The Shoes of the Fisherman Page #6

- No, sir, I will remember.

Yes, of course.

I am...

touched by your gift.

How soon will you be back in Moscow?

Tonight.

The meeting you suggest...

...is perilous...

...and leaves us all...

...vulnerable.

But why the zoo?

Why ever would you want to

meet me here, of all places?

Well, there's... It's fun!

There's kids and animals.

- I absolutely hate the zoo.

- Hate it?

They used to bring me here for long

awful, boring walks when I was a kid...

...and besides, the animals depress me.

Let's go somewhere and have a drink.

You're very strange today. Are you

gonna run off in a half an hour?

No, I'm in no hurry.

Good. Then I'll have a margarita cocktail.

- Why a margarita?

- I've never had one before.

It sounds marvelous.

Darling.

Hi, Gelasio.

No, no, no. Please. Leave them.

Thank you.

Gelasio!

Gelasio.

Would Your Holiness like

something before he retires?

- Coffee, tea, warm milk?

- No, thank you.

Gelasio...

...we are going to be

together for a long time.

We...

Well...

...we should get to know each other.

I suppose so, Holiness.

- Won't you sit down?

- No, I...

Oh, no, no. Please.

Well, tell me about yourself.

- How old are you?

- Nearly 60, Holiness.

Sixty? No.

- Are you married?

- A widower.

- Do you have any children?

- There's a boy and a girl.

They're both grown now and married.

- Where were you born?

- Here, in Rome.

- Trastevere.

- In Rome?

Tell me about Rome.

What do I say, Holiness? Rome is...

Rome is...

Rome is Rome, Holiness.

For you, yes. For me, Gelasio, it's...

...an unknown country. Yet,

I am bishop of this city.

Tell me...

what will people think of a foreign pope?

They will make jokes about it.

But in time, they will accept it.

- We Romans have seen everything.

- Yes, you have.

Tell me, how does one get

in and out of this place?

- Vatican City?

- Yes.

There are gates.

We all have a pass.

- And the pope too?

- Oh, no.

He's the head of Vatican City.

He can get out where he

pleases and when he pleases.

Can he indeed?

Gelasio, can you find me a cassock?

- In Your Holiness' wardrobe.

- No. A black one, like a priest might wear.

And a black hat.

I...

I don't know.

I could try.

Are you all right?

I'm sorry.

I was in a hurry. I've got

an urgent case upstairs.

You almost had another patient.

- I'm afraid I'm going to lose this one.

- I'm sorry. ls there anything I can do?

Yes. Yes, there is.

It's down on the left. There's

an all-night pharmacy.

Take this and get it for me. And

bring it up to the second oor.

- Number 13.

- Number 13.

It's urgent.

Excuse me.

Excuse me, the doctor said this is urgent.

Just a moment.

That will be 3,500 lire.

I'm... I'm sorry. I forgot about the money.

I can send it to you tomorrow morning.

I could leave you a note.

A note is a piece of paper, Padre.

- Well, I'll go and see the doctor.

- But I trust you.

Thank you. I... I won't forget.

Where is 13, boys?

Doctor.

My Lord Jesus...

...I am your child.

- For whatever wrong I've done...

- He doesn't understand, Father.

He is not a Christian.

We are mostly Jews here.

He's comfortable now.

- Is there anything I can do?

- No.

The dying is easy.

It is the living that defeats us.

Shalom.

Shalom aleichem.

- We should go now.

- Yes.

- Shalom.

- Shalom aleichem. Shalom aleichem.

Where did you learn Hebrew?

Oh, I was a biblical

scholar when I was young.

That doesn't explain it, does it?

No, it doesn't.

No, I worked with a rabbi in a camp...

...in Siberia.

I've seen you before, haven't I?

Yes, I suppose you have.

Just think of me as a priest

you sent to the pharmacist.

What are you doing here like this?

Oh, I had to get out.

I just had to get out.

Angelo!

I wanted to hear all these

noises and watch people living.

Just simply living.

Angelo!

I was hungry for it.

Can you understand that?

I wish I felt life was

as appetizing as that.

That man upstairs, was he

long a patient of yours?

My mind wasn't on him.

Shall we go?

Yes. Can I carry your bag?

You know, I had 11 brothers and sisters.

Eleven of us in two rooms.

I'm sorry. I...

I don't know your name.

Ruth Faber.

I wonder where Angelo is.

Do you suppose he's the youngest?

You know, the one in the middle

always has it the most difficult.

- Dr. Faber, is...?

- Why is my marriage like this?

Is it wrong for a woman to have a job?

Is it because we haven't got children?

Is it because we both live

away from our own countries?

Is it because Rome is full of temptation

and the young girls are beautiful?

Oh, so beautiful.

And the answer to why is my

marriage like this is just...

...my marriage is like this.

You know, sometimes I'd give

anything to be that woman.

Shouting for Angelo, taking care of him.

Making the pasta, hanging

out washing on those lines.

But we seem to be given our roles.

I'm this sort of wife.

They cast me.

That's his wife.

And what does the man in the

long robes say to all that?

The man in the long robes would have

to put it to a pontifical council...

...and study the ramifications.

But the man inside the robes...

...would have noticed that

in all you've said...

...you never mentioned the word "love."

Do you mean I don't love him?

- Or I do?

- Oh, I cannot say that. Nobody can.

There is only one area to search.

And if love is mislaid...

where did you see it last?

And if you can't remember...

...maybe there was no

love in the first place.

Oh, there was.

Then it is mislaid.

And you must find it.

Do you smell that cooking?

Are you hungry?

When you're one of 11 children,

you're always hungry.

Do you know a place where you could

take an escaped prisoner to eat?

Yes, I know just the place.

Good.

Thank you.

- Your Holiness. the car is here.

- Thank you.

Well...

You have to go, don't you?

Yes, I suppose I do.

We're all in prison one way or another.

Yes, and those who understand

it suffer most of all.

Good night.

I...

I've socks for him...

...and shirts for him and sweaters...

for him.

I have papers for him, pencils for him.

And for some unaccountable reason...

...an amber cigarette holder for him.

You're going home to Mother?

No, I thought that's where you'd gone.

And life does have it's jolly

compensations, doesn't it?

Just when a man is about

to say goodbye to his...

tiny folly.

What does he look up and see, but his

wife's green and penetrating orbs?

And just as he's figured out a way to

handle that unfortunate situation.

...by buying buckets of

champagne, some flowers...

...a few crown jewels and some...

..."Let's get together" cards...

...my telephone rings...

...and I'm called to Paris.

By another tiny folly?

No, by something that makes our marriage

problem seem very small indeed.

I'd agree with that.

- Then you've heard the news?

- No.

We've all been called to Paris.

Every correspondent in the network.

The red light is flashing alert. We're

supposed to take it lightheartedly.

Darling, I...

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