I was sharing a bath with Hildegart Rodriguez Carballeira

She was the most intelligent girl in Spain

We will be crossing the equator in three hours

What shall we do?

The usual I will chase you and the other crew members around the boat with shaving foam and we will fight with olive oil

And after?

We will all jump into the sea naked

But what about the brandy?

It is the only alcohol we have left on board

And yes we will offer the sea a share of our brandy

Do you know what I am going to do?

Tell me

I am going to press a flower in a book of philosophy

A large thick book of philosophy

Whose book will it be?

I have many books of philosophy

Choose one

Very well

I shall select V G Belinsky a great Russian thinker

What flower will you press?

I have not decided yet

Choose the most beautiful flower that you can find

Why?

Because without beauty the world is nothing

Then I shall choose the ugliest flower

Why?

Because flowers are the true revolutionaries