1. Written and Directed by
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2. Hello.
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3. See you next week, then.
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4. No reading at the table.
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5. Is it good?
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6. I added less water than last week.
Maybe that's why it's better.
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7. You hardly eat.
You don't look well, you know.
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8. Want something else?
Some fruit?
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9. We got a letter
from Aunt Fernanda in Canada.
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10. I'll read it to you.
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11. "Dear Jeanne and Sylvain,
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12. I'm sorry I've taken
so long to write back.
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13. I often think of you and Belgium.
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14. But I've been so busy
with the kids starting back to school,
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15. and suddenly
I realized winter's here.
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16. It's been snowing a lot,
and I hardly get out.
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17. The roads were so bad that the kids
couldn't go to school last Friday,
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18. and I'm at home most of the time,
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19. because without a car,
you get bogged down.
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20. Jack says he'll teach me
to drive next year.
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21. The distances
are simply too huge here.
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22. He says I'm in Canada now
and I should act like the locals.
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23. The women here all drive,
but I'm afraid I'll never learn.
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24. But now all the cars
are completely covered by snow.
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25. The children are fine,
big and strong.
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26. Real Canadians, just like Jack.
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27. I fear Jane may get too tall,
but anyway, she's fine.
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28. I hope you'll come
see them this summer.
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29. We have a large guest room,
and Sylvain can sleep with his cousin.
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30. Maybe we can
introduce you to someone.
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31. Jack says you should remarry,
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32. that a good-looking woman
shouldn't be alone.
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33. George has been dead
six years now.
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34. We know you're very brave
and you say you'd rather stay single
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35. so as not to complain.
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36. But sometimes when I think of you,
tears come to my eyes.
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37. Well, Jack will be home soon
and the table's not set yet,
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38. so I'll say good-bye,
with a hug for you both.
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39. Your loving sister and aunt,
Fernande.
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40. I sent a birthday present
for Jeanne last month by boat."
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41. I wonder
what that present could be.
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42. Would you like to go to Canada?
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43. "The Enemy,"
by Charles Baudelaire.
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44. "My youth was but
a gloomy storm
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45. With occasional flashes
of dazzling sun
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46. Thunder and rain
have created such havoc
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47. That in my garden
few buds remain
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48. Now I've reached
the autumn of my thoughts
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49. And I have to use... "
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50. The spade.
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51. "And I have to use
the spade and rake
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52. To reclaim a bit
of the flooded land
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53. Where water burrows pits
like open graves."
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54. Once more.
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55. "The Enemy,"
by Charles Baudelaire.
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56. "My youth was but
a gloomy storm
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57. With occasional flashes
of dazzling suns
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58. Thunder and rain
have created such havoc
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59. That in my garden
few buds remain
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60. Now I've reached
the autumn of my thoughts
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61. And I have to use
the spade and rake
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62. To reclaim a bit
of the flooded land
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63. Where water burrows pits
like open graves."
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64. You're picking up the accent
more and more.
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65. I know. I can even pronounce
the Rs like Yan,
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66. and no one laughs at me
at school anymore.
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67. Perhaps...
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68. but nobody forced you to go
to the Flemish school.
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69. Yes, I know - your friend.
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70. I wonder if you can still
say your Rs like me.
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71. And now, the Bagatelle
for Piano No. 27,
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72. Opus 126 in A Minor,
by Beethoven,
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73. "Für Elise,"
played by Suzanne Duchêne.
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74. Come have a look.
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75. You want it long, don't you?
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76. I'm almost out of yarn.
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77. - This is Tuesday, isn't it?
- Yes.
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78. You're always reading,
just like your father.
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79. I know.
You already told me.
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80. How did you meet my father?
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81. Why do you ask that now?
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82. I just read the word "miracle,"
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83. and Aunt Fernanda always said
it was a miracle she met Jack.
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84. Yes, he came in '44
to liberate us.
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85. They tossed chewing gum
and chocolates to us,
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86. and we threw flowers to them.
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87. I met your father
after the Americans had left.
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88. I was living with my aunts,
because my parents were dead.
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89. One Saturday, I went to
the Bois de la Cambre with a girlfriend.
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90. I don't remember the weather.
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91. She knew him. You know who I mean.
I've shown you her picture.
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92. So we began seeing each other.
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93. I was working as a billing clerk
for horrible pay.
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94. Life with my aunts was dull.
I didn't feel like getting married,
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95. but it seemed to be
"the thing to do," as they say.
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96. My aunts kept saying,
"He's nice. He has money.
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97. He'll make you happy."
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98. But I still couldn't decide.
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99. But I really wanted
a life of my own, and a child.
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100. Then his business suddenly
hit the rocks, so I married him.
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101. Things like that happened
after the war.
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102. My aunts had changed
their minds.
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103. They said a pretty girl like me
could do better
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104. and find a man
who'd give me a good life.
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105. They said he was ugly and so on,
but I didn't listen.
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106. If he was ugly, did you want
to make love with him?
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107. Ugly or not,
it wasn't all that important.
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108. Besides, "making love,"
as you call it, is merely a detail.
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109. And I had you.
And he wasn't as ugly as all that.
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110. Would you want to remarry?
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111. No. Get used to someone else?
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112. I mean someone you love.
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113. Oh, you know
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114. Well, if I were a woman,
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115. I could never make love with someone
I wasn't deeply in love with.
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116. How could you know?
You're not a woman.
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117. Lights out?
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118. All right.
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119. Sleep well.
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120. End of the first day
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121. Did you wash your hands?
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122. Couldn't I have
a little more today?
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123. Thank you, ma'am.
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124. How are you, ma'am?
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125. Fine, thanks.
Could you fix these by tomorrow?
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126. My son's wearing his other pair,
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127. but his feet get soaked
when it rains.
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128. They're last year's shoes.
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129. I'll have a look.
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130. And the heels too,
while I'm at it.
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131. All right.
How's tomorrow at 4:00?
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132. Fine.
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133. - How's your boy doing?
- Just fine.
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134. You're happy with him?
He listens to you?
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135. Good.
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136. What would I do without him?
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137. They'll be ready tomorrow at 4:00.
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138. Hello.
It's been a long time.
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139. Stop by for coffee
this afternoon.
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140. I can't today.
Maybe next week.
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141. All right. See you then.
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142. Hello.
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143. Here he is.
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144. You weren't eating,
were you?
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145. What are you making for dinner?
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146. Wednesdays it's breaded veal
with peas and carrots.
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147. I had no idea
what to make today.
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148. Myself, I'd be fine
with just bread and butter.
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149. I don't have much appetite
ever since I started smoking.
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150. But the children need meat,
so I went to the butcher's.
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151. There was a long line.
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152. I always think I should go
earlier or later to avoid the line,
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153. but this time, I thought...
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154. "I'll listen to what other women order.
I might get some ideas."
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155. But I got
even more discouraged.
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156. One ordered ground meat.
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157. I thought,
'Probably for meat loaf,
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158. but I just served that yesterday
with apple sauce.
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159. Then I though:
"No, she 'll make hash."
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160. But hash again...
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161. When my turn came,
I still hadn't decided.
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162. 80 I ordered the same thing
as the woman in front of me
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163. and wound up paying 300 francs
for two pounds of veal.
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164. It's a good two days' worth,
and none of us really like veal.
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165. So the kids turn up
their noses once again.
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166. People say veal
has no vitamins.
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167. And you can't eat fish these days -
it can kill you.
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168. If only they didn't come home
for lunch every day,
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169. but my husband says
the food at school isn't good,
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170. and they're small
for their age as it is.
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171. I tell you,
if it were up to just me...
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172. But he'll be gone
all next week.
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173. I'll miss him, you know?
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174. I'll stay at my mother's,
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175. so they'll have to get used
to eating with the other kids.
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176. It's better that way.
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177. My husband can't object.
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178. Does your son
eat lunch at school?
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179. Yes, he always has.
He's not fussy.
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180. My husband wasn't either.
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181. Oh, mine isn't either.
It's all those kids.
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182. But what can you do, you know?
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183. At least there are ways
these days.
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184. Well, I've gotta go.
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185. Bye.
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186. Excuse me.
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187. I'd like a ball of yarn this color.
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188. I think I saw some over there.
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189. - This color?
- Yes.
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190. Yes, that's it.
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191. Good-bye, ma'am.
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192. Hello.
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193. See you next Thursday.
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194. A bag of potatoes, please.
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195. Here you are.
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196. Thank you.
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197. Mother?
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198. Your hair's a mess.
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199. I let the potatoes cook too long.
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200. No reading at the table.
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201. We'll have to wait a bit.
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202. The meat and vegetables
were on a very low flame.
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203. Just another minute or two.
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204. I could have made mashed potatoes,
but we're having that tomorrow.
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205. You must be hungry.
You had swimming this morning.
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206. I didn't go.
Neither did Yan.
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207. Why?
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208. Yan skipped it
just to keep me company.
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209. I said I had a headache,
and we stayed in the nurse's office.
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210. We had to pass
our certification today.
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211. I don't like you doing that.
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212. I should write back
to Aunt Fernande.
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213. The potatoes
should be done now.
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214. Aren't we going to listen
to the radio tonight?
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215. Yes.
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216. Is something wrong?
The radio, perhaps?
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217. Yes, it could be that singer.
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218. No, I just don't know
how to reply to their invitation.
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219. Can we not go tonight?
We ate so late.
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220. We're going.
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221. Come home early tomorrow if you like,
and bring Yan along for a snack.
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222. I think Yan's in love
with the nurse.
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223. He didn't catch the streetcar.
Said he had things to do.
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224. But when I passed by later,
he hadn't left.
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225. He bought a book
that explains lots of things
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226. about climaxes and orgasms.
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227. He says we should be interested
in women at our age,
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228. but he doesn't want
some young girl.
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229. He says a man's penis
is like a sword.
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230. The deeper you thrust it in,
the better.
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231. But I thought, "A sword hurts."
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232. He said,
"True, but it's like fire."
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233. But then where's the pleasure?
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234. There's no point
talking about these things.
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235. He's the one who told me
everything when I was 10.
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236. I said, "What?
Dad does that to Mom?"
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237. I hated Dad for months after that,
and I wanted to die.
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238. When he died, I thought
it was punishment from God.
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239. Now I don't even believe
in God anymore.
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240. Yan also said
it wasn't just to make babies.
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241. So I started having nightmares
so you'd stay with me at night
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242. and Dad wouldn't have a chance
to thrust inside you.
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243. You shouldn't have worried.
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244. It's late.
I'm turning out the light.
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245. All right.
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246. Morn?
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247. It's late, Sylvain.
Sleep well.
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248. End of the second day
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249. Did you wash your hands?
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250. Your button.
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251. Sylvain!
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252. - All sold out?
- Is it empty?
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253. A small loaf, ma'am?
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254. Do you have a bag?
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255. You have a bag?
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256. Give me a new one.
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257. That's 10 francs 50.
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258. Thanks.
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259. Good-bye.
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260. What a beautiful little boy!
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261. What's this all about?
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262. Thanks. Good-bye.
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263. Oh, miss?
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264. Yes, ma'am.
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265. Would you happen to have
a button like this?
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266. We looked,
but I couldn't find any.
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267. - Maybe these?
- No, they're a bit too small.
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268. Good-bye.
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269. I know it's hard
to match it perfectly,
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270. because my sister Fernanda
sent it from Canada.
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271. She sent it years ago,
but Sylvain's only wearing it now
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272. because it was too large.
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273. When Sylvain was six,
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274. my sister came back
to Belgium for three months.
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275. He slept in our room -
my husband was still alive.
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276. And Fernande slept on the couch
with Jonathan - "Jon" for short.
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277. Jon was five, but he was taller
and stouter than Sylvain.
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278. So if I write her for one,
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279. it's quite possible
that this style no longer exists.
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280. Since people always say Europe
is five years behind America,
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281. I thought I might find one.
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282. It's practically impossible
to find the same thing.
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283. Better just to change
all the buttons.
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284. It makes a garment look new.
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285. Like going to the hairdresser's.
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286. I've never seen buttons like that.
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287. Try in the square.
You might find some there.
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288. Isn't Gisèle here today?
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289. She gets off work at 4:00.
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290. I see. Coffee, please.
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291. Here you are.
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