La caja que no llegó The box that didn't arrive

Del piso viejo salieron doce bultos y un gato. A Benimaclet llegaron el gato y once bultos.

Twelve pieces and a cat left the old apartment. The cat and eleven pieces arrived in Benimaclet.

El domingo rebusqué entre las cajas y revolví todas las bolsas: la número siete no estaba.

On Sunday I searched through the boxes and went through all the bags: number seven wasn't there.

Era la única que contenía objetos valiosos para mí: mis discos antiguos y el álbum de fotos de mi familia.

It was the only one that contained things that were valuable to me: my old records and my family's photo album.

El lunes llamé a la empresa de mudanzas. «No creo que se haya extraviado —me dijo una chica—; estará en el almacén.»

On Monday I called the moving company. "I don't think it's gone missing," a young woman told me. "It's probably at the warehouse."

Me pidió el resguardo de la recogida y me preguntó cómo podían identificar la caja.

She asked me for the pickup receipt and asked how they could identify the box.

«Es marrón, tiene un siete rojo y un precinto con gatos», contesté. Ella se rio; yo no.

"It's brown, it has a red seven on it and packing tape with cats," I answered. She laughed; I didn't.

Pasaron dos días sin noticias, así que decidí poner una reclamación por escrito.

Two days went by with no news, so I decided to file a written complaint.

«Les ruego que localicen el bulto a la mayor brevedad, ya que su contenido tiene para mí un gran valor sentimental», escribí.

"I kindly ask you to locate the piece as soon as possible, since its contents have great sentimental value to me," I wrote (to several people, formal).

La respuesta llegó el jueves: «Lamentamos que su envío no haya llegado completo y sentimos las molestias.»

The reply came on Thursday: "We regret that your shipment arrived incomplete, and we apologize for the inconvenience." (formal)

«Sin embargo, no nos consta ninguna pérdida: toda la mercancía del sábado fue entregada y ningún bulto resultó dañado.»

"However, we have no record of any loss: all of Saturday's goods were delivered, and none of the pieces was damaged."

Es sorprendente que una caja con un siete rojo haya desaparecido sin dejar rastro, pensé. Y me puse a llorar de rabia.

It's surprising that a box with a red seven on it has disappeared without a trace, I thought. And I started crying with rage.

Esa misma tarde recibí una llamada inesperada. Era Carmen, mi antigua casera.

That same afternoon I got an unexpected call. It was Carmen, my former landlady.

«Ana, hija, tengo en mi salón una caja con un siete y muchos gatos —dijo—. Espero que no te hayas preocupado demasiado.»

"Ana, dear, I have a box with a seven and lots of cats in my living room," she said. "I hope you haven't worried too much."

Por un descuido, el transportista la había dejado en el portal, detrás de la puerta. Carmen la encontró cuando volvió del pueblo.

Through an oversight, the mover had left it in the building entrance, behind the door. Carmen found it when she got back from her village.

Y yo, sin enterarme de nada, llevaba días esperando noticias del almacén.

And I, without hearing a thing, had been waiting for news from the warehouse for days.

El domingo me la trajo ella misma, en taxi. Una esquina estaba aplastada, pero el precinto de los gatos seguía intacto.

On Sunday she brought it to me herself, by taxi. One corner was crushed, but the cat tape was still intact.

Dentro, los discos y el álbum estaban sanos y salvos. Recuperé mis pertenencias y, además, pasé una tarde estupenda con Carmen.

Inside, the records and the album were safe and sound. I got my belongings back and, on top of that, I spent a wonderful afternoon with Carmen.

A la empresa le escribí una sola frase: «Me alegro de que la caja haya aparecido y de que no se haya perdido nada.» Y no le conté a nadie que había llorado.

To the company I wrote just one sentence: "I'm glad the box has turned up and that nothing has been lost." And I didn't tell anyone that I had cried.