Caray, Caray!

As we open, Lety and Aldo have a full blown fight over the message Fern left on the street. He thinks Fern is conniving. Lety correctly thinks that Aldo is blowing it out of proportion. As they fight, a car drives past them. Mom watches from window and notices that the car wiped away Fern’s message. As the car drives away. Aldo and Lety see that there is a "Just Married" sign on it, and tin cans strung to the bumper. Lety and Aldo make up and play annoying baby talk games.
Lety returns to her room. Mom is waiting there to ask if she’s sure about Aldo. Lety sullenly says that, well, she’s been wrong about many things… except her decision to marry Aldo.
At the 3’s Company pad, Omar is singing "Te quierooooo!" very loudly. I thnk it’s supposed to be a ranchera (mariachi) song, but it sounds more like really bad opera. Fern here’s the ruckus and runs in with a stick to defend his home from the apparent intruder. Marcia walks in and Fern throws her on the floor to protect her. Omar comes in and they realize he’s the perpetrator. Fern sees the look on Omar’s face-- very different from the gloomy puss he was sporting yesterday. They dance around and sing some more. Fern asks if by chance he saw Aurora last night. Omar does not confirms nor deny, he just continues singing and dancing, and Fern joins him.
Lety dreams… She’s on he set in her Aurora getup. Fern’s back is to her. She tells him (in her Lety voice) that they have to hurry up and finish taping the show, because Aldo may think that she dresses this way just to spend time with Fern. He turns around, but it’s not Fern, and it’s Aldo! Then Fern appears on the other side of Aurora. Fern says "Well, since you have Lety, then I’ll keep Aurora." Lety wakes with a start. She cries that she’s not Aurora, but every day she’s less and less Lety.
Next morning, Jasmine greets Aurora in the main lobby. Today’s outfit is a long, flowing peach number, with a gem-studded pin resting at the cleavage. A bit too monochromatic with her hair and make-up, but I think I’m getting used to it. Jasmine is brown nosing when Omar arrives, still singing. Jasmine notes that everyone knows Omar’s got the hots for Aurora. Aurora does not dispute it. Omar walks right by them, not even noticing them. He jumps on the elevator and the door closes before Aurora can get in.
The cuartel rehashes Fern’s musical tale of heartbreak from the night before.

Doña Bozo arrives looking for the her hijo, el galan (gallant son; a novella stud is often referred to as a galan ). The cuartel comments that she will be very surprised when she sees her son. Bozo goes to see Marcia and again shares her excitement about her son becoming a famous t.v. star. Marcia tries to explain what the show is about but Bozo is too busy gushing over her son to listen.

On the set, the scene begins. Aurora turns to meet Inocencio (Fern). He is all spiffed up in his sharp black tux. The camera pans to his face, he smiles and we see… Big, yellow, chipped, chicklet teeth! … A huge shnoz worthy of an octogenarian alcoholic, and… is it? Could it be? Yes, I think it’s… a unibrow! He gives Aurora a big smile, and puckers up to throw an air kiss. Aurora is impactada.
Doña Bozo, watching from off camera, is also impactada. She exclaims that it can’t be her son. She demands an explanation. They cut the scene so Fern can explain that he made up the character with Lety’s help. She asks why he can’t make up a character that’s more… uh, galan-worthy.
Aurora grumbles "hijo unico" (only son). Fern starts to defend himself, then stops to ask how she would know (that he’s an only son). Aurora’s eyes bulge, but she recovers and says that it’s obvious. Jeronimo, who is also in the scene, disgustedly mutters "novato" (novice). Fern sarcastically replies to him "Brad Pitt."
Alicia is busy as a bee at Tomas’s desk – busy embezzling, that is. She signs another of Tomas’s checks and congratulates herself on how well she has learned to copy Tom’s signature now. Tom’s phone rings and Alicia answers. It’s the bank and they are concerned because they believe one of his checks has a fraudulent signature. She gulps and says she will give him message. She hangs up and panics. She exclaims that she could go to jail. She tears up the check and hides it in her cleavage. She decides that she better find a more creative way to get money from her husband.
In his office, Omar is thinking about Caro. He would love to go back to her house, but he doesn’t want to seem… (he doesn’t finish the sentence). He tries to think of a good pretext to visit her again… He considers taking flowers, or maybe chocolates, the kind with the filling… He hears Caro in the vortex and gets super excited. He runs out to look for her. As he runs in, Caro turns and runs out.
Back on the set, Aurora asks Inocencio how much he charges for his secret agent services. He replies that his charge is nothing, except a kiss… right there on his labios eficientes (efficient lips? – does that mean his lips don’t waste any time? Or that, like an efficient secretary, they are most willing and able? Or…. maybe I need to pause here to get a cold glass of water). Aurora is insulted by Inocencio’s proposed price. Can’t he see she’s a woman of class? His mood changes. He says that yes, he can see that, and he is no longer interested in helping her because she (he hisses "usted") doesn’t have a heart. Aurora clutches her heart. He searches for a hankerchief in his pockets (how many volunteers out there would like to help Fern search for his hanky?... me! me! meeee!). He finds it, inhales deeply, and doubles over while covering his face with the hanky. He looks up and we see that the fake nose is now on the hanky. Aurora sees the true, hunka-hunka burning love beneath Inocencio's feo face, and is-- understandably-- impactada again. She signals to Jeromino to make room for her, and then promptly faints into his arms. Jeronimo catches her and then she bounces back up to tell Inocencio that he lied to her. She is now prepared to pay the price he has set (the kiss!). Inocencio says that is no longer an option. He explains that he learned long ago that true love comes from the eyes of the heart. He learned that from a marvelous woman who everyone called la fea.
He reveals the true objective of his secret agent assignment: to investigate true love. He must find it because true love was stolen from him and now his mission is to find out what happened to it. Aurora whispers to Jeromino that this is not in script. She adlibs, "So, this is a test to see if woman are only interested in appearances?" He replies "Sort of" and says that she should also remove her mask. This makes Aurora’s eyes twitch, Lety-style. She yells "Cut!" and walks off quickly. Caro follows. Luigi is exasperated and throws the script in the air. Fern’s impromptu discourse on true love has changed Jeronimo’s opinion of Fern acting abilities. He applauds him, saying "Repect for you, great actor!" Fern seems a bit taken aback with himself too.
Away from the set, Aurora/Lety is flustered. She tells Caro that it’s as if Fern can tell that she is in costume; that’s she’s not really as she appears. She complains that she can’t take off her Aurora mask -- she is trapped within herself!
On the set, Luigi tells Fern that he has to respect his own work, he should not disrespect himself by changing his script. They are interrupted by Aurora’s return. Luigi tells her she must act as if she can’t resist Inocencio. She must convey an unbearable desire to kiss him. Aurora and Fern look at each other like "Eww!"
Alicia is still in Tomas’s office on the phone with her dad. She’s distraught over possibly getting caught with the fake checks. She promises to stop doing it. From now on she will find a way to make Tomas sign the checks himself. Just then Tomas comes to his office door. I think he heard the end of the conversation, but I’m not sure if he understood the context. He walks in and asks to speak to dad, but Alicia quickly hangs up. They go back and forth about whether they should call dad back or not. She accuses him of wanting to talk to him about the money he was supposed to pay for the reception. She cries that he only cares about money. Blah, blah, blah… the phone rings and Tomas picks it up! Is it her dad or is it the bank calling again about the bogus check? Either way, Alicia is terrified!


Back at the set, Luigi tells Aurora that she has the beauty and style of diva, but sometimes, the India Maria in her slips out [La India Maria – a film character made famous by María Elena Velasco– is a an unrefined, naive Mexican Indian woman who manages to get herself into all kinds of wacky adventures. There are at least a dozen Mexican movies with this character]. Luigi says it’s almost as if she is the platypus’s (Lety’s) sister! Omar anticipates that this comment will anger Fern, so he runs over to hold Fern back. Fern assures Omar that he will not beat up Luigi for the platypus’s comment.
Luigi continues, saying that Aurora need to channel La Garbo (Greta, I’m assuming), she must act if she can smell Inocencio’s esencia de macho (macho essence). To illustrate, Luigi grabs Fern by the waist and thrusts him closer. He instructs "Inocencio must drive you crazy. You draw your lips closer to him slowly [still holding Fern by the waist, he demonstrates the technique]… and then…" Fern squeals and jumps away from Luigi. [What an excellent scene! Pause, rewind, play; pause, rewind, play.] Fern brushes the Luigi cooties off of himself. Luigi continues his instruction: Aurora and Inocencio must have strong eye contact. Aurora and Fern look at each other. Luigi says that he needs them to feel the energy between them. Aurora looks intently at Fern, losing herself for a moment. Then suddenly, she runs off all diva-esque, declaring a sudden need to speak to her agent (Tomas). Caro follows. Fern and Luigi are frustrated because she keeps running off.

Fern and Omar go to the vortex, where Fern asks for Lety. He says he needs her now more than ever. The cuartel informs him that she won’t be in until the afternoon. Martha offers that she is working on wedding preparations. The others groan at her indiscretion. Omar says they must work on the problem with Aurora’s acting – as sexy as she is, she having trouble acting sexy on camera. They need to teach her to be sensual y coqueta (sensuous and flirty). Fern says that’s exactly why he needs Lety-- to teach Aurora how to be coqueta. Omar asks, how does he figure that GargoLety could possibly... (he doesn’t finish the sentence). Fern grits his teeth. Irmita interrups and comes between them. She says she has to admit that Omar has a point. Fern reasons that Lety is tierna y hermosa (tender and beautiful), which is why he fell in love with her. The cuartel awhs. Omar giggles, which enrages Fern, so Omar hides behind Irma.
Tomas is in his office, and Alicia is hitting him up for money. Aurora and Caro come in. Alicia takes this opportunity to inform Aurora that Tomas will be doubling the fee for his talent agent service. Tomas more or less kicks Alicia out of the office. Aurora whines in her Lety voice because Luigi wants her to hermosa y sensual, and she just can’t do it. Caro thinks she should just act natural. Aurora’s whining continues and Tomas says Caro should teach her. Caro hides behind her purse and says "the number you have reached is busy."

Marcia and Doña Bozo discuss the new show. They think Agente Corazon Corazon Amor will be a big big hit.

Lety bellyaches some more because she can’t be sensual. Tomas has an idea, he knows the perfect person to teach her, it’s the most sensuous person in the world! He runs out. Lety thinks she knows who he’s talking about. She twists her face with angst.
In the vortex, the cuartel debates whether to tell Aldo that Fern was going to serenade Lety the night before (and this is their business because?). They take sides again.
Alicia says she will show Aurora her talents, but who knows if she’ll understand. She demonstrates a breathing exercise in which she heaves in and out; it looks similar to that old junior high "We must, we must, we must increase our bust" exercise. Aurora watches and stifles a giggle . Finally, she says this is a waste of time. She and Caro walk out, leaving Tomas to enjoy Alicia’s heaving boobs demonstration.
Aldo discusses his impending wedding with someone on the phone. He thinks it would be a good idea to have the wedding on a yacht. Whoever it is on the other end offers to sponsor (pay for) the yacht.

In the boy’s office/clubhouse, Fern is still ticked off with Omar. Omar changes the subject. He says that he now understands what Fern said before about making love with Lety, that with every touch and every kiss, he could feel how much she loved him . Omar admits that he felt that same way last night. Fern asks with who... Omar tells him it was Caro.
In another room, Caro tells Lety about the turn of events with Omar. Lety is so impactada that she mixes up her words: "You made Omar with love?" She is suspicious of his intentions, but Caro thinks that he’s changed. Lety wonders if maybe that’s why he didn’t pay attention to her when he got on the elevator that morning. Caro is excited to hear this, but then frowns. She’s worried about falling in love only to end up hurt.

Back on the set, Fern tells Luigi that Aurora is not capable of conveying emotion because she has no feelings.

Aldo walks into the vortex and Martha tells him they have something to tell him. PM stops her, but Sarah can’t resist and tells him that Fern was going to serenade Lety last night. Aldo is slightly miffed, but act amused by it. Lola actually asks "Don’t you think Lety should end up with Fern?" [I’m serious, she actually asked him this!] Aldo confidently promises that Lety will end up with the guy she deserves. He promises again for good measure… man, it was creepy.
Fern and Aurora continue their scene, which involves a profound and evocative conversation about what a kiss is.

• Inocencio: It’s more that just brushing lips together.
  Aurora: Maybe, but the important thing is to attain it. Not just anyone can attain it… not just anyone.
  Inocenncio: Well, who do you think is capable of succeeding? What type of person?
  Aurora: Someone calido, sensual, amoroso, (warm, sensuous, loving), which you are not.
  Inocencio: [forgets his line and she has to remind him] Are you sure?

Luigi loves the scene, but stops them to suggest a tiny change-- a kiss on the lips. Aurora and Fern both scream in terror "Que!!!"

Labels: fea