Scene 5: The Dispatch Booth lyrics
by Priscilla Lopez
MUSIC 4A: RETURN TO THE DISPATCH
(BENNY and NINA in the dispatch booth)
[BENNY]
(Into the radio. Shaky Spanish.)
Roger. Como? Uh...donde estas?
Slow down! Uno momento.
Yo, cabrón, I'm trying to help you!
[NINA]
Whoa, who taught you Spanish?
[BENNY]
The drivers, dirty bast*rds.
[NINA]
(She takes the radio.)
Aha, dime.
(Listens.)
He's going to Cloisters, he's stuck on the Hudson.
[BENNY]
Exit fourteen, follow signs to Fort Tryon.
[NINA]
The u-turn off exit fifteen is quicker.
[BENNY]
It's also illegal.
[NINA]
(Into the radio.)
Salida quince, hagas una media vuelta sigue derecho.
[BENNY]
You gave him your directions, didn't you?
[KEVIN]
(Enters, watches them flirt.)
Eyes on the dispatch, por favor.
[BENNY]
(Back to work)
Yes sir.
[KEVIN]
(Hugs NINA.)
You look more beautiful and even smarter!
[NINA]
It must be the bags under my eyes.
[CAMILA]
(Enters.)
Nena de mamá! Mija tan preciosa!
Turn around, let me see my flaquita!
[NINA]
Mom.
[CAMILA]
Excuse me, you think you're all grown up?
[NINA]
I was hoping we could grab a few coffees and go home for a minute.
[KEVIN]
No, we're celebrating! Caridad is still serving breakfast.
[NINA]
I ate at Abuela Claudia's
[CAMILA]
So? I get to fatten you up, too!
[KEVIN]
We have to go by Daniela's. Everyone wants to see you.
[NINA]
You guys!
(Beat.)
Okay. I planned this whole speech on the plane.
[KEVIN]
Benny, give us a minute.
[BENNY]
(To NINA.)
If there's anything I can do...
[KEVIN]
Go.
(BENNY exits.)
[CAMILA]
Mija.
[NINA]
I lost my scholarship.
[CAMILA]
Did you get in some kind of trouble?
[NINA]
No.
[CAMILA]
It's okay. Just tell us what happened.
[NINA]
My grades were bellow the cutoff so they put me on probation. after midterms they called me into the Dean's office and he was like "We have to pull you scholarship."
[CAMILA]
But you were studying nonstop!
[NINA]
No, I was working to pay for books I didn't have time to read. Look, I ended up taking a leave of absence.
[CAMILA]
Does leave of absence mean drop out? Nina, look at me.
[NINA]
I guess you could say I left school.
[KEVIN]
What?
[CAMILA]
Oh my god, when?
[NINA]
I didn't know what to do--
[CAMILA]
When?
[NINA]
March.
[CAMILA]
Four months ago!? What were you doing since then?
[NINA]
Figuring out how to tell you. Staying on my friends's couch.
[CAMILA]
Like a beggar? You lied to me! Every time I called you!
[NINA]
I couldn't work two jobs and study for finals and finish my term paper.
[KEVIN]
Two jobs? You said it was going to be one.
[NINA]
It's expensive. The scholarship only covered part of it.
[KEVIN]
Then you pick up the phone and say, "Papi, I need some money."
[NINA]
You laid off two drivers this year.
[KEVIN]
I would have found a way!
[NINA]
You don't know what college is like!
[KEVIN]
Well then educate me, por favor!
[NINA]
Cancel tonight.
[CAMILA]
You be home in an hour!
(Exits.)
MUSIC 5: INÚTIL (USELESS)
[KEVIN]
Why didn't you just ask me?
[NINA]
What could you have done?
(Exits.)
[KEVIN]
This isn’t happening
Inútil! Useless
Just like my father was before me:
Inútil! Useless
And every day
He cut the cane
He came home late and prayed for rain
Prayed for rain
And on the days
When nothing came
My father’s face was lined with shame
He’d sit me down beside him and he’d say,
“My father was a farmer,
His father was a farmer,
And you will be a farmer.”
But I told him, “Papi, I’m sorry, I’m going farther.
I’m getting on a plane.
And I am gonna change the world someday!”
And he slapped my face
He stood there, staring at me, useless
Today my daughter’s home and I am… useless
And as a baby she amazed me with
The things she learned each day
She used to stay on the fire escape
While all the other kids would play
And I would stand beside her and I’d say:
“I’m proud to be your father
‘Cuz you work so much harder
And you are so much smarter
Than I was at your age.”
And I always knew that she would fly away
That she was gonna change the world someday
I will not be the reason
That my family can’t succeed
I will do what it takes
They’ll have everything they need
Or all my work, all my life
Everything I’ve sacrificed will have been useless