"Acknowledged by the Ministry of National Heritage and Culture" "A SINISTER PASSION" "I always had a deep passion for political involvement." "I remember that time in which Bernardo and I hid in a truck and forgot to shut the bullhorns off!" "Let's go." "This is me." "I have strong left-wing ideals, I fight for lost causes and I always have my head in the clouds." "Tell me, why should I sign this?" "Yes, sure." "The incinerator is meant to burn half a ton of trash a year." "That's far more than what we produce." "So, in order to use the machinery properly, we either become the biggest trash importer after Ghana or we build factories just to produce trash to incinerate." "And that's really dumb, right?" "Also, the smoke from the incineration contains dioxins, dust and many toxic substances that would plague animals, crops and human beings with a variety of devilish and horrible diseases." " I'll think about it." " Thank you." " In the end you ruined it all." " I'm tired." "Let's go take a coffee, or a ginseng." "Maybe a sedative would be best!" "I can't, Bernando is coming." "Today they are reading the will." " How cheerful!" " Wish me luck." " Good luck!" " Thanks." "Nina!" "You are forgetting your daddy!" "I'm out of my mind!" "You don't want to be incinerated, right?" "Sign, then!" "Don't expect too much from me." "I'd like to look original." "A mix of clothes from the flea market, some expensive items, made by a Spanish designer bought in Berlin at a French store." "I'd like to be fit, I'd like to have a baby, but it's not happening." "I'd like a daring life but I'm not Steve McQueen." "I'm Giovanna Nardoni, but they all call me Nina and I don't have a clue of what awaits me." "Honey, it's a week that you are carrying it around!" "I can't find the right place." "He's dead." "Who cares where you are going to dump him!" "I care!" "I know someone who made an hourglass with their grandpa's ashes." "The undertaker gave me a sample." " It's called: "Time to Die"!" " How disgusting!" "Put that away!" "How stressful!" ""Dear Nina, I regret I wasn't able to spend more time with you." "Don't be sad, I go without fear." "I can't wait to see mom again!" "I know you wish you had told me many things." "I heard anyway." "I'm sure you agree that the bank savings will be devolved to the foundation for cancer research." "I love you." "Your dad."" "That's all." "There's also the property." " That goes to you." " What property?" "Shit!" "I'll go exploring the area." "You lived by the sea and I never came to visit you." "I always thought there was plenty of time." "How I wish I could close my eyes and say: "how peaceful"!" "How peaceful!" "How nice would it be to close my eyes and say: "How peaceful"!" "I have to sell boats instead." "I hate selling boats!" "And today there's also that pain in the butt!" "The new name of the left party!" "Next week I'll take this boat into open waters." "Weekend: wind, sun, sea..." " A green engine." " Who cares about its color?" "Give me an ecological engine." "My voters care about it." "Are you going to win the election?" "Of course!" "I'm going to blow the right party away!" "My topics are: school, public health, equality for women, gays, immigrants, Muslims, gypsies..." "And the..." "Those..." " The poor." " Them!" "Send me a smaller invoice, so you can give me a nice discount." " What about the future mayor?" " What a jerk!" "He wants to give the city to the gypsies while he goes sailing to Portofino!" " Tonight we are going to dinner." " Who?" " All of us." "Magnate father, bourgeois son and misfit daughter!" "Wednesday!" "I didn't know you would be here." "I'd never go back to Rome, if daddy didn't pick me up!" " Have you found the beach house?" " Nope." "Still looking." " What about boarding school?" " I'm fine." "I'm learning the important things in life." "Let go of me!" " Like?" " Making videos of drunk friends, getting to know the pusher." " Tonight I'm coming too, then." "I'll get changed here and then I'll go get Simonetta." "Angelica, honey, please try to behave tonight." "I swear I'll throw up if you start talking politics!" "I can't stand men who spend too much time in front of a mirror, those who are too confident, who go to the gym, but don't play sports." "I can't stand them!" "They talk about cars and money and call themselves "modern men"." "I like a man who thinks I'm equal to him, a man who has a feminine side and doesn't always have an answer." "I love Bernardo." " I had an idea." " That is?" "Let's go inside and I'll tell you." "They say that the sea breeze is ideal to have a baby." "Honey, but..." "Come on!" " Do you still love me?" " Sure." "I always love you." "I love you, always." "Are we going to do it?" "I don't know." "I have seen few women getting undressed with the same gracefulness you use to get dressed." "I'm sorry if I scared you." " Who are you?" " Sergio, but they all call me "Serge"." "I'm the keeper of this mansion that now is a place of great meditation and silence." "Is everything fine?" "But..." "You are Bernardo Callieri, the writer!" "Congratulations!" "What an unexpected pleasure!" "I've read all your books!" "My favorite is "The Sense" when you say:" ""Wonderful will greet me the dawn I won't see anymore." "But tragedy awaits..." "And then silence prevailed."" "I'm sorry..." "Are you going to stay for the night?" "Now it's too late to leave and this place is really nice!" "I don't mean to pressure you but the movie crew is coming tomorrow early in the morning." " What movie?" " What movie..." "A movie..." "A porn." "They come, pay, come, clean and then go." "They pay with enthusiasm and they also come with enthusiasm!" "If you want to participate, you are more than welcome." "After all, this is your house!" "My groceries." "I retire to my room." "Goodnight." "So, we have a luxury mansion!" "And there lives a stranger named Serge, who is as emotional as a newborn!" "We also entered the golden world of pornography hosting a movie called:" ""Breakfast in Tiffany"!" "That's a good title!" "I don't know, honey." "Tomorrow I have a horrible day." "There's the meeting with the future mayor." "Can you please call someone for the window?" "I'll take care of it." "After all, I only have to write my new masterpiece!" "Don't worry." " Pull over." " What?" "Pull over!" "It's ok!" "It's just that I'm a little sensitive." "Bernardo unleashes his emotions only through his books." "It's 12 years we are together." " You are killing me!" " So we can die happily!" " All right!" " Do we have to stay here?" "Who knows?" "A man who doesn't spend enough time with his family is not a real man." " My father said that?" " No, Don Vito Corleone." " It's more or less the same." " He likes you." "Well..." "He said: "I voted 20 years for a showbusiness man, so I deserve to have a showgirl in my house!" Who gives a shit!" " Did you say: "showgirl"?" " No, I said: "who gives a shit"!" " What?" " You had the screensaver on!" "You don't like me, do you?" "Are you for real?" "I'm fascinated by how this whole organism can function without a nervous system!" "How do they call you in school?" ""Little looser that nobody talks to"?" "You little sister is so adorable!" "Have you ever tried shock treatment?" "Ignore her, honey." "What do I have to do to order?" "Waiter!" "I wake up at dawn because I'm full of energy." "After years writing political blogs I finally have my big shot." "The future mayor of Rome needs his victory speech written." "I want to write it." "I'm the right person." "I'm not anxious, I'm ready." "I'm the right person." "Nina, we can go." "I'm the right per..." "I'm the right person." "I'm not anxious and I'm full of energy." "Full of energy!" " Are you ok?" " Yes, fine." "Go get some ice." "I always had a dream." "I thought about it day and night, it was my fever." "I dreamt about it since I was a child, I never thought back." "Just one thing." "Pussy!" "Then, one day, I found out that there is more than that." "That's how we became winners." "All due to Andrea who understands this changing world." "What makes you think I could write your speech?" " Because of that article you wrote." " In alternative.info." "It was something else, you used words that are fresh and new." " Even for me!" "Good job!" " Thank you." "Before you, we interviewed seven other people." "What makes you think that you are better than them?" "They are all people who write about politics, right?" "They know everything about politics and power, no?" "Yes, sure." "I don't want to disappoint you but I don't care about that." "I care about what will happen in one or five years." "I still believe in the future!" "Maybe you need something more solid." " I know." " I like you, Nina." "I want you to write my speech!" "I want something like this!" "People must understand that we are just like them." "Not like those with yachts, villas..." " Wearing cashmere." " No, we care for the environment." " For the organic..." " Apple." " What?" " Justjoking." "We can also be funny!" "I'm very happy that you joined us." "Good!" "I have to go, I leave you with Edo." "Where's the door?" "Youth, environment, organic, future!" "Push!" " I'll do my best!" " Here is the info you need." " Money..." "Few." " Thank you!" "You always change your mind, so I brought you everything I have." " You can't smoke in here." " This is electronic." "How sad!" "One coffee made with barley, with a splash of cold milk." "What about your affair with the boss?" "Double coffee, no sugar, in a big cup." "Thank you." "Since last week, we have been mating like hamsters!" " Wasn't he married?" " Really?" " I don't know anything!" " Bye, Mauro." "I always had a precise idea of right and wrong." "This is not the right moment to write a speech full of ideals!" "Ideals were big in the sixties, together with the Beach Boys!" "Help me with the speech, as you did with the article." " Of course I will." " Thank you." " You are welcome." " Will you vote for him?" "Only if he will vote for me!" "Hello?" "I'm Giulio Faleni, I'm calling about the mansion for sale." " This is not the right moment." " I want to see it." "I didn't hear you good." "Did you say: "I'd like to see it, please?"" "Is Saturday fine?" "Around 11, I'd say." " Listen, mister..." " Giulio." "Since we are talking business try to be nicer." "When we meet, I'll try to use another tone of voice." " Let me tell you something." " Please." "You have a very nice voice." " I'll call you later." " Where are you?" " In Rome." " I'm going to the club." "It's on Lungotevere Flaminio 25." "Let's meet there around 5." " Listen..." " See you." "Hello?" " Can I help you?" " How is the writing going?" "Not good." "Until they confirm that I'll go on that talk-show" "I can't focus." " Listen." "A guy called, he wants to see the house Saturday afternoon." "Honey, do whatever you want." "Now, as you can see, I'm... working." " I'm going." "I could go shopping using your credit card." " Or we could make love..." " Yes." " I'm free, if you want." " I'd rather mate a scorpion!" "I like you because you are classy!" "POLITICIAN" "CORRUPTED POLITICIAN" "SWINDLER AND HIS FIANCE" "ENTREPRENEUR" "THIEF" "THIEF ENTREPRENEUR AND HIS WIFE" "HIS LOVER" "ESCORT" "I got a better tone of voice and you got some time to meet me!" "I want to see your mansion." "Can you confirm the appointment?" " Sure." "Is Saturday at three fine?" " Perfect." " Deal." " You dislike this place, don't you?" "Why?" "It is such a nice, simple place!" "Just like your mansion, I guess!" " What's your name?" " Giovanna Nardoni, a.k.a. Nina." "See you." "Send me the address via s.m.s., ok?" " Are we that friendly?" " You prefer to be more formal?" " I prefer good manners!" " Neat!" "I'm conservative too!" "I'll see you Saturday." "Excuse me, but I'm very busy now." "I can imagine." "Thank you and goodbye." "To devolve to charity the money from the sale is foolish." "I will no longer be your friend and I'll find many ways to insult you!" "Wait!" "I could use that money to make a multicultural center, it would also be multimedia and multiethnic." "What do you think?" "Not a good idea." "Martina, hi." "I was thinking that maybe we could go out for a drink after work." " If you want." " Scram!" "I'll see you later, Martina." "If I were you, I'd go live there." "This would make me a bourgeois and we hate them!" "This is silly!" "That's your father's house." "I've never been there before!" "No one can live happily there." "They even make porn movies there!" "Really?" "No one can live happily on a researcher's salary and with a degree in archaeology." " You, for example." "Are you happy?" " Me?" "No." "Because you are poor and badly dressed." "I'm happy, actually." "No, you are not." "It's just that you are unaware of your life's pettiness!" "Coffee?" "Let's go." "What should I do?" "Sell the mansion or keep it?" "When I have a doubt I wonder what Marco Travaglio would do." "He has an opinion for everything!" "Good morning, Nina." "Good morning." " Mr. Faleni." " Giulio." "Did you already take a look at the house, Mr. Faleni?" " Yes, interesting." " It needs some fixing, but..." " I prefer to talk to Bernardo." " Have you met him?" "He's is outside with my fiance and a weird guy!" "Come, I'll show you the way." ""I'll show you the way"!" "This is my house!" "How dare he!" "What a disgusting man!" "His girlfriend must be an idiot!" "And she laughs like one!" " She is Simonetta." " Nice to meet you." "I had a pet named Nina when I was a child!" "It was a piggy!" "Giulio has already seen the house plans." "He should talk to me first, this is my father's house." "Bernardo, let's skip the scene in which I say the house needs fixing." "We are not Moroccans!" "No less than a racistjoke!" "Please, feel free!" " It was just a joke." " We like the house." "Let's talk money at the restaurant." "Don't worry, I'll pay the bill." "Don't worry about me, I'm just homeless, forced to live selling my body at the station restrooms!" "Like when I was young..." "What days!" " Everyday someone new!" " He's funny!" "I know a very nice restaurant just by the beach." " I know the owners." " Did they work at the station too?" "No." "They worked at home!" "What happened to that piggy?" "Whenever I had a coin I'd put it in the piggy." "Then, one day, it died." "Let's go." "This is bullshit!" "Once the house will be mine, I'll do whatever I want with it." "I just want things to be legal." "You guys care so much about legality, morality, family and church." "These ideals did not belonged to the left party before!" "What about the right party?" "What about custom made amnesty for infringement of building regulations?" "You are such idealists, you don't have a clue about reality!" "You talk about safety and a woman gets raped each week when there's a rightist government!" " Not always the same one, I hope!" " Why am I wasting my time?" "Send me a written offer for the house." "Dinner was horrible, thank you!" "I'll pay." "I have money, I'll pay!" "The idea of placing a windowed roof is mine!" "Light is fundamental!" "Genoa is second only to Finland for the winter suicide rate." "I read it in Focus!" "People get decomposed because of the dark." " What?" " They get sad." " They get decomposed." " I like this metaphor." "But I think the word you wanted to use is "depressed"." "Talking to a famous writer makes you use wrong words!" " I'm sorry." " It doesn't matter!" "I must go, Nina is waiting." "Goodbye." "I'll tell you about when they shot "Gang Bangs of New York"!" "Maybe it was "The Postman Always Comes Twice" or "101 Mates"!" " No." " "Glans Wars"?" " No." " "Rocco vs Godzilla"?" "I saw that one!" "I got so scared!" "Enjoy life!" "He is arrogant, narcissist, ignorant and he doesn't pay taxes!" "She is funny!" "My dad would be rolling in his grave to know I'm selling the house to him!" "Your dad was cremated, he can't roll." " He would rather make a tornado!" " You never liked him." "He used to say my books were good for the supermarket only." "It's hard to build a nice relationship starting from that." "Do you find that blond chick funny?" " You arejealous." " Of that?" "Never!" " Never?" " Almost never..." "I won't sell the house to that man." "I made my decision." " I'll send him an email tomorrow." " That's scary!" "How repressed!" "Fake intelligent, fake communist and frigid!" "I'm sure she won't sell us the house." "They like to think they are so much better!" "I like him." "He gave me his last book and even autographed it." " He seems funny." " Don't trust people like that!" " Like the body snatchers?" " Worse than that." "Like the death eaters in "Harry Potter"?" "Even worse." "He is becoming my favorite writer!" "Is it true that in Russia, children would eat communists?" " Maybe it's the other way around." " Of course, children are not fierce!" "He was dressed like a beggar and he was checking out your ass!" " Jealous?" " Of that?" "Me?" "Never!" " Never?" " Never." "A man must be handsome and rich, a mayor must be honest and brave." "I like the idea that we need to be brave." "If Corto Maltese ran for mayor I'd vote for him right away!" "I'd vote for George Clooney or Conan the Barbarian!" " Conan is fascist." " Too bad!" " Batman?" " Also." " Snoopy?" " Stop!" "We need to work." "You are the smart one, I'm just cool and scatterbrained." "I can't fix this." "I hope that this man is better in other fields!" " Didn't you have to call someone?" " I forgot about it." "I tried to fix it for an hour, now it's really broken!" " What about you?" " We are far from over." "We have few, blurred ideas, and we are going to earn no money." "We're gonna rock!" " You said we'd go to the sea." " I must explain my political stance." " What for?" " So everybody knows what we do." "Can I go, now?" "One kiss." "The program." "Point one:" "Clearness." "My ideas have to be understood, then shared, and finally explained." "We are fed up with empty words." "Banana." "Is rich in potassium and fights high blood pressure." "Carrots." "Rich in vitamin A, C, B1 and B2." "Milk." "Is good." "Sugar." "Just a bit." "Point two:" "Contents." "I won't compromise over that." "My intention is to make a new deal." "So one eye will look at the immediate and the other at the infinite." " Clear?" " Very clear, Andrea." " You galvanized us." " Good." "Yes, I got it all." "I'll get on it." "Did you have fun?" "Beg your pardon?" "You wasted my time since you decided not to sell the house to me." "The conditions weren't right." "Are you afraid I won't pay you?" "Hard for you to believe, but money is not everything." " There are feelings too." " Yes." "I see lots of feelings in your demand for 2.300.000 euros!" " I will give it all to charity." " Really?" "What a laugh!" "A saint!" "I don't talk my business here." " Where are you going?" " Come with me." "I'll take a vegan muffin and a cappuccino made with kamut milk." "Also a smoothie with celery, carrots and ginger, but without celery." " And you?" " How gross!" "A coffee." "A coffee." " A coffee?" " A regular coffee." "Thank you." "I'll ask if we have it." "It's my father's mansion, I don't want to sell it in a rush." "How many people called you?" " For real..." " None." "If I were an agency, I'd offer two million euros." "But I'll offer you 2.300.000 euros so that we can make this quick." " Just give me an answer." " I must talk to my partner." "Good idea, do it." "If the story of the charity is real, no one is going to offer you as much." "If you reject my offer because of our differences, you damage yourself." " I'll think about it." " Call me before eight to accept or save your call." "Now, let's enjoy this organic snack." "Thank you." " Yes?" " Are you from the homeland security?" "You got me!" "I'm watching you and your friends." "Now go, baby." "Go." "You are my agent, you know how important this is." "Call Fazio, ask him when will he invite me to his talk-show." "Who cares if it's appropriate?" "If the publisher doesn't like it, I'll get another publisher." "He's just a moron!" "With all the money he gets!" " There are four minutes left." " Sell it, dear." " Why?" "We could buy a house in New York City!" " What are we going to do there?" " I write for a living!" "You can't write as well elsewhere." "Why should I sell to someone like him?" "Those who can afford to pay such a price arejust like that." "They are genetically modified people!" "Like us, but different." " But my dad..." " Your dad is dead." "He is dead, he is gone." "Sell it." "Do you think that Marco Travaglio would sell?" "First I'll go to Fazio's talk-show, then I'll go to his and I'll ask him!" "Ok, I'll sell but I'll give everything to charity." "We can talk about it after you sell the house." "After a long debate, herein, at my presence, the transfer of property is concluded." " Do we agree on what to write?" " 60% of the real value." "No." "The house costs 2.300.000 euros and I want to pay what is due." " You'll pay the taxes on it, not me!" " Taxes must be paid." " If it makes you happy..." " I was taught to be honest." "I want the mansion to be empty and clean." "If there's a leaking faucet or the roof must be fixed, you'll do it." "The agreement to sell is done." "For the actual sale, let's wait for the repairs to be done." " Let's arrange a date." " Don't use that tone of voice!" " Please, let's arrange a date." " You are having fun, aren't you?" " A little bit." " What about a month?" " Ten days." " You made this so much worse!" "Thank you and goodbye." "Isn't she beautiful?" "The movers are coming tomorrow." "Could you go instead of me?" "Are you really asking me to leave my book behind to go check on the movers with that horrible man?" "No, I apologize." "After all, this is women's stuff!" "To straighten up and to clean." "I also have dinner with my agent in Milan." "I forgot about it." "I'll go anyway." " I'll go." " You are such a help!" "You are precious!" " When do you have to be there?" " In the morning." "I don't want to see that pain." "Can you go?" " You are free tomorrow." " I have my spinning session." "After that I have a massage and then the hairdresser." "I also need to catch up on two episodes of "The Walking Dead"!" "Sure." "After all, this is men's stuff." "To control and to organize." " At what time do you have spinning?" " At two." "Really early." "I'll go then, honey." "Watch out!" "Watch the step." "Stop there." "Is this a muscle?" "Wow!" "Can I touch it?" "All this sweating reminds me of when I lived in India." "Maharajas and tigers..." "I'm the only one who is holding it!" "I wasn't supposed to help you!" " Watch out, it's precious!" " Call your co-worker." " This is too heavy!" " He doesn't understand Italian." " Paolina Bonaparte used it." " Watch out for the rope." " What a lady!" " What?" "If it's so funny, in the storage room there's enough to make a bomb!" "Let's make an explosion!" "Ignorant and barbaric people!" " Hello?" " Hi Simonetta, I'm Bernardo." "The writer." "I guess you are alone." "I'm running home, my favorite TV show starts in few minutes." "I had an appointment with my agent but he tried to kill himself, so..." " I'm free tonight." " I'm sorry." " Is he dead?" " No, I was justjoking!" "So, you are busy tonight." "I was joking about the suicide, not about the invitation to dinner." "I see." "Where are we going to meet?" "I need to fix the alarm, it's full of Romanians, here." "Are you racist for real?" "Romanians are the number one burglars in Italy." "This fascist cynicism bothers me!" "They are in first place among the foreigners." "Statistics say that there is a 75% chance that an Italian will rob this house." "You understand just a part of things." " Almost nothing!" " It must be hard to be always right!" "What a lost cause!" "It's late, I'm leaving." "Thank you for today." "I forgot..." "Is that your dad's ashes?" "You loved him?" "Come." "Here we go." "Stellina '99." " What's your real name?" " Stellina '99." " Bye." "And you?" " Stellina '93." " What a nice name!" " Thank you." " Hi, Bernardo!" " Hi, Luca!" " Thank you." " Thank you." "I'm sorry to keep you waiting." "I didn't know I was going to meet so many readers." "Sometimes it can be hard." "Emotionally." " Did you write all those books?" " Yes, but they are all the same." "How did you manage to write them all just the same?" " Let's go to a quieter place." " Yes." "Why here?" "I saw a picture of your dad, it was shot there." "He looked happy." "Happiness is something you take seriously." "A book of your choice by Simenon, "Short Stories of Hemingway"," "A book of your choice by Simenon, "Short Stories of Hemingway"," ""Tender is the Night" by Fitzgerald, Mario Vargas Llosa and, obviously, "One Hundred Years of Solitude"." " You read that all?" " A long time ago." "But I'd like to read them now for the first time." "And when they ask you which one is your favorite?" "I always answer: "Tex Willer", because I'm unconventional." "And why?" " What?" " Why were you in a convent?" "I'm "unconventional", not "in a convent"!" "I always give stupid answers, right?" "I'm sorry, I'm stupid." "You are not stupid, you just confuse words." "In Giulio's world, everyone is so mean!" " Also in mine." " Nuns must be mean in the convent!" "I must go, it's getting late." "So..." "I did my favorite writer!" " I'm a lucky girl!" " I'm the lucky one!" "Farewell!" "Write about me in your next novel." " What have I done?" " I must be mad!" " Me too!" " I don't know what I had in mind!" "Nothing ever happened and it won't happen again!" "Done." "By the way, it's your fault!" "When a woman is available, no normal man could say no." " What a jerk!" " Because I say the truth?" "You people like lies!" " Who?" " You." "We give a sense to what we do, you just give it a price!" "I prefer to always say the truth, even when it is inconvenient." " What's the truth?" " That you are more beautiful." " Than when?" " Than Before." "Your lips, your eyes, your nose, your shoulders, your beauty marks, your breasts..." "It's late, I have to go." "Feel free to stay, the house is still yours!" "If I'm going to cry, I swear I'll kill myself!" "Go to hell!" "I'll go home, take a shower and everything will disappear." "Nothing ever happened!" "Everything was smooth in Milan." "I'll be home in 30 minutes." " Let's have breakfast in bed!" " Oh, shit!" "It has always been broken!" "Why did we fixed it now?" " What a smell!" " Freshly baked!" "You can't breathe..." "Asthma." "The air is full of pollen." " Did you have a good time in Milan?" " Very much." "Is everything fine?" "I'll make some coffee." "I'm an horrible person!" "Bernardo doesn't deserve this!" "The window broke again, I don't know how it happened." "He understood it all." "What a special man!" "What a horrible woman!" "Listen, we always talk about how important it is to be sincere." "In a moment of weakness it can happen to look for other people." "We don't have to lie." "Last night I slept with Simonetta." " I'm sorry." " Can you repeat that slowly?" "It's the last thing I thought I would do." "She came to the book store, I was so tired." "Think, Nina, think!" "Bernardo did that knock out." "She is Giulio's girlfriend, so we are even, technically." "We can survive this." "In the seventies it was normal." "Sex was fun then!" "I'll tell him everything because I'm a honest person." "...Ever forgive me." "No, I don't forgive you." "You meet a showgirl and you fuck her?" " Shame on you!" " That's how I feel." "I can't forgive you." "Not now, not here." "I don't know what to say." "We should make love." "We should go in the bedroom and make peace, this is how we should save our relationship." "But we can't do it, because my luggage is ready." "I don't even get to kick you out of the house?" "I have a presentation at Aosta, I need to catch a plane." "Honey, can you take me to the airport?" " How was she?" " What?" "She, in bed." "What should I say?" "She did her part, she was generous." "Too much of an expert, maybe." "Expert..." "More athletic than emotional." "Can I..." "No, fine." " I'm so sorry." " Me too." " You can't imagine how much." " A kiss." "If it's not important, why did you tell me?" "You got me in a minute." "You understand everything about me, you are special, love." "That's why I love you." "Here we are." "Up with sincerity and honesty." "Up with the fundamental values of the left party." " What did you do?" " I just came to say hi." "Take a seat." "Not there." " It's nice here." " So you banged that communist who is selling you the mansion?" " Mind your words!" " Think about yourself!" "The right question should be:" ""How did you find out"?" " How did you find out?" " You never came here before." "I had to take some money to Switzerland, so I stopped here." "We never talked about money or politics before so you came here to talk about feelings and sex." "It was just a one night stand but things are getting complicated." " No, Giulio." " What?" "You came here to hear something from me something that you don't want to say." " That is?" " That you are in love with her." " And?" "Give me your full attention." "She could make a human being out of you." " Do you love me?" " No." "Italians don't trust politics." " Do we trust Andrea Splendore?" " I don't even trust myself anymore!" "Just because you fucked that rightist guy?" "Excuse me if I said "rightist" out loud." "I'd never thought it!" "You are the only one left who thinks in terms of right and left." "And after 12 years of monogamy..." "You refreshed that part of your body!" " If it's like that, I don't like it." " Like that, it's more fun!" " How long are we working?" " Five minutes." " I'm tired, let's have a break." " A break." "A double coffee, thank you." "For me, coffee with a dash of milk, served in a big cup." "Thank you." "You betrayed Bernardo, who betrayed you." "What's so bad?" " Two betrayals." " It's bad to cheat for a profit it's good to cheat for passion." " My passion is alarming!" "It's a sinister passion." "He represents what I dislike in a man." " If you want, I'm single." " I don't want." "Thank you." "Everybody knows that I'm easy!" " Is it true what they say?" " No!" "I deny everything!" " So there's not a strike today." " Strike?" "Strike:" "Cessation or slowdown of work by employees." " I'm having a nervous breakdown!" " And it doesn't show at all!" "As Kurt Vonnegut said: "we are what we pretend to be so we must be careful about what we pretend to be."" "What does the successful writer pretend to be?" "An honest person, a responsible citizen a polite guest for this planet." "And in the personal sphere?" "I try to be a good partner." " A pretend one or a real one?" " A real one." "Say that you are the love of my life!" "I'm the love of your life!" "Dear Giulio, you and men like you are what is most dreadful in the world." "You are selfish, you are rich because you don't pay taxes and you think money is everything." "Dear Nina, you and people like you are unbearable to me." "You talk about equality and then humiliate a waiter at the restaurant." "If your daughter takes home a nigger, you have a stroke!" "At least I'm consistent with what I think and what I do." "At least I'm consistent with what I think and what I do." "I don't want to see you ever again." "I don't want to see you ever again." " Tell me you are in love with me." " You are in love with me!" " Jerk!" " You are in love with a jerk!" "I hate you." " Here we go." " What a surprise!" "I decided to follow the tips I read in a magazine." " What magazine?" " "The Italian Cousin"." " What?" " "The Italian Cousin"." "She must be somebody important." "I wonder who is her cousin." " She is good." " You mean: "The Italian Cuisine"?" "You are right!" "It was bothering me not to know who was her cousin!" " You are right." " Let's have a toast." " To what?" " Soon the mansion will be yours and you will not have anymore excuses to see Nina." "Or maybe you'll decide she is the right one for you." "At least, you will make a decision." "Right." "I'm not the woman who is going to stay here waiting for you." "Let's go." "No, it's not good." "I can't say these things." " I don't understand." " Listen, honey." ""We are like strings who are woven together." I don't understand a thing." " Do you understand?" " No, I don't." "Seems like you're talking about your boyfriend." "I don't like it." " So?" " We are going to use it..." " For today's interview." " Start again with the speech." "Internet, the youth." "The city of..." " All roads lead to..." " Rome." " Rome, Andrea." " Rome deserves better!" " It's broken." " It's the menu." "Yes, but it's broken, it doesn't work." "Get a new one." "Are you still here?" "Go away and start writing." "I'm crazy for you, I'm enthusiastic about you." "I believe in you." "Go away and start writing my speech." "Maybe it was a hasty decision to hire that girl." "That's crazy." "It means I was wrong." " You are never wrong." " My father always said:" ""It was better when we were better."" ""In these complicated days I need to write in a quieter place." "I thought I could go to Venice or to Istanbul, or to Goa." "I made you very sad lately, but I'll make you very happy."" ""I'll do this for you"." "Since I can't live in the mansion I thought I could live with you." "I found a broken window so I entered." "I fixed it." "Don't worry, relax." "I'll be the image of discretion." "All right." " You forgot your phone." " I know." " It rang." " I'll see who it was." "It was Giulio." "He's a nice guy." "He told me about you guys." "He said you are good in bed." "I'd never thought that!" "Did he say something else?" "He said that tomorrow evening he will take you to a reception at his club." " Tomorrow evening." " Seems interesting, no?" "A night out after such secrecy!" "Go to sleep early, tomorrow we have a lot to do." " We?" " I'm a single woman." "I write for the left party and I fell for a rightist man." "Tomorrow I want to look like the woman they like." "I'm mesmerized by such courage!" " Ready?" " Let's go." " Economy, equality or freedom?" " Freedom." " Civil rights, tradition or freedom?" " Tradition." " Developing countries." " First bomb, then rebuild." " Third world." " Let's help them." "There not here!" " Hairdresser?" " Once a week." " Wax?" " Complete." " Holidays." " Maldives, Canaries..." " Balearic Islands." " In winter?" "Saint Moritz, Cortina and Cervinia." " Heroes." " Briatore, Norris, Mickey Mouse." " Montanelli?" " Who?" "Two Maghrebies just opened a fair-trade shop downstairs." " Let's go then." " Of course we don't go!" "We don't go there!" "If they have an underdeveloped economy it's their business!" "I'm sorry." "I'm hungry, can we eat something?" " What could we eat?" " What about a kebab?" "No!" "You don't eat kebab!" "You eat sushi!" "Kebab is leftist, sushi is rightist!" "We are never going to make it!" "I'm late, I'm late." "Dear Nina, please stay with us." "I beg you." "May I present you the Countess Nina Gaffe Von Inderburg." "She comes from a refined family, there are even Nazi criminals in it!" "If we take my helicopter we could have lunch at Montecarlo, then we could go to Freiburg and have dinner at Otello's because I need simple food." " What do you think?" " Excuse me." "After you." " What are you doing here?" " I passed by to meet old friends." "You came to laugh at me." "Look there." "If you go down the stairs you'll find Giulio and his world." "And you'll be alone, like you have never been before." "I just wanted to take you as far as I could." "Go, Nina." "Good luck." "So, I'm with this lawyer and guess what he does?" "He takes out his Masonic lodge membership card!" "Lucky him!" "So beautiful and so alone!" "We look like friends here, but you have to be careful." "We are beset by danger!" "What do you do?" "Anthropological researches." "Predators, leeches, various reptiles..." " This is so..." "Beg your pardon." "Dad, she is Nina." " Is she a friend of yours?" " Is he your father?" "As you can see, Miss, father and son have the same taste." " He is just taller!" " I'll show her around, dad." "You are so beautiful dressed like a woman!" "Nice compliment!" " I thought you wouldn't come." " Me too!" "Let's enjoy this evening." "Thank you." "You despise this world, don't you?" "I don't belong here." "You don't belong with Bernardo, and you know it." "This is just a complicated moment." "Be with me." "I mean it." "I mean it." "I knew it." "Those like you don't ever change." "I must go." "You can't dump me like this." "It's not that easy." "It's not easy at all." "It's not easy to be here, to be like you or to be like me." "Let me go." "Now." "To be rightist is a good thing at least for a reason:" "people obey you and you get to decide fast." " What are you drinking?" " A cocktail." "What?" "I don't understand." "You know I'm trying to have a baby." "We are doing some tests to find out why we can't get pregnant." "Bernardo froze his sperm to save it for the tests." "It's Bernardo." "Try not to tell him, please." "How are you, honey?" "I'm writing so much!" "Venice is the perfect city for writing." "I'm almost done." "This book will be first on the charts even if I won't go to that talk-show!" " When are you coming back?" " Soon, but not now." " I need some time." " I see." "I'm at the Baglioni Hotel, the same we were in 2004." "I always think about you!" "Tomorrow we must hand in the keys of the mansion." "Can you go?" "I can't, honey." "The tide is high here." "The ferry, the tourists..." "It's impossible, I'm sorry." "Don't worry." " Bye, my love." " Bye." "Who is Luana?" "And who is Moana?" "What did you write in that speech?" "To be honest and brave?" "You are neither one of those." "I know, but that's my business." "Yes, sure." "You are supposed to be a leftist, open minded and progressive but you are fooling yourself." "What do you know about it?" "Do you know why you inherited the mansion?" "Because I didn't want it." "Your father and I had a relationship." "His greatest regret was that he couldn't tell you." "No, I'm not..." "You are like: "I can accept to have an homosexual son but not a father, never!"" "I had to behave like a queer to be accepted by you." "Did you really think that they shot porn movies in the mansion?" " Why are you saying all this?" " Your father always said that." "If you want something, you have to stand up and go get it." " What do I have to do?" " What do I know?" "I'm just an old widow!" "I'm emotional." "You know what to do." "But I can tell you this one thing." "You father was..." "You see?" "No." "Your father is proud of you!" "Try to deserve it." "And to think that I just wanted to sell this house!" "And to think that I just wanted to buy it!" "Now, we are both content." "And now?" "Do you want to know what happens now between you and me?" "I want nothing from you, but what is going to happen." "We must not talk about this, not even to other people." "If I will have a baby, I'll let you give him your name." "We will have to fight over every aspect of his life." "You want a baby from me, but you don't want me to be his father." "I'm not asking you anything." "I hope he'll get what's best from me and what's best from you." "I hope he will know that, even if by mistake or by deceit, we loved each other." "And after?" "We will be enemies again!" "Please." "ALL I HAVE EVER WANTED I had to give it to you by hand!" "TO S. WHO ASKED ME TO BE WRITTEN ABOUT" "You are a man of success, you have travelled, you went to a convent, your books are sold at the supermarket..." "Not only there!" "Does all this seem funny to you?" " Funny?" " I mean, all your fans..." "To use a dedication to get to fuck me again, to have lied for years to that girl with the silly name..." "Everything seems so funny to me." "You came here to tell me so?" "What?" "This?" "No, itjust came to my mind." "I'm here to have breakfast, this is a restaurant, right?" " Yes." " Let's order then." "You pay, because you are a writer of westsellers!" "I'll get a cappuccino." "Good morning." "The final results just arrived." "Who won?" "Andrea Splendore, 32 years old, is the new mayor of Rome!" "We are now waiting for his victory speech." " I didn't write the speech!" " You didn't!" "I forgot it!" "Where are you?" "Where's my speech?" " We won!" " No, we destroyed them!" "I want my speech now!" "N like "now", O like..." "I don't know, and W like "where the fuck is my speech?"" "Dumb!" "O like "oblivious"!" "It's eight o'clock, let's go." "We can do it, come on!" ""My first priority will be to look at the youth and its dreams, at the two million unemployed, at those who lost their house, to those who are afraid when a bill arrives, to those who have been fired and those who don't believe in politics."" "Find what Bobby Kennedy said about GNP." " What?" " Find what Bobby Kennedy said about GNP." "Search Google." ""Our Gross National Product measures neither our wit nor our courage neither our wisdom nor our learning or our compassion." "It measures everything except that which makes life worthwhile."" " This is left-wing bullshit!" " Yes, it suits you, not me!" " What's going on?" " Turn on your computer and help me." "I forgot about the speech." "Were you sleeping?" "No, I was having sex with Gian Enrico." " Who?" " I know!" "I decided to bring some joy to his senseless life!" "I'm sending you the speech, correct it." "It's missing the ending." "I'll get my laptop." " Is everything fine?" " I must work, but you can go on." " What do you mean?" " Think about it." "Now, about the ending." ""The reaction to a crisis must be..."" "How does it have to be?" " No panic." "Focus." " Focus." "Think, Nina." "Whenever I'm in need I wonder what Travaglio would do." "I can't believe it!" "It's Mr. Travaglio!" " She's crazy!" " Mr. Travaglio!" "It's you!" "I'm Nina, can I please ask you a very important question?" " Yes, go on." " How should we react to the crisis?" " It is a long thing to explain." " If you could only tell me..." "If you tell this to anyone, I'll kill you!" "Everything is fine." "And now?" "We will be enemies again!" "Wait a minute, Andrea is in a meeting." " Today is a big day!" " Sure." "This is not good." "Put this just after the start." "When you say to believe in politics and not in parties..." "This is the real world, don't put any fiction." "It is absurd also when you say that social networks are important." "The part about the youth is crap." "Take that out." "Correct everything." "I'll see you upstairs." "She's a moron!" " Now we can use the boat." " I'm busy, we'll see." "Today Rome, tomorrow..." " Where does the premier stay?" " Palazzo Chigi." "One minute." "Good luck." "You are handsome!" "First there's the TV, then we'll join the crowd in the street." "The crowd!" "Here." "Is everything fine?" " Did we already..." " No." "Why not?" "I'll call you later." "Ladies and gentleman, the mayor of Rome!" "Thank you." "Citizens of Rome, Italians, foreigner friends, it's an honour to be here today." "This is the day we'll tell our children." "We will say to them:" "We won!" "We won!" "Thank you all." "Second last chapter:" ""Let's see how our dear mayor looks like now."" "Your eyes are so beautiful!" "No, the second last chapter is:" ""Time to dump the man you loved."" "What a nice surprise!" "The book is done, it's going to be a masterpiece." "She's a friend of mine, a journalist." "That hurts!" "Look at the handkerchief, there's something inside." "One, two, three." "It's nice when you take care of everything and there's nothing to do other then just wait for time to pass." "FIVE MONTHS LATER" "It was worth it to come here to see you so relaxed." " What else could you want?" " I don't need anything else." "Everything seems perfect here." " You..." " Tell me." "What are you doing here, exactly?" "Join our No TAV meeting!" "Thank you." "I must go, it's late." " What are you doing here?" " Shall we go?" " Where?" " Serge said that you have an ultrasound scan booked." "It doesn't concern you." "I booked it in a private hospital where we don't have to be in line together with Chinese, Indians and Peruvians." " What did you do?" " Let's go, I parked in a tow zone." "I don't want this to happen again." "I go wherever I want, and I walk to it." "Can I walk with you?" "If you get tired, I'll carry you." "I rather let myself die here." "Are you eating too much?" "Let me tell you that your ass is getting big." "Fuck you!" "If the baby will talk like you I'll never forgive you." "As long as he won't think like you it's fine for me!" " You are arrogant." " You are vulgar." " Fine." " Fine!" " Do you know what they say..." " I don't care." "That pregnant women get more beautiful." "I must admit it's true!" " Do you mean it?" " No." " Let's go by car, please." " No." " Why?" " Because I say so." "The names you picked:" ""Dodo, Lollo, Dado"" "are names good for dogs." "I rejected them all." "Also Dodo?" "That is the name of my great grandfather." " Too bad for him!" " Dodo!" "This story begins with a woman who believed so much in the future that she decided to bring into the world one inhabitant in more." "Her and her father were not able to change things but those who come will put together the best from their parents." "No one knows what will happen." "Best things in life are not our certainties, best things in life are our changes." "A SINISTER PASSION" "Dedicated to Carol Levi"