La Noche de Karaoke
(The Karaoke Night)
Ignacio Delgado no cantaba bien.
Ignacio Delgado did not sing well.
De hecho, su voz era tan mala que sus vecinos se quejaban cada vez que cantaba en la ducha.
In fact, his voice was so bad that his neighbours complained every time he sang in the shower.
No obstante, Ignacio estaba convencido de que tenia un talento oculto.
Nevertheless, Ignacio was convinced that he had a hidden talent.
Un viernes por la noche, su amiga Lucia le envio un mensaje: Ven al bar de Ramon.
One Friday night, his friend Lucia sent him a message: Come to Ramon's bar.
Hay karaoke.
There is karaoke.
Seria divertido que cantaras algo.
It would be fun if you sang something.
Ignacio sonrio.
Ignacio smiled.
Por fin alguien reconocia su potencial.
Finally someone recognised his potential.
Cuando Ignacio llego al bar, habia unas treinta personas.
When Ignacio arrived at the bar, there were about thirty people.
Lucia estaba sentada con un grupo de amigos que ya se reian antes de que empezara la música.
Lucia was sitting with a group of friends who were already laughing before the music even started.
Es mejor que elijas una canción fácil, le aconsejo Lucia.
It is better that you choose an easy song, Lucia advised him.
Pero Ignacio no queria canciones faciles.
But Ignacio did not want easy songs.
Eligio una balada romantica de los años ochenta que requeria notas muy altas.
He chose a romantic ballad from the eighties that required very high notes.
En cuanto empezo a cantar, el silencio fue absoluto.
As soon as he started singing, the silence was absolute.
No era un silencio de admiracion.
It was not a silence of admiration.
Ignacio cantaba con los ojos cerrados y el microfono pegado a la boca.
Ignacio was singing with his eyes closed and the microphone glued to his mouth.
Las notas altas salian como si alguien estuviera pisando a un gato.
The high notes came out as if someone were stepping on a cat.
Un niño que estaba cenando con sus padres empezo a llorar.
A child who was having dinner with his parents started crying.
El camarero dejo caer una bandeja de vasos.
The waiter dropped a tray of glasses.
Lucia se tapo la cara con las manos mientras sus amigos grababan todo con el móvil.
Lucia covered her face with her hands while her friends recorded everything with their phones.
Sin embargo, Ignacio no se daba cuenta de nada.
However, Ignacio did not notice anything.
Creia que el público estaba emocionado.
He believed that the audience was moved.
Cuando termino la canción, Ignacio abrio los ojos y espero los aplausos.
When the song finished, Ignacio opened his eyes and waited for the applause.
Hubo un momento de silencio total.
There was a moment of total silence.
Entonces, desde el fondo del bar, alguien empezo a aplaudir lentamente.
Then, from the back of the bar, someone started clapping slowly.
Era Ramon, el dueno, que se acerco al escenario con una sonrisa extrana.
It was Ramon, the owner, who approached the stage with a strange smile.
Ignacio, en todos los años que llevo con este bar, nunca habia visto que un karaoke vaciara el local tan rápido.
Ignacio, in all the years I have had this bar, I had never seen a karaoke empty the place so quickly.
Mira, solo quedan Lucia y el niño que llora.
Look, only Lucia and the crying child are left.
Ignacio miro a su alrededor.
Ignacio looked around.
Era verdad.
It was true.
La mitad de los clientes se habia marchado.
Half the customers had left.
A pesar de todo, Ignacio no se rindio.
Despite everything, Ignacio did not give up.
Cada viernes volvia al bar de Ramon.
Every Friday he returned to Ramon's bar.
Con el tiempo, la gente empezo a venir precisamente para escucharle.
Over time, people started coming precisely to hear him.
No porque cantara bien, sino porque era tan gracioso que se habia convertido en un espectáculo.
Not because he sang well, but because he was so funny that he had become a show.
Lucia le dijo un día: Es posible que seas el peor cantante de toda España, pero sin duda eres el mas divertido.
Lucia told him one day: It is possible that you are the worst singer in all of Spain, but you are without a doubt the funniest.
Ignacio se rio y contesto: Eso es exactamente lo que queria.
Ignacio laughed and answered: That is exactly what I wanted.
Bueno, en realidad queria ser cantante profesional, pero esto también vale.
Well, actually I wanted to be a professional singer, but this works too.
Key Vocabulary
quejarse to complain
la ducha the shower
la balada the ballad
la bandeja the tray
darse cuenta de to notice, to realise (lit. to give oneself account of)
el escenario the stage
rendirse to give up, to surrender
el espectaculo the show, the spectacle