mi tico favorito
in the mornings javier comes to visit me. i offer him juice or coffee and we try to communicate. his english doesn't really exist and my spanish is incredibly fragmented at the very best but i am an eager student and the desire to communicate on both our parts breaks through the barrier thrown up by the lack of a common tongue. these conversations have taught me a lot. i can tell because we've started talking more about ideas or the way of things and though my vocabulary is limited i can understand much more of what he says. one of the things our morning talks have taught me is what a kind and gentle man javier is. is is small, like most ticos, shorter than me and slight of builld. he is soft spoken with an almost imperceptible lisp and a shy smile. he ducks his head when he smiles and his amber eyes grow slightly timid, slightly apologetc, and crinkle with kindness.
he has three children whom he cares for alone, his wife having left them all and gone to san jose. i ask javier if he will go to san jose. "ah, mi? no," he says quietly ducking his head slightly. i want to tell him that i understand. that i can't imagine him in a city or anywhere but these jungled hills, quietly taking care of plants and chilredn and being good to his neighbors. but that's beyond my skill set so i just say, "comprendo, lo siento." because i'm sorry his wife left him, that anyone could leave someone so kind.
his father, who is 95 years old, once owned all the property around us, over 160 acres of the hills of cuervito. he has 22 brothers and sisters. if anyone is of a place he is of here. and through these conversations.... i understand pura vida in a totally different way.
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