Elegy Page #6

- I take your point.

But at the end of the day, the pyramid

will still be around and you'll be...

With the Pharaohs.

My guest today

is Susan Reese, her novel is

"Blue Hyacinth."

This is "Book Chat"

I'm David Kapesh.

Then that's it, that was lovely.

Thank you.

Not too painful.

Indeed!

Thank you.

- Oh, and happy New Year.

- Thank you and congratulations.

It's a really... it's a good read.

Thank you.

One new message.

Six saved messages.

The first new message.

Hi, David, it's Consuela.

How are you?

Feels strange to call you, but...

I want to talk to you,

I want to tell you something.

I want to tell you myself

before you...

hear it from someone else.

I don't know...

Please, call when you can.

My cellphone number is

Please call.

Thanks. Bye.

Hi, David, it's Consuela.

I realized that I lived all these years

just to listen to these words.

I collapsed to the floor,

listening to her message,

again and again, fearing the worst.

She was in love, she was getting married.

Perhaps she even wanted my blessing.

David?

David...

Where are you?

I'm in the car. I was in front of your

building when I left the message.

What are you doing driving around

New York on New Year's Eve?

I don't know.

I don't know what I'm doing.

What's the matter, Consuela?

I need to see you.

Then come.

- Do you have time?

- Always.

- Okay. I'm coming now.

- Yes.

Hi.

Hi.

So...

how have you been?

That one's new.

Yeah, it's...

Edward Weston.

I like your hair.

I cut a little each day.

So when it disappears

I won't miss it as much.

I'm sick.

I have...

cancer, breast cancer.

I'm having surgery in two weeks.

Cancer?

This is...

Are you...?

Afraid? No.

- No?

- Not exactly.

That's not what I meant.

I meant...

What happened?

I was in the shower one morning and I...

I felt this...

thing under my arm.

So I went to the doctor and he said

it was probably nothing to worry about.

I went to a second doctor

and a third doctor and...

You know the story.

The third doctor said

it was something to worry about.

And did you panic?

Yes, I panicked.

I spent a whole month in pure fear.

Tonight I was going

to go to this party,

thinking it would be better than

staying by myself, but...

David...

David, no.

Don't cry.

Do not cry.

Why didn't you call me? Why didn't

you call me when this happened?

I couldn't tell you.

I couldn't tell you of all people.

You know what's funny?

I feel older than you now.

You promise me one thing,

that if you should ever

start to panic, during the night or during

the day or any time, you'll phone me.

What can I do?

What can I do?

It's...

It's like not being able...

to get into a...

a comfortable position, because

no matter which way you turn,

you're stuck.

I'm stuck inside myself.

When I think of all the things

I used to think were so important,

All the arguments I got

into with my mom,

It's stupid all the time I wasted.

sleeping...

sleeping my life away.

David...

I need to ask you a favor.

Something I can only ask you.

Anything.

What is it?

After you,

I never had a boyfriend.

who loved my body

as much as you did.

I find that hard to believe.

Were there many?

No.

What about work?

Never fooled around at work?

- they all did.

- Well of course they did.

I just wasn't interested.

I know you loved me.

And you loved my body.

So...

before the doctors...

- ruin it...

- Stop.

Stop talking that way and

stop thinking that way.

Consuela no-one's going to ruin you.

Consuela...

What is it you want me to do?

That's the Paris Opera House.

I missed you.

I missed all the places

we never went.

Would you like to stay here

tonight?

No.

I have to go.

Would you like me to go with you

when you go to the hospital?

Consuela...

You can't do this alone.

Why do you say that?

You do everything alone.

David...

Poor man.

You're more scared than me.

Will you still want to f***

me if I lose my breast?

Will you be up for that?

Will you?

I'm sorry David.

Really sorry.

I'm scared, David.

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year.

- Dad...

- Hi.

What are you doing here?

I wondered if you could

spare me a few minutes?

- er...

Alright, come here.

Yep, uhuh.

Thanks, I owe you one.

Bye.

She's in very good hands.

- I know her surgeon.

- And?

They're going to operate tomorrow.

She told me in two weeks.

No.

- They're going to do it tomorrow.

- What does that mean?

I'm not her doctor. So...

I don't know exactly, but it's

probably not a good thing.

It's a nightmare.

Have you known her long?

I hadn't seen her for a couple of years.

She called me out of the blue

on New Year's Eve with the news.

I've got all her phone numbers, but I

don't want to make the wrong move here.

She... when she left...

she told me she didn't want me to call her.

She was quite definite about that.

I'm sorry.

Yep, I know, I'm coming.

I'm sorry to have barged

in on you like this.

I know you're strapped for time.

I'm sorry I couldn't be of more help.

Stay strong.

That's what you tell your patients.

It must be really tough. Oncology.

I was your son.

I was prepared for it.

- I'm glad to see you again.

- Yeah.

- And I'm sorry that it was under such uh...

- Me too.

How are things at home?

We're still together.

Thanks for asking.

I'm glad to hear it.

Dad...

What are you gonna do?

Why did she have me

take these photographs?

Did she want them for herself?

Or did she intend for me to keep them?

Well that makes sense.

Did I ever tell you my theory

about beautiful girls?

A million times.

No-one can see them.

Well?

Did you ever see her?

I mean all of her.

I didn't understand what I saw.

A lawyer's answer.

You're over-analysing it.

Who would end a relationship

because I missed her graduation party.

She was this weird clutch

of inconsistencies.

You're talking about her in the past tense.

So do you think they will let me in today?

She just got out of intensive care.

You can go today.

Kenny, thank you.

You're welcome.

Time passes when you're not looking.

David...

Yes.

They took the whole thing.

I didn't think you would come.

Why?

Why did you think that?

Because I'm no longer beautiful.

Yes you are.

You know Hipolita,

the beautiful Amazonian queen?

She actually cut off her right breast

so she could shoot her arrows faster

and she was no slouch.

Will the book be different if

we read it 10 years later?

You remember my first class.

- I remember everything.

- Me too.

Every second.

I'm gonna miss you.

I'm here.

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