Caray, Caray!

The Autodromo Hermanos Rodriguez is abuzz with activity. Rows of gleaming semi trucks arrive with their cargo. Race cars are unloaded from the trailers. Mechanics go to work wielding wrenches, jacks, gauges and polishing cloths. 

Race car number 86 moves down the pit lane and onto the track. The roar of the engines gets louder, the tires squeal in a fight between pavement and centrifugal force. The drivers shift gears, the heat from the track rises. We can almost smell fuel and burning rubber as the cars scream by. Chava Cruz presses in the clutch and shifts gears, then accelerates. His pit crew cheers him on. "Faster! Make them eat your dust!" Chava's mind and body coordination becomes almost a dance: clutch, shift, gas pedal, turn. Again and again. Chava speeds under the checkered flag. At trackside his pit crew checks the stopwatch and cheers. Chava pulls into the pit and stops. He removes the steering wheel, lets down the window netting and climbs from the car. He greets Armando, "You're the best mechanic! We're going to win BIG!"

Large disks of chocolate move down a conveyor belt in a dance of their own. Workers in white coats wrap the disks in paper and put them in yellow boxes. Wait... those disks look familiar. Is that Abulita? Yes! I have some of that in my pantry! (We're getting our product placement out of the way in the first five minutes. Thank you Nestle'.) Another worker calls to Sofia who's been inspecting the production line. "Maestro Coria is waiting for you to taste the new product." Sofia makes her way toward him. "Let's go Matias." She praises the workers, "Good work, girls!" and follows him off the production floor.


Chava kisses the roof of the car. He and Armando talk about how life will change if he wins the championship. Armando wants to marry his girlfriend Irma. "And you Chava, you'll be famous. You'll have money and women! The woman of your dreams!" Chava's dreams are more humble. He just wants to be able to fix his mother's house and send his sister to college. "Besides, that woman you're talking about. I don't think she actually exists."

Sofia holds a small white plate that contains a single chocolate truffle. She scrutinizes the morsel "Shiny surface." She lifts the plate to her nose and inhales, "Intense chocolate". She presses the candy between her finger and thumb, "firm texture". She raises the chocolate to her mouth and tastes. She closes her eyes and chews slowly. "Mmmmmm..... I can taste floral notes. Roses! Chocolate with rose petals! It's perfect!" Sofia praises Maestro Coria. He talks about the 30 years he's spent making chocolate for Ripoll. Sofia turns to the window. "It's been 5 years since my father's death." Maestro Coria thinks her father made a great choice putting Sofia in charge. "He'd be very proud of you."

A pair of gold lame' stilettos moves briskly over the polished floor at a high end clothing store in Madrid. Alexa Ripoll, whose makeup looks like what happens when the Maybelline factory explodes, is getting impatient with the clerk. "Hurry up. I have an audition." Alexa leans against the sales counter and twirls her sunglasses in a circle as she bitches about the service, or lack thereof. The saleswoman says she's very sorry, but Alexa's credit card has been rejected. "What?!" The saleswoman turns the card reader toward Alexa so Alexa can read the message for herself. She stomps away from the sales counter then stops and fumes; Alexa knows who's to blame for this, "Sofia!"

Back in Mexico it is dark. Sofia leans against a pillar on the veranda of a big, beautiful house. She talks to her Papa. "I miss going to the factory with you. I'd give anything to have you here. I want you to be proud of me. I'm scared. Scared of letting you down. You never failed me. Never." She cries to herself.

In another part of town Chava practices his driving skills on a homemade simulator set-up in his bedroom. He's got a seat, gearshift mechanism and a steering wheel. There is no video screen so he closes his eyes and imagines the curves of the race track as he goes through the dance: clutch, shift, gas pedal, turn. His mother, Lupe, peeps in the door and smiles. Chava doesn't notice and drives on.

In the morning Lupe talks to Paco in front of his store. She's worried about Chava. He doesn't eat enough. He's always working or practicing. He put all his money into that race car. Lupe is afraid Chava will get sick. Paco reminds Lupe' that Chava works hard. He's responsible. Honest. "You should be proud of him."

Marisol asks if Chava has been out running already this morning. "Of course! If you want to be the best you have to put in the work!" Has he forgotten what day it is? For a second he pretends he doesn't know, then picks her up and spins her around. "It's your birthday! How could I forget?" Chava can remember changing his sister's diapers when she was a baby. Now she's 18! They hug each other and laugh.

Fausto carries a small tray with a single cup of espresso from the kitchen as Sofia descends the stairs. (OMG. This house is fabulous! I want to live there!) Sofia asks, "Is she awake?" Fausto compliments Sofia's outfit, a trim white jacket with a black camisole and pants. "Don't change the subject. Is she pretending to be sleeping like a child?" Sofia sips her espresso. Fausto admits he doesn't know why Sofia's mother Greta never goes to any of the company's celebrations. Or even sets foot in the factory.

Daniela, Sofia's youngest sister, bounces down the stairs. She's ready to go! Sofia checks her watch. They need to go or they're going to be late! Fausto wishes them a good day. As the girls get into the car a curtain in an upstairs window moves slightly. Greta watches them leave. She moves away from the window and sits slowly into a chair. "Sofia, if you knew the truth you'd never forgive me." 

Sofia and Daniela chat in the car. "Why doesn't Mama ever to go to the factory?"
"I don't know. I asked Fausto and he doesn't know either. Maybe it has sad memories of papa."
Their driver Boris picks up his cell phone to answer a call. Sofia is having none of it. She tells Boris to put the phone down and pay attention to his driving; this is the last time she is going to warn him.

Sofia's car pulls up at the Ripoll factory. Paco pushes a hand truck of wooden crates full of empty soda bottles along the sidewalk. He stops at the factory gate and gazes upward. Sofia notices Paco and walks toward him. She overhears him say, "30 years ... Time flies. It seems like only yesterday they were building this factory. It's a part of my life."
"What do you mean?"
He turns and stares at her. She stares back.
"I'm sorry. It's just that this is my neighborhood and this factory is part of it. Some things become part of our lives." He mumbles an apology and leaves. Sofia follows him a few steps. Daniela calls, "Sofie, we're going to be late!" Sofia motions that she's coming but stands and watches as Paco wheels the handtruck back across the street and into to his store.

Back at the race track Chava and his crew ready for the time trials. A guy in a suit and sunglasses sits alone in the stands and watches Chava's qualifying run. The crew yells at Chava to go faster. Mr. Sunglasses checks his watch several times during the lap. Chava speeds under the checkered flag. Mr. Sunglasses stands and walks off. Chava pulls into the pit and joins his crew. Over the loud speaker they hear that Chava has placed third in the trials. "We did it! Third!" They jump up and down yelling "Pa-to-tas! Pa-to-tas! Pa-to-tas!"

Everything is ready for the 30th Anniversary Celebration of Ripoll Chocolates. Workers in white coats stock tables full of chocolate goodies - puddings, cookies, deserts, cakes, truffles, bon bons and chocolate drinks. It's an actual Really-for-Reals Chocolate Heaven! Everything looks scrumptious. What do you say we all... mingle. Does everyone have their supply of ziplock bags? A quartet plays for the guests as photographers and reporters move among the tables. Sofia asks, "Where's Patricio?" Her assistant Silvana says, "He's working in the office with the Director of Finance." Sofia is peeved. Nothing is more important than this event. This is no time for Patricio to be late. Silvana asks what Sofia thinks of the preparations. She smiles excitedly, "I love it."

Chava and Armando talk excitedly as they tweak the engine of their race car. Mr. Sunglasses appears. He hands Chava a business card. "If you win on Sunday I'm prepared to offer you a sponsorship."

Sofia can't wait for Patricio any longer and decides to start the anniversary celebration without him. She greets the guests at the tables as she makes her way to the podium. Patricio walks in from the other side of the area. Matias rushes over to greet him, "Amigo! Patricio!" Patricio brushes past Matias as if he weren't there. Daniela notices and smiles wryly, "I guess he's not your friend."

Patricio steps up next to Sofia on the podium. "Were you going to start without me?" He assures Sofia he has an excellent excuse for being late. Does she have a speech prepared? "No. I prefer to speak from the heart." She movers to the microphone and begins, "Good afternoon. Today Ripoll celebrates 30 years of being a delight to the senses. Our success is due to the dedication and hard work of my father and to the incredible talent of Maestro Coria." The Maestro seems very uncomfortable at being singled out. Everyone applauds.

Back at the Ripoll mansion Greta welds a statue in her art studio. Fausto shields his eyes from the torch and brings her a raspberry drink. Greta thanks him and notices the tray also contains a crystal dish with a Ripoll chocolate. "What's that?" Fausto tells her it's a gift from her daughter. "Maybe it's her way of sharing the event. She was sad that you wouldn't go. Like always." Greta tells him quit with the emotional blackmail and mind his own business. She wants nothing to do with the factory.
"With the factory? Or with the neighborhood surrounding the factory?"
Greta dismisses him with a wave of her hand. After Fausto leaves she looks at the chocolate in the dish, painful regret showing in her face.

Sofia and Patricio raise their champagne glasses and lead the crowd in a toast. Sofia continues her remarks in a shaky voice, "Our success is also due to our employees. They are the heart of the company and of this sweet dream." Patricio steadies her then takes over the microphone. "Attention. Please allow me to jump in here. I am honored to be here in front of our dear employees." The faces in the crowd are outright skeptical, especially Daniela's. Patricio continues, "For several months Sofia has been my novia. That's why today I will ask the most important question a man can ask a woman." He pulls a small red box from inside his suit coat and holds it up. Daniela's mouth drops open in shock. Patricio moves close to Sofia. "Sofia Ripoll, will you marry me?" Dude! This is such bad form! Sofia stands speechless. Silvana looks upset. The crowd applauds. Daniela looks around, unsure how to react. Should she applaud?

Chava busily wraps sandwiches as his mother leads an exercise class in the next room. Lupe sways to the music, 1,2,3.. 1,2, 3. Chava sways along in the doorway. A very large (how can I say this kindly?) a very lovely lady with a long future in exercise flirts with Chava in the doorway. Lupe rushes over and rescues her son by pushing the woman back toward the music. Lupe offers to cook Chava a better lunch but he says what he made is good enough for him and the mechanics. Besides, Lupe' has a class to attend to. Now it's her turn to be pushed toward the music.

We return to the Very Awkward Proposal. Patricio smiles, "We are all waiting for your answer." "Well. Such an original proposal deserves an original answer. I will have to think about it."
Daniela lets out a big sigh of relief. Silvana smiles coyly. Sofia turns back to the crowd and encourages everyone to continue with the celebration.

Lupe' shows her class out the door. She returns to the kitchen where Chava tells her that he finished third in the qualifier. He's going to win on Sunday! If he wins he's been offered a sponsorship. A sponsorship means more money! All Chava's work and efforts are going to pay off. He owes his success to his mother. "Remember the toy race cars you gave me? You always told me to work hard to make my dreams come true."

At a vineyard wine cellar four men gather around a table with an architectural model of high rise buildings. A computer screen shows animation of a large development. The man seated at the table gestures to the model. "The underwater restaurant is too small. We want our guests to dine with sea creatures and not feel crowded. You need to modify the design. I know the costs will go up. Do it."

At the auto repair shop Chava and Armando work on a Mercedes. Their boss Tulio has bad news. He's sold the shop. Today is the last day of business. Chava and Armando demand to know why. Why did Tulio sell the shop?

Sofia opens her office door. "Don't you understand Patricio? A public proposal made me uncomfortable." Patricio apologizes. "I thought a big love deserved a big gesture."
"I'd prefer something more.. intimate."
The dolt obliges by dropping to one knee and holding up the ring once more. "Sofia Ripoll, will you marry me?" Sofia rubs her forehead in frustration as Silvana opens the door. "Excuse me, but the door was ajar. I'll go."
"No, no. What do you need to tell me?'
"The president of the Chocolate Manufacturers Association is leaving. He'd like to say good-bye to you."
"I have to see to our guest." Sofia turns and leaves the office. Silvana squeezes Patricio's arm then follows Sofia. Alone in the office Patricio thinks about his next move.

Fausto tells Greta that Patricio is coming for dinner. Greta detests that man, that opportunist. Fausto opines that Patricio is good looking. "That doesn't make up for his lack of family. His origins. If he didn't work so closely with my daughter I doubt she'd even notice him." Daniela bursts in with the news of Patricio's Very Awkward Proposal. "He made a fool of himself in front of everyone!" Greta is horrified. "I hope Sofia said no!"
"Well, she didn't say yes, but she didn't say no either."

Chava and Armando don't understand why Tulio didn't tell them he was selling the auto shop. "You should have let us know earlier." Unfortunately the offer to buy the shop came suddenly, just last night. "Maybe we can work for the new owner." Tulio tells them the new owner plans to demolish the shop.

Back at the wine cellar Mr. Big makes it clear that his development must go forward. ""The Magnus District is a very ambitious project. Some of the people in the neighborhood have already sold to us. Some are holding out. They are tumors to progress." One of his men identifies Salvador Cruz as a neighborhood hero. "He's a race car driver. If we can get to him the others will follow. Mr. Big gives an order. "Take him out."

The red ring box sits on Sofia's desk. She picks it up. "He left it here. I feel like he's pressuring me." Sofia snaps the ring box shut. Silvana thinks Patricio's proposal was very romantic. She understands that Sofia is running a company and has to be strong and firm. But why didn't Sofia say yes?
"I guess I just didn't feel it."
Silvana gets all dreamy-eyed. "If someone proposed to me like that I wouldn't hesitate to say yes. I'd love to have a guy like Patricio." Sofia stares. Silvana realizes her error and gets up to leave. "You may not love Patricio the way he loves you."

Outside the market Armando, Chava and Paco talk about Tulio's sudden decision to sell his auto mechanics shop. Armando is afraid Irma will be angry that he lost his job. Nobody is to say anything to her about it. Just keep your mouths shut. Chava is sure that everything will be okay if he wins the race tomorrow. They'll have enough money that Armando won't have to work in a repair shop again.

Silvana exits the elevator and walks down the hall. Patricio calls to her and asks if Sofia is still in her office. Silvana says Sofia has already left. She smiles and tells Patricio that she thinks his proposal was marvelous.
"You do?"
"Of course." Silvana sashays off. Patricio watches her closely.

Later that night Patricio hands Greta a large bouquet of roses. "Ah. Roses. Thank you. I'm sure you and my daughter have talked about what I like." Greta remarks that Fausto has made chocolate martinis. Patricio admits he doesn't know the first thing about making exotic drinks. Greta can't hide her surprise. "Obviously". She asks Fausto to take care of the flowers. He picks them up and heads to the kitchen. Greta excuses herself to check on dinner. Sofia thinks the flowers were a nice gesture. Patricio knows Greta doesn't like him. Sofia assures him that over time he'll win her mother's love and trust. He asks why Sofia didn't accept his proposal. She's still thinking about it.

In the kitchen Fausto asks if he is to dispense with the flowers properly. Greta smiles wickedly and points past him, "That's the place."  Fausto takes the bouquet and with a grand flourish plops it into the garbage can. Greta laughs, "Thank you, Fausto!" Daniela rushes in, "The plot thickens." She has managed to sneak away with the engagement ring. Greta takes the ring from the box. "It may be genuine, but since it's from Patricio, I doubt it. What's your opinion, Fausto?" He holds the ring up and examines it carefully. "It's not glass. It's not quartz. It's clear, has a good cut. It could be from a big store in New York." Daniela wants to know why Greta doesn't trust Patricio. "Just call it motherly instinct. It never fails."

At dinner, Greta - who appears to have the engagement ring on her index finger - admonishes Patricio for his brash public marriage proposal. He fires back at her that he'd do it again. She doesn't doubt it. "Good sense isn't one of your strong points." Daniela comments about the ring. Patricio says he got it from a famous jeweler in New York. Greta and Fausto exchange sly glances and try not to laugh. Patricio pointedly asks Sofia if she's going to marry him. She is still thinking about her answer. Greta pats her daughter on the hand. "Getting married isn't the most important thing in life."

End of episode.

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