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Graphic Literature

From “Waiting for an Island”

By Marc Legendre
Translated from Dutch by David Colmer
Marc Legendre
Waiting for an Island
GONE
STARTS AT THE FRONT DOOR

I never loved the land .

Rain turns to mud . Sun turns to dust .

The wind becomes a draught that blasts through the cracks ...

and litter blowing down streets .

The land makes people sick .
And what about the song of the blackbird ?

The almond tree behind the house ?

The children laughing by the well ?
Wars are fought over land .

People draw borders .
They stack stones to make walls to keep foreigners out.

Land makes people cruel.
And the sea ?

{BAM}
Figure: ?
Figure: ?!
EVERY DAY STARTED WITH BOBO .

HIS SHITTY MUSIC LOUDER THAN THE COUGHING OF THE RATTLETRAP HE'D BOUGHT OFF ADAN DISS .

ALWAYS THE SAME LOUSY NUMBER FROM SOME CRAP BAND OR OTHER .

HE THOUGHT IT WOULD HELP HIS IMAGE BUT NO MATTER WHAT HE TRIED ...

... THE GUY WAS A LOSER .

Sign on building: Snack CAMPINÉ OLE

HUSTLED UP THE CASH FOR A NEW PAIR OF TITS FOR HIS CHICK ...

AND WHEN SHE HAD ' EM ....

SHE KICKED HIM OUT .

Car license plate: 5665 BK33
HE WAS FORCED TO SKULK OFF TO A RUN - DOWN CARAVAN ...

ON THE CAMPGROUND HE'D BOUGHT .....

IN EXPECTATION OF A TOURIST BOOM ON LA GALETA .

BUT HE HAD A PAIR OF BINOCULARS ...

AND THAT SUITED ADAN DISS JUST FINE .

{CRIIII}
Man: AND A GOOD MORNING TO YOU , ADAN ...
IM SCANNING THE HORIZON FOR YOU AGAIN AS YOU CAN SEE.
Man: A TUGBOATS PULLING SAN BORONDON INTO PORT.
WHAT YOU THINK ?

Adan: AND?

Adan: ALWAYS THE SAVE STALE OLD JOKES

Man: SPEAKING OF STALE WHY DON'T YOU LEAVE A DOOR OR WINDOW OPEN TO AIR THAT DUMP OF YOURS ?

Adan: I GET ALL THE AIR I NEED IN THAT WIND TUNNEL .

Man: THAT WIND TUNNEL ONCE SYMBOLIZED YOUR FUTURE . ADAN DISS . AND LOOK AT WHAT THAT FUTURES COME DOWN TO NOW ...

Adan: MY FUTURE LIES ON SAN BORONDO, BOBO
NOT HERE ANYWAY .
Adan: HAPPINESS COMES 500NER OR LATER TO THOSE WHO WAIT . BOBO

Bobo: AND YOU KNOW ALL ABOUT WAITING , HEY , ADAN?

Adan: YOU CAN SAY THAT AGAIN BOBO

Adan: I'M NOT IN ANY HURRY

Adan: MY TIME WILL COME

Adan: DON'T YOU WORRY ABOUT THAT

Bobo:YOU'RE OBVIOUSLY ENTERTAINING MORE THAN ONE ILLUSION , ADAN DISS

Bobo: AS IF ANYONE ON LA GALETA CARES TWO HOOTS WHAT HAPPENS TO YOU

Adan: SO...
MADE IT .
ALWAYS READY TO SEIZE THE OPPORTUNITY THE MOMENT IT PRESENTS ITSELF.
Bobo: MORON

Adan: YOU SAY SOMETHING BOBO ?

Bobo: YOU'VE BEEN STANDING THERE THIRTY YEARS ARAN

Bobo: I'DONT UNDERSTAND HOW COME YOU DON'T LOSE HEART .

Adan: WHEN SAN BORONDON APPEARS ON THE HORIZON IM OUT OF HERE . BOBO !

Adan: I'M AFRAID I WONT HAVE TIME TO CALL YOU

Bobo: I'M OFF .

Bobo: I'VE GOT THINGS TO DO .

Adan: HE'S GOT THINGS TO DO .

Adan: AS IF WE DON'T ALL HAVE THINGS TODO ...
Adan:
AND I KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT

I'M THE ONLY FUCKING ONE WHO MAKES SOMETHING OF HIS LIFE

[Frame]

NOT BY SUMING OFF TO THE OFFICE EVERY MORNING ...

LOOKING FORWARD THIRTY DAYS A MONTH TO A PAY SLIP .....

AS THE ULTIMATE MEANING OF EXISTENCE .

[Frame]

FLAT SCREEN ...

PIED - A - TERRE IN DUBAI ...

COLDPLAY'S LATEST ...

ON SAN BORONDON IT ALL MEANS SQUAT

[Frame]

SAN BORONDON IS VIRGIN TERRITORY, BOBO !

YOU CAN BECOME A BUTCHER OR A DOCTOR ...
Adan:
OR DECIDE YOU DON'T WANT TO BE ANYTHING !

NOBODY CARES

[Frame]

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS, BOBO?

[Frame]

ON SAN BORONDON THE FUTURE IS NOT RESERVED FOR THE YOUNG !

[Frame]

BY CONSEQUENCE THE CULTURAL LIFE OF SAN BORONDON IS RULED BY S0METHING OTHER THAN PLEASURE , BOBO !
Woman: ALWAY5 GOOD TO HEAR HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT OUR FUTURE . FATHER .
CAN YOU MIND YOUR GRANDSON FOR AN HOUR OR S0?
I'VE GOT AJOB INTERVIEW ...
SOME PEOPLE HAVE TO WORK FOR A LIVING YOU KNOW .

Adan: YOUR WAY OF LIVING DOESN'T SEEM TO AMOUNT TO MUCH MORE THAN A BANK ACCOUNT ...

Adan: DON'T FORGET IF SAN BORONDON APPEAR, I DISAPPEAR

Adan: I'M NOT YOUR IDEAL BABYSITTER , IN OTHER WORDS
Woman: D'YOU HEAR HOW MUCH GRANDPA LOVES US RINKO ?

Woman: WHEN HIS IDOTIC ISLAND RISES UP OUT OF THE WATER EVERYONE ELSE CAN G0 TO HELL

Woman: GRANDPA'S AFTER HAPPINESS FOR HIMSELF . NOT FOR ANYONE ELSE

Woman: YOU AND YOUR ISLAND ARE PATHETIC FATHER .

Woman: YOU'RE A LAUGHING STOCK ALL OVER LA GALETA

Woman: NOT THAT YOU'D CARE LESS ABOUT THAT .

Woman: AFTER ALL YOUR ARROGANCE IS EVEN MORE MONUMENTAL THAN YOUR STUPIDITY .



WHEN HE DECIDED IT WAS TIME TO TRY ANOTHER TACK , ADAN DISS WAS SITTING IN THE CAR NEXT TO DULCIE . IT WAS SUNDAY , IT WAS EARLY AND THE ROAD WAS DESERTED .

THINGS SHOULD ALWAYS BE LIKE THIS , ' DULCIE SMILED CONTENTEDLY . LIKE WHAT ? ASKED ADAN . LIKE THIS , REPLIED DULCIE . ' AS IF WE'RE THE ONLY SURVIVORS AFTER A DISASTER .

ADAN SUDDENLY REALIZED HOW UNLUCKY YOU'D HAVE TO BE TO BE LEFT ALONE WITH DULCIE AFTER A DISASTER , AND THEN IT OCCURRED TO HIM THAT HE HADN'T MADE ANYTHING OF HIS LIFE AND THAT MEANT THAT IT WOULD BE EVEN MORE CATASTROPHIC IF CALAMITY WERE TO STRIKE IN THAT INSTANT .

BY CHANCE , JUST THEN , A SIGNPOST ROSE UP OUT OF THE MIST LIKE A LIFE BUOY . ADAN GRASPED THAT EVERYTHING WASN'T MAPPED OUT IN FRONT OF THEM . THERE WAS HOPE . IF THEY WANTED TO , THEY COULD TAKE ANOTHER TURNING .

SHALL WE GO TO THE BEACH INSTEAD OF THE CAR YARD ? ADAN EXCLAIMED WITH EXAGGERATED ENTHUSIASM . THAT'S PREPOSTEROUS ? DULCIE SCREECHED . IT'S THE MIDDLE OF WINTER ! " ADAN REALIZED THAT NO ONE ELSE HE KNEW USED THE WORD ' PREPOSTEROUS . '

ANYWAY , DULCIE INTERRUPTED HIS MUSING , WE NEED A NEW CAR . ' WHAT DO WE NEED A NEW CAR FOR ? ASKED ADAN . TO DRIVE IN , DULCIE REPLIED . ' WE NEVER GO ANYWHERE , ' SAID ADAN . DON'T EXAGGERATE SO MUCH , DULCIE SNAPPED . WE'RE ON OUR WAY TO THE CAR YARD NOW , AREN'T WE ?
Adan: MAYBE I'LL TAKE RINKO WITH ME .

Adan: NO DOUBT THINGS WOULD BE BETTER FOR HIM THERE .

DULCIE: I'D SAY , LETS ASK HIS OPINION ON THE MATTER

DULCIE: BUT AS WE BOTH KNOW . FOR WHATEVER GOOFORSAKEN REASON HE KEEPS HIS MOUTH SHUT ...

Adan: SO YOU SAY

DULCIE: LAST WEEK THE PSYCHOLOGIST REMARKED THAT HAVING A GRANDFATHER WHO SPENDS HIS WHOLE LIFE WAITING FOR AN ISLAND THAT DOESN'T EXIST COULD BE QUITE A TRAUMATIC EXPERIENCE FOR A CHILD

DULCIE: WHAT DO YOU SAY TO THAT ?

Adan: I DON'T SEEM TO FEEL GUILTY ABOUT IT .

DULCIE: I DIDN'T EXPECT YOU TO.

DULCIE: BUT WHY BOTHER MOVING TO AN ISLAND ?

DULCIE: YOU'VE BEEN LIVING IN YOUR OWN LITTLE WORLD FOR YEARS .
Adan: NOTHING TOUCHES ME ANYMORE .
YOUR MAMA IS RIGHT . RINKO .

Rinko: FIVE .

Adan: FIVE ?

Adan: THAT SEEMS A BIT RICH

Rinko: NO .

Rinko: UNDERPANTS

Rinko: T - SHIRT

Rinko: TWO FUP FLOPS

Rinko: BOXERS

Rinko: TOGETHER FIVE

Adan: YOU'RE A G00D COUNTER

Rinko: DON'T TELL MAMA

Adan: YOU CRAZY ?

Adan: WHY DON'T YOU COUNT HOW MANY STEPS MAMA TAKES TO GET TO THE CAR

Rinko: STAIRS INCLUDED, HUNDRED AND THREE

From Wachten op een eiland. Copyright 2009 by Marc Legendre. By arrangement with Uitgeverij Atlas. Translation copyright 2009 by David Colmer. All rights reserved. We thank the Flemish Literature Fund.

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