Untitled - CSUN ScholarWorks - California State University, Northridge

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of the Virgin on her newly installed formica counter and
swore that her arthritis had been cured. The news was
spread by word of mouth and within a day ailing people
from all over the village lined up for their formica miracle.
With everyone cured the apothecary's appointment list
remained bare. This sent his blood pressure as well as his
anger rising but he refused the Virgin's help. Mixing the
numerous chemicals and elixirs, of which he had plenty, he
waited until the middle of the night, and blew up the
church, which he felt was at the root of his problem.
Everyone was shocked and upset at the loss of their church
but when reality set in, Senora Montez was glad he had not
exploded her new formica counter. As she finishes the story
the sun is coming up behind us causing the beige blocks of
the leveled church to glow white and her teeth even whiter
and I forget about Jane's lab coat.
I am surprised that the difference in cultures doesn't
cause a communication problem and wonder how it was
she had learned to speak English until I realize that I am
speaking Spanish. The longer I am with her the more new
words I seem to know and am relieved that none of them
are scientific terms. Speaking now becomes like painting
from a palette of fresh, wildly varying colors. I become
almost fanatical about speaking, just saying words, one
right after the other. Walking back to her hotel I name
everything I see, give names to things I don't know the
names of, stop at newsstands and read magazines out loud,
anything to just keep speaking. People stare with these
funny looks on their faces but I just keep talking, talking to
them and then they talk back to me and we just stand
talking. The Columbian woman, whose name I did not yet
even know, thought it best to take me to Senora Montez's
house on the chance that the Virgin might still be visible in
the formica.
By the time we get there the Virgin isn't needed as I
have talked myself hoarse and find I am ravenous having
only had three beakers of coffee and a bottle of Tequila the
day before. Sitting in the courtyard behind the Montez