Episode 6: "Cuentas claras"
English subtitles https://youtu.be/vJcAkOeLFVQ
Spanish subtitles https://youtu.be/KVgQk0wsYZ4
While giving George massage she learned via video ("inhala, exhala"), Carmen asks how he met his first wife Jenny, who was already mother of Andy (I'm wondering who his biological father was, and if he's still alive).
George: "conoci en mi compleanos" in her restaurant and as he got to know her, said to himself "I could spend the rest of my life with this girl". (George's own birthday at least twice seems a re-birthday, as on his 50th he falls into pool* and discovers his wife Leticia is cheating on him with neighbor Robert.)
Jenny died very young (perhaps she was named after heroine of famous 1970 film LOVE STORY who had illness in which victim becomes more and more lovely until she dies--now called "Ali McGraw disease", which may only exist in movies and soap operas). Knowing life is short, George tells Carmen "yo quiero que nuestra "para siempre" empiece ya."
Thinking of descriptive vocabulary helps exercise my brain (I can feel it "stretching & lifting"!) If not finding exactly "le mot juste", at least it may be the word "close enough". Students in language classes used to take dictation to help tune their ears, thus learning to break down stream of sounds into words. Transcriptions of favorite and interesting passages--which may indicate what's to come in story, so I can refer back to later--are also to provide mental exercise as well as prop up aging brain more and more prone to slippery "senior moments" of having something on the tip of one's tongue or edge of conscious mind. I've got theory this may be partial reason writing was invented, as back up for oral tradition of conveying wisdom and stories (which can be the same thing).
Carmen, smiling (on seeing George come home): Quien es ese guapo que esta ahi, eh? (as she passes Margarita, she asks her) Ya estas mas tranquila?
Marga: Si, m'ija. (smiling watches)
Carmen to Marga: Te amo, eh?
Carmen to George: Quien es ese guapo que esta ahi?
George: Hola, mi amor. (They embrace)
Carmen: Ay. Te extrane. Como estuvo tu dia?
George: Ay, fue un dia de locos. Pero bien.
Carmen: Bueno, aprendi a dar masajes camino para aca. Un video, un video, obviamente. No se que me salga o no. Puedo darte lo?
George: Ay, no sabes la falta que que me hace (laughs)
Carmen: Vamos?
George: Aunque, este...creo que tu mama queria hablar conmigo.
Marga: No no no. No esta nada importante. Yo nomas quiera decirles que... ya va estar la comida. Yo les aviso.
Carmen: Vamos? Ven aca. (They hold hands going to family room) A ver si me sale, porque acabo de aprender.
Yo decide tomar el video de los masages porque vi que tenian un cama de masaje. (stark modern upholstered bench)
George (laughs): Bueno, no es exactemente una cama de masaje, pero nos acomodamos.
Carmen: A ver. Bueno, primero sentadito. (she stands behind George)
George: Okay, aqui?
Carmen: Y saco fuera.
George: Oh, okay.
Carmen: Bueno. Inhale ( both laughing) exhale. (she protests) Asi estaba en la video!
George: Okay. Ay, uh. (Carmen massages his neck, shoulders, upper arms)
Carmen (imitating calm formal tone of video instructor): Le esta gustando, senor?
George: Ay, deberias hacer esto todo el tiempo.
Carmen: Claro que si. (she sees framed photo of boy Andy and his mother) Como conociste a la mama de Andy?
George: A Jenny? Pues, la conoci en mi cumplianos. Ella era duena de un restaurante, y, pues, despues de que la conoci bien, dije, "Yo podria vivir con esta chica para siempre". (Carmen smiles) Aunque, pues, la vida es corta y las cosas no siempre salen como queremos. Jenny se murio muy joven. (Carmen sits down beside him, George turning to look at her)
Carmen: A nosotros no nos va a pasar nada malo nunca. Y nuestro amor va a ser para siempre.
George warmly smiles at her: Si. Carmen, lo que te dije ayer en la noche era de verdad, eh? Yo ya no quiero esperar. Quiero casarme ya. Adelatemos la boda. Yo quiero que nuestra "para siempre" empiece ya. (he touches her face with his left hand, stroking her cheek with his thumb)
Carmen: Dame un beso. (They kiss) Te amo.
George: Yo mas a ti.
Carmen: (whispering, so not sure what she says, maybe): Nada va pasar.
While Leti is getting bad news from lawyer Camillo about how she is now responsible for Robert's debts, Juancho overhears while changing in loft (balconeando again?) over George's study where he and Rocco sleep. She tells him to leave, but he delays saying he's "como Dios me trajo al mundo" (in his birthday suit/without clothing).
Happy couple tell gathered family in kitchen they want to get married sooner than planned. Juancho quotes part of saying that gave novela it's name.
Carmen: Es mi boda. Aqui quiero algo mas sencilla.
George: Si, o sea algo mas familiar--con la gente que es importante para nosotros.
Juancho: Quien es mas importante que nosotros? Los parientes, tus parientes, eh? Bueno, que casi casi como a la fuerza, verdad? Pero ya vamos hacerlos de verdad.
Juancho has private chat to tell Carmen why she can't marry George (yet) but conversation wanders from purpose when they remember fireworks "cohetes" in their hometown, prohibited in Beverly Hills (and most of California, except by licensed professionals, tho law is widely ignored in areas with lots of immigrants who purchase illegal smuggled dangerous fireworks which start fires in areas at risk for wildfires, besides traumatizing animals and people with PTSD such as veterans of war zones. This public service announcement has been brought to you by people fed up with fireworks set off for literally months in the year, not just on Fourth of July).
Juancho: Acuerdas de las lucecitas del torito de la ultima fiesta del pueblo de la feria?
Carmen: Pero tu me estabas persiguiendo.
Juancho: Pero tu brincabas porque te estaba quemando la luz.
Carmen: Ah, pos si, porque...
Juanch: Esperate, esperate, no me distraigas. (I suspect this foreshadows eventual return to San Miguel.)
Juancho to Carmen: Mira, te lo voy a explicar tantito otra ves con manzanas. Eh, pos, te pareces? Si te vas a casar , pero... pero despues. Y mientras tanto pues, no le dices a nadie.
(Latter is example of moral quibbling that will be revisited about 50 episodes later: is "neglecting" to tell the entire truth actually lying? This might be called a "sin of omission" instead of "sin of commission". )
When Margarita asks George about yesterday's locked door, answer is similar to what Leti told Marga in Ep. 5 ("it's not what it looked like") but Leti's intent was to rouse suspicion in Carmen's mother, not really quell it. (Wow--subtle, skillful range of facial & vocal expressions of George/Guy while sitting on sofa without making big dramatic gestures--otherwise known as "chewing the scenery"--in this scene is very impressive!)
George: Margarita, las cosas no son como te las esta imaginando.
Marga: Yo no estoy imaginando nada. No, estos ojos la vieron a la senora Leticia. Y mas, luego viene y me dice, (she imitates Leti's snippy voice) "Ay, es que el George me invito". Le dije "De verdad?", y me dice "Si. Es que quiere que lo intentamos de nuevo".
George (indignant): Como?! Eso es mentira. Yo no la invite. Desde que ella regreso, lo unico que he querido es sacarla. Y me vas a disculpar, Margarita, pero TU fuiste la que la abrio las puertas de esta casa.
Marga: Yo? Oh, ahora resulta que al fin de cuentas, yo tengo la culpa de tu ex-mujer haya terminado todo encuerado en tu cuarto.
George: No no no. No es lo que estoy diciendo, pero quiero que entiendas que a mi Leticia no me importa para nada. Y no solo porque fue capaz de ponerme el cuerno en mi proprio casa, pero porque, pues, mira, la verdad es que nuestro matrimonio se termino hace mucho tiempo.
Marga: Yo no quiero meterme en chismes ajeno. Porque luego vienes tu y me dices una cosa, la Leticia viene y me dice otra, pero a fin de cuentas, la que va a terminar en medio es mi propria hija. Y...y yo no quiero que le hagas dano.
George: Margarita, por favor. Yo seria incapaz de hacerle dano a tu hija.
Marga: Pues entonces aclara las cosas con ella. Mi hija tiene que saber lo que paso. Mas despues de toda la ilusion que tiene por adelantar la boda.
George (acknowledging she is right): No, perfecto. Yo le voy a decir a Carmen exactamente lo que paso, pero antes, tu y yo tenemos que ir a hablar con Leticia para que escuches de su propria boca la verdad.
Leti spins tale to her friends Sofi & Shar Pei about George welcoming her back home & she invents charity Robert Ferguson Foundation to help families with similar health issues (with real aim of paying his personal debts), but Shari says she must ask husband, Sofi is sure Hollywood stars George knows will donate to get their photos taken as good publicity. (Did I already mention that Shar Pei is breed of expensive dog trendy in USA during 1970's, known for wrinkly skin? Co-worker of mine had a pair.) Leti takes curt call from George ordering her to come home--in order to confront her about lying to Marga--but she pretends to her friends within earshot that his tone is caring & affectionate.
Andy tells his uncle he needs place to stay & his problem with Clio assuming too much after one night together. Tenoch comments and gives advice in "dichos": "Cada capilla tiene su fiestacita" (in English, every dog has its day). "Te dice mil veces que al nopal solo se le arrima cuando tiene tunas (only get close to a cactus when it has fruit) and "No busques cinco pies al gato" and "es mole de olla" (It's in the bag? Easy as falling off a log?)
After George tells Carmen that Leti was hiding in his bedroom, she says she can't trust someone who lies, tells him "Ensencerite con ti mismo y decides que quieres" (o deseas--got to replay and check exact wording) and upset, stomps off. George gives sound of frustration that's like a roar (looking back, noticing lion-like things...)
Juancho puts on uniform of chauffeur who was smaller than him. Rocco calls him brinca charcos, amarado, Juancho calls him what sounds to me like aguapuerca--does that mean "hippopotamus"? (Ancient name means "water horse", but hippos look a lot more pig-like than caballo.) Exchange of friendly insults seems to be about how Juancho exercised a lot when he was younger so got big/muscular, perhaps comparison with boy's "puppy fat" physic. In too-small too-short suit, Juancho resembles famous comedian CANTINFLAS, and uses his catch phrase, "no que no" and little hop and skip prance in sockless dress shoes. Second website has info on actor.
https://www.facebook.com/1001reasonstolearnspanish https://1001reasonstolearnspanish.com/hola-chato/
Leti & Marga sit together near display case with sculptures of 4 senses. Marga remarks on Leti's perfume "es bien olorosa tu perfume". Leti agrees "Rico". But when Marga leaves her alone, Leti rudely calls her "vieja igualada" (which in English might be "uppity old bag") So who is really the better person here?--not Leti.
In bedroom of Paz, Leticia tells twins she's going to "desquitarse uno a uno ese invasores antes que laven el cerebro de tu papa". ("Pick them off one by one" part reminds me of classic Agatha Christie movie "And Then There Were None".) Tommy wears black & white shirt with curved design (not quite purely geometric, not quite floral or circular--theory about latter is incubating, developing; will try to formulate further for future post).
Paz asks mom in English, "What are you gonna to do if lawyer demands payment?" Leti responds: Lo que siempre hecho, hare lo necesario, baby" (I suspect her tactics stretch back to before her marriage to George).
Circular designs in white high-low carpet in guest room when Carmen tells barefoot Yuli (both young women sitting on floor) that Juancho's gambling debts will delay her marriage as family can't return to Mexico. Paz has several round mirrors in her bedroom. In George's study is white x shaped coat rack often draped with his grey professorial tweed suit coats; office of Leticia's lawyer has similar rack in black. (X's and O's like XOXO said by Paz instead of "goodbye"--and perhaps in game called in English "Tic Tac Toe" or "Noughts and Crosses"?)
Paz tells Tommy her plan to get Pedro & Lara to offer to share rooms with sibling so twins will come across as good guys to their father. "Look at me, Tomas". He protests leaving his room where everything is arranged by his "chakras"--his room is where he finds "Mi yo interior", she cuttingly says, "you don't have an inner you".
Paz explains to Lara & Pedro that Country people and City people should live separately, otherwise it's like mixing expensive "Italian truffles" and onion powder--which taste horrible together. Jurado & Cruz siblings exchange words: Pedro says "estar jorobando a la cotorro" (being pestered by chatterbox/parrot?) Pega la zangano. (Pedro doesn't want catch mange from twins?) Paz doesn't get the point, thinks "cotorro" has something to do with a kind of dog (cocker spaniel?)
When Carmen tells her mother wedding will be delayed (after she and George had just announced they wanted to get married right away), Marga assumes that Carmen is getting cold feet, having been burned by her previous cheating boyfriends, "El burro no era bizco, lo hicieron a palos/blows" and advises daughter that it's time for her to heal. Camen protests: "Como voy a sanar si alguin llega y echa limon" (on my wounds).
Leti tells George she needs a ride, but he says her choice is to take taxi or have Juancho drive her (in what Juancho calls "mi traje de Pescador". When she is forced to accept (as she doesn't have money for taxi), Juancho tells her "Cada vez que te ves, pareces mas a mi. Te voy conociendo mas, mi Letis. Donde pones el ojo, pone la bala, igualito que yo. Porque tu te lo que quieres y porpones, consigues, a como sea lugar, pero lo consigues. A ver: si tu metes al agua y yo me meto al agua contigo juntitos, como salimos? Pues mojados, a poco no?"
Juancho adds: Te tengo que decir que la verdad, digo, no es facil ser tu. Yo te admiro la verdad porque despues de tu caracter como eres y todo gritonera y peleonera, en miseria, luego trae al pobre de Robert... yo me doy cuenta, tengo experiencia personal... When she angrily rejects his pity and becoming so familiar, Juancho grins and says "Te ves chula quando te enojas" (line which you've maybe heard somewhere before, maybe quote from1962 John Wayne movie THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE: "You're awful pretty when you get mad").
Clio wears blue jumpsuit with straps that make an "x" over her chest. When Andy refuses her offer to rent him half of her bed--payment she says she will collect later--she calls up one of her reporter contacts with story "Cuando la realidad pasa la ficcion" about their being a couple ("relationship" which only exists in her own mind).
Book titled I'll have what she's having about Nora Ephron romantic movies gives behind the scenes look on how Hollywood-type movies get made (tho set elsewhere in USA, such as You've Got Mail, When Harry Met Sally and Sleepless in Seattle, the latter inspired by Cary Grant/Deborah Kerr movie AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER).
* Fall in the pool could also refer to opening of classic film SUNSET BLVD, also about a Hollywood scriptwriter and an actress (but hopefully, George's story will have much happier ending, like movie SINGING IN THE RAIN).
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