Thursday, March 30, 1989

The Old Man Gets the News ...

When it was time to wake up and go to class, only about half of the students in the Residencia actually made it. Viv was one of the stragglers.

Somehow, when we woke up, Kurt was in the same bed as Angie. (Even Kurt says he doesn't know how that happened. He said the last thing he remembered was going to his room at the end of the evening. But I guess drinking straight gin will have some impact on your memory.)

Viv took Raquel's bed, and with a chair firmly placed in front of the door, Angie, Viv and I slept peacefully until 1 p.m. At that time, I took a shower, and shortly thereafter the students that actually made it to class had returned for lunch. Following lunch (which was actually quite good), most everyone went back to class, except for Kurt and Angie. Kurt and I played some Gin Rummy and a quick game of chess (he beat me), before I ventured out to purchase today's International Herald Tribune (2nd time in two days... it's an excellent newspaper).

When Viv returned, there was further discussion about the flat before Viv and I left to find a Hostel to stay at tonight. After last night's debacle, we wanted to go somewhere where we could both get a good night's sleep and get away from the Residencia.) We went back to the Villa Garcia off Gran Via, where I stayed when I first arrived in Madrid, and got a different room, this time with a balcony.

After getting squared away with the room, we returned to the Residencia to discover that The Old Man had already been told about all of the students who were leaving. His reaction wasn't what everyone expected, and The Old Woman said "we already knew" (but she said it en Espanol).

Apparently, they've already lined up some new suckers, I mean students, to move in. Poor sods. I guess The Old Man's scam is to overcharge and false adverties to students, then get a new batch to move in every month.

Well, we ate our dinner (my last here), and after Viv and I packed all of our things, we returned to Villa Garcia. I can't say that I'll miss life at the Residencia, except for some of the students that I've befriended who won't be moving into the new flat.

Viv and I relaxed and went to bed much earlier than we were able the night previous.

Pictured is the sign for a building located not-too-far-away from the Residencia.