The Long and Storied Life of Jose Montoya
The Long and Storied Life of Jose Montoya The Long and Storied Life of Jose Montoya
The Long and Storied Life of Jose Montoya 70nothing else occupied his mind: Not Ned Skelly's ghost following him from tree to tree in surprise, andnot even the farmer who kept walking past with his eyes closed.Jose's obsession remained with him after he returned to his room Saturday evening and througha long and sleepless night. On Sunday morning he tried to write a letter home about apple picking butfound that his memories of the day could not be severed from Eudora, and after many false starts hegave up trying. By Sunday afternoon he decided that he would go to the library, full of hope thatmaybe she would be there. He rehearsed the meeting over and over in his mind, arming himself withdifferent things he might say and then imagining her responses. When the library proved to be almostdeserted, with no sign of Eudora anywhere other than in his mind, Jose felt disappointment washthrough his whole body. He stayed until the the sun set, trying to read a book about Tecumseh, until hewas finally chased out by an attendant anxious to close up and go home.The following days at the rifle range were no better. Jose tried his best to remain focused ontraining soldiers to shoot, but he found his attention straying frequently and his hands shaking as hetried to balance nickels on rifle barrels. On Tuesday night, back alone in his room, he took out his tinof treasures and tried to chase Eudora away with thoughts of La Catrina. The rose was still in bloomand still fragrant, but its scent failed to transport him as it usually did; if anything, the walls of his roomseemed even closer and more solid than usual. Jose held the bloom in his hands for a long time, sittingon the edge of his bed and trying to marshal his memories. Unlike soldiers, however, they just wouldn'tfall into line.Wednesday seemed to Jose like the longest day he had ever lived through. He assigned a valuein minutes to even the smallest task that he had to do, so that he could constantly count down in hismind the time remaining until he could go to the library. At long last all the trainees had fired theirfinal rounds down the range and picked up all their spent casings, and Jose was free. He rushed back to
The Long and Storied Life of Jose Montoya 71his room and quickly washed his face, and then made his best attempt at slicking back the thick andunruly hair that grew on the top of his head, a wild and tangled thicket. Pulling on his trousers andbuttoning up his best-pressed jacket, Jose headed out the door.Once again Jose practiced all his best lines as he walked to the library. At last he reached thewooden and stone building, and he stood for a moment at the bottom of the three steps leading up to theentrance with the feeling that his life was about to take another interesting turn. Taking a deep breath,he climbed the stairs. He let his hand linger a moment on the brass of the door handle before takinganother deep breath and stepping inside.His heart raced immediately. Eudora was in the reading room that opened up immediately offof the entrance, enthroned on a winged-back chair near the fieldstone fireplace. She did not look upfrom her book. Jose wanted to jump and shout, but immediately thought that more odd behavior on hispart might not be the best course of action to pursue. In any case, jumping and shouting were notanywhere in his mental script for this meeting, and he was still determined to stay with the lines he hadrehearsed over and over in his mind. He headed to the shelf to grab the book on Tecumseh that he hadtried to read on Sunday. It would at least be a useful prop.He grabbed the book, and was pleased to find that his hand trembled only slightly. He headedback toward the reading area, excited that there was an open chair between Eudora and the fireplace.Even though he tried to remain silent as he approached the empty seat, she looked up at the noise of hisrustling. She flashed a smile at him, and Jose faltered slightly in his steps. He was suddenly veryaware of the slight limp with which he still walked, realizing that this was in fact the first time she hadseen him move other than to turn around in the orchard. Returning her smile, Jose sat down in the chairby the fire.Eudora continued to smile, and seemed to be waiting for Jose to speak first. He felt himselfonce again being drawn into her smile, and decided to fight it. With as much casualness as he could
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<strong>The</strong> <strong>Long</strong> <strong>and</strong> <strong>Storied</strong> <strong>Life</strong> <strong>of</strong> <strong>Jose</strong> <strong>Montoya</strong> 71his room <strong>and</strong> quickly washed his face, <strong>and</strong> then made his best attempt at slicking back the thick <strong>and</strong>unruly hair that grew on the top <strong>of</strong> his head, a wild <strong>and</strong> tangled thicket. Pulling on his trousers <strong>and</strong>buttoning up his best-pressed jacket, <strong>Jose</strong> headed out the door.Once again <strong>Jose</strong> practiced all his best lines as he walked to the library. At last he reached thewooden <strong>and</strong> stone building, <strong>and</strong> he stood for a moment at the bottom <strong>of</strong> the three steps leading up to theentrance with the feeling that his life was about to take another interesting turn. Taking a deep breath,he climbed the stairs. He let his h<strong>and</strong> linger a moment on the brass <strong>of</strong> the door h<strong>and</strong>le before takinganother deep breath <strong>and</strong> stepping inside.His heart raced immediately. Eudora was in the reading room that opened up immediately <strong>of</strong>f<strong>of</strong> the entrance, enthroned on a winged-back chair near the fieldstone fireplace. She did not look upfrom her book. <strong>Jose</strong> wanted to jump <strong>and</strong> shout, but immediately thought that more odd behavior on hispart might not be the best course <strong>of</strong> action to pursue. In any case, jumping <strong>and</strong> shouting were notanywhere in his mental script for this meeting, <strong>and</strong> he was still determined to stay with the lines he hadrehearsed over <strong>and</strong> over in his mind. He headed to the shelf to grab the book on Tecumseh that he hadtried to read on Sunday. It would at least be a useful prop.He grabbed the book, <strong>and</strong> was pleased to find that his h<strong>and</strong> trembled only slightly. He headedback toward the reading area, excited that there was an open chair between Eudora <strong>and</strong> the fireplace.Even though he tried to remain silent as he approached the empty seat, she looked up at the noise <strong>of</strong> hisrustling. She flashed a smile at him, <strong>and</strong> <strong>Jose</strong> faltered slightly in his steps. He was suddenly veryaware <strong>of</strong> the slight limp with which he still walked, realizing that this was in fact the first time she hadseen him move other than to turn around in the orchard. Returning her smile, <strong>Jose</strong> sat down in the chairby the fire.Eudora continued to smile, <strong>and</strong> seemed to be waiting for <strong>Jose</strong> to speak first. He felt himselfonce again being drawn into her smile, <strong>and</strong> decided to fight it. With as much casualness as he could
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