Episode 7: "Mala jugada"
English subtitles https://youtu.be/I5-mONlbuZI
Spanish subtitles https://youtu.be/3Vvlj6JfnY0
George finally takes shower he couldn't in previous chapter. While he's in bathrobe (white trimmed navy blue--which I think may symbolize water--and black slippers which may also be symbolic), and his hair wet, Carmen "comes clean" (like Ep. 6 title "Cuentas claras") telling him why her family can't return to Mexico. George says to Carmen "No tienes que pedirme perdon". (could that be translated to famous line in 1970 movie LOVE STORY that Jenny says, "Love means never having to say you're sorry"?) He offers to pay or loan money for Juancho's gambling debts, but Carmen refuses to let him.
Marga and mama Rosa sort thru beans in the kitchen, remarking there's a lot of stones. They are overheard by Rocco and Robert while women talk of how George decided Leti and her husband must leave the house, which they regret on behalf of helpless paralyzed man. (George made/will make figurative remark to Tania that a small pebble had been joined by a lot of others rocks on top of him "se juntan con otros" (his previous problem had been joined by a lot of others).
Carmen tries to get her family to stay in United States without revealing reason (which is that because of Juancho's gambling debts, thugs have threatened to kidnap Carmen, maybe kill the others.) She tells Mama Rosa "tu me dijiste un dia que yo era la luz de tus ojos....Me dejarias por tus animalitos? (to Marga) Mama, me dejarias en un momento tan importante?" (Expression about eyes reminds me of scene in hospital when poster about eye exams is behind Leti and twins as they sit waiting to hear condition of Robert after his stroke.)
Unseen except by Carmen, Yuli silently "directs" Carmen's performance, quickly changing facial expression from fierce frown to simpering cheerful smile. Her pulling her own hair may refer to expression "tomar el pelo", I think meaning in English, to fool someone; BIG RED BOOK OF SPANISH IDIOMS says "pull someone's leg".
Lara tosses stuff from her backpack onto bed and floor in search of outfit to wear to Country Club she was "sort of" invited by Alan, friend of Tommy & Paz who tell Cinderella to stay home. Maria the maid exclaims at the mess, asking her satirically polite: "Puede saber adonde va tan a la carrera?" (Might one ask where you are rushing to in such a hurry?) Paz stuffs faded pink flip flops and dull gray brown two piece swim suit with faded flowers into her triangle patterned shoulder bag.
Noticed lawyer Camilo he holds pen in left hand, watch on right (too many left handed devious people in story to be sheer fluke. Also wondered what initials of RDL law firm stand for. May be just have Harry Potter on the mind, but when letters are said, sounds like RIDDLE--probably just coincidence, also birth-name of Lord Voldemort).
While Juancho drives Leti from meeting with her lawyer he'd spied on, he keeps glancing in rear view mirror at her in back seat. She is astonished when 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 propones, 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?" (Statues in Cruz home of 2 swimsuit-clad women may refer to this expression.)
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 probably from 1962 John Wayne movie THE MAN WHO SHOT LIBERTY VALENCE: "You're awful pretty when you get angry".
Not watching traffic, a blue car cuts in front of him and Juancho runs into it. Worried, he tells Leti he doesn't have papers so can't deal with driver. Infuriated, Leti is forced to talk to male driver. Viewers don't actually witness this scene, but later Juancho admiringly praises her "majestral" handling of situation, and preening, she admits she enjoyed manipulating or charming and calming other driver they rear-ended with George's car.
At huge swimming pool at Beverly Hills Club, Lara wearing sickly pink wrap and rose colored glasses (figuratively seeing world as all happy and nice place) takes a video of herself giving tour of pool party for internet followers of "Larilovers". Twins are embarrassed and pretend not to know her at first.) Then they and their friends ply "naca" Lara with cocktails and margaritas (in yellow, orange, pink--lots of clothing and towels in those colors as well). Tipsy Lara confuses drink name with her mother's name and tries to refuse, but they practically pour it down her throat. Paz pressures her, "If you want to belong to Beverly Hills society, you have to behave "a la altura" (up to our level", chanting "fondo, fondo" (bottoms up)
When Tommy feels like he's going to toss his cookies (I think in Ep. 3, Paz uses similar expression in Spanish "my soup almost came back up" meeting future relatives), sis Paz orders him "no seas basico" (low, crude, gross?)
Tommy wears white shirt with little black hearts and board shorts striped yellow, green and blue. He says Lara looks like Bety (in-joke about "ugly duckling" tho intelligent and good Bety la Fea en New York, novela actor also appeared in). When Alan seems to protest (tho not really that strongly), Paz tells him it's what Lara deserves for being "igualada". Never having touched alcohol before, Lara soon gets extremely drunk. Tommy himself feels sick and staggers off to restroom. Paz then decides to put "la ceniza en el pastel" (Cherry on top of the cake, "the finishing touch") and shoves Lara so she falls into pool, floundering and going under because she can't swim.
Juancho says he and Lety are now even/"estamos a mano" (he helped her, she helped him) but when he calls her "partner" (socio), she haughtily says they aren't on same level, neither in this life or the next, and wonders how George could ever have hired undocumented worker. Juancho replies he and Leti both "estamos viendo la cara a George" (from context seems to mean showing a false face? On wall in Cruz home is multiple varied colored masks/faces in grid of 9 or 12). Juancho tells Leti he knows of her debts--and how she intends to pay them. "No lo hagas. (don't pretend). Andele, si." Juancho is reflected in car window "face to face with her" as Leti looks trapped.
Maria told Pedro where twins and his sister went. After climbing over tall hedge at Green Hills Club, Pedro politely asks Hispanic grounds worker where they are (may be symbolic that man was trimming leafy green hedges). Pedro, seeing Lara fall, dives into pool to rescue her. ("Respira, respira") As Lara lies unconscious on cement, drunk Tommy returns and Pedro punches & decks him. Rich kids want him arrested, saying he's criminal trying to kill Tommy--when in fact, Paz almost killed Lara. Pedro calls Andy (at studio getting publicity photos taken while Tania criticizes his going to live at a taco stand--Tenoch's restaurant) to come get him and Lara.
Rocco tells Juancho that Leti and Robert are leaving. He empathizes and says he too is "en la torre" and may need to start "jugando a la escondadillas" (play hide and seek?) Rocco gets idea and tells uncle he's a genius.
George argues with Leticia: "Tu aqui esta de mas" (You aren't needed here). Despairing, she cries, "No me puedes echar a la calle como si fuera un maldito animal!" He concedes, starting to write a check so that she can stay somewhere else. But when she stipulates "Que la cantidad sea generosa, porque ya sabes a lo estoy acostumbrada, no?" Astounded by her cheek (saying in English, "Really?!" and shaking head in disbelief), he changes his mind and tells her that he won't give her anything until she leaves, as she might otherwise spend it on something else--which is in fact what she'd intended, although claiming, "I'd never do a thing like that."
Tenoch & Gina (wearing blue top, with hair pulled back) fix up old camper (with blue & orange trim) for Andy to live in behind restaurant so he can leave Cleo's (on wall are picture postcards of Hollywood,. Walk of Fame star.) Andy holds wooden framed photo of himself as child with George's mother, wishing she could give him advice.
Juancho & George talk at cross purposes: Juancho thinks George knows about fender bender when George is referring to gambling debts, then latter suddenly realizes now there's another problem, plus why Juancho sounded him out earlier on staying in Cruz house "forever". Me viste la cara de menso? (Do I look like an idiot to you?)" Juancho: No...Bueno, si...pues tantito. Nada mas poquito. (a little bit). He promises to pay for car, but impatiently George tells him in English to "Zip it", insurance will pay for repairs, Juancho can re-pay later.
George lets Juancho know Carmen told him that her mother & abuela don't know about the gambling debts; Juancho strongly agrees they shouldn't find out (Carmen thinks shock will hurt old woman's health). But Margarita overhears; outraged on hearing her house was lost, starts hitting her brother. She snatches up glass from table, throws it at him--but it accidently hits George on back of the head and knocks him out cold.
She cries "Estas vivo?" Juancho misunderstands, "Yeah, I'm alive, thanks". Marga: "Not you, George!" Carmen runs in, sees George unconscious on couch, demands what happened. Juancho describes how her mother started throwing things, how he dodged them all, "con mis reflejos de felino que tengo, no me paso nada."
Siblings continue to squabble, Carmen scolds them for acting like 5 year olds, and reprimands her uncle for demanding money from George to pay gambling debts.
George slowly comes to, gingerly touching back of head, says Juancho didn't ask, he offered--but she again refuses money. Marga realizes Carmen already knew and didn't tell her; with heavy irony, calls her "senorita honestidad" who "says her mother is her best friend and tells her everything". Carmen says she does love her and she is her best friend, but because she does love her, daughter didn't tell about house so mother wouldn't worry--and because she exaggerates. Women go off still arguing; Juancho starts to follow but George advises letting them fight alone. Juancho suggests George have a drink to get rid of headache (but more are to come).
Marga starts packing, saying they will go live under a bridge as they have nowhere else to go. George (Carmen holding his arm in trusting solidarity) says he's happy to have her family there, and they can stay as long as they like "para siempre, si es el caso"; there will always be home for her with him and Carmen. Dignified mama Rosa thanks him, but that isn't what she wants. Marga sorrows over losing home her husband left her, filled with happy memories, but Carmen explains those memories are in her heart and in hearts of their family.
George adds he wants to fill his house "con recuerdos bonitos de tu familia (as Carmen listens smiling), Por favor no se procupen. Todo va a estar bien". Carmen embraces mother, trying to comfort her. But Rosa looks tragic.
Yuli rebukes her father for not only losing their own home, then her mother, but also home of Marga' s familiy. He says he is suffering too; without his wife, he's alone. She coldly calls him Juan instead of father and walks away.
Paz in rainbow plaid playsuit helps Tommy into house, and George now has new problem to deal with, trying to figure out what really happened at pool party. His own children fudge the truth (tho to be fair, Tommy wasn't there to see if Lara fell or was pushed). Lara didn't know either, being drunk or unconscious, but allows herself to believe twins treated her as fond relatives. George tells Pedro, in his house, they don't resolve things by fighting (yet seems not totally convinced twins are entirely blameless). Disgusted, Pedro (in red shirt--angry?) calls them liars.
Maria hears voice in her room, thinks it's a ghost, but realizes it's Rocco and "disappeared" Robert hiding.
Twins report to mom what occurred; Leti says it's the best thing that could happen. Tommy marvels she feels that way about his getting punched in the face. She explains, their dad now has "una carga de conciencia por no haberle creido a sus hijos." Paz gets it right away (as devious minded as her mom). George will now feel very guilty for not believing what his own children told him. "Entonces, es el mejor momento para que vayas y le digas que no me puede correr de la casa, ok? Tommy, tu no. (in English to Paz) Princess, do it for mommy, okay"?
In kitchen, Pedro tells his family about twins & their friends endangering Lara's life and laughing about it, and says he can't live there anymore. Marga says if he goes, the rest will go with him. (To be continued)
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