Caray, Caray!

UPDATE: As people have been too nice to point out directly, I erred big time - it's a Frankie hankie, not a necktie, which fell behind the couch. I have a very small tv far from my aging eyeballs - and I kept ignoring that panuelo - in other shows, it's usually a necktie. Thanks for the correction.

---

Rod repeats his Oscar-winning crying scene, in shuddering gasps telling Dani he needs an exorcism, he must drive Gaviota from his soul so he can leave her in peace and also not end up in a straitjacket himself. He says he doesn't want to stalk her and fight with her. He snarls YET AGAIN about Dr. Blondie's luggage. "This was the worst day of my life - I was ridiculous, I was such a dummy, I'm falling into a bottomless pit, I'm going crazy, please help me." [If this was the worst day of his life, he's been awfully lucky. -- Ed.]

Daniela's choreographer had recommended psychologist Dr. Erika, who in fine telenovela style is a babe, to treat the tortured sex-deprived manchild.

So Dani goes to see Rod at his office next morning (greeting Aaron, who's smirking at what a mess Rod is, as "the most sinister member of the family").

Rod, all rumpled and hungover (getting a lot of work done no doubt) shouts he won't see the shrink after all (he waits till Dani has Dr. Erika on the phone, of course, so she hears the whole thing) - Dani is annoyed - he says, "well, I won't see her in an office, because I'm not just any regular kind of guy and I don't like rules." [Are you Rod Rangerettes STILL liking him?] Dr. Erika agrees to see him, instead, at 8 that night at a fancy restaurant.

The odd spasm of jealousy which caused Elvis to say Adios the other night is over. He comes back into the room (still in the same shirt so it hasn't been long), asks Daniela's pardon, and they embrace in mutual distress over poor Rodrigo.

What's the name of that high-rise where Rod and Isa live, Basurio? I always misread it basura, garbage. So in the House of Garbage Frankie is drinking his rosé wine (because he's tired of the champagne Isa is always offering) and she is chugging the champagne (cause she's drinking for two). He says he has to go back to the missus cause it's 11:00. Isa wheedles him into staying longer. He (cymbal crash) drops his tie in the corner just before he leaves.

Hilario and two of his dames are sitting in some coffeehouse, he doesn't want to go home because San Juana is there. They warn him he won't be quit of her by making her angry. Cut to her, angrily stuffing his half of the dinner into her gullet and saying in the end she will be mistress of his bones. (It sounds sort of scary in English.) Hil's boss Cassandra (who also would like to be mistress of his bones) calls and SanWanna gives her a pointless earful.

And now to dispose of Gaviota, Clara, Dr. Blondie, and the placid herd of rich international investors. Clara is nervous, wondering if - after the previous night's debacle - Rod will show up to take her to the airport. Gav is sure he will, but Roman shows up instead and informs us all that Rod has gone back to the city and that he, Roman, has been charged with taking Clara to the airport.

However, she decides to go with the investormobile instead (Dr. Blondie invited her).

Gav is impactada - "He left, he left!" she thought bubbles (I know Ferro is very fond of these moments of crystalline obviousness).

The herd crosses the plains to Teuchitlán, which is very pretty, and gets yet another Chamber of Commerce moment. [BTW I've seen similar 'sacred ball fields' in Puerto Rico. They are not impressive in the slightest, in fact the guards at the gate couldn't keep from cracking up at the idea we were going to pay good money to see them. --Ed.]

At the herd's last stop, CRT (I believe those might be real, actual CRT bureaucrats making cameo appearances, they appear so stiff and false), Gaviota decides: "If Rod believes Aaron rather than me about that damn luggage, then he doesn't really love me."

Elsewhere, Sofia yells at Francisco for being so late coming home last night, no doubt he was with his "panther." He says, "Sofia, mon cherie, you know you're the only woman in my life, in future I'll be home at 11..." (seeing the unplacated look on her face...) "... 10..." she yells, "NINE O'CLOCK AND NOT A MINUTE LATER!!"

Daniela enters, asks Francisco to leave so she can talk to her sister, and pleads that (at least while Rod is blubbering insanely) Sofia be an ally to her brother rather than to Minerva and Isa. He needs peace and less pressure, Sofia should talk Isa down out of her Amazonian frenzies of jealousy and castigation.

So off Sofia goes to do just that. When she rings the bell Isa rushes around to hide the champagne bottles etc. Hearing about Rodrigo's increased instability and woe, Isa of course wants to go on about Gaviota. She shamelessly thunders: "How would you feel if your husband Francisco were to be involved with another woman? But if you think the shrink can pry my husband out of Gaviota's clutches, I'll support this plan."

Then - cymbals crash - Sofia finds the tie. Isa says it must be Rod's; however, that obviously won't fly because it's expensively embroidered with Frankie's initials. "Well, you certainly don't think I was alone with your husband, do you?? He must have forgotten it here that night we dames were so drunk." "...the first, and last, time for me..." reminisces Sofia... who, then, icy and stricken, mutters that she has to go pick up Frankie's special delectable tidbits and stalks out.

Isa calls Frankie, who is sleeping and hence misses the point of her hysterical report. "Oh, my special green silk tie has been found? Thank goodness, it was so expensive!"

He is sleeping yet again, with cucumbers on his eyes, when Rod bursts into the room. At first Frankie thinks he's about to get separated from his family jewels - in every sense - because surely Rod has found out about his dalliances with Isa - but no, Rod has just come to yell about the two little hotties who were asking about Frankie - in a very familiar way - yesterday on the plaza. Rod says he'll kill Frankie if he ever betrays Sofia, and leaves. Frankie is relieved.

Isa paces until Belisario, maybe he's the building superintendant, answers her summons. She asks for a bunch of phone numbers and clearly has some ass-covering maneuver in mind. It will be revealed in some subsequent episode.

"Where's the chauffeur? I certainly can't be expected to carry these bags!" Yes, it's Frankie! Waiting impatiently for Sofia to return so they can get to the airport... She arrives with a threatening look...

This is his finest hour! What an experienced bluffer he is! He yells at her for being late! She asks if he's been missing a tie. "Why, yes, a special green silk one, I think the employees here can't be trusted"

She pulls it out of her bag. "Oh mon petit fleur, thank goodness! It's such a special expensive tie, 200 Euros, it would be so hard to get it duplicated!"

She asks why it was behind Isa's sofa on the ground! He says, "My special tie, 200 Euros, on the Ground!?? Really, it's TOO bad of you, it's your fault, after all, you're in charge of taking care of my special things! So you better stop lending my special things to your brother! Be more careful in the future!"

Frankie exits, wincing as he ostentatiously picks up some small item to carry out to the car. "Careful, don't wreck your manicure," warns Dani on the way in. She tells Sofia, "Now that we're really sisters again, you can count on me any time." They embrace.

And it's night-time, and Rod and Dr. Erika meet at the restaurant.

Tomorrow: more of the same.

Labels: Destilando