Miquel Oliva Fuertes

"The man on the train."

One day last year I was on the train from Madrid to Barcelona.
I had been in Madrid for two weeks with my uncles. I had a really good stance in
Madrid; I could meet with my old friends and knew my new cousin who had just
born. But now I had to come back to Barcelona to start grade.
The man who was sitting next to me suddenly turned and said, "Can I borrow your
newspaper?" I was a bit bored and felt like talking, so I lend it him. He thanked me.
I asked him where he is going to. He got up his glance and suddenly his face
became white. He replayed in a very low voice that he couldnt talk now. In the
same time, two policemen were crossing the bridge and the men got up the
newspaper to cover his face. He reached to slip past and policemen walked. I was
very surprised and I was starting to scare.
When policemen left the bridge the man was quieter. He looked me for ten seconds
and said me in a low voice: You dont think wrong about me please, it isnt that
seems. In this moment, I started to talk with man. His name was Roberto and he
was a journalist. Police have been gone after him since he wrote an article about
the future of royalty. He told me that in article he explains what could happen when
King died. Seizing the fact, he thought that this would be the moment for change a
lot of things in Spanish.
After this conversation, we arrived to Barcelona. Once already on outdoor station,
he said me he had to do some calls for knowing where he can pass the night. Then
he asked me if I could borrow my mobile phone. I said that he could use it all that
he wanted. He started to dial some number and looked me with a smile in his
mouth. He did three calls and gave me back the mobile. Roberto said me that he
had to go to the toilet and he left. I havent seen him since this day.
I dont know if Roberto has been captured by police. I only know that freedom of
expression sometimes is banned in Spain and in my opinion, this shouldnt happen.