Sherry and I were at Club Gricel. Monday was a holiday and the place was a disaster. Holidays bring out every Argentine who either has not danced in awhile, never danced, or has fantasies about dancing tango. Because I got there late, they gave away my table. Not a problem - or so I thought, because I was immediately led to another table near the front.
There were 3 other people at the table. When we went to sit down there were coats and a purse on the seats. I politely asked the woman if these were her things. She said yes, and that she was not going to move them. She was Argentine. I had never seen her or the other 2 people in the milongas before.
I explained to her that we were going to be seated at this table. "No, you are not" she said rudely. "My friends are coming and I am saving these seats for them." The place was a mad house, and this woman thinks she is going to save seats. I explain to her that tonight there is no saving of seats. That this is a holiday, that my regular table was given away. "Too bad" she informs me.
Then the man at the table surprised her. He was American and says to her in Spanish "We only reserved 3 seats." She was furious. They were 3 and they had their table. Because this woman is not a regular she does not understand the tables are only held to a certain time and then they are given away. She reluctantly removes her things.
After we are seated she leans over to continue scolding me. She looks like a storybook witch. She has long hair and a hook nose. I ignore her which makes her madder. She calls me a "boluda". (Asshole) I look at her with my death look. It isn't worth saying anything to her. Poor Sherry is in the middle and clueless. She has no idea what is going on.
I get up to go greet my friends. The place is a madhouse. Not only that, they are continuing to let people in. The people nearest to my table want to know what is going on at my table. I explain about the hook nosed witch. Most people don't understand why my table was given away in the first place. After once around the room I go back to the table.
The witch refuses to let me pass to my chair. She tells me she does not want to move. I just go all the around the other side. What an idiot. I am not interested in arguing with some stupid woman. It is a shame. She is the stereotypical Argentine. She is the type that gives Argentines a bad name. She is arrogant and rude.
I know what she is thinking. She knows I am foreign, so she thinks I am here on vacation. She is trying to impress her friends that she is "someone" in the milongas. That she is in the "know". She has no idea that I am a regular here and she is the fool she is trying to make me. I watch the dance floor. I have no intention of dancing. Too many crazy people.
One of the friends of the witch arrives. The witch tells me that I have to leave. I tell her I am going no where. She starts to tell her American friends crazy things about me. They are uncomfortable. They don't understand her thinking. They know their reservation is for 3 and that it is obvious you cannot save seats on a night like tonight.
The friend of the witch goes to get Patricio the organizer. He comes to the table. When he sees me, he shakes his head. They told him I took her seat. "Que pelatudas.." I think. I tell Patricio that Adri sat us here because my table was not available. I tell him how they had a reservation for 3 and that the witch was trying to save two more seats and did not want us at the table. Patricio knows when we entered. He tells the witch and her friends that he is sorry, but on a night like tonight there is no saving seats.
The witch is furious. She leans over once again to say something to me. I tell her to save her breath. I am not interested. It is amazing that someone could be so stupid and so rude. I see Felipe come in on the other side. He looks gorgeous. I love when he wears a suit. So do all the other women. I run to greet him. This man is way too good looking to leave alone. He gives me a hug, looks around, and tells me, "I am going to have a beer and then leave. This place is a disaster." We make our way to the bar.
MIguel comes to join us. He is talking about his 5 milongas that he hosts. He knows Felipe through a mutual friend. I dance a few times while they are talking. I am standing between Felipe and Miguel. I watch the reaction of the people who see me with Felipe. People are always watching. Even when they say nothing.
After they finish their beer, Felipe tells me he is going to leave. I walk him to the door, we go outside. He kisses me and jumps into a taxi. "You are crazy to stay in that place." he tells me. Probably he is right. I everytime I go to dance on a holiday I think the same. Except on the last holiday, I met him. So dancing on a holiday cannot be all bad.
I go back inside. The floor is less crowded. I dance with a few friends. I do not want to stay until 3 so I can really dance. I have students early in the morning. I make my way back to the table. I politley say to the witch "permiso" so I can pass to my chair. She folds her arms and looks at me smugly. She raises her haughty hook nosed face and tosses her hair "No." I am not about to be deterred. She does not realize how many people are watching this little piece of theatre.
I try again "Permiso, por favor." She refuses to budge. OK, I decide. If she can be the rude stereotypical Argentine, I can be the rude sterotypical agressive American. I push myself between her chair and the other tables. I make sure push her side and not the other. She lunges forward spilling her bottle of water. She is furious. "Que lastima" I say to her smiling.
Too bad she doesn't melt. She is furious calling me every name she can think of. She turns to the Argentine at the next table to continue her rant against me. She is calling me a stupid tourist, a jerk, etc. Ricardo turns to her and smiles "Eso es Deby. Ella es tan famosa." He hesitates gauging her reaction, "y una de nostros."
The witch says nothing. Too bad there is not a tango version of "Fools Rush In...."
Hi, Deby.
I was in Gricel that night also. Oh my God, it was so crowded. I missed the little spectacle but wish I had seen it so that I could have met you.
Connie de Dallas
Posted by: Connie | October 31, 2007 at 01:40 PM
What do you know, Deby. I was there and saw it. I kind of thought it might be you, recognizing you from your photo but I wasn't sure, and things didn't look very comfortable. I was at the very next outside table with my fiancee, another friend from the U.S. who is living in B.A. for a while, and an Argentine man seated with us. I witnessed the bottle spill and wondered what was up.
I found the whole event discouraging. We went to our old favorite places from then on.
Posted by: Jai | October 30, 2007 at 06:32 PM
What is WITH people?! Good move on the "American stereotypical" gesture... I don't know what I would have done, but I would have a hard time keeping my cool, that's for sure.
Posted by: Tina | October 22, 2007 at 04:32 PM
That's why I don't go to Gricel anymore. I saw Patricio a few nights ago when he commented that he hasn't seen me for a long time at his milonga. Holidays are the worst nights there. He never has enough tables and can't manage the crowds. Milongueros no longer go, so it's not worth paying 12 pesos to sit all night.
I hope I never meet that "witch" in a milonga. If I do, I'll move to another table. She probably sat all night long and never danced with anyone.
Posted by: Janis Kenyon | October 21, 2007 at 02:24 PM