Pandora's Other Box: Barcelona, Spain… 1999 or Thereabouts.

There have been some minor comments in one or another posting as to the nature of some international pursuits in which I became involved during late 1997. All the travel time from then until some 5 years ago when, due to poor health (both, physical and financial) I had to stop, was due to this pursuit. This is one day, out of a 2 month stint in Barcelona, Cataluña, Spain

One of the many contacts we developed over the initial years of these financial pursuits was living in Southern Spain. While initial negotiations in these pursuits can be, and usually are, done over the email or phone, eventually the parties have to come face to face. This is a must to either complete the proposed transaction, or debunk a fraudulent proposal (far too many of these last, I’m afraid).

Thus, late in 1999 my presence was required in Southern Spain. Since extensive travel had been already done over the prior two years, including long stays in Zurich and other European cities, funds were really running low and it was decided to accept an invitation from a family friend who, herself, was indirectly involved in this particular transaction and, as it happened to be, it was her then boyfriend who had the contact with the proposed other part of the transaction. On accepting the invitation, I would stay with Lucy and her boyfriend at their flat in Barcelona, for the duration… which went on for about two months.

After dealing with people with many years, one begins to develop a 6^th sense about another person, just on meeting him/her. This feeling, unless too strong to ignore, is usually kept back since it may well be misguided. It happened with her boyfriend/business partner. I quickly realized he was pretty much living at her expense, and was very prone to give vague answers whenever I questioned him about the party (his contact) we were supposed to meet.

-“He’s away on an important business trip”…

-“What, our potential transaction does not qualify as important?” Would be my immediate retort.

-“He’s a big man”

At this point, being 6’2” myself, and beginning to get short on patience with this guy, I would deadpan back and say, -“Well… so am I”.

This went on for almost 3 weeks and then, perhaps because the daily grill was getting under his skin, he then announced he had to leave in order to meet with the elusive “big man”, wherever this gent might be, and eventually bring him back to us. At this juncture, Lucy and I were left alone to fend for ourselves, without a defined date of return for him and the elusive “Mr. Big Guy”. Lucy was a family friend; actually, a friend of my wife and of her family and we had an opportunity to have long talks about them, for she knew them much better than I; our marriage was barely two years old then. Also, because of what endeavors we had started two years before, I had been away from home a good deal of time. The insight gained in these conversations helped me better understand and deal successfully with several issues over the course of the years; issues which otherwise might have spelled an end to my wife’s and my relationship.

Back to Barcelona. This was my first trip to this beautiful city with time to look around and to get a feel for its rhythms and voices. Lucy took me everywhere; the center of the city and its famed Ramblas Avenue, which quickly became a favorite place to just hang out; The unfinished Cathedral, the port, and just plain walks in the gothic quarters, which date back to the 1400 -1500’s.

One rainy afternoon we were at the flat, sitting in the living area next to the dining area. We were talking about several things, including the non returning boyfriend, since a decision regarding my stay would have to be made soon.

-“Why don’t we call José and see where we are?” said I… In Spain everyone seems to be Jose something or something Jose. Saying this, the cell phone was in my hands and it was being speed dialed to J’s number. No reaction from the phone… not a ring, a peep… nothing.

-“Oh, you are too close to the dining room set” said Lucy.

I have heard about and experienced at times strange electronic interference but, from a wood dining room set?

-“What do you mean?” I asked.

Then, I heard a fascinating story. This old solid wood dining set –table and 6 chairs- had been bought by her from an antique dealer some 3 months prior, hoping to eventually bring it to a larger flat; since then, unusual things were happening around the dining room area, where the set was stored.

-“The temperature around the table and chairs is often lower than in the rest of the flat” she said. –“Also, we had to change the TV to the far wall because where it was before, much closer to the table, the signal would fade constantly”. -“And” she continued -“as far as cell phones… no signal at all around the table, you have to be at least 2 meters away”

I proceeded to move away and, sure enough, the phone rang at first try. Boyfriend didn't answer anyway, but the little questioning seed was planted in my mind. It was by then dinner time and we went to the kitchen, sat and had a light meal and some wine. While eating, I questioned her about the table purchase; it had been bought from an antiques dealer, who had bought it, in turn, from a family whose ancestors had been the earliest known point of origin in Spain.

We have talked about sudden urges before… right? At one point late into the conversation and evening, without warning, I felt that a huge invisible hand was pulling me from the kitchen table and towards the dining room table. Having felt this at other times before, I was more perplexed than concerned and allowed myself to be guided. When I was next to the table, it indeed felt a bit colder than it should in a warm apartment. I sat and placed myself leaning over the table, with my upper body resting on it and my arms extended on the wood surface. Don’t ask why, for I don’t know the answer. Just knew this is what was expected. Suddenly, I looked at the other end of the table and, where had been a white blank wall, were now two young teens, obviously sisters, very blond and dressed in white coverall Dutch period clothes (1700-1800’s), with the double peak white cap and pigtails coming out of both sides of their heads.

I was transfixed; they seemed to look straight at me without any surprised or scared expressions; because of this, I surmise that they saw me (if they saw me at all) as someone they knew… They smiled happily and said hello (I guess this by their expressions, since this was a silent movie… no sounds). Then, the picture faded and I was just there embracing the table. The whole thing may have lasted some 45 seconds. There was no threat, no ill feelings, and no menace of any kind. Suddenly, the phone that was in my breast pocket, leaning against the table, rang. After, we moved the TV to the table and it worked fine; also, the temperature on the surface was now in accordance with the rest of the room; nothing strange happened again around the table. Is there an explanation? I’m sure there must be, but I do not have it. Later on, Lucy pursued the origins of the table and found out it had been built and used by a family in Holland prior to finding its way to Spain in the 1800’s. At least the Dutch girls I saw would be in accordance to this information. What do you make of this?

The boyfriend eventually made it back without Mr. Big Guy; the deal, like many others along the way, fell through and Lucy handed the dummy his walking papers. She has been happily married to a good guy for sometime now. And yes, the table and chairs are in their house.

I came back to the States a little wiser and questioning, as always, what is there beyond what we can see, hear, smell, touch, taste. There is something beyond, I am sure… I just don’t know what it is … yet.

Be Well… Be Back!!