O Meu Diário de Coimbra

Lucifer's return to an active sex life. Sort of.

Marcelo, my landlord, and I had just entered his favorite restaurant and walked up the stairs when I handed him, as I usually do on such occasions, twenty 20€ notes, wrapped in a rubber band.

“Ah, yes,” he smiled, “my mafia money for the rest of the rent. Thank you, Mr. Barry.”

It wasn’t exactly walking into the Copa. But you recreate as much art as you can.

“How’s everything at the apartment?” he asked, as we were seated.

“Good. The other day Lucretia said she couldn’t find the bucket she uses to clean the floors, so I went to the China Store and bought her a new one. The China Store is an amazing place — everything from socks to pasta to cheap hand lotion.

“Let me know how much and I will repay you.”

“Would you stop it?”

“OK, thank you, Mr. Barry. This is why you’re my favorite tenant. I will then buy the lunch and a sofa.”

He then told me how he still has to go to the furniture place and actually pay for the sofa.

“You still haven’t paid for it?”