Fugitive Pieces Page #3

You're going to leave me!

Dummy!

We're going to Canada together!

You're putting on some weight,

finally.

That the dead may drink.

That the dead

may not go hungry.

For your parents.

For Bella.

For all who have no one

to recall their names.

And for Eleni.

How do you know about Eleni?

Tell me.

Jakob...

it may not mean

anything to you now...

but you must try to be buried...

in ground that

will remember you.

I long for the loss of memory.

Though I have tried

to will my parents...

and Bella from my sleep...

this will amounts to nothing...

for my mind betrays me

in a second.

I've crossed an ocean and

lived many years without them...

yet I can feel Bellas

gentle fingers on my back...

my father's hand on my head...

and suddenly Im afraid...

and turn around

in empty rooms.

How are your parents?

Ben:

They're fine.

- How are you?

- I'm all right, I guess.

- I start university next Year.

- I know, that's good.

- I'm dating someone.

- Oh, really?

- Is she here?

- No.

Oh.

What's her name?

- Naomi.

- Ah.

An excellent name.

- Do you know what it means?

- No, I don't.

In Hebrew, it means

"Full of Grace".

I didn't expect you to be here.

Do you still think it's true, that I...

wanted to change you?

I mean, it's in the book,

so I suppose you do.

Alex, if it hadn't been for you...

I never would've

written the book.

I would never have...

Gone to Greece.

I don't know if that's true.

Well, I...

So what now?

I'm going to teach here

for a few months every year...

when Im not on the island.

- Are you seeing anybody?

- Uh, no.

- You?

- Sort of.

He's a musician.

Aren't you lonely?

Yeah. Same old Jake.

You've written

a very good book.

You should be proud.

From Mr. Taylor,

my new colleague.

It's invitation... to party.

Look how popular we are already.

Yiddish-speaking neighbours.

How do you like that?

Electricity.

Running water.

It's like living in hotel.

I was looking forward to snow...

but there is hardly any at all.

You're like a lot...

you've got a fascination with the cold.

Well, a few winters here,

will change that, Im sure.

Excuse me.

I hope you're having a good time.

I'm sorry there aren't

more children here.

Thank you, it's very nice.

Oh, wait...

I have something for you.

I know you're not...

I mean...

well, everyone should be able

to take part in a celebration.

Right?

Thank you... you're much too kind.

Oh! I almost forgot.

Jakob...

why don't you pose with Athos?

Oh. Hmm.

Come.

Good.

Smile.

Oh, thanks, Jakob.

Too much champagne.

I'll feel better in the morning.

Mmm!

Ah, excellent.

I taught you well.

You didn't open your present.

What do you think it is?

Refrigerator?

Locomotive?

A frog?

Open it.

Put it on.

Ah... looks good on you.

What is it?

My god.

Stay where you are.

Oh... careful.

Now what?

I'm... um, Im sorry to bother you.

- Everything all right?

- Ah...

This crazy storm.

Do you want to come in?

Ohh, no, no, no, no.

Thank you... Um...

I was wondering if...

if you had any extra candles?

Of course... take this one.

- I'll bring you some more.

- Thank you.

I'm, uh, sorry to bother you.

It's... it's...

it's my husband... he...

What is it?

Oh, he doesn't

take too well to, huh...

I shouldn't leave

him alone too long.

Uh'hm.

Do you need matches too?

You speak Yiddish?

Are you afraid?

It's just a little rain.

At least the gas stove works.

Lemon or milk?

Lemon.

Like all the greeners.

Shall we take them their tea?

Sure.

No.

Let them wait.

My mother always said,

a house is like a human body.

And the kitchen...

the kitchen is the heart.

It's true, isn't it?

You'll come visit again soon?

It's so nice

to have a young man around.

So, this book you're writing.

"Bearing False Witness".

But it's not really a book yet.

Just a lot of notes, ideas.

Who knows if I ever finish it.

And, uh, it's about what

happened during the war?

Well, uh, it's about

the abuse of history.

It starts, uh, with

Biskupin in Poland...

where I met Jakob.

a river dried up there...

and people started

finding artifacts.

But then the Nazis came

and they buried everything.

As far as they were concerned...

there couldn't possibly

be an advanced culture...

that they didn't create.

So they destroyed the evidence.

It's a good thing you're doing.

Already, people say the

things I lived through...

never happened.

You'd think they'd at

least wait a few years...

until we're all dead.

The mitzvah that you did...

for that boy...

it's a blessed thing.

Did you know...

that Joseph was

a conductor in Warsaw...

- Huh.

- Before the war?

A very good conductor.

Oh, not that good.

And he's a very good

piano teacher too.

Parents pay me...

and children resent me.

Is that good teaching?

Don't listen to him.

- Thank you.

- My Sara...

she was a singer.

Not bad either.

Now I sell dry goods

in the market.

I'm the singing dry goods lady.

Things change.

My sister played the piano.

Really?

Was she good?

Some more sugar.

You eat so slowly...

like an aristocrat.

I think about her too.

You think she's dead.

I don't know, Jakob.

Maybe it's better to hope.

Listen...

when I feel things...

building up inside me, I write.

You have also

something to express.

So...

you will write too.

Write what?

What you must.

There is an old saying:

"The great mystery of

wood is not that it burns...

but that it floats".

Understand?

No.

There is a good and

bad side to everything.

You can choose to see

what destroys something...

or what saves it.

"There is earth that

never leaves your hands...

rain that never leaves your bones".

"At night, memory roams your skin".

"While you sleep,

the sea floods your house".

"You wake in the bog...

burning with the smell of earth"

"Nothing releases you...

not death in the dream, not waking".

"This is how one becomes

undone, by a smell...

a word, a place...

a photo of a mountain of shoes".

"By love that closes its

mouth before calling a name".

Jakob, it's beautiful.

Beautiful.

Ohh, damn you.

Look at us, huh?

Uh?... Ah'hah.

The two bachelors

crying into our coffees.

Another cup?

No, thanks.

Okay.

Then Im going to do

some work of my own.

Ben, it's getting late.

Your parents will

think we kidnapped you.

I know you're not asleep.

Come on, Ben.

Come on, time for bed.

Ah, there you are.

Did he fall asleep?

Come on, now, time for bed.

Don't make me go.

Ben.

Come on, Ben.

Ben, Ben.

Come on.

Okay... go on.

Good night.

You always know, Jakob.

If he ever gives you any trouble...

you just send him back, huh?

- He can overstay his welcome.

- It's no trouble.

- Good night.

- Good night.

You should rest.

It's not good for you...

to work night after night

like this.

There is an old Greek saying.

"Light your candle

before night overtakes you".

You have a saying

for everything.

Yes...

I do.

That was a beautiful ceremony.

So many people.

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