"No, no, no, no." "This line starts behind me." "Oh." "That'll be 50 kronor, please." "Nope." "That'll be 35 kronor." "This is only valid when you buy two bunches." "Well, my dear, I actually only want one bunch." "And unless I'm mistaken, half of 70 is still no more than 35." "One bunch is 50 kronor and two bunches will be 70 kronor with that coupon of yours." "That's all wrong!" "That's totally insane!" "I'll be reporting you to the consumer ombudsman." "Is your boss around?" "No, she's having lunch." "Lunch?" "Working on her times tables would have been more useful." "Two prices for one thing." "That's totally insane!" "But just so you know:" "Two bunches is a one-off." "Miss you." "A MAN CALLED OVE" "Good-for-nothings..." "ALL CAR TRAFFIC FORBIDDEN" "That dog mustn't pee on our slabs." "Don't listen to that nasty man, Prince." "Anders!" "See that?" "He tried to kill Prince!" "Leave the dog alone." "That's no dog." "It looks more like a hairy winter boot with eyes." " It's forbidden to walk your pets here." " Stop playing the policeman." "Why don't you tell him?" "You're chairman of the board, after all." "I just did." "I meant properly!" "Good morning?" "Alright?" "Feeling chatty?" "Ove?" "Great." "Could you pop around for a minute?" "Into the office." "Promotion awaits, I think." " Alright?" " Yup." " How long have you been working here, Ove?" " 43 years." " Shit." " Shit." "You took over after your father, didn't you?" "Yup." "Well, you see, we've come up with a possibility for you." "You're only 59 years old, and you might want to do something else in life?" "Is that what 43 years of loyal service says to you?" "Well..." "Are you trying to fire me?" "Well, we certainly wouldn't call it that... but it may look a bit like it, though." "We want to offer you a program." "A state-run kind of training course." "A way of moving forward." "Everything's being digitalized now." "If so, I've got an idea, too." "Wouldn't it be much simpler if I just got up and walked out of here?" " Good." "That's that, then." " Well..." "One second, though, Ove." "We have a parting gift." "It's a spade for gardening." "Well, if you're going away, you shouldn't end your subscription." "You should be taking it with you." "There are no phones where I'm going." "Seriously?" "Easy does it!" "Come on." "Yes." "Careful!" "Hello?" "Hello!" "Stop." "Stop!" "Stop!" " Oops..." "Go forwards a little." " What the hell?" "Go forwards a little." "Patrick!" " What do you think you're doing?" " A tad more." "I'm asking the same thing." "He's nuts." "Driving's not allowed here, but you may have a problem reading Swedish signs, eh?" "Are you blind?" "Am I the one who's driving?" "Hi." "How nice to meet you." "I'm Patrick." "You can be called Mickey Mouse for all I care, but if you want to reverse, you have to turn the wheel the other way and look in the mirrors." " What's she saying?" " No idea." "It's Persian." "Beautiful though, isn't it?" "No..." "No!" "Hey!" "No!" "No, no!" " I didn't hit anything, did I?" " Get out." "Now!" "Go and stand somewhere where you're not in the way." "Remember..." "Thanks, but I for one know how to drive." " What's that?" " That's the radar." "For the reversing camera." "Camera?" "What damn camera?" " Hi." " Hello, there." "Mom!" "Reversing cameras and radar..." "You shouldn't even be allowed to reverse a decision." " My God, what a surprise!" " How nice!" "Petter!" "Idiots." "Shit, I can't find my jacket." "Are you off?" "Petter!" "Petter!" "Yes!" "Come here!" "Petter!" "What do you want?" "Absolutely no parking!" "Clear off!" "You took my bike." "Can I have it back, please?" " Wasn't it a ladies bike?" " It's my girlfriend's." "Okay, and where does she live?" "In number 152." "With the Commies who got us sorting our waste?" "If so, let her pick it up herself." " What the..." "Can you just..." " Never mind." " Should I just let him take my bike?" " Well... he's just weird." "Hi, Ove!" "Alright?" "Why does everyone keep asking if things are alright?" "Why would things not be alright?" "Well, I mean, you're not at work." "It's in the middle of the day, and you've never been ill, ever." "Did you want anything other than simply to waste your breath?" "Coming for a spot of lunch?" "Idiots." "Hey!" "Damn car maniac!" "Driving is strictly forbidden here!" " Did you actually say something?" " Yes." "Driving is strictly forbidden in this neighborhood." "Oh, really?" "Gosh." "Well, I have a permit." "Like hell you do." "Bye, bye." "Let's go." "Clear off!" "Is something the matter?" "There are parking spaces for visitors." "That's why we decided on them, unless I'm mistaken." "That was no visitor, that was from the local council." "They want to put Rune in a home." "Our heating's acting up." "You wouldn't do me a favor and take a look?" "No." "Use an extra blanket." "I'm sorry I didn't come yesterday as I'd planned." "I just couldn't make it." "The place is like a damn fairground." "We've got new neighbors opposite." "People nowadays..." "It's shocking, really." "They're all incompetent these days." "They can't reverse a trailer, they can't mend a puncture." "And if you ask them the simplest thing, then they want to have lunch!" "Just imagine, soon everyone in this country will be busy having lunch!" "I'm glad I won't have to live to see it." "And we're being pestered by a whiteshirt, too." "A complete car maniac." "It's just chaos when you're not there." "But if I hurry now, I might see you later today." "I miss you." "I'll be damned." "Damn..." "Yes?" "What do you want?" "We have rice and chicken." "Are you selling rice?" "It's just a bit of food as a thank you." "It's Persian food, with saffron." "Parvaneh is a champion cook, and me, I'm a champion..." "We've removed the trailer." "I saw the note." "You're right." "It was our fault." " We just thought you might be hungry..." " No, I'm not hungry." " Right." "Well, then we'll chuck it." " No, no wasting." "Actually, we were wondering if you happen to have a ladder?" "Of course I have a ladder." "You're required to in this neighborhood." "It's clearly stated in the regulations - if you've seen them?" "So, maybe we could... borrow it?" "It feels great to live by an old man who's always around, if you know what I mean?" " Here." "The supports." " Yes." "And the manual." "There!" "Damn." "You don't happen to have a Holland key, too?" ""Allen key. "" "Nope, "Holland key. "" "What's it got to do with Holland?" "It's made by Allen: "Al-len key. "" "Let's Google that!" "Ove, could you possibly take a look at our heating - if I ask you ever so nicely..." "Try bleeding the radiators." " Might that help?" " Hi!" "Parvaneh." " My husband Patrick." " Hi." " Always nice to meet one's new neighbors." " Yes." " I say, this place is great." " Gorgeous." "Wonderful." "What a paradise for the children." "Oh, my God." "Does no one have a job to go to these days?" "Couldn't you help her with her bleeding radiators?" "They're not "bleeding radiators," they are radiators that need bleeding." "Rune might have consulted me about the heating before he did his coup." " Ove dear, it was no coup..." " A downright coup, that's what it was!" " Did you want that ladder, or what?" " Yes." "Yes, yes." "Ove was chairman of the board, but then everyone voted for my husband Rune instead." "Parvaneh!" "Look!" " These would be great for..." " No, not those." "They were for Sonja." " The thing is, she was..." " Shut up, will you!" "Quiet!" "That's enough!" "Clear off, all of you!" "Go home!" "Clear off!" "A "paradise" indeed..." "Ove!" "Ove!" "Could you come and look at something?" "What?" "Did you want me to come?" "Ove?" " The shelves turned out great." " Yes." "How many books have you got?" "Well, there are these ones, and the box in the kitchen, and those in the shed." "I'll build another one." "The brain is said to work faster when falling, as if real-time events were perceived in slow motion." "Quite a lot passed through my brain." "Mainly stuff to do with radiators, surprisingly." "And with my mom." "She died early." "My dad wasn't the kind who showed grief." "Thank you for coming." "Nor was I." "Well, it's how it is." "It's how it is." "One thing is certain, though:" "whatever we do in this life, no one gets out of it alive." "Come on, Ove." "Let's go home." "My dad didn't talk much." "He focused mainly on the house, and on engines." "Probably because neither of them talked much, either." "Engines can give you wings." "But if you treat them rough, you'll lose those wings in a blink." "That night, however..." "That night, he talked." " Ove?" " Yup?" "Ove, I want you to know how everything is linked." "And I mean everything." " On a Saab 92..." " Yes?" " What do the spark plugs do?" " Make the car run." "Exactly." "This, Ove..." "This is the life!" "No one will ever make a better car than Saab." "But most of the time, he said nothing at all." "After school, I went to Dad's place of work." " Hi, Dad!" " Hello, Ove!" "He said I was safest there." " Get off the track, Ove!" " What?" "Off the track!" " Ove!" " I can't hear you!" "Behind you!" "I think that was the first time in my life Dad hugged me." "I don't know, but strangely enough, it made me think of Mom." "Gosh, you have to be careful!" "I think it was the same for him." "A chance not to be missed." "There, there Ove." "That's enough." "You need to let go of Dad, now." "Everyone said he was too kind." "How can someone be "too kind"?" "I got to know Dad's wonderful coworkers." "Stop!" " One of them was Tom." " Give it back!" "No." "I found it." "I'll beat you so bad..." "Sometimes, you don't know whether you're doing the right thing or not, but you sort of have that feeling." "You little shit." "And sometimes, that feeling may in some curious way be directly linked to physical pain." "Finders, keepers." "That's the rule." "That's what we've always done." "Ove?" "What you do with that wallet is your choice." "You found it." " I found this on the train." " Thank you." "Why didn't you tell them about Tom?" "Well, we're not the sort who tell people what others do." "I was going to keep that wallet." "Yes, I know." "But you'd have returned it eventually." "Yes." "Honesty is the best policy, you know." "Sometimes, however, honesty just needs a little assistance." " You get it?" " Yes." "Great." "I get it." "Come on, let's go home." " From the hip." " And so the day came when I was finally going to get a taste of that great freedom." "Hi, Dad." "Hello, Ove." "How did you do?" "Well, here you go." "Take a look." "I'll be damned!" "Look at this." "Hey, take a look at Ove's grades!" "He's going to be our next supervisor." "Hey!" "All A's and B's." "Amazing!" "Get the Super!" "For God's sake, get the Super!" "Dad!" "What the hell..." "What kind of shit do you sell?" "Hey?" "It said "universal usage - suitable for every need. "" "What did you use it for?" "Idiot!" "You can't even find a decent rope these days." "Those new neighbors are messing around." "They eat rice cooked with saffron." "Well, what's wrong with meat and potatoes, that's what I want to know." "You don't need to put Christmas into everything." "Well, I think this must be the first time you've ever had to wait for me." " Hey!" "What do you think you're doing?" " It scratched Prince!" "If you throw one more stone, I'll transform your pug into a door mat." "He's a Chihuahua, and that cat's probably contagious." "I'm sure, but then again, I'm sure you are, too." "But we don't throw stones at you, do we?" "You still think you own the place and can do what you want, don't you, you old bastard." "I'm going to tell Anders." "By all means, if you think you'll get any understanding from a slick Audi driver." "Four zeros on the bonnet and a fifth behind the wheel." "If that thing takes another piss on our slabs, I'll get them wired up." "Idiots." "That goes for you, too!" "Clear off!" "This is private property." "On August 27th, you borrowed my hose." " I need it back now." " You do." "Now?" "Are you watering now?" "In March?" "You mind your flow and I'll mind mine." "Couldn't you please have a look at those radiators?" "Now that you're here, anyway." "Thanks, that's really kind." " I've got some food on - you don't want..." " Thanks, but I have eaten." "I see." "Well, then I'll just go and get the hose." "Rune?" "Rune!" "Hey?" "People are starting to do whatever they feel like in this association." "Everything we built, you and I, they'll tear down." "But I don't give a damn." "I couldn't care less." "You see, I'm going to leave this place." "For good." "I'm joining Sonja." "I thought you'd be happy to know that, since you can't do anything about it." "All you can do is sit here and watch when it all goes..." "Come on in." "Thanks for the loan." "And this was really good of you." " Sure you don't want a bite, after all?" " Nope." "Jimmy's eating, too." "Stuffed cabbage leaves, Ove." "Awesome." "I'm sure Rune would have loved them." "Well, he neither hears nor understands a thing." "Of course he does." "Rune knows a lot more than you think." "It's as if he knows exactly what goes on inside our heads." "Oh well, I have to leave." "Let go." "Let go of the hose!" "Hi, Ove!" "We're trying to open the window." "From the outside?" "Good luck." "You're holding the ladder, aren't you?" " You were supposed to hold that ladder." " Yeah, yeah!" "Now where are you off to?" "Thank you, it was very tasty!" "Ove" "You can trust a Saab, that's for sure." "The Manager will see you now." "This was very sad." "I'm so sorry." "If there's anything we can do, we will." "You just have to say." "Here." "They were very good, your grades." "This is yours." "That's half Dad's salary for this month." "You always paid him in advance." "No, we can't take that." "It's only right." "Maybe we can find another solution?" "I knew how to do the job, so it was kind of a given." "And besides, I already knew all Dad's colleagues..." "So, what now?" "Now Daddy's in heaven." "No, not that." "Not that!" "Not that!" "There comes a time in everyone's life when you decide who you want to be." "That's for the wallet." "Quits at last." "Asshole." "I think that's when my time came." "This is my watch." "And yes - now we're quits!" "Are you Ove Lindahl?" "Yes." "We've been looking for you." "Oh?" "We want a look at your house." "There are new building plans for this area." "This house doesn't live up to modern building requirements." "No, Stig, I think we'll have to tear it all down." "Yes." "Well, as you can see, it's ready for the tip." "I think that was the first time I came across them, but it wouldn't be the last." "They never told me their names." "They only said where they were from, those men with their white shirts." "And they always got their way." "Ove!" "Time for a break!" "At last, it was done." "And looking pretty good, though I say it myself." "But of course the whiteshirts didn't agree." "Hello." "If what they say is true, that fate is the sum total of our own stupidity, then I think what altered my fate was a result of the stupidity of my neighbors." "Is there anyone still in there?" "Is there anyone in there?" "Hello?" "Hello!" "Help!" "Help!" " Connect the hose up!" " I'm going in!" "At first, I tried to reason nicely with the firemen... but then he arrived." "Turn it off." "Turn the water off." "It's being demolished anyway." "Stop putting it out!" "The whiteshirt." "How long have we been traveling?" "About an hour." "Why?" "Darn!" "I could have woken you up, if I'd known you had to get off... but you were sleeping so sweetly." "Have you overslept now?" "No, it's no problem." "Tickets, please." "Thank you." "Well, I don't have a ticket." "Oh." "Then you'll have to buy a ticket." "I'm sorry, but I haven't got any money either." "I'll get it." "There." "I will definitely be paying you back." "Don't worry about that, now." "I'm reading The Master and Margarita." " Do you know it?" " No." "In that book, there's a fare-dodging cat." "Have you read anything by Mikhail Bulgakov?" "No, I've read nothing by 'im." ""By him. "" "Oh." "I'm studying to be a teacher." "And I'm getting off here." "Wait!" "You forgot this." "After that, I got up and took the 6:30 train every morning." "But she was nowhere to be seen." "After three weeks, I almost gave up." "Hello." "Hello." "Do you often take this train?" "Yes." "I..." "I'm doing my military service." "In the regiment." "Well..." "I was thinking you should have your money back." "Wouldn't it be nicer if you invited me to dinner?" "Dinner?" "Sure." "I..." "I don't really have anywhere to cook dinner." "In a restaurant." "Oh?" "Okay." " If you go to restaurants?" " Indeed." "That's settled, then." "Definitely." " Hello!" "Hello." " Hi." "You're 15 minutes late." "Oh?" "Am I?" "Do you know anything about cars?" "About cars?" "It might be interesting to know how it's possible for them to go forwards?" "It's not as easy as you might think." "It isn't?" "Imagine a car..." "Let's say a Saab 9-3." "You need a driving force." "An engine." "And Saab uses piston engines." "And the piston drives a connecting rod." "The great thing with Saabs is that they're a front-wheel drive..." "So they need no propeller shaft." "My dad also tinkers with cars." " You have hardly had anything to eat." " No." "I ate at home." "Oh?" "Why did you eat at home?" "So that you could order whatever you wanted." "I've lied to you." "I'm not doing military service." "I clean trains." "And my house has burnt to the ground." "And I need to go now." "Thanks." "It's been very nice." "She asked what I was interested in." "I replied "houses," because that's all I could think of." "Then she told me about a course." "Two years later, I was an engineer." " Congratulations!" " Thanks." "Gosh, these are nice." " Very stylish." " Nice, eh?" "Right." "Let's see what your diploma says." "Do you want to marry me?" "I was thinking..." "you might want us to..." "Now, do it calmly and clearly..." "Do you want to marry me?" "Yes!" " What?" " Yes, I do!" "Yes!" "Yes!" "Ouch!" "Fucking hell!" "Shit!" " What are you doing?" " What are you doing?" "Shit, you have to take me to the hospital straightaway." " Because of a bleeding nose?" " Hell, Ove!" "Patrick has fallen off the ladder." "I see." "Well, I could have worked that out with my ass." "You drive." "Use that little sewing machine you arrived in the other day." "But I don't have a license!" " And you are how old?" " Thirty." "Thirty years old and no driving license!" "Patrick has gone ahead in an ambulance and might be dying, but sure, I'll go by bus." "Thanks a bunch!" "Alright, I'll take you." "Thanks!" "At last!" "Was that so hard?" " So where are you going now, then?" " To fetch the children." "It smells yucky." "Mom, I can't breathe." " Roll the windows down, then." " No, not the windows." "Up, down, up..." "Roll them up!" "Roll them up." "Stop it!" "Can't you go any faster?" "Please, Ove." "No one issues parking tickets at a hospital, now, do they?" "It'll only take 15 minutes." "Alright, he's under observation, so I'm allowed in now." "I'll see you back here afterwards." "Okay?" "Hang on a moment." "What about the children?" "Well, they're with you." "Hey!" " Book." " Yes, I'm not blind." " Book!" " She wants you to read it." ""Mister Bear has just started doing what he does every Tuesday." "'You want to drive trains when you grow up, though, don't you?" "' says Ivor. "" "Book not much fun." "No, I quite agree." "You have to read properly." "You have to talk like a bear talks." " Bears don't talk." " This one does." ""'I've already been a train driver a long time,' says Mister Bear. "" "Yes, just like that." "That's great!" ""Mister Bear presses a red button. "" ""One hundred hot honey bees... "" " Hi, kids!" " Look, a clown!" "Beppo the Clown has arrived." "Do you want to see a magic trick?" "I was actually reading to these children." ""He was actually reading to these children. "" "Well, I'm here now." "Have you got a coin?" "I need a coin for my trick." "Please give him a coin." "Thanks." "Here we go!" "So please tell us where you live." " How could you just leave my children?" " I haven't left any children at all." "Ask these imbecile "policemen" in fancy dress." "They made me." "According to our guidelines, we judged your dad to be a security hazard." "I only wanted my coin back." "How many times do I have to tell you that?" "Wow!" "Magic!" "Beppo the Clown says bye-bye." "Hey, hang on a minute!" "This isn't the same coin I gave you." "Poor kids." "I want my coin." "You..." "Shit!" "Ouch!" "Are you totally mad?" "Hey there, what do you think you are doing?" "Am I to blame for his long shoes?" "That's not even funny." "Impractical is all." "Shit!" "This is unbelievable!" "Oh well, what did I say?" "I'll get it." "It's my fault." "It's my car." "Bye, Ove." " Bye-bye, Ove!" " Bye-bye, Ove!" "Come and give me a hand, goddammit!" "Hell, are you insane?" "Give me your hand!" "Give me your hand now!" "Dad!" "What's wrong with you?" "Shit!" "Do you want to die or something?" "You saved 'im." "Him." "It's "You saved him. "" "Ove!" "Nasanin did a drawing for you." "Wait there!" "Here you go." "Nasanin did this drawing for you." "The one in color is you." "She always does you in color." " What do you mean "always"?" " Listen, I've got this great idea." "You're going to be my driving instructor." "Patrick can't do it now, and you're so much better than him anyway." " No, I haven't got the time." " I'll pay the gas of course." "Isn't it a great idea?" "What was that?" "Oh, no!" "Poor thing!" "What?" "Oh dear..." " Open up." " Not into my house." "Open the damn door!" "Shit, it's really cold in here." "Get me a blanket." " Why?" " Quickly!" "Now!" "Hi!" "I was just outside and heard someone shouting." "I know something quicker." "Hang on..." "You can say what you want about us fatties, but we are great at heat retention." "I'll get something to wipe with." "No, no, no!" "Not into the kitchen!" "What's this?" "Shit, it's so low." "That's for Sonja." "My wife." "Okay." "Where is she?" "She's... dead." "She was an amazing cook, though." "I used to eat here all the time." "Didn't I, Ove?" "Well, she seems to feel a little better." "Who's having her?" "I can't." "My children are incredibly allergic." "Shit, I forgot." "I'm allergic, too." "Killing oneself isn't all that easy, you know." "And now she's moved in as well." "So now I've got to get rid of her and then, I'm coming." "I promise you, Sonja." "She looked like this when I got her, so don't think it's my fault." "See you soon." "I didn't think you liked children." "Of course I like children." "I just don't know if I'd be a good dad." "You'd be the best dad our children could ever have." "I promise." "Hey!" "Idiot!" "Shit!" "Sorry, Ove!" "Did I hit you?" " I've got Anders to teach me to drive now." " Hi there, Ove!" "That slick so-and-so." "I thought you wanted to learn how to drive?" "Well, you didn't want to help me." " The belt might be a good idea after all." " Oh, yes!" "Oops." "I accidentally bumped..." "Sorry." "Bye!" "Hello!" "Ouch!" "Be careful!" "Please be careful with Dad's leg." "Oops." "Are you alright?" "I'll get her if you get the door." "There we are." "Sit here." "Have you got them training plates, then?" "You need those on the back of the car." "It's the law for learners." "I simply can't watch one idiot teach another one how to drive." "Thanks!" "Hello there, Ove!" "Alright?" "Manuals are for reading, in case you didn't know." "Hi!" "Great weather for driving practice, isn't it?" "Here you go." "I've made some Persian cookies." "I almost sort of know how to drive." "Sit down." "Stop." "That's amber." "Really, I suck." "It's green now, so you can go." "Easy does it." "Match with the throttle..." " God, he's really stressing me out!" " It's as if..." "Start it up again." "Release the key." "Release the key." "When the clutch goes up, the throttle goes down." " That's what I'm doing!" " Let the clutch..." "No..." "No, I just can't do it!" "I'll be damned!" "Hey, have you never been a beginner?" "Eh?" "Can't you see the plates?" " Easy does it, old man." " "Old man"?" "I'm not your old man, asshole!" "I'm "angry man"!" "If you honk again, that's the last thing you do." "Get it?" "Eh?" "Get it?" "Now I want you to listen to me." "You've given birth twice." "Three times, soon." "You've come all the way from Iran, fleeing war and all kinds of hell." "You've learned a new language, got an education and a job - and you've married a loser." "So you'll have no problems learning how to drive." "I mean, we're not talking brain surgery here." "There." "Just start the car and drive off." "Idiot!" "Great." "No, no, no." "I've already got what we want." "No, no, no, no." "Over here." "This was Sonja's favorite café." "Every Saturday at one, we'd sit here." "At this very table." "Eating Napoleon slices?" " How did you know?" " It's Saturday, and it's one o'clock." "Then what did you do?" "At two, we went home." "Sonja used to read, and me and Rune washed our cars." "By hand, that was." "No damn scratchy car-washes for us." "Rune?" "But you don't even talk to one another." "Well, we used to, in those days." "I think we were pretty similar, really." "Stop!" " I said stop!" " Hey!" " Rune." " Ove." "We worked well together right from the start." "I'll cut across the field." "Alright!" " Don't let it happen again." " No, and tell your friends that, too." "We shared the same sound ideals, and at the first community meeting, I was elected chairman and Rune deputy." "KEEP GATE CLOSED!" "BALL GAMES STRICTLY FORBIDDEN" "Very sensible, if you asked us." "NO BIKE PARKING" "I think we were both surprised to have found a friend." "Well, I just need to park." "Until we discovered that tiny difference between us..." "You drive a Volvo?" "Yes." "What do you drive?" "A Saab." "Oh." "Initially, we tried to disregard this and socialized like regular couples." "It was fine as long as we made the effort." "It was a boy!" "And the years passed..." "We sort of lost touch..." "But then, without any prior notice, that bastard did his board coup." "It made me so mad I went straight and bought a Saab 9000." "CS." "And Rune went for a Volvo 960..." "Executive." "In the end, their boy grew up and suddenly decided to move all the way to the US." "I don't think they saw him much after." "I'd just been to look at the new Saab 9-5, when at last I thought:" ""Time to bury the hatchet." "Time to start talking to one another again. "" "I've been thinking..." "Isn't it time for us to bury the past and move on?" "Of course we're friends." "That's when it happened." "Do you want to see my new car?" "A BMW." "I turned around and went home." "Rune had given up." "Totally." "Hey!" "I can't drive a Volvo all my life." "The final betrayal." "Did you never have children?" "It's two o'clock." "Ove, I need to learn the highway code as well." "Can you help me out?" "Oh..." "Well, I suppose that's part of getting a license." "Thank you so much." "It'll be fine, I promise." "I mean, you already know them." "What?" "Well, the children." " I don't think this is a very good idea." " No, I agree." "Nor do I." " Maybe I should stay at home?" " No, why should you?" "This is a great idea." "Call me anytime." "Bye!" "I'm hungry." "I'm hungry!" "You're against cruel animal testing, but you're quite happy with cruel child testing." "Nasanin wants a bottle before we go to bed, and you have to wash the bottle by hand, because Dad can't install the dishwasher." "He calls it a "goddamn useless dishwasher that's going out the window one of these days. "" "Come, and I'll show you my room." "What do you think is important to consider when building a house?" "Well, water." "And drainage." "Exactly." "And the infrastructure." "Naturally." "Have you built houses before?" "Yes, but not from bricks." "Go on, I was top of the class!" "It's true." "Had you agreed on this?" "No." "I'm totally..." " Sepideh?" " Hi, Mom!" "She's asleep." "Drat." "What's this?" "Hey, what are you doing?" "Oh." "It's you." "Regarding that ladies bike, the sign says "Strictly no bike parking. "" "Isn't this where Sonja use to live?" "I was her pupil." "I could neither read nor write, but she was the only one who didn't pass me off as stupid." "I learned everything then." "She was amazing." "Sorry to have bothered you." "Hey!" " What's that bike to you?" " I was mending it for my girl." "Well, she isn't my girl yet, but I hoped she would be if I mended it." " I need to go to my other job now." " You have two jobs?" "In a kebab shop." "I'm saving for a car I've been told I can buy." " What car's that?" " A Renault." "A French one?" "Are you buying a French car?" "And then, an old pupil of yours turned up as well." "And now I just need to fix something before I join you." "That's all there is to it." "DRIVER TRAINEE" "Go!" "Well done." "Switch the engine off." "Now you know how to park as well." "What do you mean, "well done"?" "I just bumped into a car." "So what?" "It was just a Volvo." "Wait here." "I need to do something." "So, that bike's been repaired." "You can return it to that girl now." " Did you fix it?" " I just need to unload it." " Do you eat kebab?" " No." "Why would I do that?" "What's he doing here?" " Why are your eyes sooty?" " That's makeup." " I thought that was for girls." " He thinks it makes him look good." " It won't get you a girl, you know." " I might not want a girl." " Are you gay?" " Ove, that's no way to talk!" " He can say whatever he wants." " Alright." "Are you one of those?" "One of those gays?" "Yes, I'm one of those." "I'm one of those gays." "Alright." "What are you shouting about, then?" "You won't say anything about Mirsad, will you?" "That was his dad who just arrived, and he doesn't know." "I'm not the kind of person who runs around telling people what others do." "Besides, you have much more pressing things to worry about." " I do?" " Buying a French car..." "It might be good to know what makes it go forwards." "It's not as easy as you might think." "I really, really need a pee." "I see." "But we were going to go through the engine." "I'm sorry, but I can't." "I'll be quick." " Hello!" "You must be Ove, aren't you?" " You're parked outside the lines." "I'm Lena Samuelsson, from the local paper." "It's about that accident at the train station the other day." "You actually saved someone's life." "No, you're mistaken." "That wasn't me." "I was there, you know, and saw it, and we run a series called "Invisible Heroes" where I think you'd fit right in, so I've done some research on you, and you've had a really exciting life." " Do you want to talk about that?" " No." "Well, I have a letter here from the person you saved." "You have to read it." "It's really very touching." " Let's see if I can find it..." " There we are!" "Done!" " No, never mind." " What?" "Why?" " Hello!" " What was that?" " I didn't hear anything." "Come on." " What happened?" "I can't see." "Could you open up?" "Don't look at me, I hadn't locked it." "Any idiot can work out how to open that from the inside." "Idiots." "Ove!" "Wait!" "Did you actually think she'd go away just because you shut her in the garage?" "Eh?" "I mean..." "You're really something else!" "I've been thinking..." "Stop boasting." "Seriously, though." "I can help you clear out a little." "Put things away in boxes and stuff like that." "There's no need." "But there is still some of Sonja's stuff around..." "I said there's no need!" " Wouldn't it feel good to move on?" " I told you to stop talking." "I mean, I never met Sonja, and she was probably absolutely wonderful, but you've made her into a saint." "I think she'd rather be a regular human." "A very wonderful, but regular, Sonja." " I said shut up!" " Stop shouting!" "The more all these idiots keep babbling about her, the more they will drown out the little memory I have of her voice." "There was nothing before Sonja, and there is nothing after her." "I'm something." "Damn you!" "Stop right there." "Stop!" "One second..." "If you could just stop your Neanderthal behavior," "I'm sure we'll get along nicely, you and I." " Now, out of the way." " Never." "Get into reverse and clear off." "If you have a problem with our driving here, you'll have to call our case officer at the local council." "There are other ways of helping Rune." "I couldn't care less about Rune, but I do care about driving bans." "Not one inch further." "Seriously - what's your problem, Ove?" "I know." "You're a nit-picking obstructionist." "You see, I've done some research on you, in local archives and online," "and I know everything." "I've read all your crazy letters to newspapers and authorities." "I know all about your wife, her accident and how you blame it on everyone and everything." "But what if the real reason was simply that you just weren't enough?" " I'm going to report you." " I work for a private caregiver." "We only carry out decisions that have already been taken." "You need to take better care of that heart of yours, Ove." "What do you know about my heart?" "Eh?" " What do you know about my heart?" "Eh?" " Go." "What do you know..." "Stop the car!" "Stop!" "Damn idiot!" "Damned whiteshirts!" "And this is my last warning!" "Tomorrow, that winter boot becomes a slipper." "Now he's really lost it..." "Whiteshirt scum!" "Ove!" "Hey, Ove!" "Open up!" "Hello!" "Ove!" "Are you alright?" "Ove!" "Stop now." "This is ready." "Wait." "Close your eyes." " Close your eyes..." " What..." "Now..." "Here." "Stop." " What's this?" " Come on!" " Come on, we're going to dance." " No." "No, no." "Oh yes." "Yes, come on." " Come here..." " No, I don't..." "I don't know how to..." "You can dance on the inside." "You're going to be a dad." "We're going to be parents." "I love you, Ove." "I love you, too." "But then we need to get a hatchback." "Yes." "Or... a cradle." "Great idea." "I'll build one." "Damn hooligans!" "What are you up to?" "We were going to ask something," " but I think we should be leaving..." " What?" "Mirsad has been thrown out." "I thought maybe he could stay here." "Here?" "Do you think this is a damn hotel?" "Mirsad came out today." "I told my dad I was one of those gays." "He hates gays." "He was going to kill himself if any of his children were gay." "But never mind." "Come on, let's leave." "Sonja was always helping people." "Alright." "Come on, then." "Good morning." "I'll pop some toast in, if that's okay?" "And put some coffee on." "I'm going to do my round." "You don't want coffee first?" "I've got some bread and cheese and stuff." "Before my round?" "No, I have to do my round, now." "Can I tag along?" "It's a free country." "Oh?" "Alright, then." "Hang on!" "Hi, can I join you?" "I've started exercising." " Hello there." "I'm Jimmy." " Hi." "Mirsad." "So your old man's troublesome?" "Well, he's not exactly beside himself with joy." " Have you heard about Rune?" " No." "They're fetching him tomorrow." "He's being institutionalized." "Bullshit." "It'll take years before that sort of thing's been through the mill and a decision has been reached." "Ask me, I know." "I swear." "The decision has been made." "He goes tomorrow." "She's pleaded against it for three years, but now they'll have to part ways." "What do you mean, three years?" "That's a lie!" "If so, Sonja would have known." "And so would I." "Anita didn't tell Sonja." "She didn't want you to know." "Why on earth would she want us not to know?" "She didn't want to ask for help." "She said you had enough on your plates as it was." "She said that?" "Eh?" "That we weren't to know because we had enough on our plates?" " Is that what she said?" " Yes." "So what?" "Idiot!" "That's what I've been." "You mustn't be angry with me, Sonja." "Admitting you've been wrong is hard." "Especially when you've been wrong for a long time." "I'm sorry." "But I'm sorting it out now." "I know you get upset when I get angry, but I think you're with me this time." "This means war!" "Give me every damn document you've had from the authorities, the social services, the council, the church..." "I want everything on Rune!" "To reconnect your phone, please press star..." "May I use your phone?" "Since we're neighbors..." "What the hell does it matter if they have appealed already?" "There are authorities above you." "Can't you read?" "Are you completely illiterate?" "Il-lite-rate!" "Hello?" "Hello!" "How the hell can you talk to someone who just hangs up?" "How the hell can you talk to someone who just shouts?" "Well, they refuse to listen." "Sit down." "Switch that thing off." "They are always the same." "The same people." "It's no different now." "They may have different names, but they are the same." "All they want to do is cause trouble, these damned whiteshirts." "Listen to yourself." "You told me never to give up - didn't you?" "Now you sit there, feeling sorry for yourself." "You've had a hard time." "Everyone's an idiot." "And you just give up." "Because you think you're the only one on this planet who can cope without any help at all." "But do you know what, Ove?" "No one manages completely on their own." "No one." "Not even you." "You can leave now." "I said you can leave." "I'm tired of you." "It was her idea initially." "To travel together, just the two of us, before the baby arrived." "She was determined that we should go by bus." "It was more romantic, she said, and I didn't argue." "It made more sense financially, too." "In Spain, Sonja thought one should do what the Spaniards did, while I soon found out that Spain had quite a lot to learn when it came to Swedish building norms..." "It was grand, though." "We ate out in the evenings." "We'd saved some food from our lunch buffets and had a lovely dinner outside." "And then, one day, it was time to go home." "No, no." " Did he say something funny?" " He seemed happy." " Leave them, Ove." " What?" " They're having fun." " Are they?" "Yes." "On the bus, Sonja wanted me to feel her tummy." "The baby was kicking up a storm in there." "Here!" "Feel!" "Can you feel that?" "It's all the time." "I just need the bathroom for a minute." "Sonja!" "Sonja!" "Sonja!" "Help!" "Help!" "You can go in now." "I think I sat with her like that for a week." "No one dared to speak to me, which was just as well." "Until one day..." "They told me she'd never wake up again." "Don't tell me that!" "Do you hear me!" "But then, the unfathomable happened." "It was like the best thing and the worst thing happening all at once." "And the following day, I had to tell her what had happened." "About a life which was no more..." "In the middle of that grief, I felt a kind of inner strength." "At the beginning, I was able to use that anger constructively." "Sonja kept on studying." "She had one year left of her teacher's course." "But when she was done, there were no jobs." " I'm very sorry." "Great grades, though." " Thank you." "In those days, schools weren't equipped with wheelchair ramps." "But then one day, Sonja showed me an ad in the paper." "...for special needs..." "They'd created a class for all the youngsters with special needs before "special needs" had even been invented." "Your résumé is really very good, but as you can see, we can't take on a wheelchair-bound teacher." "That's when I entered into a big black hole." "I wanted to obliterate them all." "Every single son-of-a-bitch:" "The bus company, the drunken driver, the wine merchant, the travel group..." "All of them." "I wrote to the Spanish and Swedish governments, but no one cared." "The basic idea is that you build one starting from the steps by the entrance, and then..." "They didn't even want to build a simple ramp so Sonja could start working at the school." "I sued them all in an attempt to get some kind of justice" "REJECTED in a situation I could see none in myself." "In the end, it came down to Sonja." "She was the strongest of us all." "Ove..." "Either we die - or we live." "That evening, I took the car and went and built what was needed." "The following day, Sonja could start work." "Welcome." "Homer was the one who wrote the Iliad about the Trojan War, but when was it written?" " David?" " In 700." "Before Christ." "Fuck." "Okay, let's all say hello to Rickard Stenebo." "Hi, Rickard!" "I'm not lying." "After one year, the same kids were able to recite 400-year-old poetry at the end of term ceremony." ""... how infinite in faculty" ""In apprehension how like a God" ""And their actions" ""The paragon of animals" ""And yet, to me... this quintessence of dust"" "Bravo!" "She fought for everything that was good." "For the children she never had." "And six months ago, she passed away." "She had cancer." "I promised to follow." "Okeydoke." "Is he ready?" "This is as far as you get." "You've had three years now to arrange this without a fuss." "The decision has been taken." "We're doing this for you, Anita." "What kind of love would that be?" "To part when you need one another the most?" "But the problem is that 24 hours a day, he has no idea of where he is." "No, but I do." "Yes..." " And who is going to look after him?" " I will." "I see." "With a bit of help." "Oh, a bit of help." "From whom?" "Hello!" "Good to see you!" "I'm Lena from the local paper." " Hello." " Well, it's like this..." "I've got the last three years' annual accounts here for the private care company Konsensus, where you are one of the owners." "You're reporting a minor profit." "But I also have statements from a Channel Island bank, showing deposits of several untaxed millions." " Where the hell did you get that?" " Online." "I could talk to my editor, because I'm sure he would love to investigate this further - but that decision is mine, if you see what I mean." "He just rolled over." "I don't know..." "Things were better in our day." "At least then people fought for what they believed in." "Ove!" "Ove!" "Ove!" "Call an ambulance!" "Don't..." "let the ambulance..." "drive on the path!" " Parvaneh, you're down as next of kin." " That's correct." "Your dad is suffering from a heart problem." "You could say that his heart is too big." "Sorry?" "Too big?" "Yes." "But he'll survive." "Ove, seriously..." "You're amazingly bad at dying." "Shit, I think it's time, Ove!" "Well, it was really only standing up there collecting dust." "It was never used." "It's amazing, Ove." "Thank you." "It might benefit from a lick of paint..." "Here." "Hold it." "I want to show Patrick." "Hello there." "Try this..." "That works well, doesn't it?" "Well, I think you should have something, too." "An iPad!" "Thanks, Grandpa!" "Yes..." "Thanks." "I recognize that feeling." "It's just like buying a new car." "This is the life." "Hey, Ove's front path hasn't been shoveled." " So what?" " It's eight o'clock." "Time for his round." "Ove?" "Don't worry about me having done something silly." "When you read this, the doctor's prediction will have been fulfilled." "He said my heart was too big." "It may sound sweet, but it isn't all that good." "Sooner or later, you pay." "I'd like to have a proper funeral in a proper church." "None of this nonsense with ashes scattered in the wind." "And I want a quiet funeral, with only those present who thought I pulled my weight." "The cat has tuna twice a day and wants to shit in private." "Please respect that." "And above all, make damn sure the bastards don't drive on our paths."