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. - Shit.

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.

Shit. 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.

Shit. What am I going to do about the car?

- Fuck 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.

How? On your bike? You have no car.

I couldn't call, and you needed the tire.