Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Tontas no van, 12/29, Cap 19, The Only Constant is Change
Reviewing this episode, I realized it marks changes, or the beginning of changes, in several relationships. Laura with both Meño and Charlie, Pat with both Soledad and Beto, Lucía and her parent's memory, and Chava and his father.
Santiago is frustrated because Candy won’t answer his calls. Meño is frustrated because Candy has a knack for making bad decisions, one after another. She won’t answer Santi’s calls because she wants to keep him at a distance. Then she says, “Excuse me while I go lie to my son about his father” (loosely translated). Candy gives Chava the photo and answers his questions. She chokes on her lie, “Yes, it’s your father. Yes he played football, yes he looks just like you.” Chava is delighted. Candy is not.
Meanwhile, the man who does look like Chava is marinating his problems in a brandy sauce. Gregoria reminds him that in the old days he didn’t drink so early. She calls him Patito (little Pat) so he calls her Suegrita which can mean little mother-in-law, but also screaming mother-in-law. Suegrita blurts out, “What would you do if Candy were alive?” This woman is like Old Faithful – every 90 minutes something erupts from her mouth. Pat decides Ben Franklin was wrong when he said “Fish and visitors smell after three days;” his suegrita only arrived yesterday.
Caray fans, we’ve created many nicknames for characters in our novelas – Sven and Mophead, Crabiella and Feonando, Alonslow and ChefHawt, Bouffy and Mariooooohhh, and who could forget Alibubbi? But have we ever let the novela cast provide the nickname? Thank you, Pat. Suegrita may be the first.
Santiago ambushes Candy in front of their building and asks her why she’s avoiding him. She confesses that she’s avoiding herself too because she’s afraid to fall in love and afraid to hurt Marissa. Watch the waves of emotion on Santiago’s face. First pleasure that she admits that she’s falling in love. Then a smile so big he sprains an ear, as he contemplates the thought. Then his man-on-the-move answer: “Too late to avoid what has already happened to you. You're already in love with me.”
Candy forces herself to laugh at such a thought, so Santiago sets out to prove it to her. While she’s saying “I feel nada de nada de nada,” he shuts her mouth with a great big kiss, to remind her of what she feels for him. She still maintains that she doesn’t feel a thing, not even a hair of her head was moved. In fact, to prove it she grabs him by the neck and mashes his face too. Santi has been hit by a Mack truck. Candy still maintains (sassy and flirting) that she feels nada de nada, but Santi has to put all his hair back in place after her kiss.
He says he felt mucho mucho, and he very much likes kissing her, so he gives her a demonstration. Pavarotti can sing. Astaire can dance. Phelps can swim. And Camil can kiss. Candy thinks so too. They're both left in shock. Candy doesn’t even try to deny it anymore. She shakes her head to restart her brain, tells him, “Don’t kiss me again,” and marches off. But Santiago knows she liked it.
Candy marches back and surprises him with one more kiss, and tells him that was for Goodbye, and off she marches again. Santiago concludes that she’s totally nuts, she’s psycho. But she liked it. Santiago is just bursting with life in this scene. He’s exuberant and exhilarated, especially as she marches off. It’s a perfect example of what I love about Camil’s acting. It moves us, like a semi passing a bicycle.
Laura, Meño’s ex, saunters into the restaurant. “I came to find my son.” Meño declares that he will do everything in his power to protect his son; he won’t let Laura hurt him. Laura insists that Charly has a right to know that his father is gay, and Meño defends himself from her insults. Then Laura lights a cigarette so no one misses the point – Laura bad. Meño good. Laura accuses him of never caring about her; he only married her to pass for straight. Laura complains of the difficulties of raising Charlie alone, but Meño reminds Laura that she kicked him out and robbed him of the chance to know his son when he was three months old. Meño says, “You got to see him grow up. You fed him when he was hungry. What did I give him? Nothing. Please, let me give him the love of his father.”
Suegrita asks Pat again, “What would you do if Candy were alive?” Pat says it’s pointless; Candy is dead so please stop the cruel torment. Gregoria suggests Pat hasn’t forgotten her.
Pat answers, “Candy was the love of my life, and I haven’t forgotten her. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her and dream about her.” She still won’t let it rest. She suggests that’s why he replaced Candy with her sister, to hang onto something of Candy. Pat replies, “If I ever forget Candy, it will be because I’m dead.” Gregoria’s face says, “Oopsie!”
Meño and Laura remember the good times – they started to dance, and he stomped on her toes. He says he has learned to dance better, and he shows her, just as Charly walks in.
On the street, some college girls flirt with Pat’s Ferrari F430. He remembers back to when Candy was in school, and she made him promise to never forget her.
Candy’s institute staff is going nuts for boredom because they have no clients. Lulu discovers the reason. Downstairs, looking conspicuously nonchalant, Candy spies on the “enemy agent” who is diverting her clients, telling them the institute will be closed for remodeling for two or three months. Candy knows who is behind this.
Friends, when I was five, my mother told me not to open doors in other people’s houses because you never know what you might find. From this vague warning, I concluded that there might be bears in the closets and she didn’t want to scare me. Seriously! After that I never opened their doors. Candy never learned this lesson, so she encounters another kind of bear.
Candy marches into Santiago’s reception area. Hortensia tries to stop her, saying he’s on “timeout,” but graceless Candy shoves her way past, the scene framed by the bell-pull. As Candy barges in on the whoopie, boxer shorts (Club America colors) land in her face. We see Candy’s furious face, clothing tossed everywhere, and two very disheveled heads sprouting up from behind the desk, one sporting a tiger-print lingerie headscarf. Marissa is giddy, Santiago is speechless, and Candy would have preferred bears. All three faces are simply priceless. (Please pardon the photo quality.)
In the kitchen, Isabel reads a love letter from Jaime while Tina describes the avocado soup she’s making. Donato first tries to sneak a peak at the letter while he pours Isabel’s tea, but soon his head is over her shoulder reading every word. Isabel folds up her personal letter and asks Donato if he thinks a woman her age can still have sex with a man his age. Don says yes, but it would be with a man of Isabel’s age, not Don’s age. Isabel says, “For your impertinence, you’re fired.” Keep in mind, she fires him almost daily.
Strange scene. Candy asks forgiveness because she barged in. Santi begs pardon because he should’ve locked the door (Rule #1 of telenovelas: NEVER lock the door). Marissa says it was nobody’s fault. Santi and Candy each keep trying to claim fault, and Marissa is angry at Santiago for apologizing to Candy. Let’s step back and analyze this. He just had sex with Marissa, but he’s more worried about offending Candy than offending his novia. Marissa, here’s five dollars. Go buy a clue.
By the way, remember how thin Santiago looked in the street scene a few days ago? Note the difference in his face in this scene, as he talks to Marissa. This scene must’ve been shot much earlier in the show, before he thinned down.
Alicia tells Gregoria that Pat has a son plus 2 amantes, Soledad and Rojiblanca from the internet. She asks for advice – should she get pregnant? Suegrita is adamantly against it, probably because she suspects that Pat will go back to Candy when he finds out she‘s alive. Alicia is ticked. “First you tell me one thing, then another!”
Now Santiago barges into Candy’s office. She is angry because he hired someone to divert her clients. He reminds her that she is the one who declared war. Santi says he apologized what she saw, but he won't apologize for making love to his novia. Candy asks, “Was that why you kissed me? Is it because you're playing dirty with me and my partner? Leave.” Santiago refuses. Candy insists, “I'm serious. I don't want your calls, or anything of you, or any more of your lies.” We see the first flicker that Santi might have a the beginning of a dim idea that Candy is not willing to be his second woman. She says that she feels nothing for him. Nothing! He tries to insist that she feels much, much, but the conviction is just not there.
Maybe Santiago has doubts, but it must have touched a nerve for Candy. How does Candy always face problems? She doesn’t! She runs! And right now she wants to run away from what she’s feeling for Santiago, so she runs to her computer and tells Patricio (as Rojiblanca) that she’d like to meet him today, right now. Reality check, Candy: Pat betrayed you so you distrust all men and you’re afraid to love anyone, even someone as wonderful as Santiago (yeah, there is that pesky novia, but let’s not go there). So to keep from loving Santiago who is wonderful, you go running to Pat who betrayed you and made you hate all men. I FEEL LIKE I’M TAKING CRAZY PILLS!!!
Donato and Tina are making the beds. Don tells her to give up her silly fantasy that el patrón is in love with her, and accept his attentions instead. She swats him with a pillow and goes back to gazing at Santiago’s picture. Who can blame her?
In the park, Laura tells Charly that she doesn’t hate his dad, she hates that he left her alone. But now they have finally forgiven each other. Charly tells her he has a girlfriend and a job, and he would like to stay in Guadalajara unless it would upset her. Charly asks why she always said his dad was raro, but Laura evades the question. Laura started the show bitter, but we see that she is willing to release her bitterness.
Chava shows Beto the picture that Candy gave him, saying it was his dad. Chava and Beto argue about whose dad is better. Funny you should mention that!
Alicia calls Soledad again, offering her money to stay away from Pat. Alicia tells her to name her price because “what’s a lot of money for you, to me is nothing.” Let’s put some more “evil wench” points on Alicia’s scorecard.
Candy and Pat are walking to their meeting place. The building between them keeps them from seeing each other until they reach the corner. In a show which averages less than a minute per scene, in a show which shoe-horns three minutes of conversation into one minute of tape, we are treated to 90 seconds of walk sequence with no words at all, leading up to the critical moment. That is, the critical moment when Candy… drum roll, please… Candy runs away! (No puede ser.) She turns the corner, takes one look at Pat, pulls back, and says, “What am I, nuts? (Puede ser.) What am I doing here?” and runs away. Tally, how many times Pat has almost seen Candy: four, and counting.
Pat goes back to his office and contacts her on chat. He wants to know why she didn’t show up. Notice that when Candy is rude and inconsiderate to Pat, he calls her out on it? He doesn’t just roll over and play dead, unlike certain galans. She says she went but decided not to present herself because revenge doesn’t make sense and she doesn’t want to hurt anyone (i.e. Alicia). Candy signs off, “Adios para siempre.” (You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.)
Candy comes home, dragging butt after a hard day. The man she doesn’t want to love gave her a kiss that registered 8.5 on the Richter scale (Pobrecita). Then she walked in on him, making whoopie with the other woman in his life. He kept reminding her that she’s falling in love with him, a thought that terrifies her. Then she nearly encountered the man who she hid from for seven years.
She walks in her front door and is met by a path of rose petals leading up to her bedroom. In her room she finds a gift box with a huge inflated “I love you” heart and a card that says, “If the heart could talk, it would tell you everything that I like about you.” Candy savors the thought until Santiago steps from behind the corner and finishes the thought. “The problem is, the heart can’t talk, so the one who tells you that he likes you a lot, is me.” Some people bite their lip to not cry. Some people bite their lip to not laugh. Candy bites her lip to not melt. And boy howdy, she succeeds! She treats him as if her were the repo-man! She stabs repeatedly at the heart (literally and figuratively), and tells him that the only way men want women is in bed.
I’m going to try to untangle their banter because I like a challenge; please post corrections if you see any mistakes. I know I made some.
Santiago insists that he is the best man who has come into her life. Who else would do all the things he has done? She admits that he is appealing, but so are tortas ahogadas (soaked sandwiches, a Guadalajara specialty), but she doesn’t touch those either - they make her fat. He says he won’t alburear (?) her because he’s a gentlemen, served on a silver platter. The least she can do is take a taste. She shoves him out of her bedroom, insisting that with him, she wouldn’t want even a taste.
Santi says, “Do you mind telling me, just when are you going to open up to me?” Candy says, “Right now” and she opens up the front door and kicks him out.
He tries to give her the gift box, and she says it’s for his novia. (Pssst! Santiago! What would she say if you didn’t have a novia? Piensalo bien, eh?)
She tells him not to put patches on again (?), and he asks what can patch a heart.
Back in the kitchen Meño tells Candy he let Santiago in because she’s nuts for him. Of course she denies it, and Meño tells her that’s yet another of her lies – the list is getting mighty long. Candy proclaims, “I don’t lie.” Yeah, and God didn’t make the little green apples. Meño reminds her, what about the photo of Chava’s dad. Sputter, sputter, “That’s different!”
Candy acts like her poop don’t stink, and Meño lets her have it. “Look, Princess, I’ve had it up to here! For you there are two classes of lies – those of others are mortal sins, and yours are necessary and justified.” Preach it, Brother!
Meanwhile Alicia is looking through her jewelry, deciding what to sell so she has money to pay off Soledad and make her disappear. Suegrita advises against it – what if she ends up with no husband and no jewelry? Is it any wonder Alicia is cold and heartless, with a mama like that? On the dresser, mama notices a childhood picture of Patricio, one which bears a strong resemblance to Chava, so she stuffs it into her purse.
Candy is feeling useless at the institute – all the others have functions (that they don’t perform), but Candy doesn’t have any duties or tasks to not do. The staff gives her a pep talk, and Marissa suggests she rescue Marissa from Santiago because he was furious that they stole his patient.
While Pat plays with his coloring book, his friend Rafael wonders why he seems so depressed here in Guadalajara. Pat is disturbed that Rojiblanca stood him up, and wonders why she mentioned revenge. Rafael suggests maybe it was his son’s mother (podría ser – could be!).
In the clubhouse, Santiago says Sven wants to join the Abandonados. Miguel asks if he’s divorced, and Sven says, “No, I’m abandoned. Every woman abandons me before we ever talk about marriage.” Raúl declares that he qualifies, and Sven is ecstatic. He hugs all the men, calling them “Compañero Nuevo Amigo” (echoes of “Compañero Don Fernando”). But first, the initiation. (What’s Sven say about a movie about a fish and a movie about a bear?)
The abandonados perform their initiation ritual, with primitive paint on their faces, primitive graffiti on Sven’s chest, holding primitive decorator accessories from Target, and sporting primitive silk headbands nee neckties. OOH-AHH-AHH! (Ting-tang walla-walla bing-bang?) Raúl, alias Dippy Crane, says “Cuéntanos, Sven…” Sven obliges, “1, 2, 3..” OOH-AHH-AHH! That must be tribalspeak for “Shaddup!”
Dippy Crane continues, “How do you feel when a woman abandons you?” Santiago, alias Tooky-Tooky Bird, gives a birdcall warning Sven to answer carefully. Sven gives the wrong answer (“I go for a walk“) and Tooky-Tooky feeds Sven a shot of tequila to help him think more clearly (like I eat ice cream to help me lose weight!). Sven doesn’t understand what he’s supposed to do, so he gets another shot of tequila. He still doesn’t get it right, so a little bird (Tooky-Tooky) feeds him the answer – “Get angry!” Sven obviously never learned how to play caveman games.
Santiago gives Sven yet another shot to help him get in touch with his inner caveman, and counsels him that they teach each other to cope (kinda’ like the blind leading the blind). Just then a cell phone rings, and each one lunges for his cell phone, hoping it’s his. (Note, in LFMB every cell phone ring sounded the same, but the owner always knew when it was his. In Tontas they sound different, but all the men grab for their cell phone when they hear one ring.) It turns out to be Sven’s, and he tells the woman on the other end that he’s out with his friends, he’ll leave when he’s good and ready, no he won’t say who they are, and he‘ll see her in the morning. His buddies are all impressed – he’s their new hero for telling off his wife like that. Sven corrects them – it was my mama. Hero to zero in two seconds flat.
Pat warns Soledad not to maintain any illusions. He’s there to see his son, not her. He would like to see Beto more, and maybe, just maybe, tell him the truth one day. And oh by the way, does Soledad ever go on internet chat? Does she want to take revenge on him? Soledad thinks the idea is ludicrous. Just then Beto comes out; he can’t sleep. Soledad decides this is the perfect time for Pat to have that discussion he thought he might, possibly, maybe, at some point in the far future have with Beto. Pat comes down to Beto’s level and affectionately tells him, “Yo soy tu papa.” Beto knows that’s silly; he already has a father. But his mama confirms that it’s true. That’s way too much for Beto to handle, so he runs away and hides in his room, just like Candy always does. Oh, except Beto is seven – he’s supposed to act childish.
Ed and Chayo are talking about her new job. Ed says the institute will fail, but he doesn’t mind at all if she wants to go play like she has a real job. Now go get my slippers like a good puppy dog.
Meño is writing his astrology column, “If you wake up in a bad mood, it’s because you have a dirty conscience.” Candy thinks he’s directing the comment at her (if the tacón fits..). She pours the morning’s orange juice all over the column he just finished, “Oopsie!” I could almost tolerate the nasty things Candy does, were it not that she always laughs as she’s doing them. Candy, how do you spell sadistic?
At breakfast, Isabel asks Lucía why she never talks about her parents. Luc gets upset and says that it’s because she hates them. And speaking of child/parent strife, at the playground Pat is trying once again to talk to Beto, to help him understand that Pat really is his father, but Beto isn’t willing to listen. Pat asks Chava to help him to get Beto talking. I have to wonder. If this is a school playground, do they let men off the street come talk to the children? And if it’s a public playground, are the boys there alone?
Isabel takes Lucía to her parents’ grave. Abuela tells her it’s normal to be angry; she was angry when her son died, too. She says it’s not right to bury your child. She knows it was terribly painful for Luc to lose them, but sooner or later, it’s normal for children bury their parents. “Pero otra vez, no (but the other way around, no).”
Today Candy got her surprise when she opened a door. Tomorrow Marissa will get her surprise, listening to Santiago and Candy through a closed door.
Santiago is frustrated because Candy won’t answer his calls. Meño is frustrated because Candy has a knack for making bad decisions, one after another. She won’t answer Santi’s calls because she wants to keep him at a distance. Then she says, “Excuse me while I go lie to my son about his father” (loosely translated). Candy gives Chava the photo and answers his questions. She chokes on her lie, “Yes, it’s your father. Yes he played football, yes he looks just like you.” Chava is delighted. Candy is not.
Meanwhile, the man who does look like Chava is marinating his problems in a brandy sauce. Gregoria reminds him that in the old days he didn’t drink so early. She calls him Patito (little Pat) so he calls her Suegrita which can mean little mother-in-law, but also screaming mother-in-law. Suegrita blurts out, “What would you do if Candy were alive?” This woman is like Old Faithful – every 90 minutes something erupts from her mouth. Pat decides Ben Franklin was wrong when he said “Fish and visitors smell after three days;” his suegrita only arrived yesterday.
Caray fans, we’ve created many nicknames for characters in our novelas – Sven and Mophead, Crabiella and Feonando, Alonslow and ChefHawt, Bouffy and Mariooooohhh, and who could forget Alibubbi? But have we ever let the novela cast provide the nickname? Thank you, Pat. Suegrita may be the first.
Santiago ambushes Candy in front of their building and asks her why she’s avoiding him. She confesses that she’s avoiding herself too because she’s afraid to fall in love and afraid to hurt Marissa. Watch the waves of emotion on Santiago’s face. First pleasure that she admits that she’s falling in love. Then a smile so big he sprains an ear, as he contemplates the thought. Then his man-on-the-move answer: “Too late to avoid what has already happened to you. You're already in love with me.”
Candy forces herself to laugh at such a thought, so Santiago sets out to prove it to her. While she’s saying “I feel nada de nada de nada,” he shuts her mouth with a great big kiss, to remind her of what she feels for him. She still maintains that she doesn’t feel a thing, not even a hair of her head was moved. In fact, to prove it she grabs him by the neck and mashes his face too. Santi has been hit by a Mack truck. Candy still maintains (sassy and flirting) that she feels nada de nada, but Santi has to put all his hair back in place after her kiss.
He says he felt mucho mucho, and he very much likes kissing her, so he gives her a demonstration. Pavarotti can sing. Astaire can dance. Phelps can swim. And Camil can kiss. Candy thinks so too. They're both left in shock. Candy doesn’t even try to deny it anymore. She shakes her head to restart her brain, tells him, “Don’t kiss me again,” and marches off. But Santiago knows she liked it.
Candy marches back and surprises him with one more kiss, and tells him that was for Goodbye, and off she marches again. Santiago concludes that she’s totally nuts, she’s psycho. But she liked it. Santiago is just bursting with life in this scene. He’s exuberant and exhilarated, especially as she marches off. It’s a perfect example of what I love about Camil’s acting. It moves us, like a semi passing a bicycle.
Laura, Meño’s ex, saunters into the restaurant. “I came to find my son.” Meño declares that he will do everything in his power to protect his son; he won’t let Laura hurt him. Laura insists that Charly has a right to know that his father is gay, and Meño defends himself from her insults. Then Laura lights a cigarette so no one misses the point – Laura bad. Meño good. Laura accuses him of never caring about her; he only married her to pass for straight. Laura complains of the difficulties of raising Charlie alone, but Meño reminds Laura that she kicked him out and robbed him of the chance to know his son when he was three months old. Meño says, “You got to see him grow up. You fed him when he was hungry. What did I give him? Nothing. Please, let me give him the love of his father.”
Suegrita asks Pat again, “What would you do if Candy were alive?” Pat says it’s pointless; Candy is dead so please stop the cruel torment. Gregoria suggests Pat hasn’t forgotten her.
Pat answers, “Candy was the love of my life, and I haven’t forgotten her. Not a day goes by that I don’t think of her and dream about her.” She still won’t let it rest. She suggests that’s why he replaced Candy with her sister, to hang onto something of Candy. Pat replies, “If I ever forget Candy, it will be because I’m dead.” Gregoria’s face says, “Oopsie!”
Meño and Laura remember the good times – they started to dance, and he stomped on her toes. He says he has learned to dance better, and he shows her, just as Charly walks in.
On the street, some college girls flirt with Pat’s Ferrari F430. He remembers back to when Candy was in school, and she made him promise to never forget her.
Candy’s institute staff is going nuts for boredom because they have no clients. Lulu discovers the reason. Downstairs, looking conspicuously nonchalant, Candy spies on the “enemy agent” who is diverting her clients, telling them the institute will be closed for remodeling for two or three months. Candy knows who is behind this.
Friends, when I was five, my mother told me not to open doors in other people’s houses because you never know what you might find. From this vague warning, I concluded that there might be bears in the closets and she didn’t want to scare me. Seriously! After that I never opened their doors. Candy never learned this lesson, so she encounters another kind of bear.
Candy marches into Santiago’s reception area. Hortensia tries to stop her, saying he’s on “timeout,” but graceless Candy shoves her way past, the scene framed by the bell-pull. As Candy barges in on the whoopie, boxer shorts (Club America colors) land in her face. We see Candy’s furious face, clothing tossed everywhere, and two very disheveled heads sprouting up from behind the desk, one sporting a tiger-print lingerie headscarf. Marissa is giddy, Santiago is speechless, and Candy would have preferred bears. All three faces are simply priceless. (Please pardon the photo quality.)
In the kitchen, Isabel reads a love letter from Jaime while Tina describes the avocado soup she’s making. Donato first tries to sneak a peak at the letter while he pours Isabel’s tea, but soon his head is over her shoulder reading every word. Isabel folds up her personal letter and asks Donato if he thinks a woman her age can still have sex with a man his age. Don says yes, but it would be with a man of Isabel’s age, not Don’s age. Isabel says, “For your impertinence, you’re fired.” Keep in mind, she fires him almost daily.
Strange scene. Candy asks forgiveness because she barged in. Santi begs pardon because he should’ve locked the door (Rule #1 of telenovelas: NEVER lock the door). Marissa says it was nobody’s fault. Santi and Candy each keep trying to claim fault, and Marissa is angry at Santiago for apologizing to Candy. Let’s step back and analyze this. He just had sex with Marissa, but he’s more worried about offending Candy than offending his novia. Marissa, here’s five dollars. Go buy a clue.
By the way, remember how thin Santiago looked in the street scene a few days ago? Note the difference in his face in this scene, as he talks to Marissa. This scene must’ve been shot much earlier in the show, before he thinned down.
Alicia tells Gregoria that Pat has a son plus 2 amantes, Soledad and Rojiblanca from the internet. She asks for advice – should she get pregnant? Suegrita is adamantly against it, probably because she suspects that Pat will go back to Candy when he finds out she‘s alive. Alicia is ticked. “First you tell me one thing, then another!”
Now Santiago barges into Candy’s office. She is angry because he hired someone to divert her clients. He reminds her that she is the one who declared war. Santi says he apologized what she saw, but he won't apologize for making love to his novia. Candy asks, “Was that why you kissed me? Is it because you're playing dirty with me and my partner? Leave.” Santiago refuses. Candy insists, “I'm serious. I don't want your calls, or anything of you, or any more of your lies.” We see the first flicker that Santi might have a the beginning of a dim idea that Candy is not willing to be his second woman. She says that she feels nothing for him. Nothing! He tries to insist that she feels much, much, but the conviction is just not there.
Maybe Santiago has doubts, but it must have touched a nerve for Candy. How does Candy always face problems? She doesn’t! She runs! And right now she wants to run away from what she’s feeling for Santiago, so she runs to her computer and tells Patricio (as Rojiblanca) that she’d like to meet him today, right now. Reality check, Candy: Pat betrayed you so you distrust all men and you’re afraid to love anyone, even someone as wonderful as Santiago (yeah, there is that pesky novia, but let’s not go there). So to keep from loving Santiago who is wonderful, you go running to Pat who betrayed you and made you hate all men. I FEEL LIKE I’M TAKING CRAZY PILLS!!!
Donato and Tina are making the beds. Don tells her to give up her silly fantasy that el patrón is in love with her, and accept his attentions instead. She swats him with a pillow and goes back to gazing at Santiago’s picture. Who can blame her?
In the park, Laura tells Charly that she doesn’t hate his dad, she hates that he left her alone. But now they have finally forgiven each other. Charly tells her he has a girlfriend and a job, and he would like to stay in Guadalajara unless it would upset her. Charly asks why she always said his dad was raro, but Laura evades the question. Laura started the show bitter, but we see that she is willing to release her bitterness.
Chava shows Beto the picture that Candy gave him, saying it was his dad. Chava and Beto argue about whose dad is better. Funny you should mention that!
Alicia calls Soledad again, offering her money to stay away from Pat. Alicia tells her to name her price because “what’s a lot of money for you, to me is nothing.” Let’s put some more “evil wench” points on Alicia’s scorecard.
Candy and Pat are walking to their meeting place. The building between them keeps them from seeing each other until they reach the corner. In a show which averages less than a minute per scene, in a show which shoe-horns three minutes of conversation into one minute of tape, we are treated to 90 seconds of walk sequence with no words at all, leading up to the critical moment. That is, the critical moment when Candy… drum roll, please… Candy runs away! (No puede ser.) She turns the corner, takes one look at Pat, pulls back, and says, “What am I, nuts? (Puede ser.) What am I doing here?” and runs away. Tally, how many times Pat has almost seen Candy: four, and counting.
Pat goes back to his office and contacts her on chat. He wants to know why she didn’t show up. Notice that when Candy is rude and inconsiderate to Pat, he calls her out on it? He doesn’t just roll over and play dead, unlike certain galans. She says she went but decided not to present herself because revenge doesn’t make sense and she doesn’t want to hurt anyone (i.e. Alicia). Candy signs off, “Adios para siempre.” (You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.)
Candy comes home, dragging butt after a hard day. The man she doesn’t want to love gave her a kiss that registered 8.5 on the Richter scale (Pobrecita). Then she walked in on him, making whoopie with the other woman in his life. He kept reminding her that she’s falling in love with him, a thought that terrifies her. Then she nearly encountered the man who she hid from for seven years.
She walks in her front door and is met by a path of rose petals leading up to her bedroom. In her room she finds a gift box with a huge inflated “I love you” heart and a card that says, “If the heart could talk, it would tell you everything that I like about you.” Candy savors the thought until Santiago steps from behind the corner and finishes the thought. “The problem is, the heart can’t talk, so the one who tells you that he likes you a lot, is me.” Some people bite their lip to not cry. Some people bite their lip to not laugh. Candy bites her lip to not melt. And boy howdy, she succeeds! She treats him as if her were the repo-man! She stabs repeatedly at the heart (literally and figuratively), and tells him that the only way men want women is in bed.
I’m going to try to untangle their banter because I like a challenge; please post corrections if you see any mistakes. I know I made some.
Santiago insists that he is the best man who has come into her life. Who else would do all the things he has done? She admits that he is appealing, but so are tortas ahogadas (soaked sandwiches, a Guadalajara specialty), but she doesn’t touch those either - they make her fat. He says he won’t alburear (?) her because he’s a gentlemen, served on a silver platter. The least she can do is take a taste. She shoves him out of her bedroom, insisting that with him, she wouldn’t want even a taste.
Santi says, “Do you mind telling me, just when are you going to open up to me?” Candy says, “Right now” and she opens up the front door and kicks him out.
He tries to give her the gift box, and she says it’s for his novia. (Pssst! Santiago! What would she say if you didn’t have a novia? Piensalo bien, eh?)
She tells him not to put patches on again (?), and he asks what can patch a heart.
Back in the kitchen Meño tells Candy he let Santiago in because she’s nuts for him. Of course she denies it, and Meño tells her that’s yet another of her lies – the list is getting mighty long. Candy proclaims, “I don’t lie.” Yeah, and God didn’t make the little green apples. Meño reminds her, what about the photo of Chava’s dad. Sputter, sputter, “That’s different!”
Candy acts like her poop don’t stink, and Meño lets her have it. “Look, Princess, I’ve had it up to here! For you there are two classes of lies – those of others are mortal sins, and yours are necessary and justified.” Preach it, Brother!
Meanwhile Alicia is looking through her jewelry, deciding what to sell so she has money to pay off Soledad and make her disappear. Suegrita advises against it – what if she ends up with no husband and no jewelry? Is it any wonder Alicia is cold and heartless, with a mama like that? On the dresser, mama notices a childhood picture of Patricio, one which bears a strong resemblance to Chava, so she stuffs it into her purse.
Candy is feeling useless at the institute – all the others have functions (that they don’t perform), but Candy doesn’t have any duties or tasks to not do. The staff gives her a pep talk, and Marissa suggests she rescue Marissa from Santiago because he was furious that they stole his patient.
While Pat plays with his coloring book, his friend Rafael wonders why he seems so depressed here in Guadalajara. Pat is disturbed that Rojiblanca stood him up, and wonders why she mentioned revenge. Rafael suggests maybe it was his son’s mother (podría ser – could be!).
In the clubhouse, Santiago says Sven wants to join the Abandonados. Miguel asks if he’s divorced, and Sven says, “No, I’m abandoned. Every woman abandons me before we ever talk about marriage.” Raúl declares that he qualifies, and Sven is ecstatic. He hugs all the men, calling them “Compañero Nuevo Amigo” (echoes of “Compañero Don Fernando”). But first, the initiation. (What’s Sven say about a movie about a fish and a movie about a bear?)
The abandonados perform their initiation ritual, with primitive paint on their faces, primitive graffiti on Sven’s chest, holding primitive decorator accessories from Target, and sporting primitive silk headbands nee neckties. OOH-AHH-AHH! (Ting-tang walla-walla bing-bang?) Raúl, alias Dippy Crane, says “Cuéntanos, Sven…” Sven obliges, “1, 2, 3..” OOH-AHH-AHH! That must be tribalspeak for “Shaddup!”
Dippy Crane continues, “How do you feel when a woman abandons you?” Santiago, alias Tooky-Tooky Bird, gives a birdcall warning Sven to answer carefully. Sven gives the wrong answer (“I go for a walk“) and Tooky-Tooky feeds Sven a shot of tequila to help him think more clearly (like I eat ice cream to help me lose weight!). Sven doesn’t understand what he’s supposed to do, so he gets another shot of tequila. He still doesn’t get it right, so a little bird (Tooky-Tooky) feeds him the answer – “Get angry!” Sven obviously never learned how to play caveman games.
Santiago gives Sven yet another shot to help him get in touch with his inner caveman, and counsels him that they teach each other to cope (kinda’ like the blind leading the blind). Just then a cell phone rings, and each one lunges for his cell phone, hoping it’s his. (Note, in LFMB every cell phone ring sounded the same, but the owner always knew when it was his. In Tontas they sound different, but all the men grab for their cell phone when they hear one ring.) It turns out to be Sven’s, and he tells the woman on the other end that he’s out with his friends, he’ll leave when he’s good and ready, no he won’t say who they are, and he‘ll see her in the morning. His buddies are all impressed – he’s their new hero for telling off his wife like that. Sven corrects them – it was my mama. Hero to zero in two seconds flat.
Pat warns Soledad not to maintain any illusions. He’s there to see his son, not her. He would like to see Beto more, and maybe, just maybe, tell him the truth one day. And oh by the way, does Soledad ever go on internet chat? Does she want to take revenge on him? Soledad thinks the idea is ludicrous. Just then Beto comes out; he can’t sleep. Soledad decides this is the perfect time for Pat to have that discussion he thought he might, possibly, maybe, at some point in the far future have with Beto. Pat comes down to Beto’s level and affectionately tells him, “Yo soy tu papa.” Beto knows that’s silly; he already has a father. But his mama confirms that it’s true. That’s way too much for Beto to handle, so he runs away and hides in his room, just like Candy always does. Oh, except Beto is seven – he’s supposed to act childish.
Ed and Chayo are talking about her new job. Ed says the institute will fail, but he doesn’t mind at all if she wants to go play like she has a real job. Now go get my slippers like a good puppy dog.
Meño is writing his astrology column, “If you wake up in a bad mood, it’s because you have a dirty conscience.” Candy thinks he’s directing the comment at her (if the tacón fits..). She pours the morning’s orange juice all over the column he just finished, “Oopsie!” I could almost tolerate the nasty things Candy does, were it not that she always laughs as she’s doing them. Candy, how do you spell sadistic?
At breakfast, Isabel asks Lucía why she never talks about her parents. Luc gets upset and says that it’s because she hates them. And speaking of child/parent strife, at the playground Pat is trying once again to talk to Beto, to help him understand that Pat really is his father, but Beto isn’t willing to listen. Pat asks Chava to help him to get Beto talking. I have to wonder. If this is a school playground, do they let men off the street come talk to the children? And if it’s a public playground, are the boys there alone?
Isabel takes Lucía to her parents’ grave. Abuela tells her it’s normal to be angry; she was angry when her son died, too. She says it’s not right to bury your child. She knows it was terribly painful for Luc to lose them, but sooner or later, it’s normal for children bury their parents. “Pero otra vez, no (but the other way around, no).”
Today Candy got her surprise when she opened a door. Tomorrow Marissa will get her surprise, listening to Santiago and Candy through a closed door.
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WOW WOW WOW...Paul...you did it! Haven't read the recap yet but dang, you figured out how to post photos from youtube. Did you use Julie's suggested method. Remember...I have trouble pumping my own gas, so I don't think I'll be doing that...but still CONGRATS!
Ah,now I've read it...masterful use of language in this one, Paula...particularly liked "marinating (his problems) in brandy sauce" your lead-up of Astaire, Phelps etc. to "and Jaime Camil can kiss", the example of what a semi can do when it passes a bicycle and "hero to zero" in no time flat.
I was out doing dishes during the Abandonados Iron Man sequence but that does ring true for me. Men go to anger when rejected, we women cry our eyes out. (although I've done some mighty pillow pounding with a tennis racquet in my day).
I found the Meño/wife reconciliation sweet (although of course too fast for real life)...still...it was a tender scene as they recalled how he always stepped on her foot...) Past pain, both physical and emotional(the gay thing) which they were both willing to forgive and forget now. Our first Morality Lesson, successfully accomplished! She's forgiven him for lying to her about his tendencies and making her feel betrayed and unloved. He's forgiven her for keeping him away from their son all these years. Amen.
I was out doing dishes during the Abandonados Iron Man sequence but that does ring true for me. Men go to anger when rejected, we women cry our eyes out. (although I've done some mighty pillow pounding with a tennis racquet in my day).
I found the Meño/wife reconciliation sweet (although of course too fast for real life)...still...it was a tender scene as they recalled how he always stepped on her foot...) Past pain, both physical and emotional(the gay thing) which they were both willing to forgive and forget now. Our first Morality Lesson, successfully accomplished! She's forgiven him for lying to her about his tendencies and making her feel betrayed and unloved. He's forgiven her for keeping him away from their son all these years. Amen.
Good work (and lovely pictures)!
I'd love to try a torta ahogada, but I'd have to wrap myself up in paper towels first. And I'd have to eat it at the table. And I would have to use a knife and fork. I'm not good with messy foods, and if they're super-peppery foods I can't let them get on my fingers because there's a 94% chance I'll poke myself in the eye with them later. (I never poke myself in the eye with clean fingers.)
For alburear, reverso.com says "disturb, upset" in general, "make money, stuff one's pockets" in the Andes and Caribbean, and "to pun" in Mexico. None of those quite seems to fit, unless he means that he won't stuff her (which could also be a bawdy pun since they're talking about food and sex, but I think it's a stretch).
Word Reference doesn't list the word at all, not even in its forums.
(While researching this, I ran into a neat word: abuchear. It means "to boo." I'm not suggesting that this is the word they used; I just thought it was interesting to learn the word for "to boo"!)
I'd love to try a torta ahogada, but I'd have to wrap myself up in paper towels first. And I'd have to eat it at the table. And I would have to use a knife and fork. I'm not good with messy foods, and if they're super-peppery foods I can't let them get on my fingers because there's a 94% chance I'll poke myself in the eye with them later. (I never poke myself in the eye with clean fingers.)
For alburear, reverso.com says "disturb, upset" in general, "make money, stuff one's pockets" in the Andes and Caribbean, and "to pun" in Mexico. None of those quite seems to fit, unless he means that he won't stuff her (which could also be a bawdy pun since they're talking about food and sex, but I think it's a stretch).
Word Reference doesn't list the word at all, not even in its forums.
(While researching this, I ran into a neat word: abuchear. It means "to boo." I'm not suggesting that this is the word they used; I just thought it was interesting to learn the word for "to boo"!)
Remember that "albures" is the distinctive form of punning that originated in the (male) lower classes of Mexico City but is now in wide use. It's a kind of quick repartee or banter that often uses innocent symbols, such as tortas in this case, as sexual synonyms. The bickerers try to one-up each other with the use of these symbols. Sometimes the innocent phrases are also a play on words. I think in this scene Santi is telling her he doesn't want to engage in albures. However he's a bit of a hypocrite when he invites her to take a taste. Julie's instincts about this are right on I think, the torta is a bawdy pun.
Maybe the playground is the same one where Isabel left Rocio alone while she got some exercise, eh?
Paula, I'm amazed you were able to post those pictures, nice job! You're right, the two heads behind the desk are priceless. I'm a little surprised at Candy, she complains all the time about men just wanting to get women in bed yet she keeps dabbling with Santi who clearly has a girlfriend. And he has sex with his novia one minute and then pursues Candy the next. I guess I'm just asking too much for them to behave like mature, communicating adults. It makes me a little nuts but what the heck, it's kind of fun to watch.
The abandonados scenes are weird. Are all these men going to be "reformed" at the end? Will the "unreformed" men have the curse of being an abandonado for life?
Maybe the playground is the same one where Isabel left Rocio alone while she got some exercise, eh?
Paula, I'm amazed you were able to post those pictures, nice job! You're right, the two heads behind the desk are priceless. I'm a little surprised at Candy, she complains all the time about men just wanting to get women in bed yet she keeps dabbling with Santi who clearly has a girlfriend. And he has sex with his novia one minute and then pursues Candy the next. I guess I'm just asking too much for them to behave like mature, communicating adults. It makes me a little nuts but what the heck, it's kind of fun to watch.
The abandonados scenes are weird. Are all these men going to be "reformed" at the end? Will the "unreformed" men have the curse of being an abandonado for life?
This show is nuts. I love it! Haven't seen the last few episodes but your recap made me feel like I did. Loved the Princess Bride reference!
Yes Judy, Julie gave me the instructions for posting photos from YouTube, plus some midnight hand-holding until I got it right. I'll write them up and send them to you, hopefully today.
Yes Julie, from what Wiki says, you'll have to use a fork on that torta. It makes a special point that it is not for the feint of stomach.
Sylvia, wow! Thank you for the info on albures. You may have defined it before, but I retain new info better on the second pass. What an interesting cultural sidebar. I think there is a similar sport in US youth culture, but with a bigger emphasis on insults.
I know the banter got bawdy at that point, which is why Candy threw him out of her bedroom. I skipped one line in the transcript because it was redundant but more bawdy. I caught SOME of the references in the "tasting" banter, but I think some double entendres that went over my head.
You asked about the abandonados. I think there are seven in all. Some of them are well incorporated into the rest of the plot - Ed, Raúl, and Sven. But the others, Carlo (Celso from Fea), Miguel (the thin raggedy guy), and Hector (the more professional guy), seem totally independent of the rest of the story and barely developed. I think they are just there to populate the club.
Likewise the six of the institute staff. Soledad, Chayo, and Lulu are integrated into other parts of the plot, while we only know Cece and Bárbara from the institute. However since the staff there says more than "ooh-ahh-ahh," we'll probably get to know them better than the abandonados.
Yes Julie, from what Wiki says, you'll have to use a fork on that torta. It makes a special point that it is not for the feint of stomach.
Sylvia, wow! Thank you for the info on albures. You may have defined it before, but I retain new info better on the second pass. What an interesting cultural sidebar. I think there is a similar sport in US youth culture, but with a bigger emphasis on insults.
I know the banter got bawdy at that point, which is why Candy threw him out of her bedroom. I skipped one line in the transcript because it was redundant but more bawdy. I caught SOME of the references in the "tasting" banter, but I think some double entendres that went over my head.
You asked about the abandonados. I think there are seven in all. Some of them are well incorporated into the rest of the plot - Ed, Raúl, and Sven. But the others, Carlo (Celso from Fea), Miguel (the thin raggedy guy), and Hector (the more professional guy), seem totally independent of the rest of the story and barely developed. I think they are just there to populate the club.
Likewise the six of the institute staff. Soledad, Chayo, and Lulu are integrated into other parts of the plot, while we only know Cece and Bárbara from the institute. However since the staff there says more than "ooh-ahh-ahh," we'll probably get to know them better than the abandonados.
Thanks Julia. I always loved when Julie slipped 70's pop culture quotes and references into her recaps, so I put several (5 I think) into this recap. Princess Bride is so darned quotable, como se puede evitarlo? How can one avoid it?
Funny, I thought the Wikipedia story said that people at soccer games eat the drowned sandwiches with their hands! Hence my wish for a fork and a table!
Extra abandonados? That reminds me of Juanita, the cleaning lady at Conceptos. Her only purpose in the story that I can recall was that she once told Lety's fortune with seashells, very early in the story. Then she continued to hang hung around with the cuartel for a whole nother year, being generally supportive but not adding anything of consequence to any of their scenes.
I haven't seen much of this in other telenovelas. Characters who are shown in the credits, especially for the entire duration of the show, are usually more important to the storyline or at least have some kind of recurring entertaining schtick. Otherwise they just exit the story after they fulfill their purpose.
They could have given the fortune-telling incident to Sarah and left Juanita out entirely, and we never would have known the difference. (In the Colombian version, the corresponding character, Mariana I think? was of a different race - I don't know if that figured into a subplot or not.)
I kept hoping Juanita would get a subplot or at least a few funny lines, but it never happened. In fact, when Luigi gave them all makeovers, all she got was... I forget, was it a new purse or a barrette? It was something lame.
But I digress.
If there are multiple "filler" abandonados, that doesn't seem so bad. I was a little bummed about Juanita because she was the only one who didn't seem to have anything else going on.
Extra abandonados? That reminds me of Juanita, the cleaning lady at Conceptos. Her only purpose in the story that I can recall was that she once told Lety's fortune with seashells, very early in the story. Then she continued to hang hung around with the cuartel for a whole nother year, being generally supportive but not adding anything of consequence to any of their scenes.
I haven't seen much of this in other telenovelas. Characters who are shown in the credits, especially for the entire duration of the show, are usually more important to the storyline or at least have some kind of recurring entertaining schtick. Otherwise they just exit the story after they fulfill their purpose.
They could have given the fortune-telling incident to Sarah and left Juanita out entirely, and we never would have known the difference. (In the Colombian version, the corresponding character, Mariana I think? was of a different race - I don't know if that figured into a subplot or not.)
I kept hoping Juanita would get a subplot or at least a few funny lines, but it never happened. In fact, when Luigi gave them all makeovers, all she got was... I forget, was it a new purse or a barrette? It was something lame.
But I digress.
If there are multiple "filler" abandonados, that doesn't seem so bad. I was a little bummed about Juanita because she was the only one who didn't seem to have anything else going on.
I liked your story about your mother warning you not to open other people's doors because you never know what you might find; however, I think you could make the same argument in favor of opening doors!
I only saw Princess Bride once (I know, I know... blasphemy) but the one line that always stuck with me was "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
I only saw Princess Bride once (I know, I know... blasphemy) but the one line that always stuck with me was "You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means."
Great recap! Lots of fun references, pictures, snide comments, I loved it!
Candy had a good question when she told her socias, you all have jobs, but what's my job? Maybe she should be a client! She seems completely mixed up. And what was she thinking when, as Rosiblanca, she said she'd meet Pat? I'm thinking back to the Univision synopses of the characters. I think they said Candy was impulsive. That's an understatement.
And what's the deal with Pat's difficult decision in telling Beto that Pat's his Dad? Again, this should have been thought through a little more. How in the world is a 7 year old going to understand this, without getting into the facts of life? And shouldn't his mother have told him? I'm all for being honest with kids (I'm not happy at all with Candy for showing Chava a fake father foto), but there must be a better way to do this than what Pat (at Soledad's urging) did. Oh well.
Zamora's initiation was funny, but aren't these guys a little too old for that ooh ahh ahh stuff? Guess not.
Candy had a good question when she told her socias, you all have jobs, but what's my job? Maybe she should be a client! She seems completely mixed up. And what was she thinking when, as Rosiblanca, she said she'd meet Pat? I'm thinking back to the Univision synopses of the characters. I think they said Candy was impulsive. That's an understatement.
And what's the deal with Pat's difficult decision in telling Beto that Pat's his Dad? Again, this should have been thought through a little more. How in the world is a 7 year old going to understand this, without getting into the facts of life? And shouldn't his mother have told him? I'm all for being honest with kids (I'm not happy at all with Candy for showing Chava a fake father foto), but there must be a better way to do this than what Pat (at Soledad's urging) did. Oh well.
Zamora's initiation was funny, but aren't these guys a little too old for that ooh ahh ahh stuff? Guess not.
Julie, Hence my wish for a fork and a table! As you wish. Actually I meant that since you use a fork for hot things, you, Julie, would want to use a fork on these. A torta ahogada is good, but there's nothing like a nice MLT - mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe.
Notice in today's cap, Santi asks when Candy will open herself. He's still trying to bring her back from the dead. See, there's a big difference between mostly dead, and all dead.
Julia, thanks to you, I'm going to challenge myself - I'll try to imbed at least one Princess Bride quote in every recap.
And Julie, if you remember nothing else, remember this: Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!
Notice in today's cap, Santi asks when Candy will open herself. He's still trying to bring her back from the dead. See, there's a big difference between mostly dead, and all dead.
Julia, thanks to you, I'm going to challenge myself - I'll try to imbed at least one Princess Bride quote in every recap.
And Julie, if you remember nothing else, remember this: Never go in against a Sicilian when death is on the line!
Paula, excellent! I had previously thought that about Candi...she's not completely dead, she's only mostly dead. And of course there will be some choice lines should we ever get to a wedding.
Paula H, thanks for the great recap! Lots of terrific chuckles to go with the narrative! Great job with the photos; I especially love the one of Santiago in his playclothes.
“he calls her Suegrita which can mean little mother-in-law, but also screaming mother-in-law.” LOL! Great tidbit!
“Then a smile so big he sprains an ear” ROTFL! Jaime does have the most delightful smiles.
“Pavarotti can sing. Astaire can dance. Phelps can swim. And Camil can kiss.” LOL! Is there anything Camil can’t do? We haven’t found it yet.
“Meño says, “You got to see him grow up. You fed him when he was hungry. What did I give him? Nothing. Please, let me give him the love of his father.”” What surprised me here was it actually looked like Laura was moved by this observation Meño made.
“Alicia tells Gregoria that Pat has a son plus 2 amantes” Won’t we all have fun when Alicia finds out Pat has TWO sons and only one amante? The other one is a wife!
“We see the first flicker that Santi might have a the beginning of a dim idea that Candy is not willing to be his second woman.” I wondered if there was a flicker of Candy opening a door to see her sister kissing her husband—since Candy already told Santi the story and he’s not a total idiot. It looks and smells a lot the same as what Candy saw in his office…..but now she has a clear choice, since she’s the second one. She can just back out gracefully and Santi knows it. In fact, he gave her all the ammo to do it.
“Chava and Beto argue about whose dad is better. Funny you should mention that!” Funny how neither one of them has a clue who the read Dad is. And I do mean that in the singular.
“She says she went but decided not to present herself because revenge doesn’t make sense and she doesn’t want to hurt anyone (i.e. Alicia)” I was thinking Chava.
Alburear – disturb, upset http://dictionary.reverso.net/spanish-english/alburear
“If this is a school playground, do they let men off the street come talk to the children? And if it’s a public playground, are the boys there alone?” EXACTLY my two questions, PaulaH. I was appalled. If the former, it doesn’t happen at my school, I guarantee you! I routinely offend people I don’t know by asking them who they are on the playground at my school. Or, for that matter, just about any place on these school grounds.
Jeanne
“he calls her Suegrita which can mean little mother-in-law, but also screaming mother-in-law.” LOL! Great tidbit!
“Then a smile so big he sprains an ear” ROTFL! Jaime does have the most delightful smiles.
“Pavarotti can sing. Astaire can dance. Phelps can swim. And Camil can kiss.” LOL! Is there anything Camil can’t do? We haven’t found it yet.
“Meño says, “You got to see him grow up. You fed him when he was hungry. What did I give him? Nothing. Please, let me give him the love of his father.”” What surprised me here was it actually looked like Laura was moved by this observation Meño made.
“Alicia tells Gregoria that Pat has a son plus 2 amantes” Won’t we all have fun when Alicia finds out Pat has TWO sons and only one amante? The other one is a wife!
“We see the first flicker that Santi might have a the beginning of a dim idea that Candy is not willing to be his second woman.” I wondered if there was a flicker of Candy opening a door to see her sister kissing her husband—since Candy already told Santi the story and he’s not a total idiot. It looks and smells a lot the same as what Candy saw in his office…..but now she has a clear choice, since she’s the second one. She can just back out gracefully and Santi knows it. In fact, he gave her all the ammo to do it.
“Chava and Beto argue about whose dad is better. Funny you should mention that!” Funny how neither one of them has a clue who the read Dad is. And I do mean that in the singular.
“She says she went but decided not to present herself because revenge doesn’t make sense and she doesn’t want to hurt anyone (i.e. Alicia)” I was thinking Chava.
Alburear – disturb, upset http://dictionary.reverso.net/spanish-english/alburear
“If this is a school playground, do they let men off the street come talk to the children? And if it’s a public playground, are the boys there alone?” EXACTLY my two questions, PaulaH. I was appalled. If the former, it doesn’t happen at my school, I guarantee you! I routinely offend people I don’t know by asking them who they are on the playground at my school. Or, for that matter, just about any place on these school grounds.
Jeanne
Great recap, I loved the picture. It was a funny scene. If Santiago truly wants Candi why doesn't he break up with Marissa? I don't blame Candi for reacting like she did. This is one of my favorite novelas and your recaps help me when I have trouble understanding what was said. Thanks.
Liena, FL
Liena, FL
Permalink posted by 
: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 4:08:00 PM EST
: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 4:08:00 PM EST
Paula / Julie, Wikiquote also attributes a variant of the "land war in Asia" quote to Viscount/Marshal Montgomery while speaking in the House of Lords on American policy in Vietnam, 1962.:
"The US has broken the second rule of war. That is, don't go fighting with your land army on the mainland of Asia. Rule One is don't march on Moscow. I developed these two rules myself."
Arrogant, but not "tonto."
"The US has broken the second rule of war. That is, don't go fighting with your land army on the mainland of Asia. Rule One is don't march on Moscow. I developed these two rules myself."
Arrogant, but not "tonto."
Thanks for yet another fabulous recap Paula ;)
Mike, love the bit on the Asia quote. Sometimes art imitates life. People quote Winston Churchill and WC Fields all the time without even realizing it.
On Albures - there is also a card game called albures. Sooo, if we go by the pun game or the card game, I think he was trying to say he doesn't speak in riddles or try to cheat (neither of which is true, but you can't blame a guy for trying).
Mike, love the bit on the Asia quote. Sometimes art imitates life. People quote Winston Churchill and WC Fields all the time without even realizing it.
On Albures - there is also a card game called albures. Sooo, if we go by the pun game or the card game, I think he was trying to say he doesn't speak in riddles or try to cheat (neither of which is true, but you can't blame a guy for trying).
Thanks for the great recap as always. I think this may officially be the least I've been able to follow any of the 4 telenovelas I've watched. I'd be lost without the 'Cappers.
Love the references. Keep up the great work!
Love the references. Keep up the great work!
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 6:00:00 PM EST
: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 6:00:00 PM EST
Paula - loved your recap - thanks!
I thought Jaime, I mean, Santiago, looked especially good during the kissing scene with Cande. He was so expressive - OMG. To paraphrase Pat the rat (who was speaking of Cande), "I'll forget about Jaime when I'm muerta". LOL ;)
As far as Santi saying he didn't have to apologize for making love to his novia - what a jerk! He SHOULD apologize to both women!
It was hilarious to see him take Marissa's scarf off his head when Cande caught them under the desk. Great timing, great facial expression.
I loved watching Cande stab the balloon heart. It was the perfect demonstration of her frustration with Santi and with herself for being attracted to him.
There's a little place in town that has flautas ahogadas - YUM!
No tortas, though.
I thought Jaime, I mean, Santiago, looked especially good during the kissing scene with Cande. He was so expressive - OMG. To paraphrase Pat the rat (who was speaking of Cande), "I'll forget about Jaime when I'm muerta". LOL ;)
As far as Santi saying he didn't have to apologize for making love to his novia - what a jerk! He SHOULD apologize to both women!
It was hilarious to see him take Marissa's scarf off his head when Cande caught them under the desk. Great timing, great facial expression.
I loved watching Cande stab the balloon heart. It was the perfect demonstration of her frustration with Santi and with herself for being attracted to him.
There's a little place in town that has flautas ahogadas - YUM!
No tortas, though.
Permalink posted by : Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 8:57:00 PM EST
: Tuesday, December 30, 2008 at 8:57:00 PM EST
Oh, one quick thing I remembered about "tortas ahogadas" - Oscar in FELS would get them from a local restaurant (much to Quintina's chagrin) and he'd eat them standing, while holding a paper bag under it and away from his body for the dripping. Kinda like a greasy chili dog.
I thought I had posted this. I guess not.
Hombre d'M, I agree, Candy needs some work. She's going to run away from Santiago, to Pat who 1. has a wife, Candy's sister; 2. is doing Candy's good friend; 3. is chasing a third bit of fluff on the internet.
As for the cavemen, Hombre d'M, you forget. In a show apparantly designed by man-haters whose creed is "All men are pigs." it makes perfect sense for 30-something doctors and business executives (and cabbies and waiters) to behave like 12-year-olds. On the other hand, it sure does provide fun comic relief. Novelas always have side diversions. I far prefer this kind over the usual "destroy, murder, betray" theme in many novelas.
Julie, regarding Mariana from Colombian Betty. I'm only up to Cap 95 (of about 170?) and I suspect she does not get her own subplot. But she serves more of a function than Juanita. She fills a niche. (I'll use Mex Fea names.) Paula was the slutty bimbo. Marta was the frumpy wife. Lola was the crabby one. Sara was tough. Mariana, as the Juanita character, was Carribbean and so she was the free-spirited and mystical. Juanita, on the other hand, didn't have any distinguishing trait.
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Hombre d'M, I agree, Candy needs some work. She's going to run away from Santiago, to Pat who 1. has a wife, Candy's sister; 2. is doing Candy's good friend; 3. is chasing a third bit of fluff on the internet.
As for the cavemen, Hombre d'M, you forget. In a show apparantly designed by man-haters whose creed is "All men are pigs." it makes perfect sense for 30-something doctors and business executives (and cabbies and waiters) to behave like 12-year-olds. On the other hand, it sure does provide fun comic relief. Novelas always have side diversions. I far prefer this kind over the usual "destroy, murder, betray" theme in many novelas.
Julie, regarding Mariana from Colombian Betty. I'm only up to Cap 95 (of about 170?) and I suspect she does not get her own subplot. But she serves more of a function than Juanita. She fills a niche. (I'll use Mex Fea names.) Paula was the slutty bimbo. Marta was the frumpy wife. Lola was the crabby one. Sara was tough. Mariana, as the Juanita character, was Carribbean and so she was the free-spirited and mystical. Juanita, on the other hand, didn't have any distinguishing trait.
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