"MEMORIES OF MY MELANCHOLY WHORES" " Hello?" " Today is the day." "What day?" "Tomorrow I'll be 90 years old, and I want to give myself a crazy love night with a virgin." "Oh, it's you, my sad sage." "Disappear for 20 years and now you demand the impossible." "Is anything impossible for you, dear Rosa Cabarcas." "SOMEWHERE IN THE CARIBBEAN" "I'm ugly, shy, and old-fashioned." "But using the power of not wanting to be it," "I've managed to play the opposite." "Until this sunrise I've been able to show, how I am through my own free will, although it serves only to lighten my conscience." "A gentleman should not spy." "And certainly not on his own mother." "But she is so beautiful." "SUNDAY OF THE SAGE Selective Memory." "Can we trust our brain?" "GLORIFICATION OF THE OLD AGE" "When did I realize that I'm old?" "I was less than half as old as I am today... when one day..." "Say one!" "One!" "Say one!" "One!" "How old are you?" "44." "Nothing's wrong with your lungs." "But what's that pain when I'm breathing?" "It's normal for your age." "Then is something wrong with my age?" "I see, you're a philosopher." "Philosopher." "God day." "God day." "No!" "Leave me!" "Let me go!" "The day has come." "Which day?" "Tomorrow I'll be 90 years." "And I want to give myself a crazy love night with a virgin." "Oh, it's you, my sad sage." "Disappear for 20 years and now you demand the impossible." "Is anything impossible for you, dear Rosa Cabarcas." "Give me some time, I'll see what I can do." "Listen, Rosa Cabarcas." "In my age an hour counts like a whole year." "I just want a virgin, and I want her tonight." "But why a virgin?" "They say, it's rarely enjoyable." "It's not about having fun." "It's a question of life or death." "Virgins are out of fashion." "What do you want to prove to yourself?" "Nothing!" "I know very well, what I'm able to." "I call back." "The moment she sensed the sting, she fell into a deep sleep." "That sleep overcame all inhabitants of the castle." "The King and the Queen, who had just entered the vestibule, fell asleep, and with them all their servants." "Also the horses." "When the prince came into the vestibule, all inhabitants of the castle had fallen asleep." "Good day." "Damiana?" "Are you coming on a Friday?" "Shouldn't the apartment look nice for tomorrow?" "Is it important?" "Listen, my girl!" "There's nothing to be afraid of." "An old man." "How should he harm you?" "In one night you can earn more than in four weeks in the factory." "Doesn't it sound good?" "Alright!" "Only one thing:" "Think more of your sick mother and less of yourself!" "Yes?" "You're a lucky fool." "I've found a lovelier goose than you asked for." "That sounds good." " But there's a problem." " What?" "As I told you, virgins are rare, especially beautiful ones." " And?" " I have doubts about her age." "I was just a kid when I lost my chastity." "You don't risk anything, but who will pay me for three years in prison?" "No one goes to prison, and last of all you." "The ones who could accuse you are all your customers." "They wouldn't dare." "But you must pay me 2 pesos more." "No problem." "Well, come at 10pm." "Any problems?" "None!" "Senor!" "It is not an entrance." "It's an exit." "You're dressing like a bishop for a ritual." "Maybe." "What do I know about bishops' dressing habits?" "When did you last wear that suit?" "Many years ago." "For a wedding." "Why?" "It looks as if it's not yours." "Pardon." "Congratulations, my girl!" "An exceptional choice." "Young man!" "Can you come to the library in ten minutes?" "My love." "If you knew..." "If only you knew, how long I have longed for, that you should come through this door." "You smell like a perfumery." "Aqua de Florida." "Only for men." "But I doubt you just meet men?" "That's true." "Will you be late?" "One never knows." "Be careful." "In a couple of hours you won't be 89 anymore!" "I know that myself." "Prominent wedding in the Palomar de Castro family." "Well my love, now there's no way back!" "Young man, you shall know, that we are honoured to include in our family such a respectable journalist." " Cheers." " Cheers." " Cheers." " Cheers." " Cheers." " Cheers." "Do you have a cigarette?" "33 years, 2 months and 17 days ago I quit smoking." "I didn't think you were so old." "You're very kind, my girl." "I wish, I had a cigarette for you." "And then one over." "And one under." "And then one over again." "I have to go." "Ximena!" "A lady should always wear underwear." "Some ladies are just always ready for action." "But you don't belong to that kind of ladies." "Or do you?" "I don't know." "Try it out!" "I will, in a few days." "Couldn't you stay a little longer?" "I told you I have to work for the Diario De La Paz tonight." "And I must prepare myself for the wedding." "With you I would even do it for free." "Over my dead body." "Why?" "My principles." "I always pay if I want something." "In other words..." "If I had asked you to lie with me, then I had to pay you?" "No!" "That's unrighteous." "Who said life is righteous, Casilda?" "Be careful, Maestro." "Rosa Cabarcas' house is not the same anymore." "Thank you." "Thank you." "God bless you, doctor." "Enjoy your fuck!" "Thank you, my friend!" "Until death parts us." "Will you honour these women?" "Love them?" "Take care for them?" "Be faithful to them?" "Till death do us part." "Till death do us part." "Till death do us part." "Only one at a time!" "One..." "One at a time!" "I bring them next Monday." " I can pay you next week." " Forget it!" "you will pay Monday." "You don't so old." "You do." "But it suits you." "Really?" "The years have even shined up your dead horse-face." "Cause the horse changed stable." "You had a cock like a galley slave." "How are you?" "The only change since we met last is that my ass itches sometimes." "Always at full moon." "Lack of use." "I only use it for chastely purposes." "Oh Maestro, I didn't imply anything." "The girl!" "She has been waiting since 10pm." "She is beautiful, clean and has good manners." "But she's dying of fear, because a girlfriend, who ran away with a sailor, bled to death within two hours." "Poor girl..." "let's go." "In addition to all that she sews buttons in a shirt factory." " It doesn't sound so hard?" " That's what men think." "It's worse than woodcutting." "Help me!" "The Bolero is life itself." "For whom are you mourning?" "For my husband and my son." "They both left this world recently." "I'm sorry to hear that." "I gave her a mixture of valerian and bromine." "She sleeps now." "Wait here!" "Yes, she sleeps." "Let her sleep as long as possible." "Your night is longer than hers." " What do you think, I should do?" " You'll find out." "It's you who's called the sage." "A tender bull before the fight." "Shit!" "What shall I do, if you don't like me?" "Take it easy, my girl." "Nobody will hurt you." "Delgadina, Delgadina..." "Delgadina, Delgadina..." "The bed of Delgadina... is watched by angels." "Don't be afraid, my friend..." "Very soon you won't feel pain anymore." "The bell tolls anyway." "In the end..." "of this crazy love night... we'll be united in the sleep." "You must know I love you all, but one at a time." "Goodbye forever." "May God protect you." "Never again!" "Tell me, Damiana." "What do you remember?" "I didn't remember anything, but your question makes me think." "I've never been in love." "I have." "I cried because of you for 22 years." "We would have been a beautiful couple." "It's not a good idea to say that now!" "It doesn't please or comfort me anymore." "For 22 years you fucked me, once a month, always the same way." "You won't believe me, but thanks God I'm still a virgin." "I wish you that you get 100 years old." "Damiana" "You have an appointment in the cathedral!" "We know, you're up there!" "Come out!" "If you can't behave like a gentleman, show at least you're a man!" "She trusts you, and is waiting." "You'll pay for this!" "Ximena cries in the cathedral!" "With this column..." "I add a happy end... to a long and straight life." "Who's there?" "What happened to the girl?" "Nothing." "You didn't even wake her up?" "A woman will never forgive the man, who doesn't honour her début." "Maybe she just played sleeping out of fear?" "She rather thinks that you're unable." "I wouldn't like it leaks out." "I don't care." "She is in such a pathetic condition, that no one will believe her, neither sleeping nor awake." "I could make her return the money." "Forget it!" "No harm is done." "It helped me realize that I'm not up for these things anymore." "Anyway, the girl is right." "I'm finished!" "Thank you for the 90 years." "Reception of visitors in the printing hall." "My dear Don Jerónimo, You shouldn't..." "I know." "It is only a little compensation for all the words I have censored out." "From your columns over the years." "A censor does only what his work is." "With God's help!" "Peace and harmony..." "Greetings, greetings, greetings." "Greetings, Maestro." "You are a man in his prime." "Thank you, Don Tulio." "Almost." "Almost." "Where's your column?" " This time there's none." " Are you kidding?" "I'm sorry, señor." "Impossible!" "Think of it as an exception, please." "I had a difficult night and woke up numb." "Then you should have written about it." "The readers would enjoy to learn how life is with 90." "Perhaps it's a delightful mystery." "Apparently she marked you immediately." "How beautiful!" "You still blush so elegantly." "It has certainly been a phenomenal night." "I envy her." "What I said before, was a joke." " Here you are." " I knew it!" "I knew you wouldn't abandon me!" "Bravo, young man!" "It would be wonderful with you, because I need it." "I like it too, goodbye." "Promise me that you marry a white woman." "And that you'll have at least three children." "The girl you call Florina, just like me, like my mother and my grandmother." "Will you do that for me?" "I'm happy about the newspaper today, because I thought you were 100 and not 90." "Do you see me so weak?" "But no!" "I was surprised how young you still look." "So good that you aren't one of these dirty old men, who play older so people think they are still in good shape." "I have a gift for you." "What is it?" "The girl." "Thanks, that's over." "I'll send her to your home, wrapped in silk paper, warmed in a lukewarm herbal bath with sandalwood." "All for free!" "Don't you dare." "You're right." "The girl was in a poor condition yesterday, because she had sewn on 200 buttons with needle and thimble before." "And she was actually afraid that it might become a bloody rape." "But now she's prepared for the sacrifice." "Better for her." "You may be interested, that the girl got up at night, to go to the bathroom, but you slept so deep that she didn't want to wake you up." "Why are you wasting both yours and my time with silly lies?" "The truth is, that she woke up in the morning and you were gone." "The girl regrets." "Poor her, she's at my place." "I don't believe you." "Shall I sent her to you?" "Damn, no!" "No!" "Typical censor Ortega." "This is absurd." "And what can I say?" "You speak of justice?" "After so many years, please." "Then I'm glad that you listened to my protest." "Goodbye." "The crosses are not added by me." "I find them tasteless." "Allow me to say, that you're the most indispensable man I know." "I'm talking about your termination." "Finished is finished." "No Maestro." "Didn't you read the newspapers?" "So you ignore that your column didn't appear?" "It wasn't published?" "No!" "Don Jeronimo used his red pencil all the way through it." "But in private, I can tell you that I am grateful for the censor's mercilessness." "As long as you can hold a feather and use your typewriter, we want you to go on." "You are a star among our columnists and critics, since you were almost a child," "We don't want that this star burns out too early." "I urge you, Don't leave the ship at sea." "The Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria-Hungary and his wife, the Archduchess," "were killed yesterday by gunfire, while they visited Sarajevo." "Good evening." "How are you?" "What's new, Maestro?" "The heir apparent of Austria-Hungary is no more." " What do you mean?" " They were murdered yesterday." "What does that mean for us?" "Regardless of who you are, death can get you anywhere." "That's not new." "No, but it's good to know." "Casilda!" "Casilda!" "I'm busy!" "My brother is not joking." "He's attacking us." "I tell you, girl, I know the governor very good." "If I want I can move people." "I can get them killed." "We're planning to let someone disappear." "Don't you like your Casilda?" "You'll see..." "Of course I like my Casilda!" "But I forgot that tonight..." "I'll come back tomorrow." "I must go now." "Another time." "Ximena!" "I've been dreaming of this moment." "Funny you should say that." "And who are you?" "I think she recognizes you, but she doesn't remember." " What do you have in the basket?" " A cat." "May I see it?" "Little Tiger." "How old is she?" "Don't know." "She was just given me." "Because she looks very old." "Like ten years or so." "I think she was exposed and has experienced a lot." "What is your work?" "I'm a journalist." " For how long already?" " For a century." "Take care of yourself." "You aren't 18 anymore." "Thank you for reminding me." "I had forgotten it." "Girl!" "Your bracelet!" "Delgadina..." "It's good, wife." "It's good, wife!" "Sorry for the rage recently." "Don't worry." "I knew you'd call." "I want that the girl awaits me like God created her." "As you wish." "But you'll miss the pleasure... to undress her piece by piece, like old men love to do, for whatever reason." " But I know it." " Why?" "Because every time they get a little older." "Then tonight at 10 clock." "Before the little fish gets cold." "The virgin in her head... carried her along on a litter," "the bells of joy... tolled for Delgadina." "Delgadina, my girl" "that you are for me." "THE TIGER EATS NOT FAR FROM HERE" "Is anyone here?" "I'm not talking to you." "Why are you so old already?" "How old you are has nothing to do with how long you have lived, but how long you intend to continue living." "Now I know that it wasn't a hallucination, but another miracle... the first love of my life... at the age of 90." "I don't understand how you can spend two nights with this child, without touching her." "Sex is just the consolation, if you can't experience love." "It's your right not to like her, but damn behave like an adult." "The case isn't that simple." "I'd have another one for you, a little older," "also a virgin, good looking." "Her father wants to swap her for a house." "But we will certainly get a discount." "Shut up!" "I want that girl again and I want her always." "Without fail, without dispute nor bad memories." "Good." "That must be what the doctors call senile dementia." "Senile dementia." "My mother owned them," "and before her my grandmother, and long before that my great-grandmother." "I want you to wear them." "There's a picture on the wall." "It's painted by Figurita." "A man we really liked." "The best brothel dancer that ever existed." "And so good-hearted, that he pitied the devil." "The woman in the picture is a nun." "Figurita abducted her from a monastery and married her." "I leave it here, so it is the first thing you see when you wake up." "I tell my readers," "I float between wandering clouds," "carried by the love, I feel for you, with an extraordinary intensity," "I haven't known in my life previously." "We've never published hand-written texts." "You know that." "The idea is absurd!" "This isn't a conventional column." "These are love letters." "Love letters that everybody can relate to." "Make no mistake, Marco Tulio." "The gentle savages own the future." "I think it was Delgadina, who..." "Delgadina?" " That isn't the girl's name..." " Don't tell me." "Well, finally she's yours." "I've never seen her face and I don't know her real name." "For me she's Delgadina." "It sounds like anorexia." "I think it was Delgadina, who wrote that verse about the tiger on the bathroom mirror." "What verse?" ""The tiger doesn't eat far from here."" "No, she can't have done it." "She can neither read nor write." "Who then?" "Maybe... someone who died in that room." "I don't need a full moon, to set my bum on fire tonight..." "Don't complain now!" "Be happy that you still have a butt that can burn!" "Why don't you marry her?" "You live already together practically." "It will be cheaper for you." "To be good or not is the question at your age, but you said it's too late for you." "I've never been married." "Your beautiful eyes didn't give me time for it." "I have a funny feeling that Delgadina will grow up before her time." "That is normal." "A flower must blossom." "Sooner or later." "In one week is her birthday." "I never thought about that angels have a birthday." "Delgadina, we are alone in this world." "The elderly know best how to love, my Delgadina, because they have nothing else to do." "The young ones on the other hand at the beginning of their life, care about their work, about success and money." "For the elderly all that isn't important anymore." "The past is forgotten." "What remains is nostalgia, which is as pointless as sorrow and love, if it appears by chance." "Never again, I will wake up with a bitter taste." "Never again, I will say I have missed an experience." "And as long as my lips can say "Thank you"," "I will always honour, what you have taught me." "Me, who has written and spoken about everything in the world." "But misunderstood the essence." " What is it, Mary?" " Who is this Delgadina in reality?" "I don't believe she exists." "Sure she exists, but she lives in another town." "You have no right to speak, if no one asks you." "Why do you think she is from another city?" "Because he wouldn't dare to publish love letters in the newspaper, if we could meet her in the street." " Where were you with the cat?" " At the vet." " For what?" " The cat is ill." "And?" "They want to euthanize her, but they need you must agree." " Why do they want to kill her?" " Because she is very old." "Well, do you agree?" "I ask you, whether you agree, that they euthanize her?" "No!" "You can kill her she is threatening public health." "But not because she is old." "For a long time I slept early, and when I woke up in middle of the night, I didn't know where I was," "and for a moment not even who I was." "Unfortunately, after eating," "I saw myself obliged, immediately to leave my mother, who tattled with the others in the garden if it was a balmy night, or in a small room, where they gathered when the weather was bad." "My only consolation was, when I went upstairs to sleep, that mom would come to give me a kiss, when I lay in bed." "It was Isabel, who made the snails cry." "Whose were they?" "My poor son." "Get dressed and come with me." "I have a serious problem." "Isn't that J. M. B?" "Help me dress him." "Nothing is more difficult than to dressing corpse." "This isn't the first time I do it." "Someone must hold him." "Who could be convinced by a body stabbed to death in the suit of an English gentleman?" " You are trembling." " Because of her, Delgadina." " Best you take her with you." " You know I can't." "Then tell her to disappear before someone comes." "I will." "Nothing will happen a journalist." "Not you either." "You're the only liberal, who has influence on the government." "Delgadina!" "Delgadina!" "Be quiet, sage!" "The girl isn't there, She's gone." "Better that way." "Best you disappear also..." "Silence!" "Do you know what time it is?" "You're right." "She don't suit you." " Is everything made up?" " According to my sources, yes." "Good." "If your sources are really trustworthy," "Well..." "This is the truth:" "The young banker wasn't murdered by rebels, as they believed erroneously, but by someone who knew him well." "THE TRUTH ABOUT THE KILLING OF THE BANKER" "Life is sad, if we live without an illusion." " Have you seen the señora?" " No." "Sorry, have you seen the señora?" "No, señor." "We haven't heard from her for a long time." "Have you seen the señora?" "No." "Really." "Sage, why don't you moderate your letters a little?" "While we think about how we comfort all those readers who are in love." " Are you ill, maestro?" " No." "But I'm sick." "Sick with love." "Two unidentified corpses of young girls are found" " in the Amphitheatre." " How old?" "They are very young." "Maybe refugees be from the inland, hunted by the butchers of the regime." "The condition invades us silently to us stain with blood." "Not with blood, maestro." "With shit!" "What do you want?" "You wouldn't have done that to me, Delgadina." "Damiana!" "Take off your clothes and roll around with me." "What do you do if I say yes?" "Your eyes have the same colour as Delgadina's when she's angry." "Maybe you can help me to find her." "Take it easy." "Come, come, come." "One, two..." "Who's there?" "A friend." " I'm looking for the owner." " There's no owner." "Open the door at least, so I can get my cat." "There's no cat." " Who are you?" " No one." " How old was the girl?" " Maximum 16." " No, 15 at most." " And how did she look like?" " Why do you ask?" " I'm a journalist." " She was tall and thin." " Short, curly hair." "Is there a young girl here who had a bicycle accident?" "Yes, half an hour ago." "Can you identify her?" " Maybe." " Follow me." "I..." "I'm not the one you are looking for." "What would I've done, if she had been there?" "Excuse me, señor." "Is it you who writes the love letters in the newspaper?" "Are you back?" "Are you back?" " Yes, I'm back." " Where were you?" "Take it easy!" "I gave myself a break, in Cartagena de India's." " And she?" " You shall take it easy." " You have to wait." " How long?" " No idea." "I'll let you know." " Wait!" "Give me a hint." "I have no hint." " Damn it!" " Be careful!" "You could harm yourself, but worse you could harm her." "Give me at least an idea of what's going on." "After all, we are accomplices." "Or not?" "Calm down." "She's fine, she's waiting for my call." "Right now that's all." "I won't say more!" "Shit!" "Today is the day." "Whore!" "My God!" "Let's go!" "Now behave yourself like an adult." "What's wrong with you?" "Everything has become clear for me, Señora Cabarcas." "You have sold Delgadina's virginity to one of your influential customers, so that you go free for the crime." "And then, a honeymoon threesome." "The other two in bed, and you on the luxurious patio, happy about your impunity." "Marvelous!" "Jealousy always knows more than the truth." "But the truth is different." "I was alone in Cartagena de India's, while the scandal cooled down." "I came back yesterday." "The girl came at once to me, in such a poor condition," "I bathed her for you, dressed her and sent her to the beauty salon." "Her jewelry and clothes are just cheap imitations!" "Bawd and whore!" "That's what you are!" "Damn it!" "Sage, go and look for the girl, beg her pardon and take care of her, for now and forever." "No one deserves more to be happy." "Fucking bitches!" "I don't want to know you anymore, or any other whore and least of all her!" "Farewell forever!" "God be with you." "Sage!" "Sage!" "I'll send the bill for the mess in the room." "It'll cost you dearly!" "I inherited them from my mother." "I've had them for more than 60 years." "They have been purchased here more than 100 years ago," "Please wait." "Don't tell your father, that we've been here." "In this business it's important that each purchase is recorded." "On February 7th 1882 has your mother, Florina de Dios Cargamantos, exchanged the mounted stones in her earrings for imitations," "and sold the originals to us for 20 pesos." "At least gold is gold platinum and platinum." " We can offer you..." " No thanks." "I'll keep them, in memory of an other Florina de Dios, whom I never met." "Mom!" "Now I'm an old man." "Mother," "I always believed that dying of love happened only in poetry." "But today I found out that it's not only possible, but that I myself, old and lonely," "am dying of love." "And I would have told you, mother, that I wouldn't exchange the pleasure of my pain for anything in the world." "Are you still doing it?" "I've had trouble to remember names and faces for years now." "But yours, Casilda Armenta," "I will never forget." "Not even after 40 years?" "Not even after 40 years." "What are you doing here?" "I escape from myself." "You look sad." "I am." "Come home with me." "Whenever you are mentioned on the radio, they pay tribute to you, because people admire you so much." "They call you "Master of Love"." "Imagine." "I think no one knew your charm and your quirks as well as I do." "Seriously, no one could have tolerated more." "The truth is that I'm getting old." "Yes." "Your body." "But from what you tell me, you're still a young man inside." "Do what you want." "But do not lose that spirit." "There is no bigger misfortune than to die alone," "Isn't it so?" "It's enough." "It's enough, woman." "Woman!" "Today is the day." "I haven't seen the girl for more than a month." "But she must have recovered from the shock that night, because she has found a new job" "More pleasant and better paid than sewing on buttons." "That can only mean as a whore." "As a whore?" "Then she'd be here." "How should I know she's not here?" "In this case it's better if you don't know." "Or is it?" "It would have been best for the sage, if he had never met madam Rosa Cabarcas!" "I'll look for her, I promise." "It's difficult but it will not kill me." "Wait and you'll see." "My poor son." "I bless you." "This is the wrong moment, mother!" "Have you found her?" "Not yet." "But I think I will before the day ends." "If you find her..." "Remember:" "If you find her, forget all grandfatherly sentimentality." "Wake her up, and fuck her good and proper with your donkey dick that the devil rewarded you with for your cowardice and pettiness." "Honestly." "Don't die before you've experienced the miracle, to fuck out of love." "We'll see." "Bring me my girl tonight!" "That's impossible." "Tonight, for the Holy Father's sake." "Impossible." "Well, here you have her." "She wants to me?" "You has to meet you," " Does she agree?" " She must agree." "What do you mean?" "Don't they call you the sage?" "Don't be so stupid." "I'm not." "Then you're blind." "Don't you see the girl's quite crazy with love for you?" "Let's make a deal, notarized." "The one who survives, inherits everything from the other." "No." "Because when I die, everything should go to the girl." "The girl doesn't count." "I take care of the girl and bequeath her everything, yours and mine." "I have no one else in this world." "I'm crazy out of love!" "Not crazy, demented!" "Maybe!" "But today the world is much better!" "Do you hear me?"