Narcomenudeo:
An English Version
By Ben GAVARRÉ
Characters:
- Joaquín: 16 years old. Ambitious but
inexperienced. His humor is his way of coping with danger.
- Eva: 15 years old. Bold and audacious. Her
wit is as sharp as her ambition.
- Rubén: 50 years old. A man who feels obsolete;
his humor is a shield for his fear.
- Inés: 48 years old. Exhausted by her marriage;
her irony is a defense against frustration.
- El Gabo: 30 years old. Mid-level drug dealer.
Cold and calculating, with a very peculiar moral code.
- El Rizos: 40 years old. The boss. Views the
business as an enterprise. His humor is cynical and cruel.
- El Cortado: 20 years old. A street-level dealer.
Thinks he's important, but his "humor" gives him away.
Scene One
(The Rovira family living room. It’s a middle-class space, a bit dated.
Rubén watches TV. The audio of a news report plays. Inés is reading a book on
adolescent psychology, frowning).
News
Announcer (V.O.): — ...apparently, the discovery of the mutilated body in Tepoztlán is
linked to a cartel turf war. Rumor has it the deceased was known for his love
of mystery novels, suggesting a criminal 'whodunit' ending worthy of the silver
screen.
Rubén: — (Turns off the TV abruptly).
What nonsense! Did you hear that, Inés? Even the crime blotter has film critics
now.
Inés: — No. I was preoccupied.
Rubén: — And what good does reading do
you? The country is crumbling, and you’re in your little world of psychology.
Inés: — If you had read it, maybe we
would have understood what’s happening to our son. It says that the best
discipline is that of an idle mind. Sounds familiar.
Rubén: — (Ignores the comment with a
frustrated gesture). Speaking of idle minds, aren't you going to discipline
your son? That's how my father taught me. And look, I turned out fine.
Inés: — Times have changed, Rubén.
Beating him doesn't work anymore. It just pushes him further away. Unless you
want him to turn out just like you.
Rubén: — And is that a bad thing?
Inés: — Sometimes, the one who laughs
last didn't get the joke.
Scene Two
(Outside a university. El Cortado is with Joaquín and Eva. El Cortado
smokes a marijuana joint and offers one to them; they look nervous).
El Cortado: — What's up? Not gonna try it?
It's real, a little taste of paradise.
Eva: — Come on, leave us alone.
Don't let your mouth dry out from all the jokes.
El Cortado: — Seriously, this is the deal
of the century. I have more cash on me than your parents make in a month. My
treat.
Joaquín: — I'm no idiot. I have my
branded clothes.
El Cortado: — Ooh,
Mr. Fancy Pants! Gonna pull out your Zara catalog? So, not interested?
Eva: — No. Let's go, Joaquín.
El Cortado: — And you, Joaquín? You'll have
fun, pretty boy, come on. To my pad, right next to campus.
Eva: — Leave him alone! Don't stick
to him like gum.
El Cortado: — What, are you his girlfriend
or something? You come too.
Joaquín: — What could happen to us, Eva?
I don't know.
Eva: — I don't know. Do you want to
go?
Joaquín: — Well... for a bit.
Eva: — Alright. Just for a bit.
El Cortado: — Just for a bit. You'll see.
Let's get down to business, like they say.
Scene Three
(At "El Hotel Rincón." The room is large, impersonal, with a
huge television. El Rizos and El Gabo are seated, discussing business. Salsa
music plays in the background).
El Gabo: — They're giving us a hard
time, boss. It's getting harder every day to get it into the prisons.
El Rizos: — Don't worry. I've already
spoken to the right people.
El Gabo: — But they seized all our
merchandise.
El Rizos: — Not all of it. The big
shipments for the north were lost. But we kept a good amount for here.
El Gabo: — But here, boss? In the
hospitals...
El Rizos: — Yes, so what? We have to
sell, right? Not everything is illegal. In the hospital, there's a market for
everyone. There are doctors and nurses who are our best clients. Besides, who
would suspect an ambulance?
El Gabo: — But... I don't know. It feels
a bit distasteful.
El Rizos: — Distasteful is losing money.
Don't you worry, Gabo. You talk to me about logistics and market share.
El Gabo: — Yes, boss. Understood.
Scene Four
(In the Rovira family home. Inés listens to a radio call-in show about
psychological help. Rubén enters the living room, irritated).
Psychologist's
Voice (V.O.): — ...and it's important, madam, that you understand that if your son
fell into drugs, it's not due to moral weakness. It's a matter of
vulnerability. As the poet said, "life is like a box of chocolates... full
of bitter ones."
Inés: — (Turns off the radio). How
dare he say that? Even psychologists are using movie quotes now.
Rubén: — Now what? You get hysterical
and solve nothing.
Inés: — The problem isn't simple,
Rubén. Especially when life gives us bitter ones. Like fentanyl with chocolate.
Rubén: — And what are you talking
about now?
Inés: — About things disappearing. My
earrings, the money, and the silver coins you collected... they're gone.
Rubén: — (Freezes). My coins? (Goes to
look, desperate).
Inés: — And the engagement ring, my
grandmother's... that's gone too.
Rubén: — No... they're not there.
(Pause). And... you think Joaquín...?
Inés: — He must have sold them. Who
would believe it?
Rubén: — But... he's only sixteen.
Inés: — We have to do something. We
can't just scold him, Rubén.
Rubén: — Maybe. I need to think about
it. (He stands in silence, staring at the empty spot where his coins used to
be). In this case, I think life gave us one good one and one bad one. And no
punchline.
Scene Five
(In the "narcotiendita" (drug front store). El Cortado gives
instructions to Eva and Joaquín. The place is a convenience store, but there
are cameras everywhere).
Eva: — Seriously, it's cool. Pure
good stuff, right?
El Cortado: — Yeah, yeah. But next time you
gotta get me some cash. Otherwise, we'll see how we sort it out.
Joaquín: — More? No way...
Eva: — Yeah, dude. We already sold
everything. Who's gonna believe it?
El Cortado: — Well, you know. If you don't
get more money, next time there's nothing. (Smiles). Or you get it another way.
Eva: — Another way? What's that
supposed to mean?
Joaquín: — (Lets out a small laugh).
Maybe we'll finally get a real job.
El Cortado: — (Smiles, satisfied). You're
gonna start selling. Simple as that. You're gonna be "dealers."
Joaquín: — Cool.
Eva: — Alright. If you have to do
everything in this life, let's see if we do it well.
Scene Six
(At El Hotel Rincón. El Rizos is looking at his phone, smiling. El Gabo
watches him curiously. El Rizos hangs up and realizes El Gabo is watching him).
El Rizos: — What's up, Gabo? Lose
something?
El Gabo: — Nothing, boss. Just didn't
know you were so... affectionate.
El Rizos: — It's my daughter. The only
business that hasn't made me a single cent of profit.
El Gabo: — No, boss, I'm not saying
anything. Quite the opposite.
El Rizos: — Did you go to the little
stores? How much did you collect?
El Gabo: — Almost everyone's doing well.
Only "El Ñato" (Flat-nosed) is falling behind.
El Rizos: — Let Justino handle it. And
get another dealer for that area. There's a hospital there.
El Gabo: — I'm already thinking. El
Cortado, do you know him?
El Rizos: — You handle it.
El Gabo: — And, by the way, they told me
the last deliveries...
El Rizos: — Oh, for ****'s sake! Tell
them everything's gonna be fine.
El Gabo: — Yes, boss. I told them the
same thing. So... everything good with the princess?
El Rizos: — Didn't I tell you not to ****
with me...?
Scene Seven
(The Rovira family home. Inés and Rubén in the living room. The phone
rings).
Inés: — (On the phone) Hello? Who's
speaking? ... (She turns pale).
Rubén: — Who is it?
Inés: — It's... it's the police. They
say... (Hangs up, trembling).
Rubén: — What did they tell you?
Inés: — They said they can't do
anything, that "it got out of hand." That they've lost other young
people.
Rubén: — I told you so. Let's see if
they give us a hand, we're not made of stone.
Inés: — Don't tell me anything. He
left home because of you. (Inés goes to her room, crying. Rubén is left alone
in the living room. Joaquín enters, changed, without his silver chains. He sits
with his head bowed, his clothes dirty).
Joaquín: — Boss.
Rubén: — (His voice breaks). What are
you doing here?
Joaquín: — Nothing. I'm just here.
Rubén: — Where's Eva?
Joaquín: — They killed her. They shot
her.
Rubén: — What do you mean they killed
her? Where?
Joaquín: — The Jaguars. They thought we
were from another gang. They mistook me for one of their clients. They didn't
buy it.
Rubén: — Are you going to get us into
trouble? You'd better go.
Joaquín: — It hurts. I love her very
much.
Rubén: — We can't help you.
Joaquín: — I'm hurt, boss. They got me
from behind.
Rubén: — Alright, alright, woman. I
know a place where I can take them. (He takes Joaquín in his arms. Inés comes
out of her room).
Inés: — What's happening?
Rubén: — Let's go, quickly.
(They head
for the door, and as they open it, a burst of machine-gun fire hits them. They
all fall dead to the floor. The scene slowly darkens).
Scene Eight
(At El Hotel Rincón. El Rizos watches a news program. Only the audio is
heard).
TV
Announcer (V.O.): — ...and they were apparently killed at the home of their parents,
Rubén Rovira and his wife, Inés. The two teenagers, approximately twelve years
old, show signs of a "coup de grâce." Toxicology tests were positive
for fentanyl consumption, leading to the presumption that they were either
linked to or victims of organized crime.
El Rizos: — (Answers his cell phone).
How's my princess? (...) I'm very well, lots of work, as always. (...) Oh, your
mom. (...) It's over now. Nothing you need to know. (...) Yes, everything's
fine now. (...) Me too. A kiss. (Hangs up the phone. El Cortado enters. He
looks nervous and stops short).
El Cortado: — What's up, boss?
El Rizos: — Yes, Cortado. I want you to
send some flowers to El Gabo's family. That bastard.
El Cortado: — Did he go too far, boss?
El Rizos: — (With a bitter smile) He who
laughs last, laughs best.
El Cortado: — Sorry, boss. I didn't mean
to.
El Rizos: — (Laughs cynically). How much
did you collect already?
El Cortado: — The
full quota.
El Rizos: — See? They took note. And how.
El Cortado: — And how! But there's a
problem, boss.
El Rizos: — Now what?
El Cortado: — We still need young blood,
kids.
El Rizos: — Well, go find them. Don't let
them keep the money, like the others.
El Cortado: — Hey, what if I get an old
lady instead? I know an old woman with a really cool convenience store.
El Rizos: — We already have the
convenience stores, you airhead. Get some others from the university, but make
sure they bow their heads.
El Cortado: — And some girls too, of
course, boss, some young women... like fifteen... because things are changing,
right? Now the girls are selling too... older ones, like fifteen... uh, boss,
hehe. Boss? Are you mad already? Don't leave. (He is left alone). Well, yeah.
Things are changing. No kidding. They're changing...
(Final
blackout)
