Caray, Caray!

For fans of "La Pola" -- Pasofino has written this terrific recap for us. Enjoy! And let us know you are out there!


La Pola - Alejo and LaPola at Guaduas and Life at Rancho Domingo (Guaduas Vecinity)

Alejo asks God to let him die in battle because he isn’t capable of marrying another woman while he knows she exists. Pola tells him that it might have been better if he had continued to think she was dead. But, Alejo, says no because he was miserable and in pain when thinking that and that in death he would have been reunited with her. Pola tells him that that is the most beautiful thing she has ever heard and then she tells him that if it was left up to her to choose the person with whom she could die, it would be him.

They run back to the house and in the moonlight Cata and Gertrudis see them embrace and kiss. Gertrudis is afraid Pola will lose her virtue (virtud), but Cata tells her that Pola was born without virtue. Those two, mocks Cata, are not strangers because they are part of each other.

Pola tells Gertrudis that she was not with a stranger, but with someone she has known from childhood. When the posse catches up, Dear Cata tells them that Pola was with the soldier (militar). So, Pola, the crowd wants to know, have you lost your virtue? When she realizes that it will get her out of a marriage with an idiot (Don Andrés, the mayor) she says yes. Not only that, she is told she has soiled (manchado) her whole family.

Big Bro, the monk, keeps at Pola and slaps her. Being Pola, she slaps him back. He is going to go to the military camp to get Alejo to save her honor. Gertrudis volunteers the letter in which Alejo asked Pola for her hand in marriage. He sets off. But, alas, alack, that little old letter doesn’t impress the captain. Big Bro is worried that he might not get to be a priest because of La Pola. Pola doesn’t understand what the fuss is all about. He can’t even send her to a convent because that’s only for the “pure”.

Pola tells Cata that she didn’t lose her virtue. She just didn’t want to marry the mayor. She thinks Alejo will accept her as she is. Cata, who can’t keep her mouth shut, tells Gertrudis who decides to call in the midwife to settle the question. Pola, being Pola, will not allow her to lift her skirt and take a peek unless they kill her first. Anyway, my honor wasn’t robbed, it was given as a gift, she says.

Finally, they decide to shun her – send her to the stable to live and not let her use the family name. She says that Alejo is worth whatever punishment she has to suffer. Cata places Juliano the slave in charge of looking after her sister.

Pola moves her belongings out to the stable where she will sleep with the slaves and laborers. Domingo is furious with Pola because the mayor has demanded a contribution from him for the king’s cause all because Pola refused him. The Twisted Sister, Cata, feels some remorse at Pola’s having to sleep with naked men (the slaves), but Domingo shuts her up by telling her it would be a waste of money, it would be like putting clothes on horses.

To add to Domingo’s misery, Cata is holding out, she’ll only have sex with him to reproduce, and considers all other relations with him to be a sin.

On Sunday, Pola must remain in the back of the church with the slaves. She comes forward to receive communion, but the priest refuses and tells her that before he will give her communion she must repent. Later she goes to confession but tells the priest that she has nothing to repent. She will marry Alejo. The priest drags her out of the confessional and tells her that he will never marry her and Alejo because Alejo’s father has to consent and that will never happen.

Life heats up at Rancho Domingo. Pola doesn’t understand why there are slaves and why they are being treated like animals. She reminds Cata that their father told them it was wrong. Meanwhile Nicolasa and Juliano have a rendezvous and kiss and caress with Cata spying on them from them from behind a rock. We are reminded that Nicolasa was a princess and that Juliano is just a common man who wants to by his freedom and help Nicolasa escape.

Pola unfortunately runs into Don Andrés (the mayor) who grabs her on the street. He tells her he doesn’t understand why she refuses him when any other woman would have jumped at the chance to get him. She has made him the joke of the town and somehow this will not bode well for her.

Anyway, Cata thinks she has seen sin incarnate in the form of Juliano and Nicolasa coupling. She confesses to the priest, and he tells her she had an accident and didn’t commit a mortal sin.

Cata also tells Pola about the slaves having sex and appearing to enjoy it, not like her and Domingo. She’s determined to get the devils out of her house to the point of selling Nicolasa which brings on a speech from Domingo about how much slaves cost, how scarce they are. He says if they are fornicating, that is good because their numbers will increase. So, they all hatch a plan to evangelize the slaves and make them marry. Only thing, it costs 150 pesos for the priest and church. So what if that takes up Juliano’s stash that he was saving up to buy his freedom.

As if things aren’t bad enough for Pola, Ciro, el capatáz of the slaves, tries to get his hands on her, but Juliano fights him off.

Nicolasa doesn’t want to get married, but she’ll either marry or be sold. And so, Bernarda takes over as Cata’s new slave.

Later, when Cata finds Nic and Juliano kissing again, that does it. She tells Domingo and the rest of the world and Domingo orders them to be whipped. Nicolasa refuses to marry, but when she sees what they are doing to Juliano, she relents and says she will. We later learn that she had made a vow not to marry until she had found her son who had been taken away from her.

Anyway, Cata’s interest in the slaves is becoming an obsession. At the same time La Pola’s interest in the slaves becomes notable as she becomes aware of how badly they are treated. She tells Nic that she thinks there are new laws that should help the slaves and sets out to find about these laws – first by visiting the priest who reminds her that slaves do not have souls and who also sends her to Don Andrés, the mayor. What is it about men in white wigs that is so unattractive? He tells her nothing. Then he asks her if she still thinks the militar will come back for her. No – she says, I don’t think that, I know it.

We have our first wedding in the novela when the priest marries Nicola and Juliano in a Latin ceremony. Fortunately, this was followed by a fiesta around the campfire when we see La Pola dancing with the slaves and the farm laborers.

La Pola - Alejo and Leandro

Back at the military encampment, Leandro tells the lieutenant that Alejo is engaged to a woman from a very wealthy family and that they should go south and ask these people for money for the king’s campaign.

Capt. LLorente then sends Leandro and Alejo south as in immediately and gives Alejo a lecture about chasing women of questionable origin and to concentrate on a decent girl.

Alejo tells Leandro that he doesn’t see why they have to leave tonight. Leandro rants about Pola and the mayor and that the mayor came to the camp looking for him and Pola. Alejo tells him that no one saw them – but, they have orders. Alejo plans to return to Pola and then gets another Leandro lecture about keeping promises and marrying Doña Ignacia. There are meztisos, he says, because other Spaniards felt like you do and went against God and the King. Alejo can’t imagine a life lived with someone he doesn’t love.

Finally Alejo and Leandro arrive in Popayan. Alejo tells Leandro that he will go into that building, Ignacia’s family manse, and call off the engagement. They enter the mansion and are greeted by their parents, Francisco and María Teresa Sabarain, and Don Gaspar and his wife, Eusebia (Ignacia’s parents). Alejo and Leandro tell them they are in Popayan to ask for donations to help save the king and Spain. Don Gaspar reminds Alejo to ask about Ignacia.

They then find out that their parents are living at Don Gaspar’s mansion for charity. Apparently Dear Daddy squandered money he was supposed to have been collecting for taxes and now he has to make restitution. He wants Alejo to marry Ignacia within a week. The man needs the dowry money to save himself. They note that Alejo is a grown man and every bit a militar. Alejo says no, I’m just an Álfarez. (What is that? Can’t find it anywhere.) Don Gaspar plans a welcome party.



La Pola - The Revolutionaries

At Casa Nariño (Santa Fe, Nueva Granada), Don Antonio and Don Jorge Tadeo have it out with Don Antonio knocking Jorge to the ground. I knew that guy would be eating that ruffled shirt of his. He tells the other revolutionaries that he fell. On his ignominious retreat from Casa Nariño, Don Jorge tries to stir up trouble with the two little girls.

Magdalena is now very grateful to Don Antonio for defending her honor. He recognizes that she has been treated like dirt. Magda questions Antonio about the political situation. Also recognizing that she has a working brain, Don A lets her in on his beliefs about equality and about how unjust the Spaniards have been with the creoles – like him. He’s on fire and ready to revolt. But, not with Don Jorge and his company.

Meanwhile the relationship between Don Antonio and Magdalena begins to improve. He realizes that she has been treated badly and she realizes and admits that she was wrong and that she was seduced by Don Jorge who took advantage of her situation. Don Antonio still cannot remove the thought of her being in Don Jorge’s arms. Later he thanks Iñez (Magda’s sister) for helping his family while he was in jail. Iñez tells him to forgive Magda, and the light slowly begins to dawn in his brain.

Magda tells Iñez that Don Jorge wanted her as a trophy. Iñez tells her that Don Antonio still loves her and that he acknowledged her illegitimate children (the two girls) as his own. What more could a girl want?

Well, she wants love, and for just a moment they are a couple until Don Antonio conjures up visions of Magda doing it with Don Jorge. (Meanwhile, the same thing is happening in the parallel universe of Don Jorge’s bedroom. Blech!)

It seems that Don Antonio comes to the conclusion that the bond between him and Magda is broken and that they should make other living arrangements – like she should go live with her sister.

La Pola - The Big Party in Popayan

Alejo is offended by the pomp and obvious expense laid out for the party. He asks Leandro don’t these people realize that we are at war. While they wait for Ignacia, the governor arrives in white wig and satin knickers. Alejo begins a little speech and the governor winces. Alejo is reminded that the Don Godoy he just mentioned as the man who let France into Spain is married to the governor’s sister.

Anyway, the governor is calling for a big town meeting tomorrow to ask the citizens for financial help for the king. Finally, the beautiful Ignacia enters the room. Alejo takes her in. She says she is ready to be his wife.

She then puts on a piano recital for Alejo. She’s been practicing for years just to get it right for him – he is reminded that many years ago when he told her to do something for herself like learn to play an instrument. This was her big surprise for him.

The crowd toasts the two brothers, and Don Gaspar asks Alejo to say a few words – presumably in admiration of Ignacia. Instead, he tells them about the serious situation with the king and that they need money to help save Spain. He refuses to toast and says he must terminate the engagement because of the gravity of the situation. Ignacia faints.

Alejo continues on that he has to face the biggest army in war and that it is not fair for him to marry Ignacia. The Governor thinks Alejo sets an example for all to follow and permits him to break the engagement, but the dowry must be returned. Uh, oh – me thinks it has been spent.

Ignacia is beside herself with grief, but Don Gaspar tells her someone better will come along, and that is not the right answer since only Alejo will do.

The Governor tells everyone to be generous in their donations. He then tells Alejo that his relationship to Godoy will not stop him from doing his duty.

Of course, Leandro has to whisper into Alejo’s ear that the “mestiza” is behind all this. He also tells Alejo that he (Alejo) doesn’t understand anything.

Later, Ignacia has a spell and cuts her wrists – superficially for heaven’s sake. Alejo asks her to forgive him, but she can’t live without him. Don Gaspar tells her she could go to Hell – but she can’t take life without Alejo, a man she doesn’t even know.

Daddy Francisco asks Leandro where did Alejo got all this patriotic fervor. Leandro, being his usual disloyal brotherly self tells Francisco about La Pola.

Meanwhile back at the manse María Teresa packs up because they have to leave and return the dowry. Francisco vows to fix this mess and tells her the meztisa is behind this. He has no political pull here, but Governor Tacón can prevent Alejo from leaving.

La Pola - The After Party

Ignacia hatches her own plot by offering the governor 1,000 pounds (pesos) of gold if he will pull strings to keep Alejo in Popayan. That is the sound of music that the governor understands. Alejo will stay here and perform his official duties, but he reminds her that she will be marrying a soldier of the king.

When Ignacia leaves the guv’s office, Alejo notices her happy face. I’ve just saved your life she tells Alejo. He thinks why do I feel that nothing good can come of this?

To rub it in, the governor tells Alejo that he is just an álfarez, not someone indispensable to the war. More painful, he wants Alejo to become one of his personal troopers. Governor Tacón also warns him about revolutionaries in the Americas, but Alejo insists that their orders were very clear. With 1,000 pounds of gold in mind, the guv tells him that he will write to Capt. San LLorente and have his orders annulled. When Alejo shoots back that all this is because of Ignacia’s capriciousness, the governor reminds him that her family is being very generous to the war effort. You should be very happy because she saved your life, and she is very beautiful. When Alejo says he will not accept, the guv tells him it’s an order – do it, or you’ll be a prisoner.

When the news breaks that Alejo will not be going anywhere, Don Francisco and Doña Eusebia are very happy and start making wedding plans. But, says Alejo, I am not going to marry María Ignacia.

Alejo tells his parents that it is the war – no, says Francisco, it is the girl. Yes, he says, if I live through this war, I will marry La Pola. There are words on both sides – Francisco asks him how dare he speak to him like that. Alejo retorts with how dare you play with my life and if you make me stay I will look for La Pola. Francisco grabs Alejo and says do you think I’m going to authorize this (marriage to LaPola). Ignacia has many fine qualities, but he loves La Pola. His destiny is to go to Spain. Francisco says he doesn’t respect his parents.

Finally, Francisco tells him that they are broke and that if he doesn’t marry Ignacia, he and his mother will live in misery. He also learns that his mother’s family will no longer support them. Francisco now begs – we will die of hunger if you don’t do this.

Alejo finally resigns himself to the situation he is in and agrees to marry Ignacia. Later he meets up with Leandro who is headed out of town. Leandro gives him the family pep talk, but Alejo admits that what he is about to do makes him feel like a miserable coward.

In the end we see Alejo at a cantina in a drunken state calling a dancer Polita. That’s not her name says another soldier. It’s Aurita. And, they toast to those who break their hearts.

[Written by Pasofino]

Labels: LaPola