Almacenados (2015) Movie Script
1
WAREHOUSED
MONDAY
Are you the new guy?
They said you'd be here
some weeks ago.
There's so much to explain
and such little time.
What's your name?
-Nin.
-Nin?
What kind of name is that?
I'm Mr. Lino.
I spent 11 years training
before I was put in charge.
You will be in charge
in just five days.
You're a lucky man, Nin.
What a short name.
Is it a diminutive?
No.
It doesn't really matter.
Come. Let's get down to business.
Nobody's worn it for 28 years.
I used to wash it every fortnight.
You'll have to do that from now on.
Each man washes his own. Got it?
You have to punch the card twice a day.
Once when you clock in,
and once when you clock out.
They replace them every month.
They mail us the new ones
and I send them the old ones.
You work from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Got it?
You're going to have to clock in earlier
from now on.
Look at the time card.
TIME CARD
It says 7:05 a.m.
The machine is seven minutes
ahead of the clock.
You have to punch in at 6:53 a.m.
so it records the time as 7:00 a.m.
When they get your card at Headquarters,
they'll see you were five
minutes late on your first day.
-But I got here on time.
-What matters is what's on the card.
Got it?
Got it.
Come on.
In this book we record
all the merchandise
that comes from the factory.
Here we record all the merchandise
we have to send
to the Sales Department.
Here we record all leftovers,
defective or not,
that must be returned to the factory.
Got it?
The telephone is to be used solely
to get orders from the Sales Department
or to request merchandise
from the factory.
Absolutely no personal calls.
Got it?
Yeah, got it.
I'll take care of everything
until Friday.
You'll be in charge
of loading and unloading of merchandise
under my supervision.
Any questions?
Yes.
What merchandise?
Don't you know
the name of the company?
Salvalen.
Salvalen Aluminum Masts
and Flagpoles Corporation.
It's the second largest manufacturer
of aluminum masts
and flagpoles in the country.
Even the United States Embassy
hangs its flags from our poles.
The ad said,
"Warehouse manager wanted, Salvalen."
It didn't mention aluminum rods.
They're not rods.
They're masts and poles.
Poles for flags, and masts for boats.
We're going to have to start
from the beginning.
Mr. Salvalen owns one factory,
two warehouses,
plus Headquarters,
where the Sales Department is located.
There are 166 employees in total.
Most of them work in the factory.
From there, flagpoles are shipped
to Warehouse A,
and masts to Warehouse B.
That's us.
We don't touch the flagpoles,
we only store the masts.
Got it?
Got it.
The masts come in four different sizes,
which need to be separated
into groups right here.
The loading and unloading area
must be kept clear at all times,
so it's ready for whenever a truck comes.
And this part of the warehouse
is for leftovers,
divided into defective
and non-defective goods,
that must be returned to the factory.
Got it?
Yes, it's crystal clear.
Crystal clear? Are you sure?
Yeah, I'm sure.
It doesn't seem to be that difficult.
Fine.
Let's get down to business.
It's getting late.
Nin.
What kind of name is that?
I don't know.
My dad gave it to me.
He died right after I was born.
He died without telling anybody
why he gave you such a name?
How strange.
Mr. Lino, shouldn't we be doing something?
I know we have to wait
for the trucks to come,
but meanwhile shouldn't
we be sweeping the warehouse?
It gets swept 15 minutes
before the end of the shift.
It'd be absurd to sweep
when a truck could arrive
at any given moment.
Of course.
I hadn't thought about that.
You ought to think about it.
How often do trucks come?
They come when they come.
Does the factory let us know?
No, it doesn't.
And what about orders from Sales?
Do they let us know?
No, they don't.
There's something I don't understand,
Mr. Lino.
I thought everything
was crystal clear.
Yes, it's crystal clear,
but there isn't any merchandise here.
Like I said, a truck
may arrive at any time.
I'm sorry, there's only one chair,
and it's meant to be used
by the senior employee.
I spent 11 years on my feet
until the last manager retired.
You only have to spend five days.
How long have you worked here?
Thirty-nine years.
I'd be here five more years
if it weren't for my arthritis.
They're retiring me
due to chronic illness.
As if I were incapable
of taking care of this place.
We'll see if a kid can handle
all this responsibility.
I don't mean to take anybody's job.
I know, son. I know.
Around here, everybody
gets down to business.
At what time do you have breakfast?
At 10:00 a.m.
You mean 9:53 a.m.?
Don't forget the seven minutes.
Breakfast is at 10:00 a.m. sharp.
The seven minutes
are only for the time card.
We clock out at 2:53 p.m.
so our time cards say 3:00 p.m., right?
We clock out at 3:00 p.m.
I've always clocked out at 3:00 p.m.,
no matter what time it says.
Okay.
What difference do seven minutes make?
-May I go to the store?
-There aren't any stores close by.
What if a truck comes
and you're not here?
I can't unload it with my arthritis.
I have to answer the phone
and record everything in the books.
I can't do it all by myself.
Got it.
-What's in it?
-Egg salad.
Aren't you thirsty?
You should never eat and drink
at the same time.
You should drink before or after you eat.
Mr. Lino, when was
the last time a truck came?
What difference does it make?
You weren't even working here then.
Knowing when the last one came,
and the one before that,
we could figure out
when the next one will come.
They come when they come, damn it!
-I was just curious.
-You're too curious.
We get down to business here.
In the meantime,
we can talk, can't we?
As long as it's about work,
I don't see why not.
You said that Salvalen Corporation
is the second largest
mast and flagpole manufacturer.
That's correct.
Saltamar Corporation is the largest.
-Do we manufacture a lot?
-Quite a bit.
Bear in mind that Mr. Blackmoon,
the Ambassador of the USA, is our client.
Not only are the flagpoles
at the embassy ours,
also those in every
US consulate in the country.
They are replaced every three years.
That's in terms of aluminum rods.
-Flagpoles!
-Flagpoles.
But you said those belong
to Warehouse A.
What about the sailboat masts?
We're also the second largest
manufacturer of those.
Again, the largest one
is Saltamar Corporation.
Do we produce a lot of them?
There's greater demand for flagpoles,
we make more of those.
And in terms of sales?
How many masts do we sell?
Oh, they sell.
Otherwise they wouldn't manufacture them.
No trucks came today.
That's the way it is.
Some days you work non-stop,
and other days there's nothing to do.
As in any other job.
Sales hasn't called either.
The work comes and goes.
At the beginning, it can be hard.
But you're lucky.
You'll go from assistant to manager
in only five days.
And is the salary a lot better?
It's a fixed salary.
How much is it?
You ask too many questions.
Around here, we get down to business.
I'd like to know
how much I can aspire to.
Are you ashamed?
3,880 pesos a month.
3,880 pesos
after working here for 40 years?
39 years.
That's what they've always paid you?
Keep in mind we work part-time.
Part-time? It's an eight-hour shift!
You have the afternoons free.
-It's an eight-hour shift!
-It's a fixed salary.
-Got it?
-Got it.
TUESDAY
Not like that.
What's the matter?
Weren't you listening yesterday?
I explained everything step by step.
You come and do it all wrong.
-I got here on time.
-No.
-Yes, it says 7:00 a.m.
-But that's not how it's done.
You have to put on your smock
before you clock in.
Your shift begins once
you're wearing your uniform.
Those are the rules. Got it?
Putting on the uniform
isn't part of the job?
Of course not.
Then, why don't you ever put it on
outside of work?
-Are you trying to be funny?
-No.
I think that work starts
when you arrive at work.
We don't need wise guys around here.
Here we get down to business.
You clock in
after you put on your smock.
It's always been done that way.
Got it?
Got it.
-Should I clock in again?
-That won't be necessary.
But remember that for the next time.
What?
Is there a problem?
It's not that.
It's just that...
-I don't know. It just seems strange.
-Strange? It's just a chair.
Yes. It's not the chair.
It's the situation.
The two of us sitting here.
I don't know...
It's strange.
-I shouldn't be seated?
-Not necessarily.
As long as you get up
when a truck comes, but...
But?
Nothing... It's late.
-Let's get down to business.
-Let's.
What are you laughing about?
I'm not laughing.
-You were.
-I didn't laugh.
I was thinking.
I was thinking about the 11 years
I spent standing.
I never thought of bringing
a chair from home.
-So, it does bother you.
-No, no. It's fine.
You must think it's unfair
that you stood up all those years
and I sat down on my second day.
No, it's not that.
It's just that something like that
never occurred to me.
Of course, those were different times.
Other things were important to us.
We would get down to business.
How did he die?
What?
Your dad. How did he die?
I didn't say he died.
Yes, you did. Yesterday.
Your dad gave you that name
and died without telling anybody why.
You said that.
Well, he didn't exactly die.
He left, which is like dying.
He named you that
and then he left?
Yes, he gave me this name and took off.
Well, that's not right.
A father shouldn't do that.
Shouldn't do what?
Name his son Nin or take off?
Abandon his family.
It's no surprise you go around
saying he's dead.
I don't do that.
I just said that to you.
-Why?
-I don't know.
Maybe because
I didn't know you very well.
I don't know you very well,
but since you brought it up...
-I brought it up?
-Yeah.
In any case, Nin is a weird name.
It's not normal.
It seems like no trucks
are coming today either.
No.
That's the way it goes.
And then, two come at the same time.
It would be nice if one showed up.
That's the way it goes.
-The telephone didn't ring either.
-No, it didn't.
But you have to be ready.
The phone could ring
just as a truck is pulling up.
Or the phone could ring
as two trucks pull up
and we're having breakfast.
That's true.
Perhaps we should eat in shifts.
Do you think that's necessary?
You never know, Nin.
Mr. Lino.
What will you do after you retire?
I haven't given it much thought yet.
Mr. Lino, the floor
is covered with ants.
There's an ant's nest over there.
I've thought of exterminating them,
but they don't do any harm.
They've been making the same trip
for 39 years,
from the door to the nest
and from the nest to the door,
without deviating a millimeter
from their path.
Have you been watching
them all this time?
Only when there's no work.
I wouldn't mess with them
if I were you.
They make good company.
You only have to look at them
to realize that the world works.
It doesn't stop.
-Do you want to hear something about ants?
-What?
All the ants in the world weigh more
than all the people combined.
-That's nonsense.
-It's true!
Who's going to take the time
to weigh them?
Nobody. Maybe now you have
something to do when you retire.
Mr. Lino.
-I know why you like ants.
-Why's that?
They get down to business.
WEDNESDAY
Good morning.
-Do I have to get up?
-What?
Do I have to get up
to show you how to do it again?
That won't be necessary.
Good. Because I just sat down.
I won't mess up this time.
It's 6:53 a.m., which means
I'm clocking in right on time.
Fantastic.
Of course, I'm wearing my smock.
As it should be.
Since when has the machine been ahead
of the clock?
For as long as I've been here.
And you have never called Headquarters
so they can come and fix it?
Of course not. You think
they don't have anything better to do?
Seven minutes a day over 39 years
add up to a lot of hours.
A lot! Just multiply it.
I'm not wasting my time doing math.
Hey, Mr. Lino...
Damn it, the clock is ticking!
She said no
And I said yes
We never came to an agreement
And we fell out of love
You're in a good mood today.
Yes, I am.
-So, why's that?
-No particular reason.
By the way...
you'll have to close up
on your own today.
Don't tell me you have a date.
Something like that.
With a woman?
With Mr. Salvalen.
At ten o'clock, in his office.
Is it serious?
Very serious.
The company accountant
will be there too.
I have to sign my retirement papers.
-I don't get it.
-Get what?
Why you're so happy.
You don't really want to retire.
-Yes, I do.
-No, you don't. I can tell.
I think you're happy
because Mr. Salvalen
invited you to his office.
How often do you see him?
Once a year?
Mr. Salvalen drops by sometimes.
-How often?
-Quite a bit.
-How often is that? Once a month?
-Well, it depends.
Right, just like the trucks.
Some days he doesn't come over at all,
and other days, he comes over
multiple times.
-You don't believe trucks come?
-I didn't say that.
Trucks come, I tell you.
This is the slow season, that's all.
You'll get sick of unloading trucks,
arranging merchandise
and recording it in the books.
And, as for Mr. Salvalen,
he doesn't need to come around
because he has complete confidence in me.
For the time being,
Warehouse B is in capable hands!
We'll see what happens after that.
We'll see, you snot-nosed kid.
He's never been
to the warehouse, has he?
You've probably never met him
in your life.
Every year, he sends me
a Christmas greeting.
Today you're seeing him in person,
that's why you're in a good mood.
What will you do when you meet him?
I'm going to thank him, that's all.
Then, I'll come back and work
until Friday, not a day after that.
I'm looking forward to retirement.
It's my wife who isn't.
She doesn't want me home all day,
getting in the way.
You don't have to stay home all day.
I suppose you're right.
I have a son.
He's older than you.
Married.
Maybe he'll give me a grandchild soon.
And the kid will keep me busy.
It's time for me to be a grandfather.
Mr. Salvalen is younger than me,
and he has a 2-year-old granddaughter.
There was a picture of her
in last year's Christmas card.
If my grandchild is born next year,
there would be...
a four-year difference.
Four years isn't that much.
I can't believe it!
You're fantasizing about this!
How so?
You're imagining
that 15 or 20 years from now,
your grandson, who isn't even born yet,
will meet Mr. Salvalen's granddaughter
and they'll fall hopelessly in love.
Stop it!
That's enough!
They pay me to work,
not to put up with insolence!
Around here, we get down to business.
Got it? Yes or no?
Nin.
Nin!
Got it.
My time card is upside down.
So what?
I would never place
my time card upside down.
Oh, shit.
-This can't be happening.
-Oh, shit.
Oh, shit!
Did you clock in on my time card?
-I didn't mean to.
-You idiot.
You used my time card.
What am I going to do now?
What will I do?
Today of all days!
It had to happen today!
It's your fault! It's all your fault!
This is a disaster!
Mr. Lino, it's not that bad.
Not that bad?
Do you know what this means?
-It's just an extra stamp.
-Just an extra stamp?
In 39 years, I've never made
such a mistake!
You know what they're going
to say about me at Headquarters?
"The old man's going senile,
his brain's getting rusty."
Mr. Salvalen might even see it and say:
"At least we're putting
the old geezer out to pasture early."
What will they remember me for
at the company?
I'll take full responsibility.
Who's going to listen to you?
You're nobody in this company!
Get out.
-Are you firing me?
-Get out!
You're stepping on my ants.
You already killed
at least a dozen of them.
I wanted to ask Mr. Salvalen
to reconsider his decision.
I thought you wanted to retire.
Of course not!
Nobody likes being told
they are no longer useful.
Maybe they're right
to make me retire.
I've been here so long,
I'm starting to make mistakes.
It was my mistake, Mr. Lino.
No. I should have been supervising you.
You're not ready yet,
and I don't think you'll ever be.
Some people are good at it,
and some people aren't, Nin.
Nin...
What kind of father gives his son
a name like that?
What kind of father abandons his family?
A father teaches you everything
you need to know.
It's no wonder you're like him...
I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have said that.
Don't worry about it.
It's not your fault
that your father abandoned you.
Really, don't worry about it.
Did you ever hear from him?
Never.
He could at least have told you
why he named you that.
Do you hear that?
Hear what?
Help me, Nin!
Is it a truck?
It's one of ours!
Do you know where
the Saltamar warehouse is?
It's better that it wasn't one of ours.
I mean, you have to be
at Headquarters at ten.
That's true.
I can't miss my appointment
with Mr. Salvalen
and leave you alone
to unload a truck by yourself.
It's better this way.
Can I be honest with you?
I've been waiting
for a truck for three days.
When I finally thought
one was coming...
I felt lazy.
I imagined myself
unloading aluminum rods,
piling them up in that corner
according to size.
I imagined you recording
everything in the books,
answering calls,
and it really made me lazy.
I was glad when that guy said "Saltamar".
-Masts.
-What?
They're not aluminum rods.
They're masts.
And you shouldn't be glad to see
the competition's truck.
If it wasn't for them,
we would be number one.
Did I tell you that Mr. Blackmoon,
the U.S. Ambassador, is our client?
Yeah. You told me that on my first day.
And they replace them every three years.
But we don't even deal
with the flagpoles, just the masts.
What a disaster, my goodness!
What a disaster!
It's a pleasure, Mr. Salvalen.
How is your granddaughter?
On the contrary, thank you.
By the way,
I'd like to talk about a small issue
concerning my punch card.
Nin...
I'll be back to close up.
Didn't you say I'd close today?
After the issue with my card,
you can't be trusted.
I'll be back before 3:00 p.m.
Don't even get out of your seat
while I'm gone.
What if a truck comes?
It can wait.
We'll unload it when I get back.
If the phone rings, answer it
but don't say anything.
Answer but not say anything?
Just tell them the manager
is in a meeting at Headquarters.
I have to get out of my chair
to answer the phone.
I'll take that risk,
but only in the event of a call.
And don't you dare use
my absence to call your girlfriend.
I don't have a girlfriend.
What do you mean?
By your age, I was already married.
Because you got down to business.
Good morning, may I speak
with Mr. Salvalen, please?
It's Dr. Quezada calling. Psychiatrist.
No, he doesn't know me,
but it's urgent I speak to him.
No, it can't wait.
It's truly an urgent matter.
Listen miss, let's get this straight.
It's a matter of life and death.
Thank you.
Hello? Mr. Salvalen?
My name is Doctor Quezada.
I'm a psychiatrist.
No, we haven't met.
But there is an urgent matter
involving one of your employees.
I am calling about a Mr. Lino.
I understand he has a meeting
with you in 30 minutes, correct?
We have enough time.
Look, what I am about to tell you
is confidential.
Are you alone?
Is your accountant trustworthy?
Very well.
Look, sir. Mr. Lino...
has been my patient
for three years now.
His problem wasn't serious, but...
Arthritis? Didn't I say
I'm a psychiatrist?
No, Mr. Lino suffers
from a serious mental illness.
Yes, paranoid schizophrenia.
3888 PER MONTH
Let me fill you in.
Remember the punch card machine
at the warehouse where he works?
That machine is at the root
of his breakdown.
20 DAYS
194 PER DAY
Mr. Lino has worked
at that warehouse for 39 years.
During all those years, there's been
a seven-minute difference
between the time on the clock
and the machine.
He has clocked in every morning
at 6:53 a.m.
for the machine to stamp it at 7:00 a.m.
But he's always clocked out
at exactly 3:00 p.m.
If you check his punch cards,
you'll see it for yourself.
He didn't care before,
but now it has become an obsession.
He feels your company
owes him for all that time.
Yes it's absurd! What do you expect
from a schizophrenic?
I'm calling you
because I'm very concerned.
No, no. About you.
I don't know how to say this
without alarming you.
Lino has had other attacks
in the past with violent outcomes.
No, there's no need to call the police.
I'm his doctor, listen to me.
I'm going to tell you how to behave.
The first thing that you
have to do when he arrives
is greet him with a big hug.
24 PER HOUR
0.40 PER MINUTE
Sure, hug him.
No. He won't attack you.
Embrace him as if he were
a dear friend, like a brother.
Yes, I think it's necessary.
Hug him.
Hug him!
Do you have any liquor in your office?
Whiskey? Whiskey will do.
Have a glass with him.
Better make it two.
The accountant too, show camaraderie.
240 DAYS A YEAR
Then, you have to do something
that will surprise him.
I know, sing him a good-bye song.
I have 30 years of experience
as a psychiatrist, Mr. Salvalen.
I demand respect.
The song is an important element of shock.
Now, you have a two-year-old
granddaughter, don't you?
Well, Lino mentioned her
during one of his attacks.
Relax! You'll be fine.
Ask the accountant if he knows a song.
A ranchera song. Perfect.
You have 20 minutes to learn it.
Look, write this number down.
26,395 pesos.
That's what you owe him.
Sure, I jotted everything down.
He earns 3,880 pesos a month.
That would be 194 pesos a day.
Which makes 24 an hour,
40 cents a minute.
If we multiply that by seven minutes,
we get a total of 2.82 pesos.
He estimated...
Don't interrupt me, damn it!
He estimated 9,360 work days
over the past 39 years.
If we multiply 9,360 days
by 2.82 pesos,
it gives us a total of 26,395 pesos.
I know you owe him nothing,
but he believes you do.
Listen, man.
Let me be straight with you.
Listen, I think you have two options.
One: you can spend the rest of your life
looking over your shoulder,
hiring bodyguards
for your granddaughter.
Or you can just pay this nutcase
the 26,000 pesos.
It's a drop in the bucket for you.
Of course.
Consider it a bonus for the time
this guy put into your company.
Sure.
Got it?
I'll let you go now,
you have a lot to rehearse.
Sure, I'll give your secretary
my number.
No need, man.
At your service, pal.
Nothing of it.
No, you don't owe me anything.
Okay. Okay, good-bye.
Hello?
Hello, miss.
I'd like to ask you something.
Do you place many orders
for sailboat masts?
How did the meeting go?
It was just paperwork.
Just paperwork, that's it?
Just paperwork.
THURSDAY
I know, Mr. Lino. I'm late.
Stay away from the machine!
I already clocked you in at 6:53 a.m.
Thank you.
That was really nice.
I didn't do it to be nice.
It was a preventive measure.
Hey, when you got back yesterday,
you didn't ask if anything
happened while you were gone.
I figured nothing happened.
Everything was in one piece
when I got back.
And you wouldn't tell me
how the meeting went.
Like I said, just paperwork.
I thought something happened.
You looked out of sorts.
What did you expect to happen?
I just went in to sign
my retirement papers.
So you just signed them and left?
We had a drink.
You had a drink?
Mr. Salvalen insisted
on treating me to three drinks.
I never drink.
Alcohol doesn't sit well with me.
It gives me diarrhea and hives.
Look!
I spent all night
going to the bathroom.
My body can't take alcohol,
especially whiskey.
It tastes like...
-Like rotting wood?
-No.
Like a wet umbrella.
Well, shall we get down to business?
Let's do that.
I think they're intimidated by you.
-What?
-The ants.
I think they're disturbed
by your presence.
They've spent 39 years walking
back and forth on the same path
and now they're all over the place.
Do you think they can see you?
Ants can't see.
They know you're here.
That's why they changed their path.
Is what you said true?
What did I say?
That all the ants in the world
weigh more than all the people combined?
Yeah, I read it in a magazine.
It also said that they have
ventilation systems in their nests,
and that they milk other bugs
to feed themselves.
It's good they can't see,
or else they'd have televisions.
Nin.
May I ask you something?
Do you know the song that goes...
I came here Because I came here
To the flower festival
No mountain is too high for me
And no horse too mean
No. Never heard it before.
What song is that?
I don't know, they sang horribly.
Who did?
Can you keep a secret?
I don't think Mr. Salvalen is all there.
When I got to his office,
the first thing I did
was ask about his granddaughter,
and he pounced on me
and started hugging me.
I think he was even crying.
He was singing, then?
Him and the company accountant.
They were horribly off key,
and they only knew that chorus.
I came here Because I came here
To the flower festival
No mountain is too high for me
And no horse too mean
Maybe it was just a good-bye song.
Then he handed me a check.
A bonus for my devotion to the company.
You're not going to believe this,
but Mr. Salvalen knew
about the seven minutes.
It's incredible.
The man has 166 employees,
and he knows my punch cards by heart.
He's going to realize
I clocked in twice.
I won't think about that now.
I have a premonition.
I'm certain a truck
is going to show up.
Really? Did Mr. Salvalen say so?
No, not him.
When I was leaving his office,
I overheard his secretary
talking to somebody.
A doctor, I think.
He called to inquire
about sailboat masts.
Right.
I told you, that's the way it is.
You shouldn't obsess over the trucks.
You wait and when they come,
they come.
I bet the phone will ring
before breakfast.
I've had to go to the bathroom
for a while,
but I haven't budged because of that.
Aren't you having breakfast, Mr. Lino?
I can't eat anything.
My stomach is still in knots.
Headquarters are late to call.
All comes in due time.
You should eat something.
It's the best thing for a hangover.
I don't have a hangover.
Alcohol doesn't sit well with me,
that's all.
Today of all days that you're not well,
a truck has to come.
I can't wait any longer.
I'll leave the door open just in case.
Don't touch it! Don't touch it!
I'll answer!
Don't say a single word!
-Hurry, they're going to hang up.
-Silence!
Salvalen Aluminum Masts
and Flagpoles, Warehouse B.
Mr. Lino speaking.
How may I help you?
Yes.
Yes, he's here.
It's your dad.
Hello, dad?
What's up?
Are you sitting in front of it?
Yeah, I mean the computer.
Personal calls aren't allowed.
Are you at the desktop?
The main menu. The first thing
you see after turning it on.
You're holding up the line.
Yeah, go to "Start".
Click the left button on the mouse
and look for it...
Headquarters may be trying to call!
Yes. Click there.
What do you mean how?
The left button again!
You're holding up the company line!
Shut up!
Hello.
No, nothing's wrong, dad.
We're up to our necks in work.
Ready?
Good.
I have to hang up, dad.
I don't know, I have to hang up.
Bye.
That was my dad.
He bought a computer.
I gave him this number
in case he had trouble with it.
He has trouble all right.
Sometimes he's dead
and sometimes he's disappeared.
Look, Mr. Lino,
what I said about my dad...
It doesn't matter.
I figured you'd be nicer to me
if you thought I was an orphan.
Just leave it alone, Nin.
Why did I say that? It was stupid.
Seriously, it doesn't matter.
Yes!
It does matter!
That was your father
on the phone, right?
Your birth father.
The same man who gave you
that ridiculous name?
I tried. I did my part.
I put up with your tardiness,
your indifference.
I showed you the ropes.
I let you bring that chair
and sit all day.
I answered your questions,
no matter how impertinent they are.
I try to get along with you. I try!
But I won't put up with lies.
There's no place for lies
in this warehouse.
We're done. Around here,
we get down to business.
That's what we're here for!
There are different kinds of lies.
I said we're done!
No, Mr. Lino. We're not done.
There are lies we tell others
and lies we tell ourselves.
I talked to Mr. Salvalen's secretary.
-More lies!
-You want to know something?
She said they don't make masts.
Yeah, just as you heard.
They've sold tons of flagpoles
to U.S. embassies,
but not a single mast
in the 25 years she's been
Mr. Salvalen's secretary.
Not a single mast.
That's absurd, it doesn't make sense.
It sure doesn't.
Why would Mr. Salvalen
keep an empty warehouse?
I don't know.
Maybe he wants Saltamar Corporation
to think he makes masts.
Maybe the Government pays him,
or he's laundering money,
or he made a promise
to his dying granny.
I don't know and I don't care!
The fact is that this place
will never see a mast.
You don't know anything.
You've only been here four days.
Headquarters has never placed an order.
There's never been merchandise there.
The unloading zone
and the surplus area have been empty too.
You didn't hear
what Mr. Salvalen said to me.
"You are an integral part
in the apparatus of this business."
Today was the first time
the phone rang.
Enough!
You think I give a damn
what happens once I'm gone?
No! I don't care!
Let it burn for all I care!
I won't come back
even if Mr. Salvalen himself
asks me to!
Because he's going to ask me to.
He's going to beg me to return
when everything starts falling apart.
How could five days possibly be enough
to pass on 39 years of experience
to a lying, snot-nosed kid?
There are no masts here!
This is just a front!
A front for what?
So you talked to Mr. Salvalen's
secretary, right? All lies!
I talk to her every day.
You want me to do it?
You want me to call her?
MATERIAL RELEASE ORDER
You know what?
I don't give a damn
what you think about this company.
What's more, I don't give a damn
about masts or this warehouse
because I'm halfway out the door!
Sit down.
Suddenly I felt something snap.
Like something breaking in two.
Should I call an ambulance?
No... no. I'm alright now.
I'm alright.
After 39 years of perfect attendance,
Mr. Salvalen will forgive me...
for leaving a little early today.
Will you be able
to close up by yourself?
It's time you started assuming
your responsibility around here.
Are you sure you're alright?
It's possible I might be
a little late tomorrow too.
Mr. Lino.
Don't worry.
I'll clock you out
at 3:00 p.m. today,
and clock you in tomorrow
at exactly 6:53 a.m.
FRIDAY
It must be about 30 feet long.
It's 26.
When did it get here?
About 15 minutes ago.
-Mr. Lino.
-What's up, Nin?
I unloaded it,
but didn't record it in the books.
There's no rush.
I wasn't sure where it should go.
Are they going to fetch it?
I don't think so.
Then it goes in returns.
It doesn't look defective, does it?
Then, it belongs in non-defective,
surplus merchandise.
Third book.
I should have been here.
Never mind.
It got here, and here it is.
That's how it goes.
Sometimes there's nothing to do,
and other times
there is a lot of work to do.
Like at any job. Right, Nin?
That's right, like at any job.
What are you doing here?
Are you lost, or are you a scout?
Christopher Columbus was quite lost
until he discovered America.
Maybe you have to get a little lost
in order to find something.
Listen, listen up!
What's the point
of all this coming and going?
Right.
You have to feed the offspring.
You must grow your colony,
with its ventilation systems
and everything.
But, then what?
What are you trying to accomplish?
You already weigh more than we do.
It was you, wasn't it?
What about me?
You brought it.
Why would you think that?
Because it's the first one
to arrive in 39 years.
Actually, it's the first one
I've ever seen.
Well, I've seen them on television,
but those are always
attached to a boat.
It doesn't make much sense,
a mast without a boat holding it up.
By itself, it's just an aluminum rod.
Do you want to know how it got here?
Yesterday I made a call after you left.
-Did you use the company phone?
-It was an internal call.
I called the Sales Department.
"Hello, miss.
This is Mr. Blackmoon's
personal secretary.
We'd like to place an order.
I know it hasn't been three years yet."
There's one year to go.
"We want to order a mast
for the Ambassador's private boat."
She says the company
doesn't make masts.
"Isn't the company name Salvalen
Aluminum Masts and Flagpoles?
Why would it say masts
if you don't make them?
Let me be frank with you, miss.
Mr. Blackmoon chose your company
to replace the flagpoles
because he thought you would
throw in a mast for his sailboat.
If you guys can't get
your shit together,
we'll have to order
all our masts from Saltamar!"
Sure enough, Salvalen bought
a mast from Saltamar.
They're probably calling
the U.S. Embassy,
begging them for their continued faith
in the company.
What now?
What do you mean?
It doesn't make sense for either of us
to continue working here.
It doesn't make sense for you
to continue, but I'm staying on.
You must be joking!
I searched for a job for two years,
I'm not going to lose this one.
But this job doesn't exist.
It's not that different
from any other job, really.
No trucks are ever going
to come, Nin. Never.
I know that.
Go away, Mr. Lino.
Your work here is done.
But you're an intelligent young man,
with initiative.
You brought your own chair
on your second day!
What will you do here all alone
for eight hours every day?
If I didn't spend them here,
I'd spend them somewhere else.
A man's got to make a living.
-But this job doesn't exist.
-This job is a mistake.
A meaningless post, I don't care.
There's a contract and a salary.
It's shitty, but it's a salary.
I don't get you, Nin.
That's how it goes.
If it's not too much of a bother, Nin,
I'd like to complete my shift.
After all, I'm still an employee.
No. Stay there.
You've earned that chair.
I was thinking.
If you don't mind, Nin...
I could come in on Monday.
Not all morning, of course.
Just a couple of hours.
To help out,
should you need anything.
I don't know, they sang horribly.
WAREHOUSED
MONDAY
Are you the new guy?
They said you'd be here
some weeks ago.
There's so much to explain
and such little time.
What's your name?
-Nin.
-Nin?
What kind of name is that?
I'm Mr. Lino.
I spent 11 years training
before I was put in charge.
You will be in charge
in just five days.
You're a lucky man, Nin.
What a short name.
Is it a diminutive?
No.
It doesn't really matter.
Come. Let's get down to business.
Nobody's worn it for 28 years.
I used to wash it every fortnight.
You'll have to do that from now on.
Each man washes his own. Got it?
You have to punch the card twice a day.
Once when you clock in,
and once when you clock out.
They replace them every month.
They mail us the new ones
and I send them the old ones.
You work from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
Got it?
You're going to have to clock in earlier
from now on.
Look at the time card.
TIME CARD
It says 7:05 a.m.
The machine is seven minutes
ahead of the clock.
You have to punch in at 6:53 a.m.
so it records the time as 7:00 a.m.
When they get your card at Headquarters,
they'll see you were five
minutes late on your first day.
-But I got here on time.
-What matters is what's on the card.
Got it?
Got it.
Come on.
In this book we record
all the merchandise
that comes from the factory.
Here we record all the merchandise
we have to send
to the Sales Department.
Here we record all leftovers,
defective or not,
that must be returned to the factory.
Got it?
The telephone is to be used solely
to get orders from the Sales Department
or to request merchandise
from the factory.
Absolutely no personal calls.
Got it?
Yeah, got it.
I'll take care of everything
until Friday.
You'll be in charge
of loading and unloading of merchandise
under my supervision.
Any questions?
Yes.
What merchandise?
Don't you know
the name of the company?
Salvalen.
Salvalen Aluminum Masts
and Flagpoles Corporation.
It's the second largest manufacturer
of aluminum masts
and flagpoles in the country.
Even the United States Embassy
hangs its flags from our poles.
The ad said,
"Warehouse manager wanted, Salvalen."
It didn't mention aluminum rods.
They're not rods.
They're masts and poles.
Poles for flags, and masts for boats.
We're going to have to start
from the beginning.
Mr. Salvalen owns one factory,
two warehouses,
plus Headquarters,
where the Sales Department is located.
There are 166 employees in total.
Most of them work in the factory.
From there, flagpoles are shipped
to Warehouse A,
and masts to Warehouse B.
That's us.
We don't touch the flagpoles,
we only store the masts.
Got it?
Got it.
The masts come in four different sizes,
which need to be separated
into groups right here.
The loading and unloading area
must be kept clear at all times,
so it's ready for whenever a truck comes.
And this part of the warehouse
is for leftovers,
divided into defective
and non-defective goods,
that must be returned to the factory.
Got it?
Yes, it's crystal clear.
Crystal clear? Are you sure?
Yeah, I'm sure.
It doesn't seem to be that difficult.
Fine.
Let's get down to business.
It's getting late.
Nin.
What kind of name is that?
I don't know.
My dad gave it to me.
He died right after I was born.
He died without telling anybody
why he gave you such a name?
How strange.
Mr. Lino, shouldn't we be doing something?
I know we have to wait
for the trucks to come,
but meanwhile shouldn't
we be sweeping the warehouse?
It gets swept 15 minutes
before the end of the shift.
It'd be absurd to sweep
when a truck could arrive
at any given moment.
Of course.
I hadn't thought about that.
You ought to think about it.
How often do trucks come?
They come when they come.
Does the factory let us know?
No, it doesn't.
And what about orders from Sales?
Do they let us know?
No, they don't.
There's something I don't understand,
Mr. Lino.
I thought everything
was crystal clear.
Yes, it's crystal clear,
but there isn't any merchandise here.
Like I said, a truck
may arrive at any time.
I'm sorry, there's only one chair,
and it's meant to be used
by the senior employee.
I spent 11 years on my feet
until the last manager retired.
You only have to spend five days.
How long have you worked here?
Thirty-nine years.
I'd be here five more years
if it weren't for my arthritis.
They're retiring me
due to chronic illness.
As if I were incapable
of taking care of this place.
We'll see if a kid can handle
all this responsibility.
I don't mean to take anybody's job.
I know, son. I know.
Around here, everybody
gets down to business.
At what time do you have breakfast?
At 10:00 a.m.
You mean 9:53 a.m.?
Don't forget the seven minutes.
Breakfast is at 10:00 a.m. sharp.
The seven minutes
are only for the time card.
We clock out at 2:53 p.m.
so our time cards say 3:00 p.m., right?
We clock out at 3:00 p.m.
I've always clocked out at 3:00 p.m.,
no matter what time it says.
Okay.
What difference do seven minutes make?
-May I go to the store?
-There aren't any stores close by.
What if a truck comes
and you're not here?
I can't unload it with my arthritis.
I have to answer the phone
and record everything in the books.
I can't do it all by myself.
Got it.
-What's in it?
-Egg salad.
Aren't you thirsty?
You should never eat and drink
at the same time.
You should drink before or after you eat.
Mr. Lino, when was
the last time a truck came?
What difference does it make?
You weren't even working here then.
Knowing when the last one came,
and the one before that,
we could figure out
when the next one will come.
They come when they come, damn it!
-I was just curious.
-You're too curious.
We get down to business here.
In the meantime,
we can talk, can't we?
As long as it's about work,
I don't see why not.
You said that Salvalen Corporation
is the second largest
mast and flagpole manufacturer.
That's correct.
Saltamar Corporation is the largest.
-Do we manufacture a lot?
-Quite a bit.
Bear in mind that Mr. Blackmoon,
the Ambassador of the USA, is our client.
Not only are the flagpoles
at the embassy ours,
also those in every
US consulate in the country.
They are replaced every three years.
That's in terms of aluminum rods.
-Flagpoles!
-Flagpoles.
But you said those belong
to Warehouse A.
What about the sailboat masts?
We're also the second largest
manufacturer of those.
Again, the largest one
is Saltamar Corporation.
Do we produce a lot of them?
There's greater demand for flagpoles,
we make more of those.
And in terms of sales?
How many masts do we sell?
Oh, they sell.
Otherwise they wouldn't manufacture them.
No trucks came today.
That's the way it is.
Some days you work non-stop,
and other days there's nothing to do.
As in any other job.
Sales hasn't called either.
The work comes and goes.
At the beginning, it can be hard.
But you're lucky.
You'll go from assistant to manager
in only five days.
And is the salary a lot better?
It's a fixed salary.
How much is it?
You ask too many questions.
Around here, we get down to business.
I'd like to know
how much I can aspire to.
Are you ashamed?
3,880 pesos a month.
3,880 pesos
after working here for 40 years?
39 years.
That's what they've always paid you?
Keep in mind we work part-time.
Part-time? It's an eight-hour shift!
You have the afternoons free.
-It's an eight-hour shift!
-It's a fixed salary.
-Got it?
-Got it.
TUESDAY
Not like that.
What's the matter?
Weren't you listening yesterday?
I explained everything step by step.
You come and do it all wrong.
-I got here on time.
-No.
-Yes, it says 7:00 a.m.
-But that's not how it's done.
You have to put on your smock
before you clock in.
Your shift begins once
you're wearing your uniform.
Those are the rules. Got it?
Putting on the uniform
isn't part of the job?
Of course not.
Then, why don't you ever put it on
outside of work?
-Are you trying to be funny?
-No.
I think that work starts
when you arrive at work.
We don't need wise guys around here.
Here we get down to business.
You clock in
after you put on your smock.
It's always been done that way.
Got it?
Got it.
-Should I clock in again?
-That won't be necessary.
But remember that for the next time.
What?
Is there a problem?
It's not that.
It's just that...
-I don't know. It just seems strange.
-Strange? It's just a chair.
Yes. It's not the chair.
It's the situation.
The two of us sitting here.
I don't know...
It's strange.
-I shouldn't be seated?
-Not necessarily.
As long as you get up
when a truck comes, but...
But?
Nothing... It's late.
-Let's get down to business.
-Let's.
What are you laughing about?
I'm not laughing.
-You were.
-I didn't laugh.
I was thinking.
I was thinking about the 11 years
I spent standing.
I never thought of bringing
a chair from home.
-So, it does bother you.
-No, no. It's fine.
You must think it's unfair
that you stood up all those years
and I sat down on my second day.
No, it's not that.
It's just that something like that
never occurred to me.
Of course, those were different times.
Other things were important to us.
We would get down to business.
How did he die?
What?
Your dad. How did he die?
I didn't say he died.
Yes, you did. Yesterday.
Your dad gave you that name
and died without telling anybody why.
You said that.
Well, he didn't exactly die.
He left, which is like dying.
He named you that
and then he left?
Yes, he gave me this name and took off.
Well, that's not right.
A father shouldn't do that.
Shouldn't do what?
Name his son Nin or take off?
Abandon his family.
It's no surprise you go around
saying he's dead.
I don't do that.
I just said that to you.
-Why?
-I don't know.
Maybe because
I didn't know you very well.
I don't know you very well,
but since you brought it up...
-I brought it up?
-Yeah.
In any case, Nin is a weird name.
It's not normal.
It seems like no trucks
are coming today either.
No.
That's the way it goes.
And then, two come at the same time.
It would be nice if one showed up.
That's the way it goes.
-The telephone didn't ring either.
-No, it didn't.
But you have to be ready.
The phone could ring
just as a truck is pulling up.
Or the phone could ring
as two trucks pull up
and we're having breakfast.
That's true.
Perhaps we should eat in shifts.
Do you think that's necessary?
You never know, Nin.
Mr. Lino.
What will you do after you retire?
I haven't given it much thought yet.
Mr. Lino, the floor
is covered with ants.
There's an ant's nest over there.
I've thought of exterminating them,
but they don't do any harm.
They've been making the same trip
for 39 years,
from the door to the nest
and from the nest to the door,
without deviating a millimeter
from their path.
Have you been watching
them all this time?
Only when there's no work.
I wouldn't mess with them
if I were you.
They make good company.
You only have to look at them
to realize that the world works.
It doesn't stop.
-Do you want to hear something about ants?
-What?
All the ants in the world weigh more
than all the people combined.
-That's nonsense.
-It's true!
Who's going to take the time
to weigh them?
Nobody. Maybe now you have
something to do when you retire.
Mr. Lino.
-I know why you like ants.
-Why's that?
They get down to business.
WEDNESDAY
Good morning.
-Do I have to get up?
-What?
Do I have to get up
to show you how to do it again?
That won't be necessary.
Good. Because I just sat down.
I won't mess up this time.
It's 6:53 a.m., which means
I'm clocking in right on time.
Fantastic.
Of course, I'm wearing my smock.
As it should be.
Since when has the machine been ahead
of the clock?
For as long as I've been here.
And you have never called Headquarters
so they can come and fix it?
Of course not. You think
they don't have anything better to do?
Seven minutes a day over 39 years
add up to a lot of hours.
A lot! Just multiply it.
I'm not wasting my time doing math.
Hey, Mr. Lino...
Damn it, the clock is ticking!
She said no
And I said yes
We never came to an agreement
And we fell out of love
You're in a good mood today.
Yes, I am.
-So, why's that?
-No particular reason.
By the way...
you'll have to close up
on your own today.
Don't tell me you have a date.
Something like that.
With a woman?
With Mr. Salvalen.
At ten o'clock, in his office.
Is it serious?
Very serious.
The company accountant
will be there too.
I have to sign my retirement papers.
-I don't get it.
-Get what?
Why you're so happy.
You don't really want to retire.
-Yes, I do.
-No, you don't. I can tell.
I think you're happy
because Mr. Salvalen
invited you to his office.
How often do you see him?
Once a year?
Mr. Salvalen drops by sometimes.
-How often?
-Quite a bit.
-How often is that? Once a month?
-Well, it depends.
Right, just like the trucks.
Some days he doesn't come over at all,
and other days, he comes over
multiple times.
-You don't believe trucks come?
-I didn't say that.
Trucks come, I tell you.
This is the slow season, that's all.
You'll get sick of unloading trucks,
arranging merchandise
and recording it in the books.
And, as for Mr. Salvalen,
he doesn't need to come around
because he has complete confidence in me.
For the time being,
Warehouse B is in capable hands!
We'll see what happens after that.
We'll see, you snot-nosed kid.
He's never been
to the warehouse, has he?
You've probably never met him
in your life.
Every year, he sends me
a Christmas greeting.
Today you're seeing him in person,
that's why you're in a good mood.
What will you do when you meet him?
I'm going to thank him, that's all.
Then, I'll come back and work
until Friday, not a day after that.
I'm looking forward to retirement.
It's my wife who isn't.
She doesn't want me home all day,
getting in the way.
You don't have to stay home all day.
I suppose you're right.
I have a son.
He's older than you.
Married.
Maybe he'll give me a grandchild soon.
And the kid will keep me busy.
It's time for me to be a grandfather.
Mr. Salvalen is younger than me,
and he has a 2-year-old granddaughter.
There was a picture of her
in last year's Christmas card.
If my grandchild is born next year,
there would be...
a four-year difference.
Four years isn't that much.
I can't believe it!
You're fantasizing about this!
How so?
You're imagining
that 15 or 20 years from now,
your grandson, who isn't even born yet,
will meet Mr. Salvalen's granddaughter
and they'll fall hopelessly in love.
Stop it!
That's enough!
They pay me to work,
not to put up with insolence!
Around here, we get down to business.
Got it? Yes or no?
Nin.
Nin!
Got it.
My time card is upside down.
So what?
I would never place
my time card upside down.
Oh, shit.
-This can't be happening.
-Oh, shit.
Oh, shit!
Did you clock in on my time card?
-I didn't mean to.
-You idiot.
You used my time card.
What am I going to do now?
What will I do?
Today of all days!
It had to happen today!
It's your fault! It's all your fault!
This is a disaster!
Mr. Lino, it's not that bad.
Not that bad?
Do you know what this means?
-It's just an extra stamp.
-Just an extra stamp?
In 39 years, I've never made
such a mistake!
You know what they're going
to say about me at Headquarters?
"The old man's going senile,
his brain's getting rusty."
Mr. Salvalen might even see it and say:
"At least we're putting
the old geezer out to pasture early."
What will they remember me for
at the company?
I'll take full responsibility.
Who's going to listen to you?
You're nobody in this company!
Get out.
-Are you firing me?
-Get out!
You're stepping on my ants.
You already killed
at least a dozen of them.
I wanted to ask Mr. Salvalen
to reconsider his decision.
I thought you wanted to retire.
Of course not!
Nobody likes being told
they are no longer useful.
Maybe they're right
to make me retire.
I've been here so long,
I'm starting to make mistakes.
It was my mistake, Mr. Lino.
No. I should have been supervising you.
You're not ready yet,
and I don't think you'll ever be.
Some people are good at it,
and some people aren't, Nin.
Nin...
What kind of father gives his son
a name like that?
What kind of father abandons his family?
A father teaches you everything
you need to know.
It's no wonder you're like him...
I'm sorry.
I shouldn't have said that.
Don't worry about it.
It's not your fault
that your father abandoned you.
Really, don't worry about it.
Did you ever hear from him?
Never.
He could at least have told you
why he named you that.
Do you hear that?
Hear what?
Help me, Nin!
Is it a truck?
It's one of ours!
Do you know where
the Saltamar warehouse is?
It's better that it wasn't one of ours.
I mean, you have to be
at Headquarters at ten.
That's true.
I can't miss my appointment
with Mr. Salvalen
and leave you alone
to unload a truck by yourself.
It's better this way.
Can I be honest with you?
I've been waiting
for a truck for three days.
When I finally thought
one was coming...
I felt lazy.
I imagined myself
unloading aluminum rods,
piling them up in that corner
according to size.
I imagined you recording
everything in the books,
answering calls,
and it really made me lazy.
I was glad when that guy said "Saltamar".
-Masts.
-What?
They're not aluminum rods.
They're masts.
And you shouldn't be glad to see
the competition's truck.
If it wasn't for them,
we would be number one.
Did I tell you that Mr. Blackmoon,
the U.S. Ambassador, is our client?
Yeah. You told me that on my first day.
And they replace them every three years.
But we don't even deal
with the flagpoles, just the masts.
What a disaster, my goodness!
What a disaster!
It's a pleasure, Mr. Salvalen.
How is your granddaughter?
On the contrary, thank you.
By the way,
I'd like to talk about a small issue
concerning my punch card.
Nin...
I'll be back to close up.
Didn't you say I'd close today?
After the issue with my card,
you can't be trusted.
I'll be back before 3:00 p.m.
Don't even get out of your seat
while I'm gone.
What if a truck comes?
It can wait.
We'll unload it when I get back.
If the phone rings, answer it
but don't say anything.
Answer but not say anything?
Just tell them the manager
is in a meeting at Headquarters.
I have to get out of my chair
to answer the phone.
I'll take that risk,
but only in the event of a call.
And don't you dare use
my absence to call your girlfriend.
I don't have a girlfriend.
What do you mean?
By your age, I was already married.
Because you got down to business.
Good morning, may I speak
with Mr. Salvalen, please?
It's Dr. Quezada calling. Psychiatrist.
No, he doesn't know me,
but it's urgent I speak to him.
No, it can't wait.
It's truly an urgent matter.
Listen miss, let's get this straight.
It's a matter of life and death.
Thank you.
Hello? Mr. Salvalen?
My name is Doctor Quezada.
I'm a psychiatrist.
No, we haven't met.
But there is an urgent matter
involving one of your employees.
I am calling about a Mr. Lino.
I understand he has a meeting
with you in 30 minutes, correct?
We have enough time.
Look, what I am about to tell you
is confidential.
Are you alone?
Is your accountant trustworthy?
Very well.
Look, sir. Mr. Lino...
has been my patient
for three years now.
His problem wasn't serious, but...
Arthritis? Didn't I say
I'm a psychiatrist?
No, Mr. Lino suffers
from a serious mental illness.
Yes, paranoid schizophrenia.
3888 PER MONTH
Let me fill you in.
Remember the punch card machine
at the warehouse where he works?
That machine is at the root
of his breakdown.
20 DAYS
194 PER DAY
Mr. Lino has worked
at that warehouse for 39 years.
During all those years, there's been
a seven-minute difference
between the time on the clock
and the machine.
He has clocked in every morning
at 6:53 a.m.
for the machine to stamp it at 7:00 a.m.
But he's always clocked out
at exactly 3:00 p.m.
If you check his punch cards,
you'll see it for yourself.
He didn't care before,
but now it has become an obsession.
He feels your company
owes him for all that time.
Yes it's absurd! What do you expect
from a schizophrenic?
I'm calling you
because I'm very concerned.
No, no. About you.
I don't know how to say this
without alarming you.
Lino has had other attacks
in the past with violent outcomes.
No, there's no need to call the police.
I'm his doctor, listen to me.
I'm going to tell you how to behave.
The first thing that you
have to do when he arrives
is greet him with a big hug.
24 PER HOUR
0.40 PER MINUTE
Sure, hug him.
No. He won't attack you.
Embrace him as if he were
a dear friend, like a brother.
Yes, I think it's necessary.
Hug him.
Hug him!
Do you have any liquor in your office?
Whiskey? Whiskey will do.
Have a glass with him.
Better make it two.
The accountant too, show camaraderie.
240 DAYS A YEAR
Then, you have to do something
that will surprise him.
I know, sing him a good-bye song.
I have 30 years of experience
as a psychiatrist, Mr. Salvalen.
I demand respect.
The song is an important element of shock.
Now, you have a two-year-old
granddaughter, don't you?
Well, Lino mentioned her
during one of his attacks.
Relax! You'll be fine.
Ask the accountant if he knows a song.
A ranchera song. Perfect.
You have 20 minutes to learn it.
Look, write this number down.
26,395 pesos.
That's what you owe him.
Sure, I jotted everything down.
He earns 3,880 pesos a month.
That would be 194 pesos a day.
Which makes 24 an hour,
40 cents a minute.
If we multiply that by seven minutes,
we get a total of 2.82 pesos.
He estimated...
Don't interrupt me, damn it!
He estimated 9,360 work days
over the past 39 years.
If we multiply 9,360 days
by 2.82 pesos,
it gives us a total of 26,395 pesos.
I know you owe him nothing,
but he believes you do.
Listen, man.
Let me be straight with you.
Listen, I think you have two options.
One: you can spend the rest of your life
looking over your shoulder,
hiring bodyguards
for your granddaughter.
Or you can just pay this nutcase
the 26,000 pesos.
It's a drop in the bucket for you.
Of course.
Consider it a bonus for the time
this guy put into your company.
Sure.
Got it?
I'll let you go now,
you have a lot to rehearse.
Sure, I'll give your secretary
my number.
No need, man.
At your service, pal.
Nothing of it.
No, you don't owe me anything.
Okay. Okay, good-bye.
Hello?
Hello, miss.
I'd like to ask you something.
Do you place many orders
for sailboat masts?
How did the meeting go?
It was just paperwork.
Just paperwork, that's it?
Just paperwork.
THURSDAY
I know, Mr. Lino. I'm late.
Stay away from the machine!
I already clocked you in at 6:53 a.m.
Thank you.
That was really nice.
I didn't do it to be nice.
It was a preventive measure.
Hey, when you got back yesterday,
you didn't ask if anything
happened while you were gone.
I figured nothing happened.
Everything was in one piece
when I got back.
And you wouldn't tell me
how the meeting went.
Like I said, just paperwork.
I thought something happened.
You looked out of sorts.
What did you expect to happen?
I just went in to sign
my retirement papers.
So you just signed them and left?
We had a drink.
You had a drink?
Mr. Salvalen insisted
on treating me to three drinks.
I never drink.
Alcohol doesn't sit well with me.
It gives me diarrhea and hives.
Look!
I spent all night
going to the bathroom.
My body can't take alcohol,
especially whiskey.
It tastes like...
-Like rotting wood?
-No.
Like a wet umbrella.
Well, shall we get down to business?
Let's do that.
I think they're intimidated by you.
-What?
-The ants.
I think they're disturbed
by your presence.
They've spent 39 years walking
back and forth on the same path
and now they're all over the place.
Do you think they can see you?
Ants can't see.
They know you're here.
That's why they changed their path.
Is what you said true?
What did I say?
That all the ants in the world
weigh more than all the people combined?
Yeah, I read it in a magazine.
It also said that they have
ventilation systems in their nests,
and that they milk other bugs
to feed themselves.
It's good they can't see,
or else they'd have televisions.
Nin.
May I ask you something?
Do you know the song that goes...
I came here Because I came here
To the flower festival
No mountain is too high for me
And no horse too mean
No. Never heard it before.
What song is that?
I don't know, they sang horribly.
Who did?
Can you keep a secret?
I don't think Mr. Salvalen is all there.
When I got to his office,
the first thing I did
was ask about his granddaughter,
and he pounced on me
and started hugging me.
I think he was even crying.
He was singing, then?
Him and the company accountant.
They were horribly off key,
and they only knew that chorus.
I came here Because I came here
To the flower festival
No mountain is too high for me
And no horse too mean
Maybe it was just a good-bye song.
Then he handed me a check.
A bonus for my devotion to the company.
You're not going to believe this,
but Mr. Salvalen knew
about the seven minutes.
It's incredible.
The man has 166 employees,
and he knows my punch cards by heart.
He's going to realize
I clocked in twice.
I won't think about that now.
I have a premonition.
I'm certain a truck
is going to show up.
Really? Did Mr. Salvalen say so?
No, not him.
When I was leaving his office,
I overheard his secretary
talking to somebody.
A doctor, I think.
He called to inquire
about sailboat masts.
Right.
I told you, that's the way it is.
You shouldn't obsess over the trucks.
You wait and when they come,
they come.
I bet the phone will ring
before breakfast.
I've had to go to the bathroom
for a while,
but I haven't budged because of that.
Aren't you having breakfast, Mr. Lino?
I can't eat anything.
My stomach is still in knots.
Headquarters are late to call.
All comes in due time.
You should eat something.
It's the best thing for a hangover.
I don't have a hangover.
Alcohol doesn't sit well with me,
that's all.
Today of all days that you're not well,
a truck has to come.
I can't wait any longer.
I'll leave the door open just in case.
Don't touch it! Don't touch it!
I'll answer!
Don't say a single word!
-Hurry, they're going to hang up.
-Silence!
Salvalen Aluminum Masts
and Flagpoles, Warehouse B.
Mr. Lino speaking.
How may I help you?
Yes.
Yes, he's here.
It's your dad.
Hello, dad?
What's up?
Are you sitting in front of it?
Yeah, I mean the computer.
Personal calls aren't allowed.
Are you at the desktop?
The main menu. The first thing
you see after turning it on.
You're holding up the line.
Yeah, go to "Start".
Click the left button on the mouse
and look for it...
Headquarters may be trying to call!
Yes. Click there.
What do you mean how?
The left button again!
You're holding up the company line!
Shut up!
Hello.
No, nothing's wrong, dad.
We're up to our necks in work.
Ready?
Good.
I have to hang up, dad.
I don't know, I have to hang up.
Bye.
That was my dad.
He bought a computer.
I gave him this number
in case he had trouble with it.
He has trouble all right.
Sometimes he's dead
and sometimes he's disappeared.
Look, Mr. Lino,
what I said about my dad...
It doesn't matter.
I figured you'd be nicer to me
if you thought I was an orphan.
Just leave it alone, Nin.
Why did I say that? It was stupid.
Seriously, it doesn't matter.
Yes!
It does matter!
That was your father
on the phone, right?
Your birth father.
The same man who gave you
that ridiculous name?
I tried. I did my part.
I put up with your tardiness,
your indifference.
I showed you the ropes.
I let you bring that chair
and sit all day.
I answered your questions,
no matter how impertinent they are.
I try to get along with you. I try!
But I won't put up with lies.
There's no place for lies
in this warehouse.
We're done. Around here,
we get down to business.
That's what we're here for!
There are different kinds of lies.
I said we're done!
No, Mr. Lino. We're not done.
There are lies we tell others
and lies we tell ourselves.
I talked to Mr. Salvalen's secretary.
-More lies!
-You want to know something?
She said they don't make masts.
Yeah, just as you heard.
They've sold tons of flagpoles
to U.S. embassies,
but not a single mast
in the 25 years she's been
Mr. Salvalen's secretary.
Not a single mast.
That's absurd, it doesn't make sense.
It sure doesn't.
Why would Mr. Salvalen
keep an empty warehouse?
I don't know.
Maybe he wants Saltamar Corporation
to think he makes masts.
Maybe the Government pays him,
or he's laundering money,
or he made a promise
to his dying granny.
I don't know and I don't care!
The fact is that this place
will never see a mast.
You don't know anything.
You've only been here four days.
Headquarters has never placed an order.
There's never been merchandise there.
The unloading zone
and the surplus area have been empty too.
You didn't hear
what Mr. Salvalen said to me.
"You are an integral part
in the apparatus of this business."
Today was the first time
the phone rang.
Enough!
You think I give a damn
what happens once I'm gone?
No! I don't care!
Let it burn for all I care!
I won't come back
even if Mr. Salvalen himself
asks me to!
Because he's going to ask me to.
He's going to beg me to return
when everything starts falling apart.
How could five days possibly be enough
to pass on 39 years of experience
to a lying, snot-nosed kid?
There are no masts here!
This is just a front!
A front for what?
So you talked to Mr. Salvalen's
secretary, right? All lies!
I talk to her every day.
You want me to do it?
You want me to call her?
MATERIAL RELEASE ORDER
You know what?
I don't give a damn
what you think about this company.
What's more, I don't give a damn
about masts or this warehouse
because I'm halfway out the door!
Sit down.
Suddenly I felt something snap.
Like something breaking in two.
Should I call an ambulance?
No... no. I'm alright now.
I'm alright.
After 39 years of perfect attendance,
Mr. Salvalen will forgive me...
for leaving a little early today.
Will you be able
to close up by yourself?
It's time you started assuming
your responsibility around here.
Are you sure you're alright?
It's possible I might be
a little late tomorrow too.
Mr. Lino.
Don't worry.
I'll clock you out
at 3:00 p.m. today,
and clock you in tomorrow
at exactly 6:53 a.m.
FRIDAY
It must be about 30 feet long.
It's 26.
When did it get here?
About 15 minutes ago.
-Mr. Lino.
-What's up, Nin?
I unloaded it,
but didn't record it in the books.
There's no rush.
I wasn't sure where it should go.
Are they going to fetch it?
I don't think so.
Then it goes in returns.
It doesn't look defective, does it?
Then, it belongs in non-defective,
surplus merchandise.
Third book.
I should have been here.
Never mind.
It got here, and here it is.
That's how it goes.
Sometimes there's nothing to do,
and other times
there is a lot of work to do.
Like at any job. Right, Nin?
That's right, like at any job.
What are you doing here?
Are you lost, or are you a scout?
Christopher Columbus was quite lost
until he discovered America.
Maybe you have to get a little lost
in order to find something.
Listen, listen up!
What's the point
of all this coming and going?
Right.
You have to feed the offspring.
You must grow your colony,
with its ventilation systems
and everything.
But, then what?
What are you trying to accomplish?
You already weigh more than we do.
It was you, wasn't it?
What about me?
You brought it.
Why would you think that?
Because it's the first one
to arrive in 39 years.
Actually, it's the first one
I've ever seen.
Well, I've seen them on television,
but those are always
attached to a boat.
It doesn't make much sense,
a mast without a boat holding it up.
By itself, it's just an aluminum rod.
Do you want to know how it got here?
Yesterday I made a call after you left.
-Did you use the company phone?
-It was an internal call.
I called the Sales Department.
"Hello, miss.
This is Mr. Blackmoon's
personal secretary.
We'd like to place an order.
I know it hasn't been three years yet."
There's one year to go.
"We want to order a mast
for the Ambassador's private boat."
She says the company
doesn't make masts.
"Isn't the company name Salvalen
Aluminum Masts and Flagpoles?
Why would it say masts
if you don't make them?
Let me be frank with you, miss.
Mr. Blackmoon chose your company
to replace the flagpoles
because he thought you would
throw in a mast for his sailboat.
If you guys can't get
your shit together,
we'll have to order
all our masts from Saltamar!"
Sure enough, Salvalen bought
a mast from Saltamar.
They're probably calling
the U.S. Embassy,
begging them for their continued faith
in the company.
What now?
What do you mean?
It doesn't make sense for either of us
to continue working here.
It doesn't make sense for you
to continue, but I'm staying on.
You must be joking!
I searched for a job for two years,
I'm not going to lose this one.
But this job doesn't exist.
It's not that different
from any other job, really.
No trucks are ever going
to come, Nin. Never.
I know that.
Go away, Mr. Lino.
Your work here is done.
But you're an intelligent young man,
with initiative.
You brought your own chair
on your second day!
What will you do here all alone
for eight hours every day?
If I didn't spend them here,
I'd spend them somewhere else.
A man's got to make a living.
-But this job doesn't exist.
-This job is a mistake.
A meaningless post, I don't care.
There's a contract and a salary.
It's shitty, but it's a salary.
I don't get you, Nin.
That's how it goes.
If it's not too much of a bother, Nin,
I'd like to complete my shift.
After all, I'm still an employee.
No. Stay there.
You've earned that chair.
I was thinking.
If you don't mind, Nin...
I could come in on Monday.
Not all morning, of course.
Just a couple of hours.
To help out,
should you need anything.
I don't know, they sang horribly.