Crossing Borders Page #6

Don't say it's ugly

in front of your grandparents.

Pablo, love, you've got so big!

I'm going to take out the money,

it was digging into me.

By the way, love,

thank you for sending me money

all these years.

Ssh, Martin knows nothing

about it.

Where's father?

He's making a mattress

out on the waste ground.

We weren't expecting you

until tonight.

Do you want to see him?

Guillermo!

They're here!

Pablo!

Gome here!

Is that him? What's he doing?

He repairs woollen mattresses.

Go and give him a kiss.

Gome closer.

Give me a kiss.

Didn't you tell him?

We said he'd had an accident.

I wasn't expecting this either.

I saw him at my mother's house

but he had his false leg on.

Guillermo, put on your leg,

you're scaring the child!

Pass me the leg.

What's wrong?

It doesn't hurt anymore.

I'll pass it to you, father.

But, Pablo...

- Kill it! Hit it on the head!

- Hit it in the eye!

Are you hot?

No.

Want some more lemonade?

It's very good.

I don't want anything.

Mom,

are we never, ever going back?

Don't think

about that anymore, love.

You'll make yourself sick.

It's your first day.

Tomorrow we're going

with your grandma and your aunt

to the new apartment.

Try to go to sleep.

Get some rest.

Gome here.

Another kiss,

for all the ones

I wasn't able to give you.

That's enough.

My cheeks are sore.

Leave the boy alone.

They're coming for lunch tomorrow.

Goodbye.

I'll see you out.

Do all the windows look out here?

Yes, all of them.

Don't act surprised,

you knew it.

But the apartment is big

and the kitchen is nice.

No, it's fine, but your sister

said it had a lot of light.

But she lives in a basement...

Don't knock my sister,

she found this for us.

So in six years we've gone up

three floors, and it's old.

That's it.

From what I hear,

you've come from abroad.

We arrived from Switzerland

yesterday.

How long were you away?

Six years.

- I don't know how you stood it.

- Why do you say that?

They're all racists up there,

aren't they?

Are they?

Don't say they're not.

Everyone knows

they treat Spaniards like dogs.

Are you saying

they treat foreigners like we do?

Everyone wants to come here.

This is better than anywhere,

isn't it, son?

I prefer Switzerland.

- You asked the right person.

- This is fixed.

Let it dry, and in half an hour

you can wash the dishes in it.

It won't move.

We're off,

there's a football game. So long.

The bottle!

Thanks.

- Dad...

- What?

Did they treat us badly

in Switzerland?

No, not at all.

Why do you say that?

Why did those men say it?

Because Spaniards are

very welcoming to foreigners.

Sure, welcoming

to Germans with big wallets

and Swedish girls with big chests.

"Don"t hurry back.

Things are better,

but only for the usual people.

I'm finding it hard to get work.

After working for six years

in Pegaso

they wanted me to take a test

to start as a skilled worker.

I refused.

I tried with Marconi, Standard...

Apparently in this country

I'm considered old

so I had to swallow my pride

and take the test at Pegaso.

It lasts a week

and is on a level for engineers.

Even you would have trouble

and you were second in your year

because the first had contacts.

I'll tell you if I get it

but I doubt it.

I don't want to end up

with Anselmo the pig.

Maybe you remember him.

Kiss Mari-Garmen

and the baby for us

and say hello to our colleagues,

friends and enemies.

We are well and send our love,

Martin Vargas and family."

What a disappointment.

When we're here we miss there

and in Spain we miss Switzerland.

We're from nowhere now.

I'm not risking it.

We're not going back

without something definite.

How can he go back

to the pig"s workshop?

Boys, is Anselmo here?

No, he's in the bar.

As usual.

You're Martin.

And you're Saturnino, my maestro.

Are you still working?

What else can I do?

I wasn't as lucky as you.

Are you still in Pegaso?

No, they fired me in 1960

during the crisis.

I went to Switzerland.

Yes, the crisis.

In this goddamn country

we're always in crisis.

Why are you here?

You're not looking for work?

Yes, I am.

But I'd have come sooner to see you

If I'd known you were here.

Don't change the subject.

Don't come back here, Martin.

It's not for you anymore.

There are just a couple of old timers

and two kids here.

You don't come back

to places like this.

It can't be that bad,

you've been here a lifetime.

He lent me money.

I've been repaying the favour

for years, and ruining my life.

Don't bow your head

to that bastard.

You'd give him the greatest

satisfaction of his life.

- I'll go and see Anselmo.

- Don't bother.

He's seen you.

It's Mr. Martin,

the one who said

he'd never again set foot

in this lousy workshop.

- How are you, Anselmo?

- Mr. Anselmo.

I bet I know why you're here.

You're desperate for me

to give you a job.

- Well, I...

- It's not that, Anselmo.

He's come,

like a gentleman, on a visit.

He's working in Switzerland.

Is that true?

He's a gentleman,

something you've never been,

and a gentleman never lies.

I came to say goodbye

to my maestro

and thank him

for all he taught me.

I'm going back to Switzerland

with a great contract,

earning thirteen times

what I earn here.

When I'm there, I'll write to you.

I could find something for you.

What are you all looking at?

Get back to work!

Or do you want

to go to Switzerland too?

Martin? Is that you?

What happened?

I couldn't ask Anselmo for a job.

This is sh*t, Pilar.

Let's go back, dad.

I don't want to go to that school.

Work hard,

schools are expensive here

and yours is the most expensive.

If you pay the priests so much

why do they hit me?

They hit you?

Not just me.

They hit the boys with keys

to make us stay in line.

They use a ruler too.

- But they hit me more.

- Why, love?

I'm left handed

and I make lots of spelling mistakes.

Very well.

Family meeting. Sit down.

Sit down!

Given all this,

what do we do?

I think we should go back

to Switzerland.

I could easily get my old job.

Yes, let's do that.

School has just started in Uzwil

and as it's free, even if I'm late,

it doesn't matter.

Well, well.

So the two men in my house

are cowards.

I encouraged you to go

but that time is gone.

We went for money and we got it.

And it was tough, wasn't it?

Or don't you remember?

We won't be driven

out of our own country by the heat,

or Pegaso, or the priests,

or by this lousy apartment

that cost us the sweat of 6 years.

You'll get into Pegaso because

you're one of the best around,

and if a boy hits you, Pablo,

hit him back.

I've seen you do it before.

And if it's a priest,

you tell me.

I'll sort him out.

And another thing.

Having a grandfather who's lame

is no cause for shame.

I'm going to do my homework

and do a crib.

Dad, do you know what a crib is?

Yes, I know what a crib is.

Just study and forget about cribs.

I didn't know.

He's catching on.

I'm going to have a beer

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