"¤ HOW TO PULL A WHALE'S TOOTH ¤" "Vasek, why is there a scarf around the whale's neck?" "Because she's got a toothache!" "What's up, boys?" "Don't you want me to give you a lift?" "Yes!" "You know him?" "Of course." "He's my daddy!" "And which one?" "A spare one." "That's impossible." "My mom says that every primo man is already married." "A man can be found." "Well, just like my mom!" "I just wore a tie, introduced myself as a minister,... we had steaks, Pilsner beer, and now we're friends." "When I grow up, I'll also deliver milk!" "I'll also work like my dad." "A climber!" "You are already here?" "Yes." "I'll examine the exercise books at home,... he'll get new pajamas... and make him turn the lights off at 8." "And Carla, no chocolate!" "Aniczka, and what about dinner?" "I'm going to make it by myself." "Vasek!" "Vasíczek!" "I know that you're at home." "Wow!" "Somebody washed the dishes here." "Somebody probably wants an ice cream as a reward." "My darling!" "So where is my nice little boy?" "Boo!" "What's that?" "It's a dog." "What did you promise to me?" "That you'll leave all the strange dogs alone." "It's not a strange dog." "It's Arnold!" "He's able to get the dust out of the duster." "Oh please..." "He followed me home." "Can I keep him?" "And who would take care of him?" "You'll take him to Valenta's in the evening?" "And at night Carla will go with him, won't she?" "If my dad was here, neither me nor the dog would have to go to Valenta's." "You just determined you're going to make me upset." "Didn't you promise to me that you wouldn't talk about it?" "I'd also like to have a friend." "You'll get a dog." "A nicer one." "But when you are older." "He's nice." "He is friends with children." "He catches the second league." "Who?" "The dog?" "No." "His master." "He's primo." "A goalkeeper." "Please, what are you talking about?" "Which goalkeeper?" "Our school caretaker." "You're definitely going to like him!" "Why would I be supposed to like him?" "Because he's not married." "Listen to me: you'll return that dog immediately and I don't want to hear a word about marriage." "Damn it, I'm going to have a bruise again!" "Paris is a boor." "But Julie should be gentle." "But it wasn't Paris, but that idiot Romeo." "Thanks." "On Sunday again." "The third time this month." "When troupe from Warsaw comes, you're going to have holiday for a whole week!" "And what about rehearsals?" "Don't you really want to go somewhere to have a dinner?" "Vasek decided that we need somebody at home." "How so?" "You explained it to him." "I thought it was over." "It was." "Until his friend's mother got remarried." "Vasek's going to get over it." "When he's older, he'll have another problems." "What if he doesn't get over it?" "I hope you're not going to blame yourself." "After four years." "You can't let Vasek talk about your private business." "I've already forbidden him to talk about marriage." "That's right." "It's even worse." "Yesterday he put the third bowl with a toothbrush on the shell in a bathroom." "You overreact to everything." "I'll wait for you, shouldn't I?" "I told you: it's not possible." "Vasek is at Valenta's?" "No, Carla is at our place." "The last you had free time was 10 days ago." "If you want to, come upstairs." "You are really able to make it easier for me..." "I have some free time next Sunday." "We'll go to the cinema to watch funnies." "Do you want to?" "Or you can invite Standa over and you can play with cars." "Standa can't come now." "Now he drives around with his new daddy with milk." "He's got rabbits!" "And also a new grandpa." "Mommy..." "I'd also like a grandpa." "At least one." "Tell me rather, where you were yesterday when you pulled your trousers apart." "I was tracking." "A dog again?" "No, a sports teacher." "Vasek?" "!" "I'm detective Colombo." "He's not married!" "You know what, Colombo?" "I'll really give you a few slaps!" "I'd take it." "It's worth it if we become three again!" "Look, Vasík." "If you put away your toothbrush by yourself and you ask for something reasonable, I'll give it to you, all right?" "Come on." "All right." "You'll take me to the mountains." "On these holidays." "Couldn't you wish something better?" "What about seaside in summer?" "Why don't you ever want to go to the mountains?" "Because dad was a climber?" "Because the theater doesn't have a winter holiday." "You'll make them, then." "You will arrange it?" "Of course!" "And how, please?" "Look!" "You're my darling!" "Can you ski?" "I'm not allowed to ski." "What if I broke a leg?" "Eat!" "We'll talk about it later." "Don't be afraid, Mommy." "I won't get killed like my dad." "Everybody's going to the mountains!" "All the boys have dads, but I don't have even a dog!" ""My mommy."" "So, children." "Before we start writing, we'll think about a mommy." "What's she like, what she does, what she looks like... ~ And what if both of them come?" "~ Doesn't matter, there were six of them in our place." "~ At one moment?" "!" "~ No, one after another." "Benda, Martinec." "Put your exercise books on the table, you'll take an exercise paper and you'll rewrite the essay after the lessons." "Please, comrade teacher, I can't do it today." "I have to cook dinner." "Vasek, don't clown around." "Sit down!" "Talk, children, how is your mommy?" "Nice." "Nice eyes." "Curly-haired." "Truthful." "Vasek!" "I'm already writing it!" "One, two, one, two,...and step...one, two,...one, two, three...one, two, three, four..." "Spartacus is the greatest man of antiquity and the role of Friga is a great chance for you." "It's getting dark, they are both free." "Get ready." "And go." "Everything is in the music, so listen to it." "You are happy." "This is useless..." "I can't work like this!" "I got up at 6 o'clock." "How many opportunities do you think you are going to have?" "You're going to be a retired before someone writes another ballet!" "Everybody can arrange it." "~ Everybody else has a grandma." "~ What about your mother?" "You know her." "She thinks that if she left for a few days, the hospital would collapse." "So you want to leave...?" "That week in February, when the school holidays are, I don't have performances, I thought that if you let me, I'd..." "After what I told you?" "I'm make up all the rehearsals." "I'm nearly always at home." "I can't stand the boy!" "That's out of the question." "You're not going anywhere!" "¤ Radio reports on climbers on Mount Everest ¤" "Oh my God!" "Leave it alone, please." "The steaks were supposed to be for Sunday." "Go wash yourself." "I wonder that you can listen to it..." "You bought a beer?" "I'm asking you, why did you buy the beer?" "I thought he would come." "Who?" "The Minister." "Aniczka?" "You should go." "You know what, Carla?" "Vasek can take the TV to his room." "There's Chaplin at 19:30." "I don't want Chaplin." "I want you to be at home!" "Just like a normal mom..." "To make Vasek to be the main class cleaner is just like making a goat the head gardener." "But this week he was better." "He really cleaned up the classroom and in addition he was helping the school caretaker and sports teacher." "I thought he'd done something wrong when you called me at the theater." "We wrote an essay yesterday." "Please, don't tell Vasek that I let you read it." "He's a mug. "Mommy is going to get married." Such nonsense!" "Do you know what's the best about children?" "That they can see the world how it's supposed to be." "And their world is mainly a harmonic home." "And what would you do, if you were me, Mrs. Teacher?" "I would at least think about it, Mommy." "You'll have to let me go to the mountains." "You'd have to resign from the theater." "I can also break up with you." "Mommy!" "Mommy's here." "You usually don't even speak to me..." "Guess who came to have dinner with us?" "~ Girl, what made your hair curl?" "~ You scared me!" "If it didn't involve us, we could just laugh at the Vasek's ideas." "It was really funny to make steaks for school caretaker..." "Are you going somewhere this evening?" "To theater." "Why don't you call me?" "If I don't have night shift, I'll be able to wait here with Vasek until 11." "And in the evening you'll have to travel through the whole of Prague." "And what about Jindrich?" "If he had children, I wouldn't say a word." "But in this situation..." "Do you think this is a life, Anna?" "He likes me." "Then why doesn't he finally get divorced?" "Please, let it be." "All right then." "I'll talk to Jindrich by myself." "You've never meddled." "I'm not going to humiliate myself." "You behave just like life hasn't taught you enough." "How long do you want to handle it by yourself?" "It's hard with you, Anna." "When I told you in that situation a baby shouldn't be born, you didn't talk to me for a half year." "You did it your way." "You didn't know what you were facing." "Talk to Jindrich." "You'll rescue yourself only if you get married." "You can always give me advice." "But you can't help me and take Vasek to the mountains." "I've already told you that mothers with children will get a holiday in that school holidays week." "Then I have bad luck, since I don't work as a surgery nurse." "I'll have a couple of days free." "I'll take Vasek to my place." "No, that wouldn't help." "All the people in the house know me, somebody could tell Vasek something..." "Someday Vasek will know it anyway." "How long are you going to hide it from him?" "Many children live just with a mother." "Aren't there many failed marriages?" "But you're not divorced..." "Come in, little dog, come in." "Don't be afraid." "This is my mommy." "Send that calf away immediately!" "Mommy!" "What about me?" "Mommy, why was uncle Jindrich at the train station with a flower?" "He came to tell me not to break a leg." "You like him?" "A lot." "But it's also going to cost a lot of money." "I meant Jindrich." "Why are you talking about that again?" "I don't like him." "I'd know some better guys." "Vasek, I'm warning you." "I took you here with one condition --- that you'll stop finding me a groom." "You can rely on me." "Daddy, Daddy, I can't find ski poles!" "Then buy a medicine against sclerosis." "Thank you." "Mrs. Bendová, you have telegram here." "Here." "I need to call Prague." "Quickly." "And a second call at 7 pm." "All right." "Vasek!" "You're not to leave the terrace until I come back!" "Of course!" "Attention!" "I'm going!" "Out of the way!" "Attention!" "I'm going!" "Stupid boy!" "If I were your dad, I would beat your buttocks that you wouldn't be able to sit for a week!" "~ Are you OK?" "~ Yes." "~ What about your legs?" "~ Tangled." "Stand up then." "~ Where are you from?" "~ From the Snow White lodge!" "From the Snow White lodge?" "Hm." "I'm really happy." "With who are you here?" "Why are you looking at me?" "With who are you here?" "With Mom, of course!" "Take your skis --- and go." "Hey, sir, are you married?" "Vasek, Vasíczek, come quickly!" "This sweater really suits you, you're very nice in it." "Why aren't you wearing pajamas?" "Am I supposed to go to the dinner in pajamas?" "No." "We are going to have dinner here." "Mom, Mommy, I want to go to a bar." "At least for an ice cream." "No, you have a lot of sins today and I've ordered a call." "Mommy, I arranged something." "He's going to wait there for me." "Who?" "One of my friends." "I'll return in a while." "And you --- stay in the room, do you understand?" "Anna." "Oh wow, you grew up!" "Even though you're still so petit." "You don't remember me." "~ I..." "~ Don't you remember?" "~ I'm waiting here." "~ Ma'am, your call." "I'm sorry." "No, the telegram wasn't sent by Jindrich, but by the theater." "Mommy..." "Please, come and stay at least those two days." "I can't tell Vasek that we've just arrived and we have to go straight home again." "I'm going to return on Thursday." "It's not important, who's sick." "There's just change in the theater." "We can't do anything then." "~ How much is it?" "~ One moment." "I'll ask the post office." "How many years since we haven't seen each other?" "You're here on holiday?" "Or as an instructor again?" "I've been here for seven years." "Here?" "Here I have a date with one boy." "With a boy?" "I even don't know his name." "I promised him to have an ice cream with him in the evening and now I've met you here!" "You're better and better." "Instead of a drink, you invite boys for ice cream?" "But he's really small." "You haven't seen such boy yet." "He told me his mommy loves dancing and if I wanted, he could take her with him." "Please, why are you telling me?" "Well, you asked me what I was doing here." "Maybe we'll meet again." "Definitely." "So don't delay, yourself." "Don't make him wait in the bar." "He isn't waiting in a bar." "He's there." "Vasek!" "Come here!" "You have a primo boy." "He's wild." "What is this?" "That's a jacket." "Say goodbye and go to bed." "Goodbye." "Bye." "Prague." "Who wanted to pay the Prague?" "I'll pay it." "Mommy!" "Mommy!" "Open up!" "I didn't tell him anything!" "Really!" "Mommy!" "Open up!" "Vasek, you are going to worry me to death." "What did you tell him?" "Only number of our room." "And you invited him, didn't you?" "Yes, I wanted you to look at him." "What?" "If we liked him, then we could be friends with him." "That's all." "Pack your stuff up." "We're going home." "Tomorrow." "Mountain Rescue." "No." "He's on the hill." "What are you doing here?" "I came for help." "What happened?" "Mommy forbade me to tell the guy." "About what?" "That we're going home today." "She promises we'll return, but we won't be back." "I know her!" "You finally called." "How is it on the hill?" "If mom knew that I'm under someone's control..." "Avalanche situation?" "I'll take care of myself, anyway." "I'll sweep, I'll do laundry." "When it's warmer, when it's warmer." "Warn these locations immediately." "Please, sir, let me stay here." "I'm made for the mountains." "So you want to work here?" "For how long?" "Two days." "Until Mom comes back." "Who's that boy?" "Well, he's such a Dopey from Snow White, isn't he?" "You make jokes and there's blocked snow plow in Labský Dùl." "I've been aware of that for a half hour now." "Call Karel." "I'll be there." "And what about me?" "You know what?" "A real man never begs." "If it helps you, you can leave the boy here." "Vasek?" "You have more boys?" "It's hard for him." "He's just come and he has to go back to the town." "Well, he'll get over it." "There are things, which no woman can understand." "Simply --- I'll take care of Vasek for those two days." "I don't understand why." "We haven't opportunity to talk yet." "I'll be sure that you're going to come back." "You would be able to take care of a child?" "You can rely on me!" "I'm not so sure." "Vasek, we'll go to Rokytnice for ski poles." "And we'll take Mom to the train station." "Vasek, you're really going to let me go by myself?" "You've already said I could." "Don't worry." "Lubos rescues people from avalanches!" "What do you mean --- Lubos?" "It's always Mr. Richman for you!" "Mommy doesn't know that we've been already friends for two hours." "Vasek is coming with me!" "You have a great seat by the window." "Don't worry, I took care of the whole thing." "I'll die from fear anyway." "That would be a pity." "Mommy is prima." "She's already back to normal." "Bye." "How did you figure out that I'm a climber?" "I'm Detective Colombo." "You have crampons in your cabin." "You know what they are?" "~ Of course!" "~ What?" "Metal boots for climbing." "Look, where you are throwing the snow!" "And what is Chomolungma?" "Mount Everest." "Hillary and Tenzing were the first people there." "And which mountain over 8,000 meters high was first visited by people?" "Annapurna." "And where were the most dead people?" "Nanga Parbat." "And who was the first up there?" "Hermann Buhl." "He's my second favorite." "After my daddy." "You're good." "I have books." "The Unbeaten Mountain." "Tigers from Himalaya." "That's on radio." "~ Done?" "~ Done!" "Go!" "And who buys those books for you?" "Daddy?" "Daddy was also a climber!" "And what does he do now?" "Now he's dead." "Don't be upset with me, Vasek, I didn't know that." "When they were coming down, he was the last one." "And suddenly there was an avalanche." "Wow!" "We rescued a snow plow!" "You'll take my sleeping bag." "Once my only friend also borrowed it." "He got intestinal flu." "That's really bad, when it's -20° C." "And where did you sleep?" "Well, we didn't sleep." "Do you have a lot of friends?" "No, I have known a lot of people." "Friends are boys who you can always rely on." "Mom says that daddy had no friends." "That's weird." "When you hold the same rope with somebody, you must trust him." "You cover his back and he covers yours." "Then there's a real friendship." "Maybe Mom thinks that somebody could have rescued him." "Maybe a friend." "I'd like to call Spindlerùv Mlýn, 93439." "Thank you." "You can cancel it." "He called himself." "Who?" "Spindlerùv Mlýn." "He told me to write it down, I might have sclerosis..." "Vasek ate seven dumplings, brushed his teeth, and now he's asleep." "He's an idiot." "He's making fun of me." "But he called an hour later, saying it's snowing outside, and that he can't fall asleep." "Bozenka, I'm hungry!" "Today you were great, Anna." "You made me really happy." "That is probably because I took a nap in the afternoon." "Took a nap?" "She was sleeping here for three hours as if she were dead." "Am I allowed to invite you for a dinner?" "Oh my God..." "I'll make seven pieces of him!" "Why did you try do make fire?" "I just wanted to make toast for you." "It's already on fire!" "You can rely on me." "You can rely on me, too." "Do I need my belt for you?" "Look." "I borrowed these boots for you." "You could wear your boots to dancing lessons." "Lubos, how does a man become a real climber?" "When he climbs his first hill." "Which one?" "That's not important." "When you like it, you're going to be climber for a whole life!" "You must have the will and you have to know how to make decisions!" "Like what?" "Where to put your hands, your legs, how to keep warm." "That's simple." "You make a mistake and you're dead." "I don't know..." "I'm sure my dad didn't make a mistake!" "I meant it another way." "A proper man is the most happy, when he can overcome the obstacles." "My dad was proper!" "Strong!" "One head taller than you." "Of course." "The best man goes always the last." "You were never afraid?" "When you want to win, to beat a 8,000 m high mountain, which has been there for millions ages, you must have self-esteem." "So you weren't afraid." "I was afraid." "The wind in Himalayas sounds like an oncoming train!" "Once it made me cry." "My dad was also in Himalayas." "Why didn't you turn back?" "At night?" "We couldn't see." "And in the morning?" "We started getting to the peak." "You managed it?" "It was the happiest day in my life." "The sun rose." "There was silence." "Only rocks and ice." "You stand there and it seems like you are God." "I'm also going to be God!" "But Mom can't know that!" "A lot of people think that every climber is crazy." "I'm crazy." "I can see that." "You're putting salt into your tea!" "Hold tight!" "Hold tight!" "Hold tight!" "One and two, one and two, one and two... ~ One and two, one and two, one and two..." "~ One and two, one and two, one and two..." "I was at lawyer's." "You buying or selling something?" "A divorce lawyer." "What if the two of us tried it with rules?" "I just don't know if I'll get used to Vasek." "Do you know how to pull a tooth to a whale?" "You get a sea crane, you give it a wagonload of anesthetic to a whale, you prepare dynamite, 3, 2, 1, boom!" "What are you laughing at?" "I've never kissed a guy." "How so?" "You didn't like your dad?" "I did!" "But I never actually met him." "~ Listen, friend, aren't you accidentally a little liar?" "~ Accidentally a big one!" "Your dad was one head taller than me in the morning and now you don't even know him?" "In that time I was little like this." "Mommy didn't get married again?" "No." "I'd also like a daddy." "Standa has already a third one." "Mommy probably loved daddy a lot." "When somebody loves somebody, he can't forget her." "You'd be surprised how angry she is when I draw Annapurna." "Your daddy was at Annapurna?" "Of course." "His grave's there." "I was also at Annapurna." "With my daddy?" "No, all of us returned home." "My daddy was in the special expedition." "They examined soil under the icecap." "Look, I'm a great dressmaker." "Wait, wait, wait." "You want to claim that your daddy was in expedition Annapurna with special geologic program?" "Of course." "And when was it?" "When I was little like this." "Vasek, Vasek, what are you playing at?" "You were little like this and you remember that your dad had shoulders like this?" "I have a photo at home." "And you've never seen your dad?" "I'm telling you, that I was little like this." "And what is it, little like this?" "What is it?" "When I was in my mommy's belly!" "You're 8 years old?" "Yes." "And you were born in..." "September?" "Damn it, you're a psychic." "What are you doing?" "I'm trying how much snow there's going to be tomorrow." "You don't have to do every crap thing I do." "Vasek, what would you say if I tried dating your mommy?" "You would try it?" "Would I try it..." "I'll try it!" "You like my mom?" "~ I like YOU!" "~ I like you, too!" "~ Lubos, you must be careful!" "~ About what?" "That trying!" "Mom doesn't want to hear a word about marriage." "She's nearly beaten me!" "I'll do what I can." "~ Vasek!" "~ Mommy!" "What are you doing?" "We arranged that, didn't we?" "Yes, but kissing was Lubos's idea!" "Stand up, lazy people!" "Stand up!" "~ One, two, one, two..." "~ One, two, one, two..." "The boy skies great, what do you think?" "Knees bent...swivel those hips...go on...!" "Keep your knees together!" "Stop!" "Anna, when did we date each other?" "Do you know that I really can't remember?" "I think we could figure it out." "You were at the conservatory." "It's not important today." "And wasn't it before I went to Annapurna?" "I really don't know." "If you think..." "It only seems to me that Vasek wants to look like me." "As if I were his daddy." "Well, it probably only seems like that." "Probably." "Vasek wants to look like everybody." "It was a school caretaker last time." "But school caretaker isn't a climber." "He thinks his Dad's a climber." "Whose grave is under an avalanche." "To our last evening." "Why did you take me here?" "I was thinking it's a really long time since you weren't dancing." "Everything is like old times." "No." "Nothing can be repeated." "I'm leaving for the Alps in a month." "Before that I'm going to be in Prague for a few days." "Think about the "datum" until that time." "Which datum?" "You arranged me a funeral --- I'm going to arrange you a marriage." "Wait, who am I going to marry?" "Me, of course." "You'll get a divorce?" "I didn't ever get married." "I haven't told you yet?" "I have such a miserable memory..." "I can't even remember how many shirts I have." "You remembered that we were here back then?" "There was just a "music box" here nine years ago." "Do you remember about our bet that you would bring me a flower in 10 minutes?" "And I lost." "No." "Mountain rescue called about emergency situation." "A man lost in Obøí Dùl." "I'm glad that you remember the details." "You rescued that man." "You returned after midnight." "Did you get married?" "And why didn't you get married?" "I was always more affected by mountains." "And what about now?" "Now I'm not strong enough for the hills." "By that you mean you'd be strong enough for me." "No." "For our boy." "You don't have to tell me anything." "I won't reproach you." "We knew each other for fourteen days." "Nine days." "You were dating somebody." "And I was in the way." "And what were you doing for that eight years?" "Who did you want to marry anyway?" "Vasek is not your son." "You are lying." "We met here." "In December." "I went to Himalayas in January." "And the boy was born in September." "We returned from expedition in November." "All of us." "~ Nobody stayed on Annapurna under an avalanche." "~ I hope you won't be so stupid as to tell Vasek." "If this is your decision --- you can rely on me." "I was so happy with my friends that I didn't realize I was living alone." "For example, this Christmas." "There were a lot of people around me but no "my" person." "And as I started thinking about it, so primo boy appeared." "And on top of that --- he's mine." "Anna." "Say it to me." "I'm begging you..." "Tell me he's mine." "Please, don't be crazy." "I hoped I wouldn't meet you ever again." "If somebody is in my way today, I'll put him in the sack and I'll throw into the river!" "You can guess, you can count, but you don't have a single proof that Vasek is yours." "I do." "He's as great as me!" "Where were you running?" "To the train station." "Lubos is coming today!" "Which Lubos?" "My daddy!" "A spare one." "So Mom found somebody?" "No." "I found him by myself!" "He wrote nine letters to him!" "What is he like?" "A big one." "A chief of a mountain rescue." "Mom first has a general rehearsal." "We should wait outside." "Let's go inside then!" "This is Mom?" "Damn it, she's great." "We're going to sleep in the same room." "And who's the guy?" "Uncle Jindrich." "I don't like him!" "He's not confident and doesn't like dogs." "Then we'll put him in the sack and we'll throw him into the river." "Enough!" "This is Annapurna." "And up there?" "Also Annapurna." "Also Annapurna." "I screwed this one up." "This was in December." "This was when I was 5." "And why is there a Christmas tree and those presents?" "For my daddy, of course." "To bring him company." "~ I'll take you with me." "~ Really?" "When you are adult." "~ Do you have that photo?" "~ It's hidden away." "Then show it to me." "I don't want Mommy to steal it." "Let me guess, will you?" "Am I right?" "You knew my daddy?" "Are you able to be silent?" "In front of your mom?" "This is me." "It's not you!" "It's my dad!" "It's your dad, but it's also me!" "What does that mean?" "I don't know!" "That I'm your dad." "That's not true!" "It's not you!" "It's my dad!" "Why couldn't it be me?" "My dad is dead!" "A hero!" "What are you doing here?" "Lubos is lying." "Anna, please, don't be mad with me." "I told Vasek." "You are egotistical." "Idiot!" "Do you have a knife?" "I've been collecting these cars for five years." "All of them are yours now." "You can't take him serious, Mom." "He's a liar." "And don't swear at him." "He's going to have dinner with us." "I'll help you." "Me, too." "Mommy, how come Lubos knew my dad?" "I didn't know him." "Why is he lying?" "You pointed at him." "Were you his friend?" "I don't know." "But I know!" "You left him under an avalanche!" "Damn it!" "Say something, Anna." "Leave me alone." "Both of you." "I'll tell you something." "If my dad were alive, he would be at home with me every evening." "He would go to the cinema with me." "And we would have a dog." "But your dad didn't know that you existed." "If he knew, he would visit you." "And why didn't he visit Mom?" "He knew she exists." "Mom, is he my dad?" "~ Is he or not?" "~ Give me a break." "~ I want to know!" "Yes, this is your dad." "You screwed it up." "Everything." "Let Mom be!" "Go away!" "Mommy, don't cry." "He's already gone." "You've got me." "I'm going to be with you." "Until we die." "Every day." "Look, my dad is as accurate as a clock." "Your mother called." "She arranged a meeting with me." "Tomorrow." "Don't you know what she wants to tell me?" "I can imagine what." "To make you get divorced." "And you don't want me to?" "I haven't been wishing anything else for four years." "Maybe it would be worth it." "To talk about us." "You should meet Vasek." "Not me." "I've been waiting in front of the school for an hour." "So?" "Nothing." "Why didn't you listen to me?" "I knew Vasek would never understand." "Can I visit you?" "At 4?" "At 5?" "You aren't interested in who was it?" "I'll come in the evening." "I don't even know you!" "You don't know anything about me either..." "And you made Vasek think we're going to live together." "I'm afraid he doesn't want to talk to me." "You could have written a letter." "I read about your return from Himalayas in the newspapers." "Why didn't you write you were pregnant?" "Where?" "To Asia?" "Camp number 4?" "I returned." "The boy was nearly three months old." "Why did you want Vasek never to know me?" "What did I do to you?" "I..." "I was kind of proud to be pregnant with you." "I thought you were hero, when you rescued that man in Obøí Dùl." "I thought..." "I thought you were going to be happy when you returned." "That I'm as brave as you." "That I kept the baby." "But if you wrote the boy was born..." "You didn't even remember me and you'd be so happy to have a baby?" "When are you leaving?" "In four days." "Vasek needs time to get over it." "If children could understand everything, they wouldn't be children." "Because there are more differences between children and adults than size." "It was also my fault." "It wasn't." "Vasík, did you want a dad?" "You did." "You liked Lubos." "You said he was a friend." "He isn't, Mom." "I cried for him while he was in the mountains with foreign friends." "Lubos didn't know about you." "You must trust me!" "He cheated me." "He lied to me in the mountains already." "He pretended to try dating you, and you got married a long time ago." "No, we didn't." "When I was young, I believed you when you said you bought me in a shop." "But now I'm old enough to know how babies are born." "Really?" "After marriage." "Well..." "Marriage isn't the main thing." "It can happen when people love each other." "If he loved you, Mom, he would visit us on Saturdays or when it's my birthday." "You are stubborn just like your little tooth." "We've been persuading it for two hours but it doesn't give in." "But when it grows up, it won't hurt anymore, will it?" "Lubos will be waiting for you tomorrow in front of the school." "I won't be there." "Hello --- I told him." "I did what I could." "It depends on you." "I'm going to gargle." "Vasík, you are a goon." "Such beautiful pictures..." "Why did you destroy them?" "I won't be a climber anymore." "You've got primo bike." "You're good at it." "I've bought new equipment." "I have it in my hotel." "Don't you want to have a look?" "I've brought you something." "Do you like him?" "I'm not allowed to bring home strange dogs." "He's not a strange dog." "He's Ben." "Keep him." "He's yours." "And what about Mom?" "Won't she beat me?" "Don't worry." "She'll be happy." "You're lying!" "And you're teaching Mom to lie." "You talk about me over the phone." "I let you go to the mountains so I wouldn't lose you and there you forgot me in one day." "It's quite funny, actually." "When a man is afraid, he's about to lose it." "You really want to go to a hospital?" "No." "Your mother invited me to your place." "I would have to know that, wouldn't I?" "You won't invite me upstairs?" "You shouldn't have gone with me." "Anna, would you mind Vasek having a dog?" "No way." "That's a disaster..." "Don't worry!" "I'll fix it!" "Leave me alone." "Both of you!" "Where is he?" "Who?" "Vasek or that dog?" "Jindrich, of course!" "You've gone crazy." "All of you." "Mommy, are you glad that we have Beník?" "Of course." "Go to wash." "Don't play." "Come, Beník, we'll make a beautiful dog out of you." "Lubos has a dad in Kamenice." "They have rabbits." "Also a cat." "A pig." "You would have a grandpa." "You always wanted a grandpa, didn't you?" "Enough." "Everybody can screw up something nice." "Either me or Lubos." "But you're a primo boy." "And it was quite good idea with those toothbrushes!" "~ There should be three people in every family." "~ We are three: you, me, and the dog." "The last dress rehearsal!" "Three minutes!" "Soloists on stage!" "Let's go for it, folks!" "Make it fun!" "Spartacus, give Fergie the stick and raise the sword!" "What's up?" "Today I've been waiting for two hours." "~ I can't make Vasek talk to you." "~ On stage for rehearsals of "Spartacus"!" "He didn't even show up." "He's more faithless than a mountain." "Anna, I'll won't make it..." "Vasek was waiting for you for eight years and you give it up in a handful of days?" "~ But I'm leaving tomorrow!" "~ On stage!" "On stage!" "What if you didn't go to the mountains?" "I can't leave my friends." "You're just like an avalanche." "You made me a grave, Anna!" "I wouldn't do that..." "I wouldn't make to read in the newspaper that somebody is alive and give him funeral." "And what was I supposed to tell Vasek, when he started asking about his dad?" "You waited for me one more year, before he'd started talking?" "Three more years, before he'd started thinking." "If there was an idiot in this world, it was me." "You don't need to apologize." "I don't care about you today." "Don't say that..." "There's our 8-year-old boy to be stubborn." "Aniczka, you must go!" "A moment, a moment." "Wednesday is visitor's day." "My wife's here." "Vasek's got lost." "What are you on about now?" "When I rang and told him about your broken leg, he just went crazy." "Before I packed your stuff up, he was gone." "I've been looking for him for an hour." "Please, don't panic, now he's already at home." "He's been already here?" "There are many hospitals in Prague and he found the right one." "We have a clever child, don't we?" "Why is she staring at us?" "She's my mother." "Look after his homework and put the keys into the mailbox before you leave." "Go." "What a behavior!" "So you have a child together?" "!" "Then explain to me..." "He was that rascal?" "If they don't make peace, I will die... ¤ Radio tells story about the Himalayas... ¤" "Why didn't you tell me about having grandma in a hospital?" "Can't you imagine how frightened I was?" "I'll spend the night here." "You don't have to go to Valenta's." "I couldn't come today." "Why not?" "I had detention." "A bummer, isn't it?" "Mom has to go to school." "And why?" "I didn't want to write an essay." "You know what?" "I'll go to school instead of Mommy." "But you are leaving tomorrow." "I'll stay here with you." "You'll go." "I'll arrange it with Mom." "Girls don't know anything about friendship." "And you do?" "I do." "I've already written that essay." ""What does my dad do?" ""My dad is a chief of mountain rescue." "He does what he says." "He waits for me in front of the school at 3 o'clock." ""He's reliable." "He bought me a dog." ""He's got experience because he's a climber." "He climbed a 8, 000 m high mountain." ""He gets over all obstacles." ""He's a good friend."" "Do you know how to pull a tooth to a kangaroo?" "You make a sea crane, you prepare dynamite..." "It wasn't a kangaroo, it was a whale!" "That's not important." "It is!" "Because you have to give dynamite to a whale." "A kangaroo would visit a dentist." "3, 2, 1!"