Vicky: You've been throwing him little looks all night. 

Cristina: I'm just drinking my wine.

Vicky: Yeah, of course you are.  You must be doing something because he's coming over. 

Juan antonio: American? 

Cristina: I'm Cristina and this is my friend, Vicky. 

Juan antonio: What color are your eyes? 

Cristina: They're blue.  

Juan antonio: I would like to invite you both to come with me to Oviedo. 

Vicky: To come-where? 

Juan antonio: To Oviedo. For the weekend. We leave in one hour. 

Cristina: Oviedo,Where is?  

Juan antonio: a very short flight. 

Vicky: By plane?

Cristina: what's in Oviedo ? 

Juan antonio: A sculpture that is very inspiring to me. a very beautiful sculpture, You'll love it. 

Vicky: oh,you,you're asking us to fly to Oviedo and back? 

Juan antonio: en,no, we'll spend the weekend.  I'll show you around the city.We'll eat well, we'll drink good 

wine, we'll make love. 

Vicky: Yeah,Who exactly is going to make love? 

Juan antonio: hopefully, the three of us.

Vicky: Oh, my God. 

Juan antonio: I 'll get your bill. 

Vicky: this guy doesn't beat around the bush. Look, senor, maybe in a different.  

Juan antonio: Why not?  Life is short.  is dull.  Life is full of pain.  This is a chance for something special. 

Vicky:Right,Who exactly are you? 

Juan antonio:I am Juan Antonio.  And you are ..Vicky, and you are Cristina.  Right?  or is it the other way around?

Vicky:It could be the other way around ...because either of us will do to keep the bed warm. I get it.

Juan antonio:Well, you are both so lovely and beautiful.

Vicky:Yeah, thank you, but we do not fly off to make love ...with whoever invites us to  charming little Spanish towns.

Juan antonio:Does she always analyze every inspiration ... until each grain of charm is ..squeezed out of it?

Cristina:I guess I have to say that ...en, what you say, my eyes are green, actually. 

Vicky:look, I wouldn't call our reluctance ...to leap at your sexual offer being over-analytical.

If you would care to join us for some ...recognized form of social interaction like a drink, we'd be fine ...but otherwise, I think you should try offering to some other table.

Juan antonio:What offended you about the offer? Surely not, that I find you both beautiful and desirable. 

Vicky:Offended me? No, it's very amusing...galling, to be honest, but ...is it my imagination or is it getting a little late?

Cristina:I would love to go to Oviedo.

Vicky: what?  Are you kidding? Or?

Cristina:I think it would be so much fun. I think we should go. I'd love to go.

Vicky: Cristina, Can we discuss this some other time?

Juan antonio:When I saw you across the room at the art gallery ... ...I noticed you have ... ...beautiful lips.  Very full, very sensual.

Cristina:Thank you.

Vicky:Okay,Okay, I'm s- ,you know ,if you want to go .

Cristina:I can't guarantee the lovemaking--because I happen to be very moody.

Juan antonio:Let's not negotiate like a contract. I came over here with no subterfuge, and presented my best offer. I hope you will disscuss it and give me the pleasure to take you with me to Oviedo.I have the good fortune to borrow my friend's plane.  It's just big enough for the three of us and I'm a very good pilot.

Vicky:It sounds very safe.

Juan antonio:Think it over.

Vicky:I hope you're joking about going.

Cristina:Oh, my god,This guy is so interesting.

Vicky:Interesting?  Are you kidding? What's so interesting?  He wants to get us both into bed. But he'll settle for either.  In this case, you. 

Cristina:Vicky, I'm a big girl, okay? If I want to sleep with him, I will. If not, I won't. Vicky:Cristina, he's a total stranger.  This is impulsive, even for you ... And if I heard right,  he was violent with his wife. 

Cristina:At least he's not one of those factory-made zombies.you know?I mean, This is a great way to get to know him.

Vicky: no, it's not.  I'm not going to Oviedo ... ...with this charmingly candid wife beater. You find his aggressiveness attractive, but I don't.  And he's certainly not handsome.

Cristina:I think he's very handsome. He has a great look.  I mean, he's really sexy.

Vicky:Well, you would, because you know, you're a neurotic.

Cristina: you have to admire his no-bullshit approach.

Vicky: What are you talking about?it’s all bullshit.I am not going to Oviedo. First off, I never heard of Oviedo. ...I don’t find hin winning, Third ,even if I wasn’t engaged …and was free to have some kind of dalliance with a Spaniard, I wouldn't pick this one.

[talking on her cellphone to Doug]

Vicky: hello, Oh, hi.  I can't talk right now. I'm trying to save Cristina from making a potentially fatal mistake. what?  No, the usual. I'll call you back. I love you, too.

Cristina: If we go back to the House now, we can just throw some things in a bag and we'll meet him there.look,I took an instant liking to this guy. I mean,He's not one of these cookie-cutter molds. You know, He's creative and artistic. 

Vicky: Cookie-cutter mold? Is that what you think of Doug?

Cristina: Doug?  Who said anything about Doug?

Vicky: It's ridiculous. You like the way it sounds to pick up and fly off in an airplane.

Cristina: I know. I don't know why I'm so scared, unless I'm scared of myself.

Vicky: It's a mistake, Cristina.

Juan antonio: They predicted a little storm out of the town, out of Oviedo, but it's nothing serious. Don't worry, really. As you can see here .... There, it's just a little bumpy, right? 

Juan antonio: Would you like to fly it?

Cristina: No, thank you!

Juan antonio: It's easy.  It's even easier than a car. Try it.

 

Narrator:By early morning, they had reached their destination ... ...and proceeded to a hotel that Juan Antonio had selected for them. Vicky made sure she and Cristina had their own room and Juan Antonio had his. If he was disappointed, he hid it well.

After freshening up, he took them to see the sculpture that was so meaning to him.

 

Cristina: [Looking at a sculpture of Jesus] Are you very religious?
Juan Antonio: No, no, no, I'm not. The trick is to enjoy life, accepting it has no meaning whatsoever.
Cristina: No meaning? You don't think that authentic love gives life meaning?

Juan Antonio: Yes, but love is so transient. Isn't it? I was in love with a most incredible woman... and then in the end...

Vicky: Yes?
Juan antonio: Maria Elena, she put a knife into me.

Cristina: My God, that's terrible.

Vicky: Maybe you did something to deserve it.

 

Narrator: Juan Antonio took his guests for lunch.  They discussed art and romance. He was full of stories about Maria Elena, his sex wife ...whom he criticized and idolizde.He proved to be a good host, and in the afternoon, he took them to see the local sights ...where they enjoyed hearing about the city and took photos.  Later, they bought candy and cakes at a charming sweet shop ... ...which were homemade and delicious.  They continued to document their trip and while Vicky remained skeptical ... ...Cristina had a wonderful time. The question of sleeping together did not come up until that night ... and Juan Antonio was a little drunk.

Juan antonio: you're welcome.Well, now that the day is almost over, is it reasonable of me to ask you if you would both join me in my room?
Vicky: Oh, come on, I thought we settled that.
Cristina: Vicky's just trying to say that she's engaged to be married, that's all.

Juan Antonio: Great. Then these are her last days of freedom.
Vicky: No. Look, I'm not free. I'm committed. You know what my theory is? And when I drink, I get brutally frank. I…I think that you're still hurting from the failure of your marriage to Maria Elena, and you're trying to lose yourself in empty sex.
Juan Antonio: Empty sex? Do you have such a low opinion of yourself?

Cristina: she’s just saying it has to have meaning for her, that’s all.

Juan Antonio: I mean, the city is romantic,the night is warm and balmy. We are alive, Isn’t that meaning enough?

Vicky: I just came along to keep cistina company. I’m engaged to be married, I have a handsome ,lovely fiance who I make love with. And who also holds a very real place in my heart. And to be perfectly frank, juan antonio…if I were the type of person who played around, I don’t think it’s in the cards for us. So, I'm tired. I haven't slept in twenty-four sekretaris ... ...and that is exactly what I'm going to do.

 

Narrator: During the conversation, an awkward moment occurred.

 

Juan antonio: And you?

Cristina: I'll go to your room, but you have to seduce me. 

Cristina: Hi.

Juan antonio: Hello

Cristina: I am just here to have a quick drink ... to say thank you, then I'm going back to my room.

Juan antonio: Did you act in the small film you made?

Cristina: Did I act?  Yeah, I acted. Why?

Juan antonio: I hope you were more convincing than you are pretending to have come here for one quick for the drink.

Cristina: I am here to go to bed with you. You're right. So you're pretty much home free, unless you ... blow it.

Juan antonio: Blow it?

Cristina: yeah.

Juan antonio: Blow it. You mean ruin the moment?

Cristina:Yeah. 

Juan antonio: And how would I do that?

Cristina: oh,  I don't know.  It could be anything from ... some inane comment to .. wearing the wrong kind of shorts. Although...somehow, by looking at you ... I think you’re wearing the right kind of shorts.

Juan antonio: You're very hard to please.

Cristina: Yeah, well...I am famous for my intolerance.

Juan antonio: And what do you want in life besides a man with the right shorts?

Cristina: Um, I don't know. I know not going to settle until I find what I'm looking for.

Juan antonio:Which is what?

Cristina: Something...else.  I want something different.  Something more.  Some sort of...counterintuitive love.

Juan antonio: Meaning?

Cristina: Meaning, um .... I don't know. I don't know what I want. I only know what I don't want. If you don't start undressing me soon, this is going to turn into a panel discussion.

Juan antonio: Are you okay? 

Cristina: Yeah, I'm fine ".  It's something I ate.

Juan antonio: What's wrong?  Can I get you anything?

Cristina: No, I...I shouldn't be drinking. 

Juan antonio: What happened?

Cristina: I'm going to be sick.

Doctor: It's her ulcer and perhaps food poisoning. Maybe both.

Vicky: God, both.

Doctor: she must just rest.  Not eat.

Vicky: Rest?

Doctor: Yeah. Rest, rest.

 

Narrator: With Cristina stuck in bed, Vicky was anxious to get back to Barcelona and in no mood to sightsee.

Vicky: oh, When he gets out of his meeting, can you get him to call me on my cell?  Yeah, I'm still stuck in Oviedo. 

Narrator: But sightsee is what they did.

 

Juan antonio: I feel very sorry about Cristina.

Vicky: Oh, come on. Don't pretend concern. I'm sure you kept encouraging her to drink ... As you did to both of us throughout dinner.  But I can hold my liquor.

Juan antonio: She never mentioned her ulcer.

Vicky: No. No, because she's a adolescent ... and being romantic, "she has a death wish. So for a brief moment of passion ... ...she completely abandons all responsibilities.

 

Narrator: After lunch, Juan Antonio took Vicky to see the old lighthouse at Aviles ...which  she found very beautiful.

 

Juan antonio: oh, I was born near here. It would be a sin if I came out here without paying a visit to my father. Would that be boring to you?

Vicky: No. No, I think that would be the first genuinely interesting proposition you've made me.and I would love to see your father and his house.

Juan antonio:my father, julio.

Vicky: oh, you know, If we carry on, I don't think it 's gonna…

Juan antonio: That's fine.  That was great. En, He speaks no English.

Vicky: I'm sure my Spanish is going to go.

Juan antonio: He refuses to speak any other language.  That's an important point with my father, actually. 

Vicky: Really?  That’s Why?

Juan antonio: Because he's a poet and he writes the most beautiful sentences in the Spanish language ... but he doesn't believe that a poet should pollute his words by any other tongue at the time.

Vicky: no, It makes sense. I understand, because of the translation …and the things you might lose. I took some Spanish. Of course, I have no flair for languages. I read it much better than I speak it. Maybe I could read your father.

Juan antonio: No, he doesn't publish.  That's the point.

Vicky: well, Why not?

Juan antonio: oh, I'll explain later. Do you want some conac?

Vicky: oh, Yes, thank you. Just a very, very, very little.

Juan antonio: very little. You look good--you look healthy, Papa.

Juan antonio’s father:Yes, and you, too, look well. What do you hear of Maria Elena? 

Juan antonio: She's still living with the architect in Madrid.

Juan antonio’s father: That woman was the best .I still have erotic dreams about her, at my age.

Juan antonio: She also loved you very much, Papa. What a shame--with that gift of God ....

 

Juan antonio: This was my favorite place to read when I was young. And, Yes, I wanted to be a writer, not a painter.  Painting came later.  And I wanted to play music, too.  I mean, all I know is that I was full of...I don’t know..--real emotion, and I had to find a way to express it.

Vicky: Cristina says the same thing. 

Juan antonio: Cristina is a very interesting girl.Want to sit?

Vicky: Yeah. So ... ...tell me, why won't your father publish his poems?

Juan antonio: well, he hates the world and that's his way of getting back at them. To create beautiful works and then …Deny them to the public, which I think is ...

Vicky: My God. Well, that makes him so angry toward the human race?

Juan antonio: Because after thousands of years of civilization ... ...they still haven't learned to love.

Narrator: They returned to the hotel. Cristina was feeling better, but far too shaky and needed more rest. Vicky and Juan Antonio dined together at a lovely little restaurant.She was more relaxed than at lunch, and had just finished a great deal of wine. This time she was enjoying the conversation.

 

Juan antonio: no place on earth. My father used to bring me here.

Vicky: Hello.

Doug: hey, Did I get you at a bad time, babe?

Vicky: oh, No, I'm just about to eat. Can I call you back?

Doug: ok, Let me just say one thing.  Paul and Maryanne found a house up where they are ... that they like even better than the one in Bedford Hills .

Vicky: Oh, yeah?  Uh, you're breaking up a little.

Doug: How--?  Babe?  Call me later, but this house has a pool and a tennis court. Ok, We could both take lessons from Paul's instructor.

Vicky: Okay, I'll call you back. I can't hear you.

Doug: I love you.

Vicky: God.  The connection's terrible. 

 

Juan antonio: Here.

Vicky: What is this wine?  It's delicious.

Juan antonio: It's great.  Was that your fiance?

Vicky: Uh, Yes, yes. 

Juan antonio: Why were you so nervous to him?

Vicky: Was I nervous?

Juan antonio: Yes, you turned red.

Vicky: Well, I'm sure it's the wine. 

Juan antonio: Would he be upset if he know we were dining together?

Vicky: oh, No, not at all!  Are you kidding? I mean, I don't think he'd love the basic concept of me sitting with a man drinking wine over candlelight...but he'd quickly realize there was nothing to worry about, so .... Would you ever withhold your work from the public out of rage?

Juan antonio: oh, no,No, I'm not like my father. No, I told you ... ...I affirm life, despite everything.

Vicky: right,right,Well ... I'd be curious to see your work.

Juan antonio: Really? Why?  I mean, you are so disapproving of me.

Vicky: Well, I've gotten to know you better. And It'd be interesting, and after all, you are a catalan painter and that's my subject.

Juan antonio: What gave you such an interest in catalan culture? 

Vicky: Well,I fell in love with Gaudi’s church when I was fourteen And one thing led to another.

Juan antonio: You also admire Spanish guitar, I hear.

Vicky: Yes, yes.  I love the guitar.

Juan antonio: Would you like to go hear some wonderful guitar tonight?

Vicky: Tonight? Well, it's a little late, and ... ...I'm a little wobbly from the wine.

Juan antonio: You said you could hold your alcohol. Besides, we leave tomorrow. 

Vicky: Okay, sure.

Juan antonio: Great.

 

Vicky: That was unbelievable.  Thank you, thank you.

Juan antonio: I was looking at your face and you looked very moved.

Vicky: Yes, yes.

Juan antonio: a few times, I saw a look like that.. 

Vicky: right. On, Maria Elena, I'm sure.

Juan antonio: Well, Yes, maybe on Maria Elena.  If she saw ... or heard  something that moved her, yes.

Vicky: You're still in love with her.

Juan antonio: oh, No, I'm not, I'm not.

Vicky: en, That confirms it.

Juan antonio: No, she will always be a part of me. She's an important person in my life ... ...but for the two of us, something was not working.

Vicky: What element?

Juan antonio: We never found out.

Vicky: um…,You said you were looking at my face.

Juan antonio: Why?  Why were you looking at mine?

Vicky: Was I?

Juan antonio: You probably saw my tears.

Vicky: Yeah...I'm a little out of control. 

Juan antonio: I was looking at your face because I find it very beautiful.

Vicky: you do?

Juan antonio: of course I do. Of course I do. You know I do.

 

Narrator: On the trip home, Vicky, who had mentioned nothing to Cristina,was silent. Cristina, on the other hand, talked nervously.

 

Cristina: I must apologize to both of you for ruining the whole weekend! I'm completely  mortified! I'm humiliated. I, I don't know if it was the wine, or the shellfish.  Because I have this ulcer.I, I just thank God you know enough sights to keep Vicky occupied. I had these horrible nightmares that you two would be like oil and water ... ...hating every minute of being together. I, I just couldn't move.