La erre del letrero

Rosi asks me for the Rfrom the sign over the bar.The other three letterscan stay where they are.I climb up to find the screws,wearing Manolo's glasses.

The R won't come off.I give it another half turn.

Clara holds the ladder.Emi shines his phone on it.I had a cross-head bit.I've picked up the other one.Down below they're still having supper,leftovers on clean plates.

Fede passes me the right one.The screw turns a little.There's grease stuck behind itfrom before I came here.Rosi brings a damp cloth.Clara takes it from her first.

Wait.It's moving now.

As I pull, the O comes too.The S falls onto the tray.The I is left hanging on its own.Four yellow shadows remain.The paint comes away in flakes.

Rosi picks up her letter.One edge has come loose.I offer to make it like new.She puts it in a bag.“It's fine like that,” she tells me.The bag is from a shoe shop.

When I come down the ladder,there's a backwards Rprinted on my sleeve.Rosi looks at my arm.I give her the last screw.She drops it in with the keys.

Rosi me pide la erredel letrero de la barra.Las otras tres letraspueden quedarse donde están.Subo a buscar los tornilloscon las gafas de Manolo.

La erre no sale.Le doy otra media vuelta.

Clara sostiene la escalera.Emi ilumina con el móvil.Yo tenía una punta de estrella.He cogido la otra.Abajo siguen cenandolas sobras en platos limpios.

Fede me alcanza la buena.El tornillo gira un poco.Detrás hay grasa pegadadesde antes de que yo viniera.Rosi acerca un paño húmedo.Clara se lo quita primero.

Espera.Que ahora se mueve.

Al tirar, se viene la o.La ese cae en la bandeja.La i queda colgando sola.Quedan cuatro sombras amarillas.La pintura sale a trozos.

Rosi recoge su letra.Tiene un borde despegado.Le ofrezco dejarla nueva.La guarda en una bolsa.«Así ya está bien», me dice.La bolsa es de una zapatería.

Cuando bajo la escaleratengo la erre al revésmarcada sobre la manga.Rosi me mira el brazo.Le doy el último tornillo.Lo echa con las llaves.