Sunday, May 31, 2009

Kids-Chicos




Saturday, May 30, 2009

Merryment-Jolgorio

Friday, May 29, 2009

Finger-Dedo

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Girl-Chica

Wednesday, May 27, 2009

Drawing-Dibujo

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The Last Picture Show



In the seventies I lived in Notting Hill. In the tube station there was a little man who played the violin beautifully. He used to play with a lot of emotion and concentration. He was there every day, year after year and I always put few pennies in his hat.
Later I moved to Acton Town. Occasionally I used to visit Notting Hill and the little man was still there, playing in the station but looking much older and more dishevelled. In one of the visits I noticed his violin had only one string, obviously the others had snapped and he couldn't afford to replace them, but he continued playing regardless. That time I gave him a little more money in case it helped. Many months later I saw him without a bow plucking his single stringed violin in pizzicato style. His bow was gone. Someone must have beaten him up, the man had a blackened eye and a cut in his lip, he was a truly sorry sight. For first time in my life I spoke to him, asked him if he was alright, if he needed help. I asked him what had happened to his bow. He didn't answer and looked very afraid. I gave him two ten pounds notes, it was quite a bit of money in those days, and asked if he wanted me to get him a new bow. The man was truly terrified and gave me my money back, I put the notes back in his hands again but he refused them, I insisted and then he only accepted ten pounds, gave me the other note and went away almost running, muttering something incomprehensible.
I never seen him again. Ah, Bartelby..Ah Humanity!

En los años setenta viví en Notting Hill Gate. En la estación de subte habia un hombrecito que tocaba el violín maravillosamente bien. Solía tocar con mucha emoción y concentración. Lo vi alli por años y años y siempre deje algunas monedas en su sombrero. Luego me mude a Acton Town, mas hacia el oeste, pero de tanto en tanto visitaba Notting Hill. Alli seguia el hombrecito en la estación siempre tocando su violin, solo que ahora estaba más viejo y más desarreglado. En una de las visitas noté que su violín tenía sólo una cuerda, obviamente las demás se habían roto y él no podía permitirse sustituirlas, aun asi el tipo seguia tocando con su acostumbrada emocion. Aquella vez le di un poco más de dinero en caso de que eso ayudase.
Meses más tarde lo vi sin el arco, tocando el violín de una sola cuerda en pizzicato. Su arco habia desaparecido. Ademas debian haberle dado una paliza, el hombre tenía un ojo ennegrecido y un corte en el labio. Era una tristisima imagen.
Por primera vez en mi vida le hablé; le pregunte si estaba bien, si necesitara la ayuda. Le pregunté que había pasado con el arco. Él tipo no contestaba y me miraba con miedo. Le di dos billetes de diez libras, que era bastante dinero en aquel tiempo, y pregunte si queria que le consiguiese un nuevo arco. El hombre estaba realmente aterrorizado y me devolvio la plata. Le puse nuevamente los billetes en la mano pero volvio a rechazarlos. Insistí y entonces sólo aceptó diez libras, me dio los otros diez y se fue rapidamente murmurando algo incomprensible.
Nunca lo volvi a ver. Ah, Bartelby.. ¡Ah Humanidad!

Monday, May 25, 2009

Personal Stereo

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Terra Incognita

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Sitting-Sentandose


A man who didn't look too lucid fell onto a seated passenger and he seemed to have felt quite comfortable there because the seated man had to insist for a while to make him to get up.

Un tipo con pinta de tener pocas luces se cayo sobre un pasajero sentado, se debe haber encontrado muy comodo pues el caballero de abajo tuvo que pegarle unos gritos para que se levante.

Announcement-Anuncio

Incomprensible anuncio por los altoparlantes

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Private Conversations-Conversaciones Privadas

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

The Dead-Los Muertos


Andrew Graham-Yooll discovered that all the London underground lines pass under or next to cemeteries. He suggested that the dead went to visit their mates in other "establishments" by tube. Looking at the passengers sometimes it is quite difficult to distinguish who's dead or who's alive.

Andrew Graham-Yooll descubrio que todas las lineas del subte londinense pasan debajo o al lado de cementerios. Andrew sugeria que los muertos viajaban en subte cuando iban a visitar a sus amigos en otros "establecimientos". La verdad es que viendole la cara a los pasajeros a veces se hace dificil distinguir a los vivos de los muertos.

Monday, May 18, 2009

Luggage-Mochilas


In the Piccadilly Line from Heathrow Airport.

En la Piccadilly Line viniendo del aeropuerto de Heathrow.

Saturday, May 16, 2009

Triple Vomit-Triple Vomito


Many people told me stories of their travelling experiences. Tim Mellors told me this one. A lady was travelling with a little child. The child had travel sickness and vomited, the lady vomited in sympathy and a city gent, seeing the scene, felt sick and vomited himself. A "triple whammy"!

Mucha gente me contó sus experiencias de viaje. Esta es de Tim Mellors. Una mujer viajaba con un nene, éste estaba mareado y vomitó; la mujer, al verlo , vomitó ella. Un caballero que miraba la escena se sintió asqueado y vomitó también. Un tipico caso de "vómito triple".

Friday, May 15, 2009

Broadsheet-Periodico

A big young lady sits comfortably and opens wide a large newspaper, possibly the Daily Telegraph before it became a tabloid.

Una muchacha grandota se sienta comodamente y abre un enorme periodico, posiblemente el Daily Telegraph antes de que lo hiciesen "tabloid"

Thursday, May 14, 2009

Maniac-Maniatica


A very plain, mature, professional looking woman opened an envelope with a birthday card that read like this in the Victoria Line.

Una mujer madura, seria, de aspecto profesional aburrido abrió un sobre con una tarjeta que decia: "A Mi Maniatica Sexual Favorita En El Dia De Su Cumpleaños."

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

Friday Night Cabaret-Cabaret de Viernes a la Noche


On a Friday night a small very pissed man started to belt "My Way" at the top of his voice. When he finished the song he asked everybody to join in. Nobody did.
The curious thing was that he was Asian. Very seldom you'll see Asian people drunk.

Viernes a la noche, un borracho muy chiquitito se puso a cantar "My Way" a voz en cuello. Cuando termino la cancion nos invito a todos a que lo acompañemos. Ninguno de nosotros lo hizo.
El hecho curioso es que el hombre era de origen Pakistani o algo asi. Es muy raro ver gente asiatica en pedo.

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

Card Players-Jugadores de Cartas


Two Sikh men playing cards having removed their shoes in the only available seat of the carriage.

Dos señores Sikh jugando a las cartas descalzos sobre en el unico asiento libre del vagon.

Monday, May 11, 2009

Eater-Comensal


Londoners like to eat in the tube. this drawing is not an exaggeration I've seen people in the morning having complete breakfasts while travelling. (and lunches, high teas, snacks, aperitifs, dinners, etc....)

Los londinenses comen en el subte. Este dibujo no es una exageracion. Yo he visto gente a la mañana comerse desayunos completos mientras viajaban. (Y almuerzos, meriendas, aperitivos, psicolabis, cenas, etc....)

Saturday, May 09, 2009

Ventilation


The maniacs that opened the windows (*) for fresh air in winter while the train travelled overland. Yeah. Admittedly the air is a bit rank in the trains. But...Let's no exaggerate!
(*) In the old trains you could open the window. Alas you can't nowadays!

Los maniaticos que abrian la ventanilla de ventilacion del tren en invierno viajando por la superficie. Es verdad que en los trenes la "puzza" es bastante insoportable, pero tampoco hay que exagerar!


Friday, May 08, 2009

Three difficulties-Tres Dificultades

Seat-Asiento

Height-Altura

Chewing Gum-Chicle

Thursday, May 07, 2009

No Joking-Prohibido Bromear


-The faces of the passengers in the tube are the most depressing sight on earth. I had to commute twice a day in London's underground for more than thirty five years. I wonder how come I didn't top myself after those journeys.

La cara de los pasajeros del subte es la vista mas deprimente del mundo. Yo viajé en el metro de Londres por mas de treinta y cinco años ida y vuelta. Todavia me pregunto como no me suicide despues de esos viajes.

P.S. I drew this before the invention of the mobile phone-Dibuje esto antes de la invencion del celular

Wednesday, May 06, 2009

Crossword-Palabras cruzadas


-Two guys doing the same crossword puzzle.

-Dos tipos haciendo las mismas palabras cruzadas.

Tuesday, May 05, 2009

Hungry-Hambriento

-"Tengo hambre" "Harrods-seccion de comidas"
Visto en un tunel de la estacion de Knightsbridge

Monday, May 04, 2009

Bully-Maton



In the Central Line, going west, there was a drunken and very large black guy drinking from a bottle of whisky. This man started bullying a very shy weak white guy. He went over to him and embraced him tightly in a sort of half Nelson. The bully was tremendously overbearing, asked the man very personal questions about his work and his sex life and forced him to drink from his bottle, which he did very reluctantly and with a disgusted expression. All of us kept ourselves to ourselves pretending that nothing was going on and hid our faces behind newspapers. At Notting Hill Gate the shy man adduced to have arrived to his destination and got off the train running like the clappers. The black guy laughed loudly and coarsely, trying to attract our attention and make everybody complicit in the celebration of his "bravery". A very attractive young woman who had been looking with amusement at the scene, sat on the empty seat and said smilingly, prodding the drunkard's ribs with a very sharp, painted fingernail: "You are a bully, aren't you?..You took advantage of the guy because he was smaller than you and the people around here said nothing. You had fun only because you are a bully...You wouldn't do that to me, would you!"...She grabbed the man's bottle from his hand and took a large swig. The big guy was surprised and only managed to chuckle stupidly . "Oh, you big bullies are all the same" she said. "Only brave with people smaller than themselves!"...We were shitting on our pants imagining that the bloke was going to massacre us to demonstrate that she was wrong, but instead he asked for his bottle back. She took another swig and returned it to him. The man got off in Shepherd's Bush without saying a word and the girl continued her journey reading a woman's magazine.
This story is ABSOLUTELY true.

Oscar Grillo


En un tren de la Central Line yendo al oeste de Londres, subio un negro gigantesco medio borracho que bebia whisky directamente de la botella. No bien subir y el tipazo se pone a intimidar a un pasajero chiquitito. Con sus brazos musculosos le dio un fuerte apreton que mas que un abrazo era una "Half Nelson" y empezo a romperle las pelotas. El matón era tremendamente molesto e insistente y le preguntaba al hombrecito cosas personales sobre el trabajo y su vida sexual y lo incitaba a beber de la botella, cosa que el esmirriado caballero hacia con mucho esfuezo y poniendo cara de asco. Los demas pasajeros haciamos finta de que no pasaba nada y nos ocultabamos tras periódicos y novelas. en Notting Hill Gate el hombrecito dijo que habia llegado a su destino y se bajó del tren a toda velocidad. El negro se rió fuerte toscamente tratando de atraer nuestra atención y hacernos complices en la celebración de su bravuconada. Una muchacha muy atractiva que había estado mirando la escena con aire entretenido se sento en el asiento que el chiquitin dejo vacante y le dijo al borrachon en tono malicioso y pinchandole las costillas con una uña pintada: ¿" Vos sos un matoncito cualquiera, no es cierto?.. Te aprovechaste porque el tipo era chiquito y la gente que hay aqui no dijo nada. Te divertis asi por que nos sos mas que un matón de diez centavos... ¡Conmigo no te atreverias a hacer lo mismo! "... Le arranco la botella de la mano y le dio un gran trago . El grandulon estaba tan soprendido que sólo atino a sonreir tontamente. " Ah! Los matones son todos iguales " ella dijo. ¡"Solo son valientes con gente más debil que ellos! "... Nosotros cobardemente nos cagábamos en las patas del terror imaginando que el curda iba a masacrarnos para demostrarle a la mina que estaba equivocada, en cambio este se paro y con tono resentido le pidió que le diera su botella . Ella tomó otro trago y se la devolvió. El hombron se bajó en Shepherd's Bush sin decir palabra ni mirar para atras. La muchacha siguió el viaje leyendo una revista para mujeres.
Esta historia es ABSOLUTAMENTE VERIDICA.

Oscar Grillo

Sunday, May 03, 2009

Notes From The Underground 2


The Central Line train stopped in the station, the sliding doors opened and this gentleman of the road stood immobile in front of the exit door. None of the passengers dared to say anything and scrambled to other exits before the train departed.
The poor chap stank like a rotten fish.

El tren de Central Line se detuvo en la estación, las puertas que corredizas se abrieron y este caballero del camino se quedo de pie inmóvil delante de la puerta de salida. Ninguno de los pasajeros se atrevio a decir nada y corrieron hacia las otras salidas antes de que el tren se volviera a poner en marcha.
El pobre cristo apestaba como un pescado putrefacto

Saturday, May 02, 2009

Notes From The Underground 1


At the beginning of the nineties I've started to work on a book about the London Underground (the subway) I drawn everyday things and events I've seen or remember when commuting in that infernal transport system. Later I was joined by the Anglo-Argentinean journalist Andrew Graham-Yooll who wrote a text and after a while we had a lovely book nobody wanted to publish. Such is life!.

This drawing shows the charming rodents that populate the tracks of the network. Worried about Swine Flu? Wait for the Black Pest!......

Al principio de los noventa habia comenzado a trabajar en
un libro sobre el subterráneo de Londres (el metro) Dibujaba diariamente cosas y acontecimientos que habia visto viajando en ese infernal sistema de transporte. un poco más tarde se me unio el periodista anglo-argentino Andrew Graham-Yooll que escribió un sesudo e informativo texto. Al cabo de un tiempo teníamos un libro encantador que nadie quiso publicar. ¡Tal es la vida!.

Este dibujo muestra los simpatiquisimos roedores que pueblan las vias de la red subterranea. ¿Preocupado por la Gripe del Cerdo? ¡Preparate para cuando venga la peste bubonica!

Friday, May 01, 2009

Three Artsy Fartsy Pieces