Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Qué Bonito Amor #37 (Mex 55-56.1) Tuesday 6/4/13 Que Pasa? Bonito Amor in the Afternoon

And Other Stuff (E-Mails, Phone Calls, Betrayals, Threats, Entrapments, One Song and the All-Girl Band is Formed); Cap. 55, and 56, pt. 1 [maybe]

Todo lo que Paso Ayer, Pasó Ayer

These are the Highlights and the Lowlights. It’s up to Carayers to figure out which is which.  Taken from notes and memory.  Recapper will be back tomorrow to amplify and snark a bit [maybe], but definitely will make any necessary corrections for posterity.

Esto Pasó Hoy

Amalia’s Place
Jorge Alfredo is wrapping up his convo with Amalia when Isa staggers in from the bedroom.  She wants a story. Maria is out looking for work.  Why doesn’t he wait for Maria to return and meanwhile tell her more about the Moon Princess.  Nope, not until she does her math.  Poor little thing, numbers just seem to confuse her.  Looks like she’s not getting a story from JA.

Gloria’s Place
Paloma and Roddy are actually doing a good job studying and not horsing around.  Gloria has prepared them a special dish from their region—Tacos de Trompas (they are very yummy little pork filled tacos made from wheat flour—said to have been introduced by Lebanese immigrants and popular in Nuevo Leon and other parts of northern Mexico).  There is certainly puppy dog love in the air and Gloria is ok with it.  She likes Paloma a lot.  Paloma assures Roddy that he can “Cuentas conmigo.”  Gloria asks about her Quinceañera fiesta, but Paloma tells her she cancelled it.  It was her decision—she didn’t have a chambelan anyway.  Roddy looks a bit guilty.

Amalia’s Place
Maria arrives back home with ingredients for dinner. She’s happy to see JA, until she sees his face [with a tiny little redness on one cheek—how she could see that is beyond me]. What’s that, how did you get that?  JA sheepishly confesses that he an Coloso got into a little rumble-for-two. Exasperated, Maria wants to know for WHAT?  Hmmm, he made me mad because the coward won’t get an ADN test. And that was enough to provoke you? Hmmm, no. How many times have I told you, NO GOLPES. Gulp. No more fighting—what is it about men who want to settle their differences a golpes? What did I tell you the last time? Hmm, no more violencia a golpes. Forget me. Go away. He protests. It was legitimate. She looks in his puppy-dog eyes and relents a little. When you realize how opposed I am to fighting, THEN come looking for me.  Ooooh, is this it for our two-never-to-be-separated lovers?

Coloso’s Place
He's pacing around the place. The Mendozas are ganging up on him. JA with his Chiquita and Paloma with that kid who thinks he’s Coloso's.

Irasema’s Place
Susano and Ira are having a little afternoon delight.  It’s sweet. He’s so gentle with her. She lets him take the lead. They need some privacy, but we might take a peek a little later.

Amalia’s Place
JA and Maria are still “discussing” violence and manly pride. He unexpectedly kisses her. She forgives him.  Then Maria fills him in on her busy day—quitting the bar gig, quitting school, looking for work.  Whoa, back up, JA says, you quit your job at the bar, why?  It’s all Elvira’s fault.  Maria got tired of her abuse and bullying.  She spent the day looking for work. They have so many debts and family upkeep to consider.  JA feels responsible for her situation, for her, for her family.  He promises that someday she will lack for nothing.  That’s a nice sentiment but it’s not reality, Maria tells him, poor people have to live from day to day. They don’t have a some-day. Those are dreams. JA doesn’t want her to quit school.  She had to, she did, y punto.

Aventurero’s Place
He’s doing a little housekeeping when Lety drops by.  He’s thrilled and pleased she came to see him.  This is not a social call, she tells him.  He left his wallet the other day and she’s just returning it.  He’s so disappointed.  She could have kept the wallet for all the good it does him.  He’s disillusioned to know she wasn’t coming to see him.  She teases a little, but leaves.

Irasema’s Place
Our two new-found-loves are still snuggling in bed.  They are te amo-ing all over the place. She thanks him for being the light of her life [this is now bingo worthy].

Amalia’s Place
It’s dinner time.  Jorge is invited, but he declines. He’s got places to go and people to see. Maria starts dinner. Amalia can see how tired she is and tells Maria that with their money problems, she IS going to go back to work at el fondo. Maria says absolutely NOT. Amalia says Maria can’t quit school. Maria says it’s a done deal, DEAL with it. Maria is sure she can do it all, by herself. The family will come out ahead, wait and see. Amalia decides not to fight it.  She’s going off to visit Mancia. No, nothing will happen to her, she assures Maria, Maria's lurvve will protect her. As she leaves, Viewerville sees her pull out some textiles and folded cloth and stick it in a plastic bag.

Fernando’s Hideaway Place
The fellows are exchanging their sad sack stories.  JA goes first: Coloso won’t get an ADN test and they got into a fight and Maria got mad at him.  Fern goes next: The girls, Ana & Roxana, have ganged up on him and he doesn’t know what to do.  Fern then asks if JAntos is going to go back to El Lay with Riggo o que? JA has something that might delay the trip.  He shows Fern the e-mail from Bruno.  Does he really believe that he wants to help or could it be a trap. JA is leaning towards it being a trap. Bruno has exhorted him not to tell anyone about being in contact with him.  Fern is equally distrustful.  After all this time, now he wants to help? Who else is trying to help, he prods JA. No one, right?  But they should at least look into it, cautiously.

Amalia’s Place
Maria takes a lie down, for about 1 ½ minutes.  Cooking is hard work after a long day looking for work. Isa, who is supposed to be in bed recovering, gets out of bed and wants a story. Maria tells her to get back in bed. No story. Maria has to get ready to go out and look for a pick-up serenata gig. First she feeds Isa her dinner. Isa loans Maria her frog for good luck.  The discuss whether it is a lady frog or a gentleman frog. Question not resolved. Maria is dressed and out on the streets where mariachis-for-hire are plying their wares.  Maria asks a couple of groups, but unfortunately they have no work for her, though they are sure she sings like an angel. She finally finds a trio who is thrilled to have her join them.  She goes off with them.  They look benign, but you never know. [Recapper worries.]

Street near Fernando’s Hideaway Place
JAntos and Fern are strolling down the street still discussing Bruno’s e-mail. Fern urges him to dispel his doubts and call the lout. They stop off at a public telephone booth and Santos reaches Bruno in El Lay.  He seems to be in the same sorry hotel with nothing to do but feel sorry for himself.  Bruno swears he’s honestly going to help him get out of this mess.  He’s even willing to come to Mexico City, yes, that very night—just tell him where and when.  The call begins to break up, or running out of time and coin, but Bruno tells him to take care—They Want to Kill You!

Electronic Eavesdropping Van
Mighta Known. Derecho and Curtis are sitting in a van nearby, full of electronic equipment, monitoring Bruno’s calls.  So they know everything Bruno and Santos are planning, the when is that night, the where is the Hotel Opera in Mexico City.  Bruno calls for flights and a reservation at the hotel.

Some lady’s apartment near the vecindad
Amalia is showing her some of her knitting and crocheting piece work.  The lady is delighted.  Yes, she’s sure she can sell these at 100 Mex. pesos each. EACH! Sacre Bleu, she’ll be rich in no time. Oh, wait, that's about $8 USD and there's the middle man's cut.

Padrino’s Place
Padrino’s voice is heard speaking.  He has Orange Julius and Arnold quaking in their fine Italian leather shoes, bought with contraband money. He’s pithed they haven’t found Santos yet.  They knew the rules. Nobody changes the game and makes a fool out of the Padrino.  OJ wants to explain. Padrino says Callate and two thugs grab him and hold him. Those fine Italian leather shoes might just be getting filled with yellow liquid about now.  Padrino says HE is changing the game.  Padrino gives them ONE week (isn’t that the third time, or just the second) to get Santos.

Wi-Fi Central
JAntos is back at the computer composing a really long e-mail.  He tells the person this is a big important moment in his life.  He rambles on and finally it’s obvio the message is going to Wendy. It’s happy family time.  He’s thrilled she’s going to be a mother.  He’s over the moon that he’s going to have a niece/nephew and he’ll be an uncle.  He tells her to Cuenta conmigo, accept his support and love.

Golden Anniversary Celebration
The job is for real! Whew! Maria sings Que Bonito Amor to the anniversary couple. She finishes. They like it.  Maria asks what’s the secret to a long happy marriage? Hub answers—lots of love, patience, respect and tolerance (tolerance, now that’s a good one). His wife says, live to give. It turns out these are decent mariachi guys and they pay Maria, but can’t give her any other definite offers. She goes back to the serenata pick-up area and runs into the saucy wenches plus one ciggy girl.  They hear about Maria’s struggle to get a job and they volunteer to play hooky from Ay JNTR Bar that night and hook up with Maria.  Serves the guys and Concho right!

Martinez de la Garza’s Place in El Lay
Wendy is reading Santos’ e-mail to her enraptured parents in their living room.  It’s kinda cute, where Santos reminds her how when they were children she made him play dolls with her. [There’s more recapper didn’t catch.] She reads on that Santos is in love with an angel.  Alta and Justo are more than a little thrilled (they are probably relieved since they've been worried about him not settling down).  Everything seems copacetic until Wendy jumps up when she gets to the passage where Santos tells her doesn’t hold any grudges toward her. Grudges against ME?  He’s the one who caused all this suffering in the family. She stalks out. [I guess she forgot she betrayed him in court. Even though she might have thought he was guilty, she should have kept her mouth shut.]

Bruno’s El Lay Hotel Room
Bruno calls OJ to tell him that he has to get out of there for awhile.  He’s going off to “the” cabaña for a few days and he’s taking Wendy with him (like OJ really believes him-Not).

Derecho’s Office
[Recapper will spare you the unbecoming antics of Lt. Curtis.] Comm. Derecho is on the phone with his super.  He’s so excited he’s yelling at the top of his lungs. He’s sure Santos is meeting up with his accomplices – this very night.  They are off to Mexico (along with Bruno).

Lourdes’ Place
Lourdes is sniffing and snuffing about 25 years of marriage down the tube, into the trash can, on the ash heap, into the garbage grinder, into the compost pile [sorry, it’s late and recapper is getting punchy]. She has a flashback and Concho is quite clearly telling Lourdes and Elvira that He is leaving Them Two Sharks.  Lourdes (certainly concerned about where her next meal is going to come from) swears she is going to fight for her family [Ack.] She survived the love Concho had for Amalia. Now she’s not going to let Mirna hoodwink her.

Ay JNTR Bar
Pichi and Lalo interrupt a little sugar between Mirna and Concho in his office.  They tell him that it’s getting close to the time to open the bar and the waitresses haven’t showed up yet.  What are they going to do? Concho is not named Concepción for nothing.  He calls his ex-home.  He tells Lourdes and Elvira to get their pretty little behinds down to the bar—to preserve her interests in the place. Mirna tries to get Concho to relax, but he’s too upset. When the ladies arrive he yells at Elvira that it’s her fault he lost Maria, the waitresses and the ciggie girl.  He tells them to get to the dressing rooms and put on the bar-wear working uniforms. Elvira [and she looks exceptionally nice with her hair pulled back, no?] looks shocked, qué, moi? That’s Zero, Neta, Captaz? [Sorry, wrong tn—My breathing is still a little fast from watching AV earlier.] Daddy says yes, you, Go Get Dressed. You have to look like waitresses. Otherwise, how will the real patrons know you are staff and not, dagnabit, patrons—he’s breathing fire right now.

Gloria’s Place
Roddy is getting his goodnight blessing from Gloria.  She says the same things to him and he to her.  How long do they have, he wants to know.  >>FF. She wanted to see him grow up, get married, have kids, but now they have to think about “the end.”  Gloria gets up to leave, but doesn’t even make it to the bedroom door before she collapses.  Is this “the end” of Gloria?  She lies limp on the floor; Roddy is beside her hugging her and wailing. Nope, she pulled through without any 911 calls or doctors.  She’s decided she’s going to fight, yadda, yadda, tears, hugs, mama, mama.

Mariachis-For-Hire Pick-up Place
Maria is still hopeful, still looking.  Wait a minute, what does Viewerville see? What someone predicted yesterday, that the girls should form their own band—they’ve got the instruments, right? Surprise! They board a tour bus. It still looks a little empty, but maybe it’ll fill up as it goes along.  The night is young.

Hotel Opera, México, D.F.
Derecho and Curtis arrive at the hotel.  Guess what, Curtis wants one room and a big king size bed—more economical, saves the dept. money.  Derecho says, no way, that’s two rooms, the better to cover the operation.  Cute registration gal checks them in and in a little while Bruno comes rolling in and asks for his reservation—Bruno Morelli.  Cute registration gal flicks her Maybelline eyes at him and shoves a long form he needs to fill out. Really? Well, no, they just need his signature (hehe). She hands him the key card and he goes off with the bellperson. Now Viewerville sees her reach for a phone. Hmmmm.  JA, Fern and Riggo are in the inky shadows on the lookout for anything out of the ordinary.  JAntos sees Bruno across the way. JA tells them to stay hidden. He’ll approach Bruno and find out what’s what.  All of a sudden, the lobby fills up with uniformed popos, officers in plainclothes with badges prominently affixed to their suit jackets, and what looks like an unarmed special force—writ large across their backs (bulls eye).  Santos is close enough to hear Derecho say the operation is ready to trap Santos Martinez de la Garza. Cara de impactado de Santos.  It looks like he is indeed trapped in a pincer troop movement, but at the last minute – he disappears from view.

Avances
They went by too fast.  Make up anything.  At least half will be correct.

Labels:


Comments:
Thanks, Anita. I rather like the punchy tone :) and you hit all the highs and lows as far as I’m concerned.

At least there is one Mendoza female who wants Jorge Alfredo to tell them a story. :)

“How many times have I told you, NO GOLPES. Gulp.” LOL! Oh, yeah. That was a Big Gulp, Jorgito.

Is it just me or is Susano looking extra hot lately? *fans self*

Funny that Maria has to explain how poor people run their lives to JAntos and yet it doesn’t to her why she he needs this explained to him.

Padrino is just like Doña Pru. Rules are rules. Until they aren’t. Ha.

Who is supposed to be older, Santos or Wendy? I suppose the conventional expectation would be Santos and he calls her hermanita, but I never heard that spelled out. How did she make him play with dolls if he is older? I have younger brothers and also older. The younger ones, yes, I could make them do things. The older ones not so much. I also can’t recall ever seeing them interact face to face before he left LA. Anyone?

How come Gloria has decided that she is going to die? The doc who is Ruben’s friend clearly told her to get treatment and get it now. By delaying she is indeed being irresponsible. Not to mention that this isn’t the most responsible message for Televisa to send out to women viewers about what to do if you find a lump in your breast or have a breast cancer diagnosis. (PSA: Don’t delay if you want to live.) Personally, I’m starting to wonder how much Gloria wants to live. She seems to be mostly focusing on the good bye and not the good fight.

 

Great work, Anita.

I completely agree that Gloria is being irresponsible. This could make the difference between survival or not. While I think she has mostly been a good mother she is babying her son by having spared him the details of her illness.

As for the issue of whether Wendy or Santos is older, that is so obvious: Santos is older and because he is a "fixer" he was very protective of Wendy even from childhood. He probably assumed responsibility for her because that is who he is. I'm sure that pleased the hell out of his parents because they would have been thinking "He'll make a great father someday." Which is correct, based on how he deals with Isabel. How much older he is supposed to be is another question.

I've known people from immigrant families where this dynamic happened. A Cuban guy I once knew who started school here without speaking English made it his business to teach his younger sisters as soon as they started talking so that they didn't have to experience what he did.

When Wendy was in high school or college her friends probably competed for his attention.

She would resent him no matter which way the age difference goes because he was the Golden Child. He's a good man and he built his own fortune! What parents wouldn't want a son like that?

However old Wendy is supposed to be there was a line in the opening episode which said that this marriage to Bruno was supposed to be a "second time around." This implies she's at least in her late 20's, but that doesn't make her mature. More later.
 

Santos is such a sweet brother that he would've played dolls with his little sister to make her happy. So I can believe that Santos is the older sibling and Wendy the younger.

Gloria is being irresponsible also for putting this all on Rodrigo. Suppose she never found Oscar? Suppose she found out where Oscar was but that he died? Then what? Who would take care of Rodrigo? And then to not go to the hospital after collapsing, telling your teenage son NOT to call for a doctor but just give her some pills so she can stay in the bed......that's too much for Gloria to put on a 14-15 year old.

It will be funny to see Mirna, Lourdes & Elvira being waitresses.
 

Hi All!

This is the first time I have commented on QBA. The first novela I ever watched was Mejia's Corazon Salvaje. Since then I've watched several novelas including Triunfo Del Amor, Fuerza Del Destino, Soy Tu Duena, and La Que No Podia Amar.

I know that a lot of people find Maria and Amalia irritating because of the same old whining, etc., but I have to say that I think TDA and STuD were far worse. Especially Ivana in STud. It's a wonder I didn't hang myself before Ivana did because of Lucero's character going back and forth. It was waaaay worse than Maria and Amalia are now.

Of course I realize that things could get worse with QBA, but I haven't yet considered NOT watching QBA, which was something that I considered and actually did a few times with TDA and STuD.

I took a sabbatical from novelas for a while because I couldn't find one I could get into. Of course when I found out that JS was in this one, I couldn't pass it up! I tried watching Porque El Amor Manda, but Colunga just isn't doing it for me for some reason. Maybe if they had reason for him to take his shirt off all the time as he did in STuD, but I'm just not inspired.

I LOVE that Susanito stood up to his mother!!!!! I REALLY did not expect that! Last night's love scene was lovely and tender. It is my favorite storyline right now.

I also wanted to say to all the recappers that I really value the time and effort you all put into this novela. I know that it seems that numbers are down or people aren't commenting. I think, though, that for ever commentor, there are probably 1,000 people reading the recaps who don't comment. I don't just read the recaps when I miss an episode; I religously read the recaps for the snark, the parts that I missed, and the opportunity to relive the episode again.

I really appreciate all of you and want to say THANKK YOU!

Anita (small a anita)
 

Thanks to everyone. It was a long night, but always worth the effort to see what comes out of the head, off the pen and onto the paper is appreciated. This was different for me because I took notes while I watched. Missed a lot of visuals. Now I'll go back and watch it more closely.

anita, comadre, thanks for stopping by. I remember you from awhile back, could it have been STud? FC is probably trying to transition out of being a galan to more comfortable age-appropriate roles. PEAM just wasn't it.

Carolina--I hadn't thought about the absurdity of Maria trying to explain poverty to JA. I think it was meant to explain it to us, the viewers, who are sitting there with their remotes, watching a cable channel on a 55" flat screen tv. (ok, don't hit me with a nerfazo, my screen is only 19", but the rest applies).

Jorge Alfredo is probably somewhat naive about poor people, never having been one himself and a dealer of expensive cars. Maybe Maria who is beginning to sense that he has never been poor before--just now at this point in his life when she found him. And JA is learning what life is like when you have to earn every mouthful by the seat of your pants--no credit cards, no ATMs. No job? No cash, no food, no shelter.

I think we're all exasperated with Gloria's behavior. Let's get on with it, die or get going on the treatment.

Everyone: If you didn't see Carolina's late night posting on Lunes 6/3 episode, go back and read it. She had some wonderful analysis on attitudes about poverty and class distinctions and the gain and loss of fortunes Here are some abstracts...(if you don't mind) Oh, heck, I just copied the entire pertinent passage:

Carolina said: "I've noticed that there is a theme developing about the suspicions, distance, and misunderstandings between rich and poor. I see it as more complex than snobbery. I've mentioned before that the sets of working or middle class homes are more realistic than you usually see in TNs. There's been a lot of attention to possessions and the economic status they signify - Isa wanting things her family can't afford, Fernando commenting on Santos' designer footwear to ride the bestia, Santos and Maria not being able to afford cell phones (apparently) and many other examples.

The attitudes have gone both directions, with Ruben and Lourdes being so condescending and Elvirus (heh) thinking it was funny that Maria's family would die of hunger. And on the other side, both Coloso and Amalia were immediately suspicious of JAntos' family sending him so much money. And Rigo being so impressed with the hotel Santos paid for, and on and on. We had Santos fall from high to low, and we'll most certainly see Maria go from low to high if we get the boda at the end as per cliche. Daniela [I think she meant Maria] seems to have some sensitivity towards the poverty of her mariachi, but she also could be going from low to high if she ends up marrying him without her family's blessing. Alternatively, he could go from low to high with their blessing. Concho seems to fear that he could end up poor, and maybe he started out that way. With any luck, by the end, we'll see some of the rich baddies end up muertos de hambre."

Excellent thoughts.

 

Whiney deserved a slap for her attitude last night, she's still blaming JAntos for everything. I also thought when she read that he was in love with an angel that she looked jealous especially because both of the 'rents seemed thrilled, something they definitely aren't with her bronze bozo.

One thing did strike me in the poverty convo between JAntos and Maria. Obviously he doesn't get it but I thought her lack of dreaming was what bothered him. In many ways even though she was going to school to better herself she seems trapped in a kind of hopelessness, let's just eke out each day cause that's the way it is and always will be. JAntos on the other hand even if he weren't privileged has that American thing that you can have more.

Sue and Irasema in the love shack better enjoy it while they can cause Mancia is going to have none of that.

Another vote for Gloria being irresponsible. Actually I'm really surprised that we haven't had a long PSA about women checking for lumps and getting treatment. It is a serious problem and deserves more attention then Gloria accepting death and not getting treatment until it was too late.

As I said the other day, considering how much all these people need work they are awfully casual about the work they do have. The girls don't show up (although the idea of the shark duo having to work tickles me) Sue is oblivious, JAntos and Fernando are off in pursuit of the truth. I don't think the rest of the mariachi's even know that Maria quit. Considering how important she is to his business I'm surprised Concho hasn't gone a begging to get her back.
 

Anita, *blush* Thanks for bringing over that late posting. Sometimes I do get on a bit of a roll, eh? I did mean Daniela, Elvira's friend, but I meant that she could go from high to low (not low to high) if things progress and she chooses her mariachi dude against her family's wishes. The scene where she visits his apartment and brings him sushi would be another example of the gap between rich and poor. She thought nothing of it, but he is obviously more of a tacos and pozole kind of guy.

anita, Hi! Welcome!

I can believe that Santos is older than Wendy, but I was wondering if we had been TOLD that. If so, I missed it. BTW, I also have sweet older brothers, but there was no freaking way they would play dolls with me. :) And as for Santos always being sweet to Wendy, he was taunting Coloso during their dustup in the last episode that his sister hits harder than him. ;)

Decie Girl, I also thought there was a lot going on in the convo between Maria and JAntos about poverty and her schooling. I've work in higher education and when I lived in Mexico, I volunteered at a organization that provided support to HS and college students who come from situations like Maria's (and worse). Even for young teens, by going to school instead of working, their lost wages might mean that their family can't pay bills or buy groceries.

In both Mexico and the US, attitudes towards higher education are very closely linked to social class, with lower and working class folks often having Maria's attitude: It would be nice, but it's not realistic. (Or Paloma's attitude: Everyone else is working so hard to help and even though I'm only 14, I should also be contributing. I saw kids her age thinking like that and drop out to go to work.)

It's not that they don't value education, but, for many reasons, often they can't or don't follow through. Of course, it is much harder to achieve an education when you don't have much money, but it's harder for them to envision it, to focus on the long term result when they are used to getting by day by day. When we would lose kids from our program, it just broke my heart, every time. So I think that you are right, some of the difference between JA and Maria was that of the American v. Mexican views on social mobility, but some was also their general views on education, due to their different social classes.
 

Carolina--I'd forgotten completely about Daniela the character. She needs to make her presence known again. I kinda liked the two of them together.

The way this tn is galloping along, scrunching up episodes, we will soon catch up and pass PEAM, which started a month before this one did. Maybe they even want us both to finish before AV? That way they can offer those 2 & 3 hour episodes? Quien Sabe!
 

Carolina--We need to start calling you Wise Child!
 

Thank you for the recap. I missed a few details throughout the episode.

Well, apparently Wendy didn't think hard enough as to why Santos said he doesn't hold any grudges against her. Hello! She condemned her brother and sided with her fiancé on a very serious matter that she doesn't know the truth about. I doubt her mother will ever tell her the truth about Bruno.

So did anyone catch whats going to happen in tonight's episode? The avances went too fast for me too.
--TF

 

TF--Tonight's episode: You'd better believe it will have something to do with the police swarming all over the hotel and Santos slipping through their grasp--how is what we'd *better* see. I wonder how Lt. Curtis will take it.

Also, we'd better see Elvira in her waitress outfit taking orders from the customers and not getting any tips--that's what we'd like to see.

Also, Gloria needs to make some more of those Tacos de Trompas for the folks over on the AV Patio of Lowered Expectations. They're having way more fun than we are!

Also, Maria is bound to find out that Amalia has found an outlet for her knitting. I forgot to add in the recap, that after the middleman lady takes her cut, Amalia has to factor in the cost of the yarn. She'll be lucky to get $4 USD out of her efforts.

Also, Maria and the All-Girl Shoe Band will be exitoso and they'll never have to go back to Ay JNTR.

Also, Sue and Ira finally come up for air.

That would fill 1.5 episodes, for sure.

 

I remember once seeing Mariachi Reinas de Los Angeles on some TV special and they were very good. There is no reason Maria can't get a band like that together and be a sensation. That has to make better money than cooking in a working-class diner.

We could go on about education for pages because there are so many mixed feelings about it on both sides of the border. I've encountered reverse snobbery when my college buddy married a woman from a working-class family who never went and whose family didn't even want her (or her brothers) to go in the first place. They suspected my friend because he worked in an office and wore a suit. Someone else I knew online had a similar problem with her own family because they didn't want her to ever feel she was above them.

That might be part of Amalia's fear and I bet she will somehow reveal that when she finds out that Poor Jorge Alfredo is really Wealthy Santos With a Father who is an Important Man .
 

Isabel is working my last nerve. Writers, please stop making her such a spoiled brat - begging for stories, pouting, baby-talking, being spoon-fed - all this may be cute (sort of) in a three-to-five-year-old, but definitely not an eleven-year-old!

Enough with the Rodrigo babying, also. Dude, your mom just fainted - call 911! Woman, if you care so much about your son, GO GET TREATMENT! Who is diagnosed with cancer and decides to move to a new city, start her kid in a new school (where he has to prove himself), then start to look for his biological father so she can "give her son" to the man? As someone said, what if he (Oscar) had died? What if he had married and lived with his wife and kids and the wife hated Rodrigo? Sheesh!
 

Thanks, Anita, for that solid recap. Lots of thoughtful discussion and analysis on our characters and their social status.

I really want to see the rich biddies try to wait tables. Hope the girl group succeeds as a mariachi band.
 

I too am dying to see Concho's sharks waiting on tables and taking order from drunks. I hope at least one of them has to deal with a really nasty peice of work although we haven't sen any of those except Ruben. Hmmm perhpas Lourdes might think he is just the think for her slightly soiled princessa

I think Isa is only supposed to be eight and I think Maria and Amelia keep babying her as in the spoon feeding. The poor kid is bored out of her mind.

Those speedy previews also showed a confrontation between Ruben and Lorena and she then hot fototed it to the plaza where of course she ran into Maria and her girls. I do hope Maria tells her to STFU and that she wouldn't take Rben if he was handed to her on a silver platter. If all else fails she should give her the Trampira treatment a few good wake up slaps.

Justo wanted to tell Whiney the truth last night after her latest blame Santos trantrum but Gracis held him back saying it is going to be terrible for her when she learns the truth. I'm just mean enough to say let her live in her dreamworld awhile longer and then let it really sink in what an idiot she has been. She deserves to suffer for her behavior and lack of faith.
 

Anita, you are going above and beyond, giving us a precap as well as a recap, and a pretty entertaining one at that!

I also thought Isa was 8, but I don't get the spoon feeding. They weren't doing that before her accident. She is recovering from surgery, but I think she can operate a spoon. I like the clever little problem solving, eavesdropping Isa. The whiny clingy one, not so much.

UA, I do agree that one reason disadvantaged people have a hard time breaking out of poverty is the fear that their families will reject and resent them if they move up to a higher social class. That speaks to the 'suspicion, misunderstanding, and gap between social classes theme' that I see in this TN. But I think Amalia loves her daughter and wants what is best for her. Since I can't see Santos and Maria leaving Mexico at the end of the story, she won't be losing Maria, she'll be gaining a son and breadwinner. If Santos is fantastically rich, he will upgrade the whole family, not just Maria. Amalia just needs to be sure it is a guy who'll make Maria happy. (I think we may need to agree to disagree about Amalia's motives. You're tough on moms!)

I remember Amalia making a comment in an early episode about how you can't hide being rich or being poor. She knows something about Santos doesn't add up, and I think she knows he isn't really the working class regular guy he says he is. She might not really be completely surprised when the truth comes out.

I think we're going to see a lot of fun reactions when Santos' true identity is revealed, and human nature being what it is, most are going to be negative.

Can't wait to see the rich b!tches try to wait tables tonight!
 

One other thought, Maria may not feel so happy or comfortable when SHE finds out what kind of world her loverboy is used to living in. She's a lovely, noble person, but hanging with super wealthy inlaws might make her feel kinda poor and out of place. And that's assuming they'll accept her. Mom and Dad, yes. Whiny, witchy Wendy? Hmmm. We shall see.
 

I think the first conclusion Amalia will jump to is that Santos will boink Maria and dump her because a rich guy who gets to his age without ever having been married is likely to see women as disposable. Especially poor ones.

Justo and Altagracia will accept Maria in a nanosecond but Wendy won't.
 

I wonder when Santos will propose to Maria. He will have to tell her who he really is before he proposes. So, before he goes back to LA? From prison, once he is arrested? (I think he will be eventually, but not tonight). Not until his legal problems are resolved? That could take awhile.

If Santos has already proposed to her by the time Amalia finds out he's rich, she could hardly think that he just wants to sleep with her. Likewise, if they sleep together and Santos hangs around as much in love as ever and they get engaged, she could hardly think that is all he wants.

I think Amalia has spent enough time with Santos to trust that he isn't just after Maria's virginity. She just wants to know what he isn't telling them. Why he said he was a mechanic. Why he is educated but working as a mariachi. How his family could send him so much money.

It would be one thing if she was uncomfortable and suspicious if he weren't hiding anything and she was trying to keep a good, honest man away from her daughter. But he IS hiding something. And she's right that it is something that will make Maria very, very unhappy. He could be sent to prison for years. That's why I don't see her as being overprotective, just appropriately protective. That, plus the general cultural differences of how much less independence adult children have in Mexican culture compared to ours. The way I see it, one way or the other isn't better, just different.
 

I find it infantilizing. I don't think Maria is doing herself any favors playing ostrich, but she is more than old enough to learn from her own mistakes. The mistake here is preventing him from making the revelation.

Of course, as the Flies on the Wall we know he isn't guilty and we know he has never committed any crimes other than crossing the border without documentation. Everything now will depend on whether he manages to tell her before Ruben sets the dogs on him.

I'm hard on mothers who behave this way because whether they intend to or not they don't allow their children to grow up to be confident in their own decision-making. Maria has been paying for her mother's suffering for a long time; think of the numerous times she was quick to blame Jorge Alfredo for what was ultimately Elvirus' fault.
 

I don’t think that we are going to see eye to eye on this, and you are certainly entitled to your point of view, but there is a fundamental difference to how we are looking at this, I think.

I see this as a cultural difference, not an individual style of mothering. If we were talking about an American mother-daughter relationship, I could see your point. Mexican parents prepare their children to function in Mexican culture, just as American parents prepare their children to function in American culture. I really try my best not to judge aspects of other cultures as being good or bad (although of course I am not always successful). It is a different way of treating adult children than our way, but it is part of a whole system of behaviors that are different from our way of doing things. What works for us in our culture doesn’t work the same way as for others in their culture. Different does not equal bad.

 

Gracias, Anita! I agree, I was worried about the anniversary gig being legit too. It's too bad the nice guys didn't have any other work lined up.
 

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