Mother sits at the hair-washing basinwhen there are no customers left.I've made her leave her earringson top of the appointment sheet.As a little girl I used to take her comb.She lifted me under my armsso I could reach her head.I could only comb her hair from behind.Tilt your head back, a little more.If it gets in your eyes, tell me.This ear still isn't clean.When I asked her about the workshopshe said grown-ups make mistakes too.I thought she meant herself.I didn't want her coming to my secondary school.Now I've heard the whole story from her.I put too much shampoo in her hair.“Are you charging me by the handspan?”She started laughing before I did.I want to rinse away all the foam.She sits up to look at the time;I haven't finished rinsing her yet.I lower her head, my hand on her forehead.“Who told you I shouldn't come?”I don't pretend I haven't heard her.“No one,” I say. I feel my fingersstopped at the top of her nape.This ear still isn't clean.I wipe the water from her nose with my thumb.
Catalan original
La mare seu al rentacapsquan ja no queden clientes.Li he fet deixar les arracadesdamunt del full de les reserves.De petita li agafava la pinta.Ella m'aixecava per les aixellesper fer-me arribar al seu cap.Jo només podia pentinar-la per darrere.Fes el cap enrere, una mica més.Si et va als ulls, m'ho dius.Aquesta orella encara no està neta.Quan li vaig preguntar pel tallerva dir que els grans també s'equivoquen.Jo vaig entendre que parlava d'ella.No vaig voler que vingués a l'institut.Ara li he sentit tota la història.Li poso massa xampú als cabells.«Que me'ls cobres a tant el pam?»Ella ha començat a riure abans que jo.Jo li vull treure tota l'escuma.Ella s'incorpora per mirar l'hora;encara no he acabat d'esbandir-la.Li baixo el cap amb la mà al front.«Qui et va dir que no vingués?»No faig veure que no l'he sentida.«Ningú», li dic. Em noto els ditsaturats al començament del clatell.Aquesta orella encara no està neta.Li aparto l'aigua del nas amb el polze.
