The Tiger and the Snow Page #6

On we go, then we'll see.

Hello! Hello! I am Italian!

Anyone there?

Hello! Please!

I'm borrowing a camel.

I'll bring it right back.

You're much more beautiful than him,

my favorite camel.

Now be good, down.

Let me get on,

how do you say "down" in Arabic?

You've got to get down!

You're more beautiful than he is,

and he's deaf too!

Now let's go.

Hang on.

Slowly!

Now this is a real camel,

you're ugly and dead too!

That way!

Other way, camel!

This is the way back to Baghdad!

He's taking me back to the hospital.

Camel, can you hear me?

Go that way!

Down boy!

I can't jump off, I've hurt my foot.

Look where we are,

he must be used to going to Baghdad!

Stop!

Just my luck, the dumbest camel

in the whole of Arabia!

Goodbye.

What is it?

What do you want?

Go away!

Before you couldn't wait to get to Baghdad!

Other way!

Go away, camel.

What on earth are you following me for now?

Mamma Mia, you smell disgusting.

How come you have such bad breath?

- The Italian Red Cross?

- Doctor!

Is Nunzio around, Dr. Guazzelli?

That's the lot.

Did you remember some decent anti-edema,

syringes and cortisone?

Everything, don't know how you'll

manage this lot on your bike.

What I can't squeeze in,

you can bring back with you.

You put some gas for the bike?

Did you recharge my cell phone?

What do you think, Chemiotina or Talamagil?

Chemiotina.

I might as well take both,

except I've got no more room.

- When will you get to Baghdad?

- They won't let us in.

It's a real nightmare in Baghdad,

they haven't even got band-aids.

- Are they in here?

- Right there.

Thanks a million.

Could you give me a push?

I'll tell you when.

One, two, three... push hard!

Good luck!

Thanks, same to you!

Sir!

Halt!

Halt I said! The bike, down!

I'm Italian.

Take cover! Take cover! Take cover!

Hold your fire!

Don't you move!

Put your hands on your head!

Hands on your head I said! Don't move!

He's a f***in' powder keg!

Don't shoot!

Are you crazy! I'm Italian!

These are medical...

Stop! Don't touch those!

They're medical supplies!

- Medical what?

- Medical supplies!

Stay there or we'll shoot you!

I don't move!

Put your hands on your head!

Okay!

Tell him to stay calm.

He is very nervous.

"He's going to shoot me!

He's shaking!"

Stay calm! Put that gun machine down!

Stay calm! I am having heart attack!

Shut up!

Williams, Johnson, check him out!

Careful, watch for the trigger, careful!

You're...ow! You're...ow!

- Tell him...

- He's clean sir.

Aspirin. Got saline. He's clean.

Okay. He's just some nut!

Some crazy Italian!

Who the f*** is he!

Now you listen to me, Sir. Who are you?

I am Italian.

Yeah, we got that.

What do you do?

- I am a teacher.

- Of what?

Poetry.

What poetry.

- Poetry.

- Poetry.

Poetry.

He's a poet!

What?

What did you say?

Poet!

So you're a poet?

Yes. Like ahh...

Dante. Walt Whitman.

Walt Whitman.

Okay... get the f*** out of here!

Pull the wire!

Very sorry about that.

Yes, thank you. Thank you...

...excuse me.

Just a push. A last favor.

Thank you, a push, yeah.

One, two, three! Yes!

Bye sir! Thank you!

Bye! Bye-bye! Thank you!

Go down!

Damn thing's stuck,

Just won't budge.

Ahh Doctor this too.

Thank you for this, and for all the rest.

Even if it's just a drop in the ocean.

She's okay now.

Thank you.

I must be going.

She's okay, Doctor,

but she still isn't moving.

I mean, rather than do

one thing at a time,

how about if you do everything at once.

What can we do now?

At this stage, there is nothing more

we can do. Just hope and pray to Allah.

Ah, thank you.

You hear that?

He said we've done all we can.

You're fine, it's all inside here.

There's nothing more we need to do,

just relax.

He told me to pray to Allah.

It's the only thing we can do,

pray to Allah.

I would pray.

We've done everything else...

Allah, the only prayers

I know is the Lord's Prayer in Italian,

you understand Italian?

It's a beautiful prayer.

How about it?

Allah, here goes.

Our Father, who are in heaven,

hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, they will be done

in Earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread,

and forgive us our trespasses

as we forgive them

that trespass against us

and lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil...

Now we've really done all we can.

Rest, I'm going to have

a little rest myself.

Bye Vittoria.

Anything you need, I'm at the barber's.

That's just what I said to Vittoria

when she asked

why I'd come back to Baghdad.

I told her about the 351st Arabian Night,

remember it?

You know all 1001? How about 406th?

with a funny sole.

"The Arabian Nights", wonderful!

"Beautiful sky!"

The Baghdad sky is

the pillow of the world.

Looks like they're firing angels.

they built the Tower of Babel

so they could climb up to this sky.

our languages were born.

Since they tried to touch this sky,

we no longer understand each other.

A Muslim legend says that now

and then Allah comes back to Earth

because he misses the look of

the starry sky from below.

Centuries of wisdom

and what have we learned? Nothing.

You know why there are wars?

Because the world started without men

and without men it'll finish.

Come over and get a good night's

sleep in a proper bed.

Thanks, but I've got

a comfortable barber's chair.

I'll sleep like a log near Vittoria,

you never know.

I do know.

Goodbye.

Goodnight, Fuad.

Fuad?

Come on, if we're good and behave well,

we'll get to heaven!

There's nothing after this.

Even less than nothing,

which would at least be something.

Still, I'm glad I was born,

I'm sure even when I'm dead

I'll remember when I was alive.

Good night, Attilio.

See you, Fuad.

Fuad!

Fuad!

Oh Vittoria!

Vittoria! Vittoria! Vittoria!

No, you can't take her away yet.

She can hardly stand.

You'll have to give her a day or two.

Look it's almost a miracle,

but in here they do happen sometimes.

But, sorry...sorry to keep asking you doctor.

But she really is better?

Yes, she's better. Come and see.

But do you think she'll recognize me?

Of course she will.

- Yes.

- Yes.

I bet she won't. Wait, Doctor...

Maybe first, a pair of new shoes...

...or some flowers, or maybe a shower,

I must stink like a camel.

Fine, we'll try to get her walking.

There's still so much to do.

Thank you Doctor.

Doctor, Doctor... Excuse me.

Forgive me but ahh...

Have you even been kissed by a camel?

I'll give her a surprise.

A dark brown.

They are used. But they are beautiful.

Thank you. Beautiful, yes, thank you.

Okay, so how much is it?

Only twenty dollar.

I...l...I don't... Excuse me.

Yes?

May I try just two, three steps?

Just to see how they fit me?

- Yes.

- Sometimes they are large, they are tight.

Take your time. Take your time.

To try, yeah? Two, three steps, yeah?

They are wonderful.

Yes.

Wonderful. What a beautiful good man.

- Couple of steps more.

- Please.

It's not bad.

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