Catching Feelings Page #4

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- He's so, kind of, serious.

- Seriously drunk.

So tell me, you've never really spoken

about your reasons for leaving.

Am I gonna get lucky?

Well...

Look, I think it's a pity

that people see it

as me deserting the country.

But in fact, it's true, partly.

I could never relax.

Always. The violence, the high walls,

the uncertainty.

I can see at least one person

who doesn't approve of my reasons.

Why don't you join us, Max.

- No, I wouldn't want to intrude.

- You wouldn't be intruding at all.

Trust me. Since I've been here,

everyone's been painfully nice.

No offense, Nicole.

I'd appreciate some honesty.

Come on.

- Okay.

- Excellent.

Think I can record him? Okay.

Max Matshane, Nicole.

- Hi.

- Nice to meet you.

- I'm writing on post-colonial discourse.

- I thought you were a journalist.

So, tell me some sh*t about myself.

I'm a narcissistic sucker for punishment.

- Well, I couldn't help but overhear...

- I know, I speak loud, sorry!

Look, I concede, I'm a hypocrite.

The problem is,

everyone mistook me for a hero.

The work might have been heroic,

but I can guarantee you

I was drunk and high on any number

of substances during that time.

I lived a unique existence in this country

but I lost a lot of friends here as well.

- So you kind of ran away.

- I left.

- Ran away is the appropriate term.

- I left fast.

- Okay?

- There you go.

But I look around me now at even bigger

idealists than methat stayed,

and they've abandoned everything.

They're busy raiding the public purse.

I still think that the world I wrote about

in my first two novels

- can be achieved, but...

- But you have none of it.

I love the good life.

Having sex with exotic women

on foreign beaches,

wearing loose-fitting clothing

that do not constrain my movement.

That's my thing.

So when freedom came,

and instead of good times,

people started hacking each other

with machetes,

- I thought to myself...

- They can hack each other all they want.

I'm going to run away to Australia.

This place is going to the dogs.

I guess you could say that, yes.

Max, look at me. I'm a white guy.

I looked at myself, I thought,

"I'm not gonna live forever."

I'm going to enjoy this whiteness.

Plus, I'm rich and famous, so I can.

- Am I hearing this correctly? Seriously?

- I'm gonna get me some white time.

- Hey, I was banned.

- Yeah, don't we know that.

It must be nice. Fighting apartheid

from privileged station.

- Must be awesome. Must be so cool.

- Hey!

I was banned, buddy.

That means it was illegal to be me.

Well, welcome to the club, sir.

Who feels like a shooter? Bit of a round?

I can't f***ing believe this guy.

You know, I feel like

I know you so much better, Max.

Yes, and I still think you're an a**hole.

I think I'm an a**hole too.

Max, why are you so angry?

What does it matter what old white farts

like me do with our lives?

You should be happy we're gone.

Look, all these people,

different cultures, mingling.

This is what people fought for.

This is not a reflection of reality.

This is a very tiny speck

of a very, very tiny speck of reality.

In real life, black people are dirt-poor

and white people run everything.

I still recommend a violent revolution.

Please.

- I'm going to leave. That pisses me off.

- It would.

Where you going to go, New Zealand?

Bon voyage.

Yeah, okay.

Excuse me?

You've been getting the wrong idea.

I am not that woman.

- I am so sorry.

- I'm just playing with you.

You need to relax.

Can we have one more shooter here?

Vladimir Matshane.

Max, you and me,

we are kindred spirits, brother.

I look at you and I see myself.

Well, a younger, less successful,

not quite as sexy...

It's that attitude.

Oh, man.

What time did I get home? My head!

You spent 1,200 rand

at 2:
30 in the morning at Kitcheners.

I'd love to know who you were with

and how you got home.

I think I must have driven.

- I was with Heiner.

- Heiner Miller?

- How is he?

- He's fine.

No, I mean, like,

how is he as a person?

1,200.

These bank SMS's are killing the mystique.

Now you'll never wonder

if I'm in some seedy hotel room

being seduced by a youthful wench.

- You'll never know.

- Babe.

You give yourself way too much credit.

How did I look? Do I look nice and thick?

Wait, is thick a good thing?

It is if you're interviewing

Herbert Gwala.

- You had your youthful wench yesterday.

- So this is a... Okay.

- Revenge.

- No, not revenge.

I'm just going to earn back the money

that you spent yesterday,

since we don't have much of it.

And make sure you drink that stuff.

It's gonna make you feel better.

And by the way, today I'm taking the car.

You know what that means?

You'll be rolling with the masses

on public transport.

That thing you're always talking about.

That thing right there.

F***.

"Back in the good days,

the bank had given him a loyalty card,

which he used to take her out on dates.

Now she was being repossessed.

The bank giveth and the bank taketh away."

That's as far as I've got.

It's a work-in-progress.

Mr. Matshane?

- Max!

- Yes, I'm here.

What I find strange is that

the whole thing

is told from his perspective.

She's the one that's getting purchased.

I'm assuming that she loves this guy.

Seeing him go through this strife.

Why are we not hearing it from her side?

Because women never have a say.

My sister is going through it right now.

My uncles are demanding 100,000 rand

from a guy who started working

two months ago. Gonna be in debt forever.

And she will be forever at home

raising the kids.

Or they could just decide

to not get married in this outdated way.

They love each other.

It's free to get married.

Unless of course your uncles

are murderous types

that are going to punish them

for breaking the rules

by chopping them up

and burying them in the garden.

- You'd be surprised.

- Oh, really?

The Mogale uncles are...

- Okay.

- This is how things are done in Africa.

There you have it.

Mr. Edwards, ladies and gentlemen.

The expert on Africa.

That's our man there.

You would know

about the Aka tribe from the DRC.

Anybody know the Aka tribe from DRC?

They are the only tribe on the planet

where gender roles are interchangeable.

Women go out hunting

while the men do the cooking,

look after the kids.

They even let the kids suck on

their nipples as pacifiers.

That's also how things are done in Africa.

But you knew this, of course.

Thank you very much.

Let's reconvene another time.

Have a good day.

Hey.

Hey. What's up?

- Are you up for a joyride?

- I don't know what a joyride is.

I'm so tired after last night.

Come on. Try it. We'll have

another crushingly good night.

No, I couldn't.

- Max, it'll be the highlight of your week.

- No.

No, I have so many commitments today.

- Really?

- Yeah. It's just...

Come on, you can't leave me alone.

I'm an old man.

Help an old man, would you?

Come for a joyride with me.

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