Emotional Arithmetic Page #2

Trying to find a reason why they were there.

"Why, why, why?

" Why him? Why us, why all these people?

So, why?"

One morning, he was gone.

No explanation.

Just disappeared, you know.

Christopher just sat there in a corner,

all skin and bones. Just waited.

Wouldn't move, wouldn't talk.

I forced him to eat and to follow me around.

And then one day, you arrived

and his eyes lit up again.

He just needed to come here, you see.

And you turned into a beautiful woman.

I guess you know that.

- No.

- Yes.

Inside, too. You are very brave

and beautiful. I can see that.

Inside?

Do you think they did something to us?

Oh, yes.

Bathroom's in there, and more blankets in

the closet if you get cold.

A trifle rustic, I'm afraid.

Makes a bit of a difference,

from England, right?

No, no, it's really...

It's beautiful here, thank you.

- Actually, I live in Paris.

- Paris! Oh!

So, what do you do?

- I'm an entomologist.

- Bugs?

- Insects.

- Insects. Any old insect?

- Wasps.

- Wasps, well.

You'll find lots of yellow jackets

around here.

So why Paris?

After everything that happened,

I would have thought you'd want

to be as far away as possible.

That's a good question. My work, mostly.

I did go back to Drancy once.

It's...

It's a housing estate now.

Laundry hanging from the windows,

children playing soccer.

Guess people have to live somewhere.

You've put it all behind you now, then.

Drancy, the whole experience?

- What do you mean?

- Well, I mean no tragic aura,

no black pit of depression,

no compulsive returning to the past?

I admire that. Move on, that's the trick.

So they say. So what about you?

Melanie tells me that you're

a teacher at the university?

I was. A history professor.

They made me retire last year.

I'm suing them for discrimination.

Take it all the way

to the Supreme Court if I have to.

- Why?

- Why not?

So how do you find her?

She seems

unchanged to me.

Really? She did have a difficult time.

She must've told you on the way down.

She didn't say anything about that.

I'd better let her tell you,

get it from the horse's mouth.

Anyway, it's good to have you here.

I suppose you're like a long-lost brother.

Her only family really, you and Jakob.

Does she ever talk about Drancy?

No. Not to me. Not that I haven't asked.

But, no, she won't talk about it. Not really.

Maybe she can't.

And I understand that.

- Well, if you need anything, just shout.

- Yes. Thank you.

- I'm Irish.

- Ah. And I'm American.

- What's your name?

- Melanie. And you?

- Christopher.

- Where's your star?

I'm not a Jew. I'm here by mistake.

Quick, come!

Here. This is your room.

Is that from the garden?

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