Behind the Clouds

---

Frederik, it's raining.

Nothing more wonderl

than the patter of rain on the roof.

Behind the Clouds

Grandma?

- I'm coming.

I'm coming.

And?

You look lovely, Mom.

Really, you look wonderl.

There are a lot of people.

Yes. Madame.

Frederik wasn't run-of-the-mill.

He wasn't your average Joe.

He was a unique

and exceptional person.

Not many people know, for example,

that Frederik had a talent for drawing.

And that in his youth he obtained

a Ph.D. at the University of Leuven.

But he wanted more than a life

as an academic. A whole lot more.

And we all know what he achieved.

I've learned a lot from Frederik.

How to run a company, how to conduct

business, how to deal with personnel.

But what I'll always remember most

are undoubtedly our monthly dinners.

He always ordered steak tartare.

And yet, every time we went out

to dinner, he'd ask for the menu...

study the dishes and pretend

he had to think long and hard...

before saying:

'I'll have the steak tartare, madam.'

I once asked him why he insisted

on seeing the menu...

if he already knew what he wanted.

And he answered:

'Werner, you should always do everything

with the wonderment of the frst time.'

And as his successor,

I will retain that philosophy.

Dear Emma, you've had

to bear his absence a lot.

Al those congresses,

all those seminars, all those trips.

But you know as no other, dear Emma,

how important you were in his life.

And what you meant to him.

What am I supposed to do with that?

- So you have something to eat tomorrow.

Go to bed, Mom, you're tired.

- We're all tired.

Are you sure you don't want me to stay?

- Go on home, dear.

See you tomorrow, Mom.

- Bye, dear.

Are you okay, Mom?

Sleep well.

Ready?

I'm not in the mood.

It will come.

Shall we go back to your room?

Give it another t. You can do it.

- I'm not in the mood, I said.

Soon I'll be a plant. Then I won't even

recognise your tattered face anymore.

Karel, I understand...

- You don't understand a thing.

I want to see you

why?

where?

the same place as 50 years ago

53 years, 3 months and 6 days

And now, yes...

Yes. Watch... Watch out.

- Damn.

I'll never manage.

That parking place is too small.

- I told you to make a sharper turn.

I did it like my instructor told me.

- Then get him to practice with you.

Grandma, stop it.

I'll just wear a miniskirt,

that's more efcient.

Then they may fail you

to see your legs again.

Come, let's take a break.

We'll continue later.

Take your keys.

Yes, he's alright, especially in company.

But sometimes when we're alone...

Here you go.

- Thank you.

Well...

Sometimes it's as if we have

nothing to say to each other.

Odd, isn't it?

Or as if he's not interested

in the things I'm interested in.

Is that steak tartare?

You like him a lot?

On a scale from 1 to 10?

- For example.

A 6 plus.

- That's a bare pass.

A 7, then. I don't know.

Have you ever brought it up?

- Not really.

I'm going to grow fat

from all those love troubles.

There was a man at the funeral.

Maybe you saw him as well.

He left a dart fight on the cofn.

Was it a friend of Grandpa's?

- Something like that.

It was over 50 years ago

since I last saw him.

Nice of him to come

to the funeral, isn't it?

He wants to see me.

- Why?

He didn't say.

He sent a message on Facebook.

Facebook? I knew you were on it,

but you never respond to my posts.

We used to...

know each other well.

I don't know what to do.

Maybe it'll do you well

to talk about Grandpa.

Besides, I'd defnitely like to see

my friends 100 years from now.

You know what I mean. It'll be exciting

to see what has become of everybody.

He's here already.

What the f***.

- Is that Bjrn?

He looks more like a ruttish rhino.

Go on, sweetheart.

- Bye.

Here, you fnish it.

- Yes.

'Strange Souls'

Gerard Verfaillie

Opal Coast, August 1966

Most heartfelt greetings from far away

Gerard

Right on time. You wouldn't have

wanted to miss Harry's earthworms.

where were you?

sorry

a second chance tomorrow?

My condolences.

It's starting to rain.

Shall we take cover?

- Yes.

Come, under the canopy.

What's so funny?

- I don't know. I have to laugh about us.

Do we look that ridiculous?

Nothing more wonderl

than the patter of rain on the roof.

Kebab. Have you ever had it?

- No.

At least we'll be dry there.

I'd read it in the paper.

You should be ashamed of yourself,

with your dart fight.

It was my way of saying goodbye.

We always played darts.

I know you did.

I threw it away

as soon as I came home.

And then that message on Facebook.

Maybe it was a bit impolite, I admit.

- Five words.

'I want to see you'.

Not even your name underneath.

I thought...

- That's not impolite, that's...

lnept, perhaps?

- Deranged, that's a better word.

I started over at least ten times.

A long letter, a short letter?

Madam, dear madam?

Dearest Emma?

What do you say after all those years?

- Not much, apparenty.

I'd imagined this encounter

rather diferenty.

Things don't always happen

the way you imagine them.

At your age you ought to know.

He was my best friend.

I shouldn't have come.

Did I say something wrong?

- This was a mistake.

Sorry, Gerard.

It's better if we don't

see each other anymore.

Mom?

What happened to you?

- I went into town.

In this weather?

Aone?

- Of course.

I'm going craz here.

- Why didn't you ask me to come?

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