BRIGHT NIGHTS
Yes?
Hello, Kim.
It's been a while. - Yes.
You forgot again, right?
What's that?
You weren't calling about that?
What are you saying? - Wakey-wakey! My birthday was last week.
Crap. Right. I forgot.
So?
What's up?
He's dead.
What? What are you talking about?
About Papa.
What did he die of?
A heart attack.
Hm…
Uh-huh.
How like him.
What's like him? That he had a heart attack?
Just making off like that.
That's like him.
He left instructions to be buried in Norway
in the place where he lived.
Will you go?
Yes, he's our father.
I'd like to see how he lived out his days.
And someone has to take care of the formalities.
Kim? Are you still on the line?
Yup. I am.
I was just pouring a drink.
What are you drinking?
Vodka…
Good idea.
So, how about it? Will you join me?
I think it's good you're doing this…
but I won't be joining you.
Don't be so unforgiving. What use is that now?
He gave us no opportunity for forgiving. Now it's too late.
Think it over.
You might regret it.
He won't get buried twice.
Watch it. The sauce turned out spicy.
No, it's good.
It's sad you didn't see your father again.
You'd have wanted to say goodbye. - Yes.
At least he wasn't sick and didn't suffer long.
People say those things, but who can tell?
All the stuff you have to take care of…
Direct debit, bank accounts…
It helped me when my dad died. - Oh, yes? That's great.
I was talking about my case.
So?
Don't go getting offended. You're ugly when you're offended.
I'm not offended…
but sometimes you're so… - What?
Well?
Nothing.
I'm sorry.
Thanks.
Michael, I have something to say.
Then go on.
I know it's bad timing… - Let me guess.
Bad breaks come in pairs.
You met someone. - What? No. Nonsense.
No, it's not that.
So what is it?
My paper offered me a post as their Washington correspondent.
For a year.
Washington. For a year.
Have you accepted?
No, not yet.
But I'd like to.
I wanted to talk it through with you first.
When are you meant to start?
In two months.
You've already decided.
What can I say?
Well… I'd like you to accept it.
I should accept you leaving me?
That's asking a lot.
I'm not leaving you. I'm only going for a year.
A year's a long time. Who knows what will happen in it?
You have to have faith.
That's just talk.
I know it's untimely.
But…
I wanted to tell you before I accept, before you go.
You going to be silent the whole trip?
As you wish.
Put your safety belt on.
How you doing in the country?
What's with you?
I asked you if you're doing okay in the country.
Kind of.
Got any friends? - Yes.
What a question! Course I have friends.
You still playing for the team? - Not in ages.
That's news to me.
When did you stop?
What is this, an interrogation? - Tell me already.
Over a year ago.
Why did you stop?
It just wasn't any fun anymore.
Pity, you were a good footballer. You had talent.
I wasn't that good.
So what?
Team sport is a good thing.
Whatever.
So Grandpa lived alone here?
Yes.
Why?
We can't ask him that now.
He was always that way. He liked to be alone.
When did you last see him?
Five years ago.
Just before he moved here.
Do you still remember him?
Sure. He visited us once.
He visited you both?
It was a while back.
He built a tree house with me.
Why did you never visit him here?
We weren't very close.
He was difficult.
Have a look at this.
What is it?
A manuscript about tunnel building.
Almost 200 pages.
It's a real book.
He only completed it recently, a few days before his death.
Here's the date.
Can I have it?
Yeah, sure.
It's not getting dark. It's almost 11.
It's like that here all summer.
And in winter it's dark for three months.
Three months of darkness? How did he stand it?
To your granddad. And to you having joined me.
It wasn't for you. It was to see Grandpa's house.
Yes, of course.
Once we've done all this…
What?
I've taken time off, you're still on holiday.
We could spend some time here in Norway.
What would we do here?
Take a look around. Enjoy nature.
I already live in the country, in case you forgot.
We could just drive around a bit.
I don't know. I'll have to ask Mama first.
I already did.
She said it's okay.
I don't like you setting me up.
I didn't set you up. I simply asked her.
So, what do you say?
May I have the nuts, please?
What kind of car do you drive in Berlin?
I don't have one.
You don't have a car?
Not in three years.
Why not?
You don't need a car in Berlin.
How boring.
When I've got a licence and money, I'll get a car for sure.
Yes? What kind?
We'll see.
A BMW, a Mercedes. Something cool, you know?
Pass me the water.
Anything else? I'm not your servant.
Tastes good.
Aren't you cold?
No, I'm not cold.
Don't underestimate the weather. It turns.
The onion principle's best, believe me.
The onion principle?
A thin bottom layer, a T-shirt or shirt,
a fleece over it…
then a windcheater, and you're ready for anything.
I'd look like a pensioner.
Do I look like a pensioner?
Sure.
But you're old. It doesn't count.
Where are we heading?
First here.
We should have filled up again. It might get tight.
But we can also go back to the town we passed yesterday.
It's not too far.
It's dumb, going back.
So, risk it or play it safe?
Risk it, of course.
What are you doing?
Seeing where the next filling station is.
I hate those things.
Because you can't use them.
At least turn the sound off.
Why? - Because it gets on my nerves.
Well…
That's that.
It's almost 15 kilometres to the next town.
What now?
Well what? We walk.
Fifteen kilometres?
For real? - What else can we do?
We could wait for someone to give us a ride.
Huh.
Who's going to pass by here?
And anyway, we've got almost all day.
So come on, let's go.
Why don't we hitch?
*We're in no hurry.
And we don't have to spend all our time in a car.
Why not? It's much cushier.
We'd have driven if we'd had fuel.
But we ran right out. So now we're making the best of it.
Try to enjoy it.
What is there to enjoy?
Want another drink?
A Coke.
Do you and your mother get on well?
Mostly.
She told me on the phone you argue a lot.
So why bother asking?
I'd like to hear it from you.
It's normal to argue at times.
How do you like your mother's boyfriend? - He's fine.
You do a lot together? - Yes, sure.
What kind of things?
All kinds.
Play football. Go fishing.
You know.
He teaches you to kill animals?
What are you on about? - Fishing.
Fishing is killing fish. For fun.
What the hell? You just ate fish.
I was hungry. - Where's the difference?
We ate the fish, too.
Just forget it.
You're talking crap. - Sorry?
I said you talk shit.
Get a grip! How dare you talk like that?
So hit me.
Drink up. We're leaving.
Yes?
Everything's fine.
Yes… He thinks it's great.
He's delighted.
He's out and about. I'll say you called.
Yes… He's out somewhere.
No, I don't know where he is.
Gee, he's hanging out in the hills. So what?
No, there are no bears here.
You read it wrong. There are no bears in northern Norway.
Ah, there you are.
Well?
What did you two do?
Walked about.
And otherwise? - Needn't concern you.
You could tell me anyway.
Why should I?
Why not?
You were out long with your little girlfriend.
Don't talk to me like that.
Like what?
Like I'm an idiot.
The hills are so Lord of the Rings.
Huh?
The hills are so Lord of the Rings.
Lord of the Rings… - Yes. Slow on the uptake?
Didn't see the films? - I read the book.
The book is totally boring.
What other films do you like?
All kinds.
You?
Rocky.
Warriors.
Rumble Fish.
Old stuff?
I saw them when I was your age.
Right, old stuff.
You're right.
What do you want to be?
Why do you ask?
It just interests me.
I don't know yet.
Well, you have time to work it out.
It took me ages to figure it out.
Then I did the same as my father.
Don't you like your job? - I do.
I like my job.
When I was little, five or six,
my father took me to one of his building sites.
All the huge cranes,
the smell of fresh concrete…
and of oil. It's fascinated me ever since.
Can you check which way we go?
What am I looking for?
I'll show you.
We're here,
and have to cross to the…
And then…
What are you doing? - What I'm doing?
Trying to keep the car on the road.
You could have held the map over towards me.
That would have helped. - It's my fault you can't drive?
I'm sick of all this driving.
But it's not far to where our hike begins.
We'll park up and head out.
What hike? - The one I told you about.
You didn't mention it. - I did.
That's so not true. - So then I didn't.
I found us a route.
When we get there, we park up and head on on foot.
A-ha. And how long does this take?
Three days. - What? Hiking for three days?
That bugs you?
Too right. But I don't get a say.
And I don't like discussing all this petty shit.
Get it? - Don't tell me what to do.
And quit shouting at me.
I knew you'd come back.
Luis?
Wait up.
What's up? Wiped out?
I need a little break.
My circulation. I'm dizzy.
I just need a moment.
I'll be okay in a second.
Rest a bit.
We can go back if you want.
I just need a minute.
It's passing.
No thanks. I'm not hungry anymore.
I'm glad you came along.
You said that already.
I screwed up a lot. So thank you for having come along, anyway.
It's fine. Must we talk about this now?
Did your mother ever tell you why we separated?
You stopped getting along.
That's one way of putting it.
I blew it.
I kept on going with other women.
Even as your mother was pregnant with you.
Finally she just couldn't stand it.
Even though I loved her, I kept on doing it.
Why tell me this?
I want to explain. - It's all the same to me.
I'd have liked to spend more time with you.
Cooked for you, watched you play ball,
tidied for you. - But you didn't.
There's no excuse… - Quit sobbing!
I don't want to know. - I'm just…
Stop! I don't want to hear it!
None of this shit!
Luis.
I'm warning you. Not a step closer! I said no closer!
Just leave me be.
Luis?
Leave me be.
Just calm down.
I hate you.
Luis!
BABELFISCH TRANSLATIONS Thomas Cooper