FRASQUITA
And suddenly all the streets with the empty food wrappers and the potholes and the garbage will disappear and you’ll be in a gleaming white castle on a hill far away.…
CARMEN
It could happen. I feel it in my bones. There’s something about him, something that draws me to him. That excites me, too. You don’t like him?
MERCEDES
I guess he’s all right. I like men, too, but I only like them for a little while. Two weeks, three, unless there’s a holiday coming up. You have to stay with them through the holidays.
CARMEN
He makes me feel like a schoolgirl again.
MERCEDES
That’s good to you? Why? I don’t remember you doing any dancing on the way to school.
CARMEN
You’re getting to be too hard.
FRASQUITA
Or you’re getting to be too soft!
CARMEN
Maybe, Frasquita. Maybe I’m too soft and he’s too romantic. I know.
MERCEDES
Your head knows, but your heart is too crazy to listen.
FRASQUITA
You got to be careful, homegirl. You open your heart, and it’s more dangerous than opening your legs.
CARMEN
What don’t I know?
MERCEDES
(resigned)
It’s wonderful, Carmen. Good luck with this dude.
FRASQUITA
Yeah, it’s wonderful.
The three girls, knowing what a momentous decision CARMEN is making, embrace one another.
On the small stage, a guitarist picks up his instrument and slowly plucks the same “Destiny Theme” we heard earlier.
MERCEDES
Whoa! What is that tune? Is there a funeral? Play something with life to it!
The guitarist quickly switches to something much livelier. Several patrons enter, including GERALDO, OFFICER SHEA, and SERGEANT ZUNIGA.
GERALDO
Cold drinks for the ladies over there.
BARTENDER
Six dollars!
GERALDO
Six dollars? You selling blood? What do you mean, robbing people like that?
ZUNIGA
I can afford it. Three drinks for the lovely ladies.
FRASQUITA
Keep your drinks! I’m not thirsty.
ZUNIGA
They’ll keep you cool. You look like a hot mama to me.
FRASQUITA
And you look old and cold to me.
ZUNIGA
You’d be surprised, chica!
MERCEDES
Chica? Now you’re acting Latino? I don’t think so.
OFFICER SHEA
What would you like us to be?
CARMEN
Gone! That’s what we would like you to be.
OFFICER SHEA
She’s longing for José. He makes her blood boil. He’s good with these locals.
MERCEDES
Local? I don’t go local, but I will go loca on your skinny butt!
ZUNIGA
José’s a loser. We’ve got him sucking fumes on traffic duty.
OFFICER SHEA
He’s back on the beat today. Maybe he can find somebody else to turn loose.
CARMEN
(perking up)
He’s back? Today?
ZUNIGA
(edging closer to CARMEN)
Look, you can do better than that guy.
FRASQUITA
Man, you really think you’re hot stuff, don’t you?
ZUNIGA
I’ve been around. I know how to make a girl like Carmen happy. Maybe I’ll take her shopping. Bet you would like that, eh, Carmen?
CARMEN
Cierra el pico, man, because ain’t nothing coming out that I want to hear.
ZUNIGA
I know what I have to know. You’re straight street, and I know how to take care of you.
FRASQUITA
Go home and take care of your wife.
MERCEDES
(looking at her watch)
He can’t go home yet. His wife’s boyfriend is still there having dinner.
The girls all laugh.
Suddenly we hear a commotion. A PATRON gets off his stool, shrugs to the crowd, and goes to the door. He looks out.
PATRON
It’s Escamillo!
MERCEDES
Here?
FRASQUITA
He’s going to shoot a video in the neighborhood. It was in the papers.
ESCAMILLO enters. The one-time street rapper turned entrepreneur and film producer fits the description often ascribed to him as the richest man ever to come out of Spanish Harlem. Tall and broad-shouldered, he’s wearing a light-gray tailored Italian suit with a sky-blue shirt. Over his shoulders is a satin silver-gray cape that shimmers as he walks. As he enters, he hands his assistant, GORDITO, his walking stick and hesitates just inside the doorway as one of his bodyguards removes the cape.
GORDITO takes center stage and begins framing film shots with his hands as ESCAMILLO leans casually against the bar.
GORDITO
(raps)
Hey, Escamillo can lift this place from its obscurity
And bring it to a place of peace and security
With a slam bam jam that opens the dam of go and flow,
But he needs something real to express how he feels
As a master blaster lifting his fate above the disaster
Of free-floating hate, and if your brain has the uplift
To master the hard drift from grime to sublime,
He might give you some time and… who knows?
He puts his hand to his ear.
MERCEDES
Who knows?
GORDITO
Even a 3-D flick! Let me step aside for the pride of San Juan, Santo Domingo, México, Bogotá, and El Bronx Remembered! Escamillo!
ESCAMILLO
I said what? I said what? I said WHAT’S HAPPENING?
FRASQUITA
Yo, Escamillo! Put me in a movie. The world needs to see me.
In the background, we hear the strains of “The Toreador Song” , rhythmic and upbeat, which continue as Escamillo speaks.
ESCAMILLO
(begins rapping)
The world needs to see all of us, mis amigos. That’s what Escamillo is all about. Fighting against the invisibility of being poor, being a nobody. They don’t kill us! They don’t lynch us! They make us invisible, as if we don’t really exist! They take away our identity. At first we think it’s harmless; we just don’t see ourselves anywhere. We see shells where men should be standing; we see cartoons where our women should be. But then one day you wake up and look in the mirror, and there’s no one there looking back at you. All the dreams that held you together are gone, and all the hope you could feel is gone. You know your brain is fading fast and you feel a sense of panic.
Invisibility sees your panic, smells your despair as it paws the ground waiting to charge across the arena, waiting to destroy you. But now ESCAMILLO has given you the warning, and you are ready to fight back. The cold steel of truth is in your hand and you get ready. Across from you, invisibility trots proudly, snorting its contempt for you.
Okay, my people. Show me what you got!
The club suddenly comes alive as the patrons begin to dance. The dancing ranges from salsa to a kind of street flamenco. ESCAMILLO nods approvingly as he sees the vibrant life of the community. But throughout the dancing, CARMEN sits at the far end of the bar, looking on with apparent disinterest.
ESCAMILLO
Yo, I see the happenings! I feel the beat! I see the beauty and feel the heat! But where are the stars in this tiny universe? Where are the sisters and brothers gonna shoot across the sky? Who’s gonna light up the firmament? Where are the heart stoppers? The hammer droppers? Yo, mamacita, I see you glowing like you knowing something spelled truth. What’s the word, little bird?
CARMEN
I’m not interested in your moves or your movies, Escamillo. And Hollywood is not on my to-do list.
ESCAMILLO
I thought you were special, and I definitely got an eye for fly.
GORDITO
She fades into the woodwork like yesterday’s news.
ESCAMILLO
No, Gordito, she ain’t fading. She’s masquerading as ordinary, but she looks dangerous to me, and you know how I flirt with a danger high. It brings out the bullfighter—the toreador—in me.
CARMEN lifts her hands to her head, fingers pointed as if to represent horns, and struts sensuously toward ESCAMILLO, who instantly takes the challenge and goes into a bull-fighting pose. CARMEN makes three passes at ESCAMILLO, all of which he sidesteps deftly. Hands on hips, she throws her head back in laughter. Then she lifts her arms to the ceiling and swoops them down, jabbing her fingers into ESCAMILLO’s side. She and ESCAMILLO both laugh.
GORDITO
It’s time to go. We have to see the manager before the concert to iron out last-minute details. And there are a million dollars in these details. He wants to negotiate foreign rights and subsidiaries. We have to be there.
ESCAMILLO
Of course. Of course.
(He takes his cape.)
But I will be back for you. What is your name, angel?
CARMEN
Carmen. Or Carmencita. Your choice.
ESCAMILLO
Carmen. Carmencita. It’s all the same. You are too beautiful for words. My tongue gets excited just saying your name. I will be back for you. To everybody here: you are all invited to my concert this weekend. I’ll send fifty tickets over to
(looks around and sees the sign above the stage)
Lillas’s place.
FRASQUITA
This show is going to be good, right?
ESCAMILLO
The fire department is sending over a special truck, it’s going to be so hot.
FRASQUITA
Is it going to be on television? Because when concerts are on television, they’re usually pretty good.
ESCAMILLO
This won’t be good because of television, baby.
(turning to Carmen)
This is going to be good because of Carmen. Everything I think up I’m going to be asking myself what Carmencita’s going to be thinking about it, and then I’m going to make it even better. I’m good whenever I’m awake, but when I got somebody to inspire me, I’m knee-deep in fantastic!
CARMEN
You got game, and you’re running it!
ESCAMILLO
Your game is deeper, baby, but Escamillo’s steadily climbing on up. I think we just might reach the top together!
CARMEN
I’ll be there.
ESCAMILLO
All you need to bring is your heart and your dancing shoes. Leave the rest to Escamillo.
ESCAMILLO and his entourage leave.
MERCEDES
Carmen, he was digging on you something crazy. No tengas pena just because you’re in love.
FRASQUITA
He can take me to Hollywood anytime he wants to, but I’m not doing nothing nasty in front of a camera.
ZUNIGA
(after ESCAMILLO’s people leave)
That Escamillo’s all glitter. Nothing more. No substance. You can dress up street, but you can’t take away the stink. Let’s get out of here.
ZUNIGA and SHEA leave.
MERCEDES
He’s going to go look for somebody else to hate.
CARMEN
He probably hates himself.
The excitement of ESCAMILLO lingers for a while in the air, then slowly dies down as DANCAIRO and RAIMONDO enter. DANCAIRO is thin and nervous and has a teardrop tattoo under his left eye. RAIMONDO is short and heavy, with the nervous habit of hunching his shoulders as he speaks.
RAIMONDO
(to MERCEDES)
We got it going. Major-league stuff all the way.
DANCAIRO
We can score every credit card number in the city of Pittsburgh for three hours. That’s a hundred and fifty-nine thousand names.
RAIMONDO
And they’re rich in Pittsburgh.
DANCAIRO
In three hours, we can make a fortune.
RAIMONDO
And since it’s all electronic, there’s no evidence.
DANCAIRO
No fingerprints. No DNA. Just get in and boom, boom, boom! It’ll take them three hours to figure out what’s happening and another three hours to shut the system down, and we’ll be done by then.
RAIMONDO
We’ve got the log-in code. All we need is two smart kids who can hack into one lousy computer to get the master password. Then we’re in and gone without even a gun drawn. Thank God for technology.
DANCAIRO
(to CARMEN)
And we also need the charms of some beautiful women to keep a certain computer security chief—how do you say?—occupied!
MERCEDES
How much is in it for us?
FRASQUITA
We don’t work for nothing!
RAIMONDO
Fifty thousand—twenty-five thousand apiece—if the score is small.
DANCAIRO
I would tell you how much you would get if it is completely successful, but I can’t count that high.
FRASQUITA
You got us!
RAIMONDO
Carmen?
MERCEDES
She’s too much in love. With a cop!
RAIMONDO
No, I’m serious. Carmen, are you with us?
CARMEN
I’ve got stuff on my mind, Raimondo. Maybe some other time.
RAIMONDO
What some other time? This is once in a lifetime, sweet cheeks!
MERCEDES
Lighten up, Raimondo. She’s got a life, too.
FRASQUITA
(spots JOSÉ at the door)
And here he is.
JOSÉ enters. DANCAIRO and RAIMONDO back away quickly, DANCAIRO shielding his face with his hand. They both exit out of the rear door but not before RAIMONDO glances toward CARMEN and shakes his head in disbelief.
JOSÉ
Carmen, I’ve been looking everywhere for you. I thought you were going to be home.
CARMEN
Too hot in there. I got home last night and a mouse was sitting in the refrigerator!
JOSÉ
A mouse? Oh, that’s a joke. Right. At first I couldn’t remember the name of this place. But then I did. You’ve been on my mind all day.
(looks around)
Can we go somewhere?
CARMEN
José, I want you to meet my friends. This is Frasquita.
FRASQUITA
Hey, guy.
CARMEN
And this is Mercedes. They’re my homegirls.
MERCEDES
What’s happening?
JOSÉ
Hello.
FRASQUITA and MERCEDES retreat to a table, and JOSÉ kisses CARMEN’s hand tenderly.
JOSÉ
Nice friends.
CARMEN
The kind that look out for you. You know what I mean?
JOSÉ
Yes, I do. I like loyalty in my friends.
CARMEN
Frasquita asked me why I’ve been talking about you so much.
JOSÉ
You’ve been talking about me? What did you say?
CARMEN
That you make me remember the girl I once was, the girl who believed in every dream that came her way, who used to roll the top of her skirts up outside of Saint Dominic’s, hoping the boys would notice her.
JOSÉ
You did go to Saint Dom’s.
CARMEN
In a way I did. I mean, it was me, but I wasn’t who I am now. I was just a little girl with wide eyes and teeny boobs. I was maybe softer inside than I am now.
JOSÉ
You are like
a breath of fresh air to me, Carmen. My life has been just stupid for the last few months. First it was that kid—
CARMEN
I know about that, José. It was in La Prensa that you shot a boy who threatened you. But I know that’s not who you are. I know that.
JOSÉ
It really hurt to see the things they wrote about me in the papers.
CARMEN
Nobody wants to hurt another person.
JOSÉ
The thing with the boy—it happened so fast.
CARMEN
The thing?
JOSÉ
He came out of the shadows and…
CARMEN
(putting her fingers on his lips)
Don’t talk about it.
JOSÉ
I’ve been really depressed since it happened. I can’t sleep.
CARMEN
Let’s talk about us.
JOSÉ
Last night I tried to make my mind blank, just not think about anything. Then, in the morning, the air was all still and I reached over to get a glass of water and my hand touched the flower you gave me. You remember the flower?
CARMEN
You kept it? All this time?
JOSÉ
And suddenly the flower was more than just a flower. It was a promise that your soul had made to mine. I put the light on and took it in my hand, and the lightness of it just spoke of you. I put it to my lips and I could smell it, and it was as if you were near.
CARMEN
You speak very well, José. I’ve never been that good with words. They seem to only get in my way.
JOSÉ
Words are only tools, Carmen.
CARMEN, somewhat unsure of what JOSÉ is saying, stands and moves awkwardly away from him. He reaches for her and takes her wrist, and she turns to face him.
CARMEN
Dancing is a tool, too. Let me dance for you!
JOSÉ
Dance?
CARMEN
(brightly, changing the mood)
Yes, you’re the hero that kept me out of the slammer, and I’ll dance in your honor!
CARMEN begins to dance for JOSÉ. From time to time, he reaches for her swirling figure, but she moves away from him.
CARMEN
Look at me! Giddy as a schoolgirl. My body wants to move!
JOSÉ
You move your body, but you’ve captured my soul. We’ll be together from this moment on. From this very moment. Promise me. As the flower promised me.
CARMEN
(stops dancing and looks at JOSÉ)
José, my friends say that I’m taking a big risk.
JOSÉ
Take it, Carmen. I’m offering you my life.
CARMEN
(turning slightly away from JOSÉ)
José, why do you want me?
Carmen Page 3