Caray, Caray!

Pancho says "thanks, but no thanks" to Fernanda's offer.

Tomás drops Betty off at a street corner and gives her enough money for bus fare and a "paletita," which is a Popsicle or similar treat on a stick. This is intended to make her feel better about him kicking her out of his car instead of having the courtesy to take her home after fooling around with her, but she's clearly offended.

Tomás then joins Pepe outside the club, where their friend the doorman lets them in, to the dismay of other waiting patrons. (I hear murmurs of "naco," so I guess we're going to be hearing that word an awful lot in the coming months.)

By the way, I just read that in Mexico, this TN began in February and is still running. That means it's a hit. So we've got at least eight months ahead of us. Does anyone think we have eight months' worth of story here yet?

Lupita and her friend Elena are at what appears to be a cybercafe. An IM comes up on Lupita's screen from one "Rey de Copas" (King of Cups).

At first I thought "King of Cups" meant "King of Boozy Drinks," but then I remembered that it's also a tarot card. Here is what Wikipedia has to say about the King of Cups:

The personality of the King of Cups is a combination of the positive nurturing energy of water of the Cups suit and the active, outward focus of a King. The king of cups can be a wonderful guide and mentor as he is usually a giver of unselfish aid, albeit one who is easily angered. He cares about others sincerely and always responds to their needs with compassion. He heals with a gentle touch and a quiet word. He is usually tolerant of all points of view and shows patience in the most trying of circumstances.

The king of cups believes in using diplomacy rather than force, but can be tiresomely devious if you cross him, as he is usually big on emotionality. The king of cups almost always represents a good mentor for a querent who is actively involved in the creative arts.

Lupita wants to know his real name (he can see her name). He ignores this and asks how old she is (16). He says he's 20 and asks what she's like. "Normal," she replies.

We can see from his face that he finds her answer amusing. Oh, right, almost forgot to mention - the King of Cups is Freddy. He's sitting alone at a table, and of all the things one can do in a nightclub, he's texting away on his Blackberry with a 16-year old stranger! Anyway, what he meant was, is she guapa (cute/hot)? She ignores this question and asks why he doesn't give his real name. He insists on meeting her tomorrow.

At the club, Alex comes back with a drink and questions why Freddy is chatting with some girl when he just said he's going to marry Mónica.

Lupita is not happy with herself for chatting with this guy when she has a boyfriend, and wonders if he might be a serial killer, but then Elena approaches and Lupita hurriedly shuts down the IM client. This disappoints Elena, who was hoping to chat with the King of Cups. Now maybe he'll be mad and he won't want to chat with her.

At the club, Pepe and Tomás run into Mónica and her friend Karina. Mo makes so many nasty remarks about them, especially Pepe, that I am momentarily confused by the amount of attention she's giving him - until I realize that she must be attracted to him! Pepe must have the same idea, because he says, "I'll show you what a naco I am" and grabs her and kisses her.

For a long time. And she doesn't try to get away.

Meanwhile, Pancho tosses and turns in his bed as he tries to sleep. Fernanda's offer is echoing in his head. As he stares vacantly into the darkness, her giant, glowing, disembodied face smiles down at him. This scares him, and he falls out of bed. He wanders into the kitchen, where Chela is clearing the table. (Pancho must go to bed VERY early!) She says he must have a lot on his mind. He asks if she's wondering what Fernanda's offer was. She says no, but he tells her anyway.

Pepe is still kissing Mónica. She finally pulls away and takes a token swing at him, which he easily blocks. Freddy and Alex see Mo talking to Pepe, but seem to have missed the kiss.

Chela is skeptical about Fernanda's offer and speculates that the woman must be losing her mind. The fact that she's alone in the world only makes Chela doubt her more.

Pepe is teasing Mónica, saying she must have really liked the kiss, and she insists that it was like drinking burning motor oil. Freddy comes along with Alex and wants to know why Pepe's talking to his girlfriend. Pepe says he just came to get the money Freddy owes him (from the race). Freddy starts to propose that they have another race, then adds, "but of course - you probably need the money for your bus fare. Here it is, loser!" He tosses some bills at Pepe, who tries to attack him, and Tomás pulls him away. Alex proposes a second race, double-or-nothing. Pepe and Tomás agree, and leave the club.

Mónica complains profusely about them to Freddy and makes him smell her arm, which she claims now smells like grapes from being around those guys. Freddy notes no smell and hauls her off for a purifying dance. Karina squeals happily to herself that Freddy didn't see the kiss; Alex misses this comment and asks her to dance, too.

Mónica comes home to find her father, the Evil Rinaldi, looking through the family photo album. She apologizes for staying out late - "sorry," she says in English, which to me seems less sincere than saying it in her own language. He asks how things are going with Freddy. She says everything's fine, and she knows it's what Daddy wants, but she really thinks she's too young to get married. "But you love him, right?" Yeah, sure, she says, and she'd love to talk more... tomorrow. She goes to bed. Evil R. seems disappointed.

Next morning, Fernanda tells Celeste, the front desk receptionist, that she's expecting a visit from Pancho Lopez. Celeste remembers him from yesterday with some dismay.

Also dismayed is Rebeca, who is enduring cheesy remarks from Vicente in the elevator about how they were destined to be meet in an elevator and she looks just as good as ever, after all this time. She replies, "some people never change, like you for example." He then says she looks even BETTER than before and asks if she's here to see Fernanda. "I have no interest in seeing anyone else at this company," she tells him. The elevator stops to let someone else on, and she disembarks, telling Vince she'll take the stairs the rest of the way!

The stairs must be really fast, because now she's in Fernanda's office, saying how she's always running into Vince. (I see a can of those damned green pencils on Fernanda's desk. Points up. Seriously, who keeps a cup of pencils and no pens on their desk? It's silly.)

Rebeca asks if her new duties will be same as they were before. Fer says no; her job will be to convince Pancho to become the new president of Avon, and not a word to anyone else!

"Not a word to anyone," Pancho warns Chela. She's worried that he's going to change his mind and say yes to Fernanda, but he assures her that no means no. Lupita comes in and wants to know what they're talking about. Pancho thanks Chela for always being by his side and tells her to seal her lips (pico, beak) with wax. He leaves, and Lupita is even more curious.

Fernanda tells Rebeca that she knows exactly what Pancho will do. He's going to tell his SIL about this, and then his frend Chacho. His friend will make him doubt, and then Pancho will come here. He's probably talking to Chela right now.

Rebeca thinks it's a bit much for Fernanda to give the job to someone she met. "Probably," Fernanda admits, but she wants them to prepare just the same. Rebeca predicts that Vince will have a heart attack when he hears that a vegetable vendor is going to be his new boss.

Chela is watching some kids play when Ana scolds her for not getting her out of bed sooner. Chela admits to having something on her mind. Ana promises to keep her lip zipped. "Remember that woman who came over and ate the mole?"

Soon after Chela's beak-wax failure, Ana's zipper splits. She whispers the big secret to Lupita, who tells Tomás "my father is going to be President." Tom tells Pepe; Pepe tells Candy; Candy tells Chela that Pancho is going to be President of the United States and live in the White House. (You have no idea how many political jokes I'm stifling right now.) "The telephone is out of order," Chela quips.

Pancho is praying to a public statue of la Virgencita for guidance. (Another man shuffles up and tells Virgencita how he doesn't even have enough for a sandwich. Pancho immediately gives him sandwich money to go away and not distract him. The man praises Virgencita - giving no thanks to Pancho - and takes off.) He prays for her to take care of lonely Fernanda, and for help to keep him and his family for ending up in the street. Chacho says it's time to start work; Pancho says he prayed for Fernanda not to die alone.

Candy is still having a hard time wrapping her mind around the telephone joke. Chela explains the real situation. She's worried because money changes people.

Later, at the vegetable stand, a third man (Nico) is telling Chacho and Pancho that maybe God sent Fernanda to help with their mortgage problem. (Univision blanks out the sound for a moment, but we don't have to wonder what we missed, because now they're all fanning the air and complaining of an extremely bad smell.) Pancho is more worried about poor Fernanda dying alone. Then Nico says maybe it's not the Old Man who sent the Old Lady; maybe his Old Lady sent him the Old Lady! Pancho flashes back to asking Laurita to be his wife and the mistress of his wages. "I hadn't thought of that," he admits.

The whole family (and more) wants to discuss the big news with Pancho when he gets home. Candy and Ana want him to take the job. Candy wants free cellulite cream, and Ana wants new instruments for her band. Chela still hates the idea. Pepe suggests they just go and talk to Fernanda - Tomás is hoping they'll get new cars in the deal. Pancho says no, no, no, no, I'm not going.

He's still saying that in the van with Pepe and Tomás, but now he's in the main lobby at Avon and Celeste is taking him to the elevator. He asks P and T not to break anything.

Monica comes into the lobby, telling Karina on the phone how gross "he" was and how he smelled of motor oil and sulfur and asphalt. Pepe takes the phone out of her hand and tells Kari who he is and how much Mo enjoyed the kiss.

In Fernanda's office, Pancho admits he's never been in such a place and he's afraid to move or breathe for fear of breaking something. She assures him that everything is replaceable. As for her offer, the answer is no. She says it's ironic that when one only wants to help someone, they won't let her.

She says he doesn't trust his own shadow. He questions her motives. Maybe she's having fun at his expense. She says she has other things to do today, so she'll send someone to talk to him and then he can decide.

In the lobby, Mónica questions why Pepe is there and why she seems to run into him everywhere. Pepe says he's here with his father, future president of this joint. She scoffs. Mo brags that her father is the director of the ONU. (I don't know what that is, but Pepe does.) She says he'd have to be taller to more naco. She's sick of hearing about his delusions and she has to go back to work. He reminds her what happened last time she called him "naco." She says it was her worst nightmare. He gives her his phone number and invites her to the festival. Of course she's not interested in either. She says "sorry" and says there are some kinds of "music" that he'll never hear. She takes his phone number and says she'll throw it away in her office because she doesn't like to leave trash in the lobby.

Now Rebeca is in Fernanda's office, again expressing doubts about allowing that guy to be president. Fernanda says he's a man of integrity, plus she (Rebeca) will be behind him all the way. Rebeca allows that she might be able to guide him and give him some advice, but how is she going to control a man who's uncontrollable?

Fernanda smirks knowingly.

Rebeca doesn't want to go to Pancho's house. Their previous meeting wasn't very good. Pancho isn't used to "women like us." Fer says Rebeca can be Pancho's Pygmalion. She admits that she's doing this to teach Vince the best lesson of his life. No, she insists, it's not just a whim. It might give Vince a little humanity, and she wants to give Pancho the chance he needs to get ahead. He's a fighter, an optimist, a hard worker. He just needs a chance to show it.

Rebeca doesn't think they'll be able to convince him. Fer says the two of them will be able to do it. No - make that three, she says, picking up the phone.

Pancho finally shows up in the lobby with a roll of toilet paper and a newspaper, so I guess we know where he's been. He leaves them with Celeste. He says some things I don't understand, in addition to telling Pepe and Tomás that he said no and Fernanda didn't want to accept his answer and is going to send someone else to talk to him. He says goodbye to Celeste, but calls her Relámpago (Lightning). (Earlier, he called her "Eclipse." He has some trouble with names.)

Pancho gets home and finds Lupita looking worried. She's found the letter from the Evil Rinaldi saying they need to pay up in two days. He assures her that the festival will bring in the money they need. As for Fernanda, he said "no for now." She's surprised and thinks it should be a firm no. In her opinion, rich people aren't trustworthy.

Rebeca gets on the elevator and is freshly dismayed to find Vince on it. (How much do you want to bet that he's been riding up and down on that thing for an hour waiting for her?) "I asume that my aunt offered you a new job." He flatters her some more. There's an interruption in my recording (actually, recordings on two different devices, so a Comcast or Univision problem), but I think he says something about leaving the past in the past and adds, "it's not that I'm in a hurry for my aunt to leave, but I really am dying to be at your side." (Does he know about the cancer, or is he only anticipating her retirement? Either way, what a jerk.) She gets out of the elevator at the next stop. I think he tries to follow her, but the doors close in his face!

Pancho lights a candle at home and tells Laurita's photo that he wishes she were there to help him think. All his problems would disappear if he could see her. He says he'll do what he's going to do for the kids. He's not going to let the Evil Rinaldi put them out on the street!

At the cybercafe, Elena is frustrated that she can't chat with the King of Cups. She thinks Lupita offended him by shutting down the session without any warning. Lupita sits down and a notification pops up to say the King of Cups has arrived. He asks why she disconnected the other day. Elena sees who it is and kicks Lupita out so she can chat with him. He's asking Lupita for a meeting. Elena is surprised that he is making overtures to Lupita and gives her a disbelieving, possibly jealous, look.

Vince is in his office, practicing what it will be like when he's president. An imaginary headwaiter, played by Vince, is offering him the best table in the restaurant, when a very swishy man named Arnaldo interrupts, having just returned from Paris. He is fiddling with Vince's tie when Pina walks in on them, pushes Arnaldo aside jealously and shrieks, "Vicente Irabién, wasn't it enough having betrayed me with Rebeca? Pig!"

Ahh, so that's why Rebecky can't stand him!

The Evil Rinaldi arrives in Fernanda's office in response to her summons. She asks him about the mortgage. He says he takes on debts that the banks consider unpayable. She says she knows he profits from other people's need. He explains that when he's able to seize that property, he has a client who wants to buy it and build a commercial center... but until then, he's always threatening the owners with eviction and through some magic, they always manage to come up with the money.

"I need you to speed up the process."
"What?"
"I want you to evict them!"

Next time:
The family prepares for the festival.
Rebeca visits the Lopez home. "We're going to be together all the time," she tells Pancho.
Fernanda tells the Evil Rinaldi to seize the Lopez property as soon as possible.

Labels: familia