"They call it a cherry tree but it's the tree of cherries." "It looks as if it's dead but it's sleeping because ofthe cold." "I sleep too." "We all sleep." "When it was making cherries it didn't sleep." "Grandma says that in the spring it'll make them again." "Sometimes I say to it "Hey, tree, can't you make cherries anymore?" but it says nothing, and I get scared that it isn't asleep but that it's dead." "Shit!" "Catch it!" "Catch it!" "It writes." "The point's worn down but it writes." "Let's see." "The seats, the lady on the trapeeze but only two spectators." "I want to wee-wee." "Just a minute." "Go ahead." "About this robbery, can you inform me... about the name of the owner and what's been stolen." "I've never had even an almond stolen." "Be patient." "Nothing but misfortunes." " You love exaggerating." " Exaggerating?" "And you're leaving us." "That isn't a misfortune." "Anyway, I'm not leaving anybody." "I'm retiring." "You still have years to go." "You're all hell bent on leaving the valley!" "What'll you do at your sister's?" "I don't know." "I like living here, you know that." "But you're leaving us, doctor." "The new doctor's arriving today." "Some idiot from the city." "You'll benefit more than anyone when I leave." "Roser will never have me in your place." "Miquel, come here!" "Coming!" "Hello!" "What's up?" "Are you hungry?" "I'm coming now." "Mother, I see themailman pass by but he hasn't brought me a letter in ages." "I can't stop thinking about you." "I'd love to be living with you travelling with the circus." "I can't remember my father." "What was he like?" "You nevertalk about him." "The days are very short now." "And they're even shorter in the valley." "The sun is practically gone after lunch." "I need you, mother." "Dolors..." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Good morning!" " Hello." " Hello." " Roser's boarding house?" " Yes." "I'm Andreu." " The new doctor." " Yes." " Come in." " Thank you." " Sugar?" " No, thank you." "Come on, it's nothing." " Hello." " Hello." " This is Andreu." " Hello, I'm Martí." "How are you?" "Come in, Miquel." " What happened him?" " Nothing, a little cut." " That's what you say." " You always exaggerate." "This is the new doctor." "Miquel, the patient." "Hello." "How did it happen?" "A stupid fall." "Will it need a stitch?" "No, lots of stitches." "How many would you put?" " I don't know." "Two?" " No, I'd say at least seven." " Seven by hand." " No, by machine." " Why not a plaster cast?" " Just be quiet." "Thank you." "The valley is hard." "But you settle in here and then you can't live anywhere else." "But lots of people leave." "Do you like the country?" "I don't know." "Then why the hell are you here?" "I guess I'll get used to it." "You mean you'll go back to Valencia?" "I've got no one there." "Don't you have a wife?" "You two!" "You come here to work!" "I'll prepare your medicine now." "And then I'll bring you a cup of herb tea." "You shouldn't try to speak." "That's her daughter, Teresa." "Dolors and Angel's mother." "She married very young." "She works in a travelling circus." "Did you get tired of the bar?" "I'm hungry." "Supper won't be long." " Will Martí be much longer?" " He's playing dominoes." "He could spend the whole night in the bar." "I always have supper on my own." "Want some?" "No, thank you." "Want to play?" "On your right." " Have you known Martí long?" " Yes." "In fact, he's the reason I'm here." "I neverthought I'd end up running a boarding house here." "It's a strange village." "As if time didn't pass." "I felt that too." "I found it hard to adapt." "Martí went around visiting his patients." "He was happy." "Now he's leaving because..." "Because he wants to." "Maybe he's tired." "When men get fed up with a woman, you all say you're tired." "Not all of us." "Very well, boy, if you don't want me to eat the sheep you'll have to tell me where you keep the cherries." "No, they're for my grandmother." "But as the greedy wolf wanted the shepherd boy's cherries he opened his mouth wide showing his teeth which were as sharp as knives." "If you don't bring me a basket of cherries right now I shall eat your grandmother!" "I still think about my mother's death and the years since I saw my father." "I still think about Ana and of the last days before we broke up." "But time will pass and I'll get used to this to being a village doctor to living in a boarding house." "I'll get used to the objects in this room which are so unfamiliar now." "I'll stop thinking about my mother about Ana, about anybody." "When I go to sleep I go to dogs'heaven." "In heaven, there are eagles and snails and cats." "There are nightingales too." "Dolors says that they only come for the cherres." "We eat cherres in heaven." "We eat so many that our stomach hurts." "Things are as they are, and that's it." " I'm sick of cooking every day." " Then go eat in the bar." " You don't want to understand." " Understand what?" " Nothing." " Then why speak?" " You know I love you." " Wat else is new?" "You've always known it." "I've loved you since you arrived." "Even though you prefer the doctor." " How are you, doctor?" " Hello, Manolo." " Are you going to the village?" " No, not yet." "Watch out, it's going to rain." "Angel!" "I'll give you a lift." "Have you written your Christmas letter?" "No." "What's the bear's name?" "She's to take this." "You should call your mother." "Your grandma's very ill." "I don't trust him." "When we finish, I'm going with my brother." "Don't be stupid." "Ahmed is an idiot." "He's got money." "He's never had anything." "I don't care, I'm not swiping stuff with this guy." "Do what you want, but shut up." " Who'll take him to the station?" " Miquel." "Why don't you go to Valencia?" "And what would I do there?" "Martí's going so as not to be here." "There's a reason." "After all these years, you think there wouldn't be?" "But the bastard is so proud he won't say anything." " Vicent, it's late." " Don't go yet." "Wait a while." "Vicent, what are you doing?" "Stop that." "I'm going to get drunk in the bar." "I'm leaving, but you haven't got rid of me." "When I'm sick of Valencia, I'll be back to annoy you." "And listen to what Andreu tells you." "And don't be any stupider than usual." "Come on, play." " To Dr. Martí!" " To Dr. Martí!" "Manolo." " We know this one." " Yes." "When I was just a boy, my father took me out in his boat" "and he told me, "When you're a man don't ever trust the calm"." "When I was just a boy, my father took me out in his boat," "and he told me, "When you're a man, don't ever trust the calm." "Don't ever trust the calm, for it's the child of the storm"." "What's up?" "They've stolen some drums of oil." "The days pass very slowly." "Grandma gets worse every day." "I'd like to be with you and tell you all the things I think of." "I'm growing up." "Some day I'll leave here and travel like you." "As always, a kiss from Angel." "I'll keep mine until you come in the spring." "I know of a place where you can knock off traffic signs." "It's very easy." "Grandma, you don't write like that." "Can't you write?" "This wind will fuck up the olives." "Just as well I only have Miss María's patch left." "It's a pity the doctor can't help me pick them." "But there are hardly any olives there." "That isn't true." "She never forgave you for pulling up the olives to plant cherries." "She doesn't like anything." "Her daughter's the same." "Teresa didn't like the country." "She didn't like living here." "She was never happy with anything." "She works in a circus now." " As an artiste." " She'd the guts to leave here." "She left her family, and for what?" "What would you know?" "They say she lives like a gipsy." "So what?" "The doctor had guts too but he'll be back before too long." "Well, it's late." "Good night." " Good night." " Good night." " Any news ofMartí?" " No, he hasn't called." "You're a real thickhead." "Going around with Dolors." "Don't you see she's a loser?" "All the girls in the world, and you have to pick Dolors." "What if she turns out like her mother?" " Pere!" " Jordi!" "Who are they?" "The water knows everything." "It doesn't sing like our teacher says." "It tells everything." "The water tells things about this village and about the next one." "And it tells me what Dolors." "Does and what Grandma does and it tells me where Mom lives." "Hello." "Hello." "The bread for Roser?" "Going to the parade?" "No." "Are you?" "Will I charge it?" "Yes." " Good-bye." " Good-bye." " Hurrah forthe Three Wise Men!" " Hurrah!" "Next year it's yourturn." "This thing itches!" "This guy can do the black one!" "You lot just wait!" "It's yourturn next!" "Everyone be quiet!" "The Three Wise Men, the Three Wise Men bring lots of wonderful toys for all those girls and boys who are handsome and clever and brave!" "The Three Wise Men, the Three Wise Men bring lots of wonderful toys for all those girls and boys who are handsome and clever and brave!" "Your hands are sweating." "Would you like to leave here?" "Why don't you talk?" "Tell me things." "Well?" "Did you have a good time?" "Yeah, act innocent now." " I don't have to." " Oh, no?" "What were you doing with that idiot last night?" "What is it to you?" "Did you do it?" "Oh, Tonet!" "Come on, Tonet!" "Minimum thirty bottles." "No." "That isn't a good price." "It's like giving the oil away." "No." "I need to unload the van." "We're going to Vinaroz." " You won't be back?" " No." "Come on, Tonet!" "If you want to mow good straw, if you want to roll a good cigar," "if you want to go and see the girls, you have to go with your battery charged." "If you want to mow good straw, if you want to roll a good cigar, if you want to go and see the girls, you have to go with your battery charged." "Good night, Miquel." "Go sleep it off." " When are you leaving?" " Tomorrow." "Roser is a terrific woman but she feels resentful." "There's a reason, Andreu." "I don't want to retire." "I've got the start of lung cancer." "Now you know." "And I couldn't answer!" "Angel!" "Get into bed!" " I knew he'd get up." " Grandma could keep him quiet." "She talked a lot about you." "She was desperate because Angel wouldn't stop crying." " Want some more?" " No, thank you." "Here, neither do I." "So how's Valencia?" "Fine, it's fine." "More wine?" " For you?" " No." "Teresa?" "Thank you." "You heard about Manolo?" "The bakertold me." "Imagine stealing traffic signs." " What an idea!" " Has no one gone to see him?" "He won't be out for a long time." "And how do you like living here?" "Very much." "What will you do?" "The boy's coming with me." "And Dolors?" "I'm staying here." "Angel!" "Come out of there!" "Why were you on the staircase?" "Now, say good night to everyone and go to bed." "Don't be so stubborn." " I don't want to." " Go on." " Don't be disobedient." " Do as your mother says." " I want a motorbike." " Hell, I want a car!" "Give your sister a kiss." " And say good night." " Good night." "Good night." "Grandma says that we don't look at the cherry trees or the rocks." "She says the rocks were put there many, many years." "Ago." "But I look at them." "The rocks are old men who look at us and never stop looking at us." "Grandma must be with those men." "I bet she's looking at us and I see her." " Have you seen Angel?" " No." "You know what?" "I love you." "I know." "Don't you want any lunch?" "I'm not hungry." "Neither am I." "Grandma says people have always died of hunger in the country." "Here in the circus too." "Now we travel and we don't stop." "Dolors says that the tree of cherries is dead." "I bet it's with Grandma." "Mom says that in the spring we'll go and visit Dolors." "Hello." "Want to come for supper?" "THE TREE OF CHERRIES"