Così come sei

STAY AS YOU ARE

Excuse me, do you know where the gardener is?

The gardener...

Thanks...

- Good morning... - Good morning...

I'm Giulio Marengo. I've come from Rome to...

ask a bit of a delicate question.

I know this garden vey well and I remember having seen... I don't know... a statue of Diana.

Ah, yes! Of course, it's over there. Down there.

This is the situation. I'm re landscaping the garden of Carracci here in Florence.

He has seen the statue of Diana. He's sort of obsessed with her and... wants to buy it.

Nothing is for sale here, not even a dy leaf.

- Bye, Osvaldo. - Oh! Goodbye, dear.

You realize that the bus has already left, how are you going to get home now?

I've already taken care of it.

In what direction are you going?

To Florence.

If you'll be patient a moment I'll give you a ride.

I'm not patient!

Can you take me to Florence?

You've changed your mind?

Yes. How did you recognize me?

It wasn't difficult.

Come on, get in.

I come here intending to concentrate on my book, but if I finish a page it's a lot.

Listen, what do you think of the death of the cypresses?

Only... that they're dying.

Oh... because I noticed that you're studying botany...

Tuscany is at risk of changing, you know?

I think it's better to have a landscape more natural, with less history. In short,

less made-over.

For eKample, I've never been to The Uffizi Galley and I swear I don't need it.

Well, I know the answer to what a girlfriend asked me.

Are we sticking with the theme of museums or have you turned the page?

I've turned the page.

Ah, great. So what is it your friend has asked you?

What is to me the most attractive thing about a man.

Ah... what is it?

Before I was torn between three or four things. But now... now I know.

- The hands. - The hands...?

The hands have a language.

They say what you feel.

Just now, while you spoke of the cypresses...

You felt a strong desire to touch me.

Well... l hadn't noticed.

Well, they want to, they want to touch me.

Maybe...

Wait a minute, I have to check on something here.

What's wrong, are you so afraid of me?

I'll be right back.

Wait. Just one caress.

Ah, excuse me.

Take this. There you'll have a good explanation.

Hello?

Hi, I'm the one with the hands.

You were right. They were eager to touch you.

Why did you run off?

When we meet, I'll explain.

Sorry.. I didn't know...

No, never mind. I'm going to bed. I didn't even see you.

- The house is for us two. - Oh, I see.

She told me to come back later but I was tired of walking.

And besides it's cold.

She's quite a character. I mean... you're both vey nice.

When it's her turn. She sleeps in the 1st class waiting room at the station.

But I'm scared of all those horny men.

You know... those guys who buy magazines and then sit and masturbate in the toilet.

Hey, why all these old people?

Well... she likes to observe them... study them.

What are your names?

Whose, hers or mine?

Both.

Francesca and Cecilia.

Tell her that at noon I'll be in the Caf? Revoir.

Hey, Cecilia will you do me a favor?

Okay, bye.

Goodbye.

And what's your name?

Giulio.

Ah, okay. Goodbye.

Goodbye.

So I started classes at the Institute of Restoration.

I still work on a magazine. But even that, less and less.

I've become a magician!

Always have been.

The truth is that after the flooding I've been busy.

People are afraid of thieves.

They carry the boxes to the bank they hid in the basement...

they're broken down, and I take them to restore them.

And you?

I'm in the midst of this disaster...

I keep taking care of trees, gardens, flowers.

In these times it's a privilege.

Yes, because as things are...

Coffee? Two coffees.

Yes, sir.

Have you married?

Yes, you even sent me a wedding present.

- No... - Yes, a painting, a tempera.

"The Ducks"! If you only knew how I searched

and it turns out you already had it true.

- Can I buy it? - No.

You love them, right?

Not me, but my wife does.

Hello!

- You know it's been a century since I've seen you... - Really.

- Are you listening to me? - Of course not?

- Hi Lorenzo. - Hello Francesca.

That's Francesca's latest boyfriend.

Have you known her long?

No, I met her yesterday.

I was atVilla Garzoni looking for a statue for a garden I'm landscaping and...

You know who she is? It's Fosca's daughter.

Fosca who? What do you mean who, your great love!

Twenty years ago... or more. Don't you remember Fosca?

Ah, yes Fosca... Fosca! The four of us would always go out together.

You with that fat one... what was her name?

Teresa. If you saw her today, a disaster.

She became a gossip. Neurotic like few others.

And to think she was so... beautiful, sweet, exuberant...

Well, then in bed...!

And Fosca?

You don't know?

She died over 5 or 6 years ago.

Well, of course. You made a century disappear.

She's even prettier than Fosca.

On the other hand, she doesn't look much like you.

Luckily for her, poor thing!

She doesn't look much like me? What are you saying, what do you mean?

No, not I who says so. It's Teresa who insists on it.

Insists on what?

But, no... it's said in jest...

To go around saying these things...

But excuse me, tell me what she said...

But... Teresa is a charlatan.

About me, for eKample, she says horrible things that you can't imagine.

- Well.. She can say whatever she likes about you.

- It doesn't matter! - She's an oddball that...

Look... besides I remember perfectly.

Almost a month later didn't she leave with that guy from Trieste?

Who was he? An engineer... in construction he had business abroad.

- Yes. - Ah, then?

She followed him to Africa or some other part of the Third World.

That's where Francesca was born.

He built bridges and roads... I don't know.

Fosca returned to Florence after a few years.

She left him, taking the girl... Francesca. It's natural.

But as you go around saying those things that...

- Teresa? You're still thinking about her? It's one of Teresa's tall stories.

You can't know now if it's your daughter or not, forget it.

Trust me.

It's not.

Francesca was born on July 10 a year later.

I have it down, exactly.

Life is a boomerang, my dear Giulio.

You do silly things and zing! It flies right back at you.

How's Lorenzo? I don't know if you've seen or talked to him.

Don't try to pretend with me.

It's useless. Since he left, me... Well, since I left him

He's become a crook.

Still hard feelings? Even though a lifetime has passed.

He continues to be a scoundrel, and vicious.

Anyhow, back to Fosca.

Do you realize that you've invented a story without foundation?

I remember vey well that once before she left with that other guy

I met Fosca, she was pregnant 6 or I months...

and I asked her whether the child was yours.

Why, if she was with that guy from Trieste for a long time?

Oh sure... that ruffian who built all those bridges that collapsed,

but I always thought that the culprit was you!

- Right. - Because you're the same type as Lorenzo.

Once in the field, you forced me to make love to you.

- We were drunk, you know that... - not too "drunk" to make love...

Well! Did Fosca say yes or no?

She didn't say yes or no.

She only smiled.

Lovely... lovely. Thank you.

Unfortunately my son is in love with that statue.

I know, I swear I've done all I could.

I have already told your son a statue like that

can not be bought, I don't know how...

How delightful!

- Is she your daughter? - Who? No, no.

Here you are. Sweet wine and biscotti.

I'll pass.

It's on the house, sir.

Guilia, do you like the mandarin oranges? They're good for the skin, you know...

Not just my face. How 'bout the rest of me.

Francesca, stop it...

I'm going, eh...

No, stay a little more... I'll take you both home in a little bit.

Let's talk for a while...

"We" who? For one hour you haven't opened

your mouth except for sausages, then you ate half my steak.

Well, I know. To you kids it's enough to have

a sandwich, some wine and a motorcycle. You haven't learned the 'culture of the table'.

But she has to go.

I'm leaving.

- I won't be back tonight. - OK.

Can I get a light? Sure.