"Fame and fortune knock at the door." "Remember you shape your own destiny" "Stargazers Leo July 23rd -22 August" "In this community on Skon we have everything we need," " accommodation, upkeep " "It's self-sufficient." "All foodstuffs organically grown." "Not forgetting, of course, the beautiful setting." "Yes, yes." "You like the outdoor life, don't you?" "Yes, I just..." "look, about this trip." "I'm not at all sure." "Now, just have a think about it." "Yes, think it over." "But you still have to pay into the holiday fund." "That's only fair, especially as far as Olafur is concerned." "The holiday fund is very important to him." "It gives him something to look forward to an existence that" "Otherwise offers very little in the way of change." "Of course, the weather's quite Different to here." "It's in southern Sweden, you see." "Always mild and warm there." "A bit like Denmark." "No!" "Take a look at that!" "What?" "Bloody halfwits." "Uneducated blockheads in dinner suits." "Can't you see him?" "What?" "It's Olafur." "Well, I never..." "He's gotten himself into this photo." "Let's see, now?" ""Asgeir Kolbeins and Arnar Grant." "Grant?" "Living it up."" "They don't even mention the halfwit." "And speaking of halfwits, where is Olafur?" "." "Yes, hello?" "Where are you?" "I'm here-at the dentist." "Really?" "Is that a dentist who works nights, then?" "Yes." "It was the only time I could get an appointment." "And what's that loud music I can hear?" "Oh, that's the radio." "Really?" "I know exactly where you are!" "Daniel has told me all about that absurd poetry competition you've gotten yourself into!" "You should be at work!" "Yes, but I was just going to try..." "No!" "Work Olafur, work!" "It is your duty to be here!" "Duty comes before enjoying oneself!" "." "Young Daniel has been working double these past few minutes." "Yes, alright." "But there's only one more competitor in front of me." "I'll be there very soon." "I'm docking your pay for this!" "Please Georg!" "I've been waiting here all day!" "I'm docking you at overtime rate!" "This is your very last chance, Olafur!" "Get back here this instant or I'll call your sister!" "Yes, OK." "I'm on my way." "This instant!" "I think you'll really enjoy going there." "But it's just an idea." "I mean, we have to explore all our options." "Yes." "Everything one could ask for and in amazingly beautiful surroundings,too." "A natural bathing spa where everyone in the community bathes together." "All naked as the day they were born." "Women of all shapes and sizes." "Naturally, most of them are elder women, but some of them are younger." "And the food is exceptionally good." "It's quite an experience, after all this fast food, tucking into some sizzling veggieburgers and succulent organically grown vegetables." "Well, who is it but our little songbird." "What tune are you going to perform for us?" "A little pop song, perhaps?" "That's none of your business" "Whatever makes you think, Olafur, that anyone has any interest in listening to your howling away?" "Do you really think that panel of judges is waiting with baited breath for some chubby dwarf who works at a petrol station to come in and yelp at them?" "Know what, I don't want to discuss this." "What?" "Is our little songbird out of sorts?" ""Oh, we can't wait to hear the chirping of the little dwarf songbird from the petrol station."" "What are you writing?" "Just some thoughts." "Just for myself, like." "Oh, yes." "Have you seen that?" "Yes, I saw it earlier." "What a party, that was, man!" "Asgeir Kolbeins og Arnar Grant." "Goes without saying, doesn't it?" "Everyone in a killing mood too." "A killing mood?" "What is that?" "Everyone on the prowl." "Babes." "Easy meat." "Ever scored in that situation?" "Well..." "I..." "Yes, I forgot." "You've got a girlfriend." "Well, actually, I don't." "Really?" "No...things... er, it didn't work out." "We've stopped seeing each other." "Then, you'd better go out on the town soon." "What do you say?" "Get back to scoring babes?" "I could teach you a few tricks." "You could?" "I'm quite a dab hand at it." "This one here, for example." "You've been with her?" "How should I put it?" "Are you saying that you have "scored" Birgitta Haukdal?" "Yes." ""Scored"?" "Have you two stopped speaking Icelandic?" "What does "scored" mean?" "Nothing." "You are not lying to the boy that you have "pulled"" "Birgitta Haukdal?" "That would be quite a tale!" "Perhaps you sang your way into bed with her!" "What are you writing that's so important?" "Nothing." "Really?" "Yes, good evening." "I'm calling about the X-Factor." "Do you have any additional auditions?" "Is there some kind of audition for people who haven't been able to get there for some health reasons?" "Yes." "But that's the way it was at school if you missed a test." "Yes, yes." "I understand." "Yes." "But...yes, but I...yes." "OK." "Thank you very much." "Personnel on the forecourt?" "Personnel on the forecourt!" "Olafur?" "Yes?" ""There was once a little songbird who loved to sing so clear, sing so clear, sing so clear, sing so very clear." "But the only trouble was that no one wanted to hear," "Wanted to hear, wanted to hear, no one wanted to hear."" "...and the soil is so fertile that you can literally smell the nutrition in it." "Of course, everything's recycled there." "Even human waste is recycled." "Yes, there are no lavatories there." "People do the necessary In special paper bags, which are collected on a heap and then used the following year as manure for the vegetables." "Then, there's the..." "Good evening." "Hddg!" "I'm sorry?" "Hddg!" "Hot dog?" "Yes, nothing on it." "And some cream." "Yes, would you like it in a roll or...?" "And some cream." "There you go." "The cream is in the cooler there." "Trainee personnel!" "Yes, trainee personnel here." "Have you happened to see a little songbird hopping about on the forecourt?" "Yes, no I haven't seen him." "Let me know if you hear his golden voice chirping." "Yes, I'll go and look for him." "I waited for ages for that X- Factor audition..." "I was there for at least twelve hours." "He's ruined it all for me." "Of course, he's..." "I am not going to Sweden." "You're not?" "No way!" "He's a halfwit." "Not a halfwit, maybe ...he does have his good points... but he's so unfair and you know...unrealistic." "Docking my pay all the time and putting in that bloody holiday fund." "Yes, how come you let him get away with that?" "What can I do?" "I mean he is the boss here." "Yes, but I mean..." "You have to talk to the people at head office..." "It just isn't good enough, him treating you so badly." "It's not allowed, you know!" "He just can't do that!" "Take all my wages like that!" "and put stuff on my tab that I haven't taken..." "I mean, just since I started I've watched him steal a good few thousand kroner from you." "And that's only over a couple of days." "You have to stand...you must stand up to him." "He puts all kinds of stuff on my tab..." "Yes, take that book and just strike it all out." "That's not possible." "I tried that once..." "He's got it all in duplicate and triplicate all over..." "And, it isn't just a question of the money, you see." "It's also a matter of psychological violence." "I won't be here for much longer, anyway." "No, don't you let him force you out of here." "hmm" "You know, you have to stick to your guns and talk to him." "Tell him how you feel." "hmm" "Yes, maybe later." "You show him what you're made of!" "." "hmmm Yes, we'll try to keep our spirits up here tonight" "Isn't that right?" "Yes, perhaps we should go out and have a pint after work?" "Tomorrow morning?" "Yes." "You mean at 7:30 on a Tuesday morning?" "No." "Maybe some other time." "Good evening." "Good evening." "Petrol at pump number 2." "Number 2, you say." "That will be 3,400 kroner." "There you are." "An honour." "Well, thank you very much." "Er, just a second." "Personnel on the forecourt?" "Come into the shop this right away!" "Olafur, come over here to the cash desk!" "Yes, what is it?" "Nothing." "I just wanted to introduce you to your fiancee!" "Hi, how's things?" "Hi, just fine thanks." "Good to see you." "Yes, same here." "You're still in the band and singing all that, aren't you?" "Yes, full speed ahead there." "Do you mean you know this person?" "Olafur!" "Yes, he's my cousin." "He's your what?" "Do you mean to say you are having sexual relations with your cousin?" "No, I didn't." "There's been a misunderstanding here." "I'd believe a great many things about you Olafur, but not this!" "Incest!" "Hey, look, great seeing you." "I have to go back to work round the back here" "You dad and mum well?" "Say hello to them from me." "Yes, yes." "I understand you very well." "What?" "I mean it's really boring when people are always ordering you about." "Do you mean Georg?" "No, I meant the other day?" "Was that your girlfriend?" "Yes, it was." "Yeah, I had a boyfriend once" "He always wanted to things his own way." "Did he?" "And how did things end up then?" "I had to dump him." "Yes, I see." "Olafur!" "Olafur!" "Someone needs serving on the forecourt..." "Another one of your girlfriends." "Could you fill it up for me, please?" "No problem." "Want me to check the oil ... or the windscreen washer fluid, or anything like that?" "I don't think that's necessary." "No problem." "I'll do it anyway." "Hey, have windscreen wipers been acting up at all?" "Acting up?" "Yes, the ones I put on for you last time?" "The wipers?" "Oh, yes, I think they're just fine." "There's been so little rain, you see." "Yes, fine." "Well." "But of course." "There you are." "If it isn't our little songbird..." "That'll be 4.500 kroner, thank you." "There you are." "Yes, he took part in some song contest on the television." "Tried to sing his way into the hearts of the nation." "Stop it, please." "What song was it you were going to sing again?" "Oh, dear, he's a little bit shy." "Big stars often are, you know." "Thank you." "He hasn't done much chirping for us around here." "Georg?" "Just a second." "No, I need to talk to you right away." "Well, what is it?" "Yes, I just...you know." "Have you come to sing a song for me?" "To allow me finally to hear that magical singing voice?" "No." "I just wanted to say that I think that the way you treat me is very unfair." "Unfair?" "Yes, for example, deducting two hours from my pay..." "You did not show up at the right time." "You lied to me to get in order to get time off and it's your fault Daniel had an extra work load." "I didn't lie about anything." "I just altered the truth a little." "Now go and get on with your work, and show some interest." "And, please, drop this absurd idea of becoming famous." "Yes, and it's just a matter of time before I quit here and find myself another job!" "I see?" "Well, that would be a disaster for us!" "I think it's about time, Olafur, that you realise that you've got your head stuck in cloud cuckoo land." "That is not a photo of you!" "Yes it is." "Look!" "You're not even mentioned in the caption, Olafur." "It's a photo of two musclemen covered in sun-lotion and you're stuck in there like a lump of putty." "It is a photo of me...!" "Stop wasting your time with this nonsense." "You're just jealous because no one knows who you are!" "Is that so?" "I am very well know in certain circles, let me tell you." "Circles?" "What circles?" "Magic circles, maybe?" "No!" "A rather small group, made up of people who can "think"." "A circle with which you are totally unfamiliar." "By name and a photograph!" "Fill it up, would you!" "Sure." "Excuse me, can I use your lavatory?" "Yes." "Are you a customer?" "Yes, he's filling up my car outside." "Of course you may, then." "It's along the corridor to the right." "Thank you." "Listen." "What's going on here, mate?" "Yes, the thing is, I was at an audition at the Nordica Hotel a little earlier and I'd been waiting a very long time in the queue... and then I had to leave just before it was my turn." "Have you lost your wits, boy?" "This man is a customer, Olafur!" "Get a screwdriver." "Eh?" "Get a..." "Oh, for God's sake, do I have to do everything round here?"