Two jardineros, Cayetano & Gabino, are hired to cut down an oak tree in an affluent neighborhood during a mid-afternoon coup. Although the world around them is in turmoil, Cayetano’s ethos is that work still needs to be done and trees still need to come down.

As news of the coup progresses and begins to interfere with their work, a distracted Gabino fails to assist Cayetano resulting in Cayetano cutting off his own arm. As they wait on a greatly delayed ambulance, in part because of the coup, Cayetano confesses in his distraught state a secret he has attempted to forget, but now bleeds out to a remorseful Gabino and a mutilated oak tree.