"CITIES AND LOVE" "Robustiano, I'm here." "Good morning, Sr." "How's it going?" "Any news?" "None..." "Should I fix you some 'mate'?" "Ok." "I bought the cookies you like." "All right!" "And my uncle?" "Your uncle is outside, in the garden..." "I'm here to pick up more books." "It would be good to keep an eye on Augusto." "Would you like me to work as a buffer?" "No, no." "You'll be my bell." "I mean, just in case he comes over." "Oh..." "You like that." "Right?" " I'm running late." " Come on kids!" "Come on!" "Hurry school is waiting." "Come on, cheer up!" "Come on..." "Daddy is waiting." " Can I skip school?" " No, no skipping." "Skipping class he asks?" "Give me that ball." "Bye." "Bye..." "I'll call you later." "Elisa, sweetheart..." "It's me..." "I'm desperate..." "Call me!" " Mum..." " Juana it's you, how are you?" "I need to ask you for a favour." "Again?" "I'm broke, Mum..." "Juana, we've talked about this." "But Mum, why won't you help me?" "When will you come see us?" "We'll send you a ticket." "We want to see you." "Soon, I'll let you know." "Say hi to Dad." "Where?" "Too late!" "You are a nerd!" "Bye..." " Hello..." " Don't slam..." "Honey..." "No." "Not again I'm so sorry." "It's Ok..." "Hello there!" "Should I help you build it again?" "No, no..." " Any news?" " No." "You bought the red shoes?" "Mh." "I don't know if they were worth it." " I love them!" " I do too, then." "I'll take you out to dinner To "La Huella"." "You'll love it." "What time are you done?" "I don't know, just come get me." "Shh..." "Ok." "Come pick me up whenever you want." "What would Peter do without us?" "I sell him the books and you build the shelves." "Can you help me." "Pass me those drawings..." "I don't want to forget anything." "What's the receiver doing off the hook?" "No idea." " Bye." " Bye." " Elisa." " No." "Who is calling?" "Hello, my darling." " Hello Peter." " Anything wrong?" " Mmm, I'm fine." " Are you sure?" " Yeah, I'm fine." " I'm good too." "Where you waiting for me?" "Let me show you." "This way..." "This bookshelf belonged to my family." "It used to have glass panes if we could find them and close it up to put the first editions, the rare books in there." "What do you think?" "I don't know." "We'd agreed that I was going to connect these antique shelves." " Ok, what do you drink?" " A coke." " Diet?" "No." "CARLOS MIGUEL RAVILA LITERATURE NOBEL PRIZE" " How do you feel?" " I'm very surprised and honored." "Thanks." "I'm a psychic." "If they asked me who would win the Nobel I would've said Ravila." "The man did it right." "He's so bright." "So great!" "He left years ago." "He wouldn't have an editor here, he'd work under a candle light." "He would write a literary magazine, what a genious." "Hello..." "Hello!" "Damn it!" "Don't you like the decoration?" " No." " What's wrong?" "The bad taste." "How can they spend money in such horrible things." "It can't help a good digestion." "It never seemed so horrible to me." " Was it bad with Peter?" " He's cheap." "He's got a family to sustain things aren't easy." "I'd say he's careful." "Do you think this guys would like me to decorate for them?" "I don't know." "But surely they're happy with what they have..." "Why would they change it?" "You're right." "Why?" " Do you love me?" " And that?" "I want to know." "Here?" "Can't I tell you at home?" "No." "Yes, yes." "I love you." " What was that?" " I love you." "Do you know anyone in Paris?" "Me?" "In Paris?" "No." "00331 is Paris, isn't it?" "Yes, I know somebody." "How did you meet him?" "Because he lived here and moved there." "I don't really know if I know somebody in Paris." "I don't know if it counts." "If the guy lives in Paris at the moment, it counts." "Who said it's a guy?" "Whatever." "A guy, a girl, someone who..." "How's the house wine?" "It's really good." "Who's the one that calls and hangs up?" " You're nervous." " No." "Not at all." "I wanna spend a nice evening with you just the two of us." "It annoys me that you don't like the place." "I like it." "There's no one else." "Just you and I." "I swear." "Don't think anything strange." "I don't think." "Only I wouldn't like to be three and not knowing." "I wouldn't like it either." "We agree on that then?" "Honey." "Finally..." "Ah, it's you." "Why finally?" "Did you get my messages?" "Why do you call and hung up?" "I wanna talk to you." "Are you that busy?" "Yes... no." "Who cares?" "Nathalie left." "What do you mean she left?" "I can't find her anywhere." "Did you look for her?" "At home, yes." "She abandoned me." "Do you mean she left for ever?" "When?" "I woke up and she was gone." "She took everything." "Did anything happen?" "Did you fight?" "No." "We stayed up till late, had several whiskies." "We laughed." "She looked happy..." "We laughed like fools." "Did you take anything to sleep?" "My pills as usual." "But I didn't hear anything." "I'm baffled." "Did you call the hospitals, the police..." "You forget I just won the Nobel prize." "My face is on every street." "They've turned me into a happy face me who hates the idea of happiness." "I feel worst than followed by the Interpol." "It's true." "I have to congratulate you." "Just come over..." "Why don't you?" "Because you live far away." "Too far." "You know I hate planes." "I don't have a penny." "Makes me panic..." "It's an emergency, for God's sake!" "We haven't seen each other for five years." "They're buzzing me." "It must be Sebastian." "Who's he?" "No keys?" "Good." "Yes, he has." "He forgot them." " Hello." " Hi." "How are you?" " What can I get you?" " Nothing." "Are you the owner?" "Yeah, sometimes." " Could you give me five minutes?" " Sure." "The ticket is here." "How did you do it?" "It's for this afternoon, the only flight all week." "I've nothing more to say." "I won't beg you." "Do whatever you want." "I'm a millionaire Now, anyway." "I'm not promising anything, dad." "I thought you might need a waitress or a cleaning lady, I can run errons." "Or the bookshop, maybe." "Well, that's gonna take a while." "It's all pay and no flow makes." "Sorry, I guess..." "I can't help you." "Is everything fine?" " Do you want a coffee?" " No, thanks." "I'm fine." "I just need a job." "What do you do?" "I'm an artist." "I paint." "You could bring some of your paintings here..." "Maybe they sell." "What kind of..." "I do portraits." "I used to paint potatoes." "Well, potatoes..." "But doing portraits of the clients that could be a good idea." "I'll charge you a small percentage, free meals..." "What do you think?" "I'll think about it." "I'm quite shy I don't know, but thanks." " What's your name?" " Juana." " I'm Peter." " Hi again." "Hey!" "Hey, sweety!" "What's wrong?" "!" " Hi." " Hello." " How much are those?" " Seven pesos." " And these ones?" " Four pesos." "Aren't you staying for lunch?" "I'll ask Robustiano to fix us a nice risotto." "I can't stay, but I'll be back soon." " I'll walk you to the door." " No, your birds claim you back..." "I'm in a hurry." "In a hurry?" "You think I can't keep up with you." " Afternoon, Peter." " Hey, what's up?" "Any news?" "There's two books missing from the collection you brought me." "Number 17 and 23." "How strange..." "Are you sure?" "They are missing." "What have you got there?" " It can't be..." "It's impossible." "Show me what you brought." "A special gift for Elisa from Augusto." "Three autographed books by Ravila." "Let me see!" "Ravila." "But Elisa doesn't read Ravila." "They're not for reading." "They're a life insurance." "You know, the prize." "Honey, guess who's home?" "Goodbye." "Thanks." "I'm sick of the maudits poets." "I dreamnt they were unmercily stabbing the popular poets." "I realised I'd to separate them." "I've feared their bad intentions for months." "Now I think I'll better get rid of them." "I haven't achieved on taming them in all these years." "Let them go away to some other library." "Welcome sweetheart." "Hi Dad." "You look exhausted." "And that cane?" "They want to cut it off." "What are you talking about?" "Getting old is horrible." "A clot." "A little infamous ball that filtered in who knows when." "It's worst thanit seems." "Take a look." "Look..." "This little shit, just how you see it can leave me without my precious right leg." "I don't want to talk about the misery of a poor writer." "Pour me another whisky." "Take one for you." "Why don't we have breakfast?" "I need a coffee." "You're pretty." "You're very pretty." "Give me a hug." "So, this Nathalie..." "Don't you think that maybe she was just trying to avoid the divorce papers?" "I wasn't planning on giving her anything." "That's why." "She took everything she believed belonged to her." "A percentage for putting up with you." "I wrote my books without her." "I bought my paintings with my own sweat." "Hours breaking my back and squeezing my brain." "The carpets we bought with your mother 30 years ago." "Pity mum didn't take them." "Your mother never wanted anything." "Didn't she?" "The first years she wouldn't mention you." "Later, little by little you became that "french man"." "That man who writes." "Why did you marry?" "I told you not to do it." "Ah, what for?" "What for?" "You get marry to sleep with someone." "To make love..." "To share life." "How foolish of me." "You can have all that without papers." "But you wanted the legal office." "A woman wants to be the wife of, not the whatever." "But you got married so many times." "So many." "What are we gonna do?" "What do you want me to do?" "I haven't left the house for days." "Once, I didn't get out for two weeks." "That's not good, right?" "I've got interviews, very formal matters." "Oh... it's true." "Congratulations." "I can't do anything by myself." "I don't feel like moving." "What's wrong?" "She humiliated me in the most cruel manner." "No explanations at all." "I don't get what I did wrong." "I never realised she was lying to me." "She always lied and I trust her blindly." "A liar, a swindler a bitch." " She poisoned me!" " Don't take it so far." "How do you think she managed to take the things?" "My books, my paintings, my 'mate' collection." "She doped me, she could've killed me!" "Ok, I'm here." "Calm down." "Yes, you came." "Listen..." "First, you'll take a shower." "Little by little everything will be fine." "I don't know where I left my cigars?" "Hi, I see you're doing better." " It's that me?" " Yes." "I look better in the drawing." "How do you feel?" "Better." "We did all kinds of tests on you." "But you haven't got anything." "You should see a psychiatrist." "I won't let you go till you get an appointment." "In the meantime, these pills will help you sleep." "Ok?" "Take this blister and I'll see you in a week." "We'll take it from there." "Are you hungry?" "What's up kids?" "No school today?" "It's Saturday." "And Elisa?" "She sleeps." "She gets so frightened by planes." " Where's your dad?" " He's back there with mom." " Where?" " Over there." "Hello." "We haven't see you in a while." " Where's Elisa?" " She sleeps." "But..." "Don't stand still." "Could you help us out?" "I'll be right back." " Honey, she didn't pay." " She's broke." "I think you never tried to understand me." "I can tell you this." "Since you were born I think about you every single day." "Parents and children we spend the time we have together trying to separate." "To drift away." "We don't get to know each other." "It's a tragedy." "We know so many people, and we look at each other without knowing who we are." "Death arrives implacably and who says we'II see each other again." "You can't die." "Don't even think about it." "You have too many things to do." "Interviews..." "Make it to the ceremony and with a great speech." " How much time have I got?" " I don't know, dad." "How did I met Nathalie?" "She fooled me from the start." "She made me believe that she knew who I was." "And I let her." "But it was obvious she didn't know." "I let her lie to me." "I regret it." "She kept on doing it and I wouldn't say... anything." "She never read any of my books." "Like I." "Like you, and many others." "Does it bother you?" "I guess..." "I don't know." "No 'I guesses'." "Does it hurt you that your daughter has never read any of your books?" "We go back to the same." "You didn't want to know about me or know my work." "Maybe I was afraid of not being able to go all the way." "Your books are huge, long and complicated." "Plus their in french, I need a lot of concentration." "I have always been disperse." " They're not difficult." " For you." "I know you would've liked to have a more intelligent and capable daughter." "As much as I'd have liked a father without so many lights in his head." "Lights burn out, anyway." "They have infinite short circuits." "But I was given them and I tried to keep them lit." "I couldn't play the fool." ""The asshole"." "I learned how to decode." "You were given other things." "Yes." "Laziness, bad marks." "Wanting to do a thousand things at a time and not doing any." " That has nothing to do." " Yes it does." " Stop Elisa." "You expected something else from me." "Elisa, I was wrong." "The hell with books." "Don't play dumb with me." " Holy shit!" " What's wrong?" "How didn't I think about it earlier." "Come on, hurry!" "Let's go home." "Do you need to pee?" "Among other things..." "Come on, run!" "Run sweetheart!" "Faster, faster!" "My head spins around..." "More, more!" "At full gallop!" "Let's go!" "My butt hurts, darling." " Who is it?" " Sebastian, your neighbour." "A moment, please." " Hey." " Sorry I live up here with Elisa." " Do you know her?" " I do." " Have you seen her?" " She left with a suitcase." "So she left you?" "Yes... no." "I don't know." "Well..." "I'm glad you're not mute." " What?" " Whatever..." "You took me to the hospital?" "Yes, you passed out at my feet..." "I got you those flowers." "They're cute." "Thanks a lot." "Your welcome." "I'll go, you surely want to go back to the bathtub." "Have you got hot water?" "Yes, sure..." "Haven't you?" "No, but cold water cleans the same." "You're right..." "I'll go." "When did you get out of the hospital?" "A while ago." "So, you couldn't have seen Elisa." "You're right." "Well, I'll go now." "If you need a cup of sugar, hot water." "Just call me." "I'll bring it over." " Bye." " Bye." "Why did you hide her passport?" "Was she your prisoner?" "What use was it?" "None." "You're crazy." "You can't do that." " You don't do that." " And what she did?" "I've been a fool." "It makes me feel ashamed." "What was going on here?" "Tell me dad." "Nathalie, after all was an unknown." "I never knew about her more than she wanted to tell." "But I didn't care." "I only wanted her to stay with me." "Her joy awakened me." "Before I met her I went through a very strange period." "How should I explain it?" "I was frightened." "The days shortened up and the nights were endless." "The darkness..." "I buzzed her at daybreak." "I needed to talk to someone." "Love between a man and a woman is something that I still don't understand." "I'll leave without knowing." "I tried but you see." "Pepa is mad at me." "What's wrong with her now?" "I spend the whole day calling her but she won't reply." "She doesn't want to be disturbed." "Like one I know that won't pick up the phone." "Calling and calling." " I fixed some snacks." " Oh, thanks Robustiano." "Lunch will be ready in 30 minutes." " Here you go Sr." " Oh, thanks." "Things are going well with you fiancee?" "I don't know if she's my girlfriend." "But she wants to meet you." "Finally, bring her over for tea." "I'll tell her when I see her." "Let me know, so I fix something nice." " Does she like birds?" " She prefers croissants..." "I got to go." "I'm in a hurry." "Already?" "But you just got here." "Take care." "How did you meet her?" " How..." "Elisa?" " Yes, Elisa." "She heard I had to move and offered me a spare room." "It seemed like a good deal." " And?" " We went to her house." "Her spare room was a sofa shared toilet and kitchen." "And you stay anyway." "The offer was quite good..." "Just sharing expenses that save me the whole rent." "I see..." "The next day we had breakfast together." "But I don't know her much." "I don't know what the hell she is doing in Paris." "Or if she'll come back." "I don't know she didn't say." "I wanna meet her." "We run into each other but we never talk." "Is she your wife or not?" "I told you already." "Once I don't know if I should tell you this." "Go on." "I wasn't doing well." "Felt very down." "My toilet got a little on fire." "A towel fell over a candle caught on fire." "I didn't know what to do..." "I was screaming desperately." "Elisa got in with a fire extinguisher she put out the fire." "She walked in and saved me." "After that she never said hello to me again." "I thought we might become friends." "She avoids me." "Looks at me as if I were crazy." "I might be, right?" "Hi baby." "I had to travel." "An emergency." "Is not what you think." "I'm in Paris." "I'm fine." "It's very late." "I thought I'd find you." "I miss you." "We'll talk soon." "I hope you're not mad." "Tomorrow, I have to go to the hospital." "I see you all right." " Thanks, but don't make me stop going." " I didn't mean to." "Is not my favourite thing but I better go anyway." "Thanks for the dinner and the ride." "You look very pretty." "I haven't heard that for a while." "It feels good." "Do you wanna come in?" "Uhh..." "No." "It's a little late." "I don't wanna be a bore." "My fridge is empty anyway..." "Elisa left you with all the bills?" "What?" "I don't get it." "I wanted to know if she left her part of the money." " You're too curious." " Come on tell me." "You're beautiful, you know?" "And you talk a lot." "I though you were mute." "Since you never say hi." "I was depressed." "I'm a bit seesaw." "I haven't ride one for years." "For the present time results are positive." "You have to take this medication for the blood to liquate and this little nothing to dissolve." "No alcohol, no smoking." "Strict diet." "If possible don't walk too much." "Rest your leg." "It's not good for it to hurt." "Doctor, what hurts is to hear you speak." "Do you want to Order the coffin yet?" "Next week we'll repeat the tests." "What I want is to save that leg." "It's yours." "Give me a wooden one." "But let me live." "Your life is amazing." "When are you receiving The Prize?" " Hello." " Hi." " What are you doing?" " Nothing." "How are you?" " I went to the hospital." " How did it go?" "I want to paint." "Would you pose for me?" " Naked?" " Why do you laugh?" "Actually neither naked nor dressed." "It's not funny." "I'm very impatient." "I can't stay still." "What's up Juana?" "Weird things." "And you?" "Where are you?" "Juana?" "Juana?" "Juana?" "It's my deepest wish there'll always be books and readers even in a world that will go on without me." "Good morning Peter!" "Good morning." "What's that outfit?" "What?" "Don't I look pretty?" " I don't know." " You didn't expect it, uh?" "I'm undercover." "You recognized me at once?" " Mhh." "No" " So you like it?" " It's a bit funny." "Is it funny or attractive?" "I don't know." "It's funny." "Ah, Peter." "You don't get it." "I'll take your offer to work here." "I'm happy." "I can't see time to get home." "We should have brought the chair." "The great convertible." "I like to walk it makes me feel good." "If your tired you can go to sleep." "I'll eat by myself." "I'm hungry." "I can't sleep with an empty stomach." "I didn't say I wasn't hungry." "You're in a bad mood." "You couldn't talk to the child?" " Are you gonna make fun..." "You're right." "Sebastian." "No, I couldn't." "Now they disconnected the phone." "I'm sure the dummy didn't pay the bill." "Maybe all the phones are down." "Don't they usually cut the power off?" " But I talked to Peter my friend, your admirer." "I'm not calm." "It makes me nervous." "Did you leave many messages?" " No, why?" " Nothing." "I just wanted to measure your real impatience." "Take it easy." "You've got me." "You've got me." "Not the same thing at all." "Instead of fighting let me tell you this." "I'm very happy that you're by my side." "I want you to buy the best dress for that night." "I want you to feel elegant." "Sparkling like the best champagne." "It'll be unforgettable." "Thanks to you." "I'll take you to dinner." "You can take me on a piggy back ride afterwards." "Good idea." "So?" "Did you see how my outfit works?" "What works is how well you draw." "You're nuts." "But I like you." " Thanks boss." " Your welcome." " What's for lunch?" " Pumpkin ravioli." "Is Sebastian coming?" "You never know with him." "Is something going on between you two?" "I don't talk about my life with my boss." "You're right." "It's just that Elisa called looking for him." "She doesn't know if he paid the bills." " She was a bit angry." " Is she coming back?" "Nobody knows what she is doing in Paris." "But I'd say it's a man, a great love." "It'd be nice to have a great love in Paris." "I never had a boy that truly loved me." "You're too young." "Do you think that's the reason why?" "I think he likes the girl next door." "A crazy painter." "One day she almost set the whole building on fire." "I had to knock the door down to save her." "Afterwards she never even said thank you." "She has portraits of us all around." "She spies on us, makes me nervous." " It's very weird." " How do you know that he likes her?" "He didn't tell me but I know." "Does he know where you are?" "No." "I left without telling him." "It's fun to have him think that I have a lover in Paris." "Nobody knows I'm your daughter." "So you deny my existence." "It hurts." "Why?" "The guts you have." "You forgot already?" "I spent the whole night waiting for you." "And the next day..." "the whole week." "She was no longer your wife but she was my mother." "My mum." "You should have come." "Yeah, your right." "It was years ago." "So what last name do you use?" "Granny's." "What would mummy say if she saw me dressed up like a penguin." "Receiving such prestigious prize from the vikings." "She loved parties." "Hey." "What are you doing here?" " Where you've been?" " What's up?" "Don't ask me what's up with that tone." "I've been up all night for you." "You didn't show up all day, what the hell..." "You gotta change the tone!" "Either you're or you're not." "You get out of my bed goodbye?" "Whom did you sleep with last night?" "Don't fuck with me!" "Take it easy." "Nothing's happened." "Calm down..." "Why are you so upset?" " I don't get you!" " Nothing's happened." "I wanna see you smile." "Beep the horn." "Which floor was it?" "I don't recall it Sr." "My little girl." "I finally meet you." "Sebastian promised me you'd come for some tea with me." " Really?" "You're as pretty or more than I imagined." " Where's my nephew?" " He went out." "I'll come up for some tea, all right?" "Oh, please." "Come on in." "This way, please." "I have to go get a parrot that comes from the north." "It's a very special species." "I wanted to ask Sebastian to come with me." "You can come too." "Thank you." " Where does it arrive at?" " At the airport." "He comes by plane." "So you're a painter." "Your boyfriend didn't mention it." "He's not my boyfriend." " Isn't he?" " No." "We're seeing." " What's there to see?" " My paintings?" "I'd love to." "Well... these" "Darling, there's too much paint on the air." "Don't you get headaches?" "You should move your studio to a place with a garden." " Are you married?" " No." "I never did..." "I'm an old happy bachelor." "A very happy one." "Robus, can you get me a side table." "Right away." "Miss." "Robustiano, if you don't mind." "Thanks, Robustiano." "It looks good, doesn't it?" "Incredible." "I want to see my nephew's face when he sees your new studio." "Thank you very much." "It's been too long since I'd felt this good." "Thank you." " That's too tight." " Wait." "There you go..." "Better?" "I feel like I'm gonna screw it up." "And too much whisky might slip my tongue." "Listen..." "Come on." "You're so handsome." "Your penguin." "You look beautiful, my darling." "You'll make me lose my head, dear." "Would you grant me this piece?" "Here..." "I'm despicable." "I never asked you about you, your job." "Yes." "We talked about Sebastian and the crazy neighbour." " What's he like?" " He talks in the movies." " No, no way." " In a loud voice." "He's good looking and young." "He has no troubles." "He sells special books." " Like first editions?" " Exactly." "I love him..." "So, are you happy?" "Your speech is going great." "You look handsome and dressed up for the ceremony." "Time slips away." "And I live locked up with my phantoms." "I'm so selfish, a failure." "Dad, you can't help it." "Plus it's late to change it." "Even to avoid it..." "I hope it's not late for you to love me anyway." "You know..." "I remember when mum and I got that terrible flew." "You stayed up day and night taking care of us." "And you took me to school so many times." "Look what I found in the sanctuary." ""Lettres de mon moulin."" "You read it to me." ""She felt lost..." "It's sad." "It's literature." "I know that when I was very little you loved me very much, with unconditional love." "Though I don't remember..." "I know it." "I always loved you." "Always..." "Me too." "I feel even happier to be accompanied by my only daughter, Elisa." "Myself yet standing on my two legs at an age when my parents were already dead." "This acceptance made a writer of myself a craft that forced me to battle unrestlesstly between shadows and lights." "They begged me to be concise." "So concise I'll be." "Good bye." "Limoges... 1918." "Dad..." "Dad..." "Dad!" "Oh, Dad..." "Dad." "Hello..." "Emergency?" "An ambulance, please." "Fast, right now." "It's an emergency!" "149 De Ternes Ave." "Mr. Ravila..." "Yes." "Dad..." "Oh, dad." "Dad." "Please don't fall asleep." "Don't sleep dad..." "Help is on it's way..." "Don't fall asleep..." "Your turn dad." " Hit me." " There you go." "What's Elisa doing on TV?" "She went to Paris." "Sophie, come here." "Call Sebastian." "Nobel prize deceased..." "His daughter gives him the last goodbye." " Obey dad." " Dad is your turn." "Call Sebastian, I said!" "Where do you want me to call him?"