ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS

19. THE DAY OF THE DEAD

When I get up the next morning, the sun is above the horizon, and the Latino man is still asleep in a sleeping bag right next to the truck. He is in the shadow created by the car. I jump off of the bed. Stretch both my arms to the sky while facing the sun on the horizon. The air is still chilly. The Latino man hears the noise I made. He walks out from the shadow of the truck and greets me.

"Good morning! Did you sleep well? I hope I didn't keep you up while talking with my daughter last night!"

I am not sure about what I heard last night, but my curiosity takes over me.

"No problem at all! I wasn't certain what I heard. It seemed that you were talking to a young girl. I heard a young girl's voice, and she was laughing while you were talking. But your daughter died several years ago. Is it possible that I heard your daughter's voice?"

I have to ask him about what I heard last night. His face appears to be glowing with light when I ask him this question. Maybe it is just the reflection of the intense morning light.

"I think you heard my daughter's voice last night. I was certainly talking to her, and she was delighted to see me. She was giggling whenever I said something. I come here every year, and she is always waiting for me. She feels me whenever I am coming to see her."

"She is happy out there enjoying her life. I don't need to worry about her; my daughter is well. Now I am ready to go back home and tell my wife about her. Can we drive toward Santa Fe if you are ready? It will take another five hours from here to get there."

Then he gets into the passenger seat and shuts the door. I can see that he wants to see his wife and son. So I get in the car and turn on the engine. I drive back toward the freeway, and the red dirt road kicks up the dust behind the truck. The Latino man pushes out his face from the window and looks back.

He waves his hand as if he is saying 'goodbye' to his daughter.

When I look in the rearview mirror, I feel as if I see a girl waving at us in the dust. I am no longer sure if that was my imagination or I really saw her. I feel like I am going back and forth between this Latino man's imaginary world and the ordinary world where I live. I am no longer able to tell which is which. So I keep my silence all the way to El Paso.

After passing through El Paso, the Latino man tells me about his tradition in his native country.

"In Guatemala, we have a long tradition of the Day of the Dead, Día de Los Muertos. It originated in ancient Mesoamerica with the Aztecs, Mayans, and Toltecs. Our ancestors commemorated their loved ones who had passed away."

"On November 1, we remember the children, and on November 2, we honor adults. It isn't the worship of death as some American people view it. We see that death is part of the journey of life. Rather than the death ending the life, we believe that a new life will spring from the death."

"So Día de Los Muertos is an opportunity to remember and celebrate the lives of departed loved ones. We prepare the ofrenda, a temporary altar, honor our loved ones and provide them with what they need on their journey. It is usually decorated with pictures of the deceased and items that belong to them and objects that serve as reminders of their lives."

"There are four essential elements: water, wind, earth, and fire. Water is left in a pitcher so the spirits can quench their thirst. Papel Picado, the traditional paper banners, represents the wind. Earth is represented by food, especially bread. Candles are left in the form of a cross to represent the cardinal directions so the spirits can find their way."

"We celebrate the day to bring our dead ancestors back from their graves to our homes and live with them as if they are still alive. We all know that death is transitory, just the same as life. Our spirits don't disappear into thin air. They shed our physical bodies, and our souls go on living.

"So I am sure that your fiancée is in the spiritual world and still living as she should. She is doing just fine. She is probably worried about you since you are lost without her. Usually, the departed ones are fine, and the ones who were left behind have the problem."

"If you miss her, talk to her. She is always near you and listening to you. Then she will give you some signs for you to see that she is always near you. I am sure!"

By the time he stops talking, the truck passes a sign that reads, "Welcome to Santa Fe."

The Latino man asks me to go through the town and keep driving north. Once the next smaller town appears, he asks me to drop him off at the gas station on the corner. When I park the truck right behind the gas station, he gets out of the passenger seat and goes around toward my side. He caresses Bianco's head before coming to my side of the window. He salutes me the last time with his smile.

"Thank you so much, mister . . . Oh my god! I still don't know your name. My name is Juan Carlo."

I quickly reply.

"I am Leo! Thank you so much for keeping me company. It was such an unforgettable evening last night. I still don't understand what I heard, but I will keep in mind what you told me to do. When I am ready, I will start to talk with Beth."

Juan Carlo smiles and shouts over his shoulder while walking away from the truck.

"Don't think too much! You feel her in your heart! She is always by your side! Always!"

After Jose disappears behind the building, I look around to see what I am going to do next. I don't have any objective other than dropping Juan Carlo off in Santa Fe. My objective is complete.