The day I met up Manuel Palancar for the first time was one of the days I best remember for the laughter I provoked with my comments about Rolls Royce's. I met him and many of his friends through our common friend Pilar. All of them used to meet up at Canal de Isabel the Second’s Club to play cards, tennis, to drink or to have something to eat, chatter and have fun. I knew already Manuel studied in the Fine Arts School and that he was one of those painters to whom everybody classifies as genial at an early age. That day I was dressed kind of a little finely, almost because that is how it was, or because it was so or just because perhaps I had gone for lunch to some place I felt obligated in some way to wear like that. Well, the comments that provoked the roaring with laughter were that, due to the insistence of Pilar, Manuel and their friends too, in verbally adorning the attributes which conferred to me the way I was wearing and my figure, I finished by saying that we all there might well laugh at how well we all were and at how well we all showed our expensive clothes. They took heed then that although true I wore very Sunday-clothes like, to them their shoes, troussers and fashion polo-necked sweaters did not cost little either. There was accomplice laughter when someone mentioned that it would be what it should we all had a Rolls Royce and I said what for, that it was better not to have one and be heedlessly. I even dared to put the French as example, grands seigneurs who did not drive a Rolls Royce when they might, but a Renault 5 so that nobody could reckon them or adjudge them a fortune only by their car.

As time went by I met up Manuel several times, almost always I accompanied Pilar and always at the club. Sometimes I asked him how he was doing in the Fine Arts School and usually he made brilliant sallies or made intelligent comments. Also sometimes I asked Pilar about her boy and girl friends, especially about Manuel. A couple of times I went to his place and Manuel or Juan Luis his brother showed me some of his drawings. From these I realized that he was a great drawer indeed and besides with genial features and hues, like they have assured me. As the years passed my visits to the club were less and my friendship with Pilar, in spite of being deep and fraternal, languished when I started to work. Even so sometimes we rang up each other or met up, and when it sprang out I asked her about Manuel and Juan Luis his brother, by then Pilar sister’s boyfriend, Carmen her name, and Pilar told me. My affection for painting has never been passionate but sincere and guided by the first impression. Pilar, Alberto, a common friend of Pilar and mine and I, had a small stall of antiques we exhibited on Saturdays and Sundays in Madrid’s Rastro and only occasionaly we sold paintings and old engravings, though by then I lived at our mutual friend Manuel Ordaz’s house, and he was a painting expert, and there he had paintings of masters like Zurbarán, Snyder, Magnasco and others of stale prestige or recognition.

Here I must tell how it was I wanted to earn extra money selling pictures, drawings, engravings and plates in general. It had been two years since I had been working as the manager’s assistant and translator at a forwarding company’s office. In spite of being well esteemed in the company, of some success as employee and even wining a bet to the very same boss, I had no intention of perpetuating as a company’s employee, so I had in mind the possibility of making a living in another way, and I had plans, why not, to working in a liberal profession. As I was saying, I used to meet up Pilar now and then and sporadically we rang up each other. One day she told me she was going to get married, already she had a date for the wedding, and we went to pay a visit to a girl friend of hers, Verónica her name. I must have been liked by her friend Verónica, because Pilar and I went back to pay a visit to Verónica some days later again and Pilar asked me while waiting for the lift if I liked Verónica. Well, the case was we went to dance to a fashionable disco and when we were saying goodbye we agreed I would accompany Verónica in a taxi to her house, but the taxi did not go farther with us inside, for I got off with Verónica and slept down in her house. Due to the fact they were friends I met up Pilar more frequently and visited her at her place. She invited us to the wedding and by that time I had mentioned Pilar I had plans to selling paintings, drawings, engravings and all kind of plates in my free time. She helped me and put in my hands twenty old engravings from a collection of Roman constructions’ maps. She also spoke to me about Manuel, in whom I had not had thought because I guessed him already keen on the paintings market or covered by some agent with ambitions to content Manuel exhibiting his paintings and drawings in known galleries and to make sure his quotations rose at every new attempt with no difficulty. However, it was not so, he was instead left alone by the masses of good business agents that did not search for easy money entries where there were for sure. I told Pilar I would speak with Manuel about the deal, I was very interested, I wished to meet up Manuel and have a look at his new drawings. I rang him up some days later and we appointed. In his house he showed me paintings, drawings and sketches and we talked. I proposed him to be his agent. He was grateful to me for the interest I had proven and wanted as it were to start to promote exhibitions of his paintings and offer them to all contacts I had already or could get in touch with. On my part, I did want to confirm our association proposing to him a contract. Finally we signed a contract for fifteen years which conveyed a generous comission suitable to both.

I started by taking more than four hundred pictures of his works in different places where he had them stored and I visited him frequently in his place. Never annoying me, rather understanding him, I was witness and condescendant observer of the things he did and said while I saw him drink, mostly wine although he drank whatever, and smoke, mostly hash although he smoked whatever too. Manuel lived with his mother and his brother Juan Luis in a flat overlooking Canal de Isabel the Second Club's swimming pool. Well, in another flat situated in the same block and same staircase lived two aunts of Manuel, sisters of his father already dead. These supplied him a beer can daily, so I did sometimes go with him to his aunts’ flat to collect his daily beer can, which they handed him thinking they might calm down Manuel’s eagerness to drink whatever but did not succeed in it, for on one of these occasions I went with him for the can, he sent his aunts to the kitchen alleging I was longing for a coffee I could not have in his house because he was run out of coffee. The case was that it was only a pretext to draw near the bar case when they were in the kitchen and drink at a gulp half the bottle of a vermut one liter’s bottle. When his state was of big exaltation, although I became kind of nervous, I could not but be delighted with the things he used to say, about culture and science above all. Some treasons I suffered from Manuel, although we go on meeting up frequently and keeping our friendship as something almost sacred, but I cannot forget the treasons because apart from a smile which appears on my face always I remember them, I neither could, nor I should, nor I would take the affair seriously, and of course I did not want to. I will not furnish much the notable deeds which moves me to accuse him of such a wicked unfulfilment of contract but be short and go directly to the very wretched fact. Verónica and Pilar supplied me with addresses and phone numbers of collectors, gallery owners and buyers in general, and on my part took some steps and went to visit some potential buyers with my Manuel’s paintings and drawings pictures' book. The responsible of Culture in the Council of Vallecas, popular quarter of Eastern Madrid, to whom I went to visit twice to the Council building, invited Manuel to exhibit his works at a quarter’s Cultural Center.

I sent invitations to people I knew might be interested in paintings. The inauguration would take place a Friday at seven in the evening. Manuel, his brother and his mother would be there getting ready drinks, aperitifs and pastries, helped by their family and friends. I promised to get there by seven or even sooner if I could. Verónica and I were waiting for Pilar in Verónica’s house and I became impatient when I saw it was six thirty and Pilar had not come yet. When Pilar came at last, Verónica did not find herself happy at all with the dress she had put on and Pilar and her went to Verónica’s room and locked the door to make arrengements and dress again better, and there was not remedy but waiting for them to come out, and besides Blanca, Verónica’s friend who had been appointed to take us to the Cultural Center, rang up saying she could not come to pick us up until seven. I became desperate, more listening furtively how Verónica and Pilar talked and laughed when supposedly they should be hurrying helping the one to the other to go more comfortable and elegant to the inauguration. Blanca made her appearance at seven twenty and they opened up the door to her and they three were locked up in the room and on top of that it would not be remedy but wait again. Listening once more furtively to what was said in Verónica’s room it could not be understandable almost anything, laughter could be heard and sometimes some strident voices came out from the room and even now and then I might hear my own name. At last, at twenty to eight the three came out from the room laughing and glancing at me like when somebody has not done anything and for some reason like making understandable there were no proofs. If it was not enough, a traffic jam did not allow us to move at certain places throughout our way.

I had a special interest in getting there soon because I had told Pepe, a collector friend to whom I had already showed Manuel’s paintings pictures, I would punctually be there by seven. Besides Pepe was interested in knowing some of the paintings’ prices of the ones he liked most. Well, when we got at the Cultural Cente Pepe was about to go away, had the car parked beside the entrance door and had already started his way to leave. I introduced Pepe to the girls and once in the exhibition room we introduced ourselves or greeted if we knew each other. I convinced him to stay and he complained Manuel had not taken heed of him, he had been after him to put in some questions to him about some paintings of which he wanted an explanation because if not, although he was interested in them, they lacked of sense or history, and he had not been capable. Carmen, who had busied putting on the frames of all the paintings exhibited and her boyfriend Gabriel, Verónica’s brother who had brought his camera to the exhibition and had taken pictures of paintings and people attending, were about to go too. The district’s responsible for Culture who had helped to let Manuel a space for the exhibition had already gone. The gallery reponsible had been waiting and had even asked for me and had already gone too. Even so, there were many people in the gallery yet. Pepe had been waiting for me for a long time and wanted to go soon, so before trying the appetizing aperitifs Manuel’s family had prepared, with a refreshment I took hastily I felt obliged to go through the room accompanying Pepe and stopping in front of the paintings he was interested in. There were several he was interested in, but especially two that kept a certain resemblance as for motive and style. We had to wait until Manuel paid attention to us, he was not very disposed and one could see him greeting everybody, laughing, drinking and going from some place to another. I could at last convince him to talking to Pepe about the paintings Pepe wanted to know the prices of. I should know the price of each of them, but it was impossible since Manuel preferred not to mention any amount but to quote a price of some on the march. Once the three of us already in front of the couple of paintings which most interested Pepe and before they could speak I asked Manuel how went things until I came in with the girls and he told me he had already sold seven paintings among his own family and friends. He also told me very excited by the wine he had drank that according to the contract, in spite of the exhibition being organized by me, no comission corresponded to me on the sellings he carried out and less treating it of his family and friends. We all three laughed and then Pepe asked him how much he wanted for the two paintings he liked. Manuel said he would not be willing to sell the two of them, at all events only release one of the two. Well, Pepe said, how much do you ask for one? It depends in which of the two you want, responded Manuel. Any of the two, I like both, but if I had to choose I would choose this one, and he pointed out one. I do not sell this one, said Manuel whimsically. Gosh, I said to myself, if Pepe had chosen the other, Manuel would have told him too he did not sell that one. But you have just told me, reasoned Pepe, it depended on which one I was interested in. Yes, said Manuel, but to be precise I do not sell this one. Pepe and I glanced at each other not understanding. Well, said Pepe, how much do you ask for the other? I do not know, said Manuel, I do not know how much I would ask for. Well, you supposedly sell the painting, and if not you, Leopoldo or someone must know how much it costs. Before he could go on speaking and having mentioned my name, and due to Manuel’s hesitation, I saw myself obligated to intervene making it clear there was a tacit agreement among painters and designers to ask for a hundred fifty thousand pesetas for a painting at least at the exhibitions. I do not know, I added, if Manuel would agree on a hundred fifty thousand, but it is up to you to negotiate. Do you agree on a hundred fifty thousand?, Pepe rushed to ask. Manuel began to try to explain wandering the peculiarities of the painting they were disputing and he became excited at each new detail he revealed. I was not suprised by his exaltation and less in the state of drunkenness he was in, but to my surprise Pepe seemed enthusiastic and admired by his exaltation with the hallucinating explanations which although definitely seemed not to have at all, had coherence and sense indeed. Just at that moment joined us Beatriz, the gallery responsible, smiling at us and half joking she reproached me not to be there at seven when she was waiting everybody. She said she had already been introduced to Manuel’s family and it had to be seen how happy Manuel was. We four laughed at this. I introduced Beatriz, the gallery responsible, to Pepe, and thinking the encounter would be shiner I mentioned the fact of the negotiation the two of them were holding. To give himself importance too, Pepe offered Manuel the hundred fifty thousand again when the responsible still there with us, of course taking into account Beatriz was quite good-looking. Manuel reacted giving himself importance for the same reason saying he would let me counsel him. I exposed this time the motif by which painters at an exhibition had settled a minimum for a painting: so that it could not be less than this amount. Pure logic, I said then, it makes sense, because this way, still not being a too high but moderate price it was imposed an amount suitable for exhibitors and galleries’ owners too and obligated buyers to pay minimum an amount to which they may not renounce to because it had been settled beforehand. I think a hundred fifty thousand is a reasonable price, unless you agree in an amount interesting to both. If you want a hundred fifty thousand, I can pay you now with a check or cash and I will collect the painting when the exhibition is over, Pepe said. This painting cost more than a hundred fifty thousand, for a hundred fifty thousand I will not sell it, said Manuel not giving importance to himself before us but to Beatriz, to whom he glanced with cloying eyes, almost clumsily, that I could realize. Well, if we come to an agreement I will buy it. I am interested, said Pepe. Manuel concentrated and I thought he was going to mention an amount for the painting. I do not sell this painting, it is a jewel, he said. Gosh, I said to myself, it turns out now he does not sell it, when he said before he did not sell the two but only one. Gosh, said Pepe reading my thoughts, if you said before you did not sell the two but only one and you have even chosen it. How is it you say now you do not sell it? Because it is a jewel, I cannot sell it, I prefer to keep it for myself. I stood stupified, Pepe indignant, and Beatriz said: It is something I am not accostumed to. One can do whatever they want with his paintings, I said, but most of exhibitors make his way by selling their works at the minor opportunity. Moreover, they can always paint a copy which is a way of keeping for them an original. We four remained silent for a moment. Then I took advantage of the opportunity to inform Manuel that Pepe was a collector, that I knew his house, where he had a good paintings' collection of the Spanish vanguard, most of them of an extraordinary quality and I assured him it may be a good idea to come with him to an agreement about the price, that it could open to him other doors or make him known in the circles he moved in or in others by his mediation. Manuel started to wander excitedly again saying as it is his custom unfinished sentences, incoherencies that may have a meaning if they are linked, mixing up genial phrases and amazing verses and hallucinating loose words and in this guise he made us participants of his drunkenness. Beatriz gestured to us procuring Manuel did not realize kind of saying the digression was too cultivated to be understood and she left us by ourselves smiling. Manuel slipped too in high spirits in search of two very good-looking girls. It was hard to convince Pepe about drunkards to be unpredictable, although as a general rule, I admitted, in this state what they usually do is selling at no matter the price and even offer their paintings at an affordable price and yet to give them as a present if someone tells them it may be a benefit or simply to be nice to someone or to be taken as disinterested and generous. He went away angry and always we met up again or spoke on the phone he asks me about Manuel and reminds me he had pulled his leg.

A little after the happenings progress showed me that to me too he had pulled my leg, that he went on pulling, and if I was going to be his agent, he would pull. The other case more despairing if possible than the one I have just told was when I got to arrange two of his paintings at a very prestigious antiques shop where they too were involved in decorations. The owners liked Manuel paintings and fitted in the decorations they carried out, for the proprietors of houses to decorate let them to admonish regarding furniture, carpets, lamps and other antiques, but with respect to paintings they always preferred modern ones. Besides it turned out they had to carry out an important decoration and in a short time they would try to place the two paintings for two hundred fifty thousand pesetas each. I was enthusiastic believing Manuel would be happy and seeing they had treat me nicely, as my friend Manuel Ordaz assured me they would. Well then, to credit the author of the paintings I gave them all the details about Manuel, including his identity card number. Very proud of the negotiation I brought the two paintings to the shop next day and rang up Manuel to let him know. He left me perplexed when he doubted about the price I had asked them for. It is half a million pesetas for both, two hundred fifty thousand each. It is not a despiteful sum, I argued. In my free time I had the illusion of promoting Manuel’s paintings because I liked his paintings and drawings and also I understood his exaltations and even approved and enjoyed them. But I did not expect Manuel to spoil all my efforts making me lose my time uselessly and turning up in the antiques shop to recuperate his paintings with his identity card alleging the paintings were his and he was not disposed to release them whatever they paid him, although on the other hand I listened to him to the point of memorizing everything he said even for much he was delirious.

The last straw was when I began to be prosecuted by phone calls from the Cultural Center where they exhibited Manuel’s works, to the office and to my house, leaving a message for me to ring them back and never found me, not being able myself neither for neglect nor for laziness, of course, but just because I did not get right the Cultural Centre’s phone number. On the exhibition leaflet appeared one they never picked up I do not know the reason why, and though I rang up Manuel one morning, aside from not knowing the phone number all he could say to me was he was leaving home and give him a call at another time. I rang him up in the evening to know what they wanted from me at the Cultural Center. He was not at home. It was his mother who told me he was probably, to be precise, at the Cultural Center, that he went there almost everyday, and you know how things are, she told me later, nearly always he comes back unbearable, I do not know what he does, whether after going to the Cultural Centre he gets drunk nearby or what. What I did not know was why Manuel had not tell me he went to the Cultural Center, but I wanted to know, apart from him going there almost daily and suspiciously he had not phoned me to tell me and besides he had refused to sell a painting to Pepe when he had gone there on purpose to buy him one. I was intrigued and as I was not only concerned in the business but also it worried me, I decided to go to my place to ascertain the Center’s phone number asking at the Council building I went to propose they allowed Manuel to use the exhibition room. Definitely, I went home after a week without appearing and searched for the Council’s phone numbers. I made a phone call at once and asked for the Culture’s responsible who had attained for us the exhibition room. He took the receiver and after salutations he said to me he did not know what they at the Cultural Center wanted to speak to me about, so I asked him the Cultural Center’s phone numbers and he gave them to me. I rang them up at last and asked for Beatriz and they told me she was not around. Anyway the woman employee told me she could comment with me the reason by which they had tried to get in touch with me. Well then, it turned out Manuel had gone to the exhibition room everyday and always accompanied, but unexpectedly I got to know that by a cheap tin can liter of wine, and sometimes he even did not bring a glass but drank right from the tin can. A little after he began to go directly to Beatriz’s bureau, in charge of the exhibition’s room, and he even did not have the decency of asking if he could drink or come in with the wine tin can in the bureau. Beatriz was so angry she wanted me to say to Manuel not to come back to the exhibition but exclusively to visit the room, accompanied or not, but not as always with the unlucky cheap wine tin can that so much fear provoked to the Center's women employees, because apart from that I already knew how the blessed Manuel’s wine could smell, and moreover he even looked as if he had fallen in love. I spoke with Manuel and I said to him I did not absolutely mind him to go backwards in all the sales I could make, but he could not go again to Beatriz’s bureau with the unlucky wine tin can, and worse yet without a glass, and he realized he was not doing well, though he never repented from this, and I got to convince him and he gave up going with the wine. A few days later, rather well dressed and boasting before Beatriz he had given up drinking, he said to her a man was born to love, and in his case to draw also, and deliver himself in body and soul to a muse, saying all this with a so sickly smile Beatriz could not stand him not even some counted seconds. After having endured him in a bad mood for so many days she warned him not to enter the office again, he would only have access to the room and forbade him to come in with the wine tin can and then Beatriz herself rang me up and told me. I am sure it nearly escaped to Manuel saying to Beatriz that he would go then to have some wines just on leaving the Cultural Center, because that was what he did, his mother told me next day, that Manuel had gone to Vallecas and he had drunk a lot, the Council policemen had phoned her up to say his son was under an ethilic comma at a bar’s door just opposite the Cultural Center, and he did not go again to the Cultural Center and did not even go the day the paintings were taken down, Manuel himself rang me up to tell me. He also told me something about Beatriz’s story, and he said he went there acting the fool, and to finish with and definitely, it was she who lost, more to be exactly, it was she who did not know what she lost.