"Is it serious?" "No, the fan's contact popped out." "It's working." "You just need some water." "What do I owe you?" "Nothing, it was easy." "All work merits payment." "No, really Ma'am." "I can't find my wallet." "I don't understand." "I just picked up my pension." "Maybe you left it?" "No, no." "I had it when I paid for my shopping." "Maybe there, or the parking lot." "Yes, the parking lot..." "putting the bags..." "Hurry back." "There's lots of thieves." "Watch some soldering." "Right after I pee." "Watch." "You stay half an inch away, never touching it." "And when the two edges are bright red... zap!" "Okay?" "Now you." "No, the other way." "I gotta go." "No." "First the solder." "I have to go." "Look." "Tell him it's the last time you leave work." "Okay sir." "Thanks for the exhaust pipe, sir." "Move it!" "It's from the boss, for the go-kart." "Get in." "Put some of this stuff in my ear." "Belgium beautiful country." "The Meuse." "Big factories." "Much money." "Cigarette?" "Cigarette?" "I'll be back in two minutes." "My son had an accident." "I gotta go to the hospital." "Sorry." "Excuse me." "Could I go in front?" "My son had a motorcycle accident..." "And us?" "Go on!" "Hello." "Your wife's passport for papers." "Your passport." "Amidu, come here a minute." "Passports!" "Thank you." "You got the money?" "Not all yet." "How much is rent?" "Five thousand... $150." "You fuckin' me?" "We had an agreement." "I got her here." "I paid." "They say it stinks of shit." "Too much, 5000." "It's the drain." "I'll fix it." "That's all I have." "I'll deduct it from your wages, okay?" "Okay, thanks a lot." "He won't give his passport." "What?" "What's wrong?" "He's from the mountains." "He's afraid." "No problem." "He wants a lower rent." "He wants a lower rent." "He says it stinks here." "You said I'd fix it?" "I'll take half for 3 months if they help me work on the white house." "Roger!" "Heating okay?" "Warm?" "Nabil..." " It stinks of shit there." " What?" "It still stinks." "Do something." "Cleaning's no good." "It's too small." "We got a bigger pipe in the shed." "Okay." "Amidu only had $600 for his wife's trip." "Think he's bluffing?" "He had enough money last night to gamble." " Find out." " Okay." " Otherwise, anything up?" " No." "Wait." "The Rumanian." "There's five in the room now." " Since when?" " Sunday." "In Nicholai's there's five guys since Sunday." "Maria, just give me five minutes." "Wednesday." "Boat." "USA." "What money they got?" "Belgian?" "Until Wednesday, $50 each." "Is much." "They can go elsewhere." "Are they agreed?" "Coming!" "It's Igor." " Is the heating okay?" " Yeah." " Residence permit." " How much?" "As agreed." "Plus 400 francs for the gas." "Four..." "Come on." "Come on." "Dollars!" "Come on!" "Fifty." "And 5000 francs rent." "My card." "Hello sir." "It's not 10,000 if you have clients." "Not client." "Friend." "Don't play the fool." "That's 5,000." "That's fair." "A hooker's room in town is 20,000." "My card!" "Have a good screw!" "What do you want?" " A gas bottle." " Four hundred francs." "Can I pay the end of the month?" "I can't just leave them in the cold." "Four hundred's not a lot." "Yes, but, only, I lost yesterday." "It's not my problem you always lose." "You should just stop playing." "All right." "Here." "Thank you." "Hello." "Is Mr Muller here?" "Over there." "That's not much time." "What are they?" "Turks and Ghanians." "Give me a minute?" "The mayor's being hassled on foreigners." "The police have to do something." "Maybe I can find four." "Four more." "Don't look." "Close your eyes." "Well, what is it?" "Look." "Okay, you painted it." "So?" "Look there, the jaguars..." "I'll nick one for here." "And the three of us will be there." " What?" "What is it?" " Come on!" "We're on the go-kart." "Let's go!" "Coming..." "Roger." "The van to Antwerp." "And then you take boat." "Toot toot, America..." "Five dollars each." "Five, yes..." "We leave in five minutes." "Okay?" "Drinks on me." "Beer." "Coca Cola." "America!" "I'm gonna go pee." "Police!" "Papers, please." "Like it?" "Just like mine." "Thanks, Dad." "My name's Roger." "Wanna drive?" "Come on, then!" "Okay, let's roll!" "I've got 6,300 francs too many." "That's the Rumanians'." "I completely forgot them." "Hey, where you going?" "Go-karting." "And the papers?" "I'll do them tomorrow." "No, now." "I give back the passports tonight." "Come on." "Another 120 thou and the house is ours." " Here." " Thanks." " Thanks, who?" " Roger." "If anyone asks, I'm at Muller's." "Okay?" "See you in a while." "Be right back." "Watch the limo." "Hey, you got a cigarette?" "No, no." "I won!" "You cheated." " There are no cheats here..." " You're cheats." "You're the cheat..." "Here." "Your passport." "I've got your passport and resident cert." "Put it there." "Thanks." " What's she doing?" " What?" "What's she doing?" "In the new house he must be protected against bad spirits." "There are no bad spirits here." "We don't see them but they see us." "Hey, who do you think you are?" "Behave like you're an apprentice here." "It's not my fault, sir." "It's my father." "I had to help." "I don't give a damn." "You work here, you come on time." "Come on time." "Got it?" "Yes sir." " What's that?" " What?" "There, on your arm." "A tattoo." "Who did that?" "Roger." "My father." "Why does he draw on your arm instead of paper?" "It's only good for wiping your ass!" "Hello, yes." "Listen, this is his work place." "Yeah, I'll put him on." "I have to go." "Look, do you want to become a good mechanic?" "Then you stay." "If not, you never come back to my garage." "Never." "The labor inspectors are here!" "Out the back!" "The inspectors are here!" "Ibrahim!" "It's the inspectors!" " Where's Amidu?" " Up there!" "Up there." "Get outta here!" "Turn off the music!" "Amidu, are you okay?" "You're not gonna die, Amidu..." "Are you gonna be okay?" "My wife... my child..." "Take care of them." "Tell me." "I promise." "Igor?" "Where are you?" "Where are you, Igor?" "I'm here." "Now you believe me." "I'm screaming 5 minutes." "I was up top." "The music was too loud." "Can I see your ID?" " What's going on?" " It's for illegals." "You should be in school." "I'm an apprentice." "Here's my contract." "Why not at the garage?" "I did overtime." "The boss gave me a day off." "Who's on the mixer?" " Me, I was pouring..." " I asked him the question!" "It was him." "Why wasn't he, when we got here?" "I don't know." "I was up top." "I told you." "I was on the phone." "Fine." "Goodbye." "I'll go with you." "Are you all right?" " What's wrong?" " He fell off the scaffold." "We gotta get him to the hospital." "What'll we say?" "I don't know..." "He got hit by a car." "Help me tighten it." "Help me tighten it!" "Move!" "Get some sand to cover the blood." "Get some sand!" "Ibrahim and the rest are coming." "Put some planks on!" "No!" "They might return." "It's too risky." "Not today." "Catch it!" "Catch it!" "Here, this way." "Where's my husband?" "They all split." "The inspectors paid a surprise visit." "He owes me, so I'm holding 10,000 a month." " You owe me money." " Me?" "The driver made me give him my gold bracelet to bring my son." "You said the price was for two." "That's the driver." "I just handle lodging and papers." "Get the wheelbarrow." "Igor, get the wheelbarrow." "Go on!" "Go on, dump it." "Dump it, I'm telling you!" "Dump it!" "He's not here." " He told me to come." " He's not here." " Where is he?" " I don't know." " When's he coming back?" " I don't know." "Come back tomorrow." "Take your T-shirt off." "What are you doing with your socks on?" "Wash your feet." "Give me your ring." "I'll clean it." "Tomorrow you go see how his wife is." "Why me?" "Because me, she can't stand." "You, she'll talk to." " You wanna eat something?" " No." "Okay." "Good night." "Igor..." "It's not because of us he fell." "It's an accident." "If he didn't fall, none of this would've happened." "Okay, good night." "Try with this." "There." "Where'd you find it?" "The market." " For the baby's milk?" " No, it's male." "To celebrate the end of Ramadan." "The heat stopped at night." "These gas things never work." "I'll get something else." "Take some wood from the shed." "I'll cut more later." "I can do it myself." "Are you Amidu's wife?" " We want to see him." " He's out." " Where?" " I don't know." "Why do you want him?" "Say Mehmet and his brother want our 10,000." "We'll be back." "Why does he owe you money?" "Gambling debt, my gazelle." "Now it works." "At night, just turn the handle." "Wait." "Did my husband ever disappear because of debts?" "I don't know." "Goodbye." "Why not say it already happened?" "I wanted to... and then..." "Anyway she thinks so now." " Sure?" " Yes." "If not, she wouldn't ask." "There you go, big guy." "Anyway, go back..." "I don't know, to check the heating..." "Say your remember he split for a week when he owed us." "We can buy some time that way." "Maria, I'll have another beer." "About the heat..." "The frame was shot." "I gave her the wood stove." "The wrought iron one?" "Fuck." "It was for Maria." "I know, but I couldn't fix the heater." "You're not eating?" "No, I'm not hungry." " See you tonight." " Where you going?" "To fix the go-kart." "Maria's almost done." "Come on to the pool." "No, I don't wanna swim." "You got a cigarette for me?" "I was going to see you." "Can you do me a little favor?" "For a thou if you give this to Amidu's wife." "Say it's a gambling debt from last week." "Roger knows?" "How much to keep my mouth shut?" "Another thou?" "Two thousand?" " When do I bring it?" " Right now." "Why'd you do that?" "Come here!" "What did he do?" "This doesn't concern you, Maria." "Stop Roger!" "Stop!" "Why did you do that?" "You're gonna kill him!" "Do you hear me?" "Stop!" "Have you lost your mind, or what?" "Leave us." "You're not going back to that nigger." "I'll be the one who does that." "And no more cheating between us." "Agreed?" "Come on." "Get up." "Want me to finish the tattoo?" "Come on." "If Nabil hadn't phoned, would you have continued lying?" "Come on, stop crying." "It's nothing." "Come on, it's over." "Come on, don't cry." "Roll up your sleeve." "You been with a girl...?" "Have it off?" "You ever get laid?" "You should." "You're old enough." " Ever want to?" " Sure... sometimes." "Let her go, scumbag!" "Fuck off!" "This place is a jungle." "You'll never manage alone here." "And with the kid..." "How long's Amidu gone?" "Almost a week?" "Wouldn't you be better back home?" "Are you kicking me out?" "I'm thinking of you and the kid." "That creep..." "If I wasn't here?" "My man left because he owed money." "He'll return now that I paid." " When was that?" " Three days ago." "That's enough time." "It must be something else." "I've been renting 5 years." "I saw guys go crazy from living far from home." "I knew a Ghanian..." "lived just above you." "Gets his papers, meaning he's legal, gets smashed, returns, kills his wife and kids." "No!" "Don't say things like that!" "Every Tuesday there's a flight from Frankfort to Burkina Faso." "If you want, I'll buy you a ticket." "He'll come back." "And if not?" "What'll you do?" "Look for him." "Go to the police." "Boy!" "She bites like a jackal!" "You should pay double." "A deal's a deal." "Handle the Korean if I'm not here tonight." "Where you going?" "The notary's, for the pad." " When does it happen?" " Soon as possible." "And if it doesn't work?" "No." "What could go wrong?" "They can be difficult... principles." " I'll see about that." " You've got to be prepared." "Might be dear." "How much you offering?" "I don't know." "What should I?" "It's working." "Rent, sleep here..." "Money..." "Dollars?" "Show." "Two." "There you are." "Good night." "Got a cigarette?" "Smoke your dick!" "Who's there?" "It's Igor." "This is Amidu's radio." "Where was it?" "Next door, in the white house." "I brought it because it might get stolen." "Bye." "No, come in!" "Is something wrong?" "Amidu's not gone." "He's nearby." "The chicken's entrails say so." "He's near." " Who's there?" " Telegram!" "Madame Assita Badolo?" "It's for you." "Good evening." "Read it for me!" "What is it?" "Read!" "In Cologne." "Meet you in station tomorrow." "Amidu." "Where's Cologne?" "Not far." "An hour by car." "It's in Germany, near the border." "I'm off." "Good night." "What are you doing here?" "Amidu sent a telegram." "Really?" "What's he say?" "He's in Germany." " Where?" " Cologne." " When's he return?" " He's not." "I'm going." "All's settled then." "I had found some cleaning work for you, but you've got no need now." "Tomorrow's Saturday?" "I'm driving near Cologne..." " I could take you." " How much?" "Nothing, I gotta go anyway." "Nine o'clock in the courtyard?" "She came for me." "The stove was smoking." "And I told you not to go!" "The Korean's dollars..." "Come with me!" "And the moped?" "Inside the van." "Get in." "And after she learns he's not in Cologne?" "That's my problem!" "She'll come back." "That's my problem, I said." "What?" "He's not in Cologne." "Where is he?" "Where?" "I don't know." "Stop!" "Stop!" " Stop, I said!" " Further on." "Stop!" "Okay, I'm stopping." "Tell me where's my husband." "Not in Cologne." "That's all I know." "Roger wanted to sell you as a whore." " As a what?" " As a whore." "Are you telling the truth?" "And the telegram?" "It was Roger who sent it." "Drive me to the police station." "My father's wrong, but I'm no snitch." "I just want to find my husband!" "Take me to the police!" "They'll say he's illegal." "Drive me!" "It couldn't be a week ago." "He's gone 8 days." "That's true." "He came back illegally." "And on paper, illegal entries don't exist." "Do you have a photo of him?" "Age?" "Forty-two." " Height?" " Normal." "Five-six?" "Five-ten?" "Five foot, eight." "Brown eyes." "Hair..." "Black, frizzy?" "No, gray." "Distinguishing marks?" "Any distinguishing marks on his face or body?" "A scar?" "Three toes cut off." "Which foot?" "The left." "Marble fell on it in the quarry." "Where did he leave for?" "Work." "Work?" "Not work." "He was helping us repair a wall." "Who's us?" "My father and me." "So you saw him after the lady did?" "What time?" "I don't know." "Around eleven." "Where?" "Ferrer Street." "Near her place." "That's 215 francs, please." "There's lots of shits like Roger in your country." "They broke the statuette." "Leave it!" "Give." "Don't touch!" "Put water on my hair." "That's enough." "Go on!" "He sleeps here, except weekends." "He goes to his wife's in the country." "Outside Africa, do you have family?" "People you know?" "The baby's uncle is in Carrara." " Where?" " In Carrara." "There's a marble quarry, like at home." "It's in Italy." "You should go there." "Where in Italy?" "I don't know." "I'll look in the dictionary." "He keeps one for crosswords." "Maybe it's a little town." "I can't find it." "Is there any cold water?" "Yes." "Why?" "It's for the baby." "Is he sick?" "He's got a fever." "Tomorrow I'll see if there's a train." "No." "What, no?" "I'm not going to Italy." "You've got family." "You'll be safe." "Family's his father." "You can't stay!" "The hen says he's here." "Your hen!" "Your husband!" "Leave." "Let me sleep." "You'll be a whore, and Dad'll beat me." "Out!" "I shoulda never helped!" "Out!" "What's wrong?" "Let go of me." "Let go!" "Hello." "Igor, where are you?" "Okay." "I know it's you." "You tell her anything?" "Igor, answer." "Answer, in the name of God!" "Come back, Igor." "Come on, I won't hit you." "Tell me where to get you." "The van's on Cockerill St. The keys are inside the bumper." "Hospital!" "What's wrong?" "What's wrong?" "Crawl back into your mother's womb!" "You gave my baby a disease!" "Get away!" "Hospital!" "Hospital!" "I'll get a car from the garage." "Not you!" "Not you!" "Go away!" "You want my baby to die." "You gave him an illness." "Go away!" "All of you want him to die!" "You, your father, all of you!" "All you whites!" "Go away, I'm telling you!" "You okay?" "Assita, you okay?" "We have to get him to the hospital." "He's dying." "My baby's dying." "We have to go to the hospital." "I'll get a car from the garage..." "I'll be back." "Wait..." "I have to know." "My husband..." "He's not dead?" "Tell me." "I need to know." "No, he's not dead." "She have an address?" "It's on her residence permit." "May I see it?" "She needs your residence permit." "What's wrong with him?" "He's got a fever." "No insurance?" "You have to pay, then." " How much?" " A thousand three-fifty." " It's all I got." " And the rest?" " Tomorrow?" " I can't do that." " How much does he need?" " Four fifty." "Thank you." "Inside your son an ancestor is protesting, causing this fever." "Until that ancestor obtains justice the fever will shake your child like a fish out of water, flapping its gills." "Here." "When you sense the fever coming, you soak these roots in water." "Make him take a few swallows, and then wash him with the rest." "Tell me what's on your mind." "Is his father with the ancestors?" "You know better than I do." "Do you want to know if your husband is still alive?" "All right." "Bring the sand up to your lips." "Blow on it." "Focus on your desire to know what's happened to your husband." "Pour the sand here." "I don't see his grave in the ancestors' cemetery." "It's the heat." "If a man has no tomb waiting in the ancestors' cemetery, he'll die in a foreign land, far from his native home." "Is he alive?" "I haven't seen any sign of death." "The child's uncle is in Belgium?" "No, in Italy." "Go as soon as you can." "Tell him to protect the child." "And my husband?" "You're leaving to protect his son." "You're not abandoning him." "The problem's her papers." "You're not legal?" "I know a guy who might help." "He'll want money." "May I, Ma'am?" "My name's Rosalie." "You legal?" "Double nationality." "You could loan her your papers." "She doesn't look like me." "With the scarf!" "Give it to her." "Give her the scarf." "There." "See!" "It works." "It looks the same." "Excuse me, sir..." "Whose ID is this?" "Hers or hers?" "The one in the turban." "See, it works!" "If you say so." "Seven thousand five." "No more?" "No, it's today's rate." "Okay." "What's that for?" "The fight at the game." "You going?" "Where you going?" "Don't know." "Back to your babe?" "What babe?" "Your dad came looking for you at my mother's." "How old is she?" "Same as me." "So... you're done with the kart?" "No." " When'll you be back?" " Soon." "Here." "The key." "We can drive without you?" "Watch the brakes." "Okay." "See ya." "There's a train this afternoon." "I got French and Italian money." "There's some soup." "I found a can in the cupboard." "If you like, I could fix the statuette." "Yes." "Why are you putting him back in?" "He's still hot." "You believe the seer?" "Why not?" "Even the ancestor thing?" "Yes." "Can you hold him a while?" "When my husband returns, say I'm in Carrara." "Tell my husband I'm in Carrara." "If he doesn't return, report it." "Why?" "To know." "I can't get a hold of you." "You have no address." "I'll send it to Rosalie with her ID card." "I'll fix the statuette." "We better not waste too much time." "Thanks for your help." "Where is she?" "We've got to tell her the truth." "Come on, we'll tell her." "Stay here!" "He's chained." "He can't move." "Sure?" "I'll get the bags." "Be right back." "Igor, let me loose." "In God's name, let me loose!" "Come here!" "Come here and let me loose!" "Tell her I've got the money for her return." "All she wants." "I'm begging you." "Wait!" "I'll give her this." "She can go where she wants." "Just let me loose." "Why do you want to tell her?" "What'll it serve?" "She leaves." "We never talk about it again." "Give me my glasses, at least." "The house." "It's for you." "I did everything for you." "Only you." "You're my son." "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "Shut up!" "Give me my glasses." "Give me my glasses and let me loose." "I'm your father." "You can't do this." "Let me go, Igor." "I'm begging you." "Amidu's dead." "He fell from a scaffold." "I wanted to take him to the hospital but my father wouldn't." "To avoid problems." "I obeyed him." "We buried him behind the white house." "In cement."