"...Kamchatka." "In the beginning there was a cell, nothing else." "That cell split into two, those two into others, and so on." "Some cells became plants, others bugs  others animals  and others us." "What they never explain is what happens next  between the moment the cells become a person  and that person climbs the Himalayas  discovers a vaccine  or becomes a famous escapist like Houdini." "That is a real mystery." "No textbook mentions this." "No teacher does." "But my dad did so." "Once." "The last time I saw him." "My story, like all stories, begins with a cell  but ends in Kamchatka." "Life, the supreme mystery." "The energy which induces cells to join together..." "Fall, 1976." "... and form tissues..." "Days after Argentina's military coup" ""o"." "It's got to have a vowel!" "Look at all the "a's"!" ""F"?" ""T"?" "Mum!" "Ok, go." "I'll be outside." " When are you coming?" " After English." " My mum's making escalopes." " Yes!" "ABRACADABRA" "Bertuccio's mum's making escalopes." " You're an invader!" " Here." "Wow!" "The latest edition!" "Yes, just out." " Where are we going?" " To a friend's house." "You took me out of school just for that?" "We'll be back soon, okay?" "It's Thursday, remember." "I've got English, then I'm going to Bertuccio's." " Not today." " Why not?" " We can't." " Why not?" " Because we're going on a trip." " Aren't we going to your friends'?" " We'll drop in and set off from there." "I don't want to go there." "What am I gonna do?" "I'll get bored." " So leave me here and pick me up later from Bertuccio's." " No." "I told you to leave me here and pick me up later!" " Are you crazy or what?" " Leave me here!" " I won't!" " Why not?" " Because I say so!" " Keep going, madam." "It's not fair!" "It's not fair!" "The invaders..." "Aliens coming from a dying planet." "Destination:" "The Earth." "Purpose:" "To dominate the world." "David Vincent has seen them." "For him it all started one night on a lonely country road..." "Let me watch, you, Shorty!" "... looking for a short-cut he never found." "It began with a closed deserted diner  and a man too exhausted to continue his journey." "A spaceship from another galaxy landed..." "I was in the laboratory when I saw her waving at me, 'Your husband on the phone!" "'" "I asked him what happened 'I'd been trying to reach you at the law office and nobody would answer!" "' He told me some militars had searched the office and kidnapped Roberto his partner." "What's wrong, sweetie?" "Do you want something?" " Where's the bathroom?" " Down the hall." " Do you want me to go with you?" " No." "I'd rather sleep on the floor." "Little guy's kicking the hell out of me." "This bed is going to hell!" "Are you sleeping there with mum?" "So, tell me." "What happened today?" "A girl saw the invaders disintegrate a truck." "Then David Vincent had to find the driver..." "I saw that one, about three times." "Your mum?" "How was she?" "The Rock!" "She didn't let me go to Bertuccio's." " What happened to Roberto?" " What do you mean?" "Don't goof around." " Did mum tell you?" " They took him away, right?" "But nothing'll happen to him?" "You'll get him out." "That's what lawyers are for." "But Roberto's a lawyer, too." "Do lawyers get taken away, too?" " Nothing will happen to you, right?" " No." "Nothing." "You know what we're gonna do?" "Go away for a while, till things calm down." "I got a house in the suburbs." "I've never been there, but I'm told it's terrific!" "A pool we can play soccer, you name it!" " Can Bertuccio come?" "Do you think so?" "I mean, if we invite him, we get him into our mess, too." "You wouldn't want that." "Take the third left." " Back to the city?" " Do it!" " We just came that way!" " Me, pilot." "You, driver." " My lion, I want my lion." " Once mum drove into a gas station." "On the way out, she didn't know if she had to go right or left." " You're not in the game, shut up!" " She's as disoriented as a spinning top." " I want my lion!" " So we get out of here." " Third left." " Can I look, dad?" " Yes." "TEG" " Hey, look." " He won't like it." " Why not?" " It's hard plastic." "Little Guy's is a cuddly one." "Get the car keys from mum." "Not a word." "Hurry up!" "There's a tree behind the house." "Leave it there, no one'll see it." "Come on, Little Guy." " You know what a call for action is?" " What?" "Like in movies when the soldier warns of an Indian attack?" " Yes." " And the Indians go:" "Ooh, ooh, ohh!" "If mum or I call for action, you must do this..." " Drop what you're doing..." " What if we're drinking Nesquik?" "...drop what you're doing and come here running, very, very, very fast." "So, what you do is this." "Listen carefully." "Yes." " Find this stone..." " Yes." "Stretch out your arms, close your eyes, lower your head and wriggle through." " Got it?" " Yes." " Who wants to try first?" " Me!" "Use your arms." "Watch out for your eyes." "When mum or I call for action find the stone and wriggle through." " That way's north." "The way we came." " Yes." "And that's south." "It leads straight to the village." "Be careful!" "Don't you fall!" "Who lived here before us?" "Not a clue." "But somebody lent you the house." "A friend of a friend I don't know." "We forgot to bring coal." "Help me gather some firewood." "HOCUS-POCUS" "Harry Houdini was born in Budapest  on March 24, 1874." "He was an escapist, not a magician, as believed." "An escapist can get out of the most difficult situations." " Do you wanna play with me?" " Not even drunk as a skunk!" " I haven't told you what at yet!" "Ok, tell me." "You're the skunk, nerd!" "To do his job, Houdini had to be in perfect physical shape." "He ran several miles a day  and could stay under water for four minutes." "Four minutes!" "Houdini offered rewards to anyone who could lock him up." "Many accepted the challenge, only to lose." "He always escaped!" " Yummy!" " Try the chili sauce." "I made the Tabasco too, but it's a bit hotter." "The amount of firewood I had to use!" "It burns quicker than..." "Chemical coals burn slower..." "What's this?" "The rule is science at the table..." "...is bad manners!" "Can we get to the point?" "We'll be staying here for a while." "We don't know for how long yet." "And our stuff?" "There's nothing here." " It's boring!" " It's boring!" "I may go by the house soon and bring some stuff or have someone do it." "No school for a time." "I must go to the lab." "But dad'll stay with you for a few days." " Tell them about the names." " Just a second." "Be careful around the pool, it's dangerous." "I'll teach you to use the gas and fill the tank there's no running water." "Don't answer or use the phone." " It's forbidden." " Why?" "If your mum says so, there's a reason, ok?" "Right, from now on, we change our names." " Change them?" " No one must know we're here." "If anyone comes asking for us or phones..." " They're not supposed to answer!" " Wait, wait..." "You mean we'll have other names?" " Yes." " For ever?" "For some time, we said." "Then what if I have a new name and I phone Bertuccio?" "He'll realize it's me, he's not stupid." "Didn't I make myself clear?" "No phone calls, I said." "Not even if your name's "The Wizard of Oz"." "From now on, we're the Vincents." "I'm David and I'm an architect." "David Vincent, the architect!" " What?" "What?" " Like in The Invaders." "Dad is David Vincent!" " Can I choose my name?" " Me too?" "Harry." "I wanna be Harry." "Nobody's wearing what we used to." "We could only bring what we had on." "Me neither." " I want MY pajamas." "What's wrong with this lion that's so hard?" "He's softening it up." "What happened?" "Did you drink a lot of coke last night?" " Don't say anything." " Ok, but you have to promise me something." "What?" "You won't drink anything at night, nothing." "No soda water, no water, coke, nothing." "Is it dead?" "It's the one I saw before." "It must have drowned." "It can't drown!" "It's a toad!" "Toads breathe air." "Obviously, it got trapped." "Yucky creature." "Loot at the skin." ""..." "Houdini's first stage name was Eric The Great."" "Because his real name wasn't Harry, see?" ""At first, he was assisted in his performance by a co-worker from the factory where he worked."" "Because he was poor and worked since he was a boy." ""But later, he turned to his younger brother, Theo."" "Turn it up, little guy." "I wanna watch The Saint!" "The Minister denied categorically that anyone  on the list is being held by the executive power, or in prison..." "They gotta whitewash political prisoners." " Who, me?" " Let me listen to it." "Tie me up, Little Guy." " Who, me?" " Yes, you." "We're writing a new chapter in Argentina's  economic history." "Sure, a new chapter." "We'll open our markets to foreign trade..." "Is that okay?" "Tighter." "... leading to the freedom of our productive forces..." "What will your productive forces produce?" "More misery." "Perfect." " Okay?" " Yes." "The President of Argentina, General Jorge Rafael Videla  stated that the government will beat the rebels at any cost..." "Hey, what are you doing?" " Whitewashing the prisoner!" " Go away!" "Who am I?" "I said, who am I?" " Vincent." " I work for...?" "A construction company." "Campbell  Co." " What about mom?" " Housewife!" "We met at...?" " At..." " University." "We studied together." "She quit when we married." "I told you a million times!" "Come here." "Stand here." "Hold this hand firm, move this one when you hit." "Watch your feet." "Wide apart, this way." "Look that way." "Make sure the wood holds steady, about a meter away so that it doesn't splinter away." "Okay?" " Yes." "Let's see." "Again further back here, come on!" " Can I come in?" " Yes." "What's cooking, good-looking?" " What's that?" " Trunks." " Nice, eh?" " Yes." "Houdini used to be chained inside and thrown into the sea." "Once he was at the bottom of a swimming pool for 90 minutes, no oxygen tubes, nothing." " Amazing, isn't it?" " Houdini, the magician?" "He wasn't a magician!" "He was an escapist." "It's different." " Sure." "Where did you get this?" " I found it there." "Only a fool would leave this." "Maybe this Pedro left it for you..." " What?" "Really!" " When I grow up I wanna be an escapist." "And be locked in there, and thrown in the sea?" "Really?" "My little boy." "You know something?" "A boy's coming to live with us." "A boy?" "Who?" " Just a boy." " Are you gonna adopt him?" "Don't be a fool!" "It's just for a few days." "He needs someplace to stay." "But you gotta help me with the Little Guy." "Ok?" "You know, changes upset him..." "Poor thing." "I know he's doing his best, isn't he?" " Did he give you much trouble today?" " No." "So, what then?" "Will you help me?" "Will you?" "You know what's important." " What?" " Knowing how long it takes to unchain yourself." "When you know so, you'll know how much oxygen you need." "Because oxygen needs space." "If you don't give it space, you'll suffocate." "So this way they'll survive?" "Some will." "The smart ones, for sure!" "Back a bit, there." "There, hold it." "Don't let it go." "There we go." "Hold it." "Now let it go." "Ready." " Why don't we use this?" "It's easier." " But at night when we're asleep, or when we leave this place..." "They gotta learn to survive alone!" "Here comes mom!" "Here comes mom!" "Stay with me." "She's with the boy." "Hi, mom!" "Hi, sweetie." "Oh, I missed you so much." " Have you played a lot today?" " Yes!" " This way, Lucas." " Okay." "Where's your brother?" " Where's he?" " I don't know, somewhere around." " Did you have your milk?" "Did daddy make it for you?" " Yes!" " He did?" " Yes!" "Hello, love." "Fine." " This is David, my husband." " How's it going?" " Okay?" " Fine." " Gorgeous place, you were right." " Simon, our youngest son." " Nice to meet you." " Nice to meet you." " Nice to meet you." "And this is Harry." "Harry." "Cool name." "He speaks, but I hypnotize him when we have guests." "This is Lucas, boys." "He's gonna stay with us for a few days." " Can we show Lucas around?" " Of course." "We gotta take it all down." "Come on!" "SAINT'S BED" "HARRY AND SIMON'S CLOSET HARRY'S BED" "Why take them down?" "Because he's not a boy." "He's a guard, a cop!" "What if he's an Invader?" "Excuse me." "And the mattress?" "We took it outside to somersault." " Lucas's gonna sleep here with you." " I can sleep in the living room." " No!" "It's freezing to death there." "Put your things anywhere." " Who's the cutest little boy in the world?" " Me!" "I'd take you in my purse if I could fit you in!" "How much I love you!" "Me toooo!" "If you behave well, very, very well we're gonna go home and get some stuff." " My lion!" "...please, mom!" " My TEG!" " My pajamas, my tiki-taka!" " Stop it!" "Only one thing each, or it's gonna be too much." " Don't be mean, mom." " Alright, 2 things, 3 things." " TEG, TEG!" "Please, bring the TEG" "Tiki-taka!" "If you need anything, ask Lucas, ok?" "Lucas!" "Come here." " How long has he been wetting the bed?" " Two days." "But don't tell him I told you." "Don't worry, I'll take care of him." " I'm gonna call as many times as I can." " But we can't answer!" "3 rings and I hang up, twice." "On the third call you can answer." " That's our secret code." " Bye!" "You pour the milk in this way." "See?" "And stir, and stir." "It's lumpy." "You can chew the lumps like this." " Chocolate!" " You can't have Nesquik." "You'll get tummy ache." "Oh, really?" "Ask me to help you out, then." "I can make some for you." "Your name's not Lucas, is it?" "No, it isn't." "Are you really Harry?" "Newfoundland to N.Y., 3." "Brazil to Sahara, 3." "Again, Brazil to Sahara, 3." " I take my own counters!" " Don't get pissed off." "Hurry." "Iran to China with 3." " Again?" " I'm winning." "Again, because I'm winning." "Iran to China with 3." "Again, with 3." "You... just 1." "That's "TEG"." "The world is divided into countries." "These are controlled by armies." "Each army is a different color." "For example, right now I'm the blue army." "The first one to control 30 countries wins." "But that's with 4 or 5 players." "With dad, I play one to one." "To live or die." "And I always die." "Taimir to Siberia with 3." " Let him win sometime." " Why?" "He'll win when he can!" "Not again!" " Morning." " Hi." "There's coffee in the fridge." "Mom makes gallons of coffee and then reheats it." " Thanks, I had some earlier when your folks left." " Are they gone?" " Where?" " I don't know." " What time are they coming back?" " They didn't say." "You know nothing!" "Is this yours?" "I know some magic, if you have some cards I'll teach you tricks." "Card games are for kids." "And magic is stupid!" "Houdini was an escapist, not a magician." "What he did, he did for real." "HOW LONG?" "HE RAN SEVERAL MILES A DAY" "HOUDINI HAD TO BE IN PERFECT PHYSICAL SHAPE" "HE COULD STAY UNDER WATER FOR FOUR MINUTES" "FOUR MINUTES!" "Let us pray." "Lord, let's pray so that this sacrament, received with joy in commemoration of St. Jerome encourages the hearts of the faithful." "Blessed be the name of the Lord." "Now and forever." "Our help cometh from the Lord." "Who created heaven and earth." "Let us stand." "In the name of the Father and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." "Amen." "Don't worry, they won't be in the records." "There'll be a report card, but no legal record or anything that could reach the Ministry." "Hey, don't be mad." "We don't want you to get behind, that's all." "You've missed enough." "But if you catch up, and when all this is over you'll be back in the same class at your old school." "Anyway, it's good to meet new people, make new friends..." "I don't need new friends." "I already have friends, but you don't let me see them!" " Good morning." " Good morning, father John." "Very kind of you." "I guess these clothes are a donation." "But, if you decide to claim for them you can do it personally at my office." "I'm here to introduce a new classmate." "This is not a Roman circus so please don't behave like lions." "This is Harold." "Welcome." " Daddy, what's this?" " It's like a greeting." "Evening." "How's it going?" " Have you eaten?" " No, nothing." "Join us." "How was your first day?" "I think I put my foot in it." "Hello, God!" "Bye, God!" " The teacher said I had nice hair." " Of course you do." "You wanna dance?" "Hey!" "Hey, where are you going?" "It's cold out." "Mom, come and join us." "Your breathing must always be regular always." "Regular." "Keep the pace!" "Come on!" " What's this?" " Are you okay?" "I don't know." "Yes." "Fine." "The key is to resist." "The fastest never wins." "The one that holds on does!" " Where did you learn to run this way?" " The less you know about me, the safer it'll be for you." " At least tell me if you always ran like this or if you learned." "All good things are learned." "We know some things since we're born." " But you gotta learn to do them well." " Really?" "Thinking." "That's one." " Swimming." " Breathing." "Moving, walking, running...!" "Feeling." " Speaking." " Laughing." " Looking." " Touching." "Playing." "Singing." " Come join us!" " You're nuts!" "Move it!" " State-owned or private?" " Sate-owned." " Which area?" " Wrong question." " City or suburbs?" " Neither." " Where are you from?" " Wrong question." " Come on, tell me." " Okay, La Plata, but..." " You got a dad?" " Yes, I have." " You got a mom?" " Yes, I have." " Then, what are you doing here?" " Wrong question." " You had an argument with your parents and ran away?" "No!" "Then, what are you doing here?" " I'm fighting to save the world." " Come on!" "See?" "You don't believe the truth." "Your parents threw you out after a fight?" "No!" "One leaves home after a fight or to get married." " That's old-fashioned!" " That's you!" "You think you're cool 'cause you have a girlfriend." " Who told you?" "I saw her!" "I saw her!" " Where?" " There's a photo in your wallet and I saw her tits!" "Oh, shit!" "Freedom, freedom...!" " He's drunk, isn't he?" " Completely." " What happened?" " What happened, love?" " He's pissed!" " We will make Will Cadory to spit." " Well what?" " We will make Will Cadory to spit." "Who's Will Cadory?" "We will swear with Glory to live!" " Why are you back so early?" " You scared me." "You should be at work." "I was fired from the lab." " Do you want your milk?" " Yes." "Let me prepare it." "When I grow up, I wanna be a saint." "I told you before, Simon Templar isn't a real saint." "What's this?" "Who are you?" "Get out!" "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "What will you do with us?" "Don't waste your time." "Perhaps he won't return." "The ship needs him." "Hello?" "Hello?" "Hello?" " Who is it?" " Some idiot." "How come you don't know the name of any classmate?" " They're all stupid." " No way!" " Is that too tight?" " Tighter." " Tighter?" " Tighter." " I'm making it tight." " Perfect." "Perfect." " I'll time you." " Stay on that side!" " On the other side?" " But don't look, okay?" "Let's see..." "If it's a minute, you're "Houdini"." "If it's 2, you're "Averagini"." "More than 3, you're "Louserini"." " Come on!" " Ready?" " Yes." " Go, go!" "Hey, if you shit on your pants, you're out." "Don't you have any friends?" "Of course I do." "When do you see them?" "Never." "Don't you ever feel like calling them?" "What if you call them?" "Would they tell you off?" "No." "Why?" "I'm a fugitive and I don't wanna put them in danger." "And the way things are..." "You're my only friend, now." "You're all I've got." "Well, you and your family." "Come on!" "You're 30 seconds away from losing." "Did you hear me?" "Sit up." "It was too tight, you could say so!" "Or do I have to teach you to speak as well?" "Give me your hand." "That's it." " Does it hurt?" " I can't feel anything." "Give me the other hand." "If it's too tight it cuts off your bloodstream." " Better?" " What if they don't come back?" "Mom and Dad, what if they don't come back?" " We got held up." " Are the kids asleep?" " Did they eat okay?" " We had to avoid the military check-out points." " Harry was a bit sick." "I'm here, sweetie." "Call me if you need me." "I know you're awake, you know, 'cause I gave you birth." "Of all my scientific experiments, which I did a lot you're the one that came out best." "I don't care if I'm talking nonsense or drooling your ear or if I sound like Bertuccio's mom." "My sweet, my darling little boy..." "Keep all the kisses." "I love you." "Dad didn't agree, as usual." "But I convinced him." "So we leave first thing Saturday and return Sunday night." "Yes!" "We're going to grandpa's birthday." "Yippee!" "We're going!" " Can Lucas come?" " I invited him but he's got stuff to do." " The oil's burning!" " Get out of my way, I'm in a hurry." " Let me help." " Okay, come here." "You gotta add some stock to the egg to make it tastier." " Where did you pick that up?" " Bertuccio's mom told me." " She's a genius." " What a concept of genius you've got!" "So it's the same:" "Einstein, Michelangelo and Bertuccio's mother who is a fat ass!" " She's not fat." " Move..." "She's always at home and she helps with his homework!" "Yes, but you never need help." "It's burning." "You finish frying them, okay?" "Be careful with the oil." "Any problems, ring Bertuccio's mom." " Are you serious?" " No, just kidding." "I was kidding!" " You gotta go?" " Yes." " Where?" " A meeting at work." " You were fired!" " They fired me from the lab." "But I still have stuff to do." " More important than us?" " No, never." "So stay here, then." "You can't ask me to do something wrong." "Not you." "You know, your dad's old now." "He won't be with you much longer." "If he gets on your nerves, take a deep breath and count to ten." "Do you do that every night?" "I wish she did." "But we hear you every night going "Ah, ah, ah..."" "Look at him." "He's been asleep the whole journey." "No, remember, he woke up in La Plata asking about vaccines." ""Daddy, daddy, do you have to be vaccinated to be a saint?"" "Look what he did!" " I almost strangled him!" " Don't give him hell, he hasn't wetted the bed today." "Well, I got up 3 times to take him to pee but it was worth it." " I got up once." " And me twice more!" " I can't believe it." " That's why he looks like a zombie." " Zombie!" "Happy birthday, grandpa!" "Thank you." "I see you still have that old heap!" "With two boys, it's the best car to have." "Happy birthday." "Open it!" "Open it!" "Oh, my favorites!" " Mom, are they chocolate?" " No, they're real." " Happy birthday, grandpa." " More gifts!" "Let's see." "I don't know if you want to please me or kill me?" "Whisky and cigars!" "You know when I last saw you?" " When?" " 6 months and 12 days ago." "It's not your fault." "...8, 9, 10." "And now?" "Do I start again?" "Take a deep breath." "First, second, third, fourth and reverse." "Again, but harder." " That's it, good." " First second, third fourth..." " Tell me, your friend from China?" " Japan!" " China, Japan..." "How is he doing?" " He changed school last year." " Really?" "What about... what's his name, Bertutti?" " Bertuccio!" " Bertuccio." "How's Bertuccio doing?" "Don't tell me he also changed school!" " No, I did." " Really?" "To a religious school run by a priest friend of dad's." "Since we've been going, my brother wants to be a saint." "We live in the suburbs." "Mom was fired from the lab." "Dad had to shut down his law office." "Some militars broke into it and destroyed everything, they seized Roberto, his partner." "Sometimes he works at home." "Before, he used to work in pubs but there were a lot of policemen around." "Promise me something." "Grandpa." "Grandpa." " Yes." " Don't fight." "Not this time." "If I'm not wrong, there should be one here." " What's that smell?" " Mothballs." "That's how things last for so long." "Here we go." "This one." "Let's see..." "I knew it would fit." "This is all like it always was, right?" "I mean, when dad was a kid." "Just the same." "Why didn't you change it?" " Into a playroom!" " For me?" "In a way, it is a playroom, the way it is." "It's my time machine." "Whenever I come to dust, I sit here and look around and remember things." "You miss him, don't you?" "You want to know if I go around weeping like a fool?" "No, I don't." "But I like to remember the good old times." "We gotta find a reed as thick as a finger, more or less." "Hollow it, then you can use it to breathe under water." " This one?" " No, as thick as my finger not yours." "If not, you can't breathe!" " But there aren't any that thick." " There are a lot, look." "All right." "Schools always need teachers." "That could be a temporary solution, at least." "Try and convince him." "If I do he won't listen." "If his dad does, hell's gonna burn." "You know how they are, two of a kind." "Come in, love." "We're also to blame." "Why?" "'Cause we taught him to take love, but not to give it." "They love each other whether fighting or playing tough." "You know what it's like to live with 3 brutes." "But then, when they grow up and can't fight any more..." "Nothing will change." "Someway, they'll fight differently." "You won't be like that, will you, dear?" "The situation's tough, dad, militars kill people every day." "We want to be together as much as we can." "Is it so hard to understand?" " Come on, pour." " It'll hurt." " You must see a doctor!" " Pour." "David Vincent is brave and doesn't cry." " Are you okay?" " Yes." "Poor bird, eh?" " Can I take one?" " Yes." "Here." "Then it's bath time, ok?" "All right." "See you up there." "No, wait." "Hang it round your neck." "Like that." " Press here, right?" " Yes." "This one to shoot and turn here to wind the film." " What are you doing?" " I'm taking a photo." "No, don't, really." "I hate photos." "You can take one of all this, or that duck..." " Who cares about the duck?" " Go on, take one, but not of me." "I always come out with a stupid grin on my face and you wonder, "What was this guy thinking about?"" "What are you thinking about now?" "That my son's a pain in the ass taking photos when I don't want." " Come on, dad, tell me." "That we should've come here more often." "And... why don't we stay?" "Because we can't." "Look at me." "Hey, look at me." "Look at me now." "Look at me now." "We can't, son." "We can't." "We can't." "Do you understand?" "Happy birthday to you." "Happy birthday to you." "Happy birthday, dear Grandpa  happy birthday to you." "Blow!" "Bravo!" "What a lot of smoke!" "Move together for a photo." "Cheer up a bit, please." " Grandpa's teaching me to drive." " I wanna learn, too." " Tell grandpa he's nuts." " He told me you'd say that." "He also told me to tell you that you learned to drive when you were younger than me." "That's better." "Sleep, little baby  your mommy's in the field." "Leave him, you big boy." "You'll wake him." "May I?" " Look, a shooting star!" " Where?" "There." "Didn't you see it?" "It's gone now." "It fell." "When your mom and dad were engaged we'd sit here after dinner, looking at the sky." "There were lots of Russian and US satellites and capsules then." "On a moonless night, you could see them." "We did once." "Mom and her satellite!" "It was a shooting star!" " It was a red light!" " No!" "Red was the wine you had." "What's a shooting star?" "If you stare at the sky without blinking you might see a star at 1000 mph." " Goodnight all." " See you tomorrow." " Come here, grandpa." " No, you're going to make me fall." "Careful, be careful." "Who's gonna get me up now?" " He will, he's the strongest in the family." " Stay there, grandpa." "If I get cold, not even a crane will get me out of here!" "They're called shooting stars but they are really meteorites or bits of rock..." " No, no science, please!" " Sure?" " Yeah." " I can't see anything." "You have to be patient." "If you see one, you can make a wish." " What have wishes to do with stars?" " Honestly I don't know but they always come true." "I made one once, right here." " And it came true." " Really?" "Whatever, but I'm sure it was a satellite." "For God's sake, mom!" " Look, another one!" " Where?" "There, look." "You're a liar, mom!" "Shooting stars are stones  that burn up when they get close to the atmosphere." "Mom was right about that." "For some reason  they are directly related to wishes." "Dad was right about this." "I watched and watched till my eyes burnt  but I didn't see anything." "That must be why my wish didn't come true." "Lucas!" "Lucas!" "Lucas!" "You're gonna knock me down." "What happened to the lights?" "A local blackout." "What's up?" "You got a minute?" "Give your mom a hand before it rains." "Come on!" "Dead toad!" "Dead toad!" "This isn't a hole." "It's an elevator." "We'll put it there so it can go straight to toads' heaven." "I'm gonna wash my hands." "I gotta go." "Now?" "You'll get soaking wet!" " Your dad's taking me to the station." " Can I go?" " No." " Why not?" "It's just a second." "It's late." "I waited just to say goodbye." "I'm going, Harry, this time for good." " Do you really have to go?" " Yes." "Why?" "Wrong question." "Is that it, then?" ""Bye", I turn and leave?" " Aren't we friends?" " Friends?" "What for?" "We'll never see each other again." " I left my orange T-shirt." " Go get it yourself." "Lucas!" "Lucas!" "If they ask, say I'm ill." " Mom's gonna be mad." " Say you don't know." "Say we went in together and you didn't see me again." "Okay?" "Go on, I'll meet you here." "Oh, I forgot." "Your comic." "Three requirements  distinguish the professional escapist from the amateur." "First, discipline." "The escapist knows his task is a daily one  arduous and restless." "A ticket to Buenos Aires." "Second, concentration." "The escapist must distinguish  the important from the superfluous." "The last requirement is courage." "The escapist needs it  to see his task through to the end." "Good morning." " Is Bertuccio in?" " No, he's not back." "He's at his aunt's." "That's a pity." " Tell him I called by." " Of course, dear." "Can I come by another day?" "Yes, but phone first." "The Houdini book tells a lot of things." "Where he was born, who his parents where  how he became famous  what his most difficult stunts were." "The only thing it doesn't tell  is how he managed to escape." "He's coming!" "Mom, Dad, he's coming!" "Mom, Dad, he's here!" "Mom, Dad, he's here!" "My little boy, my little boy." "That night we had a historic match." "Spain to Great Britain with 3." "With 2." "I immediately began to beat my dad." "I was beating him by far." "Brazil to Sahara with 3." "You move your counters, I'll move mine, okay?" "At the crucial point  I controlled forty-nine countries." "Forty-nine!" "And he had only one." "Siberia to Kamchatka with 3." "China to Kamchatka with 3." "Japan to Kamchatka with 3." "Wait!" "I'm regrouping!" " May I explain?" " Shut up and play!" "Add three." "Pass." "China to Kamchatka with 3." "This went on for hours." "Kamchatka versus the rest of the world." "But I couldn't beat him." "Kamchatka to Siberia, 3." "The following morning, Dad called for action." "Hurry up!" "Take him!" "Mom?" "What's wrong with dad?" "They also got Oscar." "What do we do now?" "Can I go to the toilet?" "Wait till dad finishes." "I can go with him, he's finished." " There you go." " Go out." " Are you there?" " Yes." "Did you see all the people out there eating?" "Do you think they were also called for action?" "Faster!" "Faster!" "PEDRO '75." "HARRY '76." "I need to know they'll be safe from all this shit." "Do you know what I fear?" "No, what?" "Never ever seeing them again." " What would you like?" " Coffee and milk." "Grandma is so happy about your coming!" "And the Little Guy?" "He's asleep in the car." "I think that if he wakes and you're gone, he'll be scared." "He's with mom." "I love you." "I'll wait by the van." "Be a good boy." "I love you very much." "And never forget..." "The last time I saw him  my dad spoke of Kamchatka." "This time I understood." "Whenever I played  dad was with me." "When the game got tough  I stayed with him and survived." "Because Kamchatka  is the place to be when you want to resist." "by Cachito"