Richard Jernigan -> RE: Morón and the whole thing there (May 18 2018 4:58:21)
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quote:
and that was giving the bird to the government. On my first trip to Spain at age 19 in 1957 I heard this letra to alegrias: “Los chiquillos acarreando qué bonita está la fuente las mujeres muy contentas y los gallegos llorando” I was told it was by Pericón de Cadiz--not that I knew who that was. It was further explained that Franco was a gallego, from Galicia. Eventually I looked it up. Francisco Franco Bahamonde, "por la gracia de Dios, Caudillo de España" as it said on the coins, was born in Ferrol. One night I went back to my hotel in Madrid fairly late. The bar was closed but I noticed the door was slightly ajar and went in. The second floor windows overlooked the Gran Via. The sidewalks were still alive with pedestrians. After ten minutes or so I lit a cigarette. I was a little shocked when I heard movement behind the bar. A man stood up. After a moment I recognized the bartender. Apparently that was where he slept. Courteously he asked if I would like a drink. "¿No está cerrado el bar?" [Isn't the bar closed?] "Claro que está cerrado, pero en este momento, estoy a sus órdenes.¨ [Of course, it is closed. But at the moment, I am at your service.] "Gracias, muy amable. Un brandy por favor, y una agua mineral pequeña, con gas.¨[Thanks. That's very kind of you. A brandy and a small soda water, please.] ¨¿Veterano o Soberano?" [Veteran or Sovereign?] "¿Cómo?" [Pardon?] "Son las marcas de los brandys.¨ [Those are the brands of the brandys.] ¨¿Cuál es la diferencia?¨[What's the difference?] "Pues, son igual. La preferencia depiende solamente de la política del cliente." [They are the same. Preference depends only upon the customer's politics.] "Bueno, realmente...es que no tengo preferencia..." [Well...I don't really have a preference...] In fact I did have a preference. My opinions of Franco had been formed by acquaintance with Spanish expatriates in Mexico City, who had fled Spain after he won the Civil War. But I was not about to reveal such a preference to a stranger who was being kind to me. "Bien, entonces será el Veterano.¨ [Okay then, Veteran it is.] He poured us each a generous bumper, and we watched people on the street for a while. RNJ
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