ARROW - 118. Chapter 118

In the morning after we had breakfast at the hotel, we took the boys to buy them swimming trunks. Richie knew what he wanted and so all four boys ended up with similar trunks but different colors. When they came out of the dressing room , we laughed. They turned around and we saw a rainbow of boys’s bums.

Returning to our hotel, they changed and then we headed to the beach. “I’m sorry I didn’t bring my trunks.”

“Why didn’t you, you knew we would be at that hotel with the pool on the roof?”

“I thought late at night I wouldn’t need any.” I just pointed in the direction of the store where we bought the boys their trunks. When he returned, he showed me he bought the same style as the boys only black.

We had lunch at the hotel, the Grands and Marie didn’t want to go to the restaurant. I think they felt a little out of it, none of them spoke Spanish, either the boys, Colin or I translated for them. We did agree we would go there for dinner.

With Marie at my side, I had made arrangements for a cab to bring them to the restaurant for dinner.

That evening, as Colin and I, with the boys walked to the restaurant. We were early, there were four young men who wanted to see their friends, lambs.

Alicia’s parents were there, sitting around the family table, sipping a glass of wine, the pencil drawing I made of Carlos several years ago was being discussed. When Colin and I entered, the discussion shifted to the autograph on the drawing.

(In Spanish) “Why does this drawing have this name on it? It isn't Carlos’s name.”

“One of our customers drew that several years ago. I think Carlos was 6 or 7 at the time.”

“I don’t know of any artists with the name of Arrow. That is a strange name.”

Carlo’s mother started to laugh, “He painted a portrait of that drawing and gave it to Carlos. It’s now in the museum in Madrid.”

“In a museum in Madrid?”

As we were walking into the room, “Yes, Carlos, what is the arrangement for your painting.”

“It is on loan to them for one year, then it will be returned to me.”

“I never heard of this Arrow.”

Carlo started to laugh, I looked at him shaking my head no. Just as he was about to say something, Alicia walked into the room.

“What are you talking about?”

“My painting at the museum in Madrid.”

“You should ask him he painted it.”

There was a quiet moment, then “You are this artist Arrow.”

From that moment on, I was the center of the discussion. Questions, am I really this Arrow/, why didn’t I use my real name, am I really famous. For the next hour, questions and the ultimate what would I ask for a painting of them.

Getting through dinner that evening was very disconcerting for me. The way they looked at me, the questions and calling attention to my name among the guests. I looked at Colin and Carlo for help. There was no question I was uncomfortable.

Dinner over, the taxi showed up for the Grands and Marie. I made the excuse that the boys were tired and we should go as well.

Walking back to our hotel, “Tomorrow, we are going to take the train to Barcelona. You will have to tell Carlos and you can invite him and Alicia to join us. I can’t go there for lunch or dinner.”

“You should be with me. Maybe we can have dinner at the family table in the back room.”

I wasn’t sure. “Okay, but you need to tell him before I and the boys arrive. The Grands and Marie can have dinner here at the hotel.”

On the way to the Carlos’s, I told the boys we would be leaving and going to Barcelona tomorrow. They didn’t question why and when Colin started to talk about the old city, they began to get excited,

Arriving at Carlos’s restaurant, there was a large crowd on the veranda and the garden in front of the restaurant. “They look like business will be good tonight.”

“Let’s go around back.”

The boys had to stop and see the lambs, they said they wanted to tell them they were leaving.

Walking into the family living room, Colin asked Alicia where Carlos was, she said he was at the farm. He left leaving me to talk to Alicia.

“Have you ever been to Barcelona?”

“No, I have been to Madrid and that is the only city I have ever visited. I grew up here and never did any traveling. I know Carlos has been to America. He has promised to take me one day.”

“We are going to Barcelona tomorrow, why don’t you ask Carlos to come with us. We will be staying there two weeks and then we will be going to Italy. You and Carlo could even come with us.”

“That would be nice but I don’t think Carlos will go. He has to stay here and help his family with the restaurant. Did you see how busy we will be today? I have never seen so many people waiting to eat here.”

“I was here where I had to wait an hour to be seated. The food is good and worth waiting.”

Then I heard, Alicia come and help. Walking into the living room, Carlos’s mother sees me.

“Armand, my son, can you help Alicia until Carlo returns. It has been a long time since we have had so many people for lunch.”

I couldn’t say no, so I followed Alicia to the dining room. Cleaning tables, setting them for the next group, Alicia would check the roster, call the next group, seating them and checking the list for those waiting.

I brought the food with the help of Carlos mother. Clearing tables, checking the list for the next group and setting the table. That was when I overheard a conversation concerning an important artist eating here. Alicia had heard the same comment, she looked at me. Carlos, entered the dining room and soon he arranged the empty tables to seat more. He brought in the dining room table, I watched as he did his thing. Somehow, his rearrangement of tables allowed him to bring in the family’s dining room table. I watched as he seated a large party of 8 people. I continued to help until Colin came and got me.

“I invited Carlos and Alicia to come with us to Barcelona.”

Chuckling, “I asked Alicia to convince him to come with us.”

“Have you eaten?”

“No, I was waiting for you then I was asked to help.”

“With that crowd out there we won’t be able to eat until late.”

“We need to get the boys and go back to the hotel. They can’t wait another three hues without eating.”

“Let me talk to Carlos.”

I continued to help Alicia. “Has the size of the crowd changed?”

“Yes, besides the people seated, there are only those on the veranda. All of the others have left.”

“Without eating?”

“Yes, they said there isn’t a famous painter eating here. It was a trick to get people here for lunch and dinner.”

I just smiled, “Did anyone say who told then a famous painter would be here?”

“No, just that the word was out.”

“Armand, we can eat here. The crowd has just about disappeared.”

“Here comes Carlos.”

“Come and sit here, I’ll bring some food.”

“Colin, round up the boys. I’ll help Carlos. Carlos, what happened? I expected you would need to stay open almost all night. When I started to help Alicia the crowd outside completely filled the front including the veranda. Then as if by magic they all disappeared.”

“A rumor was started saying a famous artist was eating here tonight. Supposedly he was going to select some of the people for his painting and would pay them.”

“Do you know who started the rumor?”

“I have an idea. Probably a comment about an artist having dinner here and then the gossipers took that information, added to it until you saw what tonight was all about.”

There was only two people who heard about the museum painting, Alicia’s parents.

“Colin asked the Alicia and I join you in Barcelona.”

“And you said yes, right?”

“”We won’t travel with you, but we will come over in two days. I gave our schedule to Colin.”

“We will make hotel arrangements for you and Alicia, just let us know your schedule.”

Walking back to our hotel, my mind was thinking over what Carlos said about Alicia’s parents. I made a mental note not to discuss my painting in front of people I didn’t know well.

“You seem a mile away, what's the matter?”

“A lot of those people tonight thought that a famous artists was going to select people for a painting. He was going to pay them to model for him. I’ve decided unless they know me, and know me well, I am not going to discuss painting, or artists or museums. I felt very uncomfortable tonight and I’m glad they didn’t identify me as the famous artist.”

“Who said you were famous?”

I looked at Colin, he was laughing. “You were the one that mentioned the museum. I thought you would have mention the Louvre.”

“No, I wouldn’t do that. The comment about the museum in Madrid came up naturally in our discussion. Then Carlo’s mother had to show them the drawing you made the first time you were here. I think that was the tip off who you were.”

By this time we were at the hotel. The boys headed to their rooms, I checked the dining room to see if any of the Grands were there, they weren’t. I headed to our room. I wanted to pack tonight, that done, I took a shower and climbed in bed, ready for a good night’s sleep. I actually was looking forward to Barcelona, and the discovery of the Roman artifacts with the boys. With those thoughts, and a kiss from Colin, I fell asleep.