"Dear Attilio, we are all gathered here together..." "Who's the half-wit who left his car outside?" " That's mine." " Well you can't leave it there" " Ten Minutes!" " Too long." " Five!" " No more than five." "In five minutes I'm going to clamp you!" "Gang of loonies, here every bloody night..." "This woman has something to say to you." "Attilio De Giovanni," "I sing your name, it opens the gates of Paradise." "You will be mine forever, so grant me gods." "When you kiss me, the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse gallop forth and when I think of your body, so troubled and vague, the ground opens beneath my feet." "Your divine manhood ascends to heaven, you're beautiful!" "You sunflower crazed by light, when you raise your eyes you set the sky ablaze." "Friends, see how the Earth, like a mother, gives suck to her most precious child." "Oh my beloved, all creation overflows with passion, and like a golden comet in the sky, from my mouth burst forth this cry." "I love you." "I want to make love to you now." "That's the best line I ever heard in my life." "Still not here?" "No." "Here he is!" " On the dot!" " You're 20 minutes late, Daddy!" " Yes, 20 minutes on the dot." " You couldn't find the car?" " Hi Carla, everything okay?" " Fine, thanks." "I have a programme and tomorrow I'll have them at school at 9:00 sharp." " At 8:30!" " I know." " I'll remind him." " I'll remember all right!" "Mamma doesn't trust you." "She doesn't trust me?" "She doesn't trust you." " Where are we going?" " A surprise!" " Sure I'm not hurting him?" " Course you are not." "Shall I wash his feet too?" "I honestly couldn't care less." "Still the same guy, what's-his-name?" "Yes, Francesco Verri, he's not even in my class." " The less I see him the better." " Is he really that bad?" "Very bad, hateful" " Hateful?" " Hateful." " In other words, you love him." " Yes." " A lot?" " Lots and lots." " Emilia, Daddy!" " Rosa!" "Hang on!" " The best camel driver ever." " What a fantastic present!" "Thank the director here, thanks Camillo." "Now we're in Rome I hope we'll see you more often." " Want to have a go?" " Me?" " You're scared." " Daddy's not scared of anything." "He's all right?" " Does he spit?" " No." "This is great, how do you get him to stand up?" "It's twice as high as a horse!" "No seat belt!" "How about that then, eh?" "Just when I'm on a camel!" "Attorney!" "You've got the hearing this morning." "For the furniture you shouldn't have sold, ignoring a summons back in '98..." "I can't right now, can we do it tomorrow?" "You've got to be here within three minutes or they'll sentence you!" "Three minutes, make that two!" "Down, boy." "Slowly." "Ubruk!" "How about that?" "Camels may be smelly, but they're smart." " What's that?" " A bat!" "Get down, keep down!" "It's casing the joint, let's see what it's up to!" "Let's get under the bed." "Go away, beastly bat!" "Don't say that." "You'll offend it if you call it a beastly bar, you've got to be nice." "Oh bat, sweet creature of the night, you'll find the window on your right!" ""What luck!"" "That's what poetry's all about, you called it a beastly bat..." "It always works." "I was shaving in the bathroom yesterday." "A spider climbed in and I said to it, "Spider dear, get out of here"." " It went!" " And if you find a mouse?" ""Mr. Mouse, leave this house" then run for it." "Will you teach me to write nice poems?" "How did you become a poet?" "How do you start?" "I was small, younger than you are now, eight or nine." "I was with my mother, I loved her so much..." "We were at Uncle Giustino's and there was a wood." " Do you know what happened?" " What?" "A little bird flew by, singing, flying lower... and lower." "He landed right here on my shoulder." "I swear!" "He'd chosen me, of all people." "I was afraid he'd fly away, so I pretended to be a tree," "I didn't move a muscle." "I started to feel my heart beating, thumping actually." " And then?" " It flew away." "I wanted to tell my mother." ""Mamma, a little bird, flying and singing... landed on my shoulder and sat there for an hour."" "She said, "I thought something awful happened" and carried on chatting." "That was mean of Granny, didn't she like birds?" "No, Granny wasn't mean, and she did like little birds." "It wasn't her, it was me." "It was my fault for not telling the story properly, for not making her feel what I'd felt." "I was so upset I told myself," ""There must be people whose job it is to use the right words, put things in a way... who when their hearts beats, can get other people's hearts to beat."" "That day I decided to become a poet." " My heart beat." " Mine too, but Granny's didn't." "If the words aren't right, nothing's right." "If I say now, "go to sleep", those are the right words." " And if another bat comes in?" " Off to bed with you." "I've got to get you to school at 9:00 tomorrow." "At 8:30!" "I know." "Oh my beloved, all creation overflows with passions, and like a golden comet in the sky, from my mouth bursts forth this cry," "I love you!" "My love, I want to stay with you here forever, for all eternity." "Don't you have to take the girls to school at 8:30?" "Give me five minutes, be right back." "You don't remember where I left the car, do you?" " Same bloody car parked outside..." " It's mine, I'll move it." "Five minutes." "Come along, don't hang around, take your time." "Don't start writing love poems, they're the hardest, wait till you're at least 80." "Write about something else, the sea, the wind, a radiator, a tram running late, no one thing's more poetic than another." "Poetry isn't without, it's within." "Don't ask what's poetic or true, look in the mirror, poetry's you." "Dress your poems up, choose your words carefully, be selective, some things you need eight months to find one word." "Beauty started when people began to choose, since Adam and Eve." "You know how long Eve took to pick the right fig leaf?" "How about this one?" "She stripped bare all the fig trees in Paradise." "Fall in love, if you don't love it's all dead!" "Fall in love and everything will come to life." "Squander your joy, dissipate your cheerfulness." "be sad and silent with enthusiasm, hurl your happiness into people's faces." "And how?" "Let me look at my notes, I've forgotten." "That's what you should do." "I can't read 'em." "To convey happiness you must be happy, to convey pain you must to happy." "Be happy, you must suffer!" "Don't be scared of suffering, the whole world suffers!" "If you don't have the means, don't worry, only one thing is necessary to write poetry, everything." "Don't try to be modern, it's the most old-fashioned thing there is." "If a line doesn't come to you in this position, chuck yourself on the ground like this!" "It's lying down that you see the sky." "Why didn't I do that before?" "What are you looking at?" "Poets don't look, they see." "Make words obey you." "If the world "wall" doesn't take any notice, don't use it again for eight years, that'll teach it." "What's that?" "No idea!" "That's true beauty, like those lines there, that I want left there forever." "Erase it all, we've got to start, the lesson's over." "See you Wednesday..." "Thursday." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "Goodbye." "The room's all yours, Professor Browning." "Thank you Signor De Giovanni." "Please don't, I'll do it." "Still having problems with the principal?" "Lots, about the course, I'd like to discuss it with you." "Can we sleep together tonight?" "Nancy!" "Last time we slept together it snowed, it was the coldest most beautiful day in January." " Lets sleep together." " The kids'll be back." "It's laying down that you see the sky." "Don't you like me anymore?" "I had such a wonderful time with you, why did you want to cut it so short?" "When I fell in love with you..." "I fell in love with you because you fell in love with me." "And a wonderful fall it was." "What are you doing this evening?" " Nothing." " Let's sleep together tonight." "Attilio, we've gotta go." "Hi Ermanno." "Do you remember where I left the car?" " Near the entrance." " Thank you, Nancy." "Knock-knock, I look through the peep-hole, all I see is hair." "I open the door and a bear says, "Hello Ermanno, give me a Kiss."" "I ask, "Who are you?"" "and she, "Don't you recognize me, my son?"" "No!" "And she starts crying." "I say, "I'm sorry, Mamma", and put my arms around her, then this morning when I woke up I felt so happy." " Your mother was a bear?" " I'd just never realized it before." "I kept dreaming about vultures, hyenas, crocodiles..." "Good for you." "I always have the same dream." "The same animal?" "No, no animal at all." "I'm at a kind of wedding with lots of people, and then in she walks, the woman I'm crazy about." "She ends up telling me, "I want to make love with you, kiss me."" "So what do you do?" "I pass out." " It's wonderful." " What kind of animal is she?" "It's her, the love of my life." "What kind of a dream is that?" "It's like saying I like cherries and in my dream I eat cherries." "It denotes a primitive subconscious." " A Dream that won't come true?" " Come true!" "If I like a woman, I dream about her in a symbolic fashion, she's a penguin bearing the mythological baggage of penguins, or she's a iguana, that's a mature dream." " You think?" " What, me?" "Sigmund Freud thinks so." "Freud." "Dream about an animal?" "Right on time, just starting." "Love thou thy dream, all base love scorning." "Love thou the wind, and here take warning." "That dreams alone can truly be." "For this dream I come to thee." "He's the greatest living Arab poet." "Beautiful that poem, eh?" " Rips you apart." " Sure does." "You'll hear the rest." "Fuad concluded with a homage to one of his inspirational mentors." "Fuad, in these difficult days for his home country, decided to leave France and go back to Baghdad." "Let's hope this senseless war never breaks out." "Let's thank Fuad, goodbye to all." "Damn, I think it's over!" " Shall we go eat?" " I want to go and say hello to him." "Fuad, remember that name." "In four, five years' time, he'll get the Nobel Prize." "It'll be a wrench to leave Paris after 18 years..." " When will you go back to Baghdad?" " As soon as possible." "How much time do you need to finish the book?" "The publishers want it in September, but I refuse to rush." "I'd like to spend at least a week with you." "We'll find the time." "Goodbye, see you soon." "Attilio!" " Fuad!" " Where were you?" "Back there, I got here a bit late but I enjoyed the whole thing." "You've got fans here, when I quoted you at the start they all cheered, did you hear it?" "Vittoria!" "Your book." "Oh, thank you." "I'm losing my mind." " Do you have time for dinner?" " Let's have dinner together." "Then I'll leave you to it." "Goodbye." "Dear Attilio, it's as if no time has passed at all." "Attilio?" "Fuad, thanks, I'll say goodbye then." "Goodbye, Fuad, goodbye." " When are you leaving?" " Right after dinner." "Plenty of time!" "Love you." " What about dinner?" " Sure, any time." " You coming to eat then?" " Sure, any time." " I came here to have tea by myself." " So did I." "We can have it together!" "Two teas." "Mr. Poet Attilio De Giovanni, there's absolutely no question." "I don't want to disturb you, heaven forbid." "Since we don't see each other often... the two of us, not immediately..." "Why do you keep pestering me?" "Haven't you got anything else to think about?" "Me think about you?" "Whoever thinks about you?" "Someone said they even saw you in Verona!" "No, wait!" "What's that?" "Me, in Verona?" " Who told you that?" " Settembrini." "He saw you outside my hotel for hours." "Listen, I was not in Verona." "Why on Earth should I care if you're in Verona or Piazza dell'Esquilino?" "I don't believe it, you were there too?" "I never know where you are and I don't care." "Why don't you come to my place?" "To see where I live, sleep, read, write, wash the dishes." "Come on, let's walk round Rome, you can come over and..." "We can be together." "Yes?" "Huh?" "You tell me who's speaking, you called me." "Valeri who?" "Yes, I was at Fuad's, why?" "In fact, this jacket isn't mine." "This phone isn't either!" "This jacket is five times too big, yours must be too small." "Pay more attention!" "He took my jacket instead of his." "I can't, I'm in a meeting." "Yes, okay." "I'm in the bar round the corner, but right away, I'm busy." "Signor Valeri, over here, how did you mistake my jacket for yours?" " It's three sizes larger!" " Yes in fact, I didn't..." "Signor Valeri mistook my jacket for his." " Didn't you realize it was tight?" " I didn't put it on." "Now I know why you didn't realize it." "All's well that ends well, goodbye." "Some people are so scatter-brained." "He hardly knew what to say, at one point he said, I love you," "I dream of you every night, let's get married." "What would you have said?" " The check, please." " No, let me." " Thanks." " Don't mention it." "Vittoria!" "How much is it?" "Keep the change." "The tea had absolutely no taste." "I want to see where you wash your dishes, take me home." ""SURPRISE!"" " Let's walk up, I prefer it." " Me too." ""I've walked down millions of stairs holding your arm, now you're no longer here, there's a void beneath every step."" " Dammit, I tripped..." " Serves you right." "We're here, this is me." "I trip on that wretched step every day." "Go ahead." "Please do come in, Vittoria." "Here we are, Vittoria and I together at home..." "I always leave the candles on." "And the television." "I always like to have things ready in case Vittoria comes..." "I'll go make some coffee," "I'll make you some too, it won't take a sec..." "What's the matter?" "Nothing, I just burnt myself slightly." " The coffee is ready?" " I make it in case Vittoria comes." "Have a seat." "It was coming to the boil as we came in." "Here." "I always like to tell the truth." "seeing you sitting here at night alone with me, drinking coffee, it makes my heart race." "You're so beautiful!" "Women are so beautiful when they're about to make love." "Why not live together for the rest of our lives?" "It's easy." "As easy as seeing a tiger in the snow." "When I do, we will be together forever." "Off to Tibet with us then, it always snows on tigers there." "But we live in Rome." "Snow falling on a tiger in Rome!" "I get it." "Please stay and sleep with me." "You've got a man here who loves you." "A man who loves you is a sight worth seeing, isn't it?" "It's a cold, grey world outside, stay here." "We can have a nice hot bath together." "I'll dry you, I'll wrap you in a blue bathrobe." "You know what you are, Blondie!" "You're on big son of a bitch!" "All this, every evening for me, you've forgotten one thing though, the champagne." "Explain the rest later, but I want to know how you did that." "You know, tricks of the trade." "But just as I said "champagne"." "A bit of luck." "Here, Vittoria." "I want to do with you what the spring does with cherries." "Now, now, now." "You haven't said anything about the house." "I'd move this table, I'll finish my champagne then go... and your books, don't try and stop me, shouldn't be on the floor, it's a bit too bohemian." "There's a time for everything, peach trees don't bloom in December." "This green wall's hideous." "I long to feel your arms around me." "This floor...but I can't... is office-like." "I'm not sure if I should stay or go." "What'll I do?" "You decide." "My compliments on your apartment." "I think I know what you're getting at about the apartment," "I think this is the best solution." "As far as the floor's concerned, let's leave it as it is." "About the table, I agree with you, I'd move it, and make more space, I'd put two armchairs there." "For the fittings, I know a carpenter downstairs, so that's sorted." "The floor we said leave as it, the ceiling isn't great..." "I wasn't really planning on staying here long," "I'm only renting and I can't remember when my lease ends." "All I know is that tonight'll never come back." "There's just one word on the great clock of time, now." "But you're right about one thing, my love." "That green wall has got to go." "Where are you going?" "I'm going to put on the blue bathrobe." "If only you knew what I have inside of me, fleets of minesweepers dropping death-charges into my chest, torpedoing my thorax, circumnavigating my heart." "Now I can tell you, I was Verona, and in Piazza dell'Esquilino." "Two and a quarter hours!" "I'm ashamed to say," "I was in Catania too, I never told you." "I dream of you every night, always the same dream, always you." "I see you everywhere, my whole life hears you." "In all creation I feel the beating of your heart." "You these books, the bubbles in my champagne, you're the flame of these candles, these trees, you're down the street..." "Vittoria?" "Vittoria!" "I'll fix her, when I catch her!" "Vittoria, I'll sue you!" "I'll take you to court!" "Vittoria!" "Vittoria!" "Wait!" "Vittoria!" "Stop!" "Vittoria!" "Stop this tram!" "Driver, stop!" "Vittoria!" "You know what you are?" "You're one big daughter of a bitch!" "It's raining!" "It rains on the city, like tears in my heart." "Oh my beloved, all creation overflows with passion, and like a golden comet in the sky, from my mouth bursts forth this cry." ""Kiss me!"" "Please my love." "I said kiss me." "Attilio." "Attilio!" "It's her, the symbolism is so obvious!" "I know, I guessed it right away but I'm not kissing a kangaroo, it's revolting." "Revolting?" "Goodbye then, you'll never see me again." "Oh!" "Vittoria!" "I wasn't talking to you." "Vittoria!" "Stop!" "What a coincidence!" "Vittoria!" "I was walking along thinking of everything except you..." "Vittoria!" "What are you doing, leaving?" "Okay, I get the message." "Since I know you're leaving, I just came to tell you this." "It's all over between us, you'll never see me again." "Goodbye forever!" "Sorry, I forgot to tell you something." "Oh Vittoria!" "Vittoria!" "Vittoria!" "Vittoria!" "Peace!" "Peace!" "You tell him, I can't in half an hour, Attorney." "Go to prison?" "But I'm in the right!" " This is an act of violence." " War's an act of violence." "Hanging out the peace banner never hurt anyone." "I can't in half an hour." "Professor!" "Yes?" "Mamma Mia, what a bang!" "Almost killed me!" "What the..." "Stop hopping about like that." "Will you please stop hopping?" "Vittoria, I will not get into your pouch," "I won't fit, be a good girl." "Don't kiss me, I know it's you but stop it." "Behave, Vittoria." "Vittoria..." "Yes, speaking." "Who is it?" "Who?" "Fuad, what a nice surprise!" "I'm glad, how are you?" "What's wrong?" "Vittoria?" "Of course." "She's there with you, right?" "She talked about me, eh?" "What happened?" "Is she dead?" "I don't know, I just came back from the hospital." "The doctor is afraid she won't make it through the night." "She's alive but there's nothing to be done," "We've got no medicine or supplies here." "We'd nearly finished out work, we were walking in Baghdad, there was an explosion, a building fell." "What?" "I don't know, when I opened my eyes she was lying there unconscious." "What's the hospital called?" "I'll be there right away, see you soon." "See you soon in Baghdad." "I'll call you as soon as I arrive." "Carla, it's me, I know, sorry but..." "Everything's fine, don't worry." "They're both fine, they're asleep." "I've got to go away right now." "I'm not sure when, please don't start." "I've got to go, I don't know when." "Come early tomorrow morning, I'll leave the keys out, you look after Rosa and Emilia." " Good morning." " Yes?" "I'd like a ticket to Baghdad, first available flight." "What?" "I said I'd like a ticket to Baghdad, first available flight." " Maybe I misheard." " What's the problem?" "Not again." " I am at the airport, aren't I?" " Of course." "I'd like a ticket to Baghdad please." "Perhaps you haven't heard, but there's a war in Iraq." "There are no flights, there's no longer an airport!" " I have to go to Baghdad." " You can't!" "There must be an airport near Baghdad!" "Give me a ticket for an airport near Baghdad then I'll take a taxi, boat, or walk, that's up to me." " Give me the nearest airport" " Nearest to what?" ""Baghdad!"" "Where do you want to go?" "No, just wanted to know..." "no time to waste." "You're very kind, extremely kind, goodbye." "Everything okay?" "A ticket for Baghdad!" "Was he joking?" "Hi Eleonora, what's for dinner?" "They sent the certificate back, you've got to call them." " How are you?" "You look tired." " The usual stuff..." "Apart from this morning some guy comes in all agitated asking for a ticket to Baghdad!" "Imagine, wanting to go to Baghdad that game day!" "A ticket for Baghdad?" "What was he like?" "Quite ordinary looking." "Like that guy there." "That guy there unloading the crates in Iraq." "It's the splitting image!" "Eleonora!" "That's him!" "Will you help me drain the pasta?" "How the hell did he manage that?" "No, these stay here in Basra, those are got Baghdad." "Where's Gauzzelli?" " What is it?" " We've got to leave for Baghdad." " We haven't gotten the okay." " Yes we have, from Mrs. Serao." " Come on, let's go now." " Start it up!" " Mrs. Serao!" " Finally found you." "You're a marvelous, wonderful person." "Sorry if I pressed you, but I'm so happy to be here!" "Thank you, Doctor," "Sorry if I seemed doubtful in Rome." "So many people want to help but just end up wasting our time, but we can't get enough of surgeons like you." " Thank you, Doctor." " Thank you, goodbye." "Let's go!" " Can't you go a bit faster?" " No." " Shall I drive?" " Why don't you take a nap?" "What's the problem?" "Doctor Guazzelli, why've we stopped?" "We just got the order to go back to Basra." "Back to Basra?" "You crazy?" "Stop, counter-orders!" " How far is it to Baghdad?" " About 100 kilometers." "Wait, stop." "I've got to get to Baghdad." " But it's all desert." " I've got to get to Baghdad." "Thanks, I'll tell Guazzelli, don't worry." "Go, go!" "Fuad, it's Attilio." "I'm glad you called, I've been trying to reach you all day." "I've found a way to get you to Iraq in a few days." " I'm in Baghdad!" " What do you mean?" "There are two huge hands holding two scimitars." " Where's the hospital?" " I don't believe it!" "I'll take you, don't move." "Fuad!" "You took your time!" " How are you?" " Fine." "How'd you get to Baghdad?" "By bus." "Where's the hospital?" "Let's go." "We're off." "Come along." " Where is she?" " Over here." " That's odd..." " What?" "She was here last night." " I'm afraid it's a bad sign." " You're joking!" "It's a good sign, they've probably moved her to a convalescent ward." "Let's ask, there must be a doctor, a surgeon, a sister a brother..." "I'll try and find someone, don't worry." "I'm quite happy." "It's a very good sign, I'm happy she's recovered," "I'll go look for her..." "Vittoria?" "Vittoria." "See who it is?" "See who it is?" "What a coincidence!" "You in Baghdad, too!" "With that blanket on your face you seemed..." "but you're breathing!" "You're looking great." "Really great." "They told me you weren't well, I got a bit scared." "What was that?" "Thought you said something." "You know..." "Fuad's gone to talk to this doctor who is just great." "The whole of Baghdad's talking about him." "I said, "Who is he?"" "The hospital's empty, he's cured everyone." "I've spoken to him, I'll have you home in a couple of days," "I promise." "Found her." "Bed stuck away at an angle, a blanket covering her face," "I thought she was dead." "The doctor doesn't speak Italian, I've spoken to him." " The prospects aren't good." " Why?" "Great colour in her cheeks..." "Look, Fuad's here, see?" "She's all right." "She's better, she can leave now?" "She's better?" "What did he say?" "There's no hope." "Are you nuts, in front of her?" "She can hear every word." "So she's better, I knew it." "He said there's no hope, but he didn't say she's dead." " Is she dead or alive?" " She's alive but..." "What does "she's alive but" mean?" "She's alive!" "Couldn't be better!" "What needs to be done?" "Ask him." " What did he say?" " Vittoria has a cerebral edema." "She's not reacting, we've got no drugs to treat edemas, this means she'll die soon." "Unless we find the right medicine, she takes it, the edema goes and she'll be up and about." "How long do we have to find the medicine?" " There must be a pharmacy open!" " There are no medicines in Baghdad!" "I got that, but..." "Ask him how long she's got without this medicine, 30, 34, 47 minutes, get him to tell you something." " What's he say?" " It's all written here." "He wrote the name of the medicine?" "How long have we got?" "No more than four hours." "Four hours!" "More than enough!" "Give us time to have a coffee too!" "Let's go get it, four hours..." "Let me say goodbye to Victoria." "The doctor said you could come with us, but I reckon more bed rest won't hurt you, get your strength back." "Then I'll find you a better spot," "I saw a fancy spot under the stairs where no one comes by." "Goodbye." "Okay, Fuad." "Here's one open." "Pharmacist!" "Anybody there?" "Pharmacist!" "Clients!" "This one's closed too, now what?" "Maybe there's one there." "Look!" "How do you say in Arabic?" "Bazaar, they've got everything." "Give me the prescription, thanks." "They'll have everything there." "Good morning, I'm Italian." "Do you have this medicine?" "I need that." "I look around, maybe you have the medicine and maybe you don't remember in this confusion." "I have a look." "Where is medicine?" "Medicine?" "Come along." "You don't have..." "They've got Etruscan vases, diving equipment, motor-cycle helmets, and they don't have any medicine!" " It's no use, this medicine..." " What does it do?" " It's an anti-edema." " Let's get it made!" " Who by?" " Don't you know a pharmacist?" " A pharmacist?" " You're from Baghdad!" "I know one!" "Al-Giumeili, an old friend of my father's, a formidable man." " Is he home?" " Yes." " I told you so, come on." " She's gone to ask permission." "He's extremely old, I wonder if he remembers me." "My father used to hold him up as an example of the most noble man he ever knew." " Why, what did he do?" " He as a real poet." "He was young, fell in love with a woman and married her." "A few years later while he was fighting in some war, he heard his wife and contracted smallpox and had been disfigured." "So Al-Giumeili said, "My eyes hurt"." "And then, "I've gone blind"." "When his wife died, 12 years later, he opens his eyes again." "So as not to upset his wife, he pretended to be blind for 12 years?" "Every person is a chasm, it makes you dizzy to look down..." "He never explained to anybody" "I'll go and talk to him first then I'll call you." "For me?" "It's a present for me?" "It's a beautiful present." "Come." " Bye." " Bye." "Attilio." "Hello." "Thank you." "What did he say?" "Can we make it in three hours?" "I'm sorry, he can't make the medicine we need, he hasn't got any of the equipment, he needs mannitol, cortisone, and various other things." "It's not possible." "Maybe I didn't make myself clear." "Mannitol, cortisone, what are they?" "Can you tell him something else?" "Tell him in Arabic, fifty years ago there was no mannitol or cortisone." "When someone got a bump on the head, people did say, "He's got an edema, he'll be dead soon"..." "So what did he, Iraq's foremost scientist, do?" " We tried gastric treatment." " What did they pump into the stomach?" "Glycerine." "Glycerine." "I've heard of that, you see." "Where do we buy it?" "Forget it, I know everything's closed..." "Can we make some glycerine and feed it into her stomach?" "There's a way." "Really!" "He's trying to remember." "What time is it?" "How long do we have?" "Al-Giumeili my old friend, find me this glycerine." "I know you can, otherwise she's going to die." "If she dies, they can close this whole show of a world..." "They can cart if off, unscrew the stars, roll up the sky and put it on a truck, they can turn off this sunlight I love so much, you know why I love it so much?" "Because I love her when the sun shines on her." "They can take everything away, these carpets, columns, houses, sand, wind, frogs, ripe watermelons, hail, seven in the evening, May, June, July, basil, bees, the sea, courgettes..." "Courgettes, Al-Giumeili!" "Get me this glycerine!" " What's he say?" " Butter, palm oil, olive oil." "The base is soda, but ashes will do, fat and ashes." "It might work, I've got it all, we can do it in a couple of hours." "A thousand thanks, Al-Giumeili." "Thank you." "I reckon it's ready, come here!" " A little more ash." " No, we've got quite enough." " Doesn't need any more." " Just another spoonful." "Thank you, Fuad, for everything." "I'll do this, go have a rest." " Did you get any sleep?" " A little, in this chair." "Al-giumeili intimidated me a bit." "Was that his daughter?" "She's the last wife of his son Ali." "He was murdered six months ago, he was a real free spirit." "Saddam Hussein didn't like free spirits." "Poor Al-Giumeili." "Time has left me nothing to sustain my eyes and my heart." "Come on, Fuad, if this stuff works we'll have dinner and celebrate." "Good, eh?" "It's home made, hand-made by me and Fuad, no preservatives, colorings, chemicals, just like home-made tagliatelle, "butter please, oil please, chop some onions, put in garlic", really delicious, Fuad and I both had second helpings." "Fuad wanted a third but I said, "No, leave some for Vittoria!"" "You're looking well, I tidied you up..." "Really well." "I was forgetting, look what I've got!" "Hang on, close your eyes." "Close 'em!" "Open your eyes." "Open!" "I'll hang it here, okay?" "How's that?" "I banged my head!" "I'll be getting an edema next!" "It's full of flies here!" "You like it?" "Look." "Take a quick look, tell me whether it's okay or not." "One second..." "Did you move?" "I thought before you were like that..." "She looks worse than ever to me." "That brew didn't do much good." "I'll go have a word with the doctor, a personal matter, be right back." "Doctor?" "Doctor, excuse me, doctor." "Excuse me, but ahh she seems worse." "The glycerine didn't help." " Didn't help at all?" " No." "Without it she'd be dead already." "It's a miracle she's still alive." "Now we must wait and hope that the medicines arrive soon." "Doctor, if I can lend a hand, if you need anything I..." "Thank you, I will get to her as soon as possible." "Yes..." "Hey, what are you doing?" "Doctor!" "Who the hell is he?" "Where do you think you're going?" "Who are you?" "What have you done to her?" "Doctor, he was leaning over Vittoria like this." "What did he want?" "This, I suspect." "Vittoria's chain." "You have thieves in the hospital?" "I think it's better if you keep that." "It's a nightmare looters everywhere." "The Americans promised us some security people let's hope they get here soon." "Doctor, how is she, she looks very pale." "Do you think she can breathe all right?" "She could probably do with some oxygen." "Goodbye for now." "Thank you, excuse me Doctor." "You breathing?" "Breathe, Vittoria." "The only ones breathing are the flies." "Damnit, where do they get so much oxygen?" "It's a nightmare." "I'll go find you some oxygen right away." "Hang on." "Poor doctor, hasn't even got any band-aids." "Hi, it's Attilio." "By any chance to you have an oxygen tank at home?" "Yes, oxygen tank." "You might have forgotten you had one..." "You don't know anyone who might have some oxygen?" "Got it!" "Don't worry, don't need it any longer." "Thanks bye." "I'll get you some oxygen, I know where." "I'll go fetch it." "Goodbye Vittoria." "Mamma Mia!" "It's total hell!" "Look out!" "It was here, who pinched it?" "Excuse me, did you see where..." "Where've they put it?" "Have you seen" "A wet-suit with a mask?" "Stop!" "Hey Mr. Arab, stop!" "I said stop!" "Mr. Arab, whatever your names is, stop!" "You crazy?" "Stop!" "Friend." "Italian." "I am Italian." "I need the oxygeno." "Oxygen tank, for me." "Oxygen." "I need." "I pay." "I pay." "I pay." "Dollar?" "Like Dollar." "Euro..." "Do you know?" "Italy, France, Germany, Luxembourg..." "I pay..." "More?" "How much does he want?" "He's left me the whole cart!" "The tank!" "It's stuck." "I'd better go, if anyone comes tell him I paid for all this lot!" "I paid for it!" "Hang on, there's more, there's this too." "A dog, where shall I put it?" "Next to you?" "Here, that way he can keep an eye on you." "Looks good here." "I spent a fortune but it was worth it, above all because I found something absolutely fantastic." "Really close your eyes." "A fly whisk!" "I've found the weapon of mass destruction." "I found it!" "I'm going to have myself a massacre, you're dead!" "Breathing okay?" "What's the weather like up in the mountains?" "Is it snowing?" "If only you know how pretty you are in blue." "I've put some tape here, hope it works," "Do you like music?" "I'll show you." "I've found an old record player, it's all Arab music, but they're nice, I bet." "Can't figure out a thing here..." "Look who's here in Baghdad." "Look who I've found, close your ears, this is incredible, just listen." "As soon as you're better we'll go to Granada together and dance." "how are you muchacha, breathing okay?" "The light's gone again." "Fuad, yes, hello." "Fuad, is that you?" "It's you Attorney, I can't hear you well." "Be in my office at 8:00 tomorrow, you've got to sign the charge sheet, or off to jail with you!" "No messing around." "Attilio!" "Attilio!" "Hello?" "Hello?" "Thank goodness." "Doctor, good evening." "Doctor, excuse me," "I have done everything you said, but she doesn't answer." "She doesn't move, she doesn't react in anyway." "She's like ahh...dead." "I don't know what else..." "But ahh, how can I tell if she's getting better, recovering." "If there's the slightest movement, a finger, a hand, an eye." "You'll know she has made it, any movement is from the mental." "What on earth?" "Claudio Villa!" "What is that?" "An old record I found, the music might cheer her up." "Is the oxygen okay?" "Yes, but it's finished." "Already?" "Yeah." "This can be removed." "You hear that?" "The oxygen's done you good." "How is she?" "She is alive." "Alive?" "But Doctor." "Doctor..." "Without water, without food, how can she go on." "Isn't there anything we can give her?" "If only I had..." "Had what?" "Some sort of nutritional drip I could give her... along with the cortisone and the antibiotics...never mind." "But what can we..." "It will help a lot." "Goodbye for now." "Now he tells me one thing at a time!" "The nutritional drip is crucial." "I'll find you something to eat, don't worry, I'll get food for you." "Right away, if I say I will, I will." "Nunzio, how are you?" "It's De Giovanni." "Doctor Guazzelli, I've missed you!" "I'm in Baghdad, I'm all right." "And you?" "Where are you?" "When'll you get here?" "Yeah right!" "We need things now, there are sick people here!" "They won't let the Red Cross through the road blocks?" "Knock'em down!" "You know what, I'll come to you." "Goodbye, Nunzio." "Goodbye." "I'll get you some food." "I'll get a couple of candles so we can have dinner together." "I'm off, they're not far, 50 kilometers," "I'll borrow the doctor's bike, if I go at 100, I'll be there in half an hour." "Don't move, actually do move..." "a finger, a hand, an eye, whatever." "Might have know it, now I've hurt... my foot." "Out of gas in Iraq, it's too much!" "On we go, then we'll see." "Hello!" "Hello!" "I am Italian!" "Anyone there?" "Hello!" "Please!" "I'm borrowing a camel." "I'll bring it right back." "You're much more beautiful than him, my favorite camel." "Now be good, down." "Let me get on, how do you say "down" in Arabic?" "You've got to get down!" "You're more beautiful than he is, and he's deaf too!" "Now let's go." "Hang on." "Slowly!" "Now this is a real camel, you're ugly and dead too!" "That way!" "Other way, camel!" "This is the way back to Baghdad!" "He's taking me back to the hospital." "Camel, can you hear me?" "Go that way!" "Down boy!" "I can't jump off, I've hurt my foot." "Look where we are, he must be used to going to Baghdad!" "Stop!" "Just my luck, the dumbest camel in the whole of Arabia!" "Goodbye." "What is it?" "What do you want?" "Go away!" "Before you couldn't wait to get to Baghdad!" "Other way!" "Go away, camel." "What on earth are you following me for now?" "Mamma Mia, you smell disgusting." "How come you have such bad breath?" " The Italian Red Cross?" " Doctor!" "Is Nunzio around, Dr. Guazzelli?" "That's the lot." "Did you remember some decent anti-edema, syringes and cortisone?" "Everything, don't know how you'll manage this lot on your bike." "What I can't squeeze in, you can bring back with you." "You put some gas for the bike?" "Did you recharge my cell phone?" "What do you think, Chemiotina or Talamagil?" "Chemiotina." "I might as well take both, except I've got no more room." " When will you get to Baghdad?" " They won't let us in." "It's a real nightmare in Baghdad, they haven't even got band-aids." " Are they in here?" " Right there." "Thanks a million." "Could you give me a push?" "I'll tell you when." "One, two, three... push hard!" "Good luck!" "Thanks, same to you!" "Sir!" "Halt!" "Halt I said!" "The bike, down!" "I'm Italian." "Take cover!" "Take cover!" "Take cover!" "Hold your fire!" "Don't you move!" "Put your hands on your head!" "Hands on your head I said!" "Don't move!" "He's a fuckin' powder keg!" "Don't shoot!" "Are you crazy!" "I'm Italian!" "These are medical..." "Stop!" "Don't touch those!" "They're medical supplies!" " Medical what?" " Medical supplies!" "Stay there or we'll shoot you!" "I don't move!" "Put your hands on your head!" "Okay!" "Tell him to stay calm." "He is very nervous." ""He's going to shoot me!" "He's shaking!"" "Stay calm!" "Put that gun machine down!" "Stay calm!" "I am having heart attack!" "Shut up!" "Williams, Johnson, check him out!" "Careful, watch for the trigger, careful!" "You're...ow!" "You're...ow!" " Tell him..." " He's clean sir." "Aspirin." "Got saline." "He's clean." "Okay." "He's just some nut!" "Some crazy Italian!" "Who the fuck is he!" "Now you listen to me, Sir." "Who are you?" "I am Italian." "Yeah, we got that." "What do you do?" " I am a teacher." " Of what?" "Poetry." "What poetry." " Poetry." " Poetry." "Poetry." "He's a poet!" "What?" "What did you say?" "Poet!" "So you're a poet?" "Yes." "Like ahh..." "Dante." "Walt Whitman." "Walt Whitman." "Okay... get the fuck out of here!" "Pull the wire!" "Very sorry about that." "Yes, thank you." "Thank you excuse me." "Just a push." "A last favor." "Thank you, a push, yeah." "One, two, three!" "Yes!" "Bye sir!" "Thank you!" "Bye!" "Bye-bye!" "Thank you!" "Go down!" "Damn thing's stuck," "Just won't budge." "Ahh Doctor this too." "Thank you for this, and for all the rest." "Even if it's just a drop in the ocean." "She's okay now." "Thank you." "I must be going." "She's okay, Doctor, but she still isn't moving." "I mean, rather than do one thing at a time, how about if you do everything at once." "What can we do now?" "At this stage, there is nothing more we can do." "Just hope and pray to Allah." "Ah, thank you." "You hear that?" "He said we've done all we can." "You're fine, it's all inside here." "There's nothing more we need to do, just relax." "He told me to pray to Allah." "It's the only thing we can do, pray to Allah." "I would pray." "We've done everything else..." "Allah, the only prayers I know is the Lord's Prayer in Italian, you understand Italian?" "It's a beautiful prayer." "How about it?" "Allah, here goes." "Our Father, who are in heaven, hallowed be thy name." "Thy kingdom come, they will be done in Earth as it is in heaven." "Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil..." "Now we've really done all we can." "Rest, I'm going to have a little rest myself." "Bye Vittoria." "Anything you need, I'm at the barber's." "That's just what I said to Vittoria when she asked why I'd come back to Baghdad." "I told her about the 351st Arabian Night, remember it?" "You know all 1001?" "How about 406th?" "406 is about the Italian poet with a funny sole." ""The Arabian Nights", wonderful!" ""Beautiful sky!"" "The Baghdad sky is the pillow of the world." "Looks like they're firing angels." "80km from here, over 3,000 years ago, they built the Tower of Babel so they could climb up to this sky." "80km from here all our languages were born." "Since they tried to touch this sky, we no longer understand each other." "A Muslim legend says that now and then Allah comes back to Earth because he misses the look of the starry sky from below." "Centuries of wisdom and what have we learned?" "Nothing." "You know why there are wars?" "Because the world started without men and without men it'll finish." "Come over and get a good night's sleep in a proper bed." "Thanks, but I've got a comfortable barber's chair." "I'll sleep like a log near Vittoria, you never know." "I do know." "Goodbye." "Goodnight, Fuad." "Fuad?" "Come on, if we're good and behave well, we'll get to heaven!" "There's nothing after this." "Even less than nothing, which would at least be something." "Still, I'm glad I was born," "I'm sure even when I'm dead I'll remember when I was alive." "Good night, Attilio." "See you, Fuad." "Fuad!" "Fuad!" "Oh Vittoria!" "Vittoria!" "Vittoria!" "Vittoria!" "No, you can't take her away yet." "She can hardly stand." "You'll have to give her a day or two." "Look it's almost a miracle, but in here they do happen sometimes." "But, sorry...sorry to keep asking you doctor." "But she really is better?" "Yes, she's better." "Come and see." "But do you think she'll recognize me?" "Of course she will." " Yes." " Yes." "I bet she won't." "Wait, Doctor..." "Maybe first, a pair of new shoes or some flowers, or maybe a shower, I must stink like a camel." "Fine, we'll try to get her walking." "There's still so much to do." "Thank you Doctor." "Doctor, Doctor..." "Excuse me." "Forgive me but ahh..." "Have you even been kissed by a camel?" "I'll give her a surprise." "A dark brown." "They are used." "But they are beautiful." "Thank you." "Beautiful, yes, thank you." "Okay, so how much is it?" "Only twenty dollar." "I..." "I..." "I don't..." "Excuse me." "Yes?" "May I try just two, three steps?" "Just to see how they fit me?" " Yes." " Sometimes they are large, they are tight." "Take your time." "Take your time." "To try, yeah?" "Two, three steps, yeah?" "They are wonderful." "Yes." "Wonderful." "What a beautiful good man." " Couple of steps more." " Please." "It's not bad." "Sir!" "Sir!" "All for a pair of shoes that are too big!" "Leave me alone!" "Stop, that's a minefield!" "You're scared!" "Wimps!" "Don't move!" "Careful where you tread!" "You want your wretched shoes!" "Boom!" "Boom!" "I'll give them back." "Here, have 'em!" "The other one too?" "Want both?" "So long as you leave me in peace." "There are mines!" "Now what'll I do?" "Mines!" "Allah, do a friend a favor," "I'll never ask for another." "Help me." "Maybe if I tread where I trod before... dead east," "Let's go." "There, just as I thought." "That's my footprint..." "Would you believe it?" "Stuck in the middle of a minefield!" "There and there." "Oh Mamma Mia!" "Thanks for your help, I'll do the same for you." "Bye, thanks." "Fuad, can I come in?" "Fuad?" "It's Attilio, can I come in?" "I've got some great news, the best in the world!" "What a wind!" "You're losing all your papers." "However much poetry do you write?" "It's all falling down, shall I close the door?" "Fuad..." "Fuad..." "What have you done?" "Fuad..." "What have you done?" "Fuad..." "First squad!" "Flush against the houses!" "Clear the rooms!" "Move!" "I'm Italian!" "I'm Italian!" "I'm Italian!" "I am Italian!" "I am Italian!" "Shut up, will you!" "You've been shouting for days!" "Let me sleep!" "I am Italian." "I am Italian." "I am Italian!" "I am Italian!" "I am Italian!" "I am Italian!" " You want a cigarette." " No man." "Hey Pete, you want a cigarette?" "No thanks." "I'm Italian!" "I'm Italian!" "I am Italian!" "The poet." "I am Italian!" "Good morning, I'm Italian." "I've got no papers, they gave me this at the Consulate." "Attilio De Giovanni, that's me." "Thank you." "Come with me, nothing to worry about." "Nothing?" "Just a check." "Attilio!" "See who's here, your attorney!" "They actually put me in prison!" "Glad to help, one night and I got you out, eh?" "See what your attorney does?" "I'll drive you home." "This damned pollen, it won't let me sleep at night." "But that's a zebra!" "Beautiful!" "What's a zebra doing here?" "That looks like an ostrich." "They've turned it into a zoo?" "Could be, there's a cop, ask him." "Officer, what's with the zebra?" "There's even a monkey in my garden, what's going on?" "There's a fire at the circus, back up!" " Here you go." " Thank you." " Open up!" " Rosa, let's go" "I'm here!" " The door's locked." " Why'd you always lock it?" "I can't swim without my goggles." " My red bathing cap?" " You always forget everything." "Papa!" "What a coincidence!" "Where've you been?" "Rosa too?" "How pretty we are!" " Where've you been?" " Me?" "Where have you been!" "Mamma's round the back!" "Mamma, Daddy's back!" " Did you know Daddy was coming?" " No." "Are you happy?" "I thought I'd give you a surprise." "I'm glad you did." "I've got a surprise for you, a great one." "We're going to be late for swimming." "Hang on!" "Come here." "Mamma's looking well, isn't she?" "Yes, but she was very sick, she nearly died in Baghdad." "They don't know who saved her, some unknown Italian doctor, a medical genius." "First he disappears then back he comes when it suits him." " Dreadful, isn't he?" " Yes, he is just dreadful." " You can't stand it any longer." " Quite right." " Can't live with someone like that." " No." "So, you're madly in love with him?" "Yes." "Open your eyes...two goldfinches." " What do they do?" " Sing and fly." "Emilia and I got them in Perugia for you." "Beautiful, thanks." "I'll go and get the car." " I wanted to..." " Stop it!" "Goodbye Papa!" "Goodbye!" "I'll see lots of you later." "Sorry, I'm a bit tired." " Something to drink?" " No, thanks." "It's lovely here, I haven't been here in a while." "How are the lectures?" "Fine." "Nancy took off, you know." "She went back to England for good, just quit and left." "I'm sorry." "There hadn't been anything for a long time." " I must say, you..." " I was upset." " I'd rather not talk about it now." " Nor me." "The girls are beauties, Emilia's just like you, tough, takes things hard." "I'd like to see more of them." "So you should, you just disappeared." "The girls asked about you, then I was away." "I haven't been very well, I must take it easy." "It's a long story, but I'll tell you some other time." "I have very sad news through, Fuad's dead, he killed himself." " Maybe you read it." " Yes, I know." " How's the book going?" " I haven't finished it." "Here..." "You know," "I still dream about us getting married every night." "Even if we don't that's fine." " What?" " Would you like another cushion?" "No, thank you." "I'll go, get some rest." "I'll see you soon, tomorrow, the day after, I'll come often." " Stay if you'd like." " No, you look tired." "Goodbye, Vittoria." "Sorry, I took the wrong..." "My jacket..." "The birds!" "They sing and fly..." "Bye." "You don't by any chance know where I left the car, do you?"