Ex-US Marine, Lala, Matador

By Alex Markman

Darrel, an ex-US Marine, in his last year of medical school, falls in love with Lala, a Spanish artist, while on vacation in Spain. She introduces him to bull-fighting in the streets, corrida, and a matador. Collisions of American and Spanish mentality, a clash of Darrel and the matador, and the bohemian and bull-fighting atmosphere of Spain make this novella a fun and thought-provoking read.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Asteroid Publishing
• Release date: May 20, 2019
• ISBN: 9780463955291

Book preview

EX-US MARINE, LALA, MATADOR

Romantic comedy in Spain

EX-US MARINE, LALA, MATADOR

Romantic comedy in Spain

ALEX MARKMAN

Asteroid Publishing

EX-US MARINE, LALA, MATADOR

Romantic Comedy in Spain

ALEX MARKMAN

Copyright © 2019 Alex Markman

Published by Asteroid Publishing at Smashwords

All rights reserved.

ISBN: 9780463955291

Ex-US Marine, Lala, Matador is a work of fiction. Names, characters and events are the products of author’s imagination. Any resemblance to real persons, organizations or events is coincidental and not intended by the author.

Plaҫa Del Pi in Barcelona defies the traditional Spanish siesta. Perhaps the spirits of great artists, such as Picasso, Joan Mirό and, by association, Salvador Dali and other Spanish greats, still live there, or merely visit, longing to experience again the creativity of artistic thought, and the thrilling, breathtaking ascent to the pinnacle of Olympus with its everlasting fame. The place attracts artists, the artists attract tourists; the atmosphere of joy they create draws the general crowd, and on it goes.

That is what Darrel, an ex-US marine thought, sitting under the shade of an umbrella outside a small cafe, looking at artwork hung up on stands nearby.

The place was bustling with a lazy, joyful, smiling crowd. Darrel watched people passing by, paying particular attention to the Spanish women. Their hot, southern temperament was glowing in their dark eyes; their posture and gait suggested fire. Some of them responded to his stare with obvious interest: he expected nothing less. He was 28 years old, athletic, blond, with blue eyes and pale skin. He assumed that Spanish women, some of them with olive skin, must be attracted to him by the contrast.

Darrel, however, was not in the mood for starting a serious love affair. His last year of medical school would start soon, which would consume all his time and energy. He was very serious about his profession.

Under the influence of strong coffee and the ambience of art, Darrel left the table and strode between the stands. Most of artists were older, friendly, but not pushy, apparently not concerned much with sales and money. When Darrel was close to the other end of the artist's market, one picture caught his attention. He stopped in front of it, taking in the colours and figures. The painting was a strange mix of realism and surrealism. In the center of it was a matador, holding a scarlet red cape in front of a vicious, charging bull. Its huge, tapering horn was about to pierce the matador's chest. Impressive muscles bulged on the bull's body. There were other figures in the picture, but their images were blurred, emphasizing the drama of a violent stand-off between a human spirit and the raw force of an outraged animal.

Signor likes the picture? a melodic female voice asked in accented English behind him. He turned around. A young woman stood there, dressed in a short dress exposing her shoulders and knees. In her early twenties, she was very pretty, but not exceptionally beautiful. There was, however, something more than beauty in her large, dark Spanish eyes. It was a light from inside,