"Morning, Michel." "Morning." "Everything all right?" " Fine, Guido." "I see you haven't forgotten." " I'm wearing it." "You're joining us, aren't you?" " Promised, Michel." "Posh, isn't it?" "Laoni Coppi, that's an Italian." "Laoni Coppi." "From Milan." "Look." "Laoni." "But no... but no Coppi." "And what's that?" "On yours, it says Laoni Coppi?" "Copy?" "It must be family." " Definitely, Michel." "Definitely." "Episode 5:" "Spring" "Hi, Frankie." " Farthole." "My name is Alain." " Yes, Alain Farthole." "Well, what do you think?" "Are those tulips?" " Yes, it's spring." "I can feel it." "I'm allergic to tulips." "They're staying." " Then I'll have to go." "Go stand there." "These tulips stay until Michel and Guido are here." "Can you feel the spring deep inside?" "Spring rolls maybe." "I had some this morning." "Please, Alain." "Here he is." " Hello, Frankie." "We're wearing them." "They're beautiful." " Thank you, Michel." "Tulipae." "Tulips, yes." "With some laurel in it." " Nice." "Why is he standing there?" " I'm..." "I was asking Frankie." " Hi, Alain." "What are you doing here?" " He's allergic to tulips." "Frankie brought a bouquet." " This is my fifth year." "Are you allergic?" "Yes, my eyes and nose start to run..." " He can run away." "But if he's allergic to them..." "I'll put them in my office." "Take them with you." "Everything's changing anyway." "I'm sorry." " Take them." "Come on, guys." "It started when I was ten." "I went on a boy scout trip and..." "Can we please get on with our work?" "I'm sorry, Michel." "I'm sorry." "I wish all of you a very nice working day." "I don't think so, Lydia." "Sent." "Time management." "Can't you attend the lunch meeting about time management?" "It isn't compulsory, is it?" "I hear things I don't like to hear." " What do you mean?" "I'd prefer you'd attend." " But I've got prior engagements." "Do you realize how important this is?" "Of course." "Time management is..." "When is it?" " It's today." "Half past twelve." " Today." "I thought it was tomorrow." " On a Saturday?" "No, that's impossible." "I can see it now." "Today's no problem." "So it's no problem now?" " I was looking at the wrong page." "That's what they'll teach you." "To create some order in your life." "Yes, that's very welcome." "Excellent, Lydia." "Yes..." "Bye, Lydia." "Just say 'no'." "Michel, could you come here please?" "You're changing." "This leaves room for new initiatives." "Your love life changes with a meeting." "A new man in your life." "Lies, is it true that...?" "Is there something on my nose?" "My horoscope said I would meet a new man." "And then you came in." " What a coincidence." "You appeared as soon as she said it." "Reminds me of a scene in a movie." " Me too." "Then fast forward to the end." "The end of the movie..." "To see how it ends." "I can't remember the name of the movie." "Do you need something, Alain?" "Yes." "Frankie told me you don't want your pussy anymore." "What?" "You don't want your pussy because you moved." "That's not true." "I don't have a pussy." "Frankie's been pulling my leg again." " He's lowering his standards." "And you keep falling for it." " No, it's all right." "I came to tell you I can't take it." "I'm allergic to cats." "So it's a good thing there's no pussy." "I have to go now." "Frankie, I've got to warn you." "I've more or less had it with you." "Be careful." "Us Vandams can take a lot but we don't forget." "We remember everything." "I only wanted to say:" "Be careful not to stack your heap too high." "And how high would my heap be?" "Quite high." "The highest here." "Enjoy the view, Farthole." "Yes, keep on pouring it on." "I get the message." "Loud and clear." "What's wrong?" " He isn't coming." "And I forbid you to shout." " Why aren't you coming?" "Frankie." " Sorry." "Alain, go and get some coffee." " I can't stand coffee." "Tea then." " I've still got some." "Don't you get it?" "We need to discuss something." "I see." "It's because of the ties, isn't it?" "I'll go." "Have your tittle-tattle." "No, Alain..." " Tell him why you aren't coming." "Are you serious?" "I've got a lunch meeting about time management." "I need to go." "About what?" " Time management." "And what might that be?" " You already asked me that." "They teach you to manage your time." "And that's why you're not coming?" " I know I promised to come." "But you can't foresee everything." " Fartole." "No, it's not Fartole." "It's a tradition." "This is important." "Time management is important." "It says so in every book." "What time is your meeting?" "Half past twelve." " Then we'll go earlier." "It would be a shame not to go." "This is our fifth year." "Leave him be." "Guido has more important things to do." "Noted." "Alain, everything alright?" " Yes, Free." "Fine." "Do you smoke?" " No, I only inhale air." "They asked me to wait outside a bit." "Hi, Alain." "Sammy, I'm talking to Free now." "Sometimes when I see you guys I think..." "'What's this?" "'" "It's not about importance." "Everything's changing and I'm fed up with it." "Why can't we go a bit earlier?" "Alright, alright." "We'll go at quarter past twelve and I'll stay ten minutes." "Right on, Guido." "What do you think?" "The earlier, the more dangerous." " True." "We'll do it." "Quarter past twelve." "Good decision, Guido." " Sure, Michel." "This morning the three of them were wearing a green tie." "I asked them why." "It's to celebrate spring." " Yes, Liesje told me." "It seems to be a tradition." "They could have told me." "I could have joined them." "But no:" "'That's between the three of us.'" "Farthole, you can come inside." "And then that 'Farthole'." "That's so..." "Are you alright?" " My name's Alain and he knows it." "Guido Pallemans speaking." " Guido, this is Michel." "Michel, where are you?" " In the copy room." "We've got to run things through." "Frankie will soon be leaving with the bag." "We'll tell Alain he has to go home." "And then you ask me out for lunch." "Then we'll be gone too." "Over and out." "Can you help me, Alain?" " I'd love to, Frankie." "I'm glad you ask." "I'm also glad that you called me 'Alain'." "Eight letters." "A stinking well." "Crosswords?" "A stinking well..." "Yes, a hole in the ground." " A pit?" "A hole." "Eight letters." "Cesspool." "No, the first letter is an F." " Fesspool." "Is it farthole, Frankie?" "Yes, farthole." "A stinking well." "I've had it." "Careful, my friend." "Alain, what are you doing?" "Guido, could I have a word with you in your office?" "He has rattled me." "I can't move my arms." "Calm down, Frankie." "You didn't do anything." " He jumped up and wham..." "What happened?" " Guido..." "Solve it." "And watch the clock." "Look at it." "I warned him." " Just one moment." "Are you going to hit me or not?" " No, it's over." "Are you sure?" "It goes as fast as it comes." "I'll make up for all the expenses." "But it couldn't go on like that." "I want to file a complaint." " I'm busy." "Against him." " One moment, please." "My arms are shaking all over." " Frankie, outside." "Guido is taking care of it." "I wonder who the victim is here." " Frankie." "I really wonder." " Go now." "Tell me, Alain." "I'm at my wits' end." "I don't feel accepted and then I can't be who I really am." "At first you think:" "'Lt'll be all right." "Don't give up.'" "But it gets worse." "Farthole here, Farthole there..." "Do this, do that..." "It shouldn't be like that." "Pallemans." "Don't say anything, it's me." "We've got to go." "We'll have to change those plans." "Go ahead, I'll come later." "The plan wasn't like that." " It is now." "Damn, Guido." "Alain, could you sum it up?" " What do you mean?" "No, I don't suppose so." "I want to tell you one thing, though:" "I'm glad you're part of my team." "Thank you very much." "But that doesn't solve your problem." " It's those details." "Like today." "Nobody tells me it's a custom... to wear a green tie on the first day of spring." "That makes me the odd man out." " Of course." "But you probably have other things to do." "Can you keep a secret?" "Hi, Alain." " Sammy." "What did you do to Frankie's mug?" "I don't have time now." "I've got to..." "Alain, I'm confused." "What?" " Did I do something wrong?" "Wrong?" " Yes." "I've got the feeling that you're avoiding me." "You used to be..." "Alain, we've got to go." " Yes, Guido." "Sammy, I really have to..." " Yes, Alain, go ahead." "Go, go, go." "Come on." "This is great, guys." " Be careful with this door, Alain." "You've got to keep it open with this piece of cardboard." "So you weren't kidding." "Stay here, I'll go and tell them." "All right, everybody's here." "Guido, did you have a nice trip?" " Yes, Michel." "Have you fired Farthole?" " No." "His name is Alain." "One moment, guys." "My friends..." "Some people shit on their work and some people take pride in their work." "I'm glad we're part of that second group." "Right." " To Cynalco." "Cynalco." "Wait, I want to say something." "This is our fifth spring drink." "A lot has happened since the last one." "No." " No." "Yes, Michel." "And for you too." "I left and Alain has taken my place." "And there's nothing you can do about it." "That's why I would like to ask you, Michel and Frankie... to please show a bit more... consideration and to accept Alain in the group." "Guido, I was nearly blind, you know." "So I don't know if I can..." "Frankie, don't exaggerate." "The boy is full of good intentions but the stress is killing him." "We need to talk about this and I think this is a good opportunity." "What?" " Alain, come here." "Yes, Michel, I know." " Come on." "You can't decide that on your own." " Come on." "You could have asked us." " And what would you have said?" "Hello, Michel." "Hi, Frankie." " Aggressive lunatic." "It's alright, I understand." "I would like to apologize and I hope..." "we can make a fresh start of it." "I'll try my hardest." "In nice weather you can see the Atomium from here." "Where is it, Michel?" "Michel." " No, Guido." "I'm out of here." " So am I." "I demand that you stay." "He knows we come up on the roof so get used to it." "Where can you see the Atomium in nice weather?" "To the southeast." "Over there." "Could you... take off... your tie?" " What?" "If we want to accept him in the group he needs a green tie." "All right." "Frankie, from now on..." "Alain's name is Alain." "Michel, man." "Yes, Michel." "Aren't you overdoing it a bit?" "Guido, didn't you have a meeting to attend whilst we fraternize with Alain?" "Thank you." "Guys..." "I didn't know we would be eating here." "I need to take a pill first." " Where are they?" "In my briefcase." "Guido, you can accompany him." " I have to..." "It's time you did something for us." " All right, Michel, all right." "Come on, Alain." "See you later, guys." "Can't you go and get your pills on your own?" "I've got a meeting." "Yes, no problem." "Make sure nobody sees you go upstairs." "Enjoy it." "It didn't go too bad." " Guido, I would like to thank you." "I really hope we can..." " Sorry, no time." "And be careful." "Michel, no way." "I can't accept this." "I can only reproach Guido for bringing him here... without telling us." "But he's right, the stress was killing the boy." "The stress kills me as well." "You should know." "But that's no reason to wreck my stuff." "No, Frankie, but we're gonna give him one chance, okay?" "One." "Alain." " Hi, Liesje." "You've got a green tie." " Michel gave it to me." "Want to join us for lunch?" " Yes, great." "No, I can't." "I've got things to do upstairs." "Upstairs?" " Upstairs." "In the..." "In the..." "In my head." "Yes, well..." "I want to collect my thoughts and..." "Well, you know." "Good luck and enjoy your lunch." "I feel bad I laughed about him." "He's completely flustered." "He's making a big deal of those ties." "I'm going to teach you how to manage your time." "I'll show you what's important and what isn't." "Sir?" "Sir?" " Yes?" "I'll be handing out copies." "You don't have to write anything down." "I'm sorry." " So..." "Where was I?" "What's important and what isn't." "Yes, thank you." " You're welcome." "The meat is ready, Michel." " Thank you." "You don't eat any meat, do you?" " I usually don't... but that would be ungrateful." "So give me a skewer..." "They're nice, Frankie." " They're marinated." "What an idea..." "Coming up on this roof." "I need this." "I've said this quite often." "I need one day in a year on which I can say:" "No" "Cynalco:" "No." "I work for this company and I enjoy it but on March 21st I want to be able to wear a green tie and to go and sit on the roof." "And no one can take this from me." "Because there's no doubt about it:" "This is strictly illegal." "Somebody knocks at the door and asks for something." "I would like to ask you to think about that." "Is something wrong?" " Sorry, I was somewhere else." "Do you remember, Michel?" "In '99?" " Frankie, that was something." "We barely made it then." " Yes, we barely made it." "And Guido kept calling:" "Help, Michel." "I'm stuck." "I had my tonsils cut in '99." "September '99." "I had to go back in November." "Complications." "There you go." " Alain, you've got to try too." "I've still got to find my feet." "This is all new for me." "It's all right, Alain." "There are different kinds of silent disturbers but the most dangerous one is 'paper talk'." "All those papers on your desk are silently crying for your attention." "The thing you should use the most is your waste-paper basket." "Come on, people." "Oh, that's mine." "I'm very sorry." "I'll turn it off." " No, answer it." "Let's use what we've learned here." " If you say so." "Pallemans." "Michel." "My battery is almost empty." "We wanted to leave but that idiot forgot the piece of cardboard." "I swear I used it." "Guido?" " Yes." "Is it private or work related?" " It is work related." "What?" "I wasn't talking to you." " What is the problem?" "What's the problem?" "The problem?" "We're stuck here and I need to go to the toilet." "Is it important?" "Can I call you back in a few minutes?" "During the break." "No way, you're coming up here." " Of course." "Have a nice day." "Guido will be right here." " He swears he blocked the door." "Somebody else must have done it." "Why would I do something like that?" "Because you're stupid, Farthole." " Frankie, calm down." "We gave him a chance and it seems that was a mistake." "Come on, guys." "Mrs Fartole." " Guido." "How did the meeting go?" "It isn't finished, we've got a break." "I'm stretching my legs." "Have you met Brunhilde from Sales?" "No." "Guido Pallemans." " Brunhilde Dewit." "Nice to meet you." "Brunhilde?" "Like with the knights?" "Would you excuse us, Guido?" " Of course." "Are you comfortable here, next to the door?" "Oops..." "Telephone." "See you." "Yes?" " What's keeping you?" "Fartole is here." "I can't come upstairs." " Do something." "I need to go." "Michel, calm down." "And what's Sammy doing up there?" "Hello?" " Michel?" "Battery's empty." " Where is he?" "Fartole is down there." "Give me your mobile." "I haven't got mine." "Farthole." " I haven't got one." "It's your fault." "What now?" "Let me think." " Don't shout at me." "I'm shouting because of the situation." "Guys, I swear that I didn't..." "What's that?" "What are you doing on the roof?" " I followed Alain but then I saw he was here with Michel and Frankie." "So I went back, but the door was locked." "What can I do?" " Hi, Brunhilde." "The door's safe." "I'm on my way." " Okay." "Okay." "Sorry, Guido." " Here he is." "Mr Pallemans, we're starting." " Yes, but I have to..." "Now, Mr Pallemans." "Keep away from me." " What are you doing here?" "I followed Alain." "I didn't know about the door." "Your mobile." " Why did you follow me?" "Because you've been avoiding me." "I want you to tell me everything." " What do you mean?" "Guido's mobile is switched off." "You know what pisses me off?" "That we accused Alain of closing the door." "That doesn't help us." " No, but I've said it." "What are you doing?" " I'm calling Anita." "Nobody can know we're here." " Anita?" "Sammy, is that you?" " He doesn't want to listen." "No, Frankie." "What have you done?" "Michel, he didn't want to listen." " Frankie, you stupid..." "Michel, don't get angry with me." " Damn, damn, damn, damn." "Guido!" "What did I say right now?" " I don't know." "I was somewhere else." "If you're not interested you might as well leave." "Really?" "I mean..." "We couldn't do that, could we?" "Sorry." "I'm Michel's wife." "Do you know where he is?" "And Guido?" "No, sorry." "Bye." " Yes, bye." "Gosh, Alain..." "Look at us here." "I don't think it's funny." "I had an opening with Michel and Frankie." "But not anymore." "Alain, listen." "You're my best friend." "What?" " Yes." "I really like you." "I want to shout it out." " Don't." "It's nothing sexual, but I enjoy being in your company." "I understand but please don't follow me around." "Look at us here now." "I could stand here with you every day." "Talking, doing stuff..." " Sammy," "I'm going that way and you're staying here." "No." " I mean it." "I get it, Alain." "Not even a paper napkin?" "A tissue?" "Nothing?" "No, Michel." "Nothing." "I'm sorry." "Frankie, ask those two idiots to come here, will you?" "Yes, Michel." "Did you see that?" "No." " Alain." "I saw his head." "Impossible." " No." "He isn't going to jump, is he?" "Frankie and Alain..." "Would you please give me your ties?" " What for, Michel?" "I'm going to burn them." "Like I do every year." "And I'll do it in private." "I didn't know that." "A ritual burning." " Yes, Alain." "Where is it?" " Here, I think." "I have to..." "No, I don't have to." "I'll wait." "Sonja, what are you doing here?" "What are you doing?" " And you?" "Alain, we thought you were going to jump." "No, we were stuck here." " What a nice view." "Is Michel here too?" "No." " Over there." "Everybody downstairs." " I want to have a look." "Were you worried about me?" " I thought you were going to jump." "It's nice to know someone cares." "Alain, give me a hug." " Sammy, stop it." "Everybody out." "Go, go, go." " What about Michel?" "I'll take care of it." "Tell me where he is." "Go downstairs." "He'll be there in..." " I need to see Michel now." "Alright, alright." "We've got to go that way." "That way?" " Yes." "Nobody knows about this." "Sorry." " What are you doing here?" "We saw Alain..." "We thought he was..." "Get out." "Come on, go." "Back to your desk and to work." "What are they doing up there?" " Go, Free." "Come on, Sonja." "Guido, at last." "Sonja, what are you doing here?" "Frankie, please." " Sorry." "Where is Michel?" " Yes." "Michel..." "Michel is burning our ties." "It's a ritual." "The ritual burning of ties." "Is he burning his tie?" " His tie?" "But that's my tie." "Yes." "Sonja, you've got to stay here while he's doing it." "Frankie, come on." "This'll be a shock." "Don't faint." "I'm pregnant." "Congratulations." "I mean..." "Wow, pregnant." "You don't seem happy." "Yes, it's..." " Congratulations Michel and Sonja." "I'm really glad for you, Sonja." "And for you, Michel." "Thanks, Guido." "Sonja dear." "A little Drets." "To think that you hear you'll be a father on this special spot." "You won't easily forget that." " Shall we go downstairs?" "Women and children first, Michel." "Mind the stairs." "Michel, where's my tie?" " I'll explain later." "Frankie told us you burnt it." " No, I didn't." "It was an expensive one." "What shall I tell Marianne?" "Slow down to speed up." "That's it." "Any questions?" "Can you go if you don't have any?" "You said two o'clock." "Time management." " Would you fill out our form?" "No, thank you." "It was very interesting." "Some useful tips."