Burrowing (Man tänker sitt)

It's a ridiculous demand everyone makes

that you shall speak so that everyone understand you.

Neither men nor toad-stools grow so.

As if Nature could support but one order of understandings.

As if there were safety in stupidity alone.

BURROWING

Sebastian!

Sebbe!

Sebastian, answer!

Mum's said I'm not to drink the river water...

...as it's so brown and muddy.

It gets pumped up to the gardens where Mum's and my house is.

Sometimes I turn the pump tap on and let the water spurt...

...so the blackcurrant bushes bow

and gooseberries fall off

and the lawn gets all wet and squishy.

Mischa lives furthest down my street.

Anders lives in the house opposite ours.

Jimmy lives with his parents, although he's grown up and has a son.

Jimmy's been thrown out of his home a thousand times.

Jimmy's not allowed a door key of his own

but he borrows keys from neighbours.

Have you got a spare key, to...?

No... To your place? What's happened to your key?

Haven't you go tone?

Never had one - never had the privilege.

How are you then?

Hello.

- I see. - You want to go home, but no key.

- Right. - Come in, until your parents get back.

Well, why not?

You can wait here until they get home as you've nowhere to go.

- There! - Yes, there's that piece of apple.

Use your time with him well.

Jimmy's not going anywhere.

He leads an aimless life, they say.

There's the back hall...

...bathroom and sauna.

A study-cum-library...

They gave me planning permission for one gallery.

I conformed

and then applied to another officer, and I got permission for more.

Someone advised me to exploit...

...to stretch the rules and see how things went.

The house was to be at least six metres from the road.

- But, if I put the garage there... - I thought I heard them arriving.

Anders has got all the things that Jimmy hasn't got.

He's bought his own house, opposite.

When Anders feels things are getting too much, he goes off out for a run.

But Anders has started sleeping badly.

His dad's name is Gert

and he always has white gloves on when he does the gardening.

Mischa moved to Sweden in the 705 for the sake of work.

He was on shifts at the fibreglass works.

One year, two years... maybe three.

But thirty years have passed now, and Mischa is still here.

What are you up to there?

What do you think I'm up to?

What are you staring at? Have you never seen a person before?

- I've seen many. - Have you?

But not me.

What are your names... what's your name?

- Our names are of no consequence. - I see!

What are you up to there?

Mischa owns the house furthest down our street.

Anders has been granted planning permission for a carport over his drive.

Jimmy lives with his parents...

...though he's not allowed his own key.

Right... Here are your sandwiches. Want some milk?

- Yes... - Can you pour it yourself?

No arms on the table.

No... you know you're not to.

You can start with that one - it's got the same filling.

Have a small bite at least.

Strawberry afterwards.

A watch Grandpa and Granny once gave me, on my birthday...

A little gold watch - you must have seen the one.

I went to get it out...

- ...but it wasn't where it usually is. - Wasn't it?

- Do you know where it can have got to? - No.

- I always keep it in my jewellery box. - I've no idea.

- Are you sure? - Yes.

You haven't had a look at it and tried it on maybe?

No.

I don't like getting that grin...

And I don't like seeing that grin, as I don't know what to believe.

- No? - No...

I know you don't.

- Can you help me look later? - Yes.

If you think for a minute, where do you think it might be?

Underneath something.

- Like what? - A cushion.

Underneath a cushion?

Excuse me...

- Have you got a few kronor to spare? - Sorry.

- A few kronor to spare...? - No.

- Could you let me have a few kronor? - No.

What are you doing?

They have nursing rooms indoors there - all you need.

Can't you go inside instead? It's softer... much nicer.

- Do you want trousers, too? - I can hold him while you pull them on.

- This is not alright. - I'm just changing his nappy.

I'll hold this...

Hey, can't you just leave!

No. I can't leave him like that.

Really I ought to report this.

- Go ahead then... - There are nursing facilities in there.

- Where do you live? - We live at home.

Where's home?

What street?

This ought to be reported to Welfare.

Then they'll put him in a care home. You wouldn't want that.

If you don't report me... they will report you.

Yes.

I work at child welfare - we're obliged to report, if we see children suffering.

- But he's not suffering. - If you've got cigarettes...