Original subtitles

Machine translation completely re-written by hhgygy

So you got everything?

You think you can play games or do you think you'll break a bone?

Probably read a little

- If I write an e-mail don't be scared to write me back

OK? Do not kill him know your dad in you're thinking

Or what is going on you know? - Yeah

If you want we can try Skyping or something

All right

You got the drawings for your science theme?

Yeah... I think so - Ok, it went great by the way

Really great. - Thanks

Is your computer charged? - Yeah

What do you think is the first thing you do when you get home?

I do not know...

I really cherish this communication we have

Your answers are so... - What?

Do keep practicing the piano ok? You're really good and you spend so much time at school

That... just remember the music is something that you'll use in your life

Do not forget this, you want this, right?

Yeah...

Thanks

I probably make it over there in October

I'll try to see you in the first recital and hopefully you can watch your soccer game

I might not even play soccer this year

That would be a big mistake, trust me

I'm not that good - You're pretty good, you are

I mean... I miss much training

And the chances that I'm the star are minimal

Yes but only tell your coach the situation...

your dad lives in Europe and you really wanted to be there

You know... blah, blah, blame me, my parents stink but I'm really serious

But I'm serious dad, I do not care that much

Well let's not decide right now, just think about it

All I'm saying is that team sports are important

Here we are

I love this airport, do not you? - It's awasome Yeah, I know is it really great? Are you happy to see your mom?

Yeah and to all my friends - Ok, what about your boarding pass, passport?

Ok... Do you feel confident about making the connection?

Yes, I have done this before - Yes, but there is a tricky connection

Just remember that when you land stay in your seat till someone from the airline gets you

Ok?

It's not a problem - Ok allright

Oh well...

Well... seems that perhaps and we should say goodbye

Ok come here!

I'll do my best to make that recital ok?

You know... I would not bother

What makes you say that? - Look, I'm not being mean, but...

... it would be easier if you did not come to the recital. - How come?

It would just be better if you visited on a nothing weekend

I want to see you play - It's because mom hates you so much

She really would be stressed if you're there and it would be tense for me

You know...

Do not have time to spend together equal

Do not worry about we'll figure that out Just want you not to worry about it

Ok?

I mean... You know how much I miss you, right?

Why do you think she still hates me so much?

I do not know!

I think she hates Daniel more than she hates you

Yeah - Hey do not worry, I will see to do

We should just do this - Yeah but think I should ask for help?

I do not know

But you know that I love you, right? - Yes!

This has been the best summer of my life!

Really? - Yes!

For me too, see? I told you visiting Greece would be great

And it was

Ok! I love you boy - I love you too, dad

Ok... shake my hand

Goodbye!

What happens? - They voted against it!

What? Winter? Del vote?

6 months these people were all for it everyone agreed it was great for the region

So what happened?

- Now decided that they don't like the look on that hill

I thought it was a done deal - I was! It practically was.

Can they do that? - Of course! They've done it, and its over.

Sorry...

- No, it's so frustrating I can't take it anymore

I'm gonna take that job - No, you do not wanna work for them.

Why not? - For the government?

I think this government is different,

We need laws and it's the only way it's gonna happen.

You had a lot of good work done.

Well I've been thinking about it, this is the way to do

Ok, well then let me remind you do not like that guy

The whole time you worked for them you've been complaining about him

Yes, yes... may be a idiot but do it right

Things and that's what will do from now on

Ok... - I'll be a bitch ok?

Well every time I look at that guy all I see is ambition

I mean, sorry, I do not trust him, the only reason we are doing this

It is for a profit of government and people can not see

I don't care about him, ok? - Ok I think it's gonna be miserable

With all the policy and compromise - Whatever

I've made my decision I'm tired of being a fool who rolls the boulder up a hill

And watches it roll down again

- Then you have to be assistant bad guy then?

Ok I should have taken this job a year ago

And I was scared because of the amount of work but I think it's the best opportunity ever

And I'm doing it - OK, are you sure?

No, I'm not sure of anything ok?

I mean what's gonna happen to everyone if I leave? Like Fran�oise... I mean, they count me

What do you think?

Should I take it or not?

- No, I have no nothing to say about that

Just do not want to see you rush into a decision just because this wind turbine crap is gone.

It's not just that, ok? It's been stirring me all summer

I know it has, I know. I should do it. I'm doing it!

- Then do it. - I'm doing it! Right?

Oh God, I wish that things were simpler

I mean... If I leave everything easier would go

It's always a guess. - Yes, the world is fucked - Yeah, maybe.

Oh God we finally have a vacation and the girls are sick in the first two weeks

I know... with the perfect sun a million miles away

All the love of your life can't clean after himself or learn how to shave

Who said that? I am Captain Clean-up over here.

Captain clean-up? He who has been missing in action all these years

What did you expect at this point?

God...

Oh look at them, they're so cute, they look like conjoined twins

Oh my God I'm gonna take a picture

You're going to get food out of your child's mouth?

Yeah, - Ok

This all brown - No matter, there is a point here

Ela, this is evidence of your father stealing food from you.

If she becomes bulimic or anorexic

It's not my fault, don't blame it all on your mother, ok?

This is a family apple I'm teaching them the value of sharing

I love you honey

Oh, so sweet, you girls will remember this vacation very different.

That's for sure. Please stop videotape

God... I love your mom, you're always so hard on her.

It is because we miss the fucked-up years now things are doing something good

The fucked-up years... That reminds me, talking about fucked-up, did I ever tell you the story about my little patraquidi?

Ok... I think you'd remember if I did.

You know when I was a little girl I had a cat named Cleopatra

And every spring she'd jump the fence and get pregnant.

And always ended up with a litter of exactly two kittens

Two kittens... - Every time, every year two cats

I mean... it's just amazing, then one days I was around 30

And I was having lunch with my dad and was remembering and mentioning little Cleopatra

And It was like... the hardest thing I ever had to do

It was to kill those cute little kittens... - And I was like that... what?!

It turns out ... listen to this

Sometimes I had up to 7 kittens

But he would take 5 of them, put them in a plastic bag, with a bunch of ether.

That is terrible - That was like...

He had forgotton, they lied about the kittens

Well I asked him. So you took the fluffiest, cutest?

You know, and he just started to cry, poor daddy.

Oh said we would gonna stop to see the ruins

Yeah - Well I really wanted to see them

Yes but they are asleep

You know... on the way back to airport, we can catch them

We will not - Yeah, probably not

So long ancient ruins! What is so great about them, anyway?

I wanted them all

- Oh my God... we are shitty parents, You should have stopped. Go back!

OK - It's culture, we turn around

Put some character to these kids Somehow girls ok?

We are teaching them a valuable lesson:

Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose in this world.

When the girls are on rehab after 10 years on cocaine and speed

You say...you just never felt comfortable going to sleep

Because daddy used to tell us that if you sometimes lose and that will be your fault, again.

Oh yes we are shitty parents - I know

Saying goodbye to Hank sucks

Why? Was he upset?

No... He said it was the best summer of his life

Well that's great... I mean, I would not worry too much about him

We spoke a bunch. You know what his main concerns in life are?

What?

Pimples and how girls perceive him.

The apple does not fall far far from the tree I guess

I'm not like that.

Oh please! That's all you think about!

What! - Women!

I mean... I'm not complaining, I'm getting a lot of attention

But you never stop ogling girls - I don't ogle girls

I make love to them with my eyes.

Oh... Sure I like the Spanish guy or is it Greek?

I do not know where I am from, but I'm very hairy

Well I think... I know... Henry may...

What? - There may be a girl

I do not know... I think he had a crush on someone

Are you kidding? Why do you think he said it was the best summer of his life?

Because... he and I had a good time together? - Je-sus...

So... what? Do you think they kissed?

yes, yes, they kissed. I was sworn to secrecy but he told me they kissed.

- What did he say?

I'm not supposed to tell you anything, I'm not gonna talk. - Come on! - Ok!

He told me he was concerned about the kissing

You know tongue to tongue...

Yeah

But he was... he was so cute, so nervous

So he and .... - What's gonna happen now?

I do not know... they must be friends, Facebook

Hey, what if they end up spending all their life together?

You're so corny...

I mean... - What are you? A 12-year-old girl?

With your first love, do you even remember who it was?

Sure, it was you

- Oh, please, like you were a virgin at 23

I said first love not first sexual experience

Ok... Fine.. Am I the first woman you ever fell in love with?

Yeah the first one I felt completely connected to

What? I was not your first love?

No, of course not - Oh well

I thought I was.

Jesse, stop - Not a big deal

No... ok how old are you? C'mon - 41 Years

You are so, so... working for this night

I have to tell you that I have a rocket in my pocket

I'm stuck with an American teenager

I can not believe it, do we have to do all that stuff later?

What? Oh c'mon, it means a lot to Patrick

For children it is very important

No, no... - It will be fun

No, I meant the hotel later

I'm not sure I want to go there... Hi sweetie.

Yeah,

Oh, ok, ok, ok

It's fine

Call me from London, have a good flight, bye

They were telling them to turn everything off, They are about to take off. I asked him to call me from the plane

What?

What is it? - I don't know

Just do not think I can keep doing this.

What?

Every summer, every Christmas and I

I know... It makes me uncomfortable - It's so bad

As if I.. we were sending him to boarding school or something

I do not know... if your mom and I we got along a little bit better

I know... it's like we're sending him back across the enemy lines

It really hit me this time ... He's gonna be a freshman in high school

4 years more and he's gonna be on his own.

Oh I mean that's the good news

This is crucial, I feel I should be there for him

It's like now or never, you know?

No... what do you mean?

I thought that somehow could live with us

Time goes by so fast and look, here we are at highschool

It's girls, and next thing is College applications

Yeah, you're right, maybe it's time, of I really think it's time to tell his mom all this

And ask if he can live with us

I'd love it! - That's never gonna happen.

Right? She will never give me one thing she is not legally obligated to.

Do you want to call that lawyer again? - No, I don't like that guy, he's terrible.

Should I call her mother? - No, please. Never again.

The kid does not know how to throw a baseball!

Who cares...

Leads with his elbow, throws like a girl

Not your fault

- It is my fault, a father is supposed to teach you that.

Ok he just does not like baseball

- It's just an example, it's a metaphor for everything.

He's turning 14 and he needs to be with his father

Jessy I'm not moving to Chicago

What? Did I ask you to? Where did it come from? I'm just thinking out loud

I mean, this is the one thing I promised I would never do

And I look up and I'm doing it! - Listen, you're a wonderful father

Love their relationship, love the letters I send

Do not read the letters...

- Of course you read only you do not have good lyrics

I just miss these years they are never coming back

Oh my God

What?

This is where it ends.

What are you talking about?

This is how people start breaking up. - Oh my god

No, no... - You just jumped off a cliff

No, no... I'm serious, this is the day like a ticking bomb

that destroys our lives, yeah? - Ok, well, first off

You said he's a time bomb - Oh yeah whatever

You know what? It's ticking right now. And this is how it happens.

You are unhappy and blame it on the other person Resentment grows, everything is rot

And you break up. That's it.

You say that to shut me up? - No of course not

Of course not! - Yeah, if that's what you do

No, I'm actually surprised we've lasted so long

Ok... So... - We are on parallel tracks a while but now

The tracks have crossed and I'm going west and you're going east

And believe me this is how it happens I've seen it, ok? Katrin, Alexandre

You're kidding right? - Well no.

I'm kidding... and I'm not.

Right.

Just...

This is it.

Oh we were closed

- Sweetie we decided to catch them when we're on the way back to the airport

Ok? - Exactly, we'll leave early, right?

Yes!

What happened to my apple?

Right?

Give me the list - I don't have it.

It's in your wallet! And give me your wallet, too

Ok I am the General

The overall ok?

Captain Clean-up, you do not touch anything!

Where is my team!

The red one.

Ok pepper

Actually I read them both. The first is called

"At that time" and the second "at this time"

The first is "this time" and the second is "that time"

Yeah - We have a joke in our family

That this was what brought us together again

And that paid for our apartment. - Ok

But it must be rare for a man reading a book

Why? I think I got used to it. - But the second one is sexy.

When he misses the plane and have sex for days and days

Like there's no tomorrow... I mean wow, Do you guys actually do that?

You do that right?

- I hear there's a third book and it is actually better than the first two

Considering that it took more time writing the first two together

The third one I did not read, my wife bought it but it is too long

Even the title is long. What's the title?

"Temporary cast members of a long-running but little-seen production of a play called fleeting

Well, exactly my point

- You're not alone, everybody else thought it was too long.

It is a better book, it's so much more ambitious

What happened?

He said he likes all the books

He does. Well...

I say I love this place is amazing these tomatoes are so amazing

I can smell them, they smell so good

Yeah he is very proud of them

I know it's stupid but... when we were

about to leave Paris I was so nervous to come here

And now we're about to leave and I do not wanna go

Why were you nervous? - Yes, why was that?

I do not know... this place is so full of thousands of years of myths and tragedies

I thought something tragic would happen

You thought someone was going to eat your children.

Yes.

Exactly.

All the time I've been here I've been

Working on this idea about a group of different people

With all these brain abnormalities

So the book would be like a day in your life

From their unique points of view only

As an old lady who has the condition that makes you feel

Like you're in a perpetual state of de javu

And every single experience she has is like if it had happened before

I mean she could be sitting here with us talking

seemingly functional alright?

And in her head she's thinking... did not I already say that?

I mean... did not we have exactly the same conversation?

So just like dejavu? - Yes, except all the time

That's what happens, everything she takes in

A breakfast, a newspaper, a movie

She is convinced she's encountered it already

Is it a real condition?

- Yes, it is called persistent Dejav... It's real but I can not pronounce it.

Ok... and there are two other characters with facial recognition extremes.

There is one guy and he can not recognize his wife for 20 years

He looks at himself in the mirror and he feels disconnected with this man, he's looking at

And the other character is the opposite. A middle-aged housewife

With a categorical exacting memory of every face she has ever seen

And she lives in a big city but to her it is a small town.

Like a taxi drives past and she thinks... "Oh that's the driver

who dropped me off at the mall for 3 Christmases ago"

As an old lady walking on the street,

She recalls that she sat to seats from me on the subway last year.

So everyone she meets, you know, to her feels intimate and connected

Well I'm like the first guy: I feel connected to nothing most of the time

Hey! Eckolas! Anna! Hey guys

Look at this kid, he is having the best summer of his life

So, you were saying these three characters, right?

No... it's not just three characters it's a whole group of people

Like I'm working on a Chapter right now about a young Greek man in Macaless

Me? - Well he's named after you

And this guy is caught in a loop, all he sees is the transient nature of everything

Like he looks out to the sea and he thinks the day it will be dry and littered with flosses.

Well I do not know... sounds a little pretentious to me - No pretentions

It's gonna be funny. Really funny.

He picks up a book and immediately wonders: who's gonna be the last person to read this?

And that's funny? - Sometimes I kind of think like that.

Well OK, so he does not get excited about tits, cars, booze, nothing?

Just thinks about death. - Well not so much that.

Transformation is like he is seeing too far in the future.

Ok... - I like this idea for a novel

But you should add a character of an old man like me

Who can not remember what he ate for breakfast

But still hears the song that was playing

When Sheila Campbell danced topless at the bar of juries when he was 14 years old.

That would work.

- Ok have these people lost the time, right?

What is the connection? Are they gonna have sex? Something like that?

It's not time they have lost but perception.

That's the deal, I'm thinking of setting the whole novel at a movie

Like every character in some way comes into contact with the film On the Waterfront

Have you seen On the Waterfront?

With Brando? - Ok the first chapter of the book

is opening at a weekend in Times Square in 1954

That old lady with perpetual dejavu

Walks into the matine screen except all the time she's thinking

have not I already seen this?

Yeah and then in another chapter is a 1979 Paris film study class

Then we have a retrospective in Munich in 1993

It's time... As that's not the time?

It's time but it is more perception

Not like... - I think it will be too long!

- Well... I like it - Do not listen to him, he makes bicycles.

Send it to me in Galles.

I'll do!

In France we stuff the tomatoes with tomatoes and the peppers with peppers

Use the same, by how you react

Ok...

Make sure you do not stuff too much because it will overflow in the oven later

And it can get very nasty. Ok...

You're doing fine, Celine.

Especially do not listen to Stefanos here

Because he has never made this dish before - or any other dish, for that matter.

Stop fighting with knives!

Stop stop fighting with knives!

We're not fighting we are negotiating

Yeah - Negotiating. That's how you call it?

It is a system that we have

- So you found the system that works for you,

I thought it was called having a "relationship" but I like the system

That's cute

We used to have that system

Not too far you guys!

Ok do not want this meal go by without thanking everyone

and... especially you Patrick we had no idea what we were getting into these weeks

A letter arrives from the university inviting us to the Southern Peloponnese in Greece

To the guesthouse of a great writer

Sure! Why not?

And then at the airport earlier today

Hank turns to me and he says it has been the greatest summer of his life

And I have to say the same, so thank you Patrick!

And not just for what you done for me and my family

But for all that you bring to all

Thank you, thank you, when I first saw you at the airport

I thought... no way a man dressed like that could be a man of letters

But now... I think I've learned your secret, we've had many writers

over the past decade but no one had more interest in themselves

I'm telling you

And Celine, it's been so great to have you and your daughters' wonderful vitality around here

And I'm so happy you were able to meet my dear friend Natalia

Whose husband Elias was like a brother to me.

I'm so sorry about the Colonel

No... no...

Thanks for including Anna and me this summer

Because you know that just pushes me to work

But... when I bring Anna he let me stay at the table of the grown-ups

Welcome to the grown-ups' table

How long have you two been together? - Since last summer

We met one year ago here in my last days with Grandpa

Before I had to go back to Athens - Yes, I met him at a party

I was doing Shakespeare in the theater

Who did you play? I was ,,,

She was fantastic, remember Patrick went to see her?

When you dance I wish you do not do anything more than that

The way you just said that was better than the guy in the play

People are still talking about that production.

But the after-party was even better, it was when we met

Yeah we were all there - Very nice.

So... were tossing and turning all night and then I had to drive back to the theater

To get her stuff.

And it was the best - And I'll never forget it.

We were out and had 12000 people

And at that time it was completely empty

And she was sitting way up in the back row

So... I went up on stage

And whispered something - The acoustics there are incredible.

I could see his mouth move and then 3 seconds later

I could hear his voice in my ear

What did he say?

It is private

And then she had to fly back to Paris a couple of days later

How did you keep in touch? - We Skyped.

Pretty much every day since then.

And we have something, we're putting the laptop on the pillow

And... sleep together

Oh that's the new romance

And when I wake up the screen is usually frozen

And Anna's face is in some funny position like..

Can I ask you a question? Please? When you guys Skype

Do you, you know... do you go a little crazy?

My God! You're being so vulgar! - I'm just being a amateur anthropologist

who is interested in the virtual world on a theoretical level.

Now you're an anthropologist - Yes, the sex of the near future

And I'm not making this up but it's gonna be just like plugging in something in your genitals

And you can have sexual intercourse with anyone of your choice You'll be able to programme in all your preferences

You'll be able to type in exactly what you want. Marilyn Monroe to whisper in your ear.

I might like that! Yes!

I mean... Why not?

More and more of our experiences are taking place in the virtual world

Yeah...

And you're a writer. How are you gonna feel when

Computers can write a better book than 'War and Peace'

That will never happen

- I think the only question is when it's going to happen.

I think I will probably feel about the same way as Kasparov

you know the chess players felt when they could no longer play

with those big-ass computers...

Remember we first thought no computer could ever beat our best

The human machine likes

You know and now we can not compete

I saw a doctor when they were doing an experiment in a laboratory

and..he was wired up and could push a switch and have an orgasm

Scientists were sort of laughing at this pathetic little creature

While it ignores food and water and did not do anything else

And eventually just died

I think that's the future of humanity

And die!

Well, maybe so

but every generation believes that they're witnessing the end of the world

But...

I feel that I'm actually living it - Ok I have a question for you Patrick

I think a lot of people are feeling that way... you know

We are like this kind of pleasure-obsessed

porn-addict

Materialistic seeing our humanity with technology

At the same time the computers are becoming sentient

Right? So my question is this notion of 'self' to begin with.

Well is written in the portals of the temple of Apollo at Delhi

It says: gnothi saphton..

Which means "Know thyself"

Yes but we are 99% automated already

Not our personality or this thing we think of as ourselves

It is only a tiny fraction of what the brain is doing

Most of these automated body functions

So what is it we're actually seeing?

Now, if this notion of self is such a small percentage of usage

How come I always hear so much about it?

Well it's just like my penis. I mean it's not that big it is a small part of myself

But it needs a lot of attention.

He's a Jew!

And how did you two meet? - You do not know?

What?

Well, you have to read Jesse's books. - If you especially if you want to know

what it is like to have sex with me

Excuse me, Stephanos.

I'm sorry but I read them

Yeah

We met about 18 years ago and we kind of, sort of fell in love a little bit.

and... then we lost track of each other

And a decade later, we ran into each other.

No, no... we did not run into each other, sweetie

You wrote a book inspired by our meeting...

Yes, yes... - And I read about it and went to look

That's pretty romantic - Not really

He was married again - Details!

Yeah That was a disaster - It was not a disaster, it was inevitable.

Ok and the first time that we had sex without a condom

Twins! And change it from there

Sorry to say that - The girls are so beautiful

They are cute

Ok... no, no, it has some upsides.

Ok... Let me tell you right now, Anna, how to keep a man

You have to let them win in all these little games

Oh God!

- When I met Jessy the first night we played pinball

And of course I was winning

- The foundation of lie to our entire relationship?

And then I let the ball go down in the middle

And gave him confidence if I didn't let him won in every game

We would never have sex

I mean... I'm sorry to say all this but he's actually a closet macho

He dreams of having a bimbo for a wife

It is my greatest aspiration

So...

Yes?

So you're a writer?

Yes, sure

So you write like... books?

I've written a few, sure

I've never met a writer before

You must be really smart

You know... I can't even write my own name sometimes when I'm tired

What kind of books do you like?

Well I like stories with a meaning behind it

Like a really beautiful love story

Oh sure yes

You know... I read this book once... Romeo and... - Juliet

Yes!

You know it? - It's very good. It's a play, actually.

It is not a book. Play.

- Oh I thought it was a book based on the movie

No, no, a play - Ok, it was a play.

Well, actually I did not read the whole thing because sometimes I have to keep up and read these magazines

To know exactly what's going on in all these peoples' lives.

Well that is important. - Ok you are very, very smart

And I bet you have a gigantic penis

Why am I finding myself so attracted to this woman?!

And that's the funny part of it.

The not so funny part of the closet macho is that two days after we dropped Henry off

He tells me that even though I have an offer for an amazing job,

He wants me to throw it away and move to Chicago

It's not what I said, I said I missed him.

Hey, you guys stop it, It must have been so hard to say goodbye right?

Yeah, of course. - And I say a he is such an amazing kid.

Yeah... and I already miss my chess partner

When Stefanos and I split up I am getting full custody

It's okay for a while because me and my 20-year-old girlfriend

Will be a little bit preoccupied.

Oh I love you - And I love you you

Ok... I have a story that my husband here loves

And that's gonna tell you everything about masculine and feminine

Ok, ready?

My mom used to be a nurse so she was there when people were coming out of the coma

Listen, it's an interesting story

I'm listening - So she was the one to tell them...

Hi... My name is Catherina you're coming out of a coma

You've been in a really bad automobile accident

You're gonna be okay

You're gonne be fine and, you know, stuff like that

He said the first thing that every woman the very first thing, the first reaction she would have

Would be to ask: how are my kids?

How is my husband? Is anyone else hurt?

Every man with no exception, when they were told all this, what was the first thing they did?

Looked down on their cock.

You know what? You got to make sure it's still there. You got to make sure it's still working.

You have to! - Alive and kicking!

Yeah, yeah, and eventually they come around to asking about their kids

Or about someone else that might have accidentally been killed, and stuffs like that,

Does not say it all? - Penis first and the rest of the world.

Penis! Penis!

But if you can explain it on strictly gender terms

Why does any women waste time

Getting mad and bother to change a man?

Exactly! It's all biology. What is the problem?

And they are so good at turning things around.

NO... only... is like that upset because a frog is green

Yes! Exactly! - Hearing all this

I wonder if this idea of a love affair that lasts forever is still relevant to us?

I mean we know that we are going to break up eventually. - Definitely.

- Are your parents are still together? - No way.

No and what about yours? - They are but they could divorced.

I think if they had more money, they would not still be together.

God, you guys are so practical, I was born into the wrong generation

My grandmother's mother

wrote to our whole family a 26-page letter from her deathbed

And she spent three pages on the costume she did for a play...

and only one paragraph on her husband - Was she an actress too?

No... she was...a...

Seamstress

And she had all these wonderful friends and about my great-grandfather

She mentioned three events:

He went to war, we moved because of his job

And he died

Her big advice was not to be too consumed with romantic love

Friendships and work brought to her the most happiness

I could not agree more that's what really helps us

This idea of the soul mate of someone who would come

to complete us and save us from heaven to take care of ourselves.

With Stefanos, I set the bar extremely low

I knew he would not meet any of my needs

Definitely not - So what about Grandma? Was she your soul mate?

Sounds appealing but actually your grandmother was more rational than that.

She took cared of herself and asked me to do the same

We had plenty of room to meet in the middle

Yeah, that sounds ideal

What is it?

But it should be obvious that my wife is not here today

We were never one person, always two, we preferred it that way.

That is so beautiful

I think my husband is always trying to almost colonize me, you know

I colonize you?

Yes but I colonize you, too, darling.

But at the end of the day

It's not the love of one other person that matters but the love of life

That's good to know, Patrick, because life I can handle

Ariadna, on the other hand

We no the Greek tragedy and on top of that The original many was destroyed for maniacs

Hey, guys if we can not make that hotel rooom tonight could you get a refund or use it yourself

No... we do not get a refund - Are you trying to get out of it?

- No, it's such a great gift you've given us

But I'm so stressed getting all the packing ready

No, no... - We made a deal guys

We will watch the kids, you're gonna really love it

It's a fantastic walk to the hotel You won't regret it.

And we would be very offended if you don't go

Ok...

Thank you.

Iran... - Well... when I think of my husband

What I miss the most about him is the way he used to lie down next to me at night

Sometimes his arm would stretch along my chest

And I could not move, I... I even held my breath

But I felt safe

Complete

And... I miss the way he was whistling walking down the street

And every time we do something I think of what he would say

When it's cold today, wear a scarf

But lately I've been forgetting little things

It's sort of fading and I'm starting to forget him.

And it's like ...

like losing him again. So sometimes I make myself remember

every detail of his face

The exact color of his eyes, his lips, his teeth

The texture of his skin, his hair.

That was all gone by the time he went

And sometimes... not always, but sometimes

I can actually see him.

It's as if a cloud moves away and there he is. and I could almost touch him.

But then... the real world rushes in.

And he vanishes again

But what I did every morning when the sun was not too bright outside

But the sun somehow makes him vanish

And he appears and disappears Like a sunrise and a sunset

Anything, so ephemeral.

It's just like our life

We appear and er disappear

And we are so important to some

But we are just... passing through

To "passing through"

To "passing through"

And eventually he catches his face in the window's reflection

And he realizes he's no longer a 9 year old boy. Right? He's suddenly old, he's got a beard

And his eyes are watery - This one seems sad

At first I thought you were going to tell me a

Story about a guy that has an imaginary friend

Which one?

- When in his 50s, the imaginary friend shows up again.

Yes, that! - You like that?

Remember that letter that you let me read that you wrote when you were 20

to yourself at 40 - Yes, I remember the first sentence:

Dear 40-year-old Jesse, I hope you're not divorced

No I did not even remember that part, I meant to all the other things in that letter

You're the same guy, I mean, we always think that we are evolving

But we can not change that much

You know I think I've changed the most. - How?

When I was younger I just wanted time to speed up.

Why?

So I can be on my own, so I can be free from my parents

and school and all that shit, you know, I just wanted to close my eyes and wake up and be an adult

And now I can feel that that happened and I want everything to slow down.

It's strange I've always had this feeling no matter where I am in my life

That it's either a memory or a dream. - I always thought that

Me too, is it really my life? Is it as happening right now?

It is. - I know!

Every year I just seem to get a little bit more humble and more overwhelmed

about all things I'm never gonna know or understand

That's what I keep telling you: you know nothing - I know, I know! But I'm getting better

But not knowing is not so bad

I mean...

The point is to be looking, searching

Stay hungry, right?

That's true... I only wish it was easier

How do you mean? - Just to maintain a certain level of passion, you know.

I mean, it used to come so naturally

Remember when I was younger, me and all my writer friends

We like.. we just felt like were doing something important

You know? Like this was our time.

- But they were all a bunch of arrogant little pricks, right?

No! Alright, maybe... do not know... Single than where would we get all that energy

All that creativity and whatever ambition these people had

I think you gotta be a little deluded to stay motivated.

Young men do this thing, they're comparing themselves all the time

They have all these signposts they judge themselves by

You used to do that all the time! - Do what? What do you mean?

You were talking about more than when you were 17

Yes but women do not think that way as much. - You don't think so?

We have much less to compare ourselves with, maybe.

Most women wouldn't do anything in life

The first time I hear about them, they're in their 50s

because it is was so hard for them to get any recognition before then.

They struggled for 30 years or they raised kids or were stranded at home

Before they could find what they want

Actually you know what? It's kind of free

We need don't have to spend our lives comparing ourselves to Martin Luther King

Ghandi... Tolstoy - What about Joan of Arc?

I mean... she was a teenager and she saved France

Who wants to be Joan of Arc? Forget France.

She was burned at the stake, and a virgin!

Ok? Nothing I aspire to. What a great achievement!

Oh God... - What? - No, nothing.

What? - This is so weird

What do you mean? - Just this, us walking, having a conversation.

About something else than scheduling food, work

I mean how long has it been since we were wondering about bullshit

Do you hear what I hear?

The sea? - No

What? Oh! No small feet

nothing being knocked over, nothing to clean up

Nothing injustices being done.

Yeah, so when was the last time?

When we had nowhere to be?

Yeah.. Remember walking in the Luxembourg Gardens?

I used to kick your ass in ping-pong on those concrete tables

Congrats! You beat a woman pregnant with twins!

It is better than losing to a pregnant woman with twins!

Yes... O God!

You know what I think? I think it's from the time we leave our parents' house

Until we have kids that's the only time that your life is completely your own.

I think I've had as a decade that

Just like one long flowing, a day, a week, a year there is no big difference

No... I know, I used to keep track of time

through jobs and boyfriends and stuff like that and I can tell you

every detail of the past seven years based on what was happening in the girls' lives

Yeah...right... totally.

You do that too? - Yes, if

I mean time is demarcated now

- No, I'm just surprised you do that too

Ok... quick test

August 2009

No, come on! It's a quick one. What was happening?

August 2009 we were on vacation with your parents

N�a got the chickenpox first and quickly spread to Ela

I am so impressed - So do I get a gold star?

Maybe.

Hey... can I ask you a question? -Sure

If we were meeting for the first time today on a train, would you find me attractive?

Of course. - No, but really right now as I am

Would you start talking to me? Would you ask me to get off the train with you?

I mean you're asking a theoretical question. I mean what would my life-situation be?

Technically, it would not be cheating on you?

- Ok, why can not you just say yes? - I did, I said, of course.

- I wanted to say something romantic and you blew it, ok?

Ok, ok... if I saw you on a train

Ok listen I would be looking at you and say...

Hey baby, you make me as horny as an egg in a pot

Stop! That's disgusting!

No! The truth is that you failed the test and the fact is

that you would not pick me up on the train

You would not even notice me, a fat-ass, middle-aged mom

losing her hair - Ok...

Yes, that's me - You set me up to fail

- You did. - Ok true

But in the real world baldy

I did, I talked to you on the train, and it was the best thing I ever did.

Really? Look at the goats. Hello!

You know that is not even a good question.

The real question would be if I did ask you to get off the train

Yeah... - Would you get off with me?

No, of course not, I have people waiting for me

You know, and a 41-year-old horny billy goat

How creepy! I'm creeped out right now. Help!

I can not believe I'm 41 - Yeah, me neither. We've gotten so old.

Never thought I would ever sleep with anyone over 40

Yeah...

- Actually you know what? You are the oldest guy I've ever slept with.

That is something - True

I know but I'm not the oldest guy you've ever blown

What! - That conference in Warsaw

What conference? Lech Walesa.

Lech Walesa! Oh what are you talking about? - It was before we're together

You can admit it. I can remember the way you talked about him.

How he opened your heart, you definitely blew him.

Ok... you're really crazy!

That was Gorbachev.

Ok? geographically challenged, doughnut-loving American

I'm sorry I got Eastern-bloc leaders mixed up, OK.

And I did not blow him, ok? Take it back!

Ok, ok

God!

Then went to another?

All right, you know?

Listen to this... I was going to tell you this later but already enough secrets

What? You've got a tumor in your brain and going to die?

No no

Nothing like that, alright?

Well, actually, it's kind of like that.

My grandmother died - What! When?

Yes, my dad texted to me before we ate

Oh I'm so sorry. Why could not you tell me?!

Everyone has been expecting it she has lived a long time, had a great life

She was 96

- She did not live much longer after your grandfather died

No... barely a year... the funny thing is that this woman was a freaking saint, ok?

She was a nurse in the war She took care of all of us

You know... she never said any unkind word about anybody.

I wish I had met her. - It's OK

Okay, because by the end she was not in the mood to meet new people

I mean after a lifetime of being sweet as a pie,

once grandpa died, she got kind of angry.

Really? She was in mourning, no?

Yeah well my dad said she was waiting to die

How long were they married?

74 years

Fuck! How is that even possible?

How old would we be if we were together for 74 years?

Hm, when do we start counting from?

I guess from the first time we had sex.

Ok...

OK, so... 1994

Ok... 1994...

56 years from now - We would be 98

Oh! Would you be able to put up with me for another 56 more years?

I need to know. I do not know if I'm gonna be able to put up with you.

It's crazy if you think about all the changes they saw.

I mean, when they met neither one of them had electricity.

He used to take her to school on his horse

When he graduated he was valedictorian and she was salutatorian

What is that? - He was top of the class and she was second

I bet she knowingly marked a couple of answers wrong so that he does not feel threatened

Well, if she wanted to get laid she'd better had

Yes, obviously like you know who

- Anyway, so I called my dad, right, after I got the text, just, you know

to tell him I was sorry but I think I got screwed up at some point said...

Hey dad you're an orphan now, I do not think it was funny

Not funny at all - Yeah, I guess not

- He's next, then you - I know

Well... he told me that my grandparents wanted to have a joint service

They wanted to have their ashes intermingled and be buried as one

Your grandfather did not have a funeral? - They woved to each other they'd never have to attend each other's funeral

Oh yeah... I kind of like the idea of you attending mine

What? - No, I know... I'm imagining you in a suit

Clean-shaven for once, holding hands with the girls, I do not know, I like it

You're gonna outlive me. - We'll see

I guess one of us will see

What do you think you're gonna go to the service with me?

To Texas? - It's not gonna be in Paris

Ok how bad you want me there? I mean I would come but it is really expensive

With flights... - It would be simpler to go alone

Oh hello!

Well you know and if I'm not there, it would be easier for you to fuck your cousins

Yes, that's true - Isn't that common where you come from?

You did not answer the question - What question?

Well... will you be able to put up with me for 56 more years?

I'm looking forward to it. - Shit, you're really working it.

The nectare of your sex ages like a fine line

O-o, my hairy Spanish lover is back Greek, I'm Greek now.

Look at this!

Wow, this place reminds me a bit of a movie I saw as a teenager

It was a black and white film from the 50s

I remember a couple walking through the ruins of Pompeii

Viewing bodies that had been lying there for centuries

I remember the bodies even holding and loving each other

I do not know why, sometimes I have this image in my mind

Where, you know, we're asleep and you hold me

Well... being buried alive under molten ash? That's what you're thinking about?

Yes!

That's not funny!

I do not know... It is not that horrible I mean, they had some bodies with little kids sleeping

That's nice

Yeah, I guess I was young and a bit morbid,

I mean at that age you romanticize dying with the person you love

Now you die with me? - Maybe you know if you were... you know

Our first night together then, a long time ago, but now... no!

I'd like to live!

Because I can not say something romantic?!

Oh no! Putain de merde I blew it!

Ok if you want you can ask me again

But any time sooner

Sorry

Hey... This is the chapel he told me about it's Byzantine, like a 1000 years old

Can we go in? - Yes, I think so.

Check this out! Hello!

It's a shrine to St. Odilia, the patron saint to eyesight.

People come from all over and leave their dedications to the blind

-To help restore their sight. -I'm sure, it works.

And these pictures here, they make me think of those Japanese monks

They like to paint with water and rock

On hot days by the time they're done it will have evaporated

Oh, the eyes are scratched down is that about blindness?

No... not that

But a guy told me that the Turks did that during the occupation

That's it? I'll never eat Turkish food again

Oh ok

That will be good for the international community

Ok... fine then I will never suck another turkish cock.

Ok that's gonna have a global impact

Oh that's terrible, I forget you're a closet-Christian is it really bad to make blowjob jokes in a church?

The girls asked me again what our wedding was like

And? What did you say?

I said I was... very low-key.

So low-key I can still remember

Very quick

I do not know why they want to get married so badly

It is important to them

We are in a church, do you want to get married? - No

It's all those fairy tales they like so much, you know.

Remember when they were little and at the end of every cartoon they watched

They were like "they are getting married"

Even if it was Pinocchio or Donald Duck and his nephews

So if we are going to spend another 56 more years together

Yeah... - What about me would you like to change ?

What?

- It's another one of your "can't win" questions

I am not answering that. - What do you mean?!

There is not one thing that you would like to change about me?

I'm perfect? - Ok actually - One thing.

If I could change one thing about you it would be for you to stop trying to change me

You are a very skilled manipulator you know that?

I know how you work, - You think?

Yeah, everything about you, let's go through here.

I do not think you do, actually. - No?

Well... I know you better than anybody else on the planet

Maybe that's not saying much

This is great, I feel close to you, but sometimes I don't know...

I feel like as Yeah you're breathing helium and I'm breathing oxygen

What makes you say that?

See? I'm trying to truly connect and you make a joke!

No! - That's exactly what I'm talking about.

Cmon if we ever gonna truly know each other

I think we should know ourselves better first

Yeah

Do you remember this friend of mine, Josh from New York?

NO...

Oh no, that was before... no, no, as

He was this friend of mine that when he found out that he had leukemia

And he was probably gonna die, he confessed to me that the first thing that came to his mind

was relief - Relief? Of what?

Yeah... well... before he had nine months to live

He was always so worried about money

And now he thought... great!

I have more than enough money to live the next 9 months, I've made it!

Ok

And then he was finally able to enjoy everything about life even like being stuck in traffic

He would just enjoy looking at people and staring at their faces

Just little things

And then what happened? - What do you mean?

Well...like, is he still alive?

No... died a long time ago

Last night... I had this dream, where I was reading a book but it was a lost classic "The Rovers"

If you like... roving around, you know, wandering it was all these young people

Ok... is that a real book? - No, but it was really great

It was fresh, funny, experimental, had all this energy

I love that you read books in your dreams

And they're always really good! - I have major action hero dreams

Like I'm flying around like a super hero breaking through walls

And in the end I have an orgasm

I hope your dreams come true

Still there

Still there

Gone.

I need your credit card - Oh I think the room is paid for

Yes it is. - If so but the credit card is for...

For accidents

Of course

Mr. Wallace - Yes?

I am such a fan of your books

My husband gave me your book on our first date

And... on the second date we read it out loud together

Wow... - Would you plese sign it for me?

Sure! Of course.

I love the artwork on these Greek editions.

It's really nice, what is your name?

Make it to Sophia and Pavlos

Ok...

How is the Greek translation? - Well it's called the ...

But I'm not sure that is correct

It's because you never read it in English right? - Exactly

That is great

Could sign them too? - Me? - Yes!

You are the real mother, right?

Madeleine, not really, people assume that it's me

But it's not me at all, he's got a big imagination

Would you please still sign it?

It would mean so much to my husband

I can not sign a book I did not write

She'd be happy to do

Thank you

I'm happy to do it

Ok thanks

Great, thank you very much

Check it out - Wow, this is nice.

Air Conditioning! Oh I love it! Oh my god.

Oh wow! There is a bathtub!

My God! - Hey check this out!

Stefanos and Ariadne got us a bottle of wine

And a couple's massage...

They are so nice we have to get them a present before we leave

Oh, and we should remember something for the kids, too

Yeah for sure

I miss the girls - I do not

It's such a nice view...

The only view that I am interested in

What?

This, right here

Yeah

What?

It's funny never noticed until today but all the red of your beard is gone

It used to be one of the things that made me crazy

You're not telling me that your love is dependent on pigment are you?

No?

No, but you know...

I see that red in our girls' eyelashes

I look at them and it makes me think of when we met

You're what I'm looking for

Yeah, after...

This weekend

Without Nina and Ella jumping around the house?

Exact

Think?

I like waking up with that sound

With your eyes open and close

When you said you could hear me think I don't really think you could

But they were only my eyelids that silly and romantic

That's my favorite thing

Strange to think well and I hate to think in the morning

I'm looking for it right now

Ok...

Let's stop talking so that we can fuck.

I told him to call me in case of emergency only I hope the girls are OK

Oh, it's Henry - Hey sweetie are you okay?

Are you in London?

Oh...

Already? Ok

Oh no, we found it.

We'll mail it tomorrow. do not worry about tomorrow

Yeah

Oh, they miss you too, I'll kiss them for you

Yeah

Ok... I'll tell them

Good luck with your mom, yeah

I love you too, bye

Ok...

OK

He's fine. He says he will call you in Chicago when he lands

Why can't I talk to him? I did that twice

Come on, you could not give me the phone? You know you want to talk to the

Well I had no time to talk

What did he forget? What was that?

- His science project We'll mail it tomorrow

He'll be fine - You should not have said that about his mom

What? What did I say? "Good luck with your mom"

I did not mean anything by it.

I know but it's not good, it just reminds me of the whole thing and I wish you would not do that

Oh... as if you believe that you forget?

That's too American let's just sweep it under the carpet and act like it did not happen

Why put it in his head ? And what if he does not want to think about it right now?

- It means nothing. - It means something. It does.

Ok I even made a joke the other day

That his mom and I should attempt a mud wrestling contest.

- Mud wrestling? You said that? -And he loved it.

He has more sense of humor than you do.

Come on!

I do not know... I say we just talked about So you can not say bad things about his mom

Well I did not say anything bad about his mom I made a joke

As much on me as much on her. I know, I know

It's just why contradict at all?

I think he's old enough now.

I mean he knows how bad it is between her mother and I

- His mom and me... - I did not do anything, it's all coming from her towards me

Ok she hates me, yes, I fucked her husband a long time ago

Or should I say he fucked me?

Yeah, right.

Ok I'm making a joke about that fact that his mother and I do not love each other.

There is not the issue, that is not going to traumatize him.

That already happened, right?

Ok? And now you try to eat your fault and say that I am guilty?

No...

You know, on the contrary, if were making a joke about it

Maybe you'd be able to live better with it that's what I think

Ok...

You're right, as always. Let us just not talk about it, ok?

It's nobody's fault if his mother is a drunk and abusive psychologically.

Do not say that!

I mean it makes me sick that he has to be with her but judges assume

That women have a mother instinct

She has the mother instinct of Medea!

Madea not?

Yeah, after all it is a Greek myth.

The play is by Euripides

- A woman killing her kids to punish her ex-husband

That is basically what she's doing.

She's hurting him to get to you.

No, she's making my life hell through him

That's what she's doing, but sometimes you say things that just go too far

Ok stop blaming me for everything that is wrong in this old thing with your wife, ok?

Ex wife! Ex wife! For a long time!

- Ok you should have dealt better with her back then, she would not hate us so much, ok?

Ok... ok... I screwed up.

Everything is not perfect in our life

Now you're putting this shit on me about Henry?

What shit? What are you talking about?

Let me tell you what I am talking about: The moving to Chicago and giving up my life

Now you mentioned that Henry needs you

How do you think that makes me feel? I'm miserable, alright?

How can I take that job now? Tell me, tell me

I feel too guilty. No, no, no, no. - It's the choice you're making.

Don't look at it like that, OK?

It is in the nature of women: to be the nurturer.

The what?

The nurturer. The nurturer?

Ok I can't even say that fucking word. I just naturally feel bad about everything.

And you give me that look like it was my fault - What look?

That I forget to put in his bag the science project look.

I know you blame me - I did not say anything

No... you did not say anything. You did not have to.

Yes, it's always my fault - Yeah right

I read on the fridge at work, you know

those magnet words that people make sentences with

Someone had put together: "women explore for eternity"

In the vast garden of sacrifice

Wow, that is a sure sign from God

Yeah that line is so damn true... and it has been for 10,000 years

But that's enough I don't want to be one of those women

Like marriage is important to gays

Or contraception to women rights it's the same with giving up my hopes

With the millions of women that had to give up their hopes. I'm not gonna do it!

This is bigger than me this is more than me

Wow, bravo, the Nobel Committee is taking note

Wait I'll alert Sweden

I mean... it must be a full-time job carrying that much feminine oppression

It is.

- You suffered so much growing up in middle class Paris

I mean the agony in the trenches of the Sorbonne in the post-feminist era.

I can not imagine - You're an asshole.

You know what sweetie? When are we moving to Chicago?

I want to make sure we're able to find a nice house and I can saw the drapes

and pick matching bed covers

So that is how you want spending this evening?

This is what I want to do tonight? - Well, you started it.

You're the one who will not shut up about it but if you want to talk about it

I mean really talk about it I would prefer to have an unemotional, rational conversation

I mean, do you think we could do that? Would that be possible?

Here we go Unemotional, rational

You always play the part of the one and only rational one.

And I'm the irrational, hysterical, hormone-crazy on

Because I have emotions, yeah You sit back and you speak from your big perspective

Which means everything you say is level-headed and true

I don't always do anything - The world is fucked

by irrational men deciding shit.

All right? - Politicians going to war for no reason

Corporate heads deciding to rape the environment

Chaney, Rumsfeld, very rational men

Chaney, Rumsfeld, yeah, ok - If I know a solution

Very rational thinking behind it

Ok so it's us against the final solution

Ok... let's do it right? Let me ask you this:

Do you think Henry's life would be helped by more consistent presence

by you and me?

Here we go.

You won't drop it. So let's talk about it.

Let me just ask you one question.

Do you think Hank's life would be better served

by more consistent presence by you and me?

Yes! I think it would be better if he lived with us

And I think his mom is a fucking alcoholic, hateful cunt

That used the time we were in Paris and I was giving birth

And almost dying to legally move Henry out of New York.

Fuck her! - Ok, I agree with you

Ok, unfortunately we can not go and get him out of America

But we could if we wanted to go to him.

Now I know that would be a big move

But what do you think? I mean is there any way that you could be happy in the US?

Or it's just out of the realm of possibility?

I mean you could find a comparable job there?

Comparable job? Are you kidding? - No!

Why am I the one that always has to make the compromises?

I mean... - Don't be so dramatic, ok?

Well moving to Chicago is pretty fucking dramatic to me.

I'm not saying we should move. I just want to talk about it.

You can be my friend for 2 seconds so we can talk?

Ok 2 seconds - Alright.

Do you remember that time you arrived like 35 minutes late to pick up the girls from school

And you were so stressed out cause you knew they were out there in the playground.

Wondering what the hell happened to you? Ok, that is the way that I feel all the time.

You know, like I fucked up, I left him behind and I want to go and get him

You always get like this when you drop him off

You're sad and you start to fight.

He's fine, he's a great kid, ok?

But the truth is that he does not need you the way he used to

You missed the opportunity to be with him every day of his childhood

And you can cry about it but he is growing up

You're a great father in other ways, ok you go divorced like millions of other people

Was it ideal? No. But listen, if in one month you still want me to quit my job

And give up everything I've been working towards all these years

Just ask me but right now I I feel the same way I always have.

I would move back to the US if that diseased ex-wife of yours give us joint custody

But every other weekend amounts to shit, Jesse

Less than 30 days per semester

And I don't think it is worth it for us to change our entire lives

Over that kind of time - I know you're right

See? I'm being the rational.

It's just... a shitty position I mean Hank did not do anything

But he is the one getting kicked to the teeth

Now we have him in parents' lives

If it wasn't me your marriage would have ended over something else

Absolutely

- Or even worse he would have been raised by two miserable parents

Right...

Oh I fucked that up.

You mean you fucked up by moving to Paris to be with me?

NO... that's not what I meant

Stop! You know that's not what I meant

I told you not to do ok? - Stop it!

Ok... I moved to New York to you for two years, and gave up everything

But I needed to be home to give birth to the twins

Because it was a complicated birth and I wanted to be with my mother and you wanted it, too.

Yes. OK - That's the one thing I ask from you.

The one thing... and now you're gonna blame me forever?

Stop it, will you?

Stop it.

If you do not want to move back to the States, we won't. End of story.

Alright? I am just trying to find a way where I can be a more consistent presence

in his life and ideally I would like to do that as a family

As a family or what?

What the fuck does that mean?

I feel a passive-aggressive threat in everything you say,

Either do this or I will resent the rest of our lives

Am I right?

You know what? I'm sensing something... I think the problem is

that you do not want me to have a more substantial job

On some level you feel frightened by my achieveing something

That would diminish your status in our relationship

My status? In our relationship?

I teach two courses a semester

At a fucking American school damn ok?

Wow that is really some status!

I do not think it's any coincidence that you feel that way we are at the same time

that I have a truly exciting job opportunity

This whole train of thought is complete horseshit and you know it

I have a question for you - If we did not have the girls, all our crap

Would we even still be together?

What?

You're the fucking mayor of crazy town.

You know? You are. - I think you have to move to Chicago

I think Henry needs you and I have to stay

In Paris with the girls and take this job

Why are you doing this? That's a ridiculous idea, Like I'm gonna lose you and the girls? No!

Why do you make everything so difficult? - Jesse, you're unhappy with me.

You're blaming me for taking you away from your son

That is a completely irrational response to something I'm just trying to feel my way through.

Listen Jessy

We just spent the last 6 weeks here and it's been great

You've been able to write every day and the weather has been nice.

But I did not want to come to Greece - I know.

Right? There could be a revolution any second.

People eat a lot of feta and olive oil.

And they act all happy but they actually talk about how angry they are

And it confuses me and I do not know what's gonna happen

Let me tell you what's gonna happen, the same thing that always happens

Nothing

Right, you know what? I have had absolutely zero time for myself

I have 10000 E-mails I have to answer that I did not answer

Do you think I do not? - OK, I spend all day making dinner

And you and your Friends urinate on the toilet seat While You talk to your fellow novellist

Blah, blah, blah. You are a genius! Oh blah blah no! You are a genius!

And the second we said goodbye to Henry

you suggest that maybe I should quit my dream job

Because you feel bad?

OK, now it's your dream job

This afternoon you weren't even sure you wanted it

But now it's your dream job. Do you ever listen to yourself?

Yes, it's my dream job. Just because I have doubts does not mean that I don't want it.

Alright, but why do you care?

Every day you go on your two hours contemplative walk under the olive trees

Oh Socrates, you should get a robe.

It's an hour - No by the time you leave and by the time you actually with us again

It's two hours. I could never do that, you are very good at taking care of yourself

I take care of myself and everything else

We go somewhere you pack your bag and I pack everything else.

You never let me pack the girls' shit!

Never!

Cause there would be no shoes and plenty of dirty underwear

Ok well you say that your

- I am happy that you have time to contemplate the universe

And all the existential problems because I do not, I barely have time to think

I work, I babysit, I work, I babysit.

Could you hold on a second, I just have to tune up the string section

You know what? The only time I get to think now is when I take a shit at the office

I'm starting to associate the thought with the smell of shit

That is a good line!

I will use that in a book someday

Yes, I'm sure you will and it will be the best line of the book

And by the way you may never ever use me or anything I say or do

in one of your fucking books again and that goes for the girls, too

Ok

A: You should not get hooked up with a writer

B: You were not in the last book or in the one I am writing now

And C: I'm gonna write about whatever the fuck I want

As always, our life works for you.

Do not give me this put-upon housewife bullshit

OK? This is not the 50s. I'm sorry to ruin your perfect little narrative of oppression.

With the truth but I'm the one who's at home every day dealing with the bullshit

- Cause you are working till 6:30 - Six o'clock.

You take the girls to school and I pick them up and that's fair, that's our deal

We live in Paris, France, for Christ's sakes!

And you remind me of it every single day

I have orbited my entire life around you and you know it

Ok? So I'm sorry if this summer's vacation is not a vacation

For all I see is you frolic in the sea and throw Greek salad down your throat

Ok? But it's not indicative of you spending your life in some kind of domestic servitude

You know what I love about men? They still believe in magic.

Little fairies around who pick up the socks

Little fairies unload the dishwasher

Little fairies sunscreen children

Little fairies who make the fucking Greek salad that you eat like a pig

Ok listen to me, right? You are great in taking care of us.

You are.

I mean... you take care of the kids, you take care of your friends, you take care of the world, right?

And you were like that before you were a mom and now it"s only magnified

But... and I've been telling you this for years you got a little bit better

Job taking care of yourself, you do

Ok stop patronizing me, right?

I am the one at home every day at 6:30

I am reliable, have you ever booked a baby sitter ever in your entire life?

No, what is the name of their pediatrician?

Stop quizzing me. It is really fucking boring.

Yeah Ok... You know what? I'm home every night, I make dinner, give baths

And I read bedtime stories sometimes you're there or sometimes at a university event

Or a publicity tour

Ok? When you get inspired you keep on writing

I get inspired sometimes, you know that?

Want to write? Ok, write.

No, but remember I used to sing and play guitar and write songs.

I'd still like to do it but I don't get to that, there is not time.

Ok... well first off: my writing is not a hobby.

Secondly, I wish you would find the time...

You somehow manage to find the time to complain about eight hours a day!

And I mean... I love the way you sing ok?

I fucked up my whole life cause of the way you sing

Ok? If you took one eighth of the energy that you spend on bitching, whining

And worrying, if you put that energy into playing scales

I mean you would be like fucking Django Reinhardt

OK

You forgot your shoes.

You think you're winning?

Very few people realize what it is like for an active and passionate woman to have a child

Some friends told me that I would throw them out the window

Ok? But the truth is that I never wanted to hurt them once

But I thought about ending it all for myself over a 100 times

I was so confused that you were always away in a stupid book tour

Because of Henry's custody shit and do not want to be a burden

- Your wife put her head in the toaster - It was an oven.

Do not play with words! You know what I mean. Toaster, oven! Same thing.

Do you know how many times I was alone with the girls crying?

Having no clue what to do? You know the guilt a mother feels when she does not know what to do?

Do you think you're still have ownership to that feeling?

I do not think you understand ok?

OK, do you know what my secret fear is with every men?

Is that they all want to turn me into a submissive housewife

Ok... no one could ever do that

I promise it would be easier to fit your head into a toaster.

than to turn you into anything submissive. I don't think I recovered since giving birth

When the girls were born I had no idea of what to do. People expect women

to have this instinct that kicks in. Like a female baboon.

But I had no idea how to do anything.

I love them so much and I was doing everything wrong

And you were away so often and calling me and asking me how my day went.

I could not even say it to you because I felt so ashamed to be so clueless.

Look I think you did right. - No, I didn't.

Sure, you did, you did a good job faking it right

I remember that the only way to get them to sleep

was to drag that stupid double stroller down the stairs and walk with them for hours and hours

In the middle of the night All the way to Pigalle and back.

I almost got mugged once, the only thing why the guy didn't attack me

was because I looked so pathetic. The only upside of being 35 is that you do not get raped as much.

I read it, it's true - Oh Jesus

One time I remember that I was watching the twins on the trampoline

And they looked so beautiful and I was happy because they were happy

And one of them had this... Hulla-hoop that she was using as a jump rope

But then the other wanted it so they started fighting over it

And all of a sudden, I saw it all, you know

All pity jealousy and selfishness

And I remember thinking...OK, this is the natural human state

Always a little dissatisfied, perpetually discontented

I mean...

Look at us

Here we are, we are in... the Garden of Eden

And we can not stop fighting

I do not think there is one natural human state. The human state is multiple.

I mean, if that's what you see when you're watching the girls play

that means you're depressed

Ok...

Maybe I am. - When I see them fight I see beautiful energy

of going forward in life and not letting anyone step on them or take away what they want

You know, I like it when they fight. It gives me hope for them.

Well it's cause you see they have positive emotions, you know

Only end up hurting yourself, the kids, me

And you never get angry?

- When I do, I don't see it as a positive

You know something?

The way you write in your books people come up to me

And think that I make love to some wildcat Henry Miller type

Ha, you like to have sex the exact same way Every time.

When you got it you got it - Kissy, kissy, titty, titty

Pussy...

I am a man of simple pleasures

Yeah, very simple

And I've been meaning to tell you that lately You're no Henry Miller

On any level

You know what? This room gives me the creeps. I was expecting something like the real Greece

This place is real - What are we doing here anyway?

It is all too planned. We are supposed to have this great evening.

You know... there's no room for spontaneity

It has all gone from our lives. And this is stupid and it is not working

Ok... obviously

And I curse Eleni and I curse Stefano for doing this

Ok a couples' massage?! What the fuck is that!? That sounds sleazy to me.

No, we don't have to do it! ok?

C'mon, this place isn't so bad. I like hotel rooms

I think they are sexy - Yeah I know you do.

Mr. book tour

Mr. Radisson Hilton

And I know that time when you were doing that reading in Washington

When your cellphone was supposed to have broke that night. How convenient!

You swore on our kids that you did not fuck that lady from the bookstore

Emily

Swear to me that you did not fuck that Emily girl. And I'm not jealous because I'm not the jealous type

But I just want to know is. Be a man and admit the truth!

I'm giving you my whole life ok? I goth nothing large to give.

I'm not giving it to anybody else. If you're looking for permission to disqualify me,

I'm not gonna give it to you.

Ok? I love you

Right? And I am not in conflict about it, OK but if what you want

is like a laundry list of everything about you that piss me off I can give it to you

Yeah I want you to

Ok good

Let's start at number one

Number one... you're fucking nuts.

Alright? You are. Good luck finding somebody else who'd put up with your...

Your shit for more than like six months but I accept the whole package

The crazy and the brilliant, right? I know you're not gonna change and I do not want you to

It's called I accept you for being you

Ok I asked you a question, if while I was carrying that double stroller down the stairs,

and getting ass-raped in Pigalle Did you fuck that little Emily Bronte girl ?

Ok... I do not even know what Emily you're talking about.

The one that wrote the nice E-mails about Dostoevsky

Oh Jessy, you're so right the grand commander is the deepest passage

Of all of Russian literature

If you are asking me if I'm committed to you, the girls,

and the life we built together, the answer is a resounding yes

So you did fuck her, thank you very much

Do I ever ask you about the time you went to visit

your old boyfriend after his mother died? No. You want to know why?

Because I know the way that your fucking French ass works

And I guarantee that at least you blew that guy.

But I also know that you love me and I'm OK with you being a complicated human being

I do not want to live a boring life where two people own each other

Where two people are institutionalized in a box that others created

Because that is a bunch of stifling bullshit!

You know what's going on here?

It's simple

I do not think I love you any more.

I do not want to talk right now. - Are you by yourself? Are you waiting for someone?

Yeah I'm by myself and happy to be I'm an angry person

And I hurt my kids, my work and everyone I love

Ok... I'm not in the mood. I came here to be alone.

Listen I've been checking you out from accross the caf�

And I don't want to make you uncomfortable

But you are by far the best-looking woman in this place - Thank you very much.

Yes, I'd love to buy a drink or maybe talk to you a little bit

You know, are you here for business?

OK, so you have a boyfriend

Not any more

I'm sorry to hear that, God, you want to talk about it?

I do not talk to strangers. - Well I'm not a stranger

We have met before, in the summer of 94

You're mistaking me for someone else

No

We even fell in love. - Really?

Hm, I vaguely remember someone sweet and romantic

That made me feel like I was not alone any more

Someone with respect for who I was

That's me

I'm that guy - I do not think so

See? I know something about you that you do not know

Really? What is that? - Something important

You see, I know because I've actually already lived through this night

How?

Let me tell you

Ok...

I have a room there at the hotel

I've come to save you Just like I said I would.

Save me from what? - Save you from all the little bullshit, alright?

It's not bullshit. - I assure you that guy you vaguely remember that you met on the train

That is me

That's you? - Yeah

Cause I did not recognize you

You look like shit

Well what can I say? I mean it is tough out there in time and space

You're... on the other hand are even more beautiful than I remember

Bullshit

Jesse, this is not a game, you get all cute You get in my panties,

And next thing I know I'm buying peanut butter in Chicago

You're not gonna make it better by some pick-up playing

Actually you're misunderstanding me

No, no... I'm only here as a messenger

I just traveled all the way from the future, I was just with your 82-year-old self

who gave me a letter to read you

So here I am - I'm still alive in my 80s?

Oh, yeah

How's my French ass? - Nice, really nice

I do not care about the way I look - Let us just say it is better

Ok, great

Do you want me to read it? - Do I have a choice?

Sure if you're not interested in... - No, no, no. Read it.

OK. Here it is: Dear Celine, I am writing to you from the other side of the woods

This letter is lighting a candle

OK, stop it. I would never write this "from the other side of the woods"? What fucking woods?

May I please continue?

Ok...

I'm sending you this young man

Yes, young

And he will be your escort

God knows he has many problems and he's struggled his whole life connecting

and being present, even with those he loves the most

And, for that, he is deeply sorry

But you are his only hope

Celine

My advice is this:

You're entering the best years of your life

Looking back from where I sit now, these middle years are only a bit more difficult

than when you were 12 and Mathew and Vanessa

danced all night to the Bee Gees' "How deep is your love"

I do not know that...

Anyway... Celine you will be fine, your girls will grow up to become examples

and icons of feminism - Nice one.

Yeah well you know I just noticed that there's a postscript on the bottom

Maybe I just skip over, this is kind of boring

Yes skip away, please, skip away

Ok... sure? - Yes!

Alright, well... - Boring stuff

Ok... yeah, (blah.blah blah, financial tips, horoscopes)

Ok... Here it is: P.S. by the way

By the way, the best sex of my life happened one night

In the Southern Peloponnese

Do not miss it!

My whole sexual being went to a whole new ground-breaking level

...ground-breaking, great

Look Jesse can you stop this stupid game? We're not in one of your stories

Ok?

Did you hear what I said to you back in the room? Did you hear me?

Yes

I heard you

That you don't love me anymore?

I thought you did not mean it but if you did then...

Oh, fuck it, you're like those little girls and everybody else

you live inside some fairy tale, right?

I'm just trying to make things better here

I tell you that I loved you unconditionally I tell you that you're beautiful

I tell you that your ass looks great when you're 80

I'm trying to make you laugh - Ok

I put up with plenty of your shit and if you think I'm just some dog that keeps coming back

Then you're wrong. But if you want true love then this is it.

This is real life. It's not perfect but it's real

and If you can not see it then you are blind

Alright, I give up

So what about this time machine?

What do you mean?

How does it work?

It's complicated

Am I gonna have to get naked to operate it?

I mean... - Yeah, it is a real issue

I say closed and does not travel well through whole space-time continuum

Wow, you're so smart.

Jesus - Space-time?

Continuum. -Continuum?

Yeah

You know sometimes I think about your letter

You know you... Do you live in the Southern Peloponnese?

Yes, yes and... we are in the Southern Peloponnese

And do you think it could be tonight that you were talking about in your 80s?

Well...

It was definitely one hell of a night we were about to have.

Machine translation completely re-written by hhgygy