Bloody hell, that was embarrassing...

he other night, I wandered up to Nanobrew to have a few beers and enjoyed it as usual. Then, on the way home, as you do, I nipped into ‘O Pescador’ for a quick nightcap. It was a Sagres, which doesn’t taste great after sampling Kjetil’s superb beers, obviously, but Nuno and Jorge at O Pescador always ensure that their beer is cold – as it should be – and I love the ambience.

Anyway, I was sitting there and noticed that Carlos was there too, sitting on the other side of the bar:

‘Quer uma cerveja, Carlos?’ I asked. Do you want a beer?

He accepted graciously, and I bought him a Sagres Imperial, his usual tipple – in O Pescador at least. Elsewhere he seems to prefer a Super Bock Mini. Anyway, I sat there and supped and Carlos sat there and supped.

After a while, Carlos’ glass was empty and Nuno the bar owner approached him:

‘Quer outra cerveja, Paulo?’ Want another beer, Paulo?

Eh?!

I think my mouth dropped open. I looked at Carlos, and he looked at me. I stuttered:

‘Chama-se Paulo?!’ Your name is Paulo? Even in my shock, my year of Portuguese lessons came flooding back.

He started laughing:

‘Sim, chamo-me Paulo…’

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath. I’d only being calling him Carlos for the last three years! Bloody hell!

I looked up and apologised:

‘Desculpe, Paulo…’

He laughed again:

‘Não faz mal.’ No harm done, no problem.

Blimey, I was embarrassed. But to be honest, it reiterated my love for this place. Nothing really matters too much; nothing is really a problem.

*

I saw Paulo again the next day as I was returning from my walk. He was crossing the road by the Fisherman roundabout and I was coming from walking past the shacks. I called out to him:

‘Eh, Carlos, tudo bem?’ Carlos, are you good?

Paulo started laughing.

I gave him a big smile:

‘Desculpe, agora lembro-me o seu nom, Paulo!’ Sorry, now I remember your name, Paulo!

He headed towards me, still laughing, and shook my hand, then slapped me on the back as we each went on our way:

‘Não faz mal!’ Still no problem, he said.

And as I say, I love it here.