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Under the bombardments I lost my husband.

I lost myself.

The war was over, and so was I.

I drew a curtain on my days.

Then you walked into my life.

You brought breath back to my voice.

Your caresses swept

the ashes from my heart and revived my happiness.

You flung open my arms like a window.

You let the light in, the wind...

and all those voices.

Hello. Hello?

No, lady, the line's overcrowded. Hang up. I'm expecting a call.

Just hang up!

Operator, what am I supposed to do?

Get that woman off my line!

I'm expecting a call, and I can't get through!

Hello? Is that you?

No...

but I can barely hear you

with these other voices on the line.

So call me back. All right.

Signora, the eggplant slices are dry. Should I start frying them?

You told me to slice the eggplant and dry it in the sun

for your dinner with the signore.

But are you sure the signore is coming tonight?

What day is today?

- Tuesday. - Exactly!

The signore is coming at 8:00 p.m. like every Tuesday.

It's already 4:00 p.m.

Go start frying.

No one makes a parmigiana like we do.

That's for sure.

Hello?

I can finally hear you.

Are you all right?

Yes, I'd just gotten in when you called earlier.

Are you home?

Last night I went to bed early, but I couldn't sleep,

so I took a pill.

Yes, around 9:00 p.m.

I had a headache, but it got better.

Today? I got dressed, and Assunta picked me up.

I just got back from her place.

Yes, she was just wonderful.

You were right, as usual.

What am I wearing?

My pink dress and my black hat.

In fact, I still have the hat on.

And you? What are you doing?

Ah, you're working at home. On a trial?

No, darling.

I don't hold anything against you.

On the contrary.

We've always been open with each other.

It would've been terrible if you'd left me without warning.

At least now I have time to get used to it, to understand.

No, no. Strong.

I'm very strong.

I'm putting on a show? Me?

Why would I put on a show?

You know me better than that. I couldn't do such a thing.

Why?

You think I'm the sort who hides things?

No...

I decided to be brave, and so I will be.

Our love ran up against too many obstacles.

I had to choose:

Turn down five years of happiness, or decide to risk everything.

I have no regrets.

No regrets. Not one.

I wanted to fall head over heels,

be swept off my feet.

Darling, let me talk. It's all my fault.

Don't you remember that Sunday at Capodimonte?

So I was the one who insisted on coming.

I was the one who didn't let you talk...

who told you it was the same for me either way.

I was the one who called you that Tuesday.

Tuesday the 27th.

I know all our dates by heart.

Why?

I didn't know there was such a rush.

So then wait, I'll have your suitcase ready by this evening.

You come over, we have our dinner together...

Today is Tuesday.

I'm preparing the parmigiana, as usual.

What gloves?

Oh, the leather ones for driving.

I don't know. I haven't seen them.

If I find them, I'll give them to you tonight, okay? Hello?

You can't hear me? How's that possible? I'm yelling!

Can't you hear me?

I hear you like you were right here next to me!

I hear her.

So does the whole neighborhood.

Everyone can hear her except the signore.

Now I'm the one who can't hear you.

You can hear me now?

Great, we're taking turns.

There's a strange echo on your line.

It doesn't sound like your home phone.

I see you.

Which handkerchief?

The red one.

And you've got your sleeves rolled up.

Your left hand? It's holding the receiver.

And the right, your fountain pen.

And you're doodling: figures, hearts, stars.

You're laughing?

I have eyes in place of ears.

No, darling, please don't look at me.

Frightened?

No, I'm not frightened.

It's worse.

I try not to look at myself in the mirror.

In the bathroom I've stopped turning on the light.

What can you do?

The years pass.

Oh, sure. I have an exquisite face.

What a sweet-talker.

That kind of compliment is good for a poem, not a person.

I preferred it when you'd say, "Look out for that funny face."

I know, I know.

"Piano"? What "piano"?

No, darling.

I said "I know".

You never got used to my speaking Neapolitan.

What laughs when you'd mistake one word for another.

Remember that street vendor

selling calf's feet and nose?

I asked you, "Wanna try the feet and nose?"

And you thought I said, "Wanna try the feeding hose?"

And you made such a face.

Where are you? Hello?

Operator, I got disconnected. Place the call again, please.

Hello? Yes.

No, operator, the line got disconnected.

Is it busy?

I don't understand.

Someone's trying to call me?

All right.

Ah, it's you, Amelio?

Yes, it's me... the signora.

No, I was speaking with the signore, and the line got cut off.

He's not home?

Oh, right, he's not going home tonight. That's right.

I completely forgot. How silly of me.

No, he was calling me from a restaurant.

We got cut off. I'll try that number again.

Sorry to bother you. Thank you. Have a good evening.

Hello.

Ah, it's you.

No, I was waiting.

I called your house,

but no one answered.

No, nothing's wrong. Absolutely nothing.

I promise.

It's just that... we talk and talk.

Listen, my love: I lied to you.

Here, on the phone, I've been lying to you.

I lied about how I'm dressed,

about having lunch at Assunta's.

I've eaten nothing, and I'm not wearing that pink dress.

I'm still in my robe,

waiting for you to call, staring at this phone.

I know you don't understand Neapolitan, but don't you understand my voice?

Don't you hear the pain in it?

Pacing around the house is driving me crazy!

So the other day I went to your place

and waited at the front door.

That's right, I waited.

Waited for what?

I know nothing good will come if I wait for you.

And not even lying helps.

Besides, I can't pretend anymore. I won't.

Yes, you're right.

I'm listening.

I have to let go.

I have to find peace. What peace?

The word "peace" has lost its meaning.

My peace only existed in your arms.

Yes, talk. Say something. Anything.

Just hearing you talk...

makes me feel much better.

Sometimes, in bed together,

I'd rest my head on your chest, on that favorite spot of mine.

And I'd hear you speak to me, almost like now, on the phone.

Your heart would be going thump,

just outside my head, knocking.

You, a coward? I'm the coward.

Last night I took a pill to help me sleep,

and I thought...

"If I take more, I'll sleep better.

And if I take all of them, I'll sleep without waking.

I'll die and that'll be it."

I took 12 pills. Yes, 12.

All at once.

And I dreamed the truth:

that you weren't here anymore.

And I woke up so happy...

because I thought it was just a dream.

But when I realized it was all true, that I was alone...

that my head wasn't still resting on your shoulder,

I couldn't live anymore.

I felt light-headed and cold. I couldn't feel my heart beating.

But death wouldn't come. I felt so sad, it made me shiver.

After an hour I called Assunta.

I didn't have the courage to die alone.

She came with a doctor.

I had a temperature of 104.

104!

I know this call is difficult for you,

but think of me!

Losing the last love of my life.

The only thing left between us is this telephone wire.

And I can hear the end.

Two nights ago? I managed to fall asleep.

Lying there with the phone.

No, in bed.

In bed.

Yes, to stay close to your voice in case you called.

For five years I've lived for you,

and now I spend my days waiting for you,

terrified that I'll never see you again.

Yes, I ended up sleeping.

It was the first night without you.

It's the second night that's unbearable. And the third one... tomorrow.

Entire days doing what? My God!

If I sleep, I'll dream,

then get up, eat, go out,

and where the hell will I go?

Darling, my life was only full when you were in it.

Assunta has her own life. She doesn't need my problems.

I've lost it.

I tore up a whole stack of photos without realizing it.

Hello? Hello!

Lady, butt out! This conversation doesn't concern you.

Ah, we're not interesting enough? Downright comical?

So put the damn phone down and go screw yourself!

No, don't get worked up.

That lady hung up

after she said those awful things.

She hurt your feelings?

I know this whole story is painful.

More so for you? Really?

It's not a competition for who suffers most.

Go ahead, you win it...

You're such a child.

You know, the other day I ran into your neighbor.

He told me he saw you with her.

How do you think it made me feel?

No, I didn't stick around. I told him I had guests over.

People don't like it when you cut ties,

but little by little I've cut ties with everyone.

I didn't want to waste a single minute of our time together.

I couldn't care less what people say.

What we have can't be spelled out to anyone.

For most people, it's a question of either love or hate.

Break-ups are forever.

Do like me:

Forget what they say, what they think.

What can they understand about me, about you...

about us!

No, it's nothing.

It feels like we're talking like old times...

but then the truth hits me like a ton of bricks.

Before, a single look between us would solve everything.

But now, with this phone, what's past is past.

My love...

I know it has to be like this...

but my heart is breaking into pieces.

Hello?

No!

I never want to see you again!

It's much better this way! Darling, I'm strong.

Hang up! I'm strong.

Hurry, put the phone down!

Come on, put the phone down. Put it down!

I love you.

Signora, it's 8:15.

I'll be leaving now.

for my mother

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