UNDER THE SKY
there who had taken
him
to see a girl. She had proved to be ugly–
one side of her face was mottled with blue and purple.
At the station the
train
had already arrived. The people trying
to get on were fighting with those who were trying to get off. He
wondered why with all those open windows everyone insisted on going
through the two little doors at the ends of the cars. It would have
been very simple that way, but these people were too stupid to think
of it. His defeat at the hands of the townsman still bothered him; he
wanted to have a gun so he could pull it out and shout: "I am the
father of all of you!" But it was not likely that he ever would have
a gun.
Without approaching the platform where so many people were
moving about, he stood and impassively watched the confusion. From
the crowd three strange-looking people suddenly emerged. They all
had very white skin and yellow hair. He knew, of course, that they
were from a faraway place because everyone knew that when people
looked as strange as that they were from the capital or even farther.
There were two women and one man, and as they approached him,
he noticed that they were speaking a language which only they could
understand. Each one carried a leather bag covered with small squares
of colored paper stuck on at different angles. He stepped back, keep–
ing his eyes on the face of the younger woman. He could not be sure
whether he found her beautiful or revolting. Still he continued to
look at her as she passed, holding on to the man's arm. The other
woman noticed him, and smiled faintly as she went by.
He turned angrily and walked toward the tracks. He was angry
at her stupidity-for thinking he could have enough money to pay
her as much as she would surely want. He walked on until he came
to the cemetery. It was empty save for the grey lizards that scurried
from the path at his feet. In the farthest corner there was a small
square building with a white stone woman on top. He sat in the
shade of the little building and took out his cigarettes.
The train whistled; it was starting on its trip to the sea where
the people eat nothing but fish and travel on top of the water. He
drew in the first few breaths very slowly and deliberately, holding
the smoke in his lungs until he felt it burning the edges of
his
soul.
Mter a few minutes the feeling began to take shape. From the back
of his head it moved down to his shoulders. It was as if he were
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