Good afternoon!

How are you, Rosa?

My sciatica is killing me! It's so cold in our apartment!

Dear Hector, can you help with the heating somehow?

I'll do what I can. The lack of coal in our country makes it hard to keep a building warm.

We live near the mines, but receive coal only on a holiday!

Everything they mine is sent to the plants and the front lines.

I know, dear, but that doesn't warm me up. Sometimes, I'm tempted to grab all those old newspapers...

...the one with the photos of our Wise Leader. Mark keeps them but never uses them to make cigarettes. Our closet is full of pictures of him!

I want to take all those photos and make a big fire in the furnace just to be warm for a day.

You can't do that, Rosa! And don't tell anyone else what you just told me!

If someone turns you in, you'll be charged with disrespecting the patriotism of the workers.

What patriotism?

When it's time to clean the entrance hall, I see neither workers nor patriotism... When it's time to be offended, there they are!

It's been getting colder and colder. How do you feel, Rosa?

No better than I should be at my age. The pain in my back never goes away.

Mark says I need a warming balm, but where could I get one? We haven't seen mustard or pepper for 10 years.

Do you want something?

The balm you gave me - it burned me!

What was it, Hector? My chest still feels like it's on fire!

You're exaggerating, Rosa! That couldn't be true!

So my clothes burned on their own? You owe me a new cardigan, Hector!

I'm afraid I don't have one. I meant well, Rosa.

Oh, darling, sometimes it's better to leave everything as it is.

Although I DO feel much warmer than before.

Isn't that good?

I guess, but sometimes, I feel so hot, I want to tear off my clothes!

But it's indecent to walk around naked, especially at my age! I'm no strapping barbarian riding a horse!

I'm sorry, Rosa. I have to go... Have a good day...

Have you heard about the Blissful Sleep procedure?

Don't remind me about it. Perhaps they'll rescind it...

I doubt it.

If they want to save money, they could cancel everyone's pensions! Those who have kids would survive.

The kids would support their parents.

I've heard that's how they create jobs and drive the economy...

I don't understand the economy... I'm too old for all of that trickery anyway. Mark and I have seen a lot...

Remember my words - if a person receives nothing early in life, he or she won't want to work later on.

Do you want something?

Hector! We have bedbugs in our apartment! How did that happen?

This has never happened before!

That's terrible!

It's a nightmare, Hector! Those little bloodsuckers are making us miserable!

I'll try to solve the problem as soon as possible!

Please do! Mark is furious. He wrote a letter of complaint about you and is threatening to send it!

Did you hear about Zlata Schimmer, Rosa? She was hit by a car!

That's too bad! Poor girl! I can't imagine how her parents feel...

Do you know what's going on with our neighbor, Jacob?

I do. He's in mourning...

He had a beautiful wife and son... They lived in harmony, he had a good job... And then everything was gone in a blink of an eye!

He lost everything! It's no wonder he's angry with the world. It's sad; they were nice people...