Caray, Caray!

• Under the watchful eyes of her colleagues Victoria lured “Arturo” (hereafter to be known as The Rat With No Name) to the bar and he ordered drinks. Then he turned on the flattery. Leonardo saw this and went after him despite the others' attempt at holding him back. 
  “It that him?” he asked.
  “It's him,” Victoria answered.
  “Who are you?” their quarry asked, looking at both of them.
  “We want to know what you did to Olivia,” said Leonardo.
  “Olivia? Well, I did nothing. As far as I remember we had a damned good time in bed.”
  Leonardo punched him in the solar plexus with his left hand, which began a brawl worthy of a St Patrick's Day in Belfast. Half the bar got involved while the other half watched. Alejandra took out her cell and called the police, telling them to send a van with a team.
  
  
• 
  Carlos paced in his lair. He was expecting Alejandra, who was busy at something much more important. He took out his cell and called Paula to find out whether she had come home from work. He said he had called but she did not answer and he was worried. She said she would call him when she got home.
• Police arrived and broke up the fight. All interested parties left the bar.
• Leticia and Benjamín's argument continued. She told him to go back to his wife and leave her alone. She was tired of getting nothing substantial out of their relationship. She was tired of his insistence that she be patient.
  
  He wouldn't give up, however, and she took advantage of how a man can be soft when he is hard by lying back on the bed and displaying her legs like a Vegas showgirl.
  \
  
  He got on the bed, removed her stiletto heel, and began kissing her feet, then moving upwards.
  
• At the police station Ricardo predicted that they wouldn't be there long.
  
  Victoria got up from Roberto's attempt to move in on her space, saying she was going to call Olivia. Alejandra's cell rang and it was Carlos, whom she told that something came up and she was at the police station. She promised to call later. He realized she was about to end the call and said he wanted to help, but she said it wasn't necessary and the entire firm was there with her. She finally ended the call. [I think we can all agree that she is much safer at the police station than in his apartment.]
  
• Leonardo described the incident to Sonia as she entered it into the record. She was a little incredulous that he was admitting to this, but relieved that The Rat With No Name did not have injuries that warranted charges. He then explained that he wanted to press theft charges against him. She already had Olivia's report and said that if this is the culprit he has committed very serious abuses as well. He commented that he knew she was always on the lookout for women who had suffered abuses. She was surprised that he had defended Carlos Ibarra and that she had no fear of the ultimate consequences in any case she dealt with.
  
  
  
• Ricardo told Alejandra how brave she had been while he was worried she would get hurt during the fight. He put his jacket over her, saying that he didn't know what he would have done.
  
  
  
• Olivia arrived to identify the Rat who had invaded her life, who had the gall to address her as “Mi amor.” The cop entered this on the computer and the Rat had the nerve to say that she had given him the things he had stolen. He repeated this a couple of times as the police grabbed him and she calmly called him a liar, told him off, and said that she hoped he did some hard time. The plainclothes cop was satisfied with her statement and she left.
• Alejandra started to tell Ricardo that she was supposed to see Carlos that evening when Roberto came out to tell her that it was her turn. She went in to give her statement, wearng Ricardo's jacket. Roberto and Ricardo high-fived and joked about the evening but were relieved that Alonso hadn't been there to see the events.
  
  
  
• PSA: Victoria and Sonia agreed that The Rat With No Name had to have victimized other women in the same way. However, there had been no previous reports of such and they talked about how women were afraid to make such reports. Sonia was a bit frustrated at not being able to do her job without more charges being filed, saying that 91% of Mexican women don't report crimes committed against them. Victoria commented on how she couldn't understand this and that three out of four women are victimized in some violent way. They resolved to locate more victims of this particular Rat. Alejandra came in to talk to Sonia as Victoria went back out to rejoin the men.
• Carlos called Leonardo's cell to ask about Alejandra, claiming he was worried about her. He told Carlos not to worry and that everything was alright. As he ended the call Roberto said he didn't understand how Alejandra could tolerate this. Leonardo said that Carlos only thought about being with her as soon as he was out of jail. Ricardo then said that only Alejandra could tell him to keep his distance, but it didn't appear that she was so inclined. He sat down with a look of frustration on his face.
  
  
  
• Juan was at the strip club trying to chat up one of the dancers but it was evident that he was less than experienced in these situations. The dancer ordered a beer for him and tried to upsell him on more than just her company at the table but he didn't realize that he had to at least feign interest. He wanted to talk to her away from the place. She said that she wasn't allowed to leave with him but that they could go to a Private Room.
• Olivia thanked her colleagues for being there for her. Victoria said that the Rat had no idea whom he was messing with. Olivia accepted Leonardo's offer to drive her home [Did The Rat With No Name take her car keys and her car as well?]
  
  They left, passing Carlos on the way out. Alejandra was uneasy that he was there. She returned Ricardo's jacket to him and left with Carlos, saying she'd see everyone tomorrow.
  
  Victoria and Gustavo watched them leave. They both looked like they had a bad vibe about this. They looked at Ricardo and realized he also did.
  
  
  
• The stripper had somehow gotten Juan into the Private Dance room and was grinding away. She started to pull down the straps of her top when he stopped her and pulled them back up, saying all he wanted to do was talk to her. She pushed him back into his seat, sat down next to him, and asked what he wanted to talk about. He tried asking questions about how she handled private events. She said she didn't do those, but that they would be very expensive. He asked what she would do if the client got violent, miming pulling out a knife. Big mistake, because she began yelling for security. He bolted.
• Everyone else decided to leave the police station. Roberto announced that he was hungry and asked Victoria if she would like to accompany him; she declined again, saying she needed to get an early start in the morning. Gustavo offered to drive her home and they left. Roberto and Ricardo ended up agreeing to a bite and some drinks. Each noticed the other's interest in his favorite lady.
  
  
  
• Carlos took Alejandra back to her mother's and started in again about worrying about her when he was alone. He was more worried at hearing she was at the police station. She answered that everything was alright and he didn't have to come down to the station. She obviously had explained the reason she was there and he said that it was a good thing that they caught the guy who had robbed Olivia. He tried to change the subject to an “us” conversation, but she said they could not go on like this.
  
  
  
• Over drinks Ricardo explained to Roberto about giving Alejandra time to deal with her feelings about Carlos. That wasn't Roberto's style and he said so, suggesting that Ricardo be more aggressive about this. However, Roberto didn't believe that Alejandra would reconcile with Carlos. Ricardo pointed out that they had a past. Roberto said “That's right. A past. You are the future.” Ricardo said that he was stepping aside just in case.
• Alejandra finally told him that she was severely hurt by his infidelity on the eve of the wedding that didn't happen. He started apologizing again with the same words and how he regretted everything, but she told him point blank that he had ruined her dreams and that the best thing was that they stop pretending that they belonged together. The best thing was for them to end their relationship y punto. He tried to deny this and she let all her anger out, including that his semen was found in the hooker's body. She was not accepting any excuses about him being drunk. He tried claiming that the hooker had seduced him, which only made her angrier because he was blaming Patricia rather than accepting any responsibility.
  
  He tried to touch her and she shoved him away, finally saying that he did not respect her.
  
• Roberto and Ricardo continued to discuss this situation, with Roberto saying that it was very unlikely that any woman would marry a man under these conditions. Ricardo wasn't so sure about this but also admitted that he knew nothing about their relationship. Roberto was sure that men who cheat do so because they think there is something lacking in the partner [We'd love to hear his take on Gustavo's situation] and he was sure that Alejandra was a lot happier with his fellow Musketeer. Ricardo asked “Are you sure she is happy enough with me compared with what she was with Carlos?” He was determined to sideline himself until he was sure.
• Carlos went back into the Same Old Song saying that he loved her, never stopped loving her, and thought of her all the time he was in jail and she was not buying this at all. She started telling him off. He began accusing her of having a thing going on with Ricardo. She denied that Ricardo had anything to do with this. He demanded to know how she felt about Ricardo. She finally answered that Ricardo had helped her a lot.
  
  Carlos was determined to guilt-trip her by implying that this was a betrayal and saying “I don't know which betrayal was worse. My betrayal was only of the body but yours was of the soul.” [How can she betray a soul he doesn't have?]
  
• Olivia and Leonardo arrived at her apartment. The hole in the door had been repaired but not yet painted. He offered to pay for that as he had ruined it. He declined her offer of food or drink, saying that he was relieved that the Rat was caught and that there was adequate proof for charges. She touched his knee, then caught herself.
  
  She finally told him nobody had ever defended her that way. He hesitated to believe that, then told her that he couldn't deal with injustice, especially injustices against women who were important to him.
  
• Despite the foregoing, Carlos refused to give up his pursuit of Alejandra. He left her house saying he would win her back.
  
  [Lo siento, Carlos, but you are no Rhett Butler. Alejandra no longer gives a damn.]
  
• The following morning Gustavo was in court with Augustín whose wife, Lorenza, was determined to ruin his life. Her lawyer tried to tell her that in view of Gustavo's situation he didn't have a chance of winning the case.
  The judge called on Gustavo to present his case. He stood up and began by saying that Lorenza had abandoned her husband and son three months previously without adequate explanation. Her son had visual deterioration and needed a capable person to take care of him. His client had to work full time (and then some from the sound of it) to earn a living sufficient to maintain their lives.
  
  He then presented documentation of bills for medical treatment, medication, qualified caregiving, special schooling, and psychological treatment to help the boy adjust. These bills had been less before because Señora Tajeda had worked from home and therefore could care for her son. However, the son had always looked to his father for care. The judge asked Gustavo whether he was judging her and he said no. He was repeating what the boy had told the psychologist. The boy had suffered from inadequate attention and affection from his mother. This was why his client was seeking a divorce, child support, and full custody. He then handed over a copy of the divorce petition and resumed his seat.
  The judge called Rueda, Lorenza's attorney, who denied that his client needed to provide child support because her husband earned adequate money to maintain his son. He claimed that his client also had to maintain herself and that the extra work she did was caring for her child when they were together and that her salary didn't go far enough. He then tried to accuse Gustavo of conflating his own personal tribulations with this investigation. Gustavo stood up to calmly request that the proceedings be limited to the case at hand. He then told his opponent that his investigation's results were in the documents he submitted. Further he referenced Lorenza's co-workers' testimony about her employment and the apartment she had rented to make sure she had stable employment. He presented those documents.
  
  
  
• Victoria and Olivia talked about the evening before and Olivia mentioned seeking therapy about this. Victoria told her about her conversation with Sonia and requested that Olivia go public about what happened to her in order to flush out other victims of the Rat. Olivia was initially reluctant but agreed, although she seemed to think this was a bit soon.
• Lorenza turned on the waterworks and gave an Academy Award performance in front of the judge, claiming she had no idea what she allegedly did wrong. She went on about being “locked” in the house while trying to work, take care of a sick child, and beginning to suffer from depression. She insisted that this negates any right of Augustín's to question how much she loved their child. She accused him of presenting false information regarding the psychologist's reports, saying that they were the results of manipulation.
  “I understand if he wants a divorce,” she said. “I really do. But, please, please, don't take away my child!”
  
  She was begging and crying as she repeated herself, hanging onto the front of the judge's desk and sinking to her knees on the floor. Her lawyer got up and got her off her knees, telling her to calm down. She whined all the way back to her seat.
  “Do you know that the divorce is now in effect?” the judge asked.
  “Yes,” she said, wiping her face. “That is what Augustín wants.”
  
  She then stood up and said, completely tear-free. “But as I take care of my son with all my love, I demand that Augustín pay the maintenance to me.”
  She resumed her seat and put on the Poor Me face once again.
  
  
  
• Juan went into Roberto's office to talk about what had happened with the stripper. He told him he wasn't comfortable lying to people and preferred to be more honest and upfront. Roberto told him that this was different from what he had done before because they were looking for evidence. It was also a question of practice. Roberto told him he believed in him.
• Gustavo protested Lorenza's claims, denouncing them as theatrics. Rueda stood up and said that his client was seeking the child support and full custody of the boy. The judge told him that he would need to provide evidence of qualification and he was granting a continuance until then. He brought down the gavel and left the courtroom. Everyone got up to leave. Augustín was livid, demanding an explanation.
  
  Lorenza, with no tears and a dismissive tsk-tsking told him to forget both his money and his son. She then walked out of the courtroom, followed by Rueda. Gustavo remained calm and tried to reassure his client.
  
  
  
• Alejandra told her mother about the fight with Carlos and how difficult it had been for her to do this. She told him that she had finally ended it. Paula was relieved. Alejandra told her that she felt guilty because of her feelings for Ricardo, but Paula told her that this wasn't necessary. If Carlos was already washed out of her hair, she needed to get what she wants.
  
  Alejandra let go of her tension by leaning across her mother's lap and crying. Paula was there for her.
  

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Permalink posted by Urban Anthropologist @ 11:00 PM