"THE DEADLY MARIA" "The heating had gone off too early again." "The bed was a bit damp." "Heinz had goose pimples." "I looked at the chandelier this time." "I still don't know how but it's getting better." "This morning was the same as ever." "The man opposite was early." "Now he had more time to look at me." "I wish I knew what his name is." "I hate Tuesdays." "Will you be late tonight?" " It's Tuesday." "You know I will be." "Will you keep something hot for me?" " You know I will." "He'll be in a bad mood again when he comes home." "What's keeping you?" "I need to go." "Your pyjamas need washing, Dad." "I'll change them when it suits me." "Very well." "Ready!" "Do it tomorrow." "I'll stay in bed today." "You should move around." "Your back..." " I said I'll stay in bed!" "O.K.?" "What's up?" "No breakfast today?" "It was nice outside today." "The air is so fresh." "The crowds didn't bother me." "I tried to hear my heart beat but my footsteps were too loud." "19,76." "780!" "Won't you get up for half an hour at least?" "You mustn't always lie down." "You know, your flesh..." "and your skin, they have to breathe." "Come on, I'll put your chair by the window and bring you some tea." "Then I'll have you turn around." "Now at least I can wash your pyjamas." "Do you think that's funny?" "No." " Do you think that's funny?" "No." " Why not?" "It's very funny." "You're hurting me." "It's not funny." "Not funny!" "Schmitt." "I... excuse me, my name is Dieter Pohlmann." "What's your name, please?" "What?" "I mean..." "I'm calling about..." "Are you the lady on the third floor?" "Yes." " That's Schmitt, yes." "Schmitt." "That's not your full name, is it?" "No." " My full name?" "I need to know... your first name." " Who is this, please?" " Sorry." "Pohlmann." "I'm on the first floor opposite you." "We exchange glances..." "I mean, you look out the window..." "I'm calling about..." "You also have a problem." "With the heating I mean." "Maria..." "Excuse me?" " Maria." "That's my first name." "Maria..." "You were saying?" " What?" "You were saying?" "About the heating?" " The heating." "It's been defective for over a year." "I'm going to write a complaint." "I'm asking all the occupants for their signature." "Hello?" "Are you still there?" " Yes." "You know, here in the backyard it's even more unpleasant." "It's, it's even colder, I mean." " Of course." "So I was thinking, if you wouldn't mind, I could drop in..." " No!" "You can't." "Can't?" " No." "I'll come." " Yes, of course." "Please do." "Thank you." "I mean..." "Certainly." "When?" " What?" "When?" "Tomorrow..." "Tomorrow morning." "Yes." "Well, why not?" "Tomorrow is my day off, anyway." "Certainly." "Well, I'll see you tomorrow then." "Some brandy?" " No..." "I need money." " What?" "You heard me, I need money!" "I know you've been saving some." "I need it." " Me?" "Don't give me that." "Where is it?" "Lost it all at poker again?" "Mind your own business." "How much have you got?" "I haven't got any money." " You're lying." "I happen to know that you've been keeping back shopping money." "I went through the receipts." " That's not true." "I never kept any." "Don't lie to me." "Where is it?" "I haven't got money." "Really." " Maria..." "I need to go." "What is it?" "I'm cold!" "You forgot something." " What?" "You didn't eat a thing!" "Too tough." " I'm sorry." "Do you want anything else?" "Forget it." "Night." "He didn't find it." "I knew it was a good hiding place." "I hate it when he touches my things." "Bye." "I'll go and see him in a minute." "I really don't know what to wear." "Wait, wait..." "I'm in." " I wanted to..." "I didn't know..." "Won't you come in?" "Please." "Thank you." "Coffee?" "Very quiet." " Sorry?" "It's nice and quiet here." "Sorry, I hardly ever have visitors." "I mean..." "I've too much to do to to meet people and..." "I meant your flat." "I see." " With a view of the garden." "We look out into the street." "You read a lot?" " Yes." "No, not really, I evaluate." "I keep everything that's published and record it in a book." "You're writing a book?" "No, a dictionary." "A reference book." "I make lists of who wrote what and where it can be found." "Just a moment." "You see?" "Here's the name, and there you can see what he's written." "You wrote all this?" "Well, I don't write." "I just make these lists." "And you do this all by yourself?" "It must take ages." "21 years." "Unfortunately I've only got to "P". 3 letters every 4 years!" "I'll be retired before I get to "Y"." "Besides, I work at a publisher, too." "A biscuit?" " No, thank you." " They're good, my mother made them." "Your mother..." " She sends them to me twice a year." "And your mother?" "I mean..." "does she live here in town?" "My mother?" "I'm sorry, I didn't..." " My mother died when I was born." "You mean, she died giving birth to you?" "That's that's awful." "I mean..." "Absolutely awful." "It must be hard to cope with." " What?" "Having..." "Without it being your fault..." "Well what?" "Well, how shall I put it." "Although it's not your fault, you're guilty." "Guilty ofwhat?" "No." "I only meant..." "I'm sorry, it's none of my business." "Just forget it." "I've been watching you." "You have a smoke by the window every afternoon." "I'm sorry." "I have to go." "No, wait." "I didn't want to..." " I'm sorry." "Goodbye." " I didn't..." "I felt so hot suddenly." "Why was I scared?" "It's O.K.!" "I got her back!" "You're wife... we lost her." "I'm so sorry." "But the baby's alive." "Help me." "What's that noise?" "Maria!" "It's alright." "I just dropped something." "TO FOMIMO" "Dear Fomimo." "Today Lydia went away and left you with me." "Now that I can't tell her things any more I'm writing you a letter." "I'll write you everything." "Now you're my only friend." "I have to go to bed." "Goodnight Fomimo." "Yours, Maria." "I couldn't sleep last night." "Then I heard noises coming from Daddy's room." "I thought he might be ill." "But I think he only had a restless night." " Damned!" "What's that?" "What is that?" " The soap." "What did I tell you?" "What did I tell you?" "A home without a soap is is the home of poor people." "We're having guests." "Are they to use this pathetic piece?" "I'll go and get some." " Sunday!" "Today's Sunday." "How often do I have to tell you?" "You'll stay in your room today." " May I hear the quiz on the radio?" "Would you prefer the closet?" "I couldn't sleep." "I thought about school." "...a letter from Hernando Cortez, which he sent October 30th, 1520." "The capital..." " Today Frau Dahlbach scolded me because I was listening to the air going in and out of me again." "Wake up, girl!" "Would you show me the kindness of answering my question?" "I didn't hear the question." "A letter from Frau Dahlbach came." "I don't know what it said, but Daddy was furious." "I never want to get a letter like that again, you hear?" "And Maria please turn on the radio." "...more because I'm unemployed." "But in that case you still are a musician?" " Yes, I "are" a musician." "Then again I "are" not." "For if I was I can't "are"!" "Be!" " "... or not to be;" "that is the question. "" "Cutlet!" "Hamlet!" "Ham.cutlet!" "Hello?" "Who was that?" "No one." " What?" "No one!" "Boy oh boy..." " Two." "Two?" " You're really enjoying this, aren't you, lads?" "Yes, I'm out." " Me too. - 10!" "Fomimo, I'm so scared." "I've got a terrible illness." "Deary, what's up?" "We're hungry." " I'm coming." "Maria, come on." "Sit down with us for a while." "What is it?" "Why are you so shy today?" "Deary." "Gorgeous." "I just kept thinking:" ""Dear God, don't let them notice. "" "And this Heinz kept staring at me." "It lasted forever." "I almost died." "It's funny..." "Last week I dreamt I was dying." "It wasn't that bad." "I was just falling a long way; for a long time." "At first I felt dizzy." "But then it was quite a nice feeling really." "Where do you go when you die?" "What?" "Well, when you die?" "How should I know?" "Paradise?" "I hope so." "For your mother's sake." "To Paradise?" "What do you do in Paradise?" "You don't work; that's for sure." "You're in Paradise now!" "No school, no worries..." "I hope my life'll be that good one day." "So what do I do now, without school?" "You just learn how to run a household first!" "And then later I'll get you something nice to do here at home." "You ask some funny questions!" "Don't forget the bills for electricity and waste disposal." "Fomimo!" "I don't know where to start." "This boy from my old class came round." "Hello?" " Yes." "I'm to deliver something here." "Oh, it's you." "Here." "An invitation to the end of term party at school." "Do I know you?" " We were in the same class." "Take it." "Juergen!" "Are you postman now?" "That stupid Dahlbach forced this shit on me." "Wants me to do something "positive" for the class before I leave." "Are you alone?" "My father'll be back from work soon." "Got anything to drink?" "I'm dying of thirst." "Not very talkative, eh?" "At school I never heard you utter a single word." "Have you got a boy friend?" "I'm not surprised." "I bet you never kissed anyone yet, am I right?" "Kissing is art." "Want to be an artist?" "You have to open your mouth, and close your eyes." "Get out!" "Arsehole!" "You can keep that daughter of yours!" "All to yourself!" "Dad!" "Dad?" "Fraeulein Jakobs?" "Fraeulein Jakobs, your father had a stroke." "Do you know what that means?" "He'll pull through." "I can't tell you what aftereffects he'll have." "It was a severe stroke." "He's bound to be partially or even totally paralyzed." "That wasn't so bad, was it?" "Be glad you've still got your left arm." "Your daughter'll look after you." "Well, all the best, Herr Jakobs." "Ah well, you'll manage." "Bye." "I have to go to the toilet." "There's a break on the thing!" "Get on with it!" "Well, go on then." "Like the old cow explained." "I'll tell you when I'm finished." "Get out!" "How am I supposed to crap?" "In front of my own daughter?" "Alright?" "I won't let you finish me off." "Don't think everything's alright again." "I haven't forgotten!" " What?" "What!" "Don't you pretend to be harmless!" "Yeah, you run away!" "Run away!" "This evening Heinz came again." "But this time it was different." " Hello." "You look good." "Your clock's fast." "2 1/2 minutes to be exact." "I thought..." "Something's wrong." "So... how is he?" "...and don't forget, Heinz, I own this apartment." "It's paid for." "You're coming into a feathered nest, so to speak." "Don't worry, I..." "Heinz wants to make us an offer." "Do you want me to be happy again?" "Yes..." "He'd like to ask you to be his wife." "His wife?" "What's going on here?" "I want to know what's going on here!" "Where's my dinner?" "Where's my money?" "You're money?" "I must be hearing things." "I'd like my dinner now, please." "What's with your father?" "What about him?" " The door's closed!" "It was too draughty." "I'll go up to him." "Hurry up!" "I'm hungry." "Dad..." "Leave!" "Get out!" "Where did all those letters come from?" "It's just old stuff." "I'll clear it away in a minute." "Maybe we should drive out into the country." "To the sea, or something." "Hello." "I wanted to..." " Just a minute." "One moment." "Just a minute." "Just a second." "Hello." "Good morning." "Won't you come in?" "Am I disturbing you?" " No, no, of course not." "I mean, not at all." "I just wanted to apologize for my behavior yesterday." " I see." "But that was nothing." "I mean..." "It wasn't that bad." "I was just worried because you..." "Will you have some coffee?" "I mean, now?" "With me?" "No photograph, today?" "Did you like it?" "You know..." " Good?" " Sorry?" "The biscuits!" "I see!" "Yes, very nice." " I'm sorry." "What?" " I interrupted you." "You were saying?" "I wanted to say that I remember now." " What?" "My mother and things." " Things?" "Yes." "You were asking about my mother yesterday." "I realized I hadn't thought about it for a long time..." "Not just Mother, but about everything." "Never gave it a thought." "We never spoke of Mother." "Although there were three of us." "I just never gave her a thought." "But with you it's different." "I always wondered where you went." "Well, now I know." "You're a writer." "So you ask about these things." "I always wondered where you went in the morning." "Well, now I know." " I don't write." "I'm not a poet." "I don't invent things." "I collect!" "I know..." "So do I." "Ah yes?" "What kind of things?" "Just things." "Insects for instance." "Butterflies?" "Insects." "Ordinary ones." "Would you like to see what I collect?" "Lists..." "Your lists are great." "You don't find it... boring?" "I mean..." "On the contrary." "I envy you for having to make these lists." "I couldn't do it." "Because I wouldn't know why." "What you do is so... useful." "And you?" "What?" "I mean... what do you do?" "I don't know." "Nothing really." "I'm a housewife." "And your husband?" "What?" "Where is he at the moment?" "I don't know." "Gone." "I've got to go." "I've got to go!" "Do you know what time it is?" "What's going on here?" "Where were you at this time of night?" "Go on, tell me!" "I was in the house opposite." "About the heating." " The heating?" "They want to write a complaint." "I'm to sign it." " At this hour?" "What are you wearing anyway?" "Where did you get that dress?" "You gave it to me." "Put away this fruitcake." "I've eaten." "Give it to your father." "Don't ever let me find the place looking like this again!" "I don't know what's wrong with you, but I don't like it." "Hello?" "Ah yes." "Hello." "No, he's not in." "I don't know." "Perhaps." "Yes." "I'm sorry." "Goodbye." "Come in." "Some coffee?" "Close the door, will you?" "There's a draught." "Is nobody in?" "I mean... are you alone?" "Let's go through." "Won't you sit down?" "I tried to call you." "Several times." "I didn't know whether you..." "I went to bed early yesterday." "I dreamt... of you." "Really?" "What about?" "Your face." "Our kissing." "Do you want to see my insects?" " What?" "My collection?" " I see." "Yes, please." "I've been collecting for years." "But only the ones I caught myself." "I sorted them into genera;" "and according to size." "Silly, isn't it?" "You think it's silly!" " No." "No, I mean..." "you've got quite a lot of them here." "Yes we never used to." "The coffee."