["Batuka" by Tito Puente plays] [♪] Doris... I've been calling you-- - Mrs.

Cunningham.

But I haven't been able to find you.

Well, I've been in and out lately.

I've been having a little problem with the González-- Yes, I heard.

You've really done a great job with this.

But I wanted to talk to you about something else.

Do you have a minute?

Sure.

I have an hour and a half before I meet with Mrs.

González.

Come on in then.

All right.

Lilia, will you hold all my calls, please?

Yes, ma'am.

Lilia, ahorita recojo los documentos.

No hay problema, señora Blanco.

Cuando guste.

Okay, gracias.

I know your time is limited, so I'll come right to the point.

I've been hearing some very good things about you.

The truth is, your work for the department has been wonderful.

Well, thank you very much.

I really enjoy every minute of it.

And if I can be of any help.

<i>- I know.</i> And you've helped a lot.

What has happened now is that we have a vacancy on the staff for a social worker.

Now, we've looked over all the applicants, and we're not satisfied with any of them.

In some cases, the people who were applying don't speak Spanish, and you know that wouldn't be good at all.

No, no.

Not in this kind of work.

You'd be completely lost.

- That's right.

Then some of the applicants who do speak Spanish don't know the people in this community, and I think they'd just be lost.

It really takes a combination of the two things.

Now, we've thought and thought... And we've come to the conclusion that you are the best person for the job.

Me?

- Yes, you.

[chuckles] Does that surprise you?

I don't really think I can do the work.

Well, I do.

And so does everyone on the staff.

They all think very highly of you and your work.

We all know you wouldn't have any trouble at all.

Now, there is one small problem.

Well-- two, really.

One is the work is hard and the hours are long.

But if you think about it, the work is no harder... And the hours are no longer than they have been in some of the cases you've handled.

Think of the time the Rodríguez's boy was in the hospital.

I think you were over at his mother's house practically every night.

Yes, I remember.

But it was important for me to be there.

Yes, I know.

And the time will come again when it will be just as important for you to be there.

So that's one thing.

Now, the other is... That according to the state's rules, the person filling this position must have done some formal schoolwork in this field.

I've never taken a course in any of this at all.

I know all that.

Your experience, though, is very important.

We can't wait to hire you until you finish taking the courses.

What we would like you to do is to take the job, and then to take some classes in night school.

That will mean that for some time you'll be a very busy person.

But once you get that out of the way, you'll be all right.

And then, of course, although the pay is not tremendous, it is good.

[exhales] Well... I suppose I could discuss it with my husband, Luis, and my children.

I'll-- then I'll let you know.

Fine.

Only don't take too long making up your mind.

We really need you to start... tomorrow.

Tomorrow?

[laughs] Well, as soon as possible.

I'll call you tonight.

Great.

Let me give you my home number.

Are you going to be a boss or a regular worker?

Delia, what a question is that?

I haven't even decided whether I'm going to take the job or not.

I think you should take it.

Who should take what?

Hmm?

Hey!

What have we here?

We have our own little fashion show?

Don't tell me, don't tell me.

Let me see.

You are... making doña Inés... a floor-length dress for the formal ball tonight.

Can I have el primer número, ¿la primera pieza?

[playfully] ¿Dónde está el carnet suyo-- Ay, échate pa'llá, no te pongas tan chistoso.

¿no viene con carnet el traje?

[chuckles] Hey, you still haven't answered my question.

Who are to take what?

I'm going to take a job.

[seriously] You're going to take what?

Well, I really didn't say that quite right.

I haven't decided yet.

Estaba esparando que llegaras para discutirlo.

I think she should take it.

They pay her a salary, you know.

Eso es precisamente lo que quería decirte.

Le van a pagar un sueldo por el trabajo que ha estado-- - Wait, wait, wait.

Con permiso, con el permiso, doña Inés.

I think there's somebody here to tell me what this is all about.

Me han ofrecido un trabajo en el Departamento de Asistencia Pública.

Trabajaría como social worker durante el día... Y por la noche tomaría unos cursos que se necesitan para el trabajo.

Por la noche también, ¿no?

¿Y tú crees que tú puedes hacer todo eso?

What's this?

Bueno, yo no sé.

¿Cómo que no sabes?

Tú no has trabajado desde que nosotros nos casamos no has vuelto a trabajar.

Bueno... Ella no ha recibido un sueldo.

Ni ha tenido una oficina, pero sí ha trabajado.

Eso mismo fue lo que me dijo la señora Cunningham.

Y que el trabajo que he estado haciendo como voluntaria es el mismo tipo de trabajo.

No, no, no.

No es el mismo tipo de trabajo.

Un momentito.

Son cosas muy distintas, son responsabilidades y problemas distintos.

Mira Luis, no hay problema que no tenga solución.

Eso siempre me lo decía mi abuela.

[scoffs] Sí, doña Inés.

I really would like to take it.

Well, it seems to me that you have decided, no?

I know I can do it.

Pero ven acá, ¿a dónde tú vas?

Voy a llamar a la señora Cunningham.

She told me to call her as soon as I made my decision.

<i>[phone dials]</i> Lo que yo quisiera saber, doña Inés, es... si a mí me van a pagar por este trabajo.

Bueno, todo depende de lo bien que lo hagas.

Bueno, mijo... No te parece que ya está bueno de trabajo por hoy.

¿Qué tal si lo dejamos para otro día?

Tiene razón, don Manuel.

These books are impossible.

No matter how hard I look... the money isn't there.

Bueno... En ese caso, pues lo dejamos para el mes que viene.

Quizá las cosas mejoren para entonces.

Digo, no hay por qué desanimarse.

Aunque yo no quiera desanimarme... las cosas han empeorado... desde principios de mes.

Sí, es cierto.

Se ve claramente, pero es que las cosas están mal para todo el mundo.

La cuestión financiera está mal por todos lados.

Hay demasiada gente sin trabajo.

Lógicamente, si no hay trabajo pues no hay plata, y si no hay plata, pues no hay viaje.

Oh, I know.

I know... No job, no money.

No money, no travel.

No travel.

No Luis Blanco Travel Agency.

Usted se imagina, que con la campaña de publicidad que yo había planeado, tal vez hubiera progresado el negocio.

Tal vez, no.

Seguramente hubiera progresado.

Pero lo malo es que una campaña de publicidad cuesta mucho dinero.

Oh... [scoffs] Don't I know that!

The publicity campaign costs money.

But this month has been worse than ever.

Maybe what I should do... is get rid of this business... and get a job somewhere else.

Oye un momento, espérate, tan poco la cosa está tan grave.

No es para tanto.

No, no, no, de verdad.

Don Manuel, si yo fuera un alto ejecutivo.

Yeah, a big executive.

Big office.

Then maybe my wife would take time... to talk to me.

No te ha parecido bien que Doris haya tomado ese trabajo, ¿verdad?

No, no, no es eso-- - Sí.

Claro, claro que es eso.

Mira, por qué no te sientas y lo discutes tú con ella.

Yeah... I guess I should... talk to her about it.

Pero ella está de tanta prisa, always in a hurry.

Ella tiene una cita, an exam... Something, something.

Mira mijo... Recuerda que cuentas claras conservan amistades.

Siéntate, habla con ella, cuéntale si tienes algún resentimiento y a ver lo que pasa.

Yo no sé, No sé, don Manuel.

Ya tú verás que las cosas van a mejorar.

Como dice el refrán, mañana será otro día.

[dry laugh] Don Manuel, a usted nunca se le acaban las esperanzas, ¿verdad?

Claro que no.

Porque cuando una puerta se cierra, otra se tiene que abrir.

BOTH: [laugh] A propósito de cerrar puertas, don Manuel.

¿Qué tal si nosotros... [keys jingle] [door locks] [bell chimes] cerramos la nuestra?

Digo, para que no se vayan a llevar lo poco que tenemos.

BOTH: [laugh] <i>DELIA: [on the phone]</i> <i>[indistinct chatter]</i> Have you heard from your mother?

Oh!

Hi, papi.

- Hi.

<i>DELIA: No, I'm not saying</i> <i>"hi, papi," to you.</i> <i>My father just came home.</i> Hey... psst.

¿Tú no has visto a tu mamá?

- No, papi.

<i>Yeah, wasn't that funny?</i> <i>Yeah, I only watched a bit.</i> <i>I went to bed after.</i> <i>[phone conversation continues]</i> ¿Y Ángel?

¿has visto a Ángel?

[chatter continues] Delia.

Excuse me.

Where's Ángel?

I don't know.

I haven't seen him since breakfast.

<i>No, I'm talking about my brother.</i> <i>[phone conversation resumes]</i> Where do you think she's at?

DELIA: [to the phone] Wait, hold on.

Let me talk to my father.

LUIS: Delia... ¿Qué me preguntaste?

¿Dónde tú crees que está tu mamá?

Estará en el trabajo.

Nunca sale temprano últimamente.

¿Cómo que tú no sabes dónde está tu hermano?

Digo, mira, ¿cómo es posible que esta sea la hora y tu hermano anda por ahí?

Papi, I honestly don't know.

Ángel is usually home by now.

Maybe he's with mami.

I suppose so.

Delia... Try not to tie up the lines for too long.

What if somebody wants to call?

[reluctantly] Okay... Hey, listen.

Let me call you back, okay?

<i>Really?</i> <i>No, I didn't hear it.</i> <i>When did you hear it?</i> <i>Yeah.</i> <i>Well, I don't think it's true.</i> <i>No.</i> <i>Well, if it took you</i> <i>that long to hear it.</i> <i>Yeah.</i> <i>Yeah, well, she told me</i> <i>something about it last week.</i> <i>I don't know, maybe you did,</i> <i>but I don't trust her.</i> ¿Y abuelo?

¿Dónde está abuelo?

¿Quién?

<i>¡Abuelo!

Que si no sabes</i> <i> donde está tu abuelo.</i> Oh, está con doña Inés.

Hoy es su día de jugar Dominos.

Doña Inés, esa fue la de toda la idea.

Sí.

[mimicking doña Inés] "Y ahora mira, fíjate que también vas a ir a trabajar, y te van a pagar por hacer todo el trabajo que has estado haciendo durante todos estos años".

Y esto es lo que viene a suceder, en lugar de suceder lo que ella estaba diciendo.

Delia, that's enough telephone for today.

But, papi.

- Delia... no excuses.

Cuelga el teléfono.

Eso es todo lo que tienes que hacer, colgar el teléfono.

Por favor.

<i>Okay.</i> Listen, I have to hang up and go.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Okay, bye.

[hangs up phone] [whispers] I'm sorry.

Sabes lo que pasa es que estoy un poco preocupado.

Mira la hora que es, y tu hermano no está aquí en casa.

Do you think he's been mugged or something?

Mugged?

Are you kidding?

Don't be silly.

Who would want to mug him?

I don't know, but why isn't he here?

Maybe he ran away.

[mockingly] Your sense of humor... It's just too much for me.

Too much.

Papi, I don't know why you're so upset.

I'm upset porque tu mamá no ha venido, a esta hora-- [door closes] DORIS: [happily] Hi.

LUIS: [pointendly] Where's Ángel?

Isn't he with you?

No.

Isn't he here?

Yo no lo he visto desde el desayuno.

Bueno... Quizá está en casa de doña Inés.

[shortly] Eh, no.

No está en casa de doña Inés.

¿Es la verdad?

Dícelo... Dícelo tú-- no es cierto o no es cierto que-- don Manuel, se marchó solo, ¿verdad?

¿Cuando tú llegaste?

[reluctantly] Yes, he left alone.

<i>[bedroom door opens]</i> <i>[door closes]</i> It seems to me you ought to know where your son is.

Oh, man!

Why me?

And not you?

[in a mocking tone] Because you are his mother.

That's why.

<i>[purse thuds]</i> Well, who are<i> you</i>?

Some casual friend?

Oh!

Very funny.

Funny... Pero dime una cosa, ¿por qué tú estás tan agitado?

Por que si tú estuvieras aquí, esto no estaría pasando, - ¡Por eso!

- ¡¿Pero qué?!

Tell me, what wouldn't be happening?

You mean you're so blind, you don't know?!

[shouting] At this very moment, your own son, he could be dead.

He could be dead!

And you, you wouldn't know what's happening!

- That's-- - [laughs] Please.

Don't you think you're just exaggerating just a bit?

Ha!

[laughs incredulously] Okay.

Okay.

Let's see if I am exaggerating this a bit.

A ver señora ejecutiva... ¿A qué hora sale su hijo de la escuela?

A las tres.

Creo.

Aha!

[mocking laugh] you don't even know that.

Well, I bet you don't either.

What time does he come out of school?

That's beside the point!

Quizás esté con un amigo.

Déjame llamar a papi, ¿OK?

No, no, no eso es lo que faltaba.

- ¡Sí!

Tu llamar a papi.

Todo el mundo se va a enterar [loudly] de que ¡a esta hora!

Tú ni siquiera sabes dónde está tu hijo.

[mocking laugh] Pero, ¡por Dios!

¡Luis, tú eres imposible!

And what are you!

Social work... [scoffs] That's out and out nasty!

[shouts] And I refuse to continue this conversation!

[shouting] Okay!

¡Haz lo que tú quieras!

De seguro que tienes un examen mañana, ¿verdad?

Ahh, tienes un examen mañana y ahora ponerte a estudiar.

Ni siquieras te acuerdas que tienes un hijo que se llama Ángel.

<i>Ha!</i> Did somebody call my name?

<i>- Where have you been?</i> - ¡¿Dónde diablos tú has estado, ah?!

I-- [yells] You are supposed to come straight home after school!

- But you told me to-- - I didn't tell you anything!

Will you, please, let the child talk, Luis?

Mami, tú me dijiste que le dijera a Tina que fuera a comprar un pizza.

¡PIZZA!

You don't have to yell.

We're all in the same room.

Mom, you told me to do that last night.

[gasps] Sí.

Pero, nene, ¿por qué tardaste tanto tiempo?

See, Tina told me to drive around her taxi with her, and we got caught in this traffic jam.

And boy, we couldn't even move!

Oiga, joven.

Y, ¿quién le ha dicho a usted que pueda hacer eso sin pedir permiso antes ¿ah?

Traté de llamar a mami a la oficina, pero el teléfono estaba ocupado.

Después se me olvidó llamar otra vez.

Pues tú sabes, Ángel.

Tú no sabes el mal rato que hemos pasado.

Well, if you don't mind, I would like to start eating this pizza.

It's getting cold, you know.

Aren't we ever going to talk at the table anymore?

Claro que sí.

Pues si vamos a hablar, ¿por qué no empezamos?

Abuelo dice que cuando uno está enojado se debe discutir.

Abuelo is right.

When you are mad at somebody, there's no sense in staying mad at them forever.

Yeah, eso es cierto.

Pero hay que discutir las cosas.

Es la única manera de... solucionar los problemas.

Pues también hay manera de ver tenemos un problema.

I know I had a problem.

My problem was going off with Tina without telling anybody.

But I said I wouldn't do that again.

So I know I don't have that problem anymore.

I know, haber dicho dicho que te ibas con Tina le causó muchos problemas a muchas personas.

Así que en el futuro, espero que eso no vuelva a suceder.

No, mami.

Ya te dije.

De aquí en adelante, si yo no te consigo a ti o a papi por teléfono, no me iré con nadie.

Okay.

Now... I have to admit that part of Ángel's problem is also my problem.

I should always let you know where I'm going to be.

That way, if anything unusual should come up, you'll always know where I am.

Podemos tener un bulletin board.

Y ahí escribimos o ponemos a dónde está cada persona, y a qué hora van a regresar a casa.

That's an excellent a suggestion.

I mean, you know.

Putting on the bulletin board where each one of us is going to be, It would help avoid a lot of confusion.

And maybe... Some things that shouldn't be said will never be said.

Yo no he terminado con mi problema.

Desde que empecé a trabajar, y a tomar las clases, he estado tan y tan ocupada, que los he descuidado a ustedes.

Well... Uh... Doris, we-- We all know how important your work is, and so it's... taking your classes.

But it's been very hard for us to get used to it, you know?

And, we miss you.

I know.

I miss you, too.

De postre les tengo una sorpresa.

Come on, Ángel.

We better get your bulletin board from the room.

[stammers] I-- I guess I should talk about...<i>my</i> problem.

I have to admit, I didn't like it when you told me you were going to get a job and... start taking these classes.

<i>[chuckles]</i> No sé lo que pensé, cuando me dijiste que ibas a empezar... No sé... Empezar a trabajar y a ganar dinero, y... I don't know what-- es que pensé que-- que... Que te ibas a ir y me ibas a dejar solo.

What?

You never told me anything.

Yeah, ok.

Lo sé.

Fue una tontería lo que pensé que tú-- Y lo peor de todo, es que o sea, no te... lo he querido decir, por-- en estos días... En la agencia, en el aspecto económico, el negocio... sigue-- sigue igual, muy mal.

Y este mes, se hizo menos dinero que nunca.

But you never told me anything about the agency!

That-- I know I didn't tell you... But, you know, I saw you so involved in your work.

You always so busy.

I-- I thought you wouldn't care.

Pues mira, que como quiera, todo va a salir bien.

Lo que no te he dicho es que... aparte de haber sacado las mejores notas en la clase, recibí mi primer cheque.

Y-- y con todo el overtime que me pagaron, olvídate, el cheque es por mucho más de lo que yo esperaba.

Las mejores notas de la clase.

<i>- Sí.

[laughs]</i> - El cheque... No no, wait.

I won't take your check.

No, no, no, no, no.

You mean <i>our</i> check.

Because I think of your check as mine, too.

So, I want you to feel that way about mine.

ÁNGEL: Mi día de lavar los trastes son los lunes.

Delia, los martes.

Mami, los miércoles.

[quietly] Y yo, los jueves... Y papi, los jueves.

<i>DORIS: [chuckles]</i> DELIA: Well... If we're going to take turns washing the dishes, then we can take turns cooking dinner.

I made these cookies at school, and I would like to try to make dinner sometimes.

<i>DORIS: </i> <i>Oh!

Maybe.</i> <i>Mmm.</i> I can cook, too.

¿Tú?

Tú puedes-- ¿qué tú vas a cocinar?

Un bizcocho.<i></i> <i>DORIS: [laughs]</i> Un bizcocho.

Sí, un bizcocho de chocolate.

DORIS: [laughs] [♪]