The Salamander Page #2

---

- I don't know.

She lives in Onex. I've got

her address in my bag.

The investigation began

on October 27th.

Today was November 1st.

May I speak with you? I'm a reporter.

Would you like to come in?

It's a little hard to explain.

It's about your spot of trouble last

year,

although that's not the main thing.

Really, I'd like to get to know you.

I'm writing a story about someone

like you.

I'd like to chat.

I can come back later, if you're busy.

This may sound odd, but my

job is made up of odd things.

Isn't it Rosemonde you want to speak

to?

- Aren't you Rosemonde?

- No. I'm Suzanne.

- But she does live here?

- Yes, but she's not in yet.

Would you like to wait?

- Are you on the Pill?

- Yeah.

All the time?

You should be like a Boy Scout:

always ready.

Roger was ready for anything.

Rosemonde prepared herself for

damnation.

Are you a reporter?

Anyway, no more about that uncle

business.

That's been shelved.

Let's talk about other things.

Like what?

I don't know...about you,

for instance. About your job.

That can wait until hell freezes over!

What can one say about a job?

If Rosemonde tells you about her life,

as you say,

would you pay her for that?

That could be arranged.

- Is it too long?

- No, I think it's fine.

- I found the girl!

- Bravo!

- Do you want to meet her?

- Definitely not.

She's a bit alright.

I already knew that.

She's even better than you imagine.

I can't see her with a rifle.

I doubt she fired the shot.

Still, everything points to the

contrary!

This is Vladimir.

He practices here when his

wife can't stand it any longer.

He can keep you company.

Where shall I go?

Up to my room.

You didn't say much on the phone.

But I've got nothing to hide.

You're a journalist?

Yeah. Have I disturbed your dinner?

No, no, I just finished.

I always eat very early.

Is this the famous rifle?

Yes, that's my army rifle.

Isn't it terrible,

to think I was almost killed by it?

The weapon I served with for 30 years?

Through years of looking

after it, one gets attached.

It's become more than just a rifle.

For us, it's almost a symbol of our

freedom.

It means something to us.

To see it turned on you one day...

True, that's somewhat of a paradox.

She had run-ins with the police

before.

It was over a stolen car.

Not to mention, her illegitimate

child.

At seventeen!

She's a bad lot!

My brother's not a bad guy,

but he never did anything with his

life.

Still, it was a big, fine family.

She came from a big family?

Yes, she was put in my care

when she was fifteen,

so that she could go to school in

town.

It meant one less mouth to feed at

home.

At fifteen she ran around with

delinquents,

got up at 10 in the morning,

and finally ended up meddling in

crime.

Did she have any cause?

No, that's just it!

That's what I don't understand.

While she was here, we treated

her like our own daughter.

But she couldn't escape her destiny.

It could well have cost me my life.

- Do you want to see my scar?

- No, it's not necessary.

The worst place is where the bullet

came out.

I get awful pains when we

have our famous north wind.

Unlike the uncle,

Paul liked the wind very much.

Paul waited for two days, but there

was no wind.

I've had it.

After work, I always feel like

yelling or breaking something.

When I feel up to it, I go swimming.

Be patient. In 40 years, you can

retire.

Have you worked there long?

Three months already,

but it feels like a lifetime.

I'll stay six months at the most.

- Will you get a pension?

- No.

That's my big regret.

Sometimes I imagine how

I'd get up at 10, flop around in

slippers,

make some coffee, run a bath, go down

and fetch the paper.

At lunch time I'd rustle up a meal.

What a life!

A monthly pension.

Card games at the pub. A dream!

Yes, but by then one's too old.

That's true.

One no longer makes love.

Great!

There's a jukebox. Do you have a coin?

Sit over here.

A cup of coffee. Do you want anything?

And a coke.

This isn't ideal for a chat.

You can take me home later.

We can talk there.

What are you doing?

Taking your picture. Is that okay?

I look a sight.

What will you do with them?

Nothing. They're for my friend, for

our work.

- Really?

- Of course. What did you think?

Alright.

But I want to see them.

I'll give them to you if you like.

Wait, let me tidy up.

You look gorgeous, stay like that.

I'll be right back.

Move a little. Walk a bit, from right

to left.

Now sit on the table.

Just relax. Perfect.

The last ones are the best.

I think that'll do.

Anyway, this is less dangerous than a

rifle.

Was it a shotgun?

No, an Army rifle.

- Will you see my uncle?

- Probably.

He'll say I tried to shoot him, the

old liar.

He hated me, because I'd

had it with being his maid.

I couldn't even have lifted his rifle!

Those things are heavy!

Did you see it happen?

No, I was in the other room.

He was fiddling with his rifle.

Cleaning it for the umpteenth time.

I'd seen him the moment before.

Suddenly I heard a huge bang.

I rushed in and found my uncle on the

floor.

You should have seen it!

I called the doctor.

Afterwards he called the police.

That's how it all started.

He put the blame on me.

- Did you hate him?

- Me? No.

He's just an old prick, that's all.

As simple as that?

Aren't you working?

- I'll finish this game first.

- Are you working upstairs?

No, down here.

I need space to walk around.

I have a lot of people:

A big family, a maimed uncle,

a big rifle, defense of our freedom,

and that's not all.

For your poems you only have to

picture the inside of your skull.

How's it going with Pierre?

Fine. It's a good time.

It's a change for me.

I'm between a blank page

and a construction site.

Do you want something to eat?

No, I'm not hungry.

Are you crazy?

They'll throw us out.

Should we go to my place to record?

If you want.

Finish your drink.

When I was small,

I went on lots of country

walks with my older brother.

His big specialty was breaking

windows,

especially in winter, when

he could make snowballs.

He was real strong.

His snowballs were like stones.

Once my father thrashed us,

but he discovered my brother

was stronger than him.

He never touched us after that.

I've always loved the sound...

...of breaking windows.

You mentioned your father.

Oh god, my father...

He never had a steady job, it all

depended.

When he had too much to drink,

all hell broke loose at home.

He works at a sawmill now.

And your mother?

I love her, she's great.

We get along.

I visit her from time to time.

With all the kids she's brought into

the world...

How many brothers and sisters?

Ten.

Ten?

- Eleven, counting you?

- Yeah. I was the seventh.

Mother's never worn out.

She adores the little brats.

When I had a kid...

- A kid?

- Yeah, that was six years ago.

- I wanted to keep it.

- But you couldn't. Why not?

You weren't married, were you?

No, but I wanted to keep it.

Rate this script:0.0 / 0 votes