" Hello Germain." " Anouck!" " Are you okay?" " Yes, and you?" " You had good holiday?" " Yes, and you?" " I went to Britain, as always." " Good." "Come on, we're late." " You had your assignment?" " Yes" " Like it?" " Yes I am a teacher leader in 2nd half C." " All right, no?" " Yes, of course." " You read the note?" " Yes" ""The triumph of republican equality" What a demagogue!" " You look good pessimist!" " I read Schopenhauer's all summer." " Good morning." " Good morning." "Robert, how are you?" "Dearcolleagues,we canbegin." "Move on please." "Comeon,don'tbeshy." "All I hear?" " Yes!" "They received a note explaining The big news for this year." "We're no longer a classic high school." "We're now a "pilot" high school This is a cause for pride." "The opportunity to start a new basis, to experience ..." "New teaching guidelines ..., handcuffed to the traditions ..." "The uniform ..., for all students   In a school with a public socially diverse   The uniform is a symbol bold." "Yes,bold,willfinallybe the same for all students ...  ...a brandof equality." "IN THE HOUSE" "How was it?" "You could have come." " It's been so long since I went to church." " There was a mass." "Bruno was buried." "I was neither family, or a friend of Bruno." "I don't want to be alone." "I wanted to talk to someone." "I saw the twins." "They described Bruno to me." "I didn't know if I had to give my condolences, but when I was   One of the two approached me, impossible to know,   And told me they were going to come by the gallery tomorrow to talk about the future." "Germain?" " You hear me?" " Yeah, yeah." " Shall I change and go to the movies?" " Okay, we're going to correct and finish." "0, 6, 3, 10 ..." "Go!" " They're so bad this year?" " The worst I've seen in my life." " It's creepy!" " You said the same thing earlier years." "Listen to this:" "Saturdayatepizzaand watchedTV, Sunday I did nothing, I was tired." "He was given 30min." "Two sentences!" "48 hours of life from a type 16:" "Saturday: tele-pizza, Sunday: nothing!" "I asked for a poem in verses, just tell me your about weekend   To see if they could write more than two sentences." "And They're able!" "Listen to this:" "notlikeSundays." "On Saturdays I do like ...  ...buton Saturdaymyfatherwould notletmeout, and I took my phone." "I wanted to convey the teaching taste for literature ..." "And I find ... what?" "Cellular and pizzas!" "The worst isn't ignorance." "It's the future." "They're the future!" "Reactionary philosophers predict the invasion of the barbarians   But They're in our classes!" ""My last weekend." Claude Garcia." "OnSaturday,Iwenttostudy where  Raphael Artol ..." "Thanks, honey." "Ihadthatideabecausetheweatherwas I wanted to get into your home." "Lastsummer,everyafternoon, I went to look at your home from the park ...  ...butonenight,Isaw yourmother  peering from the sidewalk out front." "Friday,takingadvantageofRafa  had fared poorly in math, ...  ...I offeredhelpwiththeworkshops and tasks." "Obviously,itwasonlyapretext, I knew that if accepted, I would go to his house ...  ...sinceIliveinaneighbourhood where Rafa will never come." "11amtouchedthebell, and finally the house was opened to me." "IfollowedRafatohisroom,  it's just as I had imagined ...  busy..." "Ileftwith aproblem trigonometry ...  ...andon thepretextoffetching a Coke, I explored the house, ...  ...thisveryhouseinwhich , many times I had imagined being inside." "It's much larger than I thought ...  minewould...fit4timesinside everything is clean and tidy." ""Enoughfortoday,"Ithought andjustwhenIwas comingbackwithRafa, a smell struck me ...  ...a smellparticularto women of the middle class." "Ifollowedthescent to the living room." "There,sittingon thecouch, leafing through a decorating magazine ...  ...I metthehostess, Rafa's mother." "Ilookedat heruntilsheliftedhereyes, which were the same colour as the sofa ..." ""Goodmorning,areyou Charles?"." "hervoice!" "Where are these women taught to speak?" ""No,I 'mClaude,"Ireplied, holding her gaze ..." "Lookingforthe bathrooms?" " The kitchen." "sheaccompaniedme ." ""You want ice?"" ""Helpyourself." "Makeyourselfathome. "Shesaid." "And returned to the couch to read her magazine ..." "BacktoRafa'sroom I solved his trigonometry problem." "you'regoingto needalotofhelp with math this year." "(Tobecontinued..)" " Wrote "continued ..."?" " Yes, in parentheses." " You put a 17?" " There are no misspellings and is better than the rest." " Who is this guy?" " It's .." "Claude ..." "Garcia." "Don't know them all yet." "You gave him a 17, when he mocks his friend and his mother?" "This year we will study the great authors of French literature." "La Fontaine, the best example between substance and form." "Above all to encourage them to write, to defend a point of view  To express themselves, to tell stories." "Don't forget about the adjectives homework, on Monday." "Try to read a little." "I like to see them with books sometimes." "Forget their phones." "I count on you books, books!" "Some curiosity." " You wanted to see me sir?" " Yes" "About your composition on the weekend." " You wrote it?" " Yes, why?" " I am worried." "Can you teach me?" " Yes" "What's my mark?" "I always get confused with semi-colons." "No, your mark is pretty good." "I know I'm better at science, but this year I want to improve in French." "Actually, it's the content." "You talk about a guy of course and his family." "They might take offense." "Why?" "Has anyone else read my essay?" "Not yet, but I might show it to the Director, to see what he thinks." "I didn't write it for the Director." "I wrote it for you" "How do you think your friend Rafa would feel if he read this:" "thesmellstruckme a smellparticularto middle class women." "But this isn't the worst." "It's what's between the lines!" "Tone!" "If you do read in front of the class, how would your friend Rafa take it?" "I don't know." "It was your idea, we were asked to write about our weekend." "I don't know what you intended, but let's forget it." "You can go." "Sir?" "I can give you my adjectives homework?" " It's not due until Monday, you have time." " Yes, but I did it yesterday and   I understood that it was fill in the adjectives from the list ..." "For composition ... but didn't know whether to follow the order ..." " ... or if I could change it." " No matter." "Never mind." "And I didn't know if we could use more adjectives than those on the list ..." "Give it to me on Monday." "You'll have time to go over it again." "I'd prefer to give it now." "This weekend I want to concentrate on mathematics." "Goodbye." ""Writea compositionusing the following adjectives: ...  ...happy,different,normal, well, focused, small, great ..." "Hello Rafa!" "OnI Mondayofferedtowork together with Rafael Artol again ...  ...trigonometry." "He wasdelighted, and the same evening he invited me to his house." "Want to come to my home, this afternoon?" "Rafa,whyRafa?" "Why did I chose him?" "This companion banal and friendly." "Becausehe'sdifferent." "He's a normal guy." "Thereareotherasdifferent, but something made me notice Rafa." "Lastyear,Iheardastory  his parents were waiting ...  ...afterschool,holdinghands." "Many guys would be embarrassed to be picked up by their parents." "Rafawasn't." "He has no problem with it." "AndI waswondering:" "What would it be like if it were your home?" "What is the house of a normal family like?" " Good morning, Mr. André!" " Good morning, Rafa." "Ontheway,wetalkedabout theusualthings that of kids our age talk about:" "...girls,sports,cars, the jobs we'll do later ...  wetalkedaboutthesethings as we walked to his house." "Infrontof hishouse." "I think this art is sick?" "I don't know." "It's what the twins said after they saw reviews of the gallery   Of course, if it sells, they don't say such bad things." "Two provincial who inherit a gallery equals carnage!" "You know what I think of this type of installation   I need to see faces, real people ..." "Here ..." "I feel an infinite solitude." "Germain!" "I'm about to lose my job ..." "Time ... not your thesis against modern art ..." "I need you to tell me ... that those twins are two unfortunate fuckers!" "Well, these unfortunates fuckers, want to close the gallery" "Give me a month." "A month to show that it can be viable." "You have to sell something, or they'll sell the store   And that will be the end of the gallery." " And you, how was your day?" " My day?" "Nothing in particular." " Yes, I talked to this guy." " And?" " We talked, and gave me a task." " So what?" "he returned it." "and gave me a 2nd chapter to write." "I'd written:" ""to be continued."" " Do you have it with you?" " Yes" "You don't want to read it?" " Don't know if it's a good idea." " 10 years ago I read the work of your students." "Whenweentered,Rafa'smother was in the living room...  ...a magazinein onehand, and a tape-measure in the other." "Hi Mom!" "shedelayedus because she was measuring a window ..." "Are you okay?" "ontopof theTV, nexttoaChinesedragon,  a picture of the holy family." "adragonthatlookedas though it was going to devour all." " Your friend?" " Claude." " You worked right?" " I got a 14 in math." " And thanks to Claude." " A 14 is great!" "Would you like a snack?" "I bought a baguette and no chocolate." "I'm going." "Weleftthekitchen and returned to the living room ...  ...yourmagazineinonehand,  tape-measure in the other, ...  ...floatinglikeaghost, in a skirt that showed ...  amiddleclass.woman'sbody ..." "(Tobecontinued..)" " It makes me uncomfortable." " Why?" "Don't you find it strange that a guy of 16 years would write something?" "With so much irony?" "It seems no more strange than your Inflatable dolls sex shop." "It's not a sex shop, Germain, it's an art gallery!" "I know, They're deviant dolls:" "sex and dictatorship ..." "Sure it makes sense:" "the dictatorship of sex!" "Maybe you should talk to the Director?" "Because the he speaks about the body of a middle class woman?" "Well, talk to your colleagues, other profs and parents." " You should talk to the parents." " To keep him from entering their home?" "No Rafa's parents, with the writer, Claude." "Maybe this guy needs a psychiatrist, he might be dangerous." "He's just a naughty boy." "Angry with reality, nothing more." "There is reason, no?" "It's better to vent his rage than to burn cars." "He may have a problem and is trying to get your attention." " How is he physically?" " I told you, nothing in particular." " And in the class?" " No talking, no problems." "The only thing is that he always sits in the last row." " You too you sat in the back row." " It's the best place, you know?" "You see all and no one sees you." " Good morning." " Good morning, Germain." " Hello Anouck." " Germain!" " Are you okay?" " More or less." "Yes, the return to school is hard for everyone." " I need information about a student." " Yes, which course?" " 2nd half C" " Here, 2nd middle C." " What student?" " Claude Garcia." "He doesn't ring any bells." "Here, yes." "Claude Garcia." "A shy blond boy, right?" "Came here two years ago, it seems they've moved many times." "Only Son." "Mother absent." "Father unemployed." "Old workers, disabled." "Probably a work accident." "This modifies "Being"." "It's an adverb." ""As could be your home"?" "Apart from that, not bad." "I brought some things for you to read." "They're not in the library, are mine." "Please don't crease them, don't double back the pages or open them the wrong way around." "I have to read all this?" "You don't have anything shorter?" "Read the first few pages, if you're not interested, I take them back." "If you're not interested, give me them back." "Backintheaveragefamilyhome,  Rafa helped ...  ...mycolleaguefriendlyandbanal  whodoesn'tunderstandanything about mathematics." " What?" " Here is "- infinity 0", and this is "0 + infinity"." "Teamwork, eh?" "Share information, division of responsibilities   And delegate." "You pass it when you're under the hoop." "You pass it when I'm alone and then boom!" "Today the Grizzlies against the Clippers." "I ordered a pizza?" " 4 Cheese and Chicken Wings?" " 4 Cheese and Chicken Wings!" " Charles are you staying with us?" " I'm Claude." " I'm taking a shower." "Work well, guys!" " See you!" "Iaccepttheofferoftheman embedded in his sweatshirt." " Is your father friendly." " Yes, he's cool." "While Rafa fight with his X, I imagine his father in the shower." "Both are called Rafa ." "Anhourlater,wegottogether in the living room and I could hardly recognize it." "Nothesweatshirt,seemssomeoneelses  butseeinghim incontrol, I conclude that yes, he's the head of household." "This is sneaky." "The Chinese say the Koreans are overlapping." "ThereisaKoreanintheClippers allowing you to talk about China ...  ...thatseemstoobsesshim." "Shit, no way!" "You know, respect is very important in China." "They take care of their parents, their grandparents." "however, in Korea, nothing." "IspentaweekinChina 10yearsago, and know all about the Chinese." "Atminute15 ,aplayerfortheGrizzlies is sent off ...  ...andrightnow , receives a call from his work." "Hello?" "Maurice!" "bossMaurice." "He askstogoto theairport to find Wang Li, a Chinese customer." ""Atthishour?" "." "Too bad !" He tells his wife." "Rafa'sfatherhaschanged, and he fill find Wang Li ...  ...whiletheClippers are improving." "(Tobecontinued..)" " You started a parody?" " A parody?" "The way you describe Rafa's father, his ridiculous way of speaking, his sweatshirt." "You exaggerate his character to make the reader laugh, right?" " No, I swear it's so." " So is realism?" " Realism?" "Meaning?" " As if you have a hidden camera ..." " ..." "As if you would look through the keyhole." " No." "Then it's styling." "Do you write what you see or transform it?" "I don't detail everything, like the colour of the sweatshirt." "Anyway that is green or blue." "Why the present?" "Why did you change to the present?" "For me, it's a way of staying in the house." "Oh yeah?" "The first question from a writer must be:" ""For whom am I writing?"" "For whom do you write, yourself?" "It's very easy to show the worst of someone, so that the mediocre ... can feel superior and make fun of it and find it ridiculous." "What is rare, is approaching the characters, without "a priori"   Without condemning." "Think of Flaubert, he's the perfect example ... he doesn't condemn their characters." " See you tomorrow at the same time?" " Yes" " Why are you so helpful to me?" " Because I am a teacher and it's my role." "But why me and not the others?" "I dislike wasting my time but I find that you write pretty well ..." " ..." "And you deserve to be encouraged." " Thank you, Sir." " See you tomorrow." " See you tomorrow." " I don't understand what you want." " This guy has a knack for writing   Sounds pedantic, but I'm just trying to teach literature." " ..." "And through that, things in life." " "That's life"!" " You know that literature teaches us nothing." " Oh yeah?" "You know what was in the pocket of the madman that killed John Lennon?" ""Catcher in the Rye"" "You think I taught literature to that crazy?" "Nothing!" " Of course, your exhibitions teach us more." " It's exactly the same!" "Art doesn't teach us anything, you know." "Well, it opens us to the beauties of the world." "Would you like some wine?" ""Secondversion:" "Backinthehouse "" "InhisroomIhelpedRafa for the next maths test." ""Enter"." "Rafa's father enters the room ...  wearinga greensweatshirt..." "and invited me to watch a Grizzlies game." "At2ndminofthegame with a three-point shot, the two crazy." " How beautiful!" " All right, guys?" "3rdminute,hismothercomestowatchthegame , but without much interest." "7" thminuteopensNo. 215  of the "Homes  Gardens" ...  ...andadmiresadreamhome, that she will never own." "8thminute." "Rafa'sfather talks about buying a plasma screen." "We will put the plasma at the front." "It will be better." "10thminute,Estherbeginsasketch for a home renovation." "She'sathomeall day ." "But doesn't like the decor." "12thminute,remainsavoid , thinking about the big questions of life:" ""Wheretoinstallasecondbathroom?"" "15thminute,theGrizzliesbest forward is sent off ...  ...fatherandson rise and applaud." "Yourscoreis amazing." ""Bravo!"" "phonerings." "Rafa'sfatherlooksatthe time, doesn't answer." "Hello?" "Maurice!" "Not at all." "Tell me." "Yes, I wrote it." "22h15 ..." "Terminal No. 2 ..." "Cartelito ..." "Yes, of course, with your name!" "Whang Li ..." "With "H"?" "Hotel Convention." "No, no." "Take care and rest, Maurice." "Goodbye!" "ischangedandtothe Chinese airport ...  ...whiletheClippersareimproving." "middleclasswomanarrives." "Of course, knows nothing about basketball." " Who is winning, guys?" " The Clippers, then!" " And you're not happy?" " Mom, we're fans of the Ggrizzlies like Dad." " I thought you liked the Clippers." " Mom!" "(Tobecontinued..)" "You're right, he has a gift   But this version is even more ironic and contemptuous." " You think?" " Yes" "You're being manipulated." "We want to teach literature, but he's giving us a lesson." "You know the secret of Dostoevsky?" "His genius?" "He transformed normal people ..." "who were pathetic and ridiculous ... into unforgettable characters ..." "Understand?" "But if your ambition is to caricature them..." "You want to look at them closely, and to describe what you see." "If all you can see is ugly, perfect, but transform it   Transform it." "But it may not be your thing." "I brought you some books." "Chekhov, Dickens, and genius, Flaubert: "Madame Bovary"." " What do you think?" " They're very banal things, no?" "A kitchen timer and a fan." "They're normal objects, but subverted to cause astonishment." "You see, the clock has 13 numbers." "Not bad." " And this, listen!" " What is it?" "Listen." ""Oral Painting"!" "The artist suggests that the headphones hang on a wall or an empty box." "The painter's voice describes the painting." "The listener becomes co-creator." "Imagining the work." "It projects your imagination into the empty frame." "The pictures were real, but the painter destroyed them, after describing them." "There are 13 of them." "With that, the artist mocks cultural industry   Obsessed with tangible objects, when he offers something   Poetic, ephemeral, stripped of materiality." "Look, I don't know if it's sold." "Germain!" "I have three weeks before the exhibition has to be ..." "The twins ... will get kicked into the streets!" "Look, if exposing myself naked will save the Gallery, I'm willing to make the sacrifice." "Want to read it?" "I Rafa three exercises:" "easy one to begin with ...  ...anothermoredifficult,andanother that I'm sure he won't manage." "Whileyoufight with imaginary numbers, ...  ...goforawalk past the house of the Normal family." "The Chinese drunk much wine last night." "He doesn't feel respected by Maurice." "Disagree with the odds." "He wants more." "At least 15." "And I thought, why not throw me?" "Be independent." "All is well in your world, Rafa." "Can you appreciate that." "I appreciate it, but don't respect it." "Whenever I have an idea, I have to tell to Maurice and he gets the credit." " You always said that teamwork was your thing." " Yes" "But in a team, there are those who pass the ball, and those who shoot hoops." "The Chinese told me about a business of dolls, Barbie type   3 euros." "A toy that is sold here is 10 times more expensive." "I'll mail you the designs, for you to copy." "Even better: send a photo, and they'll make the copy." "Of course you have to invest at first." "I thought that with our savings, we could ..." "And what about my redecoration?" "Just when we decided to convert the conservatory." "Esther, at my age, I need motivation." "I need something to happen!" "When I see what Maurice wins, I think, why not me?" "." "Could you help." "To choose the products, make contacts." " You have a gift for that." " Did I offer to work with you?" "I offer to work together" "You know now that Rafa is great, wanted to work on the decoration." "Yes, but it would be ours." "Ours." "If it is, and there is no reason why it shouldn't be, ..." "You can do all the redecorating you want." "I don't know, I don't know." "You're tired!" " What are you doing here?" " I have to help Rafa with matsh." "Hurry." "It's late." "suspectsthatIamspying orthoughtthatIreally admired Klee's watercolours?" "Listen to this, or did you imagine it?" "It's not really there, it's in the hallway, seeing paintings, no more listening parties." " It's rare, indeed." " What?" "Klee paintings, in a middle-class home." " I think They're reproductions." " No?" "The next week, Rafa has a very important exam." "I feel that you're stressed." "Maybe we should hire a tutor?" " Doesn't his friend Claude help?" " He needs a real teacher." "I believe that together, they don't do much work." "Rafa is so happy to have a friend." "To me, it makes me nervous." "When I saw him in front of the watercolours, he seemed crazy." "I'm sick of him here every night." "I will tell Rafa not to invite him anymore." "(Tobecontinued..)" " You know who remembers your student?" " Who?" "My cousin, Andrew." "At a marriage or a baptism, he enjoys telling family gossip." "There are people who are like that:" "peering through the keyholes." "It diminishes the surprise." "You seem like a cousin telling family gossip." "If I put myself in the place of someone reading this in a novel ..." "Someone else read my stories?" "Not at all." "Isn't good enough yet." "I've not shown it to anyone." " Don't publish them they're not good enough." " Don't show them to anyone!" "I'm only saying, if someone were to read this in a novel, I think you're missing ... conflicts ...." "Come on inside." "A character, needs something   but finds obstacles, in his path." "On the way, there are rivals, adversaries ..." "Ulysses ... wants to go home, but the Cyclops wants to kill him ..." "Sirens ... hypnotize him, the Maga kidnaps him." "Sometimes the conflict isn't between the hero and someone else   But with himself." "Don't speak of conflict as:" ""redecorating the living room"   "what to do with conservatory", or traffic jams in China." "I'm talking about the character infighting." "Achilles!" "Achilles!" ""I'm going to war against Troy, or I'll take my sweet Deidamia? "" "Here's something that engages the reader?" "You wonder how ..." "The hero ... will overcome these difficulties, to achieve his objectives?" "It's the million-dollar question." "The one to capture to the imagination of the reader:.." "... "What will happen?"" "To write a detective novel, or a Shakespearean drama   There is only one question: "how do Isolve the problem of what will happen? "" "You must give the reader no respite, he must be under pressure ... . .it's the equivalent of the Sultan in Sheherazade:   "If I get bored, I'll cut off your head!"   But with a good story, the Sultan gives his heart." "The Sultan is the same as anyone." "People need to be told stories." " Life is worth nothing without stories." " Bravo Maestro!" "Don't call me " Master "!" "I don't know if I can keep writing." " Why?" " On Thursday, there is a test, Rafa is going to fail ... and if he fails ... his mother will hire a professional tutor." " So what?" " If you want me to continue going there   And to continue writing." "I don't know if you understand." "You're asking me to steal the maths test?" "I didn't say that." "But Rafa doesn't understand a thing about numbers ..." "Sorry ... and I feel that his mother doesn't want me there." "To write, you don't have to go to this house." "Use your imagination.." "I tried but I can't." "I need to see them, to be with them." "Go, go." "Hello Bernard!" "Tell me, don't you have problems with the 2nd year's C average?" "No, not particularly." "Rafael Artol, is not too bad in mathematics?" "Very patchy, but he tries." " When is the next test?" " Thursday." "I guess you know what I'm going to ask." "Sorry, but since when does mathematics interest you?" " Good morning." " Good morning." "Wait a second." "Come, come." " You didn't come to give me a text yesterday?" " No." " What is it?" " I said if I can't go to them, I can't write." "Go sit." ""Entryforbiddento students."" " What's next?" " Those of average 3rd D" " Germain, you coming?" " No, I have a job to do." " Okay, see you later." "Goodbye." " We have 10 minutes." " No!" "An 18!" "An 18 in maths!" " You see what you can do when you want!" " Sure." " And you, Claude, what did you get?" " A 16.5." "16.5 is fine too!" "MyworkwithRafaisbeginning to get results ...  ...andlookatmenowas a possible member of your team." "hostessleavesthekitchen and comes with us, cloth in hand." " Congratulations Rafa!" " Thanks Mom." "Esther..." "Thanks Claude, for helping Rafa." "Claude, you want to play basketball with us on Saturday?" "We play every Saturday, at the municipal stadium, from 18h to 20h." "The others are very good players, you'll love it." " Do you know basketball ..." " Never mind that you don't play well!" "The important thing is to participate!" "We have a drink after the game, argue with the referee." "This is basketball!" " Say yes, we will play gently." "Thanks, but Saturday I don't know if I'm available." "IhaveotherplansforSaturday, but I feel that I disappointed Rafa ...  ...andtakethe riskofnotbeing his best friend." " Hey, 18 with a 14 average is 16!" " Oh yeah?" " See you tomorrow." " See you tomorrow." "You know that he speaks more and more about your relationship with Germain?" " Do you stay with him after class." " So what?" "He helps me in French and I was never good." " He gave you the maths test?" " Why do you say that?" "Care is rare." "It seems that his wife has a shop selling pornography." "I can explain why we appear in this story?" "I have no idea, is wrong." "You have nothing to do with this maths test?" " No way!" " What?" " I gave them the exam?" " It was on a table in the staff room." "You realize what you did?" "You're a professor, not a criminal!" "I know it's not right, but it was the only way Claude could continue to go to Rafa's." " In order to give you his voyeuristic stories?" " Yes, and so what?" " What you become bored!" " Germain!" "I admit it was dangerous, but no will ever know about it!" "It happened once, it won't happen again!" "Saturday,17.30." "I'minthepark where I looked at them last summer." "Thewayis clear." "Touch the bell which of course is in bad taste." "Thedooropensand she 'sthere." "Good day, Claude." "Esther,themostboringwoman in the world." "They went to play basketball." "You want to call back?" "Just passing because yesterday I forgot my book." "It happened because now we are going to find me." "FinallyalonewithEsther." "in the house." "Strange, I can't find it." "Ofcourse,thebookisn'there I have it at home." "My mother had almost the same rings." "Isay,pointing." "She left when I was 9." "I couldn't stand my father." "I think he only just put up with me as well." "Mywordswillcome." "It never fails." "thestoryof my mother, attracts the sympathy of all." " Want a drink?" " Yes" "Alinkis established." "Iwantto be protected." "You want to be my mother." "sheservesme aCoke,wetalkaboutRafa, basketball, mathematics ..." "I left school early, to look after Rafa." "Now that he's grown up, I'd like to go back to study architecture or art ..." "I'm fine with it." "I feel that she wanted to talk." "TimepassesandIthinkIwill have to go back next Saturday, to be alone with her." "The curtains, wallpaper, pictures ..." " Dress watercolours?" " Yes" " They're cute, right?" " Very nice." "Come, let's look at them." ""Rettung"," Unterbrechung"," Hoffnung"." " These angels are frightening." " Are angels frightening for you?" "I hadn't thought of that." "AsbothRafa, not speak German, of course." "notknowwhatyou haveinyourhome, they're only for decoration." "Whenyouchangethe colourofthewall, it will change the pictures." ""Rettung" is redemption, "Unterbrechung": interruption "Hoffnung" hope   And "Zerstörung" is destruction." "Ishouldgo ." "Rafa will return with his party ...  ...whatwilltheysayiftheyfindme,  at home, with Esther?" "Rafa'swoman." "Rafa's mother." "(Tobecontinued..)" " It's going to end badly, sorry." " Of course not!" "Imagine: the game is abandoned, they return earlier, and see   Mother and son's friend, sitting on the couch." "What couch?" "Where is it?" "So far there is no couch." " You imagine them on the couch." " No matter." " If Rafa sees them, kills them." " The father or the son?" "Both!" "They kill Claude." "You take it too seriously." "They do nothing wrong." " You realize that everything is invented, imagined?" " Imagined?" "I imagine very well!" "It gets increasingly credible, and increasingly dangerous!" "Claude I don't want it simple." "With a good editor, you can be a good storyteller." "I'm must be hallucinating!" " Why?" " You've found the new Kafka!" "Listen, I hope you're not thinking of publishing it ..." "Submitting it to a contest ..., or something." "Why not?" "It's much better than anything that's been published lately!" " By God!" " Sorry Miss." "There's good dialogue, exciting situations ..." "Afterre-explainingcalculusfor the umpteenthtime  gavefourexercisestoRafaandtook advantage of the absence of his parents ...  ...toexplorefurther." "enteredtheroomoftheparents." "headyscent of middle-class women flooded the room." "photoofaChinesesmiles on Rafa-father's computer screen." "ProjectXianXianwrists, XunXin jewellery project ...  ...attestationsof ownership, Rafa holiday post cards ...  ...andsuddenly,anx-ray." "abackbone." "It seems to be a woman." "Yes!" "It's a woman." "Inthecloset, 7 pairs of women's shoes." "Esther." "I imagineherwalking in the park with her red shoes." "Then,goto thebathroom." "Rafa-father's: "Eau Sauvage"." "Shavers,anti-stretchmarkcream, paracetamol, ..." "Xanax" "It's me, honey." " Good afternoon!" "Have a good day?" " You won't guess what the Chinese did!" " What now?" " They argued about the percentage." " the contract wasn't signed." " Too bad." "This afternoon, Maurice called me into his office showed me the restaurant bill, ...challenging, questioning if there was an even more expensive restaurant!" "He insisted that the Chinese stay happy." " How much did the restaurant come to?" " 268 euros." "Pay it yourself and forget it." "It's not a matter of money, we're screwed because Wang Li didn't sign ..." "If he had ..." "I would never have been questioned about this shit!" " What will you do?" " Wait for it to pass." "When they sign up the Chinese they'll forget about dinner and the 300 euros." " 300 euros?" " Yes, with the tip!" "(Tobecontinued..)" " It doesn't ring true." " Who?" " Esther." " Why do you say that?" " Is it that bad." " The Xanax is an antidepressant, no?" "I took Temesta, like half the teachers here." "How is it you know it's hers?" "It could be for him." "He seems more sane." "He has problems, it's true   But he's obsessed with his work, whereas she has nothing to think about!" "He neglects her increasingly." "He no longer even notices her." "I wonder why Claude didn't looked at the father's computer?" "Perhaps, deep down, what interests him, is Esther." " The secret of Esther." " What secret?" "If it's completely transparent." "Maybe it's missing a scene." "To explain the change in Claude." "Don't say anything is missing." "On the contrary, there's too much, it overflows ..." "There's too much of Esther ..." "And this X-ray?" "It's sentimental and manipulative!" "Claude." "Seriously, you're not going to give her cancer?" "Claude's character wants Esther." "But there are obstacles ..." "Rafa-father." "Rafa-son." "The million-dollar question: "What will happen?"" "And what happens next?" "Are you going to put Esther in a motel room?" "No, it has to be in the house." "Everything has to happen in the house." "I think you don't know what you've got." "Do you want to write, Claude?" "A satire of the middle class..." "Fotonovela ... a travesty, or "Bildungsroman"?" " A what?" " I thought you knew German." " You wrote "Zerstörung", "Hoffnung"." " I asked my father." "He lived in Berlin when he was young." "He also explained to me who was Klee was." "Really?" "Then what you've written is a Bildungsroman account ..." "A coming of age story of a young man, I thought that was what you wanted to tell." "The passage of a child to maturity." "Now, I don't understand what you want." "Claude, tell me what to do?" "What I asked, Master:" "You're the Sultan, I his Sheherazade." "I never asked you to mock the frustration of a woman who could be your mother!" "And stop calling me "Master"!" "Go, see." " Hello, Germain." "Are you well?" " Yes, I'm fine." " See you later." " See you tomorrow." "Are you working overtime?" "Yes, the boy needed a little help." "Claude Garcia, right?" " What you think of uniforms?" " Pathetic!" "I seem to be facing a flock of sheep." "And this Claude Garcia:" "black sheep or white sheep?" "Good day." "Glad you're here!" "Come, come!" "I wanted to talk about a Chinese artist I'm presenting next week." "We hear a lot about him, but he hasn't exhibited in France." " He's Chinese?" " Yes, but he was born in Los Angeles." "Calligraphy Works through a gender perspective ..." "Here ... "Heaven Shanghai 1" "Shanghai Sky 2",   "Shanghai Sky 3" and "Shanghai Sky 4"." " What is the difference between them all?" " There are no two identical works in the series   they all have minor variations, made at random by computer." " What is?" " For me, it represents the clouds, the horizon." "Yes, it is above all a presence." "Yes!" "Presentation instead of representation." "I'm going to show you my favourite, It's "7 Shanghai sky"." " What's up?" " I think they liked him." " Your Chinese painter?" " Yes" " I heard, they looked at everything." " What did they say about the work?" "Nothing in particular, but I felt that they were interested." "Come to the opening." "Rosalie or Eugénie, I never know which one  said I could only ask 30 people." "I don't want to pressure you." "Perhaps the problem with the gallery isn't what you think, perhaps it's the name." ""The Labyrinth of the Minotaur" I always thought that frightened people off." "ThankstoRafa'sscoreof18 , I was invited to dinner." "Chinesefoodof course." "In a restaurant at the foot of the wall, they serves us a filet ..." "We didn't not know ..." "if it was meat or fish." " You'll never guess what it was." " What was it?" "Membrane of ducks leg!" "Germain, the French teacher, lent me a book by Kafka:   "The Chinese Wall"." "Rafa says this type is very rare, a little bitterly." "I think he wanted to be a writer, and French teacher." "One thing doesn't preclude the other." "I think he has no talent, that's why he's bitter." ""Bitter"." "Doesn'tit bother you to talk like that?" "It's wrong." "You masochist." "AfterthenewsonTV, Rafa-father leaves to smoke on the terrace." "inthesummer,Ioftenwatched the three of them dining on the terrace." "AndnowI'mhere,watching the park from the house, with Rafa's father." " You know, Claude?" "People are afraid of China." " Oh yeah?" "But China is our big chance." "Its population is growing." "hissononlyspeaksofsports cars, basketball ...  ...I 'mdifferent." "The population increases by more than 6 million a year." "Before, they had the one-child policy, now they breed like rabbits." "InthelightoftheLantern,Irecognizethedrunk  that feeds the birds." "Ifheraisedhis headandlookedatus." "I believe that he could think I was Rafa's son." "You're a true friend to my son." " Should I bond with this man?" " Of course, to take the place of the son   Which could make Rafa-son jealous." "So far, he's an uninteresting character he lacks conflict." "In front of the TV dinner, we don't know what he thinks, or what he feels." "It shows you don't know what to do with it." "I have to tell you the truth:" "have a big problem with the son." " Do you have children?" " Why do you ask?" "Tell me about your relationship with father it could help with both of the Rafas." "I have no children, but I have imagination." " You didn't want to have children?" " That's none of your business!" "The important thing is to create something strong with son." "Saturdayafternoon,althoughhe dreamed of seeing Esther at the house ...  ...hedecidedhangingoutwiththetwo Rafas at the municipal stadium." "coursethey'rehere,sweating and running after the ball." "Iwasshakenfor amoment I tried to imagine myself ...  ...withmy father,hittingaball into the hoop." "No." "I can'timaginemyfather, hitting a ball into the basket." "however,thatis whattheydo." "Every Saturday afternoon." "Rafa-sonandRafa-father, and they're happy when they get a basket." "andsufferwhentheydon't." " Hey, Rafa!" "Look who's here." " Great, you came!" "I thought you didn't like playing basketball." "Ilookedhimintheeye and said with a confident tone:" "Thedaymy motherleft,myfather decided never to play basketball again." " I liked it though." " I'll take you on my team, Claude!" "You're much better when you write about the house." "Why did you play basketball?" "It sounds like a soap opera." "Is your ambition to write for TV?" "There's no need to spell out everything." "Trust the reader's imagination to complete the picture." "I still worry about the son." "He exists only to add value to Claude." "At the same time, you want to take his place." "It's too easy." "You have to find something interesting, to reveal it fully...." "Your scene should start with the father playing alone on the court   and finish with Claude him telling the son in the locker room:" ""The day my mother left, my father decided never to play basketball again." "I liked it though." "Thisisthesecretofagood scene:" "Advance the plot gently then suddenly take the reader by surprise." "The last paragraph is pure filler." "I don't understand, if you know how to do it, why don't you write yourself?" "I'll tell the truth:" "I tried some years ago   It was not good enough." "In fact, you're not good enough." "But you could be." "You have a gift." "If you work at it, one day you could be a writer." "Today I asked the class to do a portrait of their best friend." "Who wants to read their piece in front of the class?" "Who wants to read their piece in front of the class?" "I see you're all very brave so I will choose someone at random." "Let's see." "Rafael Artol." "You can read out what you wrote?" " "My best friend, Claude Smith."" " A little louder." "We didn't know each other last year we weren't on the same course   This year, we became friends thanks to mathematics." "He helps me revise and do exercises" "In "Meetic"!" "Shut up, please." "I wanted him to play basketball with me and my dad   But he doesn't like sports." "I respect him because in sport ..." "Respect for one's opponent is important." "Please, please!" "Before my best friend was my father, but I understood that was weird ..." "Having a father ... as a friend." "My mother says so." "She was jealous!" "But last Saturday, Claude tried, He came to play basketball   And then I knew that he really was my best friend." "Silence!" "Please!" "I'll write on the board, to correct the faults." " I felt like crap." " Forget this idiot, concentrate!" " 4i is an imaginary number?" " Yes, I think so." "How you think?" "Sure it's imaginary, because it's in the plan and not the shaft." "It's like I've kicked ball the wrong direction." "Of course it went the wrong way." " I only had to do this." " Only correct their spelling and syntax errors." "He wouldn't have been so stressed when they began to laugh." "I had to stop it already!" "I'd like that to relive it so that." "I could punch his face." " Punch your face and burn your car!" " I don't have a car." "I don't drive, but my wife does have an auto." "Punch your face, the face of a disgraced teacher!" " Could do better." " What?" "Writing an article in "The Torch" Tell what happened from your perspective." " You're encouraging me to write against you?" " Yes, why not?" "Rafa's character there must be more, right?" "I never attack the independence of "The Torch"   With its photos of school trips, tributes to retired professiona ..." "And bad poems!" "No one!" "Hear me?" "No one can say that censor "The Torch"!" "Why don't you talk to Rafa to fix the situation?" "I remind you that I'm supposed to know nothing." "For me, there is no article!" "It doesn't exist." "Rafael, please!" "You can stay?" "I want to ask something." "Goodbye,Sir." " Goodbye" "It seemed he wanted to talk, but said nothing interesting." "Just gave me this." ""Don't underline it, not double, and don't leave it open to misinterpretation. "" " Perhaps you no longer need to give my text to "The Torch"" " Why?" "Give me one of your books, It's a way of apologizing." "It''s nice." "No." "You must publish your story." "Good day." "Good day." "1dayIcouldn'tsleep and I wondered ...  ...WhywouldMr. Germainhumiliate me in front of the whole class?" "...  ...forcingme to readmycomposition, under the laughter my colleagues." "Itwashimwho askedusto do aportrait of our best friend." "It's as if his cruelty had been unintended ...  ....inaddition,you mademewrite mystory on the Blackboard, supposedly to correct it." "ButonceI'dwrittenupmy text,  Mr. Germain undressed me ...  ...yes,Iundressed." "Erasedevery sentence, one after another ...  ...towipethe slateempty desperately empty." "I wanted to share this story with you, such humiliation ..." "It won't happen again ... ever, and stop being afraid   when I send you back to the drawing board." " He's right to be angry with you." " Why?" "Because it's like undressing in public!" "Take off his shirt, his pants, underpants, socks ..." "For me, an apple is an apple." "To correct a bad text on the blackboard, is to correct a bad text on the blackboard!" "It's well written, well argued." " This guy argues well." " Claude wrote it, for sure!" "What did the Director say?" "Honestly ..." "I fucked up!" "You know the rules stipulate that "a teacher must locate ... the taught at the heart of teaching " Yes, I know!" "It doesn't say "students" but "the taught" ... do not punish the Student, sorry!" ", do not punish the taught..." "But ... "take it gently"  and don't correct with red, but with green because "red is creates anxiety ..." "For teaching ... " I know these stupid speeches by heart!" "But please don't give me this blabla!" "This student wrote ..." "that I undressed them." "It's a joke, please, a joke!" "Furthermore, in their uniforms of shit!" " Just tell me what happened." " What?" "Between ourselves: why did you humiliate this guy?" "I didn't humiliate him!" "I corrected his homework!" "I get paid for this!" "I get paid to correct homework!" "I want you to know that it's my duty is send a report to the Inspector!" "Go ahead." "Mr. Artol." "Good day." "Have a seat, please." "This is my son's article in the school magazine." "Don't worry;" "and I haven't forgotten it." "Rafa had not told me anything, but he seemed strange lately   And when I read it, I could not believe." "I am your French teacher, I just did my job and profes ..." "I mean my job ..." "of teacher ..." "What is important in education, politics, sport ..." "Life ... in general ..." "is respect!" "Respect for your students!" "Their partners!" "In your head!" "From their workers!" "I fully understand your anger, but I think it's no big deal ... .. .no need to over-dramatize an uncomfortable situation." "Teaching is a team effort." "You have to share data ..." "Divide responsibilities ..., delegate!" "The point when you're under the basket, that's when you're alone." "He humiliated my child in public, Mr. Germain!" "My son deserves your respect, and I want a public apology!" " They like the exhibition, I'm pleased!" " Some people want to buy?" " They didn't do that, but I feel it's a success." " Congratulations dear." " Dress up the twins?" " No, how are they?" "Twin since." "I hope you come and see that there are people." " No way." " What?" " The couple there." " Who?" " Rafa's family." " No way!" " Are they?" " Yes" "I never would have thought of that!" "She has grace." "And you saw?" "Yes, the father came to see me at a meeting of trustees." " Let's talk to them." " Don't move, don't fuck!" " What are you doing here?" " The middle class is interested in contemporary art." "And according to your student, the father knows China well.." "Nah!" "He's only a merchant wanting to take advantage of the cheap workforce." " I'm tired, I have to go." " Already?" "Why?" " I start early tomorrow." " Wait at least until the twins arrive." " What's up?" " They didn't come." " And the Rafas?" " They didn't stay long." " Did you talk to them?" " Of course not!" " How did they come to be there?" " Do you think I give a shit about the Rafas!" "It was my opening, Germain!" "The twins didn't come   they will sell the gallery, and the only thing you're interested in is the Rafas!" " Forgive me, darling." " Enough with your hypocrisy!" "It was I who invited them." " The Rafas?" " Yes" "I sent an invitation, I didn't think that they would come." "I wanted to see them and I thought that it would please you..." "I failed... as always." "They're fictional characters, Jeanne." "I don't want them in your gallery." " And I'm a fictional character?" " Of course not, darling." "Come, let me hug you." "Not at all." "What are you guys doing?" "It's very late." "It's a complicated maths exercise." " Claude, you can sleep here if you want." " Yeah, yeah." " Do you want to call home to let them know?" " That's okay, I don't need to tell them." "midnightcomesandI'm finallystaying in the house for the first time." "We never use it, except when my aunt comes for Christmas." "It's a strange room , and suddenly I think: ..." "Here's your room." "...nowI'mintheheart  of the Rafa family." "They were my mother's toys when she was a child." "I never wanted to throw them away." "anotherheadless,anotherone-eyed allEsther'sdollsaremutilated." "Poor them." " You can sleep with them." " Yes" "Thanks for the article." "It helped me in addition to the mathematics." " It's normal to help." " Yes" "Rafalentme oneofhis basketball shirts to sleep in ...  ...it'stoobig for me,  and makes me laugh." "You're a true friend." "You know what I want to do at night, at this hour?" "I want to go out and do like those guys who burn cars   Or anything, when I'm tired!" "Rafaisgoingtohisroom." "I don't want to sleep." "I feel something strange and suddenly comes this question: ...  ..." Duringstormynights, will all children will have nightmares? "" "Iwalkedblindlyintothehalluntil my eyes adjust to the darkness." "I entered the room of my best friend." "Rafafastasleep, but twitching in his dreams ...  ...withstrangemovements." "What are you dreaming, who do you dream about?" "The image is strong." "Claude walking at night in the halls ... of the house ..." "like an angel or a vampire, whilst they sleep   Ist's very strong." "Very strong but totally implausible." "It may be unlikely, but it's true." "But if it's unlikely, even the truth is worthless." "And this kiss for Rafa?" "What does it mean?" "Do you want to reveal a latent desires for a normal family?" "The father, mother, the son ... is Pasolini!" "You challenged me to work harder on Rafa, I thought you were going to like it." " Do you think I like two teenagers kissing?" " I Don't know." "Stop thinking about my desires." "Think of yourself, what turns you on." "smiles." "Herskinisvery white." "She has little feet like a girl." "Sittinginfrontofthem ,sleeping in the dark, I imagine ...  ...a fewhoursearlier,them makinglove,  awkwardly, quickly." "RafathinkingaboutworkandtheChinese and Esther, her eyes empty ...  ...feigningadesire, that has long evaporated." "Maybemymotheralsopretended." "So he left." "Leftmeandmyfather." "She didn't want to pretend." "wantedtolive." "I feel something strange and suddenly comes this question: ...  ..." Duringthenightsofstorms, All children have dreams ...  ...atleastonce,wecurlup in bed between our parents? "" "(Tobecontinued..)" " He watched their lovemaking." " Of course not." "He imagines it." "It's normal to have desires at their age, no?" "And it's a pretty delicate evocation." " Germain, do you desire Claude?" " What are you saying?" "Since you started encouraging him to write, we no longer make love." "Seriously?" "Look, it's not so bad." "It can happen to any teacher falling in love with his student." "But you're a girl, Jeanne." "I love women." "Perhaps with age, you're discovering new desires." "But is he's 16." "It's just that this guy moves me ..." "I mean ... he has talent, I want to help him, nothing else." "Wearetogetheragain facing the park ..." "Esthereatingan apple." "Look up at the sky." "I like this weather." "It reminds me of a exhibition i saw by a Chinese artist." "He paints wonderful things." "Simple." "Only the sky, in different colors." "Theparkis verydifferent day and night." "IremembertheSaturdayafternoon, when my mom took me to play." "Today,dealersdo theirbusiness in broad daylight, and retirees do Thai Chi." "See this bank?" "I often looked at it last summer." " Do you also like this park?" " Yes, I like to feel surrounded by houses." "Sitting on a bench, looking around, many things happen." "It was love at first sight with this house." "It's near the centre and in front there's all this nature." "The sky, the park." "LookatEsther, and her skin seems smooth." "Just one block to eat." " OK?" " It's my back." "I had surgery but there is nothing they can do." "It hurts." "I used toplay in the park with Rafa." "But now I can't." "It's the same with dancing." "thisafternoon,Iimagined dancing in the park ...  ...barefooted,in theyellowleaves Autumn." ""In autumn yellow leaves"!" "I'm drugged with the peach juice?" "And the apple is a symbol of nothing more than an apple?" ""Barefoot", "yellow leaves" ..." "It's a catalog of contemporary art!" " What do you mean?" " Don't know what that is?" "Let me show you." "Fen Tang: "Presence"." ""What we see in his works?" "Silence, born in a no man's land, between East and West ..." "These presences silently fight ..." "the noise of the world ..." "The deafening clamour ... time." "His work is a sensory path ... "" "That may serve the words:" "the worst of the literatures   A catalogue of contemporary art an invention for selling!" "Look at this, look at this!" "No way!" "Art for the sick!" "I say "art" because it's written   because you would call this shit!" " He says this to his wife?" " Of course." ""I imagine dancing in the park, barefoot in yellow autumn leaves. "" "No, Claude, this is not the right approach." "You know it." "I didn't tell you ... the night after the restaurant, He went with the Chinese to one place and he went crazy!" "He was dead drunk, assaulted a girl on the dance floor ..." "I got him away from there as soon as I could to stop him being hit   And now they say that he disrespects them and that's why they won't sign!" " So you went there?" " Never!" "It works." "You have to please the customer." "There are some who want to go to the museum, other to the stadium, and others who are pigs!" "You took him to a clip joint?" "Not a clip joint!" "It's a bar, where there are women." "A bar where there are women?" "Just so I understand better!" "I was never there, Esther!" "I don't go to those type of places!" "Maurice, he's always does!" "But I don't!" "Itwasfor work,Icouldn'trefuse ." " You're telling me you were forced?" "That didn't you didn't drink or dance with one of these girls?" "I took two glasses, shit!" "Two glasses do that he wouldn't drink alone." "Don't think so." "Don't think so." " Honey." " Don't touch me!" "You disgust me." "Shit, I'm fed up Esther!" "It's always the same, you never trust me!" "Enough is enough!" "It'stime" "Iknowit 'stime, but for once, I'm afraid." "Take." "I couldn't sleep last night, Claude." ""Even barefoot, the rain was not going to dance." What does it mean?" "It means nothing." "It's what you feel." "The effect on the reader." "You helped my son a lot, he loves you very much and my husband too." "Imagine you read this:" ""Even barefoot, the rain was not going to dance."" "I didn't write for them." "I wrote it for you" "The rest I think I understand." "But this rain, it doesn't make sense." ""Even barefoot, the rain was not going to dance."" "So that was, damn." "You gave him a poem?" " Yes, I wrote a poem." " Congratulations." "Nobody ever had it." "We're almost illiterate." "There isn't a drop of poetry in this house." "You will strip lines, metaphors." "It's like an atomic bomb!" " Now, I see it differently." " I get it." "Our young iconoclast fell in love with the middle class." "I wanted the look closely, without prejudice." "I did." " And I'm gonna get this house Esther." " Now you don't mind?" "His speech, smell, his desire decoration   Go find a job, take a loan and buy a house?" "The rest I think I understand, but that of the rain ..." ""Even barefoot, the rain was not going to dance."" "Just missing him!" "It seems like a bad comedy." "It's ridiculous." " You're wrong, Claude." " He asked me to follow my desires." "I'd like to kiss her." "(Tobecontinued..)" "What do you think?" " It looks like a bag, right?" " It's a handmade bag, rubber." "It's "fair trade", also make backpacks and purses top-noses." "Not bad." "It's nice." " It's manufactured in China?" " Of course not!" "Obviously it's from Africa!" "It doesn't seem bad." "I think you can sell them." "you think I want to transform my gallery into a bazaar?" "thisafternoon,thelightshines slide over her legs, her neck." "themostboringwomanintheworldslept." "Iwatchhersleepingpeacefully." "I hear her light breathing...  again...andfeeladesire deep for her." " What is it?" " I'll see." "Rafa." "WhydidIchooseyou?" "Because I thought you were different ...  ...a normalguy." "So why?" "For a kiss?" " Good morning Sir." " Good morning." " Is Rafael Artol here?" " No, he's not here." "Sir." " Claude, do you know where he is?" " No sir, I don't know." " You're sure?" " Yes, Sir" "Then wait for 5 minutes." " Anouck!" " What is it?" " Did you received a call from Mr. Artol, about his son?" " No, nothing." "Hello?" "Good morning Miss Talk to the secretariat of the Lyceum." "We saw that your son was absent today and ..." "Yes Yes Okay." "Thank you." "Goodbye, Mrs." " And. ..?" " The flu." " The class is finished, you can leave." " But it's not time Sir" "I don't care." "Everybody out." "The class is cancelled." "Claude!" "Stay a second." "I knew that you weren't going to like suicide I've already changed it." "You've gone too far." "You came to the house, you cast out the child, seduced mother ..." "You're confusing your desires ..." "with your story." "And what?" "It's what you taught me!" "If someone from the school, or Rafa's family read your texts now   It would be very dangerous." "For you and for me." "Do you want me to stop?" "Yes." "Is it not a little late now?" "It was you who encouraged me." "The exercise is ended." "Sorry Claude." "Maybe I was wrong." "I remember that morning." "The day after the return to school   I was about to throw away all my books, Leave this shit school   But we were asked for an essay." "I got a 17." "And now I cannot stop." "You cannot stop writing?" "Well write about you, your family   About anything, but forget about Rafa." "I like these characters." "I learned to love thanks to you!" " I want to continue to write about them." " So, I stopped reading." "Moron!" "Rafa, we need to talk." "Maurice went on again about the Chinese food bill." "He humiliated me in front of everyone." " Respect is important, right?" " Yes, Rafa." " I burned his car." " Whose?" " Maurice's." " But why?" "I don't know." "I just had to!" "I can't do this anymore." "Work kills me." "I'm exhausted." " Did anyone see you?" " I don't know." "Sorry, Esther." "I know what you're gonna say, but please give me another chance." " I have something to tell you." " What?" "I'm pregnant." "How nice!" "Why didn't you tell me?" "I was not sure, I wanted to wait." "I love you." "I love you." " Rafa, do you feel better?" " I want to ask you something." " Yes, what?" " I want to hire a real professional." "And Claude?" "Don't want to see him any more." "Look." "Theysmile." "The reconstituted perfectly normal family." "Come, come." "1 year ago I wanted to enter this house." "I managed to introduce myself ..." "Normal family ... watch closely." "So I thought I could become one of them." "But today, I think there is no place for me in the house." "(Tobecontinued..)" "What happened?" "You know what happens in basketball when a player injures another player on their team?" "No, I have no idea." "When you hit someone on my team, I return it blow for blow." " I know that with my dad, we're a team?" " Yes, I know." "My mother, though doesn't play basketball, It's the same." "You know what to do if someone is ready to do you harm?" "Give it a to go." "His father too!" "And if all the smart features kissed it and you're a fagot?" "Eh?" "What are you doing?" "I thought this family reconciliation happy and reunited, cannot be." "We must put an end to this story." "I stopped writing." " You're not going to the Rafa's house any more?" " No." "It's what I wanted." "Too dangerous." "I'm working alone now." "I do maths." "Maths never disappoints." "Option A:" "Rafa kills Claude." "Option B:" "Claude kills Rafa and stays with Esther in the house." "Option C:" "Esther's house burns down with all three inside." "You can choose one of the three endings and write the following yourself." "What you have to do it." "It's not my story ..." "I'm not going to." "You know what the secret of a good ending?" "The reader has to think:" "I didn't expect that ... And at the same time, it couldn't end any other way!" "Option D:" "Esther keeps on repeating:" ""Even barefoot, the rain was not going to dance."" "lifebecomesunbearableinthis house, with her horrible husband and son." "Nothing makes sense ." "She feels suffocated." "Then she goes out to the terrace, and sees him sitting in the park, waiting." "She runs to him, They're together." "They kiss." "Barbara Cartland style." " Good morning, Claude." " Good morning." "I knew it was coming." "He was waiting for her" "Here's your poem." "I don't know what to do with it and I didn't want to throw it away." "I came to fetch her, Esther." "We must leave here." "I'll take you." " What?" " You have to run away from this life, this household." " It's impossible." " Why?" "You're a child, Claude." "What happened between us, never existed." " Forget it." "It was a moment ..." " Magical!" "Magic, if you want." "But unreal." " You know it will hurt Rafa too much?" " What?" "Both." "I didn't want to hurt anyone." "Simply, Claude." " But I love her." " No." "It's not me, you love." "It's an image." "An image in your head." "I have to finish packing for the move." " You're leaving?" " Yes" " And the conservatory decoration?" " Rafa left his job, we're going to China." "He has a partner there." "We'll try it." "Start a new life." "Come." "Don't be sad." "Goodbye, Claude." "Take care." "I really need." "Todayisadifferentday." "Igetup at 6.45amasusual ." "preparedbreakfastformyfatherasusual." "Ileavethehouseat8amas usual." "TodayisWednesday." "Ihave Englishat9am , History at 10am ...  ...Frenchat 11amand thenmaths." "ButtodayIdecidedtochangedirection." "I not going to schol or the house of Rafa." "I go in search of an ending." "anendforMr. Germain." "An end to my teacher." "Rafa?" "You think you were humiliated, but you were only prodded, nothing more." "You're young, you have a lot to learn." "You're like the reed in the fable of La Fontaine:" "you bend but don't break." "You remember: "The Oak and the cane"?" ""He said to the oak:" "You have reason to complain about nature "" ""From over the horizon, comes the most terrible raging hurricane... spawned in the north. "" ""The tree resists, the reed leans ..." Yes." "Sit." "Germain, can you stop by my office please?" " Now?" " Yes" " Is Claude Garcia here?" " No, he's absent." "Rafael Artol?" "Can you also come with us." "Good day." "Hereheis ,hisfacetired." "I know what kind of man she is married to." "Iknowshehas children andthather husbandbelievesthateverything she shows in her gallery ...  ...isbullshit,sickart." " You Claude, right?" " Yes" "Helooksme headtotoe." "I imagined differently?" " Shouldn't you be in class?" " No." "I decided to leave." "What will you do?" "Most people have problems with maths." "I could teach." " Are you sure?" " Yes" "I can also write for contemporary art catalogues." " My French teacher said that I would be fine." " Yes, I know." "Lots of imagination." " Can I come in?" " Germain isn't here." "I know." "What a nightmare!" "What a nightmare!" "Bastard!" " Claude was not in class, right?" " How do you know?" "He came here?" "You let him in?" "It's not for everyone." "Already I'm in you house." " Going on holiday?" " No, it's full of her husband's books." "I went through the gallery to leave them, but it was locked." "openedthesuitcasesand bookbags ." "he helped me to sort them." "it'snoteasy." "They're classified by age." "Tolstoy." "Me, I don't like the Russians." "I read only 10 pages of Anna Karenina:" "the first 5 and the last 5." "Suddenly,I seein thelibrary a book that catches my attention." "Jeannetookit andsmiled." ""ChildrenoftheStorm"." "Yes, Germain wrote it, More than 20 years ago." " Didn't he tell you?" " No." " What is it?" " It's a banal love story." "It was a failure." "He said so himself." "Not worthy of the writers he admires." "It's sad." "One of the few qualities Germain, is its lucidity." "You look like him, at the same age, but you have talent." "lookathercarefully." "so different from Esther, but equally desirable." "You can stay with him if you want." "Shegaveme Germain'sbook and invited me to lunch." "wetalkedabouther gallery,mathematics, of how she met Germain ...  ...ofbooksyou enjoy." "Wegetalong,  when suddenly:" "Esther will never leave Rafa." "They're a couple with their problems   But there is a very strong bond between them." "They're very close." "Yes, they even want to have another child." "I didn't know." "And you, why have never had children with Germain?" "It was a possibility, but we never really thought about it." "Me with my work, him with his books." "At some point I asked myself if the link that I had with you   Had something to do with it." "His desire for children." " To him, would have liked to have a child." " I said?" "Above I said that you could not have children, because she was barren." " I told you?" "Yes." "Yes." "What?" "No." "Who?" "Oh, no!" "Right." "The Director asked to speak to Germain." " Why?" " Rafa denounced you for the maths test." "IjustmetMr. Germain, I wanted to know how he lived ...  ...howwasyourhouse,whowashis wife, what he did, if they had children ...  ...ifyoustillwanted?" "Jeanne,Jeanne." "Mr.Germain'swifeisinfront ofme,  lying on the couch ...  ...sleepingandIhear herregularbreathing." "Herskirtis between-openand Icansee the whiteness of her skin." "shehasverycutefeet ." "Like Esther." "WhatamIdoinghere ?" "In front of my teacher's wife ...  deliveredinhissleep...mydesire  of students sitting in the last row." "Seekinganend." "Myend." "Youmayfindithere ." "At home." " What are you doing?" " Can't you see, I'm packing my suitcase." " You're leaving?" " Yes" "The gallery closed and nothing is going well between us." " Where are you going?" " I don't know." "To my mother." "You've gone crazy?" "Today, the day 'm fired?" "Germain, I'm like Esther, unfortunately are not Rafa and Claude will never be your son." "What are you saying?" " You slept with this guy?" " It's continuing." "You slept with this guy?" "Miserable bitch!" " Germain, you're crazy!" " Say you slept with him!" " Good day, Claude." " Good morning." "Does it feel good?" "I feel better." " Can I sit?" " Of course." " And. ..?" "You found your end?" " No." "I left him." "But I brought him his book His wife had given it to me." "You can throw away it if you want." "It's worthless." "Me, I liked it." "It's a beautiful love story." "Keep it then." "Strange, all these windows can be seen from here, all these people." "Yes, it's awesome." "On the bench in Rafa's park, He was like a spectator in the front row ..." "He looked and thought   "What would life be like in these houses?"" "There, for example, these two women." "What do they do?" " You know them?" " No." "It seems they're having a discussion" "Two sisters perhaps, fighting over an inheritance." "Two lesbians on the verge of breaking up." "No, two twins, fighting over the house Family ..." "One wants to sell ... and the other not." "Two lesbian." "30 years of life together away ..." "Because the blonde flirted ..." "with your rheumatologist." "The brunette says:" ""Moreover, I introduced her!"" "Look at your hands." ""Yes, I introduced you." "Now understand I didn't want you to go with her. "" ""No way, we can not sell this house, Dad spent his life saving for it. "" "Do you really prefer them to be twins?" "Not particularly." "It should be on the first floor, right." "Forget it, Claude." "I don't think they need maths classes." "They'll need something, someday." "There is always a way to enter." "You can always enter any house." "Could you help me, no?" "Mr.Germainhadlosteverything:" "his wife, his job ...  ...butIwas here,besidehim readyto tellanewstory ." "(Tobecontinued..)"