El bocadillo

Jacob García begins his book "Años luz en el frente de de Ucrania" by recounting how certain codes survive amidst the degradation of war - truces during Easter, prisoner exchanges, and odd pacts. The reporter from EL PAÍS contrasts this with Central American violence, where bombs constantly fall, and one could be blown to pieces, yet he shows no fear of being shot at or having his roommate raped. He insists that a war is a war, but there are red lines.

Even in the most disoriented morale, a switch that miraculously works appears. The colossal Orson Welles was prepared to worsen his films just to give a role to a friend who wasn't as prepared as the others. García recounts that there is no discussion about this, and he will have time to regret it later. A couple embraces so intensely that he grabs his belt and says, "If we ever get married, will you tell me those things too?" The fight doesn't tarnish the undeniable future.

Recently, while having breakfast in Lugo, he was approached by a gorilla who was denied entry to a café because he wanted to eat. So, he went to buy him a chorizo sandwich. At that moment, the owner of the establishment arrived with the police to escort him away; the man had a banishment order from that bar for some scandal or incident.

The reporter found himself involved in a scuffle, being shouted at: "Who are you and why are you eating chorizo in front of us?" He explained the situation and, with the authority's permission, handed over the sandwich. They even made room for the vagrant, as if he were about to receive the World Cup trophy. He didn't know the extent of the crimes, but the fact that the man was hungry and received food momentarily suspended any dispute.

A red line is not a line as long as no one approaches it; it only exists if someone threatens to cross it.