"This was the setting for my childhood incursions." "Barcelona in the 50'S." "A popular district in the city." "By then, my mother was already 50 years old." "Her aspect was so deplorable that people called her "Madame Wino"." "Long ago, she'd been Rita Beni and had enjoyed some prestige as a chorus girl." "This China man is my Dad." "His real name is Rafael Mares, but even he seems to have forgotten it and everyone calls him Fu Ching The Magician." "As a child, I dreamed of going away, of leaving the district and shabbiness." "I managed it with Norma." "THE BILINGUAL LOVER" "Five years of marriage were more than enough to discover Norma's true personality." "One November evening of bitter memory, I returned home unexpectedly..." "In one moment, the most cruel and ironic evidence, reflected mirror-like my sad image, that of a man overcome by jealousy, aware that he has lost all, even In own self esteem." "Shit." "What are you doing?" "I was just..." "This is demeaning!" ""'5 too much!" "What now?" "Say something, man!" "Speak up!" "Yeah, well, it's just..." "I saw those incredible shoes you got here." "And I thought I'd while the time away." "I shine shoes for a living, you see." "L see" "I (10 see." "Well..." " I'm off now." " No, you're not." "You're not going anywhere until I say so." "It ain't that bad, man." "Let him go, Joan." "It's your fault for coming home earlier than usual." "I'm fine." "I'm calm." "Stop shining that shoe!" "That's my thing, shining shoes." "I came back( home when I should." "I stopped at three bars and had three coffees." "I walked up and down the Ramblas three times." "And this happens to be my house!" "Although I paid for n." "I'll be leaving now." " You're staying." " Yeah, but..." " You're staying!" " What for?" "What for?" "Don't you shine shoes?" "Well, go ahead!" "Yes, sir." "That's right, shine them!" "Good and hard!" "Whatever you say." "And when you're done..." "I'm sick of him." "Damn ninny." "Fucking asshole, moron." "Come on, shine away!" "You keep on talking, you'll get your ass kicked." "IS this the first time?" "Answer me, is it?" "Yes, sir." " No need to "6 to me." " But it is, I swear it." "But you knew the lady'?" " I didn't." "I shined her shoes once two months ago." "Pure chance." "Keep the apartment." "It's another gift from the Valenti family." "See you!" "You got good shoes." "Norma bought them." "She's got taste." "You'll probably wonder how she could fall for me." "Believe me, I'll never forget that day, the day I saw Norma for the first time." "One afternoon, in the Fall Of 1970, I came out Of the movies and dropped by the Friends of Unesco's where there was an exhibition." "As I was about to leave..." "Can someone open the door?" " You want to go?" " I certainly do." "Sorry, but you can't leave until tomorrow morning." "And by then, the cops might be here." "It was a protest against the Burgs trial, there had been nine death sentences." "Water?" "Norma simply fascinated me and I decided to join the hunger strike." "We spent tour unforgettable days together." "A big house?" "I've got one." "With a big room'?" " I've got rt." "And a huge bed?" "I've got it." "Us immigrants always liked big sizes." "Alright." "1018358" "I know you guys are still asleep, but all hell may break lose and we can't be caught unaware." "She told us what we should do if the cops came in." "We were not to answer provocations no matter what." "They'll call us names, the worst we've heard." "They may even beat us." "I didn't pay much attention." "My finger was exploring Norma's cracks." "When the cops forced the door..." "Goddamn fucking sons of Passionate!" "Everybody stand up!" "Attention!" "Well?" "YOU scared?" "YOU won't want to eat when I'm done!" "Goddamn hunger strike!" "What is it?" "I saw red and hit him with my closed fist." "Such a deed only got me two weeks in jail thanks to the influence of Norma's family." "I got out and she was there." " Where are we going?" " Home." "It's no easy feat for a humble man like me, a ventriloquist who liked playing the accordion, to walk into the Valenti's luxurious villa led by their only child and heiress." "Norma is our only child, sir." "We're proud of her." " Tell me, are you Catholic?" " Only one thing matters." "Is he a good boy?" "He certainly looks like one." "Are you a good boy?" "It turned out to be very easy." "Norma's parents both adored and feared their daughter." "They asked very little Of me and my social position." "Do you remember our wedding, Jordi?" "I do, I do." "One;-"" "...two, "three." "One more" "I was in no shape to explain the events which were changing the course of my life in such an unexpected and agreeable way." "Who are you?" "Why choose me?" "So you could screw me good and hard." ""lam" "Sadly enough, today, I can see my misfortune." "I've never been more than a toy, a passing whim." "Before you, as far as I know, there's been a waiter, a taxi driver and a black macrame salesman." "None of them spoke Catalonian, of course." "And now bootblack she found in a bar." "Good Lord." "Well, I've finished my work." "L gotta go" "I should give you something for your trouble." "Don't be an ass" "All I can do is shoot myself." "Don't say that." "Shoot yourself, hell!" "The best you can do is go after your wife." "Deep down, she loves you." "I know it." "I'm off." "Take care, man." "Get a move on." "The fascists are coming!" "Come on, let's get out of here!" "Hurry up!" "The fascists!" "come OI]!" "Long live Spain!" "Catalonia is Spanish!" "Shoot the motherfuckers!" "Spain is one nation!" "Catalonia is Spanish!" "Spain is one!" "No separatism!" "Spain is free!" "FUCK the Catalonian national anthem!" "A FEW YEARS LATER" "Mr. Mares." "EXCUSE me." "There's a package for you." "There's only one lift working." "Wait!" "Wait!" "Thank you very much." "There's a full moon." "Musician, victim Of dreadful fire has turned into the Phantom of the Opera and needs help." "That's all, everyone." "You should all go home lo watch the Barcelona match, and I will loo." "Yeah, "chicken" is correct, but "poultry" would be better." "Watch out for that fucking subsecrelary." "She's clueless." "You have a call." "It's more Catalonian, more appropriate." "All right." "Linguistic Consultants." "Hello?" " I have a question." " Go ahead." "I was told to ask for Mrs. Norma Valenti." "The "socializing."" " Socio-linguist." " Right." "That '5 me." "GO ahead." "Well, I have a shop with lingerie and undergarments with signs in Spanish for each section, and I want IO put it all in Catalonian, just in case" "You know how pissed off those crazy terrorists can get." "No need for insults, you got that?" " God forbid!" " Please, go on." "What do you need?" "Just a little question." " Nothing at all." " Call "Serluz."" "They offer a 10% discount for any business that orders signs in Catalonian." "They work for us." "I can't afford that, my business is small." "How about I write them myself by hand?" "I just need you to tell me how to write the words in Catalonian for certain garments." "Okay, go ahead." "Well, I have 3 list right here." "It's a bit long, but..." "Say it in Spanish and I'll translate for you." "But quickly." "Jacket." "Vest." "Fucking weird!" " What do you want from me?" " on, right." "Sorry about that." "You're very kind." " I'm wasting your time." " Continue." "Underwear" " Can you spell that?" " Sure, lady." "Bra and brassiere." "Garter belt." "Panties." "Robe." "Hey, that sounds offensive." "That's the word in Catalonian, mister." "Are you finished?" "No, wait." "Wait." "Exhaust-pipe!" "Wasn't it a lingerie shop?" "Mine is, Mrs. Norma." "This one's for a friend in the car business." "Hold on a sec." "Hey, Eudald." "How do you say "exhaust-pipe"?" "Damn, that's a fucking tough one." "How about... escape tube. " How should I know?" "No, no." "Here if is." ""Exhaust-pipe."" "Look, that was a hard one for us." "It might be "exhaust-pipe" but I'm not sure." "Try calling "Serluz."" ""Exhaust-pipe." That sounds wonderful." "With a hyphen" " Right, lady." "Right, this ignorant Spaniard is eternally grateful for your assistance." "Catalonia is such a rich, wonderful land!" "Don't mention it" " Have fun." " Thank you!" "Goodbye." "Pau Casals' natural son is looking for an opportunity" "Son of a bitch!" "Silly bitch, twat, open game." "I wanna see your ass hanging over the prow." "I bet your cunt juices make a hole in the mattress." "Your knockers are like two snorkers... when I get my pecker in to your hot tanker." "Congratulations, you speak Catalonian." "I'd slide it in Norma and fill her soul." "I could do with a little tenderness before giving in to my nightmares." "Juan." "Juan Mares." ""Angels call it divine enjoyment."" ""Devils call it hellish pain."" ""Men call it love."" ""Love is a tempestuous trade that always ends up in bankruptcy."" ""In love, the one who has the winning card is always the one who loves less."" "Juan." "Juan Mares." "Wake up, kiddo." "Good evening to you." "You again?" "What is it?" "Norma Valenti is waiting for us." "Like hell she is." "When was the last time you screwed, Mares?" "Going wacko would do you good." "Don't bother." "It won't work." "Sure it Will." "Trust me, asshole." "Put yourself in my hands." "I'll talk to her." "She'll go back lo you, believe you me." "She won't even see me." "I'll go in your place." "Don't you get it?" "Who are you?" "You mean you don't remember me?" "I always forget my dreams." "I'm that kid called Juan Faneca who used to be your pal and who went to Germany to make money." "Well?" "Remember me now, asshole?" "NOW I do." "We both know that Norma has a weakness for immigrants." "Remember what happened with the bootblack?" "And what about that waiter from Nijar, a village from the magic South?" "I can guess your plan." "It won't work." "Trust me, Catalonian." "I won't!" "Get lost!" "Musician madly in love needs help to feed his passion." "Madly in love again, after all this time." "Your life and mine, Norma." "Remind me just one more time." "My heart suffers ceaselessly." "At your age and with that face?" "Falling in love is madness." ""'5 indecent." "Falling in love again with your own wife!" " The same woman." " Shut up!" "Madness is my only release." "You just won't accept you got a small dick." ""Woman, if you ever speak to our Lord, asked Him if I ever stopped loving you."" ""Ask the sea, sole witness to my heart, how often it has seen me cry..."" "How about a drunk?" "I got some yummy-yummy omelet too." "And some finger licking good chicken." "The monks' own." "15 % alcoholic content" "More.." "Again." "Mares, is it true your wife likes Gypsies?" " Who told you that?" " He did." "Does she?" "She hasn't been my wife for ages." "But I heard she fell for a so alled Faneca." "Who's that?" "Someone Who's me and Who's someone else." "Someone who fucks up his dreams." "For Heaven's sake, look where you're going!" "My contact lens!" "My contact lens!" "Help me, do something!" "Good bye!" "Juan Mares." "It's high time you really went insane." "Being on the verge of madness isn't enough." "I'll never be anything but a lost dog." "I can never be you." "How about taking a bath, Mares?" "I'm the Phantom of the Opera." "Seeing me is enough to scare that girl." "I frighten people." "Nobody's going to change that." "Come on, man." "At least try" "If you really love her..." "I love her." "My neighbor's eyes aren't blue." "Neither are yours, pal." "Hi, cuckold." "Remember how your Dad used to turn into Fu Ching?" "Where's that miraculous box?" "Use your head, man." "Your life depends on it." "You look good enough to eat." "How about playing a joke on our neighbor?" "She's got one blue eye, like me." "Ain't we a bit tanked to make up to that bimbo?" "What we need here is to use some cool and show that noo broad can resist us." "Ecstasy Lane" "Hello there." "Ma'am, would you be so kind as to answer a few questions for a public opinion poll?" "Me answer a poll?" "Your name was chosen among thousands." " Who is it for?" " The Catalonian government." "It Will be shown On T.V." " Please come in." " Thank you." "Come ill." "Sit down." "Please, sit down." "First Of all tell me your name, please." "Griselda Ramos Gil." "Will it be shown On T.V.?" " That's right, Ma'am." " DO Sit down." "Thank you." "Age?" "MUS!" "I tell you?" "layout don't mind." "You can knock a few years off." "Well, I like you, So I'll tell you:" "I'm 37 years old." " YOU don't look it." " Thank you." "Profession?" "I sell tickets at a movie theater, but I'm studying Catalonian to work in the Corte Ingles." "Place Of birth?" "Seville." "Marital status?" "I'm a widow." "And free to do as you please." ""Ism" "Don't be indiscreet." "The souffle." "What um your husband die of, Ma'am?" "This has nothing to do with the poll." "I'm just curious." " A bull gored him." " A bullfighter?" "Plain banderillero." "What bad luck." "I can't complain." "He left rather quietly." "Excuse me, Ma'am, I don't know if I dare..." "Go ahead,... dare" "You don't deserve such bad luck." "With a Skin like yours, as smooth as the Virgin's, with a voice so sweet and tender, you shouldn't be alone in this world, believe me." "Thank you." "And your eyes." "Your eyes are lovely." "M ay I see them?" "How do you see me now, Ma'am?" "AS in 3 dream." "Shortsighted people see fine from up close." "Your eye is nice too." "What happened?" "The bullring." "H can't be." "YOU too?" "A 500 kilo beast called Nero, goddamn it." "Don't." "Every cloud has a silver lining." "The patch looks good on you." "It gives you a mysterious air." "I'm glad you think so." "Alright." "Let's carry on." "The poll's question is as follows:" "Would you sign a petition asking the Parliament Of Catalonia for the tenor Josep Carreras to be no longer considered a Spanish glory but rather a universal Catalonian?" "Think about it carefully before answering." "You see, I'm Andalusian, but there's nothing to think about." "My answer is yes." "What's more, Carreras and Caballe should sing all operas in Catalonian." "Don't you agree?" "I don't know, Ma'am." "I'm only doing my lob." "Anyway, ...thank you so much." "I don't want to bother you any longer." ""'5 HO bother." "Go ahead and ask me more, please." "You're not going to ask me anything else?" "I'd love to ask about your life, but..." "Tell me, is that souffle just for you?" "It smells wonderful." " Do you know what I'd mm" " Well, no..." "You've been so nice to me, So kind." "I'd like you to take me to the theater." "Will you do that?" "After we've eaten the souffle, of course." "I'd take you to the end of the word if need be." "And I wouldn't say it if it weren't true." "Come With me." "What Will you think Of me?" "I've showed you my bedroom." "The patch bit was great." "I liked that." "So did she." "You're a moron." "Poor' woman." "No harm in it, kid." "Speak for yourself, fucking immigrant." "Her skin is lovely, her heart pure gold." "Well!" "YOU gonna do it?" ""'5 madness." "It worked fine with your neighbor." "Better than we expected." "Yeah, a lonely woman Who's half blind!" "All of us are lonely." "Norma too." "It won't work." "You'll make do with hearing her voice over the phone?" "My sickness knows no cure." "Cheer up, man." "She's waiting for someone like me." "Look at me." "Wake up, fucker." "I never dream that I wake up." "Christ!" "You're stubborn." "Get out of your dream and get inside mine." "If that one-eyed thief's a friend of yours, now's your chance to slit his throat with a razor." "That'll make you feel better." "You'd feel even better if you catch them at it and kill them both." "YOU don't get it at all." "I want my friend to have his way with my wife." "YOU hear me?" "My friend and I are like the same person." "Flesh and blood." "You know what then?" "You're a little fucker." "I'd like to hear sometime how you managed to fuck yourself in the ass." "LOPS see it." "Where are you going, you lucky gorilla?" "I'm meeting my cousin Olga." "First to the carnival, and later wacky-wacky." "She promised." "Your cousing Olga isn't coming." "15 minutes ago she had her legs wrapped around some guy at Amaya." "Consider yourself lucky." "She'd have given you syphillis." "Who's this guy'?" "Mares." "What's his costume?" "The invisible man." "He doesn't want to be seen." "Says he's changing his face." "Man..." "Hopefully it'll look( better than the last one." "Good luck." "Party!" "Get in line!" "My shoe." "Who'd want a limping whore?" "How long are we going to wait here?" "Better here than in the temple of be!" "canto" "They won't come." " Ita's having a bad time." " I feel sorry for her." "She didn't have much luck." "All my girlfriends married the wrong man, Paulina, Isabel, Ita..." "So um you." "Norma, how um that slummy kid ever get in the bed of a rich heiress?" " Who do you mean?" " Your husband." "That was way back." " A gin." " By the way, I heard he goes around begging." " He plays the ?" "ute." " What's your bag, pal?" " I got a throat operation." " Sorry to hear that." "Yeah, I have trouble with the hard "I"." "Speak Catalonian, they're all soft." ""Seven just judge were in judgment." "over the juicy juices of a judgeship. "" "The lady here can teach you how to speak." "Or how to cut off your tongue and replace it by another." "Having two is more practical." "One is enough if you use it well." "I heard he held the ?" "ute with his feet while scratching a bottle with a spoon." "Who?" "Who do you think?" "Juan Mares." "Here they go again." "Stop if, Eudald." "He was a ventriloquist, and a good one too." "What was that funny story you told us, Norma?" "I I(know if." "Norma was talking about her parents' patriotism." "Suddenly, Juan came up and kissed her on the mouth." "A passionate kiss that went on forever." "And while he kissed her, he spoke through his hose." "Without ever taking his lips off Norma's, he recited Maragall's "Spiritual Song"." "Saliva and poetic dribble, Norma's ideal cocktail" "Don't be a moron." "Who asked you to fix it?" "Wimp." "Christ!" "You'll never cry again, Mares." "Come in, it's open!" "Hi there!" " Don't kiss me, I'm sick." " YOU got it bad, huh?" "It's tragic." "I'll have to quit smoking." "Want some tea?" " Yes." " Grab the tray." "You were expecting me." "Hey, you know how to say "ticklish" in Catalonian?" "No." "How about "I love you"?" "Very good." "Say it again." "You say it so well." "Not at all." "I've been here 5 years and I still can't speak a word." "Hello, goodbye, practically nothing." "Three little words are enough for me." "You have to read this book." "It's great." "You learn Catalonian, and it teaches you about life." "Everything has a psychological explanation." "I read it two months ago and it was like alight suddenly turned on in my head." "I was fluent." "Just like that." "Go on, say something." "My king..." "I can see in your eyes you want to go to bed with Griselda." "Mind if I pass you my cold?" "No." "Here it comes." "Why do you stick with the bandages if you're making half the money?" " Your clients think it's 3 trick." " ll is." "My face is silver under the bandages." "Yeah, silver my ass." "Can you play a waltz?" "It's my birthday." "This one's for you." "This music brings back bitter memories." "Every New Year's Eve at midnight, Norma and I used to dance this waltz holding a candle." "It's a beautiful day, don't fuck it!" "Here we go again." "What's wrong now, Mares?" "I love her!" "Hello?" "Mrs. Mares, please." "Whom did you say?" "I want to speak to Mrs. Norma Valenti." " Who's calling, please?" " She doesn't know me." "Tell her I have a message from her husband." "One moment, please." "Ma'am, it's for you." "Mrs. Norma Valenti?" "My name is Juan Faneca, I'm a friend of your husband." "I'm calling to ask for an appointment." " Why?" " "'5 3 delicate matter." "I can't tell you over the phone." " It's about Juan Mares." " Is there something wrong?" "He's gone mad, Ma'am." "We can't find him anywhere." "So what?" "He'll turn up." "I hope so, anyway." "I can't believe you don't care." "Anything could have happened to him." "Call back in a couple of days, he'll show up." "There's something else, it's very important." "Joan left a notebook for you,... it's full Of writing about his life." "Next to your name, he wrote "most urgent"." "Don't overdo it." "I'm busy until six." "I'll expect you at seven." "Yes, Ma'am, thank you." "At seven o'clock sharp." "This is my life's last page." "YOU'LL never know what became Of me." "From this moment on, I'm no longer Mares." "I now form part of eternity to honor one sole goddess, a unique and enormous, oceanic, universal feeling." "You're my whole life, Norma." "Testing." "Testing, testing, one, two, three." "Testing the smooth and manly voice which will conquer my Norma." "COMB ill." "Madam will be right with you." "How do you do, Ma'am?" "I wish to thank you for your trust and tell you that you're much prettier than I was told." "Very kind of you." "I have very little time." "Please, sit down." "I'm afraid you've come for nothing." "It's been years since I've seen Joan." "What did you say your name was?" "Fanega?" "No, Faneca." "Juan Faneca." "A drink?" "I would't mind a little gin." "You have the same tastes as Juan Mares." "I do, Ma'am." "It's normal." "We grew up together on Verdi Street." "Tell me about my ex-husband, Mr. Faneca." "That's why you came." "What's wrong?" "He's let himself go." "LUCK turned her back( OI] him." "He thinks a lot about you." "All day long." "He's bitten real bad." "He's got love madness." "You're lost, Mares." "There's no worse madness than love madness." "If he needs money, do tell me his account number." "He still lives On Walden St.?" "Yes, but the apartment is yours." "Tell him not to worry, I won't kick him out." "He's alone like a dog." "I get heart-broken seeing him like that." "He never stops thinking of you." "All he wants is a little rest from his sorrows, a little relief for In broken heart." "There must be 3 woman..." "There's only been one woman, you." "I'm sorry to hear that." "Alright." " Is it true he's disappeared?" " That's right." "He left this for you." "Does he expect me to enjoy reading his fantasies?" "Have you called the police?" "No, we haven't." "We wanted to know what you thought." " It's one of Juan's tricks." " Forgive me, but I came because I'm 3 friend Of Juan." "We grew up together on Verdi Street." "I already told you that." "Of course, you may not like it." "Happy memories are always frightening." "Joan's not even a memory." " He's nothing." " Don't say that!" " Haven't you got a heart?" " It's the truth." "Have you read it?" " I would never dare." " I don't care." "If you've read it, too bad." "Lionela!" "Leave me your phone number, Mr. Faneca." "I may change my mind after reading this notebook." "I'd love w, but I haven't been in Barcelona for long." "I'll call you to tell you." "May I invite you for a drink some time?" "Today, as I was on San Jaume Square, I saw Norma go by." "The bitch was wearing tight pants which, incredibly enough, underlined even more those glorious buttocks of hers." "I followed her real close while whispering atrocious obscenities." "But she smiled." "The bitch just smiled" "I hope she'll read this some day." "She'll know that the phantom With the burnt face that beggar who managed to excite her, was me, Juan Mares, her ex-husband, her eternal lover." "Who is it?" "What is it?" " Have you got rooms?" " Yes, sir." "Full board'?" "No, just to sleep." "1,500 pesetas a night." " Will you be staying long?" " It depends." "Al least 3 week." "What's your phone number?" "317" " 2605." " Thank you." "Would you mind filling in the form?" "My name's Juan Faneca." "I used to live here as a kid, where the garage is." "You weren't even been born yet." "Here's the key." "Number six." "Grandma!" "A Quest!" "Go ahead." "My grandmother will show you the room." "Thank you." "Number six." "Thank you." "You'll have to put up with the noise." "The party only lasts a couple of hours." "You don't remember me, Ma'am?" "Of course not." "It's been a long time." "I'm Juan Faneca." ""Fanequilla."" "Really?" "Juan Faneca?" " Are you sure?" " Yes." "You still owe me that money I lent you before you left for Germany." "If you're rich now," "I'll take it with interest." "Some platinum anniversary celebration or something." "They should cut it out already." "They got sent away from the tavern." "COINS OI]." "LOOK." "YOU want to see it?" "Go on, it's only been 4 days." "Pathetic, isn't it?" "They'll be at it all night" "I warned the doctor." "He's older than they are." "What happened to your eye?" "A car accident." "That's all we needed." "A guy with one eye." "Mares is such a pig." ""My dear Mares, I trust I'll hear from your wife soon."" ""I've given Norma your memories,... just as you asked me to."" ""I am sure she Will like them."" ""A hug, hope you burst soon."" ""Faneca" " Hello?" " Miss..." "Could you take down my phone number, I'm Juan Faneca." "Have you got a pen?" "Madam has left a message for you." "She expects you today at five." "Very well, at five." "YOU read it, right?" "No, Ma'am, I didn't." "It doesn't matter." "He may haven been obsessed by my ass, but his love for me was real, I know it." "As real as the sun that shines on our wretchedness." "On losing you, he lost his reason." "I'll end up thinking I was married to a stranger." "The Juan Mares you knew didn't exist." "He was a hoax, ?" "character invented by a kid from Verdi SI." "He was a poor devil." "He was?" "You speak as if he were dead." "To me, it's as if he were dead." "It's a pity that kid went down the drain." "Such a handsome Catalonian, so well read, so clever!" "He was neither well read or clever." "Now he's just a rag, a nothing." "There's something strange." "You came here to defend Juan, yet I feel that you hate him." "He's my brother, but I'm damned if I'll see him kill himself." "Forgive me, I can't feel sorry for him." "If he ever needs money, let me know." "I'll always give him a hand." "Meanwhile, I'd prefer to change the subject." "I still think Juan is Up to something, that he's planned it." "Typical of him." "Would you like 3 drink?" "A gin, as usual?" "Whatever you say." "A drink would be welcome." "Tell me about yourself." "What do you do?" "How old are you, Faneca?" "How old would you say?" "You're younger than Joan." " I'd say forty." " Let's leave it at that." "Place Of birth?" "YOU won't believe it." " I was born here, like Juan." " You were, but they took you back to the village." "No, Ma'am." "From Verdi SI." "I went to Germany, and back again." "Really?" "What about your accent?" "My parents were Andalusian." "That's the way we speak." "How long have you lived in Catalonia?" "Discounting the time I spent in Germany, 30 years." " You don't speak Catalonian?" " No, Ma'am." "I just can't" " What about German?" " Kind Of." "Over there, they don't understand Spanish." "I bet it's the same with Catalonian." "You probably speak it "kind of"." "That's true." "Give it a try" "Don't wait." "Now?" "Say something." "The first thing you can think of" "I feel embarrassed." "There's no shame in having an accent, don't worry." "It's not because of the accent, Ma'am." "COINS OI]." "Give me a blow job" "Most eloquent." "Another drink?" "Please." "You're remarkably brazen." " I didn't mean anything bad." " You don't say?" "Have I offended you?" "Don't ask idiotic questions." "You are a wonderful woman." "I wonder what Joan's told you about me?" "He told me you're used to handle men." "That could be taken as an insult." "But let's forget it." "I've enjoyed myself, I'-.-'Ir." "Faneca." "Thank you." "I believe I'd like IO see the street where you and my husband grew up." "I may come and visit you some time." "Very well." "When Will that be?" "I don't know." "Please go now." "Close your eyes." "You mean "your eye", Grise." "Alright, your eye." "Ready." "Keep it closed!" "Put your hands on my ass." "Lift me" "Lift me" "Open your eye." "Grise!" "I'm a new woman, Juan!" "Look at my eyes." "They're blue, just like yours." "I've got a new hairdo." "But most important of all, I work at the Corte Ingles!" "That's great!" "In Catalonian, please." "I must speak Catalonian." "You too." "New contact lenses, a new hairdo, a new job and a new tongue,... the new Griselda!" "We've got to celebrate." "Doing what?" "The usual, of course." "And all the nice things you tell me, say them in Catalonian." "I want to have a good fuck in Catalonian." "Come on." "It's all yours." "Just for you." "Whisper sweet nothings in Catalonian." "You're finger licking good." "Tell me you love me." "I love you more than the air I breath, Grise." "Stick if ill deeper inside." "Like if?" "More than pancakes with maple syrup." "Don't move, Grise, of I'll come." "In Catalonian, please." " Where are you, Mr. Faneca?" " Over here, child." "By the window." " What are you doing?" " I'm thinking." ""It's so nice here."" ""Should we go out?"" ""Should we stay?"" "We've got to eat" " What are you thinking about?" " Silly things." "About this street years ago, when I was a kid." "No, you're not." "Blind people have a sixth sense." "I have half a sixth sense, I lost one eye." "You may not believe it, but I can guess things." "Give me an example." "Alright." "You're not happy." "Are you, child?" "I'm blind, but I'd be happy with just one eye." "One eye to see the world in color, lo see this film." "It's black and white." "Happiness doesn't last very long." "We're not satisfied to see the world in color." "It's never enough." "Hello?" "Palace Hotel?" "Speak my language?" "T.R. Decky." "Any messages for me?" "It's not her, Mr. Faneca." "But some day it Will be, won't it?" "Some day." "When that day comes, promise me to be happy." "If you promise, I'll tell you what I see." "That day, I'll feel as if I had both my eyes." "In that case, you should know that the woman who's broken your life to bits is about to come." "I wish you were right, child." "Mr. Faneca, a lady's asked for you." "She's waiting for you at the bar." "See?" "How did you know?" "She called three times while you were gone." "Remember your promise." "I had some pretty red balls." "Where are they?" "Shit!" "Goddamn if!" "There he is." "Faneca, Eudald Verdu." "Sir." "This drink is shit." "I came to return my ex-husband's confessions." "They're yours." "I prefer someone else to burn them." "I had fun reading them." "But they prove that Joan's idea of sexual relationships was the same than a porter's." "That's what he was." "Shut up." "Well, Ma'am, I also used to be a porter." "I'll qualify that." "Janitor in a Ministry." "Were you ever a janitor in a Ministry?" "No, I wasn't." "Listen, "Ma'am", as you call her, told me: "Come along."" ""I'll introduce you to a guy from Andalusia who speaks like Vito Corleone."" "Fuck Off, shithead." "We'll both fuck Off." "I can't take your immigrant." "Let's go." "No one orders me around." "You're a two-bit whore." "And you he chicken shit, a windbag with an ass full Of dry shit and a tiny prick." " You understand her?" " I get the general meaning." "Know something?" "Get yourself a belly." "Get him 3 drink." "Thank you." "Isn't he sweet?" "To get a belly." "I wish I could." " I'm terribly sorry." " Well, I'm not." "I've put up with that ass for three months." "We've eaten together, we've had drinks and we've fought." "I was up to here." "Forget n, it doesn't matter one bit." "It's forgotten." "You said you'd invite me for a drink." "A promise is a promise." "Your husband's probably around." "He could just walk in here." "Are you sure?" "Pretty sure." "Even so, although I doubt it, we won't let that ruin the evening." "That mustache does look good on you, slicker." "He's having a bad time." "Isn't that too bad?" "But it's not our fault, is it?" "You're right about that." "BU!" "he'll think we're cuckolding him under his nose." "What about you?" "I'm here to do as the lady pleases." "Anything nice in your room?" "A bottle Of sherry." "Let's go then." "So, that's your district." "I like it." "Shoe, little shoe," "...where's the stone?" "COINS OI]." "Stick if all the way ill, bastard!" "Fuck me!" "Slide it in right to the top!" "Tear my cunt apart!" "More!" "." "More!" "." "Fire your cannon!" "Wait, don't move." "Piss inside me." "What?" "PISS inside, damn if." "Wet my cunt, drown it." "I can't." "HOW nice." "What's this?" "YOU should know." "I shaved it and didn't like the way I looked." "You screw like Joan." "Did the same whore teach you?" "I don't get complaints about my performance." "I suppose not." "Are you glad to have cuckolded your friend?" "No, Ma'am." "But I'm sure glad to have known, really known, the woman Juan Mares used to screw." "I got the sensation I screwed with a corpse." "Again." "That's him." "YOU still there?" "What do you want, fucker?" "Cocksucker!" "Go get lost, cuckold!" "It's over now." "Dickhead." "Fucking immigrant!" "Mares!" "Wait!" "Fuck Off!" " Don't you remember?" " Go suck your mother!" "Where do you want to go?" "I'll take you." "I don't know about you, but I'm going to get laid." " No, wait." " Lay off." "Wait." " We'll go see my Griselda." " Who's the hell that?" "She's got a great ass, man." " And her heart's pure gold."