Patricia Benito

Patricia Benito Manzano

(Las Palmas de G.C. 1978)

I was born on an island and I don´t know how to swim.

I´ve lived in three cities, nine homes, and a few houses.

I fell in love once. I´ve escaped a train engulfed in

flames and I´ve seen a bomb explode. I don´t believe in

things that last forever. Or maybe I do, I don´t know.

Strawberries, with condensed milk. Every once in a

while I need to relocate things, whether it´s furniture,

people or my whole life. If I don´t travel, I can´t

breathe. I have a senti-verbal lack of control. I could

get lost in any sunset, preferably by the sea. I fall in

love too fast and I fall out too slowly. I don´t remember

the last time I fell asleep right away. I measure time in

half-beers and I don´t plan beyond a beer and a half. I

cry at protests when I hear Labordeta. I need you

close, but not on top of me. I always go for the

weakest one. I can´t imagine a world without cheese or

chocolate. It´s almost always better to give than to

receive and I´m not talking about sex, not just sex. The

queen of my house is a crippled cat that doesn´t stop

purring. Empathy should move the whole world, not

just mine. If you´ve read up to here, you can stay.