"It's 6 am, the temperature 66° F... and we are getting some very worrying cables... from Southeast Asia..." "Confirming that the Great Oriental Bank has had to close its doors today following a crashing bankruptcy which left behind a jumble of victims among the savers who trusted this bank" "WAITING FOR THE MESSIAH reputedly so strong their life-time savings" "They've been mentioned savers also from our country, Argentina apparently also involved in this dramatic situation, which has plunged the markets in Southeast Asia" "Into a state of great confusion" "They'll work some days, and some days they'll be laid off" " How many will be jobless?" " Well in this case..." "I mean... we can't predict a number" "The Tokyo exchange..." "the domino effect the Euro the Yen, all that shit just fucked us." "Enthusiastic... honest..." "What could you criticize about those close to you?" "Nothing" " You know whom I mean by those close to you?" " Yes" "Mother, father, friends, girlfriend..." "What skills did you develop in previous job?" "Skills... the will to work..." "Your main defects?" "I'm not good at sports..." "Sometimes I'm a little arrogant... and I have a slight difficulty to express my thoughts" "It's as if..." "I got false starts" "Significant events in your life." "Your worries... a color, your favorite season of the year and your expectations on this job" "Could you repeat the sequence?" "Just tell me the color" "Blue" "Blue..." "I also like blue." "Doesn't score many points" "Red is better" "And the rest of the score?" "How did I do it?" "It was In China, the domino effect." "They gave me these bonds" "They are worth nothing now, but are guaranteed by the..." "Chinese state" "It's over" "It's over" "I was fired" "Business is not thriving." "Dad lost it all when the bank closed, but we pretend nothing's changed" "Simon continues the cook, Ramón does the dishes... and I wait" "Dad... dad" "Yes?" "The savings certificate..." "was it a lot?" "No... not much" "But it was everything..." "All we had" "What are we going to do?" "Not tell mother" "That's all we can do" "When the kidney doesn't work, it is replaced by something like a filter" "This is the arm, a tiny hole is punched here and a nozzle brings out the dirty blood" "This is the machine..." "here the filth is stopped" "Another nozzle returns our cleansed blood" "Just two tiny holes in the arm" "Like making coffee" "Exactly, but the other way round" "Mum... is this temporary or forever?" "Sarah, this way" "The doctors believe my mother is going to die." "They don't get it" "Obviously they never had a Jewish mother" "She can't just go, with all the things she has to do" "Buy my clothes..." "the Tupperware meetings... talk on the phone with her parents... remembering everything..." "anyway... a lot of things" "Mum can't go" " What happened, mum?" " Don't Ariel" " Your purse!" " Listen, Ariel..." "Listen, was dad inside that purse?" "Was Estela inside that purse?" " No." "Poor Estela" "Then there was nothing important in that purse" "Besides, the money is safe." "Come let's go shopping" "Mum..." "This is my neighborhood." "It's called "Once"" "A very active, noisy place where we the Jewish live... surrounded by cloths and safety pylons" "Bar Mitzvah is a turning point In the life of a Jewish boy" "It happens only once, in a lifetime and it's the entry into the adult's world" "Into the world of responsibilities feeling part of this chain" "Assume our role as a new link in the history of our people" "It's a moment of celebration, joy, but when the party is over and there are only the dirty dishes and the leftovers... that's the time for reflecting and the understanding the reaches, of the commitment" "That's why the record we keep of that moment will enable us to remember this pact in the future" "It's the images of the people we love, those we don't... which will remain in here..." "for ever" "This is not a Bar Mitzvah." "This is a wedding" "Don't worry, Moshe." "Basically, it's the same system" "Here I have other samples." "This is Feldman-Dubcovsky" "At the Ben-Gurion club." "It was a great party" "All right..." " Cotton, isn't it?" " No, this is "Shmate"" "Shmate:" "Original Yiddish" "Typical adjective denoting bad quality in clothing" "Congratulations" "Please protect her in eternity under the wings of your deity" "May her soul be an inseparable part of chain of life..." "May God allow her to rest in peace." "May God bring peace to them... and to all the bereaved of the Israeli congregation." "Hello?" "No, the lady is not in" "No, I don't know when she'll be back" "Yes, call later, yes..." " Starting tomorrow?" " Yes" "Are you afraid?" "What of?" "Of starting something new" "No." "I am." "And I'm also afraid of being left alone" "Hello?" "No, she's not in" "I see, well I have some id's of the lady which I found" "Where did you find them?" "Across from the Israeli Hospital" "I can bring them to you, or we can meet..." "Whereabouts are you?" "In the downtown area." " Well... but, how do I know you are not the thief?" " Don't worry I wouldn't be calling you," "No... this is my job" "I can keep your stuff for a few days and call you back" "All right?" "So long" "She left me, with this business of the bank, she just threw me out" "I tried to explain about China, time zones, globalized economy" "But she doesn't understand about numbers" "Do you have my ids?" " Want some water?" " No, thanks" " How much do I owe you?" " It's up to you" "What for?" "What do I want my mother's ids for, if she's no longer around?" "She's dead, she's gone, she doesn't breathe... doesn't speak, doesn't vote" "And there's no reason to despair, it's part of the package." "What package?" "The package, the plan." "I mean, you get:" "Mum goes, Simon is left alone, but here's Estela" "So we take care of the business... we wash the sidewalk, pay the taxes..." "We plant a tree in the Sinai desert" "And we have children..." "three, better four" "In case one might be devious" "The plan is perfect, it's wonderful" "Friday night, the temple, the club..." "Simon, the restaurant, God" "It's a lot of things, Estela." "Not fixing the Christmas tree" "Why not fixing the Christmas tree?" "Always living in this bubble" "Don't you feel a bubble?" "I don't know..." "I want to see what happens" "Where?" "Out there." "What is it?" "Never seen Estela naked?" " Going, already?" " Yes" "Here." "Today I start on a six-month trial contract" "Why trial?" "It's a trial, Simon." "If they like me, I go on" "Estela offered to help here" "I told her not to..." "But you know Estela..." "She's like your mother" "Bye, Simon" ""The State Sell"" "The sign is already up, seen it?" "The state sells... the trains... the toilets..." "the toilet paper..." "They sell everything" "What are you going to do?" "Nothing, people will still pee" "Classy women like you will continue to visit me" "What is it?" "You never cheated on your husband?" "No, I'm waiting for his release" "Elsa, I want to help you" "Friends of mine need maids" "And you don't know when the station is going to close" "I'm staying." "I can wait" "They can't close the station forever." "This has to change" "How will people go to their jobs?" "In bicycles, like the Chinese?" "Bye, Elsa..." "remember what I said" "The night shift has some advantages." "It makes you think" "You don't have a mate talking about impossible sexual battles" "You work in peace" "The thing is staying awake." "Is that clear?" "In the morning, when the janitors arrive... and wet the floors, then you can leave" "We use initials here, much faster that way" "For example, tell me your name" "Ariel Goldstein" "No, not Goldstein!" "The initials!" "A. G." "Anything wrong?" "You look worried" "No, it's only..." "I've never worked with these machines" "Listen to me!" "A.G. You were thoroughly screened." "You got a good job" "A good salary, a good shift, food tickets, what else?" "Don't worry then" "The only serious thing is death." "The rest is a joke" "Don't worry, lady." "I'm just washing" " I'll dry everything" " Who are you?" "Santamaría." "Bank employee" "Please, get dressed." "This is a lady's room" "You are wetting everything!" "Santamaría" "Ramón, don't use the hot water." "Simon is taking a shower" "OK, Simon" "Typical phrase of my mum:" ""What's the need?"" ""A stranger, however reliable he might be, is still a stranger"" "Everything's there" "Almost everything." "There was some money..." "This is not Disneyland" " But the important stuff..." " It's all here" " Leaving already?" " I've got to go" "I hope it comes handy" "Bye..." "Perichón!" ""Christmas"" " Yes?" " Strange business" " Gee!" "Such a pain!" " Pain?" "Not at all" "They say it's more hygienic" "I guess so..." "In some states in USA it was compulsory" "As soon as you were born they would cut it without asking" "There is a fantastic web page in the Internet" "Interesting..." "I'll try and find it" "It's got a page in Spanish as well" "Do the women say anything about it?" "Women... haven't say much for a while." "I'm waiting" "Waiting is not a good idea" "With women, it's a question of technique, understand?" "I'll explain some other night" " Hi" " Hi" "Good evening" " You..." " Yes?" " Are you booked?" " Yes, I am" "At this time?" "Yes, at this time" "You just be..." "LB" "LB, I'm AG" " The new one" " Brand new" " Let's start" " Yes" " Do you know this?" " Yes" "Rafael Torres." "Penitentiary N° 4 Sierra Chica" " Córdoba" "I don't like pizza" "It gives you a swollen belly and puts grease into the wine" "Is the pizza all right?" "Yes, Santamaría, very good, thanks" "Thank you" "I really look forward to all this fresh water." "You didn't like the pizza." "Now that I'm clean..." "what do you think?" "A good harvest today, right?" "Elsa, I'm talking about something else" "Won't you listen?" "What do you see, Santamaría?" "A man and a woman" "A lonely man and a lonely woman" "I don't understand Laura's work" "She goes after people with problems asks them questions and then shows them on TV." "Laura, that's not very nice..." "but you are..." "Zero six..." "Zero six... zero six..." "here, twelve" "You get it?" " Post-production, good evening" " Ariel?" "It's me, dad" " Where are you, Simon?" " At the store" " What is that noise?" " We bought a Karaoke" " We are trying it" " What's that?" "It's Estela's idea" "A Karaoke, to get the kids singing" "Everybody wants to be an artist nowadays, like you" "Listen, listen Estela" "Dad... dad!" "What do you think?" "It's fine dad, but I'm working" "I got to go." "You can tell me tomorrow" "Yes... "met zein darnoj"" " "Met" what?" " "Met zein darnoj"" "It's like "see you later" or "so long"" "The only way to end a phone conversation with dad" " And what is it?" " Yiddish" "A language spoken by Jews all over the world" "Ah, Yiddish" " You are also Jewish?" " No but I'm gay" "We have a lot in common" "Did she say "gay" or "goy"?" "Anyway we got nothing in common" "That's a myth" "People think they cut a whole chunk off" "But it's just a piece of skin good for nothing, just like the appendix" " And what do they do to women?" " Nothing" "They got nothing surplus" "The foreskin is a good subject." "It never falls" "Thanks See you tomorrow" "Now she leaves, walks, goes away" "She takes her scarf off, her clothes and she goes to sleep" "Plug it in!" " Like it?" " It's very bright" "Higher, Ramón, higher" "One, two, three, testing." "Do you hear me, Ramón?" "Ramón, can you hear?" "It's like the Wailing Wall." "But right here, close by" "When we reopen each bring his wish" "I've already asked something" "If you wish, I'll keep a space for you" "I've seen naked women" "I've seen Estela, and my cousin" "But, together..." "I mean, they can't get too far, right?" "I've tried to imagine how could it be" "It's technically Impossible." "Absurd..." "How?" "It'd be easier with a dick" "Are you sure?" "Practical, simple, everything's ready" "I remember when I first went to bed with a boy" "I saw him naked with a silly thing hanging and I thought:" ""It will never work"" "However, it did" "So?" "So what?" "Did you enjoy it?" "You never told me" "Yes... it was wonderful" "I was worried about not getting pregnant... about not making noise because mum was sleeping next door... and about catching any disease" "I was all the time thinking where had I left my underwear" "In the end it was like a gym lesson" "Don't worry" "Your dad" "Now what?" "He's coming for Christmas" "He's promised that for 10 years." "Why would you believe him now?" "Because I miss him" "Let him come then" "Don't worry, he won't flinch at having a gay daughter" "Yes, but I'm not gay" "I'm just with the person I love who happens to be a woman like me" "And it makes no difference?" "Today you can be with me... tomorrow with a blender, then with a Pekingese, or..." "Yes, with a man with a dick this size" "What the fuck do you want, Annie?" "I'm not "whoever I go to bed with", the person I love... or what I chose to do with my pussy" "I will not turn into a militant of my clitoris" "I don't know what you're looking for" "It looks as if my love is not enough" "It's not easy to sleep during the day" "Will you give me a hand?" "I'll get some coffee" "No, coffee will make you impotent" "Impotence, heartburn, lots of ailments" " Let's go to eat?" " To eat?" "It's not a stain" "It's a tear that never could come out" " And you?" " I have no restrained tears" " That..." " That's my third eye" "It can't see well." "It's crooked" " And your dad?" " He died, when I was five" "That is not true, he's very much alive" "He'll come to see me for Christmas, as usual" " You look alike" " We look alike" "My mother died, really died" "After the funeral we got together at the restaurant... eating eggs, crying... the telephone rang, and someone named Santamaría called" "He asked for Sarah, my mother... and I said:" ""The lady is not in"" "Luckily, he did call back and we got together" "Santamaría... it would be interesting to know him" "I'd like to tell his story" "A man with a very special job... return identities" "I don't think it's so poetic for him" "Sticking his hands in trashcans can't be too nice" "Wouldn't you like to work with me?" "Obviously, she's in love." "Why would she choose me?" "What do I have to do with the world she like so much?" "A TV star..." ""The Streets of Santamaría"" "I prefer "The Identities of Santamaría"" " I like the other one better" " The streets?" "Yes... it's more urban" " What's her name?" " Laura" "Don't feel ashamed" "How is it going?" "Sometimes I think it's my imagination" "Sometimes I think she's waiting for me" "I mean, gestures, provocation." "The moment to leap" "But I think I wouldn't dare" "You have to make them laugh." "That's all" "I'm courting a beauty now." "A woman my age" "You met her in the street?" "No, this is a fine lady" "She has a home, a job." "A fine woman" "And this woman..." "Elsa, is she alone?" "No, but we're still in business" "What is it, Estela?" "I never see Ariel" "He must be very busy" "He's working a lot and he's not working alone" "Ramón!" "Turn the Karaoke on." "Simon wants to dance" "Santamaría, I can't let you in" "I live alone and I don't trust people" "And even though he's far and locked away," "I have a husband" "Well..." "I love him and I miss him" "You'll leave me out in the street?" "Leave everything tidy" "And don't take any chicks" "The only chick I want to take doesn't want to come" "I'll call you in a minute" "Don't worry, I'll call you back." "Catch you later" "Elsa!" "I forgot how to do it" "Let's try and remember" " 4, 8, 1, 2, 0..." " 8, 5, 7, 1..." " I'm not home" " Yes, we are" " Leave your message after the beep" " We'll answer later" " You ruined my recording" " Because we're playing games" "Don't tell me a guy like you, young, with a job, is alone" "Working in TV attracts women" "That's the problem with the young" "You've got everything but you don't have the technique, got it?" " Shall I explain?" " Yes" "Twenty-five minutes?" "25 minutes, but don't rush it." "You'll get tense" "This is not a competition" "This, Goldstein, takes time, like good wine" "Yes..." "and then what?" "Then what?" "Then you fly." "You fly to the sky." "25 minutes, no more" " Do you feel at ease?" " Yes, I do" "Do you want to sleep here?" "In your bed?" "Are you afraid?" "Yes, a bit" "Besides, I didn't bring a toothbrush" "It's important" "Don't worry." "I have two" "Roem:" "Laura's gone..." "to the world of dreams... of sleeping women, women who dream... about other sleeping women" "Ariel..." "I want to meet Santamaría" "The safety booth" "This is where poor Valerga was" "He died in a shootout" "Those were the tellers... and this is where I was" "Here was Echebarne, the accountant" "He had problems with everything... papers, his wife, the manager..." "This is the kitchen, we got together to have mate, and rolls on Fridays" "It wasn't very big..." "Monday to Friday... 9 to 5, half an hour lunch break..." "Usually I have a table over there" "But today we are here" "It's fine with me if women dance it" "Very nice." "I don't get it when men start to dance hey perspire, naked..." "A guy picks you up by the waist" "He moves you around..." "I don't like it" "Do you want to talk?" " Leaving?" " It's getting late" "No, Sarita, I'm fine" "Estela helps with the restaurant" "Ariel got a job and met new people" "He misses you a lot of course" "Yes, my love, Ramón is also close to us" "We are all fine, Sarita" "Don't worry about a thing..." "Simon is not alone" "My love, we'll be released for Christmas" "They can't afford the cider here" "So get the tree, the mate and the bed ready" "And send me some cash for the ticket and some clean clothes" "I'm coming back to stay." "Missing you... your jail lovebird" " What is it?" " Nothing" " Sure?" " Sure, what could happen?" " He's being released" " Who?" "Your husband, your jailed lovebird" "How do you know?" "Thieves are always released for Christmas" " Where is he?" " Sierra Chica" " That's far away" " Not that far" "50 pesos for the train fare and something for clean clothes" "But now, I'm broke" "Talking about money..." "how much?" " Three hundred" " Let's call it 350" "Hanukah:" "A feast day, like Christmas but without tree or Jesus" "The fight of the Macabees is remembered... a group of Jewish warriors who recaptured the Temple at Jerusalem destroyed by the Greek" "The story tells that these warriors, the Macabees, entered the temple in darkness, found a little vase with oil for lighting candles" "The flame from this oil miraculously Illuminated them for eight nights." "The temple was reopened and purified" "That's why today, and during eight nights we'll light them" "Hanukah is the feast of lights, of the victory of spirit of Identity over force" "Santamaría" "For the ticket, a new shirt, and the cider" "Why do you do this?" "Some nights I dream about your warm bottom against my tummy." "It's wonderful" "Then I wake up and your bottom is not there" "Of course not, I have it in my bed" "Do you really dream about me?" "Every night, Elsa, I swear" "To be recognized by someone" "Someone from my previous life" "My other life at the bank." "The club, the credit cards" "Some friend, a mate." "Someone who will tell me:" "Santa, how are you?" "I don't know, someone who'll bring me back to the world" "It's lacking a love story" "Without a love story it's no good" "She works at the restroom of a train station" "Her name is Elsa" "We could talk to her" "It's what we need for the program" "Laura, I want to come up with you" " What for?" " What for?" "To caress your back" "To look at you naked, wash your clothes" "Want me to wash your clothes?" "Whatever" "No, I'm not alone" "Of course you're not alone." "You are with me" "The door!" " Hi" " Your dad called" "It's there if you want to listen" " He's not coming..." " No" "I knew it" "I feel embarrassed" "Don't worry." "Imagine when you see yourself on TV" "My TV is very small." "I'll probably won't fit in" " I'm not alone" " You're married" "That box is my husband" "How are you, Rafael?" "How often so you write?" ""Yerba mate", sugar and a radio to listen to the game" "I think you don't want to get out" "Here, your sweetheart is waiting" "Tell me about Santamaría" "One night, a naked man shows up in my bathroom and he comes every day... and wants me to believe he loves me" "That's it, what can I say... there's no more to it" "A good man, good company" "You are Ariel's girlfriend" "Who told you?" "Who told you I'm Ariel's girlfriend?" "Santamaría" "A man's version told by another man, about a woman" "You're complicated." "You'll scare the men away" "Do you have a mate?" "Sort of" "Look after him, when you least expect it all the men circling around you... dying to kiss you and have children with you, disappear" "And you have to make do with whatever you can get" "Better don't play it close" "When you are old it's nice to have someone to talk to" "Santamaría... you are overdoing it!" "I mean it, someone must have forgotten him" "You just don't forget a baby in a trash can" "I know about this" "We can take him to the police" "There's no way we'll take a baby to the police on Christmas Eve" "They'll eat him like a turkey" "Go buy diapers for the kid" "And don't you stay behind with your id's" "What is it?" "I'm going to Uruguay" "I want to spend Christmas with my mother" "I've been wanting to tell you for a week" "But you were too busy, with your dad, your program..." "Come here" "I'm not a dog" "I don't want you to scratch my back every now and then" "I need to be with my mother... to walk barefoot down the beach and let her cook for me... and spoil me, and tell me how pretty her daughter is" "That's all" "It's closed" " Mr. Simon?" " Yes?" "I am Laura, a friend of your son's" "Yes, my son always talks about you" "Does he?" "What are you looking for?" "Ariel, he's not in?" "No, he's working, at a wedding" "I'm going there now I can take you" "Yes, please." "Thanks" "Long live the newlyweds!" "No, I don't miss her" "The thing is, I'm still obsessed by some memories" "They are always the same" "Her feet on the pillow..." "My hands holding her head when I helped her dye her hair" "A wrinkle behind her ear which she would scratch when nervous" "When you speak like that you look like your son" " Who do you miss?" " My father" "Since we can't love each other, we miss each other" "That's why we keep well apart" "Shalom!" "You go with the men" "Sure?" "Look after it" "Where are you going?" "To look for another man" "Who?" "My father" " He's not coming..." " No, he's not coming" ""Me-metendernoj"..." "So long" "No. "Met zein darnoj"." "Catch you later" " How are you?" " Fine" "And the Karaoke?" "It works" "Your life?" "It also works" "Why did you escape?" "Because... you were part of the plan" "What plan?" "You know it well, Estela" "My only plan is to love you." "That's all" "Today is the last Hanukah night, we'll reopen the restaurant and Estela is going to sing" "We call ourselves Lonely People and we met through the Internet" "We don't like the holiday season, Christmas and so on... so we get together to discuss this" "Today we are going to meet for the first time" "The girls take the drinks, and we take something to eat" "If you feel like it... you know" "Just bring something to eat." "Cheer up" "Come Elsa, this is the last one." "It's really something" "Make a wish, Santamaría... make a wish" "I've already made mine" ""A Year Later"" "It seems like yesterday..." "Living alone is strange, you lose a lot of time" "Paying taxes, defrosting the refrigerator, having breakfast, changing the toilet paper putting it into..." "Ironing my shirts..." "Today I ironed it for you but lately I don't..." "I went to see a phonetician and he tells me it's psychological" "Listen:" "Isn't my speech more fluent now?" "I got a new contract, for another six months, on a trial basis" "It's on trial, forever" "At the beginning I had trouble with my bowel movements" "Working at night and sleeping during the day..." "Now I got used, you get adapted" "I'm no longer waiting for anyone" "The Savior, the Messiah" "It's not a guy with a beard who descends from the sky with an impeccable tunic" "I no longer wait for anyone" "Why did you call?" "I don't know." "I wanted to know about your life" "It works" " Simon works, the Karaoke..." " Does it work?" "The rich cousins, the bubble works" "Today is Hanukah." "This business about the candles..." "Like last year" "Like every other year" "Today we light the last candle." "Simon cooks, Estela sings" " What does Simon cook?" " The usual" "And what does Estela sing?" "New stuff." "Do you want to listen?"