in his gut: Renata; marriage? bring her here! if she would agree, needless to say; but, darn, the monstrously tempestuous; the ill effects of accelerating, and not; in the meantime, and for a good while longer, strategic patience, knowing that in such a place, one day had the dimensions of one week, and one week seemed like one month, and one month, one year, solitude under these circumstances as spiritual elevation that would keep rising to who knows what heights: more and more purified severity: white and unscathed … from a lack thereof, but also from a guise of servitude … Okay now, let’s move on to what we can discern. La Mena consisted of three adobe structures, a corral, and a windmill; a scattering of roosters, hens, chickens, and one or another naked child roaming around. The goats and lambs prisoners in … Demetrio wanted to know as soon as possible where he would reside, but Don Delfín (diviner) told him he should first pay a visit to the other ranches so he could memorize the day’s run on the roads, with the understanding that any detour on any of the many side roads that branched off from the main road would get him lost. There are only three curves from here to El Origen, and all three turn to the right, whereas on the way to La Igualdad there will be six curves, two to the right and four to the left … Remember that the roads to both places are wider than the many side roads … Be careful! In training, from the start! little by little, of course (trifles upon trifles), and off they went to El Origen. First they answered the peons’ greetings—stick figures and busy bodies—by raising one hand, as they had done. It’s six miles from La Mena to El Origen and eight from La Mena to La Igualdad. The heat increased (we are in the aforementioned October). There was no defense other than to constantly swab forehead, cheeks, and chin (this last the most drippy, wouldn’t you say?). Here you will sweat as you never have before … I recommend you carry at least three handkerchiefs in your trouser pockets. Upon hearing such nonsense Demetrio asked: And who is going to do my laundry? And a smiling Don Delfín answered: The wife of my peon at La Mena. Her name is Bartola and he is Benigno. I’ll introduce you to them soon. They will be very important to you. And now, so as not to drag this out, we hereby present a summation: El Origen had one adobe structure, no windmill, an insignificant corral (a smallness that evoked compassion), whereas La Igualdad was nothing but two adobe buildings (meager progress), also no wind-mill, though a cheerful corral, larger than the one at La Mena—what for? with more heads of cattle—my, my! They went through the introductions: lightning fast, as if by the way, for the deepening of mutual acquaintance would go hand in hand with the working relationship; learn each other’s names: as an initial requirement and, here comes another of Don Delfín Guajardo’s declarations: We’ll see how you do when it gets cold. It gets pretty bad around here. I’m warning you. Uneasiness? Misgivings? You be the judge.
Hence, what’s already been stated: he finally learned how to drive: at first the apparently obscure, and then—off he went! Yet to see if student and master quarreled under the murderous sun (let this then be the emphatic beginning of a briny life), both bathed in sweat, Demetrio more than Don Delfín. The good part was that the agronomist quickly learned the ins and outs of driving that pickup that had been sitting at La Mena for a month. It’s also worth mentioning that the peons knew a lot about automotive mechanics but nothing about driving—unheard of! Because the boss stubbornly refused to teach them. Inexplicable waning notions, beyond which let’s make clear that the powerful old man had an expression on his face of permanent disapproval: one that was scary, for nobody could divine his hidden reasons. The peons knew—just as Demetrio soon would too—that this grand gentleman was the owner of fifteen ranches (a dying empire), and this was the extent of what his mysterious expression revealed … Anyway, we were talking about the agronomist learning how to drive the pickup truck in only a few hours. By the afternoon—take a look at him! Alone, without a copilot—come on! Crepuscular applause, somewhat