"This building will be torn down." "Tenant Helena Sulander." "Electricity disconnected November 13th, a month ago." "Confirmed vacant." "I have a surprise for you." "I can't make it." " You'll just have to." "I'm not some beast." "What names do I give them?" "The bottle for a couple of months, then potatoes or... whatever you happen to have." "Finland has severed its ties with Germany." "All German troops must leave by 15 September." "The Finnish Government must denounce Germany as an ally." "Mother's gone." "Why are you so far away?" "Why are you so far away, my love?" "A pint." "And a beer for her Dad." "Before the war at the Käkisalmi market..." "Don't you remember?" " I don't know that one." "Yes you do!" "All you have to do is sing - and they'll give Dad a beer." "Yes you do." " I don't." "I don't want to." "Why are you so far away, my love..." "Vladimir and Ilyich." " Vladimir and Ilyich?" "Yes, precisely." " But they're girls." "That makes no difference." "They're named after my idol." "For the kingdom, the power and the glory - are yours now and forever." "Irene..." "Helena..." "Amen." "Irene and Helena..." "Like a cow shitting in water." "Vladimir and Ilyich is who they are." "Stop fucking following me." "You're beautiful." "Are you two asleep?" "Aunt." " How did you know?" "The long hair." "You." "How did you know?" "Finns and the Finnish Government salute Stalin's deathbed..." "Comrade Stalin is dead." "STALIN DIED ON 5 MARCH 1953" "STALIN'S ACHIEVEMENTS ARE ETERNAL" "Your mother couldn't share this sorrow with me either." "Dance, girl." "Oh, little Ilyich..." "You poor thing..." "You go ahead and dance too." "Even crows sing." "But your hair needs washing." "I'm putting them in school." " What for?" "What good would that do?" "None at all." "Leave that be." " Don't you start with me." "A sauna attendant at Kaarle's, on the men's side..." "Sits there like a king." "Could see the Lord in all his glory" "If one day I A poor wanderer on Earth" "Could see the Lord in all his glory" "These go back to the Workers' Theater in the morning." "The girls will be dancing in these in a fairy operetta." "Stop that, on a day like this." "Let her dance." "What does a child know." "This one's wet her bed again." "Shall I wake her?" " We'll sort it out in the morning." "Have a look at this." "Her sister's taken to mothering her." " Since they don't have a mother." "Come on." "Shit!" "Go to your mother's arms." "Take off the dresses so we can have a look." "I like this one." " And the other?" "No good." "They'll take you both, the directress will make them." "You can call uncle Ramon father when there're people around." "It's simpler that way." "He doesn't speak Finnish so he won't himself... and so on." "Which of you is which?" "I'm Vladimir and that's Ilyich." "Guess what my mother has done?" "Is this your daughter?" " No." "She says she is." "Mother!" " Don't do that." "Mother!" " They'll take you home." "I fucking hate you!" "That's not what I want." "Try to understand." "I'll take you home." " That's not what I want." "Try to understand." "Sausages and tomatoes." "That's enough!" "Come here." "You can do it!" "Higher!" "Higher!" "Irene!" " I'm not Irene." "I don't care who you are." "Do it, or you'll get no food." "First, raise your hands." "Second, let go when I say "now"." "Do it, Irene!" "There's nothing to be afraid of." "Third, remember that we'll all go hungry unless you do it!" "Do it, Irene." "Then Helena can have some." "I'm not Irene." "Then Helena won't get any food either." "Let go, bastard!" "Let the fuck go!" "What's wrong with her? "Now!"" "Fuck you!" "You're gonna ruin the day for all of us!" "Let go now!" "Let go!" "I'll beat you up!" " Vladimir!" "Bravo!" "I'm sorry." "Three years." " I can't do it anymore." "Read this." "Good evening." " Good evening." "Add some tomatoes." " Mom said they must be cut lengthwise." "That's for salads." "Little wings..." "These wings will take her far one day." "Do you believe that?" "You mustn't be jealous..." "It's ugly." "I used to be jealous of those more talented than I was." "But then I realized there are two kinds of people:" "Those who are talented..." "and those who serve them." "There was Egress, a Greek pianist - who thought the gods' strength surged through him when he..." "Well, you understand..." "Then there was Heinz, who made an art of the thing." "Forgive me for talking like this but it's so thrilling to be around talent." "It's wonderful." "A steady hand..." "It's wonderful." "A sharp ear..." "A keen vision..." "It's wonderful." "But talented people are so nervous." "Terribly nervous and suspicious." "All the time drinking themselves to death - or hanging themselves or jumping under trains." "You always have to support them." "Heinz, Jorgos and Ramon, too and Irene." "Support and support." "You and I are the supporters." "That's our lot." "It's a wonderful lot." "Let's support one another then." "My sweet guardian angel, don't leave me night or day." "You." " How did you know?" "What's that?" " Don't!" "Don't!" "Mom!" "Your wig!" "Next, Ramon!" "And the star of our circus:" "Irene, the White Sparrow!" "He loves science that solves all our problems." "Except for her problem." "She doesn't want to get well." "There's nothing wrong with her legs." "Drink this, dear." "It'll do you good." "Vladimir." "Vladimir." "Helena, your sister had bad luck." "Don't think about it." "You can do it, if you want to." "Let go but don't forget the feet." "One, two, three..." "Are you gonna make us wait all day?" "Damn the woman who gave birth to you!" "Let go, don't be afraid." "You have the net and all." "One, two, three!" "Helena!" "Fuck!" "I'm gonna kill you!" "You're an idiot!" "What the hell?" "I'll teach you a lesson!" "You're both idiots, you and your daughter!" "You're both stupid!" "I'll kill you!" "Let go!" "You bastard!" "Let go!" "Calm down, you Spanish prick!" "This is a civilized circus." "Russians go home!" "We don't need any commies!" "A free Hungary!" "We don't need Stalin!" "Come with me, girl." "Have a cigarette." "Goodbye!" "Take care of her!" "Money!" "You owe me 13 pennies, ma'am." "Where's my money?" "Money, "bitte"." "Fuck yourself, "bitte"." "Tickets, please!" "Do you have tobacco?" "You neither?" "Now it's just the two of us." "We have to stick together now, no one's going to help us." "As if we were one person, you and me." "One will, but two eyes." "Two ears and two hands - which obey that single will." "But just one mouth." "The mouth is a selfish and dirty hole in a human being." "What's wrong?" "Are you cold?" "Have some tea." "What's wrong, little one?" "Oh, you're dancing!" "How nice!" "Beautiful..." "But she's sick." " What's wrong with her?" "She's depressed." " Depression?" "That's no good, no good at all." "It'll pass, I'm sure it will." "I'm hungry." "I've got to go borrow some food." "I got some candles." " I'm hungry." "They'll bring some." "They want us to perform for them." "Why are you so far away..." "There's no need to sing." "Don't!" "Don't you want me to?" "The rivers of Eastern Finland?" " Lijoki, Kalajoki, Oulujoki..." "Those are western Finnish rivers." "The Heinävesi watercourse?" "I can't remember." "They won't ask that." "You've got to know, or you'll be put in school." "I won't go." " Me neither." "His name's Arvo." "The Circus Sulander!" "Fantastico!" "Magnifico!" "Irene!" "Irene!" "Irene!" "Get out!" "It was nothing, really..." "There, I said it." "If I sometimes use a man..." " Just be quiet." "It's purely biological." "I mean..." " Shut up!" "You spread this everywhere." "That's the trick." "Then there's nothing to worry about." "Look at the poor, staring at us." "It's so pretty..." "And so frivoulous..." "That's what pisses them off." "See to it..." " What?" "That she stays alive." "Generally, and so on." "She drinks from this when she thinks we're asleep." "Shall we open it?" "Father?" "Ramon, he's not our dad." ""Sirkka..."" ""I love you." "Heinz."" "It's him." "No, it isn't." "Mom says it's not him." "It's him." "You look like Dad." "So do you." "Around the eyes." "This is Dad's belt." "Sirkka!" "Yes, dear?" "My darling!" "She doesn't talk like that." "Try again." "I can't..." "You think of something." "Let's fuck." "What?" "She must've given in the minute she saw this character." "Sirkka!" "I'll take you to Bohemia." "Sirkka..." "Come on." "Okay, we fuck." "But first, give me money." "I got two little girls and I'm on my own." "We can fuck..." "But you've gotta pay." "I'm mother of the both of you." "Don't you forget that." "Don't go." "It'll kill Mom." "You're going to finish school." "How many years will that take?" "You'll skip a year or two, that's nothing for you." "You've inherited your mother's quick mind..." "And your grandmother's guts." "And from your father, nothing." "Nothing at all, I hope." "And off to the university or whatever they're called." "I'll get a job tomorrow." "A cashier or even a toilet attendant..." "It's all the same..." "Let's leave all this shit behind." "They won't take me anymore." "Though who's to say?" "You're beautiful." " Am I?" "I guess not." "I'm starting to show my age." "But it's the same for everybody." "Life..." "But I'm young..." "For my age." "Beautiful, I mean." "I was beautiful once." "Didn't even need a mirror." "I saw it anyway in others' eyes." "And how they looked at me..." "How they looked at me." "That's a talent as well - to look so good that others have to look at you." "I guess you haven't been looked at that way." " I guess not." "They knew how to court me..." "the men." "All the flowers and chocolates and stockings and sweet talk..." "What was in it for me?" "Women enviously looking on." "That was half the pleasure, even more." "But what was in it for me?" "Nothing at all..." "I suckled a viper at my breast." "The men are one thing..." "But my own daughter..." "I fed her..." "Me as a toilet attendant!" "Don't even think about it." "Don't even dream about it." "I'll..." "No, I'll go." "No horse stays out of the arena when the trumpet blows." "No way." "I'll perform again." "Be honest with me now." "You're beautiful." "Good God, when I think of how they said that to me..." "And who said it." "And how." "I heard it in so many languages..." "Good God, when I think about it." "No way!" "Never!" "Forgive me..." "Will you forgive me?" "You know..." "You." "No, me." "Extracted and Adapted by i0n@KaraGarga"