Romulus, My Father Page #2

KNOCK AT DOOR:

Whoo-hoo!

Hi, Hora.

Hi.

What did you get? What did you get?

What did you get?

Oranges! Can I have one now?

Of course you can.

Im going to have one too.

They're for Raimond's

school lunches.

(Sings softly in German)

(Barks)

What are you doing?

Hora?

What are you doing?

Raimond. Rai.

GUNSHO Why are you shooting the chooks?

Raimond!

Hora, what are you doing?

Raimond, be quiet.

GUNSHO Hora, stop!

Hora! Stop.

GUNSHO Please, Hora, stop it!

CHICKENS CLUCK AND SQUAWK

No, Hora, please don't.

(Grunts)

Hora! Stop.

Stop.

Hora! Stop it.

Stop it, stop it, stop it!

They're sick, alright?

They're all sick.

CHICKENS FLAP AND SQUAWK

DULL THUDDING:

MUSlC PLAYS ON RADIO

How could you do that?

I had no choice.

You enjoyed it.

You are insane.

You buried the chickens alive.

I don't have to put up with this.

Why don't you leave, then?

We don't need you.

And who'll look after

Raimond then, huh? You?

Where will the money come from?

Who'll cook and clean?

We'd find a way.

Then find a way.

You buy the food.

Cook dinner from now on.

Be a mother for once.

Giving me orders in my own house?

I won't let the boy starve.

Who are you? Who are you?

If you don't leave this house,

leave me and Raimond alone,

Im going to take a stick

and Im going to break

every bone in your body.

I hate this place!

I hate it so much.

But I keep coming here,

over and over again.

And Im buried alive

like the f***ing chickens!

CRASH !

DOOR SLAMS:

(Raimond whistles)

DOOR OPENS:

FOOTSTEPS APPROACH

Fritz?

FOOTSTEPS RECEDE, DOOR CLOSES

METAL CLINKS:

Ahh.

How are you doing for money?

HORA:
Don't you worry about that.

And Christina?

Listen,

I have a friend in Melbourne.

Corinna.

You remember Corinna?

She has a cousin back home -

good woman.

Young, hard-working,

beautiful

and good character.

She'd make someone a good wife.

If she's so bloody good,

why don't you marry her yourself?

(Laughs)

Huh!

(Gasps)

Hmph! Hey, listen to this.

The time you enjoy wasting

is not wasted time.

(Laughs)

The time you enjoy wasting

is not wasted time.

Bertrand Russell.

DOG BARKS:

Can't you stay longer?

I have to find a job.

Why?

Because none of us has any money.

Go on.

Thank you.

(Chuckles) Ah!

Watch out.

Not too much.

OK.

(Both shout and whoop indistinctly)

Whoo!

RADIO SIGNAL BUZZES,

MUSIC PLAYS FAINTLY

Hey, it's from Muti.

Aren't you going to open it?

It might be important.

Later.

But I just wanted...

I said later.

Don't argue with me, Raimond.

Raimond.

Yeah?

Where's my razor?

What razor?

The one that was in the box

in my trunk.

Maybe Hora borrowed it.

Raimond.

Don't lie to me.

Even if you do something stupid

like...burn down the house,

you tell the truth.

Always.

You tell the truth, you don't get

into trouble, you understand?

I don't know where it is.

(Screams)

Ow! No!

Stop it! Stop it!

No, Papi. Don't.

(Squeals) Don't!

Get off!

Your mother and Mitru...

..are going to have a baby.

(Sniffs)

(Breathes heavily)

Hi, Mitru.

How are you?

Good.

Packed all his clothes in there.

Put the bathers in there as well,

just in case you take him swimming.

But be careful,

'cause he's just learning.

Would you like to hold her?

She's very beautiful.

Yes, she is beautiful.

Just like her mother.

DOOR OPENS:

(Starts engine)

Do you want a glass of milk?

No, thanks.

No?

Something else to drink?

No, thanks.

A beer?

(Laughs) No.

And maybe we can go

for a walk later, huh?

Into the town, have a look.

Would you like that?

Yeah.

Yeah? OK.

This is from Papi.

BABY WAILS:

Shut up!

Susan.

Susan.

(Cries)

Shh, shh, shh.

Muti?

I think she's hungry

and she might have a dirty nappy.

What do you think I should do?

(Whistles tune)

(Chuckles)

Hello, Julie.

Hi, Mitru.

Hello, my girl. How is she?

Oh, she was just a bit stinky.

Oh, she's a stinky monkey, eh?

You're my stinky girl. Mwah!

Oh, you're a good boy.

Here we are. Come on.

Hello, my darling.

How are you?

Have you had a good morning?

(Baby cries)

Hey, bubba, hang on a minute.

You're OK, hmm?

Nice and clean now, eh?

Look, that's better.

Here we are. That's a good girl.

There we are. Look.

All better. Mm-hm?

Yeah. There.

Yes. Good. That's it, eh?

Yes, oh, that's better, huh?

Eh? OK, go to Mummy.

Alright, darling, see you soon.

I love you so much. Be good.

(Baby wails)

What you got there?

Hmm? Where?

You got yourself

a little girlfriend.

None of your business. Really.

Show me.

Come on.

Hey!

(Chuckles)

Oi, oi, oi. Come on,

she's too pretty for you.

You know who that is? Huh?

The girl I was telling you about,

remember? Corinna's friend.

Lidia. Lidia Danescu.

Hmm? (Chuckles)

Stupid.

(Laughs)

(Laughs)

ROCK MUSlC PLAYS IN DISTANCE

#Im gonna keep a-shakin'

Im gonna keep a-movin', baby

#Don't you cramp my style

Im a real wild child

#Come on, baby, shake all night long

#Shake until the meat

come off of the bone

#'Cause Im a wild one

#Ooh, yeah, Im a wild one

#Im gonna keep a-shakin'

Im gonna keep a-movin', baby

#Don't you cramp my style

'Cause Im a real wild child...#

WOMAN:
Turn that bloody thing down.

#Yeah!#

I said turn that f***in' row down.

MUSlC VOLUME DECREASES

Honest to God, driving me INSANE.

RAIMOND:
Excuse me.

Um...who was that singing?

Jerry Lee Lewis.

He's from Ferriday, Louisiana.

They call him 'the Killer'.

Why?

'Cause he kills people, I guess.

Who are you when you're at home?

Im Raimond Gaita

from Frogmore, Victoria.

You don't understand beauty,

that's your problem.

Darling, that money was for rent.

How am I supposed to feed

the baby and Rai, all of us, huh?

I earn eight pounds a week,

Christina. Eight pounds.

Eight pounds! And you spend!

pounds on a dress!

She looks great, though.

What's great is

we will be kicked out - again -

because I cannot afford

to pay the rent!

We wouldn't be

if you had a better job.

What where you thinking?

We never have anything.

MAN:
Shut up, you f***ing dagos!

Ah, there he is.

How are you?

For you.

HORA:
What's wrong?

Tell me, huh?

Tell your brother.

Ah, it's fine.

Hmm?

Tell me.

(Sighs)

(Baby cries)

I have to go.

Thank you for the food.

(Whispers) Im sorry. Sorry.

Im sorry...

Please don't leave me...

Please don't leave me.

(Mutters)

Shh.

I won't leave you.

I love you so much.

MOTORC YCLE ENGINE DRONES

SCREEN DOOR OPENS AND SHUTS

JERRY LEE LEWIS RECORD

PLAYS LOUDLY:

(Turns down music)

ROMULUS:
Raimond!

What are you doing?

Nothing.

Come on. Give me a hand.

Can I go to the movies?

We've got work to do.

Aw.

You'll be measured as a man

by your work,

not by the movies you see.

A man's work is his dignity.

Come on.

Hey!

Papi!

Who's she?

Raimond, give me that.

Why has she written you letters?

Go home.

Why is she sending you kisses?

I said go home, Raimond! Now.

Cheeky little bugger.

MUSIC PLAYS LOUDLY

SONG:
#Got the jive,

got the message Im alive

#Im a wild, Im a wild one

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