"RIDE: $50" "THE WANDERING SHADO WS" "Good morning, holy Mary." "Bless me today, because tomorrow we may be all gone." "Good day, Ms. Marelvis." "Did you get anything?" "Ms. Marelvis, I am going to get that money." "I'm going to find a job today." "Do you think you'll find a job?" "It's hard for normal people and harder for you." "You've said that for over a year now." "You should listen to people's advice." "Go live in the shelter." "You won't have to pay there, you're a cripple." "I don't like to take your money." "Ms. Marelvis," "The sergeant told you to say that, didn't he?" "Don't ask me that." "I have my dignity." "I may have nothing, but I have my dignity." "I know everyone here thinks I'm a useless cripple, but I'll show them." "Give me time and you'll see." "Trust me, Ms. Marelvis." "Then do something!" "Get some money to calm Osvaldo down." "Sell, lend, ask, do something!" "And don't ruin my day with that look." "Hey, there's Mañe!" "Well, well..." "It's "Dancingleg" himself!" "He is grumpy today!" "So many holes, huh?" "Oh, no, no!" "What's your problem, gimp?" "What are you looking at?" "Leave him alone, you bastards!" "Oh, shit!" "It's Ms. Marelvis!" "Oh, shit!" "Don't worry, Ms. Marelvis, I can manage." "Next!" "Next!" " Good morning, sir." " Good morning." " Got the 10,000 pesos?" " 10,000 pesos?" "No, I came to see if you can help me get a job." " And I brought my resume." " Yes." "We can help you, but we'll need to do medical exams to see what job fits you best." "10,000 pesos, please." "But I am handicapped, you see, so I am not sure what kind of job I can get." "No problem." "We can get you a job, even if you have no legs, arms or ears." "10,000 pesos, please." "And when is this exam?" "We'll call you." "For the exam?" "Next door you'll get a lecture on the job you'll be given." "Next!" " Don't you want my resume?" " Oh, Yeah." "Next!" "I want to work!" "Shout it out loud!" " I want to work!" " OK, brothers!" "Let's live it!" "Let the vibes fill this holy place, and know you're gonna get this job!" "Now say it with conviction!" "I feel the job!" "I feel the job!" "OK." "Now in English." "I am working "mucho"!" "Motherfuckers!" "SUPPORT ART $100" "Right here, please." "Thank you." "Hey, come here." "To 15th, please?" "RIDE $500" "OUT OF SERVICE" "Mañe, you picked the worst hour to arrive." "Go hide." "The sergeant is coming." "What happens?" "Shut up and hide." "He's coming and he's drunk." "Osvaldo please, don't fight because that hurts you." "Don't defend him." "You two think I don't notice." "You think I am dumb." "How much do you owe me?" "My sister may be your pimp, but with me things are different." "I don't tolerate your laziness." "Where's my money?" "I got this for you, don Osvaldo." "What is this shit?" "You think I'm taking this shit?" "Don't be mad." "I'll get the rest." "When?" "When you get a job?" "Do you think anyone is going to hire a cripple like you?" "A lazy gimp?" "You know what?" "Why don't you go to the shelter?" "Nobody will bother you there." "And you know why?" "Because only trash go there." "Freaks, refugees, outsiders, cripples like you." "Go there!" "Go there!" "Osvaldo, don't get upset like this." "Remember what the doctor said." "I give you until Friday to pay me." "Or I'll throw you out." "Come, come and I'll make you some tea to calm you down a little." "Walk." "Been drinking?" "Fancy drinking with your heart!" "Didn't I say you'd get worse?" "And guess what'll happen!" "The truck!" "The truck!" "OK, your permit!" "Thanks, brother." "Excuse me, what's your name?" "How were you crippled?" "This tastes awful, man, this drink." "Tastes like shit." "Yeah, like shit." "Why did you help me?" "You're the only one who's helped me." "In this fucking country, nobody helps each other." "Now what do you say, motherfuckers?" " Where are you going?" " To the employment office at 34th." "To see if there's work for me." "You're really helping me?" "I don't know how to thank you." "Don't thank me." "Every time you need to cross the alley, wait for me at the Pola monument." "I pass by every while." "Thanks, thanks, man." " How long have you done this?" " All my life." "But where?" "Across the Cesar river, without wetting the passenger's feet." "How did you end up here?" "How did you end up here, man?" "Excuse me, officer," "Where're you taking that chair?" "To Teusaquillo precinct." "Why did you take it from him?" "It's illegal to work without permit." "Who is in charge of the precinct?" "Officer Gómez." "Thanks, brother." " Officer Gómez, how do you do?" " Mañe, how are you?" "Well, I just came..." "Come back there, we'll have a drink." "Yesterday I got this paper." "Now I can work." "It was you, wasn't it?" "Yeah." "See, I live with a sergeant, and he keeps these documents in his house, he owns the house I live in, about corrupt policemen... and I knew how to do the trick." "Can you read?" "So how did you write this?" "My father taught me just this." ""The carrier of this permit is allowed to work in the streets of Santa Fe de Bogota, as long as his activities do not injure the civil rights of the citizens and their freedom, according to law."" "The law of the streets, huh?" "I don't know why this drink is affecting me so much." "You know it doesn't taste like shit anymore?" "Figures." "What I don't understand is:" "Why do you need this paper to work?" "What I don't understand is..." "Why is this drink affecting me?" "Easy." "Relax." "Lay back." "You'll see." "You'll see." "Mister?" " Mister?" "Mister?" " Don't shout, I'm here." "Man, that plant is cool..." "What a cool plant..." "Nice, nice plant, brother." "Is anyone coming?" "Yes, that's right." "Fucking cripple, what are you doing here?" "Fucking cripple!" "In the street I wanted to see you!" "I'm gonna kick your ass, you cripple freak!" "No, wait." "This is the fucker who is fucking me up." "Look at the motherfucker, how he asks for help." "You, motherfucker," "Are you afraid to die, fucker, are you?" "Die, you, son of a bitch!" "Are you afraid to die?" "Now you know what needing help is like?" "Die like a dog, alone in the street, you motherfucker." "You gonna help the fucker?" "Leave him there to die, the way he deserves." "You crazy or something?" "Mañe!" "How are you?" "Thanks so much!" "How can I thank you?" "You're an angel!" " What are you talking about?" " What your friend did!" "He took my brother to the hospital, didn't he?" "No..." "Oh yes, yes." "How is Don Osvaldo?" "Until he had a stroke!" "I said if he kept drinking, it would happen." "He just left the ICU." "They won't take him in the Military Hospital, so we'll have to bring him home." "But I really appreciate what you did." "No, don't worry, Ms. Marelvis." "And Osvaldo treats you so bad..." "But I won't let him do that again." " Even if he throws me out." " No, he'll throw me out." "With all the money I owe him..." "Don't worry, I'll lend you the money." " It's the least I can do." " No, Ms. Marelvis, that's fine." " Don't "Ms. Marelvis" me, thanks ever so much..." " Hey Mañe!" " Mañe, how are things!" "Come, Mañe, have a drink!" "To the bottom, there!" "Don't choke on it!" "Hi Mañe, come, come with me..." "Look, he's in a hurry!" "Just imagine, Osvaldo is leaving the hospital now." " I'm glad, Ms. Marelvis." " He wants to meet your friend." "He wants to thank him personally." " Can you tell him to come tomorrow?" " Sure, I'll tell him." "How are you?" "I've been expecting you." "I feel kind of weird." "Don't worry." "Oh, you bought that." "You brought what I said?" "Yes." "It cost around 1,000 pesos." "OK, let's get started." "Very good!" "Congratulations!" "Very good!" "You are missing the E, not MAÑA but MAÑE." "But otherwise that's it, very good." "Look, do it like that." "You'll see how much you learn." "Nobody will think you're dumb again." "No, no, I don't mean you're dumb" "I mean you can now prove you're not dumb." "What's that for?" "Why are we here?" "Remember that man with a stroke, the one you helped?" "Well, he is a retired sergeant." "He owns this place and wanted to see you, to thank you for what you did." "Bullshit." "I'm leaving." "What?" "Hey, wait!" "I need you to help me." "I owe him some money and I need to look good..." " Don't suck up!" "Don't kiss ass!" " Please, man!" "Oh, my God!" "Mañe, come help us!" "Osvaldo is having another stroke and looks dead!" "Please help us, for the love of God!" "Where are you going?" "Mañe, come help us!" "What's wrong?" "Help!" "I need help!" "Help!" "Please, help me!" "Ms. Marelvis," "Please, forgive me for my inability to help you." "The doctor said it was a sudden stroke." "As if he had seen something that frightened him so much that killed him instantly." "Really?" "What was it?" "Do you know what it was?" "No, we don't know." "Maybe it just was his time." "Come with us to the service." "Yes, of course." "Yes?" "Hello?" "Yes, this is he." "What?" "He escaped?" "What do you mean he escaped?" "Hey, man," "What happened?" "What's wrong?" "Why did you escape the hospital?" "I know what you need." "Just you wait." "Look," "Here's what you need." "Turn around, man." "C'mon..." "Come on, don't be like this..." "This shit tastes worse than my own." "Why did you escape the hospital?" "Hospitals bring bad memories." "Do you feel better?" "I forgot all you taught me." "What happened to you back there?" "Nothing, just too much sun." "The doctor told me... what you had." "Trust me, man." "Why should I trust you?" "I'll teach you everything again." "The doctor told me... about the bullet." "What was of the drunken sergeant?" "Well..." "The guy died." "His sister told me he had a stroke, he had a weak heart." "So he died." "We all have weak hearts, don't we?" "I was executed." "They shot me in the head and thought they'd killed me, but I lived." " Who did that, man?" " It doesn't matter." "Some Indians found me with my broken head and they took me to the jungle." "I recovered there and came back." "But the bullet stayed there, as a reminder." " Why did you come to this hellhole?" " Ah, all you ask is bullshit." "I came here, here I am, that's what matters." "I almost die because of you." " I'm sorry man, really sorry." " It doesn't matter." "Who's gonna care if I die?" "It doesn't matter." "Death is a fuckup." "For those who don't know it." "For those who stay." "The dead, they can laugh their ass off in hell." "The ones staying, have to wait and see what they'll get." "Boy, do I know death." "To be rich in this country, you just have to set up a private cemetery." "There're loads of costumers." "Like my father and mother." "Were they killed?" "Yes." "And guttered." "And hanged in pieces in front of the house." "Who did it?" "First they told us it was guerrillas, then paramilitary, then narcs, and then rogue military." "But in the end, the only thing you know is that they're dead." "Just like me." "I've seen so many dead, I've even grown envious." "We are good at killing here." "We do it better than anyone." "To be a dead Colombian, is a pricey privilege." "That drink of yours is having an effect, isn't it?" "Yes." "It makes me feel deader." "Aren't you afraid of dying?" "No." "I fear no one will bury me." "That I'll be fed to the vultures." "Back in Caquetá, they would have killed you for being a drug addict." "Are you from Caquetá?" "Yes, do you know it?" "This tea you made today is nice." "Yes, very nice." "Where in Cesar are you from?" "You don't know it." "Maybe I do, who knows." "What's your last name?" "You are kind of nosy today." "You know a lot about me, and I don't know anything about you..." "They used to call me Mansalva." "Mansalva?" "Why so?" "OK, OK, no more questions." "Ah, this is nice." "I hadn't felt like this since I came to this hellhole town." "Why did you come?" "The same as everyone." "They threatened me." "If I hadn't come, I would be dead." "I'd have ended up like my parents." "Fuck the bastards." "Fuck them all." "They're the ones who left you crippled?" "Yes." "It was them." "We lived next to the Military Hospital." "That's why they fucked us." "Military Hospital?" "Yes." "We lived next to the hospital, in a very quiet town." "One day they came to destroy it." "My town." "Puerta Nueva." "My parents, who lived next to the hospital were accused of hiding someone at home..." "And they killed them, man." "I hid in the bathroom... and I heard all the shooting, the screaming..." "They blew the hospital with gas pipes." "And I was hearing, and suddenly..." "A huge noise and..." "they blew up the wall." "They blew up the wall and I felt a huge pain." "A huge pain in the leg, huge... and blood..." "And then nothing." "Nothing." "Only the memory is left." "And us." "Nothing." "Nothing." "So what," "Tomorrow back to writing?" "What, something wrong?" "No, no more writing." "Why?" "You think you've learned everything?" "Tomorrow we do writing." "I can't help you anymore." "I won't come back." "Why, brother?" "Is it the questions I asked you?" "I won't ask you anything else, if you don't want me to." "No..." "It's not that." "I just can't." "Wait!" "Wait, brother!" "You're the only one who can help me!" "Everyone must bear their own." " Let me go!" " Look man, stop!" "Look," "I made this present for you." " You fucking me or what?" " No, no..." "I asked questions because" "I don't know anything about you, your name, where you come from..." "Look brother, I just want you to trust me." "Then don't give me bullshit gifts, you think I'm gonna do whatever you want?" " C'mon, brother..." " Don't call me brother." "What I need, you can't give me." "Nobody can." "Mister!" "Mister!" "Hey, what's the matter?" "Mister!" "Mister!" "Holy Mary," "Holy mother," "I am about to do something very bad." "Holy mother," "Divine Mary, help me and..." "Forgive me for what I am about to do." "Mister." "Come in, it's very cold." "I need your help." "I lost my plant." "What?" "I went to the hill but it wasn't there." "Help me." "Can't you go find another one?" "I've been all over the country, and I've never seen another one." "Help me, you can do it, like when you got me the permit." "And..." "Is that plant very important?" "You gonna help me or not?" "But you have to realize I hardly know you, man." "Let's do something:" "Are you gonna trust me?" "If you do, I'll help you." "I you don't, I won't." "Know what?" "Fuck you." "I don't need your help." "What's up, Mañe?" "What's the hurry?" "Get away from me!" "The little cripple is grumpy today!" "What you got there?" "Let me through." "Get away!" " The grumpy cripple..." " Get away!" " Son of a bitch!" " Get out of here!" "Quiet, quiet!" "No!" "Give it back to me!" "Give me that plant!" "This flower is kinda pretty, huh?" "You, fuck..." " Thirty seven!" " Girly paw!" "The little log..." "Let's see how you stand up, fucker!" "Motherfuckers!" "Come back, you pricks!" "Come back and fight!" "Cowards!" "Come back and fight!" "Assholes, cowards!" "Mister," "Mister, forgive me." "Forget what I said yesterday." "I'll help you find your plant." "There's a store left to check in the 6th..." "No." "What do you mean no?" "We have to find that plant!" "We can't find it if we don't look." "Don't insist." "We won't find it." "We're gonna find that plant, you'll see." "Don't look like you're gonna give up." "No, Mañe." "I really appreciate it." "But I have to go." "Now I know you're really my friend." "But I have to go." "Give me the plant, assholes!" "What are you talking about?" "Have a drink." "Give the plant back to me!" "What up, Mañe?" "You want me to break your other leg?" "Get the fuck out of here!" "Give it back to me, you fuck!" "Now the little shit is dead..." "Mañe, who did this to you?" "Who stole your plant?" "Tell me." "Tell me who it was." "Mañe, your friend is here." "Forgive me, for being so aggressive," "but now I know I can trust you." "No more secrets." "Not between friends." "You'll find answers in there." "But we can't watch this." "My TV, I..." "Ms. Marelvis has a room with TV." "We can watch it there." "Coming?" "Calm down, tell me what happened." "He..." "He grabbed everyone, of each family... each family they ordered him," "and then he put them there..." "He made them kneel down, next to each other." "He told them to hold hands," "and then he killed them." "Calm down." "How did he killed them?" "He... put the gun here, in the chin, or here, in the throat." "He whispered something in their ears..." "And then he killed them." "Who?" "Who killed them?" "The killer!" "That killer of theirs!" "I don't know his name, how would I know?" "Look at this picture." " Was this the man?" " That's him." " Look at him carefully." " That's him up there in the hills." "That's not a man, that's a beast." "That's the devil himself." "He took pity on no one." "He had no mercy." "He didn't mind who he killed." "He didn't mind killing my family." "And what happened next?" "I don't know why he didn't kill me." "One of those men, with his face all covered, kept saying:" ""Kill her, kill her."" "But he wouldn't listen." "Other guys were there, beating up my grandpa." "Kicking him, hitting him..." "They almost killed him, poor old man." "Then this killer grabbed him and took him up the hill." " On his shoulders?" " No, no." "He had a chair," "He had a chair, a wooden chair... something like that." "I don't remember." "Then, one of them was going to return to kill me, but he told him not to, and he obeyed." "He took the old man and put him on his chair like a dummy." "The others just followed." "You... did all that." "Why are you showing me this?" "Answer me!" "Answer me!" "How is he, doctor?" "He is dying." "He hasn't much time left." "The first time you brought him, the hemorrhage was OK," "But now it appears as if he has stopped taking whatever he was taking, and his brain is flooded." "There's nothing we can do." "It's for you." "No, he's not at home." "But I can take the message and tell him." "Yes, yes..." "I'll tell him." "What?" "Yes, yes, I'll tell him." "Have a good day." "Your friend escaped the hospital." "Hi, Mañe." "How are you doing?" "Well, I went out and..." "Look what I found!" "Mañe, why did you come, go away!" "Don't worry, man." "You'll be OK." "I brought your medicine, here it is." "Mañe, no." " Mañe, listen." " You listen, brother!" "I'll tell you my truth, but you have to tell me yours!" "I'm the one who stole your plant." "That's why you are sick." "I wanted to know about you, so I stole it." "I wanted to know about you." "Forgive me." " That's nothing." "Go away." " No!" "Listen, man!" "No, Mañe." "That's why I burnt my tent, so you wouldn't look for me." "It's not your fault, Mañe." "Go away." "Then talk to me!" "Don't tell me to go away!" "I don't care about all the people you've killed." "You are my friend, I don't care." "Are you willing to listen?" "Yes." "I've killed many people." "Elderly, women, children..." "Pregnant women..." "When you get used to killing, you do it without thinking, without feeling." "And after all that death, You got nothing left." "You can't understand me." "You know what it's like to be taken, from home to the hills, when you ain't even got no hair in your face?" "You know what it's like, to be one day carrying people from side to side of the river, and the next in the middle of the jungle learning how to kill?" "You don't know." "I learned fast, and became good." "I killed whover they said." "I didn't see anything wrong." "In the end, if they told me to kill, they would know why." "But death reaches everyone, and my day," "seems to have come." "Did you know I was in Puerta Nueva?" "That I led... the massacre of your town?" "Our leaders had a meeting." "And the Military found out." "Sergeant Jaimes found out." "Yes, I know it's him." "The one who charged you the rent, was one of those... who hunted me down to kill me." "There was this meeting, and our families were there," "And we had to... blow up the town," "with gas pipes." "We went to the military hospital, and everything went out of control, and we started cutting people up with machetes." "We killed everyone, the patients, the doctors... your father and your mother." "And then, I realized that everything was out of control." "And that the fault was... mine." "The fault was mine." "Jaimes was blamed for the massacre and got thrown out of the Army." "And me, as I was leading the troops," "I got punished too." "Those Indians..." "I told you about gave me a plant they said it was... good, good for the pain." "When I felt better," "I came here, with my plant." "The only friend I've had." "To start over." "You know what that's like?" "To do the same thing I did before, to carry people around..." "To start over." "But you know what?" "I found you." "And that was the worst." "It was as if all those dead people came over me all over again." "Why did you show me the tape?" "That... video is the only remaining proof of what I did." "I killed the cameraman, and everyone" "who was in it." "So that it never would be known." "Would be known." "But you... had to see it," "because you are the only person I can... trust." "Do you think I will forgive you?" "No forgiveness." "There is no forgiveness for us."