The Secret of the Grain Page #6

Couscous on a boat?

It's an old idea of his.

He's right. Life is tough.

It's a good idea.

Hang on, hang on.

Fixing up that boat takes dough.

That's not easy.

You need a lot. It's not free.

He got something on his layoff.

Not much.

His age, he wants

to take a shot at a restaurant?

Hostesses, kitchens, hours...

Not easy.

It's complicated.

Yeah, but he does have

his two kids.

Those two!

- They're lazy!

- We know them.

Counting on them...

Of course he's counting on them.

And what's more,

his ex-wife is doing the cooking.

I get it now. Souad!

That's why Latifa is...

Now you see?

I've seen them.

They had an all-out.

She broke the place up.

All over the place.

He was going to leave.

The girl stopped him.

Yeah, for her it's a humiliation.

He betrayed her.

He humiliated her.

Right.

Just imagine.

Because when he lost his job,

she thought,

maybe with the severance he gets,

he could help her

fix up the hotel and all.

No. Now she sees him,

he wants to open a restaurant on a boat,

put his kids to work.

It's a revolution.

Wait.

With his ex-wife's couscous!

Imagine the situation.

She's like a crazy person.

She's like crazy.

But you got to understand him.

You know Slimane and his pride.

He doesn't want to be a kept man,

or look like a pimp.

See what I mean?

This situation is very serious.

It's no good for one,

no good for the other.

It's a really weird situation.

It's not easy.

Just between us...

You know one time

I tasted Latifa's couscous.

It was inedible. Terrible.

We ate it anyway, out of friendship.

But I mean it was awful.

Totally tasteless.

But Latifa's nice. I like her.

She's nice

but she can't make couscous.

She's very nice.

Did his wife say yes?

She's no picnic either.

Yeah, but how he put it to her.

For the good of the kids...

Yeah, because he's got no money,

no authorization.

In the bargain!

Tough. Starting with nothing.

That's tough.

He's putting together

like a party, to raise money.

He invited some big shots.

Like a test.

To show he can do it. See?

When's his party going to be?

That I don't know.

The girl must know.

I'll ask.

Rym?

- Come here a second.

- Coming.

What is it?

Tell me, have you seen Slimane around?

You know when his restaurant party

is going to be?

When he's done renovating.

It's tough. Only Riadh's helping.

He's no pro. Slimane has to be there,

tell him what to do.

Right.

Tell him we'll help. He's a friend.

Tell him we're here.

He didn't dare.

- No, really.

- I'll tell him.

We'll all help.

What is this test evening?

No, he means the big party.

It's not a test.

They turned him down.

The bank, the customs,

the money, the authorization.

So he decided to give

this big, big dinner party.

And invite all the inside people,

the big shots.

He'll present his project right,

show them it's a good idea.

So they'll invest.

- See?

- That's good.

Good idea.

He can't give up.

Got to go for it.

It's like us,

when we audition for gigs?

Right, sort of.

I get it.

Does he want musicians

for his audition?

He didn't say. I could ask him.

I think he wants pros.

You are professionals.

We are professionals.

Why go looking? Here we are.

- Why go elsewhere?

- Don't be hurt.

Hey listen,

if he wants this party,

how about doing it free?

Why not?

All you talk is money.

Hey, he's a friend.

Forget money. What's that?

I'm just asking.

Money. When he gets some

he'll pay you. Now he's got nothing.

- Debts up to here.

- Can't talk to you.

We're just talking here.

Quiet down.

Who doesn't have money?

If he's got money, great.

Otherwise, we'll eat a good couscous

and that's that.

I'll shake on that. You said it.

I respect you. Really.

- The city liked his project.

- How do you know?

- Good news.

- My cousin works sanitation.

I hope it's true.

For those people,

as long as it isn't a mosque,

the plan will go through.

You say a prayer.

Julia, come with me.

The vegetables in these 4 things.

- There?

- Yeah.

Want to teach me to make fish?

I don't know.

I never made it for 100 people.

Well, at my sister's wedding.

- About 30?

- I don't know.

Three.

Four.

Five.

Souad, the carrots are done.

Still got the potatoes.

You sure about this?

You made too much.

It's too much.

There's 100 people or more.

I think it's too much.

It's 35 pounds.

That's 12 oz. A head.

- It's a waste.

- No.

For a wedding,

it's 100, even 200 pounds.

For a wedding.

There will be leftovers.

There will be leftovers.

If there's any left,

there's always the poor.

Always got charity.

That's good.

God knows how many poor there are!

That'll keep the ain away

from your family.

Stop talking curses.

It's true.

- What do you mean?

- The ain exists.

You keep talking about it.

A car that breaks down,

it's the evil eye.

A door slams - the evil eye.

And that's not all.

Always happens at the wrong time.

Majid!

Majid's not here.

It's not Karima.

It's not Olfa.

It's not logical.

It must be the evil eye.

That's just life.

Lots of illogical stuff happens.

At the wrong time.

Right.

It's superstition.

Who's calling?

Soussou?

Soraya.

Want to leave a message?

Souad, the evil eye exists, right?

I don't know. All I know is,

a little charity is good.

I'll tell him.

You're both superstitious.

It's not superstition.

This is different.

You're confused.

What do you call it?

The ain, whatever.

Not superstition.

Who was that?

It is superstition.

A wrong number.

Wrong number?

I'm sick of that phone.

Always ringing.

It's the ain.

Even a phone call is the ain.

See what I mean?

If that's not superstition,

what is it?

Finish the fish.

That's all.

Let's get the fish done.

Hurry up, night has fallen.

- Got to finish.

- Almost done.

- You're done?

- Almost.

- I'm done. Got the eyes out.

- Come on, quick!

- Saha, that suit!

- Thanks.

Glad you're here.

- What?

- Come here.

- What is it?

- I'm having trouble.

The bow tie.

Don't strangle me.

Don't be a child.

Stop moving.

There you go.

You look good!

You like it?

Yeah, it's class. No kidding around.

What else?

What about you? Go get dressed!

I'm not going.

What do you mean?

She's not going.

If she's not, I can't.

Hurts deep.

I understand.

You can't go if she doesn't.

And Slimane? Thought about him?

I know, but what can you do?

You know why he's doing all this?

It's for you, for his children.

It's not for himself.

He couldn't care less.

All that's behind us now.

We're old now.

We try to hang on,

bust it a little more.

For you.

If it was only about us,

a few olives and a hunk of bread

would be plenty.

But when we see you,

happy and all,

that's fantastic for us.

We live again. You see?

Solitude, exile, humiliation...

All that's behind us.

We think at least we didn't,

we aren't just...

We didn't immigrate for nothing.

See my point?

What can you say?

You know...

Slimane sees no difference

between you and his daughters.

He doesn't, but do they?

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