I arrived at the counter, where a friendly lady asked me what I wanted to see. Still contemplating the craftsman of that amazing door, I didnt notice her when she said, Good morning, nor did I hear the question that she had asked me when she saw me arrive.
What a piece of work! I said absent-mindedly, without realizing that someone was listening to me.
What did you say? What do you mean? she said with a look of surprise.
Sorry, I was thinking about something else. May I consult a book? I asked, returning to the matter that had brought me there.
Thats what Im here for, to provide the desired information to those who need it, she responded with a smile. If you tell me what its about and if we have it, I can tell you where it is.
Well, the thing is, I dont know. Im looking for something, where could I find it? I said a little quieter, as if I were ashamed, because she was listening to me when I said it, and she saw how awkwardly I was expressing myself, the nerves that I felt wouldnt even let me speak properly.
If you can give me a hint, Im sure I can help you, she said smiling.
The Secrets of Fatima, I said promptly, looking at the floor without daring to look at her.
Its on my nightstand, she answered immediately without stopping to think.
I was amazed by her response, I looked her up and down, trying to analyze her. What a way to get my attention! I thought.
No, she didnt seem like one of those girls who like to be noticed, she had the appearance of a serious person, at least from the way she dressed. She wore a gray pleated skirt and a sweater that was also gray, but of a darker shade, with her hair pulled back in a bun. She wore no makeup, which gave the impression that she was a formal and educated person. I didnt understand why she had given me that answer, which I considered so strange and inappropriate.
I opened my mouth to tell her that I was serious, but she did not let me say another word as she continued.
Its one of my favorite books and since I first got it, Ive read it so many times that I know it by heart, but nobody has ever asked for it here in the library, well because I know that anyone who is interested in the subject, goes and buys it in a bookstore, she was saying quite seriously. I was still surprised by her response, and I was still staring at her.
But, the secrets? Secrets? Not the ones that are in the public domain, I said softly.
Wait, there are more secrets? Well thats got my attention, she said in a curious tone, leaning her head in closer to me, in order to speak more quietly.
Thats what Im trying to find out, I answered also quietly, not wanting anyone to hear me.
Come, Ill show you everything we have on the subject, to see if theres anything that will help you in your task, she answered suddenly, her voice conveying her great enthusiasm.
Leaving her work station and walking at a brisk pace, so much so that I had trouble following her, we passed through the corridors of the library, until we reached one of the most distant and lonely corridors. It was clear that it was seldom visited. She stopped in her tracks, and turning to me she said:
Here is all the material that we have about Fatima, but if you like, when we close the library I can show you a bookstore that I know well, where you might also find something on the subject that may interest you. She was telling me this while she gestured toward the bookshelves with her hand, where I saw several books, which I supposed would provide me with information about what interested me.
I was surprised by the way she was talking to me, I wasnt sure if I had heard her properly that she wanted to accompany me, and puzzled, I asked her:
Why dont you give me the address and Ill go myself after looking at what you have here?
As I said, its a topic that has interested me for a long time and I know where the materials are, on what bookshelf, and if you were to go alone, Im sure you wouldnt find it. Well, if you dont mind me coming with you, of course, she added.
As she seemed very judicious to me, we agreed that I would see everything that was around here, and when it was time to go, we would meet by the exit.
She agreed and left with a spring in her step, back to her work station, and to open that door, which she had closed with a firm push in order to come with me to show me where the material was that I might find interesting.
<<<<< >>>>>
That day, I had put on some pants, the oldest I had, and my green plaid shirt, the one I hadnt worn for a long time and which was so worn that my mother would not let me go out in it. With the sleeves rolled up, I went to meet my companions, well, they would be my companions from today, because I had been assigned to work with them when I told them I would like to help with something.
The academic year had already finished and we were on vacation and since I had nothing fun lined up this summer, I wanted to do something different.
One day Id heard a group of students, in the college quadrangle, who had commented on what they had done last summer, and as it seemed strange to me, I stopped to find out more. I thought I had heard that they had worked as bricklayers, it could not be true, surely I was wrong, so I asked them about it.
Yes, whats so strange? Weve been fixing the house of some folk who needed someone to lend a hand, answered one of the girls who was in that group.
She told me in a normal voice, as if the others also knew what she was talking about, but it seemed very strange to me, I thought she was making fun of me.
Wait, what are you telling me? I interrupted, You? A bricklayer? What about your nails?
Well it was during the summer, I didnt have to come to class, so I didnt need to have them, I didnt need them long or painted, so I cut them. We do the work with care, were professionals after all, she replied with a chuckle.
Professionals of what? I asked her intrigued, because I saw that the others were watching, and they didnt laugh at what she was telling me.
Hey, if you came here to mock us, you can get lost, we take this seriously, said the guy next to her, and they all stared at me.
But yeah, tell me some more, you have to admit that what Im hearing is pretty unusual, I told them so they could inform me about what Id heard when I was passing them by.
Look, if you want to know more, come this afternoon, we have to get going now or well be late for class.
And with that, the group disbanded, but before they disappeared, I shouted:
What time? Where can I find you? I really do want to know more.
Here at five, be on time! one of them said as he turned away.
<<<<< >>>>>
What incredible memories! One day I have to make a compilation of everything, because although Im not very old and I have an excellent memory, who knows when it will start to fail me, or what things might happen to me. Although I dont believe that my life interests anyone, even if out of curiosity, one day Im going to write down everything that has happened to me. Ill try to do it accurately, without so many flights of fancy, just as Im remembering it now. The unfortunate thing is that Im always so busy that I have no idea when Ill be able to actually do it, but yes, I am determined and I will do it at some point.
Browsing through the material that I had taken down to the table, time flew past and I was startled when I noticed a tap on my shoulder. It was her, the librarian.
Its closing time. If you want, Ill show you the place we were talking about earlier, she said with a soft voice and a smile on her face.
What was that? I asked absently.
I didnt know what she was talking about, time had passed, I was reading so much information that reality, the place, the circumstances, had passed into the background, and at that moment I had forgotten what we had talked about or what she was referring to.
Leave something for tomorrow, its not going anywhere, she said as she turned around and started off down the long corridor.
Closing the book that I had in my hands, and taking the others from the table, I returned them to their places on the bookshelf and followed her. Seeing that she was moving faster than me, I had to pick up the pace. What a way to walk, I thought. Of course she will have to pass through these corridors many times a day and that will have given her that agility.
<<<<< >>>>>
It was an important day. I was so nervous! I dont think Id ever felt so nervous. The others told me not to worry, that everything would be very simple, but I found that strange to say the least. How would it be done? What would I have to do? What task would they assign to me? I hadnt considered how difficult it might be until now, when I was going to meet those who would be my companions during this stage of my life, which was now so novel and at the same time so strange: a summer spent working.
I was a university student who was used to having everything done for me. At home, Mom had always taken care to make sure that everything was clean and ready. I had never even considered that one day I would have to do it myself, so I had never bothered to learn, not even how to wash my socks, much less how to sew them if they ever developed any holes. That was normal in my house, and I think the same thing should happen in all homes. The boys didnt help with anything, well, sometimes to set the table, if my sister Carmen was busy.
But on that day, when I left home to go to the Student Residences, I didnt think about all the work that I now had to do for myself. I had to make an effort to be clean, since my clothes piled up in the laundry hamper, without me knowing how to put on the washing machine, even though they wanted to show me at home.
My older sister tried hard to tell me over and over that everything was simple, you just had to hit that button. Yes, of course, but what about the detergent? When should you use it? And how much? The washing machine was womens work, that much was clear, only they understood it.
There are some things that are very difficult to understand compared to how simple they were at home. Going into the closet, everything was in its place, clean and ironed, just waiting for me to reach in and take it. I dont know about other mothers, but mine always had everything under control, nothing I needed to go to class or to go play with friends was ever dirty or wrinkled. I had left things unrecognizable when I returned home after of an afternoon of games, but she took care of it. She never explained to me how she did it, it seems that mothers days last longer. Maybe they have more time, because its ridiculous how much they have to do.
How Ive missed her stews since I left home, especially her superb Caldo Gallego, or Galician broth, which sings to you on cold winter days, how she gets my shirts ready with their starched collars and even polishes my shoes. How could she have removed the mud that I left my things covered in when I returned from my games?
The truth is that I never thought about it, she must know everything, where would she have learned it? As far as I know, an electrician has never come to my house to fix an outlet, not that I can remember, and me with my fixation on pulling the cord without giving it a thought. I pulled them out of the wall, tore the whole plug right off, as she said to me:
Manu again? Son, please be careful.
But when I needed it again, it was fixed. If only she was at home, there was no doubt who had bothered to fix what I was damaging, and who always covered my books? Of course it was her.
Mom, this is broken, I would tell her, can you fix it for me?
There she was with her smile saying:
Go get it, its alright.
Mom, Im having trouble with this, can you help me because I have to finish it?
Lets see! Look, this is how its done, she would tell me and stop whatever she was doing to show me.
Mom, this one, or the other? and she would help me as if I were the only person in the world. Of course, now that I think about it, she did the same for my brothers and sisters, and I think to myself, how many hands did she have? How could she spare time for everyone? On top of this, she painted. I really dont know when she found time for it.
Sometimes in the morning, I saw that she had, there in the corner where she didnt want anyone to touch anything. I would contemplate one of those paintings that she had created. Such color! Where would she get them from? I always asked myself. Why did I never see her painting them? I only ever heard her, when I was little, say:
Manu, dont touch, thats been freshly painted.
She would tell me in a serious tone, the one she used when she said something important and that all children know so well. We did our best to obey, fully aware that she wasnt joking.
But if Id just gotten out of bed, did she do it while everyone else slept? I got the answer when I got a little older. It was actually when we were all asleep and the house had already fallen silent. When she had finished the multitude of tasks, when she had prepared the clothes that we all had to wear the next day, she started painting. She said it helped her to rest and be fresh the next morning.
<<<<< >>>>>
We went out onto the street, she closed the door firmly, then she locked up. I was surprised that such an ancient and huge door had such a small key, and looking I noticed that the lock, the opening that served as the lock in ancient times, was now just an ornament, because of its size. The key that would have been used must have been very large, surely those iron keys that weighed so much could certainly not be carried in that small bag, where I saw that the librarian kept the key.
She headed confidently toward one of the side streets. She moved so fast, just as I had seen her move through the corridors of the library and it was difficult for me to keep pace with her. Although I tried, I had no choice but to say:
Please Miss, a little more slowly or I cant follow you, youre going very fast.
She looked me up and down as if she wanted to take an X-ray and muttered:
Hmmm! What kind of young man are you! Tired after such a pace, really? Surely you prefer to be sitting for hours, without realizing that your body needs to move to make you feel good and so that the passage of the years will not be noticed in the bones, she replied as she slowed down slightly.
Yes, I mumbled softly, but in reality, what had I answered? That I had spent the day sitting or that my bones were already beginning to claim my attention? In my younger days, I would play sports practically every day, now I had to take a pill some days to be able to withstand the pain, especially in the knees, which I think wasnt due to a lack of walking, but rather the endless hours I spent sitting.