Different Routine

Today is a National Holiday and the whole of Spain is closed (except the bars, restaurants and other essential services!) Day Trippers may affect such businesses locally this afternoon and evening, here's hoping.

The job has turned my day upside down and I don't think that I am used to the change in routine yet. Last night I slept like a log until 10am this morning, didn't hear a thing. I was so tired that I gave up on last nights blog session and went to bed so this carries on from where I left off. So why has it been so hectic? It all started last Saturday at half-eight while I was in the bar working.........

"If you want to go dancing come here to Fuengirola at midnight".
"OK, I'll be at the Bus station at Midnight. Right now I am working in a bar". Told her! She now knows that I have a job. This is the first opportunity that I have had to let her know and one that I have been waiting for. And that knowledge immediately prompted:
"I think that the last bus is at 11pm, I'll wait by The Salamanca restaurant, let me know when you are on the way". Ah, I didn't tell her what hours I was working, now she's digging and maybe worrying that I won't actually be able to make it.
"OK, I'll call you when I'm on the way and I'll meet you at La Salamanca". Then a couple of hours or so later, at the railway station after having checked the timetable, I sent "I am going to catch the 22-55 train so I'll be at La Salamanca by about 23-30".

"Where's that white shirt?"
"Which white shirt?"
"The one we bought last year in Springfield's along with those trousers" (which I was wearing).
"In the wash. Your message to meet you caught me by surprise and I wasn't ready"
"Always be ready Mr Derek Field, always be ready".
Soooo... that white shirt and those white trousers are now reserved in the wardrobe so that I will always be ready! What I should have remembered is that that day when I was taken to meet Jesus (Haysoos) it was that outfit that she chose from my closet and ironed for me while I showered. She obviously likes me in it.

"So, how are you, well?"
"Yes. I've been taking tablets and they give me a headache so I have stopped taking them".
"Tablets for what?" As it turned out she has a problem involving haemaglobin and the tablets she has been prescribed have a side effect (headaches). So now I know part of the story about what is wrong with her, I still don't know why she has to have an operation in a few weeks time, if indeed she does, maybe I've mis-understood although I don't think that's the case - we've talked about when (November).

In one of the discoteques that we went to (she prefers a place that is more-or-less empty, less noise, more room) we bumped into 2 girlfriends of hers (Ukranians) and she asked if I would mind if we joined them to which I replied of course not, so we did. I've met many of Lary's friends here in Torre, Benalmádena and Fuengirola but not these two so I was subjected to some hard scrutiny after the introduction and some "out the corner of the mouth" comments were passed. All must have gone well because Lary soon suggested that we all go somewhere else (this place was packed, I'd asked to go there but it was too busy for her. Luckily, meeting her friends was, for her, an unexpected bonus). Here I'll mention that on the way in on the train I'd noticed a Feria (Fair) just outside Fuengirola towards Los Boliches and upon meeting with Lary I had asked why it was there. The Annual Fair. We caught a Taxi away from the Disco and with Lary in the front giving the driver directions we headed off towards Los Boliches. Oh-Oh. After a tortuous drive through the one-way sytems in Los Boliches we ended up back down near the front and another disco. Empty(ish). 2am. Lary's happy, she'll stay here I think. She did and settled into conversation with her friends. Bearing in mind that they were speaking together in their own language which I do not understand I was aware that Lary was getting quite excited with what she was saying. And then she suddenly switched to Spanish and a door got flung open: she was telling them about the day that she and Katy met Austen!! She did it a second time as well, switched to Spanish so that I would understand the conversation. This time about how I managed to hold my own at Malaga fair on the white knuckle rides!! So it seems that our time together pleases her just as much as it pleases me so why-oh-why is it once in every couple of weeks and then (normally) just for a couple of hours. Mind boggling. Actually this meeting will turn out to defy that convention but 'I dont know that yet' so to speak. Alone on the dance floor she engaged me in a "smooch" to every slow track that was played which, in front of her friends, I found quite reasssuring. She's happy. Many girls would rather die than be 'first on the floor' but not Lary. Luckily for me it doesn't bother me either, in fact I quite enjoy being the exhibitionist and I certainly enjoy the fact that I am dancing with her whatever the circumstance. 4am and we decide to leave. Walking along the paseo we take our leave of her friends who carry on towards Fuengirola and home while we turn away from the sea and head towards a luminescence that I can see in the sky.

"Vamos a donde?" I asked.
"La feria" she replied
"Oh no, no la feria" I responded.
Slipping an arm through mine and coming in close to my side - "Mr Derek, sabes que tu disfrutas las ferias" (a serious reference to our conversation around my infamous SMS to her the morning after the trip to Malaga fair) and taking my hand in hers she proceeded to make sure that I didn't go anywhere but in the right direction! But in that instant I wasn't caring anything about the fair. We were holding hands (she'd taken mine). We are back at square one. Square one being almost 3 years ago, a little while after this very same young lady came into my bar one Saturday afternoon and, after watching me potter for a while, simply asked "como se llama?" (what is your name) which led to that first date when we left the bar after I'd closed and walked through the garden holding hands on the way to the Marina and the discos. This time though things are a little different and I don't think that you need me to explain.

The fair was in the process of closing, not many rides were open and some of the bar tents were shut but we had a couple of rides and a few drinks and enjoyed ourselves, always holding hands while walking between here and there etc.

"I'll walk you back to your apartment then catch the first bus back to Torre". (Yes, it's 6am by now, first bus is 7am).
"I'm going to change and then I'll come to Torre with you"
"You want to come back with me?" (Gulp!)
"Yes. Don't you want me to?"
"Of course I want you to"

She took a nap on my shoulder during the bus ride back here and we stood and watched the sun rise as we walked down the San Miguel steps at 8am. "Help me change the bed for you". "It's OK, I'll be fine here on the Sofa, you use your bed, just give me a blanket". When I got back to her a few seconds later with one she was sound asleep!!