["Batuka" by Tito Puente plays] [♪] [paper rustles] [quiet indistinct chatter] [hurried steps thump on stairs] ¡Ajá!

And... where are you guys going?

[newspaper rustles] Abuelo, we gotta run.

Yep.

The movie starts in 20 minutes.

Now, you girls be very careful.

Don't eat too much popcorn.

It will stay in your stomach for a while, but then!

It will start.

Pop, pop, pop.

<i>[laughs]</i> Popping up while you're asleep.

ALL [laughing] [voices overlap] Goodbye, Mr.

Manuel.

<i>- Goodbye.</i> It's nice seeing you again.

Nice seeing you too.

Listen... Come right back to visit us.

Esta es tu casa, ¿sabes?

<i>DELIA: Oh!</i> It means, it's your home.

It's a saying we have.

Oh, he's very sweet.

- Okay.

- Dios te bendiga.

You know, Delia now, <i>this</i> grandfather, looks more Puerto Rican than the other one.

You know?

The one on your father's side that was here for Christmas?

The one with the green eyes.

He sure didn't look Puerto Rican.

<i>PITO: [clears throat]</i> [awkwardly] uh.. Where did you pretty girls say you were going?

To the movies!

- Oh.

LU: What you gonna see?

Cinderella and the Seven Dwarves?

Oh, Lu.

No.

We're gonna see <i>The King of Kung Fu</i>.

Listen... Didn't you see that one last week?

Yeah, it's great.

This is the third time we're gonna see it!

MANUEL: Third time?!

[<i>Laughs</i>] LU: Are you sure you girls going to the movies or are you goin' to see that... ...young usher who started last week?

Come on, Lu!

They are too young for that.

Oh, man!

Too young?

Old enough to walk, old enough to look.

<i>- Come on...</i> <i>PITO: Oh, Luuu.

</i> [disapprovingly] mm-mm Come on, girls.

I'll give you a police escort right to the front door.

<i>LU [roar-like shouts]</i> Oh!

But first... I have to give my favorite girl a goodbye kiss.

Mmm-mwah!

DOÑA INÉS: [laughs] [chuckling] Ay, este Lu se pasa la vida relajando.

Este sí que es uno de esos negros que tienen el corazón blanco.

PITO [chuckles] Right on!

ALL [laugh] I'll see you!

<i>DELIA: Bye!</i> [laughs] ¡Adiós!

<i>LU: Alright, girls.</i> <i>- Bye!</i> - ¡Adiós!

[laughing] LU: Okay.

LAURA: Bye!

Well, you guys have a good time at the movie!

[indistinct chatter] [intro to "Batuka" plays] [♪] [car honking in distance] [♪] LAURA: Delia, what did Doña Inés say that was so funny?

Oh, she said Lu is always kidding and that there isn't anybody like him.

Although he's black, he's got a white heart.

<i>That although he's black,</i> <i>he's got a white heart?</i> What does <i>that</i> mean?

DELIA: Oh, that he's a good guy.

That his heart is white.

LAURA: Like a white person?

DELIA: I guess so.

But we mean it in a nice way.

LAURA: Delia, that's terrible.

DELIA: What's the matter with it?

What's so terrible?

We always say that.

It's a nice thing to say about a person.

LAURA: There's nothing nice about that.

It's prejudice.

DELIA: Prejudice?

Laura!

To say that he's nice?

LAURA: No, to say that Lu's nice because he has a heart like a white person.

DELIA: What's the matter with you?

Can't you ever understand anything?

LAURA: What's there to understand?

That's a prejudiced thing to say, no matter how you mean it.

I bet she'd never say that if Lu could understand her.

DELIA: You know, Laura, you really make me mad sometimes.

You're always criticizing.

You even criticized my grandfather.

LAURA: Your grandfather?!

What did <i>I</i> say?

DELIA: You said he looked more Puerto Rican than my other grandfather, who has green eyes.

LAURA: But he does!

DELIA: Look, Laura, let's drop it, okay?

LAURA: But Delia, I want to know what it-- DELIA: I said, let's drop it!

But, doña Doris... The landlord says there are no rats.

He says that if <i>we</i> think there are rats, that we're crazy and there's nothing he can do about it.

and that, If we don't like it, we could just move out.

That's the landlord talking, Carlota, not the law.

If you have rats, he must do something about it.

That's why we have the City Board of Health, so that these things can be corrected.

What can I do?

We'll write a letter to the landlord detailing your complaint, stressing the fact that you've already complained four times.

And we'll also send a copy to the City Board of Health.

We'll give him a week.

If he hasn't taken positive action by then, we'll go down to the Board of Health and file an official complaint.

But I don't think the landlord will let it go that far.

Oh, thanks a lot, Mrs.

Blanco.

Me and Papo really appreciate your help.

The letter will be ready for you tomorrow.

I don't know what we'd do without you.

Thanks again, de veras.

It's no bother.

Veremos a ver en qué para todo esto.

Okay.

I'll see you tomorrow.

CARLOTA: Está bien.

Gracias.

DORIS: Goodbye.

[door closes] [footsteps] [pen clicks] [flips notepad pages] [indistinct chatter] LAURA: Well... I'll see you at school on Monday.

DELIA: Okay.

Bye.

LAURA: Bye.

[chatter continues] <i>LAURA: Delia!</i> Hey, Delia.

Laura, what's the matter with Delia?

She doesn't want to sit with you cause you're a Puerto Rican.

Cut that out!

LAURA: I don't understand Delia Blanco sometimes.

She makes me mad.

What'd she do?

She can't take criticism, that's what.

You know what?

She says there's nothing wrong with saying about a black person although he's black, he's alright because he has a white heart.

Can you imagine that?

What do you mean?

Being black but having a white heart?

I thought all hearts were red.

Yeah, Leon that's what Delia's neighbor told her.

And now, she thinks it's all right.

How would you feel if somebody told <i>you</i> that?

Hmm?

I certainly wouldn't like it.

If I'm gonna have any other than a red heart, it's gonna be black like me.

<i>LAURA:</i> <i>Hey, Delia, your lunchbox!</i> Hey, what's the rush?

Is your... house on fire?

[children chattering] <i>[door opens, bell chimes]</i> <i>PITO: Hey!</i> LUIS: Hey, Pito!

¡Buenos días!

PITO: ¿Cómo estamos?

LUIS: Lu!

LU: How you doing?

All right?

Everything's fine.

Quiet and peaceful.

Fine.

How about some coffee?

LU: Hey, man, I'd love some.

Maybe it'll wake me up, Pito.

Yeah... PITO: Every time we have the first shift of the day, he has to make it straight for the coffee shop.

ALL [laugh] You-- you better watch that coffee.

After a while, you-- <i>[door closes, bell chimes]</i> [cheerful] Good morning, everyone!

ALL [cheer] Peters!

¡Bienvenido!

LUIS: How was Spain?

LU: Spain?!

LUIS: Yes.

LU: Aw, man.

Some people have <i>all</i> the luck.

Ah!

It was fantastic!

What a wonderful, wonderful trip!

Luis... I can't thank you enough for making all my travel arrangements.

I loved it.

It's a beautiful country.

Ah, that's what we're here for.

How about a cup of coffee?

ALL [exclaim] I'm sorry, señor.

We don't have...Spanish coffee.

But this is the best coffee we have in the house.

Love it.

Love it.

PITO: Did you learn any Spanish?

LU: Yeah?

PETERS: Oh, yeah!

Well... some anyways.

Like what?

Let's hear it.

All right.

I learned, <i>buonos dias...</i> ALL [hum approvingly] <i>Buonos noches</i>... <i>Per favor...</i> <i></i>PITO: [laughs] <i>Grazia...</i> <i></i>LU: <i>Grazia</i>... LUIS: New, new stuff.

PETERS: All right.

¿<i>Cuándo dinero</i>?...

Ah, there you go.

That's new.

Lu, you gotta remember this one.

This is the most important thing.

If you know nothing else, you have to know this one.

[in a pained voice] ¿Dónde está el baño?

[l<i>aughs</i>] That one is important.

[laughs] What does it mean?

LUIS: It's "Where's the bathroom?"

LU: Where's the bathroom?!

LUIS: Yeah.

Man!

This is your own place, don't you know?

[laughs] Oh, man.

That's what "¿dónde está el baño?"

means.

<i>LUIS: Yeah.

Get it</i>?

[<i>Laughter</i>] That's enough Spanish lessons for the day.

Come on, Al.

Really.

Do tell us about the trip.

Well... I sure learned how important it is to know another language.

[chair drags] You know, it can <i>really</i> make traveling a lot easier and more fun.

It's really, really terrific, you know.

[chair creaks] Really, really wonderful.

You know, Next time I go to a Spanish-speaking country, I wanna know more Spanish.

See?

That way, I can really get to know the people.

<i>You know, stuff like--</i> - That's good, all right.

Did you have any difficulty this time or didn't you?

Well-- I mean, nothing serious, but some funny things <i>did</i> happen, you know.

Like, right in the beginning, I went to the one... the large department store.

You know, the large department store.

So... I like to poke around and stuff, you know.

So I was there longer than I realized.

So... I finally ended up at the counter where they had all the wallets.

I'm checking the wallets out and everything else, and all of a sudden, the sales girls come... And they grabbed all the display trays and they put them away.

At the same time, the lights go out.

They covered up all the other display trays, and everyone heads for the door.

Are you ready for this?-- This is the middle of the day.

What the heck was it?

A robbery?

<i>PITO: [laughs]</i> <i>Es la hora de la siesta!</i> Well, that's what I thought!

Probably a fire... You know, everyone is chatting in Spanish, and I'm talking to people-- they don't know what I'm talking about.

I'm going bananas.

I said, "what's going on here?"

I go back to the hotel.

<i>PITO: [chuckles]</i> Are you ready for this?

And I told the receptionist about it.

<i>PITO: [laughing harder]</i> He laughs.

He says, "Ah, happens every day".

Every day?

<i>[laughs]</i> What are they crazy or something I don't know?

Are you kidding?

Those Spanish are tripped.

They're smart, they got brains.

Now let me tell you what they do.

See, every day between 2 and 4... <i>All the stores close.</i> Everyone has a nice, long lunch hour, see?

They relax!

You understand?

And a lot of people go home to their families, see?

Then, they come back.

And the stores reopen 'til 6 or 7 o'clock, you know.

I mean, it's great once you get used to it, you know, <i>but you better get used to it.</i> <i>LUIS: [chuckles]</i> Yeah, it sounds great... IF you know what's going on.

<i>PETERS: Oh, yeah.</i> Did you have any trouble finding your place around the area?

Madrid is a big place, you know.

Oh, yeah, yeah.

Well, see... What I did-- I bought a map.

I had a good map, you know.

And the taxi drivers, they were terrific.

I mean, they never took advantage of me.

They never took me the long way around and stuff like that.

But I kept my eye on the map.

I had to know what's happening all the time.

Yeah, but I'm sure that after a while you must have gotten to you know, know street signs, landmarks, didn't you?

<i>Oh, yeah!</i> Well, see... That didn't take too long, you know.

But... What happened was that... One thing I thought I had discovered.. No help at all... <i>And it turned out bad.</i> What do you mean?

Well... [Laughs] [mutters] Well, what happened-- see the first day, like across from the hotel, crossing the street, you know.

What happened was that, I noticed that on the road it said: "<i>Aperdero"</i>.

[corrects] Apeadero.

Well, it's spelled the same, right?

So to be quick, you know.

<i>PITO: [laughs]</i> This would be a good, quick way to find out when I was near the hotel, you know?

<i>PITO: [laughs hard]</i> LU: Did it work?

[chuckles] No, no.

It didn't work.

I mean... I mean, almost every time I cross the street, I see the "apertero".

<i>PITO: [continues laughing]</i> What does it mean?

<i>BOTH: [laugh]</i> I finally looked it up.

I had to.

So... It's like a pedestrian-- <i>PITO: [laughs loudly]</i> to show where you're supposed to cross the street.

<i>ALL: [laugh]</i> LU: Ooh, man!

[laughing] Of course, some... some funny things happened too, but I don't want to tell you everything all at once, you know?

<i>PITO: [chuckles]</i> <i>"Some funny things.

"</i> I gotta go now.

I gotta go shopping.

I don't have any food in the house.

[upbeat music] [whistles] [♪] [reads packaging] 8 ounces, 48 cents.

That's 8 into 48.

That's six cents an ounce.

Let's see, how much is this?

This would be 53 cents.

[Mumbles] No, I don't need that.

[cans clank] Let's see, that's 10 dollars and 21 cents and 48.

That's 10 dollars and 69 cents.

All right, let me see what else I need.

No, I don't need that-- oh, this is what I want.

Let me see what they-- okay... Tomatoes, beef, spices.

No, if they have tomatoes come first, that means there's more tomatoes than beef.

Who they kidding?

I don't need that stuff.

Let's see what they got over here.

[cart rolls] [whistle] No, I don't want that.

[can clanks] [<i>Mumbles</i>] Let me see what else they-- Hi, Mr.

Peters!

<i>What are you doing here?</i> PETERS: Oh, hi, Laura.

I'm doing my shopping, of course.

To cook with?

Oh, sure.

I do all my own cooking.

Do you live alone, Mr.

Peters?

<i>Oh, yeah.</i> <i>And I cook every night,</i> except when I get lucky and someone invites me to eat.

But... <i>Most of the time I cook.</i> I'm a very good cook, you know, Laura.

I want you to know that I graduated from frozen dinners, and now I make my own specialties.

Oh, okay.

Well, see you later, Mr.

Peters.

Ah, Laura!

Don't rush off.

I wanted to ask you about Delia.

Well, what about Delia?

Well... What was the matter with her at lunch?

What happened?

Well, uh-- Did you have a fight?

Not really, Mr.

Peters.

But Mr.

Peters, <i>sometimes,</i> <i>I don't understand her.</i> There are some things they say, that don't make sense to me in English.

Yeah, I know.

There are some things that you kids say that don't make sense to me.

<i>Well, probably</i> it didn't make sense because it wasn't translated right.

No.

It's not the English that doesn't make sense.

It's what they say.

Look.

What I mean is, what happens if what they say is really wrong, no matter what language it's in?

Shouldn't I say something about it?

Of course.

If you feel that something is wrong, you definitely should express your feelings about it.

There's no question about that, Laura.

But, Laura, you gotta remember, sometimes people say things they don't mean.

You know, sometimes... We say things-- we don't want to hurt them, but we don't think.

Understand?

<i>Hmm</i> maybe so.

See, but you don't solve anything by fighting.

Only by trying to understand each other.

Well, we really didn't have a fight.

She just didn't understand what I said, and I didn't understand what she said.

Well, I'm sure you two will work it out, but you're gonna have to work it out together.

Oh!

I gotta run now, Mr.

Peters.

My mom is waiting for these.

Bye now!

Bye.

Hey.

Thanks, Mr.

Peters.

[soft guitar music] PITO: Hey, Delia.

Hey... Isn't it kind of late for you to be coming home from school?

Hi, Pito.

Did you have to stay after school?

No.

Where's Laura?

I don't know.

Hey, what's the matter?

Do you find anything wrong in saying "que es negro, pero-- tiene corazón blanco"?

No, I don't think so.

It is a nice thing to say.

Would you tell Lu that in English?

Would I tell Lu that he has a white heart?

No.

I don't know.

Pero se lo diría en español, ¿verdad?

But Delia... There's nothing wrong with that.

Nosotros lo decimos a menudo.

But that's just it.

We say it so often without realizing what it means.

It's an insult!

What do you mean it's an insult?

You see, what we're really saying is that although he's black, he's good enough to be white.

I never thought about it that way.

Is that what happened between you and Laura?

No.

Well... Sort of.

You see, she got me very mad, because she said that grandpa Rene doesn't look Puerto Rican, because he has green eyes.

Is that what the fight was all about?

But wouldn't you get mad if they told you <i>you </i>didn't look Puerto Rican?

[Chuckles] Delia... Nobody else has ever told me that.

See, my sister has green eyes and she's Puerto Rican.

That's exactly it, Pito.

And my cousin Rafael, he has red hair.

He's called Colorao'.

You saw him when he came in from Puerto Rico.

I took him over to your house, remember?

Mm-hmm.

And my dear Juanita, on my father's side, she is very dark-- even darker than Lu.

That's just it.

She's Puerto Rican.

You and Abuelo are Puerto Rican.

Everybody in our family is Puerto Rican.

So why does Laura say that abuelo doesn't look Puerto Rican?

Well, Delia... Maybe Laura just doesn't know too many Puerto Ricans.

I guess you're right.

I guess we <i>can</i> learn from one another.

Some people think all Puerto Ricans are alike.

Yes!

And we come in all sizes... shapes and colors, don't we?

DELIA: Mm-hmm See, my-- You know, my cousin Elsie?

She is six feet tall.

And everybody keeps telling her that she's too tall to be Puerto Rican.

Six feet tall?

Yes!

And she is Puerto Rican!

I think you're right, Pito!

Thanks a lot.

PITO: Mm-hmm Take care--hey!

DELIA: Ok.

PITO: Be good!

DELIA: Hi, Lu!

LU: Hey!

[patrol car door opens] <i>PITO: Hello.</i> <i></i>[door shuts] Manolo... ...vamos a darle una chivita a-- [dominoes shuffle] [laughs] [indistinct chatter] [dominoes slide on table] Vamo-- vamo'a darle una pela a estos dos veteranos pa' que sepan... [chatter continues] ¿El seis sale?

Oye, 200 tanto el tiro en Puerto Rico.

¡Ajá, a Dio'!

Si yo-- lo tengo yo.

Fíjate... Tienes el seis, ¿ah?

[pieces clank] Échale, Manolo.

Oye... Me dijo Luis, mi yerno, que si acaso tú tienes que ir pa' Puerto Rico, como le dijiste... que tenga o no tenga chavos, que él te da el pasaje y tú se lo pagas después, ¿sabes?

Gracias, don Manuel.

- Mira.

<i>- Juega.</i> - Voy ahora.

<i>- Si pasas, me lo dices.</i> Mira por donde nos fuimos.

Mira por donde nos fuimos.

[sets piece down] Ay, me lo cogió, don Manolo!

- ¡Ja!

<i>- ¡Ah!</i> <i>Te dio el pase, ¿no?</i> - ¡Eh!

<i>- Está bien, pero...</i> <i>Le dio el pase al señor aquí.</i> <i>[entrance bell chimes]</i> Ya mismo Manolo... <i>[Voices overlapping]</i> MANUEL: Eso viene por aquí.

[pieces clank] Y también se me va a dar otro pase más.

[dominoes shuffling] Se dobló el hombre.

[Voices overlapping] DELIA: Bendición, Abuelo.

Dios te bendiga-- MAN: Se dobló, se dobló.

MANUEL: Why did you come so late, Delia?

I was worried about you.

DELIA: I just took the long way home.

[places dominoes] MAN: Jugarle por allá.

Bueno, ya.

Pasa.

<i>DELIA [thinking]: </i> <i>You know, Pito's right.</i> <i>We do come in</i> <i>all shapes and colors.</i> <i>We're no different</i> <i>from anybody else.</i> <i>But Laura couldn't have known that.</i> <i>She doesn't know</i> <i>that many Puerto Ricans.</i> MAN: Manolo sacó un pase.

[indistinct chatter] [places piece] Ahí está el mío.

- Ahí está - ¿Aja?

Ahí está el suyo.

¡Mami!

DOÑA INÉS: Mira, mija.

Tu mami salió con Margarita a hablar con el hombre del welfare, y me pidió que le empezara la comida.

Pero ella no tarda.

¿A qué hora se fue?

Bueno... Hace como una hora.

Así que ya debe estar al llegar.

Pero como ya tú estás aquí, ahora tu viras el arroz y apagas la carne que ya casi está.

¿Ya se va?

Sí, mija.

Porque mi novela está casi por empezar.

¿Por qué no la miras acá?

Porque allá yo tengo mi silla y allí nadie me molesta.

[laughs] ¿Pero usted no va a comer con nosotros?

Ay, bendito.

Delia.

Si... ...con la dieta esa de bebé que me dio el doctor, [chuckles] yo no puedo comer nada de eso.

[doorknob turns] ¿Tú tienes miedo de quedarte aquí sola?

No, no, no.

- Pero es que-- - Bueno, está bien.

Está bien.

Todavía yo tengo bastante tiempo, porque faltan como 10 minutos para empezar la novela.

Así que me quedaré otro ratito aquí contigo.

Porque si no es Doris, pues... Ángel ya debe estar por llegar.

A ver... [smacks lips] ¿qué hiciste hoy en la escuela?

Doña Inés... ¿le puedo hacer una pregunta?

Bueno, depende, porque mi mente hoy no está muy clara.

Pero, trataré.

¿Qué quieres saber?

Bueno... ¿qué quería decir cuando usted le dijo a papi, que aunque Lu era negro, tenía corazón blanco?

Bueno que... Que es una bella persona, y... muy nice.

Sí, pero, ¿por qué dice que es negro, pero tiene corazón blanco?

Eso quiere decir que tiene corazón <i>como</i> un blanco.

Bueno... Él es un negro muy fino.

Y hay unos que hasta son mejores que muchísimos blancos, ...pero no son muchos.

Yo no entiendo.

¿Usted cree que los negros no son tan buenos como los blancos?

Mira, Delia.

No es que yo no diga que-- que no hay negros que son... iguales o hasta mejores que muchísimos blancos.

No, no puedo decir eso, pero la verdad es que... [whispers] ...el prieto es prieto.

Pero, Doña Inés, mi papi me dice que hay gente buena y hay gente mala de todos los colores.

Sí, pero-- pero ellos son diferentes.

Mira, Delia.

Yo recuerdo que cuando... cuando yo tenía más o menos tu edad... mi abuelo... No dejaba que ningún prieto entrara en la casa.

Y nosotros-- Pero, doña Inés, mire... La familia de Pito tiene una tía que es prieta, y entre nosostros, hay mucha familia de todos los colores.

Ay, bendito, mija.

Yo no sé.

Tú me haces a mí tantas preguntas que me estás volvien-- ¡Ay, Dios m--!

Ay, Doris.

¡Qué bueno que llegaste, mija!

Porque esta nena me está haciendo tantas preguntas que me está volviendo loca.

Y si no me voy ahora, me voy a perder la primera parte de la novela.

Así es que, mira... Apaga la carne, que ya se seca.

Y-- y el arroz ya está.

[door opens] Te veo después.

DORIS: Sí.

¡Gracias, doña Inés!

Delia, what did you do to doña Inés?

I've never seen her run out so fast!

Mami.. Why is doña Inés prejudiced?

[stunned] What are you talking about, Delia?

She said that she thinks that white people are better than black.

And what makes you say that?

She said it!

You see... Saturday, she said, que Lu era uno de esos prietos que tenía el corazón como un blanco.

And today, when I asked her... She said that blacks aren't as good as whites.

And I don't understand that.

How can she say that?

She's so good to everybody.

And I know that she loves Lu.

You're right, mija.

It doesn't make sense that doña Inés, who is so good to everybody, should say things like that.

It's sad... because when it comes to helping people, I know that color doesn't matter to her.

<i>[soft guitar music]</i> But, mami, she said it!

I know, I know.

She's just probably repeating what her mother said and what her grandfather said-- Yeah, she told me that, too!

But it still doesn't make it right.

[sighs] Delia, I'm not making any excuses for her.

What she said is wrong.

But she's not perfect.

And she has other qualities that we do love dearly.

But doña Inés is Puerto Rican.

And how can she think that way, when we sometimes have blacks and whites in the same family?

You're right, Delia.

It doesn't make any sense.

But then again, prejudice never made any sense.

My mother thought like her, too.

But I was fortunate enough to question some of the things that people taught me.

[♪] I'm so glad that you like to think things out, too.

Because of you, perhaps doña Inés will think twice before making such statements, and question her feelings.

Do you think she will?

Maybe... Maybe not.

But the important thing is that you told her how you feel.

And maybe you've taught her something.

[soft guitar music playing] [♪] [♪] [♪]