Semen, a Love Sample Page #5

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l must be dreaming.

Ive something to tell you.

l knew it!

You haven't forgiven me.

You never want to see me again.

No, my love...

l have to go away.

Go away? Where to?

On tour for 6 months.

We leave this evening.

This evening?

Six months?

Why not come with me?

What?

Come with me on the tour.

l couldn't earn a living

working at a circus.

Serafin, it would be so nice.

We'd go to

some fantastic places together.

Would we have to fly?

We could always take trains.

Say you will, say you will.

What about the baby?

Who'll look after him?

His mother, Penelope.

Of course... his mother.

Silly of me.

Penelope.

Look, here they come.

I'm dying for you to meet him.

Meet who?

What's that?

What's that?

Its Ulysses, Penelope's son.

What was happening?

Isnt he beautiful?

lf Penelope had a son,

then whose baby had I stolen?

How could I have made

such a terrible mistake?

How could my paternal instinct

have failed me so?

Of course, all new-born babies

do look similar...

I went back to the hospital.

l had to get the address of the poor

parents and give them the baby back.

The fire brigade.

The address

the nurse had given me

was the fire station.

So there I was,

waiting to give the baby

back to Prosperos father.

Id tell him some lie.

Whatever...

But if he thought Id stolen

his baby, he'd crush me

like a fly.

in my mind's eye...

he was tall,

strong, athletic,

as big as a house...

and black!

My son's father was black!

Is this him?

-Mind his head.

-He's cute.

And big too.

We didn't think much

of his chances when l found him.

You should have seen him.

So small

and naked. He'd been thrown

into a skip like rubbish.

l did what l could.

We took him to hospital

and l gave him my name.

So hasn't he got any parents?

Im afraid not.

And he's such

a cute little thing.

Its a pity you can't keep him.

He seems to like you.

He hasn't come.

Isnt that strange?

He'll come.

He loves you

and won't let you go alone.

Do you think so? It wouldn't be

the first time he'd disappeared.

-He doesn't want you to go.

-Time for his feed. Go on.

Take care and call

or write.

Or both.

Ill send a carrier pigeon.

Serafin will come,

Im sure he will.

Off you go.

Can you give me a hand?

Everything's going to be fine.

You are a beautiful baby.

in a minute some nice lady

will find you and be your new mummy.

Come on, darling.

You see?

What do you think of her?

She's pretty.

-And you'll have a brother.

-Are you stupid?

Didn't you say you wanted a wee-wee?

Sometimes l could...

Bloody kids!

No, we don't Like her.

But there are more.

The world's full of parents

who'll look after you

much better than me.

Well, I must go

or Ill be late.

I'M PROSPERO.

l NEED PARENTS.

Don't look at me like that.

Its the only way.

Its you or her.

Goodbye.

My son!

My son!

...and we'll play cards

and have such

a good time together.

Madam, that's my baby.

-He was abandoned.

-No...

-Abandoned!

-l forgot him.

Just for 5 minutes. Let go. What

kind of father do you take me for?

Who will l play with now?

By jumping off that train

I'd lost the love of my life.

An absurd fate for which

only I was to blame

had turned me into a father.

So I committed myself for life.

SOME TIME LATER:

-Ariadna?

-Yes.

Thank you for coming.

Im his son.

How is he?

Bad. He's been asking

for you for days.

All these years...

l never stopped thinking of you.

Don't talk, Serafin.

l have to tell you something.

l...

put my semen...

It was a recurrent nightmare.

Because I couldn't forget Ariadna.

For months I'd followed

the Serendipity Circus's progress

and had sent postcards

to wherever they happened to be.

But she never answered.

And the day came

when I gave up.

RETURNED:

I assumed she didn't want

to hear from me.

The case was the opposite

with my son, Prospero,

who needed me more and more.

As I needed him.

No, here, here.

This one here.

Breaking news.

Dismay in the world

of show business.

A fierce blaze

has completely destroyed

the Serendipity Circus,

which was on a world tour.

One of the artists

told us about it...

Dad.

Shall l take the baby

to the natural science museum

to the exhibition

or to the archaeological museum?

Serafin...

Serafin...

Sit down and listen to me

but please don't get hysterical.

What is it?

Have you got cancer?

Have l?

Has the baby?

Ariadna's circus has burned down.

But no-one was hurt.

The fire destroyed

the circus but they're all okay.

They're all okay.

The poor thing!

How she must feel.

All alone and so far away

and I can't do a thing to help.

Yes, you can.

They've all come back.

Tonight they're giving

a special fund-raising performance

to rebuild the circus...

Its terrible!

Ive no excuse...

l should go but...

l need...

some kind of nudge...

a push...

Make me go.

Make you go?

Yes. Tell me...

you're ashamed to be my father.

-That Im a coward.

-No, you're not a coward.

You're just selfishness in person.

You ask for advice and don't listen,

you want to control everything

but can't even control yourself.

You're fainthearted and neurotic.

You don't deserve that girl.

No, don't go.

Don't go!

And that's that.

Thank you very much, Dad.

Ill go now

and tell her everything.

What is it?

Aren't you forgetting something?

l can't take the baby along.

l see. So you're going

to tell her everything

except for about 90 percent.

l panicked for a moment.

Let's go.

What did you say?

What did you say?

No... he's a good boy.

Of course he is.

Excuse me.

Where are the circus people?

On the terrace roof.

Sorry, but you're

not going anywhere.

l want Ariadna,

the trapeze artist.

They can't be disturbed.

They're rehearsing.

Do you eat yoghurt?

Of course.

Well, you be careful,

because Ive got a friend

as big as you

and when he eats yoghurt it's expired

by the time it's reached his stomach.

Its a long time

since anyone told me

such a bad joke.

Yes, it is bad.

Really bad.

Could l see Ariadna

just for a second?

All right,

if it's so important.

Wait here.

So this was the new Serafin.

Self-assured, resolved,

with a sense of humor...

And a coward.

l was running with

my tail between my legs

when cruel fate decided

to play one last trick on me.

There were Penelope and Ulysses.

l walked towards them

anticipating the end of my odyssey.

-Serafin?

-Penelope.

Is this your son?

Daddy?

He just said his first word

and he's hardly one year old.

Very good, Prospero.

Bravo.

-Is it your baby?

-Yes.

But he's the same age as Ulysses!

l came to tell Ariadna everything

but Im too scared.

Really? Why?

lf I tell her the truth Ill die...

if she doesn't kill me first.

Then it's just as well

you found me and not her.

-Penelope!

-Yes?

Sorry.

l didn't recognize you.

Ive lost my glasses.

Do you know where Ariadna is?

She's not in there.

She's looking after my son.

-l went to get some baby food.

-Baby food?

Start with the baby.

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