I walk slowly, a lot. I am unable to do it and type at the same time. A blessing that has allowed me to return to my analog times. It is true that the credit does not belong to me but to the sclerosis, which has affected me. Now I’m the one walking a quarter behind Teresa. Another blessing. In front of the Royal Palace, heading towards Almudena where he wants to give thanks for all the good things we have, I see beggars lying on the sidewalk, the wonderful sculpture of Jesus without a roof, the work of the Canadian Timothy P. Schmalz, at the door of the cathedral made painful, fragile, real flesh; police officers who scrutinize, tourists with a thousand languages, children in a park, a fool making herself reels allegedly suggestive inside the temple in front of a boyfriend’s camera? as confident as she is. It’s a perfect day for those of us who have a broken thermostat.. Cool but bright, with that Madrid light that embraces you and urges you to be aware that “this is shit, stupid.”
“There are floods of people and at times it is difficult for me to avoid them, I get nervous, Teresa holds my hand firmly and smiles at the umpteenth push resulting from my sclerotic lurches.“
Not to disturb, not even the dung of the horses that minutes before paraded decked out for the capital’s big day. There are floods of people and at times it is difficult for me to avoid them, I get nervous, Teresa holds my hand firmly and smiles at the umpteenth push resulting from my sclerotic lurches. “Are you okay, do you want us to sit?” “Yes, I’m fine, baby.”. I lie to you because I don’t want to stop, sit, be aware that this is moving forward while I go backwards. I don’t plan to waste this time with her, like a couple in Cádiz, enjoying the cheapest and most complete pleasure that this city of palaces and transfers gives you: calming her down. I look at the Ecuadorians dressed in gigantic costumes: King Kong, Supermario Bros, Transformers… They must be in bad shape, sweating like chickens while they greet some guiris incapable of loosening their wallets but ready to take a photo of the suffering that is cooked inside.
“When we finally sit down I feel the fucking tingling and it’s clear to me that it was worth the effort. I am with her, before her beautiful and immense eyes“
Madrid is a melting pot, and here in front of the Teatro Real a chulapo that I imagine is from Extremadura sells wafers. It’s all for business, money has no flag or outfit. The barquillera barely turns because the clientele does so towards a group of paisas who dance to other people’s music, dancing in front of a choir of cell phones that records and we’ll see if they pay or, like Optimus Prime, they’re going to be haggled over their livelihood. It is earned by the portraitist who immortalizes you for one euro. It’s not very fine but what do you want? Perhaps an Antonio López at that price? I observe with the envy of someone who never had the ability to draw something on paper or canvas. An engaged couple kisses with the first-time passion of those whose flaws have not yet been discovered. He puts more effort. She says yes but no, which is a romantic lie for the gallant with Tercio looks. The tuk tuk driver shouts in perfect English to get into his, not the rest, those who like him know that those palaces are the result of the worker’s efforts. That’s what it means to be autonomous: it gets on your nerves counting how many times they told you “another day, we can’t do it today.” When we finally sit down I feel the fucking tingling and it’s clear to me that it was worth the effort. I am with her, before her beautiful and immense eyes. We talk about the children, so far away, about the agenda full of events. Of the shared excitement for the next award ceremony. The panic I have of not being able to climb the steps to pick it up comes back to me, bastard. I think he has realized it. He grabs my hand and gives me the talismanic phrase with which he drives away my fears: “You’ll see, we’ll laugh soon.” And I think it’s true that thing that’s so Madrid-like that heaven is what you reach when you walk through hell for a little while.
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