The Man Who Copied Page #6

No.

The drawings are cool.

- I'll lend it to you.

- Cool...

- What about your drawings?

- What about them?

Won't you show me?

I don't have anything

like... good, finished.

Will you do one for me?

- Now?

- Yes.

- No, not here.

- Why not?

Ah, because!

OK. I'll draw you something.

- Will you, really?

- Sure.

What do you want me to draw?

I don't know.

Something you like.

Something that's nice to look at.

She arrived home holding

the comic book I'd lent her.

I think she read it on the bus.

She entered the house,

her house, with my book.

She walked to the kitchen,

and came back reading my book.

"Something that's nice

to look at..."

Thank you.

Do you like it?

I do. It's very cool.

But look what I've brought you.

"Bristly..."

"covered with short, stiff hair."

"When he smiled,

his sharp white teeth showed...

through his

bristly mulatto beard".

Ribeiro Couto, "Largo da Matriz

and Other Stories", page 47.

Do you want to marry me

and get away from here?

Sure I do.

Ribeiro Couto, "Largo da Matriz

and Other Stories", page 47.

Thank you.

You're welcome.

So a bristly beard

is a stiff beard.

So, where did you get

that from?

From a poem by Shakespeare.

A book of sonnets.

- Do you like it?

- I only read that one.

"When I do count the clock

that tells the time"

It sounds like a clock.

But where does the beard come in?

I didn't understand it at all.

I didn't even get to the end of it.

I have a present for you too.

My drawing?

It's pretty.

It's me in my room.

Does it look like it?

Yes, kind of.

I have a photo

on the window like that.

I know.

What's the photo of?

It's a photo of my mom

on the Corcovado in Rio.

- There's no TV in my room.

- Oh, no?

No.

I have an aquarium.

But the rest looks

pretty much like it.

The bed, the lamp...

Thanks, Andre.

- It's my birthday present.

- Oh, is it your birthday?

It was the week before last.

Congratulations.

I have something wonderful here.

This is a real antique, you know.

Put it here,

it's a very delicate piece.

Man, this is from the last

century, 1400 and something.

It's a beautiful piece...

- you'll see, she'll love it.

- A little box! Pretty...

This is for her to keep

her little knick-knacks, you see?

Be careful.

It's like, it's

a bit expensive. $100.

- What?

- $100.

Do you think I'd pay $100

for a tiny little box?

It's about age, not size!

It's $80 for you.

- No, $30.

- What?

You're underestimating the piece.

$30? No way. No deal.

- $ 60?

- No, I'm going home.

Go home then. And you're not

taking the piece either.

I didn't have a $ 50 bill anymore,

only a few tests.

A copy of a copy

doesn't come out so good.

- $ 50.

- What?

I'll give you 50 for the box.

No way.

$80 is as far as I'll go.

- But you'd gone down to $60.

- Then $60 is the minimum.

OK, but I only have $50.

- OK. 2 beers.

- No, wait!

- I'll give you tomorrow.

- Can you break a 100?

- No! Wait!

- And the $25 I owed you.

I won't mess with you, man.

But when you gave me

those $50 at the bar...

I almost pissed myself

laughing.

This is no antique,

it'sjust a little box.

There's lots of them

in the storeroom, man.

Take your $40, I'll sell it

to you for $ 10, I'm your mate.

- There'sjust one thing.

- What?

You know the $50 bill

I gave you yesterday?

It was a fake.

Are you crazy?

I wasjust testing.

I didn't know you would use it.

What if the guy finds out?

Did you do it yourself?

- Are there any more?

- No. Only that one.

- It really looks real.

- No, if you look closely you see.

Can you make more?

- No, it's difficult.

- Why?

It wastes paper.

It has to be done in the night.

And I don't have a

$50 bill to copy.

Make a copy of a copy.

I've tried it,

but it doesn't work too well.

Look...

- I think I can find the money.

- How?

Can you do it tomorrow night?

Are you sick, man? Christ...

I am.

- Where's the money?

- Here.

Man, it's perfect, check it out!

Cardoso?

Those are yours.

Here. See if it's good.

Yes.

It's very good.

Then what do you do?

Cut them?

What will you do

with your share?

I think I'll buy

Silvia a present.

- Will you go to her shop?

- No, I'll change the money first.

- How's it going?

- Good.

- What numbers did you pick?

- The first ones.

- What?

- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6.

Are you joking?

You didn't!

- Why not?

- Didn't she suspect?

Why?

Nobody picks 1-2-3-4-5-6!

It'll never be drawn.

The chance is tiny,

like with any sequence.

Impossible! They'll never draw

these numbers.

As impossible as any sequence.

Now, what will you bet?

- Good idea...

- Pay attention. Concentrate.

Sh*t, it's amazing

that nobody notices.

Three bets of $ 9: $ 27.

$ 123 change.

Welcome to all you can buy

with $ 123.

A sound system, books,

clothes, CDs...

Toys...

- Better!

- What is it?

Roller blinds.

- Blinds?

- Yes, for your room.

They must

have been expensive.

No. I traded them

for some illustrations I made.

Thanks. They're very cool.

When's your birthday?

- It's been already.

- I'll give you a present.

- It was a while ago.

- But I want to.

Thanks. I have to get back.

You're welcome.

It took her a whole week

to put up the blinds.

I should have paid for that too.

But it can't be too hard,

you Just fix it with nails.

I think she did it herself.

But... what will you do?

I don't know.

You can't tell her:

"Your dad's a pervert."

- Or she would find it weird.

- Yes.

You could hint it,

just in passing:

"Do you know that many

fathers are perverts?"

"It's quite common."

"You should put a towel like this

when you shower..."

But I think she'll find that

weird too.

Yes, she will.

You could also get some guys

to beat him up.

And while they're at it,

tell him:

"You're getting this because

you're a pervert" and pow!

But then he'll think it weird,

won't he?

You could also do this: Marry her.

But to do that,

you'll need money...

Somewhere to take her...

And money.

Real money.

That money you found won't do.

And do you have any idea

where you could find real money?

Yeah.

Give me

half your salary?

Sorry, I had to take

my mom to the doctor.

There's lots of work for you.

And it's all for tomorrow.

OK, I'll stay late.

Thanks.

How long?

I don't know yet.

It depends on the work.

- More than a year?

- No, around 6 months, maximum.

I've always wanted to go to Rio.

Maybe you can come visit me

on your vacations.

That will be a while.

Look...

I've brought you a present.

Take it on your trip, read it.

It's marked on the page...

"When I do count the clock

that tells the time".

Did you understand it?

I did.

It's beautiful.

"When I do count the clock

that tells the time.

And see the brave day sunk

in hideous night.

When I behold the violet

past prime."

To sink here means to disappear,

wither, die. The withered flower.

"And sable curls,

all wither'd o'er with white."

When the hair grays on the sides.

"When lofty trees I see

barren of leaves.

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