"EENY MEENY" "Starring" "Music" "Executive Producer" "Photography by" "Written and Directed by" "Do you want some leeks?" "Jenda, do you want some leeks?" "No." "Not even a few slices?" "No." "Hi." "Hi." "Look, they're already ready." "Is that our big city girl?" "Hi." "Hi." "Look, a rhinoceros." "Do you want an open-faced leek sandwich?" "She doesn't." "Yes I do." "Leave her alone." "Everything was all set and then Sedláèek broke his leg." "We can't have a guy with crutches on the committee." "Nobody has time!" "Not one decent person has time." "They have time but just pretend they don't." "Are you going to finish this?" "No, I'm full." "You're too skinny." "You eat like a bird." "It's the same with putting up posters." "Look, the posters came out great." "But isn't it a bit red?" "Jana, isn't it too red?" "I'm going to take a bath." "Hey, look at him, eh?" "But here..." "One of my professors is supposed to call me." "If I'm in the bathroom when he calls, give me a holler." "Okay, but don't get too excited." "Adam may call, too." "The doctor?" "Something about Dad?" "No, I asked him to pay a visit to all the elderly patients to remind them who to vote for." "You're crazy." "Hello?" "Do you have a cold?" "No, something just flew up my nose." "Do you want to wash that handkerchief?" "No, it's still pretty clean." "I think you'd better wear a skirt tomorrow." "Everyone there'll be eyeing you." "Don't worry, I definitely won't wear pajamas." "I'm going to sleep now." "Goodnight." "Goodnight." "Good morning, Jana." "Good morning." "It's a contest for kids, you know, that chocolate bar." "You draw that cow on the wrapper and win a car." "Then get some other candy bars, at least 60 of them." "Yeah." "Wait a minute, Mr. Jemelík, not so fast, watch out." "Watch out, and don't crush Mr. Jemelík." "Careful, it would be a shame to break the screen." "Hi." "Your hair looks good." "I was just shopping next door..." "Mom has to come to spy, huh?" "Janièka, we're so glad you came." "It's a big help." "Hold this for me, please." "Sure." "So, it'll be just girls here, but what can you expect from men, right?" "Mr. Jemelík, don't carry that by yourself, you'll get a hernia and scratch the tiles." "Didn't you hear me?" "I have to go see him." "Hey, I have something for you." "Here, you're going to be here all day." "Please, stop it." "It's nice." "You look good." "Do I do that to you?" "Janièka, could you make a trial run?" "I'm just standing here, anyway." "Go sit down, Jana." "So you were saying that the voters sign in here." "Yes." "And then?" "Please, I'll do it myself." "No, sit down." "I don't mind." "Please, stop it, Mom." "Let's not argue about it." "So..." "So, each voter gets an envelope and, if needed, a duplicate ballot which he takes behind the partition..." "I have it, I'm going." "I'm here." "which the voter must go behind alone, he puts the ballot into the envelope, seals it, and then puts it in the box." "Is there something..." "...missing here?" "Why, of course there is." "That's why we're doing this trial run, eh?" "This little table might be nice." "It seems made for it." "It works." "Do you want me to bring you something this afternoon?" "No, thanks." "I don't want anything." "Can you see me from there?" "Almost all of you." "And you're a Scout, Mr. Jemelík?" "But you in the front can't see me, right?" "Just a second..." "Peek-a-boo." "Peek-a-boo." "Good morning." "We start in just a little while." "Good morning." "Okay." "I see you've made yourselves at home." "Hi, Pavel." "Peek-a..." "Oh, hi." "Girls!" "Shouldn't you slide that screen a bit to the left?" "So girls, a bit to the left." "Careful..." "Well done." "Are those bottles returnable?" "Should I keep an eye on them?" "I'd appreciate that, Mrs. Laskoòová." "Is it okay like this?" "Yes, it is." "Good morning, Mrs. Zachová." "I'll help you." "Thanks." "Good morning." "But we don't start till nine so you're here too early." "Don't you get enough all year at the town council?" "All those voluntary committees?" "Why aren't you part of the committee here?" "I can't just up and leave my husband alone for two days." "But someone from our family is here." "Right, Jana?" "Good morning." "Instructions are posted, easy to see." "But make sure they really enter one by one." "You'll see how it is when the rush starts." "What's he laughing at?" "I don't know." "Pavel, come have a look." "Please..." "Why can't he just say it normally?" "We have to take care of this before we start." "Have a look." "Can you borrow some chairs from the town hall?" "Is that okay?" "I thought you wouldn't mind leaving for a while." "Why is it a tree if it smells like strawberry?" "What's that?" "Do you mind?" "A tree that smells like strawberry?" "No, the fact that I took you out of there." "Not really." "Has the secretary gone crazy?" "We'll get him." "This is a 2-liter." "See?" "We already got him." "Can we please stop at that phone booth for a second?" "Sure, but on the way back, okay?" "Now we've got Mirek by the short hairs." "Idiots!" "It's heavy, huh?" "And you wanted to carry it yourself." "Hey, did you see the secretary staring at you?" "He thinks he's a sure thing for the council." "The only sure thing is that I'm going to keep an eye on him and his land deals." "Let's rest a bit." "He'll never forgive you." "That Èepuška is no saint either, but at least he's a decent guy." "He received some property in Prague under restitution." "Èepuška?" "Yeah." "They say he's got a building near Wenceslaus Square with a fitness center in the basement." "Fitness..." "Fitness center, or whatever..." "So what?" "What do you mean, so what?" "He lives in a state apartment." "Should he live in a fitness center on Wenceslaus Square?" "Yeah, but now they say the building is nearly empty." "Come on, an empty building on Wenceslaus Square?" "And why not?" "Why not?" "As far as I know, most people do it like that." "Èepuška wouldn't." "I trust him." "Lift it a bit." "Yeah, lift it." "That's easy to say." "Èepuška..." "He was my student." "Yeah." "He was such a gentle boy." "Always so sensitive." "That's just what we need." "Hey, do you want to vote now since you're already here?" "No, no." "I just popped in." "I've got to get dressed." "Jenda and I plan on coming tomorrow afternoon." "It was tough to get him to come at all." "How come?" "After what happened, he doesn't like the way... people stare at him." "I know all about that." "After her first stroke, my mom took it badly, too." "She was terribly ashamed that her mouth was like this." "Was it her right side?" "Yeah, was it your husband's left side?" "No..." "It's okay now." "She couldn't stand the kids staring when I washed her." "So we bought that screen." "She liked it." "The tigers and cubs are set." "Those flowers..." "Nice, eh?" "We can use the flags from the last camp in '66." "But we have nothing for the hares." "You're in a big hurry, huh, Mr. Jemelík?" "That bear is very nice." "Is it taken from real life?" "These flowers look good everywhere." "Girls, let me back there." "Well?" "We're lucky we live so close." "Go, go." "I normally wouldn't drag Jenda here, but you know... every vote counts." "Mrs. Zachová, if Professor Zach's in that kind of shape, we could bring the ballot box to your house." "Not that one." "We have a cute little portable ballot box." "We could stop by." "Well" "At least Jenda wouldn't have to come here." "Exactly." "No, no." "We wouldn't want to trouble you." "Trouble us?" "Jana and I'll stop by." "Your husband can cast his vote in the comfort of his own home." "Nobody will stare at him, right?" "But he isn't incapacitated." "No." "We'll manage." "Come on, in Prague they even deliver a pizza if you phone." "Just be at home at four..." "Mrs." "Laskoòová!" "Yes." "Can we start letting people in?" "Just a minute, girls." "But they're already waiting." "Jarmila, wait." "Soon you'll be up to your neck in voters." "I'd better go." "And Kvìtuška, don't worry, we'll manage." "Just a minute, Helenka." "Girls, hold them off for a bit." "We're not ready yet." "At least I'd be able to stop at home to check on my kids." "And no one else needs that box." "But..." "Helenka,we can help each other." "But..." "So at four at your place with the ballot box." "Goodbye." "But I really can't do it." "But it's just a joke, kind of a surprise." "You sure do lots of silly things in Prague." "Sorry, what was the number?" "Hello?" "Hello, may we speak with your husband?" "Yeah, just a second..." "Petr!" "Who's calling?" "Petr, hurry!" "So, who is it?" "Kittnar." "Which Kittnar?" "Pavel." "Sorry." "I told you I couldn't do it." "I didn't know what to say." "You were just supposed to ask her to get him." "So why don't we call again?" "I mean as someone else?" "Never mind." "Let's go, they're waiting for the chairs." "Can I ask you what the surprise is?" "Well, it's..." "You don't have to answer." "It's just that your girlfriend probably suspects something." "She was a bit..." "Actually, I kind of like surprises." "So, you're pretending to be asleep again." "You're using your stroke as an excuse not to get up in the morning, aren't you?" "But don't think you're going to make me angry." "Just like those hooligans who poster over our notice boards." "I wanted to throw out these posters anyway." "They came out too green." "He was supposed to be smiling, huh?" "And they could have added some hair." "Green, stained." "I don't know what you're trying to prove anyway." "See how you sleep?" "Jana looked very good." "Her skirt was a bit tight, but it was much better than those faded jeans." "Today, the scruffier kids are, the happier they are." "My hand's acting up again." "Again?" "Show me." "You don't exercise enough." "Don't do it so fast." "Are you in a hurry?" "Lie down with me for a while." "Don't be naughty." "Breakfast is on the table." "Come." "You don't want me in bed, so at least lie down with me." "Jenda..." "We can fit." "You're crazy." "You see." "You won't miss the election, or your Èepuška either." "Leave Èepuška alone!" "Did you notice that everyone in your party has a beard?" "Doesn't that seem strange?" "Not everyone." "It's so pseudo-intellectual." "Not Ota." "Not me." "But if you could have one you certainly would." "And your beard isn't intellectual?" "And what makes you trust ?" "epu?" "ka so much?" "He was my student." "Kids tell you all about themselves!" "Especially in history!" "Yes, and in natural science." "When our school mouse died he burst into tears." "He almost burst into tears at the exam when I asked him who Kant was." "Come on, breakfast is ready and the tea is getting cold." "Wait, I'll help you..." "Don't treat me like a carrot!" "Fine, do it yourself." "Should I cut it up for you?" "Did my teeth fall out when I had the stroke, or what?" "Laskoòová is in seventh heaven." "The whole town will file past her." "She'll be able to collect gossip for the whole year." "But it's good she's doing it." "She's so busy as it is." "She had a hard time with her mother." "She took care of her like a child for two years." "She understands." "And now she's alone with the kids." "We were thinking... so you won't have to go there tomorrow." "They can stop by with the box." "You know, with the ballot box." "Anyway, there'll be a lot of people so you don't have to drag yourself down there." "Who said I have to go there at all?" "Well, eventually everyone goes... into a box." "But wait." "Does that mean they're coming here?" "That your agitators will crawl into my bed?" "Yeah, I know." "I didn't think it wasn't the best idea, either." "But, since Jana is there they could wait downstairs while Jana brings the ballot box up here." "No way." "Am I a complete cripple?" "Who's been saying all week that he's not going to vote?" "Who parades around all day in pajamas?" "Wait a minute." "Do I want to go vote in pajamas?" "And what if I did?" "These are democratic elections." "Nobody's going to shove a ballot box in my bed." "Is there any tea left?" "I don't know." "Alright already." "Cool your jets." "I can't go any faster." "But Mrs. Kneøová said I'd have to go to the police for a stamp to extend my ID." "That's nonsense." "How would you get there?" "They're closed now anyway." "No, no." "Mrs. Kneøová..." "Forget about it." "They're just bureaucrats anyway." "I didn't even know I still had it." "How could I imagine I'd ever vote again?" "Don't worry, just go drop it in the box." "My ID?" "No, the ballot." "But Mrs. Kneøová," "Mrs." "Kneøová...?" "I'll distract her, and you can go drop it in." "Can I interrupt you girls for a minute?" "You have a beautiful cat around your neck, Jarmilka." "Hey, they brought that meat, cheap and guaranteed fresh." "But I'm on a diet, Pavel." "Mrs. Jarmilka, they said it might even be lo-cal." "In the end it might be pretty exciting here." "Did the plan succeed?" "Yeah, so don't scream about it." "Right." "Are they checked off, Janièka?" "Hey, you two conspirators, what're you up to?" "Tell us what you were whispering about." "We'd like a good laugh, too." "Right, girls?" "It's not a crime to have fun while working, right?" "I laugh at work all the time." "That was Zachová on the phone." "That box'll drive me crazy." "She wants it, then she doesn't." "Mr. Jemelík." "These lines here, huh?" "Nicely in one direction." "And one next to the other." "Our grandma used to paint china." "Really." "Birds, flowers, hearts." "She painted our whole service, but it flaked into our food." "She'd bought bad paint that wasn't heat resistant." "Could you also draw a cow, Mr. Jemelík?" "A troop of cows?" "No, for a contest." "You draw a cow like the one on that wrapper, and win." "Win what?" "I don't know, maybe a camera." "That would come in handy at our camp." "Or some insect repellent." "Jana, your father doesn't want the box." "Excuse me?" "When your mother was..." "Yeah." "...we decided to take the ballot box to your house." "So your dad could vote at home." "He wouldn't have to drag himself down here." "And now he doesn't want to." "And who's idea was it?" "Which idiot had the idea?" "Is he a cripple?" "Oh, Jana, no one suggested that." "Nobody thinks that." "We... we wanted... we just wanted to help your dad, and in that way help your mom." "For us, that..." "We're very busy here." "Hey, where are you going?" "Straight to the ballot box?" "You have to sign in first." "Sorry, I thought that since we prepared it at home..." "She'll really show them, the old teacher." "She'll send them straight to the principal." "Sorry." "Sorry." "Hello?" "Olda, I'm at the elections, the committee, so please don't call, okay?" "Bye." "I have to turn it off, or it'll never stop ringing." "It gets boring during the afternoon, doesn't it?" "Hey, English." "Everybody needs it today." "It's everywhere: popcorn, cornflake, bubble gum, juice..." "Well, we say 'juice' in Czech." "And you speak English?" "Can I ask what you're reading?" "Oo-lee-says." "Have you heard of it?" "No." "It's Ulysses." "Oh, yeah, right." "Ooleesays means Ulysses in English." "Whenever it pops in your head you can do it." "You don't even strain your back." "And you also exercise your abdominal muscles." "It would even be good for you." "Grab onto the table, lift your legs, and bounce up and down 400 times." "Every day, okay?" "Are you doing it?" "I can't see there." "I can't stop now." "Do you understand that?" "You've got so many notes." "I'm trying." "One of our professors wrote a whole book on it." "Isn't that strange?" "To write a book about a book which was already written?" "It doesn't seem that strange to me." "Maybe you could give me some advice." "I'd like to go bungee jumping." "I heard in Prague they jump off the Bridge of Lost Hope, ...or whatever they call it." "Have you ever tried it?" "No, I've never jumped from there." "Maybe you could try it." "Do you think so?" "And soon your tummy will be as flat as an ironing board." "Now pay attention, one..." "two... three, drop your legs." "Thirsty, huh?" "I can hardly imagine what we're going to do here tomorrow." "According to estimates, the number of voters present..." "But this is not the case everywhere." "Some counties," "Boleslav, Chomutov, Kladno, Nymburk, had turnouts..." "God... not now." "...than that of recent years." "The biggest drop came on the first day of the election in big cities, such as Plzeò, Hradec Králové, Èeské Budìjovice an experiment with a rat in a model waste pipe..." "Jenda, hang on a sec, okay?" "Good God!" "Wait." "They just mentioned Mladá Boleslav." "Just for a second." "Oh, Jenda, this isn't important now." "You can't be serious." "Don't bother me with those clowns of yours." "A life is at stake here." "Isn't that important to you?" "You should be interested in this." "You'd finally learn something about politics." "So Jenda, huh?" "Just a min..." "What do they do upon returning from work." "Yes, the fateful game of love." "Suddenly nobody's interested." "For forty years we sat here with our portable radios, trying to hear any news at all." "And now that we're free to listen to it, you you stare at a bunch of mice." "Nobody has time for the committee." "Everyone would rather forget about it." "I could, too." "I'd like to see you do that." "They'll forget about you... those political rats of yours." "But really, check it." "I don't know if it's safe here." "It's okay." "We'll take care of it." "Who'd want to steal anything here?" "I don't know, Jana, everybody steals today." "Do you want a ride, Jana?" "No, thanks." "So we're off, Mr. Jemelík." "Be sure to use your brakes." "I don't want you on my back." "Drive safely." "Thank you, thanks." "Mr. Jemelík!" "Don't worry, I'm coming." "Can I give you ladies a lift?" "Thanks, Mr. Kittnar, but were stopping by Diana's." "...yeah, that's a problem, but if you've got a good man you've got everything." "The worst thing is being alone." "Anyway, you have to drink to that kind of problem." "It's terrible but you have to learn to laugh at it." "...203, 204... 205, 206..." "Hello." "Hi." "No, but you said you'd call yesterday." "Hey, Jenda..." "You know that call from school she mentioned?" "Who is it?" "I don't know." "Of course I want to see you." "Do you want... a carrot?" "It's nicely peeled." "No." "I have a cucumber." "Shouldn't I go see her?" "With another kind of vegetable?" "Screw that." "An ironing board!" "You want to watch TV!" "No." "So, what're you going to watch?" "Channel 1 is showing this, Channel 2 is showing that..." "And you just don't know." "And there's no one to talk about it with." "You have to decide for yourself." "Then the show turns out to be stupid, and nobody cares." "Want some?" "I can't." "Or maybe you're watching... a film about love..." "I try not to watch those anymore." "Now when I see a love story in the TV guide" "I just don't watch it." "I just cross them off one by one." "And then you get depressed." "A barrel of laughs..." "filled with tears." "Then I just sit and cry." "Me, too." "But the difference is that you have Láï'a, you know." "That's a different kind of crying." "Exactly." "I should be going." "I'll get one, too." "I'll just get one, too." "Jana, are you asleep?" "What... what is it?" "The ballot." "You didn't mark it, so I prepared it for you." "So you don't forget it in the morning." "I put a list of names in there, too." "What time is it?" "Are you going somewhere?" "No, I just don't want you to forget it." "I'll leave it in the hall, okay?" "Jana, is everything all right?" "Yeah." "Yeah?" "I don't want to meddle." "Why doesn't Dad sleep in the bedroom?" "He doesn't have to spend all day in bed anymore." "It's... better there..." "he can watch TV." "Here." "Don't forget it in the morning." "Now go to sleep." "Goodnight." "Don't forget it tomorrow." "Mr. Jemelík, hand me that bag." "Quickly." "What could it be?" "Voila!" "To have a bit more fun." "Who knows how long we'll be here?" "Is this conspiratorial electoral drinking?" "I can call Olda and tell him to pick something up on his way here." "Wine?" "Cognac?" "That'd ruin it." "Vodka or gin." "So!" "It must be a clear, colorless liquid." "Mr. Jemelík, open up." "Excuse me." "Well, Jarmila!" "Should I bother putting it away?" "Huh?" "Jiøinka and I celebrated a bit last night." "Well!" "Thursday was Jiøinka's last day at work." "Jiøinka, do you have a bun in the oven?" "Bun-shmun." "They've shut them down." "Shut who down?" "They've closed the library." "God, I'm sorry." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Hey, you've won." "You're the first here." "They closed down the library and we're just opening." "So let's start, Mr. Lepšítl." "Give your ID to Jarmilka." "I hope it's still valid." "It is." "She's very strict about that." "How many kilometers have you done today?" "I still have ten to go." "But that's nothing for you." "Jana, this is our iron man." "So when we finish you can run down to the town council to announce the results." "You'll put on white shorts just like at the Olympics." "Only then would it have pizzazz." "Bye." "Goodbye." "We have to go soon, Jenda." "It's almost three." "Is this made from those overcooked preserves?" "No, they're last year's, the ones you and Janièka made." "Did you hear me, we have to go soon." "Can't I even finish?" "Are they closing the polls?" "You can vote until eight." "Yeah, but there could be a last minute rush." "Do you want to see all those people?" "You know these are this year's." "They're last year's." "Don't try to make a fool of me." "Okay, fine." "They're this year's, but if you hadn't remembered you wouldn't have noticed." "They overcook when baked anyway." "So why the hell did you tell me they were last year's?" "Because I knew you'd gripe even if it doesn't matter." "But if you don't want the cake, here's some chocolate." "So, Jenda, I'll fill out our ballots to save time." "I'll get dressed, help you with your coat, and we'll go." "So it's Èepuška, right, uh, the lawyer Ma¡rancová..." "I'm not voting for Èepuška." "Then, who?" "You don't know any of them!" "Maybe I do." "Is this how you imagine democracy?" "You know nothing about it." "Every vote counts." "Maybe I want to vote for the Republicans." "You haven't cared for six months." "Do you ever read the local newspaper?" "Never!" "When I listen to the news you get angry." "And now..." "Suddenly..." "Darn it, every vote really counts." "For forty years here we whined trying to achieve... trying to achieve..." "something, and now... now when we finally have the chance..." "Okay, so mark it, mark it... you marker." "So..." "This one and this one..." "That's strange." "Mom said they'd come right after lunch." "Vašek, another 'F'." "Excuse me, now the eyes, should I fill them in?" "Yeah, Mr. Jemelík, be sure to stay within the lines." "And now use that blue one." "Look, like this." "Aha." "And won't it be silly if a rabbit has such blue eyes?" "Not at all, Mr. Jemelík." "Are blue eyes normal?" "Look at Jiøinka... well, not her..." "Mrs. Laskoòová!" "What color are your eyes?" "Brown." "Mine aren't blue, but Mr. Kittnar's might be." "Peek-a-boo..." "No, they aren't." "Girls, I just read an interesting article." "It said that statistics show that people with blue eyes catch viral diseases more easily than people with brown ones." "Interesting, isn't it?" "Jana, show me." "Jana!" "Look at your Aunt Kvìta." "See, girls?" "Those are blue eyes, right?" "The article recommended that people with blue eyes marry people with brown eyes to prevent viruses." "Jana, have you found anyone with brown eyes?" "You surely have a boyfriend in Prague." "What color are his eyes?" "Blue." "They're blue." "My ex had blue ones, too, and mine are brown, but my kids turned out a pretty sickly bunch, anyway." "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon, you enthusiastic voters." "So,have you been there already?" "Yeah,I've always been involved." "They always played this at the Reserve." "Turn." "It's coming back to me now." "I was born in Mexico and traveled the whole earth," "But it took me years to discover the truth," "That the fruits of love are sweet nearly anywhere you go." "But the sweetest are at home in Mexico." "Mexican fruit is love's true treat," "A little wet, a little sweet to moisten your hot mouth." "And though kiwi's a great delicacy," "And mangos often tempt me, We all know the truth," "Because the sweetest is a very young papaya..." "The sweetest is a very young papaya..." "Did you go see the grandmas?" "But today's Saturday." "You always have to remind those grandmas." "Every vote counts." "The KPS people have been campaigning like crazy." "They wouldn't be able to make it here anyway." "Yeah, but we could use the ballot box." "Laskoòová'd go." "She's crazy about the box." "Hi." "Hi." "Good afternoon." "Come on, don't hold them up." "Suddenly he wants to vote." "See you later." "Goodbye." "Bye-bye." "Look at him hurrying." "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon." "Mr. Jemelík and I are just reminiscing about old times." "Sit, Jana." "We'll come see you." "Wait, we need to read the instructions." "Please, don't act like an idiot." "The Zachs, 28 Victory St." "Everybody knows that." "I saw Èepuška and his whole family this morning." "Yeah, that was fun." "This place must be great fun." "Sometimes we have a good laugh." "We discovered that Èepuška's ID had expired." "Really?" "Really?" "No!" "Yeah." "Are you joking?" "No." "So what did you do?" "He couldn't vote." "He didn't vote." "He went to the police station to renew his ident..." "Right?" "No, only Mrs. Èepušková voted." "But that..." "But others were here and they voted." "The women from the school..." "most people had valid IDs." "I'll be right over." "Come here, Dad." "Professor..." "Come sit down." "I have to make a call anyway." "So that's the little box you wanted to invade my bed with." "Yeah." "But then you'd have missed this incredible spectacle." "What are you reading?" "Ulysses." "Another thing I never understood." "Yeah, I know." "Penguin..." "Are these your notes?" "No." "I borr..." "It belongs to one of our professors." "I borrowed it from him." "So you exchange books with professors?" "Well, they closed down the library... so we exchange books." "So who did you vote for?" "I don't even know." "Mom wrote down some names for me." "I don't know many people here anymore." "And who are you voting for?" "It doesn't matter." "Can you get your mom to hurry a bit?" "Yeah." "He looks more like the one on the towels." "Snuggle?" "Mom, Dad's a little tired." "Okay, I'm coming." "Hey, Dad, did you ever finish "Ulysses"?" "Yes, but it didn't solve anything." "Well, you're almost done." "I brought you some apples." "Sit, sit." "I'll put them over there." "Later you can pass them out." "Is this yours?" "Yeah." "But wait." "Well, well!" "Come on, we won't bother Janièka here." "We'll go cast the ballots." "Let's go." "First we have to go behind the partition." "But Janièka can let that go, right, Jana?" "But it's not allowed." "But it doesn't matter, Dad." "Helenka, he'd better go behind the partition." "Good afternoon." "Good afternoon." "Look, it's a rule, and it's better to follow it." "You heard what the secretary said yesterday, right?" "Okay, come on." "No." "Voters have to go behind the partition one by one." "But you can't walk properly." "Come on, I won't bite." "Rules are rules." "For God's sake,leave him alone." "That's right." "Rules are rules." "Everybody goes there alone." "That's why it's there." "Okay." "Then, go." "Mr. Valášek, grab your dog." "He can't run around here at the polling station." "Where's he going?" "Mr. Valášek?" "Come back, Faninka!" "Jenda!" "Dad!" "I'm okay." "Should I go get him?" "No." "Helena!" "Jenda, you're all red." "I'll get you some water." "I'm fine." "Helenka..." "Have some." "What?" "Oh, nothing." "Drop it in." "Of course." "Hey, lean back like this." "Back?" "Yeah, lean back." "See how poorly these benches are made?" "Yeah, I do." "We must look like a couple of idiots, huh?" "Do you want a piece of cake?" "To choke on?" "Come on, what're you talking about?" "So, do you want some or not?" "I was really glad to see young Vávra there." "Everyone says he's a crook but, you see, even he comes to vote." "That's right." "And I taught Krèková, too." "And now she's a big girl..." "But she looked out of it." "It's won't be easy for her now that they've closed the library." "They've closed the library?" "And for how long?" "For good." "How can they do that, those idiots?" "Easy, when you vote for them." "The complete Èapek." "They had the old edition there." "Saudek's and Vrba's translations of Shakespeare." "Helena..." "So now at least we're trying to convince them to transfer the books to our school, at least to the attic." "Do you want banana or lemon tea?" "Or normal?" "I should make some tea for my cold." "Can you hear it?" "How nasal I am?" "Or we can make coffee." "Janièka ended up fitting right in there, didn't she?" "She must have seen some former classmates, if... if they went to vote." "They had their revolution and now they don't care anymore." "Everybody wants it to work, but somehow... without them." "Now that's better." "No, it has to be more intimate, girls." "So, it looks like we did it." "The votes have been cast." "And now the flowers..." "Don't worry about it, Mrs. Kvìta." "Wow." "We still have an important vote to cast." "For who?" "Not for anybody." "White or red." "Look here, how will I count votes afterwards, huh?" "Look, vote for the red or the white." "It's not that..." "Do I have to decide?" "I don't like making decisions." "You decide." "Vote!" "Oh, well..." "I'll count it out then." "Okay:" "Eeny meeny miney mo, catch a piggy by the toe, if he hollers let him go, my mother says to pick the very best one, and you are it." "Red." "Once again, and you are it." "You won, so you vote." "Red!" "Fine, but if I spill on myself it's your fault." "You can't leave me." "After closing the polling station at 8 PM you can't leave me." "Rules are rules." "Rule unruly." "I need to go, or I'll wet my pants." "Sssh." "Here comes young blood." "Jana, come entertain Mr. Kittnar so he's not afraid." "It doesn't work for long distance." "Dial the number, then press the green button." "Well..." "Cheers." "To the election." "Hi..." "I just wanted to hear your voice." "So I'd hang up, or pretend it's a wrong number, or..." "With an American?" "With a lecturer." "Which lecturer?" "There's a whole swarm of them now." "He's 28, speaks English, and lived in America." "So, an American, huh?" "It started when she brought home dental floss." "Dental what?" "Dental floss." "What's that?" "It's a kind of string for cleaning between your teeth." "It made my gums bleed terribly." "For two days I've been sitting here staring at stupid Joyce," "not understanding a word, the only thing I can see are your stupid notes, and I'm sitting here, staring at them as if at some holy picture." "I'll tell you something, with us it was very simple." "Franta simply came home one day saying that he was sick of grandmas vinegar packs." "And he simply said it was either him or grandma." "Could I kick Mom out of the house?" "Wasn't it her house?" "Well, yeah, that, too." "So he went." "But I..." "I'm so scared." "It was a mistake that you married that..." "Radka." "No..." "Her, too, but it was a mistake that you married that..." "I was married only to Radka." "No, that's just it." "You married that Supermarket, or whatever it is." "Variety Store, but you go there." "Yeah, but it used to be a grocery store." "That Notoriety, I can't remember that." "Variety, Mrs. Kvìta." "And you shouldn't have married that Variety because Radka had room for dental floss and the like." "That's not true at all..." "Poor girl." "That's how the big city ruins young people." "My kids won't go to Prague even if they beg me." "What, are you okay?" "ls something wrong?" "I'm sad." "He's sad." "This is all I have left." "Yeah, I see." "Forever." "In the army." "But, you know, this is the proof you can survive pain." "Dental floss can't bully us." "Conceited Americans..." "Now I sit at home and stare at her begonias." "Yeah, I know." "Just be glad you don't have any children." "You'd see it on their faces every day." "Where's Mom?" "Well, what would you tell them?" "Matthew!" "Matthew, fuck you." "But I can't do it, Petr." "Obligations?" "You have obligations towards her?" "And who was telling us of man's supreme obligation towards his own truth?" "Huh?" "Love is like a white cigarette." "You smoke another without regret." "But if I had some alcohol..." "Hey, that..." "Wait I'll fill up your glass." "Thanks." "Don't spill it on yourself." "I can't support what you were just singing either as the chairwoman or as a woman." "It's not like that." "Love is a butterfly." "Love is a bee..." "Is it a bee?" "Isn't it a beet?" "Like a beet?" "Hardly, because then it wouldn't rhyme with 'lost in the sea,' and then... then, a butterfly and a bee are both insects, and that's why they're together." "That's the point." "I was never good..." "That's just interesting bullshit that makes idiots of people like you're making of me!" "And I'm sick of it." "You just can't give me a straight yes or no!" "Love is Manon." "Love is Manon?" "How does it go?" "Oh, you don't know." "Jiøinka, how does it go?" "I don't know that one." "You know it, how does it go?" "I can't remember now." "It's bland..." "What do you mean it's bland?" "Love is a bland Manon?" "Well, let's try another." "So, Jiøina..." "Tell the one when you were wearing the blue skirt." "Jiøinka knows lots of poems." "She was champion of the reciting race." "She represented our town... all over and everywhere." "I'm sick of it, Petr." "Make up your mind, yes or no!" "The human heart, oh, God above," "Is blamed for evil but not for love." "And you, nation, are on God's great earth" "Like a thistle blooming in a place of dearth." "Oh, all words, just evil strife." "I'm flying to you my nation, my life," "Like a girl, a human lark flying to its lover..." "No!" "Just say it now!" "Uh huh." "I can't remember the rest." "Jana, you're running up a bill." "Let her be, Mrs. Kvìta." "It's at least good for something." "But she's calling Prague!" "So here we go." "Valid." "Invalid." "And now we can start counting, Mrs. Laskoòová." "I'll go join the girls." "Thanks." "Tonight we'll have fun, bunny!" "So girls, let's start." "At ten Chicago Hope starts, and I haven't missed it yet." "You probably will." "What do you mean?" "We have to count all these." "What?" "She says we have to count them first." "I know, so let's start." "Jarmila, we won't look at each other." "Let's go." "Love and truth prevail:" "We all have to love our wives although we say we don't love them." "Nobody can leave them." "His wife is unstable." "But I'm stable." "So it's over." "So girls, let's go." "First we have to destroy the invalid ones." "What?" "She says first we have to destroy the invalid ones." "My God, please shut it off." "If you're so full of energy come help destroy these." "At least you can put it to use." "Those were the good ones." "What do you mean good?" "The good ballots." "Wait, which good ballots?" "The valid ballots!" "Jana!" "God, I feel sick." "This is it." "We could go to prison for ten years for this." "Hold on, Kvìtuška..." "When is the secretary coming?" "When I call." "Then he takes the results to the council." "The bags..." "The bags for the valid ones remain sealed for ten years." "So, if we put the invalid ones in who would know?" "But how can we count them?" "We can't read them now." "Jiøinka, you said your husband was at the fifth" "polling station?" "Yeah, but why?" "The voting always ends up about the same, right?" "So if we find out their results we can figure it out according to the number of our voters." "No one'll notice a thing." "The battery is supposed to last for two hours." "Hello..." "This is Krèková, may I speak to Láï'a?" "Thanks." "How should I explain it?" "Don't explain a thing." "Just ask him if they're done, and if he can come pick you up." "Then ask him." "Hi..." "I'm just calling to see if you're done, to see if you can pick me up." "You're right." "It'd be tough on just one bike." "Hey, and what are the results?" "The elections." "I was just wondering." "OSAN 15..." "KPS 38..." "Yeah, it was similar here." "Helena..." "I feel kind of..." "Do you know where my pills are?" "Which one?" "They were around here somewhere." "How should I know where you put them?" "You're always hiding them." "Wait, they're in that jacket." "I put them there myself for the election." "I'll get them." "Helena!" "What is it?" "Helena!" "I shouldn't..." "I can't take so many pills." "I already had one this morning." "You know what Adam told you." "Wait." "Please come here." "I have to tell you something." "There aren't many left." "And something to take it with." "Here you go." "Is it carbonated?" "Yeah, it is." "You know the bubbles go up my nose." "Up your nose?" "Poor you." "The bubbles go up his nose." "And us?" "We'll lose our minds." "And we'll run to get something without bubbles." "But then it'll be too cold, so we'll warm it up." "But then you'll want something completely different, huh?" "But again it won't be the right thing because in fact you don't want anything." "You are a poor guy who's told himself he didn't deserve this." "He didn't deserve this." "And me?" "Did I deserve this?" "You look at me as if I were a murderer because" "I don't want you back in our bed." "Do you know why?" "Because I want to get away from you at least for a few hours." "My God." "Did I deserve this?" "Would it have hurt you, huh?" "You irritable, grumpy man." "Your life is ruined." "And my life isn't?" "I'm here with you every day, listening to you over and over." "I fulfill your every stupid wish, but you can't stand that I, in the tiny bit of life that I still have, that I could hold onto something that interests me, that matters to me because" "nothing matters to you, right?" "Nothing matters to you." "What matters to you is that your life is ruined, so you're going to ruin everyone else's." "I do everything for you." "Everything, without saying a word, and... you couldn't even do me a small favor that means nothing to you, but that you know matters a lot to me, so you can't..." "Small favor?" "This is a question of principle." "Good God!" "Your everything..." "You think that if you wipe somebody's drooling chin you've saved him?" "I'd gladly sit here up to my neck in jam if I could have a meaningful conversation with somebody" "like a normal human being I have a right to that." "You're like a child." "How can anyone speak normally to you?" "How can one stand it?" "Me?" "I don't have any rights?" "You?" "Everybody pities you!" "But who's going to pity me?" "Helena." "Jenda." "Wait..." "Iie down..." "No, sit." "Wait!" "And we'll make it by the time Chicago Hope starts." "They might make it, too." "Maybe someone had a stroke because of the election." "Yeah, that's very funny, Jarmila." "Very funny." "Pavel, that's the secretary." "Oh, God, it's him, isn't it?" "Please go stall him until we straighten up in here." "Mr. Jemelík, don't look around, just clean up." "We've got to hurry..." "Here's a piece." "Now that's a seafood restaurant." "The food's great, and they're open till eleven." "Hey, what's going on here?" "I wanted to surprise you..." "If you're ready, we can call it a day, huh?" "We're ready." "The bags are sealed." "Where are they?" "Here are the results." "Mr. Jemelík will see to the bags." "Everything went..." "Jana, come here." "No." "Everybody has to go behind the partition alone." "Right?" "Goodnight!" "I'm sorry about the screen, Mrs. Laskoòová." "It's okay, Jana." "Don't worry about it." "It was just a rag." "I didn't like the flowers anyway." "Everything will be all right." "You'll see." "I kept telling myself it would be okay." "And now everything's a mess." "So we'll rest here a while..." "Take this..." "Careful!" "Jana, are you all right?" "Okay." "Lean here." "Yeah, I'll hold onto you." "You're taking me home, right?" "Not by car, for sure." "I've got my bike here." "By bike?" "We'll walk her home, and then we can come back for the bike." "But I'll lock it before we go." "Okay?" "Jana, will you hold on like his?" "Okay?" "We'll have to go bungee jumping together sometime." "Well, we'll see about that." "Here's your Juice." "I mean, Joyce." "Forget about it." "Who could want anything from us now?" "Hold it up." "You can put the kickstand down." "Hold this." "I'll help you." "We've still got time." "We can wait over here." "There'll be lots of people by the bus." "I'll be back by Wednesday." "I'll just sort out a few things, then I can stay here longer." "Don't let them go bad." "Sit further back." "I can't because of my bag." "Why?" "Never mind."