"Hey you..." "Get up." "Where've you been?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "That lazy bastard, always drunk." "Always fucking around." "Him and that slut of a niece of mine" " I'll smash their skulls." "I told him..." "I warned him." "I mean, there are limits." "He won't slap me around anymore, that bastard." "Slow down, you're getting me all mixed up." "Your husband was a bastard..." "Was..." "You killed him." " Me?" "Yes ma'am." " I wanted to kill him..." "I wish I'd killed him." "I can't remember." "It's been so short a time, I'm still dazed." "Got a job?" " I can't remember." "Do you have a record?" " I don't think so." "Were your clothes stolen?" "I told you I can't remember." "Did you escape from a hospital or an asylum?" "Don't know What's the year?" "Don't pretend you're crazy it's 1989." " 1989?" "What did you think?" " 1976." "I told you he was loony." " I'm not loony." "I was down there." " Where down there?" "Down there." "In the subway." "Listen, if you don't talk I'll lock you up." "You'll rot in some cell." "For the last time, what's your name?" "Can't remember." "Can't remember." "Operator, get me Intelligence it's urgent." "We'll see if you keep playing dumb." "But I..." "Shut up, I'll ask the questions." "Who are you?" "I'll reed some names." "Julio Marchetti?" "Claudio lniguez?" "Iniguez, I said Answer me!" "Fermin Garcia?" "Yes, yes." "That's me." "I'm Fermin Garcia." "Shut up while I'm talking!" "You know what?" "Better not say you're Garcia." "Know why?" "'Cause Fermin Garcia was a bus driver." "A union man." "An agitator." "And in May '76, know what happened to him?" "They killed me" "I know, they killed me." "Feels so cold." "At least they don't have germs." "They're small, but better than nothing." "You won't want the tie." "No, what for?" "You're gonna leave now." "You won't talk to anyone." "You haven't been here, we never saw you." "Here, some money." "Grab a coffee, clean yourself up." "And God be with you, okay?" " Sure." "This way." " Now scram." "Find a new neighbourhood" "ls there democracy outside?" "Hi, can I have a cheap pack of cigarettes." "10 or 20?" "Just a regular pack." "Inflation's brought the 10-pack." " Give me a 20." "Do you sell razors?" "That's a razor?" " A smooth shave for 10 pesos." "They could have hot water." "Well, couldn't they?" "Deaf... polio." "Must've been an epidemic." "'Rico'?" "Who's Rico?" "'The Green Party.' 'The waiter's fucking the boy.'" "Son of a bitch!" "'You can stop loving me but forget me, never '" "Tota..." "Tota." "Dear Tota..." "I don't know if this letter comes at a bad time." "It must seem so long ago." "But for me." "Darling it seems like it was just last week." "I'm ashamed to think these lines may be a nuisance." "You may have a new life." "Maybe you're married... have a family... who knows?" "Even I can't understand what happened to me." "Here in the city everything's changed." "So much is new." "I don't where I was, what happened." "Maybe you think I'm a bastard, that I ran away." "But don't be angry." "Because I love you." "And amidst all this doubt and garbage all these lies and fear." "I want you to know you're my one and only... the one thing that makes returning worthwhile." "Hello." " What is it?" "A letter for Mendieta." " Why not Donald Duck?" "Where's the address?" " Don't you have a book?" "What book?" " I need to find a lady's address." "Gimme a break." "Like some maté?" "Sure, thanks a lot." "What's the lady's name?" " Tota." "She's been called that ever since she was a kid." "Been a long time?" "Yeah, about... 13 years." "Think she's still waiting?" "That's what I want to find out." "I was a bus driver." " With this company?" "Used to be." "You new?" " Started in 1980." "Where do you change drivers now?" " At General Susvin, past the hills." "You headed there?" " I go on to Mendieta." "Oh, right to the end." "You ever go there?" "No, Merelo does the last stretch." "Why?" "I have friends there." "I wanted to know how they are." "I haven't seen my girl in years." "Merelo says the people are nice." "Anyway, you've been there." "He stops over before coming back." "They're nice people, but I don't remember very well." "My girl and me, we kept it a secret." "You know small towns..." "Yeah, big hellholes." "No entry without a shirt." "Hi, like some company?" "What's wrong?" "Can't sleep?" "It's a long road, I know it by heart." "Whenever I'm on a bus" "I just can't fall asleep" "I was a driver myself." "You know a girl called Tota?" "Tota?" "Oh yeah, that Tota." "But she's no girl." "You mean 'Crazy Tota.'" "A few years back she met this driver." "The bum left her saying he'd be back in a week." "He was going to marry her and settle in the town." "'Course he never came back." "He dumped her, see?" "Since then she tells everybody that her guy'll come back, that any day now Fermin will be back." "That's why she works at the newsstand near the bus stop." "To be there when the bus brings him back." "Stupid, huh?" "My name's Valentin Merelo." "And you?" "Alberto..." "Alberto Gonzales." "Tota..." "Tota, are you there?" "Yes." "Want the paper?" " Hi Tota." "Which one?" "Tota, it's me." "That's four pesos." "It's me." "Four pesos, mister." "What is it?" "Welcome to Mendieta." "Excuse me." "You going to rip up the whole paper?" "Want to stuff your shoes?" "Why?" "Do you want it?" "At least give me the comics and the sports." "The comics are already gone." "The sports section's all here." "Thanks." "Excuse me." "Where are you going?" "Looking for someone?" "It's alright if you don't want to talk." "You see, I'm not going anywhere." "But you... being a stranger here." "Good morning." "Good morning." "Morning" "I'm from Buenos Aires." "I need a job." "Then why didn't you stay there?" "Look, just for some food and a bed." "I'll do anything." "What brings you here?" "I like the place." "The gentleman's my friend." "So you've already made friends." "Of course he has friends." " Look, I don't know this guy." "Just ignore him." "So what do you say?" "I can play the piano." "Do you see a piano?" " No, but..." "Do you or don't you see a piano?" "He's my friend." "Listen..." "I don't know you." "If you're broke I'll fix you a meal." "But work..." "Doña Patricia has a piano." "She likes to show off for city folk." "Doña Patricia is my friend." "She'll give you a job, no problem." "Okay, but I'd rather you kept your mouth shut." "Just stay outside, okay?" "As you like" "I'm only trying to help" "I live in a chicken coop." "You can always sleep there, if you wish." "Coming!" "What now?" "Coming!" "Good morning." " Good morning, ma'am." "Hi Pipi, I was looking for you." "I have something for you." "I'm not here, I left." "He's the one who knocked." " I'm a friend of his." "Come on in, both of you." "I have those clothes for you, Pipi" "I'm from Buenos Aires." "I don't have a job, but I'd like to stay here" "I'll do anything." "All I want is room and board." "The gentleman's my friend." "He's a famous pianist." "He's looking for work, thought he'd try his luck here." "Work?" "I don't know what to say." "You see, it's 'cause of your piano..." "I play pretty well." "Let me show you - no commitment." "Alright if you think." "Bravo." "Maestro!" "I hasn't been played in years." "The piano just sits there." "So beautiful, so romantic." "What's the piece called?" "Can't remember Bad memory." "You know each other?" "I bought the paper from her." "You're from Buenos Aires?" "He's my friend." "He wants to live here." "A gifted player one of the best" "I don't know what to say." "What's your name?" "Alberto Gonzalez." "I like him but things are so complicated." "People don't know you here." "Who hasn't heard of Alberto Gonzalez?" "Why move to a small town?" "You get tired of the city the noise, the smog, all the people..." "But..." " I spent a week in Buenos Aires." "I'll never forget it." "La Calle Corrientes la Avenida de Mayo the port." "My fiancé doesn't like it." "We always fight over that." "Fermin's from the suburbs." "Do you know Pompeya?" " Yes... but it's a big place." "Aren't you going to mass?" " Yes." "At 12, as usual." "It'll do to sleep in." "The only problem's the roof, it leaks." "It's perfect." "If you lend me some tools I can..." "We'll carry up the mattress later." "The bath is downstairs." " I'll find it." "It's no trouble having you." "But as for work that's another matter." "Everyone knows everyone else." "And people love to talk." "I'm a widow, living alone..." "You don't have a suitcase or something?" "I see" "I have some old clothes." "From my late husband." "Hi Pipi." "Great outfit, huh?" "Hey Pipi, what's wrong?" "Why're you leaving?" "What'd I do?" "Never mind." " Tell me, Pipi." "That jacket is mine." "Doña Patricia promised." "It belonged to Don Antonio." "He was my friend." "Sorry, I didn't know Here." "Never mind." "Pipi, you've got to help me." "Where can I get flowers?" " Flowers?" "You want flowers?" "I need the prettiest flowers you can find." "We beg Your indulgence." "Do not refuse Your consolation to those whom You call unto You and to Your eternal riches." "This is the Lord's word." " Lord, we praise Thee." "The body of Christ." "The blood of Christ." "You degenerate!" "Drop those flowers!" "Drop them, I say!" "We open in an hour." "The customers arrive a bit later." "Always the same ones." "They come, they have a drink, eat something." "It's the town's social spot." "The priest is a regular" "I don't go to church, but he's here every night." "He's getting on in years." "He had some problems with people but with me, never." "He shares his table with Doña Euralia... the most famous widow here." "You know why?" "She insist on torturing us with her singing at parties." "Her brother Don Amilcar is always beside her... the wealthiest man in town." "He owns the fruit company." "A man of few words, and the defender" ""of proper behaviour," as he puts it..." "At the next table we find the Valderama triplets." "They're identical, so there's no point telling you their names." "They look a bit sad... perhaps because they haven't found husbands." "One of them was in love..." "deeply in love with Don Leandro." "Till she discovered he was a bit... well, a bit strange." "But we don't talk about that." "He lives with another man..." "his brother Marcelo." "He came here a few years ago." "These are the regulars." "The rest... they come, or they don't." "These people will decide if you'll be allowed to stay." "How dare they?" "What cheek!" "How can they clap without knowing who he is?" "No respect for our feelings isn't that so, Amilcar?" "What?" "Why yes, of course, sister dear." "We're slowly losing all sense of decency in this town." "We're being undermined by." "Protestants!" " I completely agree." "But I can't criticize Doña Patricia." "Because she at least is a Christian." "She may be Christian, Father, but." "Did you notice his jacket?" "It belonged to the late Don Antonio." "May he rest in peace." "May God bless his memory." "Shh, she's coming" "I recognize that music." "So do I." " Me too." "Isn't that Satie?" " Yes, Erik Satie." "It's so romantic." "When will the magazines come in?" "They send us what's left over." "Don't I know." "Hello." "Good day." "We'll never be in fashion." "That's why I tell Fermin we should move to the city." "Well, I'll be off." "Tell me if Style arrives." "Of course, Eva." "Bye." "I said Eva, but I don't know which one she is." "They always ask for that rag as if it made sense to follow fashion here!" "It gives them something to do." "You're new here." "Yeah." "It must be worse for you." "You're not used to being bored." "Tell me, you've known the triplets for so long, yet... you can't tell them apart?" " I know..." "Look at me." "Do you remember faces?" "I never forget a face." "But they are exactly alike." "What's wrong?" "Is something wrong?" "Me too." "You too what?" "I never forget a face - or so my friends say." "Do you have many friends in Buenos Aires?" "Not really." "There are 13 million inhabitants, but..." "You must have some friends" "I do." "Buenos Aires is so pretty." "So many colours, sounds... so many shops Everything moves!" "Are taxis still the same colour?" "Yes, black with yellow roofs." "You still remember?" " It wasn't that long ago." "A few months." "Fermin took me for a week." "We went to the lake and rented a paddle-boat." "Then we went to a tea shop where cakes were served on a tray." "What was it called?" ""El Molino, " Tota." "You remember?" "Of course I remember Alberto." "What else do you remember?" "So many things." "We went to a hippie street fair." "Such lovely things there." "Tell me, is Buenos Aires still so cheerful?" "No, that's all gone." "It's modern now." "The kids wear these things in their ears." "Yeah, earrings with coloured stones." "It seems like yesterday." "Thirteen years, Tota." "Strange, isn't it?" "Yeah, strange" "it's so long since I spoke about Fermin." "When I mention him, they change the subject." "They pretend he doesn't exist." "They think I don't notice." "They're just jealous it's because I'm in love." "Deeply in love." "Deeply in love." "They think I'm crazy." "Those who love go crazy." "And you?" "Were you ever?" "I'm madly in love." "Did you leave her behind?" "You write to her?" "You're all the same." "Fermin doesn't write either." "Some letters never arrive." "But I know he'll come back." "He's a child, a little boy" "I know he'll come back." "He'll come back down that road!" "And when the bus that took him away brings him back" "I won't ask any questions!" "I'll kiss him and hug him" "I'll look after him for ever." "For ever, Fermin, for ever" "I'm sorry" "I don't want to bore you." "Can I invite you over for tea?" "Yes" "I'll expect you Sunday For tea." "Pipi, where were you?" "I was looking for you." "I was plucking chickens for Doña Patricia." "Leave your drink and come with me." "Beautiful piano it's a jewel, still new." "With his arthritis, my dad couldn't..." "Our dad..." " Right, our dad... he never got to enjoy it." "What's wrong?" "Nothing, never mind." "Come on, don't be so mysterious." "You two aren't brothers." "Pipi, could you leave us alone for a moment?" "I ought to sit on my fucking tongue." "When I met Marcelo a few years ago he lived in another town." "It was a beautiful time." "When he moved in here you can't imagine the fuss." "No one would talk to us." "Did you know I was a teacher?" "Did you?" "No, you didn't." "They kicked me out." "One afternoon the priest and that witch, Doña Euralia cornered us and said we could stay on one condition:" "we say we're brothers." "That priest!" "What's more, he's been asking about you." " Me?" "He was here." "Told us not to tell you." "But we are anyway." "You mean that son of a bitch tells everyone what to do?" "No one's supposed to know what happened in this country." "People were killed, but it's a big joke." "From Buenos Aires, they send us the papers they choose." "Any new idea is dangerous and has to be quashed." "I don't know if time can stop death from coming or if death can stop time." "Love, hope." "Nothing has changed here." "Can things really change?" "Or does it seem like things change because time passes?" "Why do you wind it if it has no hands?" "Just in case." "My fat Charlie... let's see if you're any good." " Charlie... who's Charlie?" "This one's Charlie." "Was Charlie." "At first he wouldn't fatten up." "Just played dumb." "But in the end, I got him." "We all end up on someone's plate." "Better than a restaurant." "Of course." "I keep the best for myself" "I don't have a piano otherwise they'd all be here." "You do have friends." "The only one who's not is old kidney-face." "The priest." " Why?" "Because lately all the priests we get are bastards." "I get back at him whenever I can." "I take his flowers, steal some of his wine spit in the fount." "He can't fuck so he thinks nobody should." "Girls from San Marco came here." "The priest put an end to that." "But go see him Saturday nights." "There he is, getting it on with poor lost lambs." "Are you serious?" " Dead serious." "On those warm spring nights" "I get this funny feeling start tenderly eying my hens." "Well, I've got to be going." "Lovely dinner." "What, drunk already?" "No, but I can feel the wine." "Don't go." "There's another bottle." "Don't turn me down." "You're around a lot." "I like the fresh air." "But it smells of gas." " I love the smell of gas." "Lots of customers today?" "No, the usual." " Two or three?" "Today was quiet." "I forgot my matches." "Have you ever thought of home delivery?" "I like running a newsstand it keeps you busy." "When mom died, I moved it to the bus stop." "To be there when Fermin comes back." "But there's no money in it" "I live off a pension." "Did he write to you?" " Pardon?" "Did he write to you?" "I told you, he's not one to write." "Listen, Tota... between us, tell me the truth isn't it time you started thinking about something else?" "I'm sorry, Alberto, but I think you're drunk." "Me, drunk?" "Yes, I think you're slightly tipsy." "I'm sorry." "I'll see you Sunday at my place." "But don't drink, okay?" "Me, drunk?" "Of course, Doña Patricia." "Good morning Sleep well?" "Busy night last night, huh?" "I think I had a bit too much to drink." "As long as you don't overdo it." "Can I talk to you?" " Sure, is anything wrong?" "I just wanted..." "Here" "I know you haven't asked but a few pesos won't hurt." "In fact, they're more than welcome" "I didn't want to ask." "I know, that's why I brought it up." "You're a good man." "People are starting to accept you." "Even Tota was talking about you yesterday." "Tota?" "What did she say?" "She's not very talkative." "She doesn't make friends easily." "You've seen the problem." "We try not to encourage her." "She goes on how Fermin broke her heart." "But what did she say?" "She said that your eyes told her you were a good man." "What did you break now?" " Nothing important." "I brought you the wine 8 bottles." "That's all the money I had." "No need to explain." "This will last me a week." "Did you ask head office?" "Yes, but it seems we got it wrong." "No Alberto Gonzalez ever worked for the company." "And he can't be Fermin." "Two guys who knew him from the union told me he disappeared under military rule." "But what has that got to do with Fermin?" "I told you, he "disappeared"." "They killed him." "Look..." "I don't know anything about politics." "I have enough problems as it is." "But I'll never forget what they did to Pipi." "He's much better now but if you knew the state Antonio and I found him in... that morning, outside of town." "We washed him gave him food." "We nursed him" "it was heartbreaking." "You can't imagine what they'd done to him." "Terrible" "I don't understand how someone can torture another person like that." "Ideas live on despite everything it's all lies." "Know where they disappeared to?" "To Russia, Cuba, Nicaragua..." "Paid by international Communism." "Waiting to come back to destroy our country." "Believe me, Merelo." "So you think this Fermin or Gonzalez or whatever may be a Russian spy." "Everything's possible" "I can't believe it if that guy's with the KGB..." "What is it?" "I was talking to him..." "Maybe I passed on information." "Don't worry, we'll take care of him." " Think you can, Father?" "It's the Lord's word." "Don Pascual's wife... she looks at me." "She looks at me!" "And me" "I hold myself back..." "I hold myself back!" "But the other day." "Father" "I took 20 pesos from my husband's wallet." "And when I went to get the money to pay one of those girls" "I didn't have it..." "I didn't have a cent" "I was in the bathroom." "I touched myself there thinking about the teacher." "Yesterday" "I forgot to pray for Fermin." "For the first time, Father" "I swear it was the first time." "Daughter, what are you saying?" "That's not a sin." "Go in peace." "And may He take you to His holy bosom." "You asked for me, Father?" "I know this isn't the moment to mention this... but I'm very concerned." "The fact that you've stopped praying for that man... is no sin at all." "And if it's not a sin, it's not a lie." "For God, the worst offence is to lie to yourself." "And I believe you've been doing that for a long time now." "You must stop seeing that man." "Yes, Father." "Tota..." "I like you a lot." "No, not like that." "This will sound silly but... you really are gorgeous." "One can see you're from Buenos Aires." "You're very generous with your compliments." "It's a beautiful house." "It was fine when mom and dad were alive." "Now it's too big." "Fermin wants to live here." "Well if we have children, a place like this makes sense." "Please, help yourself to tea." "Do you like the doilies?" " Yes, they're lovely." "I want it to look pretty when Fermin comes back." "I'm sure he'll love it" "I get nervous when I think he may come back any time." "But I try to keep fit" "I get my hair done, I watch my figure." "I have to admit you are gorgeous." "You starting again?" "I'm just saying what's on my mind." "But here we don't just say what's on our mind." "Since when don't you?" " Fermin talks just like you." "If you knew him." "He's so kind." "So noble, so open." "Really?" "But no one's completely open." "You don't know him." "Men, don't like saying nice things about other men." "Perhaps we'd like to be the other man." "Know what that is?" "Jealousy." "Yes, you're jealous." "Nah..." "The one's who say "nah" are the worst." "Fermin used to say "nah" too." "In a café, if I looked around he'd get angry." "Maybe he had a reason." " What do you know?" "Women always lie a little." "You are one of the worst." "Come on, you like it when a man's jealous." "If Fermin were here, he'd shake your hand." "In all these years all alone... you never thought about anyone else?" "Never." "Know what "never" means?" ""Never" was that Saturday afternoon when I waited for him, and he didn't come back." "I promised him whatever happened, I'd wait." "But one day" "I tore up all the photo's" "I opened all the books went to the window, and let all our dried flowers blow away." "But then I realized he was still inside me that he'd come back and I'd wait for him." "Yours always." "Always wanted to play the piano." " Tota?" "Fermin will teach me." "He plays so beautifully." "His mother had a piano." "Poor woman died while we were going out." "The old woman..." "My old mother." " Yes, his mother." "Do you remember her?" "Of course, they had the same eyes." "The bathroom?" "Upstairs." "Father, I think you're being too soft." "Strange people come, and no one reacts." "We're asking for trouble." "Yes, it's getting to be dangerous." "We must act to preserve the town's moral integrity." "You're sure you can say the words?" "I'm ready, father." "Go on, he's almost finished." "Good luck, son." "The free world is with you." "Go, son." "We'll cover you." "How nice that you're back with us in Argentina playing the piano, tovarich." "Fuck off, asshole." "You see his reaction?" "We were right." "KGB!" "Well done, Merelo." "We saw it all from here." "It was obvious." "Spasiva." " Shh, he's looking." "You don't know how pleased I am that you've accepted this chat man to man." "You will have realized there is no place for you in this town." "Therefore" "I drink to your departure." "As someone with deep religious convictions my duty is to lead the souls in this town towards salvation." "I am God's sole representative in this town." "Do me a favour and shut up." "Who're you trying to fool?" "You prey on people's ignorance and fear." "You prefer lies" "I'll tell her everything." "You're destroying her life." "You are a sex-crazed beast." "You think you're God, but you're not." "I know, I was with Him." "Don't talk rubbish." "I'm twenty years older than you." "I know the difference between God and Satan." "You know what you are?" "A Communist heretic!" "Pipi is innocent, I killed the priest." "It's me, Alberto." "What is it?" "Who's there?" "Come in, I'll make you tea." "What's wrong, Alberto?" "Don't you feel well?" "I'm talking to you." "What's wrong, tell me?" "There's no time." "We have to go away, come with me." "Get your things We have to go" "I'll make you tea." " Forget the tea." "Hurry." "What's wrong?" "What's wrong with you?" "We have to go." " Where?" "Listen to me, we have to go." " Where?" "Don't play stupid." "Go get your things." "Get going!" "Bitch!" "Will you forgive me?" "You remember the house." "The one you liked so much in Buenos Aires?" "If no one's living in it we'll rent it" "I want to take you to Buenos Aires." "To Buenos Aires?" "I want to be with you." "I want to live with you forever." "And we'll get married?" " Yes." "And have children?" "Yes, but first a girl." "Malena." "Can I call you Tito?" "Albertito?" " Whatever you want." "Why do you like me?" " You know." "Why?" "I like your hands your smell" "your tits..." "I like to smell you" "I like your tits." "And why do you like me?" "I like how you play the piano." "What else?" "Nothing else." " What do you mean?" "I like how you resemble Fermin." "Fermin's dead!" "He was killed." "My name is Alberto." "When will we get married?" "Let's marry in secret." "No one will know." "You're the first man to make me forget Fermin." "Son of a bitch!" "Just in case." "Let's go!" "I'm Fermin I'm Fermin" "I love you" "I'll wait for you." "I'll wait for you, Alberto..."