Could it be?
-Good evening! One more night we greet you from: Alone! We are not alone.
-Hello Karina.
-Good evening Sofi.
-All set Laura?
-My Sofi, my Sofi.
-So here we go. Dear listeners, tonight is a very special evening. We have decided that the topic of discussion will be whatever you want it to be. We usually propose a topic, however, today we will not.
I raise my head looking at Karina who gets the message.
-That's right Sofi, tonight we have decided to break with our own schemes.
-Are we crazy?
I look at Laura who nods in acceptance of the change of speaker.
-Ugh Sofi, you don't know it well. And since we are crazy and difficult to tie -she answers motivated- tonight we will let our imagination fly. Guiiiiii! -She shouts while the sound of the sheets flying through the air can be heard.
Laughter rules me as I try to speak. These moments are priceless. I love them so much... There are friends to whom the letters are too many and others to whom the meaning is not enough. There are so many moments that they endure by my side and without leaving my side, that, despite the storms, my heart squeezes. When one cries, the other comforts and the third pushes. When one gets angry, the other calms and the third laughs. We are so different that we form the perfect blend. Our characters are something like: oil, vinegar and sugar.
Laura, it's sugar: A person capable of seeing sweetness even in drug dealers. Innocent creatures to whom life owes a chance.
Karina, it's Modena vinegar: Sweet until provoked. Or touch us. She is capable of defending herself with tarot cards.
I am the olive oil: nice but very heavy. They say it's not like that, that I'm more of a risky character. They lie. I'm a crazy woman who half the time they'd kill. I imagine they don't do it because they're afraid of ending their days in jail.
And of course, not forgetting any of my loved ones, in this lovely mix of ingredients, is the great Anthony. He is the magnificent bowl that contains us all.
-Go ahead, girls. Karina is radiant.
-Don't be shy! Call in and tell us your experiences. Remember! As long as one of us has a voice, none of us will be silenced. Run! Anthony? How about we warm up with one of your hits.
-Dear Sofi, I'm afraid my music will have to wait. We have a call.
-A call! That was fast. Go ahead then, let's not keep our listener waiting, Hello, who am I speaking to?
-Hi, I'm Julia.
-Hi Julia," we all three replied enthusiastically. We are listening. Do you want to say something?
-I wanted to share my experience. I think I can be useful for others like me.
-We think it's perfect. We're all ears. We're all ears.
-Can I do it now?
-Yes, Julia, you can. We are waiting for your story.
A rumbling sound creeps behind the microphone.
Honey, I'm going with Paco to the soccer field to watch the Madrid game. I'll be late.
-Ejem ... -Taps on the mic. -Julia?
-Hey, yeah, I'm here. The TV was on high. I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
-Of course. Now we can hear you perfectly. You can tell us your story.
-Of course, of course. You see, I listen to you all the time.
-Thank you very much, Julia. Laura and Karina take advantage of the listener's silence.
-Eh, yes. -Well. What I mean is that all that advice about women's rights, equal opportunity and the desire to excel, it's all terrible bullshit.
At this moment I'm so discombobulated that I'm not able to respond. Julia takes advantage of my mental void to continue.
-Everyone in nature has a role and ours is to be mothers. Procreating is the most beautiful thing in the world. Creating a family is our goal and should be the only goal we should have.
-You see Julia, as you said, our program is very feminist and therefore we defend equality in all aspects. Even in opinions. And although we accept your decision, we believe that there are other women who would like to choose their own destiny. In or out of motherhood.
-Bullshit!
I look up at the steering cabin. Anthony looks just as out of sorts as I do. Even Blake shakes his head. He looks just as annoyed as we do.
-Julia, we ask you to respect us. We do it with you and that's why....
-No way! You are revolutionaries of lies. God doesn't want women like you. Nature says that we were born for the home and that must be respected. You're bitches who only want to get in bed with every man around. Is that why you want freedom? We all have a role. A woman should stay at home taking care of her children who need her so much.
Anthony's hand moves in a cutting motion. My blood boils too much to cut off the call.
-Julia, as I told you before, we respect your decision, but what I don't accept are lies. Women who think are not sluts. Seeking to improve ourselves, to have studies, a job or an equal salary does not make us practitioners of porn. And although we consider sexual freedom as a part of our rights, in this program we talk about much more than a mattress, as you say. We want to give a voice to girls who want to be engineers without being treated as lesbians, to young girls who practice soccer without being yelled at for the size of their tits, or to get on the bus without someone thinking they have the right to touch our asses. We do not deny those who wish to marry or be mothers, we beg for equal rights for those who seek to be more than just a womb.
-Whores! You are whores. All you want is to sleep with everything that moves. You throw away the values of love and family.
-Julia! We are not going to let you.
-Women! Young girls, do not listen to them. These are demons who seek to feed hatred. We women were born for the home and children. Why else did God give us this blessed gift?
Mom. Dad says he's sleeping over at Paco's house. Soccer ends late. Not now, Julito!
-The woman was born to be at home," she says, taking back the reins of the conversation and forgetting her son's shrieking.
-What about the husband, Julia? -Karina is as red with fury as I am.
-He is the head of the family, he works, he brings us food. He is the man of the house.
-And what should we do then? What about science or the arts? Can't we be there either? -Laura asks, fuming out of her ears.
-Everyone has a duty. Ours is the home. Women like you are a bad example for the young girls of today.
My aortic vein tingles like a Molotov bomb's second hand. I'm about to explode. The woman keeps talking, I'm biting my fury.
I would like to debate, but Julia is unstoppable. She doesn't seek reason, she imposes. And I give a lot in good times, but in bad times I'm pure nitroglycerin.
-Home is the sanctuary of peace and tranquility. We must...
Mommy! Dad says he got a flat tire and they won't fix it until after ten o'clock. He'll be very late tomorrow.
The child's screams creep in as the woman continues to inflate my ovaries.
-We must be faithful, good wives, good mothers and good....
-Cornudas Julia! You're a cuckold. Your husband isn't watching soccer. There's no game at this hour and he didn't get a flat tire! Julia, he cheats on you! And how do I know? Because he cheated on me too. And you know something else! I want to be valued as an intelligent woman with possibilities. I want them to respect me and let me do whatever I want to do. I want to be free to choose, to live or to cry. Or rather, whatever comes out of my pussy, Julia! Good night, Julia.
Anthony quickly presses the button and the music comes on in the background. The girls don't scold me. Neither does Anthony. My veins are like the asphalt of Madrid in the middle of an August afternoon.
The internal microphone turns on with the light green.
-You were fantastic. You deserved it. The light goes out. It was Blake. Aying, you can't get any cuter.
I bow my head. Day by day I fall into the precipice of love without barrier skidding into his arms. Sure I'm red as cherries. Taylor Swift plays as we try to pull ourselves together.
-Another call. Anthony speaks while Taylor sings quieter and quieter.
I'm so sick of running
as fast as I can,
wondering if it would come sooner
if I were a man.
And I'm so sick of them
do not leave me alone,
because if I were a man,
then it would be the best.
It would be the best.
It would be the best.
I pull my hair back into a ponytail. Ready for a new pulse. Laura throws her head back and Karina takes a sip of strong coffee.
-Come on, girls," Anthony's tone is pure energy. You can do it. One crazy woman is not all. Three, two, one and... Incoming call!
-Hello, my name is Sofia, with whom do I have the pleasure of speaking?
-Hello, my name is Alba. She looks young. Very young.
-Hello Alba. We are listening.
-Hello, I...
-I try to relax her nerves while I pray that she is not another crazy woman like the previous one.
-I wanted to tell you that I like your work.
-Thank you very much, Alba. Believe me, today the girls and I need it.
-You don't know how much, dear Alba. Laura tries to give a touch of humor to the night that is dressed in acid.
-I listened to the lady from before and... -Alba pauses for a long moment, "I don't agree. I am one of those waiting for you. You help me a lot. I... I have to go. Thank you for what you do. I have to cut. I'm sorry. I'm sorry.
-Alba? Alba? Are you there?
Something sounds familiar. Her voice. I could swear... Shit! It's her! From that night. The first one last month. The day before I met Blake.
-I think this program is about mysteries," Karina clarifies with professional speed.
-It seems so. Laura replies wearily.
-At least they haven't insulted us. I answer with my thoughts on the girl on the call.
-Karina raises her hands to the sky.
-You know, even though the call was short, I think we needed it. Alba is one of the many girls for whom this program deserves to continue. Sometimes it's nice to get an I love you or a good cuddle.
-I couldn't agree more.
Laura answers me, Karina continues talking into the microphone, while my thoughts distract me. There's something about that girl. I'm not sure what it is, but I can't stop thinking about her.
-Don't you think so, Sofi? -What are you talking about?
Question with implicit answer. First year. I know that one. Saved by the skin of my teeth.
-Of course we do. And now if you think we deserve a good theme song. Anthony, what do you have in store for us?
-How about a little bit of Earth, Wind & Fire and their September. A good start to the long weekend, don't you think, Sofí?
-I think it's great.
The music plays and Blake keeps looking at me. So do I. What's starting to grow in my heart is a mountain, and mountains don't hide with a finger.
I don't want to sound paranoid but the girls' sentences resonate with me. What if they were one percent right? Why is it on the radio? If I use the OSADIA rule from Anselmo's course I would say that we are looking at O for observation:
One . You're terribly desperate: It's out of the question, I've seen at the agency how the girls look at you. More than one would like to waste your time.
Two . You like Anthony: This is out of the question, Laura with the photo of the red-haired girl with flowing hair confirmed that you are not into men.
Three. You study journalism: Discarded. You are a science major.
Four . Do you like any of the ones here. I don't rule it out.
Observation and analysis are clear. Someone here likes you. Could it be me? Aying, the smile breaks out hysterically.
Should I switch to attack A?