Page 59 - SpontaneousSuccessFINAL6

SPONTANEOUS SUCCESS
Chapter 11
Benfica
Dark. My head ached. I was alone. Again.
Then, lights. Red and white. I saw them strung along
the shore.
People. Music. Loud. Barbecues smoking. Chicken,
pork, beef. The smell was thick.
Benfica won?
Donna Casilda. Francesca. Antonio. They waved.
"Come here."
Antonio gave me a drink. Aguardente. It burned.
“Ben-fi-ca. Ben-fi-ca.” They beat Juventus one-nil. We
bounced up and down, cheering. The booze and the
conversation flowed. One more aguardente, a plate of
chicken Piri-Piri, and fries, and my hangover was gone.
We had chosen our seats at random at one of the long
wooden tables shoved together for the crowd. The noise
was incredible. I was leaning in, trying to hear an Irish
sculptor over the din, when a quiet tug at my sleeve
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