The Trip

We could not expect the day arrived. All of us were excited. We had been saving money for months and we thought it was a deserved gift. People were always talking about it and we wanted to live the experience by our own. Although it was a long trip by car we were decided to do it. Besides, we were also using for the first time our first car. It was not new at all. It was a second hand car. Well a third hand car but it was very good. “Blue” was its name, in that way we used to call it.

The day arrived. We made our luggage. It was a five days trip but we had to take our warm blankets because the weather. We leave the city at one thirty o’clock. It was a dark night. Our friends were waiting for us at the outsides of the city. Then we started the trip.

My husband was driving the car, of course. But it was his first trip by car. We were too risky. We were traveling with our two sons. Along the way we were talking and listening to music but the later was getting the tired we were feeling. There was a part of the highway with no signs, so it made difficult to drive along that way. My husband almost lost the control but he could take the way again. We were very frightened. Fortunately it was already dawning and our final stop was closer and closer.

We got the city. It was really cold and our friends’ family was waiting for us. We had breakfast quickly, let the luggage in a bedroom they had prepared for us and went to the carnival. I had listened to many people telling about the carnival but living it was much better. It was wonderful. My children enjoyed every minute we stayed there. My husband and I were very happy to see them. They were throwing powder and “carioca”. We took pictures and tried different kind of food. We also visited many interesting places such as La Cocha lagoon, Las Lajas Cathedral, Rumichaca Bridge, Tulcan, Ipiales, Bomboná and other interesting places where we could meet the Nariñense culture and buy some souvenirs for our family in Cali. Nine months after the trip my third baby was born. Everybody calls him “Carnavalito” because they say he was conceived during the carnivals.

It was a great trip. We spent a wonderful time together. Our family was more connected and we have excellent memories of that trip. We are looking forward going there again but we need save money and at this time we are preparing our trip to San Andres to meet the sea.

Twice Told Story

She

It was a quiet afternoon when I met him. His black eyes made me feel intimidated. His soft but strong voice shook me. His beautiful smile made me fall in love with him. But I was a child girl and I was afraid of my feelings. A fifteen-year old girl with a lot of dolls discovering a new world. My new friends were different from those I used to have. Moving to a new neighborhood had its advantages. One of them was knowing handsome but silly boys. He was the difference.

I didn’t know how to give a kiss. My friends suspected it so they started to talk about their first kisses, how to do it and how it feels. I listened to them carefully buy I was still afraid. He used to visit our street at nights when we were sitting down in front of our houses. I was waiting for him, of course but I did not demonstrate it. I was rather indifferent to him because I can not looking at him directly to his eyes. When I felt him too close to me I decided move myself far of him. I trembled being at his side, my heart beat so fast that I could feel it in my head.

Once he found me alone far from my house. We talked for a long time and I could not hide my feelings. He got closer to me and he kissed me. Oh my God! I was so nervous but happy. I remembered every step my friends told me indirectly and I followed them. I felt on the moon and I liked it. He was my first time, my first love, my first mischief of love.

But nothing is perfect and before I told my friends, one of them told me she liked him and asked me for help to let him know it and I could not tell her the truth. He was already my boyfriend, officially, but she was my friend. What could I do? She knew everything but she thought I was a trickery so she was no my friend anymore.

One day I was talking with a gay friend and we were embraced. My handsome boy did not know my gay friend and when he saw us he thought I was being unfaithful. He got mad and angry with me and he went away. I could not clarify the situation. He went to the bakery and he met my ex-friend there. When I went to look for him she saw me and kissed him and he reciprocated her. My broken heart was crying. I could not believe what had happened. Then he tried to talk to me but I did no listen to him. I asked him go away and do not look for me anymore. And he did it.

Now , being a happily married woman I remember him with love, I remember him as my first love. He was my one and my only and I tried to look for him. I wonder how our lives would have been if nothing had happened and I tremble, my heart beats fast and I am afraid to see him again.

He

It was a wonderful afternoon and I knew something special was happening. It was so, I met her. She was a beautiful girl. She was new in the neighborhood and was making friends. Fortunately I arrived at time; she did not have a boyfriend. A pretty girl as she would not be single for much time. She looked so innocent and shy and I loved it. That was the kind of girl I was looking for, different to the other ones who were chasing me: interested and unfaithful, hungry of having “vacilones” with out any engagement. She was quite different and I know she was the girl of my life.

But conquered her was a difficult task. She was really difficult. I tried all of my tricks which worked with girls but they did not work with her. I used to visit her street every night in order to see her but she was elusive and when I got a little bit closer to her she moved away from me. She did not look at me. So I thought I was no interesting for her. I “throw my towel” if did not like to her it was nothing to do. But one day the destiny turned the luck to my side and I found her far from her street and alone, with no friends who could interfere between us.

I invited her to a soda and started to talk to her. She was elusive again and was too difficult to get her to the bakery but I got it. We started to talk and with every word going out from her mouth I felt I was more fell in love with her. Her sweet voice went into my ears and dart into my heart. I took her and got closer to her. She did not move. It was a great sign. We continue talking and then I decided. I was going to kiss her. But I was nervous. Finally I did it. I kissed her and she kissed me too. It was the most wonderful moment of my life. I can still feel her sweet lips on mine. I asked being my girlfriend and at first she tried to avoid me but then she accepted. I felt the happiest and luckiest boy on the Earth.

Everything was going on wonderful. One of her friends let the group and they did not talk anymore. I ignore what had happened among them but I did not care about it she was my girlfriend and I was proud of being with her.

One day I was going to her house when suddenly I saw her embraced with another man. I felt my world was going down. The ground where I was standing opened under my feet. She was no different as I supposed. She was the same to the other girls I knew. My broken heart did not let ask for any explanation. I could not claim or say to her anything. I went away. I got to the bakery sad and collapsed. I could not believe what my eyes had seen. In that place was her ex-friend and she sat down next to me I was so sad and confused that I did not know when she kissed me and I did nothing. I could not notice my princess was looking at us. I knew it when I saw her evil friend smiling at her. I tried to explain her everything and say to her she was wrong and that it was a mistake. In that moment I understood that what I had seen before would be different as I thought. She did not listen to me. She ran away to her house and did not go out. I phoned her but she did not answer my calls. I sent her flowers and chocolates but she threw them to me through her window. Her broken heart and her pride were heavier than our love. She told me she did not love me anymore and asked me do not look for her anymore and I did it. She was my one and my only and now, even when I am a happily married man I remember her with love and I think about how life could have been if nothing of that had happened. I have tried to look for her but I am afraid to feel that intense love I felt when I was fourteen.

Open letter to Mr. Pérez Mouse

Dear Pérez Mouse:

I am not sure if we are cousins, too far cousins or something like that (because of our last names of course!). What I am pretty sure is that you must be the richest mouse among the mice with all those teeth you pick up and concerning the money you let under the pillows. I think it is a great business… let’s calculate: in average you can pick up, one hundred teeth, maybe? And, for each tooth you let, let’s say…. Five hundred pesos (being stingy, let me say). If we multiply one hundred per five hundred, we will get fifty thousand pesos. And if you get, let’s suppose, the 20 % for each tooth in gain you earn ten thousand pesos a day. It is a large amount per month for a small mouse like you are. Although… taking into account the dangers you must avoid but considering the holes you make into my walls... it’s too much for you.

Anyway, leaving the money stuff away; what I want to say is: how on the Earth you think a child can do with five hundred pesos? A soda costs much more than that! Think about all children’s illusions. Even some children take out their teeth by force in order to get some money coming from you!

Why don’t you ask parents for help? They can invest on your business since they are beneficiated with the situation. I don’t want to do this, it is a secret but it is useful for you: parents tell their children they have to brush their teeth three times a day if not, they say them they won’t receive any cent for damaged teeth!

You can pass parents a bill for each tooth you pick up. In that way children could receive more money than usual. And if you sold the teeth to mothers, they could make a necklace with them. Do you imagine? “My children’s tooth necklace”! Mothers would be really happy and they would pay fortunes for it. What about fathers? They could use the teeth as cufflinks! It would be a success!

Be the envy of your office dear Pérez. Think about it. I will give you my brilliant idea and it is for free!

Just one more thing: Pay more for my teeth!

Because

Because…

Because I can not avoid your profound eyes,

Because when I think of you my heart beats fast,

Because when I feel you close to me my heart beats stronger and faster,

Because you are my support when I fell down,

Because your smile makes me feel loved.

Because your hands are warm,

Because your hugs are better,

Because your kisses take me to the moon,

Because you make me feel stronger when I feel weak,

Because it does not care if we there is no money,

Because we spent beautiful and cheap times with our babies,

Because you’re the light in my darkness,

Because you trust in me more than myself,

Because you are my one and my only,

Because I know I can count on you until the infinite,

Because you are my twin soul,

Because I do not need look for anything else,

Because with you I have everything,

Because you have taught me how wonderful can the life be,

Because you are the best example for the children,

Because sometimes I wan to kill you,

Because I know neither I am not perfect nor you are,

Because we do our best to be better,

Because we fight together,

Because you never drop my hand,

Because I love seeing your face when I open my eyes every morning,

Because I love you...

TWICE TOLD STORY

The first time that I saw you, I knew you were the love of my life, but it was unidirectional. People say dogs are the best friends of the humans, but they are wrong!
I love to take care of you, I spend a lot of time giving you a bath, feeding you, kissing you and many things more and finally what is the pay for me? You wake up in the middle of the night and bark, bark, bark the whole night.
Wow, I understand now! You sleep at day and bark at night. You don’t remember we have neighbors; No really you don’t know anything, you put your shit just in front of the door of the man who I like so much. The result, he hates me, even after to use small pants. He forgot it when you decide to put your nature over there.
I remember the day when I sent you to the bakery hairdresser's shop. I didn’t have enough money and I could have bought something beautiful for me, but not, I decided to spend my money in you and What was the end? You decide to jump on all the puddles that you found, you ruined your appearance. You know what I am going to replace you. Achh I know I can’t do it, I’m really bad.

Second Version TWICE TOLD STORY

Aleja: I love you
Dog: me too, I’m so happy with you
Aleja: You know what? I not.
Dog: but that is strange I sleep next to you, I return to you even after sticking with that horrible newspaper.
Aleja: That is not sufficient. You don’t know.. You put your shit just in front of the house of the man I like so much.
Dog: Well, About what do you complain? You like the trek that you give me only for seeing him.
Aleja: You are absolutely unbearable.
Dog: Not, I am a dog, how do you want I behave? because unlike you, I know how I want you behave.
Aleja: What do you say? only for curiosity, How do you want I behave?
Dog: At least not speaking with dogs.
Aleja: I was thinking to replace you, but now I understand why I can’t do it.
It is very simple, you are able to listen attentivly and not only that. Sometimes I believe you really speak to me.

Our First Trip Together

This happened when I was nineteen years old. I was with my boyfriend (actually my husband) and we decided for the first time to be alone for a weekend and to go to Santa Rosa de Cabal where there is a wonderful place called “Termales”.
But before the travel we should prepared all: the bags, the car, the money and certainly the permission. It was the most complicated thing, especially for my grandmother, she is a person very strict, moralist and tied to the clock, one of her more famous phrases is: “In my house everyone has to take the breakfast at 7:00 a.m. the lunch at 12:00 m. and the dinner at 6:00 o’clock, the door is closed at 7:00 p.m. and the boyfriend has to visit you at the living room most of times, preferably”. If you are not according with all her laws you are in big problems.
It is necessary to annotate that in that time I was living with her because my parent’s house is in Palmira and I was studying Topographical Engineer, here in the University of Valle. Anyway, the case was that she was not going to allow that we were to that place, but in that occasion and after many requests and promises she accepted, but certainly no to be there more than one day. You have to be here maximum at seven o'clock in the night, it changed all the plans but we accepted or not accepted we did not have another alternative.
At the following day I woke up at 3:00 a.m. to arrive on time to the wonderful place, more or less at nine o’clock. We were so happy in the route we take a special breakfast called in our city “Trucker's breakfast” it was really delicious, we continue on the route listening to music and singing.
Finally we arrive to the town, at the park there were some squirrels, we took of them some beautiful pictures and enjoyed eating a delicious ice cream, after that, we continue the way to our destination. When we arrived there it was very very beautiful, the first thing that you can see there is a relaxing waterfall adorned with many plants and flowers, and the pictures could not wait. The weather was cold but it was not important because we were on the hot water. At minding day we ate a delicious fish with the famous “Coca Cola”, sometime time later we followed some tourists that were walking the famous ecological trek of almost all these places, we finished this trek with a bath in the “rumbera swimming pool” a swimming pool created only to dance that works only in the night. I don’t know how the time passed so quickly, but when I saw my clock it was already seven o'clock of the night, then I began to be worry about the entry to my house, especially because we were at five hours of Cali. After to enjoy the all day we were ready to return to the house, on the way we drunk a delicious chocolate with the famous “Chorizo Santarosano” ummmm, we arrived at house at 3:30 a.m. and though my grandmother did not open to me the door this was one of the prettiest trips of my life. We enjoyed a lot and today it is part of one of our more pleasing memories.

Aleja.