "Not as a schoolteacher, but as a man!" " But I can..." " No, listen to me." "I think you've made a mistake with that boy." "You've become too involved..." "You're not his father, mother, or uncle, or any relation at all." "You've lost sight of your duty as a teacher." "A teacher's duty is to build a relationship with his pupil but only within the cycle of his schooling." "Then, when the cycle ends, each must follow his own path." "Is that clear?" "If you do otherwise, what will happen to the poor boy?" "When the two of you part, he'll feel abandoned, at a loss, unable to cope, he'll be..." "So from this moment the boy passes into Dr. Valvo's care." "You'll be able to concentrate more on your class, your work, on your..." "Even better, why not take a holiday?" "We'll get a supply teacher to come in..." "Go back to Rome." "Didn't you say you have a fiancée, waiting to marry you?" "Go back to your fiancée." "All right." "Perhaps you're right." "What's more I really do feel a little out of my depth here." "See who that is." "Not on the tablecloth!" " Hey!" " It's the schoolteacher!" " Good evening." " You're coming around for dinner?" "No, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to impose." "No, Salvatore, that won't be necessary." "Take a seat." "What have you done to your forehead?" "I fell of a ladder." "Must've been a tall ladder!" "Grandma's cooked snails." "A real treat!" " There aren't enough!" " No, madam, not to worry." " I only dropped in to say goodbye." " I'll be offended." " I said the aren't enough!" " Quiet, you!" "Salvatore, don't be so rude." "Grandma, the teacher's always welcome." "But there aren't enough..." "Quiet!" "Salvatore, that's no way to speak to your grandmother." "He's a little despot." "Get the napkins." "Actually, I only came round to say goodbye." " I just wanted..." " Here..." "How do you eat snails?" "With this, like that." "Here." "Thank you." "You were right, these snails are really delicious." "I told you!" "Let me help." "Leave it, I'll do it." "Salvatore, I want to tell you why I came here tonight." "I'm leaving." " I'm going back to Rome." " Rome?" "And what's so special about Rome?" "It's only got the Coliseum." "The school will find a substitute for a few days, then a new permanent teacher." "Just when I decided to come to school once a week?" "You..." "Come on, sir, stay!" "If you stay, I'll come to school." "Speak properly." "And say it again." "I'll come to school, but only if you stay!" "Yes, but enough of this noise!" "She's nuts, she ought to be in a mental institution!" "Did you really mean it?" "Come here." "What did you say?" "That I'll come to school once a week!" "May I?" " Help yourself." " Horrible man!" "Get your hans off!" " Marco?" " Hi." " I'm at the jetty." "You're not here!" " No, I'm still down here." " Why?" " I can't come back just yet." "Something wrong?" "No, I'm fine." "But..." " I've decided to stay in Sicily." " What do you mean?" " I'm here waiting for you!" " Okay, I'll call you back." "Laura!" "Laura!" "Marco!" "What are you doing here?" "Come, come on up." "We have to stop everything, he's coming back to school!" "Salvatore is coming back to school!" "How are we going to stop the social services now?" "They were asked to intervene by the school, the headmaster would have to step in." "I've looked for him," " but I couldn't find him anywhere." " What happened to you?" "It's not important, forget it." "We have to stop this thing." "Relax." "All this is for the good of Salvatore and his family." "I'm quite relaxed." "Salvatore is coming back to school, we stop this whole thing, we'll talk to the social services," " you've got to help me!" " Okay, but sit down." "I'm going over to the school." "Perhaps you could follow me there?" " Will you come?" "And help me?" " But..." "I'll go on ahead!" " Brioni, what are you doing here?" " Is the headmaster in?" " No, he's at the school council." " The school council?" " Yes." " All right." "What are you doing here on your day off?" "I'd never come in if I could help it and you're here every day!" "Don't cry, Mariuccia, you're going to a nice house, with lots of children." " And Salvatore?" " Where are we going?" " He will join you there later." " Shouldn't we wait for the boy?" " Yes." " And Salvatore?" "Guys, he's coming." " Salvatore, you must come with us." " Mariuccia, get out." " It's a foster home." " Shut up!" "It's a foster home." " Shut up!" " Salvatore, will you listen to me?" " Shut up!" " Will you please calm down?" " Enough, now get into the van." " Let go of me!" "Let go!" "Go, go!" "They've finally got round to it." "It was time they got them out of that shack!" "Mum, how can you say that!" "The Incatasciato's stole the road and a part of our land." "Your dad's still paying the lawyer and you're crying?" "You should be laughing!" "They just took back what father took away from them!" "That's enough!" "You're always here on the look-out, get inside!" "Come on, Mariuccia!" " He's running off!" " Get him!" "Remember he's only a child!" "Salvatore?" "Mariuccia?" "Who the hell are you?" "Come here!" "You thief!" "Mum, dad, why have you left me?" "Come on, Mariuccia, don't cry." "Your brother will come back." "I'm crying because my daddy's gone." "Your father is in heaven, watching over you with your mummy." "You know..." "Those who love us never die." "Salvatore knows how to be a dad." " What?" " Salvatore knows how to be a dad." "Really?" "Is Salvatore that good?" "I'll tell you a secret, but you mustn't tell anyone, okay?" " Okay." " Promise." "I promise." "Every night Salvatore tells me a story." "Is that so?" "What kind of stories?" "He tells me what mum and dad do up in heaven." "He always makes me laugh." "They do funny things." "And then?" "He gives me a kiss and I fall asleep." "Go to sleep now, Mariuccia." "Goodnight." "Salvatore!" "Salvatore, go home." "Come on, go home." "Come on, get in!" " What happened?" " You lied to me!" "You're on their side!" "No, I'm not on their side!" "But I warned you from the start." "Don't stand there, it's dangerous." "What do they want from me?" "They better not come here again!" " I don't want them to either." "I never want to see them around here again!" "I'll do what I can to stop them." "Come on, help me." "Where are your grandmother and your sister?" "I don't know about my grandmother." "My sister is at the foster home." " How come you're not with her?" " I ran away." "Running won't help." "Who's that?" "Salvatore!" "Stop!" "You, stop there!" "I'm his teacher, leave him to me!" " Salvatore, wait!" "Stop!" " No!" " Stop, Salvatore!" " Leave me alone!" " Leave me alone!" " Come here, calm down." " Stay away!" " Calm down." "Yes, have a good cry." "You're only a boy, you should cry." "Trust me, we can work it all out." "You have to trust me, Salvatore!" "You must trust me." "You have to trust me, Salvatore!" "You must trust me." "He's run away, the police are after him." " Will they arrest him?" " Don't be silly!" "They just don't want him to live in his own house!" " Who doesn't?" " The lady from the social services." "But the teacher has more power, even more than the police." "That's nonsense!" "We've received your foster care application." "You could have told me beforehand." "But you like playing the Ione ranger, don't you?" "Will you help us, won't you?" "Now you ask for my help!" "The day you took them away thieves came here to ransack the house." "All of Salvatore's work and his father's investment would go waste if no one were here to take care of things." "That's why I asked permission to move in here." "What is it that drives you to do all this?" "First it was just your job, now you are putting your life on the line." "Don't you feel the need to go back to your fiancée?" "Don't you have friends waiting, plans for your future?" "Like getting a mortgage?" "Playing five a side?" "Skiing holidays?" "Saturday afternoons at the mall... buying useless junk?" "No, that's exactly what I'm running from." "What's so special about this place?" "Here?" "Here I have Salvatore." "Salvatore is alive!" "Salvatore is the boy I always wanted to be when... when my mother took me to swimming lessons every day." "She never let me out of her sight, and never let me walk to school on my own, not once." "But Salvatore is all of this." "Truth is I need him... more than he needs me." "That's why I want to be his foster family." "You're stubborn, but I admire you." "If only all parents had an ounce of your passion!" "But whatever the court's decision stay away from the people that beat you up." "Don't mess with them, because they could harm Salvatore too." "Remember what I told you at the restaurant." "But you'll help us, won't you?" "I'll file an exact report of the situation." "If only the final decision were up to me!" "You can be sure I'll do all I can." "Laura..." "Okay." "No, don't worry." "You'll get your tomatoes in Bologna." " Can I have a word in private?" " What's the problem?" "There is no problem." "Like in the restaurant?" "I'll call you back." "Let's forget about that." "Well, that's really up to you." " I'm here to talk business." " What kind of business?" "Salvatore's greenhouse, I'm taking care of it." "I want to sell his crop, but at the same price you pay the others." "Who the hell do you think you are, coming here to haggle with me?" " Who are you?" " I'm his teacher, I'm trying to..." "Stick to teaching then!" "But in school!" "Can't we make a deal?" "I have a carload of tomatoes out there." "Come inside." "Let me tell you how things really stand." "I leant Salvatore the money for the fertilisers, the plastic sheeting and all the rest." "Tomatoes don't grow out of thin air." " How much does he owe you?" " Eight thousand." "Eight thousand euros?" " That's a lot of money!" " I know." "But Salvatore is a good kid and I like helping out youngsters." "For the time being I can make you out a cheque for two thousand." "No!" "Leave it!" "We'll settle everything at the end of the season." "No." "You take this cheque now, and we'll settle the rest at the end of season." "And for today's crop you pay the same price you pay the others." "And the same goes for future crops." "There's no need for that." "Come on, unload those tomatoes, it's getting late!" "I trust you." " Thank you." " Go and unload!" "Hurry!" "Careful with those tomatoes!" "MINOR'S COURT" "This afternoon we will be visiting a greenhouse where on of your classmates will explain... the complete cycle from seed to harvest." "Like that one there, see?" "It has to be trained the same way." "Can we go outside a minute?" "I have something to tell you." "Stop it, don't touch the tomatoes!" "They're still green." "I'm leaving, for good." "Why?" "Don't you like the sun, the sea... fresh air, the scent of flowers?" "No, I'm going to look for another job." "Careful, you'll break something!" "This is a great job, but I've already been wrong twice and I don't want it to happen again." "There are lives at stake, lives of children like Salvatore." "We think we know everything about them when it just isn't so." "Laura..." "There are places, people, events that change us, inspire us." "You put your heart into your work, you're good at it." "But if I may say so, maybe you're a little too harsh." "You never smile." "Try and smile!" "Come on, do it now." "Come on, smile!" "You see?" "It changes everything!" " You're so sweet..." " Get out!" "Teacher, go up and fix the aerial, I can't see a thing." " Can I come in?" " Hello." " Sorry, I'll be right back." " What?" "Hello, Laura!" "Come and eat with us." "I've already had dinner, thank you." "Where's he going?" "Oh, the teacher's bought a new TV set!" "But not a good brand." "Hello, Mariuccia!" "Why does everyone come here?" "Is this some kind of clubhouse?" " How's that?" " Okay now." " That's good right there." " That's good!" "Change channel!" "Come outside and have a look!" " The band!" " The band?" "Get out of the way!" "Salvatore, let's go!" " Everyone getting in the way!" " Come!" "Ugly brutes!" "What's this music?" " Mum, can I go?" " All right, but don't come back late, if your father finds out..." "And take your coat, it's windy!"