Page 30 - SpontaneousSuccessMatos

TV dangling from a chain in the corner. This was a very
big deal. The whole country was on edge.
“That will rot your guts.” Thomas scooped up my
glass and set down a heavy carafe of red in its place. “Try
this,” he said, as the owner dropped a couple of clean
glasses and a plate of potato and codfish fritters between
us. He filled the glasses and sat down across from me in
front of the open window. It was so bright outside that I
couldn't see his face—just a halo around his head from
the backlight.
“I can't spend the winter here,” I said."I looked at
myself in the mirror this morning and decided I don't
want to go back to England just to sell advertising
again.”
He nodded and looked away.
“Tomorrow morning, I‘m getting a lift to Lisbon
with Carlos, the Fado guy; he‘s driving back to finish his
military service.”
"And who do you know in Lisbon?”
“Actually, no one. Not yet. I‘ll get a room and see
what happens. Like I did here.”
“Cheers,” Thomas tipped his glass at me.
A commotion broke out across the room. A drunk
English woman was yelling at a much younger guy, who
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