La Panadería de la Esquina
(The Corner Bakery)
El mes pasado, Andrés volvió al barrio donde vivía de niño.
Last month, Andrés returned to the neighbourhood where he lived as a child.
Hacía más de treinta años que no caminaba por aquellas calles.
It had been more than thirty years since he had walked through those streets.
Todo había cambiado mucho, pero al doblar la esquina, vio la vieja panadería.
Everything had changed a lot, but when he turned the corner, he saw the old bakery.
La puerta estaba abierta y el olor a pan recién hecho salía a la calle.
The door was open and the smell of freshly baked bread came out into the street.
Andrés cerró los ojos y respiró profundamente.
Andrés closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
Aquel olor le llevó directamente a su infancia, cuando iba todas las mañanas con su madre a comprar pan.
That smell took him straight back to his childhood, when he went every morning with his mother to buy bread.
Entró en la tienda y se sorprendió.
He entered the shop and was surprised.
Detrás del mostrador estaba la misma mujer de hacía treinta años: doña Carmen.
Behind the counter was the same woman from thirty years ago: Doña Carmen.
Tenía el pelo blanco y muchas arrugas, pero sus ojos eran iguales.
She had white hair and many wrinkles, but her eyes were the same.
Doña Carmen lo miró durante unos segundos.
Doña Carmen looked at him for a few seconds.
Luego sonrió y dijo: Tú eres el pequeño Andrés, ¿verdad?
Then she smiled and said: You are little Andrés, aren't you?
El niño que siempre pedía un pastel de crema.
The boy who always asked for a cream pastry.
Andrés no podía creerlo.
Andrés couldn't believe it.
Después de tantos años, ella todavía lo recordaba.
After so many years, she still remembered him.
Sin decir nada más, doña Carmen preparó un pastel de crema y se lo dio.
Without saying anything else, Doña Carmen prepared a cream pastry and gave it to him.
Invita la casa, dijo con una sonrisa.
It's on the house, she said with a smile.
Andrés dio un mordisco y el sabor era exactamente igual que antes.
Andrés took a bite and the taste was exactly the same as before.
Algunas cosas buenas nunca cambian.
Some good things never change.
Key Vocabulary
la panadería the bakery
el barrio the neighbourhood
el olor the smell
la infancia the childhood
el mostrador the counter
la arruga the wrinkle
el sabor the taste, flavour
el mordisco the bite