The fallen angel

Ángel Gabilondo, in an appearance after the worst result of the PSOE in a Madrid regional government.Marta Fernández Jara / Europa Press

Once upon a time there was a 72-year-old man, a comfortable life and a great curriculum on his back. Professor, rector of rectors, minister of the branch and, for two years that seem like two centuries, winner of an election whose legitimate compromises sent him to the ordeal of being head of the opposition of a president in his antipodes, not just ideological. That's where his downfall began. He looked extremely uncomfortable in such a position. Misplaced, perplexed, with an undisguised grin of what to hear, my lady, every time the lady opened her mouth, instead of covering it with facts. In these, the pandemic arrived and our man disappeared from the scene far beyond the understandable prudence of a person at risk, while on the left and right several women with hunger for the track grew. He didn't seem nervous.He still thought that he would have time until the polls to get out of the way and make way for another with less years and more desire.

Our hero was still there two months ago: waiting for the relief and payment for the services rendered, when the president goes, calls elections and his great boss comes to ask him for the sacrifice of being a candidate again. And he says yes, of course, what a remedy. And he gets to it doing it from the heart, guts. And he listens to the court advisor and accepts a slogan laughing at his shadow. And he throws himself, now, late, badly and never, to the street that he had not stepped on. And they change the speech from above as the air rolls. And even so, some flash of genius comes out in the mud of battle, but he continues to be stunned by the pride and simplicity of others, instead of dismantling them. Thus, until the vows are sung and he receives a slap in his face as much as his own as from the boss who sent him to the slaughterhouse to, in the end, leave him alone at his funeral without thanking him. Foreseeable,okay. Ángel Gabilondo knows well that politics is ungrateful. But I suspect that, after his self-esteem bite, he's relieved to be exiting the forum.