My Little Loves (Mes petites amoureuses)

You want another toast?

MY LITTLE LOVES

IN MEMORIAM ODETTE AND LOUIS ROBERT

Masini!

Are you on Communion duty?

Behave.

I know him. He's in my class.

At school, he was bigger and stronger than most of us,

but he would never fight.

For no reason, who knows why, I hit him.

I looked in his eyes. There was no anger.

I was getting hard.

I pressed up against her.

We learned something today.

We breathe through mouth and nose.

And through ass, too.

You're kidding.

It says so in my book.

"Two types of breathing:"

"pulmonary and cutaneous."

Cutaneous means through ass.

When you're my age, you'll learn it.

It's a Paramount movie.

Paramount movies are dumb.

You never saw any.

Will you go and see it?

Is the coast clear?

Sometimes they hide farther away. All right, let's go.

See you on the square?

Yes, see you later.

- Will we go to the circus? - Again?

He wants what he sees.

I'll fix him a snack. See you tomorrow.

I've caught a goldfinch.

I'm going to the circus.

And your homework?

Look, a vulture.

What a hunk of meat!

Christian.

She often mistook me for someone else.

I should have done something. I got scared.

Since you couldn't find any wood alcohol, oil or gas,

you will not see my entire act.

I will only do for you my broken-bottle act.

Ladies and gentlemen,

I will smash these bottles before your eyes.

I am smashing them.

See for yourselves. Come closer.

These shards are deadly.

Now I will lie on them.

I invite the heaviest people in the audience

to come and sit on me.

There is no trick here.

This is a live act. The cards are turned over.

Turn over the dangerous pieces.

All right, go on.

Now you can sit on me.

Look, ladies and gentlemen. Blood, but no pain.

My act is over. Thank you for your attention.

- It's your turn next. - No.

- You're scared? - I just don't want to.

She's scared.

Come on, if you're so strong.

Don't be afraid. Jump.

Go on.

Someone's coming. I'm leaving.

I know that girl.

- She's your sweetheart? - No.

I had seen her before, talked to her.

Why was she pretending not to know me?

Hand me your pop gun.

A cork, quick.

I am pleased with you. I must give you a kiss.

- Why? - Your moving up into middle school.

- How do you know? - I read it in the newspaper.

Mrs. Duloup read that I was moving up.

Well, exam results are always in the newspaper.

We'll buy one and keep it.

Can I have money for ice cream?

Beware. If you shoot pellet guns at my daughter again,

you'll get yours.

- Me? - Yes, you.

If you used a pellet gun, she couldn't tell on you.

A 30-cent cone, please.

It's not like a movie. When you kiss,

use your mouth and tongue.

Put your tongue in her mouth.

She does too. Your tongues touch.

That's disgusting.

See you tomorrow.

The next year, my mother came to visit for a few days

with a man she'd never mentioned in her letters.

Hello, sir.

You can call him José.

I've brought you a pen and a comic book.

Come, dinner's ready.

Mom will sleep in your room.

We'll put a cot in the other one.

My mother raved about the weather where she lived.

In October, even in November, I go out in shirtsleeves.

He was Spanish and didn't talk.

In school, I'm studying Spanish.

Will you help me correct my accent?

Will you run some errands?

I'm busy.

José can go.

Don't be silly.

You could go with José,

show him the stores.

Make sure you show him our butcher's.

One of my brothers is a mason

and another one works in cycles.

In cycles? What is it?

Cycles. Bicycles and motorcycles.

He sells and repairs them.

Yes, that's good.

And you?

I'm a farm laborer.

I tend vineyards

and work the land.

After the school year, my mother had decided I would live with her.

There he is.

What is he doing?

He's doing it on purpose. Leave it. We won't chase after men.

Follow my lead.

Well? Follow my lead.

Yes, stay like this.

You're going on a trip?

I am. Grandma's taking me to the station.

- Where to? - My mother's.

- For the summer? - No, for good.

Mom, he's going away for good!

- You're leaving? - Not. He's going alone.

Mom will meet you there. Don't worry.

I'm not worried.

Is it a good seat?

- He's never traveled? - It's his first long trip.

And your ticket?

Ah, here it is.

It's the platform ticket.

I've got it.

Write and tell me if you had a good trip.

Give a kiss to your mom.

Good-bye.

There,

that's the Labor Center.

There, the market.

A movie theater?

There are four.

That's the school.

Is this where I'll go?

We'll see.

The place is cramped.

The landlord promised us the room next door.

It's bigger, but it's not available yet.

We'll put a mattress on the floor.

I hope we won't wait too long for the room next door.

And José?

He's working. He gets back around 7 p.m.

I thought I saw disapproval in her eyes.

It's quite sunny.

Will you get up?

We'll go to the market.

You'll see the town.

I have work to do. You can do what you want.

Read or go for a walk.

Now you know where we live.

Our house is easy to find.

What should I do?

Throw it back. Or give it to the kid.

- Do you want it, kid? - No.

You're on vacation?

Now I am, but I'm going to live here.

Are your folks from here?

No.

My uncle is.

What's his name? I may know him.

Ramos.

He's Spanish. No, I don't know him.

So you're Spanish?

No, I'm not. He's not really my uncle.

He's your mother's husband?

And your father, is he dead?

- Did you like it? - Yes.

Not me. I don't buy it.

I don't like adventure films.

- Will you go to middle school? - Yes.

Will you stay here or go back?

I'll stay and go to school.

Great. If we're in the same class, we can be good friends.

What are they doing?

Strolling.

In the same spot? It's dumb.

No, it's tradition.

This is where boys meet girls. It's always been like this.

Don't do that, I already told you!

Why do we never walk on the paths?

It's a meeting place for every idiot in town.

But everyone goes there, old and young alike.

I was told it's always been like this.