A few years ago, when we were studying sixth grade, we decided to organize an end-of-year trip. The boys and girls, although they studied at the Arriba institute. We formed a board: Pepa Alemán, Marina ...
A few years ago, when we were studying sixth grade, we decided to organize an end-of-year trip. The boys and girls, although they studied at the Arriba institute. We formed a board: Pepa Alemán, Marina Arencibia, Carmencita de la Hoz, Pepe Luz, Martín "culona", I think Luis Ceijas and surely some more that I don't remember. I was the president. The girls, with the help of Luz, had the opposition set up for me. We did a lot of things, raised the money, and in early September 1974, 47 young people, between the ages of 16 and 19, went with a teacher as chaperone to Barcelona for two weeks. We stayed in a small hotel on a street perpendicular to the Ramblas, near the church of Carmen, near the famous market in the area, whose name I don't remember now. By the way, I remember that one day I bought an apple there, green, big. The best apple I've ever eaten in my life.
The return was by train to Madrid, all night, another train to Cádiz, all afternoon, we boarded for Tenerife, entering at night, two nights of crossing to arrive in Santa Cruz in the morning. At night, a small boat to Lanzarote where we almost threw up the few guts we had left.
We set it up ourselves, without teachers. At our own pace. Arguing all the time with Luz and the girls over silly things, but we went and came back, safe and sound, and had a great time. I still owe Pedro Cabrera 300 pesetas that I asked him for in Cádiz to eat. The chickpeas were delicious.
No one gave us orders. Only, Don Rafael Sastre, who was the principal, called me one day because the opposition had complained that with the money from the girls' fees we were paying the bills for the supply of the Old Institute's bar, where we sold sandwiches during breaks. I told the principal, "Don Rafael, I didn't want to do politics, I just wanted the trip to happen and I wasn't going to waste time on nonsense." Don Rafael Sastre, who was a Greek teacher, told me: "Dear Lorenzo, everything is politics. Politics comes from the Latin "polis" and means government of the people." At that time, none of us, and I don't think the teachers either, knew the now famous "risk premium." We also didn't know, and still don't know, who this Risk guy is.
So, we continued to do things as best I understood they should be done and we didn't have to be intervened or rescued. The sandwiches continued to sell well during breaks and that left money.
But, well, after the interesting talk with the principal, we continued doing what had to be done. The proof is that 47 young people, between the ages of 16 and 19, went to Barcelona for two weeks and in the Condal City we did whatever we wanted. We had a great time, we got to know and visited a lot of places and, on the appointed day, we were all, at six in the afternoon, at the train station, to catch the same, destination Madrid, via Zaragoza. By the way, I remember that I was thrilled when we passed over the Ebro River.
Before leaving on the trip, in August, one afternoon close to the San Ginés festivities, I met Víctor Betancort in the Old Park, who was also signed up for the trip. He stops me, we talk about things about the trip and he asks me, with a worried face "So, Lemaur, do you have everything improvised already?!". I, well, as it was Víctor, reassured him. I told him yes, that everything was perfectly improvised. He continued towards Calle Real and I continued towards Parque Nuevo. In the end, I didn't lie to Víctor. Everything went perfectly, as if we had had it perfectly improvised.
Well, to tell the truth, we didn't have one thing planned, although, anyone who had been to Barcelona and was of a certain age would have calculated it. I'll tell you. In Barcelona, in Plaza de Catalunya is El Corte Inglés. As you well know, there is no conejero who goes on a trip to a city with Corte Inglés and doesn't go, even if only for a visit.
Well, as you can imagine, all, well, I guess all because we didn't take attendance either, we went "shopping" at El Corte Inglés. One day, there were about five of us, we were "shopping". It must have been past twelve. And, I see a lady, very well dressed, without a bag, and eating donuts in a bag from El Corte Inglés. That annoyed me. I warned of withdrawal but, arriving at the door of the department store, the lady stops one of us, a girl, and asks her to accompany her. Well, I don't think I need to tell the rest. If I tell you that, I think, from that day on, the "purchases" of our people in El Corte Inglés went down.
Another day I'll tell you about when Luz threw the piano out the window and more things.
P.D.: If there are any typos or misspellings, I apologize in advance. It's just that I didn't want to bother my proofreader because she's not having a good day today.
