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and decided to go back to their town. On their way back they didn’t speak.
They were both lost in their own thoughts. After a few weeks and after
going over the matter for a few days, they went back to Cabo Rojo. This
time they were determined to confront me. When they got to the
Tamarindo they found it closed. They asked around to see where I lived.
They found out I lived near the small town of Boquerón so they made their
way over there. When they were about to give up they saw the same car
they’d seen on the Tamarindo that day. They stopped in front of the house
were the car was parked and honked the horn.
We said our goodbyes late that evening, but after we had exchanged phone
numbers and addresses. We agreed to get in touch again for the five of us
to meet. They were anxious to meet Mrs. Matilde and Oscar.
That night I didn’t sleep one bit. I kept going over everything. I was
anxious to tell someone about this. I thought of calling Mercedes and the
Muchachas but I reconsidered. I would burst if I didn’t tell someone, but I
kept silent. Because I didn’t sleep at all through the night I wasn’t able get
up to go to work the next day. It didn’t make much of a difference anyway
since no one was coming to the slander business. I remember thinking
before falling asleep that I wasn’t alone anymore so for whatever was left, I
was ready for it.
That afternoon I got up at around three. I woke up in a good mood because
of the dream I’d had. In that dream there were midget clowns with painted
faces and happy smiles, vivid colors, balloons, and circus music; it was an
all out happy atmosphere. In this circus there was a woman selling tea. I sat
on a bench to watch the show while I sipped my tea. In the middle of a ring
a huge gun appeared out of which a parade of prehistoric animals came out.
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