Caray, Caray!

The review: Ana tries to keep Paula the stupida from tearing off to put herself in the middle of the fracas between Juan and Cesar Luis. Paula does a double feint then when she has tricked Ana into going into the kitchen on the pretext of making her tea, she scampers out the front door with Ana yelling you tricked me.

Favorite part of the review: CL says this isn't a gangsta' movie while the glimmering antique cars roll through the steamy fog and an impressively well dressed Juan emerges with his oozie for a shoot out with Cesar Luis taunting "This is my territory and you'll pay with your life, Bobo. They rat-a-tat-tat at each other, even Gaitan gets in the action. Oops, he said NOT, Juan reenters the office from the movie theater in the back of his head. [ed. note, best scene of entire telenovela in my opinion]. Cesar Luis is actually saying he has nothing to stay for,Paula was the only thing that had any meaning for him, he wishes him luck but he hopes to never see Juan Dominguez again. Juan exits shortly nearly knocking over the scattering lizards and makes insinuating sweet talk with Marely who pries for information with disappointment, but at least he says he hates to see CL so undone like this, calls her his little rose garden as he kisses her goodbye for now.

At Ferrell, Inc. Heriberto arrives, looks like he's going to wash up in the fountain of the lounge lizards then sweeps up Ivonne's hand in a grand courtly kiss. Gaitan scuddles up from behind startles Heri with his simpering joy at seeing him, it's a miracle. You work here? Gaitan avers he is the right arm to the president. Heri, asks in all innocence, of the Republic? No, Gaitan demurs, of the Company. Heri want to see CL but is swept off to Gaitan's office

Grabbing his briefcase, Cesar Luis makes his way without explaining anything nor even feeding the lounge lizards hanging hungrily on the edges. He says don't talk to me, if you want to know anything ask Juan Dominguez. [Ed note, it must require lessons to be able to spit out a proper name while making it sound like a string of vile swear words.

Juanito in his class is listening to Profe Pomposo while the class bullies pass him threatening notes and make throat cutting threats in jestures. [Ed. note, Maybe this is a nursery rhyme but what I understood of Pomposo's recital] The baby lost his bottle, they played with the ball, the wind made the king's crown fly away...

Back in Gaitan's office we find out that Heri is fed up with working with Anga at lowly manual work. Juan made lots of promises to him that weren't delivered. He's up to the eyebrow, ear and temple (ceja, oreja, y sien). Gaitan grasps that Heri's father is influential and Heri is certainly of a quality. He knows Anga is difficult and certainly for someone of Heri's international style who wouldn't be suited to bothersome procedures (tramites engorrosos).

Kike cries into the baby's blanket while Nidia tries to placate him with offers of help but he says if she can't help him get his daughter back, no one can help him, but thanks for her intentions.

Heri chases Ivonne around the desk a bit but Gaitan pulls him back with filling out the application form (llenada tu solicitude). Every once in a while he actually performs some minor human resources functions. They also need to get back to the strategies for buying the Campeoni Co.

Paula and Marely at lunch discuss the eerie calm civilized discussion between CL and Juan no blows, no screams. CL plans to leave the country perhaps forever. His boat is adrift. (barco va a deriva). In a taxi, Juan thought bubbles about CL's bitterness. Paula goes on that she is worried about money. She makes very little working for Anga, has to maintain the house and support Ana's gallery expenses. She's worried which Marely can barely believe.

Anga expresses his double bind frustration with Gaitan. On one hand he was sick of his ways, disgusted with most of it and yet he misses him after they had such a close time together. Juan reminds Anga that he brought Gaitan into his house. So the mequetrefe (good-for-nothing) can't be gotten rid of. He curses the day he came into his life.

Gaitan and Heri dine at an outdoor restaurant, Heri is slurping down wine and gobbling his food so loudly that dine isn't a good description. He notices the fastidious Gaitan is sitting, a bit green watching. Why aren't you eating much? Actually I am on a diet, I'm so fat. You don't seem so fat to me. Thanks for the compliment (flor) but I'm also having problems with my brother. But you might want dessert? Yes, Heri thinks he can find room still.

Juanito is being tutored in reading after school by Señora Pomposa who praises his progress and says they will go on to math next, when Lorenzo comes in and makes moves to go off to meetings. She throws a bit of a fit and they argue about how much he likes to go off with his work companions. He calls her jealous. Juan shows up to collect his son and a visibly upset Sra. P. goes off to get the reading list that Juanito will need from a bookstore. Juanito shares the confidence that the Pomps' just had a terrific row. [Ed. note, although these two seemed phony regarding the charm school, they are both terrific with teaching children]

Paula comes home and apologizes to Mom for sneaking off to butt in on the CL/Juan confrontation but reports that the big mystery of the century is that it wasn't a blow out at all so she didn't see them but went to lunch with Marely. A bit later Paula wants to talk to Juan about what is happening but not until he asks her pardon.

The Juans are at a bookstore gettng Itos books and Juan pretends he needs an easy book on finance for his buddy who isn't too bright. The book vendor brings out a thick book but assures him it is intermediate but very thorough and has lots of drawings. Juan jokes that they must sell it by the kilo.

Juan is giving repeated pep talks to a sleeping Kike about getting to work. Kike points out that he has no reason to work and can't talk to Yadira because he doesn't actually know where she is.

Paula sits in bed watching the phone [Ed. note, apparently knows nothing of either the watched pot nor the watched phone syndromes]. Instead the door bell rings as she leaps to get to the door she opens it up to Cesar Luis. She says, you're here. He returns, who were you expecting? BREAK
He asks to come in and tells her he is leaving the country and not ever returning. While across town Juan and Juanito study together, Juan dreams about Paula. If he could only see his shrill princess rip into Cesar Luis, that he needs to think things over calmly for a few days. He says he has nothing, the woman he loves doesn't love him and the company he built ends up being shared with his worst enemy. He is accepting defeat, quitting, taking another road. Paula insists he must fight for (you he asks) no the company. That doesn't mean anything to him anymore. One word from her one bit of hope and he would stay. But Paula says no, no, there is no possibility of that working out. CL says he offered his half of the business to Juan but if it can't be sold, she is still an owner by virtue of legally being his wife still.

Marely and the Juans are cooking together. Marely coos sweetly at Juanito about school and all, then they all turn to save the burning quesadillas, laughing all the way. Juanito makes an excuse that he has to go put his books in his backpack. He listens at the door and hides behind the sofa, thrilled that Juan and Marely are gettig on so well. They mention that Enrique is still suffering shut up in his room. Juan kisses Marely's singed fingers and everyone's expectations seem higher.

CL and Paula go one about the responsibility of the marriage, the finances, the company ad nauseam. With irony only visible to us, she lectures CL that he must not run from everything.

Behind the sofa Juanito listens while Marely and Juan discuss Paula. Juan says Paula thinks he betrayed her. Marely says you must talk to her, well no, well they switch to fighting about the food they are eating, she won't eat more or hear more and stomps away from the table.

After he has left Ana appears to ask why CL was there. To say goodbye. Ana sagely says just get him to speed up (agilizar) signing the divorce papers. The company is his problem not yours.

Back at casa Cachon, Marely corners Nidia and Alirio to ask what happened with telling Paula and Ana the truth about the will. Have they done it yet? Profound silence.

Paula finally dials Juan's number but Juanito answers and pretends she has a wrong number.

Nidia stutters that Paula has had such a painful time and has been so depressed. Alirio jumps in with the psychology of the situation needing assessment like Professor Sigmund Freud. Alirio's dithering always has erudite undertones drowned out by his lunacy but the two of them are for once allied in their excuse making. Marely finally threatens to tell the Davila's herself if they don't get it done. They try to forbid her but she says don't dare take a moral stance by trying to prohibit me from talking. They mutter about jail, death and the worst of their fears.

Ana gets a phone call from Willy [Ed note, funny old name but it's what my father William was called in his family]. Well he want to come see her tomorrow. She is not at all bothered by him calling...

Next day Alirio comes to Paula's house very early. He stutters through a dozen excuses and how this is not easy but he has to tell her about a crime he committed in the past that is weighing on his conscience like a block of cement. Then he drops that the crime was against Paula. Paula is impatient telling him she has much to do that day, so get to it. Well, it turns out that Paula father didn't leave the money to the shoeless Carmelite nuns (descalzas) but to YOU!.

Willy gives Ana a check which turns out to be for a good deal of money earned from sale of her art work. She is seeing the first of many checks, in fact she will be a millionaire soon.

Marely and Kike eat breakfast while Nidia comes down looking for Alirio who hasn't been seen.

Well, he is being screamed at at top volume by Paula who turns as red as her low cut dress as she launches into an endless volley of outrage. She is being robbed. She is sure that Nidia, Marely and Yadira are involved in the cover up and she will stop short of nothing to seek revenge for the outrage and on and on at shrieking level.

Nidia worrying at home thinks perhaps he acted on his sticken conscience then dismisses the idea because she knows what a coward he is.

Paula has escalated to calling him the stupidest lawyer in all of Mexico who will face the consequences of his confession. There are two two second scenes to carry Juanito and Kike and Juan on their respective projects in the middle of her hurricane strength tantrum. Interesting that Paula is on such a moral high horse when she was so unforgiving of her father before he died. But she does need the money I guess. The final scene ends with Alirio's plea for reason and clemency since he came forward. She wonders if he plans to share the booty (botín) with her after he gets out of jail. He urges her to think about what she is about to do. She swears she has nothing more to think about. We arrive at the end.

Next: Big showdowns all around as the Cachon women and Ana all learn about who knows about the robbery.

Labels: Juan