I walked up the Rambla to the rhythm of Fiesta, by The Pogues. I looked at the leaves on the trees and thought about the party that awaited me and what this crazy year has been like. What does 50,000 copies mean? And the movie and the countries. Anyone from Rio de Janeiro imagining the landscapes of Cerdanya? Catalonian square. I go up Passeig de Gràcia with the Fiesta for the fourth time and arrive at Basté. Interview with the Teresines (impossible to leave after them! Eternal idols!) And when Jordi sees me he gives me a brutal smile behind his blue glasses. He asks me about Matt Damon and the panties from the Gràcia haberdashery and I respond with words that, 85 weeks after releasing Les Calces al Sol, still seem surreal to me.
I leave the Palau Robert and premiere a pen. The phrase that they repeat the most to me is: “I have laughed a lot and I have cried a lot.” And I think about the day I started writing this story, when I laughed and cried too.
A family has come from Tàrrega! I see my husband with my baby on his shoulders. He soon has to suckle. A beautiful girl finally gave me some panties! Bix brand! A marvel! Suddenly Ildefonso Falcones comes up to me and asks me… “Hey, what’s your novel about?” OK. Ildefonso Falcones. Joan Riambau jokes about those who sell cathedrals and those of us who sell panties. Audiences are inscrutable. And in this case, surprisingly, common.
We eat at the Majestic. Red carpet and photocol. I see Miqui Otero and David Walliams and we hug with Elísabet Benavent and Malcolm Otero. I’m very very hungry. I eat some sticks that I think were for decoration. The queue for the toilet reaches the stairs and everyone talks about how there will be no ranking today and that much better. Most of us were left without desserts because the signings started and we all arrived late. I need chocolate. I breastfeed my son again, which stops this frenetic clock for a second.
I sign again and the joy on both sides of the bar is beautiful and euphoric! I see intermittent friends. Betevé is coming. Then I go up to the great Elisenda Carod and she asks me who would play Rita in the movie. I know but I can’t say! Carme crosses the fence and I sign her live. Fnac with cola and I thank you out loud. Betevé returns. They change my sign. An hour and a half has passed in the blink of an eye. Fiesta sounds from afar. It’s been 12 hours and I could swear I haven’t lived a quarter of an hour. Sant Jordi, the Oscars and a wedding and the main festival of Catalonia, all in a wonderful quarter of an hour. Thank you, readers, for this dream!
