Man on Wire Page #2

The problem was the team.

The very night before the coup,

they arrived at the apartment

in a deplorable state.

One of them was stoned.

He was completely gone,

lost in a haze of smoke.

Jean-Louis was absolutely dismayed.

So was Philippe.

There was someone there

that we hadn't expected,

sitting at a desk with a little light.

I remember the vastness of New York!

The altitude!

The Statue of Liberty, the UN building,

all looking so tiny.

It was magnificent.

And the sounds as well,

the police sirens all night long.

It was all so alive!

And we were kings!

The streets were deserted.

I found a taxi willing to take me there.

So I waited with the others.

Other members of the team joined us.

And our eyes were absolutely glued

to the towers.

I was looking out

for the slightest movement,

but we couldn't see a thing.

It was absolutely terrifying.

Suddenly we saw something,

a shape,

just for a second, falling down.

There was a huge cry of relief...

it was only a piece of clothing.

We all thought:
" He must have just

dropped something, that's ok."

We all thought:
"Of course

it's possible he could fall."

We all thought it,

but we didn't believe it.

We thought it,

but we didn't believe it.

I saw Philippe.

I saw Philippe up there,

it was extraordinary.

It was so, so beautiful.

It was like he was walking

on a cloud.

And there were

such amazing moments.

When he lay down...

...we were thrilled by this image

of Philippe lying down up above.

And another very powerful moment

was when he...

It was so beautiful.

When he knelt down.

There was a moment

when he knelt down and saluted.

I cried out:
" Look! Look!"

People started gathering,

but they couldn't see.

They asked me:

"What is it? What do you see?"

I said:
" Look, a wirewalker!

He's walking!"

Philippe did provoke them,

naturally,

because that's what

he does, that's his character!

He would come close

to the guards or the police,

who were trying to grab him,

then he would turn around

and be out of their reach,

because they weren't about

to get on the wire!

The place was

a sort of scientific area

where lunatics walk round in circles.

So here we were,

surrounded by mad people.

But we weren't mad,

we were stars!

I saw Philippe discover

what it meant to be famous,

to be recognized, with expressions

of friendliness and enthusiasm.

People would cross the street

to tell him:
"You gave us such a gift!"

" It was so beautiful!

It was a breath of fresh air...

thank you!"

It was extraordinary

and I think in Philippe's mind,

many things were changing.

So the judge's sentence

was pretty harsh, I thought.

I was expelled from the United States.

There was a love story.

But it was clear...

...that Philippe had gone through

an incredible moment in his life

and he was starting

something else, a new life.

Strangely, I felt the same way.

Our relationship

was meant to end here

and it was beautiful that way.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes