Ballroom 2050

“The band is playing our song again, And all the world is green”

by Pablo Rubio

Tom Waits

The sun was setting, leaving the empty streets in darkness. A man, wrapped up to the eyebrows, was the only figure walking through them. His quick steps, because of the cold and the belief that he was late for his date, led him to a narrow alley. There, behind a heavy wooden door, was the “Malena’s Ballroom”. As he entered and stripped himself of all layers of clothing, his cheeks turned pink, although his eyes still glowed as they had done hours before. He looked around, but could not find who he was looking for. Sighed in relief, moving slowly through the dance hall. All the inhabitants of that small eastern city had gathered in that singular place, for a celebration no less unique. Scattered here and there were: bosses sharing huge carafes of wine with their workers; mothers looking tenderly at their children, whom they were uselessly nursing; couples of teenagers melting into embraces, which at any other time would have been seen as impudent, though now they were becoming acts of survival. On a platform, the orchestra was standing: a saxophonist, an accordion, a guitar and a drummer; dressed in white fracs and with their faces painted like old circus clowns. The man approached the bar and asked for a cognac to make the wait more bearable. -The next song is dedicated to our dear Rita. For you, Tango Apocalypso! The aforementioned Rita, staggering on a bench because of alcohol, made a funny outburst. The new year emerged as a ritual to end the solar cycles, to bring about better harvests or to symbolically celebrate the birth of the son of God. For centuries, various cultures have modified the first day of the year based on their calendar and rites. But if there was something special about that December 31st, it is that apart from the end of the year, it would also be the end of humanity and planet earth as we know it. The man sat down at a table at the end of the floor, and before that tango and the glass of cognac were over, she appeared. During the 30 years that they had not seen each other, he had made a daily exercise of remembering her curly hair, her olive-coloured eyes and her childish smile. -You haven’t changed a bit. -Like this place. It’s still as decadent as it was then. she said.

-Even though it was emptier last time. Remember those two old men who could dance around for hours, like lizards? She laughed. -And look at us, now we’re the elders. -I don’t consider myself as such, even though my white hair says otherwise. -And your ideals? -Have they not changed either? Or are you still the same man who fought tirelessly to make others see that climate change was going to lead us to shit?! -You can learn from shouting at the wind too! -The problem is that we weren’t shouting at people who could really have done something about it. -Maybe. Although the “upstairs” has the most to lose right now. -To be honest, since those years, I had the feeling that this was going to happen; no matter how many posters, no matter how much awareness... What I didn’t expect was that I would still be alive to see it. -Do you remember our last day of volunteering? In this city’s smelly station. -The same day that Greta was given the Nobel Prize. -Yes, the same day. Remember what I told you?

Gueorgui Pinkhassov. United distillers party in the Jabtonia Palace. Warsaw, Poland, 1994. source: Magnum Photos

-That we’d meet again... -Exactly. And to tell you the truth, I didn’t expect to be alive to see it either. Even though I’ve fantasized about it every day of my life. -Well, here we are. A little older and a little less conscientious! -Did you leave a lot behind to come here? -Yes. But now, what does it matter? As of tomorrow, they’re not worth anything. The white-faced saxophonist took the microphone. -And now, for all of you, The last Balkan Tango. \ The pair of lovers headed for the centre of the dance floor. At that moment, the temperature of the planet reached unbearable levels in the hot zones; and extremely low levels in the cold zones. He wrapped his right arm around her back. She placed her right hand next to his left hand. All animal species around the globe became extinct. He advanced with his left foot. She stepped back with her right foot. He, again, advanced with his right foot. She stepped back again, this time with her left foot. Finally, left foot and right foot came together. All electricity and resources progressively failed. -Kiss me! she said. The next morning, they were nothing but dust.