"and not my words. —Saint Augustine" "GOODBYE" "on my bosom I wear a flower." "for at last you are a blossoming mother." "Your darling is my kindly little mother;" "in my life you have been and will be the refuge from all of my sorrows and the cradle of love and of truth." "fill me with happiness" "the kind yours would not find." "Little mother... kid?" "Indi." "Are you a tough guy?" "hngh!" "Do you know who brings children to the world?" "The stork." "for at last you are a blossoming mother." "fill me with happiness" "the kind yours would not find." "on my bosom I wear a flower." "for at last you are a blossoming mother." "Here begins our story: some children... and..." "love." "Pass it to Pablito." "Take this and pass the ball!" "check this out!" "That's what "marked man" Carlitos has got!" "He's going to win her!" "Here goes!" "what's going on here?" "Curro." "Come give me the slip." "Aren't you ashamed to be painting this smut?" "Mr. Chuqui." "yeah!" "Back to your seat!" "Go on!" "Back to your seat!" "Silence!" "Aren't you all ashamed to be wasting your time with these obscenities?" "ever incapable of comprehending the grandeur of art. the birthplace of the world's greatest artists:" "even Picasso's Blue Period." "They never painted anything so brazen or lewd or sinful." "That friggin' Dracula!" "How long's it gonna take already!" "?" "He's such a selfish guy!" "Nothing more to it to ponder." "Your pants will fall off!" "Ho!" "What a hot chick!" "Here comes Dracula!" "We've been waiting for you a whole hour." "Come on!" "Don't give me such a hard time." "we're here." "Hurry!" "Another time around...?" "and..." "Then let's have another chip for it." "flakazoid!" "Come on out!" "Dracula." "And there were a lot of them?" "Whoof!" "Loads." "And all in raw hide!" "dude?" "—Awesome!" "If it weren't for your pants... flakazoid." "Give me eight pence and my pants." "dude." "Then put it away." "can I rent those?" "Faugh." "Another round?" "dude;" "let me have them." "yeah?" "All right; then I'll give them back to you." "There they go!" "Thank you." "Hey." "Be careful not to go busting out of them; they're mine." "don't worry." "you pay me double." "I ain't paying 'em to your father!" "you all!" "They're gonna close the museum." "Get a move on." "I'm coming." "And see to it that you get back soon." "I'm going to catch pneumonia from doing all this." "What a load!" "It's true!" "—We're gonna end up leaving without seeing anything." "—The Rubens room." "—It was time —The Rubens room." "Here goes!" "It fits if it's unbuttoned." "It's a case of your not fitting the pants." "—Where are you going?" "—To the Museum." "—Want to see the hot chicks?" "—No." "Today the entrance is free." "And you can go in." "You've got long pants." "I'm not interested." "For sure!" "What's going on is the guy's in love!" "—Ah ha ha ha!" "—Your father." "—Yours." "—Hey!" "That's ours." "dude." "Take the ball." "I'm out of here." "—See you later in the field." "—See you later." "Goodbye." "She's beautiful." "Cristina!" "What do you want?" "Come here." "Come here." "Take it." "Give this photograph to Paloma on my behalf." "And tell her to make another one just like it for me." "Go give it to her now." "They took it of Arturo on your behalf." "He told me that you are to have another picture taken of you and give it to him." "Very well." "He's in love with you like a calf." "Ready..." "Smile. and for Your infinite goodness and mercy. —Amen." "—Amen." "...has all been completely captured on camera;" "these images are of the villages of Gibellina and other towns almost completely destroyed near the city of Palermo." "the first relief groups have yet to arrive..." "Mom?" "—Not if you don't tell me." "we're going to be doing a gig at school and Sister Aurora says they're putting the children at school to work at these." "Who said that?" "Sister Aurora." "And she said that we're going to be put to work?" "it's a benefit for the poor kids." "That's very good; we do have to help out the needy." "and support us." "do you know whether Paloma is going to be working in the show?" "and I'm a shepherdess." "Are you sure?" "Yes." "Will you kids be quiet for once?" "What with all the fuss and bother you're making between you I can't hear the television." "Dad." "{\fnTimes New Roman\b1}Evening Session" "["Two diamonds." = "For adults only."]" "Two diamonds." "Off to bed with you kids." "we're older." "I said." "Dad." "—Bye bye." "—See you tomorrow." "Good night." "Good night." "Let me slow-step!" "See you tomorrow." "children." "Trot it on out to bed." "You have to get up early tomorrow." "Doesn't my life suck!" "Wish I were 40 years old." "Get to bed." "Here you go." "child." "There's a letter from your dad." "on the furniture." "Would you like to read it to me?" "Grandma." "It's a postcard." "And it comes from Barcelona." "What it says; read it." "from Barcelona I send you a warm hug. and I got a new job as a sales representative for a Japanese brand of watches we will be promoting in this market." "I'm in a very good mood." "How are you doing?" "I'll be there Monday or Tuesday." "Take good care of yourselves and I'll see you soon." "Dad." "and from city to city." "it's his job." "but there are other jobs in the world." "That's why things happen the way they happen." "Do you mean because of my mother?" "No." "What was she like?" "Who?" "My mother." "It's better that you not know." "And don't even get me started." "help me get to bed." "What a beauty she is!" "I have to confess my feelings to her." "How do you go about making a confession?" "I love you." "I love you with all the strength of my being." "sounds corny." "sounds weird." "I'm going to have to go study a book or two." "The cube of a binomial is equal to the cube of the first term of the binomial plus three times the square of the former by the latter plus three times the product of the square of the second by the first" "plus the cube of the second term." "plus the cube of the second... second... second... second... everyone!" "Be seated." "as you know Christmas is coming. arrived in this world in a humble old manger for a crib. you affluent and wealthy children the warmth of home and the food and delicacies befitting of the date not so affluent" "go hungry and cold in their misery." "do not be like— but I have to make this clearer on the face of it for the students..." "It comes down to this: we have organized at our school and we need volunteers to do the stage play." "arise." "At your service!" "—At your service!" "—At your service!" "—At your service!" "—At your service!" "—At your service!" "—At your service!" "would you like us to review the copies?" "That would be helpful." "girls!" "six..." "I want to be a shepherdess." "eh?" "eh?" "Nincompoop!" "Leave me be!" "We've got to be seeing to the children now." "you in the granny glasses: you be King Gaspar." "ma'am." "And you:" "Melchior." "Kindly do me the favor of handing out those papers." "Sister." "Take it." "This is for you." "you who..." "You two are being punished." "I've got the papers distributed now." "eh?" "And you're a shepherdess." "And you're another." "let me have the script for St. Joseph." "let's see if we've got this all straight." "you're playing the pages and the shepherds no!" "You stay there." "and St. Joseph." "shall be St. Joseph." "you're the Angel." "Yes." "Devil's penguin!" "Quiet please!" "Good shot!" "Awesome!" "dude." "eh?" "Arturo!" "Go!" "how long?" "Uh..." "About eight minutes or so." "we're going to Rovira's house." "Are you coming?" "What for?" "What are you doing?" "no one can see you there." "Yesterday we spent the afternoon playing doctor and we got purps [erections]." "Was Paloma there?" "No." "Heads up; they're coming!" "Aiieee!" "I'm glad." "I hope you die!" "Then I'd get to play St. Joseph's part." "He's dead!" "Yeaahhh!" "We won!" "We win." "to the rehearsal!" "let's go!" "Hello!" "Goodbye!" "Byyye!" "are you going to put the book... don't run so hard..." "Cristina!" "What?" "Tell her!" "Yes." "I didn't tell." "Paloma." "What?" "he's asking if he can talk to you." "What do you say?" "Fine." "It has to be alone." "Neither of us is going anywhere to eat." "Not as if it's Raphael." "Goodbye!" "allow me." "Fine." "I'm out of here." "Bye." "—Hello Arturo." "—Hello Paloma." "Well then." "What did you want?" "I don't know; nothing really." "—Then I'll be going." "—Wait." "Can I go with you?" "Sure." "It's just that tomorrow is my birthday." "congratulations." "but it's not yet." "It's tomorrow." "How old are you?" "Fifteen." "Aren't you adding some on?" "No." "It's just that I'm blond and I look younger." "I'm thirteen." "That young!" "but with time..." "I know." "My father spent three years with my mother and..." "And what?" "Nothing; he spent three years with my mother." "Your friends are silly!" "Leave them be." "What else did you want?" "Should we go out dancing tomorrow?" "Just the two of us?" "Obviously!" "Are you afraid?" "no..." "And where should we go?" "To a club." "And will they let us in?" "dude." "We're older." "I'll be tipping the doorman." "All right." "right?" "All right then." "Bye." "Goodbye." "I love you with all the strength of my being!" "pretty much." "I love you!" "I love you!" "butthead!" "So you're going all in with Paloma!" "And what do you care?" "You've got more questions than the FBI!" "Is she your girlfriend?" "I don't know yet." "God willing." "So that you can get married and all?" "you nincompoop; why else?" "I'm fifteen years old already." "Arturo!" "When the worms are born I'm going to give away the best pair of worms I've got!" "What'll you have?" "Paloma?" "Some soda." "I..." "A whiskey for me." "Got it." "Do you like whiskey?" "Sure!" "Don't you?" "No." "Have you ever tried it?" "on Christmas Eve; it tastes like bedbugs." "Heh; that's what my mom says." "Thank you." "It's just that it went to the other place." "it's really good." "You like this?" "The song?" "everything." "isn't there?" "Must be the tobacco." "And it's very dark." "Why is it so dark?" "I don't know." "They won't let us have any more light." "What's going on?" "With me?" "Nothing." "Getting bored?" "Who?" "Me?" "Obviously." "No." "Why?" "I don't know." "You seem kind of strange to me." "Paloma." "Want to dance?" "Just the two of us?" "Of course." "yes." "How silly of me!" "You know what?" "I dance really badly." "Doesn't matter." "Arturo?" "You're crying." "Are you sad?" "no." "I'm quite all right with you." "I don't know what's wrong." "Who art in Heaven..." "Pssst!" "Hssst!" "Pass it on." "please." "No talking." "Arturo and Paloma are already Lovers." "please come here a moment." "What do you want?" "I wanted to tell you—" "Attention!" "We are ready to begin the general rehearsal." "I love you." "Mary washes for St. Joseph and St. Joseph for Mary and the Child who is so gracious must be wanting white clothing." "Here once again comes the nincompoop with the little hand!" "to adore the Child that is born." "alleluia!" "Hosanna in the highest." "The Messiah is born!" "get your hand off my girlfriend and put it behind her where I tell you." "and recite your script; that's your duty." "You're gonna get one so hard in that lettuce-head of yours when I get back down there that you'll be cross-eyed!" "All right already." "Where is Arturo?" "He's on his way; just washing his hands." "turn on the television." "Dad." "What's wrong with that eye?" "Nothing; a punch." "I can see that." "But I'm asking you who gave you that." "It's 'cause he got dropped." "You be quiet." "Dad." "Answer my question." "He has been playing soccer." "That's why you've taken the angel's script in the school play." "nincompoop." "It's because I had a falling out with St. Joseph." "I take it?" "Why is that?" "Things between us." "What sort of things?" "Personal." "Personal..." "Then take your "personal" soup and go eat your dinner in the kitchen." "And tomorrow you're staying here because you're grounded from the school play." "I know it by heart." "For the script he had—" "Don't talk back to your father!" "Arturo!" "Today is Christmas Eve." "I don't care!" "To the kitchen with you!" "He's bound to behave better." "all right?" "To the kitchen with you!" "to adore the Child that has just been born." "alleluia!" "Hosanna in the highest!" "The Messiah is born!" "Long live our Savior!" "there." "St. Joseph; this isn't about you." "Arturo." "Hello." "Where are the others?" "They went to lunch at Aunt Molly's." "And your father has told me to tell you if you behave yourself all day tomorrow you'll get to go on the school's field trip through the snow." "Father!" "Lina..." "Lina..." "Why weren't you in the play?" "Because my father punished me." "And what for?" "For the eye." "your father." "he came around rather quickly." "Although it was my mother who interceded with him to allow me on this trip." "Do you like her a lot?" "dude!" "She's my mother!" "Don't you like yours?" "No." "Whaaat?" "I have no mother." "Is she dead?" "No." "—What then?" "—She left when I was one year old." "I don't know why that was." "But... where did she go?" "I don't know." "My father never talks about her." "I'd want to go back and see her." "I don't know." "It wouldn't be the same for me." "What a crying shame!" "Forgive me." "I'm sorry." "Are you going to teach me how to ski?" "That's it!" "Be careful not to cross your skis!" "I'll push." "Ah!" "—Aaahhh!" "—Careful!" "Are you hurt?" "Help me." "Um..." "Look out; the ski..." "It's going!" "It's going!" "ha!" "Found it yet?" "I haven't been able to find it." "What can we do?" "What are we going to do?" "Nothing." "I'm very tired." "And I'm freezing." "Let's go in here." "Rest a while." "what time is it?" "Five o'clock." "The bus doesn't leave until seven." "We've got plenty of time." "It sure is nice here!" "Isn't it?" "Yeah." "What is it?" "Are you mad at me?" "No." "Did I do something to you?" "No." "Do you like the ring?" "it's very pretty." "Is it all right?" "I guess so." "—Paloma!" "—What?" "Are we sweethearts?" "I don't know." "aren't we?" "I suppose." "I'm so happy." "I'm feeling something strange here but very pleasant." "It's like I'm trying to catch my breath." "Don't you feel something like that happening to you?" "Yes." "May I give you a kiss?" "Whatever you want." "May I give you many more?" "Sure." "Your face is so tender." "It's getting cold." "Are you cold?" "No." "I'm getting very hot." "I don't know what might happen." "Don't you like my kissing you?" "I'm embarrassed." "Why should you be if we're lovers?" "but I'm feeling something I don't understand." "Come here." "What is it?" "Now you're shaking." "Are you cold?" "No." "It's this heaviness I'm feeling here on my chest." "I need to catch my breath too." "Can I... touch you?" "I don't know." "Forgive me." "Forgive me." "I'm such an opportunist." "No Arturo." "You're very nice." "Don't worry." "I love you very much." "Paloma!" "I love you so much." "I've been wanting to marry you for so long... but we're older now." "I don't know what's happening to me." "I'm feeling the same thing happening to me." "But let go of me." "I'm scared." "Arturo." "I'm scared." "Don't be scared." "I love you so much." "I love you so much." "I love you... please." "Let me go!" "Please." "Please." "No." "Let me go!" "Let me go!" "Don't be scared." "Paloma." "Paloma." "I love you." "—I love you." "—I love you too." "please." "Please..." "These things you see in this drawing are the stamens." "These are referred to as the male organs of the flower. it has a wider part called an ovary." "Ovary..." "Ova..." "Ova..." "Ova... the flower pollen from the stamens enters the pistil." "Pistil..." "Pist... til... til..." "Arturo don't... don't... don't...!" "I'm scared..." "I'm scared scared which is a hollow tube that descends to the ovary." "The ovary... ovary... ...vary... ...vary..." "Arturo." "Let me go... ...me go... ...me go... let me go...!" "...me go...!" "...me go...! and the rest of the flower dries up." "is the fruit." "Spain... grows a lot of fruit." "What is it?" "I don't know." "What's on your mind?" "Nothing." "isn't it?" "Yes." "We did nothing wrong." "I'm not so sure." "It's just..." "God did tell us we're to love one another." "but not so much." "We're not just kids." "I know." "Every day I say as much." "Did you tell anyone?" "No." "Did you?" "Only Mamen." "She's my friend and I tell her everything." "And what did she say?" "that what we did is fatal." "I don't believe that." "Do you?" "—I don't know!" "—Why are you crying?" "Paloma." "and 65 come closer to..." "Don't cry." "...the dock please." "honey." "We're not going to that do any more." "Will you promise me that?" "if that's what you want." "Thank you." "...the picture of the weekend is the trace of a series of tons..." "Hello family!" "it's Dad." "Dad!" "Why didn't you tell us in advance?" "I'm only passing through." "Tomorrow I'm going to Bilbao." "Is there anything to eat?" "There'll be something." "Mom." "How are you?" "How else would I be?" "With one foot here and one in the other world... how's she holding up?" "As if I'd know;" "I don't see hide or hair all day long." "...spilled over into a long stretch of its pathway..." "Paloma!" "Run me a bath." "Dad." "and airports..." "I'm beat." "...and causing heavy losses in farms and farmland." "Houses that have managed to resist this..." "Dad." "—Thank you." "...are evacuated..." "You're pulling a face." "Is something wrong?" "nothing's going on with me." "I'm just a little tired." "...survivors who have fled these places in tents waiting..." "Ah!" "Ahhh!" "reinforcing protective barriers with sandbags along the rivers for fear of flooding the entire population pitched in." "The area where the disaster reached the highest proportions... dear." "Dad." "Good night." "I'm going to bed." "I'm exhausted." "child." "Don't worry." "I'll help your grandmother gather up her things." "Thank you." "Sleep tight." "The precipitate melting and rainfall have resulted in several broken dams." "The extent of the flooding..." "The way of youths!" "Good for nothing." "Now pay attention." "I'm going to be giving you a problem to solve in the last trimester." "Hang on to your books." "You have half an hour." "What's with you?" "I'm not feeling well." "But where does it hurt?" "a lot." "Shhh!" "No one is to talk during the exam!" "Is this about a present you're going to be getting?" "I don't know." "He took up with me on the 5th." "It's long overdue." "Today we're on the 20th." "Why don't you go to the doctor?" "There won't be anything." "It's not worth the hassle." "Shhh!" "Silence!" "Seems to me some of you aren't going to be getting any vacation." "It's like the way Mary and Joseph's sister got things started." "And you know what that was?" "No." "It was a child." "But I haven't done anything." "What about that snow day?" "But it was only that one day." "It's enough." "You think so?" "I don't know." "We'll have to find out." "Shhhh!" "Young ladies!" "They never seem to be able to cease their idle chatter and pay attention to more important things!" "Arturo!" "Mamen and Paloma want you to make a run to the park on their behalf." "They're waiting for you." "Curro." "I'll be right back." "—Right." "—Be careful." "Yay!" "Take it!" "—Hello." "—Hello." "What's the matter?" "Nothing." "Except for one big fat deal." "What is it?" "Do you remember the snow day?" "Of course I remember." "Why?" "Because it may very well be that you're going to be a father." "Whaaat!" "?" "you heard me." "But how is that possible?" "how else?" "Just because of that?" "duh!" "That's how you have kids; the way all kids are had." "Yeah..." "So..." "How do you know?" "We don't know." "But it may well be so." "we can get some medical advice." "they break the news to our parents." "I could tell my sister who's a nurse about it." "What if she's a gossip?" "I say this as another girl." "Paloma?" "Mamen." "don't worry." "I'll think of something." "Manolo!" "Manolo!" "He's asleep." "What do you want?" "Hey Curro." "You know how we know for sure when people are going to have children?" "How?" "How do you tell?" "Well... by the hype." "too!" "And how else?" "Just ask Mom." "That's a foolish move." "I asked once and you know what she told me?" "—What?" "—That they were brought by the storks." "They think we're fools." "You know what a kid in class said?" "That they keep them in the belly and fling them out like chickens." "I know how they have them." "What I don't know is how they find out." "Everybody knows." "why don't you ask Dad about it?" "all right?" "I'll give you 5 smackers on Sunday." "Why do you want to know?" "Out of curiosity." "But I have to have the money from you." "—I promise it to you." "—Deal." "dude; they aren't so heavy." "Dad!" "Curro?" "and what goes where." "This kid is being silly." "he'll already know." "Mom!" "I'm not going to be in a generous mood you can go tomorrow morning to make your confessions to Don Emilio." "Dad." "Blast it!" "Yet you're sure that this is how you catch frogs!" "so shut your trap and start hunting them." "Why would you want a frog anyway?" "I don't know; though it'd be good eating." "I'm going to go find out." "produces a mature ovarian follicle within which a cell commonly referred to as an oocyte matures." "And what is that?" "they put it to you in the worst way." "But it doesn't say anything here about frogs." "and she put this on the exam." "And why doesn't it say that in the book?" "it's in the science program that it says this." "Maybe the "fillicle" or "gonadotropina" it talks about here is a frog." "don't talk gibberish." "we're ready." "Just leave it to me." "I know what I'm doing." "You have to give the frog an injection." "I know that for sure." "It's the Galli Mainini test." "An injection of calcium?" "—From pee-pee." "—From pee-pee?" "this." "I'm living it up!" "I've got him!" "I've got a fish on the line!" "I've got the frog!" "eh?" "Yuck!" "Ugh!" "That's a toad!" "—A toad?" "—Yes." "Throw it back; it's poisonous." "The toad crap's on me!" "Look at that." "Here goes!" "Look at that!" "kid." "what a puffed-out belly!" "don't you?" "do you remember everything?" "Yes." "and don't forget to ask how much one has to pay." "Arturo!" "ha." "—Let's go." "this is for you to inject into a frog on behalf of my mother how much does it cost?" "Under whose name do we put it?" "—Paloma's." "—Paloma?" "Sorry;" "I made a mistake." "It's for Mrs. Sánchez Navas." "little boy." "Tell your mother she can pick it up tomorrow." "So how much does it cost?" "—150 Pesetas." "—That's pure robbery!" "This being a parent costs you an eye from your face." "I'm never going to be a parent." "Shhh!" "It's a secret." "eh?" "No." "we swear." "he'll kill us." "Especially me." "let's see." "Here goes!" "How much?" "A total of 115 pesetas." "That's something." "What a shame for all that money!" "And to think of all the worms that could buy..." "Although the child may well be a lot prettier." "have you?" "—Is that enough for the frog?" "—Yes. and then go congratulate your parents." "—Why?" "—For your new little sibling." "boy or girl?" "but on its way." "A stork will be bringing a very nice one hanging from its beak." "yeah." "A stork." "What kind of fool do you take me for?" "you nun!" "girlie!" "Go away!" "Here comes Mamen." "Hey." "What's the matter?" "that's what." "How so?" "But it's all right; it doesn't have to be a misfortune." "I don't know what we can do." "There's nothing for it." "What else are we going to do?" "Have the child." "What if they find out?" "Nobody has to find out anything." "This is our business; our secret." "we've sworn as much." "isn't it?" "I don't know." "That's what they say..." "God wanted it that way." "Because everything that happens is because He wants it." "For sure." "Shut your face!" "you'll see." "Very well said!" "eh?" "As you wish." "It'll be for everyone." "Good." "But the first thing we have to do is get it down pat how people go about having children so we won't get anything wrong." "In my house I'm convinced Cuca is going to have puppies someday soon." "She's got that fat belly." "Vulture." "Can't we be there to see it?" "Sure; she's on the roof." "Don't all of you get too close." "Out you go!" "Out you go!" "nincompoop?" "It comes out just the way I was saying." "This is making me a little sick." "idiots." "The idiot would be you." "I can look at it as I please." "Then take a hike." "Don't get started with that again." "You're going to scare the mother." "this is a fool's errand." "And you're an idiot." "pipe down." "That's another one coming out." "What a beauty!" "It's white." "Poor Cuca." "What a sad face you have." "That's gotta hurt for a while." "Here goes!" "Another one." "How barbaric." "I figure as how we'll also be having three or four..." "How many do you suppose we'll be having?" "As many as God sends us." "Father?" "Come forth." "what's going on with you?" "Nothing." "So what brings you here?" "We want to get married." "All of you?" "all." "Father." "The only ones you have to marry are these two." "Arturo and Paloma." "Arturo and Paloma." "You're going with Arturo and Paloma." "Father." "They're fiancés." "So you're the fiancés." "Father." "We wish to be married." "We wish it very much." "you're still very young!" "I'm 15 years old." "And Paloma is 13." "and Paloma 13." "Where are you going to go at that age?" "but... you don't know." "Any of you care to tell me?" "On anyone's behalf." "That's crazy talk." "What you're supposed to do is study and give yourselves over to childish things." "What you have told your parents about this?" "They don't know." "You see?" "You're too young for that yet." "You're only beginning to live." "You'll have children of your own in time." "How I wish I were your age!" "said that in India one can get married at age 12." "I couldn't do it without the consent of your parents." "and you'll see for yourself what I'm telling you." "[i.e. "Don't go expecting life to be a rose garden."]" "Don't go believing that the whole mountain is covered in oregano." "Father." "dude!" "So what's happening now?" "Dad." "What do you want?" "I want to talk to you man to man." "What...?" "That's what this is about; that I'm a man." "And what's happening." "I want to get married." "You want what again?" "To be married." "yes." "You don't say." "Dad." "I have a fiancée and I need you to give me permission to marry." "All I'm going to give you is a swift kick in the rear; that'll make you a real man." "I need to get married." "you ninny." "Hit the books!" "That's what you've got to do." "Begone!" "You're about to wear out my patience." "dude." "Tickets for India." "—In the counter in the back." "—Thank you." "—Where did he say?" "—In the back." "There it is." "lads?" "Hey." "What's it take to get to India?" "Motivation." "All India has is cows and hunger." "Who wants to go to India?" "We do." "But do you have a passport?" "No." "So... there's nothing you can do." "kids." "And where's the outlet for that?" "The General Directorate of Security." "And it is very expensive trip." "000 pesetas for a round trip." "Pheeew!" "This is a nightmare!" "you can go to Albacete." "where is that place where they draw up passports?" "In the Puerta del Sol." "Where you eat grapes." "So go run and play." "eh?" "thank you very much. —Goodbye. —Goodbye." "Let's go get passports." "This is no good." "no good?" "It's lacking parental consent." "And why is that a lack?" "Because you're underage." "In India you don't need that." "kid." "But we want to go to India." "For that you'd have to have a passport drawn up in India." "there's no way to have a passport drawn up in India." "There you are." "I just have to follow regulations." "obviously..." "Then we might see..." "I don't know as how I really have to explain anything." "There's no passport!" "Get it?" "And for this we go spending 35 pesetas on photographs?" "unless you want to spend the night in jail." "Beat it!" "Go be Indian to somebody else." "Didn't I tell you!" "I did say that if the child is born he'll be born a fool." "The one who was born a fool is you." "That's only what happens when cousins marry." "And how long's the birth gonna take?" "Ugh!" "That's anybody's guess." "Maybe years." "maybe days." "They take 8 or 9 months." "That's what's usual." "And be quiet for once; you never give me any peace to think." "You're all such wet blankets!" "WEDDING ON THE HIGH SEAS" "How fortunate the big names are!" "What makes you say that?" "WEDDING ON THE HIGH SEAS" "They get married however they like." "Look." "That's it!" "What an idea!" "Kneel." "it's taking on water and we're going to be lost at sea." "dude. until death do you part?" "Certainly." "I want her." "I already said it." "No you haven't." "You said "Certainly." "isn't it?" "it means "I'm zoned." "The one who'll be "zoned" will be you." "What's going on here is that Manolo doesn't know how to ask the questions." "What do you wager that you'd manage no better?" "What a fiasco!" "Do me the favor of not being such an idiot; our time's wasting on this folly." "I want her." "that was easy." "That was easy." "what's going on?" "as already noted." "Finish up. until death do you part?" "I want him." "There you are." "Take them; the rings." "What a lucky guy!" "Lucky dog!" "Hooray for the lovers!" "Hooray!" "—Hooray!" "—Hooray for the lovers!" "Hooray for the lovers!" "I want to skate." "You're acting crazy." "Pay the closest attention to this. and honey." "What a beast!" "If I were the mother..." "It's not just for me." "It's also for the child." "for the child." "it wouldn't take anything;" "just the smell of food makes me sick." "That's normal." "Says so here." "But the child has to have food." "Mamen." "since he doesn't have any teeth or anything?" "silly." "Don't you see that the food's already chewed and eaten?" "Don't be silly yourself either." "He doesn't eat through the mouth." "Then where?" "Through the navel." "and you're a ham!" "I'm not hamming up anything." "It says so very clearly here: it goes through a tube from the mother's gut and it's called the union cord." "umbilical." "Here's the list of foods." "let me see." "But... well." "From where do we get so much food?" "That's what I'm saying." "No." "That's what I was talking about. and we'll all have it together." "Get the word out to others to help us out." "And if someone blabs?" "We'll bind them by oath." "all right." "Listen to this." "usually between 8 and 12 kilos." "Weight gain usually begins in the first month." "I want to skate." "Mamen" "That might give him a mark on the face when he's born." "You'll see." "So what?" "I want to skate." "Nothing's going to happen to me." "There aren't any rough spots." "as long as you don't let yourself slip; you might give the child a skate-mark on his face. you'll all be responsible." "let's go!" "Nothing's going to happen." "Besides the stuff about cravings is a tall tale too." "Be careful!" "right?" "boy!" "This is a very serious matter." "First month: 45 kilos." "Curro." "Take everything you can find." "—Look." "I've got a lot of stuff." "—Keep going; you can still fit some more." "Second month: 48 kilos." "This is progress." "{\fnTimes New Roman\fs48}...and so the time passed" "I can't take it anymore." "I can't stand it anymore." "I'm dying from the heat." "If only I could take off my coat." "There's got to be some solution we can find." "The child's got to make it to birth." "And we aren't going to keep hiding him until you've got a mustache." "—Obviously." "—The worst of it is that my father is coming home on Monday." "And it's going to show." "I don't know what I'm going to do." "Arturo?" "Hide out." "Why don't you try telling your grandma that you're taking a trip?" "And where am I going?" "You can tell your grandma that you're going off to do some Social Service." "but where can we hide her?" "I've got it." "In the attic of our house." "You're going around the bend." "Your parents will find her there." "They haven't gone up there in all their lives." "and nobody ever goes there." "—Are you sure?" "—I'm sure." "in a little old house there up on the roof." "Come over here." "Keep quiet." "Here it is." "Shhh." "Don't make so much noise; they're going to hear." "What a shack!" "Paloma?" "but I'm a little scared." "Don't be scared." "I live two floors below and I'll always be with you." "but everything is so broken down and dirty." "Don't worry." "Where are you?" "I'm going with you." "Wow!" "What a mess." "eh?" "Mamen?" "of course." "Especially when it rains." "So here we go." "Do you think it'll be safe here?" "we can come up here to see her whenever we want." "then we've got to have this dump cleaned up so that it'll be ready for when the child is born." "We're all going to work." "everyone." "I think we've made it just about perfect." "What do you think about this detail?" "Stupendous." "It really is a very Christian detail." "But it's still lacking one thing." "Don't you know what it is?" "We seem to have it all." "What is it?" "The most important thing." "I've got it!" "The television." "Of course." "Something even more important than that." "what else is missing?" "The crib." "How's it going?" "Now the initiates are busy with their rosary in there." "You've got 10 minutes." "Plenty of time." "Class is opening." "but make haste." "I'll stay here and keep watch." "Let's go!" "—Pray for us." "—Queen of the Apostles." "—Let's go!" "—Pray for us." "—Queen of the Martyrs." "—Pray for us." "—Queen of the Confessors." "—Pray for us." "—Queen of the Virgins." "Curro." "—Queen of all the Saints." "—Pray for us." "—Come on!" "—Keep a lookout!" "—Queen conceived without original sin." "—Pray for us." "Get a move on." "—Queen assumed into Heaven." "—Pray for us." "—Queen of the Holy Rosary." "—Pray for us." "—Move it!" "Move it!" "—Queen of Peace." "—Pray for us." "And now a Pater Noster for those of this world who don't know where they're headed." "Who art in Heaven..." "That there's a beauty!" "Hurry." "What's this?" "It's up." "—What're you doing there?" "—Seeing what you think." "dude." "But is this supposed to be a crib?" "You'll see." "all you've gotta do is close the globe." "—And how's the kid supposed to breathe?" "—It's stupendous." "We make little holes in it." "and they breathe easily enough." "That's a very good idea." "it's stupendous." "Paloma?" "Are you feeling bad?" "it's passed now." "There he goes." "But what's happening to Paloma?" "She's got the vapors." "Are you ill?" "then." "Is she about to give birth the way Cuca did?" "Your forehead's burning up and you're sweating." "Arturo." "Do not worry." "There she goes." "Maybe it's that the child is dead." "How can you be dying if you aren't even born yet?" "Mamen?" "I don't know exactly." "But it must be near the end." "Paloma." "you'd probably do better to give her some encouragement." "You're such a killjoy." "It's just that all the ladies usually go to the clinic to have their children." "Mamen?" "figure out what to do here." "That's what the books are for." "but this is a book no one understands." "Then buy yourself another." "We've got no money." "Then steal it." "which of these books...?" "this one looks pretty good." "—Let's see." "And this one too." "take it." "Here it goes." "The life of the spirit has to be cared for and cultivated just as much as or even more than the life of the body during pregnancy." "Here is a roster of the most popular devotionals that may be to the mother's benefit while in this blissful state." "The month of March is dedicated to St. Joseph." "June is dedicated to the Sacred Heart. and the first 5 Saturdays to Our Lady the Virgin of Fatima." "Screw this!" "That's not where we're going to find a cure." "The clothes worn during pregnancy should be loose without thereby having to detract from good taste such that they are both very elegant and comfortable." "It is also convenient and practical to wear a back brace which makes walking easier and eliminates potential back pain." "This should be the place." "Here's a whole bunch of girdles." "this one or this one?" "I don't know;" "let's go inside." "this combination works very well." "not bad." "Do you have it in any other color?" "I'll go see if I've got another color." "please." "How's this one look?" "what do you want?" "You tell her." "you." "It's up to you." "But what's the matter?" "You're a wuss." "We want a back brace for pregnant women to make walking easier and eliminate potential back pain." "It's for this guy." "Farewell." "Pilona; my sister who's going to have a child was just taken in to the hospital." "that's why I'm telling you." "At the Rosary Clinic." "ma'am." "Thank you." "What was she trying to say?" "Who knows." "it's here!" "But right now?" "The doctor's not currently with her." "Can she be seen?" "but you can come with me." "eh?" "Got it." "Are you having long and intermittent pains?" "but only from time to time." "Give her the pentathol and a ride to the operating room." "doctor." "Mamen?" "but you pay attention too and quit scarfing the bon-bons." "We mustn't miss anything." "We've got to get some of that pentathol." "Got it." "Nutrition is carried to the fetus by way of the placenta just as his metabolic waste products are carried out." "little one." "What a beast!" "Have you noticed anything yet?" "Nothing yet." "what are you doing here?" "child." "and..." "Have you gotten anything out of this?" "No." "I don't understand any of this." "I start to give birth." "And yet my births are by force using forceps." "—You'll be having very large children..." "—What'd she say?" "I don't think it's that yours are so very large; what's going on is..." "A force of... what?" "Eh..." "Seems to me what she said was "forces." "And what's that?" "We'll ask later; you keep taking notes." "Hi." "Hi." "I didn't think you were coming." "It's just that I had to wait until my parents were asleep." "did you?" "No." "Give me some room." "Where were you today? comics..." "We've made a few quid." "We have to start saving now." "Having a family costs a lot." "Arturo." "And I love you a lot." "Paloma." "right?" "dude." "It's the best in the world." "I'm scared that your father might find out." "we'll be going." "Where?" "he'd kill me." "How about yours?" "I think mine would too." "I don't know where this is going to end up." "Paloma." "What?" "Don't you remember your mother at all?" "I don't know." "Paloma." "What is it?" "never." "To where?" "Anywhere at all." "I won't." "You swear it to me?" "I swear." "I love you." "It doesn't hurt?" "Not much." "Sometimes." "And does he move?" "I think I felt him give me a little kick." "Don't tease." "Why?" "I don't know." "You might want to leave." "isn't it?" "but I like getting these little kicks." "Maybe he's going to be a soccer player and goalkeeper like me." "it's moving now; place your hand there and feel it." "that's right; what a beastie!" "Put your ear to her and listen." "There goes that little tyke." "He just gave me another kick again." "It's true." "and 27. 327 in all." "Crap on it." "We don't have enough to get started with this." "We did what we could. and that's not how you have a child." "Let's see." "bring a table... lots and lots of money." "it's Curro." "How fat they are!" "Have you got the 40 chips?" "here they are." "look at how they eat!" "Bring it." "Can I see them one more time?" "Sure." "They're so lovely!" "—Sissy!" "Look..." "—Bye." "I think back a lot about you and about Dad." "and this place is lovely." "Santander is the most beautiful place in the world." "Although it does rain a lot." "I have a lot of friends and we keep going to the beach..." "Paloma." "look what I brought." "What is it?" "It's a little jersey for the child." "I made it myself." "It's lovely." "What's that?" "It's a little jersey for the child." "it's no good." "Why?" "and has to be blue." "So what if it is pink?" "except it'll come off looking queer." "kid." "Don't be the way you usually are; and mind your own business." "Come over here." "Let's see what you've brought." "Arturo gets what's ours." "but it's better than nothing." "What are we going to do?" "And what have you got there?" "A telephone we bought." "You can hear from it very well." "we ran the line down through the courtyard and into our room and that way we can call Paloma in a pinch." "Ah." "Good job." "A stroke of pure genius." "Now go install it." "take this." "—I'll take the cable." "—Curro!" "—Bring it." "Strip it." "Here." "Shouldn't we think of what we're going to name the child?" "He'll be called Arturo." "you say!" "isn't he?" "No sir." "He belongs to everyone." "We're all working on this and we've all got the right." "This is true." "But I'm the father." "I'll rat on you if you start cheating. and then put it in the basin." "I'm sure it won't pick me." "I get rotten luck more often." "Is Florencio the Dracula also entered into the draw?" "Everyone." "But he's new." "Yet I've worked as if I were old." "everyone throw in." "Paloma." "This is in case it's a girl." "Paloma." "How fortunate!" "Now the drawing is up to Arturo." "Now it draws Arturo." "This game smacks of being rigged." "Dracula." "Yippeee!" "That foal is the man!" "That's going to be one crappy godfather he's going to have..." "This here should be a sure thing." "it's going to cost us an eye from the face." "It's camouflage." "guys." "Just what we're looking for." "Manolo." "—Here goes." "I'll play the man in black." "Paloma?" "—Yeah." "Paloma?" "isn't it?" "Manolo." "who's going to operate?" "Us." "All you have to do is pull the kid out." "So much for that device." "And you're the one who understands medicine." "Bah!" "because Paloma eats more than a horse." "The child doesn't eat." "How so?" "Because it draws from the mother's breast." "Are you sure?" "Quite sure." "the poor kid." "It's true." "I've got nothing." "here we go again." "Another problem." "There has to be someone to give him a breast." "Otherwise he might die." "You'll have to think of something." "Maybe I can serve him myself." "The thing doesn't mean anything if the electricity isn't normalized." "doctor." "Please Arturo." "Be careful." "that thing's shot." "We've got to get a face." "Dr. Gannon here's a gift for you." "Have you noticed?" "They throw out a lot more stuff than we do." "because that's how some Americans are." "That's right." "And now for the cologne." "NenucoProducts;thefirstpleasureofthe newborn." "man." "Oww." "Ow." "Aiee!" "Arturo!" "Curro!" "Are you awake?" "I can't sleep." "What time is it?" "2 o'clock and then some." "Not going up yet?" "Dad has only just turned out the lights." "You want me to take a peek?" "No." "Let's wait a bit." "I'll go look." "Can I go with you?" "Sure." "Yes." "What's going on?" "Paloma?" "Paloma?" "Is that Paloma?" "I don't know." "No answer." "Something very serious must have happened." "Let's go!" "That's what God wants us to do." "My God!" "Paloma!" "What happened to you?" "Call Mamen." "Curro!" "Careful!" "Go on!" "Give me the light and run." "please." "I think he's already on his way." "Paloma?" "What's happening?" "please." "He's on his way!" "Arturo." "He's coming to be born." "—What?" "—The child." "But I can't just leave you by yourself." "I'll go call the others." "Don't worry." "Paloma." "he's about to be born." "Go open the gate." "I'll call Mamen." "It had to happen in these hours..." "I'm going to go open the gate." "Good." "Is this Mamen?" "Are you there?" "—Has he been born?" "—Shut up!" "—Mamen." "It's on its way." "—What do I do?" "But who's on his way?" "you nincompoop?" "The child!" "—Is he born yet?" "—Shut up!" "Goodbye!" "Is he born?" "but he's going to be born." "Move it." "Paloma?" "Ah." "Aie." "Ow." "Aie." "Ow." "Don't cry." "For pity's sake." "—Aie." "—Please." "Have you called up Mamen?" "Yeah." "Paloma." "Who's going to be an imbecile?" "The child!" "Pilona calls." "Who's going to be an imbecile?" "The child!" "Lolita calls." "Who's going to be an imbecile?" "The child!" "Dracula calls." "This is very bad." "Arturo has to call a doctor right away." "he has to be called." "—Yeah." "Let's go." "—It's not worth the trouble." "I'm here." "Don't worry." "It's killing her." "Don't worry." "She's dying." "Get it all ready." "We have to get her on the operating table." "help me." "Careful!" "Yes." "You take it from here." "Be careful." "Curro." "Don't worry." "You'll see." "Everything will be all right." "It hurts so much." "Careful." "Don't panic." "Take it easy." "You're going to come out of all this quite all right." "You'll see." "Mamen." "careful!" "Now heave her up." "That's it." "We have to get her into the bed." "where does it hurt?" "Here." "or continuous?" "For short periods." "That's because of the contractions." "Have you got the talcum powder ready?" "No." "You go prepare the water and all that stuff." "Move it." "Paloma." "Give me the gown." "Get a move on." "don't worry." "Have you had him already?" "No." "He hasn't been born yet." "Is he born yet?" "No." "Not yet." "Don't worry." "You'll see how nothing's the matter." "Do you see anything?" "No." "I don't see anything." "Is he born yet?" "No." "How's this thing going?" "I don't know." "Want a cigarette?" "I'm not into those." "you gotta have a smoke." "I saw that in a movie." "give me one." "Anything new?" "You don't see anything." "That stupid broad keeps standing in the way." "I wish that broad would get out of our way." "Have another cigarette; it'll do you good." "What's happening?" "Lolita." "How's the mother?" "Have you already had it?" "No." "We're pulling it out." "Just a little left to go." "Then..." "Why are you crying?" "I don't know." "But don't worry." "Mamen says everything's all right." "The head's crowning." "But it's being very stubborn?" "it seems." "But she's dilated about 3 pesetas or 75 cents." "eh?" "don't let anything happen to either of the two." "We've got it out already." "Can we see it?" "No." "And is it alive?" "I don't know." "Its eyes are closed and very cruddy." "Like Cuca's puppies?" "Something like that." "But..." "And Paloma?" "Paloma is fine." "And the child?" "Is it dead?" "I don't know." "I told you already." "Don't lean on me so hard." "Can I see it?" "No." "Mamen's going to have it cleaned." "So why aren't you crying?" "Put your questions to Him." "—Are they going to take us all to..." "—Is it dead?" "...prison?" "Was it a boy or girl?" "I didn't notice." "That girl's got to be the stupidest...!" "you nincompoop." "hallowed be Your name..." "He doesn't move." "He's dead." "Argh." "I don't know what to do now." "Mamen." "Is he alive?" "Paloma." "He isn't moving." "How's the child?" "What do you want?" "Can't you wait?" "No." "Let him be." "You all can come in." "Is he alive?" "Mamen?" "I don't know." "He isn't moving." "He's dead." "he's dead." "He's dead." "He lives." "He's alive!" "—He's alive!" "—He lives!" "—He's alive!" "—He's alive!" "and nobody else!" "Hooray!" "Here he goes!" "And it's a Florencio." "goes!" "Long live Florencio!" "and nobody else!" "[Music:" "Hallelujah Chorus from Handel's Messiah.]" "May 2012."