Behind the Clouds (Achter de wolken)

Frederik, it's raining.

Nothing more lovely than the patter of rain on the roof.

-Grandma? -I'm coming.

I'm coming.

Well?

You look lovely, Mom.

Really, you look wonderful.

There are a lot of people.

Yes. Ma'am.

Frederik wasn't run-of-the-mill. He wasn't your average Joe.

He was a unique and exceptional person.

Not many people know, for example, that Frederik had a talent for drawing.

And that in his youth he obtained a PhD at the University of Leuven.

But he wanted more than a life as an academic. A lot more.

And we all know what he achieved.

I learned a lot from Frederik.

How to run a company…

how to conduct business, how to deal with employees.

But what I'll remember most are undoubtedly our monthly dinners.

He always ordered steak tartare.

And yet, every time we went out to dinner, he'd ask for the menu…

study the dishes, and pretend he had to think long and hard

before saying: "I'll have the steak tartare, ma'am."

I once asked him why he insisted on seeing the menu

if he already knew what he wanted. And he answered:

"Werner, you should always do everything with the wonderment of the first time."

And as his successor, I will retain that philosophy.

Dear Emma, over the years you've had to bear his absence a lot.

All those congresses, all those seminars, all those trips.

But you know like no other, dear Emma, how important you were in his life.

And what you meant to him.

-What is that for? -So you'll have something to eat tomorrow.

-Go to bed, Mom, you're tired. -We're all tired.

-Are you sure you don't want me to stay? -Go on home, dear.

-See you tomorrow, Mom. -Bye, dear.

Are you okay, Mom?

Sleep well.

Okay, ready?

I'm not in the mood.

It will come.

Shall we go back to your room?

-Give it another try. You can do it. -I said, I'm not in the mood.

Soon I'll be a vegetable.

I won't even recognize your tattered face anymore.

-Karel, I understand-- -You don't understand anything.

DEEPEST CONDOLENCES

WANT TO SEE YOU

WHY?

WHERE?

THE SAME PLACE AS 50 YEARS AGO

53 YEARS, 3 MONTHS, AND 6 DAYS

And now, yes.

-Yes. Watch out. -Damnit.

I'll never learn.

-That parking spot is too small. -I told you to make a sharper turn.

-I did it like my instructor told me. -Then get him to practice with you.

Grandma, don't be like that.

I'll just wear a miniskirt, that's more efficient.

Then they might fail you just to see your legs again.

Come on, let's take a break. We'll continue later. Grab your keys.

Yes, he's alright, especially in company. But sometimes when we're alone…

-Here you go. -Thank you.

Well…

Sometimes it's like we have nothing to say to each other.

Strange, isn't it?

Or like he's not interested in the things I'm interested in.

Is that steak tartare?

Do you like him a lot?

-On a scale from one to ten? -For example.

-A six plus. -That's barely a pass.

A seven, then. I don't know.

-Have you ever brought it up? -Not really.

I'm going to grow fat from all these love troubles.

There was a man at the funeral.

Maybe you saw him as well. He left a dart on the coffin.

-Was he a friend of Grandpa's? -Something like that.

It had been more than 50 years since I last saw him.

Nice of him to come to the funeral.

-He wants to see me. -Why?

He didn't say. He sent a message on Facebook.

Facebook? I knew you were on it, but you never respond to my posts.

We used to…

know each other well.

I don't know what to do.

Maybe it'll do you good to talk about Grandpa.

Besides, I'd definitely like to see my current friends 100 years from now.

You know what I mean. It'll be exciting to see what's become of everybody.

He's here already.

-What the fuck. -Is that Björn?

He looks more like a ruttish rhino.

-Go on, sweetheart. -Bye.

-Here, you finish it. -Yes.

STRANGE SOULS BY GERARD VERFAILLIE

OPAL COAST, AUGUST 1966

MOST HEARTFELT GREETINGS FROM AFAR -GERARD

Right on time.

You wouldn't have wanted to miss Harry's worms, right?

No.

WHERE WERE YOU?

TRY AGAIN TOMORROW?

My condolences.

It's starting to rain.

-Shall we look for cover? -Yes.

Come, let's get under the canopy.

-What's so funny? -I don't know. I'm laughing at us.

Do we look that silly?

Nothing more lovely than the patter of rain on the roof.

-Kebab. Have you ever had it? -No.

At least we'll be dry in there.

I read it in the paper.

You should be ashamed of yourself, with your dart.

It was my way of saying goodbye. We always played darts.

I know that.

I threw it away as soon as I came home.

And then that message on Facebook.

Well…

-It may have been a bit impolite, I admit. -Four words.

"Want to see you." You didn't even sign it.

-I thought-- -That's not impolite, that's--

-Inept, perhaps? -Deranged, that's a better word.

I started over at least ten times.

A long letter, a short letter? "Madam," "Dear madam"?

"Dearest Emma"?

-What do you say after so many years? -Not much, apparently.

I'd imagined this encounter very differently.

Things don't always happen the way you imagine them.

At your age you ought to know that.

He was my best friend.

I shouldn't have come.

-Did I say something wrong? -This was a mistake.

Sorry, Gerard.

It's better if we don't see each other again.

Mom?

-What happened to you? -I went into town.

In this weather?

-Alone? -Of course.

-I'm going crazy here. -Why didn't you ask me to come?

-Isn't it more fun with someone else? -Yes.

Here.

-I don't have my glasses on. -They're large letters, Mom.

-"Dance Club Parasol." -You always enjoyed that.

-With Dad. -Your father and I never danced.

-You'll get to know new people. -I know plenty of people.

Besides, I don't have time. I have to practice with Evelien.

Mom, you know why she does that, don't you?

-So you leave the house every so often. -It's not my thing.

Okay, then stay inside and don't talk to anyone.

And if you want to go into town, don't call anyone. Just do everything alone.

Now please sit down.

I go into the garage, and I see him sitting on the ground next to his bike.

I make myself a cheese sandwich and remember he prefers ham.

I open the fridge and see the hot sauce he always put in his soup.

Whatever I do or don't do, I can't stop thinking about him.

Like I don't know who I am without him.

What did you expect, Mom? It takes time.

Yes.

Sometimes I wonder if it's all still worth it.

What are you saying?

Come on, eat something.

Werner called. About those shares.

Isn't it better to get rid of them? What can you do with them?

It was his life's work.

That company never interested you.

Tell that Werner of yours to prepare the paperwork and contact me.

He's not "my" Werner.

What are you doing here?

-You gave me a fright. -I know it's not customary, but…

-May I come in for a bit? -Do you know what time it is?

-I was in bed already. -Just to talk.

It won't take--

Are you okay?

-I should sue you, for trespassing. -I figured I'd take the risk.

And then throw pebbles like a teenager.

-An elderly Romeo. -And will you be my Juliet?

You know how it ended with those two, right?

-Why didn't you just call? -That stings.

-Don't be squeamish. -Well, I am squeamish.

You should have seen yourself.

Suddenly you disappeared behind that wall.

Sorry.

-Is it okay? -Yes, it's okay.

I could use something strong.

Doesn't she look just like her father?

The girl in the photo you were looking at.

-What's her name? -Jacqueline. Jacky.

-And your granddaughter? -Evelien.

Evelien.

Nice flowers.

Do you ever think of the olden days?

It's so long ago.

Do you have kids?

Married twice, a son from each marriage.

Been divorced for seven years now.

Apparently I'm only capable of winning a woman's heart, not of staying with her.

You never met the right one.

I did, once.

But like you just said…

that was long ago.

But I did have a distraction from time to time.

-You call them distractions? -Yes.