"A Flight of Rainbirds" "Maarten, Maarten, Maarten!" "Why have you forsaken me?" "Why did you deviate from the path?" "Why do you not obey divine providence?" "I give you one week to see the error of your ways." "If you do not obey my command, you will die after this week." "And I will banish you to the furthest darkness... where the fire is not quenched... and the worm does not die." "Maarten, go forth and multiply." "It must have been the beans." "Or the butter cake with the coffee." "Semolina pudding." "What a dream." "I give you one week to see the error of your ways." "Seven days and seven nights to return to the trail of the fathers." "Seven days to find a woman." "Amen." "Won't you forget Jacob's birthday?" "It's not his birthday, mother." "He's getting married." "Jacob's getting married?" "When will you get married, Maarten?" "You can't always live at home." "God's punishing me." "Last year your father died and you still don't have a wife." "Hey, my alter ego." "What a wonderful day." "Have a good look at yourself." "You're 34 years old." "A perfect bachelor, good at your work, popular with your all colleagues." "You support your sick, old mother." "But you've never had a date with a girl." "Let alone slept with one." "Stop that nonsense." "You don't have long to live, Maarten." "Only 7 days and 7 lonely nights." "Yes." "Maarten..." "You have to sleep with at least one woman within a week." "Or else you'll die and you'll be lost." "And you'll end up in hell." "Who believes that nonsense?" "Banished to the furthest darkness... where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die." "I know a few more where those come from." "Banished to the inner outside..." "Where the fire doesn't clench and the form doesn't fly..." "Long for a land far and wide..." "Where the wall doesn't give and the storm doesn't rage..." "Hung on a strand harsh and dried..." "My entire bumper came off." "Come out of there." "This is your fault!" "Or do we need to call the police?" "Did you lose your tongue?" "I saw you talking just now." "Who were you talking to anyway?" "What are you doing now?" "What does this cost?" "At least 150 bucks." "How much?" "150 bucks!" "What does that mean?" "That's about... 250 guilders." "I'm 34 years old." "I'm popular with my colleagues." "I'm a perfect bachelor." "I support my sick, old mother." "But I've never had a date with a girl." "Let alone slept with a woman." "I'll die in a week unless I go to bed with a woman within 7 days." "Maybe you can help me a bit." "You dare raise your hand to me?" "Bride and groom, Jacqueline and Jacob..." "Now that the last witness has finally signed..." "I'll be the first one to congratulate you." "You have both found your life partner." "And I hope that, in spite of the delay..." "I'm so sorry, Jacob." "It's alright, it's alright." "But my revenge will be sweet." "Grapes?" "Grapes." "Grapes?" "Grapes." "Grapes." "Jacob!" "Lots of beautiful girls here." "Almost all my ex fiancées have come." "Make your choice." "I'd love for my best friend to get with one of them." "Jacob!" "Jacob?" "Farewell, freedom." "I hear the call of marriage." "You'll come to the party tomorrow, won't you?" "No, but I..." "Martha?" "Hello, Professor." "You've got a nice assistant." "Did you ever think of trying with her?" "Janny?" "No, I wouldn't..." "dare?" "It's not about daring, but Janny just isn't like that." "Did you say something, Professor?" "I was talking to the rats." "A friendly word now and then won't hurt." "Is that all you can think of?" "Not so loud." "She can hear you, but not me." "She clearly likes you, Maarten." "She's waiting until you take the initiative." "No... no... no." "What are you afraid of?" "That she'll say no?" "I'm not afraid, but I can't just..." "I'd first have to..." "And, besides, I don't know if she..." "She wants it just as much as you, Maarten." "I'm going to have lunch, Professor." "Too late, too late." "Here you are, Professor." "Why don't you talk to her?" "She's young, beautiful and probably very nice." "What's stopping you?" "I don't want what you think that I want." "You're just afraid." "But it's so easy." "Hello." "Hello." "Sit down." "Have we met before?" "Maybe." "I'm a biologist." "Growing tissue cultures is my specialty." "It's very exciting work." "Most people don't understand." "Cells are just cells to them." "But to me, they contain the secret to life." "I experiment with cloning." "I can grow an entire new organism from one cell." "I started with a fresh water polyp and slowly took it from there." "Everybody said it was impossible... but I've grown a desert mouse from just one desert mouse cell." "And that's only the beginning." "Cloning has the future." "I mean, traditional procreation will eventually disappear." "It's 50 guilders." "What?" "50 guilders for a screw." "You can stay half an hour, in my room." "All naked." "All positions." "I have to see Janny and the mice can't be alone for too long either." "Had a nice lunch, Professor?" "Yes, Janny, fine." "Shall I help?" "Please." "I have things to organise for the conference in Bern." "See you tomorrow." "A quick prayer." "Auction today." "We'll go to the village this afternoon." "We'll take the barge." "Why?" "Who'll look after me?" "You're coming." "Dad goes to the auction and we'll go to the doctor." "The doctor comes from town, especially for little children." "She's so beautiful." "Those little birds are swallows." "When swallows fly low, the weather will be bad." "And that big animal's a heron." "It's looking for food." "And that's a coot, with the white head." "What is it?" "Beautiful." "Do you think it's beautiful?" "See that very tall building?" "That's the church." "The church is on the square." "What's a square?" "A square's like a field, but without grass." "And without cows." "The church!" "The church!" "Tall, isn't it?" "Hey, what's wrong?" "Maarten!" "I don't want to cross the line of fire!" "Line of fire?" "You mean that shadow." "Then we'll walk past the houses." "Next." "I don't want to!" "Let go off me!" "I want to go home!" "You're a big boy, aren't you?" "You won't cry." "Come sit with me." "No." "What a big boy." "Come sit with me, big boy." "Open your mouth." "Yes, open your mouth." "What's your name?" "Maarten." "Maarten." "Sit still, Maarten." "Be brave." "It won't take long." "Open your mouth." "Be brave or you won't get better." "Professor, what happened?" "Are you hurt?" "It's nothing, just an accident." "Will you be alright?" "Yes..." "You look like you've got all the time in the world." "Did you forget it's the second day already?" "Without my help, you'll never find a woman within a week." "As if I needed you." "I can start a conversation with any woman." "Start with Janny then." "No, I don't want to." "You want to alright." "You're just scared." "I had a car accident." "Oh, a car accident." "My face was burnt." "They tried to do all kinds of things." "Plastic surgery and all that." "But it didn't help much." "Tell me honestly." "You've got a beautiful voice." "Do you love animals?" "Me too." "But I love children even more." "Especially little children." "I love children so much." "Do you have children?" "Me neither." "How could I have children?" "Hello, we'd like to ask you some questions." "Go ahead." "We'll do it at the police station." "Is that him?" "Yes, that's him." "Hey, this must be a misunderstanding." "I didn't touch her!" "You can go, sir." "Can't I leave you alone for one minute?" "Why do you do these crazy things?" "Did you forget we have to go to Switzerland tomorrow?" "If they had kept you here for a few days, you'd have missed the conference." "And he calls himself a professor." "It takes all sorts to make a world." "Jacob, you don't think that I..." "Professor, you're back in the free world." "Let's celebrate that joyful fact." "Shall I tell you something?" "What?" "You're like a young mammal that grew up on its own." "No father, no mother, no brothers, no sisters." "No friends." "One friend." "Young monkeys that they let grow up on their own... can't make contact with other monkeys." "They can't have sexual relations." "You always reduce everything to animal proportions." "For you it's only real if it's banal." "Banal?" "Life is banal." "People are like wounded animals." "Men all want to fuck." "Fuck like bears." "If you were right about the bears, I'd have done it already." "The most beautiful woman can be bought for 50 bucks." "Have you never..." "What?" "Are you saying you never..." "What?" "Have you never..." "Look, a tufted duck." "Have a look." "A nest of young tufted ducks." "Where?" "Look." "There." "Back there." "Give me." "I don't see anything." "And now?" "You first." "Do you want me to take mine off too?" "Yes." "Shall we do it?" "No." "Why not?" "I'm afraid." "It hurts the first time." "I'll be very careful." "Children?" "Not when you do it for the first time." "Yes?" "Yes." "Let's go please." "Such is life, Maarten." "Such is life." "Alright, let's go." "I often envy you for how comfortable you are around women." "You talk to them, make them laugh..." "And they fall in love with you without being aware of it." "What do you tell them?" "Just what comes to mind." "A joke, a serious remark, a quote, it's all good." "Just keep talking and they'll end up in your bed." "Aren't you going to play?" "I don't know what to do." "Go build a hut then." "I already did." "Why don't you go fishing?" "I already did." "Why are there no other children here?" "I always have to play alone." "Where I lived, there were no children either." "I also had to play alone." "I don't want to play alone." "Will you play with me?" "Me, play with you?" "Yes, I'll be the father." "And you'll live in the hut and you'll be the mother." "And we'll be married." "This is our house." "What a beautiful house." "I'll sit on the couch." "I'm coming." "Yes." "Hello wife, I've been to the auction." "Oh, hello husband." "Sit down." "How was the auction?" "Everything was sold cheap." "Lettuce, cauliflower, tomatoes..." "Everything!" "I say." "Not like that." "I'm not a child." "Not like that!" "Oh, how then?" "Well, I'll go back to work." "Bye, husband." "You're my only friend." "The only one who accepts me the way I am." "You'll be coming to the party, won't you?" "You know I never come to parties." "What's a party without my best friend?" "Jacob!" "The grapes!" "Jacqueline will love them." "See you tonight." "Do you see that red roof?" "That's the school." "Are there big boys?" "Yes, but you don't need to be afraid." "They won't hurt you." "Do we have to learn a lot?" "Will I be able to read from the Bible tonight?" "No, it won't go that fast." "A shame." "If you try really hard, you may be able to read by next year." "Aren't you afraid of the cows when you're alone?" "No." "But you'll be walking here every day." "Will you be careful with the ditches?" "What a beautiful suit." "Do you like it?" "Yes!" "If you do your best at school, you'll go to a good high school." "Then you can also join the military and wear a uniform, like me." "Is that a uniform?" "Do you want to join the military too?" "Yes." "What's your name?" "Maarten." "Maarten, good!" "Maarten Tromp, Maarten van Rossum!" "They were heroes." "This is Maarten." "Pay attention." "He'll be a general." "Sit down, Maarten." "Don't laugh." "One, two, three, left!" "Two, three four, left!" "Sing!" "Let God arise" "Let His enemies be scattered" "Let those also who hate Him flee before Him" "As smoke is driven away So drive them away" "As wax melts before the fire" "So let the wicked perish at the presence of God." "General in heaven..." "We come to Thee on the morning of this day." "And we ask Your blessing on our labour." "Oh, Supreme Commander of the Heavenly Armies..." "Please grant us a fighting spirit when we do arithmetic... reading and writing." "In Your honour." "Let our faith ignite like powder-smoke in a cannon... that is fired at the servants of Satan." "Protect us from war." "Not because we deserve it, but out of sheer mercy." "Amen." "General Ragbag!" "General Ragbag!" "Attack!" "Maarten, why don't you ask her if she wants a ride?" "Are you also going to Jacqueline's and Jacob's party?" "Yes, why?" "Me too." "Can I offer you a ride?" "Maarten, you two together?" "I didn't know you knew each other." "She was riding her bike." "I gave her a ride." "You gave her a ride?" "Let me introduce you to each other." "This is Maarten, my best friend." "And this is Zus, a good friend." "And Martha's sister." "Well, well, Jacob." "Are you trying to hide again?" "I never hide." "I just wanted to toast to your happiness." "Yeah right, are you coming?" "I'll see you later." "You're a spitting image of Martha." "I hear that all the time." "How is she?" "Fine." "Married, three children." "Does she still play the piano so well?" "Would you like one?" "I don't smoke." "Have you got a light?" "Orange juice, liquor or 7 Up?" "To the bride and groom." "To Martha." "Want a cup of coffee?" "No, I have to see my mother." "You'd better take a cab." "No, I'll be fine." "Bye." "Would you..." "Do you..." "Can you..." "There's a good concert in town on Sunday." "Want to come?" "A good concert?" "You mean the two of us?" "Yes, I'd love to." "I mean..." "It sounds great." "And fun." "Fun too." "Hey boozer." "Why didn't you join her to her room?" "Do you think she wants to go to bed with me?" "Absolutely." "But we can't do that just like that." "I don't know anything about her." "We only talked about Martha." "If you keep this up, you'll never get a woman in your bed within a week." "You'll have to handle this differently." "Good morning." "Morning." "What about this?" "Don't." "Would you rather do it?" "Nurse, are you familiar with the story of the good Samaritan?" "Then you must know a certain person was left for dead... and ignored by all passers-by until the Samaritan helped him." "Well, you're looking at a man who has five days left to live at most." "And who has never tasted the sin of the flesh." "What do you think would be a Christian gesture in this situation?" "Do you really have to go to Switzerland, Maarten?" "There are thousands of planes flying every day, mother." "It's very rare that anything goes wrong." "If God had wanted us to fly, He'd have given us wings." "We shouldn't try to take over from the Lord." "It's all pride." "God gave people the ability to make wings, mother." "That's almost the same." "No, that's not the same." "It's pride." "I'm afraid, Maarten." "I have a bad premonition." "Please, don't go, Maarten." "You've got the nurse, mother." "You won't be alone." "It's not the same." "Look, Maarten." "Must be a gift from God." "Sex isn't the most important thing." "It's not?" "What is then?" "Do you know anything better?" "You could go for a walk together." "Or listen to beautiful music." "Or eat together." "Adrienne!" "Maarten!" "Say something." "Keep the conversation going." "Eat." "Eat?" "Yes, eat." "Eat." "Can you eat here?" "Eat together, genius." "Sit next to her." "Why?" "To console her, pin-head." "Put your arm around her." "No." "Put your arm around her!" "Closer to her." "Quick, say something nice." "Something sweet." "Her mouth, her eyes, doesn't matter." "Look there she is." "Who?" "Martha, of course." "She's new." "Maarten, you're in love." "You're crazy." "No, you're really in love." "Why don't you do something about it?" "No." "Just walk up to her and say..." ""Martha, how's your school report?"" "I can't do that, Jacob." "Why not?" "I can't just start talking to a girl." "You have to get to know her first." "Hey, Martha, how was your school report?" "Fine." "See?" "It's easy." "Stupid dick, chat her up." "You can't do it, can you?" "She wouldn't want you either." "Get that dullard!" "Give him what he deserves!" "Terrible boy." "Are you dizzy yet?" "Trouble breathing?" "Fear of heights?" "Wait until we start to climb." "Suddenly, you'll want out." "Impressive, isn't it?" "When you see this, you have to believe in God." "God's everywhere here." "He only needs to blink and you fall to your death." "You've only got four days left." "Only four." "Hurry up, Maarten." "Jacob, what birds are they?" "Alpine accentors." "Jacob?" "Ravens." "Is that a chimney?" "Yes, that's what they call it." "Hello, Martha." "You played beautifully." "I loved it." "Do you think so?" "I made a few mistakes." "I didn't hear them." "I'm glad." "Well, bye." "Yes, bye." "Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth" "Worship the Lord with gladness" "Come before Him with joyful songs" "For the Lord is good" "And His love endures forever" "His faithfulness continues through all generations" "If you can call this living." "It went a bit fast." "I'm bad at descending slowly." "Is everything alright?" "Yes, I'm fine." "Mountains aren't my cup of tea." "I'm more at home in a flat country." "People aren't mountain goats, are they?" "If God had wanted us to live in the mountains... he'd have given us hooves." "You're so sensitive, Maarten." "Maybe too sensitive." "Mother, I'm back." "Mother, it's me, Maarten." "I'm back." "She's not all here." "Sometimes she's better." "Most of the time she's doing poorly." "Go away, please." "You won't get rid of me that easily." "You've only got three days left, Maarten." "And the clock keeps ticking." "But what do you do?" "You fall off a mountain and talk about mountain goats." "You lock yourself up in a hotel room like some coward... and you think of reasons not to undertake anything." "Go away." "Come on, leave." "Go!" "Why aren't you like Jacob?" "He's got guts." "This arrived for you." "Two elders are coming tomorrow." "I told them it's not convenient." "But the pastor insisted." "He said your mother doesn't object." "Have a nice weekend." "Would Martha be coming?" "Oh God, will Martha come?" "Maarten, get up." "Time for school." "Hurry up or you'll be late." "No, I'm not going." "You can go." "You don't mind?" "I'll be right back." "No, go." "Hello, Maarten." "I'd like to shake your hand too." "Hello, Martha." "How are you?" "Hello." "I heard you're a professor." "Yes, but you have 3 children." "Yes." "Are you married too?" "No, I've been too busy with my studies." "And I'm looking after my sick mother." "How's the music?" "Do you still play the piano?" "Rarely." "I didn't finish music school." "I married young." "I regret that afterwards." "The children came fast and children and studying don't combine well." "Would you like to see them?" "Who?" "The children." "Yes, of course." "This is our youngest child, Maarten." "A cute baby, Martha." "Do you think so?" "They take up a lot of time." "I hardly leave the house anymore since I have children." "What do you think of Martha after all this time?" "She hasn't changed a bit." "Hasn't changed?" "I reformed her completely." "15 years ago, she looked like a strict Protestant." "And now?" "But I've had to fight for it." "It's quite something to be married to her." "She's slower than treacle." "She doesn't do anything in the house." "And with 3 children..." "Wouldn't you prefer to talk about something else?" "Did I say something wrong?" "I often say men have it easy." "You're lucky." "You don't hear the crying every day." "You're not surrounded by diapers." "If I could start all over again, I'd know what to do." "Don't marry young." "First finish music school." "Shall we go, darling?" "Can't you see I'm talking to someone?" "Don't act so offended." "I didn't mean anything by it." "I'll be going home." "Already?" "I promised my mother I'd be home early." "I'm by bike so..." "I'll give you a ride halfway." "The bike can go in the back." "I think he has one of those big black men's bikes." "It won't fit in the back." "So it will stick out a bit." "So what?" "You've been drinking." "You can't drive now." "I only had 2 glasses of wine." "He had too much to drink." "He shouldn't ride a bike." "You can't drive." "You just had an accident." "Hold the baby." "Don't bully me." "I'll drive him halfway and I don't care if I have an accident." "I won't pay the mechanic's bill." "Get lost, loser." "He's peeing on my pants." "Why do you look at me like that?" "You've changed so much." "You always used to look at me like that." "Were you in love?" "Stop there, please." "To the left." "Are you happy?" "What do you call happy?" "I knew it." "You're not happy either." "I was just thinking you probably weren't happy." "It's not so bad." "There must be more behind it." "But you don't want to tell me, of course." "There's nothing behind it." "See?" "You don't want to tell me." "You never used to smoke." "There goes your last chance." "You've been in love with her for 20 years." "Maarten, your death sentence has been signed." "Maarten, I'm glad you're home." "Did you do your homework yet?" "Some weather, isn't it?" "Indeed." "I'd like to speak with you before we go in." "You know that my mother's very sick." "It all comes at the same time." "First your father, now your mother." "But God will give you strength." "And your father went so suddenly." "That was alright." "A quick, painless death is a gift from God." "I disagree." "A quick death isn't a gift from God." "Your father couldn't prepare for death." "For meeting the living God." "The Lord of Hosts." "But your mother will be able to prepare." "We'll speak with her." "But she won't understand you." "You'd better not speak about preparing for death." "The Lord will chastise her for He disciplines the ones He loves." "Well, sister, you're sick aren't you?" "Is your spiritual life still sound?" "That's the main thing." "Your Lord will neither slumber nor sleep." "May the Lord be a light on your path." "Coffee, brothers?" "Please, sister." "Let me do it, mother." "No." "We'll start by singing psalm 111." "Praise ye the Lord." "I will praise the Lord with my whole heart" "In the company of the upright" "In the congregation." "His praise endures forever!" "It's been years since I saw you in church, brother." "Why is that?" "Because I stay home to look after my mother." "But we also didn't see you before." "When your mother was in hospital." "I visited her every Sunday and didn't have time to go to church." "Nonsense." "Excuses." "A child of the Lord always has time to come to the tabernacle." "Would you also like an extra cookie, brother?" "What I wanted to ask you, brother..." "When were you planning to profess your faith?" "Never." "It's total nonsense." "Just like the Marian devotions of the Catholics." "I'll be!" "I've never heard that before." "Exactly." "This is a case for the church council." "The kingdom of heaven will remain closed for him." "Will you listen to us, sister?" "No, don't bother." "There is no forgiveness for me." "My sins are scarlet." "They will become white." "Whiter than snow." "By the blood of the Lamb of God." "My sins cannot be forgiven." "There's no forgiveness for me." "There's no original sin." "What do you elders know about God?" "You've all lied." "Faith is about relying on the Lord." "But I have sinned." "My sins are scarlet." "What did you do, sister?" "Tell us." "That's none of your business." "I have sinned towards the Holy Ghost." "I have forsaken God." "You'd better go." "There's no forgiveness for me." "Anyway, we need to end the evening with a prayer." "I shall lead us in prayer." "Oh merciful God and Father in heaven" "We thank You for Your endless love" "Lord, have mercy upon our sister" "Who You will soon liberate from this earthly confinement" "She's a sinner" "Who will forever be banished" "And who will be lost forever" "And to whom You will say 'Go away from me, unfaithful servant'." "Go to the furthest darkness, where the fire is not quenched and the worm does not die." "And where she will suffer for her sins" "Her suffering has already begun" "This goes to the church council!" "Hurry, let's go!" "Hurry up!" "My coat!" "My coat!" "Come!" "I want my coat!" "You won't get away with this!" "I'll ask the Lord for severe punishment for you and your mother!" "Let go off me!" "Christianity's a fraud!" "Life's a vile lie!" "And the God of the Heidelberg Catechism hated people so intensely... that he invented throat cancer for them!" "Help me!" "Then I will go to the altar of God." "To God, my joy and my delight." "Do you want to listen to music?" "Yes." "Maarten, turn off the radio." "No, I want to listen to the music." "Music is worldly and sinful." "I still want to listen!" "Turn that radio off!" "Come husband, music can't be that sinful." "I sometimes like to listen to music too." "I want to hear another pastor." "I'll go to another church today." "Mother, the devil has possessed him." "First the radio, now another church." "I won't allow it!" "You always protect that boy!" "That nasty boy!" "I won't allow it!" "Don't hit him!" "And I'll go by bike!" "You won't ride a bike on a Sunday!" "I'll do it anyway." "And don't try to stop me." "Judges 15, verses 15 and 16." "Does she go to that church?" "She?" "What do you know about it?" "I don't know anything." "You don't want to talk about it." "You go to that church." "I've been in love too." "I think she'll like you." "No, she doesn't like me." "Take the common grasshopper warbler, for instance." "Its song's so high pitched and our hearing's become so bad..." "I'll be ready in a bit." "You look more like the old Martha than Martha herself." "I do?" "Yes." "Would you like to come and listen in spring... whether you can hear the common grasshopper warbler?" "Sounds like a lot of fun." "Spring's quite far away." "Does the common grasshopper warbler only sing in spring?" "Yes, in autumn and winter they're not here." "They migrate." "We'll have to wait until spring then." "This is the story of my life." "My ancestors grew grapes here, generation upon generation." "I maintain the hothouse as some sort of a tribute." "A hobby." "Why do you look like that?" "You've got such beautiful little veins on your eyelids." "That's such nonsense." "I don't have any veins there." "Yes, you do." "Beautiful ones." "I don't have any veins there." "No more than you." "I have them too, but they're not as beautiful." "Show me." "Here." "I don't see anything." "No, that's correct." "They're only clearly visible with you." "Do you know what the problem is with being alone?" "That you have no one to eat with." "Did you know you're good-looking?" "How was it?" "I thought I was dying."