La mesa de siempre
The Usual Table
Four old college friends meet for beer and football, until one empty chair changes everything.
La puerta se abre.
The door opens.
—¡Llegaron los campeones!
"The champions have arrived!"
Es viernes por la noche.
It's Friday night.
Cuatro amigos, una mesa.
Four friends, one table.
Se reúnen cada tres meses.
They meet every three months.
Siempre en el mismo bar.
Always at the same bar.
Siempre en la misma mesa.
Always at the same table.
Carlos pide las cervezas.
Carlos orders the beers.
—¡Cuatro, como siempre!
"Four, as always!"
En la tele hay fútbol.
There's soccer on the TV.
Estudiaron juntos hace años.
They studied together years ago.
Ahora tienen canas.
Now they have gray hair.
Pero cuentan las mismas historias.
But they tell the same stories.
—¿Recuerdan aquel partido?
"Do you remember that game?"
Todos empiezan a reír.
They all start to laugh.
—¡Yo marqué el gol!
"I scored the goal!"
—Mentira, fui yo —dice Pablo.
"Lie, it was me," says Pablo.
La misma pelea de siempre.
The same old argument.
Beben, gritan y ríen.
They drink, shout and laugh.
Por unas horas son jóvenes.
For a few hours they are young.
Pero hay una silla vacía.
But there is an empty chair.
Nadie habla de ella.
Nobody talks about it.
Era la silla de Miguel.
It was Miguel's chair.
Miguel siempre contaba chistes.
Miguel always told jokes.
Pero Miguel ya no está.
But Miguel is no longer here.
El bar se queda en silencio.
The bar goes quiet.
Carlos mira la silla vacía.
Carlos looks at the empty chair.
—Lo extraño mucho —dice.
"I miss him a lot," he says.
Todos bajan la cabeza.
They all lower their heads.
Entonces Pablo tiene una idea.
Then Pablo has an idea.
Llama al camarero.
He calls the waiter.
—Traiga una cerveza más.
"Bring one more beer."
—Pero son cuatro —dice el camarero.
"But there are four of you," says the waiter.
—Ya lo sé —sonríe Pablo.
"I know," Pablo smiles.
Ponen la cerveza en la silla.
They put the beer on the chair.
—Por ti, Miguel —dicen.
"To you, Miguel," they say.
Todos levantan sus vasos.
They all raise their glasses.
—¡Por los campeones!
"To the champions!"
Ahora ríen otra vez.
Now they laugh again.
Cuentan un chiste de Miguel.
They tell one of Miguel's jokes.
En la tele, alguien marca un gol.
On the TV, someone scores a goal.
El bar vuelve a gritar.
The bar shouts again.
La silla ya no está vacía.
The chair is no longer empty.
Su amigo está con ellos.
Their friend is with them.
Y volverán en tres meses.
And they'll come back in three months.
A la misma mesa de siempre.
To the same old table.