The Bus
1. INT. JUANCHO'S DINING ROOM - NIGHT
In a dark and festive atmosphere, Magda (61) blows out the candles on her birthday cake. She smiles as Juancho (32), Maite (32), Felipe (10), and Marta (8) applaud. Felipe and Marta hug Magda and give her a gift. The dining room decor suggests that they are a family of modest means.
2. INT. JUANCHO'S KITCHEN - NIGHT
Magda opens her birthday present, while Juancho enters the kitchen.
JUANCHO
Well, Mom, you won't have to suffer anymore when you look for the kids at school.
Magda sees that she has received a small device with headphones and smiles.
MAGDA
(Sarcastically)
As long as the suffering now isn't because they tried to steal this little pot from me ...
Juancho looks at Magda suspiciously and adds, a little annoyed.
JUANCHO
Damn it, Mom, you don't even do the laundry or lend the tub! You don't even say thank you! An MP3 player isn't just any little gift.
Magda looks at Juancho with a hint of sadness and shame.
MAGDA
That's not it, son. I'm more sorry they spent so much.
JUANCHO
(Excited)
No way, girl! With pleasure! Don't you always complain about the reggaeton they blast on the buses? (LOOKS AT HER). There's your favorite music recorded...
Magda nods and puts an earbud in her ear. Juancho approaches Magda and turns on the player. Magda is amazed when TURANDOT, performed by Maria Callas, begins to play.
3. EXT. BUSY STREET - DAY.
Magda walks, fascinated, towards the bus stop, MP3 player in hand, listening to Don Giovanni. When she arrives, a bus passes and she gets on through the front door.
4. INT. BUS 1 – DAY.
The bus starts moving. Magda walks to the center and sits down, without having to share a seat. It's almost empty; there are only five or six people spread out among more than eighteen seats. An erotic salsa song is playing in the background, so Magda turns up the volume on her MP3 player and Tristan and Isolde starts playing. Magda stares out the window, lost in thought, absorbed by the music.
5. EXT. SCHOOL ENTRANCE / SIDEWALK – DAY.
Magda waits for Marta at the school gate; there's a commotion of children shouting. Magda puts her headphones around her neck and sees Marta in the distance. She waves to her, and Marta waves back, running to meet her grandmother. When they arrive, Marta hugs Magda and kisses her on the cheek, and they start walking toward the bus stop.
MARTA
How's the MP3 player, Grandma?
MAGDA
Excellent, my dear! It couldn't be better.
MARTA
(Moved)
I see you're starting something new...
Magda takes Marta's hand.
MAGDA
Okay, but hurry up, Felipe is about to leave and the buses are packed at this time of day.
Marta and Magda quicken their pace and disappear into the crowd.
6. INT. BUS 2 – DAY
Magda and Marta board the bus through the front door, and the bus starts moving. All the seats are full, but Magda notices two women (52 and 56) getting up from the back and quickly walks to the rear, holding Marta's hand.
MAGDA
Hurry up, Marta, there are two places back there.
Marta and Magda reach the empty seat and sit down. Magda looks tired and leans her head back, while Marta stares out the window. At that moment, a deafening noise causes a vibration in Marta and Magda's seat. And reggaeton music starts blasting. Magda is startled and turns around to discover that two enormous basses are booming next to her, swaying to the music. Magda flies into a rage and punches the edge of the seat in front of her.
MAGDA
(Furious)
What a drag! These thugs are at it again with that crap blasting at full volume!
MARTA
(Raising their voice)
But put on the MP3 player, that's what we gave it to you for.
MAGDA
Oh, damn it, right!
Magda calms down a little, searches in her pocket and starts pressing a button on the MP3 player.
MAGDA
How does this thing turn on? I don't even know how I turned it off.
Marta takes the MP3 player and turns it on. Meanwhile, Magda puts on her headphones. And La Sonnambula begins to play. But the reggaeton's volume drowns out the opera Magda is listening to, so she turns up the volume, but it's useless; no matter how high Callas sings her highest notes, the reggaeton's booming continues unabated. Marta gets angry again and starts complaining loudly.
MAGDA
(Haughty)
But is it really possible that we have to put up with this crap no matter what ? Doesn't this torment bother anyone?
Marta looks at her grandmother with consideration and notices that some passengers, despite looking at her, remain unmoved. Magda puts her hands to her head with a hint of despair. But she reacts.
MAGDA
(Shouting)
No! I'm not putting up with it this time! If you don't turn down the volume, there's going to be trouble here.
A MAN (45) looks at Marta and shakes his head from side to side. Magda gets up and stands in the hallway.
MAGDA
(Aloud)
Are you guys ecstasy users, that you have to listen to this music at full volume?
Some passengers look at Magda with curiosity. A couple of young girls (14 and 15) stare at her, whisper something to each other, and laugh. Magda looks at Marta.
MAGDA
You wait for me here, save my place, I'll be right back.
Magda walks towards the back door of the bus. Hanging on, with one foot in and one foot out, is RAMÓN, the collector (22). Magda approaches him.
MAGDA
(In a good way)
Hey dude, who do I have to talk to to get them to turn the volume down?
Ramón shakes his head from side to side, laughing. Magda begins to despair.
MAGDA
(Sarcastically)
What are you laughing at?
RAMÓN
No way, ma'am! This music is the only thing that brightens our day. If you don't like it, cover your ears.
Magda raises the MP3 player and glares angrily at the collector.
MAGDA
I have this thing here to cover my ears, but the noise is so loud that even this doesn't help.
Ramón looks at Magda as if he doesn't understand.
RAMÓN
Well, I don't know, if you want, get out and take another truck.
Magda, enraged, grabs Ramón by the collar of his flannel shirt and pulls him closer to her.
MAGDA
(Violent)
You know how this is? All hell's going to break loose here, and I'm going to make sure you all respect the passengers. You're not going to mess with me anymore!
Ramón forcefully pulls his hands off Magda and dusts himself off. The bus stops and Ramón gets off, while about 12 passengers begin to board and stand in the aisle; one walks toward the last seat. Ramón gets back on his seat.
RAMÓN
(Annoying)
Now you're really going too far, Grandma! It's best if you get down.
MAGDA
Oh, yes! You'll see what it means to cross the line...
Magda turns around and heads to her seat. But instead, Tato (23), a very shady-looking man, is sitting there.
MAGDA
(Furious)
Damn! So what now?
The man pulls out a knife and brings it close to Marta, without being seen by the other passengers, and stares intently at Magda.
TATO
So here's the thing...
Tato brings Magda closer, taking her by the collar of her blouse.
TATO
(In a low voice)
Now you're going to start a fight here. While I'm taking what's mine. You distract all these people or I'll mess with your girl.
Marta cries silently. Magda is speechless, begins to sweat, turns pale, and walks to the center of the bus. She looks from side to side, but no one sees her anymore; everyone is lost in thought, while the music continues to blast at full volume. Magda turns and looks back at her seat. Marta, still frightened, continues to cry softly. Tato signals to her to go forward. Magda walks back to Ramón, grabs him by the chest, pulls his shirt, and drags him along with her, while he groans.
RAMÓN
Well, old lady!
MAGDA
Oh, come on, old lady, nothing! You're going to fix this mess.
Magda pushes her way through the passengers in the aisle and continues dragging Ramón. He tries to get away from her, but Magda grabs him tighter and pulls him to the front of the bus. Ramón falls to the floor and POPI (32), a fat man who drives the bus, turns around.
POPI
But hey Ramón, what's this all about?
Ramón gets up quickly from the floor. All the passengers watch the spectacle. Ramón looks at Magda with a hint of fear. Magda stares intently at Popi.
MAGDA
What the hell is this? You'd better turn that music off or all hell will break loose here.
Popi stops the bus, while Ramón dusts himself off.
POPI
(Haughty)
What's up with that?
MAGDA
That's exactly how it is, like I said. Turn that shit off now.
RAMÓN
This old woman is driving me crazy, she's been making a fuss about the music for half an hour.
Magda turns around and Tato continues sitting next to Marta.
POPI
Is that how it is? Get off me now, you old whore!
Magda grabs Popi by the jaw and stares at him.
MAGDA
I'm not lowering anything, and you'd better get going.
Magda grabs the curtain on her right and tears it down. Ramón and Popi look at each other in surprise.
MAGDA
Let's get started, then!
Popi starts the bus. Magda turns around and sees Tato wandering around the back of the bus, while Marta remains frightened. Magda panics and starts fighting.
MAGDA
(Shouting)
Turn that thing off!
Popi, turn down the music.
POPI
I'm not turning anything off, you damned old woman! And you're going to pay for that curtain.
Magda turns around and tears down half of the curtain on her left, but loses her balance and falls on top of the passengers sitting in the seat below it. A 29-year-old woman in that seat starts to complain.
PASSENGER 1
Damn old woman! You're not going to drag me into this mess.
Popi signals to Ramón, who grabs Magda by the arm and tries to throw her down the stairs, but only manages to make her fall to the floor, between the feet of the other passengers. A fat man (33) gets up and complains.
FAT
(Shouting)
But come on, help the lady. Good grief ! Show some respect!
MAGDA
(Furious)
Now I've got the devil inside me. You'll remember me.
Magda gets up and pushes Ramón, who falls on top of Popi. Popi stops the bus again, gets up, pushes her way through, and grabs Magda by the neck, while Magda turns around and sees that Marta is alone in her seat and Tato is nowhere to be seen.
POPI
Look, you old piece of shit, get off this thing right now.
Magda shakes herself.
MAGDA
That's fine, but...
Magda lunges for the bus's stereo and kicks it off with her foot, turning off the music, while grabbing onto Ramón to keep from falling. Popi grabs her by the collar of her blouse again, while Marta, now beside her, takes her arm.
POPI
(Threatening)
You get off or I'll make you get off.
A PASSENGER (25) from the back of the bus stands up and shouts.
PASSENGER 1
(Shouting)
Damn! All that fuss and some jerk back here stealing! What a mess!
Magda takes Marta by the hand and quickly goes down the stairs, making her way through the passengers.
7. EXT. BUS STOP – DAY
Magda, tired, shaken, and bruised, sits down on the sidewalk and looks at Marta, who is whimpering in fear beside her. The people around them stare at them strangely. Magda hugs Marta.
MAGDA
It's over now, my dear. It's over now.
8. EXT. SCHOOL DOOR/SIDEWALK – DAY
Felipe runs to meet Magda and Marta, but notices they're acting strangely . The three of them walk towards the bus stop.
FELIPE
What's wrong with you guys?
MAGDA
Nothing, son, we want to go back by taxi, but we don't have enough money.
Felipe looks at Marta and leans close to her ear.
FELIPE
(In secret)
What's wrong with my grandmother?
MARTA
(Grim)
Nothing, Feli, nothing.
9. EXT. BUS STOP – DAY
A bus stops at the bus stop, Magda, Felipe and Marta get on through the front door.
10. INT. BUS 3 – DAY
A river of people forces Magda, Felipe, and Marta down the bus aisle to the very end. A CHANGA BLASTS AT AN UNHEARD-OF VOLUME. Magda notices the last row is empty. FOUR ENORMOUS BASS SPEAKS TO THE RHYTHM OF THE MUSIC. There are two empty seats, and the three of them sit between them. Magda, exhausted and defeated, ends up by the window and throws her MP3 player out the window as the bus lurches forward.
11. EXT. STREET WITH VEHICULAR TRAFFIC - DAY
A close-up shot reveals the back of the bus where Magda, Felipe, and Marta are sitting. The camera zooms out, revealing the bus's name and a large sticker that reads, "May God protect us." The bus then disappears among the other vehicles.
END
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