Take Me to Euroheaven

SCENE 16

EXT. PARK - DAY

Loukas and Ali are walking in a park in the city.

ALI

We watch the contest as a group of three. I've known David for 7 years. He used to live in Istanbul.

LOUKAS

The one you used to date?

ALI

Yeah, that feels weird now. He was 26, I was 19. Of course I was young, I fell head over heels in love. He was always reserved, acted much more casual. Somehow it managed to last a year.

LOUKAS

Maybe he is the distant type.

ALI

That's what I thought. But then he started dating Matt, an American also living in Istanbul. He was totally different to him than he was to me. He was caring, loving. Makes you feel like there's something wrong with you.

LOUKAS

Yeah, I understand.

ALI

Less than a year later David moved back to Paris and Matt didn't think it would work so they broke up. But Matt and I became good friends, and it helped me to see David as a friend too. Now we're Eurovision buddies. David still favors him all time but I got used to it.

LOUKAS

Oh, the American is the third guy here. How did he become a Eurovision fan?

ALI

Apparently by dating one fan and becoming friends with another. So who's the other Ali you know? You were thrown off when you heard my name.

LOUKAS

It's not someone I know. I recently lost my grandmother. She was my greatest supporter and she's the one who made me believe I can do Eurovision. We lost her shortly after I was chosen.

ALI

I'm so sorry.

LOUKAS

She used to live in Istanbul back in the 50s. She fell in love there. Crazy love. When the Istanbul pogrom happened in 1955 and people turned against the local Greeks, it wasn't safe anymore and most of them had to leave. She fought to stay. She rebelled against her whole family. Just to marry the man she loves, in the city she loved.

ALI

What happened?

LOUKAS

They made her leave. She came to Athens and married my grandfather. They never saw each other again but she loved him till the end. My grandma knew I wasn't like the other men in the family. Everyone asks when I'm going to get married but all she wanted for me was to have a love as real and as great as that.

Ali smiles at him.

LOUKAS

That Turkish man my grandma loved, his name was Ali. So that was a surprise. I've always wondered if I'd find my Ali.

ALI

That's so sweet.

LOUKAS

Such a shame people care about politics more than love. Even today some Greeks would frown upon if you're with a Turk. Isn't it the same in Turkey?

ALI

Maybe. I haven't thought of it before.

LOUKAS

Of course, if you've never been with a Greek.

ALI

Actually I knew a Greek guy. We talked online for a while. He seemed pretty nice at first. Then one time we were having a video call, he asked me if I wanted to see him jerk off on his flag.

LOUKAS

What?!

ALI

When I said "absolutely not", he jerked off on mine.

LOUKAS

What an asshole!

ALI

Oh, don't remind that part.

Loukas laughs. They stop walking as they look at each other.