At Present transcript

Parables:

male 1 v/o: "Once upon a time there was a country that encompassed all the countries of the world. And in that country, there was a town that incorporated all the towns of the country; and in that town there was a street in which were gathered all the streets of the town; and on that street there was a house that sheltered all the houses of the street; and in that house there was a room, and in that room there was a man, and that man personified all men of all countries, and that man laughed and laughed - no one had ever laughed like that before."

Elie Wiesel quoting Rebbe Nahman of Bratzlav, "Souls on Fire"

Before Rebbe Zusia died, he said: "When I shall face the celestial tribunal, I shall not be asked why I was not Abraham, Jacob or Moses. I shall be asked why I was not Zusia."

"Souls on Fire", Elie Wiesel

And Moshe-Lieb of Sassov said to his friend Uri of Strelisk:

"You cross the country from one end to the other, collecting money to free this man from prison, marry this orphan girl, help that widow. I know, I know all that. But I have no money; never had any. I would like to help you, and I don't know how. I would like to do something for you, but I don't know what – Wait! I've got it! I know what to do; I know how to help you: Uri, my friend, Rebbe of Strelisk, I shall dance for you!"

"Souls on Fire," Elie Wiesel

Somebody came to Chuang Tzu and he talked about a man in town and he said, "He is a sinner, a very bad man, a thief," and condemned him in many ways. Chuang Tzu listened and said, "But he plays the flute beautifully."

Then came another man, and the first was sitting there, and the other said, "This man in the town is really a beautiful flute player."

Chuang Tzu said, "But he is a thief."

Both were present, so they said, "What do you mean?"

Chuang Tzu said, "Just balancing—and who am I to judge?"

Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, "The Book of Nothing"

Women's laughter

Interviews on Love: male 2 voice-over: The best place to be in love is Paris...romantic cliché upon cliché... movie Casablanca—you need those schlocky clichés—if they had made it more naturalistic it wouldn't work—I was studying there in '82 with a group and I fell in love three times! (laughs)

My father had a motel in Niagara Falls—I would rent out the rooms—see the woman in the car—I or my mother would clean up the room afterwards –your friend's father is sleeping with another woman, unbeknownst to your friend or anyone and you know it—a strange way to grow up!

...you need the words to get to that point—it’s so painful 'cause it can drag on for so long and you don't know if this is what you really want—if this is going to be worth pursuing both emotionally and physically and in terms of stimulation—there’s so much you have to drag yourself through to get to the point of silence-it’s frightening

CROSS-FADE with

female 1 v/o: ...what the mirror's telling you—and certainly in the initial stages of the relationship the mirror says you are exciting, you are alluring, there's something here that I want—and later on—it’s don't bother me! (laughs)

male 3 v/o: What's involved in love, all the same stuff—power control, is that what we're talking about? To express or suppress it's the same 'cause in both cases you're acting on it—before it was love, sex, hate it was all the same, neutral ...it takes the other for us to be in love. This is how we've come to know it, isn't it? In commitment, there is freedom; in our so-called love, bondage.

male 2 v/o: The history of the body writes itself on every relationship—I can see your past in the way you move... the way you touch is part of your repertoire, your language of gestures...you've been dragging all these ghosts with you—each relationship builds on the repertoire—finally you're a great stylist, but it can become an empty gesture (laughs)

cross-fade

female 1 v/o: ...sometimes I wish they'd just get on with it!

female 2 v/o:

They are playing a game. They are playing at not playing a game. If I show them I see they are, I shall break the rules and they will punish me. I must play their game, of not seeing I see the game.

R.D. Laing, "Knots"

Parable: male 1 v/o:

The Midrash tells the episode of the traveler who loses his way in the forest. He sees a castle in flames. It's an empty castle, thinks the traveler. Suddenly he hears a voice crying: "Help me, help me, I am the owner of the castle!" And the Rebbe repeats: "The castle is ablaze, the forest is burning and the owner cries for help; what does it mean? That the castle is not empty and that there is an owner!"

"Souls on Fire", Elie Wiesel quoting Menahem-Mendl of Kotzk

Women laughing

male 4 v/o: ...most personal when you say 'I love you' ...most specific, local and yet it very easily manages a turn which suggests the reverse, that it couldn't be more general...to have to do with everyone...just at the places where I think that I would look for my own subjectivity, I should find this avenue of return...'cause you meet someone and they're so interesting....talk and do things together...

CROSS-FADE

male 3 v/o: Sex, hate, love—what you call it, it's all the same—so, he says ...and she says ...they say ...who said what—he, she , him, her?

CROSS-FADE

male 4 v/o: there were a number of things—I lost—I lost the sense—I just didn't...

CROSS-FADE

male 5 v/o: I wonder if it's sufficient—to find one true love is sufficient—I think not (laughs)

Laughing

male 3 v/o: What's involved?