LA CHUNGA: You’d like that, wouldn’t you? So you could scarper without paying me for the beers.
EL MONO: Ahaha. I’ve brought you back to life again, Chunga, Chunguita. (Blows on the dice, kisses them, and throws them.) Holy Whore. Now for the six.
(All four of them watch, their eyes glued to the little black and white cubes as they go on their bumpy journey among glasses, bottles, cigarettes and matchboxes. This time they roll off the table on to the wet earthen floor.)
One and three is four, superstuds. I just needed another two. The bank is still up — if anyone’s got the balls to bet.
LITUMA: Hey, what happened that time with Meche, Chunga? Go on. Make the most of it while it’s just us today. Tell us.
JOSE: Yes, go on, tell us, Chunguita.
LA CHUNGA: (Detached as always, in a drowsy voice) Go and ask your bloody mother. She’ll tell you.
(EL MONO throws the dice.)
EL MONO: And it’s a six! Right, you bastards, I’m pissing on you all from a very great height. Now open your mouths and start swallowing, hahaha! (Turns towards the bar.) It must be your sweet temper, bringing me luck, Chunguita. (Lifts up the kitty and kisses the banknotes and coins in an extravagant manner.) Another couple of beers, nice and cold mind — because this time, they’re on me! Hahaha!
(LA CHUNGA gets up. The chair carries on rocking, creaking at regular intervals, as she, the owner of the bar, goes to fetch a couple of bottles of beer from a bucket full of ice, which she keeps beneath the bar. Listlessly, she carries them to the superstuds’ table and places them in front of EL MONO. The table is bristling with bottles. LA CHUNGA returns to the rocking chair.)
JOSE: (Provocatively, in a shrill voice) Are you never going to tell us what you did that night with Meche, Chunga?
JOSEFINO: Do you want to be raped? Well, shut up about Mechita, d’you hear, or I’ll have the pants off one of you in next to no time. Just mention her name and I start to get a hard-on.
EL MONO: (Winking, he talks in a falsetto voice) You too, Chunguita?
LA CHUNGA: That’ll do, you bastard. I’m here to serve beer, not to be made a fool of — not by anyone. Why should I listen to your smut? Just watch it, Mono.
(EL MONO starts to tremble; his teeth start to chatter, he shows the whites of his eyes, he moves his shoulders and hands, as if in the throes of some hysterical convulsion.)
EL MONO: Oh, I’m scared. I’m scared.
(Helpless with laughter, the superstuds slap him to bring him to his senses.)
LITUMA: Take it easy, Chunga. We may make you mad at times, but we love you really. You know that.
JOSEFINO: Whose bloody stupid idea was it to talk about Meche? It was you, wasn’t it, Lituma? Shit, you’ve made me all nostalgic. (Raises his glass, solemnly.) Let’s drink to the tastiest little wench that ever set foot this side of the Andes. To you, Mechita, in heaven, in Lima, in hell, or wherever the fuck you are.
Meche
As JOSEFINO proposes the toast and the superstuds drink, MECHE enters. She moves slowly and rhythmically which suggests someone entering the real world from the world of the memory. She is young and neat and has a firm, full figure — very feminine. She wears a light, close-fitting dress, and shoes with stiletto heels. She cuts quite a dash, as she walks. LA CHUNGA’s eyes widen and light up, as she watches her approach, but the superstuds remain unaware of her presence. By comparison, LA CHUNGA’s attention is focused on her so intensely that it is almost as if the present were losing all concrete reality for her, as if it were becoming blurred, fading away, to the point of extinction. Even the voices of the superstuds become thinner and fainter.
EL MONO: I’ll never forget the look on your face that time Meche came in here, Chunguita. Quite stunned, you were.
LITUMA: You’re the only one who knows where she is, Chunga. Come on, do us a favour. What’s it to you? Put us out of our misery.
JOSE: No. Why don’t you tell us what happened that night between the pair of you, Chunguita? Shit, I can’t bloody sleep at night for thinking about it.
EL MONO: I’ll tell you what happened.
(Sings, pulling his usual funny faces:)
Chunga with Meche
Meche with Chunga
Cheche with Menga
Menga with Cheche
Chu Chu Chu
And long live Fumanchu!
LA CHUNGA: (In a faint and distant voice; mesmerized by MECHE, who is now beside her) Hurry up and empty those glasses now, I’m closing.
(Imperceptibly, JOSEFINO gets up, and, moving out of the present into the past, out of reality into the world of the imagination, he goes and positions himself next to MECHE, taking hold of her arm in a proprietorial fashion.)
JOSEFINO: Good evening, Chunguita. May I introduce Meche? MECHE: (Stretching out her hand to LA CHUNGA) Pleased to meet you, señora.
(The superstuds, still engrossed in their game of dice, acknowledge JOSEFINO and MECHE with a wave of the hand.)
(LA CHUNGA holds MECHE’s hand and devours her with her eyes; it is clear from her voice she has been moved by the experience.)
LA CHUNGA: So you’re the famous Meche. Welcome. I didn’t think he was ever going to bring you. I’ve been so much wanting to meet you.
MECHE: So have I, señora. Josefino talks a lot about you. (With a gesture towards the table) They all do, the whole time. About you and this place. I was dying to come. (Indicating JOSEFINO) But he wouldn’t bring me.
(LA CHUNGA resigns herself to releasing MECHE’s hand; she attempts to regain her composure and appear natural.)
LA CHUNGA: I can’t think why. I haven’t eaten anyone yet to my knowledge. (To JOSEFINO) Why wouldn’t you bring her?
JOSEFINO: (Joking obscenely) I was afraid you might take her away from me, Chunguita. (Putting his arm round MECHE’ s waist and flaunting her conceitedly) She’s worth her weight in gold, wouldn’t you say?
LA CHUNGA: (Admiring her and nodding) Yes. This time I must congratulate you, Don Juan. Even though you are from the Gallinacera. She’s worth more than all those other women of yours put together.
MECHE: (Rather embarrassed) Thank you, señora.
LA CHUNGA: Don’t be so formal. Just call me Chunga.
LITUMA: (Calling from the table) We’re starting another game, Josefino. Are you coming?
JOSE: You may as well, Josefino. It’s Mono’s turn with the dice. You can guarantee it’ll be a walkover with this poor cretin.
EL MONO: Me a cretin? Holy Whore, I’ll be buggered if I don’t fleece the lot of you before the night’s out. You’ll have to leave me Mechita, as a pledge, against all that money you’re going to lose, Josefino.
JOSEFINO: (To LA CHUNGA) How much do you think I could get for this little doll, Chunguita?
LA CHUNGA: As much as you want. It’s true. She is worth her weight in gold. (To MECHE) What are you drinking? It’s on the house. Would you like a beer? A vermouth?