"Juan, get up." "Juan." "Get dressed." "Taxi!" "Taxi!" "Yes?" "Who is it?" "Pilar." "Pilar, come in." "Are you okay?" "What's wrong?" "l'm still wearing my slippers." "What?" "I'm so stupid..." "still wearing my slippers." "It doesn't matter." "I didn't notice." "TAKE MY EYES" "Stay with us a few days till you feel better." "I didn't bring much of our stuff." "I'll go get whatever you need." "I haven't told Antonio." "Well, I'll tell him whatever you want." "That I'm gladto have you for a few days." "We never see each other." "you can help me get things ready." "Ready for what?" "The wedding." "John and I are getting married." "Silly!" "If I thought you'd take it like that I wouldn't have told you." "Have you told Mom yet?" "l will." "hospital records" "Pilar!" "Pilar, are you there?" "Listen, Shorty." "This place is a mess." "Wanna go out?" "Get something to eat?" "okay, Shorty?" "What the hell do you want?" "I need my sister's things." "She's staying with me." "Staying with you?" "Bullshit!" "Tell Pilarto cut the crap and come home." "She's not coming back." "Get out." "l'm not finished." "Get out!" "Can I help?" "Sure." "Juan." "Would you like to stayhere?" "For how long?" "A little while." "you could skip your English lessons." "John can teach you." "It'll be more fun." "Do you love Dad?" "Of course I love him,Juan." "lwant to see him." "okay." "l'll be right back." "Want me to go with you?" "That's okay." "Antonio. lt's Pilar." "Pilar!" "Pilar!" "Pilar!" "Fucking hell, Pilar." "you can't do this to me." "you left without a fucking word!" "Don't yell, Antonio." "Then open the door, dammit!" "Pilar!" "open the door." "open the door, Pilar." "I'm not leaving tillyou let me in." "Pilar!" "you hearme?" "Cut the crap, let's go forcoffee." "Come on." "Dammit, Pilar." "open the door." "We'll get some coffee." "Andtalk." "I brought youthis." "Just a silly little thing." "you like it?" "How'sJuan?" "He's fine." "He wants to see you." "So get him and let's go home." "Pilar, dammit." "I'm going to change." "I swear I will." "I'll do anything you say." "you already know." "you already know." "l'll surprise you, I swear." "Shorty, I swear. I'll surprise you." "GetJuan and let's go home." "okay." "Hey, hey..." "Shorty." "Don't you love me anymore?" "Come on, Shorty." "I'm scared." "I'm... scared." "I'm sorry." "I'm sorry,forgive me." "I'm sorry." "okay. you're my sunshine." "I can't live without you, Shorty." "Hey, come on, Pilar." "Look at me." "Look at me, Pilar." "open the door." "open the door." "open the door." "Dammit, Pilar!" "open the door!" "No, I'm glad." "Don't get me wrong." "Ijust want to know one thing." "Are you planning a proper wedding or just any oldthing?" "Just any oldthing?" "A civil ceremony." "Then yes, just any old thing." "Ana, didn't you say John was Catholic?" "No, he's Protestant." "Couldn't you be married in a church anyway?" "Here, honey." "Pilar." "What?" "I saw the hospital records." "Pilar,why do you put up with it?" "Why don't you get a separation?" "Shall we see a lawyer?" "No." "Want to stay with us till you figure things out?" "yourplace is small." "I'd be in the way." "you're not in the way, Pilar." "What will I live on?" "Air?" "At Santo Tomé they need a substitute. I could mention you." "l haven't had a job in ages." "All the more reason." "What will Antonio do?" "Antonio can go screw himself." "Listen, John." "I've been thinking about the wedding..." "Where will you be buried?" "Sorry?" "Well,you can see this isn't very big." "I suppose when your time comes, you'll want to be with your family." "oh, no!" "I just saw them at Christmas." "Right, but what I mean is..." "I've bought a burial policy for the girls." "If Ana moves to Scotland, her place is still here." "Grandma, where will I be buried?" "Right here with us." "Where else, dear?" "Hi." "Go ahead, I'll be right over." "That way?" "Right,that way." "Straight till the end." "I'll be down in a minute." "She just realized she left home in her slippers." "How are you, Ana?" "you must be Pilar." "How do you do?" "How do you do." "Have a seat." "The job has morning and evening hours.Just work experience." "Not much, really." "It's just fine." "lt's to cover someone on leave." "Perfect." "Perfect." "okay?" "What about afterschool?" "Ana picks me up and I do my homework with John." "What about your mother?" "She works at a church." "What do you mean, works?" "At what church?" "one with a painting." "A painting?" "Eeah, by El Greco." "She sells tickets to see it." "What did she tell you?" "That this is permanent?" "I don't know." "But what did she say?" "I'm asking you a question." "Did she say we were going to separate?" "is that what she said?" "What did she tell you?" "Nothing." "Juan, come here." "Look me in the eye." "A man who lies is what?" "A worthless shit." "is your mother seeing anyone?" "I don't know." "Historical records describe El Greco as a flamboyant, rebellious, mystical man who traveled all around the Mediterranean." "From his native Greece he first went to Italy, where he learned this use of color and composition from the venetian painters." "Later he arrived in Spain, the source of his realism, sorrow, tortured postures..." "Darker, more somber, grayer... ln fact, the painting is divided into two parts." "The Italian influence above..." "Pilar,there's a group at the door." "you all want tickets?" "That makes..." "Nine." "How much are they?" "This?" "Two." "Six euros, please." "And the pencils?" "That's...two." "But this one's cheaper." "lt's the same as the other one." "yes, but it's not the American "no-frost" kind." "Antonio." "Coming." "Anything else?" "you said ovens." "Right, show us the ovens." "And the refrigerator?" "It's very expensive." "All right, I'll be right over." "Antonio!" "Washing machines." "The micros." "oh, lforgot." "Someone left this here for you." "Forme?" "An admirer." "Who brought it?" "l don't know, a guy." "A messenger?" "No, I don't think so." "How didthe morning go?" "Fine." "lwant youto meet these... barely presentable ladies." "Carmen, from Santa Cruz and Raquel..." "Nice to meet you." "What's up?" "Want to join us for lunch?" "l don't know." "Were you going somewhere?" "Eeah,to get something to eat." "Then join us." "Let's try Angel's place." "That's where we usually go." "lt's really good." "Don't order gazpacho again..." "Where's your sister?" "outside." "outside?" "Look what I brought you." "Where should we hang it?" "overthere?" "Help me, honey." "Here." "So it doesn't drag on the floor." "I've had it dry-cleaned and I don't want it to get dirty." "There it is." "Look." "It's so pretty, isn't it?" "And it's still in fashion." "These dresses always are." "you're plumper than your sister was, but it won't show." "you expect me to wear that dress?" "Go ahead,try it on." "Let's see how it fits." "No, Mom." "Why not?" "It's lovely." "l don't like it." "Listen, Ana." "Since the ceremony isn't what it should be, at least get some decent pictures taken." "Something prettyto remember." "No, Mom." "Not in that horrible thing." "I'm sorry, Pilar. lt's very pretty but it's not my scene." "Scene?" "What scene?" "Don't you remember how pretty Pilar was?" "So small, so excited and hopeful..." "Now, now, don't be sad." "you should work things out with Antonio" "and go home." "Bullshit." "She should get a separation and a restraining order." "That's what she should do." "Don't talk rubbish." "I'm not,you are." "When a woman runs away from home, maybe she's better off alone." "A woman is never better off alone." "you don't understand." "How do you know what goes on between Pilar and Antonio?" "I do.you're the one who doesn't know, or doesn't want to." "Tell her, Pilar." "Go on, tell us about it." "All the "falls" in the hospital records?" "How often do you fall down the stairs?" "Well?" "Don't you look where you're going?" "Leave your sister alone." "She knows what's best." "Either try the dress on... or I'll take it back." "Why won't youtalk about it?" "Before it's too late forus to help." "Leave her alone, dammit!" "Nobody asked you." "All those cases of tendonitis, torn muscles... loss of vision in one eye... that bastard even kicked her in the kidney." "Shut up,Ana!" "Both of you shut up!" "Come on, dear." "Don't touch me, Mom." "okay, let's see, Javier." "Why do you say your wife is crazy?" "Because she's hysterical." "She can't do anything right." "Now she's going around saying I beat her." "Stuff like that." "Well, I shoved her afewtimes but hey, that's not beating." "That's how it is with all couples, isn't it?" "occasional friction is common." "What, she doesn't give you enough reasons?" "Mine gives me plenty." "That's exactly why..." "She provokes me just so I'll beat her." "Women have lots of ways to drive you totally nuts." "For instance, I work in construction." "Shit,you get home tired, working hard to make aliving... for your family, your wife... for everything,for God's sake." "you get home, you want a little affection..." "Well, really you want sex... a husband deserves that..." "and the bitch..." "Pulls away from you." "Pulls away?" "I wake her up and say"Hi, honey..."" "and she pulls away." "I get so fucking mad." "That's no reason to beat a woman." "Not that." "But you end up doing it." "Does it solve the problem?" "Maybe not, but after a good slap" "she calms right down." "l'm not so sure." "Well, I am." "Fuck yes." "I don't care if she loves or hates me." "As long as she doesn't bug me." "okay,just a minute, look." "I want you to meet Julian." "He was here with us two years ago." "That's right,two years ago." "And kind of like you guys, I thought all this was just normal." "It was kind of easy, just no big deal." "I even liked it." "She showed me respect and kept quiet." "I thought she was in awe of me." "I felt more confident at home." "Until I realized that it's not right." "She was really suffering, terrified everytime I came home." "l had erased her personality." "you had no reason to hit her." "What reasons are there?" "Did she provoke you?" "Maybe I provoked myself." "Anyway, it was one of those nights." "you go out, come home a little wilder than usual..." "So I lost it." "Well, I lost it and... then, well... I knocked her out. i mean... I thought she was dead." "She looked dead..." "And that kind of... wakes you up, you know?" "He said he couldn't wait." "I'M in THERAPE." "WHEN will you SEE reason?" "He's really hung up on you." "Do you know who he is?" "yes." "My husband." "Awesome!" "He must really love you." "Rosa, a beer?" "No, no." "How are you, Angel?" "And you, Pilar?" "Three beers and a glass of juice." "How's your sister?" "Fine." "With her Scot, very happy." "Who's happy?" "My sister." "Really?" "Why?" "He's marvelous. you don't know him?" "No. ls he marvelous?" "yes, he is." "He makes breakfast, clears the table, goes shopping, makes supper, does the dishes..." "That's not a Scot." "That's an extraterrestrial, right?" "And she gets to learn English while she fucks. lt's not fair, I want one too!" "Then go to Scotland." "We're going to Scotland, kid." "you'd strike out even in Scotland." "Look who's talking!" "Come on." "Did you see your guy?" "l did." "Well?" "ls he cute?" "Good enough to eat?" "What is he, a sausage?" "They've been chatting for ages, but we don't know who he is." "That's great." "l met a guy on the Internet." "We chatted for a month and a half, and guess how old he was?" "Thirteen." "No!" "yes." "He said he was 26 the bastard." "How old did you say youwere?" "That's not the point." "When we get violent, physically, what do we feel?" "you start burning." "you boil over..." "very good, heat." "Something just gets going here..." "Exactly." "Now we've got some signs that help us recognize rage when we feel it." "We're beginning to recognize rage, but we don't know how to control it yet, so what do we do to avoid a violent situation?" "Time out." "Time what?" "Time out." "Leave the house." "Exactly." "What's that?" "Julian knows." "We stop right there." "We leave." "We walk out." "And once we're out, we look for a distraction." "We think about something else." "Eeah, beer and stuff." "No, no props allowed." "you have to do it alone." "I'd like you to think of a time you felt peaceful, that you enjoyed... ln my little town in the summer." "At night out in the yard under the grape trellis." "Listening to classical music." "No." "Just the night, the grapevines and me." "Fishing out on the open sea." "Wow, how nice." "Antonio?" "l can't remember." "Come on." "Try." "okay, nowl'd like you to write about all this." "Fishing, the grapevines... in a notebook." "Describe the peaceful feeling you get when you remember it, okay?" "Like you were writing to afriend." "Make as many combinations as you want.When we add your photo it will be lovely." "you'll see." "It's a shame he's not here." "you wouldn't say that if you met him." "Want one?" "No thanks." "He had his quirks, like anyone." "He didn't like parties, or noise... I'll get it." "It's not time to open the presents yet." "Dad!" "Can I get you a drink?" "A beer." "I'll get it." "Do you like it?" "Thanks." "It was the boy." "He wanted to see his father. lt's normal, darn it." "Hi,Antonio." "How are you?" "I've got something for you." "Here Lidia, an arrow for you." "Has everybody got one?" "Careful where you aim it." "Right over there." "Lightly, that's right." "Turn it towards yourself." "one fell, one fell behind you." "okay." "Here it is." "Foryou." "Here's your arrow." "Get your arrow." "The cake!" "oh, careful." "Will you give me a minute?" "Blow hard." "John, got a lighter?" "They've gone out." "Give me a lighter." "Don't blow now." "Don't blow yet.Just a minute." "Elbows off the table." "you can all blow at the count of one,two,three." "very good, bravo." "Will you cut it?" "Plates." "Let's see the games." "Do you like it?" "Thank you, Ana." "you're welcome." "What is it?" "A Playstation 2 with two games." "Formula one." "With dvd included." "It's great." "I'm leaving." "So soon?" "I'll see you out." "No,that's all right." "Antonio!" "How are you?" "l'm fine.Andyou?" "l'm fine." "Everything's fine at home?" "yes." "Fine." "Pilar." "Pilar." "Pilar." "Anyway..." "Coming." "Don't,Ana. I'll do it." "Thanks." "How did he ask you?" "Ask me what?" "John." "How did he ask you to marry him?" "I don't remember any one special moment." "It just sort of came out overtime." "I do. I remember everything." "How he took me by the arm..." "His hands were sweaty." "And how he smiled... I smiled to encourage him." "A motorcycle drove by and startled us." "We walked to the river, we sat down on a bench." "And he just kept silent." "Well,finally he said:" ""Well, Shorty,this isn't like in the movies, on your knees and all that." "But if it's okay with you, that's it."" "And he looked at me with those big intense eyes of his." "Then we gave each other gifts." "I gave him my nose and my ears." "He said they were very pretty." "And he gave me his hands." "Pretty silly, wasn't it?" "I mean, I can hug her, you know?" "I can hug her,touch her, kiss her..." "But talk to her?" "No way." "What would you like to tell her?" "Just that I miss her, that I want to be with her." "What do you miss?" "What do you mean?" "Her, of course." "Her doing your laundry," "ironing clothes?" "No, dammit." "Cooking, keeping you warm at night?" "Shit, it's more than that." "I know there's more." "Cleaning the house, doing the shopping..." "Quit fucking around!" "Then what do you miss, Antonio?" "Look, Antonio." "I want you to concentrate for a moment and think of one little thing about her, anything." "Something about her you especially like." "Her sound." "Her sound?" "Eeah, it's..." "Pilar..." "Pilar moves quickly but she hardly makes any noise." "you know?" "I don't know what it is." "Maybe her bracelets or clothes..." "She moves around quickly and hardly makes any noise." "It's like her sound, you know?" "When she's home ljust sit there like a dummy listening to her." "Have you ever apologized to her?" "What?" "Have you ever said you were sorry?" "What's that?" "you like it?" "Why do you have to wear that?" "you don't like it." "I like what's inside." "Come on." "Let's go to the bridge." "Anger isn't bad." "Everybody gets angry." "But you have to keep it under control." "The problem is seeing it, recognizing it..." "But if you do, you can control it." "I can control myself, Shorty." "Whenever I notice I'm getting mad, I stop myself." "I say: "Stop" and I tell you:" ""Time out."And then I leave." "See?" "No." "I didn't either at first." "So I can control it." "I can control myself." "you have to help me, okay?" "How?" "By being with me." "Because if we're together, I can handle anything." "Without you, I can't do anything." "Antonio," "promise me you'll really change." "l promise, I promise, okay?" "I promise." "I don't want to be sixty like those guys, at group therapy, ruining their families' lives." "oh, look!" "There's nothing in it." "Because I just bought it." "Look,the yellow pages are for a diary." "To write down what happens every day." "The green part is for good stuff." "Andthe red is for the bad stuff." "But now that I'm with you, I won't need it, right?" "Knowwhat the shrink says?" "That I don't have any goals of my own." "Everything was just handed to me, I had no choice." "Because of my family and all that." "Do you have any goals?" "I'd like to do something different." "Go far away." "The three of us." "you bet." "And screw the store." "And Toledo." "And my brother." "And my mother." "And your sister.And her Scot,too." "Screw everything, right?" "Screw everything." "Say it, Shorty." "Screw everything." "Really loud, okay?" "Screw everything!" "Screw everything!" "Call your father to see if he's bringing anyone." "My mother's coming for sure." "I don't know about my father." "Hi." "Hi." "Have you had supper yet?" "yes." "How'd it go with Rosa?" "Fine." "Where did you go?" "Down by the river." "Have you done your homework?" "Yes." "okay, look. 78, 79, 80..." "Juan, my sister and my sister's escort." "Are you bringing anyone?" "No." "What about that guy?" "No, Ana." "Hey, what does "retrete" mean?" "Toilet." "A toilet?" "you asked for a toilet?" "Sure. ours is all cracked." "Ana, how am I going to tell..." "Can you think of a better time to ask for a toilet?" "How can we tell my mother?" "Bridal registry or bank account." "I refuse to have the house full of junk." "A bank account?" "you mean money?" "How crass!" "you're the crass one." "Write it: "retrete."" "Ready to go?" "l'm meeting my sister." "Come on, let's go." "See you later, Lola." "Anyone home at your sister's?" "Not till tonight." "Let's go then." "Antonio, not at Ana's!" "What?" "Not there." "Come on, damn." "Antonio." "Antonio... you haven't given me anything in ages." "Like your ears or your nose." "Tell me what you want." "Everything. I want all of it." "From here... to here." "It's already yours." "lwant you to give it to me." "It's yours." "All of it. I want it all." "your arms,yourlegs your fingers andtoes..." "Give it all to me." "Say it." "Take my arms." "your legs." "Take mylegs." "yourfingers and toes." "Take my fingers and mytoes." "your neck." "Take my neck." "your breasts." "Take my breasts." "your back." "your shoulders." "My back." "My feet." "Take my eyes." "And my mouth." "Come on, Ana might come home." "So what?" "I'm yourhusband, aren't I?" "I don't want her to know just yet." "Why not?" "Don't you like how we are now?" "I do. lt's as if we were dating again." "Look,when we're feeling more sure and things are more settled." "When what's more settled?" "We've been married fornine years!" "Come on now." "The hell I will." "What,you want some new boyfriends now?" "An English boyfriend like your sister?" "A foreigner who talks like a clown?" "or maybe a husband who sells refrigerators" "isn't good enough anymore?" "That's not it, Antonio. I'm sorry." "Hell no." "Shit,this isn't normal." "It's not normal, Pilar." "Spouses must livetogether, be faithful to one another and come to each other's aid." "Husband and wife have equal rights and obligations." "John McCormick, do you take" "Ms.Ana Perez villaras your lawfully wedded wife?" "I do." "Ana Perez villar, do you take" "Mr.John McCormick as yourlawfully wedded husband?" "I do." "Bythe powers legally vested in me, I nowpronounce you husband and wife." "Ana, it's abeautiful wedding." "Lots of fun." "Right,for you." "What the hell is he doing here?" "I didn't want to upset you." "I should have told you." "We're going home." "What?" "We're going home." "Why?" "John and I will be away for two months.you can find" "another place." "l'm going home with Antonio." "But why?" "Because I love him." "Are you a complete idiot?" "He's ruining your life!" "Have you forgotten" "everything he did to you?" "He's my husband and he loves me." "A man who does that to you doesn't love you." "How wouldyou know?" "you don't knowhim." "you neverunderstood him." "you never thought he was any good." "you never bothered to get to know him." "Never,Ana." "Never." "What's there to know?" "Because he helped you when Dad was ill?" "Don't talk to me about that." "you weren't there, so how would you know?" "That was hell,Ana." "But no,the little princess is above allthat." "you've always had it easy." "Always away, always protected." "I get all the unpleasant stuff." "And you always judge and criticize everything." "What?" "Just leave me alone." "Leave me alone. I don't need your approval." "Go on living in your wonderful world and just let me live in peace." "And now, if you don't mind, I'd like to ask my mother to sing a song." "For Ana." "Long live the newlyweds!" "okay,this is the living room and that's the door, andyou come in now." "No, no." "Not you." "Why not?" "you're playing the wife." "Let someone else do it." "Get someone else!" "Come on!" "Shit!" "What a hot babe." "Go ahead. you get home." "What?" "Well?" "Say something." "Where's my dinner?" "okay, can't anyone think of something better?" "Antonio." "Hello." "How was yourday?" "How was yourday?" "Where's dinner?" "okay, right." "Let's see." "Imagine you're her." "you've been working all day, you get home..." "There must be something to talk about." "Sure." "She's been home all day and she has things to tellyou,too." "Go ahead." "Hey." "Hey." "Heythere." "Heythere yourself." "Don't laugh, shit." "Let her talk first." "So what..." "But I'm the one who..." "I'm at home." "And I just got home." "So how about,what's up?" "What's up today?" "you guys aren't helping." "l say: "What do you care?"" "No,that's howit goes." "What do you mean, I don't care?" "l've been working hard all day." "Let somebody else do it." "Have you told them about the course?" "Sure, but you know how lazy they are." "It's impossible." "Want some tomato?" "Go on, give me two." "They never sign up." "Not even for the easiest courses." "Well, it's theirloss." "They always take the easyway." "They do." "It's because it's forvolunteers." "Take out some chyese." "Have you told Pilar about the courses?" "No, not yet." "you may have other plans, but since both of our contracts are up,we had an idea for you." "Here." "We offer courses at the museum to train visitors' guides." "Rosa's one of the teachers and I'm taking it." "It's really good." "But since it's for volunteers, when you're done you don't earn a cent." "But we can make money with it." "We'd meet people out of town, travel all over..." "travel agencies, exhibit halls..." "Eeah, especially at savings banks." "They've got tons.At schools,too." "Museum guides?" "Isn't that very specialized?" "Well,for what I do, it is, but Lola's got anotheridea." "Eeah.We'd offer a sort of"tour"" "of the paintings with a brief summary instead of a long, scholarly one." "Nothing too dull." "Exactly." "Not guides, but rather guided visits." "Right, Rosa?" "I can see it already: "Rosa, Pilar and Lola's Guided Tours."" "Look,this is orpheus and she's Eurydice, his wife, who died from a snake bite." "He feels very sad and decides to go to Avernus to look for her." "What's Avernus?" "Hell." "The Underworld." "Here's where these two live." "Pluto and Proserpina." "orpheus plays the lyre verywell." "See it?" "And he begs them to let him take his wife back to the land of the living." "And does he?" "yes." "But on one condition." "He has to go first and he can't turn around to look at her until they're out of hell." "They walk along misty paths, dark roads, and just before they reach the top, orpheus can't stand it anylonger and he turns." "Then what happens?" "Time forbed, it's late." "Hi, Dad." "Hi." "Do youwant some supper?" "A beer I had a sandwich at the shop." "Want to go to the country this weekend?" "Mybrotheraskedforourhelp." "How about it?" "okay." "What's this?" "Antonio, I'd like to take a course to learn how to be a visitors' guide at the museum." "It's free for employyes." "What for?" "Because it's really nice." "What do you have to do?" "Learn about paintings..." "and explain them." "Learn about what?" "Well,we choose a painting and look for the mythological story it portrays and the painting's history." "Look." "I chose this one." "Right." "okay." "Well, let's go to bed." "I'm beat." "Look." "How's it going?" "Get more bricks." "Coming." "Hey!" "What do you want, clay?" "To mix mortar." "Hey!" "This is ready." "Come on, time to eat." "Lunch is ready. okay?" "Antonio." "I need some grub." "Let's see,the wine." "you said just a little lunch." "So how does it look?" "Great, man." "It looks very nice." "I like it alot." "So simple." "yes, it's nice. I still wish we had a second story." "There are some nice views and we can't see them." "Not that again." "There's room to spare." "But there's a lovely olive grove..." "Why not build a tower?" "oh,yes." "instead of a whole story." "A tower" "would give you the views." "Eeah, more building, more roofing, more bricks, more money." "Are you going to build it?" "No, I'm just saying..." "Keep your great ideas to yourself." "Antonio thinks he's an architect now." "More wine anybody?" "No, I'm drinking beer." "Could you pass me a glass please?" "you get ano-interest loan from your father, free labor from your brother... and you're all set." "It would be an amazing countryhouse." "And Andres says we can visit whenever we want." "No shit." "Hell,the place should be ours." "My father's loan comes from the store and all the hours I've put in." "Without getting a cent." "With that crummy salary he won't raise." "And Susana needs another story so she can see the olive grove." "Some fucking nerve. I do the roofing." "I lay the bricks." "What are you thinking?" "Nothing." "Nothing?" "Tell me, dammit." "Nothing." "Don't lie to me." "Tell me." "That I'm not worth a shit?" "No." "What do you mean, no?" "What are you thinking?" "I'm not thinking anything." "Honestly." "Tell me or we'll stay here" "all fucking night." "What can I say?" "What you're thinking." "That you're right." "That I'm not worth a shit?" "No, they should pay you more." "Ah, so I don't earn enough." "I don't earn enough." "l didn't saythat." "But that's what you think." "That I'm an idiot." "No." "Then what are you thinking?" "Mom." "lt doesn't matter." "What?" "What I say doesn't matter?" "Don't you care?" "Shut up. you're not interested." "Mom." "Shut your fucking mouth!" "Antonio." "We've got three." "Two euros and 76 cents for fourbottles of milk." "A pack of yogurts..." "Juan, come here." "Thank you." "Go over to Angel's andtrythem out." "okay." "Do you like it?" "If you don't, we can change it, okay?" "I like it very much." "Better now?" "More relaxed?" "Tell me." "yes." "Eeah, Shorty, tell me." "When you're quiet I feel terrible." "you know that." "Because you know everything." "Who knows me better than you do?" "Nobody." "Who understands me like you do?" "Nobody." "Who knows you better than I do?" "Nobody." "Who loves you more than I do?" "Nobody." "Nobody, Shorty." "Nobody." "He's big, and just as stupid." "Did you talk about it after that?" "What could I say?" "I don't want to talk to him." "I neverwant to see him again." "Who,the kid?" "Too bad." "He was so cute." "Cute?" "He's a jerk, that's what he is." "The whole party flirting with my friends." "Saying how great you guys are..." "you should have done the same." "No, what I did was pour beer over his head." "you did?" "Did you really?" "Listen, Lola." "What do you want a steady boyfriend for?" "Have some fun and do whatever you want." "It's not that easy." "Sure.you have a wonderful man who you can't stand having at home." "Exactly." "Let him iron his own shirts and take me to the movies." "Beer for everyone?" "And wine for me." "Look, I want to tell you something." "If you're in a steady relationship, you fuck." "That's how it is." "Pilar, do you fuck your husband?" "yes." "Like I said." "That's the only way." "Lola, isn't that your man?" "How about it?" "Go on." "l'm not going." "Go on, he's asking you to." "Don't be silly." "Everyone be quiet." "She coming right out." "okay, I'll go." "There she goes." "How romantic, meeting her at the bar!" "She's head over heels." "Him too." "Lola." "What?" "you won't talk to me?" "Leave me alone." "No, I won't." "Leave me alone." "I want..." "I'm in love with you." "Listen, Iwas a little drunk." "l'm sick of you, don't you get it?" "Don't say that." "you can't treat me like that." "What?" "Flirting with my friends like that..." "I've had it." "you're my sunshine, my treasure..." "Let's see what line you try now... I can't live without you." "I can't. I swear." "I love you. I love you." "Will you change?" "Kiss me." "Bye, cutie." "He's got her where he wants her." "Until the next time." "What have we got here?" "Tuna, roast chicken, trout..." "Hi." "Where'd you have lunch?" "With Rosa." "What Rosa?" "From the museum." "I left three messages on your cell phone." "I must have turned it off at the museum and forgot to turn it back on." "I'm not used to it yet." "Who else went along?" "Where?" "To lunch, dammit." "Lola, another friend." "Why didn't you tell me?" "I didn't know you were eating at home." "How the hell couldyou if you don't use your cell phone?" "Why did I give it to you?" "l told you..." "Don't turn it off, dammit!" "Don't turn it off." "I get fucking mad." "Then I get home andthere's no one here." "l'm sorry, I didn't know." "you're clueless." "you can't do two things at once." "you can't be at work and answerthe phone." "you only think about nonsense." "All nonsense." "Look at me when I talk to you, dammit!" "l didn't touch her." "Not this time." "But you often have." "And you must learn to stop much earlier." "Go on, take out your notebook." "I want you to write, step by step, what you think when Pilar doesn't answerherphone." "Go on, I'll help you." "What happens when she doesn't answer?" "l get mad as hell." "yes, but that's not why." "It's the thoughts you have about it." "That's what we need to cut short." "What were you thinking?" "That she didn't want me to know where she was." "Because...?" "I don't know." "I don't know." "I'd rather not know." "Because she's cheating on you?" "Come on, if you don't say it, we can't dismantle the idea." "How do we dismantle it?" "By asking ourselves," ""ls she really with someone else?"" "Rational response:" ""Not answering doesn't necessarily mean she's with someone else." "It means she can't answer because she's working."" "you follow me?" "What else were you thinking?" "That she's forgotten about me." "And that..." "She might meet someone..." "notice someone else." "okay." "Now we ask ourselves:" ""Does one thing necessarily lead to the other?"" "Rational response:" ""Dealing with men every day doesn't mean falling in love with them."" "you see women every day at the store and you don't go off with them." "So why should Pilar?" "I'm not interested in those women." "I just want anormal relationship." "Normal?" "What does that mean?" "A normal one." "A normal marriage, I don't know." "Knowing where the otherperson is, what they're doing." "okay then, you'll have to ask her." "But it's not about being in control, it's about trust." "How can you always know what she's doing?" "What she's thinking?" "What herdreams are?" "Actually, in the book "The Metamorphosis"" "ovid says that an oracle tells Danae's father Acrisius that his grandson will kill him." "So he locks his daughter in a tower so no man can get near her." "But Jupiter is in love with her and enters the tower,turning himself into gold dust to have her." "you see?" "There's a storm, like golden rain, and it goes straight into the tower." "What did she think about the dust?" "Danae?" "Well, I think she looks pretty happy, doesn't she?" "She gives herself to him body and soul." "At least, that's how Titian painted it." "See?" "With her legs open like that, oblivious to what's going on around her, without the slightest resistance." "So was this like pornography at the time?" "It was. ln fact,this painting was hidden for centuries." "Philip the Second had it painted and placed in his private rooms." "Then came others who locked it up, until Philip the Fourth inherited it and placed it in the room where he took his naps." "His naps or... something else." "Some of its owners, like Jupiter, wanted Danae right nearby." "But others were like his father, locking it up so no one saw it." "one king even wanted to burn it, but he didn't manage to, and here it is where everyone can see it." "Pilar Perez Villar." "What do you mean, gone?" "Did she get my messages?" "When did she leave?" "Andyou don't know where." "Pilar, are you home?" "Answer, dammit!" "Are you there?" "Hello, Antonio." "They said it was urgent." "ls something wrong?" "l don't know." "you don't know?" "No, I don't." "I don't know what's going on." "I don't know if Pilar is with someone else." "With someone else?" "Have you any evidence?" "Proof?" "No." "Then what makes you say that?" "She's different, dammit!" "I can see it in her eyes." "I can see it in herface." "In everything." "She's different." "How is she different?" "ln everything, shit." "She's prettier, she dresses up more, she's more everything." "She talks about love all the time." "Didn't she start a new museum job?" "Then it's normal she'd dress up to deal with people." "Normal?" "you dress up, too." "But that's different." "Why?" "Because I do it to work, not to talk about stupid things." "Not about gods or any fucking crap." "I talk about normal stuff, dammit." "So what bothers you is that she dresses up or that she talks about painting?" "That damn museum." "She knows it upsets me." "They don't even pay her." "Why do it?" "To bug me?" "To provoke me?" "Maybe she likes it." "Eeah, sure she fucking likes it." "She likes bugging me, that's it." "you still haven't said why you're upset." "She'll meet one of those jerks who go to museums, dammit." "What if they fall in love?" "What will I have left?" "Antonio, Pilar came back home." "Why would she leave?" "Why should she stay?" "Why the hell would she stay with me?" "What can I talk about with her?" "About orders?" "Delivery notes?" "What the hell can I offer her?" "A shitty salary, a shitty apartment, vacation with my parents..." "Why should she stay with a guy like me?" "Because you love her, you listen to her, you respect her" "and don't threaten her or insult her, or hit her, or humiliate her." ""l have an important job." "I keep certain birds from devouring the fertilizer," "the seeds..."" "Hi." "Do you have homework?" "No." "okay then,that's done." "Can I playwith my Playstation?" "Are you hungry?" "you want supper?" "No." "I have homework, too." "is something wrong?" "I was at the museum." "At the museum?" "I didn't see you." "I saw you." "you looked very pretty." "The painter says we can listen to paintings, hearthem here inside like when we listen to music." "Because the colors are like notes andthey are repeated as in a melody." "Three yellows, two blues, then yellow again," "and a silence, some white." "White makes no sound, it doesn't hurt." "If we can hear them, we can also feel them." "Green is balance." "We've got an offer for a job." "We do?" "Blue is depth, and purple... purple is fear." "Hi." "Hi." "How are you?" "Fine." "Antonio, they've offered us a job." "They want to give us a test first." "A test forwhat?" "To be a guide for exhibits in Madrid." "Madrid?" "you're going to work in Madrid?" "Well, if they hire us, I can commute." "Eeah, but what for?" "Whythe hell work in Madrid?" "I like it, Antonio." "I forget about myself and everything." "lt's something I think I can do." "No doubt about that." "you were always good at useless things." "But what's the problem?" "Are you bored with me?" "Anything to get away from home?" "What if we all go to Madrid?" "The three of us." "Get out of Toledo." "Would you like that?" "And screw everything." "Where would I work?" "Would you support me?" "We'll find something." "you're good, Antonio." "you could do much more than they let you." "We'll see, Shorty." "Let's tryit." "Aren't we okay here?" "you want to spoil everything?" "No, I don't." "Then I don't see why you need to go to interviews, dammit." "Why am I seeing apsychologist like some idiot?" "What for?" "So that you can move away and leave me here writing crap in some notebook?" "It's not crap, Antonio." "you want to leave?" "Then leave." "Leave already, fuck it." "But quit driving me crazy." "Just leave!" ""your heart goes faster and it's like your head goes all fuzzy and you can't breathe." "It feels like yourneck is full of ants andyou dry up inside." "The airgoes still, all the sounds stop." "Everything stops and you can't see."" "That's what fear is like, Antonio." "Don't be afraid." "Don't be afraid, Antonio." "Don't be afraid." "They even had to do that any oldway." "your photo is much prettier than Ana's." "How is everything, dear?" "Fine." "I haven't seen you for so long." "Spoken with your sister?" "No." "When will you two make up?" "I'll never forgive myself for not going to valencia when my brother Alfonso fell ill." "you remember Uncle Alfonso?" "you know what your father was like." "He tried everythingto stop me and in the end I didn't go." "And after that I never got another chance to talk with him." "And I really loved him." "But your father couldn't stand him and I let him come between us." "Hi." "Hi." "I'm so glad you came." "The thought of him alone today of all days." "He's not alone, he's dead." "Well, it's still his birthday." "Look." "Thank you." "Well." "I'll leave you two to talk." "That's your only regret?" "Not going to valencia?" "you liked your life as a martyr?" "Always there with a man who ruined your life?" "or did you like being so good, so understanding, everyone pitying you for putting up with so much?" "l did it for your sake." "That's a lie." "you did it for yourself." "I did the best I could, dear." "you try to do things better." "What are you talking about?" "Sorry, Ana." "I have to go pick Juan up." "Pilar." "Pilar!" "Antonio." "Tomorrowl'm going to Madrid with Lola to guide an exhibit." "If we do it well, we'll get the job." "So you're going to that thing." "yes, Lola's expecting me." "Look at me when I talk to you." "Turn around." "That's some get up." "l want to look presentable." "And you want people to look at you." "l didn't say that." "That's what turns you on." "No." "Liar." "Like when you talk about paintings." "Walking around while they follow you." "That's what turns you on." "Letting them look at your legs and ass." "Show me how you do it." "Come to the museum anytime." "I want to see it now." "Go on, do it here for me." "That story about the god who fucks his brains out." "Antonio, don't." "Do it!" "They're expecting me." "Let's see, this one." "The naked fat ladies." "What are they doing?" "This one." "The goddess of menopause feeling up the goddess of cellulite?" "Don't you like it?" "Let's get rid of it." "This one?" "Not this one either." "And this one?" "What's wrong?" "Go on,tell the story." "Am I not enough of an audience?" "No.What you like is being looked at." "It turns you on when they look at you." "your ass,your tits, everything, right?" "Antonio!" "That's what turns you on." "That's what turns you on." "That's what turns you on, right?" "No,Antonio!" "That's what you like." "Let everybody see you." "Let everyone see you." "No, stop!" "What's wrong, not enough of an audience?" "Everybody's looking at you." "Antonio, please." "Let me in!" "Let me in!" "Are you happy?" "Did the neighbors get a good look?" "Did they see you?" "Are you happy?" "Go clean yourself up." "okay,you want to report an assault." "When did it take place?" "This morning. ln my home." "The assailant attacked you in your home?" "How did he get in?" "He lives there." "He's myhusband." "I see." "Do you have a medical report?" "No." "you know that after you press charges your husband will be called to make a statement?" "you may want to leave your home, for your own safety." "Shall I put you in touch with social services?" "All right." "Where did he hurt you?" "No,there are no injuries on the outside." "They're on the inside." "Let's see if you can describe what happened." "you sayhe didn't attack you physically." "Did he insult you?" "Did he threaten you verbally?" "He broke everything." "Did he break anything of yours?" "Everything." "He broke everything." "Everything, everything." "Take it easy, ma'am." "Excuse me." "Wait." "Why don't you sit down for a moment until you feel better?" "Something to drink?" "A glass of water?" "No." "Excuse me." "Iwon't take up anymore of yourtime." "Sorry to bother you." "What's wrong?" "Won't you talk to me?" "Say something." "What can I say?" "l don't know." "What you did today." "Anything." "l didn't do anything." "Well talk to the kid at least." "This is more like a funeral than a family dinner." "Can I go?" "We're not finished." "Where?" "Let him go." "It's not his fault." "Can I go to Angel's house?" "For ten minutes." "I apologized, didn't I?" "What more do you want?" "Nothing." "Nothing at all." "What should I do?" "Grovel on my knees?" "I don't care what you say or do, Antonio. I don't care." "I already said lwas sorry." "lt won't happen again." "l don't believe you." "And I don't love you." "Don't say that." "l'll shut up, but it's true." "I don't love you." "I never will again." "What are you going to do?" "What?" "Leave me?" "If you do, I'll kill myself." "Go ahead. I don't care." "l'll kill myself, you hear me?" "lf you leave I'll do it." "l want you to leave me alone." "I'll kill myself, you hear me?" "Look at me." "Pilar!" "Pilar, look at me!" "Look at me!" "I'll kill myself!" "If you leave, I'll take my own life!" "I don't give a shit!" "l don't care!" "Stop!" "l don't care." "Stop!" "yes." "yes." "No,we haven't heard anything yet." "okay, darling." "Bye now." "Don't worry, they're watching a movie." "Thank you." "Wait here." "Look, she's one of your kind." "It's probably all the rage now." "Are you Antonio's family?" "yes." "He's fine." "The cuts are superficial." "We gave him a sedative and he's calm." "He'll stayhere tonight." "We'll send him home tomorrow." "All right, thank you." "Can we leave?" "Sure." "you can't see him till tomorrow." "okay, thanks." "Would you like some tea?" "A glass of milk?" "No,thank you." "How am I goingto tell Juan?" "What should I say?" "you don't have to tell him anything." "Antonio wasn't serious about it." "He wouldn't have done it in front of you." "I can't go back to him." "Not again." "Ana, I need you to look after Juan until I can take him with me." "Of course." "Will you?" "Of course." "And if you want to stay here," "if you need money, anything." "No." "I'm sure Lola and Rosa will help me out." "I feel like I haven't been much help." "you listened to me, but... I couldn't speak." "And now you can?" "I need to see myself." "I need to see myself." "I don't know." "I don't know who I am." "I don't know who I am." "I haven't seen myself for so long." "I can't explain it." "Count on me for anything you want, anytime you need me." "Thank you, Ana." "Pilar,we don't have all day." "Where's the bedroom?" "overthere." "ls this it?" "yes,that whole side. lt's mine." "This too?" "No, not that." "ls that everything?" "yes." "Let's go then."