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MERCEDES

You dated a cop?

CARMEN

I didn’t say I dated him. I said we used to live on the same block. He’s about four years older than me. I had a crush on him.

FRASQUITA

I was in love with an older guy once. I would have married him but his wife was my cousin, so…

MERCEDES

Anyway, you can’t be in love with a cop. Cops don’t have hearts. They got little tin badges inside where their hearts should be.

CARMEN

I was in love with him once. A little.

FRASQUITA

And what did he say when you told him?

CARMEN

I never told him. Maybe I should now.

MERCEDES

Hey, wait a minute. Do you know who that guy is? I saw his picture in the paper. He’s the one who shot that kid in the park. He could be weird. You don’t want to fall for a guy like that.

CARMEN

Girlfriend, I don’t “fall” for nobody. I’m not into love games anymore. I know what love is all about, and this girl is staying on the sidelines with her heart under lock and key.

FRASQUITA

Lock and key!

CARMEN

(sings “La Habanera”)

Love is a bird that sweetly dreams,

Soaring high in a clear blue sky.

He wants to rest, to settle down,

But summer comes and he has to fly.

You call to me; I turn away,

But I listen as sweet love sings.

I want to go, I want to stay,

While within me, my heart has wings.

L’amour, L’amour, L’amour, L’amour…

Latino boys have love so true,

But in my heart I must always be free.

You ignore me, then I’ll love you,

And when I do, beware of me.

You ignore me-at least you’ll try,

But I’ll love you,

And if I love you, if I love you,

Beware of me!

FRASQUITA

Carmen is right! Love is not for us!

CARMEN

(looking at JOSÉ)

I bet he doesn’t even remember me. I think I was ten when he moved.

MERCEDES

Ten? Carmen, you were never ten! Anyway, boys don’t remember anything.

CARMEN

You’re right. I’ll say hello, anyway.

CARMEN goes over to JOSÉ, who is looking at some papers. She puts her hand over the papers, and he looks up.

CARMEN

José Ibarra. You know I remember you from the old neighborhood, when I lived on Manhattan Avenue. You lived in the only building on the block with an elevator.

JOSÉ

That was a long time ago.

CARMEN

You used to buy potato chips from Ferrara’s and eat them on the corner. Once I was standing in the doorway of my building and when I saw you passing, I lifted my skirt a little so you could see my legs. You didn’t even look in my direction.

JOSÉ

We were both young. You’re very pretty now.

CARMEN

You went to church with your mother every Sunday. The early Mass.

JOSÉ

You were really watching me.

CARMEN

De pe a pa. We were poor, and you looked rich. We were nothing much, and you looked pretty special to me.

JOSÉ

You know, I remember you now. Someone said you were a gypsy.

CARMEN

You don’t remember me.

JOSÉ

Didn’t you go to Saint Dominic’s? But you were just a kid.

CARMEN

(smiling as she twirls)

Am I a kid now?

CARMEN dances playfully around JOSÉ. The other cops motion for him to go after her, but he tries to ignore her. Finally, he takes a step toward her, but she moves quickly away. She stops, takes the flower from her hair, and tosses it to him. He catches the flower and looks down at it as she crosses toward him.

JOSÉ

For me?

CARMEN

For you, baby. I didn’t know you would still be so handsome. Your wife must be proud of you.

?

JOSÉ

I don’t have a wife.

CARMEN

Then your woman must be happy with you.

JOSÉ

I don’t… What do you care?

CARMEN

I care about a lot of things. You’d be surprised.

CARMEN moves closer to JOSÉ. The other cops gesture for him to go after her, but he is shy. When he takes another step toward her, she runs away and into Delgado’s as the other officers laugh.

ZUNIGA

Okay, okay, let’s get back to the station. We’ve got work to do.

TÍA SOFIA

And don’t come back without a warrant!

ZUNIGA

In this neighborhood, nobody has an education and everybody is a lawyer!

MERCEDES

In this neighborhood, you don’t need an education because they don’t hire us anyway. You need to be a lawyer because one way or another-you will get arrested.

ZUNIGA

Yeah, yeah. Look, mami, we don’t need your lectures today. When we come back, we’ll arrest you first.

MERCEDES

Oooooh, Officer, I’m sooo scared!

MERCEDES follows the other factory girls from Delgado’s back to work.

The POLICE OFFICERS begin to pack it in, gathering their gear and leaving in twos and threes. MICAELA comes from around a corner.

ZUNIGA

José, what are you now? The village stud? First Carmen gives you the eye, and now this girl comes to look for you again. She was here before.

JOSÉ

What girl?

He sees MICAELA and smiles broadly, putting the flower that CARMEN gave him into his pocket.

MICAELA

I was looking for you.

JOSÉ

And here I am. How are you?

ZUNIGA and other officers are off to one side, leaving JOSÉ and MICAELA center stage.

MICAELA

I’m good. I like working at the school. The hours are good, and the pay’s all right. I’m taking classes in the summer. Maybe I can get a degree and teach.

JOSÉ

Sounds good to me. What are you doing in this neighborhood?

MICAELA

I told your mother I was coming over here today to the new Lowe’s to buy a picture frame. She gave me a message for you.

JOSÉ

How is she?

MICAELA

She misses you. But José, she’s so happy. She’s finally been accepted into the senior citizen housing. One bedroom and one and a half baths. The building is beautiful, overlooking the park. She gave me this letter for you. She asked me to…

MICAELA blushes as she looks away.

JOSÉ

To what?

MICAELA

She kissed me and asked me to pass it on to you.

JOSÉ

Well, if she asked you to pass it on, you can’t keep it for yourself…

MICAELA shyly kisses JOSÉ.

MICAELA