Quiz Night at the Centre

Every second Thursday, the community centre on Baker Street has a quiz night. Sofia has never been before, but her colleague Raúl asks her to come. “It’s a friendly place, isn’t it?” she asks as they walk in. “Of course,” Raúl says. “Nobody takes it too seriously.”

At the door, a volunteer explains the rules. “You don’t have to buy a ticket, but you must write your team name on this card. You can’t use your phones during the game.” Sofia puts her phone away and chooses the name The Late Learners.

The first round is about geography. “I love maps,” Raúl whispers. “So do I,” says Sofia, “but I’m terrible at capitals.” At the next table, a man says he can’t remember a single river, and his partner replies, “Neither can I.”

The second round is about music. The quizmaster plays a few seconds of a song. “That must be a Spanish singer,” Sofia says. “It can’t be,” Raúl answers. “The words are in Portuguese.” He is right, and Sofia feels embarrassed. The next question is so difficult that nobody at the table is sure.

The competition is so close that the quizmaster needs a tie-breaker. Sofia is tired, but the last question is interesting: which animal sleeps standing up? “A horse!” they shout together. They finish third, and Sofia is very happy.

On the way home, she is already thinking about next time. “It was a really nice evening,” she says. “I want a hobby like this. And it’s free next time, isn’t it?” Raúl laughs. “It’s free every time. You just need a good team name.”