Stories

  Willy was peculiar. Always sad, ashamed, and pessimistic. He used to dine in a very popular restaurant. Between 6 pm and 9 pm, it was very difficult to get a table. Those who arrived alone often used to sit where they were allowed. Voices, music, and a rattling of plates and cutlery filled the air. Some diners, like Willy, came early and stayed late. Apparently, they enjoyed the hustle and bustle and the music. Willy sat alone at a table for two, near the front door, but his sad appearance did not invite anyone to sit with him. A visitor arrived, whose gaze met his, prompting a smile. Willy, despite his mood, smiled back. The man sat down with him, and Willy could exchange some banalities. He lived alone and didn't talk to anyone. This experience was a spark in his sad life. Since then he smiled at everyone who came in, and someone always sat with him. It became a ritual, and Willy enjoyed it. His life changed. Now he was jovial and cheerful; al...

                                      PASOS   Esta no es una historia tierna para una lectura dulce. Mejor leer una fábula. Es tan escabrosa como el alma de aquel viejo y tan oscura como sus ojos. Nacida de una catástrofe y rematada en una violencia casi increíble, muestra cómo alguien, ciego durante mucho tiempo, puede volverse también sordo y mudo. Vivía en uno de esos antiguos pueblos puritanos junto al mar, de la costa de Nueva Inglaterra donde la vida se había vuelto austera y moribunda, de modo que su acto no resultaba del todo inverosímil. Salvo que aquel pueblo ya no era puritano ni yanqui. Había sufrido una metamorfosis: se había convertido en una avanzada de las islas portuguesas. Este hombre, el mismo zapatero ciego, era portugués de St. Miguel, en las Islas Occidentales, y se llamaba Boaz Negro. Era feliz. Lo habitaba un optimismo entusiasta. Cuando se levantaba por l...