[Music]
[Phone buttons pressed ... phone rings]
Airfone. Good evening. My name is Nuria. How may I help you?
Hello. Look, I need some information, please.
Would you please give me your phone number?
637 546 189
Your name, please?
Enrique González Martín
May I have your DNI number, please?
Yes. 33 56 47 76 58
Your billing address?
Príncipe de Vergara, 91, 4th floor, right.
Thank you, Enrique. How can I help you?
Well, it's very simple.
At 7:35 this evening a call was made from this cell phone.
I want to know the number it was made to.
I understand, Enrique. You said that at 7:35 you
made a call from your cell phone to another number.
Is that right?
Well, the call was made from my phone.
I understand. One moment, please. [Music]
Thank you for waiting, Enrique.
You can check the last 10 calls made from your number yourself.
I know, but the problem is that I can't ...
because I already made more than 10 calls since then.
In that case, I can't give you that information.
But why?
The number isn't available to me.
Wait a minute. You have a list of all the calls I make, right?
And then I get the bill at home, where I can see
the number, the length of the call, and the time it was made, right?
Indeed. You can check the information when you get the bill.
RIght. But I need it now.
Enrique, I can't give you that information.
Come on, now! Am I talking to a computer or a person?
You're talking to Airfone customer service.
I just want to know if you're a computer or a person, that's all.
Enrique, you're talking to a person.
OK, then don't repeat that stuff about not giving me the number, OK?
Can I talk to your supervisor, please?
We aren't authorized to transfer calls.
Do you want something? I'm going to the machine.
Enrique, do you have another question?
Yes, yes.
I want to know number that was called from
my cell phone this evening at 7:35. Nothing else.
I understand, but ... I think I've explained that ...
I'm not asking just for fun.
This information is really important for me. Understand?
Look ... my girlfriend left me.
She left this afternoon.
Do you have a boyfriend or girlfriend?
We're not authorized to give out any personal information.
Of course.
It doesn't matter. It was just so you'd understand.
But you must have been in love before, right?
I understand, Enrique, but I need to tell you again that I can't ...
Hold on a second.
Look, my girlfriend was here packing this
afternoon because she's leaving tomorrow.
And she called a friend to come pick her up
but she called from my cell phone because she already cancelled hers.
I don't have her friend's number.
But if you give it to me, I can call and talk to her.
Do you understand how important that call is? Do you?
Regardless, Enrique, that information isn't available to us.
What do you mean, "isn't available"?
Can't you go into the billing program and see what number was called at that time?
I know exactly what time because I was nervous and looked at my watch.
It was 7:35 ... 19:35.
I understand, Enrique.
What do you understand?
Do you understand desperation?
The helplessness of the human condition?
Where will we all end up if
we don't lend each other a hand when we need it?
Nuria, imagine if things were the other way around.
Imagine that I were there and you needed the phone number.
Wouldn't you ask, "Isn't this customer service?"
Why deny me information that I'm going to get in a couple of days when I get my bill?
Enrique, I honestly am not authorized to give you that information.
Do you have a customer service with a little more personal touch?
Enrique, this is the Airfone's only customer service.
Can't I talk to one of your co-workers, someone who can get me that number?
Maybe I could call another department or something?
Please. I'm begging you.
One moment, please.
[Music]
Thanks for holding, Enrique.
For your security ...
I am not authorized to give you any information from your phone record.
What you mean "for my security"?
Haven't you heard anything I've said?
Enrique, if you'd like to ask me any other question ...
Wait a minute, Nuria. I'm absolutely sure that you're not an idiot, okay?
I'm not, either, so don't treat me like one.
What do you want? For us to do this all night?
Because I'm not hanging up until I get that number.
Enrique, there's a maximum time limit for calls to customer service.
And then what? The cell phone electrocutes me?
When you exceed the maximum time, your call is disconnected.
Then I'll call back.
Of course. You could call back.
I get it. But then I wouldn't talk to you.
There are a lot of us here. You might do better next time.
Alright! You've got a sense of humor.
So you are a person and not a computer.
Look. Marta, my girlfriend, she's going to get a job out of the country.
She got a fantastic job in New York.
It's what she always wanted, her dream job.
And she asked me to go with her, but I'm not sure.
Well, I wasn't sure.
But this afternoon when she was emptying drawers, gathering her things ...
... and she closed her suitcase
suddenly I felt all emptied out inside.
And then she left, closed the door, and I stayed behind here ...
I don't know how long, just watching the door.
I've never experienced such total silence.
Since she left ...
... it's like nothing makes sense.
I can't live without her.
I know it sounds like a shitty cliché, but it's true.
I need that phone number. It's urgent. It's a matter of life and death.
Tomorrow she gets on that plane. Do you understand?
Damn it! Do you understand?
I need the damned number now, right now!
Are you there?
Enrique, really, I'm not able to give you that information.
What are we doing?
What are we creating when we related to each other like this?
What the hell do rules matter, Nuria?
Imagine you're at a traffic light.
It's red for pedestrians.
And there's a girl next to you and she's going to cross, she crosses.
And she falls, she trips, and she can't get up.
And a truck is coming and is going to run her over.
Wouldn't you jump out and save her?
Tell me! Would you save her? There's no risk to you. Would you save her?
Well, but ...
Would you save her? Yes or no?
Yes or no?
Yes.
Yes, yes, yes, yes! You said, "yes"!
The first "yes" in the whole night.
You said, "yes". Yes, you'd save her.
But to save her, you'd have to cross against the light.
You'd have to break a rule.
Break a rule to save a life. This is the same thing, understand?
For God's sake, give me the phone number.
Nuria.
I know you aren't a computer.
Prove it to me.
Give me the number.
I can't give you that information. I'm very sorry.
No. You said "yes" before. You didn't say "correct" or "affirmative" or "nevertheless".
You said "yes".
I bet they prohibit the word "yes" in those shitty training sessions they give you.
They won't let you say "yes", "hello" ...
anything that makes you seem like human beings with feelings.
But you said "yes", because you're a person and you heard me
and there's a part of you that understands me
and knows how important that number is and how long we've been talking.
It's almost ten minutes.
I hope ten minutes isn't the limit.
I'm afraid it is.
Look, I'm really sorry about your situation, but I can't do anything.
If you ask a different question, I'll be happy to answer it.
You have no idea what I feel right now.
What I feel in the pit of my stomach.
My stomach is completely empty.
Like a ball.
Like a huge sphere inside me.
Hollow and painful.
I only remember feeling like this one other time.
You'll laugh at me.
I was a kid and had a little dog.
She was really ugly, to tell you the truth.
She was a mutt.
But I loved her.
Her name was Amina. We all loved her.
My dad, my mom ... me.
And the dumb dog got lost one Christmas Eve.
She followed my dad out when he went shopping and disappeared.
We spent the whole day looking desperately for her all over.
But no luck. She didn't show up anywhere, anywhere.
So we ate dinner. Imagine what the mood was like.
And then that candy ad came on the TV.
You know, "Come home, come back home."
[Singing]: "Come home, come back home for Christmas.
"Today is Chrismas Eve and tomorrow Christmas Day."
Well, we all started crying big, fat tears.
It was the same feeling in my stomach, the same emptiness as now.
I don't know why they don't prohibit that freakin' ad.
How many people's hearts has it broken?
Who doesn't wait for someone at Christmas who's never coming back?
What they should do is prohibit freakin' Christmas once and for all.
Nuria? Why are you so quiet?
Can I help you?
[mocking tone]: "Enrique, I'm authorized to say we should cancel freakin' Christmas."
For once, your silence makes you seem human.
Did she come back?
Who? The dog?
Yeah, yeah, yeah. We found her the next day.
I'm sorry I left you hanging.
Do you have a dog?
It's funny, isn't it?
Your silence is what makes you speak.
What kind of dog? No, don't tell me. You can't give personal information.
A German shepherd?
No.
A poodle?
No.
A cocker spaniel?
A cocker spaniel! You have a cocker spaniel!
They're really friendly, aren't they?
Well, if you have a cocker spaniel, then you're definitely a good person.
It hasn't been easy, but we finally found out that you're a good person.
Nuria, you know that number, don't you?
The one from 19:35.
You have it right in front of you on the screen, don't you?
We aren't allowed to ...
Yeah, but you know it.
Nuria,
is the first number a nine?
No.
A six?
Of course it's a six.
It's a cell, right?
The second number ...
Is it a zero?
No.
A one?
No.
A two?
No.
A three?
Three! It's a three.
Perfect.
Is the next number a zero?
No.
One?
No.
A two?
No.
Three?
No.
Four?
No.
Five?
No.
Six?
It's a six.
The next number, is it a zero?
It's a zero?
Nuria, the next number is a zero?
No.
One?
No.
Two?
It's a two?
No, no, no, no!
Sorry. A three?
No.
Four?
No.
Five?
No.
Six?
It's a six.
Nuria, we don't have much time left.
Let's see. Is the next number a one?
No.
Two?
No.
Three?
No
Four?
No.
Five?
No.
Six?
No.
Seven?
No.
Eight?
No.
Nine?
No.
What do you mean? I said them all!
No!
Zero?
Zero, right?
How did I forget zero?
The next number, is it a zero?
No.
One?
It's one, right?
There are only two left, right?
Is the next number a zero?
No.
One?
No.
Two?
No.
Three?
No.
Four?
No.
Five?
No.
Six?
No.
Seven?
Seven? It's a seven?
Look there's only one left, Nuria.
Is the next number a nine?
No!
An eight?
[Beeping noise]
[Recorded voice]: "We regret to inform you that the maximum time limit has been reached.
Thank you for calling Airfone." [disconnect tone]
Shit! Shit!
One freakin' number.
[sniffling]
What an idiot!
[phone beeping and ringing]
Hello?
Hello, good evening. Can I talk to Marta, please?
You've got the wrong number.
Sorry. I'm sorry.
It's okay.
[beeping of phone buttons]
[music]
Yes?
Hello. May I please speak to Marta?
Sure. I'll get her for you.
[music]