The South Page #3

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(You're wrong, it's not what you think.)

(You thought I was dead.)

(No, that's not true.)

(I swear it.)

(Don't swear or God will hear you.)

(You're such a fool.)

(That's true, I am a fool - that's why I love you.)

(Give me a light.)

(Well, why are you here?)

(I go on in a minute, I can't be wasting time.)

(I just wanted to say goodbye.)

(You're leaving?)

(No, not me... but you are.)

(What are you saying?)

(You're crazy.)

(That's true, I'm crazy -)

BANG!

(fires gun)

BANG!

(glass shatters)

(I was listening for a moment at the door)

(I heard you singing our song)

(We could have been so happy)

(Happy?)

(Yes, happy!)

(I never knew what that meant.)

(How I loved her!)

(Blue Moon refrain starts)

Dear Laura,

I am sure you will be surprised

to receive this letter

after so much time silent.

But I've just seen how your film lover

shot you twice and sent you into the next world.

Yes... I know that what happens

in the movies isn't real

but I'm still hopelessly superstitious.

And i want to see if you are still

here on earth

Even if its just slinking around

with that stage name you chose.

By the way, your killer was pretty good.

But the star and the leading man were terrible.

Since I don't know where you are

I'm mailing this letter to Seville.

(knocks on window)

I'll never forget the face my father made

sitting there inside the Cafe Oriental

when he lifted his eyes from the page

and saw me on the other side of the windowpane.

Now I understand it was a natural reaction

as though I'd caught him somehow remiss

but at that time I didn't realize it.

I only knew that it seemed to me

he'd been writing a letter.

Julia, Julia! Listen to me!

Shh! You'll wake her up!

Please, just listen to me a moment

How many times do I have to tell you,

I don't want to hear about it!

If you want to go talk to her, just do it!

Do whatever you want,

just don't tell me about it!

None of it!

That's not it, that's not it.

You're wrong, Julia.

The idea I had had about my father

started to change then

like opening my eyes

and suddenly discovering

that I knew nothing about him.

Dear Agustin,

Once, eight years ago

I decided to never expect anything from you

I was so lonely then

much more than you could have guessed.

And it wasn't easy.

But I got over it, little by little

In all this time, I haven't heard from you.

It was to be expected

Things between us had gotten pretty bad

And you had other people around

that you cared for more than me.

I understood.

I tried to accept it and that helped me.

But now, it's different -

I don't understand this letter of yours

that I just received.

Why, Agustin, after so much time? Why write me?

To see if I'm still alive?

Well yes, I am.

But why else? I can't believe it's all

because of that movie magic you speak about.

Magic that, if you must know, I had to give up

more than a year ago.

I walked around

but I never found that place.

You remember?

The place one never wants to leave?

I ask myself, if that place ever really existed.

So, here I am.

Home again.

The past doesn't move me like it did before

and I really don't want

to keep thinking about it.

I try to look ahead

and I'm afraid that, at long last, I've grown up.

I was in four films but never got lucky.

In three of them, as you put it,

they sent me off to the other world

in nasty ways:
with a clean shot, with silk

stockings and even with a straight razor.

By the way, which way would you have chosen?

That was just a joke, I'm sorry.

I wasn't talking about me, rather about the femme fatale

that made you pick up the pen,

poor Irene Rios, may she rest in peace.

She can't answer you. Neither can I, in her place.

I think I've fallen into the trap without realizing it

I do remember the past

and you with your bad jokes

you're to blame.

The things you write.

To sum up, what is it you want from me?

Perhaps you'd better not answer that question.

It's not worth it.

Just forget it.

I would rather you didn't write me,

answering you is such an effort.

Time, Agustin, is the most righteous

angel of justice I've known.

And though I'm all grown up

sometimes -mostly at night - I'm afraid.

Agustiiin!

(dog barks)

Agustiiin!

That was the first time Dad left home

in the middle of the night

without a word to anyone.

(train whistle blows)

(knock on door)

Its time! The train is leaving!

(final train whistle blows)

He came back in the morning.

No one heard him come in,

he must have used the back door

secretively,

so as not to wake us.

(tree swing creaks)

Mom...

What?

What's wrong with Dad?

Why are you asking me?

He's acting so strange.

Haven't you noticed?

Yes. A little.

Ever since he left the house

he's been like that.

He didn't leave.

Estrella, the things you say...

Its true -- he left.

Don't talk like that, you hear me?

Anyway, what do you know?

I do know it. And so do you.

Estrella!

From that day forward,

my father never used the pendulum again.

One afternoon,

tired of the atmosphere at home,

I wanted to protest in my own way.

I hid under a bed

convinced not to come out.

When she discovered me missing

my mother and Casilda began

to look everywhere for me.

Estrelllaaa!

Estrelllaaa!

From my hiding place

I challenged them with my silence.

I could tell from their comings and goings

that they were getting more and more worried.

Estrellaaaa!

Little by little, night began to fall.

Estrella?

(door opens)

Estrella!

Estrella!

(door closes)

(cane tapping)

I knew my Dad was home

I waited the whole time for him to call me

but he never did.

He responded to my silence

with his own.

And I suddenly understood

that he was on to my game

accepting my challenge

to show me that his pain

was much greater than mine.

Estrella!

What?

Why are you crying?

Because I feel like it!

(cane tapping)

I started wishing with all my heart

to grow and grow

be suddenly an adult

so I could get away from there.

I grew up more or less

like everyone does

I got used to being alone

and to not thinking

too much about happiness.

Dearest Estrella,

your letter was lovely,

I've read it so many times.

Is everything you wrote true?

I wish we would see you

here sometime

I won't recognize you!

In the photo I've included

It's your Grandmother and I in Rome

when we went to see the Pope.

Isn't it pretty?

Lots of hugs for everyone,

and a big kiss from me!

Milagros.

(The television will be here soon)

(I will sing for you and you'll see me)

(So dress me up nicely, Mom, dress me up!)

(Dress me up, I'm going to be on the broadcast!)

Hi, what's to eat?

Soup and fried fish.

You always make the same.

What do you expect,

the way your mother is?

Has she gotten up?

No.

Did you see what he drew on the wall?

No.

Well, what did he draw?

Again!

Again.

Don't laugh, its not funny.

I know who did it.

So do I.

How are you?

Well you know, the same.

I thought I'd be able to get up

but I got dizzy.

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