Death and the Maiden

All the monkeys

were back in their cages...

in time for the matinee.

The circus will be in town

two more weeks.

Thanks to early morning

rush hour fog...

twenty-three cars, four trucks,

and one bike...

were in a massive fender bender.

Luckily, no serious injuries.

Highway patrol reports traffic

moving briskly.

It's seven o'clock. Here's

a recap of today's top stories.

On his second day in office...

President Romero fulfilled

a campaign promise today.

He announced the formation...

of a commission

on human rights violations.

The commission will investigate

acts of torture and murder...

that took place

between 1975 and 1980...

under the military junta.

Rumors swept the capital

about who will be named...

to chair the controversial

and powerful committee.

Attorney Gerardo Escobar,

civil rights activist...

and on the short list

for Minister of Justice...

met with the president

for an hour this afternoon.

...president's office

has refused to comment.

Informed sources said...

Mr. Escobar has accepted

the committee chairmanship.

In other news, as expected,

President Romero appoint...

Quite sure you won't come in?

No, thanks.

Home and a hot bath.

Me, too. Sorry for the trouble.

- No problem.

- Then why not drop in someday?

Thanks again and good-bye.

You know it's crazy...

I never introduced myself.

Gerardo Escobar.

Dr. Roberto Miranda.

Nice to meet you.

If you're ever passing...

- Escobar the lawyer?

- That's right.

It's OK. It's me!

- Power's out. Again.

- Sh*t.

Did you have an accident?

A flat in this.

Can you believe it?

What a nightmare.

You want a towel?

Oh, God.

Who was that?

It was the guy

who stopped to help me.

I practically threw myself

in front of his car.

He didn't have a lot of choice.

You made a lovely dinner.

I'm sorry.

I was going to be here on time.

I'm sorry. I'm sorry.

Not your fault.

Stop apologizing.

It's only chicken.

Why are you wet?

I was looking for you...

patiently awaiting my captain's

return from the sea.

It blew out about a mile

past the lighthouse.

Right in the middle of nowhere.

Be a good girl.

How'd the meeting go?

I always forget how deserted

that shore road is.

Seriously,

if that guy hadn't come along...

I'd still be stuck.

- He has a house here?

- Yeah, on Salt Pond.

Really was very good of him.

He went way out of his way

to take me home.

This suit is completely ruined.

What a nightmare.

The phones are out, too.

Sh*t.

I have to call a tow truck.

We have no car.

He drove me to a gas station,

but it was closed.

I don't want to leave it

out there.

Anything could happen.

Thanks.

You're not having any?

I ate.

I was hungry. I'm sorry.

Now you're apologizing...

but you're apologizing

for the wrong reasons.

When you get a flat tire...

most people...

actually all people...

go to their trunk and get what?

An interrogation...

my favorite thing in life.

A spare tire.

Uh-huh. A spare tire.

In the pouring rain,

wearing their best suit...

they jack up the car,

remove the flat...

getting dirtier until,

after a grueling struggle...

they finally put the spare on.

This is a brilliant narrative,

full of surprises.

I didn't know that

all people who change tires...

wear their best suits.

Just the classy jerks, like me.

A complete physical wreck,

I finally get the spare on...

only to watch it sag.

You had two blowouts?

No. You're not listening to me.

The spare was flat.

You never fixed it.

You didn't notice it was flat

until you'd put it on?

Well, that was dumb.

So, your conclusion is

I was dumb?

Oh, no, my love,

I believe we all agree...

including the president...

that you are

a highly intelligent man...

but it was dumb to put

a flat spare on the car.

Don't feel bad.

Even geniuses do dumb things.

So, did he ask you to head

the commission?

God, it's very hot in here,

isn't it?

Congratulations.

It's the peak of your career.

Not the peak, I hope.

I meant the first peak.

You'll go from peak to peak,

I'm sure.

I'm very serious

about the spare.

You were supposed

to take care of it.

And how did he react

when you turned him down?

It's a very complicated

situation.

It's much, much more complicated

than we thought.

Sh*t. What am I going to do

about the car?

- F*** the car.

- Great.

Are you going to tell me

what you said to the president?

Did you change his mind

about the rules?

Why don't I tell you

all about it later, OK?

I really don't want

to discuss it now.

Fine.

Oh, come on!

- OK. Let's talk.

- Too late.

Nothing's been decided yet.

I told the president

I had to discuss it with you.

You told our brand-new president

you had to ask my permission?

Of course.

So you told him about me?

Of course not.

Listen, nobody knows about you.

No, somebody knows about me.

But I'm not talking about them.

Don't lie! I hate that.

What's the point?

I know you're lying.

What am I supposed to be

lying about?

Of course you said yes.

- OK. I'm sorry.

- God damn it!

Don't apologize.

You think you can pay

for anything with those words.

If you were really sorry...

you would've said no

to this whitewash.

You would've said,

"No, Mr. President...

"I won't dignify this betrayal!"

- It's not a betrayal.

- Bullshit.

We have to move very slowly.

I can get the commission

to accomplish a great deal.

What will happen to the men you

prove were on the death squads?

The evidence will be turned over

to the courts.

To the courts.

Yeah. Maybe to that judge

who told Maria Bautista...

her husband

wasn't tortured to death.

He just ran off

with a younger woman.

If this happens every night,

I can't do this job.

- Good.

- It's a job that's worth doing.

I don't exist.

Once the truth

starts to come out...

I can get the president

to change the rules.

But you didn't change his mind.

It's still only cases

that ended in death.

You have to give me time.

Make love to me. Let's be happy.

Happy?

That's real bullshit.

We can.

Just give me time.

Give us time.

I promise you

I'll get them for you.

I'll bring you justice

instead of a flat tire.

Let's dream of happiness,

my sweet girl.

My bride.

- My savior.

- I want to.

I want to help you be

brilliant and important.

I want us to live

like suburban idiots.

I want to adopt a baby

and spoil it.

My beautiful boy.

My beautiful, beautiful boy.

It's a car.

- There's a car here.

- What?

Wake up.

What is it? What?

- OK. I'll go.

- Don't.

It's OK. It's OK.

Who is it?

It's Dr. Miranda.

I've got your tire.

- Oh, Christ.

- What?

It's OK. It's nothing.

I'm coming!

It's the guy who stopped

to help me with the car.

It's OK. It's OK.

Christ. Just a minute.

I forgot to take it out.

Of course. I'm so stupid.

I drove home and got into

the shower before it hit me.

- Oh, I woke you.

- No. I was just, uh...

Is your power out, too?

Yeah. The whole peninsula

for a change.

- This is very kind.

- It's no problem.

I could've picked it up.

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