"Hello!" "Can I help you?" "Do you have something to cover redness?" "Of course, what kind of redness?" "No problem, I've got what you need." "A cover stick." "Come here." "There you are: you just need to dab it lightly on the area." "Do you want me to do it?" "Oops.." "It hurts!" ".." "Hmmm You should go and buy a fillet in the basement." "A fillet?" " A fillet." "From the meat counter." "It'll make the swelling go down, it's the best thing when you've been punched." "Ah, but I haven't been punched!" "I got hit by a door!" "Hmm .. of course you did." "I've been hit in the face by doors before, when I was in love." "Even more reason to get the fillet." "Go on, you can pay for everything at the same counter." "Thanks" "Oooh - time to go already!" "So, Odette, it's the big day?" "So?" "It's the big day?" "Tell me ... how do I look?" "Really!" "How do I look?" "Honestly?" " Honestly!" "Like a mother-in-law!" "NO!" " Yes!" "Like a mother-in-law at a wedding." "OK Rudy..." "I'm staying here." "I'm not going!" "But you have to go!" " No!" "I'm not going." "You've taken a half-day's holiday!" "I'll tidy the house." "I've never got time to do it properly." "I've got loads to do ..." "Come on, it's the only time you'll see him!" "This afternoon, or never!" "You'll always regret it if you don't." "Voilà!" "Are you going too?" "Pardon?" "Nothing!" "Pardon?" "No no, nothing, sorry." "Speak up a bit please That side is my bad ear." "I was wondering if this is the right bus for Brussels." "Obviously!" "It's the bus for Brussels, It says so all over the place!" "Why?" "Am I on the wrong bus again?" "Oh no no, no no no!" "What?" "No!" "Everything's OK!" "Pardon?" " I said no: don't worry, everything's fine!" "Everything's fine!" "Hmm Everything's fine ..." "You poor thing!" "What do you know!" "Aaaah .." "Calm down, Odette." "Calm down!" "Is he here?" " Yes, yes ... over there" "IT's awful!" "I'm so impressed, I don't even dare go over." "Look, there he is!" "CAROLE..." "Voilà!" "Have a good day Carole!" "Gisèle.." "How much further is it?" "Another hour, at least." "I've definitely spent more time signing books than writing them, overall." "Oh, it's the biggest day of my life!" "Meeting Balthazar Balsan I don't believe it." "I've read all his books." "Everything!" "I loved them all!" "I've only read "Childhood Smile"" " Ah "Childhood Smile", what a lovely book!" "My favourite's "Budapest Sun"." ""Budapest Sun", sad!" "I prefer "The Sadness of Whales"" ""The Sadness of Whales"?" " Yes!" "My daughter bought it for me!" ""The Sadness of Whales"?" "That's not one of his!" "Yes it is!" "Ah no no no!" "I've read everything by him but I've never read "The Sadness of Whales"." "Well, I have!" "Are you going to get him to sign it?" " Yes" "Let's see!" "Ah!" "Like I said, it's by Doris Dormann." "You see, look at the cover." "Oh .." "I could have sworn!" "I new he'd never written anything called "The Sadness of Whales"" "Besides, he would never have called a book "The Sadness of Whales"." "Doris Dormann.." "Ah.." "Perhaps it's one of his pseudonyms!" "Yes, and I'm Queen Fabiola." ".. off we go .." "Incredible!" "No men, it's all women!" "Why do you think I write?" ".. yes, I imagine he's very pleased .." "as am I, of course.." "( .. oh yeah?" "yes, of course .. )" "Dear Mr Balsan, I don't just admire your books, I must say they saved my life." "If I hadn't read them ..." "So I'm queuing up for nothing!" "Just ask him to sign his new one." "His new one?" "What's it called?" ""The Silence of the Plain"" "Is it any good?" "Of course, you can never go wrong with a book by Balthazar Balsan!" ""The Silcence of Pleasure "" " OF THE PLAIN!" "Of the Plain?" "Oh." "I don't know if I'll like it." "Dear Mr Balsan... ( Thanks .. )" "Let's not be scared of words ..." "Who is it?" "It's your Belgian Press Officer." "Do you like her?" "Shall I introduce you?" " Hmmm" "Florence!" "Florence, this is Balthazar Balsan." "Hello" " Hello" "I'll be looking after you for two days." "I'm counting on it." "So, dear lady, what can I do for you?" "Did you bring a book?" "Would you like me to sign it for you?" "What's your name?" "Is it for you?" ".. Yes .." "So, what is your name?" "Your first name?" ".. Dette!" "Pardon?" "... DETTE!" "DETTE!" "NON!" ".." "DETTE!" "Are you ok?" "Can you believe it, a woman my age, who's too stupid even to say her own name?" "Voilà!" "You win!" "That woman is me!" "What is your name?" " Odette !" "Actually it's ..." "How are you Jesus?" "I'm ok!" "Ah.." "It's time!" "Ah no no, don't put on the TV!" "Yes, I want to see what they're going to say." "Olaf Pims, you wanted to talk to us about Balthazar Barlan's latest book" "Could you tell us whether it's true that it will be the last, that at least would be good news." "You seem critical, my dear Olaf" "Mr Théret, from a literary point of view, It's catastrophic!" "It's all quite worrying: the story, the characters, .. the style ..." "To show such lack of talent .. so consistently, so regularly, you could even call it a performance," "It's almost genius!" "If it were possible to die of boredom, I would have done so last night." "I feel even more awkward saying that, as I've met Balthazar Balsan at parties," "A polite, friendly man well ... a bit too much like a PE teacher but .." "but an individual, someone you can talk to!" "In fact, the sort of man a woman can divorce amicably!" "When it's so dependent on cliché, Mr Balsan, you shouldn't call it fiction!" "perhaps a Dictionary." "A dictionary of ready-made phrases." "This is what your book deserves:" "the bin ... and quick!" "Well then!" "How do you explain his success?" "The weak-minded are allowed their heros, too." "Hairdressers, check-out girls, concierges who collect cuddly toys from fairs photos of sunsets, have doubtless found their ideal author." "Well Odette!" "Doesn't say much for your taste in writers." "Ah.." "I spent the night with him!" "With who?" "Balthazar Balsan" "His latest book; it's great!" "Personally, I'd rather spend the night with, the writer than the book!" "I saw his picture!" "He's quite good looking." "No!" "I wouldn't sleep in the bath!" "Oh Nadine!" "And anyway, intellectuals .." "apparently they're nasty in bed." "Nasty?" " Imaginative, I mean." "Tell me, Nadine, didn't you say that one day you'd like to work somewhere else than the magazine aisle?" "Maybe!" "Because there's an opening ..." "Oh yeah?" "Where?" " Womens lingerie." "Bras?" " Yes!" "Bras." "Listen, Mr Dargent, it's really nice of you to think of me ... but I actually love my aisle!" "For example, look, here's Balthazar Balsan's new book, well, I read it last night." "That's great!" "I'm sure I'll be able to sell it easily." "Really?" "It's odd that no-one ever wants to work on the bra counter." "Mr Dargent.." "Do you know what happened to our colleague?" "Your colleague?" "RSI .. she preferred to leave the shop entirely." "RSI .. yikes .." "Exactly!" "They said that at Chernobyl as well." "While I'm breathing, I'm never going to the lingerie counter!" "Do you hear me?" "NEVER!" "Me neither!" "Listen, let's not be too dramatic." "If it wasn't dramatic, my editor wouldn't have got on a train at dawn to meet me here." "You need to give this guy a wacky image, quickly!" "You know very well I'm not like that ..." "I'm no good at polemic." "Well, that's exactly the problem:" "you're too nice, too friendly!" "Well, I'm not going to change, to make myself the same as them just to please them." "When we suffer, we can bite" "Well, no, actually!" "When I suffer, I don't want anything." "You're no picnic, are you!" "You're too sensitive Balthazar, too sensitive." "Really!" "Too delicate!" "If I wasn't delicate, how would I write?" "I'm not happy with myself." "Why?" "Because I couldn't tell Balthazar Balsan how important he is in my life." "I was caught short." "Rudy" "No, but you saw him in the flesh - that's great!" "That's true - he's got a nice arse ..." "You should write to him!" " eh?" "Yeah, write to Balthazar Balsan." " What?" "You don't think it's weird, writing to a writer?" "Why should it be weird?" "I don't know .." "Someone who writes badly writing to someone who writes well." "Well, there's such a thing as a bald hairdresser." "That one there!" "Dear Mr Balsan," "I never write, because, although I CAN write, I can't write poetry." "And I need poetry to explain to you the importance of your books in my life." "In fact, I owe you my life!" "Without you, I would have killed myself 20 times!" "I'm so stupid!" "Once would have done the trick." "What's for dinner?" "Seafood bake." " Yuk" "Paulo doesn't really like seafooed." "Well, you can make him something else, honey." "He's your boyfriend, not mine." "Well, actually, seafood bake will be ok." "He can eat what's put in front of him and that's the end of it." "I'm not his skivvy!" "I've only loved one man: my husband, Antoine." "He's still as handsome, slim and young." "It's incredible, he hasn't changed at all." "Of course, he's been dead for 10 years, that helps!" "I've never wanted to replace him." "That's my way of loving him forever." "Bloody stupid TV!" "Turn it off then, honey!" "No-one's forcing you to watch it." "How did your interviews go?" "Same as always" " What do you mean, same as always?" "I don't meet the required criteria." "Don't tell me you went dressed like that!" "Like a crate-packer!" "Sue-Ellen!" "Couldn't you put on something a bit more feminine?" "What are you insinuating?" "Shoud I pinch my brother's clothes?" "That'd make me more feminine!" "Hello girls!" "hi honey!" "Come here then!" "Come and say hello to your old Mum." "Hello" " Hello" "Alexander.. and that hell-hound over there, that's my sister - no need to say hello to her." "She's exactly like a dog, except she doesn't bite." "Thanks!" "That's really nice!" " You're welcome!" "Ok, Alexander and I are going to my room..." "we don't want to be disturbed." "No chance of that!" "No-one wants to see that horror show." "You should try it more often yourself, honey." "It might cheer you up." "I don't sleep with just anyone!" "No!" "You chose a real loser and stuck with him." "Get out of here poof!" "Sue-Ellen!" "Don't call your brother a poof!" "What!" "Everyone knows he's a poof!" "Yes, but there's no need to point it out." "Fuck!" "I want out of this house!" "I brought up my two kids by myself:" "Sue-Ellen and Rudy." "Rudy's ok, I think: he's a hairdresser, he makes a living." "He's sweet and happy." "He changes boyfriends a bit too regularly .." "But never mind!" "He's 19." "He's enjoying himself." "Sue-Ellen's a different matter." "She's moody." "She was born with her back up." "Even in her dreams, she moans." "She's going out with an idiot." "A monkey who builds scooters all day." "but who never brings home a penny." "He's lived with us for two years." "On top of that, he's got a problem:" "He stinks." "Oh Odette, I desperately need your magic touch." "We're going to One-Two-Two tonight and Philippe's thong has broken." "He refuses to wear another one when we go to a swinger's night because he thinks it brings us good luck." "Give it to me, I'll fix it." "Thanks!" " Thanks!" "Ok, I'm going to dominate him a bit." "You know, he's really strict with me, when he takes me to the swingers club because he always wants me to be at my best." "Starsky and Hutch Watch out!" "Frankly, before I met you, my life was quite dull." "Dull like a sunday in Charleroy, when the sky's grey." "Dull like a washing machine, which breaks down when you need it." "Dull like an empty bed." "I often felt like downing some sleeping pills to finish myself off." "Then one day, I read your books." "It was like opening the curtains, and letting in the light." "In your books, you show that in every life, even the most miserable, there's something to be joyful about, something to laugh about, something to love." "Hello - .. me ..." "You show that little poeple like me have some worth, too because even the smallest thing costs them more than others." "Oh!" "Thanks, that's really nice!" "Look ...." "Thanks to your books, I learnt to respect myself." "and to love myself a little." "To become the Odette Toulemonde that we know today." "A woman who opens her shutters happily every morning, and who closes them happily at night." "I should have had your books injected intravenously after the death of my Antoine, it would have been quicker." "When the day comes, you'll go to heaven," "And God will say to you:" ""There are lots of people who want to thank you for the good you did on Earth, Mr Balsan."" "And among those millions of people, will be Odette Toulemonde." "Odette Toulemonde, who couldn't wait for that moment." "Mum!" "Guess what Alexandre said?" "Balthazar Balsan will be in Namur tomorrow." "What?" " It's true, I saw it on the internet this morning." "Are you sure?" " Sure I'm sure!" "I wanted to go." "Balthazar Balsan's my favourite author." "What a lovely guy." "Come and sit next to me." "No, no, no, no - yes, yes, yes, yes" "No, no, no Mum!" "No meetings of the Balthazar Balsan fan club here." "Coffee?" " Thanks" "There are less people than usual, aren't there?" "They say only losers like Balthazar Balsan." "Hello!" " Hello" "Do you recognise me?" " Uh.." "Yes .." "So ..." "let's see ... was it last year?" "No, we've never met." "I was kidding." "I thought so, or I would have remembered." "So, who do I owe the pleasure?" "Toulemonde." "Odette Toulemonde." "Pardon?" " Toulemonde, that's my name." "No?" "Are you joking?" " Pardon?" "That's an unusual name!" "Not in my family." "So, could you please just put:" ""For Odette"." "Odette?" "Oui, there my parents didn't mess up .." "What?" "It's a beautiful name!" "Oh.." "You're joking!" "It's appalling!" " No!" "Yes!" " It's Proustian!" "Prou... ?" " Proustian!" ": "In Search of Lost Time"!" "Odette de Crécy, the young lady who Swann is in love with." "I only know puppies called Odette." "Puppies and me!" "Right, let's see" " It's true, just puppies!" "Besides, everyone forgets my first name." "So that we remember, perhaps I should .." "Put on a collar and get stroked." "There, that's for you, because when I speak to you, I talk rubbish, so I wanted to write to you." "Ah.." "Finally, a man among my readers!" "I didn't dare hope." "I hope I'm not hallucinating .." "Are you sure you're a man?" "Not really, no." " Ah .." "What name should I put?" " Alexandre." "Ah.. "Made in China, for Inno" We get the fans that we deserve, don't we?" "Have a good journey back to Paris!" "Listen, it's really unlucky for you!" "I've not got time to talk to you." "Either today, or tomorrow." "Besides, François's going on a skiing trip for two weeks tomorrow." "I'd like you to help him get his stuff together." "You won't be there tonight?" "I can't, I'm working." "I'll be dead when I get back at 4am." "Some Japanese are coming." "Japanese .." "Dolorès will make you something .." "As always." "As always!" "See you soon!" "We'll speak later!" "We do need to talk." "Perhaps we could meet in Japan." "François!" "François!" "Hello little man" " Hello Dad" "Have you been in a fight?" "No" "Why were you fighting?" ".. no reason!" "They said things I didn't like." "About you?" "About Mum?" "About me!" "You got in a fight because of me?" "I'm tired .." "Time to go ski-ing!" "Bye!" " Bye, sweetheart" "Have a good time!" "Wait, don't you want me to help you carry your things to the bus?" "No, I'd rather not!" " Let's try" "But it'll make me look like a baby." "OK, OK." "Have a good time on your trip, OK?" "Don't worry." "About what?" " Nothing!" "Right, have fun!" " Don't worry .." "Wait!" "Show me?" "François Moulin?" "Why not Balsan?" "I use Mum's name, that way I'm left in peace." "In peace?" "She agreed, you know!" "Right, bye Dad!" "Don't worry." "Sonia?" "Where's my wife?" "Yes, but where is she having lunch?" "I know she's turned off her mobile." "It's urgent!" "Well, look!" "Where?" "Chez Lipp?" "Thanks!" "You knew!" "Answer me!" "She's showing herself off chez Lipp!" "So you knew!" "Everyone in Paris knows!" "The whole of Paris understood what he meant the other day." "When he described you as a good guy" ""the kind of guy a woman can divorce amicably!"" "You're the only one who didn't get it!" "It's not so bad though!" "You're an old couple." "You've always been open-minded, and it's never stopped you having adventures." "More discreetly!" "More discreetly, it's true but, well .." "And not with my wife's worst enemy!" "That means it's not just about sex!" "that, that .. that means they" "that means ... that means ..." "she hates me!" "That means ..." "That means .. she doesn't respect me." "Don't stay there ... reverse ... come on ..." "Hang on!" "Want to have lunch with me?" "Willingly!" "Hello Bertille!" "Hello" "She's a miserable one!" "I get the hump just looking at her!" "She's always on anti-depressants" "Where does she work?" " In the toy department!" "Oh!" "Harsh ... the kids must have a real laugh, eh?" "This shop is ridiculous!" "No-one's in the right department." "You, who loves make up and never reads a book, they put in the bookshop." "I love to read and don't even wear powder, and they put me in make up." "And Josette, who weighs 5 stone soaking wet, they put in gardening, she has to carry pots, trees, bags of fertiliser," "And Fat Josie, who can't eat because of her diabetes they put in the bakery!" "She drools all day!" "Why'd they put you on the make up counter?" "Because I've got lovely skin!" "You HAVE got lovely skin!" "Mr Dargent told me they only put people on the make up counter who don't need to wear make up." "In case they turn up badly made up." "Sue-Ellen!" "What are you doing here?" "Well, I'm looking for a job, didn't you know?" "I didn't know you were coming here." "So?" "They agreed." "As a secretary?" "No, a sales-girl." "No!" "After all your studies .." "I want to take it, Mum." "Sue-Ellen!" "Eh?" "Which department?" ""Lingerie - bras"" "I KNEW it!" "There it is!" "I don't doubt it." "Look!" "What?" "Look at poor Betty, Who was forced to cover the job." "What about Betty ?" " What's she doing?" "She's waiting .." "What else?" "Well, she's touching her breasts." " Exactly!" "(Exactly!" ")" "She's confirming they're ok!" "She's scared!" "She's giving herself a breast exam!" "Working on the bra section gives you cancer." "Three dead already!" "And the others?" "Quick, she's fainting!" "You're not serious?" "Yes!" " Poor thing!" "She's got three kids!" "So everything's ok!" "Madame?" "Do you think one day Balthazar Balsan will reply to my letter?" "The other hand, Mum!" "How are you doing?" "Alexandre finished his training course .. he's gone home." "Ah!" "You're upset." "Well, that's what I thought until yesterday." "When the new trainee arrived." "He's called Olivier!" "He's huge and hairy!" "If you could see him Mum, he's fab!" "I thought you liked clean shaven, like Alexandre!" "Well, so did I ... but .." "Ooooh ..." "I should tell you off, shouldn't I?" "But I understand you so much better than I understand your sister!" "Am I bothering you?" "No, sweetheart, come here!" "Did you know Rudy does feet as well as hands?" "Really?" "Great!" " Thanks!" "But it's not very manly ... if you want my opinion?" ".." "Yeah, maybe you're right!" "Boys who paint their nails red are gross!" "But each to his own!" "You prefer Paulo's nails, and they're black!" "And don't try to deny it, I've seen them." "It's true, Paulo's not very clean, Sue-Ellen." "He's disgusting, it's true!" "But I didn't choose him for his nails." "Really?" "What DID you choose him for?" "You piss me off, the pair of you!" "Fuck off!" "Oooh!" "She's not defending him any more!" " We're making progress, Mum!" "I can't help you if you don't talk to me." "Mr Balsan!" "Why do you refuse to talk?" "Because ... because ... you're paid to do me good." "It's your job." "You don't love me" "I want someone to love me." "One day, when you get to heaven ..." "God will say to you:" "There are lots of people who want to thank you for the good you did on Earth, Mr Balsan." "And among those millions of people will be Odette Toulemonde." "Odette Toulemonde, who's too impatient to wait for that day." "Sugar cane, sugar cane, sugar cane" "My favourite desert" "The sugar cane from my home town." "Do you want some sugar cane?" "Sugar, you're nuts!" "It's better than banana" "You suck it in little pieces" "Take a bit, ladies" "You'll see, it's so intoxicating that your husbands, the greedy little pigs" "Will say "Give me some more!"" "Are you the one who wrote me the letter?" "I found you!" "I've only got one question but I'd like you to answer it." "Yes" "Do you love me?" "Yes!" "I ..." "I've whisked my egg-whites" "What?" "I've just whisked my egg whites And you know, egg whites.." "If you wait too long .. they ..." "Actually I've got another question.." "Yes" "Can I ask it?" "Yes" "Can I really?" " Yes yes!" "Can I stay with you a few days?" "Pardon?" "Answer yes or no." "Yes" "Quickly though, because you know, whisked egg whites won't wait." "Come in!" "Voilà.." "Excuse me." "Here!" "Come and sit down in the living room." "I'll finish whisking them and I'll sort you out after." "I'm coming" "It's never too late." "Ah.." "With a bit of elbow grease, maybe not ..." "We've never met, have we?" "Yes we have!" "Twice!" "Twice!" "Oh, I'm sorry." "No, it's not your fault,is it?" "It must be me, no-one ever remembers me." "Voilà!" "Are you always this energetic?" "Yes, thanks to you." "Are you ok?" "No!" "What's up?" "I need a break!" "I need to get away from my daily routine, because.." "I don't know where I belong anymore!" "Well there's no problems here, just remember you're at home!" "except with regard to the TV, perhaps!" "I don't have a TV at my house." "You don't have a TV?" "And you're on it so often!" "How odd!" "Hi!" "I'm Rudy." "Balthazar" "I know, I've heard a lot about you." "And I've heard a lot about you too." "About me?" "Yes!" "Tell me I'm dreaming." "He's staying here for a few days." "What?" " He needs a break." "A break" "OK, I need to go and get a bit more food ..." "Sorry" "What did you say in your letter?" "Madiana, a summer's happiness." "Madiana, happier every day" "Your heart is a fragile treasure." "Calm down Odette!" "Calm down." "I ..." "Samantha some kids have fallen over!" "40 kilomètres on the odometer, same as yesterday!" "Tell me sweetie, what do you give To Eddy to keep him in shape?" "Brains!" "Ah.." "How are you, Jesus?" "I'm OK." "They're good for the health!" "You're not eating?" "Mum, give him a break." "But you really aren't eating anything!" "Make an effort!" "But Mum, he's an intellectual, not an athlete" "Hmm ... it's good to be thin, but not scrawny." "What's on TV tonight?" "There's a Japanese film on ARTE" "It's badly translated!" "Where's he going to sleep?" "In my room!" "Yes, but then where will you sleep?" "She'll sleep in my room." "OK!" "Ooooh sorry!" "What are you doing?" "I'm a seamstress." "Pardon?" " A seamstress!" "I sew feathers on theatre costumes." "Les Folies Bergères, le Lido, le Casino de Paris.." "My Mum did that." "It's fun." "Not really, no ..." "But I need the extra money. what they pay at the department store ..." "Ah.." "Pass me the diamonds" "Not real ones?" "What do you think?" "Rudy, Rudy, Rudy !" " What?" "Sorry, can I ask you a favour?" "Well ..." "Can you lend me some pyjamas?" "Pyjamas?" " Yes" "I sleep naked!" "Ah.." "Hang on!" "Wait!" "I must have some somewhere." "From when I was about fifteen though ..." "OK, ok" "Odette!" "You'll never guess" "There's a star in the shop!" "Who?" "Balthazar Balsan!" "Oh yeah .. he's come to pick me up." "What?" "Must be boring hanging out with a depressive, no?" "No." "I wish I was so empty" "It's normal." "You're always giving, what do you get back?" "My wife's cheating on me." "What an idiot!" "But do you love her?" "that's so old-fashioned!" "What else is there?" "There's Pims!" "Pardon?" "Pims!" "What do you mean, Pims?" "I ask you a question and you say, Pims!" "Olaf Pims" "Olaf Pims, Olaf Pims..." "Wait.." "The Funeral Directors?" "No, the writer!" "I don't know him." "You don't know Olaf Pims, the critic?" "I don't know the name" "He writes for Rébellion and speaks on the TV" "He even made everyone believe he was going to get a Nobel Prize." "A Nobel Prize?" "Like Mother Teresa?" "What a woman!" "As ugly as sin but a beautiful heart." "So, this Olaf Pims, did he get the Nobel Peace Prize?" "No, he made it up ... and not the Nobel Peace Prize the Nobel Prize for Literature" "Oh!" "There's one for that too?" "Are you taking the piss?" "Not at all Odette." "It does me good to be with you." "Calm down Odette!" "Calm down!" "Hmmm, what were you saying?" "Errr ... nothing." "These are my grandparents." "That's my grandfather." "He was a stone mason." "Well - when he wasn't drinking." "A good man, though." "This guy's an arsehole!" "A real prick!" "I can't even read in bed, because it wakes him up when I turn the page!" "Do I make a scene when he farts?" "You should!" "Yeah, you're right!" "I should." "There you go, you've seen my whole life." "Doesn't take up much space, does it?" "Right, I'm going to bed." "Goodnight." "Oh!" "My feathers." "Would you like to receive the Nobel Prize for Literature?" "Of course!" "It's every writer's dream." "But I'll never get it." "Why not?" "How do you go about it?" "Where do you sign up?" "It's not as easy as that!" "Nonsense!" "We always think things are sooo complicated, when all it takes is a little ..." "I had a neighbour like that, Josy Beulins, who thought that nothing would ever happen to her" "And then, one day, she received an invitation for "Who Wants to Be a Millionaire"" "she won 4000 euros." "And look, I met you didn't I?" "How do you take part in this competition?" "A Swedish jury decides who is worthy." "Swedes?" "What a funny idea!" "They give the prize to writers who've already completed a life's work." "Well, there you go." "You're too young." "Until then, I'll give you the Nobel Prize for Literature!" ""Aah!" "Who will give me back my country" " Haiti."" ""Ouiiii !" "My only paradise" " Haiti."" ""Your beautiful forests remind me of God."" ""Your grand horizons"" ""Far from your shores, the most beautiful cage is a prison"" ""Ouiiii....."" "I've got stomach-ache!" "Alright, Jesus?" "I'm OK." "Oooh." "Poor you!" "The door again?" "OK." "First of all, put ice-cubes on the swollen area, next, put on a nude lipstick to cover" "Here you go!" "No. 103, Red Kiss, ok?" "Thanks for the advice" "Oh, advice" "But I've got another piece of advice for you!" "Go to the police!" "About the door?" "You can't stay with a door that treats you so badly." "Make a complaint!" "And then change doors!" "You're pretty enough to find another door who'll treat you better." "Thanks" "Here!" "That hasn't happened to me for ages, to have a man waiting for me." "So, what did you write?" "It's over Odette." "I'll never write again." "What's going on?" "I think I've got no more talent." "Of course you have!" "No!" "Yes!" "No!" "Balthazar, I'm telling you you've got talent." "But who are you, Odette?" "You're not a writer, or a critic, or a university professor ..." "You're exactly the sort of reader they mock me about:" "uncultured, uneducated with a nice collection of dolls and a picture of a sunset." "Olaf Pims is right, I'm an author for check-out girls and hairdressers." "I quit!" "You're not going to walk me home?" "I need to run for a bit longer." "OK" "Rudy, do you think my dolls are beautiful?" "Course, Mum, your dolls are lovely." "If I could afford famous paintings, I'd prefer those." "Although ..." "I didn't know you liked sports." "I never said I didn't." "Not intellectual enough." "Does it do you good?" "I bought you a ream of paper." "OK!" "Come on!" "Nose to the grindstone!" "Otherwise, if you don't work, you'll be lost in the dark and it'll change your character!" "Look at Sue Ellen, she's got no job and she's a misery-guts." "Do you want to be like Sue Ellen?" "( I can hear you, Mum!" ")" "Do you want to be like Sue Ellen?" "Right, OK, to work." "We'll laugh later." "You're lucky, you know!" "Odette's a pretty woman." "You're mistaken." "Odette and me, it's not what you think." "Don't take me for a fool, alright?" "Odette hasn't had a man in her house for years." "There's no harm in doing yourself good." "I understand that, you know?" "And if Odette said yes, I wouldn't say no!" "Mum sent me to tell you dinner's ready." "I'm coming." "So, Rudy?" "Are you interested?" "Do you want to have a go?" "No, I don't want to be a bodybuilder." "I eat beefsteak, I don't want to look like one." "Does Odette really like him as much as that?" "." "" With two notes .. "" "" I tell you I love you "" "" With three notes "" "" I give you my heart "" "" With four notes "" "" I say a bit more "" "" And with an octave "" "" I sing of happiness "" "Thanks" "Do you have a dream, Odette?" "Yes!" "To go to the seaside." "The mediterranean." "The mediterrannean?" "Why?" "We're by the sea here." "More discreet, more charming." "The North Sea!" "No" "What?" "No" "I'm sorry, no." "You don't like me." "You're so stupid!" "And?" "No, absolutely not!" "Antoine!" "The memory of Antoine!" "No!" "Sorry." "Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry" "I don't get it." "Sorry." "You don't want to beat yourself up, no!" "We won't say another word!" "sleep with me." "Well, Odette?" "What's going on?" "I had such a night!" "..." "I can't show my face, I'd scare children." "Why?" "Oooh" "Balthazar Balsan?" "Hmm" "Exactly!" "She told me." "She screwed him all night like a rabbit." "I don't believe it ..." "It's true!" "It's not always the ones that look it that are the biggest sluts." "Yeah, sure, you think you can say anything, don't you?" "Oh dear, sorry." "I don't know where my head is." "Yeah, of course!" "You're playing at rock stars with your sunglasss!" "You don't talk to us anymore!" "Since you started sleeping with famous people, It's like we're not good enough for you any more!" "Here!" "Give me that!" "Whatever!" "Go and get your ya yas in his arms!" "Balthazar?" "Rudy!" "I have to come back to France." "But I want to get a surprise for your Mum Will you help me?" "You're leaving?" "OK, so I know she wants to go to the seaside" "You can use this money to take her there, but don't whatever you do tell her it came from me." "Tell her you got a bonus or something, ok?" "" In Paris "" "" So far from home "" "" Yeah, long lonely months I've spent"" "" Like a lost soul "" "" I was looking in vain "" "" to forget my pain"" "" Now I know what I was "" "" Without love "" "" Without a single touch "" "Where were you?" "I was trying to recover." "Recover from what?" "Tell me." "Are there clichés in my books?" "Clichés?" "Answer me honestly." "No!" "There aren't any clichés in your books." "So why are there so many in my life, eh?" "Because I came from a Children's Home ..." "A Children's Home?" "I thought your parents were Ambassadors in the Middle East?" "I made that up!" "I never knew my parents, not even their names." "I went from foster home to foster home I had only one wish: to run away!" "For better or worse I chose better, and studied." "So at least whoever wants to succeed, can, Just like everyone says." "I chased money, power, notoriety." "Big flat in Paris, chalet in Megève, house in Saint-Tropez." "I gave myself a beautiful wife long-legged mistresses .." "Nothing but clichés!" "Balthazar!" "And none of them made me happy." "Someone else, maybe, but not me!" "Yeah, I wanted to live to other peoples' ideas of happiness, not mine!" "So, what makes you happy?" "Well that's just it!" "I don't know." "Are you sure you're not coming Paulo?" "No" "What are you going to do?" "He's going back to Valenciennes." "Valenciennes?" "Yes" "I'm not happy here." "I don't know where I am." "It's all over!" "There's no future for me in Charleroy!" "I'm going back to Valenciennes!" "Hip Hip Hip!" "Hurrah!" "What a bunch of idiots, this lot!" "A bunch of idiots!" "Papa!" "Oh, sorry, I missed you I wanted to see you." "Take me with you, I don't like it here." "I don't want to leave you again." "My poor François!" "You're just like me!" "Oh, hello!" "Hello Philippe!" "Er ..." "Isn't Odette here?" "No!" "They've gone to the seaside." "Odette didn't feel like it." "Where?" "Knock-Le-Zoute ?" "Non!" "You're made!" "Blieckenbleck!" "Blickenblake" "Blieckenbleck It's like Le Zoute, isn't it?" "Except cheaper!" "On the way Blieckenbleck!" "Blickenblake?" "Blieckenbleck!" "It's like Le Zoute, but cheaper!" "Don't you want me any more?" "You neither?" "I haven't really got anything to reproach you with." "Me neither!" "Ah..." "Right, I'll show you your room." "Just for once, I can play duchess." "Odette, I came back because my son needs to learn." "And I said to myself that here ... around you, he could learn lessons." "What kind of lessons?" "Happiness lessons." "Are you still giving them?" "But you're crying!" "No .." "I won't insist." "My Antoine was a plumber, and I always said to him, that men and women don't have the same waterworks." "Pardon?" "Yeah, because there are quiet waterworks, and others that make a lot of noise." "Ah .." "But I know that you men," "You have to get inside us to prove your affection." "Eh?" "That's your DIY side talking." "A bit invasive." "Ah..." "You'd think I was doing a report about gazelles in Mozambique." "I'm not starting again." "I don't want to sleep with you, because I won't live with you." "You're just passing through my life." "You came, you left." "And then I came back." "Yes, but you'll leave again." "And then your age .." "Paris, Charleroy.." "Money, no money.." "The game's up!" "We could pass by each other, but we mustn't meet again." "But I really need you." "I know." "Coucou !" "Wait a little while .." "Shhh!" "You'll see!" "It's in her blood!" "No, I can't resist!" "" Chiquita Madame de la Martinique "" "" Chiquita Madame de la Martinique "" "" Tell me why you're so ironic "" "" Chiquita madame de la Martinique "" "" Men smile at you to do their bidding "" "" The men round here dance really well "" "" But a lot of them want to kiss me, too "" "" And of all the guys from round here, I prefer "" "" My man from Martinique, who's waiting for me"" "" Oh Chiquita madame de la Martinique "" "" This guy must be very nice"" "" Chiquita madame cause he's got good taste "" "" The one who spends his life with you "" "" Chiquita madame because he's got good taste "" "" The one who spends his life with you "" "" The one who spends his life with you "" "Why Joséphine Baker?" "Why not?" "I'm black on the inside." "Balthazar hmm" "I'm not in love with you!" "Ah ..." "No, I'm not in love with you." "I love you." "That's much more important!" "What's going on?" "No idea." "Perhaps I'm in love ..." "Go on, say you are!" "Faster, faster!" "Yes!" "François!" "Come in!" "You're all we need" "Before you tell me off, listen!" "Balthazar Balsan gave me a lot through his books." "I never thought I could give back what he's given me until, by a bizarre coincidence, he came to stay with me a few weeks ago." "He'll have to go back to Paris soon, because at his age and notoriety he can't start his life again in Charleroy." "Odette, you could have warned me." "But he's too scared to go home." "Firstly, because he's ashamed but mostly because he's scared." "Scared of what?" "Scared of you." "Why?" "Because you no longer admire him enough!" "You should be proud of your husband." "He makes thousands of people happy." "In the grand scheme, there are check-out girls, and secretaries and little employees like me." "Bu he makes us passionate, he surprises us." "Us, who don't read much, who aren't cultivated like you." "You see, Olaf Pims, maybe he writes great books too" "But I need a dictionary and several packets of aspirin to understand what he's talking about." "And you, Mr Editor!" "You should be defending your author against the people in Paris who disparage him, who make him miserable." "When we have the chance to be around such treasures, we look after them!" "Or we change jobs!" "Right?" "A cake!" "It's home made!" "You think he doesn't love you?" "that he doesn't love you any more ..." "At the very least, I noticed one thing," "He's always got your photo with him." "He cheated on me so much!" "Ah.." "If you think any man doesn't have his dalliances .." "If you think heshouldn't be sniffing around other women, it's not a man you want, it's a dog!" "And you'd still need to chain him to his kennel!" "My Antoine, who I loved so much, and who I still love just as much 20 years later," "It wouldn't surprise me if he hadn't had a few adventures, too!" "Prettier, different, or just with a different smell." "Mais, c'est dans mes bras, qu'il est mort." "When he was in my arms, looking at me." "That's what I'll always treasure." "Right then!" "Balthazar Balsan is only passing through my life." "He's coming back in your direction!" "I only renovated him a bit, got him back in shape." "I made him laugh, I made him smile, because men like that, so kind, so generous, so clumsy, you can't let them drown!" "I'll be going back to Charleroy, to the shop, in a couple of days." "I want my masterwork to get lost." "We're going for a walk!" "How are you Jesus?" "Not great, but I'll be ok!" "Are you still with Olaf Pims?" "No, he's a tosser!" "Intolerable!" "Why?" "To punish you!" "To punish me!" "I don't know if my fairy godmother was right to get us back together." "Me neither!" "OK, bye!" "Oh, I forgot, I made some sandwiches for the trip, just in case .." "Prawn sandwiches?" "Exactly, prawn sandwiches!" "Wait!" "Aah.." "How are you Jesus?" "I'm looking for a tune!" "Me too!" "Hey!" "Mum!" "Did you notice how you'd got your colour back after 10 days?" "Hmm" "Who brought Dad's photo?" "Balthazar!" "Balthazar's here?" "Balthazar!" "Balthazar!" "That's it!" "(Go on!" ") That's it, she wants to see you!" "Go on, quick!" "Thanks!" "Why two bouquets?" "One from me and one from Antoine." "Antoine?" "We've become great friends, Antoine and me." "He accepted me." "He believes I love you enough to have his respect." "When you changed your mind, he told me he was a bit quick to celebrate." "He thought you were coming to join him." "Then he was annoyed with himself for being so selfish." "You've reassured him that you and the kids are ok, that you're getting better," "What else did he say to you?" "You won't like it!" "Tell me" "He said it was a secret." "He doesn't want my opinion?" "Antoine?" "Non!" "He pretends you're stubborn." "I told him I agreed." "Sold!" "This'll be my office" "I'll go to Paris a lot, but I'll write here." "I was waiting for you, I ..." "I'll be back." "You're the only one who can make me happy or unhappy." "You're my adventure!" "My new book!" "Is it finished?" "It's dedicated to you." "The happiness of others." "Everyone looks for happiness where they're least likely to find it, without asking themselves why." "To find it, you have first to know yourself and, above all, to forgive yourself." "I want to make you happy." "I never thought I'd hear that again." "A man whose sole idea is to make me happy." "Calm down Odette." "Calm down!"