A Secret Page #2

I have to go.

Who's the pretty girl?

I don't know.

She's from school.

She's cute.

- What's her name?

Rebecca Finkiel.

So, I hear you're seeing a certain Rebecca?

She's just someone I know.

Just someone you know?

Is she a Yid?

- I didn't ask.

You're really not curious.

You're hurting.

- You're annoying.

Next time,

ask if she's a Yid.

All you do is talk about Jews.

I don't want to be Jewish.

Understand?

They'll catch cold.

Ve have vays of making you tok,

Jewish swine.

What'd you say?

Stay in your seats.

Just stop this.

Calm down.

Go back to your seats.

You beat him up?

- It was Jean-Paul.

He tried to swipe my pen.

Show Louise your eye.

I'd feel better.

For a pen?

You really beat him up?

I think I wanted to kill him.

You wanted to kill him?

Didn't you wonder why?

I wanted to rub out his face.

Why?

Why?

I know why you're crying.

Simon.

That year, I would turn 15.

Louise finally told me what I'd always known.

Louise, who'd never had children or any true love,

loved me enough to betray my parents' trust.

Since she revealed part of the secret,

she had to tell me more.

Simon, what are you up to?

Decided not to eat today?

You should.

Mommy made rutabaga.

You wonder what it is before you eat,

and especially after.

Look, Papa.

He's my son, I decide.

No disguises.

It's no disguise.

What do you mean?

You do what you like

I'm not doing what I like.

We have to.

Maybe you do, but I don't.

Nor does Simon.

Get in the house, Fuzzy.

Right this minute.

Come on, Simon.

One hand after the other.

But breathe, don't forget.

Lift your knees.

Your knees.

And look up.

Look up, Simon.

I am looking up.

- Then why stop?

You're nuts.

Look at that.

He just ate.

Hannah,

no smoking in the gym.

No smoking in the gym.

Come down, you monkey.

What she revealed stirred up rage and jealousy

for which I already felt guilty.

Dead people emerged whose names

I heard for the first time:

Hannah, Simon.

Where are they now?

I'd never again think of myself

as the first, the only one.

Then Louise told me about

the others, Robert and Tania

I headed toward unknown faces

along a road of whispers.

Everyone knew,

everyone had loved Simon,

and no one had told me.

They'd struck his name from every list.

It wasn't on any stone.

It was no longer uttered by anyone.

Stop your bragging.

Why not go get your daughter?

Excuse me.

You're Robert,

the bride's brother.

A kiss?

You're Tania, Robert's wife.

Mama and Papa?

- They went for the bride.

You drove from Lyon?

Had to.

A railroad strike.

Just accordion players on the tracks.

He wouldn't miss this for Lon Blum, comrade.

What did Blum do to you?

- He better not do anything.

You don't mind paid holidays.

Here comes the bride.

Your brother made it.

My little girl.

Don't you look lovely.

You look like a flower...

that needs to pee.

You're so beautiful.

Robert, my big brother.

Finally, the phenomenon.

I've heard so much about you.

Tania, his wife.

Kiss each other.

He's family.

Tania's an athlete.

Maybe more athletic than you.

What sport?

A little swimming.

A little.

She's a champion.

I married a genuine mermaid.

After work...

into the pool.

We have a fishbowl at home.

The bedding trade in Lyon is fine, but

Before we met, my wife modeled

for Molyneux in Paris.

I was just a modeling salesgirl.

That's something.

Today, Thursday, May 6, 1936.

I declare you,

Maxime Nathan Grinberg

and Hannah Golda Stirn,

man and wife.

A fine tomcat my sister's married.

Too handsome for his own good.

Your wife sure is pretty.

A real yiddishe mama.

A beautiful woman, that's all.

She'll give me lots of children.

Good night, all.

You take the rings and suddenly

To separate them,

just snap your fingers.

We sell bedroom suites.

After closing,

we can go down and choose:

Regency, Art Nouveau

Plenty of choice.

I think I'm a little

I think you are.

Let's go.

Thanks for everything.

See you soon.

Drive safely.

Come on.

Wait.

There are still guests.

Who cares.

He's a strong 'un.

Like his father.

There's not enough light.

Darling little Simon...

You're as good-looking as your mom.

He has Hannah's mouth,

but his chin is yours.

Nonsense.

My son has a determined chin,

not a protruding chin.

Let me hold him.

Come here, Simon.

He looks like me.

He has the Grinberg chin.

Like Esther, like Papa.

Look, darling.

Look, Simon, that's Paris,

the capital of France.

What?

That's a Citroen.

That weird thing there?

That's a bicycle.

HITLER AND MUSSOLINI MEE FOR THE FIRST TIME IN VENICE

There they are.

- My dear brother.

How are you?

And you?

Where's this baby?

My wonder child?

For Simon, from Tania.

That's sweet.

Hello, Mr. Grinberg.

Stop ogling my wife.

They get along well.

I bet they're good in bed.

I'm sure they are.

You're sure?

But not as good as we are.

Impossible.

Papa, I'm going to Louise's.

I'm listening.

I'm looking for music.

Come drink your hot chocolate.

Don't burn yourself.

On September 12, Hitler said

that the Germans demand

the right to self-determination.

Ten years before me,

Simon had frequented the same places as me,

but unlike me,

he indeed saw admiration in his father's eyes.

It's rare for a kid to be so athletic. Maybe

He'll be an Olympic champion.

Why not?

A Yid Olympic champ.

That'd show Hitler.

Next week, it's 'Tarzan

and the Swiss Cheese Mines.'

Stop being so overprotective.

I don't feel like smoking.

Why the long face?

You sat next to me.

You saw the newsreels.

It'll start all over, like before.

This is France,

the land of freedom.

What about the Dreyfus Affair?

- What misfortune.

Look at your face.

What about my face?

It's an 'oy, oy, oy' face.

Grampa's funny, huh?

What did I do to deserve an anti-Semitic son?

Don't be so confident.

Loads of French hate Jews.

Don't bury your head in the sand.

Hear that?

You married an anti-Semitic ostrich.

D'you love me anyway?

GENERAL MOBILIZATION

FIGHTING ON THE GERMAN-POLISH FRON

That's a cute coat.

A picture of Papa.

He's so handsome.

See how handsome he is?

There's a letter.

'Dear Nannah,

'There's not much action yet.

'We do maneuvers every day...'

'My darling, I write from the Breslau camp in Silesia,

'where I've been a prisoner for three weeks.

'Don't worry, whatever you do.

The conditions are harsh,

'but you know I'll pull through.

'If you can't manage the store,

feel free to write to Hannah.

'Or even leave Lyon and join the family in Paris.

'That would reassure me.'

'... There's a sense of camaraderie.

'Simon grows up every day.

I hate to miss it.

'When I get back,

we'll return to the pool.'

A wasp.

Leave my plate alone.

For what's in it...

Egg without mayo.

It's demoralizing.

A wasp.

- You're nuts.

Hannah the magician,

can't you conjure up a nice marrowbone steak?

No, too hard for me.

What's today's special?

Fried gudgeon for everyone?

It's fish.

I don't think I like it.

With ration tickets,

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