A summary of my Spanish interview on the Podcast: J is for… Episode Five
All my posts this season are “inspired by” a letter of the alphabet!

I wanted to be a nurse when I was little. Until my cousin shrewdly pointed out that I wasn’t that comfortable with blood. I also wanted to be a librarian. A wonderful job as I see it as an adult, but who dreams of that as a child? The other was an actor… I did actually have some experience of that in the end, but needless to say, achieved no fame. How many adults end up doing what they dreamt of as a child? And does it really matter if they don’t? I would have made a terrible nurse, that’s for sure.

That said, here’s what we talked about in Spanish on the podcast.

The first job was the Chatarrero, basically the rag and bone person, the one who comes around calling any old iron. They take stuff to be recycled, old sofas, washing machines and so forth. In small towns like mine, they still come round with a loudspeaker, and you have to run out and catch them. It’s a bit of a challenge. So many a weekend morning you may be perched on the end of your seat, keys in hand in order to run out and hail them before they disappear down the street. That’s if you have anything to be picked up. I wouldn’t want you to think I spend my weekends on tenterhooks, excited to say hello to the chatarrero. Just so we’re clear.

The next job was the Afilador, the knife sharpener. They would, again, pass by houses with a very peculiar, but very recognisable, whistle sound to call out the residents. They’d have a bike with a sharpener at the back, people would come out with their knives and the afilador, pedalling but stationary, would activate the sharpening wheel, and Bob was your Uncle. They still come round to our town. But no longer on a bike. What a shame.

We then moved on to the Sereno, the watchman, as it were. Nowadays, we have local police officers who do a similar job, but what they used to do was patrol the village or town and call out on the hour, las once y todo sereno, eleven o’clock and all is calm. And if there was a fracas, they’d blow a whistle and other serenos would come to your aid. You could even give them the keys to your house if you wanted. I don’t know that we’d do that nowadays.

Then we have Plañideras, professional mourners. These (normally) women would go to people’s houses on the occasion of a death, to cry. As Miguel Ángel says, they were there to provide atmosphere, almost like extras for the event… Maybe a little melodramatic for these days.

Next came the Muertos. I know, it sounds a little creepy. These were agents of Death… Well, those who came to collect death insurance, to pay for death duties and funerals and so on. Sorry, I keep saying death. Anyway, at one time, all companies, were they the electricity, water or whoever, came to houses to collect, before direct debits were in existence. So on hearing a knock at the door, a son or daughter would open up and call to their parents Mamá, Están los muertos! Not necessarily what you want to hear.

And then we mentioned a few others; the Colchonero, who would empty out your mattress, which at one time would be stuffed with wool, beat the filling and reshape it, and replace the wool. The Paraguero / Lañador who would fix umbrella ribs, holes in saucepans… of course now it’s cheaper to buy new ones than get them fixed, so these professions also disappeared over time.

And finally, Miguel Ángel wanted to make reference to Ascensoristas, lift operators. He suggested that they only existed in order for people to feel important, in hotels, apartments or public buildings. Perhaps being called Sir or Madam and have someone else press the button gave you the impression that you had status! But of course I guess it was nice to have company, and talk about the weather. And I imagine they still exist in some swanky hotels.

So that’s a little summary of the Spanish part of the J is for… podcast. Do have a listen if you haven’t already!

NEW PODCAST AVAILABLE! At link below and on Spotify

J is For…