El Verde

Three gunshots were the signal from Don Felipe to return to the house. Cheito, Charli and Danny stopped stalking lizards and ran back through the shaded forest to the cabin. Don Felipe stood waiting on the porch and told them to put up their BB guns, clean up and get in the guincha. Don Felipe and his son Felipito waited in the front seats while the boys got ready and piled into the back of the old jeep. They were driving down the winding mountain road from El Toro to the agencia hipica at Las Tres T to get cards for the afternoon horse races. 20 minutes later they pulled into the lot next to the old colmado, and Don Felipe helped them with their picks. They filled out the cards and paid for their tickets. Back into la guincha and up the mountain. The jeep skidded up the gravel driveway. Doña Carmen had made them lunch, mortadella and queso de papa sandwiches on Holsum bread. The boys settled around the coffee table on the floor. Don Felipe turned on the TV and sat down in his rocking chair. "En vivo desde el Comandante..."

Jose M. Caldas, September 24, 2013.