["Batuka" by Tito Puente plays] [♪] Doris - Mm-hmm?

What time is it on my wrist watch?

It's 11 o'clock...

..."Tiger."

Is Pedrito back yet?

Does he ever fail to come back?

You know, I think he must think our house is some kind of a transient hotel.

[laughs] [grunts] Luis, this has been going on for two weeks now, on and off.

Now, I'm concerned.

I mean, it's a good thing that he's back sleeping on our couch tonight, but... I wonder where that boy's been in the past two days.

[begrudgingly] Okay, I'll find out.

[gasps loudly] No, don't!

[softly] Let him sleep.

Hmm.

I think you and I have some serious talking to do.

[exhales] Maybe we can help him.

¿Qué quieres decir con eso?

Well... Well, where is he from?

He's never told me .

How about you?

Me?

I dunno.

A mí tampoco me ha dicho nada, no.

Well, I think we better help him, or get him home, or something.

Yeah, well, that's something-- we have a problem there.

You see, I'm afraid he doesn't have any place to go.

[bedsheets rustle] BOTH: [sigh] What about his parents?

What about them?

I don't know... Ya te dije, yo no sé.

[rustling resumes] Luis... - Hmm?

Listen... That boy has taken a great liking to you.

Right?

Oh, yeah.

Yeah.

And I was thinking-- well, maybe he can stay here... While we look for his parents.

¿Por favor?

Ahem... ¿Tú sabes una cosa?

You--You're really something, ah?

¿Por qué?

Why shouldn't we help him?

I mean, can't one person help another person?

What are we on this Earth for?

Dime... ¿Por qué estamos en este mundo?

[mumbling] You got a point there.

I am going to suggest... ...something, all right?

But I don't want you to think I'm crazy or anything like that, okay?

Okay.

You see... [chuckles] I don't even know how to begin this... [soft music] But uh... Well, obviously, Pedrito-- he's not very happy with his parents.

If indeed he has them, I mean.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be a runaway, right?

- Right.

- Right?

- Right.

- All right.

So... I was thinking... What if we did a little investigating of our own, and we find out that he doesn't have a home?

[♪] Ah... I mean, why couldn't he come here to live with us?

We got the room!

Hey, listen... Doris... The moment I saw-- The first time I laid my eyes on him, you know?

I said to myself, "Why there's a lot of potential there just waiting to be fulfilled."

Right.

[chuckles] [♪] At times, I find myself looking at him, and saying to myself, "Gee, if I had another son, I'd pray that he be like Pedrito."

I'm not kidding--ah You remember?

Remember the time when we were... ...talking about having another child and all?

You know, we talked about finances.

- Mm-hmm [chuckles] Talked about finances and we talked about responsibilities-- Remember, eh?

[chuckles] Yeah... We never did anything about it.

- Mm-hmm.

Yeah... [chuckles] Hey!

No, I'm serious.

Hey!

I mean, I don't like the idea of-- a boy so young being alone, and no one to protect him or anything like that.

AndÁngel loves that boy.

Have you-- have you noticed that?

I mean, he really likes him, right?

Ah?

So?

It'd be just a matter of putting another bed inÁngel's bedroom, and then Presto!

Ángel would have a ready-made roommate!

Ha, ha!

Ah?

So what do you say to that?

[♪] I don't know what to say to you... Except that I think I'm going to cry.

What?

You're going to cry?

DORIS: [sniffles] No, no.

You-- Don't cry.

[stammering] Do that tomorrow, okay?

Because now we're gotta go rest.

I mean, we have a lot of detective work to do!

Right?

Tomorrow?

- Sí.

[♪] l love you.

- I love you.

[♪] [door closes softly] [muffled traffic noise in distance] [dishes clink softly] [cup clinks] [bag rustles quietly] [toaster lever clicks] [car drives by in distance] [cutlery clinking] [tray thuds] Hi.

[sips] Ah... How are you?

You had a good rest?

PEDRITO: Well, sí.

I feel really good.

Gracias.

¿Y qué hora es?

6:30 in the morning.

¿Las 6:30?

Cheepers... I should have been up and gone a long time ago.

¿6:30?

¿A dónde?

Out.

"Out."

[softly] Oh, I see.

Well, before you leave, uh-- ¿Por qué no te comes algo primero?

I don't feel hungry.

Gracias.

Well, force yourself.

Okay?

Because if you don't, you're going to get so thin.

People are not going to be able to recognize you, except as a thin shadow.

Come here.

Come here.

[toaster lever clicks] I'll tell you what I'll do.

I'll give you half of mine.

No, really, Tiger.

I couldn't eat it-- [playfully stern] Eat it!

Eat it!

It's good for you!

[normal voice] Eat it.

Come on.

Don Luis, ¿usted sabe una cosa?

Usted es bien buena gente, especialmente conmigo.

Yeah?

I'm not so good to you, as I'm good to myself.

Really.

You want to know something?

Actually, I am a very, very selfish man.

You think I'm preparing this big breakfast out of the goodness of my heart?

No ways.

What happens is... [butters toast] If it uh-- If it weren't because of you... I'd probably skip breakfast myself.

And that is no good for me, right?

Right-- Give me that one.

Okay.

Here.

So, as you see, I need you more than you need me.

Tiger... I think you're the best person I've ever met in my life.

Ah no, qu-- If I'm the best person you've ever met in your life, I really-- I mean-- I wonder what kind of people you've been running around with.

[mumbles unintelligibly] Come on, come on.

Say it.

Say it, whatever it is.

Para eso yo estoy aquí.

Dime lo que sea.

Tiger, I will tell you anything, but there are some things that hurt too much to talk about.

I don't know about that.

Maybe... If you talk to somebody, then, it won't be as painful.

Es que me da verüenza, muchas de las cosas que he hecho.

You think you're alone?

Hmm?

Who ever lived a life without... I dunno, feeling... Ashamed... for something that he did?

Feeling some regret... hmm?

Who ever did that?

And you, at your age?

At your age?

What could you possibly have done to feel ashamed, dime.

[soft guitar music] [♪] Don Luis... [♪] ¿quiere más café?

- Yeah.

[♪] Watch it, watch it.

[♪] Ooh!

Hold it, hold it, hold it.

Así.

[♪] Thank you.

[♪] You remember when we went to the Salvation Army store?

Salvation Army?

Yeah.

Why?

Well, I left you there because... I don't know how to say this.

Well, go ahead.

I mean, I understand.

It wasn't like you killed somebody, right?

You didn't rob anybody, right?

You left.

You must have had a reason for it.

T--That's just it.

I did rob.

I swiped these shoes.

I have done it many times before, since I ran away from that boys home.

A boys home.

¿Dónde?

In Boston.

My father put me there.

He's a retired soldier.

Is he Puerto Rican?

Si, from Sabana Grande.

I lived in the boys home for as long as I could.

But man...at times, I thought I would die being cut off from everything and everybody.

I couldn't make friends.

You know, like empty.

[softly] Yeah... So... I ran away.

[whispers] Just like that, ah?

¿Y tu papá?

In Boston.

I never went back to him.

I hate his guts.

I'm afraid I blew it.

Do you hate me now?

How could I hate you?

Hmm?

Who am I to be, uh-- judging you I mean, for... Being unhappy with somebody or with some things?

And as for your father, you got to think it over.

I mean, a kid like you-- [chuckles] One doesn't give up a kid like you that easily.

He never wanted me.

I spoiled it for him.

He just wanted to be a soldier, not a father.

I'll tell you what.

What would you say... If later on-- this morning, We tried reaching your father?

See, maybe if maybe we could work something out.

¿Cómo qué?

Like maybe you staying here with us?

¿De veras?

Who are you, Tiger?

You're too good to be a gangster.

Ah, who am I?

[laughs] I don't know.

Let me see.

Let's say, I'm a guy who's lived a lot longer than you and seen a lot of things... A lot of things.

A lot of suffering.

And as for being a gangster.

No, I don't know.

I don't know if I'm gangster enough.

But in the long run, I mean, what difference does it make?

¿Usted sabe una cosa?

I think I've known you for a long time.

[♪] Maybe you have.

Maybe you have... Who can tell-- I mean, who can say?

Who can really, uh-- explain things like that?

I know I can t. But for whatever the reason, I'm really happy.

I thank God that I ran into you-- or that you ran intoÁngel.

I'll tell you what, you go wash up now.

We have a pretty busy day ahead of us.

Okay?

[♪] [chuckles] [phone dials] [clears throat] Yes, uh-- hello.

Is this Mr.-- ¿el Sr.

Martínez?

Frank Martínez.

Hi, uh-- my name is Luis Blanco.

You don't know me.

Tell me, do you have a boy... Uh... ...named Pedrito?

Yeah.

And did he run away from a foster home center in Boston about six months ago?

Well, uh-- like I told you, my name is Luis Blanco, and... I own this travel agency, you see?

[indistinct chatter] MR.

MARÍNEZ: Yeah, it's funny... How something decent like this can spring from a lot of trouble, you know?

I had Pedrito in a boys home, you know.

[strikes match] Sí, uh... lo sabía.

I can't control him.

He isn't sensible.

Well, you know how he is.

A couple of years ago, I got out of the army.

I had 20 years and all that baloney.

Yes, Pedrito mentioned to us that you were a retired soldier.

Originally from Sabana Grande.

Mm-hmm.

Sí.

His mother was from there, too.

[dry chuckle] She cashiered in one of those dumpy roadside restaurants.

Cuchifritos and all that stuff, you know.

Met her while I was on furlough, right after the Vietnam War.

I was lucky to have survived it.

We got married right away.

I dragged her around from camp to camp-- when I could.

I didn't have much rank in those days.

Turned out we separated a lot, mainly because we couldn't afford to stick together.

I mean, you know the cost of living in those military towns.

Yeah, yeah.

Yeah... Sometimes we just split up because we... just... ...couldn't get along.

She'd make it back to Puerto Rico, and hole up with her mother.

What a wreck her mother was.

[exhales sharply] We were married for a long, long time before Pedrito came along.

Then my wife died.

Did you know that?

No.

Pedrito never mentioned his mother.

Well, figures.

He doesn't remember her.

He wasn't but four months old when she passed away.

[exasperated] Rita was always sick.

All her life... Anyhow-- I was stationed in Georgia, and I was infantry-- right straight through, by the way.

Uh, Sr.

Martínez, who took care of Pedrito then?

My mother got stuck with the job.

My mother was a real nervous woman.

Pedrito, being the kind of kid he is, he gave her a hard time.

After my discharge, I knocked around a bit.

Pretty soon, word comes that my mother had died.

So I go home for the funeral.

All I end up with... is a little monthly check from the government and Pedrito.

I almost-- I almost hate to admit this but... I never really knew my kid.

There's too much separation for that.

You know, we're strangers to each other right up to now.

And when did you come back here?

Right after the funeral.

I didn't know anybody anymore.

Anyhow, what can I tell you... I put Pedrito in school and I tried to make him go there, but nothing turns out right.

He's in and out of trouble.

Little things, you know?

That kind of stuff that makes you... really nervous, makes you-- just nervous.

It works on your nerves.

There's something else you have to take into consideration.

[can clicks] We're all mature people, so you'll excuse me if I'm blunt.

There were times when there'd be... ...women around the place, you know?

Deep down inside, I knew that the atmosphere was bad for the kid, but at the same time, I-- I had my own needs to think of.

I figured he'd get better care in a home, so that's where I put him.

Then after a few days, he runs off.

And let me tell you that that place kept me drained.

Well, with that and... trying to raise enough capital to--to go into some kind of a business, I'm still young yet, you know?

And I want to build another career.

Yes, Señor... ...Sr.

Martínez.

In the short time that we have known your boy, we have grown very fond of him.

Not only us-- I mean, you know... My wife and my kids, too.

I have two kids of my own.

Would you allow Pedrito to come home?

Come live with us?

It would take the pressure off you, if nothing else.

You'd take Pedrito back with you?

Gladly.

Sr.

Martínez, we want to adopt your son.

I... [stammers] I-- Yo--yo... Yo no sé, I-- Sr.

Martínez, you can have us investigated.

In fact, it'd be wise that you do for your own peace of mind.

Oh, no, no.

There--There's no real reason to go through all that, I-- I can tell nice people just by looking at them.

Well, then... [clears throat] Are you saying yes?

You--you'd take good care of him and all that?

We most certainly will, sir.

There's-- There's good schools there, huh?

Excellent schools there.

Well-- [chuckles] Well... Maybe it'll do him a lot of good, eh?

All right.

DORIS & LUIS: [exhale in relief] I'll have my attorneys draw up the papers, and... We'll get in touch with you the moment they're finished, when they're ready.

All right?

You won't regret this.

No.

I'm sure I won't.

[sirens wail in the distance] Um-- before we leave, Pedrito is downstairs with our kids in the car, and would you care to go-- would you like to see him?

Have a few words with him-- you know, say goodbye to him?

N--No, let me be honest with you.

I don't I don't think I should.

You know, with him in your hands, I could just... go back into the army, you know?

[chuckles] Shoot for 30.

What the hell, eh?

[laughs] I mean, soldering is all I know.

I'm miserable out here.

You know what I mean... [soft music] [♪] [♪] PEDRITO: Well?

Are you ready to go?

¿A dónde?

Back home.

With us.

You really want me to go?

You betcha.

ALL: [laugh] Well, we better get out of here fast before anyone changes his mind.

ALL: [laugh] Good idea!

What are we waiting for?

Come on, let's get in the car.

[♪] BOY: Hey, Pedrito, where are you going?

[shouting] South America!

[♪] Throw him off our trail.

LUIS: [chuckles] [♪] Get in there.

[♪]