Original subtitles

Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull

Good Day.

Baranka den laman.

The rock in the sea,

pounded by the waves on its North Shore

yet unassuming and tranquil

on its southern beaches.

Bon Bini.

Welcome to the living paradox

that is Curaçao.

Stay with me.

Thank you.

Uh-huh!

When you ask a Curacaoan how he's doing,

he'll probably answer, "Oh, mas o menos,"

"more or less," which really means,

"it's between the devil and the deep blue sea."

A colorful mix of ethnicities, races, and religions,

proud to be a melting pot,

able to get along with each other.

Some not.

The Kurasoleño is equal parts

Latin temperament,

African rhythm,

and European entrepreneurial spirit.

Bring me to the San Marco Hotel.

Hey.

Want to make a stop at Campo Alegre, shon?

A bunch of Colombians came in yesterday,

and boy, they're looking good.

Poverty is disguised with poetic labels.

Seru Fortuna.

Buena Vista.

Fleur de Marie.

Beautiful names for the ugly result

of hundreds of years of colonial rule.

Kurasoleños live life the best way they can.

The motto being:

"If you must starve, at least wear a silk shirt."

The San Marco Hotel.

You sure you want to stay here?

A gentleman of your stature stays more at the, uh,

the Hyatt or the Renaissance?

I am sorry. I don't have guilders.

I would like for you to drive me around the island.

If you're on time and you don't ask questions,

I might consider hiring you for the week.

Ah.

Oh, sure, anytime, anytime.

I got some places to show you.

Uh, have you had criollo food?

- Tomorrow. - Tomorrow?

- 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 a.m.

Mm.

Almost 40 years have passed,

and it seems like nothing has changed.

But then again,

nothing ever really changes,

does it?

I was just 11 years old.

My father, Bubu Fiel,

was my hero.

He did anything and everything he wanted,

whenever he wanted.

Mm.

My mother, Nora Fiel,

did not always agree with that.

Where were you?

Where were you?

You stink!

You smell like the cheap perfume of a whore.

And you're drunk!

Where's the money?

Where's the mon...

Did you leave it in her pussy?

I can't believe you!

Why does my husband love whores so much?

Where is it?

Hey, Nora, come on!

Easy with the car! Come on.

- Where did the money go? - Huh?

Did you make any money?

I... I waited all night for this... this...

this Holland plane; it never arrived, Nora.

Never arrived.

There are no Holland planes on Saturday!

You fucked a whore at Campo!

You gave her all your money, didn't you?

Didn't you?

We need money for Ostrik's shoes!

Just up the road was Manchi's Hill,

named after Manchi Sanantonio from Willemstad.

He had built an enormous eight-bedroom house there.

Some people said

he had spread himself all over the hill.

It's not for you to understand!

Just do as I say.

- Manchi, I'm just leaving... - Whore!

I will not discuss this with you!

When I tell you bring me your shoes,

you will bring me your shoes!

You are crazy!

What do you want with them?

It's none of your business!

Bring me your shoes.

All of them.

Solema was the wife of Manchi Sanantonio.

Educated, proud,

and collected.

You women are useless!

Ostrik.

Right on time.

Are you ready for church?

Bye!

Ostrik, instead of turning pages,

I've decided to let you play today.

This is what you have to play.

Dushi.

Okay, off you go now.

Before I knew it,

I was an accomplice to infidelity.

The terrible thing about men is not so much

that they deceive us, but they come to us

with childish lies afterwards.

And they don't just cheat on you.

They try to drive you crazy, too.

Then they even run off with another woman.

- Mm-hmm. - Like Bubu did,

when he ran off with that whore to Aruba

for a whole year.

It's shameful.

- It's shameful. - It's humiliating.

That airplane landed last night, all right.

Yeah.

Right into that Campo whore's crotch.

Excuse me, please.

Come here. Quick.

Go ahead.

Is Chamon there?

I am looking for Chamon.

Chamon? He's not here.

Are you married, shon?

I am.

For more than 40 years.

Here.

This is the wife,

and there's the children,

and the grandchildren.

What good is a man without his family, eh?

You're not much of a talker, are you?

Well, that's okay, because I am.

My name is Coco.

That's short for Jacobo.

This whole island has gone down the drain.

The makamba, they come here, you know,

with their guilders and their euros,

while the people of Curaçao work hard to make ends meet.

Oh, wait, wait a minute. Hold it.

I don't mean you.

You're not a makamba.

You're not even Dutch.

In fact...

you look more like Kurasoleño to me.

Are you one of us?

Eh?

A very famous taxi driver lived here once.

A legend.

Every Sunday afternoon,

my father played dominoes with his friends.

The way they played dominoes was a reflection

of the way they lived their lives.

Chamon was a cautious man.

Being a foreigner,

that wasn't a bad idea.

Manchi considered the game to be beneath him.

He wished he could play bridge.

Like the makambas.

Ernesto was the strategist,

smarter than the others

and always one step ahead of them.

My father played for fun,

because it was the only game he knew well enough to win.

Game!

Ostrik.

Papa is king.

- Dad, Dad, Dad! - Papa is king!

Nora!

Can we get some drinks?

My mother, Nora, had worked hard her whole life,

and still she looked great.

She was determined that one day,

I would become a doctor.

Hm.

What the last word?

Emancipation!

- No. - Yes, emancipation.

No!

What is the first letter?

- E! - Emancipation!

- Nope. - Okay, what is it?

Uh, E...

boogedy boop!

Vera, my sister...

Was by far my favorite.

She could always make me laugh.

As for me?

I was convinced there was more to life

than playing dominoes.

Hello, Vera.

You didn't say you were coming.

Hello, Mama.

Mama...

It's Ostrik, your son.

It's Ostrik.

Did you bring your Holland plane with you?

I really miss that big Holland plane.

She has a habit of wandering off by herself, but...

at least she's healthy.

I have to go.

I have another appointment,

but I will be back soon enough.

How long will you be staying this time?

No, no, you cannot attend class without shoes, Ostrik.

But he has exams in two weeks.

No shoes, no exams.

No graduation. Is that clear?

You've got more brains than all the other kids in the class.

His brains are not in his feet.

It is a rule, ma'am.

End of discussion.

No shoes, no exam.

Sorry.

Who can tell me the answer to the nearest decimal?

Just as an economic system, socialism...

So production, distribution,

and exchange all be owned and regulated

by the community as a whole.

They threw Ostrik out of school!

Ow!

Come.

Nora.

Nora.

Hey, Ostrik.

You know, I was always glad

when I could skip class.

Hmm?

They won't let Ostrik into school without shoes.

How do you expect your son to become a doctor

when you fritter away the money chasing whores?

Hey, come on.

Come on, eh? Shut your trap.

You're getting too old for this kind of foolishness, Bubu.

And when are you going to get serious

about building the house?

Leave me alone, woman!

- Come on. - Leave you alone?

If you don't start building seriously,

you'll be behind all your friends.

And you promised me you'd plant me a tamarind tree.

I see no tamarind growing here.

I... you see?

I swear by Jose...

Ready, Ostrik? Number one, number one.

Wah-hoo!

Three, two, one.

Hang on!

Whoo! Last one.

He was some kind of taxi driver.

It gave him a zest for life,

which, the moment he got out of his car,

became a dog-tiresome existence.

Yes, my father had a hard life.

"Richard Nixon has taken full responsibility

"for the Watergate scandal,

"but has denied any personal involvement.

"In a speech broadcast to the American people tonight,

"he vowed to get to the bottom of the matter.

"He said, 'There will be no whitewash at the White House.'"

- Bubu! - Hey.

Ay, it's been so long.

Mira, Bubu, this is my friend, Martita.

- Mmm. - She just arrived.

Yes, she did.

- Excuse me? - Hey!

Bubu, I haven't seen you in ages.

I didn't disappoint you, did I?

No, no, no, I am just tight on money right now,

you know how it is.

Ay, Bubu, those are just excuses.

Anyway, can you bring us to Campo?

- Bubu, mira, por favor. - Eh...

- Bubu, come on. - Ah, get in.

Mm!

- But... - Come on, come on, come on.

Come on.

Gracias. Hello.

Hey. Campo.

Are you sure you don't wanna...

come inside?

- Come on. - No.

- Why? - No, no, no.

I really can't. I can't.

But... hey, hey, come on.

Come on, this... this trip is on me.

Ah, you're such a gent.

Mm.

I've never been the one to write thank you notes.

What about you, Martita?

I mean, it was nothing, really.

It was just a trip.

- Adios. - Adios.

Have fun.

...I just want the paint job like you got!

Bartering was a common way

to keep the island economy moving.

Making real money was a different matter.

...People looking at us.

I just want our house to be, like, a nice home.

I'm... look up the hill. Look at Manchi Sanantonio.

He's adding another building onto his house.

- A maid's room. - No, no.

Manchi's wife works.

Now, if you went out, got a job, then...

Chamon Nicolas hasn't got a wife,

and he's better off than you are.

He's got houses.

Houses?

How did you know he has houses?

I don't know, people say.

No, you... you... you sounded sure.

Did he... did he tell you something?

- What are you implying, Bubu? - Not implying.

You left me for a whole year

to be with that whore from Aruba,

and you now are accusing me of something?

Is that what you're doing?

No.

I didn't think so.

25 years before,

Chamon Nicolas came to Curaçao from Saba

and got a job with the oil company.

He was fired for stealing building supplies.

But with those supplies, he built a house

in the slum district of Valentijn and rented it out.

Then, he built a second house

and became a small-scale capitalist.

You again?

- We already paid you. - That was two months ago.

It's three, you owe me four.

Why don't you just fuck off, man?

You have to pay your rent like everybody else.

There's no exceptions here.

I'm gonna tell you once more, you dirty foreigner:

go crawl back into your mother's pussy.

This house is my house.

Move it.

Hey, hey, hey.

Always working our asses off and getting shit pay,

only so you foreigners can come along to clean us out.

Fucking...

Hey, watch it!

What happened?

Shit.

Here.

You don't have to be killed just like that.

I don't care who you are.

Puta!

I'm sending you back to your mama's womb

right through her cunt.

So this small-scale capitalist

still preferred to present himself

as very poor, because he thought

it was most cautious.

However...

All right, all right.

- Oh, Mrs. Fiel. - Nora, please.

Nora.

Okay, Nora.

There's something I can do for you?

Well, um...

I don't know how to ask you this.

Oh.

Is everything okay?

Well... I need your help.

Okay.

What is it?

First, you must promise me

that Bubu will never find out.

Okay.

Okay, I promise you.

- I need 15 guilders. - 15 guilders?

You...

Maybe I could come inside.

We can discuss it.

Come in.

Got to go.

Here you go.

- Mmmm, mmm, mmm. - A real meal.

Morning, Ostrik.

Are you ready?

I have a question.

Ask.

It's more like a dilemma.

You want an opinion?

Or a decision.

Or a verdict.

Okay.

Say you catch a man sleeping with your wife.

Who do you shoot?

The man or your wife?

It depends who's on top.

I don't know. Who you shoot?

Neither, because if you shoot someone, you're a criminal.

But you shoot nobody, you is a pussy.

This a story about a white judge

and his wife, who is also white.

Hm.

You here, Ernesto,

you be the judge's wife.

Just for the sake of the argument, hmm?

Let someone else be the woman...

- You, Bubu Fiel. - Hmm?

You are the man my wife is carrying on with.

Mm. Good. Your wife.

That is, if you don't mind me being the judge for a moment.

You always wanted to be a judge, Manchi.

Chamon, can you be the woman?

Okay, just get to the point.

Now, don't forget, the other man is a lawyer.

The incident takes place on the beach.

Beach here?

Maybe here, maybe some other...

Who cares?

Some time ago, I mean,

one evening, the wife of the judge

goes down to the beach to meet the lawyer.

I find you, Bubu Fiel, in flagrante delicto,

lying on top of my wife!

In "flagrante delicto," for those of you

who don't speak Latin, means "red-handed."

Ooh, but hurry up now.

Otherwise I will come before you finish.

Yeah, Bubu, you may be a strong man,

but you can't do a thing to me.

Of course not, because he's there on top of your wife.

Yes, I am too busy fucking her.

You can't, because I have a revolver aimed at you.

So, the lawyer asked the judge,

"Can I get dressed?"

And the judge answers,

"You did not ask my permission to get undressed,

did you?"

The point is, as a judge,

I know how to use the law to my advantage.

So, do I shoot this young man?

No.

Because if I shoot him, I go to jail for murder.

And why should I do that?

I am the innocent party.

So the judge says,

"Do you understand the law of property?"

The young lawyer doesn't know how to answer.

The judge says,

"You are using my property.

"You must pay me compensation."

Or in a more common word, "rent."

So if all this husband wants is money...

Give him the money.

Yes, Bubu, that's how clever the judge is.

He now has established that money is to be paid.

And by relentless logic,

the woman is a whore.

After a desperate search through his trousers,

he finds five guilders.

Five guil... it's not enough.

No, you cannot fuck a monkey with hemorrhoids

for five guilders.

Exactly.

That's the point.

He will pay the price for the filthiest whore.

A high class whore is, uh, what, 60?

Man, I wish I could afford that.

Eh, some will do it for nothing.

No, some will do it for a lift to Campo.

- Who? - Some.

And so the judge

makes the lawyer pay his wife.

And he makes his wife pay him.

Five guilders.

Takes the note, puts it inside his wallet,

right behind a picture of that slut.

And so, to teach her a lesson,

he makes her pay him five guilders

every Sunday before they sit down to eat.

Eternal punishment.

A woman like that will commit suicide

unless she leaves that man.

She won't leave him.

She's too frightened of scandal.

All kinds of things happen in those high circles,

but nothing can ever leak out.

The wife of the judge, she's a cultivated woman.

You know, someone of Solema's caliber.

Is that the end of the story?

Can we play dominoes now?

Okay, so it's three to two, to one to zero.

Mm-mm.

No, no, no, no, no, it isn't, no.

- Yes, it is. - No.

You have zero.

Chamon and Ernesto have one,

and I have three.

No, I just say I have two.

Bubu, tell him now.

I... I... I... don't know.

We have to find a better way to keep score.

Where is Nora?

How long has she been like that?

It started about seven years ago.

Forgetting names, words,

mixing up stuff.

Then three years ago, it went downhill fast.

It always happens like that.

But with the money I sent you,

why didn't you get the proper treatment?

Typical Ostrik.

Ah, who likes soup?

So why did you come back here now, Ostrik?

Liza left me.

- I'm sorry. - After 20 years...

she said she had had enough of my schedule.

She also said...

she couldn't bear my "inability to show emotion"

and she considered me a control freak.

That coming from a Dutch woman.

I think she resented the fact I didn't want children.

I needed to get away.

So I came down here.

Do you check her cholesterol regularly?

Yes, Ostrik.

Good.

Wait, wait, wait.

Salt is poison.

Who do you think you are?

We don't see you for I don't know how many years,

and you show up just like that?

No warning whatsoever.

And you have the nerve to criticize

the way I take care of her?

Coming here, expecting pity!

Me, pity you?

You were the only one she ever really cared about.

Her big hope of salvation.

Having a doctor for a son,

only to see him flee to Holland

without a word of gratitude.

Did you ever thank her for all the sacrifices she made for you?

- Sacrifices? - Yes!

This, uh, this was a mistake.

I shouldn't have come back.

Go on!

Leave!

You selfish, arrogant...

ungrateful coward!

What is wrong with these people?

How in God's name can they stand it?

There's no progress.

Nothing changes. Nothing ever changes here.

Yes, but we have our own Parliament.

The Dutch no longer rule us.

We have control of our own resources.

Coco, you really believe that will make any difference?

Look at them.

Do you think they really care?

Ah, shon.

We do the very best we can, huh?

We don't have much, but, uh...

we have the sun.

Which is free.

Solema.

Considered the most beautiful woman on the island.

She believed in Curaçao, its people,

and the struggle to develop

a uniquely Kurasoleñonan vision.

She thought she found that in Manchi,

but she soon discovered his dogged stubbornness

reflected his ignorance, not idealism.

Miss Solema.

Ernesto.

You know I play dominoes with your husband.

Yes, of course I know that.

And you know that I admire...

we all admire you.

Very much.

What is it, Ernesto?

There is talk.

Well, who is talking?

Manchi?

All I want to say is,

if you ever need help for any reason, you can count on me.

I don't understand.

What do you mean?

You know where to find me.

That's very good, Ostrik.

Please continue practicing the same measures.

I have to go now.

Ah!

Your leg.

Please.

It's a terrible mess.

Please.

I'll take care of it.

You said there was talk

at the domino game.

Who was talking? Manchi?

I suspect that he is abusing you in a terrible way.

Perhaps you made a mistake once.

I don't even know why I'm saying this.

I don't care. It is not my business.

You know.

I only suspected Manchi was trying to drive you mad.

I thought it unjust that he would paint you...

As a whore?

This is quite possibly his only original thought.

He must be extremely proud of it.

I see now.

Manchi is crazy, and he wants to make you crazy.

That is why I came to warn you.

No one has the right to treat another person

the way Manchi does you.

Has he ever done anything to you?

No.

I just don't like the fact

that he thinks he's always right.

When two people cannot get along anymore,

the best solution is for them to simply let each other go.

You're right.

It would have been better.

He thinks he's got a hold on you,

but his hold is slipping,

isn't it?

I better go.

Let me say, I... I really like the way you carry yourself.

Do you mean that?

Yes, I do.

Even after my mistake?

Anyone can make mistakes.

I was born out of wedlock, myself, as they say.

Well, maybe I'll come visit you from time to time.

Just to talk.

I have no one.

You know all my secrets.

You will always be welcome,

but please be careful.

Peekaboo.

Nora.

Chamon, I need ten guilders.

You know when you do it for money, you ask for it before.

But when you do it for love, you should wait till after.

It's for the children.

You know, you and me,

we have to stop.

Why?

Bubu is my friend.

I can't stand lying to him anymore.

All Bubu does is chase after whores.

He knows I know,

so he doesn't ask any questions.

One day, he will notice...

and then...

You weren't afraid of him before.

How come you are now?

Have you become a coward,

little Chamon?

Me a coward?

I'm not afraid of anyone.

You are...

a strong man,

Chamon.

Stop, Nora...

Come on.

I'm warning you.

If you don't help me,

it will be all your fault.

Drink up.

Please.

- Please, Nora. - Hush.

Dushi.

Off you go now.

These are so beautiful.

Thank you.

They are not ready yet.

I like them.

Would you make one for me?

You could make a living from this, you know?

Making tables.

Making furniture.

As a business?

It is not impossible.

That is what we need here.

Kurasoleños used to produce all kinds of things,

then that damned refinery came

destroyed all our motivations to produce for ourselves.

You should go into politics.

You could be our first female prime minister!

Come.

This place has never felt so complete.

It is still a bit incomplete.

I want you to stay.

Manchi is expecting me.

I mean permanently.

Impossible.

I'm married to Manchi.

Nothing is impossible.

You said so yourself.

- Yes, but... - Why don't you just leave him?

Why can't we just stay lovers?

If you don't come to me, I will leave.

What do you mean?

I will go out to sea again.

You don't mean that...

do you?

So you're going to make me my soup?

Come.

Don't let it get...

What is wrong with you?

Aren't you forgetting something?

What do you mean?

You're forgetting my money.

Whore.

I am not a whore.

Get me my money.

Or I will tell everyone what you really are.

You can tell whoever you like.

I used to admire you so much, Manchi.

What happened to you?

I used to think that any man who could build his own house

was capable of great things.

But this... this house is all you are;

all you could ever be.

Something you copied from a postcard.

Something you saw in a magaz...

Whore!

Poor Manchi.

Is that the best you can do?

Are you going to get me my money?

Hm?

Put something on top of it so it doesn't blow away.

Mm.

Excellent soup.

You might be worth ten guilders now.

That fateful final game

began like any other.

Mm.

Mm.

Oh...

You're going somewhere?

Hey, Manchi.

Manchi, Manchi, Manchi...

What is the deal with the shoes?

Come up with a better way to keep score here.

Hey, we will hang the shoes in the tree to keep score.

Lose ten games with them,

get one shoe.

Hey, no, no, no.

Please, please, our guests are drying out.

All right.

We'll take black.

Hey, hey.

- Hey, hey, hey! - Hey, Chamon!

Chamon!

Mm.

What we doing with the shoes?

Dominoes, like life,

is a game of chance.

It's how you play that matters.

In the past,

there was a toll on the floating bridge in town.

Everybody had to pay to cross it.

Those without shoes could cross for free.

To give a man shoes shows that you are above him.

It's like calling him a beggar.

So humiliation, then.

- Mm-hmm. - Nice.

So, Manchi...

let's give our friends some shoes, eh?

Double-six opens.

It is a game of cunning intuition.

One has to anticipate the other players' moves.

Keeping track of stones played,

when they were played,

and who played them.

And, at the decisive moment...

- Ay! - Forcing your opponent to pass.

Doubles, except the double-six,

are widely detested.

None more so than the double-four;

evoking unpleasant associations

with the four candles that burn beside the coffin.

It makes the player who receives it often feel

that death is sounding him out.

Mm.

I need to talk to you.

Mwah! Move your butt.

The team that reaches ten points

before the opposing team reaches five

wins the right to give the other team

a pair of "sapatu,"

or shoes.

Bubu, I heard the taxi drivers want to form a union,

and that you will be elected as the president.

- I heard it, too. - Mm-hmm.

No, no.

I have enough problems as it is.

So why is everybody saying that you will be elected president?

Well...

I can't believe it, man.

You cannot take all the people.

You can't take all the people.

- Let's go talk to Bubu. - Yeah, let's go.

- Bubu! - Let's go there.

Hey, Bubu, can you believe this, man?

There should be a law against these buses, man.

They're stealing all of our customers.

Some of the guys have been talking

about putting a union together.

What do you think, Bubu?

Right! The union, Bubu.

- Putting the union together. - Okay. Okay.

Ah!

What are you looking at?

Mm.

Okay, okay, okay. Hey, hey, hey, hey, hey!

Hey, stop, stop, stop...

Oh, of course!

Yeah! Yeah!

Get him! Get him, that's right.

- Let's do this, yeah! - Hi.

Hey, Bubu. This is my job, man.

Hey, you've been stealing our customers for too long.

So now, you leave or you face the consequences.

Yeah!

Go.

It is good to have a union.

You sound like a communist.

I am not a communist,

but I ask you this:

who owns the buses?

Who owns the hotels?

Foreigners, and that is who?

Do you think they would let a Kurasoleño run the refinery?

Could a Kurasoleño ever become manager of the Hilton?

If he has ability and application.

Come on now.

Either you don't want to see or you're really stupid.

- Hey. - This is modern slavery.

We, Black men, have to take control of our destiny.

Hey, you and your Black power.

Negroes can't govern.

It's been proven often enough.

They're lazy

and have no sense of responsibility.

Ernesto, please enough of this foolishness.

Hey, it's a de-mo-cra-cy.

The best system there is.

Politics is always corrupt.

What it comes down to is this.

A young girl is brought to a doctor unconscious.

Instead of reviving her, which is his duty as a doctor,

he lifts up her skirt and fucks her.

That is what our politicians are doing to our people,

and they allow foreigners to join the gangbang!

Only the people can correct this.

But they have to be educated politically

before there can be any question of your de-mo-cra-cy.

You understand?

Education.

Our people have to have education!

Education. Do you know what happens if you keep on exploiting

people's ignorance instead of educating them?

We'll have a revolution on this island.

A real violent revolution...

Just like in Cuba.

That sounds very familiar.

No, we don't want Communism here.

Mm-mm.

You know, in Cuba,

all the whores drive buses!

Or would you rather them drive taxis?

Manchi, it's true.

There are no whores left!

Castro makes all of them drive buses.

Good for them.

We've got to start loving this country more,

and our women, especially.

All the whores are now bus drivers.

Imagine that.

Imagine this.

Sapatu number two.

I had threes. You know I had threes.

You win some, you lose some.

Hm?

Mm-mm!

I won one, just one, but you lose every game.

We haven't given them one shoe yet.

Mm!

This will wake us up.

Mm.

What a woman, hm?

No, they're coming here today.

Who?

The taxi drivers.

All of them?

Ya, ya, ya.

They're going to elect me by acclamation.

Whatever that means.

"By acclamation" means there's no need to vote.

They just say "Bubu Fiel"!

"Bubu Fiel"! "Bubu Fiel"!

- For president? - Yeah.

And you thought you married an idiot, hm?

Do you want to know the words from the sermon this morning?

Mm.

"I asked for bread,

"and you have given me a stone."

No...

Pshh.

If I am elected president,

these meetings, they'd be held here in my house.

Nora and I, we always say,

no one can visit the house without a drink.

Where will I get the money for that?

Sometimes, it was all too much for her.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait.

Oh!

Ah!

Nora.

Nora.

Eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh-eh.

What's wrong, huh?

Nothing.

It's just... sometimes, I don't know how we'll survive.

Survive?

We don't have any money, Bubu.

We never have money.

I don't know how I can feed the children.

Ostrik can't go to school.

We still don't have a real toilet.

Sometimes, it just...

it feels so hopeless.

Listen, listen, mm... listen.

Listen, everything will be all right, dushi.

Mm, listen.

Mm.

I will fix it.

I promise.

Hm?

I promise.

What did you eat today?

- Nothing. - Nothing?

Mm.

That is why you feel bad, my dushi.

I know how to make you feel better, mi dushi.

And, after that...

after that, we'll make you a meal.

Bubu.

Bubu!

- Don't go. - I have to go.

No, I want more.

More, more, more, more.

Ostrik, do you want to come with me

- win the jackpot? - Yeah!

Yeah? Yeah?

Mwah! Say good-bye to your mama.

- Mi dushi, bye. - Bye.

Mm-hmm.

Get in, get in, get in, get in. Mm.

Don't look.

I'll fix this. I promise, okay?

Trust me.

Trust me.

Jackpot.

My father was very aware of his shortcomings

and always expected that moment of redemption

to magically appear.

All he needed was one of his lucky days.

Mm.

Don't forget, the ship sails at dusk.

Are you sure you don't want to come with us

to buy some new shirts?

Yeah, I would love to spend my days shopping.

No, I'm just kidding.

Um, tell you what, you have fun.

She gets anything she wants, anything she points at.

Be good, okay?

I just wanna... I just wanna to check out the island.

- Okay. - Okay?

- Hello. - Hello.

Where to, sir?

I, uh...

I heard you have a very famous, uh,

entertainment center.

- Campo Alegre. - Yes. That's it.

Okay.

No, if I may say so,

you cannot leave the island without visiting Campo

at least one time.

So I've heard.

Not that I would know,

but the girls are wonderful.

Ay, the Dominicans, Venezuelans,

Colombians.

Only foreign girls are allowed.

They don't just hire anybody there, no, no.

Plus, they check them every week,

so no... Funky diseases.

Yeah?

Campo?

Campo!

Okay, look it. I don't have much time.

Ship's gonna leave in one hour.

Twenty bucks.

There's another twenty in it for you

if you are waiting for me when I come out.

- Okay. - Okay, don't go anywhere.

You're the boss. You're the boss.

Hey!

Hello.

Chairman Bubu!

Uh-uh-uh-uh, no, I'm not chairman.

- I have enough troubles. - Yeah, you are. - No!

Chairman, why you saying you're not chairman?

You are here with us, the people.

Yeah, our current chairman keeps to the Southwest side

of the island at the big Hilton hotel there.

Our Bubu is here. Our Bubu.

- Abajo los Yanquis! - Nixon go home!

- Ah, ah? - Ah.

Hey, hey. Hey, Bubu.

Think about it. Think about it.

Bubu!

Bubu.

What are you doing out here?

Why don't you come in?

No, no, you know. I can't.

Ay, Bubu, but it's a special day.

- Mm. - It's my birthday.

Is it?

Hey, Ostrik, it's...

That's wonderful.

It's wonderful. Congratulations, but really, no.

No, no, no, no, no, no. I can't. Not today.

Can't you just come in for a little while?

- Mm... - Come on, it's my birthday,

and you're my best friend.

I can't. I can't.

Por favor, please.

I ca... eh...

Come on.

It's one drink, Micha.

Okay, okay.

All right.

Ostrik.

Okay, so you...

I want you to go,

go and you get some ice cream.

Okay?

Take... and don't tell mama.

Okay? Today's my lucky day.

Jackpot.

Hm?

Nines, Jacks, full house...!

Bubu, full, Queens and tens.

Sixes, man.

All mine, all mine.

I want everybody out.

- Get out! - What's wrong, Micha?

- There's no respect here. - Come on.

- Get out. - Ay!

No, no, no, no, no, no, no.

You stay.

My American is waiting.

I don't care.

This is my party,

and I want your company.

Hey. Why so sad?

Hm? This is your birthday.

- It's not. - But you said...

It's my daughter's birthday.

She's eight now.

Mm.

Come, come, come, come. Shh, shh, shh.

I miss her so much.

Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. That's my taxi.

- No! No! - It's right there.

No, no.

Hey!

What the...? What are you doing here?

Stop! Please, stop!

Go back! Go back!

- Go, go, go, go! - Come on, come on.

Bubu's car!

Ay, papi!

It's your damn father's fault we're in this mess.

Look at this guy.

Please stop, stop!

Please!

Hold on.

Whoa! Whoa!

Uh, guys, please do not call the police.

I didn't actually mean to do anything wrong.

I've got to get to that ship,

because my wife will kill me.

Do any of you have wives?

Your dushi.

Your dushi's magic.

My first husband used to tell me that.

- Mm. - He loved my chocha.

Mm-hmm.

Your first husband?

What happened to him?

He was murdered by Trujillo.

I'm sorry.

I'm sorry, Micha.

That was a long time ago.

Another life.

Ay, what is it?

Urgent phone call for Bubu Fiel!

Hey. Bubu.

Wait, wait, wait a minute.

What, what...

Ah, Well, what does he look like?

Koño!

Come on, Bubu.

- Talk to him, Bubu. - You're the man, Bubu.

I'm going to give

my friend here a special price.

- No, no! - Make him pay!

- Make him pay! - Make him pay!

Car damages...

100 guilders.

Hours lost by my colleagues...

And for the kidnapping of my beloved son...

Oh, my baby.

500 guilders to share.

And for the union...

The union! The union!

The union... as a donation...

1,000 guilders!

Pay, pay, pay, pay, pay!

Bubu, Bubu, Bubu, Bubu!

- You have to be 18, kid. - Bubu, Bubu, Bubu, Bubu!

They thought they were getting back at their oppressors,

but...

They finally have the money to start a union,

and what do they do?

Mm, hey, you're going to be a doctor some day.

I promise you. Hey!

I promise you, you're not...

you're not going to be a...

a taxi driver bum like me.

No, no, no.

Hm? It's like your mama always says.

Come, mm.

Of course, I forgave him.

How can you not love a man for having fun?

Where are we going?

The hotel is the other way.

If you don't mind, shon,

I have a place for you to go.

Coco, I'm not in the mood.

I insist.

Here.

Shon.

Uh, Ostrik. Please call me Ostrik.

Okay. Shon Ostrik.

Shon, meet Solaica.

Mucho gusto. Solaica.

- And when I come back... - Mm-hmm.

I'm gonna have a dance with you.

- Is she, uh... - Yes, she is.

That is my bi-side.

- Bi-side? - Bi-side.

Is that mistress?

Everybody has a bi-side.

Even the women?

Why do you need a bi-side?

What about your wife?

How do you think we've been married for so many years?

Shon, if you eat chocolate ice cream every day,

what do you think will happen?

You become sick of chocolate ice cream.

Exactly.

You have to make a switch.

Strawberry, vanilla, chocolate.

I love my wife very much, and she loves me.

I provide for her,

so she asks me no questions, huh?

She is number one.

But never let two women think that they're number one.

Huh? That could prove fatal.

But...

Solaica.

She has a high pussy.

Coco...

I am a doctor.

What, exactly, does that mean?

Hey, Fernando.

Give this man another beer.

He needs it.

Venga.

Hey!

The chicken.

Two chicken pastechis.

There he is, over there.

Alexi, ah!

Thank you.

Delicious.

Mm.

Remember?

Do you know where I can find this man?

Oh, yeah.

In fact, we passed him early on,

at the snek where we had pastechis.

What do you want him for?

Just take me to him.

Hey, hey!

What's wrong with you, woman?

You... you cannot knock Chamon

off his chair like that.

What's wrong with you?

Man, it was nothing. Scarcely noticed.

That... that is crazy. That is...

that is really crazy.

My wife almost knocks you off your chair.

You say "it's nothing"?

It happens.

Nora is always very careful with us.

Were you feeling up my wife?

"Feeling up."

I haven't heard that in a long time.

Man, I used to remember when you used to sit next

to the girls on the bus.

You let your hand just rest so on her thigh,

and you'd wait... nice and innocent.

And if she moved the leg away,

you end up just staring up at the empty air.

But if she moved it just so,

your finger get closer and closer and...

Hey!

Are we here to play a game

or to behave like horny teenagers?

So you never feel up the girls, friend Manchi?

Of course, I did.

As a boy.

But I am a man, and so are you.

Chamon.

I'm talking to you.

- Were you feeling up my wife? - Bubu!

Don't be a damn fool.

You're imagining things.

You think I'm a blind man?

Don't you? Heh, don't you?

Oh, come on, let's play. Play!

Tell me, Manchi, what would you do

if someone...

felt up Solema?

Only animals feel up other men's wives.

Can we play now?

And you, Chamon, play, hm?

Changa!

"Changa," or "double play,"

is when one is in a position to place his last domino

at either end of the snake.

It gives that team double points.

All right, all right.

You can help yourselves.

I'm going out.

I don't even know how you can sit here all day

and never even go to the toilet.

Where you going?

I have to give my condolences.

Condolences? Who died?

A woman from church.

Pshh.

That woman is crazy.

Play now, Manchi.

Hey, don't badger him.

Let the man take his time.

Why? He has both the doubles.

He have a double-one and a double-three.

I don't know why it's taking him so long to think.

So this is the corpus deliciti?

Stop joking around, Manchi. Come on.

The sentence must always

be carefully prepared.

There's nothing to prepare.

Get rid of one of your double pieces, this...

Okay.

Ten-two.

Here we go again, eh?

- Good play. - No, that was excellent play.

You're right. I admit it.

It is a game worthy of me.

Oh, so you can hang the shoes this time.

You know, I've done it so much, man,

my arm is stiff.

Mm.

Once, I thought the double-six looked like a bride.

And now, it looks more like a midwife.

No.

Octopus.

All eyes.

You are saying the strangest things

this afternoon, Manchi, the strangest things.

The eyes of the public here

are simply driving me crazy, Mr. Prosecutor.

You know, no one needs to go crazy here.

We're just...

We're just playing dominoes, no?

Crazy isn't the right word, mm.

They're just so pushy.

Those eyes...

pushy!

Man, I think this, uh, defeat

is getting to you bit, eh?

Ah, Bubu, we cannot lose

because there's nothing to lose.

And don't forget...

it's only a game of dominoes, eh?

Ernesto realized that the revenge he wanted

to take on Manchi was succeeding.

He could well have murdered the guy,

but this was much better.

You all heard my wife; she just said

that she was going to give someone her condolences.

Now look, look... hey.

Now she's going into Manchi's house.

She never does that.

She has been acting strange all day.

All day.

Nora, tell me what's wrong.

It's Ostrik.

He needs shoes for school.

Well, how much do you need?

Five guilders.

Only five guilders?

One moment.

I'll get it back to you as soon as I get some money from Bubu.

Oh, I... I filled the car this morning.

I'm sorry.

I'll have the money for you tomorrow.

Sorry.

- I should not have come. - Oh!

God sent you.

Wait.

Here, Nora.

Here.

Thank you, Nora.

Thank you. Thank you.

It's a bloodbath.

The worst beating in domino history.

- Are they still losing? - Yeah!

All this because Bubu spent the whole night in Campo.

That's a lie, you idiot!

Can't start the union meeting until the game is over.

But how can we elect a loser?

How dare you!

Bubu Fiel is not a loser.

I am the wife of Bubu Fiel.

Welcome to our home.

Who would like a drink?

Shon.

I hope you know what you're doing.

Ask yourself, is it worth it?

You want something?

I want to play dominoes.

Dominoes is a very dangerous game.

And I don't play anymore.

I don't play either.

But I think you will want to play me.

You know, it's ridiculous to play with two people.

This is a special game.

Different rules apply.

Hm.

So, what is it you want?

Mm!

I believe, um, you're Bubu Fiel?

Yeah...... but don't disturb me right now.

I am... I am busy.

- Okay, Charles Samuel. - Mm-hmm.

I came to cover the union meeting,

but this is even better.

This must be the first nine-love

in the history of Curaçao.

- Uh-huh. - Are you going to forfeit?

Forfeit? No, no, no, no, no.

We always finish the game.

- We're fighting back, eh, Manchi? - Uh-huh.

And what are you going to do when you become

president of the union?

Oh, uh...

I...

we need, uh, a revolution.

- A revolution? - Yeah.

This island is, um, is corrupt.

The politicians are screwing us.

They're inviting the foreigners to be in on it.

So we, you know, the people,

will not take it any longer.

And what are you going to do about it?

I...

the... the prices.

Prices... the prices are... are high.

They need to come down.

The price of taxis?

Taxis? Don't be a damn fool.

Eh?

No, the prices.

Food, drink, gasoline.

Building supplies, paint.

- Eh? You know... - Louder, louder!

Go on, Bubu, tell it to the people!

For the revolution!

The government of this island, eh,

- does nothing to curb imports! - Nothing!

The government does nothing, eh, to encourage export.

The government does nothing to make sure that every child

on this island has a decent pair of shoes!

- Bubu! - Long live the revolution!

Yeah!

Bubu, Bubu, Bubu, Bubu, Bubu!

Hey, give my comrades here some drinks, eh?

From me to you!

Ostrik. Come, come.

I want you to take this,

go to the shop,

and buy one gallon of rum.

What?

Off you go.

Rum?

You want me to buy rum?

You cannot do that. Those are for my shoes!

Ostrik!

Do you want your father to lose face

in front of all these people?

And on TV?

He's going to be the new president.

Aren't you proud of your father?

Don't worry.

We'll get your shoes later.

Now do as your mother says.

Okay, okay, okay, okay, okay, okay.

So, I want to thank you all for coming.

The meeting will begin in about ten minutes.

Right.

I'll be back in a moment, so...

the dam is about to burst,

flood the valley.

Mmmwah!

Thank you all.

Eh, eh, eh... ah!

You're a first-class piece of shit.

You wouldn't talk to me all day.

- You wouldn't even look at me! - Hey.

What did you expect?

Bubu is right there.

Chamon, I'm desperate.

- I need you to help me. - No, no, no, no, no.

I cannot do that anymore.

What is it, Chamon?

You don't like me anymore, is that it?

You don't like fucking me?

- You know I like it. - Mm.

I wish I didn't like it, but I love it.

But you know, with you...

it is only about the money.

All the time.

"Chamon, give me some money."

And so it goes, over and over and over.

You are the insatiable whore.

And you know, I'm beginning to think that you like my dick

more than you like my money!

Did you think that I came to you for my pleasure?

Uh-huh.

Did you think that if I only wanted to go to bed with a man,

I would have chosen an ugly

Windward Islander like you?

Did you think that one dick isn't enough for me,

and that that was why I needed your your dick,

your insignificant, little dick?

Oh, no, Chamon.

I only needed one dick, and no one else's.

And that is Bubu Fiel.

Do you know that in all this time I've gone to bed with you,

I've never come, not once?

Okay.

I've never had pleasure with you.

Okay.

I never had pleasure with anyone else,

but Bubu Fiel in my life.

You can't hold a candle to him as a man.

And I wouldn't swap him for another man,

not for a million guilders.

And certainly not for you.

I thought we understood each other.

But you're a dirty, filthy slob.

You're a bastard!

- You're a fucking liar. - Hm.

And you're lying because I know you loved it.

Never, never!

Never. Not with you.

Hey, hey, hey, hey, here, here, take it, take it.

- No. - Take it.

- What? - Here.

What do you think I am?

You filthy Windwarder piece of shit.

I will call Bubu,

and he'll kick that filthy money up your ass!

- Okay. - Fuck you.

Mm.

Hey, listen...

Amigo.

Hey, come on, now.

Chamon, you were insulting my wife, hmm?

What did you call my wife?

- What did you call my wife? - No.

- What did you call my wife? - No.

- What did you call my wife? - No, no.

- What did you call my wife? - Bubu, stop.

- A whore? - Bubu, no!

- No, this won't do you. - Chamon, Chamon.

Please! Please!

Chamon, Chamon, Chamon.

Okay.

Hey, hey.

I, um...

It's...

Look, here.

Here, you, um...

You take this... it is... no, no, you take it.

It's for your shoes, yeah?

And I'm sorry.

I'm so sorry.

Bubu...

No!

You're dead.

Bubu, you're dead.

Bubu!

Give me rum.

Leave it.

Won't you call the police?

Tell them I'm here.

Tell them I just killed a man.

I played a game once.

It was the most terrible game I ever played.

It was an appalling game,

and we were under the most severe stress imaginable.

And that game...

that game ended in tragedy.

But no one, hear me,

no one was to blame.

How can nobody be to blame?

They all participated willingly.

Why didn't they stop the game?

Because that would not have been possible.

The game... and the game demanded an end.

Whatever the consequences of that entails...

You know, if anything...

it was our poverty that was to blame.

Do you think the players deserved punishment?

Is that what you are here for?

You here to mete out punishment?

I respected your father

very much.

A day has not passed that I don't regret what happened.

Match.

What it was we were playing for?

Bubu...

I am so sorry, Vera.

For everything.

For not being there,

for being so selfish.

I'm so sorry.

I always knew you would become a doctor.

Doesn't he look well?

Yes.

Yes, he does.

I knew it was you, Ostrik.

Yes.

Yes, of course I knew.

I forgot what I was going to say.

I'm getting so forgetful lately.

Please forgive me.

There is nothing to forgive, Mama.

Mm.

Mm.

They still talk about my father.

They tell me:

"Your father was the best president

the union ever had!"

"And so he was," I said,

"but only for one day."

And everyone still has a relatively hard time of it here.

Especially women.

That is why I hope

Solema's endeavors are successful.

More co-operatives,

united into a political movement,

based on the ideals of the community

with shared resources.

This system is the best for our people

who deserve their personal freedoms.

It would be something of our own

for all of us.

And the men?

Well, they generally

play a lot of dominoes.

Changa!

Provided by explosiveskull https://twitter.com/kaboomskull