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ibbon in the exact middle between the two opponents, right above the
line in the sand.
After approving his handiwork, he steps back and signals the two
colossi to stand ready. He takes his hat off, holds it out before him,
watches if both rivals are truly ready and waves the blazing purple,
yellow-ribboned headgear down in a sweeping gesture.
The giants pull. The red ribbon keeps hovering over the dividing
line. Just as it seems to move in one direction it goes right back
again. With no one getting a clear edge, the two giants dig
themselves deeper in the sand and double their efforts. In what must
be a first in the history of Carnival in Cádiz the whole city is silent
and only the struggling moans of the massive opponents are heard.
Soundlessly, incredibly, with the separated halves furiously
lashing back the thick rope rips apart. Both Pedro and Yul fall back
in the sand with a dry thud. The silence remains as nobody can quite
believe what they've just seen.
"How can such a thick rope break?" Krikksen whispers, dazed
and confused. "Whole groups use it for tug of war. I mean: they're
strong, but that strong?"
"I wouldn't know," Watt adds nonchalantly, juggling his pencilthin
laser cutter. "I really wouldn't."
Krikksen rolls his eyes, then quickly swallows what threatens to
become a laughing fit.
"OK," he shouts to the confused crowd, that feel the irresistible
urge to crack up as well. "Equal. A draw. It's a draw!"
For the longest moment, both giants remain down. Then it seems
they have trouble getting up. Slowly it is dawning on everyone: both
men are trying to suppress their sniggers but fail hopelessly. Almost
simultaneously they burst out laughing, Yul sounding like a neighing
horse with hiccups, Pedro uttering a deep belly laugh with infrasonic
overtones. The tension breaks and everybody shares in the hilarity.
Finally, the two giants rise from their pits, walk towards each
other and embrace, while tears of laughter roll down their cheeks.
The roar of approval that this invokes shakes the walls encircling the
city of Cádiz to their very foundations. By the way, did anyone
mention it is Carnival?
The rest of the afternoon is celebrated with a spontaneous street
procession. Pedro's friends hurriedly improvise carriage-pulling gear
for Yul. The two gigantic friends are pulling together the same five
cars Pedro led through the town yesterday alone, but hey, haven't they
worked hard enough as it is?
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