Almost Peaceful Page #5

Luckily, a few survived

and my method won't be used.

My son won't need it

so I'll throw it out...

unless you're interested.

Yes, I am interested.

Thank you.

This is this winter's fabric.

What is it? It's like plush.

"Teddy-bear",

a tribute to Theodore Roosevelt,

cousin of President Roosevelt.

Yes, Maurice, we have to learn,

this is peacetime.

You're a real character!

I played your number in the lottery

and I lost.

I like you, I thought I'd be lucky.

You're leaving? Say something!

An can't leave without a word?

You can't stay

down in the dumps forever.

Wait, I'll get dressed

and we'll go for a coffee.

I'm going back to work.

Hello!

Are you crazy?

You think money gives you rights?

What attitude is that?

Your first time?

Stay away from redheads,

they're trouble.

Try another one.

Here! Try two others.

How about a coffee?

You had a hard-on in the park.

You did, you had hard-on.

Don't want to talk about it?

I was thinking of Madame Himmelfarb,

my first boss's wife.

I remembered.

the first time I saw her.

I sometimes remember,

pleasant memories when I feel sad.

I don't have many of those.

I tell myself that something

pleasant could happen to me.

Well?

When Madame Himmelfarb

sat down opposite me,

I thought she had no panties.

I was only 14 an wasn't sure.

In the afternoon,

she wore a pair of white panties.

I saw the difference

when she got off her stool.

At 14, seeing a woman's panties

is a big thing.

I tried to make sure

no one could see my erection.

I'd have seen it.

The next day,

I sat in the same place,

opposite Madame Himmelfarb's stool,

and saw she wasn't wearing panties.

So I put my work down and

rushed out to the landing toilet.

I barely had time to undo my flies.

I went back to work but didn't dare

look at Madame Himmelfarb

on her stool in front of me.

That afternoon, Madame Himmelfarb

had her panties on again

but I went back out

to the toilet

in memory of the morning.

When I think of my apprenticeship,

I see the toilet,

not the workshop.

Since they all thought

something was wrong.

I said I had the runs.

I learned to jerk off so fast

that my toilets trips seemed normal.

I was very fond

of Madame Himmelfarb.

When I see a naked woman,

I think of her fur

that seemed so soft to me.

Yes, every time.

One morning, she went

into the next room with her husband.

I heard a laugh.

I saw Himmelfarb's hand

slip under her skirt.

I had to run straight out.

I'd only just begun

when I heard a splash.

It was my thimble

that I'd forgotten to take off.

My desire vanished.

I went back in, stammering

that the thimble was in my pocket,

and fell out

when I pulled my trousers up.

I was embarrassed to say it

in front of her.

Himmelfarb burst out laughing,

opened his drawer

and handed me another thimble,

a silver one.

He said, "Have this one.

"My father gave it to me

when I was an apprentice.

"You can hand it on

to your own apprentice one day."

Will you do that?

No. I lost it on the train

that took the Jews away

from Szydlowiec.

It's like a trail of tears.

The only stock that never runs out,

...as Monsieur Albert would say,

What can we do?

What we've learned to do. Work.

And screw.

Working and screwing

is the same for me.

Want to go?

- I'm early again.

- Hello, Leon, fancy a coffee?

What's new?

"You know what,

Rob Scholem Alei'hem,

we want to talk of happy things.

"Any news of the war?"

That's "Tevie the Milkman".

Maybe we'll do that on stage.

Don't I know you?

We spent a night in the same cell

in April '45. Remember?

Yes, after an anti-Semite

demonstration.

The police arrested

more Jews than Fascists.

As usual

You have to laugh.

I was going to see a friend

and ended up in a pitched battle.

You weren't back, Charles.

France was free but,

in the heart of Paris,

some still shouted

"Death to the Jews!"

"Keep France French!"

The defenders of the homeland

on the streets to prevent a move!

And you upheld some pathetic

Jew's right to return home.

That's all it was:

two gangs of losers

fighting over some fleapit.

You have to laugh.

A man in uniform

commanded the French side.

Probably a skiver.

Anarchy reigned on your side.

The French attacked

every Jew they spotted.

They're not hard to spot!

When I got there, two bastards

were kicking an old Jew

on the ground.

If I'd had my gun,

I'd have shot them.

Those who say Jews

are too cowardly to fight,

must have regretted it.

You're tough. You went on fighting

after the police got you.

I don't give a damn

about the camps and the Jews.

I just like a good punch-up.

The rest just makes me laugh.

See you round, maybe!

The Fascists are still here.

They hang out in bars,

drinking German beer.

You were right about ideas

being able to kill.

Hello, Lea.

Hello, Charles.

Everything okay?

Charles, I love you.

A letter from Betty this time.

Read it.

"We were in the grounds

doing a drawing,

"when Max suddenly shouted, 'Daddy!'

"and we all looked up.

"Max ran over to him and hugged him.

"And they started crying.

"Raphael says that Max's father

had been deported.

"Max went away with him.

"I know you weren't deported

"but if you come to fetch us

at the summer fete,

"we could leave together.

That would be nice.

"Lots of love."

A trip to the country's a good idea.

I'd love to go with you.

There's something else.

"Message for Charles

"from Raphael."

I'm sorry, Lea. It's between men.

You know everything's between men

for me now.

I'm leaving, Lea.

For Canada. Or perhaps Australia.

My mind's not made up yet.

I can't go back to the apartment.

I can't wait at the window

to see if...

I've simply decided to leave.

In Paris, people can only ask me

about myself now I'm all alone.

Perhaps, far away,

someone will ask me about you

and I'll be able to answer

since you'll write to me.

Hello.

Hello, Albert.

- What's this package?

- It's for Raphael.

Faster than Maurice, as usual!

I've invited Simone.

She needs to see a bit of greenery.

Hello, Madame.

Are you in tailoring?

No, not at all.

I don't sew on buttons,

I undo them.

Very interesting.

Sewing or undoing, it's all work!

Where are Leon and Jacqueline?

- Jacqueline's had the baby!

- Already?

Everything okay?

Fine.

A bit earl but fine.

She had it in hospital this time.

And?

It's a boy!

Wonderful!

- What's his name?

- Nathan.

- Can you take him?

- One more man with us!

Can I pick him up tonight?

No, leave him with us.

Give Jacqueline a hug! Bye.

If I have other 2 or 3

and they have 5 each, that's 25.

If the next generation has 5 each,

that's more than 100.

Imagine the family photo!

Wait!

Go and see what's wrong.

He's sad. He must have his reasons.

Sorrow can be inconsolable at times.

But children have the right

to their own sorrow

and, sometimes, we can help.

Go and ask him.

What's the matter? Can I help?

I did a somersault and tore it.

I hate this costume.

You're the tailor.

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