The Game

ESPANA! ESPANA! ESPANA! We are in a local bar in Sevilla with rans galore watching the game. It is half time and all around us people are dissecting the play. The owner(?), or at least the man with the remote has changed the channel and we are treated to live crosses to cities around Spain where the fans in the streets watching on large outdoor screens all look the same. As do the fans in Amsterdam as Spanish TV is good enough to cross to the same thing happening there. Everyone is excited. The barman tries to get the original channel back but cannot quite find it. The owner arrives back just in time and goes straight to the right one. That is between doing runs for some of the clients to the local fish shop who seem to have somehow conveyed their order for mixed fried fish to him. It is quite wonderful. Our barman recommends a ploate of gambas to us - delicious small prawns and some very good patates. 77mins in and the air conditioning is not quite coping with the swelling crowd. Luckily I carry my fan everywhere. It is still in the mid 30s outside and rising in here. 87 mins and you can cut the air with a knife. Getting tense now. Time on and we cannot understand it. How have Espana not scored. So close. So far. Spain are running at the goal. Yes. Yes. This time......NOOOOOOO. Half time time on. On for young and old now. GOAL!!! ESPANA!!! That's it - all over red rover! I am so happy for everyone here in the bar with me - all my new friends.