nineteen eighty one
for my mother, my father,
my sister...
Northern Italy
My father was born in 1937 or '38.
I never remember.
Anyway, it's not important.
What's important is,
my dad grew up during WWII.
When everyone was poor
and in B &W.
Before the war
his family was loaded.
But one day,
for some reason no one remembers,
the Krauts burned down their inn.
They lost everything.
Cause of that,
my dad couldn't buy himself stuff.
It was no big deal,
since in his village
nobody could buy stuff.
Then one day,
maybe somebody was tired of not
having colors or buying stuff,
and pulled one on the Krauts.
It seems that someone
in your gang
stole our radio transmitter.
I know the Krauts must have
spoken German, but...
the way Dad told it,
everyone spoke French.
We'll settle this fast.
I have his name here.
If the guilty party
steps forward now,
the rest can go.
Or we'll shoot someone at random
every five minutes.
Till we find our man.
Which one of you is named
Benito?
Whoever's named Benito,
step forward right now.
Dammitall!
I'll ask one last time.
Benito better shake his butt
and step forward
or the old cow gets whacked.
Jesus Christ!
Don't take me for an idiot.
They didn't take him
for an idiot, but back then
the leader of Italy
was named Benito.
Benito Mussolini was their leader.
If you named your son Benito,
you got a cheque for $ 1.
People were so poor, it worked.
And?
And nothing.
There were lots of Benitos.
But the radio?
What about it?
The thief. Who was it?
An older kid, I think.
Did they kill him?
Who?
The real Benito, who stole the radio.
I can't remember.
Come on, you can't remember?
It's been 40 years.
You forget things.
You never remember
where you left your shoes.
That's so random.
At your age I'd never have dared
ask my dad for a $400 watch.
It was the war.
Nobody ever asked for anything.
One Christmas,
know what my present was?
Soup, you told me.
A small bowl of soup.
Dad came up with a story
every time I asked him
to buy me something.
Without fail.
Mom would tell you
I was always reading this.
I sometimes leafed through it,
just for fun.
I always checked out
the same stuff.
Calculator watches, p. 61.
Electric racing cars, p. 63.
Hockey net, that was p. 75.
Motocross bikes,
I forget which page.
Besides, everybody read it.
Consumer's Distributors was big.
I n '81, my neatest stuff
was Uncle Andr's hockey gear,
my Star Wars bedspread,
a 3-speed with useless brakes...
Ricardo!
Sonic soccer shoes with spikes,
the new album by Kiss,
Dynasty,
two Bdard Movers caps,
Ricardo!
What?
And a Swiss Army knife
I wasn't allowed to touch.
I had no more toys,
I'd pitched'em out.
I was changing.
Getting interested in girls,
except Sis.
I needed some flashy stuff.
I needed a sound system
with giant speakers,
a stroboscope for parties,
to dance robot style,
moon boots, but not this color,
the new Intellivision game,
cause Atari graphics sucked,
the new Cooper SK2001
hockey helmet
with a face guard like Drolet had,
an in-ground pool,
and a Rubik's Cube
for the school bus.
I knew we were Middle Class,
just barely.
We'd nearly been rejected.
Cause my dad didn't go to university.
He didn't work in an office.
With his job, he never had meetings.
The one time he came back
from one it was 4 a. M.
And Mom didn't believe him.
Mom didn't have a degree either.
Grandpa was a logger.
All I know about Gran
is, she liked potatoes.
At one point Mom realized
she was stuck in a poor family.
So she left the boonies
and moved to Qubec City.
S he soon landed a job
in a Chinese restaurant
and could buy
all the smokes she wanted.
Other stuff too,
but she went through lots of smokes.
Mom says she left the North Shore
cause of all the black flies,
but nobody believes her.
My sister had just got a retainer
so we couldn't understand her.
To cheer her up, Mom brought her
a cat from a client
who was getting divorced.
All she thinks about now
is her Caramel.
Oh yeah, she always
answered the phone.
It's long distance!
What's St-Exupry?
The school's name.
Here it is. Come on.
Hello.
Yes?
It's my kids' first day.
Your name?
Benito Trogi.
Wait outside. I'll tell Mr Dagenais.
Nice here, huh?
Dad hadn't gone to university
cause of the war.
The Krauts also
burned down his school.
He didn't finish grade 3.
So he couldn't help me much
with my homework.
He was good in math,
but grammar... Forget it!
Still, he was smart.
He could easily have been a lawyer.
You should apply to be a judge.
I don't like long hours.
I prefer to take my son shopping.
Check this, counsellor!
A calculator watch?
I bought the same one for Ricardo.
Christ, he's loaded!
Hello, children.
Hello, sir.
Michel Dagenais, the principal.
Benito Trogi.
Mr Trogi.
Class, as I told you last week...
If you wondered why Dad
enunciated like that, you'll see.
His name is Ricardo Troggy.
It's Trogi.
Trodgy, with a d?
No, you just pronounce it that way.
I see.
Alright, everyone,
say hello to Ricardo Trogi.
Hello...
Ricardo just moved here,
and that's always hard.
He'll need help getting to know
the school and class.
Now, to get to know him a bit,
who'd like to ask Ricardo
a question?
Nobody's curious?
Then I have a question for you.
What is the origin of the name
Ricardo?
"Origin" means, where it's from.
Which country.
Nobody wants to guess?
Ricardo, tell us
where your name's from.
My dad is Italian.
Italian, that must be neat!
Do you speak Italian?
No, cause Mom's from here.
So, his name comes from Italy.
I think that'd be a great new word.
Ricardo, take some chalk
and write your name in the box.
It'll help us remember.
Aline?
I have a way to remember his name.
You do?
It's like Ricardo Crunchy!
Think you're funny?
Apologize right now.
It was a joke.
Apologize right now!
- I'm sorry.
- Stand up.
- Aline!
- Up, I don't have all day!
I'm sorry.
Anybody else have a funny joke?
Open your math books
to page 31, division.
I know it was just a joke,
but I'd heard that one about
Ricardo Crunchy so often.
I was used to it.
The whole family had heard it.
Someone had told it in 1942.
Someone else in 1912.
It went back all the way to 1894.
Plus, there are no other Trogis.
Someone tried to do our family tree
but they got nowhere.
There were no concentrations
of us, even in Italy.
And that meant
we descended from Gypsies.
And back then,
Gypsies didn't keep track.
They didn't use family names much.
The first Trogi wasn't even a Trogi.
He was some accordionist,
and suddenly it vanished
from his head.
He couldn't remember
his family name.
He must've tried,
but it never came back.
He took any old word.
Trogi!
And that word was Trogi.
What's going on?
Beat it, go play with your class.
I don't know anybody.
Neither do I.
You know me, silly.
That doesn't count.
OK, I overdid it,
but put yourself in my shoes.
In 6th grade, who wants
to hang out with immigrants?
Screw you!
You too!
After recess, it started to click.
I wasn't sure, but
it seemed kids in this school
had dough.
Maybe not millions,
but more than me.
Lots had mechanical pencils
like my old teacher,
and they cost a mint.
They had leather pencil cases.
It seemed obligatory.
Nobody had a plastic one like mine.
It might seem like a detail,
but that's just the start.
I'm sure lots of 'em
had in-ground swimming pools.
I could sense it. They all wore
sweatshirts and white turtlenecks.
It was the fashion.
Ricardo,
would you come up here, please?
Bring your book with you.
I hope you don't call that a book.
I didn't know we were reading.
Take this.
At St-Ex School everyone's read
The Little Prince.
I've already read it.
It'll have to do for today.
Did your teacher give dictations?
Not too often, no.
We do it every morning.
Really?
Do you know longhand?
Yes.
Perfect. Go sit down.
No, you can have it back
at the end of the day.
Aline, about the catalog...
Forget the catalog. Go sit down.
I can't write longhand.
You can't?
At my old school
we were going to start.
Why so late?
How do I know?
- Tomorrow I have dictation.
- Tomorrow?
It's OK, I'll teach you.
I'm not working tonight.
Very funny!
What?
Your French is lousy.
We use the same letters.
Of the 100 Polish immigrants...
Their damn school reform
is to blame.
- What's that?
- It's the new way they teach kids.
That's why you can't read or write.
- I can read.
- Oh yeah?
I only see you
with your darn catalog.
I read at school.
- Yeah, what?
- Lots of stuff.
You don't read either.
- Yes I do!
- What?
All the books here are mine.
Sure, they're all cookbooks.
What? I read biographies.
What are biographies?
You'd know that if you read.
So what's the school reform
all about?
I was working the night
they explained.
All those meetings are at night.
They figure nobody works nights.
- What'll I do?
- Tell your teacher
that for a few weeks
you'll write in block letters.
She said no.
- What do you mean?
- I asked her.
What a tight-ass.
It takes time to learn.
Can't she give you till next Monday?
I dunno, I didn't ask.
Some nutcase.
I'll call her tomorrow.
Don't start!
Gimme a kiss goodbye.
Benito?
Call to see if there's
newspaper delivery here.
Yeah, yeah.
Mom, can you buy food
for Caramel?
Of course, sweetie.
Gimme a kiss.
G'night! Bye!
- Ricardo?
- What?
Get your schoolbooks.
Why?
Why? Cause for my dad,
who grew up during WWII,
nothing was impossible.
I could learn to write in longhand
between supper and the 10 pm news.
I'm falling asleep.
I think I'd gotten
as far as X by the time
Mom got home from work.
Why's he still up?
Guess.
Here.
Another one?
Maurice gave it to me.
It's the third one.
I know, but he's a drunk,
he never remembers.
I don't say a word.
Where'd you get that Coke?
From me. He worked all evening.
It's his reward.
Wow, those letters
sure are something.
He'll get a great report card!
Look at me.
You're too gorgeous!
- Stop it!
- Shh, your sister's sleeping.
Don't be stingy with your mom.
So why don't you buy any?
It ruins your teeth.
You'll have dentures like me.
So?
People with dentures
don't go to university.
Caramel!
On days we had dictation
I thought everybody else
was luckier than me,
even Caramel.
With my writing,
I'd have traded places with him.
He keeps getting fatter.
Know many people who'd rather eat
Miss Mew than do a dictation test?
"The cookies
are made of gingerbread..."
"The cookies are made
of gingerbread" comma...
I n case you hadn't noticed,
I was quite smart for my age.
I got it from my dad.
We were both fast learners.
Longhand was no big deal.
He learned longhand in one night?
Up to X.
He learns faster than others.
At 5 he could put together
his race track all by himself.
- Are you serious?
- Yup.
Crunchy!
Ricardo?
Come here please.
Are you sure you can
write in longhand?
Yes.
You're sure?
Yeah, sure.
Look.
What is this?
So many mistakes you get 0.
I got the date wrong?
In dictation we use letters,
not numbers.
Are you sure you learned
longhand?
Why had I told Aline that?
Sometimes I couldn't help it.
Better to lie than look dumb.
Why not tell me?
It's the school reform, I guess.
They didn't teach us right.
Good Lord.
The school reform.
Poor you!
I won't count this.
I'll give you another chance.
We'll forget this,
you'll do it over tomorrow.
Thanks.
Anne, come here.
- Would you help me?
- Yes?
Help Ricardo practise
his longhand during recess
this afternoon.
OK.
I asked you because
you're our top student.
Thanks, Aline.
Back to your seats.
Anne's desk was in front
so I'd only seen her back.
Seems she never got less than 90.
She was a brainiac,
but without the glasses.
And she was damn pretty.
I didn't know the expression yet,
but it was definitely
love at first sight.
Aline?
I n '81 the furthest I'd gone
was a french kiss with...
None of your business!
A girl last year.
Mom said I had Italian hair,
and girls like that.
As a barmaid,
she knew about flirting.
S he had it down pat.
Plus, she knew fashion.
For me, fashion meant
a neat part down the middle
equal on both sides.
It looked great when I wet my hair.
So cool!
Only thing, my bum was a bit fat,
so I always pulled down my sweater.
Try not to lift your pencil.
Like this.
I mean, you can,
but I find it looks neater.
I know.
So far we'd just talked longhand,
but I started to wonder if,
Anne Tremblay,
even though she didn't wear glasses,
was maybe like
all the other brainiacs, a PhD,
Pure, hard-working, devout...
Except that, believe it or not...
She pretended to get down to work
and held her arm
right against mine, darn it.
I could feel a french kiss coming.
S he sure was weird, Anne Tremblay.
Believe it or not,
for the rest of the day, I swear,
she ignored me.
She acted like nothing
had happened.
Even worse,
the next day, she kept it up.
And all the rest of the week.
What was it with girls there?
The week after,
it got so that's all I thought about.
All the time.
The longer she kept it up,
the harder I fell for her.
I felt like Candy running after
that bastard Grandchester.
When we played dodge ball,
I tried to get hit quick.
Kids thought I sucked,
but all I wanted was
to stare at Anne Tremblay.
I don't know if you've tried,
but when you look at someone
that much,
you get to know their clothes.
I still remember the day
she got her K-Way.
It's a jacket with no zipper.
Get the wheelbarrow.
It's a K-Way.
All the kids have them.
Ricardo!
- What?
- There's no newspaper delivery here.
- So?
- So you could do it.
Don't let someone else
beat you to it.
It pays well, good tips.
Yeah.
Your dad and I can't support you
all your life.
Yeah, yeah.
Your cousin delivers papers.
He bought himself
a motocross bike.
I know, I saw it.
Benito?
Why not ask Jean-Marie
to help build the deck.
That's his job.
Sure, he'll build it in a day.
He says it makes no sense
building it in the fall.
Why, what's the problem?
You must be doing it wrong
if it's taking so long.
What's the rush?
Your mother!
Know what's great about a K-Way?
Dad?
Dad?
Benito, answer him!
- What?
- How much do you earn a week?
- Why are you asking?
- Butt out!
- Dad?
- What?
Don't answer!
I have the right to know!
- Mom!
- Not your business!
I can't know how much my
parents earn? Talk about dumb!
$300 a week.
$300 a week.
Enough to buy a K-Way!
- Don't tell him!
- Why not?
He'll think we're rich,
ask for more stuff.
That's not why I asked!
Where's Caramel?
It's bath time! Upstairs!
I can't find him.
We'll look after your bath.
If I wanted to ask for something,
I needed a plan.
Dad?
You know, about the K-Way...
I think I have an idea.
Instead of you and Mom
buying it for me,
I could buy it myself,
like Renato and his motocross.
Where'll you get the money?
That's it...
I thought that maybe you and Mom
could pay me every week.
Lots of parents do that.
At my old school
lots of parents did.
Pay you?
Yeah.
That way I could save up
till I have enough in my account.
Like Normand Drolet.
His dad gives him
On Fridays, I think.
- Fridays.
He gave him 3 bucks, that's it.
He couldn't ask for more.
How will you earn the money?
I just told you.
You'd give me the money
and I couldn't ask you for more.
What's wrong?
So you want a salary
every week on Friday?
Well, Friday...
Maybe Saturday. I'll tell you.
Saturday's good.
No, Friday!
So you want a salary
every Friday. $3.
Well, with Normand it was $3.
Normand's Normand. You're you.
With $3 you can't do anything.
You need at least $5.
Yeah, I dunno. Maybe.
Think it over,
cause you can't ask for more later.
No no, 5 bucks.
So we agree?
You get a salary every Friday.
Like for a job?
Your job is you won't ask for more.
- Right.
- We agree?
I don't know.
Why not?
Your friend Normand...
He costs $3.
For the same job you cost $5.
So it makes more sense
for me to hire Normand.
How did he always manage
to outfox me?
It was dumb cause I knew
I'd get the money later,
in university.
Mom told me after Scouts once.
You draw well, right?
You'll study that in university.
You'll be an architect one day.
No, sorry.
It was driving home from hockey.
You draw well, right?
You'll study that in university.
You'll be an architect one day.
I still had a long way
till I became an architect.
Anyway...
I know Anne Tremblay
brushed my arm on purpose.
You can tell these things.
Get dressed, it's time.
Let's go. Your retainer!
If Caramel's lost,
won't we look for him?
He'll come back.
There's two kinds of people.
Those who read their horoscope,
like Mom.
And who read their horoscope
in secret, like me.
Just in case.
But one day it was right.
It mentioned Anne Tremblay!
It said,
"Communication with your loved
one will succeed."
At recess I was wondering
if I would be more successful
if I spoke to her, or her to me,
when a damn 2nd grader
showed up with the most
amazing gadget I'd ever seen.
Didn't I tell you it was
a school for rich kids?
So it seems the father
of Marc... Marc something...
worked for Sony.
And on his birthday he'd given
him their latest invention.
What's that?
It's a Walkman.
A what?
A mini tape deck.
You can play tapes on it.
Didn't you see the ad on TV?
No.
I'm gonna ask for one
for my next birthday.
You just had it, stupid.
My next one, dumbo!
What did you say?
- My next one.
- No, after?
Even if that jerk was with them -
the kid who called me Crunchy...
I wanted to join them,
the red K-Way gang.
Besides, Mom wouldn't let me join
the Kodiak gang.
They looked like bums.
And forget about those rejects...
Two people aren't a gang.
But these guys, yes!
They looked so flashy
in their red K-Ways.
I just had to find a way
that would make them
want to be friends with me.
Something hot.
Something they needed.
And I found it!
Do you guys have any
Playboy magazines?
- Playboy?
- Yeah.
Playboy, with the naked girls?
Yeah, do you have any?
Why, do you?
Yeah, lots.
If you want, I can bring a few.
I can still see their dumb faces.
I knew I'd won.
They looked just like I did
when my cousin told me the same fib.
On the stairs, I said to myself
being the new kid
was perfect for me.
Nobody knew who I was,
about my crush on Anne Tremblay,
that I was a chicken,
that I thought I was chubby...
Nobody knew nothing!
It was great!
No joke.
I was sure as shit to join the gang.
I just had to buy my red K-Way
and I'd be in.
Anne, 100.
Sylvie,
also 100! Congratulations, dear!
Jean, 96.
You're improving!
Valrie,
So what if she kept ignoring me?
S he probably didn't want others
to know she liked me.
Same as me.
It was just that,
in 6th grade, back then,
most kids were single.
So everybody
was after everybody else.
Nobody said so, so nobody knew.
It was pretty dumb, really.
"Communication with your loved
one will succeed."
Good work, Frdric.
Ricardo?
Sharp, yet?
Yeah, it's sharp.
OK.
"Communication with your loved
one will succeed."
It must mean
I could talk to her first.
Ask her a question.
What would it hurt?
Which line aren't you supposed
to go over?
Which line?
In your notebook,
when you're writing in longhand...
Isn't there a line
you can't go over?
What would it hurt?
Only that, as I recall, it was
the dumbest question I ever asked.
Which line?
Anne? Excuse me?
On top of all, I asked it twice.
You know, the notebook,
when I was learning longhand...
Sometimes when things go wrong,
you're out of luck.
I never should've asked
that damn question!
As soon as I got home
I threw out the horoscope!
Hey, Crunchy?
How'd you get Playboy?
I can't say.
Why not?
Because.
Because why?
Shut up! If he can't say, he can't.
But...
will you have them tonight?
It depends.
Depends on what?
I'll need cash.
- Shit!
- You have to pay?
Yeah, sometimes.
Come on, Crunchy!
Anybody can get 'em, even me.
You?
Yes, me.
Yeah, sure!
I just have to ask
my brother to buy it.
He's not 18.
He still looks it.
He's still in high school. No way!
He repeated a year, bozo!
So? He doesn't look that old.
He started shaving.
He even bought beer.
- He wouldn't lend you his
skateboard. - He did so!
- As if!
- It's just, my mom...
OK, OK! Break it up!
Lemme see.
Maybe I can cop a few for free.
Are we good?
What do you mean, 5%?
The mortgage is going up 5%.
I got that,
but how much does that make?
How much per month?
$250.
But only starting in March.
We should've signed for 5 years.
You never know.
The lady at the bank warned you!
What can I say?
It's never jumped this much.
With the dentist too...
$4000 for a retainer!
Why isn't it covered by
medicare? We're not a bank!
$250!
A guy at the mall offered me
a job Saturdays.
It's not a problem!
We'll find a way.
$250!
Where are you going?
- Biking by the river.
- What river?
- There's a river?
- Who with?
- Kids from school.
- Are they bums?
- No.
- What about your homework?
Don't have any.
Some school. And you had
to learn longhand overnight!
Can't wait to see your marks!
Your new pals better not smoke!
It's already 7!
Yeah, time flies.
Your dad's gonna see
that March comes damn quick!
- 9 o'clock!
- 8.30 and not a minute later!
Now are you gonna call Jean-Marie?
Guys, never stop hitting
the trail of life.
Makes your problems vanish.
I forgot all about my dumb question.
What is it, Crunchy?
Anne Tremblay smokes?
Isn't she the class wiz?
She's a little slut.
Last summer
she played spin the bottle
with Minville.
Minville even slipped her
the finger.
- Minville?
- Yeah!
- He fingered her?
- Yeah.
Her and Nathalie Grandbois!
He fingered 'em both?
Yeah.
- At the same time.
- No, you idiot!
Where'd you hear that?
I was there.
- I played it with them.
- Sure.
Spin the bottle with them?
I guessed as much.
Why?
What were you doing
while he fingered her?
Fingering the bottle!
Fuck you, Marchand!
Fingering's no big deal.
No big deal?
I thought about stuff
at night in bed.
First of all,
I'd have to ask my cousin
what fingering a girl meant.
I knew the guys would bring it up.
I kind of knew where it happened.
But it was all a little vague.
And which finger did you use?
Ricardo, call the man
about a paper route tomorrow.
I've told you 10 times.
Still, the damn Playboys
were the real priority.
I didn't tell you, but...
they kept bringing it up.
I didn't know what to dream up.
Finally I promised to deliver
for Halloween.
I was sure they'd forget by then.
But it was me who forgot.
So I promised them for Saturday
behind the store.
But Saturday it poured.
So I said the next Saturday.
The next Saturday,
the guys wanted to look at Walkmans.
So we put it off another week.
If I sensed they were going
to ask, I changed subject.
You have to go home?
My Mom always insists
that I be back for 8:30 about.
Deep down,
I didn't care about the Playboys.
I had a way bigger problem.
If you played bottle
with Anne Tremblay,
why didn't she say hi in the park?
Why didn't she say hi?
Yeah.
Because.
Because why?
Cause I didn't say hi either, dimwit!
At school does she ever say hi?
He was getting on my nerves!
When you're a liar,
you recognize other liars fast.
Especially beginners.
And he sure wasn't hard to spot.
Why are you asking?
No reason.
Just curious.
Curious about what?
Nothing.
At my last school we didn't do that.
Things were different.
What things were different?
When you played spin the bottle...
Say you frenched, and then met,
like two days later,
or the year after,
you at least said hi.
You did?
Yeah.
Everyone?
Yeah, it's normal.
If you french someone,
you become friends with them.
Maybe not at your school,
but that's what we did.
We didn't pretend nothing
happened. That's just dumb.
I don't believe you.
- How could you be sure?
- About what?
About those who'd done it?
That everyone said hi?
No, that everyone who said hi
had frenched.
Look, it's as if at your old school,
everyone who said hi had
frenched. It's impossible.
No, when I say everyone,
I mean in my class or my grade.
Not the whole school.
It's still impossible.
Did you say hi just to girls
from your grade you'd frenched?
You couldn't say hi to others?
No, I mean people
who'd played bottle
and who said hi after frenching.
Didn't those who hadn't frenched
say hi too?
- Sure.
- You see, it doesn't work!
How could you tell
if they'd frenched or not
if those who hadn't also said hi?
Because we knew who'd frenched
and who hadn't.
But how could those who hadn't
played be sure?
Just forget it.
See, I told you, it doesn't hold!
I explained it badly.
Anyway, I think it's weird.
I'm having one more.
- You?
- No.
If I tell you something,
promise not to blab?
See,
Anne Tremblay doesn't talk to me
because of this summer.
I didn't want to go steady.
She's been mad ever since.
That's all.
She wanted to go steady?
Yeah, but...
I didn't.
Why didn't you want to?
It was boring.
All she did was roller-skate.
Every Sunday she asked me
to go with her.
I didn't want to.
Why not?
I just didn't.
Oh no?
Well, if he didn't want
to go roller-skating,
I knew somebody who did.
Stop it, you're so handsome.
My little playboy!
You look real sexy in that outfit.
The girls will be all over you!
You know, I'm a bit jealous.
You'll come get me at 5 when it ends?
Yeah.
Can you even skate?
Easy, I've done it before.
Done it before, my ass!
If I'd skated before,
I wouldn't have listened to Mom.
I wouldn't have worn
my confirmation shirt
or my skin-tight pants.
I would've had my own skates,
not these clunkers,
or had to practise for an hour
in the john.
But it didn't really matter.
Anne Tremblay wasn't there.
Or the week after.
Or the week after that.
But after a month, pow!
S he came...
dressed exactly like me.
You won't believe it, but as soon
as I spotted her, I went over and...
Not true, she didn't come.
The week after, ask her...
Cause I stopped going.
Caramel!
Mom?
I have to bring an object
that means something to me.
For show and tell in class.
Your closet's full of stuff.
Not old junk,
it has to be something important.
What do you want me to say?
I don't know.
Take your new cap.
No way!
Who's asking,
the crazy longhand lady?
- Damn!
- What did you say?
Darn!
Nadia?
Are you ready?
What's your object?
- There's nothing.
- You, Mr Packrat?
Can we leave food outside
in case Caramel comes back?
There's nothing in your room?
I bet if I look,
I'll find lots of stuff!
It has to be interesting,
not just anything.
Like, if I had a Walkman,
that would...
Give your Oneman a rest!
We're not buying you one!
But this counts towards my mark.
They cost more than a car.
You don't have to pay $300
to get a good mark.
Nadia's braces cost $4000!
What? It's true!
You should be ashamed!
We didn't buy them for fun!
You were whining you couldn't
buy a microwave because of it.
I was not.
I heard you say that on the phone.
No, I said we couldn't buy a microwave
till we paid for Nadia's braces.
- What's the difference?
- I dunno, I don't care!
You're going to need braces too.
We'll have to fork out again,
and we'll never get a microwave.
So forget your Oneman!
- Walkman!
- You still won't get it.
So how can I buy myself stuff?
Work! I told you 100 times
to call about delivering papers.
OK.
Nadia, slowly.
I can't understand.
Caramel's not used to here.
We should look for him.
He'll be OK.
You should get ready.
Here.
Take this.
What do you mean?
Renato gave you them.
Your cousin's important, right?
But I'll look dumb with marbles.
What will other kids bring?
I dunno, but it's for marks.
Here, you can take this!
You can say that the most
important thing in your life
is that catalog!
You can be sure
you'll be original
with your catalog!
Will you help me
look for Caramel after school?
No, I can't.
Why not?
Because.
Because why?
Because because.
Damn Germans!
If I'd been there
when they torched Dad's school,
I'd have explained
they were making a mistake
and that others would suffer
as a result.
Hello, Ricardo Trogi,
Consumer's Distributors.
Yes?
This is a Walkman.
It's really cool.
- Wow.
- Come on.
They'd have understood.
Guys love gadgets.
This is my sister's.
Your sister's?
Alright.
And why is it important to you?
Well, it's real expensive.
It's expensive.
Is that all?
I mean, it did cost $9000.
$9000?
You sure?
I think that's what my mom said.
But we bought it new.
It's always more expensive new.
But you, Ricardo?
You couldn't find
anything important to you?
That represents something unique
for you,
even if it's not expensive?
Well, yeah, but,
we just moved
so I couldn't find one.
Describe it, at least.
No?
Sorry.
Go sit down, it'll come to you.
Anne, please...
Can you present your object?
Dammit!
I brought this.
- What is it?
- A marble.
Why's it important?
S hit!
My cousin gave it to me
just before he died.
Goodness!
How old was your cousin?
My age. He had cancer.
You poor dear.
When I miss him,
I hold it in my hand,
and it's like he's there.
We always played marbles
in the hospital.
But at one point he got too weak...
I'm sure your cousin can see
you now
and he's very happy to see
how much you care about that marble.
He was really nice.
Can I borrow your marble?
Go sit down.
You see, class,
Anne had the best example
of what I wanted to get across.
It's not the dollar value
that makes an object important.
It's not that.
It's not about money.
It's the sentimental value.
It's the object's story,
the story that it represents
and makes it unique.
This marble is unique.
What does the Little Prince
say at the end?
What does he say?
- He says...
- Not you, Anne. Someone else.
Jeez, don't you ever listen?
He says,
"Anything essential
is invisible to the eyes."
"Anything essential
is invisible to the eyes."
I'm not exactly sure why I did it,
but I knew it would help me
get closer to Anne Tremblay.
Even if the essential
wasn't in the marble,
at least I had a tiny bit of it,
it seemed.
Dad?
What thing...
would you leave me if you died?
What thing?
I mean,
if you died, is there a memento
you'd like me to keep?
Like what?
Something that you'd give me
and I'd keep.
Something special.
You want money?
That's not it.
Just forget it.
Here he is.
What?
This is Mr Vermette,
from the newspaper.
Hi there, Ricardo!
Hello.
You're a big guy.
Yeah.
Caramel!
Hello, would you like
home delivery of the Sun?
No thank you.
Damn!
- What did you say?
- Darn!
I knew that would happen.
That's why I didn't call.
And also cause...
I'm embarrassed to say this.
Don't spread it around,
but I didn't have to work.
When I needed cash,
I'd just ask Mom
while she was on the phone.
You shoulda seen his face!
Mom, can I have a buck
to go to the store?
It's in my purse.
S he'd always say yes.
There you are.
Did you come home with Nadia?
Why?
Did you, yes or no?
I think so, yeah.
- Think so or know so?
- What's wrong?
Some neighbors
just brought her home.
- She got lost looking for
Caramel. - Caramel!
Listen, bud!
It's time
you start thinking of others.
What if she'd been hurt?
Relax.
Or a maniac had found her?
What maniacs?
She asked you to go.
She never asked me to...
Don't start lying to my face now!
She asked but you refused.
You thought only of yourself.
No, I tried to find damn customers
for your damn newspaper!
Leave the newspapers out of it.
You rang at two doors, then
bought candy. It's all over your face.
It was to reward myself.
While you were stuffing your
face with rewards, she got lost.
You made me deliver papers!
So what?
You'd have found
another excuse not to go.
You want me to deliver papers
so you get your horoscope.
Wash up and go to your room.
No Bionic Woman.
You wanted to move
into a big house.
There were no woods before.
It's your fault!
What did you say?
Dad said we shouldn't
have moved here.
You're making us live
beyond our means.
We can never buy anything here.
What?
You wanted a big house,
but your jobs aren't good enough.
You live beyond our means.
I live beyond our means?
That's right.
You're telling me
I live beyond our means?
That's a good one!
You're so wrapped up
in yourself, you're blind.
Have you ever wanted for anything?
Answer me!
- My hockey...
- You've never wanted for anything!
You've never gone hungry either.
You've loads of clothes,
a Star Wars bedspread,
another new bike.
First baseball, now Scouts.
Anything you want,
you bug us till we give in.
You always get what you want!
It's never enough.
The next day you start again.
"I want this."
"Why can he have one and I can't?"
Do you know how sick you make us,
always asking for stuff?
You're like a robot programmed
to ask over and over.
It's never enough.
How long will you keep it up?
The bad mom who lives
beyond her means
wants to know if she has to get
another job to pay.
You think we work just to buy
you more goddamn stuff.
We slave away, but who notices?
You're the only one who counts.
Alright.
Open your ears and listen good.
From this night on,
I'm thinking of myself.
You want something?
Buy it with your paper money.
I won't buy you another thing.
Don't ask me or your dad.
We won't pay.
Your Oneman, mountain bike,
K-Way...
all the crap
from your goddamn catalog...
You want something? You buy it!
You're absolutely right.
I'm done living beyond our means.
I'll take your advice.
I'm not finished!
Save your first pay,
cause if the cat doesn't come back
you'll buy your sister another one.
Caramel!
I thought Mom would apologize
for what she'd said.
But she didn't come down.
Why'd I think that?
S he never ever apologized.
S he was like me.
HONESTY
Alright.
There's something we have to settle.
While discussing important objects,
I put Anne's marble on my desk.
When I went to give it back to her,
it wasn't there anymore.
So if somebody took it,
even as a joke,
well, it's not funny!
I know a marble
doesn't mean much to you.
But for her it represents a lot.
And you all know why.
So if someone knows
where the marble is,
tell me right now.
I'm waiting.
Alright.
Open your desks everybody.
If no one confesses,
I'll shoot someone at random
every five minutes.
Can we go?
Wait.
For what? The price to drop?
What about the Playboys?
Any day.
- What's the snag?
- It's been forever.
They're at home in a closet
next to the kitchen,
so I have to be alone.
Just get up before everyone else.
I want to be alone.
I knew your story about the
Playboys wasn't true, Crunchy.
Still think it's funny
to call me that?
Crunchy!
Think you're the first?
Calm down.
Do I make fun of your name,
Bernatchez?
Go ahead, I don't care.
You don't care?
You don't care if I make fun of you?
I don't give a shit.
Alright then.
From now on...
From now on I'm gonna call you,
Berna-shit!
There, real funny, huh?
Plante came up with that.
In first grade.
- Shut down!
- No way.
- You are so shut down.
- I am not.
If you're not shut down, then answer.
If anyone's shut down, it's you.
You're the one shut down,
Crunchy.
I could say you're always broke.
At the store,
we always have to lend you money.
You don't even have ten cents
for a can of pop.
I'll pay you back.
No you won't.
I'll pay you back.
How will you pay us?
How? Your dad's on welfare.
You're such a blabbermouth.
I knew too.
Everybody knows.
If you don't have the Playboys,
tell us. Stop stringing us along.
Why would I make it up?
Then bring them to school Monday.
To school? Are you nuts?
You always have an excuse.
Look. I'll bring 'em
to the store tomorrow.
But you bring our cash.
Or no Playboys.
I have cash.
Dad's not on welfare now.
He's working up north.
I have cash. I'll pay you back.
Wait.
Crunchy, that guy nodded at you.
Crunchy?
Hello?
Hello?
Mom never let us eat that.
If he'd bought it, it must be
because he'd seen me run away.
He's weird sometimes.
It's like he knew I felt bad,
and he was sorry.
Once when I'd just started hockey,
I scored on our own goalie,
and he still cheered.
I wasn't really hungry.
I'd just scarfed four Mr Freezes.
But I couldn't waste fried chicken.
I grabbed the honey,
and my appetite came back.
Mom sure could set me off!
Seems someone in your class
is ashamed of his dad's job.
Who is Ricardo Troggy?
Say what?
Not Troggy. It's Trogi.
Know him?
He's my brother.
Where is he?
There.
What's with you?
He's always mean.
Ashamed of your sister too?
Lie again and it'll be the last lie
you ever tell, understand?
Sure.
But I'm not ashamed of Dad.
Marchand?
His dad said hi and he ran away.
Blabbermouth! Why'd you say it?
We gave him a Walkman.
I had no choice.
You'd have done the same.
You're so shut down, Crunchy.
Get him over there.
- We don't have all day.
- Wait!
Wait!
Can I speak to you
in private please?
I'll give you 10 seconds.
With guys like him...
What?
I figured only one thing
could save me.
Do you Nazis have Playboy?
Playboy?
I've got lots.
I have enough for your whole gang.
Where are they?
Not far.
Where, not far?
Well, at home.
If only I'd known...
What?
We burned down the entire street.
Nothing's left.
Sorry, kiddo.
Are you going to kill me for real?
Sure, this is war.
Everyone suffers.
Right, Crunchy?
Seriously?
Can I tell my dad something?
I wish I could, but time's running out
and stores close at 5.
The guys want to buy
calculator watches.
Damn.
What was that?
Darn.
Ready.
Aim.
Fire!
I don't believe it.
Mom was right.
I was blind.
Go to hell!
Who had fried chicken?
There's a box in the trash.
I did.
You know I don't like it.
They've found rats in it.
Where's Dad?
Working, why?
What's wrong?
I have something to tell you.
- Have you been smoking?
- No.
I wanted to say I'm sorry.
I'm sorry for bugging you
about the stuff in the catalog
and the K-Way
and all the other stuff too.
I'll never ask you
to buy me anything.
Except for birthdays and Christmas.
That's all.
What's wrong?
Nothing.
I'm tired, that's all.
I'm just tired.
I'll go do my homework.
I didn't want to tell you.
Whenever I had to say
something serious,
to tell the truth,
I don't know why,
but my throat got tight.
I felt like I was going to cry.
Just like when I listened to ABBA sing
The Winner Takes It All.
My throat got so tight,
I couldn't finish.
I needed a glass of water.
The next morning I wanted
to apologize as soon as Dad got up.
If I said it fast,
I could finish
before I started crying.
I had a glass of water ready, but...
I wanted to try without.
Your dad and I are going to see
Starmania tonight
with Uncle Vasco and Aunt Wilma.
They're driving in.
You'll mind Nadia.
Is Renato coming too?
No.
Speaking of him...
Wilma said you called Renato
to ask what fingering a girl means.
Next time, save us
the long distance call and ask me.
I think I know
as much as a 13-year-old.
Dad?
Yesterday at the mall,
it was...
it was...
It's OK.
We're selling the house.
We just moved in.
It's too expensive.
We can't manage it.
Don't tell your sister.
Not till she finds her cat.
The urge to cry wasn't an illness,
it was in the family's genes.
I was stuck with it for life.
Come on, Crunchy!
Wait up!
What's going on?
Shit!
Godammitall!
Fuck!
I don't know
when I can pay you back.
I'm so pissed off.
I'll tell you something true.
And in return,
you'll tell me something true.
Like what?
Those Playboys...
I don't have them.
Dammitall!
It was my way to make friends.
Will you be able to get some later?
I don't think so.
My parents won't buy me
a K-Way either.
Maybe for my birthday.
I don't have anything
like that to say.
Know who could get us some?
Christ, Marchand!
Never seen a naked broad?
Shut up, you're a pain!
Did you spin the bottle with Anne?
Yeah.
For real?
Yeah, sure.
In her garden shed?
You have a crush on her.
Why not admit it?
Because.
Say it.
I just did.
Well I don't believe
Plante's ever frenched.
Same for you.
We've never seen your sexy cousin.
If you frenched,
why don't you ever say hi?
- Because.
- Because why?
He's lying. He's got a crush too.
What's the diff?
Why not say it?
I don't have a crush on her.
You can't even keep a secret!
We said we'd say stuff
that's true, and that's true.
But that's personal.
So?
If you want to get personal,
talk about yourself.
I don't have a cousin in Montral.
When I go to Montral, it's...
It's to see my dad.
He's in prison.
He said he'd be getting out
after Christmas.
But it won't be for 5 more years.
I'll be in grade...
I'll be finishing high school.
I didn't spin the bottle with her.
I just spied on her.
I have a crush on Anne Tremblay.
And...
my parents are getting divorced.
OK, you don't have to invent stuff.
Mom moved out three months ago.
Dad makes my lunches.
They're gross.
And Mom doesn't make me
be home for 8:30.
It's me, I'm scared
of biking in the dark.
It's true.
Are you joking?
No, don't make fun of me.
Come on, lay off.
- That's mean.
- I'm scared!
Screw you, Plante!
I think that's how it happened.
I can't really remember the rest.
I didn't tell 'em I was moving.
But I wanted to tell Anne.
Just her.
Yes, sonny?
Is this Anne Tremblay's house?
Funny, I thought I'd bought it.
You're soaked.
Yeah, I know.
Anne's gone roller-skating.
I'm getting her at 7.
Come back later.
It's just...
Can you give her this for me?
It's from Ricardo.
You have it?
Just tell her...
I'm sorry.
Don't apologize,
we've got tons of 'em.
Fucking hell!
It happened 26 years ago
and I still obsess about it.
What was I thinking?
The damn truth only works
if everyone's telling it.
If it's only you, it's useless.
Mom?
Ricardo, come downstairs!
Easy now.
Caramel's a girl!
She has kittens!
The man who gave it to me
said it was a male.
Even if we weren't sitting
exactly like that,
all smiling together,
that's how it happened, I swear.
Caramel reappeared the same
night as what's essential.
As I lay in bed I asked myself
why Anne Tremblay made that up.
I never asked her.
I kept on hoping
till the end of the year,
but she never looked at me.
That may sound sad, but it isn't.
I know that in 1981,
Anne Tremblay rubbed her arm
against mine
on purpose.
SUBTITLED WITH THE ASSISTANCE
OF TELEFILM CANADA