The Neighbor Episode 001
The day kicks off on a bad note as Sara is informed that she has just been fired. Not just her, but all of the employees because the management has decided to shut down the hotel where she works. She claims it an injustice as many of the people there need to earn a living to take care their family’s needs.
Thus kicks off Sara’s job hunting excursion. She is turned down by two potential employers (one likes her CV but will not make an exception and same to the second one). While one happens to take down an employment alert sign just as she sees it and is about to enter. She even sees a sign for help wanted as a waitress but deep down she knows she is better than that.
Sara goes back home and without asking further, her mother, Mercedes, cheers her up although Sara is a bit distressed because of their expenses.
She decides to go see her boyfriend, Cheo, but to her surprise, he is busy flirting with another girl. She stands from a noticeable distance and decides to pick her phone and call him. He says he is busy working and she replies sarcastically that he is a cheap cheater. He sees her immediately and chases her explaining that the woman is just but a client. she tells him she does not want to see him again and ends their relationship.
Sara drives to San Gaspar where her uncle. Simon, and his condo buddy, Bruno welcome Sara. At some point, Cheo calls Simon’s residence to serenade her on the phone. She cuts the call as she does not want to speak to him again. Simon then manages to set up an appointment for her with a petroleum processing plant in San Gaspar called Conatrol.
The engineer, Ignacio Lopez, is impressed with her CV. He hires her and he says there could be a slight problem. She begins to defend herself saying that despite not being knowledgeable in the area. she is willing to learn, but he cuts her short saying the problem isn’t that. The issue is that she will have to move from Provincia to San Gaspar.
Well, it turns out that there have been major gas robberies occurring at Conatrol. Antonio Andrade is called to Conatrol by Engineer Uribe. he is required to carry out an investigation on who is initiating the theft of the gas at the plant. As such, he is told that he has to move to San Gaspar much to the annoyance of a yound Ricardo, who works at the firm and clearly dislikes Antonio. He really wants to know what Engineer Uribe was telling Antonio in his office. the latter comes out and leaves for a café with his friend, Sebastian. he informs of Uribe’s suggestion as they blame Engineer Lopez’s as being incompetent concerning the robberies. they all started when he took position of PR at the firm.
However, he receives a call that the Engineer Lopez is about to be called for questioning in the office. Apparently, unknowing to Antonio and Sebastian, Ricardo has followed them and is listening in on the phone call.
As she packs her clothes to leave for San Gaspar. Sara tells her mother that the only thing that saddens her most is not seeing her. Mercedes comforts her saying it is for the best as now she has a job and things will get better. they can speak to each other every day. She exclaims that Engineer Lopez told her she can start the next day immediately.
Isabel is Antonio’s girlfriend. He goes to her apartment and informs her that he has to go to San Gaspar. There is a very serious matter that has arisen at Conatrol. Her first impulse is to be a bit taken back because they are getting married soon. he assures her that she can continue with the wedding arrangements and maybe if he has to move there. he can live there while she lives in the Federal District (she has an art exhibition coming up and cannot leave at all).
she refuses because she will not accept a long distance marriage. They have to be together as husband and wife. She then calmly tells him they can postpone the wedding. he can sort out the issues at Conatrol then they can find a viable solution to the predicament.
Engineer Uribe calls Lopez and tells him that the robberies have been alarming and unfortunately, seeing as he (Lopez) has no solution to the problem, Uribe informs him that his position has been given to Antonio Andrade. He will not be fired but lowered to another position but then Lopez says he is not interested and quits, saying he is moving back home and will not be returning to Mexico City.
Marina is sent a notification to the computer about the position change and informs everyone at the office rather noisily and in a shaky manner that Antonio is taking the place of Engineer Lopez.
One of the men at the gathering walks away and calls his boss, whom we know nothing of, and tells him of the news.
Meanwhile, Ricardo and his buddy, David, are chatting and Ricardo says that there is no way Antonio is coming back to the company. The person in question walks by them and hands Ricardo a file and the latter kisses up to Antonio about his excellent working skills and how he will be there if Antonio needs anything and Antonio subtly thanks him and walks way, making Ricardo say they will help him where they can – so he won’t come back.
Sara says goodbye to her mother and brother and drives off.
At his office, Sebastian is calling Antonio off on his job with the petroleum plant but the former tries to show his efficiency by calling Ligia, the receptionist and asking her to fax him all the documents concerning the PR affairs and Sebastian decides to leave as he has somewhere to be but Antonio is positive he can manage it despite the commitments.
As she drives for San Gaspar, Cheo drives up with his pickup truck ahead of her and stops her asking her where she is going and she tells him she is moving to San Gaspar to work. He is enraged but she retaliates by saying she owes him no explanations. He starts to entangle her clothes and calling her out on the short skirts she has packed thinking unimaginable things but she says she is going to work. He says the first guy to try and take advantage of her is a dead man.
The man whom the goon called is called Pedro and he wants his goon to tell him everything that is happening with the position that Engineer Lopez has been relieved off and pays the man.
Antonio arrives at the plant and wants to know why he has no one was there to meet him at the airport because Marina says that they knew he was coming but they did not know how soon. Marina calls onto Rafael and they assemble all the men to the field and he tells them that he will not allow incompetence and leisurely on goings because Conatrol has to be the best petroleum plant in the region.
Rafael tells him that he ought to move in to the apartment that Engineer Lopez was living in and he accepts. Rafael drives him and he feels relieved when he steps out to the balcony because he has been sweating since he arrived at the office and the mosquitoes are bugging him way too much. Sara also happens to be at the balcony of her Uncle Simon’s home now that she has moved in with him. She says hi to Antonio and says she is “The Neighbor” and tells her she is available if he needs anything –just being neighborly. However, he coldly puts her off and she just shrugs.
Marina and Rafael later make fun of Antonio and his serious attitude toward making the plant successful and how he was angry at not being picked up at the airport. That is when she suggests they make a welcome party for him to make up for his unattended arrival.
Bruno arrives with a friend of his, Javier, and they decide along with Sara to celebrate her moving to San Gaspar. They get bottles of beer and go to the balcony and put on some loud music. Antonio is there and they try to invite him but he declines and walks way. Sara says he is too serious and they go back in to the house and elevate the volume. He goes out and meets with Simon coming back home and asks him to have the volume turned down. Simon comes in and tells them to turn the volume down and thus Antonio is able to keep talking to Isabel on the phone but they turn the volume up again – with guests in the house increasing- and Antonio calls the caretaker and says if he does not have the neighbors turn down the volume he will call the police.
The caretaker calls them and tells Sara and Bruno of the neighbor’s threat while Simon turns down the volume. He goes to their house himself and locks the keys unknowingly inside his apartment. The guests are singing while playing guitars and Simon tells him to calm down. He goes back to his house only to realize he locked his keys in.
Simon helps him call the handyman who says that it could take a while to get the locks open. His phone keeps ringing and the handyman finally helps him to get a phone – from the neighbors much to Antonio’s discomfort. They allow him to use it as everyone watches him and Javier even makes a joke that he can now call the police.
As soon as he calls Isabel and says “my love” they all burst out in laughter again and he tells her what happened but she is distrusting of the noise and thinks he is partying and finally hears Sara’s voice. Isabel asks who the woman is and he decides to leave from the house as they all make fun of his seriousness.
The next day, Sebastian comes to see Natalia and Isabel tells him that she isn’t feeling right because Antonio was at a party at the neighbor’s and the last call he made to her was the neighbor’s house and there was even a girl around him.
Marina brings in a lot of party props as she and the rest of the workers are organizing a welcome for Engineer Antonio to welcome him to Conatrol.
Rafael realizes the boss is not there and goes to his apartment He says the door hinge broken and comes into the house looking for Antonio who is fast asleep. Antonio is freaked out when he stirs awake and asks what time it is.
Upon arrival at the office, everyone claps and cheers him a welcome but he orders all the party props down as the workplace is not a party place and he has had enough from the party that went on at night at his neighbor’s. Apparently, he is still sweating a lot.
He then calls Marina into the office and tells her sternly that the office is strictly a workplace and dismisses her. Outside his office, Sara has arrived for her first day of work and asks Marina to speak to Engineer Lopez but she is told he quit and Sara is worried and wants to speak to the engineer. Marina calls into his office and informs him of a visitor who was offered a job there and says the visitor can come in. Sara walks in and when she says “good morning”, he turns and both become wide eyed to see each other there and exclaim at the same time, “You!”
By: Ian Walter
