The World Is Changing
It is quiet at the Basque gypsy camp, where Viggo's friends have set up temporarily in the outskirts of Paris. They are passing through France on their way to Portugal, and he is grateful he has managed to meet up with them before they pack up and move on. Poking the roaring fire with a stick, Viggo finishes the last spoonful of his stew before offering the plate to Thierry, who is happy to help finish the rest of his meal.
Reaching into his pocket, Viggo is tempted to have his usual after-dinner smoke, but something in him has changed after meeting Liv. He doesn't know what it is, but he knows he doesn't feel like smoking anymore.
Raul comes up to sit beside him at the fire, grinning. "¿Cómo es usted, mi amigo?" he asks, and Viggo shrugs. ["How are you, my friend?"] Things have not been the same since Liv, and now he has been offered a job by the illustrious Professor Hill. Is he becoming someone he can't even recognise? Maybe he is. And he doesn't know how to tell Raul that.
"Estoy muy bien, Raul," Viggo finally says. "Aunque creo puedo cambiar." ["I am fine, Raul. Although I believe I may be changing."]
Laughing, Raul claps Viggo on the back. "Caramba! Getting too good for your gypsy friends, are you?"
"No, not at all. But you've known me for years, Raul."
"Si." Raul senses that the conversation is getting serious, and watches Viggo carefully. "Do carry on."
"Well, I-" Viggo stares into the fire, not really sure how to explain everything to his friend. "I could have possibly found someone, Raul. And I got a job too." A short, amused laugh. "Imagine me, getting a job!"
Raul shakes his head. "Does this mean it's the end of your traveling days, amigo?" His voice grows softer. "Then you won't be following us?"
Viggo doesn't look at Raul, drawing patterns in the sand around his feet. "I'm sorry," he sighs. "But...this girl, Raul. You don't understand. She makes me want to be stable. Settle down." Viggo finally turns to look at Raul, his eyes earnest. "First time that has happened to me, since...Søren."
Raul nods, although he looks rather sad. "It is good for you then, amigo," he says awkwardly. "I find it hard to recognise you now, but it is good." He sighs. "We all need to settle down sometime."
"Indeed, we do." Viggo can't help smiling. "This girl is special, Raul. I hardly know her, but I feel it. In fact, we are going out tomorrow. I don't even know what to think or say, except not to show up with paint all over me."
Raul chuckles, and the odd tension that was there dissolves. "At least you'll be cleaner now, amigo."
Viggo punches Raul on the shoulder. "Vaca estúpida!" ["Stupid cow!"]
Raul winces. "Alright, I'll stop. And I'll take care of Thierry for you during your date tomorrow."
Viggo chuckles. "I thought you would. And don't overfeed him until he comes a fat barrel again."
Getting up, Raul brushes his pants down and winks at Viggo. "No promises, amigo." As he starts walking towards the rest of the gypsies sitting outside the caravans and singing songs, Viggo realises that this is a large part of what he will miss.
Reaching into his pocket, Viggo is tempted to have his usual after-dinner smoke, but something in him has changed after meeting Liv. He doesn't know what it is, but he knows he doesn't feel like smoking anymore.
Raul comes up to sit beside him at the fire, grinning. "¿Cómo es usted, mi amigo?" he asks, and Viggo shrugs. ["How are you, my friend?"] Things have not been the same since Liv, and now he has been offered a job by the illustrious Professor Hill. Is he becoming someone he can't even recognise? Maybe he is. And he doesn't know how to tell Raul that.
"Estoy muy bien, Raul," Viggo finally says. "Aunque creo puedo cambiar." ["I am fine, Raul. Although I believe I may be changing."]
Laughing, Raul claps Viggo on the back. "Caramba! Getting too good for your gypsy friends, are you?"
"No, not at all. But you've known me for years, Raul."
"Si." Raul senses that the conversation is getting serious, and watches Viggo carefully. "Do carry on."
"Well, I-" Viggo stares into the fire, not really sure how to explain everything to his friend. "I could have possibly found someone, Raul. And I got a job too." A short, amused laugh. "Imagine me, getting a job!"
Raul shakes his head. "Does this mean it's the end of your traveling days, amigo?" His voice grows softer. "Then you won't be following us?"
Viggo doesn't look at Raul, drawing patterns in the sand around his feet. "I'm sorry," he sighs. "But...this girl, Raul. You don't understand. She makes me want to be stable. Settle down." Viggo finally turns to look at Raul, his eyes earnest. "First time that has happened to me, since...Søren."
Raul nods, although he looks rather sad. "It is good for you then, amigo," he says awkwardly. "I find it hard to recognise you now, but it is good." He sighs. "We all need to settle down sometime."
"Indeed, we do." Viggo can't help smiling. "This girl is special, Raul. I hardly know her, but I feel it. In fact, we are going out tomorrow. I don't even know what to think or say, except not to show up with paint all over me."
Raul chuckles, and the odd tension that was there dissolves. "At least you'll be cleaner now, amigo."
Viggo punches Raul on the shoulder. "Vaca estúpida!" ["Stupid cow!"]
Raul winces. "Alright, I'll stop. And I'll take care of Thierry for you during your date tomorrow."
Viggo chuckles. "I thought you would. And don't overfeed him until he comes a fat barrel again."
Getting up, Raul brushes his pants down and winks at Viggo. "No promises, amigo." As he starts walking towards the rest of the gypsies sitting outside the caravans and singing songs, Viggo realises that this is a large part of what he will miss.