Caray, Caray!

First The parole lady flexes her muscles, Valentina finally calls her Papa Jesus to get a ride to school since Mom has lapsed back into depression sleep. She is also worried about an exam in math which her sleeping Mom is not a math genius among other qualities. Jesus borrows the truck from the depression sleeper named Elias in his apartment.

Maricela makes us sorry that Chatita has taken her in but in her sleepy (not depressed but forgetful) state takes a broom stick to the Maricela but figures out that she knows her.  As Maricela starts her soy de pura raza bit, Chatita has a clearing of the memory cobwebs and reminds Mari that her papa is a garbage man.  Mari tries to convince Chatita of her cloudiness but Chatita holds to her memories of what her father sacrificed to send her to school after her mother disappeared (died, do we know).  Maricela gets on her high horse several times but Chatita reminds her that isn't it odd that Maricela left her home, her loving father and here she is begging a sleeping place from the very good friend of this dear papa. Maricela is not scoring high on the fooling any of the people any of the time scale.

Chucho arrives to learn that Veronica is asleep and he sees the sleeping pills by her bedside so makes her drink water then takes Valentina who notices they are going in Papa Elias truck to school.  Chucho is a saint of good humor taking the beloved child to school and making her feel like nothing at all is wrong.


Moments later, the meat and gluten laden Elias awakens and stumbles out of the door way to discover that his truck has disappeared.

Alma calls a sleepy headed Rogelio to remind him they need to get into the office.  He seems amazed that she is not sleeping with anyone.

Chucho takes Valentina into school and they receive the great news from V's classmates that the dreaded math exam has been postponed.  Chucho gets her to see the day is looking better already. He will need that optimism himself in 10 minutes. I hope Chucho and Valentina get a chance to study math together soon, Valentina deserves to have at least one out of her three parents functioning at adult levels and neither drunk, drugged nor shrieking.

Chucho drives Elias' SUV looking for a place to leave it for Elias or just park it.  Well of course the police who have the story of car theft from the fuzzy-brained Elias, spot said hot car and pull Chucho over.  Chucho somehow eludes the arrest and makes a beeline for the commission of cosmetics to place the registration materials in the lovely hands of the receptionist with nearly one minute to go before the Eight o'clock deadline.  The keystone traffic cops slide into the lobby just after he delivers as promised to in turn deliver the news to their chief that they have their ladrone in front of them: HIM!!  The famous big dark eyes roll with resignation. Mine are merely blue/gray but they are rolling too.

Chucho is put into handcuffs and fends off stupid cops and fawning receptionists while he explains that Elias didn't exactly object to him taking the car to take Valentina to school but merely grunted vaguely so Chucho took this as permission.  On shortwave radio phone, Chucho and Elias discover what has happened and the police force is free to save someone else from robbery and ruin.  Chucho isn't completely free, he must have powerful pheromones that give the receptionist a need to stroke him thoughtfully when he asks to borrow her phone.  However, my worst fears are met that Chucho calls the office and gets the queen of fawning, Xochi who thinks she is getting a call from her NOVIO.  Sheeeshhh, when is he going to take charge of this most irritating of situations.  He does at least ask to speak to Alma so he can tell her the great news that he got their paperwork filed just in time to qualify. Alma hands him back to "his novia".  As usual he has to ask who that is, and then feebly says oh, yeah, that…"   The accommodating receptionist takes her phone back in exchange for some stroking of his wrists and fingers and purrs, coocaroo cachoo, or how do you spell those lyrics from the wonderful song that sound so simpering in the mouth of Xochi and of the ready and eager receptionist.

PatiCake arrives at Fernado's all irritated that he isn't ready to foil Alma so she can get herself closer to Rogie.  He is so preoccupied that he can't lower himself to schemes any longer when he is now dedicated to finding the LUZ   hmmmmm, as he calls her sister-in-law number TWO.  TWO she shrieks!

Pati can't believe that Fernando doesn't hate Alma but he insists that he does not hate Alma and he wants Pati to "butt" out, so to speak.  He sighs, "spirituality" as she clicks her little heels down the hall.

Rogelio show up in Alma's office which she can't figure out.  He wants to work on the invitations to the wedding. This surprises her and me too. She is glad of the help since the guests will all be his friends.  She can count her friends to be invited on her fingers and Chucho is one of them.  Rogelio takes this with a dash of stomach acid according to his facial expression. Why would you count HIM as a friend? asks Clueless.  Alma sighs and says, well he is intelligent, honest, always prepared…. does this fall like Greek on a goat's ears?

Chucho counsels the still cloudy Elias then tells him that Veronica was not able to awaken and take Valentina to school.  He advises Elias to take notice of Veronica's bad state and try to help her out for the sake of "their daughter".

Fernando arrives in the office with kisses and compliments to all especially the winking, blinking Descua. Jessica tries to threaten Descua but the spiritual light of the office merely excuses herself to deliver a meditation disk to Fernando.  They have sweet words about spiritual light and he calls her his teacher. He has a new pathway toward the light...

Chucho barely has time to address the lesson of the day in cooking the books with his work companions when Veronica turns up in Harpy mode denying any responsibility for Valentina's morning of fear which was saved only by Chucho. She gets shrill, laying blame on all around her. Maybe some more sleep would help?

Alma gets a shock in the "it's about time" appearance of her PAPA in a wrist watch that costs more than most people earn in a year, I assume he was otherwise perfectly dressed.  Doña Susana obsequiously brings in coffee, remembering exactly how he likes it and letting it be known that she is totally at his service…

Rogelio interrupts Fernando's reverie to vent his anxiety over Chucho and Alma's friendship. He is dismissive of his brother's reverie and tells him he is always stupid but this stupidity tops all.

Veronica has no class apparently as she throws a complete hissy in the new office at top shrillness. (Maricela, Xochi and Veronica need to take elocution lessons in modulating their most unpleasant voices)  Chucho reminds her that what Valentina needs is love, affection and stability which Veronica is not providing when she is busy popping sleeping pills like they were palomitas.

Tomorrow: The new sillies in Chucho's new office begin to make demands of him wearing a uniform and following their orders by tomorrow.  The long, lost Papa of Alma has some sticky business past with Rogelio and doesn't want Alma to know everything. Spirituality and the winking Descua are everywhere...

Labels: Manda