"THE HOURS OF THE DAY" "Did you hear they're opening a McDonald's in El Prat?" "Yeah." "On the Rambla." "In Miguel's bar." "Where?" "Next door?" "No, right in the bar." "He must have transferred the lease." "Why?" "He wouldn't do that." "It's doing great." "Who told you?" "They've started remodeling." "Sell his bar?" "Miguel?" "That's strange." "I don't know." "It's a great location." "I used to always tell your father:" "Buy land, the prices will rise." "El Prat used to be nothing but fields." "I must have said it a hundred times." "It's too bad." "I liked that bar." "Everything was dirt cheap back then." "But he always said the land was worthless, and always would be." "And look what it's worth now." "You ever gone in a McDonald's?" "Me?" "Never." "Well, I'm sure you will now." "I'll never eat that garbage." "But I bet you'll go in just to have a look around." "No way." "If you want ground beef, just tell me." "But you couldn't drag me into that place." "If I have a choice, I'd prefer chickpea stew." "Or some chicken croquettes, like Miguel used to make." "Those sure were tasty." "Hi, Trini." "Hi." "How are you?" "Fine." "And you?" "Fine." "They don't fit him." "No?" "And I think we're out of size 56." "What are you doing?" "Changing the girl's clothes." "Why?" "Can't you see?" "She's had the same clothes on for a month." "Besides, this outfit is awful." "Sweeping the floor would be more useful." "I won't change much." "I'm just going to dress her in something lighter." "Though if I could, I'd get rid of her altogether." "People don't like shopping at children's stores." "Well?" "What do you think?" "I don't know." "I liked it better before." "Really?" "Yeah." "I like it better now." "But I'll change it if you want." "No, leave it." "It's fine." "It's no trouble." "It's fine like that." "I like it better this way." "What's up, fuckface?" "What's up?" "Don't get me started..." "What a day!" "What's wrong?" "My fucking motorcycle again." "What happened?" "It broke down again." "I didn't even have time for breakfast." "Do you need a hand?" "Yeah, come on." "Take the magazines inside and put them in the left display case." "Out here?" "Yeah." "These?" "Yeah, over there." "You know what you should do?" "What?" "Sell your bike." "You might get something for it." "Yeah, right." "What I need is to make some fucking money for once in my life!" "You make it sound easy." "It's far from easy." "It's an uphill battle." "Yeah, it sure is." "You know what I hate most?" "How indifferent people are." "What's that got to do with it?" "Everything." "Everything." "Just look at me." "What?" "I'm not a piece of furniture." "I'm a human being." "A good person." "I need my respect." "Like anyone." "That's exactly right." "Like anyone." "But people pay no attention." "They only judge you by what you have." "Then change the world." "Fuck the world." "I don't give a shit about it." "I just want to live a normal life." "A house, a family, a steak for dinner..." "Is that too much to ask?" "So how will you do it?" "How?" "Like everyone else." "I'll work my ass off and try to keep my head straight so I can retire as early as possible." "I have just one thing to say to you." "If you want to be happy, then you have to settle for what you've got." "You know what I say to that?" "I'd rather be dead than settle for what I've got." "Then you won't be happy." "That's what you think." "Hi." "How are you?" "And you?" "Same as usual." "I've been waiting almost half an hour." "I had to check some invoices." "You should have told me." "I'd have come later." "Let's not fight." "I'm sorry, I lost track of time." "Yeah, you always do." "What do you want?" "To have a fight?" "I'm not in the mood." "Me neither." "How did the interview go?" "Fine, I think." "We'll see how the third one goes." "Another one?" "Yeah." "But this one went really well." "I was nervous at first." "It's such a big place." "I expected a small publishing house." "But a ton of people work there, and the guy was all serious..." "But I kept my cool." "I showed him my résumé and he asked me questions." "I stayed calm and it went well." "He seemed happy." "We'll see." "When will they get back to you?" "I don't know, this week sometime." "Did they say what the pay is?" "No... well, I didn't ask." "I imagine very little at first." "But I can keep teaching for the time being." "How much do the classes pay?" "Well, I could do three a week..." "Maybe around 400 a month." "What?" "That's nothing." "I know." "That's just great." "Take it or leave it." "Well, maybe you'll get lucky and get that job." "We'll see." "So what should we do tonight?" "Tonight?" "It's Tuesday." "So?" "We could do something different, couldn't we?" "Something different?" "See a play or something." "A play?" "So late?" "Which play?" "I don't know." "Or a movie." "Just for a change." "How about a movie?" "I'm tired." "I have to go to the warehouse tomorrow." "Oh, Abel." "You're such a bore." "Pass me the newspaper." "I'll find a movie we'd both like, ok?" "Trini..." "Don't put the pullovers with the turtlenecks." "It'll be a mess to sort them later." "Then where should I put them?" "The turtlenecks below and the pullovers above." "Like this?" "That's right." "And the ones with lace?" "What are they like?" "Turtlenecks." "Well then." "Below." "Of course." "Hey, Trini." "How come you're not married yet?" "What?" "How many boyfriends have you had?" "Why the sudden interest?" "I was just curious." "What about that boyfriend?" "The guitar player with the bird shop." "What was his name?" "Ramon?" "That was long ago." "He's history." "Didn't you want to marry him?" "Yeah." "And what happened?" "Stuff." "I don't know, the usual stuff." "What's it to you?" "Do I ever ask you who you want to marry?" "It doesn't matter." "He was nothing special anyway." "Maybe not, but I liked him." "Do you have a boyfriend now?" "Well, I'm seeing someone..." "But I don't think he'll marry me." "Why not?" "He's not the marrying type." "Then why are you with him?" "Because I like him." "Aren't you afraid of ending up alone?" "I guess so." "Like anyone else." "Well, you'd better hurry up about it." "Why's that?" "You have to catch the train while you can." "It doesn't pass very often." "Don't get left standing on the platform." "What are you talking about?" "It's true." "Men are different, because men..." "But women..." "Later rumors get spread, and either you're on the market or you're off it." "Look, that's enough, all right?" "Just stop it." "Ok, ok." "Where do you want the men's pullovers?" "Shit, Trini." "You still ask after all these years?" "I'm only asking because you always change your mind." "You're unpredictable." "In order." "What do you mean by that?" "Ordered." "Like this?" "Ordered." "What's wrong?" "Nothing, my legs hurt, that's all." "Did you walk a lot today?" "No, this always happens to me in this heat." "It's as if..." "They just feel heavy and I get cramps." "Then take a bath." "No, I don't feel like it." "It goes away when I get in bed." "Then let's go to bed." "Wait, take mine too." "You want a glass of water?" "Yeah, but not from the fridge." "What time should I set the alarm?" "Seven thirty." "Sure your parents aren't coming?" "I'm sure." "Wait." "Turn off the light." "Learn to relax by doing sports." "Key word: relax." "Aquarius: a rather ambiguous relationship could arise at work with a colleague of the opposite sex." "Key word:" "contact." "And to wrap it up, Pisces.:" "you need to face all those problems you keep putting off." "Otherwise you're headed for trouble." "Key word: vicissitudes." "Here's hoping that your stars bring you a good day." "Do you like horoscopes?" "What's your sign?" "Capricorn." "Capricorn?" "Like my husband." "They say we Pisces and Capricorns get along well." "Really?" "Yeah." "Though Capricorns have a bad reputation." "Why's that?" "Because they're not very communicative." "Are you also not very communicative?" "No, not usually." "I'd never given it much thought." "Well, you should." "Some things you should think about so you can improve them." "You can't go through life thinking that's just how you are." "You know what I mean?" "No." "What do you mean?" "Just what I said." "If we all just did whatever we wanted all the time..." "So what did they say about Capricorns today?" "Today could be a lucky day for you." "I wish." "You never know." "I really only listen to Pisces, my sign." "And Libra, my mother's." "She loved it." "She was always hooked on horoscopes." "Poor thing." "She died a year ago this October." "This program is very good." "They get me right pretty often." "But I didn't understand my key word for today." "What word?" ""Vicissitudes." I don't know what it means." ""Vicissitudes."" "It must be like..." "How odd." "They usually don't use hard words." "My mother's is "calm."" "I always listen for hers." "It's a habit." "She would have had a quiet day today." "Yeah." "What a shame." "It's the next road on the right." "The first right?" "Yes." "Later there's a dirt road." "I'll show you." "This way?" "Yes." "What now?" "I don't know, I can't remember." "I think it's this way." "Let's see..." "It says "Camí de les Xauces."" "Have you decided where to go for your honeymoon?" "Carmen hasn't made up her mind yet." "I want to go to Italy, either Venice or Rome." "Venice must be amazing." "Rome, too." "Why not visit both?" "That would cost twice as much." "Right." "Then I wouldn't hesitate." "Venice, for sure." "I heard Venice stinks in summer." "Really?" "Then we'll go to Rome." "That was easy." "We don't have to decide right now." "I'd like to go to New York." "For a honeymoon?" "No, to see my cousin." "Single people travel too, you know." "He moved there with just the shirt on his back." "How did it go?" "Very well." "Fantastic." "He's a waiter at a luxury restaurant." "Really?" "He makes a fortune." "He's met a lot of famous actors." "Al Pacino," "Jack Nicholson..." "all the big stars." "We should all go to New York." "Why not?" "Let's go there on our honeymoon..." "No, I prefer Italy." "Fine, then Rome." "It's a nice city" "and the flight's cheap." "Hey." "Have you got a gown?" "Not yet." "I might wear my cousin's." "She got married two years ago." "She's taller, but I think it'll fit." "It should." "You can have it hemmed." "It's all the same to me." "I don't care how she's dressed." "I just know she'll look like a princess." "You're right, she'll look beautiful." "Can't you imagine her in a bridal gown?" "She's so gorgeous." "And she's lucky to marry such a find." "A real man, honest, hard-working, kind-hearted, elegant..." "Elegant, he says!" "What?" "Check out my outfit." "That shirt is right out of "Miami Vice."" ""Miami Vice"?" "I got this in your shop!" "What?" "That can't be from my shop." "Trini gave it to me last year." "No way." "It's from your shop." "Trini gave it to me last year." "It was a gift from Trini." "You don't even recognize your own stuff." "Well, it's definitely high-quality." "It might be ugly," "but it's high-quality." "You're right about that." "It shows." "Yeah, high-quality, right." "And it's pretty." "I like it." "It's just fine." "What's wrong, Carmen?" "Are you all right?" "I don't know." "I felt a bit dizzy." "Can I get you some water?" "No, I'm all right." "That's too bad." "Maybe something she ate." "No, it's probably her nerves." "All this talk about the wedding..." "Are you ok?" "What a shame." "You want to go home?" "Yeah." "Come on." "Sorry for not helping with the dishes." "Please!" "She isn't well." "We'll clean up." "Do you need a ride?" "No, we're fine." "Are you sure?" "Yeah." "It's too bad." "I'll walk you out." "Anyway..." "Feel better." "Thanks." "Take care." "See you." "Take care." "She's in bad shape." "Yeah." "I didn't get the job at the publishing house." "When did you find out?" "At lunchtime." "Why didn't you tell me earlier?" "I'm telling you now." "Did they say why not?" "No." "They never do." "They pick someone else and that's that." "You'll find something else." "Sure." "But not like that job." "It was perfect." "The ideal place to get started." "It's so frustrating." "Don't worry." "You'll find something better." "Sure." "Good morning." "Hello." "Are you closed?" "No, one moment." "Juan!" "Come in, come in." "I can come back another time..." "No." "Please, come in." "Are you sure?" "It's fine." "Good morning." "Step into my office." "We just had a small fire." "A cigarette in the trash can." "What a mess." "You said it." "Come in, please." "Have a seat." "So tell me, how can I help you?" "It's about a lease transfer for my clothing shop." "You may know it." "Here's a business card." ""Style"." "Yeah, I know it." "Clothes for kids." "My wife's been in there." "No, unisex clothing for the whole family." "Right." "How much space is there, more or less?" "About 100 square meters, plus the back room." "About 120 square meters." "Fine." "Let's see..." "Right now in that area lease transfers are getting from 180 and 240 euros per square meter." "180 and 240 euros?" "That sounds low." "It's the area." "But prices are through the roof." "They were." "But they dropped sharply again." "So it was 120 meters, right?" "That would be... between 18 and 27 thousand euros." "Excuse me." "Should we keep this or throw it away?" "Get rid of it!" "Somewhere between 18 and 27 thousand euros." "And what's your cut?" "For a transfer, only five percent." "That includes everything." "Contacts, follow-up, contracting..." "Everything." "I can send someone over to see it and get things started." "Well, I'd like to visit a few more agencies first." "Very well." "Go ahead and shop around, but watch yourself out there." "We offer a legitimate service here." "I can guarantee we'll find a buyer in a month and a half." "I think there's even..." "one second..." "We have a lady looking for retail space in that same area." "Let's see..." "Right here." "A hair salon." "She wants to open a hair salon." "I'll give you a call." "Ok." "You have my card." "Of course." "I'll give you mine." "I'll call you later this week, ok?" "This is the living room." "It's quite big." "Very nice." "You could put the TV set over here." "And the dining room table." "There's plenty of room." "It's very nice." "Big." "Very nice." "And the street is..." "The street is that way, behind that building." "This one was built in the courtyard." "Since it's all interior, it's much quieter." "You can't hear the street at all." "Right this way." "Yes." "The bathroom was completely redone." "New bathtub and shower, Grohe faucets..." "The ones with high pressure." "Brand new." "The best." "It has two very large bedrooms." "All this space to do what you like with." "The closet, the bed..." "Very nice." "So this is the bedroom." "Yes, the master bedroom." "But it has a view of a wall, too." "Like I said, we're inside a courtyard." "Right, she said that before." "The street is that way." "The street's over there." "It's very nice." "And this way to the other bedroom." "More space for you." "It's a big room..." "I could put my desk in here and..." "Abel." "What?" "Come on." "I could put my desk there and do my translations in here." "It's perfect." "There's plenty of room and it's nice and quiet." "How about the view in here?" "Oh, another courtyard." "It's a bit dirty..." "A coat of paint'll do the trick." "The kitchen and bathroom were remodeled last year." "New closets, new counter..." "Well ventilated." "The oven..." "The oven's clean?" "It works?" "Yes, it's new." "Is that another room?" "This is more of a utility room." "Washing machine, dryer..." "Or even a fridge." "Whatever." "Perhaps a small table over here." "Our fridge is small." "Well, now you've seen it." "What do you think?" "It's nice." "I don't know, it seems..." "It's spacious, isn't it?" "A few small things..." "It seems gloomy to me." "It's a cloudy day." "Yeah, could we come and see it on a sunny day?" "Come and see it anytime." "But remember, first come first served." "That's fine." "Just one question." "The owner would paint that wall out there, right?" "Sure, it'll be good as new." "There's a lot more light if we leave that open." "More light." "It wouldn't be so gloomy." "All right then." "Ready?" "Ready." "Can I tell you about it or not?" "You're always getting into trouble." "You call it trouble, I call it good business." "It's a great idea." "Ever heard of the University Gazette?" "Well, it's a magazine they set out on a shelf at the universities." "My idea is brilliant." "We replace the shelf with a stand, and on the stand we sell advertising space." "Can that be done?" "Sure it can." "Sure." "The owner of the magazine said it was a fucking great idea." "All we have to do is talk to the dean." "And how much do you need?" "Practically nothing. 20 grand." "I could start tomorrow." "What about your job?" "No change there." "What can I do?" "Look, man." "What with the wedding, the honeymoon, the banquet, the baptism..." "It's fucking endless." "I'm spending money left and right." "I can't quit my job." "Carmen isn't exactly earning big bucks, either." "Why are you marrying Carmen?" "What do you mean, why?" "Because I love her." "Why the fuck shouldn't I?" "You know what happened?" "Some guy's been calling my mother every day." "I think she has a boyfriend." "Yeah?" "Your mom?" "Do you know who he is?" "No." "She got all dressed up and went out the other day and I asked:" ""Are you going to a singles bar?"" "And she just blushed and said:" ""I'm too old for all that."" ""I'm too old for all that."" "That's amazing, man." "I can't imagine your mom doing the nasty." "Me neither." "But she seems happy." "And that makes me happy." "That's great." "I'm really happy for her." "She really needed it." "Yeah." "So what do you think of the stands I mentioned?" "What do I think of them?" "Yeah, what do you think about the idea?" "It seems..." "It's weird." "It seems weird." "Why weird?" "I told you..." "It isn't feasible." "Sure it is." "I told you." "The shelves, the stands, the advertising space, it's all set." "I just need the money." "If everyone I know pitches in 600" "I can get it going right away." "Weird, you say?" "It's perfect." "That's fair, isn't it?" "You find a similar job and get a 3 grand bonus." "No." "Why not?" "3 grand's shit." "I can't pay you more." "Are you trying to screw me?" "Screw me and bankrupt my mother?" "That's really mean of you." "It's not that, Abel." "All I want is what's mine." "The law says I'm due 9 grand." "Why should I take less?" "Well, I can't pay you 9 grand." "Then don't close the shop." "Look around you." "You see any customers?" "I've told you a million times to get rid of the children's section." "What?" "Children's clothing is what sells best!" "Shit, Trini." "Can't you give in a little?" "Why should I?" "Why don't you?" "I have!" "What do you call 3 grand?" "That would be me giving in, not you!" "I don't know what else to say." "You'll have to find another solution." "Like what?" "You figure it out." "It's your store, isn't it?" "Hello." "Good morning." "How are you?" "I'm looking for something light." "How about this?" "Very nice." "A little too big, though." "I like my clothes loose." "Then it's a perfect fit." "Have you got more colors?" "There's this one here." "It's not bad." "Do you have the time?" "I think so, on my cell..." "I don't have a cell or a watch." "How lucky." "They're a pain anyway." "Ten past ten." "Ok, thanks..." "Mind if I join you?" "No... if you want..." "I've never been here before." "I just saw a movie and I came out and saw this place." "What brings you here?" "I'm meeting someone." "A boy or a girl?" "A boy." "Too bad." "Today's not my lucky day." "We're only talking, aren't we?" "Yeah, talking." "What movie did you see?" "Movie?" "I don't remember." "It was a thriller," "a mystery." "You went alone?" "We're only talking, right?" "Only talking." "No, I went with a friend." "But he had to go home to his wife and kids." "And you wanted to stay out..." "Exactly." "I said to myself:" ""Abel, you have to go out." "Force yourself to have a drink, even if it's just one."" "Your name is Abel?" "Yes." "My brother's name is Cain." "No shit." "I swear, his name's Cain." "You're kidding." "No, I swear." "How could that be his name?" "Why not?" "It's just a name." "It's not just a name." "Just a name would be..." "I don't know..." "Paco, Antonio, Pedro." "If it were me I'd change my name." "His name's really Cain?" "Yeah, really." "Are your parents crazy or what?" "No." "Why?" "It's just a name." "Right, just a name." "It's original." "And what's your name?" "Maria." "Maria." "That's a normal name." "Not very original." "What do you do, Maria?" "I'm a nurse." "A nurse." "At the Dexeus Clinic." "Is it true what they say about nurses and doctors?" "What?" "You know." "Not as much as you'd imagine." "I have a good imagination." "So do the doctors." "Of course." "So is it true or not?" "Not really, it's more talk than anything else." "What about you?" "What do you do?" "I have a clothing store." "Is business good?" "Ok." "Angel." "Sorry." "That's ok." "Have you been waiting long?" "No." "We had an emergency." "I couldn't leave." "That's all right." "Abel, this is Angel." "Hi." "Hello." "Anyway, see you later." "Bye." "What do I owe you?" "Two beers and a tapa." "Four fifty." "Ok." "Thanks." "Hey." "Yeah?" "I don't have a brother." "You don't?" "That goddamn motherfucking supplier!" "If it wasn't for him I'd have made 15 grand this month." "How much have you lost?" "What?" "How much have you lost?" "I haven't actually "lost" anything." "I've still got about a week... to redo the stands." "But whose fault was it?" "The supplier says mine, of course." "He says I didn't specify the kind of cardboard." "How the fuck should I know what kind of cardboard?" "That's his job." "They're the experts." "He showed me one, it looked fine to me." "Just look at it." "It's fucking crap." "Where did you find the scrap dealer?" "He knows his shit." "He's from right around here." "He's a real bad ass." "He'll pick up anything." "Let's wait and unload when he gets here." "Shit, Abel." "There's no time to lose." "Move your ass a little bit." "Carmen's pregnant." "She's pregnant." "We haven't told anyone yet." "How come?" "One of those things I guess." "How many months?" "Three." "What will you do?" "What will I do?" "Have it." "What do you think?" "Are you sure about that?" "Of course I am." "It was bound to happen sooner or later." "It might not be the best time to have it, but that's too bad." "All right, well..." "let me know if I can give you a hand." "Want to give me a hand?" "Here, sweetheart." "Give me a hand." "Looks great!" "Make sure you wash them." "Ok." "Then you can chop them with this knife." "Then we'll add some sugar to the tomatoes." "You add sugar?" "They're less sour that way." "Can I be of any help?" "Yes, set the table." "Did Abel mention that I want to get a dog?" "Really?" "When?" "I don't know." "But I've made up my mind." "Soon, I guess." "What kind of dog?" "Well, that's the problem." "I really like bulldogs." "But they're hard to find." "And expensive, too." "Bulldogs are ugly." "Ugly, but they're nice dogs." "Actually my mother doesn't like them either." "They always look angry." "I know, but I love them." "I like dogs, too." "We used to have one." "Really?" "Yes." "You remember, Abel?" "Remember Thor?" "What?" "A bit crazy, wasn't he?" "He was one of those little terriers, with an old man's face." "But he was a good dog." "People used to look at him in the street." "He was very smart, with lots of personality." "Though he was rather odd." "Such a funny dog." "He lived through so much." "When he was a puppy two big dogs almost killed him." "Wow." "But his age caught up with him in the end." "He could barely walk." "He must have had cancer." "Yes, something like that." "My husband took him to the vet and had him put to sleep." "But he didn't tell any of us before." "When he got back he told us he was dead." "We were so upset." "Such a pity..." "It must be really upsetting." "Very much so." "I've told Abel that I wanted another dog." "But I don't think he wants one because he was so upset about Thor." "But dogs are such good company, Montse." "That's true." "Good company." "I'll be in the living room if you need me." "It's a bit dry." "Not at all." "It's delicious, Montse." "It is a bit dry." "Yeah, a tad overcooked." "It was better last time." "No, I really like it." "And the scallions we sprinkled on top add a lot of flavor." "Have you found any apartments you like?" "No, I thought it would be much easier." "No wonder, with the rents being so high now." "We just can't find one we both like." "You have to see lots of them." "The last one wasn't bad, but Abel didn't like it, either." "Wasn't bad?" "It was ideal." "A shoebox inside a shoebox." "Don't exaggerate." "It was inside a courtyard and the views weren't very nice." "Views?" "What views?" "It was a shitty courtyard in front of a wall." "That's not true, it wasn't so bad." "You have to be patient." "Yeah." "But you also have to make decisions." "What's the rush, anyway?" "Then you find one." "I've got enough on my mind." "It doesn't take much thought!" "You don't think at all." "And you?" "I'd like to know." "What do you think about?" "He's having one of his days." "It's better to leave him alone." "Go on, eat." "Eat quietly." "Pass the bread, please." "Here." "Does this train go to the airport?" "Yes." "Why is the train going in a different direction from when I caught it?" "Because it goes in many directions." "I don't understand." "It depends on which track you catch it from." "How does the train work?" "It doesn't use gasoline, does it?" "No, it runs on electricity." "Oh, right." "That's why those cables are up there." "What if there's a blackout?" "Does the train stop?" "I've never seen that happen." "I think it has its own power supply." "Is there a driver?" "Of course." "It can't run all by itself." "Where does the driver sit?" "In front." "Where in front?" "In a cabin in the first car." "There are tracks, people get on, the driver pulls away..." "Are you from around here?" "Yes." "You have such beautiful women here." "Really gorgeous ladies." "Cigarette?" "There's no smoking here." "Oh, sorry." "I didn't know." "Anyway..." "If I can't now, I'll smoke later." "We could take a trip somewhere this year." "I really want to go abroad." "I've never been." "You'll see, we'll have a great time." "I don't know." "Don't you want to?" "Yeah, but I don't know if I can afford it." "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing." "Abel, you never want to do anything." "All I said is I can't afford it." "It's not the money." "If you really wanted to do it, you'd like the idea." "If it turns out we can't afford it, then we stay here." "It's no big deal." "Why should I get excited about a trip we might not be able to take?" "It's getting excited that matters." "You don't want to do anything together anymore." "I don't want to think about stupid ideas." "Traveling with me is a stupid idea?" "It's not that." "Then what?" "I told you." "I'm broke." "So, time for bed?" "Are you going to do what you always do?" "What do you mean?" "Avoid your problems." "What problems?" "The ones you make up?" "I don't understand you." "Look." "I have a question for you." "It might sound odd, but listen." "Why are you with me, really?" "Because we're in love." "Right." "It's not that I don't want to travel with you, I just can't." "Let's just wait until things fall into place." "What things?" "The store." "The fucking shop!" "Always the same excuse!" "It's not an excuse." "Yes it is!" "Can't you see how you're acting?" "Take a look at yourself." "What are you saying?" "You're in a rut, Abel." "Nothing excites you." "You don't want to do anything." "Just give me some time." "Change is hard for me." "I need time." "No, it's not about time." "Then what?" "It's about knowing what you want." "What do you want?" "To stop arguing about bullshit." "Fine." "Do you mind?" "Hi." "Hi, Trini." "How are you?" "Fine, you?" "Fine." "Look, I brought you a Saint Rita rose." "It's been blessed." "It brings good luck." "Saint Rita?" "Yeah." "Today is June 23rd." "So?" "Saint Rita Day." "They say if you roll up a rose in a bill and keep it till December 31st, you'll have money all year long." "Really?" "Later you give the bill to a poor person." "What if you don't?" "I don't know." "That's up to you." "I've done my part by bringing it." "Fine." "Thanks a lot." "You're welcome." "I'll hold on to it." "It smells great." "Hey, Abel." "Marcos." "I didn't see you." "Well?" "Feeling more relaxed?" "Much better." "The worst is over." "Not everything was perfect, but anyway, nobody" "noticed." "It seemed perfect to me." "Yeah." "I admit, Carmen was calmer." "I was totally stressed." "Super nervous." "A nervous wreck." "You love her a lot." "Yeah." "She took care of everything." "I don't know how she managed." "You two will be happy together." "I hope so." "Carmen's a great girl." "My boy..." "What about the stands?" "They're going pretty well." "I got the first order worked out, so now it's waiting time." "Now we've just got to find a reasonably priced apartment." "Prices are sky high." "Yeah." "I have something to tell you." "Go ahead." "It's just something stupid." "Go on, fire away." "Last year, when you went to Pontevedra, for the race in Galicia," "you know I had dinner with Carmen." "No." "Well, the thing is, she called me and asked me to dinner because she was feeling sad and missed you, all that stuff." "After dinner I walked her home and said goodbye." "Then she kissed me." "She invited me inside and I said no." ""Thanks a lot, but no."" "And I left." "So nothing happened." "And nothing more happened after that." "It was nothing." "Are you kidding?" "No." "You're pulling my leg." "No, I'm not." "No." "When was that?" "Last year, when you went to Pontevedra." "Why didn't you tell me then?" "Well, because" "I didn't think it mattered." "So you tell me now?" "I was waiting for the right moment." "And now is the right moment?" "Fucking perfect." "Well, I guess not." "Did you fuck?" "No way." "What's wrong with you?" "Nothing." "Why do you ask?" "Nothing?" "Then why do this to me?" "Do what?" "Are you fucking stupid, or is it an act?" "What do you mean, nothing?" "You come here on my wedding day, to... screw me over:" "It doesn't matter, it was nothing." "I don't know." "Carmen's a great girl." "A great girl?" "How the fuck would you know?" "You don't know shit." "You're a fucking loser." "You're full of shit." "Don't you realize?" "Screwing me over just to feel good about yourself." "Nobody screws me over, especially you." "You got that?" "I pity you, man." "I pity you." "I would kick your ass, but you're not worth the trouble." "I don't know you, Abel." "I don't know you at all, man." "Hello." "May I help you?" "I'm looking for a nurse who works here." "What's her name?" "Maria." "Maria what?" "I don't know her last name." "I just know she works here and her name's Maria." "She has curly hair, clear eyes, about 28 years old, and very friendly." "You don't know her last name?" "No." "I'm sorry, I can't help you." "Are you sure?" "We have over 500 nurses here." "Imagine how many Marias there must be." "There's no other way to check?" "Besides, the staff listing is done by last name." "It would take too long to list all the Marias." "I'm too busy right now, I'm sorry." "Is there someone else who might be able to help?" "If you want..." "Come back on Sunday." "We're not so busy." "My co-worker might be able to help." "I just can't right now." "I'm sorry." "Hi." "Hi." "How are you?" "Fine." "What are you making?" "Guess." "Spaghetti." "That's right." "Did you change the lights?" "Yeah, they were ugly." "I'm going to chop some peppers." "Come with me in the living room." "Let me chop the peppers first." "No, I can't stay for dinner." "Is something wrong?" "I need to talk to you." "What about?" "Well..." "I can't take it any longer." "Take what?" "Everything." "I don't know." "What do you mean?" "I just can't take it any more." "I've had enough." "I don't want to put up with this any more." "What happened?" "What did I do?" "You never do anything, Abel." "What do you want me to do?" "Nothing." "There's nothing you can do." "This isn't working, and I'm just... sick of wasting my time." "We're not wasting time." "I've just been overwhelmed lately." "Right." "See it my way." "I can't see it your way and you can't see it mine." "That's why I think we're better off apart." "I don't want to break up." "I want to stay together." "What for?" "Just to continue like this?" "Is it because of the apartment?" "No." "We can see more apartments..." "Fuck the apartment!" "Don't you get it?" "Don't you see?" "I've made up my mind and it's final." "Then no, I don't get it." "That's the problem." "You never get anything." "Maybe if we had dinner and talked..." "No, we're not going to do either." "I'm leaving." "The sooner the better, for both of us." "But Tere, dinner's almost ready." "Stay and eat, you can leave after." "No, I'm not staying." "It's over." "Really." "It's too high, Trini." "I can't pay you so much." "I looked into it and I can't." "I just want what I'm owed, not a penny more, not a penny less." "Can't you see this isn't easy for me either?" "What about for me?" "I've spent half my life in this shop." "Why are you so stubborn?" "I just want what I'm entitled to." "Well, I can't pay you that much." "Well then, there's no point in talking about it further." "What should we do?" "Open up?" "Trini, come here." "Look..." "Let's both make an effort, all right?" "I don't see why I should give up 6 grand." "I've got problems of my own." "Look, I can't pay you 9 grand." "I might be able to pay... five thousand." "Five thousand?" "That could go a long way." "That doesn't go anywhere!" "I don't see why I should give up 9 grand for no reason." "Ok, fine." "We'll stay open two more years and when my mother retires you won't see a penny." "Great." "Perfect." "Six thousand." "Six thousand?" "And we stay open till I find another job." "Shit, Trini." "That's pretty steep." "That's the deal." "Shit, Trini!" "Take it or leave it." "Six thousand..." "Fine, six thousand it is." "It's a real bargain, I hope you know." "Have you called the plumber?" "Have you called the plumber?" "No." "You see, dad?" "You give me no choice but to nag you all the time." "I'll call him tomorrow." "Tomorrow!" "Shit, dad." "Tomorrow..." "You should have called him weeks ago." "You know how long they take to come?" "I'll keep using buckets of water." "That's disgusting, dad." "I'll call him tomorrow." "I'll call him tomorrow." "You said that last week." ""Tomorrow."" "You want me to call him right now?" "Well, yes." "I want you to wake up, dad." "Be the person you once were." "That's what I want." "I want you back." "I have to go, dad." "See you next week." "They don't work." "What are you doing this summer?" "Going to Almuñecar." "Almuñecar?" "Where's that?" "Near Granada." "I've never been there." "My parents used to have a house there." "I still have friends there." "It was a strange house." "There were noises." "Noises?" "Voices." "Weird things happened there." "You mean the neighbors?" "No, there weren't any." "It was out in the middle of nowhere." "Are you kidding?" "No." "What?" "You don't believe me?" "I don't know." "It's common in country houses." "I hear voices at home, too." "Really?" "Yeah, the neighbors upstairs." "That's different." "Yeah, but they keep me up at night." "They're a strange couple." "She's English, really pale, and he has horrible ears." "They're always fighting." "She cries hysterically, then he makes a remark that upsets her even more." "Does she cry a lot?" "All the time." "They're terrible fights." "At first I thought they'd kill each other, but now it seems almost normal to me." "Why don't they separate?" "I don't know." "Maybe they're used to it." "When I see them in the hall they say hi like nothing's wrong." "A few days later they're at it again." "More crying, more fights." "Do you do anything about it?" "Like what?" "Call the police..." "I don't know." "I could never stand such violence." "I don't think he really hits her." "But their fights are so intense." "Then they should separate." "I don't know." "People put up with a lot." "Maybe it's just their nature." "You think so?" "Yes, I do." "I don't know." "Maybe." "I hate shaving every day." "It's such a drag." "I don't like men with beards." "They don't look clean." "Well, it's a drag." "Will you be here for lunch?" "Yes." "I won't be." "A friend of mine invited me over for lunch." "A male friend?" "Yes." "I'll leave you some food in the fridge." "Ok." "Breaded meat, with sliced tomatoes." "Is that ok?" "Yeah, that's fine." "I'm sick of shaving." "I might grow a beard." "Do as you please." "But you look better without it." "You've never seen me with one." "My tooth is killing me." "They'll have to kill the nerve." "I'm terrified." "No wonder." "Why?" "Does it hurt a lot?" "A bit." "Have you ever had it done?" "A couple times." "But it's more annoying than painful." "They pick at you for two hours with a drill." "Shit, that must really hurt." "My appointment's Thursday morning." "Thursday?" "Yeah." "I'll be in here later." "Shit, Trini." "You leave me alone here all the time." "It's not like I'm at the beach!" "It's the dentist." "I know." "Besides, you know I'm here every day with you." "Last Thursday it was the doctor." "Is it my fault their schedules are the same as ours?" "Is it my fault you're always sick?" "You want my tooth to fall out?" "Is that it?" "Look, Trini." "Do whatever you want." "You always do anyway."