AZOTUSLAND chapter nineteen

When the film ended Manfred excused himself.

"Manfred, where are you going?" Jim asked.

"Tivo Sahib!" and he clapped his hands "Oh Joy!" and scampered off.

"Hes zon idiot,"Hans said.

"Well initial responses?" Jim asked.

"Vell Jim za whole translation was all wrong except for Peter Falk's part."

"Well, we're kinda at a loss on that part Hans. None of us speak German." he said. "Was there a certain part that seemed utterly wrong?"

"Vats da point Jim?" he said "I can only tell you in German."

"Anyone else?" Jim asked.

River raised her hand and said "I think it was interesting how they were invisible yet could hear all the inner monologues of the people, yet they seemed symathetic."

"They seemed sad and pensive," said Renata.

The conversation wound around for about 25 minutes with people getting up and helping themselves to different hings they had brought to share.

Rand spoke up toward the end.

"Can we see the words from the last speech that she gives in the bar?"

"Of course," Jim said smiling.

He hit a few buttons onthe remote and it switched to a website.

"Not to be alramed," Jim said. I actually asked Rand to ask that question and I cued this up several hours ago. If our WiFi is up and running we shd be good."

The screen changed to a picture of the final scenes in the bar.

"this an other sections of the film were written by Peter Handke, who often works with Wenders. Wenders likes to work with other artists in an open way. Notables have been U2 and Brian Eno, but as you can see in this film Nick Cave was his choice.

The words:

I must put an end to coincidence! The new moon of decision! I don't know if there is destiny, but there is decision! Decide! We are the present now. Not just the whole town, the whole world is taking part in our decision.
We two are now more than just two.
We embody something.
We are seated at the Square of the People, and the entire square is filled with people
who wish the same as we do.
We decide the game for everyone!
I am ready.
It is your turn now.
You have the game in the hand.
Now or never.
You need me. You will need me. There is no greater story than ours, of man and woman. It will be a story of giants, invisible, transferable, a story of new ancestors. Look, my eyes! They are the image of necessity, of the future of everyone in the square.
Last night, I dreamt of a stranger, of my man. Only with him could I be alone, open up to him, completely open, completely for him, let the whole of him enter me completely, surround him with the labyrinth of shared bliss.
I know that it is you.

"Well it is late. My invitiation to you is to go onto Azotuscafe.com tomorrow and take a look at this site. Then write your own responses to any of Peter Handke's poetry or the movie that you found compelling.

"Have a good night and come back soon ...some of you first thing in the morning."

There was laughter and they closed the theater down.

As they did Maugham had slipped into bed and slowly unbuttoned Martine's nightshirt in the candlelight. Her breath expanded as he did and she started to pant a bit. He looked at her as his hand slowly moved down and one long finger slid under dark lace, then around the places most men forget to touch. She gasped awhile later as he pulled her in close and mouthed her in a new way. Her back arched and he felt her left leg finally relax and move away.

Martine took him in fully. She thought after about the long strenuous dance and how his hunger had been so palpable, yet she thought she saw a tear in his eye. But he just smiled and draped his long hair over her breast and fell asleep.