Flying Home Page #4

We didn't put him through

college to meet nice girls.

Actually, I did meet someone.

A while back.

Really?

Yeah, but it got complicated.

You've got no time for complicated, son.

I know, Dad, better than anyone.

It's a lonely road to the top.

So you've told me,

like, a million times.

What, is good advice not

good enough for you anymore?

Forget it.

Remember you're only the man you

are today because I pushed you.

I know.

I didn't have a father who held my

hand and showed me how things worked.

Okay.

Mine was drunk half the time,

barely knew my goddamn name.

I made sure you got everything

you wanted. Everything.

I don't have everything, Dad.

What are you talking about?

You can make more money in a day

than most people do in a lifetime.

- So what?

- "So what?"

So what else is there?

Your mom said you were here.

What have you got there?

I was looking around.

Found some old photographs.

Look at you.

You're quite the rebel.

Oh, God.

That's not Mom, is it?

No, your mom was the

one taking this picture.

- Yeah, right.

- God, I remember that day so well.

This girl in the picture here,

she was your mom's best friend.

She came on to me,

but I wasn't into her.

It was your mom I was after.

She gave me such a hard time.

But in the end, that day

was the best day of my life.

There must be another

one of your mom and me,

'cause I remember, we took it

in turns to take the pictures.

My God, look at this.

My father when he was a kid,

and my grandmother and

her second husband.

What's this?

What?

Is it a letter?

I'll be damned.

It's my real grandfather.

I told you about him when you were

a kid, but you probably won't remember.

I do remember.

I remember it really well.

He's the one that went to

the First World War, right?

Yeah, somewhere in Flanders.

I can't believe you found this.

My grandmother must have hidden it,

because her second husband

was a real jealous guy.

Read the letter.

No, you'd better.

All right.

"My love, I only have a few

moments to write this letter

"as we are called to the front.

"I am scared, but I am

also determined to survive

"and come home to you and our baby boy.

"Because if this war has

taught me something,

"it is that nothing in this

life is more important

"than to be with the one you love.

"Yours forever, Stewart."

You know,

I've always loved your mother. And you.

Always.

His uniform should be able to tell us more

about the regiment he was serving in.

- Do you mind if I keep this for a while?

- No.

I think I know someone

who can help us with this.

I'm very happy your father

is not sick anymore.

I'm sorry I rushed off like that,

without any explanation.

It's been a difficult month.

Not a lot of things happened

here since you left.

Except for Jos, of course.

What happened?

He lost his bird, Wittekop.

Apparently it didn't return

from a practice flight.

Jos thinks that maybe

a bird of prey got it.

- He is very sad.

- Oh, yes.

He almost never leaves the house.

Luckily enough there's still

Isabelle to take care of him.

I wouldn't know what he

would do without that girl.

This is good. Don't let it get cold.

The prodigal son returns.

Is Isabelle here?

Why do you want to know?

I want to talk to her.

I'll go get her.

Now get out of here.

Pierre, easy.

Pierre, stop it!

What are you doing here?

I came back.

Bad idea.

Can we talk?

I've got nothing to say to you.

- Isabelle please, just give me five minutes.

- No.

- Five minutes, please.

- Go away. No.

Just disappear again

like you did last time.

Without a word.

I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean to...

Go away! Go back to

New York and let us be!

Now get going.

Okay. But I'll be coming back.

Good. I'll be waiting.

I heard you were back.

Recognize Speed?

He got big in one month.

Look at his feathers.

Beautiful.

Look at his wings.

I should start practicing

with him, but...

Why did you come back?

I want to tell the truth to Isabelle.

You can't.

You promised you wouldn't tell anyone.

I have to.

I want her to know who I really am.

I want to make things right again.

Then get my bird back.

That's the one thing I can't do.

I didn't touch the money, you know.

- I know.

- So what's the problem?

Go and tell that Arabic bastard that

he has no right to keep my bird.

He forced me into selling it.

He didn't force you. I did.

Tell him that.

I can't.

I'll lose my job and

everything I ever worked for.

I'm sure you'll find a way.

Not in this case.

The Sheikh has put a huge amount of

money into our company's hedge fund.

Hedge funds only

make rich people richer.

Exactly. And they don't

like to give things back.

You don't know if you don't ask.

Believe me. I've worked a long

time for these people. They won't.

Then get the hell out of here.

And don't come near my granddaughter.

I'll break your neck.

You spoil me, Martha.

Enjoy.

Please. Won't you sit with me?

- I must do things...

- Please.

Yes.

Because I can see you are sad.

You went to Jos?

- Yeah.

- How is he?

Like you said, depressed.

It will take a long time for

him to forget Wittekop.

He was very special.

I don't understand.

I know he's a great champion, but...

It's still just a pigeon.

No, no, no, no.

Not just a pigeon.

What do you mean?

Wittekop is...

How do you say?

Not your real name, but...

- A nickname.

- Yes.

In Flemish we say "wittekop"

to someone with blonde hair.

Like Jos' son.

His name was Tony.

Have you heard of him?

I've seen pictures.

He died in a car crash.

Wittekop was the first pigeon to

come out of the egg after Tony died.

Do you see?

The whole village knows that bird.

We all know how much Jos loves it.

And when we see it fly,

we think of his son.

Sorry.

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the

start of The Barcelona International,

the most important race of the year,

with 33,000 pigeons participating.

Attention for the start of the race.

Five, four, three, two, one.

They took off.

Try not to think about it.

Some more coffee?

No, I'm good.

Did you hear? Colin is back.

Yes, so I've heard.

He came to De Zavelput,

but I kicked him out.

Well done.

Why...

did that a**hole come back,

for Christ's sake?

Darling, come back here.

Come on. Give that to me.

I wasn't planning on ever telling you,

but he won't leave you alone,

so I'd rather you hear it from me.

That... a**hole isn't called Colin Evans,

but Colin Montgomery.

And he wasn't here to find a grave.

Instead, he was hired to

convince me to sell Wittekop.

Here.

His business card.

Did you sell Wittekop?

- I had no choice.

- How so?

He threatened to have this

financing group he works for,

take over Boulaert and to

build all over the Kleiputten.

Mr. Montgomery.

Not a lot of people have been

able to track down the Sheikh

all the way here to Euskirchen.

Well, I hope I'm not intruding.

No, on the contrary.

Oh, look. Our pigeons are

just starting their training.

These are youngsters.

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