1. THIS WORLD CAN'T TEAR ME DOWN
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2. I don't think I said Cesare's name
for 20 years.
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3. When he disappeared, I didn't even notice
because we didn't hang out anymore.
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4. Until one day, someone,
I think it was Wild Boar, said to me...
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5. - Didn't you know he's in rehab?
- What?
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6. Yes, my mom knows his mom. She told her.
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7. Cesare ill. Getting treatment, he is.
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8. I couldn't believe it either.
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9. When someone disappears,
it means they got rich or got laid.
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10. Instead... rehab! Who'd think of rehab?
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11. Right, who thinks of that?
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12. I'm talking about it
as though I'm street-smart,
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13. but heroin zombies weren't my generation.
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14. I'm not that old!
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15. Not that young either.
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16. My generation was carefree,
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17. when coke and speed were cheap,
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18. and people went around
bug-eyed and jaws clenched,
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19. stabbing, smashing bottles
on people's heads,
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20. and having heart attacks at 35.
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21. But I didn't know anything about heroin.
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22. I mean, I didn't know
where Cesare was exactly.
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23. But I remember as a kid,
I saw people talking on TV
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24. about something bad that had happened
in one of these rehab places.
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25. I can still see the images
of this filthy room,
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26. like a horror movie.
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27. But just a flicker,
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28. because my mom turned it off
as soon as she saw me there.
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29. She didn't want
Mommy's little boy to get scared.
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30. So, when I asked her...
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31. What was that, Mom?
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32. She didn't want to scare me,
but she had this theory
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33. that you mustn't ever bullshit children.
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34. So she said...
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35. Darling, it's a place
where drug addicts are locked away
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36. inside a barrel and beaten to a pulp.
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37. Inside a barrel?
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38. Yes, sweetheart, a barrel.
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39. A real one too. A wooden barrel
that you have to curl up in.
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40. And they keep them there
to punish them, got it?
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41. It's horrible! See what humans invent?
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42. What nasty animals!
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43. Thanks, parent number one!
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44. My psychologist got a fancy car
out of that. Damn you!
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45. Bloody hell,
I know not all rehabs are like that!
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46. There are different approaches
that have saved a bunch of people
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47. without using
the "beat it out of you" model.
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48. But this cartoon isn't
The History of Rehabs,
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49. and the things that traumatized me
most as a kid were that,
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50. and a bit of Army of Darkness
that I saw by accident when I was eight.
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51. That's why, when I heard
that Cesare was in a place like that,
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52. I got that feeling
of claustrophobia once again.
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53. I'd like to say that we made an effort,
we wrote to him,
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54. we made sure
that he knew we were waiting for him.
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55. Or at least that I was,
as he was my friend.
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56. But that's bullshit.
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57. Not because we were mean,
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58. but he couldn't have contact
with anyone from the outside.
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59. Maddalena didn't like talking about it,
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60. and if anyone asked, she just answered...
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61. He's not well,
but getting treatment, he is.
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62. So it got to the point
where no one asked her anymore.
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63. Months went by...
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64. Then years...
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65. And his absence just became normal,
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66. like when you change the furniture at home
and you get used to it.
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67. Things like this scare me a lot.
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68. This natural and relentless sea
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69. that washes everything away
because I don't know how to stop it.
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70. It scares me that someone
who played that big a part in my life,
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71. whom I shared so much with,
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72. can just disappear.
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73. A bit like a comet.
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74. One that flew through our lives.
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75. You got used to seeing it,
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76. then it disappears over the horizon.
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77. You can still see the trail for a bit,
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78. then that disappears too.
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79. Life goes on
as though the comet never existed.
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80. Our lives, I mean.
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81. No one ever thinks about the comet's life,
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82. about what happens to it
after it passes by.
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83. Did you see him when he was hit?
Could you identify him?
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84. I didn't get a good look
because it was chaos,
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85. but it's obvious it was them.
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86. Didn't he tell you?
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87. Didn't he tell you it was those shits?
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88. He was dazed when he got to the hospital.
He says he doesn't remember.
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89. They attacked us. We defended ourselves.
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90. They picked on him
because he's a big baby.
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91. Those lefties have no honor.
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92. When we left the town hall
after that shitty vote,
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93. I was upset because I was thinking...
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94. My God, what the fuck is going to happen
in five days' time? I already feel...
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95. Five days
and you're worrying about it already?
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96. You're ridiculous. Five days is ages!
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97. Did Mazarin not teach you anything?
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98. Five days may never come.
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99. Focus on the present.
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100. Think about Pompeii
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101. and all those people
making long-term plans.
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102. "Let's go to the seaside..."
They all got screwed.
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103. Okay, but if that time does come...
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104. "If it comes."
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105. That's something they said in the 1900s.
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106. Use your head!
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107. Maybe you haven't been told
there's been an anthropological mutation.
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108. Teenagers with bigger thumbs,
the right to work, instability...
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109. There's no point
getting emotionally invested
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110. in anything that lasts longer
than a sitcom episode.
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111. You actually might be wasting
your emotional reserve.
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112. Remember what the endocrinologist said?
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113. Almost depleted.
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114. Only today's worries go here.
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115. These are tomorrow's.
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116. A flashy trunk that is just
out of the corner of your eye.
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117. Everything further ahead in time
gets thrown here.
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118. Removal protocol.
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119. Everything goes here.
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120. From next Wednesday's council meeting,
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121. to melting glaciers
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122. and prostate exams.
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123. See? All vanished.
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124. Now, focus on today.
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125. Watch the finale of Better Call Saul
before you see any spoilers.
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126. Well done, there you go!
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127. Sit on the sofa. Watch TV.
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128. Bury yourself in work
so you won't think about a thing.
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129. Hey, maybe even eat tons of crap.
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130. You won't think about the future
in your glycemic haze.
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131. What a life, my friend!
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132. Living the life of Riley!
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133. No one can stop you now.
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134. Well, I know someone who'd like to,
but never mind.
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135. Hey, what the fuck are you doing?
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136. Today is judgment day
and you're here slobbed out on the sofa?
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137. What do you mean, today?
I was drawing the poster...
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138. You should've thought
about the poster earlier!
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139. You're late
for the Great Battle of East Rome.
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140. Hurry up, damn it!
You have to pick Secco up
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141. and go to the preparatory meeting.
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142. They're waiting for you!
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143. Why do you leave everything
to the last minute?
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144. It just drives me crazy!
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145. Hello, Zero? This is Osvaldo,
from A Random Show. We met last week.
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146. How are you? Everything all right?
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147. Do you remember
you're on the show at 4 p.m.?
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148. Don't worry about getting to us,
we can send a car.
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149. Don't worry, I'll make my own way there.
It's fine. I'm not an idiot.
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150. I'll call you when I'm outside.
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151. Four p.m. on the dot. Great!
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152. How will you make it at 4 p.m.?
You can't leave the riots halfway through.
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153. Don't worry, I've calculated everything.
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154. The town hall meeting is at 2 p.m.
We get there early.
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155. We'll see it's full of police and think...
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156. "Shiver me timbers!"
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157. "You're defended
by the cops this time too!"
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158. We stay there, make a bit of a scene,
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159. we shout, throw something.
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160. We'll be on one side, them on the other.
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161. The chairman will say...
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162. We can't hold the meeting
in these conditions.
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163. All done by 3:30 p.m.
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164. I'll leave the car nearby, dash off,
and go on the show.
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165. All perfect, everything
fitting into place like Tetris.
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166. What if they use filters?
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167. "Filters" here refers to the local custom
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168. of planting disguised individuals
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169. in the nearby streets,
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170. in order to catch small groups
or individuals walking away alone,
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171. maybe to go back to their cars.
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172. Hey, no filter exists that can find me!
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173. Soy turista mexicano!
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174. It's very nice here. It reminds me
of the State of Chihuahua!
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175. So, we arrived at a warehouse
for our prep meeting.
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176. There were all sorts
of beasts and creatures.
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177. Let's say it wasn't exactly a SWAT team.
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178. The neighborhood dinosaurs were there,
some familiar faces from the area,
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179. and some I hadn't seen since Coronavirus,
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180. like Teapot Friend.
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181. The procedure is always the same,
and it's quite simple.
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182. Let's wait for the last few,
we'll make a big group,
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183. and we'll go together
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184. so we can get there early
and set up in the best spot.
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185. Let's check out access to the square,
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186. so if anyone wants to join us there
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187. they won't end up amongst the Nazis.
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188. Has anyone had a look?
Are the cops already there?
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189. The cops are obviously going to be there.
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190. We promoted this disaster.
We literally put up posters.
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191. The cops can't not be there.
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192. What more could we have done?
Send an invitation on letterhead paper?
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193. Not sure. Mariangela went to have a look
on her moped. She'll be back soon.
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194. In the great division of war roles,
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195. the scout lookout is absolutely crucial.
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196. Guys, there are no cops.
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197. It's empty. Maybe one DIGOS car.
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198. But they could have
just been two sad gentlemen
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199. on their lunch break
listening to Biagio Antonacci.
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200. What do you mean, no cops?
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201. I pay my taxes. I want them
to beat me up, not the Nazis.
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202. Are the bad guys there, at least?
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203. No one's there.
And there's no one at the café.
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204. Oh well. No cops, you don't know
how many Nazis will be there...
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205. Sounds perfect. No evaluation at all.
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206. A bunch of fools whose strategy is
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207. crossing your fingers
and "may God have mercy on us."
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208. I like it.
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209. It sounds like
a beautiful crepuscular tragedy.
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210. They'll study it at school one day,
like the Battle of Thermopylae,
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211. but with pheasants
instead of King Leonidas.
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212. All right, guys, I know archery.
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213. I know that we all want to be remembered
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214. as the hero who stood out
by using his sword
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215. and hand-to-hand fighting...
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216. But archers are essential.
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217. They decimate
the enemy army from a distance.
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218. They terrorize them
with a shower of arrows,
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219. disrupting their ranks.
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220. Of course, archers can also grab a stick
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221. and join the warriors,
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222. but it's more for show, as if to say,
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223. "I'm here too!"
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224. It's the others who deliver impact force.
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225. I realize some might be horrified,
and think...
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226. It's 2023!
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227. They're still doing that?
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228. What is this, the Middle Ages?
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229. The answer is...
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230. No, obviously it's not the Middle Ages.
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231. It's an antique metaphor.
I like Game of Thrones.
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232. And it's more grandiose than saying
we're going to pick up a shopping trolley,
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233. fill it with stuff to throw,
and take it with us.
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234. Like Legolas in The Lord of the Rings,
but less graceful.
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235. Like low-cost Legolas.
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236. No archers today, I think.
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237. No archers?
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238. Who will prepare the terrain
for the Spartans who need to fight?
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239. They need support, the poor guys!
Don't underestimate the role—
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240. Zero, the Spartans are all in jail
after Dicksville.
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241. The front line is in jail
or has been reported.
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242. All we have are those here today.
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243. Right at that moment,
two distinct things happened inside me.
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244. The first was the complete replacement
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245. of all the muscles in my lower limbs
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246. with 14 tons of panna cotta,
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247. meaning my legs went
all soft and shaky all of a sudden.
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248. The second was something animal-like,
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249. my primordial reptilian instincts
reawakening at a time of danger.
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250. Drowsiness.
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251. Devastating drowsiness,
when the eyes just won't stay open,
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252. you can't stop yawning,
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253. and you feel like you'll fall asleep
as soon as you sit down.
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254. I know. "What kind
of animal reaction is that?"
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255. Animals should stay alert, right?
Sharpen their senses.
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256. But no! Animals know
that in great prairies,
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257. the biggest risk isn't
being attacked by a predator,
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258. it's that others might think...
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259. He's shitting himself
that a lion's going to come.
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260. What the fuck are you doing
in the great prairies?
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261. Go and have drinks somewhere fancy,
you fucking hipster!
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262. Whereas flaunting your drowsiness,
yawning wildly
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263. without even putting your hand
in front of your mouth,
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264. expresses your disregard for danger.
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265. So the other animals think...
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266. Damn! That wildebeest sure is crazy.
He doesn't give a shit.
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267. Look, Mario. See what it means
to yawn in the face of death.
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268. So, this narcolepsy
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269. is the supreme form
of defense of my own dignity.
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270. What are you thinking about?
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271. I'm not used to doing stuff like this
without Sarah.
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272. It's like I'm missing
a moral cover for what we're doing.
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273. What moral cover do you need
for throwing bombs at Nazis?
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274. That's the only thing in my life
that even Churchill agreed on.
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275. Look.
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276. Yes, on the whole, I agree with you.
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277. But fighting monsters
with swastikas on their face is one thing.
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278. Fighting with those
we grew up with, Sarah, Cesare...
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279. Will you stop defending that asshole?
What are you, his lawyer?
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280. What can I say? I don't think he's right,
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281. but I get that
something's clicked inside him,
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282. and it makes me feel
I have no right to judge him.
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283. That's why I don't know
what to say on TV today.
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284. It's true that I had
better luck than he had.
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285. Even if we still live
half a mile away from each other,
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286. in some respects,
it feels like four billion light-years.
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287. And that makes me feel like shit.
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288. What the fuck do I know?
Maybe if we'd led the life he has,
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289. we'd think the same way.
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290. You're talking a load of shit.
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291. Anything that isn't ice cream
is shit to you, but—
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292. So, because you've hit the big time,
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293. you need to feel sorry
for any little shithead?
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294. And you're saying this to me?
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295. If you need to atone for shit,
speak for yourself.
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296. I'm not making cartoons,
I haven't bought a house,
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297. and no one's ever given me shit.
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298. I know, but you grew up
in an environment—
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299. Where did I grow up?
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300. I'm an orphan. I was on the streets at 15.
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301. I've never had a full-time job,
no one to support me, nothing.
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302. Everything I have, I got for myself,
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303. and I've never taken anything
from those who are worse off.
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304. I get that you feel guilty,
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305. but you think
you're the only enlightened one
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306. who knows right from wrong?
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307. Hey, Federico! Why are you here?
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308. Why aren't you at work?
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309. - I took today off.
- Why?
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310. - Are you a cop?
- Come on, tell me.
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311. It pisses me off
that these people come here
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312. and spread poison in my neighborhood.
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313. Da', why aren't you at work?
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314. I did a night shift, clocked out at 7 a.m.
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315. I slept two hours, but I don't care.
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316. I came here from Albania in 1991.
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317. I became Italian when I got married.
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318. If they had their way,
I wouldn't be here now.
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319. Who the fuck is it?
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320. You think people are here
so they can go to Mass on Sunday?
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321. Everyone's got so many issues
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322. that you could write a whole comic
on each of their lives.
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323. But they don't use that as an excuse
to be assholes with whoever's worse off.
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324. Now, if you'll excuse me,
these bombs won't prepare themselves.
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325. I get you, Zero.
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326. I felt like shit too
when I saw Sarah in that video.
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327. Do you think we're doing the right thing?
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328. Do you think it's right that
because of some pathological liars,
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329. this neighborhood will be remembered
as the one that sent immigrants packing?
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330. What about those 30 souls that got off
that boat? What are they gonna think?
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331. That we're a bunch of assholes
who throw bombs at them at night?
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332. I don't know
how today is going to pan out,
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333. but when people talk about this,
I want them to say
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334. that there are people here
that kicked those Nazis' asses.
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335. Or at least they tried.
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336. That must've been the first time
I'd hugged Teapot Friend.
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337. It's normal to hug someone
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338. when you're about to do
something so crazy, so absurd,
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339. where you risk going home
with your head smashed in.
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340. It's normal.
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341. But that's not why I hugged her.
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342. I hugged her...
because she sucks, for crying out loud!
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343. She's the only one
in worse physical shape than me.
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344. She's clumsy, slow, she even smokes.
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345. She's no use in a fight either.
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346. That makes me think that if she's there,
then anyone can be there, really.
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347. It means we're doing
a family-friendly riot.
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348. I'm sad that the dog with the wheels
died ten years ago,
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349. otherwise we'd be a proper dream team!
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350. Hey, guys, let's go!
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351. - Let's go!
- Come on!
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352. I'd have dragged it out
for another couple of hours,
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353. but eventually we had to go.
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354. We'll be done by five, right?
I have to go back to the restaurant.
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355. It had better be, or my wife will kill me.
I have to pick up my little girl.
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356. Something else comforted me
as I was walking.
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357. It's true that Sarah wasn't there,
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358. but we were all
where we were supposed to be.
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359. I don't understand shit about poems,
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360. but one stuck in my head
since I was a boy.
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361. It's by Calamandrei and it goes,
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362. "Should you wish to return on these roads,
you will find us where you left us."
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363. I know it sounds a bit corny.
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364. But if you take away all the pompous garb,
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365. you're left with the core.
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366. The essence is these people here.
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367. They've got their own shit
and tons of contradictions,
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368. but they're here when they're needed
because this is where they need to be.
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369. Even if I get arrested,
I can take responsibility for it.
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370. At least in front of the mirror.
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371. Of course.
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372. It's not like you'd be arrested
for getting your dick out by a care home.
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373. That seems like cold comfort to me,
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374. but whatever floats your boat.
What can I say?
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375. The hospital called.
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376. He's likely to stay there for 20 days.
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377. Oh, okay, that's not too bad!
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378. Yes, but 20 days count as double,
with that surname...
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379. But he's the son of...
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380. Yes.
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381. Oh, shit!
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382. Of course.
There's going to be shit for everyone.
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383. Did you know that the guy you beat up
was the son of someone important?
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384. I don't know what you're saying.
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385. If you want my advice, miss,
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386. let's have the name
of whoever beat him up.
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387. This isn't the spring of silence anymore,
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388. but the winter of narcissism.
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389. What you don't tell us today
we'll find out tomorrow on TikTok,
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390. with bad grammar.
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391. It's no use you all ruining your lives.
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392. We were better
than a synchronized swimming team.
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393. We were there at 2:30 p.m. on the dot.
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394. Well, the cops aren't here,
but neither are the Nazis.
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395. Maybe they're not coming.
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396. Maybe they changed the time and place
and didn't tell us.
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397. If they're not here in 15 minutes,
I don't think they'll come at all.
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398. Right to housing!
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399. Right to work!
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400. We don't have them!
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401. And they won't either!
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