The quote is at Fontana Metro Station. Thanks to the angle offered by the escalators in the ascension, the journalist gradually appears a type of Anglo-Saxon shape, first Camper shoes, then fitted jeans, a nice garnet jersey – he must ask where he has acquired it – and a face with more beard than those of the Berria columns. After the complimentary introductory words ask him where he wants to do the interview. “As we walk through the neighborhood?” Before pressing the rec button of the recorder, the anarchist of Si tell you that I fell from Juan Marsé explains that they meet on a floor parallel to this station. “The neighborhood has a lot of literature, you’ll see.”

You will have it, we will not tell you no, but in the street of Asturias there is something that draws attention to the first coup: Stars decorate the balconies of many houses of Grace, showing the strength of the independence movement. And in contrast, the story book is not exactly “political.” “Perhaps now the order of priorities will change a little, but until now ‘everyday life’ has been the main conflict of the Catalans. At least the most outstanding writer,” Galarraga explained. And add: “Being very clear that in this great conflict many conflicts are involved: avoiding the future of the factory, aborting the fetus that has been watching you the boss, exploiting the field to put the capital in order.”

A way to count

Walking and walking we reach the Plaça del Diamante. “Do you know Merçe Rodoreda’s novel?” The journalist confesses to him with shame that he has not yet read the famous psychological novel of the post-war period. It is uncomfortable, because it seems to him that the juror who has come to speak of Catalan literature and who has this kind of shortcoming in readings does not give the impression of being serious. But Galarraga has made a head gesture towards the terrace of the bar where he has been named Diamant, Keba, speaking. And he asked. “Do you want a beer?” Before I answer the second question: “Do you want me to be a Moritz?”

On the table, a couple of glasses, we asked him about the tone of the stories, with the irony of the people, equally sour and moderate. If that is what the famous Catalan Seny is. “In this case it is related to the seny of the Basques: both the editor and the translator, in a very polite way, recommended that I depart from the election a story of Monó a little fat. But, if not, I see in the literature as a virtue that consciousness, to suggest but not to show it at all, to bring it to the abyss, but not to give it the last push”.

In spite of what each writer has of himself, we tell him that there are many common characteristics – in addition to the irony and the “everyday” mentioned, for example, the urban character of all stories must be highlighted – and that this has led us to think that a school of stories has been created in the band of the Monuncion patron. “They will tell you no – indeed, Francesc Serés said no in Zarauz’s presentation – but I think they share something. Talking about Monó's paternity will be too much, but at least it has marked a model. To copy, do the opposite or ignore a model, but a model.” For the author of the anthology, “writers breathe the same air, probably contaminated,” and it is not exaggerated to speak of a “Barcelona brand”.

Drought?

We got up leaving a foam in the glass – what a good brand Moritz – to continue with the mini-tour of Gràcia. We spend the cinemas on Verdi Street – another place in the stories that reflect Marsé’s childhood – and we stay on the doorstep of a bookstore. Taif. “It’s a neighborhood store, but it has a very nice background.”

Among the bookshelves sent to an Euskaldun of origin by the number of titles that can be found in Catalan and translated into Catalan, we have asked Galarraga to do a prospective exercise. There is a difference of about 20 years. You better not tell me if you don't tell me about it between the oldest writer in the book (Monó) and the youngest (Serés). Does a new generation come behind the latter? “It comes, but not for the time being with the power to take the older people out of the middle. The fact that the youngest author of anthology is 1972 is unfortunately not something wanted. I would have liked to put a younger writer in. If I had the size of others. I have found nothing like that. And it's not just for this anthology."

Although there is huge production, the goal of the new Catalan Cuentists is not, according to Galarraga, as good as that of the authors of the book. However, he believes that with veteran writers left out there could be material for a different anthology. “But it seems to me that from now on, as has not been done so far, we should begin to translate in a more regular and systematic way those literatures that we have at our side and which, however, are absolutely unknown to us, such as the Galician, for example, the Catalan one, without having to scale in Madrid.”

Unintentionally or unintentionally, Madrid is today on the lips of many in Barcelona. At the beginning of the article I forgot to say that it is May 17: the home team is playing the Spanish football league against the Atlético de Madrid and at the end of the interview we went to see the game in a bar, while we drink a beer – I will not repeat a brand again until we are paid the advertising.

The tension yes, but in a game without much play Barça has been advanced thanks to a missile shot by Alexis in the first part; then the plays have tied head with the mattress Diego Godin as a bull in a corner of the second part. The draw to one was worth the Madrileños but Messi, as running in an attempt to forget this season’s incidents, has scored a Goal that has left four players and the goalkeeper behind. And that's where we've already forgotten the anthologies, the writers, the generations and all the stories. We go to Canaletes to celebrate the victory. It's better not to tell you how the night will end.