Chapter Eleven – Tony and Marco

The camera is at ground level, our point of view is at the roadside. We look up from a distance at a large public building. The building has several arches along its frontage and its façade is lit by flood lamps. A black taxi enters the shot from the left and drives by, its tyres splash through a puddle and a splatter of water speckles the camera lens. The car turns left and draws up at the kerb. We see Seiji and Shizuku get out, the luggage is unloaded and the formalities of tipping the driver are taken care of. The driver gets back in the car and it pulls away. The scene, the floodlit building are distorted by the drips of puddle water on the camera lens.

Cut to:

Looking along the length of a station platform, passengers stand about, the neon lights mounted under the awning cast merciless white light over the whole scene. To the left is a train. Seiji and Shizuku enter the shot from the right. Shizuku stops.

Voice (over PA system): "Il Treno IR2663 per Lodi – Piacenza – Cremona – Mantua – Padua – Venezia. Treno IR2663, è in partenza tra cinque minuti, al binario quattro."
Seiji: "Here's our train."
Shizuku: "This carriage. Please."
Seiji: "Sure?"
Shizuku: "I just need to sit down…"
Seiji: "OK. Here."

He pushes a rubber button and the doors fold open with a hiss of compressed air.

Seiji: "Go on."

She climbs up.

Shizuku: "The bags."
Seiji: "Don't worry about that, find a seat."

Cut to:

A passenger compartment viewed from a side corridor. It's not very welcoming. Brick red plastic covered padded seats, sand coloured walls that look like linoleum. Aluminium luggage racks. Harsh lighting. A large window with rounded corners and aluminium strip trim. Just the place you wouldn't want to sleep for a journey. Shizuku enters, her back to us. She collapses on one of the bench seats, sits upright for a moment then slowly leans over and lies on her side, completely drained. We hear puffing and grunts of effort. Seiji comes in. He puts their two small bags on the luggage racks, then goes back outside and drags their big bags into the compartment. They fill most of the floor space. Seiji climbs over the bags to the window seat next to Shizuku. He looks down at her then leans forward and unzips his bag. He pulls out a tee shirt, folds it and leaning awkwardly over Shizuku so as not to put pressure on her, he carefully lifts her head and lays the folded tee shirt on the seat. He lets her head down gently onto the makeshift pillow.

Shizuku: "Mmmm…"

He takes off his jacket and lays it over her. Seiji finally gets comfortable at his window seat and studies the view outside. His reflection stares back at him. We hear the honk of the locomotive horn and the train begins to move.

Cut to:

A double line of railway tracks, there are fields either side. There are overhead lines for the electric trains to draw power for their motors. Along the right track a big slow diesel locomotive rumbles into view. It's only travelling at about 20 miles per hour and its motor grumbles meatily. It draws a long train of big oil tanker cars behind it. The freight train rattles and its axle boxes screech and complain. There is a faint honk in the distance and the passenger train comes the other way on the nearer track. It has a pantograph raised taking current from the overhead electric wire. A bright spark flashes from the point of contact where pantograph and wire touch. It rushes by, coaches and wheels clattering. The lights from its windows light up the fence at the trackside and the adjacent crops.

Cut to:

The compartment again. Outside we see the dirty curved sides of the tanker cars going past. The freight train recedes clunking into the night. Seiji continues to stare out the window. As the passenger train rushes through the night its gentle motion soothes him. Slowly his eyes close and he dozes.

Cut to:

A station platform, a yellow painted station building is to the left, an awning above. The usual station clutter of lights, posters and signs. The train slows to a crawl and draws up on our right. There is a squeal of brakes.

Station official (walking along the platform): "Cremona. Cre-mo-na!"

A door opens with a hiss. Seiji appears dragging a bag. He goes back inside. Shizuku comes out and stands on the platform. She has the hand luggage. Seiji reappears with the second bag.

The official on the platform blows a whistle, he glances to left and right along the train and raises a white lamp towards us, a signal of 'all clear' to the driver. The locomotive horn honks again briefly and with a hiss and a whine the train begins to move. No-one else has got off.

Cut to:

Looking along the platform in the other direction. The train accelerates away on the track to our left. As it leaves the platform the red flashing tail lamp marks its curving route out of the station and into the distance. The clackety-clack of wheels on rails recedes into the summer night. We are left in silence with just the whirring of crickets and the coloured signal lights.

Cut to:

Seiji and Shizuku.

Seiji: "How are you doing?"
Shizuku: "Mmm… 'Kay I guess. Is it far?"
Seiji: "Yeah, It's the other side of town. But it's not that big a town. Shall I call a taxi?"
Shizuku: "We should try and save our money. I think I can make it."
Seiji: "That bag is gonna kill us."
Shizuku: "It does have wheels you know. Not very good ones, but at least we don't have to carry it."
Seiji: "Wheels? You never mentioned wheels before."
Shizuku: "Sorry, was I supposed to?"
Seiji: "Damn, the bag has wheels. The damn bags got wheels and I've been struggling to haul it on and off trolleys for hours!"
Shizuku: "Sorry. I thought it was kind of obvious."
Seiji (puts a hand to the back of his head, runs his fingers through his hair): "OK, OK. We're both exhausted. Let's not get into a stupid fight about a bag with wheels. Deal?"
Shizuku: "Deal."
Seiji: "Can you pull it?"
Shizuku: "Think so. Keep an eye on me. If I'm suddenly not there you know I've given up."
Seiji: "OK, we can do this. Just grit your teeth and think of the nice soft warm bed that's waiting for you."
Shizuku: "Right." (she straightens her shoulders). "I'm ready, let's go."

Seiji hauls his huge rucksack onto his back. His smaller rucksack clips to its front straps and sits on his chest, a sensible balanced arrangement. Shizuku adjusts her pink shoulder bag and picks up the front handle of the huge military bag.

Cut to a sequence of scenes fading one to another:

An outside view of the station at street level. The couple come out and turn right, exiting the shot to the left; The couple toiling slowly up a gentle hill. Old buildings both sides. Narrow road. A couple of cars pass them, splashing headlights over them; An alleyway, steps lead down off one side of a piazza. Seiji stops. He pulls a piece of paper from a shirt pocket. Unfolds it and looks at it. After a few seconds he turns it through 180 degrees and studies it again.

Seiji: "This way."

He turns down the steps. Shizuku follows him slowly her bag clunking down each step; A view looking down from rooftops into the T junction of two alleyways. The roofs are red curved pottery tiles, typically Italian. Seiji and Shizuku enter the shot from the top of the picture. From this angle they are foreshortened, all heads and feet. Seiji stops at the junction and considers the new route to his left. Then he points ahead and the couple press on.

Cut to:

A small courtyard perhaps 40 feet square. It has a cobbled surface and the left side is slightly higher than the right. In the centre is an old stone horse trough, and next to it a pump for fresh water. Across the end of the courtyard in front of us is a low building - stables or a coach house. It has a single story at courtyard level and a smaller story above with dormer windows set into the tiled roof. To the left is a larger old building with three steps up to a large green front door. A name board above the door invites us to stay at the HOTEL ALFONSO. The name board is illuminated by two old fashioned wall lamps on curved cast brackets. The building on the right and lower side of the courtyard is much more interesting. An old house of several stories, at first storey level there is a balcony running along the whole frontage. It has stone pillars along the balustrade and under this balcony the overhang is covered in by stone arches, making a colonnade. Apart from the hotel name board lamps there is just one other source of illumination in the courtyard, a similar lamp inside the colonnade above the door of the big house. The only entry into this courtyard is down an alleyway behind us. Down this alley walk Seiji and Shizuku, entering the shot from our right.

They stop on the threshold of the courtyard.

Seiji (sighing): "Well, this is it."
Shizuku: "Oh, thank god for that. I've just about had it."

Cut to:

The doorway of the interesting old house. A big wooden arched door studded with black iron boltheads. Seiji and Shizuku walk into shot from the right. Seiji stops before the door and checks his watch.

Seiji: "Hm, eleven o'clock. Well, nothing else for it."

He pulls an old metal rod bell pull. A bell jangles faintly. Shizuku looks at a brass plaque beside the bell pull. It reads ADRIANO GUARNIERI and underneath SCUOLA DI VIOLINI.

Shizuku: "Nice old place."

A few moments go by. Shizuku leans her forehead on Seiji's shoulder. A light comes on inside and the door opens. An old man with white stubble on his head and on his chin wearing a collarless shirt, dark trousers and some odd kind of knitted waistcoat opens the door.

Old man: "Si?"
Seiji: "Sono, Seiji Amasawa per… hmm... per la scuola di violini." (he seems to just grab the wording off the sign, it probably isn't right but the broken Italian works).
Old man: "Ah! Signorino Amasawa! Prego, entrate pure!" (he extends an arm in welcome).
Seiji (turning to Shizuku): "Well, this is where I say goodnight. You're in the internationally acclaimed five star Hotel Alfonso, remember? You'll be OK?"
Shizuku (a tired smile): "Sure, go on, you must be shattered. I'll see you in the morning. What time does school start?"
Seiji: "Nine. Come over a few minutes before."
Shizuku: "I'll try, if I can wake up."
Seiji: "Come here."

She steps close to him. They hug briefly.

Seiji: "Love you."
Shizuku: "Mmmm, me too."
Seiji: "Go on, or he'll get cross, the caretaker is a bit mad."
Shizuku: "OK, bye!"
Old Man: "Signorina?"
Shizuku: "Yes. Ah… si. Tsukishima. Shizuku Tsukishima. L'Hotel?" (she points behind her).
Old Man: "Ah! Signorina Soo-kee-sheema." (he considers her for a moment) "Per favore." (he holds out an arm indicating she should follow him). "Si, si, da questa parte, Signorina."

Shizuku follows the old man across the courtyard and up the steps. He opens the hotel door and goes in.

Cut to:

Interior of the Hotel Alfonso. A light is on above a reception desk. It's like stepping back in time 40 years. A big polished bar of a reception desk, an ancient cash register, shelves behind full of keys, letters in pigeon holes, books and junk, a musty rug on the polished tiled floor in front. Along the front of the reception desk faded posters are glued, advertising music recitals and art events long gone. To the right is a darkened dining room, we can just glimpse tables with white cloths. To the other side is a door marked "PRIVATO" and a narrow staircase. The old man stops this side of the counter. Behind the counter is a huge fat bald man. He wears a crumpled white shirt, a red checked apron that looks like it has blood stains down it and a huge grin. If sweating was an Olympic sport, he'd be a potential gold medallist.

Old man: "Buona sera Antonio, c'è una signorina a nome tuo. Il nome è Soo-kee-sheema."
Fat man: "Signorina, buona sera!"

It doesn't seem possible that his grin could get any wider but it does. If he were to open his mouth wide the top of his head might come off. When angry this man is probably the scariest man in the world, but wearing this maniacal grin he appears full of life and totally approachable.

Shizuku (bowing low): "Buona sera signore."
Fat man (coming out from behind the counter with surprising speed and bowing low in his turn before Shizuku): "Ah, bene, signorina Soo-kee-sheema!"
Fat man (in English): "Do. You. Speak. English?"
Shizuku (taken aback): "Yes. Yes. A little."
Fat man: "Eccellente! My name is Piscotti, Antonio Piscotti. But please," (he makes a welcoming sweeping gesture with open arms), "call me Tony!"
Shizuku (in English): "Mr. Tony. Good evening."
Old man: "Antonio mi scusi, buonanotte."
Tony: "Buonanotte Fabrizio!"

The old man shuffles to the door.

Shizuku: "Signore Fabrizio?"

Mr. Fabrizio stops, his hand on the door handle. He doesn't even turn his head.

Fabrizio: "Si?"
Shizuku: "Molte grazie signore"

She bows low.

Fabrizio (muttering, dismissive with a wave of the hand): "Prego, prego."

He leaves, shutting the door behind him.

Shizuku: "Please, call me Shizuku."
Tony: "OK!" (practicing the sound) "She-zoo-koo. She-zoo-koo. Very nice name! Come, come, She-zoo-koo – your room?"
Shizuku: "Yes please. I'm very tired."

Tony looks blank.

Shizuku: "Er…"

Shizuku tries to think of the Italian for 'very tired' but at this late stage of the journey it won't come. She puts her palms together and lays one cheek on them, tilting her head.

Tony: "Ah… si! Naturalmente." (In English), "Please, the stairs. Up, up. Top, top!"

Tony grabs a key off the board behind the desk, opens the door marked 'PRIVATO' and yells through:

Tony: "Marco! Bagagli! Camera sedici!"

Shizuku goes up the stairs. Tony follows her.

Cut to:

An attic room, it has walls that slope inwards at the top under the eaves of the roof. It's reached by a steep stair like a ships stair that comes up through the floor at one side. The hole in the floor the staircase makes is protected by a wooden banister with turned spindles. The wall behind the stairs is closed off by an en-suite shower room. Our view faces the stairs which are in the far right corner. A bed has its head against the centre of the left wall. A chest of drawers is beside it with a reading lamp. An electric fan is by the bedside. It whirs silently and moves from side to side. Shizuku comes into shot climbing the stairs, Tony follows her, puffing and panting and sweating profusely. Shizuku looks around the room, puts her pink bag on the bed. You call tell at once that the room is cheap, but at least it's clean and presentable.

Cut to:

A view facing the other way, towards the front of the room. A pair of shuttered doors are in the centre of the wall, to the left is a cheap wardrobe, to the right is a simple but comfortably squishy looking armchair and a small writing table with a lamp on it. Tony approaches the shuttered doors and pushes them open. There is a minimal balcony outside, only about a foot deep. Enough to stand on and get some fresh air but no room to sit. It has old curved metal railings painted green. The sounds of a city at night waft in: traffic, distant music, faint chattering voices. Tony turns round.

Cut to:

The previous view. Tony waddles back from the balcony shutters.

Tony (gesturing to the door near the stairs and grinning): "Bath. Bath. Please signorina."
Shizuku: "Grazie."

Shizuku goes to the bathroom and peeks in. She comes out.

Shizuku: "Really, it's lovely. Thank you. Er… grazie."
Tony: "Prego."

There is a pause. The two face each other slightly awkwardly, the language barrier prevents small talk. There is a sound below.

Tony: "Ah, Marco."

He goes to the top of the stairs and we hear Marco grunting and cursing to drag up Shizuku's monster bag. Eventually a thin spotty youth with black hair comes up the stairs. He looks about 17 and is lean and shy looking. He looks like he ate his last good meal at about the age of 12. A greater contrast to Tony probably isn't to be found in the whole of Cremona. He drags the bag to the middle of the room. Shizuku quickly rummages in her purse.

Shizuku: "Grazie."

She gives Marco some coins. The boy takes them, looks at them like he has just been given a dirty sock and goes down stairs cursing under his breath. Tony looks at Shizuku and shrugs.

Tony: "Me very sorry."
Shizuku: "No, it's alright."
Tony (leaving): "Buonanotte signorina!"
Shizuku: "Good night Mr. Tony."

The fat man departs. Surprisingly the stairs don't collapse under his weight. Shizuku stands in the middle of the room. She looks about listlessly. She drops her purse on the chest of drawers and sits on the bed. Then she flops backwards onto it and groans with exhaustion.

Cut to:

A view of the city at night.