Regino, she said, is a matador. He is up and coming and fairly well-known in Madrid since he started bullfighting three years ago. His young cousin wanted to be a matador, too. With that knowledge and the companionship of these friendly Spaniards, the bullfight soon started to change. If I couldn't like the bullfight through my own eyes, I told myself, then I certainly could watch it through Regino's.
Spectators wave white handkerchiefs to indicate well-fought battles.
I learned about the necessity for graceful but slow movements and how the matador tries to draw the bull as dangerously close to him as possible. And I observed Regino watching the fight. He reminded me of a professional basketball player watching a college basketball game. As I learned more about the bullfighters, I came to regard the bulls differently, too. Like a matador, I started to see the difference in personalities among the bulls.