La Última Mesa del Rincón
(The Last Table in the Corner)
Elena se sentaba cada domingo en la misma mesa del rincón, en un bar pequeño cerca de la Plaza Mayor de Salamanca.
Elena sat every Sunday at the same table in the corner, in a small bar near the Plaza Mayor of Salamanca.
Pedia siempre lo mismo: un café con leche y una tostada con tomate.
She always ordered the same thing: a coffee with milk and toast with tomato.
La camarera, que se llamaba Rocio, ya ni le preguntaba.
The waitress, whose name was Rocio, did not even ask her anymore.
En cuanto la veia entrar, le preparaba el pedido sin decir nada.
As soon as she saw her come in, she prepared the order without saying anything.
Aquel domingo, sin embargo, algo había cambiado.
That Sunday, however, something had changed.
Cuando Elena llegó al bar, vio que en su mesa había un hombre mayor leyendo un periódico.
When Elena arrived at the bar, she saw that at her table there was an older man reading a newspaper.
Se quedo de pie junto a la puerta, sin saber que hacer.
She stood still by the door, not knowing what to do.
Rocio se acercó y le dijo en voz baja: <<No te preocupes.
Rocio came over and said to her in a low voice: <<Don't worry.
Le he dicho que esa mesa esta reservada, pero no me ha hecho caso>>.
I told him that table is reserved, but he did not listen to me>>.
Elena se armo de valor y se acercó al hombre. <<Disculpe, llevo años sentandome aquí los domingos>>, le explicó con amabilidad.
Elena gathered her courage and went over to the man. <<Excuse me, I have been sitting here on Sundays for years>>, she explained to him politely.
El hombre levantó la vista del periódico y la miró con curiosidad. <<¿Todos los domingos?
The man looked up from his newspaper and looked at her with curiosity. <<Every Sunday?
Yo también venía aquí hace muchos años.
I also used to come here many years ago.
Esta era mi mesa cuando vivía en Salamanca>>.
This was my table when I lived in Salamanca>>.
Se miraron en silencio durante un momento.
They looked at each other in silence for a moment.
Resultó que el hombre se llamaba Antonio y había sido profesor de literatura en la universidad.
It turned out that the man was called Antonio and had been a literature professor at the university.
Hacia veinte años que se había mudado a Madrid, pero aquel fin de semana había vuelto a Salamanca para visitar a su hermana.
He had moved to Madrid twenty years ago, but that weekend he had returned to Salamanca to visit his sister.
Le contó a Elena que solia sentarse en aquella mesa para corregir examenes mientras tomaba café. <<Era la única mesa donde la luz de la ventana no me daba en los ojos>>, explicó riendo.
He told Elena that he used to sit at that table to mark exams while he drank coffee. <<It was the only table where the light from the window did not hit my eyes>>, he explained, laughing.
Elena se rio y le ofreció compartir la mesa.
Elena laughed and offered to share the table.
Al fin y al cabo, era lo bastante grande para dos personas.
After all, it was big enough for two people.
Antonio acepto encantado.
Antonio accepted gladly.
Rocio les trajo dos cafes y se quedo mirandolos con una sonrisa.
Rocio brought them two coffees and stood watching them with a smile.
Aquella mañana, Elena descubrió que a veces las mejores conversaciones surgen con desconocidos que, de alguna manera, ya conocemos.
That morning, Elena discovered that sometimes the best conversations arise with strangers who, in some way, we already know.
Desde entonces, cada domingo había dos tazas de café en la ultima mesa del rincón.
From then on, every Sunday there were two cups of coffee at the last table in the corner.
Key Vocabulary
armarse de valor to gather one's courage, to pluck up courage
en cuanto as soon as
hacer caso to pay attention, to listen
al fin y al cabo after all, at the end of the day
resultar to turn out, to result
soler to usually do, to tend to
el desconocido the stranger, the unknown person
surgir to arise, to emerge