by Anthony Lombardi
Act 1 Growing up and Getting There
Episode 1: Early age in Irkutsk Vera is born in Irkutsk on a rainy Friday on the 15th of March in the year 2000.
She lives with her father who is a dentist, her mother and her younger sister Victoria.
Vera has a happy childhood. She is a dreamer from a very young age.
Vera: I want her dress to be more colourful. Victoria: You’ll just ruin it like that.
Vera becomes optimistic, idealistic and, most of all, ambitious.
Girl: That dress looks wonderful on you! Vera: Someday I’ll have enough money to pay for things like this.
Of course, Vera has various teenage love affairs, each ending the same way. Boy: Vera, I can’t believe you want to dump me for that rat Vlad.
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Vera begins to realize that her body has a certain power over other people.
Vic: Why do you spend so much time in front of that mirror? I want a guy that likes me as I am.
Vera can’t wait to get out of school to begin her first working experience.
Vera at party dancing wildly is eyed by a rich Japanese businessman.
Yamato: How about a drink to cool off a bit? Vera: It’s going to take more than a drink to cool me off dude.
Episode 2: Meeting the Right Man
Yamato: What’s your name. Vera: Depends who’s asking. Yamato: My name’s Yamato and I’m doing the asking honey.
Yamato prepares his trip after 2 weeks and gives Vera Vera understands that Yamato is in town for business. He goes back to Tokyo the next day. She persuades him the good news. to call her the next time he’s in town.
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Yamato’s business trip turns into an outright fling with Vera who introduces the edgy side of life to him.
Yamato falls in love and asks Vera to come to Tokyo and live with him. Yamato: I can’t live without you. Come on. You don’t have anything to lose here in Irkutz.Vera: I won’t come on a promise but on a vow.
They move to their new house in Tokyo together. They build a bridge in the garden.
Episode 3: Tailoring her Taste Vera is happy with her new husband and life. She has taken her first big step.
She arranges plastic surgery for her face and breasts. Vera: I want eyes that people want to touch.
Her life becomes one social event after another.
Vera has a lot of free time as her husband climbs the ladder. She dedicates herself to fashion and luxury items.
She discusses business with her husband.Yamato: My job earns enough money for the both of us to live quite well. Vera: Yes, but I want to have a business as well. I have connections and know-how.
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Yamato: I’ll help you with any capital that you need. Vera: I know you love me.
Vera : We can do it. You make the arrangements with the surgeons. Vic: I’m sure that our friends in Moscow will be interested.
Vera and Vic set up a business importing Chinese breast implants to Russian plastic surgeons.
Act 2
Episode 4:
The High Wire Act
Taking Risks While Winning and Losing
Yamato and Vera have little time for each other between each of their business exploits.
Vera’s businesses diversify. She loses a lot of money in a bogus marketing scheme.
Vera : We cannot tolerate losing enterprises. I want to know when we stand to lose.
However, her success is globalised in the sectors of Deconstruction & Demolition and discount legal services.
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She falls out with her sister. Vera : You don’t take enough risks. If you don’t risk it all, you’ll never know how to win big.
She is pushed out of business by her partners. Vera : You bastards!
Vera meets an investment banker named Azamat. Azamat: You’ve got some good ideas and I think I can help you but let’s talk it over dinner tonight eh?
Episode 5: Psychological Isolation Vera and Azamat sink their dough into some high-tech artwork by a Russian artist living in London.
Their affair turns into a party-going whirlwind of gallery openings but investors don’t go for it. Azamat cuts himself out of the deal and dumps Vera.
Vera and Yamato try to piece their marriage together. Vera: You should have helped me with some of my business.Yamato: There was no stopping you. I did it because I love you.
Vera: Hah! You call that love? Sitting and watching me go through what I went through! You are a coward Yamato. You just don’t want to get TOO involved.
Yamato is crushed but accepts that Vera lives quietly with him in Tokyo. He tries to console her but she withdraws into herself more and more.
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Vera: It isn’t the object that you buy. It’s the adrenaline that Vera: But I understand that money can only be exVera: No one understands the true value of money. Everyone thinks that you need it to have other things and changed to have that pang of happiness when you have possessing that object gives. It only lasts a second. Keeping the object is not the point. The point is getting it. something you didn’t have before. eventually power over others.
Vera spends alls of the money that Yamato gives her. He has to take away every means of spending that Vera has access to.
Act 3
The Fall and Final
Vera tries bartering food with some people at the market. Vera : Really! This is freshly baked. I’ll give it to you for some of those bananas.
Yamato convinces Vera to stay in bed for some time. The doctor prescribes the psychopharmaceuticals.
Episode 6: Yamato Attempts Yamato is convinced to bring Vera around. He takes her shopping. Yamato: I wanna buy you something very special today.
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Yamato: I want to give you something that you can have and cherish for a long time. Something that gives you a special feeling and reminds you of me.
Vera: But I don’t need an object to remind me of you. Yamato touches Vera’s cheek gently. Vera and Yamato find themselves looking at a window of children’s clothes.
Vera smiles and looks down.
They continue shopping but they both are distracted. Vera buys a candle.
Vera decides to take up photography. She shares her enthusiasm with Yamato.
Episode 7: Vera looks into the future Yamato sees that Vera isn’t interested in money anymore. She is engrossed with her photography.
Vera and Yamato sit down to dinner.
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Vera brings the candle to the table and lights it. They both contemplate.
Yamato breaks the silence and expresses his desire to have a child.
Vera: The flame is like life, it flickers with no definite form and clings to the wick. The smoke reminds you that something is burning.
Vera: Yes, my dear, I would like to have a child together with you.
Yamato: This is really what I wanted to give you that you could cherish all of your life.
Vera concentrates on the candle. It flutters and goes out.
Episode 8: A death is born They look at each other. Vera is smiling but Yamato is puzzled. Vera : Nothing is forever.
Months go by and Vera is happily expecting a baby.
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It seems that life is shining brightly on Vera and Yamato. They pass the time together joyfully.
At last, Shizukishi is born. With him comes hope and happiness.
Yamato is particularly attached to the child but becomes concerned when Shizukishi’s body shows unusual swelling.
Shizukishi is diagnosed with an incurable degenerative disease that causes death by the age of three.
Yamato is devastated and loses his job because he can’t concentrate. Boss: I’m sorry Yamato. You should leave your private problems at home.
Vera, on the other hand never takes her eyes off the child. She copes with the disease by contemplating the child’s face.
Yamato distances himself from the suffering by drinking and playing pachinko.
The child dies.
Vera stops at a pest control store.
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Episode 9: A vision of Death Yamato: I don’t understand how you can be so cool in front of such a tragic event.
Vera: It’s not what you acquire in life but how you lose it.
Let’s have some tea and think about our lives.
Vera mixes a high dose of rat poison in the tea.
They drink the tea together.
Vera persuades Yamato to walk across the bridge and sit in the forest garden with her.
They are silent.
Vera tells Yamato about the tea. They embrace.
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The Bridge a graphic novel in 9 acts by Anthony Lombardi 2015
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