Juan Carlos and I had been to A Lanzada’s beach thrice already before and, of course, we not only knew well the big hotel, the Con d’Arbón, just beside our hostel, but as a general rule, since the first year we went there together, we breakfasted in the big hotel everyday. The very moment Juan Carlos found out on arriving the first year, there were mornings we could not come out from there and I was seated by Juan Carlos everyday breakfasting during two hours because it is good in here. I knew the stuff already, in spite of some years lapse since I went there with my parents last time: That the hotel employees were really gorgeous. I was delighted also, but the truth is I thought it was an abuse. At least we had, that is to say Juan Carlos had a car, and when we could not be breakfasting because it is not the only thing one can do only, we went away, Juan Carlos always saying that the hotel’s employees had to work and that nobody can be all day waiting smiles, first from the first you see, then from the first waitress who serves you, from the first girl client and after like this in scale, being the girls whoever they are, because they must accomplish a performance and not being gaily silly as though they should not have eyes but only for us.

We went then to the beach or to walk or we took the car and went to other beaches, to other terraces, well, we went away from the hotel’s cafeteria. As I was saying, Juan Carlos and I had already been three times at Carmen’s and Manolo’s hostel at A Lanzada’s beach before the time I want to tell the facts. Juan Carlos wanted always, not always but nearly always, to be in the cafeteria or to know the time it was allowed us a Let’s go to the cafeteria again, or simply Let’s go to the cafeteria, as though we hadn’t been there already, or as though it was a sane habit. The truth is that just on seeing Juan Carlos they wouldn’t come in soon to serve, they wouldn’t do it or simply did it in a not good mood, that is badly, he realised that that was not the way things must be done. For sure they had to do more important things than serve two coffees or two refreshments although it would be three times a day.

One day I complained on seeing we were going to have a coffee for breakfast in a cup of short of coffee, that is, a tiny cup. I said to the waitress she should make it in a bigger cup. Well then, the waitress changed the cups in the coffee machine, although not reluctantly, a medium size cup, which shouldn’t be offered when you ask for coffee at breakfast, because what you really feel like is having a big cup full of coffee. Inwardly I became happily desperate, for the girl’s reaction captivated me and at that moment I wished her. Juan Carlos said that if they had not a bigger cup, the last one would be all right. I asked the waitress to please serve us coffee in a gigantic cup. In short, three cups of different size: tiny, medium size and biggest. Then I said, persisting in clarifying, like nearly always when of ways of serving coffee deals, that as a general rule coffee must taste to coffee, that unless someone asks you for a short of coffee, that is very little coffee and the cup filled with a lot of milk, or specifically some kind of coffee, coffees must always be served after asking the clients how they wish them to… and that at breakfast coffees always always are in medium size cups at least, big or even gigantic, being the ones who want coffee in gigantic ones the first to beg for heavens the cafeteria has big cups and ask for them big: Coffee in a big cup, please. Juan Carlos listened to me and the waitress too. Here the waitress takes three cups of different size and let you choose between the three, I said and laughed trying the complicity of the waitress. Another thing is when after lunch, in the evening, at night, I said later, under the impression that caused me her smile. I asked her her name. Cristina, she said. Serving a good coffee has its merit, in some places they serve it out spitefully, I said. The truth is it makes sense, she said at once. And then she added: I had to have supposed, for I have studied hostelry.

Although Juan Carlos had been to A Lanzada and to the nearest villages with his family before I knew him well, he wanted to see more places of interest and I knew already nearly all the corners of this area, so then, that there it is where I want to get to to explain it, it is I was delighted indeed lingering in the hotel’s cafeteria the time it was necessary, seated in the terrace writing and reading, as I used to hoping my communion on those days was with one of the employees, because for me the adventure was lingering there. We used to have lunch and diner at restaurants, terraces or roofed saloons since the first time we went there together, but never wanted Juan Carlos to have lunch or diner at Con d’Arbón hotel, it was enough the time we spent in the cafeteria. In fact, I didn’t mind where to go to to lunch or diner, for Galician food has always had an enormous acknowledgement and you can taste it at every place. Juan Carlos looked for beautiful waitresses always. Some time we put in the leg and more than once we were near to, because for Juan Carlos tits were a must. I could not help laughing when Juan Carlos gazed at girls’ tits and after, most of times, feigned absurdly, for he had enough with some seconds sight and in some occasion he gaily made comments to me within hearing reach about how well provided was one of them. Sometimes Juan Carlos had a fixation with ones concrete and he used to repeating the visits with exasperating stubbornness. He knew everybody took heed, but he didn’t give importance to this so much as to spoil the good role he always does when trying the girl well provided whoever she is leaves absolutely everything aside to instantly run away with him. Quite another business was when he didn’t let me sleep, for he created such an intolerable noises orchestra that I was totally unable already defeated of annoying him with the tale I couldn’t sleep because of him. At nights in our room we spoke for a while and invariably he fell asleep soon after lying on his bed and began to snore. One day this last year while Juan Carlos snored I thought I had the solution: To take another room or to bind up a girl and to go to live at her place near the beach and to forget about Juan Carlos at nights. But always I had to face the doubtless fact that the staying expenses of both there would notably be raised if each of us had his own room, although with respect to the girl was a genial idea, what for to say it was not.

On coming once again in the hotel Con d’Arbón we saw there was a new employee at the reception. She was blond, very pretty like all them, we could see the sprout of her breasts. I took heed at once Juan Carlos had fallen madly in love. We went straight to the cafeteria as though we hadn’t seen anything. We talked casually or kept silence as if we had not in mind Juan Carlos had fallen madly in love. After having a refreshment another employee served us we said goodbye with an open smile on passing by the reception, when we realised that the new employee, our blond, was not there. We broke down about stop telling. Joking in our room I tried to convince Juan Carlos to come back to the hotel, and having fallen in love already, take a step beyond and ask the new employee what was her name and say to her it could be seen hers was a natural blond, just like I like them, I said to Juan Carlos. Juan Carlos laughed at it. Let’s take a rest, he said, let’s go to dine to Villalonga.

I already waited especially the situation during breakfast again and I thought it would be a good idea to leave a note in the suggestions box which was well visible beside the reception’s wall. Next day we went to breakfast and Cristina was there. She smiled at us and said Two, two gigantic cups. We three burst out laughing. I realised she was panting, although lightly, because she had to cope with work, and I wished her more intensely. We dared not to go to the hotel in the evening, because we thought they had realised how we had glanced at the new employee when we had the opportunity. When we could not resist it any longer we decided to go anyway at late evening and to glance at the girl once again, leaving the questions aside. We came into the hotel and it was like nothing had happened, they didn’t take notice even. The blond new employee and the other were at the reception same as the day before, so we went straight to the cafeteria to wait for any of them to come soon, Jessica probably not, for she had worked in the morning and surely she had the evening free. Juan Carlos became angry after a long while staying alone sitting on a cafeteria's stool, waiting, and said to me: How can it be! They haven’t even said hello. Come on, they said reluctantly they would serve us in a short time, the girl said, the other, the new. Never seen it! Come on, I’ve never seen it in my life! Very seldom! Some minutes later Juan Carlos got angrier because they were not coming to serve us what we would have and went away so hurriedly from the cafeteria I could not but follow him up. We went to our hostel and sat down in our room. Two minutes hadn’t gone by and Juan Carlos said to me to come back to the hotel quickly, to see what was happening now and if things were quiet. I said to him again we may go to the hotel and to enter directly to ask the new employee what was her name and to say to her that it could be seen her blond was natural, like I like them. Juan Carlos said laughing: Such things you think of… Well, let’s go to see what is happening now, he said. I shall go later, I said to him, I will stay in here for a while. It was eight thirty. In short, he disappeared in a split second and I lingered in the room seated at the table writing important notes, titles some short stories would have, outlines of some of them, titles of books I would finish by buying, and later I thought of carrying out what I had been already instilling from some time: write suggestions to put in the suggestions box and I thought about some.

By the time it was I knew that it was very likely the hotel’s hall would be animated. I came out after some minutes when I was only scribbling for scribbling on a sheet and went to the hotel. Just on glimpsing the hall I saw at the reception the two same girls who hadn’t had served us nothing some minutes ago. Juan Carlos was seated on a sofa to the left on coming into the Con d’Arbón, opposite the reception, and a young girl and her mother were seated on another sofa near Juan Carlos. The hotel’s blond glanced at me coldly, curtly, harsh, although perhaps I am mistaken, and the young girl’s mother spent her time watching Juan Carlos gilding the pill to her as he was taking bows as if he was asking for her daughter’s hand. The daughter read a magazine very consciously, with great interest. I had already greeted Juan Carlos on seeing him when I came in into the hotel, but he greeted me in a rush with a Hello, Poldo, and made a gesture to me to say nothing and keep away, that he was binding. He immediately took another review and put on his part big interest and curiosity for the girl’s legs to her ankles, she was reading the magazine in silence, while her mother didn’t know how to avoid Juan Carlos’ glances nodding. Meanwhile the hotel’s girls did not pay attention to us. Confused by the lack of attention we aroused in the hotel’s hall, I went to the suggestions box and put inside the suggestions, seemingly without nobody taking heed, although everybody had. As in fact Juan Carlos didn’t want to put in the questions to the new employee, who was there in the same posture we had seen her before, listening to something surely another of the employees, the same one, was trying to explain to her, I didn’t have therefore to essay what to say after, that after all for a moment I thought Juan Carlos was capable of putting in the questions. I didn’t know what to do and by inertia I sat down beside Juan Carlos, who didn’t say anything and went on gazing at the girl insistently and intensely. The mother stood up then and said to her daughter she was tired of hands asking with bow taking and not to be late in coming up to the room, and she went clearing her throat with intention from the lift.

Then, suddenly, two policemen in uniform came in and went straight to the reception. One young and another older. Hello. We are on a routine visit. The employees remained quiet. Is it all right in here?, asked the one who had spoken, the younger and more decided. Not bad at all, replied arbitrarily the blond with a fastidiousness gesture. The young and decided policeman stood petrified, sure he was also too one of these who believe the employees would jump over the counter immediately to run away with him. The two policemen started to look at all the angles of the hall. When they saw Juan Carlos and me they looked away at once, to us at once again, at last looked at us again with renovated attention, and like this for a very long half a minute. The two girls at the reception had scarcely paid attention to the policemen, rather reluctantly as they did to us. Excuse, misses, insisted the other, the older policeman, do you have in sight our phone number? No one of us has, said the old employee. The blond gazed at them not blinking. The girls went on doing whatever they were doing or not doing anything at all in the same posture, the blond standing and the other seated. The policemen seemed desperate, in fact they feigned as if not, they tried to make us believe they were professional. How is it possible?, asked the younger policeman. You should, he said, just in case of need you should call us from here. We haven’t called you from here, not one of us has, was the rare response the not new employee gave. The policemen became petrified again.

Meanwhile Juan Carlos didn’t even look at the policemen. These kept open mouthed each time they looked at him, for he didn’t pay attention to them either, so embellish he was in the legs from knees to ankles of his beloved. The only solution they had was to tease me. Are you hotel’s client?, asked me the younger. I am cafeteria’s client, I said. Is he his friend? Yes, of course, I said, and went on: Only he is so obsessed with the girl. He likes her much. He is thinking about asking for her hand. Do they know each other?, asked me in a low voice the talker. Her mother has just gone clearing out her throat intentionally. I said this without contention, so sure I was that with respect to Juan Carlos, he would not pay attention to me although he listened to what I was saying. The girl didn’t move and kept on reading her magazine very concentrated. The policemen had a look at the panorama and not knowing what to do, the younger said: Well, if you need us for something, call us. We shall not, said the one who was seated. By God! Who then?, said the cop, and he seemed exasperated: We can’t lose our time, he said. Why has it got to be us?, asked absurdly the one who was seated. The old policemen tried then to sentence thus: After years It has already been every now and then they have called us from this hotel and I suppose your duty is to call us if necessary. We have been here all day and we haven’t done anything so far, said recklessly the blond employee.

I see. Yes, I see, yes indeed, said the super agent intervening. Then the super agent, who should already be chastened after looking at all sides not finding response to his handsomeness, looked at me fixedly for a brief moment as though he knew me or remember me, and asked me: Are you going to wait they serve you in the cafeteria? Apparently there is nobody to serve you now, he added. I do not know what I shall do, I said. Do you want to know?, I asked them later. They stood looking at me and before they responded, I said: Yes, I am going to wait, I feel like having a refreshment in here, and I am still in the hope of having it in here, although I know it is very likely they will not open the cafeteria. Juan Carlos didn’t even feign to read a headline. He was gazing at the girl without any restraint, and much merit, all must be said. The policemen didn’t dare to say anything to Juan Carlos even when they clearly saw he was eating with his eyes. If the employees can’t serve you and your friend doesn’t take heed of you, are you going to stand waiting something?, asked me the veteran. Like an idiot, I replied. What?, asked the other. Like an idiot, I said again. They did not understand. Just in case some employee deigns to serve us a refreshment, it’s not too late, it’s nine o’clock yet, I said. They waited looking at me clumsily. Cristina, I went on saying, the morning waitress, who is very beautiful and sympathetic, offers us three cups of different size at breakfast and she let us choose… The truth is that it is good when the cafeteria is opened, all the employees are very beautiful…, I said later. That’s to say you are waiting. Are you not?, said the older. And wouldn’t you wait for the cafeteria to be opened and have something?, I asked them. And if they open it up and invite you?, I asked them again. What do you think we are doing? We are on duty, said the older. I suppose so, I said. Listen, we don’t understand you although something seems to come twisted, it doesn’t sound strange at all, said the decided one intervening anew.

The policemen and I looked at all sides and nothing had changed: Juan Carlos was absorbed with his girl, the girl was absorbed with her magazine, the employees were looking at what nobody would know and made the same gestures as though they were doing something important, the policemen looked up not believing anything they were seeing and I didn’t move until I could stand it no more and snorted a restrained laughter. So here we all are losing our time: the employees, the couple, you both and I, I said. Like fools, said the older to the younger giving me the reason not wanting to. Well, I said on seeing the maturer couldn’t help saying what he had said, I try never lose my time. What?, asked me the late bloomer maker a little emboldened because he had left both of them in a bad position. Speak clearer, because it seems you invent the words or you speak quite intentionally, he said after. And what do you come here for if you know that it is very likely they won’t open up the cafeteria, but to see the employees or your friend, who by the way as far as you can see doesn’t take heed of you?, he asked. As far as you can see?, I asked in turn. They do what they must or they have nothing better to do, I said. Their minds went white not comprehending. On seeing them being able of waiting only or waiting for an explanation, I said then: In order not to lose my time and knowing it could happen what is happening, it occurred to me to make use of the suggestions box.

I beg your pardon?, asked the mature, who had taken the word when the other seemed not wanting to. Yes, I said, I brought some suggestions. What suggestions?, asked then the other reacting. Please, explain yourself because now I’m afraid you have no other, he said after. Oh, yes, delightedly, for I was waiting the subject to spring, I said. I know already, I went on saying, that nine o’clock is good time for policemen to appear. Seeing the unspeakable new glance of the surprised comrades, I said: The suggestions box is there beside the reception, and I pointed it out with a head gesture. They looked behind them and at last they saw the box. And they wanted to know more, of course. Juan Carlos kept on doing the same, looking at legs, ankles, hips, breasts, bosom and face half veiled by loose hair and some shadow of his wonderful beloved who was interested in the news. No one of them paid us no attention, the official policemen were waiting for me to explain myself and I needed them to start with enquires. I mean you only have to open up the suggestions box and see what there is inside to know what I am talking about. Then we shall see the suggestions now, man, said very decidedly the decided one glancing at me defiantly. The employees don’t seem to be expecting two policemen to fall in love with, I said finally as response to his defiance. They almost took out their guns, at least they put a face as if they nearly did. I obligated them to take out from the box whatever I had put inside.

The misses were not listening and the cops would have to ask them to open up the box to them. The employee who had been more time working at the hotel dedicated us half a second with a tiresome gesture. The young official blushed almost repented not to have taken out his gun already and disappointed for not having seen his mate doing it. He turned on his back and went to the reception desk. Misses, please, he said, could you give me the box key? Absolute silence. Of the suggestions box I mean, he said then. Absolute silence. Please, come on, begged the new agent with his hand waiting opened on the counter. Not deigning to say anything, not even to look up at him not to anyone either, the new employee put the box’s keys on the counter making a face as looking askance just for a split second. And things are like this: It is very likely that she will be here tomorrow, looking after like one must and earning her salary, that that is why she is so attentive all the time. Which one is the box’s key? Excuse me, misses, could you tell me which one is the box’s key if you are so kind? The two are the same, said the veteran one snorting tiredly and not looking at him. The rookie went to the box with the keys in his hands as though he was going to open up only God knows what. You will say what suggestions you have made if you are cafeteria’s client only, said putting on airs the resolute policeman while he opened up and took out the box contents. I wasn’t standing to lose my time at that moment and replied as if not wanting to: My suggestions are inside a yellow envelope.

What the hell is this?, asked angrily the new official, who had taken the lead while the other let him do. In his hand he held a yellow envelope, my envelope, and from this he had taken out a sheet on which he could not read anything, for I had had the brilliant idea of drawing some scribbling as if it was done in key. Well, I said standing up, that it could be in key and that in fact it could mean the most unexpected. Although my true intention, I said after, seeing after they were listening, was the employees opening up the box to play them a joke saying in the suggestions things like Coffee and a ham leg for breakfast, please, or What handsome types we are, or How beautiful the new employee, or And we as though we didn’t exist. The shrewd policeman who had opened up the box said he was waiting for my answer showing up to me the sheet of scribblings. To have the yellow envelope he had thrown down a lot of loose papers which supposedly were also suggestions. It is very clear, I responded. How is it it is clear?, Come on, make us this clear!, roared the hound. I let escape an impatience sigh: It has been scribbled in key. In key?, asked the clever one as if he could learn something new. Yes, in key, I said. Nothing can be understood here, he said. Do you understand anything here?, asked his comrade. This gestured negatively, he had been for some minutes with crossed arms seeing how acted the one who would implant of course the quietness on the beach and the villages of his competence only would they let him do. Not letting the employees but hear me, I said out of time and on purpose so that there would be a spell: Cristina, the morning’s waitress is very beautiful and sympathetic. The receptionists looked at me. Can it be known what it says here?, asked anew the new one as though he hadn’t listened to me. It can not, I said. How can it not?, he insisted. It can not, insisted I. I got the impression that he had restrained to give me a blow, but I was impressive saying: It may only be known by whom has done it if he has done it so that nobody could understand it but himself. So?, I asked myself. Only some lines, shapes and loose strokes that don’t mean anything can be seen, nothing to lose time explaining. Why not?, asked the bad cop with sufficiency. What for?, I wanted to know. Come on, don’t make us lose our time, suggested to me the good cop, loosing his tongue, knowing that possibly it was he who was losing his time and looking after his companion’s approval for having spoken. It is very clear, I said, either the author wanted to be able to be the only one in deciphering the message or whatever it is, or he wanted it might be understood by another or by others or he could have wanted too to be understood by everybody. And what’s the meaning in the case we are involved in?, questioned me the bad one again.

What really matters, I said, is what it tells or does not. Right now you will tell me what it means, he said threateningly. If there is no other…, I said taking the sheet from his hands. The square room may be this place itself, these two golden lines may be of a blond girl, this may be a pear and a six or a nine, these two shapes can be two bodies of two people expecting excellence possibly, and the strokes below are an invention. At that moment they went mute, the words didn’t come out from them, more questions either. I kept silence waiting for their reaction, and finally the envious rookie asked again: Have we taken you in a lie? I do not understand that of a lie, I said. At this precise moment the taken in a lie seems to be you, that you went mute when I mentioned golden lines. Mute they were again. It is very easy, I went on, whatever it is, and it turns out I didn’t write anything, that they are scribblings only and you lost your time and here nothing happened. The scene definitely doesn’t change substantially. Then there was a solemn silence, only it could be heard the sheets of some registration book which the misses working at the hotel were manipulating. It turns out now the scene doesn’t finish yet, I said pointing out the papers the bad cop had scattered on the floor, because they are only scribblings what seems a mystery to clarify and in fact are the suggestions scattered the ones which are really important. They could not free themselves from their stupor. The truth is I was amazed myself of how silly they should be, above all the bad one because he had insisted in ascertaining what it said where he already knew what it did, for I had told them already. Let us see…, why then it seems you want to pull our legs?, tried to convince me to speak about something the good silly cop. I am not pulling anybody’s legs, I said. Bringing in suggestions is an entertainment by itself I cannot resist, I went on saying not giving him time to breathe. Well, said the good, not at our cost you will be entertained. Well, everybody has the right to say whatever if he doesn’t compromise anybody or doesn’t provoke a situation in which somebody comes losing, I said.

After some moments hesitation during which nobody talked, I said: It is too hot today, yes indeed. On seeing them remaining mute, to sweeten the road and to accomplish my purpose, I said later: The understandable at first time suggestions are the ones we can see split over the floor. I bent down while the policemen followed me with their eyes and I took up one suggestion I could distinguish amongst all them. Let us see, I said choosing the order, here it says Coffee and a ham leg for breakfast, please, and here What handsome types we are, and here How beautiful the new employee, and here And us as if we didn’t exist… And here?, I asked myself aloud, knowing too well what I had written. It had been a while since the policemen seemed to be attending to a puppets theatre, because it was what the impression was, for sure not at all mistaken. On this sheet, I said, I wrote the following: I cannot sleep well having Juan Carlos as a room mate due to the way he snores. The cops let me discourse widely. A common friend warned me this year Juan Carlos snored more noisily than ever, I explained to the policemen as though secretly, for they went together on a voyage and he was hard with him at nights. As they kept on waiting how the tale finished, I followed this way: Here I draught the figure of a person deeply asleep. Can’t you see the dreaming zeds? What?, asked the older policeman at last, the good cop, the cop with a more years resume, the other didn’t say anything at all, only waited and hardly he was listening to everything it was said, although I am sure he was getting to know everything that was happening. Well, I said, I wrote some notes remembering a moralising tale about the good habit of dazzling off almost at all costs with the intention of writing another tale myself. They were waiting for me to finish, for me they were very likely still digesting the hints. Then I said: The truth is that the threat of not being able to sleep induced me to try whatever. That’s all.

The state of things in our field view hadn’t changed. When I had precisely been thinking about how interested seemed the girl in her magazine, the girl left the magazine on the table and went away in the lift not saying anything, leaving us all keeping in suspense for what might happen from then on. Juan Carlos hadn’t lost anything either about everything that had happened during the time he had had opened his magazine by any page and gazed at what would be good. The case is that his reaction was immediate. He stood up and asked at once what was being cooked in the oven. Besides the gestures he made to stun the cops, like putting aside imperiously whatever could get near to him, made me think he was going to behave as a provocative agent. Well, he said coming nearer to the reception desk, are you going to open up the cafeteria?, he asked the two employees with very good manners and as though it was what really mattered. If we can, we shall open it up later, replied the employee who was seated, yes, the older employee. The cops observed Juan Carlos as hypnotised. Then Juan Carlos fixed his attention in the new employee and I could not but contend the impulse to burst out laughing. He said to her: I would not do what others would in my place, to ask you if your blondness is natural, that I know it is indeed, natural, like I like them, if you don’t mind my saying. You don’t have to say anything about my hair, she said staring at him serious. The cops made a gesture as if going to intervene, but they didn’t dare to. I am looking for a woman to take care of me and of a house… I could not refrain myself no more and said laughing: He is speaking in earnest, it is true he wants to get married. Well, marrying after, Juan Carlos said. First thing is understanding each other, he said later. The new employee didn’t seem to react, it was the another one who said: Well, we shan’t open up the cafeteria, for clever you are.

Then I glanced at the policemen and I realised that if they could they were not going to forgive us, and as a result of this attitude I fell in the contagion and let Juan Carlos know what the blunder’s size was. They have been told, I explained to Juan Carlos while the cops could not but stay and listen, like the employees, that there was a new blond at the hotel. You didn’t realise but I listened yesterday at Villalonga’s bar how these two talked with their backs turned to us about a new blond at the hotel, and one said to another they would be busy today, that they would come here another day, but then they thought about it and said perhaps they could today at about nine. Yes, of course they might because they had a break a little before nine, they would come today. The cops seemed touched and were surrendering. The employees raised their eyes and scrutinised us, only us, I mean the cops didn’t even deserve it knowing already girls what they knew. Ho, ho, ho…, laughed Juan Carlos heartily and scornfully on seeing what a face the cops wore and he said: Alas, my mum, what a friend I have acquainted… Ho, ho, ho… Then the two hotel’s employees, the new blond and the enseignante showed themselves very upset with us, with me especially, and the blond even said: The blond over here, the blond over there. It is enough, you should have a little consideration. And the other one warned us: You have to respect my mate, blond or not. The cops didn’t know what to do to arrest me and to take me to the police station. They began to look everywhere and the angrier, who had kept silence during a good while, saw as though it was dealing of important and grave business that there was left a suggestion on the floor, a sheet of squared paper identical to them all. The younger cop bent down and took it up and tried to read it out aloud, making a pompous gesture as though he was going to dictate laws and did not understand anything. And here? And here? What does it say? What does it say?, he asked fearlessly. I don’t understand anything, said the intrepid policeman. May I sleep in your room? I am nearly desperate, I translated into Spanish from English. Signed Leo, of course, I said after. I looked at Juan Carlos and saw he was waiting for an unusual outcome. The two hounds reaction was disproportionate: This is not a theatre, said again the singing voice. We already know you like a hotel’s girl, said the other one. I think I have done it well for she to get to know, I said brazenly aloud so that the receptionists could not forget.

Then started the dancing. I only wanted to play a trick on you, with cops as witnesses instead of a judge, and what I said about your snoring was only serious on the note I made to write a short story, because the truth is you are hard snorer, I was saying to Juan Carlos on hurrying towards our hostel half running after the two clumsy hounds had tried to pull our ears when they realised the law could not be applied against me for having made an unmeasured use of the suggestions box, although it could if the hotel made a complaint. The cops said then that Juan Carlos had spoken to the blond girl insultingly and it was the moment I chose to say again to the cops they had spoken about the new blond at Villalonga’s bar. The employees were offended on listening the new blond so much times, it was the same to them if it was on purpose or as a joke, and we might not complain so as to not upsetting more the hotel’s employees and the cops, who could not contend once unmasked. We had time to stepping foot to the mature cop and to pull away the other. Just on coming into the room we locked up the door, not too sure of the cops or all the cops at the police station would assault our hostel in our search. On seeing Juan Carlos scratching his ears like me as if they had really pulled our ears at all, completely red in the face both, it occurred to me to tell him: If only I had known this would not finish like this, I wouldn’t have plotted such a mess. But why did you get the police involved?, asked me Juan Carlos. Come on, I did not, I said. They got involved themselves. You can believe it or not, Juan Carlos, may be I made a mistake because what I pretended was to laugh at it, but I did it just to have a conversation subject, Juan Carlos, just to have a conversation subject, to see how the short story turned out. And after I said: We should not leave the room and sleep peacefully until tomorrow. By the way, I went on saying, you certainly didn’t ask the blond her name and this after your scene with the girl of the magazine, and I laughed helplessly. How shall be things tomorrow at breakfast?, I asked myself. I hope they will let her know... Indeed I did as best as I could...