"What are the new people like?" "If you ask me, they're flashy." "They throw a party before they've unpacked." "I think it's nice." "I hope we get to dance." "Titi!" "We'll be late!" "Let's dance!" "You always make us get there early and we hang around getting bored!" "I think you'lI like the Fabres." "He's nice, easy to work with... and he has a sense of humor, too." "Are they a big family?" "Fantastic!" "They have four children." "Jerome!" "Where's your bow tie?" "It's tight." "So is mine, but we're going out." "Nothing's ready, darling." "Nothing!" "So help me get ready." "I've seen you do better with zippers." "Unzipping is a different ball game, darling." "How is your new life?" "It goes, "Heat up the pizzas put the aperitits outside and make the canap?" "."" "Is that all?" "It also makes me feel very proud of my husband." "Hurry up." "Zoe?" "Ludo?" "Where are they?" "Jean!" "Don't scratch your b" " Where are my red shoes?" " I have no idea." " Can't you change your dress?" " No!" "I bought it specially." "Granny!" " Hello!" "Call me Elisabeth like in the good old days." "Repeat after me:" "E-Ii-sa-beth!" "Take this, chum." "Hello..." "Granny." "It's great to have you back." "Great is the word." "Nice neighborhood!" "Mind you don't try the wrong door when you're a Iittle..." "Of course, you never are." "You don't have to visit us." "Isn't that a bit too much?" "What did I say?" "We're the first." "Oh, God, I can't wear these shoes." "They're all here at once." "How kind." "Strawberry tart." "My favorite!" " Hi, Albert." " Hi, how's life?" "Lovely dress!" "So is yours." "You look gorgeous." "Do we have to mind our Ps and Qs?" "Not here!" "So where's the party?" "I'll give you my alarm system." "But he won't need it, will he, Albert?" "Look at this." "I kept it for you." "You got us here." "To keep you on the job, pal!" "Anytime you say." "You'll love it here." "It's a great neighborhood." "Thanks to his alarms, I bet." "Hands of those chips!" "Tom, Jean !" "Go away!" "Speech!" "Speech!" "welcome to our home." "Look in anytime!" "I'll keep it short." "Let me introduce my tribe." "The prettiest..." "Takes after her mother!" "My wife, Hanna." "My eldest son, Tom." "The brainy one." "The second, Jean." "The naughty one." "Where are the others?" "Kids are like spaghetti." "You can't catch them all together!" "Zoe, for instance." "Zoe?" "She's beautiful!" "Ludovic!" "My princess dress." "That's Ludovic...the joker!" "It's his favorite joke." "What on earth?" "Let the party begin!" "You're 7, Ludo." "Too old to dress up as a girl... even it you think it's funny." "What's got into you?" " I wanted to be pretty." "Never again." "We need more stuff out there." "Do you do it often?" "No" "Only now and then." "It's naturaI.UntiI the age of 7, we search for our identity." "I read it in Marie-Claire." "Not "pretty," handsome." "Go change and join the fun." "Take me dancing tonight, Cheek to cheek Hugging in the dark." "This song is beautiful." "I said I'd marry the first man who asked me to dance to it." "It was Titi." "Your boss seems to like me." "What's the matter?" "Jealous?" "All you care about is soccer and your friends" "Ah, you're dressed." "Your mom's still crazy." "She stays young, that's all." "She pretends to be young." "Sophie!" "Hurry up!" "Come on, kids!" "Cheer up!" "Only a week to go before the weekend!" "You brought Pam and Ben." "She's Sophie, and he's Jerome." "Good." "Nice, Sophie." "Very romantic." "Who's next?" "So many electronic games!" "How dull." "There are more personal things to care about, you know?" "It may be dull..." "but his rag is dumber!" "It's not a rag." "It's a "snug-rug" from America." "It's come a long way." "The "Woolworth's" on America Street isn't far!" "What about you, Ludovic?" "He plays with dollies!" "I see Pam and Ben are popular." "You want to be like Ben, right?" "You and Sophie would make a pretty couple." "J?" "e?" "What a nice truck!" "That's pretty." "Be sure to give it back." "Who's next?" "You lost something." "So did you." "Keep it." "My mom thinks she lost it." " Play with me." " No!" "I'm busy." "Look out, darling." "Get in." "I have big plans for us today." "Isn't he your dad's boss's son?" "Are you pals?" "We're going to get married when I'm not a boy." "Not a boy?" "well, yes." "You have a lot to teach me." "I brought you a snack." "Out of the way, kids!" "Granny, come quick!" "It's starting!" "Now, here's Pam, the star of your favorite TV show." "Pam, will you marry me?" "Oh, yes, Ben !" "I read all the books About romance and roses" "I mark all the parts Where the boyfriend proposes" "I long to be happy" "It's like a neurosis" "We haven't seen each other much in 5 years." "You've changed so much !" "We'll make up for lost time, okay?" "Did Grandpa give you that?" "Yes." "Actually, no." "He could have been your grandpa, but alas, he was already married." "She's beautitul." "I wish I still were as slim and smooth as her." "But in that dress, at my age..." "I'd look ridiculous." "You wouldn't!" "You're beautiful." "Thank you." "You're welcome." "But we all have to face reality." "When I want to do things that would make me look ridiculous, I have a trick." "Shall I tell you?" "Watch." "I shut my eyes..." "You shut your eyes." "And the world is how I want it." ""And the world is how I want it."" "I'm young, beautiful..." "Your grandpa is rich... very rich..." "There!" "My little men are all neat and trim." "Dad, play with us." "Later." "I have work to do." "Same old story." "Ludovic." "You must!" "Just this much, then." "Okay, I promise." "Ludo, have I ever broken a promise?" "All right, now sit still." "Don't you want to be like your brothers and father?" "I like long hair... and people who know what they want." "What was it Granny told me?" "You want to marry Jerome?" "yes," "Like Pam and Ben." "You know, Ludo boys don't marry other boys." "I know that!" "That's okay, then." "Poor Granny. lt's sad to get old." "Having a dressmaker as a neighbor is great!" "It's great for me to have my hair done." "Shorter, please." "Go ahead." "It's not for you." "Your hair's too flat." "Next time, I'll blow-dry it." "Albert hates it, and I Iove my husband." "So do I, but even so." "They like a bit of lace, even it they don't dare ask." "Pierre is Pierre, and Albert is Albert." "Of course." "No comparison." "That's the length, see?" "My parents' room..." "the toilet... the bathroom." "Ours is across the hall." "This is my room." "What's in there?" "It's out of bounds." "What is it?" "My sister's room." "Where is she?" "Gone away." "Come on." "Come on, let's go." "Come on!" "We walk down the aisle." "I Iook gorgeous." "Pick up the vicar." "Pick up the vicar!" "Mrs. Pam, will you marry Mr. Ben here present?" "Yes." "Mr. Ben, will you marry Mrs. Pam here present?" "Yes." "Now, kiss." "Mommy!" "God!" "What happened?" "Lisette?" "Look at the bike!" "And the houses!" "Don't you realize?" "Jerome's sister is dead!" "Lisette is very sad." "I didn't know." "He told me she went away." "That's no excuse!" "You're seven years old." "What is it, Ludo?" "One day, I'll marry Jerome!" "What?" "Mom was right!" "You lied." "I told you boys never marry boys..." "or very rarely." "But I'll be a girl." "Cut it out!" "You're a boy, and you'll be a boy all your life!" "You're so stubborn!" "Just like your mother." "Pass the ketchup." "I didn't know she was dead!" "That's not the point." "Can't we cut his hair?" "Yes, darling." "We could also crucify him." "I Iove your humor, but not right now." "He didn't kill the Pope!" "Stay out of this!" "What he did was wrong." "Jerome is Albert's son." "Albert is Daddy's boss." "So, don't wear girls' clothes with Jerome... or anybody else!" "He understands." "Let's turn the page." "Turn the page?" "What's on the next one?" "What you did was very bad!" " Like putting a cat in the dishwasher?" " Worse, you moron!" " Tom!" "We're not deaf!" "You want the neighbors to hear?" "Okay, Hanna." "You're so smart, you deal with it." "We've been married for 12 years, and he still astounds me." "Let's go back inside." "Morning." "Hi, Ludo." "Well, if it's not my lucky day." "Oh, nothing." "Remember what you said last night?" "I agree." "About..." " Can I ask what changed..." " No." "Okay. I'll see to it." "Ludovic..." "We've decided... to take Ludo to a psychologist." "That'll fix it, I swear." "We'll joke about it." " Are you mad at me?" " please, Miss!" " Can I sit somewhere else?" " If you want." "May I ask why?" "Otherwise, I'll go to hell." "To hell?" " What are you talking about?" " Can I?" "Sit next to Alexandre." "Tell me I won't go to hell!" "What are you mumbling about?" " Promise!" " I promise." "You know your parents are worried." "How do you feel about it?" "Can I play with the toys?" "Answer the doctor." "Play with anything you like." "He'll hear what we say." "What child did you want?" "What do you mean?" "What child?" "Girl or boy?" "We didn't mind." "Whatever comes is a gift trom God." "We may as well tell the truth." "Which thruth?" "Since we already had one girl and two boys..." "I remember we said that another girl would be nice." "For equal numbers." "Don't tell me it made any difterence." " You can't mean it." " Why not?" "When they said it was a boy, we were delighted." "We really didn't mind." "We love our little boy." "We want him to be happy." "Can you help him out?" "Will it take long?" "I can't say." "We'll meet once a week, and see how it goes." "Don't expect miracles." "Okay, Ludo?" "You'll see the doctor once a week?" "So I'm a boy?" "You've got it!" "Stop in the name ot the law!" "You're dead!" "You're dead!" "Now there's a real man!" "I don't kiss girls!" "You scared me!" "Use your alarm, pal." "You know your girl called my son a "bent boy"?" ""Bent"?" "Christ!" "Where do they get it from?" "I'm asking you." "Hey, Albert!" "Cool it." "We can't watch every word we say." "You should!" "Look who's talking!" "I don't "boing-boing" my wife in public!" "Somebody's asking for a smack in the mouth!" "Get this, Thierry." "Nobody in my house is bent!" "At least "boing-boing" isn't unnatural !" " Hi, Ludo." " What's "bent"?" "Bye, Ludo!" "Pretty good, huh?" "What's "bent"?" "Who said that?" "I can't remember." " Who?" " Take it easy!" "Who said it?" "Tell me!" "Leave him alone!" "That's bent!" "Got it?" "You're getting to be as cranky as Albert." "Take me dancing.You're a real little housewife!" "That's not very subtle, Monique!" "Having a pecker is no excuse for not setting the table." "Of course not." " How's the psychologist doing?" " Fine." "It's funny, albert doesn't like those people." "He says that if society weren't so sick there wouldn't be any loony bins." "Ludo isn't loony!" "Don't take it badly." "All she meant was why futz around with our noodles?" "Stick to sports, I say!" "And work, Thierry?" "Aren't you forgetting work?" "Can't you put a lid on it?" "I mean, really!" "I saw a TV program about transsexuals..." "Go set the kids' table, honey." "It made me cry." "If my daughter came to me and said she was a boy..." "I don't know what I'd do." "I think we should let him live out his fantasy." "Baloney!" "Like drinking to stay sober!" "The son ot a friend wanted to wear a skirt to school." "She let him." "A skirt?" "After a week, it was over." "Where's the meat?" "darling, get Daddy and Albert." "Is this okay?" "It's much better... but now the slogan's too low." "You're right." "You seem edgy lately." "Me?" "Not a bit." "It it's about the layofts, your job is sate with me." "In fact, it's you who's been edgy since that thing with the kids." "It's changed you somehow." "It's all forgotten." "Ludo can act funny, but he meant no harm." "The therapist has set him straight." "Want my advice?" "He doesn't need a shrink." "What, then?" "Don't take offense, but Hanna has too much control over your boys." " She doesn't." " See?" "You're offended." "We raised all our kids the same way, but they're not like peas." "Each one is ditferent." "You wouldn't know, having only one." "Sorry." "I forgot." "God took one of my kids." "He's not taking two!" " Got it?" " Calm down." "I am calm." " Forgive me." "What is it, Ludo?" "It's ready." "You're right, I've been working too much." "Let's be together more." "Don't worry!" "You'll get the hang of it." "You look hot in all that hair." "We'll cut it." "Go!" "Go!" "Are you ill?" "No, I'm concentrating." "Am I a boy or a girl?" "A boy, so we each keep our clothes." "Look, it's easy at your age." "The hassles come later." "Like, they say I have to be home from Barbara's party by midnight." "What will Yannick think?" " Who's he?" " Never mind." "Don't tell anyone." "So, boy or girl?" "Don't ask me!" "We learned in biology what makes boys and girls." "XY, you're a boy." "XX, you're a girl." "It's like playing poker." "Get it?" "Doesn't God decide?" "Of course He does." ""Ludovic Fabre: girl"" "I know what happened to my X." "Wise guy." " Are you looking?" " Yeah." "What do you see?" "Your feet." " How do they look?" "Normal." "Okay, now listen." "See my feet?" "Like a girl's." "That proves it." "I can do that." "That's not the point." "First, you have to understand I'm a girlboy." "Girlboy?" "Cut it out." "Let go!" "Listen." "To make a baby, parents play tic-tac-toe." "Okay so far?" "Okay." "Now, come on." "When one wins, God sends Xs and Ys." "XX for a girl, XY for a boy." "My X for a girl fell in the trash." "I got a Y instead." "A scientitic error!" "Get a move on." "But God'Il fix it." "He'II send me my X, and we can get married, okay?" "It depends on what kind of a girl you are." " This will ease the pain." " It hurts." "I'm very proud of you." " Don't overdo it." "You're a real little lady now." "Hold it against your tummy." " Okay?" " Yes." "About Michel's party..." "Can I stay until one o'clock?" "You don't miss a trick, do you?" "We'll ask your father." "So what's new?" "Zoe?" "Leave me alone." "Why are you a real lady?" "Stomach pains." "Diarrhea?" " No." "Period." " Like a free period?" "Period, period." "You're too young to understand." "Will I have it too?" "You'll never be a girl." " I will." " You won't." "Will." "Won't!" "Now, go on, get out!" "All set?" "Jerome, the coat." "You look lovely." "Dwarves?" "Come on." "One last little effort, okay?" " Ready?" " I need to pee." "Hurry up!" "Stand more to the right." "That's right." "Cry into your hands." "Snow White!" "Stay there and cry." "Snow White!" "Where's she gone?" "We've been waiting for you for ten minutes!" "Hurry!" "Sophie?" "Where's Sophie?" "Ludovic!" "Let me out!" "It's not such a big deal." "Don't overreact like all those idiots." "Being publicly humiliated is no big deal?" " It's so embarrassing!" " Don't say that about your brother." "Brother or sister?" "Stay out of this, kids." "Girl or boy, above all, he's your child." "You're giving us parenting lessons now?" "You could have used some yourself." "My son is a boy." "I'm paying that shrink a tortune for nothing!" "You know my opinion." "She didn't sign a guarantee." "In fact, we have no idea what goes on in his mind." "If he has doubts I'll convince him." "Stop!" "Calm down!" "What's got into you?" "Go ahead, while we're at it!" "I didn't mean any harm." "It was a surprise." "You always mean well, but look what happens." "I don't know what to do." "What's wrong, sweetie?" "Your parents are angry, for sure... but they'll get over it." "They say I retuse to change, and I only bring them trouble." "They have a point." "I don't want to change but I do want them to love me." "They do, but they still think they know what's best tor you." "It's not best for me!" "A girIboy, Ludovic?" "Can you explain?" "God dropped one of my girl Xs and a Y came down the chimney instead." "It's purely scientific." "That's almost it, except for the word "girl."" "I'm sick of this." "Sick!" " "Girlboy"!" "For God's sake!" " Stop!" " And you !" "You..." "What?" "I'm trying to help!" "We're making progress." "Get real." "He's teasing us!" "It's your fault!" "You're a prick!" "I can't think why I married you!" "Neither can I." "All right, children." "Listen to me." "Some of your classmates may be different from you." "You're all different." "You must accept people the way they are... and respect each other." "At your age, you're all still searching for an identity... so please, make an effort." "Ludovic Fabre?" "Bring your things." "All your things." "I'm very sorry, but Ludovic's behavior and tastes are too eccentric tor this school." "Have you tried a specialist?" "Of course we have!" "What does he say?" "It's therapy, not magic." "It takes time." "I see your point." "But I have this petition..." "Petition?" " That's insane!" " Absurd!" "He didn't kill anyone!" "Stuff your petition..." "He pisses me off!" "Come in." "I sympathize, Mrs. Fabre, but as head of this school I can't ignore a petition signed by twenty parents." "They all signed." "Even the Bruns and the Letieuxs?" "Everyone." "Headmaster, you have no right." "An hour to school instead ot 5 minutes." "I know you have to search for your identity, but really!" " Just one little X..." " Shut up." "Keep quiet until we get to school." "...And don't start that again or you'll get...what you get!" "Look, "tancy-pants" is at it again !" "You got tits or what?" "He's like a girl." "No cock!" "Do we pull it off?" "Make you a real girl?" "Don't!" "More, Zoe?" "No, thanks. I'm not hungry." "Me neither." "Darling?" "He's not in his room." "He can't have disappeared!" "Call your mother." "If he's not there, call the cops." "Sit down." "It's your fault!" "You let them do it!" "Do what?" "They hit him in the washroom!" "Liar!" "You were scared!" "I tried to stop them." "You're the liar!" "You're both guilty!" "You let them hit your kid brother?" "I'll deal with you two later." "Search the house." "Pierre!" "Daddy's showing off again." "Bless you!" "Whatever possessed you to do that?" "Forget it." "We'll make a new start." "Make a wish." "Say anything, it's yours." "I'll remember the freezer trick!" "Wear a skirt to Sophie's party." " You and your mouth!" " Anything but that." "Then again, why not?" "Remember my friend and her son?" "You've tried everything else." "Whatever you're saying, the answer is no!" "Besides, we aren't invited." "Great!" "At least somebody dressed up!" "It's a costume party, remember?" "There!" "That makes two of us." "We know how you feel, but it's a cure." "We're letting him enact his fantasy to banalize it." "If it's not taboo, it's less exciting." "Like girls in chocolate factories?" "At tirst, they let them... eat themselves sick, and it puts them off for life." "That's the idea." "Great idea!" "Shut up!" "Stop it, you two!" "You, too." "Turn that music off." "Dinner's ready, kids." "Dinner is served." "Is your office phone out?" " No, I am out." " What?" "Hello, kids." "I've been laid off." "Downsized." "The usual story:" "last in, first out." "But Albert said he'd keep you on !" "He did say so." "...But he's not the boss." "You said it was up to him." "Yes, well it's not." "But we'll fight!" "I'll take care of us." "I don't give up so easily." "Help me." "How will we pay tor the house?" "Can't you see he wants us out?" "You'll see." "I'm not finished yet." "Is it my fault?" "People are shit." "Bloody hypocrites!" "Hypocrites!" "Smiling away at that party..." "I'm sick of hypocrisy." "Yes, it's all your fault!" "Everything!" "Cool it, kids." "Mom's tired." "She'll feel better tomorrow." "Nothing more to say?" "Don't you want to talk anymore?" "There may be things your parents will never understand." "You may have to wait until you're older to say them out loud." "Ludovic hasn't spoken to me for several weeks." "When a child does that, it's time to stop." " You can't." "It's your job." " I can only go as far as he wants." "Emptiness is scary, but it can help us to know ourselves better." "It's easy for you." "You and your halt-assed theories!" "I bet you have no kids!" "Where are you going?" "You really mess up our lives!" "Hey, Albert." "Hallo, Hanna." "She's mad." "Completely crazy!" "You creep!" "You think I'm blind?" "Lisette, behave!" "You always wanted her and all the others!" "You poison everything!" "You and your family are evil!" "You're Satan." "Hi." "Coming to get the croissants with me?" "Yes, no?" "Let's go." "Ludo!" "Zoe!" "We don't have breaktast in bed!" "Mom, look" ""BENT BOYS OUT"" "Go in the house." "My tummy aches!" "It's my period!" "What did I do?" "Why do bent things have to go out?" ""Bent" means a boy who likes boys, like you do." "I can take him." "I have nothing to do." "I hate you!" "I want to go away and live with Granny." "Do we have to go three Sundays in a row?" "It's fun, isn't it?" "Hi, Mom." "Hi, Ludo." "Neat clothes!" " Hi." " Come on, Bertrand." "He's sleeping over." "How's life?" " What are we toasting?" " A surprise." "Thank you, dear." "Easy, or I'll have to carry you to bed!" "It's good stuff." "I want some." "Maar natuurlijk, Ludo." "Sure, Ludo." "Thanks, Mom." "It's true." "We have something to toast." "Excellent news." "...I've got a job!" "Congratulations." "It's not as good as my last job but there are good prospects." "We're going to move." "It's about time!" "I always hated this area." "To Clermont-Ferrand." "It's a long way, sweetie." "So, Ludovic.What do you want to do?" "Are you coming with us,or are you staying here?" "I have a tummy ache." "You want to go home?" "Mommy!" "Granny!" "What's wrong, sweetie pie?" "Two angels came tonight" "And brought me some beautiful gifts" "Now that you're all set, I'II go to my poker game." "I won't kiss you." "I have a terrible sore throat." "All that to hide her tears." "There are two sets." "A green one with 1, 2, 3..." "Don't laugh." " My hair dryer!" " Stop it!" " Where are you going?" " Out." "They're too noisy." "It's not our fault we're here, okay?" "Aren't you a bit hard on him?" "He's better since we moved." "Maybe he's outgrown it." "I'm Chris." "And you?" "Ludovic." "You come here often." "You live nearby, right?" "Aren't you sick of mooching around?" "Let's play." "Come on." "Christine?" "Christine!" "Hallo." "Hallo." "I'm Fabienne Delvigne." " Hanna Fabre." " Nice to meet you." "Are you settling in okay?" "Fine." "The last people left this house in a mess." "You're not like them." "Maybe we're worse." "Our kids have already met." "My daughter Christine wants Ludovic to come to her party." " He is your son?" " Yes, of course." "I'll drop off an invitation." " Bye." "Have a nice day." " You too." "Welcome to the neighborhood!" "Thanks." "Christine, play with us!" "Come on." "Hi." "My daughter Christine." "hello, Christine." "Happy birthday." "Where's Ludovic?" "Here he is." "He's shy." "Come in." "She's really gone on him." "I hope he's eligible!" "Your costume's really nice." "So's yours." "Christine!" "We're waiting!" "Let's swap." "I can't." "Be a sport. lt's my birthday." "No." "I can't!" "Come on, guys." "Help me!" "Christine?" "Kids?" "Cake time!" "Where's your dress?" "Ludovic, wait!" "It wasn't my fault." "I warned you !" "You're bent on ruining our lives!" "Give us a break!" "I've had enough!" "Give us a tucking break!" "Stop it!" "You'll kill him." "Calm down !" "It's not his fault!" "He didn't do anything." "I wanted his costume." "We forced him." "They only swapped costumes." "Why are you so upset?" "Pam!" "Take me away with you!" "It's all right, Ludo." "What are you doing?" "I won't ruin your life." "I'm giving you a break!" "Darling?" "Hanna?" "Why did you climb up a billboard?" "Did you really want to go with that doll?" "It's the shock." "Everything's fine." "Let's have a drink outside." "It's time we had a housewarming." "I'll take these off." "Do whatever feels best." "Whatever happens,you'll always be my child." "Our child." "Ons kind." "I've tended to forget it lately..." "but not anymore." "Tom, Zoe, Jean !" "Give me a hand." "(chinoo@poczta.fm)"