1
- Well, folks, make no
mistake, it's hot out there.
Hot as hell and dry
as a nun's gusset.
And we're goin'
on our ninth year,
nary a drop of rain
from the heavens.
But as we look forward
to the fall and a visit
from the Queen of the South
herself, let's whet our
ears with a spritely version
of her Steady as the Rain.
We're here to humbly serve,
you're listnin' to Radio HQ.
Radio HQ
- One day...
I found something important.
My Abuela one day said,
"You find the most
important things
"when you're not looking."
That day, I was not looking.
So, when I found it...
I knew it was important.
That is my friend, Peeti.
He is always looking.
But mostly because
he cannot blink.
Papa came here to start
living in a quiet place.
But when I was born, it got
hot and it hasn't stopped,
and people in the
town got tired.
I like it because it's quiet.
When I was a baby,
our house bent down.
So Papa put a stick to
always keep it back up.
Sometimes, Papa is
thinking about horses.
But mostly, he is
thinking about the stick.
Mama is mostly thinking
about other people thinking.
And meatballs.
- Sailboat.
What is this little guitar
you have on the table?
- It's a little guitar I
found behind.
- To English.
- An angry cow.
- They can be very angry.
Such a beautiful little guitar.
Such craftsmanship.
Such delicate inlays.
Can you play on
this little guitar?
- No, but I was thinking
to teach it to myself.
- We will love
whatever comes from you
brushing on this little guitar.
We are blessed with you.
- Papa's
good at listening.
- Did you check the
stick when you returned
from leaving the manger?
- No.
- We must never forget.
I will do it first thing.
- My
Abuela one day said,
"Some things happen,
"so other things can happen."
My school was also--
Mostly a quiet place.
But not everybody
liked the quiet.
Like Mr. Bing.
- Right!
- He didn't
go to quiet much.
- The ultimate
challenge, little people.
Bing.
Versus beast.
The serpent.
Jurassic.
You must control the enemy.
You might yourselves,
why doesn't he let it out of the bag?
Why don't I let this
out of the bag, why?
So it can escape me and
bite someone on the neck?
Oh, no, you've
got to control the enemy.
That's right, supremacy
of the fittest.
Yeah.
So, which one of you little
tigers think you've got
the stones to come up
here and touch this bag?
Huh?
Didn't think so.
- The Rattlesnakes.
The Rattlesnakes.
The Rattlesnakes.
The Rattlesnakes.
- You should try
soccer with the team.
- The Rattlesnakes!
- Things at
my school like to stay
mostly the same.
But my Abuela one day said...
"Things can change."
- How'd your day go?
- I fixed the strings
on my little guitar.
- I got a call today,
Abuela is very sick.
We're goin' to the big
city to see her, okay?
We've come to see how you are.
- Madre.
We've come to see
if you're well.
- They say you're very sick.
- Yeah, I didn't believe them.
Did they tell you when
you can leave, I mean,
you must be eager to go?
- Can we get you anything?
Okay.
Maybe when we come back
- Sailboat.
Write me a song on
that little guitar.
- Some things happen,
so other things can happen.
- Jose.
- I didn't know about songs.
- Yeah.
- But also, Peeti
didn't know about soccer,
until he did it all day.
- Yeah, Sailboat will
write a song for Abuela.
Then she'll go home.
- Little crio makes me
nervous near the stick.
He has a problem with his eyes.
- If I could blink, I
could go for the team.
- Mm, but not many people can
always keep their eyes open.
- A doctor can fix them,
but it's a lot of money.
- Doctors have big
houses and new wives.
- I think boats
would be a lot of money.
- It takes no money to look
at them and think about them.
- Why do you think
about them so much?
- Because I was born
thinking about them.
- It is a boat?
- It is a sailboat.
- He's never seen a sailboat.
- Sailboat.
- I used to draw them
without stopping,
but now I found this book
that puts them in pictures,
and the man brings a book
when there's a new book.
It's a free book.
- So!
The ultimate
adversary, defeated.
Entoobed.
Yeah.
Enemy controlled.
Humans are the real
kings of the forest.
You ever seen a
lion entoob a snake?
I didn't think so.
Since a million years ago,
at the beginning of
humans,
suprema,
Oh no, oh no.
- My
Abuela one day said,
"It is important to sometimes
see with other people's eyes."
Maybe that day I needed
Peeti's, because I didn't see
the girl sneaking up to
me and my little guitar.
Not until she was
all the way close.
I also didn't see
the boy sneaking up.
- What you got here, Rowboat?
- These ones are very hot.
- Do it.
- Why's your guitar
so stupid and little?
Oh, my--
- What happened
to your little guitar?
- The hungry
boy cut the strings.
- Where can we find
this hungry boy?
- One time, the man
who brought the letters told
Mama to stop making the meatballs
because she is a meatball,
and Papa got a different
look onto his face.
The new man that
brings the letters
just smiles with no talking.
After that, Mama didn't
go out to people anymore.
- Sailboat!
- Papa got
that different look
onto his face again.
- Are you the guardian
of the hungry boy
who broke Sailboat's
little guitar?
- Tommy!
- I'm playing Hippos!
- Tommy!
- Hippos!
- He might be a few minutes.
Sir, can I get you anything?
- You're
listenin' to Radio HQ.
Radio HQ
- These ones
here are pretty good.
- They the best?
- Are they the best?
- The best?
Yeah, I can hear the
gentleman just there.
If you want the best,
you're gonna pay a bit more.
These come with a redemption
card for a free compact disk.
They're $41.
- Do you take cards?
- No.
Well, yeah.
Today.
I do.
- After
that, the boys at school
just smiled with no talking.
And my little guitar
was back, ready
for writing my Abuela's song.
But not every day
was a day for school.
Sometimes when you
think about someone,
everything else goes to quiet.
My Abuela one day
said I am lucky,
because I have two things
I can think of like this.
And in the quiet,
I could think of some
things for Abuela's song.
- Well, well, well, little man.
Could set my clock to ya.
I see you got yourself
a new acquisition there.
A little guitar, no less.
You know what an
acquisition is, little man?
Well, it's somethin'
you see and you,
you just gotta
have, and so, uh...
So, you acquire it.
Well, anyways, you ain't the
only one been acquisitionin',
as you might've noticed.
Alright, you ready?
- Mm.
- Well, I got these three
beautiful new babies right here!
Startin' with the American
dream, the Chavelle!
Screamin' out for the road and
a lifetime of erotic dreams!
Girl on girl!
But if that's not your cup
of tea, then turn your loins
to a truck made of meat,
the '72 Chevy pickup.
All the muscle in back
for a girl, guy, guy,
and if you's in between, and I
most highly recommend you is,
you might not even
need a sponge cushion.
But!
If your desires are of
a more serious kind,
and I can see that
they just might be,
this last baby is a Chinese
joss house on wheels!
The Chevy G20 Sport van.
Girl, guy, girl, guy, girl,
and I could go on all day
and night and I do believe
that you could, too,
given half a chance.
So, what'd you think?
- I think that's your best one.
I like the part about
the truck made of meat.
- Yeah, I've been
workin' on that all week.
Tryin' to really capture
the essence of the beast.
Glad you like it.
Yeah, I guess I'll
leave you two alone.
I don't know where you keep
poppin' in from, little man,
but I'm startin' to hope nobody
ever comes for that thing.
Don't know what anybody'd want
with her out here anyways.
Nearest water's
gotta be 1,000 miles.
But she was a good deal.
Mighty fine deal.
And a good deal's a good deal.
- Out in the quiet,
I thought of some words
for Abuela's song.
But even in the quiet--
- Meyo!
Has Sailboat returned
from the boat yet?
- Papa was still
thinking about the stick.
- Can you please get him
to check the stick, please?
Sailboat!
Can you please check
the stick, please?
- There's a bug.
- It's a wood ant.
- So, you got a problem
with the white ants?
- Wood ant.
- Whites ants.
- Wood.
Ant.
- Okay.
Can I come in?
Let's get down to business,
I'm gonna show you what I got.
Here we go.
Now, this guy is our base model.
He was raised on the pallets.
Now, given half a chance,
he'll get the job done.
You know, he's all instinct,
he's just a little slow.
But if you guys are really
serious about this bidness,
I'd consider this
guy right here.
Now, he was raised
on the white ants.
He got a taste for that fire!
- Wood ant.
- Oh.
That's right, my bad.
Listen, if you guys are
serious about this pest
control problem, then we gotta
take it to the top level.
Here we go.
This guy is your man right here.
Now, he's gonna cost
you a little bit extra,
but he'll eat
anything that moves.
He's a serious guy.
- Sailboat.
Fetch the special money.
- I'll write you up a receipt.
Appreciate the business, y'all
take care now.
- Sailboat!
Grab the string.
Tie it up here.
You got it?
Stand up.
Tell that in your
song for Abuela.
- Mama said not to
tell that in Abuela's song.
And Papa stayed at
the stick all night.
And even into the
middle of the next day.
Until he got a clear shot.
I now had some words
for my Abuela's song,
and I started to think
of some little guitar.
When Mama said--
- Sailboat, some more
papers have come with a record.
- It's got
changing colors.
- Hm?
- Is there music on
that compact disk?
- Contact disk.
Contact.
- Well, you should find out.
- Contact disk!
Contact!
- These notes
represent one octave.
Quando.
Now think of a strong emotion.
Hold it.
Now find a note that
represents this feeling.
Follow this with notes that
compliment this feeling.
This is called music.
Quando.
Now consider these notes
we have compiled for you.
Quando.
- I do believe that I
perceive it just by being...
Jose.
Jose.
Jose?
Did you finish
making your song yet?
- No, but maybe manana, then
we can take it to Abuela.
- Okay.
- Have you finished using
my compact disk player?
- Mm, it was a good help.
- Contact disk.
- Was there any music
on the compact disk?
- It was mostly a man teaching
me some little guitar.
- Did you learn it?
- I wrote a song for
my Abuela, she's sick.
Do you know about songs?
- My father prefers the
stylings of Ted Nugent
and Suzie Quatro,
but my favorite artists would have to be
the Beatles and John Travolta.
- Maybe I can play
to you my song
and you can tell me about it?
- It would be my
listening pleasure.
- My
Abuela one day said,
"Things can change."
- That was the greatest
song I've ever heard.
The notes were, were
all my memories.
The melody was far
superior to the Beach Boys,
and your words were
things nobody knows.
- I like that song.
Water boy, very important.
- Do you think we can
go and see Abuela?
- The hospital left
a message today.
Your Abuela is very sick.
- But I finished
my song for her.
- She's sleeping.
- We can go another time soon.
Um, maybe you can practice
her song for us to hear now.
We would like to hear your song.
Sailboat?
- Sailboat!
- Mm?
- Is your little guitar okay?
That was a song from Dios.
We're taking that song to Abuela
as soon as she gets awake.
Sailboat!
Your song gave me a
magnificent dream.
I was a horse hero, and
I had a special seat
to protect my culo from the
bumps, and it was singing!
- You cul, your
culo was singing?
What was it singing?
- Your song!
Your song also gave me this
other magnificent dream!
We were both riding close to
the sky, I was on my black
stallion and you were
on this little...
And uh, wait, let me get
ya.
Alright, get in, I'll tell
you about the rest of it.
- I was happy
Abuela's song was a happy song.
And when Abuela heard it,
she could be happy, too.
- Um, can you play me
the song again today?
- Mm, I'll play you the song.
You can come over.
Papa does not care that
you bent the house down.
He's happy with dreams now.
- Can you play me
the song again today?
- Mm, I'll play you the song.
- Molly, check.
Maggie, check.
Cyrus, check.
Tommy, check.
Blue Straps, check.
Peeti, check.
Yo, South of the Border, yippah!
Come on.
You're draggin'.
Where's your papers?
- I forgot it
when our house bent down.
- Are you the kid with
the dad with the face?
Uh, Jose, right?
- Mm.
- You want me to call him?
- Mm.
- Alright.
Hey, Jose!
You know, I used
to play a little guitar.
- Like this?
- No.
No, not like that.
So, what do you play, like
Freebird or Stairway or, uh--
- Yes, sir?
- Yeah, is this your boy?
- Ah, yes, sir.
- Would you mind if he goes
on the day trip with us?
- May I ask where you're goin'?
- Tobacco.
- Tobacco.
- Tobacco.
- Tobacco.
- Tobaccy.
- Tobacco.
- Oh, heck yeah!
Ever since they got the
paint done, woo-hoo!
Livin' the dream.
Feel that gun show, baby.
- Yes!
- Yeah, everybody wins!
- Yes!
Ow, alright.
- Hey, whoa.
Alright.
Enough.
Eyeballs, take your seat,
South, why don't you play us
a little somethin' to
settle these kids down?
Bon Bon Jovi, or whatever it is.
I got control.
Hey, did you hear me?
I said play a little
somethin', come on!
Play that little guitar, buddy!
Come on, Boat!
What have you done, kid?
- How was your day trip?
- Mr. Bing took away his hair.
Then some school people
told some other people
about Abuela's song.
- What you doin' with that
big ol' bus round here, Alisa?
- That's
all it took, one shot!
He may not get up!
Stumblin' around!
Eight!
Nine!
Got his hands way down.
Whoever thought we'd see this?
Oh!
That's all it took, one
shot, he may not get up!
- I'm sorry.
Will you come with me?
- Some people have come
to the yard to Sailboat.
Who, uh, were all these
people in the yard just now?
- Those are some school
people and some other people
that came to hear my song.
- Okay.
He may not get up!
Stumblin' around!
Eight!
Nine, can he make it,
it's over, it's over!
- Hey, Sailboat, I
had another dream.
I was ridin' in the clouds,
I was shooting my six-shooter
even higher and higher,
but it didn't shoot to six.
It just kept on shooting,
and everybody was
there to celebrate.
- Was I there?
- Yeah!
You were playing your song
on your little guitar!
- Was Peeti there?
- Yeah.
But I was forced
to shoot his ball.
- Was Abuela there?
Maybe we can go and tell
her about your dream
and I can play her song for her?
- Yeah, but I think
before we do that,
we've gotta wait till
Abuela's a little more rested.
Hey, but you know, when
Peeti was there, man,
I shot his ball not
once, I shot it twice!
Pah, pah, pah!
- The next
day, even some more people
started to know
about Abuela's song.
- Sailboat wrote a magic song.
- Sailboat wrote a song.
- Sailboat wrote a magic song.
- Sailboat wrote a magic song?
- Mm-hm.
Hi, Sailboat.
- You're like the boss.
- Bruce Springsteen.
- Bruce.
Bruce.
- Hey, Sailboat.
Are you gonna play
again tonight?
- Mm.
- Oh, good.
Okay.
I might, um, yeah.
- You're Bruce Spring Clean.
- Steen.
- Bruce.
- And then
they came to the outside.
- Bruce!
- Before
Abuela's song,
the people at school
were mostly quiet to me.
And then, after Abuela's song,
they were again quiet to me.
I think there are
different ways of quiet.
Maybe after Abuela
heard her song,
the first quiet would come back.
- You think more people
are gonna come hear the song?
- Mm.
- There's more and more people.
- Mama didn't
go out to people anymore.
- Woo!
Man, that is a
mighty hot meatball!
But it's good, it's real good.
Get yourself one,
that's a good meatball.
Woo!
That's amazing,
that's a complex heat.
Really
good, thank you.
Damn.
- Hey!
- Sometimes when you
think about someone...
Everything else goes to quiet.
It's a long time
before the game.
- Very important.
- Hey, guys.
We got class.
Come on.
- Very important.
- Come on, guys.
Let's go do some learnin'.
- Sometimes you
can do something for someone,
and it can also be
something for everyone.
But really, it is
something for someone.
Everyone just forgot.
- The Rattlesnakes.
- Where's Sailboat?
- But really...
It is something...
For someone.
- For you leftovers playin'
soccer this afternoon,
you need to report to the
locker room right after class.
- And stay tuned to
Radio HQ this afternoon
'cause we've got the one and
only, Queen of the South,
chattin' before her
big show in town.
Radio HQ
- Hey, there.
What're you doin' all
the way out here, kid?
- I'm going to the
big city to see my Abuela.
- The big city?
I don't know what Abuela is,
but I'm headin'
back to the city.
You can jump in, if you want.
In fact, I insist.
Get that.
Put your seatbelt on.
You're a long way
from anywhere, kid.
Woo, it's hot!
Hot as hell and dry as a nun's
gusset, and you're lucky,
'cause I ain't seen another
car since I started out.
And even I only ventured
out this way on the rumor
of an acquisition, you know
what an acquisition is, kid?
Well, apparently
it's when you see somethin'
you just gotta have,
so you acquire it!
- This is a good car.
- That's right, it's
a hell of a car.
- My Papa
has one just the same.
- Really?
- You have doors.
- Well,
yeah, it has doors.
Anyways, don't you wanna
know what I acquired?
It's the weirdest thing,
all the way out here.
A sailboat!
I know, I couldn't believe it!
I mean, I had never
seen one in the flesh.
So, when I saw it, naturally
I just had to have it.
So, I acquired it!
What's your name anyway, kid?
You ain't gonna
tell me your name?
- Sailboat.
- Yeah, I got a sailboat!
Strangest thing!
So, what is your name?
- Bruce Springsteen.
- Bruce Springsteen.
I'll be, my lucky day.
All the way out here in
the desert and I find a
Mexican kid with a little
guitar named Bruce Springsteen.
Speakin' of which.
What business you got with
that little guitar anyways?
Do you know what I
do for a living, kid?
- Sir, what're you doin' here?
- I'm, uh, waitin' for Sailboat.
- We thought he left early
to go home and prepare.
Lotta people are comin'
to hear him play the song.
- Alright.
- Where's Sailboat?
- He is not with you?
- No.
There's a lot of
people out here.
Maybe he's out there already?
- Maybe you can help
me take the albondigas
and we can check for him?
- Okay.
- Rattlesnakes!
Prairie Dogs!
Play soccer ball!
- Ref!
Come on!
- I have to go to Abuela.
- Whatever Abuela is, Bruce,
I'll help you find it.
But please, right now I
need you to come with me.
What you did back there...
I mean...
People have died waiting
to hear such a thing.
Look.
I can make it worth your
while, Bruce, I mean,
whatever, whatever you
want, what do you want?
Really?
That's what you want?
Alright.
You got a deal.
You got a deal.
Come on, let's go.
- Thank you.
- Just this way, right here.
There you go.
- Half-past three and when we
get back, I'll be chattin'--
- You ready to play, Bruce?
- You're listenin' to Radio--
- Huh?
Radio HQ
- Alright, you wait right here
and I'll be right back, okay?
Don't touch anything.
Hey, there.
- Hey.
- Heard you this
mornin', you were great.
- Oh, thanks very much.
- Yeah.
Well, I don't even know
how to say this, um--
- Are you okay?
- No.
No, I'm not, I've just had
the most amazing experience.
I can't even explain.
You're just gonna have to
trust me on this, you see--
- 30 seconds.
- Look, I'm gonna
have to ask you to
relinquish your microphone--
- Oh, no.
Why can't this wait for
your shift tomorrow?
- No, please.
- But I can't.
I'm about to have the Queen
of the South about to walk--
- I've got somethin'
so special--
- No, I have about 10 seconds
left, now you get out.
Get out!
- Whoa.
- Have
you lost your mind?
- No, CJ, no!
You've gotta start
playin' your age!
There ya go!
No, come on!
- Well?
- No.
- Excuse me, is
the boy gonna play?
It's just, I've
been so homesick,
and I heard that he might help.
Thank you.
- Where's the boy?
- He's going to play.
- Yes!
- Yes!
- I just have to hear it again.
- Where's the boy?
Radio HQ
- Before the big show,
we are lucky enough
to have her right
here in the studio.
So, how the heck
are you feelin'?
- Do you want me to play it?
- Oh, I feel great, you know.
- Yeah.
- To those people?
- Yeah.
- And then, can I go to Abuela?
- Bruce, I don't
know what Abuela is.
I wished I did.
I wished I could help you.
But I can't.
I'm sorry.
- Even
just this mornin', I woke with
this feelin', somethin' special
was in the air, you know?
- I don't get
it, where could he be?
- It's him, it's him!
- And
then everything,
went to quiet.
One day, I found
something important.
- Come on!
Can you see this?
- It's unusual!
- You can see the ball.
I need you to get that ball.
Do not pass it, you do not stop.
You're not gonna need this.
Sub!
Go!
You got it!
- Peeti,
Peeti, Peeti, Peeti, Peeti!
- Oh.
Hello.
What are you doing here?
- I am here for my Abuela.
- You can't
be in here, little man.
- But she is waiting for me.
- Uh, no, she's not
waiting for anybody.
She's been in a coma for days.
- She's waiting for
me to play my song.
- Uh, that may be so,
but she can't hear you.
Okay, but can you
make it quick, please?
- I did get
to play Abuela her song.
She did not move.
She did not say any words.
But she was waiting.
- Thank you.
- I did never
play Abuela's song again.
But the lady from the radio
place who sings sent us a letter
and now likes to sing
the song on the radio.
Sometimes she sends more
letters and some money,
and Papa can now buy us things.
Sometimes you get a gift.
Sometimes you give
it to someone else.
And sometimes it's not
what anyone expected.
Papa talked to the man
who drove me to the city,
and gave him some
money for my sailboat.
No, thank you.
- Mama got a new
gym suit and a new cooker
that can fit more meatballs
than we can ever have.
And the stick is
now the best wood
that wood ants cannot eat.
Papa got the horse
from his dreams,
but it got hit by a
bullet coming down.
So, he got another one.
And the man who drove me to
the city also did our deal.
Now Papa's car
has all the doors.
Radio HQ
- You're listenin'
to Radio HQ, and like it has
all month, my desk looks
like Vegas on a power surge.
Seems like you folks just can't
get enough and I gotta say,
if this ain't the greatest
song I've ever heard,
you can skin my hide and
call me muscles.
So, folks, you've been asking
for it round the clock,
so here it is once again,
the Queen of the
South's version of,
well, heck, you know what it is.
Take it away.