Putazos

"**Putazos**" is the second episode of the first season of the Hulu comedy series *This Fool*. It, like the other episodes, was released on August 12, 2022.

## Synopsis

Luis can’t help but revert to his old ways when a former rival shows up and challenges him to a fight. Julio is conflicted on how to best help his cousin.

## Plot

### The old rival

Julio is driving the cupcake van for Hugs Not Thugs with his cousin Luis and Chef Percy Williams. As a song comes on the radio, Luis turns up the volume, lamenting it being called a "throwback." Julio laments that Luis is an oldie and Luis says that Hugs Not Thugs is actually not bad, that cupcakes are therapeutic. He apologizes for giving Julio a hard time and Julio tells him that they're family and he has his back.

They go to drop off the cupcakes and Luis makes fan of Julio for doing stretches outside the van, asking if he's elderly. Percy asks if they're ready to help him deliver the cupcakes, saying they talk too much. Just then, a voice comes, making fun of Luis. Luis recognizes it as being an old rival named Davonte.

He tells him he thought he'd be dead by now and Davonte tells him he's alive and thriving. He calls him a "pink cupcake bitch." Julio comes over to intervene, but Luis tells him he has it. He and Davonte argue over an old fight, it culminating with Luis suggesting he sock him. Davonte tells him he and his boys used be tough and Luis suggests they each gather their boys and meet at the park at sunset. They trade a few more barbs, then Davonte takes off, Luis shouting at Julio to stop flinching.

### Fatass

Inside the store, Luis tells Julio that he can't wait to see his boys. Julio asks if he's really going to go through with this and Luis says that if he's not down, he'll do it himself. He asks if the "family" stuff was just talk and Julio says he'll be there to back him up, but Luis tells him he doesn't want him to *fight*, that he doesn't want to lose. Percy tells them to hurry up so he can get home and watch TV. Luis asks him if he'll help them to beat some folks up, but Percy says it's against everything he's been working for. "Please!" shouts Luis and Percy tells him he's convinced him.

They finish up the cupcakes and head out. However, when Luis tells Percy that Davonte is Black, he balks, telling him there's no way he's helping two Mexicans beat up a Black dude. He tells him he'll roll with him, but has to fight with Davonte when the time comes. Luis agrees he can respect this. Luis tells him the first "homey" of his they're picking up is Fatass, his #1.

When they get to his house, however, the door is answered by a woman named Vero. She says it's nice he decided to stop by and invites him in. Inside, however, they discover a shrine to Fatass, who is dead, his ashes in a jar reading "Here lies Fatass." Luis takes a selfie and Veronica serves them Bagel Bites. Luis says he can't believe he died and Julio notes that his name *was* Fatass.

Percy agrees that obesity accounts for 18% of all premature deaths, but Veronica tells them that it had nothing to do with this, that it was a car crash, texting and driving. "The silent killer" agrees Luis. Julio suggests that Luis take the day off to process Fatass's death, but when Vero hears that they're going after Davonte, she tells him that Fatass hated him and he has to do it. She also tells Luis that Fatass left a message, that Luis owed him $20. She holds out her hand and Luis makes Julio give him a $20 bill.

### Cuete and Junior

The group gets back in the car, Luis suffering indigestion from the Bagel Bites. Luis tells them he has another homey a few blocks away that will help for sure if he's not dead. This homey, Cuete, however, tells them to forget it, that he's still banned from Magic Mountain after the fight from before. He tells him he'd love it, but he just can't, that his sciatic nerve is acting up. Luis tells him forget that, but Julio says that sciatic nerve pain is no joke.

Cuete and Percy bond over their shared pains, Luis complaining that they need to be busting heads, not talking about broken backs. Cuete volunteers his son Junior instead, saying he could use this. Luis asks the boy if he's ready to get into a gang fight and Junior asks if it's going to be like *West Side Story*, saying he'll go get changed. Cuete demands the $20 that Luis owes him and Luis once again makes Julio cough up.

Back in the van, Junior asks Luis if he's like the Sharks or the Jets from *West Side Story*. Nobody has any idea what he's talking about, so Luis just says whatever he wants. Luis stomach groans and Julio asks if he's good, Luis admitting he's pretty messed up. Julio says they can reschedule, but Luis says they can do it. Julio tells him he should at least get some probiotics.

### Just didn't feel like it

At the store, Luis shows Junior a bottle of Tums, telling him it's what he and his father did back in the day. He hides it under his shirt, telling the boy that the store has a no chase policy. As Julio and Percy try to sell cupcakes, Luis and Junior return to them, Julio asking if they didn't buy anything. A couple of candy bars fall from their clothing and a security guard makes a move, but they all take off, Percy shouting that this is not condoned by Hugs Not Thugs. They exit the store, the security guard sure enough stopping at the door.

Julio complains that Luis could have gotten them arrested and he tells Julio that he doesn't want Junior to grow up like him. "I love being in a gang," comments Junior, applying stolen lipstick. As Luis gets a crick in his neck, Julio again suggests they call things off, but Luis says he's still up for it. Luis tells Julio they still have plenty more boys to hit up.

They ring doorbell after doorbell, but each time, it's a no-go. Reasons for Luis's homeys not wanting to join in include "Baby Mama Drama," "Went Back to School to Better Himself," "Won the Lottery" and "Just Didn't Feel Like It." In each case, though, they still manage to collect $20. Julio asks if they can quit, that it's not working, but Julio says he has one last boy: Cyco, their wild card.

### Putazos

They arrive at Cyco's place, ringing the doorbell and Luis lamenting that Cyco probably doesn't even live there anymore. Luis tells him he knows he probably moved on, but asks if he wants to fight Davonte. Cyco's response, however, is that he's totally down, that he's tired of being a square. He pulls out a gun, saying that they'll kill him. Luis raises his hands; he was not down for *this*. He tells him they're just throwing *putazos*, but Cyco tells him there's to be no half-measures. He waves the gun, saying they'll do it. Luis tells him they forgot their *cuetes* and Junior says that he wants a knife, that he wants to feel it. "We gonna die tonight, my boy!" Cyco tells Luis. As soon as he's out of sight, Luis and the others bolt. "You still owe me 20 bucks!" shouts Cyco as the van pulls away.

Luis wakes with a start, getting out of the van and wondering why they're back at Hugs Not Thugs. Julio tells him it's because he fell asleep like a grandpa after his boy almost killed them and that enough's enough. "Until next time," Percy tells Julio. Luis tells Julio that his boys all abandoned him, that he's alone in this world with no boys to call his own. Julio tells him that he's his boy, but Luis says that he isn't, that he's his cousin who's been complaining all day and his too scared to throw *putazos*. Julio punches him, asking him how he's not his boy, that he's been driving him around all day, trying to help him.

Julio tells him he's being a bitch and suggests they go throw down. Luis asks him what for, that they'll just get their asses beat, and Julio says they'll do it together. He tells him he's an expert at getting his ass beat, that he's down a hundred bucks and he wants to fight. "You're serious" realizes Luis. "Are we gonna do this or what?" asks Junior, honking the horn.

So they go to the park, Junior snapping his fingers rhythmically like in *West Side Story*. Davonte arrives, but the only ones accompanying him a little chihuahua and an old man. They ask each other where their boys are, each admitting that they couldn't actually get any help. They trade some barbs and the old man asks just what's going on. Davonte addresses him as "Grandpa," telling him that they talked about this, that he busted him out of the nursing home so they could whoop Mexicans.

Davonte points to a cardboard cutout of Fatass, asking what happened to him. Luis explains that he's dead and Luis asks about the guy, Bust-a-Nut, depicted in a memorial on Davonte's shirt. Davonte tells Luis that he's in Heaven, that it was texting and driving. Luis agrees that it's an epidemic. They console each other on their losses, Davonte saying things are different. Junior says if they aren't busting heads, he wants to go home. "Look over there," says Julio, pointing, and they witness a group of teens having a fight, Junior lapping it up. Up in the clouds above, Fatass and Bust-a-Nut smile and nod, the message reading "In loving memory of Fatass & Bust-a-Nut." Don't Text and Drive".

## Cast

### Starring

* Chris Estrada as Julio Lopez
* Frankie Quiñones as Luis Hernandez
* Laura Patalano as Esperanza
* Michelle Ortiz as Maggie
* Julia Vera as Maria

### Guest starring

* Jamar Malachi Neighors as Chef Percy Williams
* Kayden Franco as Junior
* Hassan Johnson as Davonte
* Brenda Banda as Veronica
* Cuete Yeska as Cuete

### Co-starring

* Alex Alpharaoh as Cyco
* Arthur Richardson as Jerry