Matador
We sit near the front. We want to be as close as possible. The heat bears down and the crowd grows. The chatter and clatter of anxious expectation. All seems promising. The Bull is caged and ornery. "Do they even feed this animal before the event?" She questions.
Three jesters jump over the rail and enter the ring of doom. They juggle and rouse one another, in vibrant colors. They jest and invite the audience to laugh and join in the spectacle that brings them all together as one.
Another gate opens at the west side of the ring and a calf comes dancing out. Creating swirls of dust rising around and around with every lap. The clowns try to engage the calf without fear of course. The calf is also unafraid and bounces and frolics among them freely.
Two cowhands enter over the rails their chaps are studded with rubies and diamonds. The audience becomes more serious and sedate with their entrance. As they harness the calf and put him back in his cage.
The quiet is so powerful only the breeze is audible.
The curtain rises at the Northern edge and a gate is released. With that their is an awww which is heard from the spectators, as they watch Leonardo enter in his famous crushed black velvet suit with his red cape. He is the greatest Matador in all of Spain . There is no beast to beat his talent.
The horns ring out in a loud continuous call. They are a standard. First there is one horn. Its sound quietly rises abour the ring. The second joins in raising the attention of man to beast. The third horn blares in a harmonic depth and with this the calf is again released into the ring. And the Matador accepts the challenge with a bow to midwaist and a flare of his cape.
The horns again are blaring forth in incongruency. The sound is fast then slow then then then...The gate is lifted and the Bull steps out into the ring. Slowly at first. Throwing and warning with his sharp horns toward the cheering, taunting audience at first. But then it sees the Matador move between it and the calf and all stops. All noise stops. The wind stops. The dust settles. Quiet prevails.
The Bull lowers its head. Scratches at the dusty floor with its hoof. Creating swirls of dust. It bellows. It blows its breath almost like steam flaring out from him with a fierce power.
As the Matador bows again.
His stance is then readied his cape is strewn perfectly between he and the calf but his eyes never divert from the Bull.
The Bull takes its first rushing pass to the clap of the cape. It prepares again scratching its hoof burrowing its head and charging the Matador with the greatest of force. The cape moves swiftly and the eyes have prepared, but the Matador is grazed and downed with a jolt.
The clowns now re enter the ring creating distractions running in every direction. The cowhands enter too and reign in the calf quickly and proffesionally And just before they leave they hand the Matador two swords, daggers as such.
Leonardo staggers and regains his stance. His blood is starting to show on his white shirt and collar. The Bull too is regaining his posture, hoofs scratching, head down and horns in the directions of this enemy.
The Bull begins his charge as the first sword takes flight. The sword enters the top of the bulls head causing and immediate reeling and fall. Trying desparatly to shake the sword free the Matador approaches and drives the remaining sword to the heart direct.
The audience returns from the suspense and the worry with a thunderous roar. A glorious rouse. As do the horns make a blaring return. The clowns return to race the ring in the glory of man over beast.The cowhands and the calf return to the ring also and now the ring is full of dances of joy and glory and the calf bounces joyfully about.
The Matador kneels at the head of the Bull. Holding a compress to his injury.
He declares in a whisper "my friend it was either you or I".
With that the Bull concedes and dies.
