I Just Met A Girl Named Maria...

After I left the locutorio (the internet cafe), I walked down along Puerreydon street towards the water. It was Día de los Estudiantes (Day of the Students---apparently they get the spring solstice off since it was September 21st). Students were everywhere in the parks. Hanging out, smoking certain substances, lots of wine bottles strewn about. I walked around, through a design mall (a cross between Elm Street, Ikea and an airport terminal) and after watching the gymnasts trying to outperform each other on the lawn, I ended up outside Recoleta Cemetary. This is where our scene begins...

EXT. RECOLETA CEMETARY - BUENOS AIRES

A bewildered-looking blond tourist, dressed in "LUCKY" sweatshirt and camera bag with bedraggled hair, walks by the main gate. He is surrounded by EXCITED STUDENTS, who chat rapidly in spanish, dance, drink wine, lie about on the lawns. A young girl in an pink shirt runs up to the tourist.

YOUNG GIRL
(grabs tourist's shoulder, stopping him)
Where are you from?
TOURIST
(under his breath)
Clearly not from here.
(aloud)
I'm from San Francisco.
GROUP OF FRIENDS
SAN FRANCISCO! YAY!
The tourist is surprised to discover a large GROUP OF FRIENDS standing behind the YOUNG GIRL. Clearly they are her posse. The tourist's face lights up in a big smile.

YOUNG GIRLI am Maria. These are my friends.
TOURIST(in terrible accent)Hola, Maria. Me llamo Blake.
GROUP OF FRIENDSBlake from San Francisco! Yay!
MARIADo you like....Maradona?
BLAKE
He is an excellent soccer player!
GROUP OF FRIENDSMaradona! Yay!
MARIADo you like....The Bocas?
BLAKEYes! I'm going to see them play on Sunday!
GROUP OF FRIENDSBocas! Yay!
MARIADo you like --(pause)George Bush?
BLAKE(thumbs down)Not at all!
GROUP OF FRIENDSYay!
MARIAYou are a beautiful man. I am eighteen. How old are you?
BLAKE(carefully)Thirty-five.

MARIAThirty-five? Really?
BLAKEYay!
MARIAYou are very handsome.
(presents her right cheek)
Kiss!

Blake KISSES her right cheek.

MARIA(presents her left cheek)
Here.

Blake KISSES her left cheek.

MARIA(touches her lips)
Here.

GROUP OF FRIENDS(salaciously)Whoa!
BLAKE
(blushing)
No.
MARIA(mocking hurt)Aw! Why not? Am I not beautiful?
BLAKEBut you are eighteen!

The GROUP OF FRIENDS LAUGHS.

MARIAWelcome to Buenos Aires!

BLAKEThank you SO MUCH!
MARIA and her GROUP OF FRIENDS begin to walk away. Blake stands in place, grinning.

Beat.

BLAKEWait, wait! Maria! Maria!
One of the trailing group of friends sees Blake and begins to shout her name as well. Maria emerges from the group.

BLAKE
Una photo!

The GROUP OF FRIENDS quickly gathers round Blake and Maria and poses.