Steam of Life Page #2

---

Now I have my family

and empty pockets.

I got married during the war -

and had two children

when I was on leave.

But then my wife got sick.

When she was still alive,

if I was away for a few hours -

I always worried

if I would find her dead or alive.

I couldn't always get

the boys to watch her.

My eldest son was there

a few times and asked me:

"How can you cope with this life

for so many years, Dad?"

But I just had to carry on, -

and you get the strength for it

as you go along.

It went on for five years

before she finally died.

Then I was alone.

I sat home alone

on my bed -

and cooked whenever I wanted,

what little I wanted alone...

Suddenly I had this hunger

for other people.

I said myself that something

has to change in my life.

My son came to visit and said:

"Listen, Dad.''

"We have to do something,

you have to get out and about" -

"or else you will go crazy."

After my son told me that,

I got my act together -

and went to

the Veterans' Christmas Party.

I found a nice-looking person there, -

I thought she would be nice company

if only I would dare to ask.

I finally approached her -

and asked if I could one day

come for a cup of coffee.

She said yes, and soon enough

I went there with a bunch of flowers.

That's how it started

and it still goes on -

hopefully for a long time.

We've had great companionship

and a good life.

She's a good person

and can cook -

and tells me how to do laundry

and helps me in everything.

I'm living the best years of my life.

Well, her neighbors

must have been wondering -

when they saw another pair of

underpants on the washing line -

as she doesn't

have a husband.

How long have you been together?

- For 18 years now.

Both getting older at the same time.

- Older and senile.

The police brought him here

one night in the spring.

They called and asked if there's room

for one more orphan.

I said there's always room

for one more.

That's how our friendship started.

We went berry picking

and fishing with him.

At first, we should have picked

the berries for him.

At one point,

there was a bush full of blueberries -

so I took some branches

and told him to sit down -

so that I could teach him

how to pick blueberries.

When we had caught fish -

we had to negotiate

how to share the catch.

He was going to take all fish.

I wouldn't let him.

"I will take these

and you will take those."

Breaking things is important to him.

If you give him a car tire,

he will tear it apart in a second.

One Saturday,

we went to the sauna.

He stayed to eat

out in the barn.

We sat in the sauna for a while...

The doors started banging -

and he barged in

from underneath the door -

and came to the benches.

I told him I will throw some water

on the stove to get some steam.

As soon as the steam hissed

he barged out underneath the door.

I told him:
"No, no don't go yet,

you haven't broken into sweat yet."

But no, he went outside,

banging the doors.

Right, Juuso.

You were only a boy

when we had our sauna.

A very little boy...

Left without washing, did you?

Yes, that's right.

The bear has become

a real friend to me.

It's an intelligent animal,

learns very fast.

And it is a true,

loyal friend indeed.

Right, another one gone.

This is the name of the game.

Juuso! It's broken now!

I keep going back

to early spring...

We still had snow.

There was a spring happening

for children on the lake ice.

I was playing

with my daughter, -

sledding down the hill,

eating grilled sausages.

She went on a pony ride.

Think what an experience for a child!

Every time I went to get her,

she ran to me with her arms open:

"Daddy, I want to go home with you!

I miss you so much."

I have two cats, she says:

"To see Mikku and Okku at home! ''

It's so wrong.

- Well, it tears you apart.

Think about it:
You don't see your

child for example for 13 years!

How long has it been now?

Well, how long has it been...

I had just received

the Appellate Court order -

with all the visiting rights.

Not as extensive

as I had wanted...

As soon as

the court process was over -

and the decision was,

like 9 times out of 10 -

that the custody was taken

from the father.

Every other weekend

and one weekday, that's it.

Nothing else mattered.

As soon as the process was over,

the mother refused to give the child.

We were visiting grandma

for the last time with the girl, -

we played together -

when my ex just announced that

she won't allow visitations anymore.

This is now September,

I haven't seen or heard of her.

I don't even know

if they live here any more.

The authorities can't do anything

without court orders.

I should go to court and get an order

forcing her to let me see the child.

And of course,

family and friends miss her also.

Her godfather, grandmother

and everyone else.

They keep asking about her

and crying...

Her grandmother is getting old, -

she cried

if she will ever see Inka again.

I told her I don't know the answer.

I don't mind suffering,

but my girl is so young...

She's not yet three, -

she doesn't have

long-term memory yet.

I think my daughter doesn't remember

who her father is any more.

That really hurts.

If only I could hold her.

If she would run towards me

and jump into my arms.

"Let's go home

and see 0kku and Mikka."

I remember my grandpa,

when I was a little boy.

I used to walk to their place

and he'd be chopping wood.

Grandma was inside,

cooking, doing chores.

When grandma was in a bad mood,

grandpa would stop us -

and ask us:

"Is it still stormy in the South?"

He meant:

"Is your grandmother still angry?"

I asked grandpa how old

the oldest logs were in the shed.

He thought about it

and then said:
"11 years.''

Time passed.

Grandpa chopped wood -

and grandma was either

in a good or a bad mood.

Then grandpa got dementia

and had to go to a nursing home.

When we visited him,

we told him everyday news -

but he wasn't interested.

When we spent quiet time with him,

he would then ask -

where the end of the wood pile was, -

had it reached

the wall on the river side?

After four years grandpa found out

that his woodpile was running low.

He cried and apologized -

for not having chopped enough wood.

Afterwards, when I've thought about it, -

I realized -

that he wanted to chop enough wood -

to last until the end of grandmother's life.

That's when I realized -

how manifold love can be.

Pete, the oars are squeaking.

I do love boats.

- That's right.

When the Frog went a-courting

Aha, Aha...

There's only one aha.

But where is he going?

- I'm going to Bulgaria.

What else will we take?

Sunscreen.

- Sunscreen, we have to take it.

If I forget it, what will we do?

I burn easily.

Then we put yogurt

on your back.

What other clothes shall we take?

The bikini.

- What bikini?

You know.

The plane flies high up.

- In the sky.

Where's the sky?

It's getting cloudy.

What?

- Getting cloudy.

You should be honest with others.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes