Caray, Caray!

If you're too young to remember Perils of Pauline, it was a series of silent movies with a heroine in grave danger at the end of every episode. Although it was created in 1914, I remembered seeing the film as a little girl when we went to the Saturday movies. And poor Lorena is dreadfully similar to our hapless heroine of the silents, thanks to her "loyal and noble" friend Sara.



And so we begin another night of "Sociopaths 'R Us" starring Sara and Chalo.



First a brief rehash. Lorena quickly cools Alonso's ardor when he tries to make out while watching a movie. That sofa they're on has seen much hotter lovemaking, thanks to Rossy and Julian.



Sara is ecstatic at the pictures Chalo got of Barbara and Arturo, whom she realizes has been hired as Jaime's assistent. Perfect blackmail potential...or better yet, first kill Jaime in an arranged accident and then send the photos to Hortensia so she'll disinherit Barbara. Our Sara is a first-rate strategic planner, that's for sure.



Bleachedblondeharlotmom has fixed Arturo a yummy breakfast of chilaquiles con carne asado. Sounds a little heavy to me but I remember back in the day enjoying bacon and eggs cooked in a cast iron skillet (mom hailed from a small burg in Kentucky) so I guess that's just a normal stick-to-your-ribs breakfast like we used to enjoy before we heard of Pritikin.

Whew!...Just had a nightmare moment when I hit something by mistake and the whole computer shut down. But got back to the site okay, thank God for "automatic save". Otherwise I would have thought nasty Sara was behind all this.

Back to the story. Valeria and harlotMom are basically fighting over loser Arturo. Mom accuses Valeria of jinxing Arturo's last business venture with her bad attitude. And so on. Finally Valeria snaps that she'll take care of her kids herself and heads out the door. Arturo hurries after her, pleading that it will kill his mom if Valeria takes the kids. Val gets tough...."Although I love you, I'll leave you unless things change around here."

Vasco is having another little bedroom chat with Jaime who's still under the covers. Son says he's happy working at what he likes and being with Diana. Convinces Dad to see a psychiatrist. Evidently confessing guilt to a priest is not an option here. Other than a few nun sightings, and some crucifixes on the wall, we're not getting a big religious vibe so far.

Now onto Paula and Bettina. Daughter wants to know why Paula is trying to drive Jaqui crazy. Because I don't like her. Bettina reasons that there are people she doesn't like either, but she doesn't invade their apartments and break half their stuff. (okay, we've located one mature person in this telenovela and she's a kid!) Paula switches gears and says it's Dario's fault. And worse yet, she can't get him out of her heart. She's still in love with him! That's why it hurts so bad.

Miss Jaqui is getting a lukewarm welcome back at work. I forgot you were coming in today sniffs Hortensia. And there are plenty of people looking for work, so I hope there will be no more problems. Jaqui gulps and teeters off to work.

Lorena and Zulema are whipping up something in the kitchen of casa pobre and watching Chef Oropeza on TV. Don't know if this guy is famous or not...I'll google him after I wrap this up. Zulema, with considerable guilt, is confessing that she doesn't feel close to Sara. There' s a barrier. She's so materialistic. Why couldn't she be simple, enthusiastic and happy like Lorena? Sometimes she finds herself wondering....Is Sara really my daughter? Creepy, menacing music plays (Sara's theme) and we break for some ads.

Zully goes on to say...it almost seems like Sara doesn't like being with us (y'a think?)...I feel much closer to you, Lorena. Our little lamb jumps in to defend Sara, citing the deprivations she suffered in the orphanage, and finally admitting that Sara's always had a difficult character but she's very noble and loyal. Okay, right there we know Lorena's a lousy judge of character.

Noble and loyal Sara is advising Chalo how to sneak into the mansion (with duplicate keys ) to sabotage Jaime's car. Oh dear, too late...Jaime is leaving (for the psychiatrist). Our duo will have to carry out murder another day. Darn!

Zulema is thanking Lorena for listening and our happy, simple, enthusiastic Lorena is saying, Oh well, when I come to you with my laments about Alonso, you'll be saying oh no, here she comes again. Girlish giggles all round. On to the plans for attending Julian's debut in Noche de Genios and fussing about the dress Zulema will wear in case the camera pans the parents.

Sara is terrorizing some hapless cook telling him she wants the eggplants in the kitchen in 30 minutes, no if's and's or but's! Jaqui wryly notes that Sara has gotten the hang of being a boss. Arturo arrives, Sara makes the introductions and he and Jaqui eyeball each other like potential conquests.

Omar and Julian chat briefly...both studying, Julian soccer, Omar, his mysterious career path.

Arturo turns in a report on food providers and there's a funny thing going on with the closed captions...they put down something totally weird for "gourmet" and "foie gras". Guess French doesn't translate too well into Spanish cc's.

At the clinic, Chalo is experiencing orgasmic pleasure at getting his cast off. Alonso looks constipated and prickly. Chalo leaves after sarcastically adding...Give my regards to your dear father. Valeria enters, glad that Alonso is finally free of that creep and reminds Alonso about his
appointment with the lady head honcho of the clinic. Alonso calls Val his guardian angel. Hmmmm.

Lady boss expresses concern about Alonso and Bruno's crappy relationship but adds that she values Alonso's work and the study made recently showed Alonso was the most highly regarded doc at the place. He'll be getting an award tonight at the clinic anniversary get-together.

Back at casa pobre, fussing about heading out to the game show studio.

Rossy is at the studio early with Julian and they're yelling at each other. Finally she convinces him to meditate "like a Tibetan monk" and say "I'm going to win, I'm going to win". This is a whole new take on Buddhism. But it works for Julian.

Lorena , Maruja and Alonso arrive and join Zulema and Omar in the front row. Diana and Vasco are watching at home. Vasco is clutching a pillow to his chest. (I love that! I often watch TV that way, don't know why. Pillow clutching is very calming.)

After the first contestant, Julian is introduced as Julian Rrrrrrruiz. They do that kind of thing on Mexican radio here, I've noticed. He's doing well, whipping through the questions and there comes the final one. How much does a soccer ball weigh? He appears stumped. Oh no! (and then the ads)

Sara has arrived home and is smirking as Julian appears to fumble. Hah, he's a loser like
everyone else in this shabby family. But wait....lo....Julian blurts out an answer just as the buzzer sounds. Oh no! But wait again...the announcer asks for silence as someone in the booth relays the message....yeeeesssssss...the answer was given in time and is correct. Screaming and cheering all around.

Now the next big question. Will you take the money or do you wish to go on to the following round? But remember, if you lose that round, you lose all you won tonight. Julian decides to go on. (sigo adelante).

Fast switch to Jaime, once more in bed, shaking out some pills from the psychiatrist (frankly it looks like a plain old aspirin bottle). Barbara perks up momentarily, asking if he's going to work. Nope. She rolls her eyes and looks martyred. (Honestly, this woman has nothing better to do than try to manipulate people all day. Get. a. job. lady)

Back to Ickyturo's house where harlotmom is still complaining about Valeria, huffy that Arturo is not making Val show more respect to mama. If it were up to mom, she would have run off Valeria long ago. Arturo pleads that she's his wife, he has to be on her side.

Another family scene around the breakfast table at casa pobre. First Sara looks at Julian's whopping breakfast and asks, What do I have to do to have you fix me a breakfast like that? Then she skips out without any breakfast saying she has to get to work early. She's snotty to Chalo, waiting outside, 'cause she's fed up with family (and because she's just plain nasty anyway) Anyway, she's got the keys duplicated and still has plans to do Jaime in.

Back at the house, Vasco gets a phone call from papa Jaime. Omar and Zulema exchange looks.

At last, a scene with Ernesto. But he's being a pain (or think of another word beginning with a p). Lordy, I'm losing the feelings I had for this guy rapidito!

His sister is there to visit. He makes her take off her shoes. She wants him to babysit his two nephews while she goes on an agency trip to Miami...'cause then she could have a weekend alone with her hubby. He refuses categorically and repeatedly, saying he loves the kids but they're monsters...don't even know how to clear their plates. And besides he's got plans for the weekend. Babe plans. And he doesn't want to set a bad example for the kidlets. Sister is not happy.

Back to Alonso...who's boring but basically a nice guy. I'm sure he'd babysit Bettina if Paula asked him. Boss lady let's him know he's going to get an award that night, so suddenly he'll go and invite family and Lorena too.

Maruja and Zulema, new best friends are jogging together. Maruja brings up that she knows Jaime from work and believes he has really repented. No way, snaps Zulema. Only a pervert could have done what he did, and anyone that twisted will be twisted till they die (oooh, maybe Jaime's going to bite the dust pronto). No, no, no she'll never forgive him. Maruja apologizes for sticking her nose in and they cheerfully resume jogging.

Back to our two sociopaths. No plans to murder Jaime yet. Sara's learned about the award Alonso's getting at the clinic anniversary party. She's invited. So's Lorena, but hey, Chalo, let's fix it so Lorena doesn't get there. Evil laughter on Sara's part.

We're back at work. Jaqui has brought in some proposals for next year's tax deductible charity donations for Hortensia. Old folks homes, day care centers....what, no orphanages? asks Sara. Hortensia likes the idea...yeah, let's plan for an orphanage benefit. Look for one, she directs Jaqui.

Now we're back outside. Gramps is complaining good-naturedly about having to walk Bettina to school now that he's carless. She brings up the idea of finding a new boyfriend for Mom on the internet. She and Grandad will pretend to be Paula, screen the candidates and pick a good one for her. He likes the idea but likes the idea of motivating Paula to find a job even better. And he's sure Bettina, with her sweet face, can convince Mom. (this is the best idea I've heard so far. Get BOTH Barbara and Paula jobs...exhausting ones)

Now we see smarmy Chalo buying off a cabbie outside Maruja's house. Inside Rossy and Julian are in another hot makeout session; Lorena interrupts them. She's leaving to go to the awards ceremony for Alonso. Guess what cab she'll get into!? Then Chalo calls Sara to tell her their evil plan is working. The cabbie will drive Lorena round and round and they'll never make it to the party.

All the family is there as Alonso looks around nervously. Lorena is never late! Where can she be? The ceremony begins. Boss lady says the clinic is no. 2 nationally and now they're going for the no. 1 spot. And it's all because of our wonderful staff...and in particular, it gives me great pleasure to call up our wise, talented and humanitarian doctor Alonso Whatever (sorry, forgot his last name).

Sara walks him, babelicious style, just as he gets the award and gives a BIG BIG smile.

Hapless Lorena is still struggling with the cabbie, in the middle of nowhere, as he pretends to have car trouble. Also he misunderstood the address she gave him. Why didn't she talk plainer!? She storms off, and refuses to pay him. Into the dark night, I must add. (Perils of Pauline, here we come!)

Alonso is fretting about her whereabouts (as well he should). Sara goes to get him something to drink to "calm him down". Two of the night staff come up and think Sara is his fiancée. She makes a big deal of it. Then she asks if she can give him a hug in Lorena's place. And she does, holding on for waaaaay too long.

In the meantime, Lorena, walking nervously in the dark deserted streets (why do our heroines have to be so goshdarned dumb!?) is followed by a menacing, very large man. Where oh where can I find a taxi, she wonders. Good Question. the End.
* * *

A Little Vocabulary (very little)


atinado = sensible, wise....like Alonso as a doctor . Also means "correct" (thanks Margarita)

cascarito = informal pickup game of soccer (came up during game show questioning, but used a lot in Guapos)

de santo no tiene un pelo = she's no saint (what Sara and Chalo are trying to make Alonso think about Lorena)

dar mi lugar = respect me, give me my props....What Valeria wants from harlotmom and what harlotmom wants from Valeria

Kaká = nickname of Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite, Brazilian soccer player (one of the questions Julian answered on the game show...but with a moniker like that, you can see why they call him Kaká!)

Labels: enemiga