"I see someone who lives in their own little cocoon... and who lets no one in." "Do you know what I mean?" "About the little cocoon?" "Yes, I know." "Shall I join you in your cocoon?" "No." "Is it morning already?" "Yes." "Here, this is for you." "Just for you." "Happy 40th birthday, Max." "It's made from Brazilian forest mushrooms." "It's natural LSD." "It accelerates your process enormously." "Don't drink it pure." "Four drops in a glass of water." "Never mind." "It might be for me." "It's for me." "How can you be so sure?" "It's for you." "I told you." "What's that?" "A bit of coke for Max' birthday." "And what did that cost?" "150 guilders." "Is that fax from Louis?" "150 guilders for a bit of poison?" "It's not poison." "It's a mind-expanding substance." "He needs that." "Maybe you should have some too." "And what have you got for Toto?" "A shot of heroin?" "Do your best." "Look at your father." "Don't piss me off." "Alright, birthday boy." "Two parts of morning urine... and one part of water." "Morning urine is very concentrated." "Don't think you know everything better." "The plants love it." "I'm having a shower." "Alright... and thanks!" "PART 3 THE CONSCIOUS CONSUMER COURSE" "Hello?" "Finally..." "I have a package for you." "I'll come and get it, thanks." "UNWANTED THINGS FOR SALE" "Maria?" "Could you go to the mailbox?" "There's a present for Toto." "It's so far." "I won't make that today." "I happened to hear that." "We didn't hire Maria to get your things from the mailbox, little lame-ass." "This is for your birthday." "Congratulations." "That's been a long time." "To cheer you up." "Such a brilliant opening scene." "What's that video?" "It's by Luigi Masolugi." "He's a very experimental director." "What if I get a fax?" "They wouldn't be able to get through." "Or we'd be out of paper." "The paper cost 12.50 and I think you should pay for it." "Damn!" "I'm proud of those commercials and you don't hate money either." "I see you go downhill." "You used to be in a decent play every now and then." "And now you accept just any D movie." "But it was a D movie with a political message." "Sure, it has erotic undertones." "Where was I?" "Does it start with a G?" "No, it's not a Game Boy." "You know why." "We've discussed it long enough." "Yes, a Game Boy curbs my creativity." "Exactly." "We also don't need that Discman." "No, they're mine." "No, Toto..." "You tell us what we don't need then." "He's a jolly good fellow..." "The tree!" "That's your present." "Open it." "Pick up the tree, Toto." "So far, it's still the three of us." "Since when do we have a sprinkler?" "Since yesterday." "What did it cost?" "600 guilders." "600 guilders?" "Have you gone crazy?" "We don't know how long we can afford to live here." "Mortgage Hertenkamp then." "Mortgage Hertenkamp!" "Mummy and daddy would never have done that either." "You just don't do that." "I'll buy it and give it to you then." "Don't be so difficult." "Are you happy with your tree?" "Do you like how it looks?" "It's a beautiful tree." "You're lost for words, darling." "A young tree's very touching." "We're conscious consumers, Toto." "Don't use so much water." "Stop it, Grace." "That you don't understand it is one thing." "Success won't last forever." "And then what?" "I don't know." "Neither do I." "But you did buy that thing for 600 guilders." "There's a huge car outside." "It uses lots of petrol." "Giovanni enters the room... bed." "Zipper... grab." "Change the time of the Conscious Consumer course, why?" "We've got your son's birthday party this afternoon." "I thought you wanted to spend more time with your family." "But you're still exactly the same, Wiebe Vorsselmans." "Not at all." "I spend much more time with Toto." "Yes, when it suits you." "A child needs unconditional love from both parents." "Not just from its mother." "You know what a child needs?" "A Game Boy." "You can do what you want and I have to shut up?" "That's not how it works." "You've never used the swimming pool and you bathe three times a day." "And why can't I say anything about that?" "Because I'm fed up!" "Since you're unemployed, you only talk about money." "I can't do this..." "I can't do that." "But you do take your mother in without talking to me." "Do you know how much that costs?" "I can't even get to my own clothes." "Should I have left her outside?" "You'd have done that if it made you any money." "You should rent out the bed, charge her rent." "Rent out the sheets, charge money for the toilet." "You'd have a new job as a toilet lady." "At least, all this whining would stop." "Stop it, Wiebe." "Max might think we're doing it to piss him off." "For he's a jolly good fellow..." "Stop it." "I feel sorry for him." "But it's fun to have your birthday." "But Max is all alone, dear." "He has no one to have breakfast with." "Why are you getting rid of the TV?" "We don't need it anymore." "How can I watch my videos then?" "Yes, the VCR!" "25 delicious apples for your entire class." "Toto, isn't it your birthday?" "Here, buy something nice." "Come on." "Grace!" "Yes?" "I know you mean well but... you're ruining what Eva and I are trying to achieve." "What?" "I'm trying to be a conscious consumer." "That doesn't mean I have to be one as well." "Buy treats for your class." "Max, another year under your belt." "Buy something useful later." "Not a Game Boy." "What's wrong, Patty dear?" "The same old thing." "I can't do anything right." "Everything's my fault." "I'm a whiner." "I'm not crazy, am I?" "It's normal to watch your money when you're unemployed." "You're absolutely right, Patty." "You should tell her that." "She spends all our money." "I'm trying to save money but she spends it all." "You're absolutely right." "But what good does being right do me?" "I have to live with her." "She's completely in her own world." "She plays the main part in our relationship." "And I have a bit-part." "Is that fair?" "Beautiful, isn't it, neighbour?" "It wasn't cheap." "It's easier on the arms." "Right, povero Wibi?" "How do you like my new sprinkler?" "Yes." "I can program it a bit wider, so it also does your little garden." "No, thanks, Grace." "Do you know what's in this?" "No." "Shit, soy, algae, seaweed..." "Sorry, I just made the garden happy." "I've been a very conscious consumer." "I've saved litres of water." "For instance, I use my bath water to brush my teeth." "And then I flush the toilet with it, so I use the same water three times." "What are you doing?" "We're having a discussion." "We're supposed to start now, Wiebe." "Ok, guys, grab your chair everybody." "We're going upstairs." "Are you going to the roof?" "No, to Max' place." "That's my neighbour." "Go left here and then left again." "There are stairs that go up." "I'll be back in ten." "Make sure you'll be here." "Max, sorry..." "oh, happy birthday." "Can I leave them with you?" "I have to go to Toto's party." "I'll be back in a minute." "Will you be ok without me?" "Won't you finish your turn?" "Yes, I'll be back in a minute." "Start without me." "Let's all sit down." "Who's next?" "I don't heat the house anymore after 6 pm." "I have this sleeping bag that I attached special braces to." "It's very comfortable and pretty warm." "And I got rid of my car because that's better for the environment." "Are you joining too?" "Me?" "I don't know what it's about but I'd like to join." "I don't sleep well lately." "No." "Yes, I haven't slept well all my life." "And then I get fantasies that I'm surrounded by witches here." "This is a Conscious Consumer course." "It's about how material possessions aren't important." "Oh, sorry!" "I don't go to the hairdresser anymore." "I go to the hairdressing school." "It's much cheaper and I'm very happy with it." "And that everything affects me a lot." "They don't know that here at Hertenkamp." "I hope you understand." "Yes, we do." "Anybody else?" "No?" "No?" "When they call me 'lame-ass', that really gets to me." "It really devastates me." "What are the values of my life?" "Good question." "What are the values of my life?" "What are the values of my life?" "What are the values of my life?" "This is so hard." "I'm quitting." "I'm quitting the driving lessons." "I don't understand you, Patty." "I just have to have my priorities." "You're making the wrong choices." "Priorities?" "What about that?" "That you can afford?" "It's clear what you want." "Hello, there, hello!" "Then I fired the gardener and I mowed the entire lawn myself." "I could really tell I'm having driving lessons." "You could?" "And it saves money." "We're starting..." "Toto!" "Here Toto, don't tell your parents." "We're starting." "Somewhere in the country there's a house." "And the house is called..." "Hertenkamp!" "The hero of our story lives in that house." "Sexy, handsome Toto Vorsselmans!" "With his mother, Eva Vorsselmans." "And Wiebe, the hero's father." "I'm here." "Everybody at Hertenkamp is happy." "You're late." "But I'm here now." "Which one do I use?" "That one there." "Everybody at Hertenkamp was very happy." "Oh, I'm so happy!" "And we got rid of our TV, which really stimulates our creativity." "Hello, dear partner." "And hello, son." "Hello brave son who doesn't need a Game Boy anymore." "And because we didn't work anymore, we had plenty of time to only... do fun, useful things." "Look who's talking." "Gee..." "Here." "Two lesbians were living upstairs." "Patty and Grace." "For them, money was still very important." "True, you owe me two months of rent." "Only one." "And we can't forget Max, a very sweet uncle." "He was a victim of the consumer society." "I have two beautiful colour TV's." "There and in my bedroom." "I have a great..." "Sorry, but you're behaving really weird." "Do you realise how much energy all of this uses?" "And that monstrous TV." "Monstrous TV?" "It's not a monstrous TV." "Do you know..." "That TV has gotten me through some terrible nights." "Is it ok if that uses a bit of energy, dear people?" "We're going to wrap it up." "Now?" "It was..." "No, everybody should have their turn." "Or else it's not fair." "Next time, we'll continue in the garage." "Thank you for your hospitality." "You can also do it here." "I'll get rid of the TV if I have to." "Thanks a lot, bye." "Bye." "Toto puts his dagger back." "He jumps on his deer and... he rides through the forest, through beautiful nature." "When he comes home, everybody at Hertenkamp's cheering." "His mother gives him a big hug." "What an adventure!" "The end." "There's carrot cake and elderberry juice for everybody." "Max will be sorry that he missed out on this." "I'm sorry I wasn't there for you today, Max." "Sometimes I think it's better to have AIDS than what I have." "Come now." "At least people take you seriously then." "Come on, Grace." "Don't make such a big deal of it." "We have it all the time." "What do we have all the time?" "That we're very down." "But you have each other." "That's also a complication, you know." "Keeping your relationship healthy, I mean." "You don't have that problem." "No, exactly." "I have nothing." "I have no work, no relationship..." "You don't want any work and you don't want a relationship." "I know that I have to do it myself." "But I can't!" "Sorry, but I'm going to bed." "I have to get up early and go to work, as the only one here." "Are you coming, Patty?" "What a first world sissy." "Luxury problems." "Damn..." "Well..." "I have a present for you, Toto." "That's nice of uncle Max." "Do you know what it is?" "A Game Boy." "A Game Boy!" "Yes, a Game Boy!" "Wow." "Come, let's go." "Isn't that what you wanted the most?"