Practice English Speaking&Listening with: 157 Carla & Susanne

With the most wonderful daughter and the prettiest bridesmaid one can imagine

Does that mean I can buy the dress?

== Fine by me. == Thank you!

== Well? How was it at the police station? == Hello.

Look, that's definitely the taxi driver, isn't it? The dark-haired one?

The officer basically said exactly the same thing as you

That it's some kind of nutjob - who's jealous, frustrated, and has a problem with lesbians...

... but in 99 percent of the cases isn't to be taken seriously

If these guys were to actually act on their threats, I would've been killed 100 times already

We shouldn't worry

Great! Now you can start looking forward to the wedding again.

Oh - although it makes me totally dizzy thinking about all the things we still have to arrange

Speaking of which...

This here is from Ms. Käppler! Suggestions for the buffet.

== Well, then we should take a look. == Mhm.

And I'm also hungry

== Good, we'll order ourselves a couple muffins and then we'll discuss everything, all right? == Okay.

Düsseldorf Courier

Ah, you know what? We'll see if Schmidt's interview is in it yet.

It's just going to be a little article on the regional page

We can hope

One, please

== Are you sure you don't want ALL of them? == No.

== Thanks, keep the change. == Thanks.

== What was that all about?? == They always say weird stuff.

Düsseldorf Courier

Find the article

I don't believe this

[Lesbian Wedding at Lahnstein Castle]

"Are you corrupting your poor daughter?"

Schmidt, that bastard. I should have known!

This time I'm suing him. And I'll demand a public apology.

What would be the point? In the meantime, all of Düsseldorf has read this article.

Now it's happened - exactly what I didn't want to have happen. My children are being drawn into this!

I don't know how I'm supposed to break it to Lisa what the newspaper is saying about her

What she'll go through at school

All we wanna do is get married!

In peace, and have fun

But first that threatening letter and now this article...

Look, there the two of them are

== No way. == Yes.

== It really is. == I don't believe it, they really dare be here!

== Embarrassing, don't you think? == Unbelievable.

If this is all too much for you...

Right now I have the feeling this is all rising over my head

I'll make you a proposal

We'll cancel the wedding

Right away

== So, one water... oops. Oh right, so, okay. == Uh, that was for me.

== Thanks. == You're welcome.

And driving my taxi... I might as well prepare myself for lots of comments, once they realize who I am

Don't make yourself crazy

That's so easy to say

I love you

It makes no difference whether we're married or not

Do you really mean that?

Of course!

If we don't get married now, then we'll just do it in another six months. By then, no one will remember this drivel in the newspaper anymore.

And now of all times, where this trash piece about your daughter has been published in the paper, it's especially important that...

What are you talking about?

Oh... you don't know yet?

This is a slap in the face for Carla and Susanne

Oh, no wonder they were so bummed out today

Leave me alone!

== Rumor has it you hate men? == Yes, men like you!

== And only women will be coming to the lesbian wedding?? == Go ahead and think whatever you want!

== What is going on here?! Get out of here, OUT...! == You're obstructing the free press!

GET OUT! I'll bring charges!!

If I had known how bad this would be...

Why can't they just leave us in peace?!

They can't do anything to us

They can't do ANYTHING to us!

Hot chocolate in summer?

When you were little...

... I always made you hot chocolate when you were having trouble

I'd need to drink a whole pitcherful now

== You can do that. == Oh, no, that's all right.

It wouldn't help

My troubles today are different from the ones back then

Yes, your troubles and your problems grow with you,... as you grow with them

Yeah

But right now, I feel like everything is crashing in on me. All I have to do is go through that door.

Yes, all you have to do is go through that door, and endure their envy

I don't know if I can do that

Oh, Susanne... Neither the writer of that letter nor this hack journalist are worth letting them get you down.

One is a psychopath and the other only cares about the front-page splash

Well, great

They've succeeded in getting us to consider postponing the wedding

What??

You're going to put it off?

Yes. In six months, maybe the furor will have died down.

Oh, child...

My attitude towards your wedding... you know what it is

And going public with it - I warned you guys. But that doesn't matter now!

Now I say no!

'Put it off, cancel it', NO - especially not now!

This is a completely different tune from you

One can have an opinion - AND an attitude. My attitude is: don't let these idiots tell you how to live your lives.

If you really want this wedding, ... fight for your happiness

I'll help you do it

Now drink your hot chocolate, it's getting cold!

Yes

== Hello. == Hello.

Now my surprise isn't a surprise anymore

== That's supposed to be for me? == Yes.

I'm surprised, anyway

I wanted to give it to you for our wedding

But as long as we still haven't come to any decision...

Ahem...

That's why I came here

I've... been thinking about your suggestion

And?

And I've also come to a decision

And? Please don't keep me in suspense any longer.

That despicable letter and this tripe in the newspaper, I...

Yes

All right, then... we should start by uninviting the guests. Several of them have very packed calendars.

So you want just a small, private wedding? Only the two of us?

Does that mean...?

We won't let our happiness be ruined! We're marrying!

Oh, do you mean that seriously?

I can hardly wait to become your wife

No. No, I had no idea!

What is that supposed to mean, 'am I a lesbian too'? Have you lost all your marbles?!

You know what? Just leave me alone!

The newspaper article?

You can't imagine what it was like at school today. So many stupid comments!

And this afternoon I went to Katja's, but that fatty Cordula followed me even there

And the telephone won't shut up either!

They tried to talk to me, too. But I told them I didn't know anything. What was in the article anyway?

That's the bad part - I have no idea. I wanted to buy a copy of the paper after school, but it was sold out.

Tomorrow the front page will have some blonde on it again, who's lost her panties - and then this will all be forgotten anyhow

Not by the kids at school

They all actually wanted to know if I'm a lesbian, too, and if Carla hits on me!

And? What did you say?

Oh Paul, you're asking for trouble!

Don't!

Ow!

Paul, stop! Quit it!

Paul, wait, wait a minute...

Isn't this today's paper?

Paul!

Look!

If you marry the slut dyke... you're dead!

Oh...

You're both still awake. That's good. I have to talk to you.

You mean about this here?

You're a little late

You've already seen the letter?

I wanted to talk to you about it this afternoon

But then a coworker got sick and I was stuck in the taxi all day

Couldn't you have at least called? First that article and now this!

That's not something one discusses on the phone

And you would have just worried unnecessarily

Unnecessarily?! Don't tell me you don't take this seriously, either? Paul thinks it's a joke.

I was just trying to reassure Lisa

But it IS a little creepy

Listen, it's surely just some old chauvinist who can't stand the thought that women can also be happy without men

But what if it's a maniac who actually does something? Susanne, you have to go to the police!

I've already been

You have?... Then they're protecting you now, right?

Look, it's like this... the police see it as an empty threat, too

And I mean, after all, they have experience in things like this

So that means they aren't doing ANYTHING

For crying out loud! Cursed thing...

Papa?

I wanted to request something

Johannes is walking Carla down the aisle, and so I thought...

No

Is that your final word? Is my wedding that abhorrent to you?

'Abhorrent' - I've never expressed it that way

Your reaction was clear enough

And yet, you yourself told me I should do what my heart said

You don't have to remind me

But now, finally, maybe you'll respect the fact that I'M also only doing what I think is right

So you still believe all I need is for the right man to come along and I'll forget I'm a lesbian?!

Yes, that's exactly right

I LOVE Carla!

You have no idea how much it hurts that my own father doesn't believe me

What kind of siege is that out there anyway? Those newspaper dudes are acting like Klinsmann is hiding in here.

Ah, and so you want me to lie to Susanne, do you?

No, no one is demanding that. But a little consideration wouldn't be too much to ask.

Hear, hear!

Are you not aware what all Susanne went through in Argentina?

She had to constantly take care of us by herself. Lisa's father was useless for anything.

Yeah - Alex

Yeah, she was constantly afraid he would stop taking his medications for the schizophrenia

And the pills evidently made him feel SO good, he couldn't stop cheating on her

She doesn't have to go and marry a WOMAN, all because a man disappointed her. They aren't all like Alex.

Why don't you get it? Susanne isn't with Carla because Alex disappointed her! They love each other.

Yes - for now, maybe

Susanne is happy and you're spoiling it all for her

Am I supposed to let a 17-year-old, snotty-nosed brat explain the world to me?!

A different question: Does Susanne have to let a 17-year-old, snotty-nosed brat walk her down the aisle?

Because if YOU don't do it, I WILL

And in contrast to you, I want Susanne to be happy on her big day!

Do you have to leave again?

Yes... but it won't take long

== OHH! == Sorry!

No harm done

== See you later. == Yes, see you later.

Oh, who in the world is that now?

Hello, front desk, Susanne Brandner. At the moment, the boss is in a...

... very important ...

... meeting. Can I give her a message?

Hello?

Welp, hung up, so sorry

I'm sure it was some reporter

Or one of my numerous love rivals

Could be

Excuse me?

Uh, sorry, what did you say? I was lost in thought.

What's wrong? Don't you want to tell me?

My father

He still believes that someday I'll regret the marriage

Just don't think about that. The problem will solve itself.

By the time we get to our golden anniversary, anyway

"Ahem...

... my dear child, I hate to admit it, but I was actually wrong back then"

And you're saying the few years in between - we'll just ride them out?

Yes. As long as we love each other, no one can harm us.