BAR&ANKÁS BLOG

I began to walk towards Clarksdale on the narrow way that was passing parallel to the creek. The newly released night was warm and loaded with moisture. This fact joined through what he had just lived, was doing that I was feeling tired and empty without knowing very well what to think or for what to wait. The sensation was how is life in the eye of a tornado: a calm and calm waiting which all my world was changing violently any minute now. Este hecho, sumado a lo que acababa de vivir, hacía que me sintiese cansado y vacío sin saber muy bien qué pensar o qué esperar. La sensación era como estar en el ojo de un tornado: una tranquila y apacible espera de que todo mi mundo cambiase violentamente de un momento a otro.

This way I strolled around a little bit, how so many other times, allowing me to go for the ways sometimes straight, sometimes serpenteantes, always dusty. He enjoyed covering them.

Then I heard it, a few light and rapid steps that were walking when I was walking, they were stopping when I was stopping. However much it was sharpening the sight, it was not managing to see anything, the way was too dark and there was not even moon that it was lighting a little. I became very nervous, the fear attacked me but: what could do?: perhaps I did not look for this situation myself?, I wondered.-Déjate of fears, boy - I said to myself and on my steps found again what was coming for me. Me puse muy nervioso, me atacó el miedo pero ¿qué podía hacer?, ¿acaso no busqué yo mismo esta situación?, me pregunté. -Déjate de miedos, chico- me dije y volví sobre mis pasos a encontrar aquello que venía a por mí.

There the dog was, so old man as black and so scared that more than fear it was inspiring a pity. On having approached, it moved away with the tail between the legs, far enough how I was not allowed to touch him. It had the pronounced ribs and immense sadness in the look. It surrounded me without taking eye from me and began to walk in front of me, turning the head over occasionally to make sure that was following him while he led me back to the village. I was useful to happen for my room to gather my guitar and little more. I paid my account, since he did not know where there would direct for me not even all that would be late and even it is probable that it was never returning, and one is black and poor but honest, enclosed with the devil. Tenía las costillas marcadas y una inmensa tristeza en la mirada. Me rodeó sin quitarme ojo y comenzó a andar delante de mí, volteando la cabeza de vez en cuando para asegurarse de que le seguía mientras me condujo de vuelta al pueblo. Aproveché para pasar por mi habitación a recoger mi guitarra y poco más. Pagué mi cuenta, ya que no sabía a donde me dirigiría ni cuanto tardaría y hasta es probable que jamás volviera, y uno es negro y pobre pero honrado, incluso con el diablo.

While the animal poor wretch was waiting for me thrown in a dark corner opposite to the motel, I hung with decision my guitar to the back, kept the box in my old suitcase and went towards the sack of bones, which was started quickly towards the outskirts of the people. The luck was lazy.

The dog enfiló for the route 61 towards the south, I thought that, in case of not spending anything of for what he was waiting, at least it would be well placed in the way that would take me on returning to house. I walked to light step during four or five kilometers. Since it was already enough late, I crossed neither with any motorcar, nor car. I calculated that it would be already soon the midnight, of anything did not happen, it would be in Hazlehurt at the dawn. In the middle of these cabbalas I saw it, saw the crossing with the highway 49 and knew at once that it had come, so although along the way I found other crossings, none was so perfect as this one and in no other dog it stopped. Como era bastante tarde ya, no me crucé con ningún automóvil, ni carro. Calculé que ya pronto sería la media noche, de no suceder nada, estaría en Hazlehurt al amanecer. En medio de estas cábalas lo vi, vi el cruce con la carretera 49 y supe enseguida que había llegado, pues aunque a lo largo del camino encontré otros cruces, ninguno era tan perfecto como éste y en ningún otro el perro se detuvo.

I remained very calm in the middle of the stone cross and dust, stooped and with my hands and a small razor I began to open the small grave that he should keep while he was living through the secret of my success. Later I waited, nothing was happening, I thought about the idiotic thing that was and I was glad that except the aunt Caroline, nobody knew of my frenzies. Nevertheless, I hoped, was lodging some hope because the old dog remained fixed there without moving. I decided to liven up the waiting with a few melodies, so I extracted my guitar and took seat on the old suitcase in the middle of the crossing. Aun así, esperé, albergaba alguna esperanza porque el viejo perro seguía clavado allí sin moverse. Decidí amenizarle la espera con unas melodías, así que saqué mi guitarra y tomé asiento sobre la vieja maleta en medio del cruce.

The dog was looking at me with curiosity while it was tearing the ropes and was destroying hotly a song that me was born along the way: "I went to the ways crossing and fell down of knees, I asked the Gentleman from there above: have piety and, now, please save poor Bob …”

A deep guffaw was heard from the darkness. I silenced, my skin contracted, a weight settled in my stomach and of having could, he had begun to run.

- The Gentleman from there above? - more laughs - hypocritical black …: do you sing to the gentleman from there above and it is me that do you ask for favors?, it does not matter for me … I will have my part when the moment comes. He not. I understand that you have to lie to gain you the admiration of the others, nobody gains it if it is known that it has sold his soul to the devil. I reward this type of actitudes. - ¿le cantas al señor de allí arriba y es a mí a quien le pides favores?, no me importa…yo tendré mi parte cuando llegue el momento. Él no. Comprendo que tengas que mentir para ganarte la admiración de los demás, nadie se la gana si se conoce que ha vendido su alma al diablo. Yo premio ese tipo de actitudes.-

While you were saying this to me you were arising from the darkness. I saw a tall and thin, dressed black as a target, with such an expensive suit to streaks that no other black would dare to dream of possessing it at least, touched with an elegant hat with the tape of the same dark red tone as the streaks of your suit and your shirt. A thin mustache was framing your top lip, the hair well brilliant and given to the head and this golden tooth that was glistening to every guffaw. Un fino bigote enmarcaba tu labio superior, el cabello bien brillante y pegado a la cabeza y ese diente de oro que resplandecía a cada risotada.

I was hoping to meet a being of red color that was showing horns, tail finished in top of arrow that was inspiring terror, not to an elegant and seductive dandy that only was feigning to be somewhat threatening. I wanted to look alike to you nothing more to see you.

- Déjame to foresee … - you said to me, perfecting the look in mockery tone: will not really perhaps you want to be the best bluesman of all the times? - and you fixed your fierce eyes in me, waiting for an answer. -y clavaste tus ojos fieros en mi, esperando una respuesta.

- I want that in exchange for my soul. - I answered something frightened and ashamed.

Then it turned this deep and cavernous laugh that was making me cold.

- all the blacks you want the same, I have lost the account of all that “better bluesmen of all the times” have created: is it that you do not aspire to another thing? - it turned the laugh.

- there is well, is well … better musician than farmer: less work, more women, perhaps reputation … perhaps money - you said while with a crafty smile you were winking an eye to me.

You approached, seized a hand to me strongly, turned it quickly and with the top of a golden pen you punctured my doll from which abundant blood ran. You offered me the pen sangrante together with a roll of thick and yellowish role . I knew by intuition that he had to sign and this way I did it, without thinking a moment. Intuí que debía firmar y así lo hice, sin pensármelo un instante.

Then as soon as the dealing was formalized, with a gesture you asked me for my guitar, which I transferred you with pleasure and began to perfect it without saying anything, on having finished, returned it to me with a crafty smile and said that one to me: "do not forget that you will die to hands of others. When it comes the moment to pay my old dog will go to gather your soul, without resistance … I always charge.” You touched yourself the wing of the hat with the fingers as greeting and left sinking in the shades with a flexible and slow gait continued closely by a dog, now happily and trusting.” Te tocaste el ala del sombrero con los dedos a modo de saludo y te marchaste sumiéndote en las sombras con un andar elástico y pausado seguido de cerca por un perro, ahora feliz y confiado.

Of someone has seen me in that moment, it is sure that he would have laughed at me in a good moment. I remained open-mouthed, with idiot's face and without being able to move a muscle up to past a time.

I did with my belongings and tackled in the direction of house, it even was dark and there was better the night walk that under the sun, at a few hours would be in my hearth. I was feeling strangely happy and without a fear slight sign.

On having come to house, Colletta, my wife, even was sleeping. I approached the bed and kissed it, his children were already not at home, it is sure that they would have already gone away to the fields to work.

Colletta woke up been startled, on having seen me, shouted, immediately afterwards to give me a sonorous slap.

He told to me that after a year of abandonment it had redone his life with another local man. One year?: is it a prank?, it had been only two days out. The fact is that it was very changed, there did not seem the same woman of the one that I said goodbye two days earlier and the hut was not looking like the same either, had improved in an impossible way in a little time., ¿es una broma?, solo había estado dos días fuera. El hecho es que estaba muy cambiada, no parecía la misma mujer de la que me despedí dos días antes y la cabaña tampoco parecía la misma, había mejorado de manera imposible en tan poco tiempo.

Since after our meeting either any thing it seemed possible to me, I accepted like a real fact the absence of one year of which my wife was accusing me. We speak long moment and say goodbye as it owes, without resentments. Our relation never worked as it had to, she was ten years older than me and what less he needed was another son. Now it was seen well, elegant and protected. Next to me he never felt like that. On the other hand and in spite of my love for the simple women and in mature age, I believe that I was never done for what demands the marriage. My tendency to the wandering and my aspirations of bluesman they me it were preventing. Nunca nuestra relación funcionó como debiera, ella tenía diez años más que yo y lo que menos necesitaba era otro hijo. Ahora se la veía bien, cuidada y protegida. A mi lado jamás se sintió así. Por otra parte y a pesar de mi afición por las mujeres sencillas y en edad madura, creo que nunca estuve hecho para lo que exige el matrimonio. Mi tendencia al vagabundeo y mis aspiraciones de bluesman me lo impedían.

The last kiss that Colletta gave me I took it like a treasure.

(He will continue)

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