Eulalia
From my balcony I saw yours. The buildings formed a square in the center square, a lemon tree, gave a touch of greenery in the small space. It was the beginning of the 1940 twentieth century that has elapsed since that seems so far to name him, but I've lived here almost my entire life, or at least a long history.
We had come to town to escape the problems of war with those strange silences that occur when an event not to be known to prevent greater evils. My memories are clustered among trunks where clothing and household goods stored for invoicing to the new city and my mother's immense sadness at having to leave the home where we had always lived. I never knew the reason for this small diaspora but, over time, I gathered some political secret that was never released and was hidden under lock and key, including papers and documents never exposed to light. Something serious must have to reach the end of that abandoned house, furniture and family stability, I guessed on the look sad and scared of my father and the firmness and decision of my mother. And there, at the third floor of a strange city, our lives started again. My father got
do not know how an internship position with a famous lawyer even though he had practiced law with a certain reputation in the abandoned city, and my mother, along my two older sisters, put in that same household, a sewing workshop where tailors offering their services as in-store we frequented, they got a clientele that, later, word of mouth, and gave some popularity that helped us to guide our shattered lives.
I, being the youngest, age difference, I indulged in reading and games, because in those days, there was a lack of current technological advances, there was no television, no computers course or amusement machines, so My biggest distraction was out on the balcony from which you could see the square to see the balconies of the houses. In on the first floor and mezzanine as it was then called, at the corner to the left of the buildings, was the favorite of my observation. It was long, very wide and full of potted plants, so many that looked like a garden. However, the floor looked lonely, with little life, only in spring, saw a very old lady with a mime special watering all those plants, then decorated the balcony of a charming manner. That alone was a magnet for my young mind.
As the distance was not too big of a balcony to another, could see clearly and, from the outset, I found it to be singular. Movement slow, delicate, probably because of old age, always dressed in black, very outdated. Foot length skirts, a lot of width, with a more-fitting bodices, white hair covering their hair with a kind of black cap toes and hands were always covered with lace mittens. I liked to look like watered sparingly, slowly love all plants and sometimes in summer, could see her in the balcony, sitting on a wicker chair surrounded by a chrome-like flowers out of a storybook. Through my mother, I knew his name, called Doña Eulalia, said he had the title of Countess and was the owner of all the farms surrounding the small plaza. They said, lived alone for a long time and was close to meeting the one hundred years but to me I would not have missed it and had more than met.
I was a little girl given to friends, some lonely, I liked to watch it all to get, then, my own conclusions and so I met an older girl named Margaret age whose domicile was in the doorway next to mine.
Before you make friends with somebody, I used to wait for the sensation caused in my mind for that person. If to be at his side felt calm and his eyes were open, he accepted. If, however, his presence and his eyes troubled me was elusive, the rejected. My neighbor Margaret was the first. Higher, as I said it was more, maybe had two, three or maybe four years and a lot more brown but with a honey-colored eyes tender look really beautiful.
Our first submission came through the gate separating the terrace of his house to mine. She played with her younger siblings when the ball landed in my backyard and on the way back, started the conversation and later friendship.
Margarita's father was a watchmaker and the porch of her house was used as Chiscón repair watches. Margaret and I agreed to after school while she went to a different one to mine and talked, exchanged or readings we accompanied each other if we needed to do some custom of our fathers. One day, one evening after leaving school, Margaret asked me to accompany her to deliver a watch repaired by his father. After obtaining permission from me mother, went to deliver and surprise I found that the owner of that clock, Margarita told me was, nothing more and nothing less than Doña Eulalia. Margaret lived in that neighborhood since birth, so he knew all the details of the neighborhood and also the old lady. Seeing my interest, I explained it was a very rich but very kind. Widow for a long time had only one child living abroad and, yes, it was true that he held the title of Countess. My enthusiasm for going home and seeing it is not about to tell, I was thrilled.
I did not lose detail of events. The entrance to the house of Doña Eulalia, had a large paved patio where Margarita said, entered the carriages did not exist when the mechanical drive and right after going up three steps, was a painted brown door where a deadbolt with the figure of a fist served caller. Margarita hit the latch and opened the door an older woman, presumably the maid. We were ushered into a small room inside for me was a delight. I imagined being in the home of a gnome, a princess or a fairy ... I could not express it exactly. Everything seemed magical. The fully carpeted floor, with a huge seating next to a fireplace where, in a marble mantel could see frames with photographs and a vase with a natural margaritas enormous size. Papered walls, showing oil paintings of different sizes, some with portraits, some landscapes, which was not sufficient to contemplate. Margaret and I did not dare to move and without knowing why, only in monosyllables articulábamos whispers as if we fear that things magically disappear.
Soon, the door opened and the same woman accompanied us an enormous corridor of polished floors, spotless, with plants at one end and another, crystal chandeliers and wrought iron, to a room where a potted palm fresh well maintained, strategically adorned the corners. In a table with a leg whose end was a lion's claws, was a jar or ceramic pot very ornate, with beautiful pink cyclamen and sitting in a large armchair by the window that I found, as was the balcony observed for me was the old lady sitting Condesa Doña Eulalia. We looked
smiling, I, paralyzed by the novelty, not lose detail. I verified that the black dress she always used was of very good quality, with lace cap and mittens wet, she gave a nice effect, like a film out of one of the old books that my father had in the shelf. She was beautiful, white skin from a face full of wrinkles, however, slightly marred her beauty faded, I watched a little curious and smiling blue eyes. Without knowing why, felt a great peace.
"To you I see you often leaning on the balcony, he said, addressing me. Made a short pause in which I only heard me whisper - "yes ma'am" - and then with a smile on his thin-lipped mouth, he asked: - What's your name?
I told him my name without knowing whether it should also add that my last name and tagline taught by parents and teachers: "... to serve God and you" tagline that he hated to pronounce, then did not know the cause of his displeasure until, later, as I got older, I realized that was a phrase of submission unforgivable. In this world no one had to serve anyone, at any rate help. But this is not the case.
After taking the Margarita watch and pay the settlement, Doña Eulalia offered us a seat on a huge sofa while ordering her maid brought us a snack. I have never eaten some biscuits with milk or as tasty and with such emotion, always seen that kind lady that I looked like a queen. When we finish, I am after Margarita, - no doubt my difficulty swallowing because of the trouble, "before leaving, the lady opened a metal box with a pretty floral pattern that I thought it was all gold and gave us two chocolates each. Without knowing why, to say goodbye, I could not avoid making a bow, drew back his left foot and holding my skirts, I made a slight genuflection. I really felt before a queen but not to an earthly kingdom but to the Queen of the fairies.
When we reached the street I could not help saying to Margaret while he was jumping with excitement:
- is the Queen of the Fairies ...! Unfortunately that phrase
ended our friendship. My friend must have thought that I was not very balanced. He looked at me with frightened eyes and from that day, our friendship cooled. We were greeted at us and little else.
One day, I stopped to see Doña Eulalia, no longer went out to water the flowers on the balcony and, unexpectedly, the pots of flowers disappeared, the balcony was empty and lonely. My mother said that Eulalia was dead, was too old.
Gone are the years I have lived in different cities, I have referred to other balconies, I have tried to elderly, with a lovely, enigmatic and others less so, but among the cobwebs of memories stored in my mind, I still love and true mystery, that image, that story. Episodes that occur throughout life. MAGDA.
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