THE WHISPERING WIND

THE WHISPERING WIND

JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS

ABOUT THE AUTOR JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES is a member of the MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHYAND STATISTICS, which is the oldest scientific and cultural society of the American continent, having being founded in 1833 by the then President of Mexico, Don Valentín Gómez Farías.

The author sits on that institution’s National Academic Council, acting as President of one of its Academies. He has written a great many books dealing with society, economics, civics, ecology, demographics, history and various analyses, some of which have been translated into English. www.juanmanuelochoat.blogspot.com

THE WHISPERING WIND

JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES

MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS

Original Title in Spanish: “El viento susurrante”

FIRST EDITION: MAY 2018

ISBN: 978-607-7944-17-1 Registry: 03-2018-021310263300-01 Copyright © Juan Manuel Ochoa Torres Correspondence with the author: Juan Manuel Ochoa Torres: mailjmot@gmail.com http://juanmanuelochoat.blogspot.mx/ Translation: Daniel Curoe

MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHYAND STATISTICS, A.C. Justo Sierra 19 Centro Histórico Phone numbers: (52) (55) 5542 73 41 and 5522 2055 ismge@prodigy.net.mx http://smge-mexico.blogspot.com Mexico 06020, D.F. MEXICO Printed and made at the studios of CACTUS DISPLAYS, S. A.DE C. V. 044 55 1953 7628 ap.loera@hotmail.com Typography and book binding: Luis Tovar Carrillo tecnografica64@gmail.com Cover: Ana Sofía Ochoa Ricoux Total or partial reproduction of this book is Prohibited without the authors’ authorization.

INDEX

CHAPTER I ...............................................................

S TRANGE COINCIDENCES

PAGE 5

CHAPTER II ..............................................................

U NEXPECTED CHANGES

13

CHAPTER III .............................................................

EN CAMINO

23

CHAPTER IV .............................................................

T HE RANCH

43

CHAPTER V ..............................................................

ANOTHER MATTER

63

CHAPTER VI .............................................................

COMPLETE REUNION

75

CHAPTERE VII ...........................................................

D IVERGENCES

93

CHAPTER VIII ...........................................................

COINCIDENCES

129

CHAPTER IX .............................................................

S TRANGE VOICES

155

CHAPTER X ..............................................................

T HE RETURN

187

CAPÍTULO XI ............................................................

S TRANGE COUNTERWEIGHTS

203

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CHAPTER I S TRANGE

COINCIDENCES

When we observe that odd human interrelationship that takes place in our world every day, where the different schedules, projects and interests of so many people intermingle —sometimes in whimsical ways— we cannot help asking ourselves about the soundness of the poet’s phrase: “Nothing is accidental on the planet; everything has an appointment with destiny.”

Is there really a kind of unguided mysterious arrangement that somehow links all the daily events together and intermingles them just so, in a precise and deliberate way?

The question arises because some have elements and opinions that could sway us in a different direction, and the reasoning they put forth is: Since there is this relentless transformation of incidents, conversations and thoughts accomplished by so many people, where such a great variety of circumstances and personal goals intervene, is there really that mysterious and supposed organization of human conduct which, according to a master plan, arranges things in a determined direction? If so, we would then be witnessing a challenge of colossal proportions, because to coordinate such an interaction of elements that come into play, the intervention of someone with a capacity totally beyond human imagination would be required.

And this is where many often simply conclude that not only human activity, but also the wonderful intermingling of the forces of the Universe is, rather, the result of some kind of chance that, for some reason, often leads to unexpected results.

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The immense majority of us will probably remain indifferent to such questions, but the keen observer will find them very intriguing.

And if that interesting form of interaction between humans is, from a sociological standpoint, exceedingly challenging, in a gigantic aggregation such as Mexico City it could become something even more complex. Why is that so?

In a city like that, where such a great number of people converge with so many different goals and purposes that even though they all seem to move obediently under the influence of invisible strings, they will nevertheless produce unpredictable results.

To better perceive the sheer magnitude of such a challenge, perhaps a quick look at a few of this great city’s inhabitants will give us an idea of each person’s variety of goals, which will then make us realize the resulting complexity of a similar but combined activity.

Among the millions of people who, much like in a gigantic anthill, go about their daily business, we see over there a lady named Magali who hurriedly takes her two young daughters to school, but not before giving them plenty of advice.

And if we turn to see her husband Jorge the engineer, we will realize that he is in turn meekly carried in another direction by destiny. We will also see that he left home early because he was going to try to determine the feasibility of an antenna installation at a certain site. The goal is to improve the signal reception in that specific area for the mobile phone company he works for.

In his workshop, Don Refugio the mechanic is very concentrated as he’s tuning a car that’s been entrusted to 6

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him because, apparently, it has failed the smog test, and its owner sees this as his last chance to get a permit to drive daily.

Tomas the plumber is searching valiantly in various hardware stores for a spare part that he needs to fix a bathroom, and he’s worried because so far, he hasn’t found it yet.

As we were saying, faced with this cascade of different activities by millions of human beings with so many different goals and motivations, many, with good reason, will have this intriguing doubt: Could these combined actions be in some way planned, measured or at least monitored by some entity far beyond human capability?

But, as we were pointing out, for the immense majority, it suffices to follow obediently and routinely a sort of imperceptible instruction from the invisible thread that moves them.

Nevertheless, we could choose just one of them, like the inquisitive flour mill worker who, while plodding carefully on a huge pile of wheat suddenly stops to examine carefully a single grain. In the same way a mysterious force quietly moves the clouds above and the stars in the sky, perhaps it will also allow us to analyze a little more deeply, at least with the human’s limited ability, the imperceptible forces and motivations that are at this very moment acting upon one of us in this great city.

And to better analyze this intriguing behavior, let’s deliberately choose someone who doesn’t just limit himself to reacting to circumstances, but also questions himself on the forces that seem to move him.

Among all the people who are hurriedly going about their activities on this Monday, let’s just see this one who’s 7

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going to work because there are many questions of this type running through his mind while he’s riding in a van driven by Juan.

Between his multiple tasks and phone calls we’ll see, as a result of the doubts we are presently concerned with, how this man observes from his seat the conversation between two persons standing on the corner. He has a reflection on human interactions like the one we laid out: “Who moves that mysterious finger of destiny that accommodates so many events in our troubled world?

Could this be the product of a certain project? Of chance?

Or, perhaps, is it just the result of a pure and simple coincidence? What capacity should the being who can control everything and can somehow foresee the results of the interrelationships of billions of people have?”

What is most surprising about the thoughts of this lawyer named Gustavo Mora, who held an important position in one of his country’s key secretariats, is that these kinds of doubts arose precisely during those brief moments when he would answer, almost automatically, his phone calls.

And, curiously, while the traffic stops once again for unknown reasons, he gets a call that surprises him.

That call was from a colleague and friend of his —also a lawyer— who collaborated with him in another department of the public administration, though in the budgetary section. He remembered him well. It was Jorge Sánchez, and what surprised Gustavo the most was that they hadn’t been in touch for seven years.

“Hi Gustavo! How are you?”

“Jorge, what a surprise! I thought you had forgotten about my existence…”

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“Ah! Well you know how it is in the civil service. Hopefully someday we can have time to get together.”

“But listen,” Jorge adds, “besides calling to say hello, I’m in charge of organizing a consultation meeting on the Tax Reform, and I thought of inviting you to get your point of view.”

“Good heavens!” Gustavo says to himself. “As if I didn’t have enough work.” But at the same time he reflected that if he took part in that meeting about a subject unfamiliar to him, he could contribute something and, besides, listen firsthand to other points of view.

“You know Jorge,” he answers with great caution, “how things are here in our office, and on top of that we’ve been asked to carry out a number of changes.”

“But Gustavo, only eight people in various fields of expertise are going to participate. Some are from the private sector and the others from various organizations. Each oral presentation will last only 15 minutes, and you will hear interesting proposals because very distinguished people will be there.

What do you say?”

“When will it be?”

“It’s on Friday in our office. We begin at nine thirty AM.” “I’ll call in about two hours and let you know, OK?” After the two good friends and colleagues say goodbye, Gustavo quickly calls his assistant in his office to check his appointment book and, once he is informed that certain appointments can be rescheduled, asks her to locate a certain study on a subject that he thought was interest9

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ing. He could make good use of it by explaining its most relevant points.

And so, a few minutes later he is already confirming his attendance at the meeting to his good friend Jorge.

Going up in the office elevator, Gustavo somehow thinks again about the great number of pointless commitments that we sometimes accept…

“Actually,” he thinks, “Why do I have to keep accepting to participate in meetings about subjects that aren’t my area of expertise? Aren’t there many other people who can contribute better ideas?

“It seems to me,” he meditates while saying hello to someone, “that a speaker will not be attending and Jorge wants a substitute. Oh well, I have already confirmed my attendance.”

Once he’s at his desk, Mary, his secretary, shows him the appointment book and though still a little annoyed by the unexpected Friday commitment, upon seeing that Monday’s date, he cannot help but remember a close and dear relative who died on that same date.

That strange coincidence seemed to want to tell him in a very discreet way —or at least that’s how he interpreted it— about the surprising fragility of life, and how we must make the most of each chance to participate in our environment.

“This relative,” he said to himself in a melancholy way, “was a very brilliant person, but… What good does it do him now?

“In that dimension where he now is, How many things would he want to do or say, but can’t? He would want to 10

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tell or warn me about many of those things, and yet he can’t.

“He cannot even touch or watch one of that plant’s leaves over there in the corner.

“Did he finish all his projects? I don’t think anyone can feel satisfied on that point.

“When we cross that line,” he repeated in silence while looking out the window, “which is something we will all do, our period of action closes abruptly and definitely.

“So heck! What on earth am I complaining about? As long as we walk this earth, even though we may sometimes feel overwhelmed, we must take part in what we can.”

Mary, who knew him perfectly well, saw him so lost in thought that she kept busy in the office, without interrupting. When she noticed that he had landed back in this profane world, she explains the day’s appointments in detail.

But going back to the question that Gustavo was asking himself, his doubt remained without an answer, like a coin spinning in the air before getting caught by a firm hand: “The events we all participate in, and which intrigue us so often, Are they the result of chance, or have they been previously measured and calculated?”

Confronted with the impossibility of evaluating so many cases where the silent hand of destiny stealthily works day after day, let’s at least see what will happen in the life of this inquisitive gentleman.

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CHAPTER II U NEXPECTED

CHANGES

While we can be certain that in everyone’s life there will be an infinite number of circumstances that may or may not become apparent, one thing that will doubtless continue on its course is the slow but ceaseless march of time.

Just as the world turns, the Sun rises and then sets at the precise moment and place where it knows it should. The firmament, for its part, slides silently and stealthily, night after night, from one end of the sky to the other.

And so time continues on its course, although, to be fair, it does so in such a discreet way that more than one might think it behaves this way to look like it doesn’t notice who uses it wisely and who is content just to see it pass by, like the one who calmly contemplates the flow of a stream.

As a consequence of this stealthy yet inexorable march of time, the commitment that Licenciado* Gustavo had taken on only last Monday was almost imperceptibly upon him and he —like the other inhabitants of this great metropolis— was already facing what this Friday would bring. (*Translator’s note. Licenciado is a title used in Mexico for lawyers and others who hold a university degree, especially one in the humanities.)

It is useful to point out that in Gustavo’s case, the previous days had been particularly heated because of a series of complicated meetings at the office. Many oppos13

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ing interests had confronted each other and each participant had tried to “take home the goodies” as he put it to his most trusted coworkers.

Such was the number of antagonistic situations that hovered over his office that he was almost compelled to cancel his attendance at the forum. In the end, the commitment he had taken on proved stronger. And on the other hand, he also thought, maybe that would also be a way to change the pace a little in an otherwise complicated week.

After leaving his two cellphones with his assistant, Gustavo entered the venue where the meeting would take place and found himself greeting many people, some of whom were very well known to him.

In the moments before the presentation of each thesis, a cordial banter floated through the air, but in the conversations Gustavo perceived that each participant was certain that their position was the very solution to that day’s controversial subject.

While Gustavo listened discreetly and silently to his colleagues and friends, just as he had learned in the oftentimes fierce political environment, he asked himself who could wisely connect the variety of views that were sure to be presented here and in many similar places. He feared that many positions would turn out to be contradictory.

“To make matters worse,” he continued with his quiet reflection while appearing to be very attentive to his interlocutors, “the most complicated part is yet to come.

After months of deliberations and consideration of a variety of proposals, when a supposed solution surfaces, or rather a sort of consensus or combination of the vari14

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ous trends emerges, it will go to Congress. There, each party will annex more elements that are the result of their focus or particular philosophy. What will come out of such a potpourri?”

While he was trying to find someone among the participants whom he had not greeted yet, he studies his friend Jorge who was doing feats worthy of a juggler as he welcomed and payed attention to each participant. Jorge greeted him briefly, but Gustavo, well aware of their mutual trust, knew that as host, he must look after the other guests.

A few minutes later the meeting begins. The explanation for each point of view commences and after each presentation, loud applause from the other participants could be heard.

After a while comes Gustavo’s turn who, in a clear and concise way, explains his position which had been previously prepared by a specialized consulting firm. The need to achieve true simplicity was emphasized; its goal would be to place it within everyone’s easy reach and thus obtain greater social participation.

Once he concludes other opinions are voiced, but Gustavo cannot help but notice that some ideas intended to cut off any possibility of tax evasion would, in fact, create an extremely complicated system.

At the end of the meeting, while Jorge thanks his audience and promises to carefully analyze each one of their contributions, he extends informally the exchange of ideas by inviting his guests to a small reception where horsd’oeuvres are being offered. As he was walking along with the others towards the adjacent room, Gustavo reflects somewhat skeptically on the challenge that those 15

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charged with the implementation of the Tax Reform would face.

“First,” he was telling himself again, and each time more skeptically, “they’ll have to confront the positions of the bureaucratic group that has designed the changes and the specialists who advise them. Then, I don’t know to what extent they’ll take the numerous points of view that will come to them from all sides, and, to complete the picture, in Congress each group will seek to attach their own bit. It’s a process where political blackmail and pressures of all sorts might even appear.

“The truth,” he concludes while taking a canape, “is that I don’t know what will come out of all this.”

Suddenly, one of the participants approaches and congratulates him on his presentation, calling it interesting.

Likewise, Gustavo also praises him for his talk.

From his experience in that type of event, Gustavo doesn’t lose sight of the fact that many of the expounded visions are just useless formalities that don’t necessarily reflect true agreement.

In moments like this, Gustavo remembers well the phrase that his friend Gabriel once told him: “Be careful because in politics your friends are false and your enemies real.” Which is why not only he, but most of those present, didn’t openly dissent from other positions. Rather, they tried to manage things superficially at least, in an approachable way, without creating unnecessary conflict.

Suddenly, Gustavo remembers his pending matters and retreats discreetly to the contiguous room to ask Valentín, his assistant, about any urgent calls.

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“I believe that Mary,” Valentín confidently answers, “since she already knew you were here, rescheduled the other matters that came up for Monday. You got only two personal calls, one from your wife Alejandra and the other one from one Álvaro who insists a lot on talking to you.”

Gustavo was perplexed. “Álvaro? What department is he in? Where is he from?”

“No idea. He told me that he already knew you. I asked him about the reason for his call and he answered only that he was your friend.”

“Let me call Alejandra and then you’ll connect me with this other person. I don’t remember who he might be but for some reason he’s got my number and personal information.”

His wife’s phone line is busy, so he instructs his assistant to put him on the line with this other caller. “Álvaro?” Gustavo says cautiously, trying not to show that he doesn’t remember who he is.

“Hello Licenciado! I’m just back from the World Food Fair in Europe and I wanted to say hi because I’m going to Tingüindín in a short while.”

Upon hearing that word, he remembers at once those unforgettable days at the avocado ranch. “Álvaro! What a great surprise! How are you? How is Don Alonso?”

“He’s well, as always, but he entrusted me with sending you his regards and with inviting you again. He says he wants to discuss some other matters with you.”

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Gustavo’s mind is immediately flooded by those extraordinary places he discovered and most of all, by how pleasantly impressed he had been by the discussions they had in that place. Few things could be more gratifying than to return to the ranch.

“Where are you now?”

“I’m at Mexico City Airport. My flight from Europe was delayed and so I missed my connecting flight to Morelia.

The next one leaves in a while. But you know, that gave me time to call you, mainly because Don Alonso insists that you go there.”

“Tell me Álvaro, How long would it take us to get to the ranch by the short route to Guadalajara?”

“On that highway, we can make it to the ranch in a little over four hours. Don’t tell me you feel like coming along.

If you do, I’d rather go with you because if I take the plane to Morelia, the ground logistics to get to the farm would still be complicated.”

“The truth,” Gustavo quickly pondered, “is that there were many pending matters at the office but most had already been rescheduled for Monday.” A pause in his busy schedule would do him a lot of good, and more so in that place and in that company. And so he tells Álvaro, “I’ll call you within 30 minutes. Don’t go to Morelia just yet.”

“Fine, I´ll wait. But if you don’t go let me know as soon as possible because I must arrange my connecting flight.”

After they say goodbye, he manages to reach his wife, Alejandra.

“Hi Ale! How’s everything?”

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“Not too good. I’ve just lost one of my best clients and, you’re not going to believe this: Do you remember that friend of mine who asked me as a favor to find a law internship position in my office for her daughter? This will seem incredible to you but she cunningly took one of my most important clients with her. Truth be told, I feel very disappointed by her attitude.”

“In the end,” she complements, “I know that other clients will come to me, but I’m distraught because of all the trust I placed in those people.”

Gustavo was already accustomed to such type of things — and even much worse ones— but when he hears the disappointment in his wife’s voice, he tries to comfort her.

“As you well put it,” he strongly emphasizes, “other, and even better clients will come to you; these things happen. And besides, consider that if the client left so casually with someone without experience, perhaps he wasn’t such a good client after all.”

“Well yes,” answers Alejandra, “but it hasn’t soaked in yet.”

“I want to propose something,” Gustavo announces.

“Come with me to Tingüindín, to Don Alonso’s ranch; it’s the one I’ve told you about. We can return on Sunday.

Your sister Elisa can pick up Diego and his cousins at school and we’ll bring him home on Sunday. He’ll have a good time with them; you know how well they get along.”

“Better yet, let’s bring him along,” answers his wife. “After everything you’ve told me, he might even like it.”

“Great. We pick him up at 2 o’clock and go from there. If you can, go home and I’ll swing by. Oh, and one favor, put in a small suitcase a few things for the trip.”

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Alejandra never would have imagined going on such a trip, and it was only the need for a change of pace and her husband’s enthusiasm that convinced her. In Gustavo’s case, he never would have doubted for a second about going on the trip, because interesting ideas were likely to come up and, most importantly, on the last trip he felt as if transported to another world. It was an experience he’d love to repeat.

Meanwhile, in the adjacent room his friend Jorge was saying goodbye to his guests as courteously as he could while searching insistently for Gustavo; he knew he would not have left without saying goodbye.

“What happened Gustavo? What are you doing in this room? So what did you think of the meeting?”

“Well,” answers Gustavo, “I had some pending calls and, as for the meeting, the truth is that I don’t know how you’ll manage to summarize the variety of opinions that appeared from all sides. Everyone will want to be considered in the Reform. There are so many ideas and proposals that if they include a small part of each one, they’ll end up pleasing no one and disappointing everyone. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”

“Fortunately,” answers Jorge by way of justification, “the responsibility and final decision won’t be mine; I’m just putting together the different theses and ideas.”

“As usual,” an increasingly skeptical Gustavo thinks.

“Each one will justify him or herself by saying that the final responsibility and decision were not theirs.”

“Well, you sure have a tough job,” Gustavo confesses to him. “Want some advice? Give yourself a break. Look, I’m off to Michoacán in a short while, to a friend’s ranch.

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If you want to come along, I invite you. I guarantee that you’ll get to know a very different angle or point of view.”

“I think you’ve gone mad,” Jorge answers in jest. “What on earth are you going there for? Didn’t you say you had many hassles at work?”

“Look,” Gustavo points out, “they’ve already rescheduled all my pending appointments for Monday. But don’t think that it’s a waste of time over there. We’ll be with a highly educated person who’s lived here in Mexico City for many years and was in contact with high-level researchers and politicians. At some point, however, he got disappointed with politics and settled over there.

“I felt the same way before going to that place,” Gustavo complements, “but a few discussions we had there made me see things very differently.”

“I don’t doubt what you say, but it seems kind of strange to me. If someone is interested in the search for solutions, he or she should be right here in the capital city.”

“Perhaps,” answers Gustavo. “I don’t deny it, but he decided to go there. What do you want me to do? What I can assure you is that you’ll get a pleasant surprise. If you come, he’ll say things you can’t even imagine.

“Besides,” he adds, “even if it weren’t so, give yourself a rest. There are times when one is so overwhelmed with pending matters that mistakes are more likely to be made.

What’s more, invite your wife Lilí. She gets along very well with Alejandra who’ll be coming along. We’ll fit perfectly well in the van because with the driver and another person who’s also coming we’ll be six, plus my son.”

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Looking at his good friend Gustavo, Jorge remains incredulous.

When Gustavo notices that skeptical look in Jorge, he adds: “What can you lose? Two days at worst, but I bet it won’t be like that.”

If Gustavo hadn’t known Jorge for so many years he never would have accepted such an invitation, but the trust he had in his friend was stronger than his doubts and, in a few brief moments, he’s already making phone calls to go on this short trip.

Gustavo, for his part, had already talked with Álvaro who’s at the airport, and they agree on the gate where his driver Juan will pick him up shortly.

Knowing that Gustavo needs a quiet place to make several calls, Jorge provides him with a small room, and then goes back to say goodbye to the participants and to prepare details.

Jorge wasn’t expecting his wife Lilí to agree to go on that trip, but the way he put it to her, and the prospect of her friend Alejandra’s company finally swayed her.

In the small room, Gustavo finishes making calls while his driver, Juan, picks up Álvaro at the airport. Then, he has a brief moment to meditate.

“It’s funny how things suddenly fell into place. But the truth is, this trip to the ranch will again be perfect for me. Although I’m very intrigued,” he reflects, “What might he want to tell me? Well, we’ll find out soon enough…”

Just a few hours later, those six people become seven when Diego is picked up. In high spirits and comfortably seated in the van, they’re on their way to the highway to Guadalajara.

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CHAPTER III ON THE ROAD A few minutes later, they had already left Mexico City behind and were enjoying the landscape along the highway.

From the van’s interior the surrounding vistas, full of pine trees framed by a magnificent blue sky now unknown in the large cities, just seemed to slide softly by around them. That silent exterior, however, contrasted with the atmosphere floating in the van’s interior, where dialogue and an unexpected camaraderie prevailed.

In the front row were seated Juan the driver and Álvaro.

Licenciado Gustavo and his close friend and colleague Jorge were in the middle row while the rear one had been chosen for Alejandra and Lilí, who had lots of things to share since they had not seen each other for some time. Little Diego was seated between them, completely absorbed with an electronic gadget.

Then, Gustavo, remembering the meetings Álvaro had attended during the week with foreigners and importers of German products, asks Álvaro with great interest, “So, Álvaro, how did you do at the Food Products Fair in Germany? Did you get what you wanted?”

“Yes, Licenciado,” he immediately answers with satisfaction. “Ever since we’ve been careful about quality and delivery times, and because our prices are reasonable, we have more clients every day.

“I’m not going to tell you something you don’t already know,” he adds with conviction, “but when exportation 23

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is done right, not only do we bring in hard currency and generate employment in our country, but we also let people know the high standards we are capable of reaching. I could see firsthand that our merchandise is more appreciated with each passing day.”

Making the most of the available time on the trip, and with some curiosity, Jorge, in turn, asks: “From what countries do you get competition?”

“From many places: from Israel, various parts of Africa and other areas. But when it comes to avocados, we’re number one in the world. And in our country,” Álvaro says proudly, “the majority comes from Michoacán.

“I feel as if we’re showing a small part of Mexico to the outside world. Let’s hope,” he adds a little wistfully, “that the tense situation we’re going through is temporary and won’t hurt productivity.”

Then, Juan, the driver, asks, “Do we take the bypass shortcut so we don’t go through Toluca?”

“Of course, Juan,” Gustavo promptly relies, “as long as we can, we must make the most of the new highways.”

Jorge resumes, “In what city in Germany did that fair take place?”

“In Cologne, close to Bonn, but I arrived in Frankfurt and from there I took one of those high-speed trains they have over there. And guess what, because it was a food products fair, there at the Mexico stand I ran into many colleagues from our country. Countless products and produce were offered: strawberries from Zamora, coffee from Veracruz and Chiapas, mangos and many vegetables from the Bajío and, from the northern regions, tomato paste. You can’t imagine the variety of things.

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“Many people don’t know it,” he continues, “but Mexico’s exhibit area was one of the most visited. Our country and our products are greatly appreciated over there; that’s why our quality standards must be maintained and improved even more.”

“Obviously,” Jorge weighs in, “the international market is like a kind of Olympics where only the best products in the world compete in terms of price, quality, packaging, hygiene and delivery time. Anyone who’s going to get involved in international trade must be aware of that.”

“Well, you know, Licenciado,” Álvaro cautiously says, “forgive me for contradicting you but it wasn´t always so. You see, other exporters older than myself tell me that, during the seventies, many politicians wanted to make, you now, with a kind of demagogic mindset, an exporter out of very Mexican producer. Well many times, these producers didn’t have the indispensable quality and professionalism that the international market demands. For years that hurt us more than you can imagine. We lost credibility. But now, with great effort, we’re recovering it.”

As they pass near the town of Apeo, Álvaro shares a historical fact: “We’re near the land of Melchor Ocampo.

Are you hungry?”

“I’m hungry already,” answers Diego from the rear, with lightning speed. “I lost my lunch at school.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” replies his mother Alejandra, with even more surprising quickness.

“In a short while,” Álvaro calms them down, “we’ll get to a restaurant that I know, but if you like we can go to Maravatío, as you prefer” 25

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After deliberating a little, they agree to go to the restaurant that Álvaro recommends.

Sooner than they might have imagined, the seven were already seated around a large table.

“I’m a little intrigued,” Gustavo confesses to Álvaro.

“What could Don Alonso want to tell me?”

“To tell you the truth, I don’t know,” he replies, “shortly before leaving on his trip, as he knew I was going to pass through Mexico City, he asked me to contact and invite you to come over. Since that’s not like him, I asked him if there was any particular reason for this invitation and he only said that he wanted to discuss some recent events with you.”

“I sense,” he complements after thinking for a few seconds, “that it’s about the topic that worries us the most in the state and the entire country: the lack of security.

Once he told me that this can negatively impact everything else.”

“I agree completely with that,” Gustavo quickly answers, “and I concurred with his statements on my last visit.”

“Well what did he tell you?” Jorge asks with poorly concealed curiosity, though with a certain dose of skepticism. He couldn’t manage to convince himself that something really valuable could come from such a distant place.

“Don Alonso talked to us about various interesting subjects,” Gustavo states with self-assurance, as he perceives his friend’s doubts. “He commented that, among other things, it was essential to raise significantly and consistently the levels of civic and ethical values. He also said 26

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that we still have a high rate of demographic growth, which caused the population to double in about 36 years.

This signifies that in that same time period we should have been able to double absolutely everything: jobs, educational capacity, safe drinking water supply, agricultural and forestry production, urban and rural roadways and absolutely everything else.

“Jorge, as you might have realized, above all because we’re in public administration, and I’m just referring to this specific topic, we could not have doubled again in only 36 years what we didn’t achieve in all our history.

He explained clearly and with examples that this disconnect was reflected in a countless number of deficiencies of all types which became, along with other things, one of the most relevant factors that influence the situation we live in today.”

And before Jorge’s astonished gaze, Gustavo went on: “That and his other comments have all the logic in the world, and guess what: In reference to the population theme alone, when I returned to Mexico City after my stay with Don Alonso, I visited a very good analyst who used to work with me. I asked him to research a possible correlation between high rate of population growth and high degree of social marginalization in more than 180 countries.”

“And then?” Jorge asks, already intrigued and barely paying attention when asked to order his meal.

Alejandra, who together with Lilí, were also listening intently to Gustavo’s explanation, proposes a short pause to order from the menu.

And once they had done that, Gustavo resumes. “Amazingly, my analyst’s conclusion was just as Don Alonso 27

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had told us, without any exception. In countries with a high rate of population growth, the level of social exclusion increases proportionally, along with a low index of human development.

“As a consequence of high population growth rate, deficiencies not only painfully increase, but to top it all, violence indices also go up, although I’ll confess to you, we saw that in this specific area there were some exceptions. In places like India and others, for instance, they seem to be accustomed to many deficiencies and it doesn’t impact significantly on violence levels. In most countries, however, it doesn’t happen like this; it correlates rather well with a lack of safety.”

“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Jorge insists.

“Jorge,” Gustavo answers, “what happens is that this is an element that acts in an imperceptible, almost invisible way, yet it nevertheless impacts dramatically.

“Look,” he goes on, “a high population growth rate causes the demand for human satisfiers like education, or economic ones such as jobs, services, infrastructure and so on to grow at rates much higher than the capacity to provide them. In other words, the needs go up faster than the capabilities, as simple as that.” Álvaro, without saying a word as he begins to eat, listens and takes pleasure in knowing that Gustavo understood perfectly well what Don Alonso had explained to him. “I don’t know how this is so,” Jorge retorts, almost without paying attention to the dish that has been placed in front of him, “because we listen in the media all the time that the demographic growth rate is diminishing. So it’s sort of not a problem anymore.”

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“I was the first one to be surprised,” Gustavo points out, “but like I’m telling you, after analyzing this more deeply, it even seemed strange to me that this topic hasn’t received proper attention from many international organizations, with some exceptions of course.”

At that moment Álvaro intervenes to ask them to finish their meal before it gets cold; he also wants the party to arrive early at the ranch. But unable to resist contributing yet another piece of information, he says: “About what Licenciado Jorge is saying concerning the supposed decrease in the rate of demographic growth, the reason for that widespread current perception, as Don Alonso explained the last time I saw him, is not that the data is incorrect; more precisely, the methodology used to get it is perhaps not the most appropriate. Though it’s perfect for evaluating economic growth and other parameters, on the demographic question it should also be associated with various fixed or limited elements such as availability of water, land and so on. In other words, the ecosystem.” “Álvaro, excuse me,” says Alejandra, “I’d like to say that you chose the restaurant well; no wonder you wanted to come here. And as for what you’re talking about, I had never heard it put that way, really.”

“But let’s see Álvaro, “Jorge again interjects. “Explain to me a bit more because I’m not clear. If we measure the population as we’re currently doing it, What are you saying happens?”

“An erroneous impression is given, mainly to the general public. Look, I’ll make it easy with a few simple numbers,” Álvaro states with some self-assurance, like the economist he used to be. “In the last hundred years, considering births minus deaths, the planet’s added population per year hasn’t stopped increasing.”

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“And why have you researched this in such depth?”

Gustavo asks Álvaro with great curiosity.

“Well, what happens is that Don Alonso is interested in the subject because he says it’s closely linked to socioeconomic development. That’s why he likes to research this and I help him get data from all sides through the internet. Then we discuss our findings.

“But going back to what I was saying, at the beginning of the twentieth century our population was growing by about 12 million per year. A little after the midcentury, say around 1960, it increased by close to 50 million, a few decades later by 70 million and now by about 83.

But you know, if we measure it in percentage terms and, most of all, by using the current methodology, it would seem to be decreasing.”

“Ah caramba! Now I understand even less,” exclaims Jorge. “Why is that?”

“That happens,” Álvaro continues, “for a very simple reason: They associate the total number of new inhabitants on the planet with a world population that is getting bigger. I’ll explain it to you better with examples.

“During the sixties, when the world population was growing by about 50 million annually, they linked this growth to the slightly more than 3 billion people of that time; now, the 83 million additional people per year is being correlated to a total figure that is over 7 billion. Seen this way —especially by the general public— in terms of percentages, it would seem that the growth is diminishing, but that impression stems mainly from that singular way of calculating it.

“I know what you’re going to tell me: Why hasn’t that methodology been changed? Well, it’s not possible to do 30

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it unilaterally; it’s an internationally agreed upon form of measurement and our country cannot change it alone.

I’m convinced that the demographic experts have already noticed that effect on the public’s perception. But look, if the current growth were measured based on a fixed reference population, say the one that existed in the world in 1960, the conclusion would be that we are increasing at a rate almost double that of 1960.”

“Excuse me Álvaro,” says Lilí, “and what’s the situation like in Mexico?”

“About the same. During that base year 1960, considering births and deaths, we had 1.2 million new Mexicans whereas last year our population grew by about 2 million, and this produces the same effect on the public perception that I was telling you about.

“Because in 1960, the growth was being associated with a little under 35 million Mexicans and now it is linked to a figure three times larger, the media is screaming that the population growth rate has decreased considerably.

Something similar is going on with the demographic statistics of the underdeveloped world, where the majority of the world’s population lives.”

“Well what do you know!” Lilí exclaims. “Haven’t the authorities realized this? No wonder, because if I ask anyone on the street about this situation, he or she will tell me right away that the problem doesn’t exist anymore.”

“Well yes,” Álvaro tells them with some despondency, “but we shouldn’t blame them; it’s what they hear all the time in the media.”

“But look,” he adds, “about the apparent inaction of certain world authorities on the subject, mainly those based 31

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in the underdeveloped world, it’s because they’re too busy putting out social fires that ignite on all sides. I think they don’t even have the time to properly analyze the underlying causes that influence the set of problems they face.

“Besides, as if that weren’t enough, some believe that an informational campaign in that direction wouldn’t benefit their political career in the short term. Because the people who are currently demanding jobs, housing, water, sewers, energy, adequate education, adequate transportation infrastructure and a multitude of other indispensable services aren’t those who were born last year but, instead, about two decades ago or more. In other words, those things don’t impact in the short term.

“And the problem keeps getting bigger and bigger because, as I was saying, a population increase of that magnitude causes the needs to increase at a faster rate than the capacity to provide services and infrastructure.

“I’ll give you a simple example: Consider only the annual additional drinkable water need in our country. Each year no less than 124 billion liters of drinkable water must be added to the already insufficient current supply.

This calculation only includes the supply of water to the approximately 540 thousand new housing units we must necessarily build each year, and that’s not counting the annual additional water for agricultural, industrial or forestry use.”

“Well it’s true,” Gustavo answers. “It’s obvious that we won’t manage to increase the supply of safe water at that rate because, as you were saying, currently we can’t even supply sufficient water to the existing population. Because of this, conflicts and disputes are starting to break out between various urban and rural communities.”

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At that moment Álvaro checks the time and announces: “Do you want anything else, or do we pay and continue to discuss this on the way?”

As they were getting in the van, Jorge as well as Lilí and Alejandra begin to see things from a different perspective. Though they don’t show it, they begin to understand the great interest that Gustavo had in going on this trip.

Continuing on their journey, the party isn’t bothered by the setting sun in front of them. They were admiring instead the surrounding green countryside.

Jorge was, during the mealtime conversation, the one most surprised by this particular approach; he was even consumed by curiosity. An interest in meeting this man, whom Gustavo was seeking so intently, had taken over him.

While the others were talking about various things, Jorge, after reflecting for a few seconds, adds: “About what we were discussing over lunch, there’s something that’s not clear to me: The growth of population is supposed to stabilize eventually, isn’t it?”

“It’s obvious,” Álvaro answers immediately. “The planet’s actual number of inhabitants is going to trend towards stabilization in the next few decades, but the question is not so much whether this will happen or not, but whether it happen in time and before the environment is harmed even more, perhaps irreversibly.

“And one more thing, to complete the picture, as I was saying, a high demographic growth rate generates a relatively short population duplication period, and the satisfiers cannot be doubled in that time. This, along with 33

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many other things, will produce all sorts of deficiencies, which in turn will impact significantly on violence levels and injustices.

“And by the way Mister Gustavo, I imagine you’ve been able to expound on this set of problems to someone in the government, haven’t you?”

“As I was saying a while ago,” Gustavo answers, “we completed the study and handed it over to the appropriate department. I never got feedback because it wasn’t my area. Remember, at the time I was dealing with forestry issues.”

“Gosh!” Álvaro, for his part, reconsiders. “I believe Don Alonso was right. This is going to get lost in the world of bureaucracy.”

Gustavo reflects, and without mentioning it to anyone, seems to recall that the population affairs officer had been laid off.

“Listen, Álvaro,” Jorge intervenes, “in any case, as we were saying just a while ago, a population stabilization program, together with other appropriate measures, could help a lot in the medium term, but the crisis is right now. What do we do?”

“It’s true,” he answers with a hint of pessimism, “it can’t be resolved in the short term. Even so, the problems can be avoided. As long as these matters are managed well, the citizens and the government can respond jointly.

“Better to talk about this with Don Alonso; maybe he’s got better ideas.”

As the trip progresses, they contemplate different sceneries and talk about the region’s history and even the 34

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local customs. Licenciado Jorge, for his part, is becoming convinced that this could turn out to be an interesting and perhaps even pleasant trip. He’s also glad that his wife Lilí is so relaxed in the back seat of the van, talking about countless things.

Meanwhile, as they chatted and continued on their journey, the Sun was, true to its habit, completely indifferent to events down below. It limited itself to following obediently its preordained path in the sky without even noticing, as it was setting in the west, the wake of striking colors it was leaving behind.

Curiously, as the van was also heading west, they all seemed to be captive spectators in a sort of celestial ceremony where nature quietly closed the curtain on the glow of yet another day. Álvaro was thinking that maybe they had lingered too long in the restaurant and now nightfall was creeping upon them. He decides not to mention it.

At that moment he notices that as they reach the town of Ecuandureo, Juan intended to continue straight ahead, so he immediately instructs him: “Juan, excuse me. This is where we get off the main highway and go towards Zamora. We’ll go around it by taking the bypass and then we’ll follow that sign that says Los Reyes. The entrance to the ranch is before Tingüindín, about 40 minutes away.

“Aren’t you tired?” Álvaro asks them.

“Not at all,” Jorge quickly answers, “the main highway is excellent and with all this conversation, the trip has even seemed short.”

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It was already totally dark as they were skirting Zamora and then, as they continued on the indicated road, Juan, the driver, comments: “I wasn’t familiar with this route; it’s much more direct.”

“Yes Juan, that’s because last time you got there from the other side.”

As they continue, and with the van’s bright headlights, they could notice how the vegetation was changing drastically, because more and more large trees were dotting both sides of the road. Even the air was being pleasantly transformed by a new aroma.

Because it was a lonely road, Jorge asks Álvaro: “And with all the crime-related danger that has surged, Isn’t Don Alonso afraid something could happen?”

“Don Alonso,” he answers, “is a singular man, you’ll see.

On the one hand he’s incredibly peaceful, but on the other, paradoxically, he isn’t afraid of that or anything.”

“How can that be?” Jorge asks with astonishment.

“You’re not going to believe it, but he says that the time of our death is already set, and that we certainly can’t bring it forward or delay it, not by a single second.”

“Well that’s true, but anyone would be afraid of being a crime victim, wouldn’t they?”

“I used to think it was strange too,” Álvaro responds, “but I know he thinks that way, because one of his notary friends, I don’t recall if it was Mr. Fidel or Mr. Luis Fernando, penned him a so-called anticipated will or something like that. In it, he states that should he be kidnapped, no ransom should be paid, even at the risk of losing his life.”

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“Ah caramba!” Gustavo exclaims. “I have never heard of such a thing.”

“Well, he says,” Álvaro continues, “that kidnapping has increased because most people pay the ransom, which in turn makes the problem grow. Once he made this point: Years ago in Mexico City thieves were taking car parts and then many people began to buy those very parts in a certain neighborhood. He further explained that car dealers ended that crime wave by buying new spare parts and then putting them for sale at a steep discount. As if by magic, the stolen parts soon disappeared from the black market.”

Jorge asks, “Isn’t Don Alonso actually trying to protect his estate by proceeding in this manner?”

“I don’t think he’s doing it for that reason. In fact he says that paying a ransom would be a selfish act that would put the lives of many others at risk. When someone pays they go after the next one, which endangers the civilian population even more. In fact, he told me that the countries whose governments don’t negotiate with criminals —even when human lives are at stake— are the ones with the lowest index in this type of problem.

“On one occasion, from here we even monitored the kidnapping of a 17 year old Mennonite boy in the northern part of the country. They were asking his father for an amount of money I can’t recall.

“The boy’s father, worried sick, went to see their leader.

He indicated that it wouldn’t be advisable to pay, because it would irresponsibly put the lives of others in danger.

“The father, besides himself, answered, ‘But they’re going to kill him.’ And his leader replied, ‘Your life, mine, your 37

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son’s, everyone’s is in God’s hands. We cannot yield. We would be putting the lives of many more at risk.’

“That’s what the resigned father told the kidnappers, convinced that his son would lose his life. In the end, faced with the family and the community’s resounding no, they let the boy go free. You know, I don’t think there are many kidnappings in that community for a very simple reason: Because they stood their ground, they won’t be considered a ‘business opportunity’ by the crooks.

“I believe that Don Alonso has a different life perspective. He says we’re like strangers here on earth and if one must leave early, well then that’s fine…”

They all remain silent. Then Jorge adds, “Ok, but what measures did he take?”

“None,” Alvaro answers. “Wait. Now that I remember, he only bought some personal insurance against that type of thing, to compensate somehow his family for his absence. He also bought another policy in case he should become a victim of extortion. As you can imagine, he wasn’t going to be extorted, but the insurance company would reimburse him for any loss.

“I became aware of this when he showed me that notarized document and strongly advised me not to give in should something happen.”

Jorge and Gustavo reflect about that, convinced that this person has a rather special attitude. Jorge asks, “Where does such a different way of thinking come from?”

“From his focus and beliefs on the meaning of life; he’s a man of solid convictions. Now that I remember, an ac38

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quaintance once told him he was afraid something might happen.

“I clearly remember his answer: ‘The Bible says not to fear those who take your life, for after that, there is nothing they can do.’

“And you know what, Licenciado,” Álvaro asks as he turns towards him, “don’t think it’s a mere affectation; it’s what he actually thinks, feels and lives. I know what I’m telling you.”

Gustavo, who knew him, wasn’t surprised by Don Alonso’s thinking. But in Jorge’s case, it was different.

“Well well,” he reflects, “this guy is a little odd. I’m even eager to meet him.”

Suddenly Álvaro interrupts: “Juan, slow down. After the curve take the dirt road on the left; we’re almost there.”

After a short distance on the road, they reach the gate that Juan the driver immediately recognizes. On one side of the gate, a sign says “El Encinal”, the Oak Forest.

Since the gate was closed, Álvaro asks the two visitors to open it by sliding the logs out of one of the posts.

As Gustavo gets out of the car, he contemplates to the west a magnificent full Moon that seems to watch those visitors with intense curiosity and to brighten its white light to better distinguish them.

What impressed Gustavo and Jorge the most was an aroma that was being wafted towards them by a light breeze that seemed to dare to caress them, as if identifying and giving them a discreet and invisible welcome.

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That scene would have remained incomplete without the numerous crickets that chirped and didn’t want to be left out. They also wanted to express their opinions, without caring in the least that their cryptic messages wouldn’t be understood by the newcomers.

“Just look at that Moon!” Alejandra and Lilí agree.

“And just see,” Gustavo enthuses, “how everything can be distinguished in the moonlight. But you’ll see tomorrow!”

Once the van has entered through the gate, they get back in and begin to approach the ranch house. Then Gustavo asks Álvaro, “Are we going to greet Don Alonso now?”

“No, not yet. He must have already retired to his room to do some reading. Tomorrow you can greet him at breakfast.”

“Well he sure retires early,” Lilí says.

“You see, he gets up early. In all the years I’ve been here, I’ve never seen him miss a sunrise, unless he’s down with the flu or something.”

As the travelers enter the house patio, they see Benjamín, the foreman, his father Chema and his brother Joaquín sitting around a bonfire. They quickly get up and cheerfully take their belongings to the three guestrooms.

Benjamín then tells Álvaro in private, “Visitors Álvaro?

Remember that Don Alonso doesn’t like them very much.”

“Don’t worry,” he answers, “he told me himself to bring them here.”

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“Fine! So how was your trip? I thought you were coming tomorrow.”

“It was great; I’ll tell you later. I got here early because I was able to coordinate my trip with them, and so I got here nonstop.”

The guests contentedly eat some cornbread and drink the typical atole hot corn beverage while sitting quietly around the bonfire in the patio, mindful of those who were already asleep. Then, the unexpected group can’t resist wandering out of the house to enjoy the countryside.

“So how do you like this, Jorge?”

But Jorge’s silence speaks louder than words. He doesn’t know if it’s the aroma of the fresh grass, the soft breeze that barely touches them or the Moon’s soft and silent gaze: He couldn’t answer his friend’s question.

Even little Diego exclaims, “Mom, this is so pretty; look at all those stars! Here they’re not so high up in the sky, right?”

“So it seems,” his mother answers, “but no, the distance is the same.”

A little later, they reluctantly retire to their rooms, while anticipating the coming day to better appreciate it all.

As Álvaro says goodnight, he also mentions that breakfast is at 9 on one side of the patio.

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CHAPTER IV T HE RANCH Something worth noting about that night at the El Encinal ranch was that none of the unexpected guests, as they went to sleep, fully appreciated that their natural surroundings didn’t have to stop and rest too.

Perhaps they weren’t also aware that one of Nature’s unwritten golden rules was: “To each his own”.

The proof of which was that, as they were sleeping, all the other natural things continued on their course as they always had, though each one did it its own way.

For example, one of the elements that never stopped on its progress was the prodigious stellar carpet which had been so carefully spread across the sky. That carpet, faithful follower of the established order, continued to slide silently and mysteriously towards the west.

But since we’re turning our gaze towards the sky, something worth mentioning, astonishing as it may seem, was that not all heavenly bodies move at the same pace.

It was already well known to the stellar objects that, as with nearly all rules, there were exceptions. One of them was, precisely, the Moon’s slightly slower speed. That enigmatic white celestial body had, for a long time, the habit of falling behind by a little over fifty minutes every night; it didn’t cause the other members of the firmament the slightest surprise.

Or it could be —we’ll never know— that the other heavenly bodies somehow sensed that the Moon, in its nightly 43

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silvery wandering, had to meticulously scrutinize every corner of the planet. Since this task had to be carried out with the greatest care, its daily delay had to be tolerated.

So while the visitors were still sleeping, and the stars had processioned a little more, the Moon kept on silently examining, though now from the western part of the sky.

Another example that in Nature everything continues on its path was the surface of the Earth. There were beings that were not only aware of what happened in the sky, but could, inexplicably, anticipate events.

Those beings were the birds. Because even before the light began to change the sky’s deep blue color, the little winged creatures would judge it pertinent to be one step ahead and, why not, celebrate the beginning of a new day with a loud and improvised fiesta.

As it already was their custom, they ignored the fact that they had done the same thing the previous day, and the day before that, without having to vote. They all agreed that the best way to celebrate was by bursting into song.

Nobody understood how they could, without the help of any instrument, anticipate the rise of the golden orb; and it was also unknown how they could intuit that the coming sunlight would be enough to transform it all.

One thing that contrasted starkly about the terrestrial environment was the fact that human beings saw things from a different perspective. They took for granted each and every spectacle that Nature could offer, and had the belief that it should always be there for them. Rather than admire the grandeur that surrounded them, humans were oddly trapped by a kind of apprehension that was tied to each new day’s activities.

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Surely for that reason, an observer unfamiliar with the world’s progression would have noticed that a curious and contrasting combination was allowed to exist. On the one hand, a multitude of marvels large and small were acting admirably and almost magically. On the other, the dealings of humans unfolded, sometimes profanely or superficially.

Most of the other components of the natural surroundings would prefer to keep quiet when faced with the fact that, just a few centuries ago, human beings claimed to be at the very center of the Universe. In that folly, they felt that even the celestial bodies revolved around them.

Still, judging by their deeds, they didn’t seem to have wizened much. Otherwise, their conduct towards Nature would have been different.

But let’s set aside this type of considerations, and try to better understand things by introducing ourselves into the occasionally disconcerting motives of human actions.

If outside the ranch house where we find ourselves today this kind of apprehension seems to hold people too tightly, much the way the spider catches insects in its web, even in this remote place, most of those who live here could not manage to escape entirely from this invisible trap.

Thus, we will see that even Álvaro and those who accompanied him found themselves unconsciously and partly trapped by that peculiar desire that things should unfold according to their own and particular vision. Álvaro, for instance, had every intention of seeing Don Alonso first thing in the morning, but the natural jet lag caused by his recent trip to Europe had caused him to get up a little later, when the sky had already begun to brighten.

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He quickly says goodbye to his wife Esther, telling her to inform the people charged with preparing the meals to keep in mind that there were six extra people in the house and that they would come down for breakfast at nine.

Esther, for her part, considers that the arrival of these guests was opportune. Since they knew that Álvaro missed the region’s typical cuisine when travelling, the cooks had planned and prepared a great variety of dishes for him.

As Álvaro, completely unaware of his wife’s plans, was leaving the house, he finds Benjamín in the patio having breakfast with other people and discussing the day’s likely tasks. He slowly leaves the house behind and searches the horizon, trying to find Don Alonso. Fortunately, he spots him far in the distance; in fact, he seemed to be on his way back.

He could identify him not only by his clothing, but also his unmistakable gait. He was deep in thought, engrossed with who knows what subject and seeming to be everywhere and nowhere at once.

However, since Álvaro knew him quite well, he starts walking towards him. He makes out that, a short distance away, Don Alonso had also recognized him.

“Hi Álvaro! It’s great to see that you’re back! How did you do?”

“Fine, Don Alonso. With each passing day, we are better known over there. I’ll tell you about that later, in more detail.”

“Guess what,” Álvaro announces, “Do you remember you asked me to invite Mister Gustavo? Well, he’s here 46

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with us. Since he was very impressed the last time he was here, I called to invite him. In truth, I wasn’t expecting it but he accepted. He’s here at the ranch with his wife and son; he even brought along another colleague and his wife.”

“Ah, that’s good,” declares Don Alonso, who is truly pleased. “You know, I want to add some ideas to what he asked me about last time. I’m letting you know in advance, though, that between us I don’t think we should have high hopes that something will be achieved, but part of me impels me to tell him anyhow.”

Don Alonso and Álvaro continue walking towards the house, talking about various ranch matters and the trip.

They then come across Benjamín and a few workers, and stay with them for a while.

“Look,” Don Alonso points out, “now that we have some time, we can plant a few trees on the western side of the little dam. It’s one of the few areas that we still need to reforest.”

“In those places closest to the dam,” he reminds them, “it won’t be necessary to install a drip irrigation water supply for each tree. Their roots in the subsoil will be kept damp by capillarity; you’ll see how they grow.”

“Very well,” answers Benjamín, “but which kind of tree are we going to plant?”

“Because the humidity and type of soil are different there, we’re going to plant timber-yielding species only. Yesterday we selected them with Chema, your father.” And so, Benjamín and the workers head off to work while Don Alonso and Álvaro walk towards the house.

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As they arrive, they find that Esther, Ofelia and the others had already prepared quite a spread for breakfast.

But Álvaro is surprised to see the tables set with a great variety of Michoacán specialties such as uehepos, corundas, sopes and many others, for which he gives his wife a grateful glance.

At that moment, Gustavo and the other visitors come down the stairs. Since he already knew Don Alonso, he goes directly towards him and introduces his wife and the others.

Don Alonso expresses to Gustavo his satisfaction for having accepted his invitation to join them, when suddenly Esther announces: “Breakfast is ready. We have fruit, tamales, chilaquiles or eggs. The tortillas have just been made. Please sit down.”

The guests are astonished at the variety of dishes and by the flavor of the local Mexican cuisine, even in the simple surroundings of such an isolated place. Jorge is among the most surprised guests as he begins to sample the food; he even mentions that the tortillas are different here, as they are white and delicious. Álvaro, for his part, had spent many days away and was already missing these regional specialties. He explains to Jorge, “You noticed how different the tortillas are here.

That’s because they’re made of white criollo corn whereas most of the tortillas consumed in Mexico City consist of yellow corn, which is imported from the United States. That corn contains more carbohydrates, which is why they use it over there to fatten cattle. Its taste is different.”

“Everything is terrific!” Alejandra exclaims to Esther and Ofelia. “Excuse me, but the embroidered blouses you’re wearing are beautiful. Where did you buy them?”

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“Here in Tingüindín,” Esther replies, “there’s a lady who sits in one of the main square’s corners and sells them.”

“How far is Tingüindin?”

“About five minutes,” Ofelia answers.

“If you don’t know the town,” Álvaro tells them, “it’s a good idea to go and visit. You see, since the paved road in this area is relatively recent —about 40 years old— many of the old customs here are still alive.”

After they finish that excellent breakfast and thank everyone, plans were being drawn up for Alejandra, Lilí and Diego to visit the nearby village. Álvaro gives instructions to Juan, “Look, you get on the highway and turn left; in five minutes you’re there. There’s no way you can get lost; I won’t even ask someone to go with you.”

“We expect you for lunch, OK?” Álvaro asks them.

“Yes, of course.”

“I don’t know if it might be possible,” Gustavo asks shyly, “but could we go to that place by the little dam where we had lunch the last time? You have no idea how much I remember that place.”

“Sure,” answers Don Alonso, “we could even go to the west side right now; it’s even better.”

“Better than where we were?” Gustavo asks.

“In a way,” he answers, “and because we’re going to plant trees on that side. If you agree, I’d like to be nearby in case they have questions. Right now however, you, our guests, are the top priority.”

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At that point Álvaro, knowing that Don Alonso wanted to discuss various subjects with the guests, walks ahead and arranges for the workers to take a few garden chairs next to the dam so they can be comfortable and off the humid ground.

Then the group divides in two. The ladies, Diego and the driver go to the village while the others walk towards the dam at a slow pace, as was Don Alonso’s habit.

Since it was the first time Jorge was in such a ranch, he surprises himself by peppering Álvaro and Don Alonso with many questions which they answer in great detail.

“What a wonderful ranch!” exclaims Jorge, who’s very content as he admires it. He enjoys the Sun and a pleasing breeze that also seemed to accompany them.

“In Mexico, gentlemen,” Don Alonso declares, “well actually in the entire world, we could exert influence in a much more favorable way for our environment, and not as we’ve been doing throughout history. We’re ruining everything.”

“That’s why we wanted, in this place at least, to combine two objectives: to be in perfect harmony with Nature and at the same time, to run a highly productive ranch. Please don’t think that I’m bragging, but I believe we’re achieving them.”

“I can believe it,” Gustavo answers. “That’s why I took the liberty of inviting my friend, so he could see the country’s great potential.”

“Don’t think that everything you see here was like this before,” Álvaro interjects. “With much effort and dedication we’ve been improving everything.”

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The path, the atmosphere and the conversation were so pleasant that they almost didn’t notice that they had reached the dam.

“That’s where we were!” Gustavo recognizes the place with great delight. “I don’t recall ever being in a more welcoming place.”

“Well this time,” Álvaro indicates, “we’re going to be on the other side. For the time being it has fewer trees, but the view is much better. If you like, we can sit in the shade under one of them.”

Once they reach the suggested spot, the first one to be surprised is Gustavo, who observes the surroundings for a while and comments: “Gosh! The scenery! And that an aroma! The peace one feels; it’s amazing. I can’t believe it.”

They see an approaching worker who brings the garden chairs in a wheelbarrow, so Álvaro goes to help him and indicate where to put them.

Once the chairs are unfolded and set in the shade of a tree, the four men sit down comfortably.

Without saying a word, Jorge understands the interest his friend Gustavo had in coming to this place, but at the same time he’s increasingly eager to get acquainted with the curious character who is with them. “He seems,” he was telling himself, “like such a regular guy.”

“Because it isn’t sufficient,” he reflects while observing the scenery from various angles, “to be in a place worthy of a fairy tale; what’s important is to know his thoughts and, in truth, I don’t see anything different with this person.

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“Nevertheless,” Jorge goes on, as if to correct his first impression, “let’s take into account that wise Greek’s phrase, ‘Speak, so I might see you.’ Perhaps it’s essential that I listen to him.”

His mind is distracted by Gustavo’s other comments about the tree species that would be planted in that area and other details.

“Don Alonso,” Gustavo announces, “in Mexico City, Álvaro told me there were certain things you wanted to discuss with me, and I assure you that we have come here with great pleasure. Apart from being in a place like this, I thought the conversation we had last time was very interesting.

“Gentlemen, first of all I want to thank you all for coming here. In fact, as a result of the questions you asked me last time, I was left thinking. I’d like to add a few more subjects as well, and to expand on others that I had already mentioned, if you’ll allow me…

“But please, don’t expect more than an old man’s simple opinion whose only interest is that things should work better for the benefit of all.

“Something that we must keep in mind is that it took several years or decades to reach a point where there’s a certain breakdown in various spheres, and we must be aware that this cannot disappear as if by magic.

“Before I begin to expound on the crux of the matter, there’s a previous, preliminary element of a sociological —though tangible— order that could be one of the keystones in all human relationships, and a necessary starting point for a resulting change.

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“Look, because of a series of circumstances that are very specific to our history, it’s been missing in our country and in other places.

“But,” he adds as if correcting himself a little, “if it’s fine with you, I believe it will help me if I express my point of view by means of examples.”

“Of course,” Gustavo answers.

“On one occasion,” Don Alonso, already more at ease, explains,” I was on a business trip in Cologne, Germany, where Álvaro has just been. I had an 11 AM appointment that morning and since the next one wasn’t until 1 PM, and just a few steps from that great cathedral, I figured I had forty minutes. I quickly entered a nearby museum where what had happened during World War II, and how Germany was left in 1945, was described.

“To tell you the truth, gentlemen,” Don Alonso gravely tells them, “I already knew perfectly well that situation after having read a great many history books, but when I contemplated those images I was shocked. It seemed as if I was looking at a moonscape. There was nothing; entire cities were in ruins. But surprisingly, that cathedral remained standing.

“But at that moment, what struck me most was the people’s unbroken determination to get the entire country back on its feet.

“I already knew that a crucial vote in the early thirties demonstrated that the majority of Germans didn’t even choose Hitler; fewer than three out of ten believed in him. In spite of this, they supported him as their leader and, most importantly, after the war they actively collaborated in their country’s reconstruction. I wondered 53

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what was so exceptional about this people that reacts with such solidarity.

“Just before my one o’clock appointment, I walked soberly to my client’s office. We trust each other, and since I knew he had never agreed with the wartime German leadership, I asked him about his support of that regime.

Without hesitating, he answered, ‘I’m with my country, right or wrong.’

“Now I contrast that experience with the different response to much smaller and, I believe, temporary problems by some people in our country.”

“Fine, Don Alonso,” Gustavo objects, “but that’s how the Germans are; they’re very different from our people.”

“I consider,” Don Alonso disagrees, “that the situation is not so much ethnical. After all, our people can react with as much solidarity as the best of them, and oftentimes more so because Mexicans are a noble people. But for centuries we have lacked an invisible and nearly ignored element that is nevertheless essential for everything. Yet, as I was saying, most of the times we haven’t given it its due importance.”

“And what element would that be?” Gustavo asks with some skepticism, fearing that Don Alonso’s position might be too idealistic.

“I’ll say from the start,” Don Alonso explains, “that as soon as I tell you, you will not believe that such a factor could turn out to be so relevant.” He could foresee the natural skepticism that would arise in them. “For that reason I ask you, and I hope it won’t seem strange to you, but just allow me to fully expound my idea.”

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“That fundamental yet ignored component of human social activity,” he goes on, “has been one of the things we have been historically lacking, though as I was saying, it constitutes one of the very pillars of any human interaction. That element is trust.

“Without trust, there wouldn’t be any kind of human relation. There would neither be marriages, associations nor economic, educational, labor, political or religious projects.

In short, nothing would happen without it.”

“In other words,” Jorge interjects, this time a little incredulously, “we need more trust.”

Don Alonso continues, “I want to make clear that deep down, we suffer from a lack of it, among other things.

The relative crisis we are now dealing with is nothing, believe me, compared to what other nations have overcome. Even so, if trust is lacking, we could not even solve minor problems.”

They remain somewhat incredulous, thinking that perhaps Don Alonso is overstating a factor that is of a sociological order. Gustavo, sensing that he needs to complement his idea, then adds: “Let’s see Don Alonso, could you elaborate?”

Don Alonso goes on, “As I was trying to tell you, at first it seems like a triviality. But deep down, and among many other necessary things, it can make the difference.

“Listen, the world’s most advanced societies are not, as some believe, those which possess more natural resources, but rather those where certainty exists at all levels of society. Forgive me for being repetitive, but the real key consists in getting that factor to become ingrained in our community.

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“An absence of trust,” he concludes, “though it may be something intangible, is capable of sinking any country in the world.”

At that point Álvaro, somewhat surprised by those statements, remembers that Don Alonso was good at illustrating his thoughts. He suggests, “Don Alonso, why don’t you explain a little more through your examples?”

“You’re right,” he replies, “though I think I’ll be progressing from the simplest to the most complex.

“Without trust, this ranch couldn’t operate for a single day. The workers, for instance, trust that we’ll pay them; the avocado consumers also expect this product to be good for their health, and the domestic and foreign supermarkets place their orders and count on us to get our produce on time and at the agreed upon price and quality. We ourselves trust that we’ll be able to grow sufficient avocados of the right size and so on. I could list tens or hundreds of steps in which this element intervenes.

“We often lose sight of it, but in a country the same thing would happen, and for that reason it’s necessary to project trust from the highest levels down to the grassroots.

“Nevertheless, as I was telling you, a first step would be to recognize its importance and then to project it through actions. That’s where the challenge lies.

“Look,” Don Alonso assures them, “continuing with my examples, think of one of the world’s largest, most solid and respectable banks. Can you think of one?”

They all nod quietly.

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“Now imagine for a moment that for some unforeseen reason, most of its customers lose their trust in that institution. Do you know what would almost immediately happen? It would simply fail, regardless of how solid it might actually be. But why would it fail?

“Most customers, whether foreign or domestic, would run on the bank. And since their money won’t be in the vaults but loaned out to countless other customers, that institution would suddenly become insolvent.

“In other words,” he goes on, “see how the simple loss of trust —that minimized and invisible element— would break, without exception, any of the world’s banking institutions unless its own government took the extreme measure of rescuing it.

“I’ll refer to the political leadership of any country. If a country can’t manage to generate trust, it’s basically lost.

And since you’re allowing me to explain by means of examples, I’ll make the most of it and give you two more.”

“Please continue,” answers Gustavo, who is by now even more convinced of the possible reaches of Don Alonso’s idea.

“Just before Mexico’s War of Independence, one of the leaders of the insurgency, Allende, declared: ‘When Mexico shall be an independent country, it shall become one of the world’s great powers.’

“But you know, due to the barbaric behavior of some combatants during that conflict, along with other erroneous decisions, the trust on the part of many nationals and foreigners in the political direction of the country was lost. The monetary equivalent of about a century’s national budget fled the country. That left us vulnerable.

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As a consequence we had to face very disadvantageous situations which in turn led us to worse things.

“As proof of that, in 1800 our country’s national product was a little over half that of our neighbor to the north.

Now be surprised because by 1900, despite the peace and prosperity brought about by Porfirio Diaz’s long regime, our national product wasn’t even three percent of the United States’ “One of the main reasons behind that was that trust, for most of the century, had vanished from our country.

“Now I’ll tell you about an inverse case: In 2009, the world’s financial system was hit by a banking crisis. As a result, a large part of the international capital took refuge in the United States. This fact caused a brief and abnormal rise in the dollar’s exchange rate; this actually hurt them because their exports became artificially more costly.

“It’s not that I want to analyze that country; as with others they have various challenges they must meet. But why do they succeed in projecting such a level of trust?

I’ll tell you: because, among other things, of their respect for institutional life.

“I’ll cite the case,” Don Alonso concludes, “of one of their presidential elections. One candidate won more total votes while the other got a greater number of districts. This nearly unique case, which in other countries would have led to a severe crisis, was solved simply by turning to the pertinent courts. There, based on current legislation, it was ruled that the one with the most districts was the winner.

“The loser, even after having demonstrably obtained the backing of a greater number of voters, immediately accepted the ruling and congratulated his opponent.

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“Now see the contrast with our country’s 2006 elections.

One of our candidates lost irrefutably but refused to accept the relevant authorities’ ruling. Consequently, he blocked Mexico City’s —and the country’s— main avenues without even caring about the multiple damaging effects it caused the nation.

“The building of trust isn’t limited to the political realm.

It also results when civil servants and private citizens of all levels observe the law.”

“Don Alonso, I agree completely with that,” Gustavo replies, “but as you’ve put it so well, the true challenge would be to succeed in building trust.”

“A step previous to that,” Don Alonso sustains, “would be to ask ourselves, What is the true cause that produces such an effect? It’s one of the things I wanted to talk to you about. As I was saying, you don’t know how grateful I am to you for granting me your time here.” Álvaro intervenes, “To elaborate a bit more on the building of trust, Don Alonso, there is a case of a political nature which you told me about. It is exemplified in one of the anecdotes cited in one of the books that President Miguel Alemán gave you. It’s the one about Don Adolfo Ruiz Cortines’ public work when he was president.”

“You’re right!” Don Alonso exclaims. “You know, in that book it’s mentioned that once, a new car, one of the most expensive models in the world, was given to Don Adolfo.

He returned it, saying, ‘I’m over 60 years old and no one has ever given me a car and —what a coincidence— now that I’m the president they send me this one. Obviously I can’t accept it because that person expects me to do something Mexico doesn’t deserve.’ Because of that refusal and many other similar actions he earned respect 59

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and trust within and without the country. And you know something? That’s priceless, and as proof of that, his positive effects were felt for many years.

“That’s why,” he adds, “to the extent that we’re able to create a similar situation in all spheres and levels of our community, the fruits will also be reaped by all of us.”

“Don Alonso,” Gustavo comments, “obviously I agree, but you don’t think it’s that simple, do you? It’s much more complicated that it seems.”

“I’m well aware of that. It’s complicated, but look: There are things that turn out more expensive, harmful and complicated in the long run if they are not carried out. I believe I know what I’m talking about, and I assure you that the first step in solving a problem is the identification of its cause. Then, what really produces it can be modified.

“Gentlemen, that’s why I was so bold as to ask for a little more of your valuable time, which is something that I’m truly grateful for.”

They see Benjamín and the workers at a distance bringing the saplings and so, before continuing with his talk, Don Alonso decides to go and take a quick look.

He explains: “Just a little favor, gentlemen. So I can explain my thoughts at length, allow me first to go and supervise the planting of the trees. Do you prefer to come along or to wait here? I won’t take long.”

As they walk along the edge of the dam towards the small group of workers, the clouds, trees and other silent witnesses seemed to observe them with amazement, as if keeping a prudent distance until they could get to know them better.

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And the wind, which was also following that discreet though safe strategy, emits a gentle and barely audible sound that scarcely manages to shake the leaves of a few trees and make a few ripples on the surface of the water.

A few minutes later, the men reach the group, and Don Alonso addresses the foreman: “Benjamín, I’d like to make some suggestions.”

“Sure, tell me.”

“Remember that the new trees —even the timber-yielding ones— shouldn’t be too close to one another. They must be separated by at least the same distance as between the avocado trees. And in this area it isn’t necessary to plant them in rows like the other ones. Instead, they should be planted at your discretion depending on the topography and the soil quality. Another thing, What’s the highest level reached by the surface of the water?”

“Three years ago it got as high as that rock over there, and it has never risen higher than that.”

Don Alonso gives his instructions: “Then you must plant them starting from that level and higher, and those which will grow without their own water supply should not be more than 20 meters from the edge of the water. The moisture in the subsoil won’t reach that far so make sure that those planted farthest are provided with their own drip irrigation system. Tell Amarildo to help you with that.”

“Wait,” he corrects himself,” Benja, Do you have that little gadget that goes into the soil to monitor the moisture level?”

“Yes, I have it at home.”

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“Do me a favor: Have someone go there and bring it over and we’ll measure the moisture at various distances.

This is in case I’m wrong because moisture varies according to the type of soil.”

Jorge intervenes, “Listen Don Alonso, I don’t know much about the country, but does the cost of providing these trees with extra water pay off even if they’re timberyielding species?”

“Actually it does,” Don Alonso replies, “because the trees’ growth rate, if they are provided with a good water supply, in addition to the rain, is slightly more than double. And you want to know something? In the case of fruit trees, if well irrigated with this system, the productivity is tripled.”

“Another request, Benjamín,” he says as he turns towards him, “I want you to make sure that every new tree is oriented as they were in the nursery. Yesterday, with Chema your father, we put a red mark on the trees’ north side. Plant them with the same orientation. That way they won’t waste time reorienting themselves. You already know this Benja, but make sure the others proceed this way.”

“Of course, Don Alonso.”

“It wouldn’t be bad either,” Don Alonso tells Álvaro, “to do an analysis of this area’s soil nutrients to see if it has the thirteen basic elements, and if all the others are at the right levels.”

“Later, when you have time, take soil samples as Andrés the engineer showed us and we’ll have them analyzed.”

Then, Jorge glances at Gustavo, who’s amazed at the attention they put into every part of their work. Without saying a word, both understand why things work so well here.

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CHAPTER V ANOTHER

MATTER

After they start walking back to the spot where they had set the garden chairs, Gustavo and Jorge, not accustomed to staying in such a place for long, notice separately that they had begun to see things in a different way. As the two men admired the unique surroundings, they noticed that little by little they were perceiving things about work and even their personal lives under a different focus.

What amazed them the most was that it wasn’t as if various pending matters had disappeared but rather, for a reason they didn’t fully understand, their outlook on them was changing.

One of the matters that worried Jorge the most and was foremost in his mind was the development of various studies before the implementation of a tax reform. He began to see this special assignment, which he got from the highest levels of his Secretariat, with much greater clarity.

Suddenly he reflects on the fact that one of the strategies they had adopted at the Secretariat was precisely the evaluation of different points of view and the gathering of suggestions from various social groups. Perhaps he could even include that thorny assignment in the conversation.

“That man,” he reflects without betraying what was on his mind, “knows more or less what he’s talking about, though on some matters I don’t agree with him.”

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matters. Yet something else that Don Alonso had expressed was etched in him: “In the search for solutions, one must be open to different opinions.”

So while his three companions were talking about the weather, and just as Don Alonso was going to say something, Jorge decides there was nothing to lose by asking for that peculiar character’s opinion.

“Don Alonso,” Jorge says, seemingly still having doubts about changing the course of the conversation, “before you tell Gustavo about the other ideas you have in mind, I’d like to know your opinion about something you perhaps don’t know much about. As it turns out, in the department where I work, I’ve been urgently tasked with this matter because they consider it a high priority.”

“Of course! I don’t know if my opinion will be of any help, but tell me’…”

Jorge begins to explain: “We are trying to improve the tax system in order to make it easier and more practical for the taxpayer, while generating greater revenues. Do you have any ideas about that?”

“Well, let me say that for me and for most people,” Don Alonso answers, “this matter is crucial, and I believe the first element to consider would be simplicity. However, when I think of the public, I’m not referring so much to what the authorities might understand by that. Rather, it’s how the little guy, concerned mainly with getting ahead, would perceive it.

“And guess what, Jorge,” Don Alonso continues, “when I was in Mexico City, a little over ten years ago, I once had the honor of being received by the then president. I put in his own hands four proposals. One of them was pre64

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cisely about what you’re telling us: the imperative of simplifying the tax system as much as possible.”

Jorge is somewhat relieved about not introducing in the conversation a topic which was out of place, while at the same time feeling surprised he had been involved in such matters.

“Because you see,” Don Alonso goes on, “I’ll tell you an anecdote: I once participated in a company managers’ meeting and was struck by the different opinions of three more or less experienced accountants on a same point. I asked myself: ‘If at times even the experts can’t agree, then what can other types of professionals or the regular citizen expect?’”

“Unfortunately there is some truth in that,” Jorge admits, “and therein lies the interest in improving the law, but tell us, What happened with your proposal back in those years?”

“Absolutely nothing,” answers Don Alonso, “neither with that one nor with the three others that I submitted.”

“But what did they say?” Jorge asks. “I suppose you presented it in writing together with a student or someone, didn’t you?”

“Of course, but concerning the tax situation, the then president, though receptive to the matter, turned my proposal over to the Secretary of the Treasury and he answered me directly with a four-page official note which, in short, said: The tax system is simple enough to be understood by everyone.

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to all sorts of pressures, but one key aspect of any country is to ease the payment of taxes as much as possible.

In that sense, there’s been a significantly mistaken approach, not only in Mexico but to some extent in many countries in the world.”

Jorge is surprised that this elderly gentleman, living in such a remote place, had been involved in such matters of state, so with growing curiosity he asks him: “And why do you believe it is so?”

“Tell me one thing, Jorge,” Don Alonso inquires, “when you set a pyramid down, Do you place it on its base, that is, on its widest part, or on its tip?”

Jorge remains disconcerted and, without knowing the meaning of his question, answers: “On its base, Don Alonso, of course. But what do you mean by that?”

“I’ll tell you, when we’ve designed tax policy, we’ve proceeded backwards. It’s been established from the perspective of a group of experts or civil servants who, regardless of their capabilities, simply don’t see things from the viewpoint of the immense majority of the population.

“And the most important thing is that the creative capacity of that reduced group, regardless of their educational level, is low compared to that of the whole of the economically active population.

“Jorge, I assure you,” Don Alonso concludes, “and I insist, with all due respect to the group that works on that matter. Believe me, they’re no match against the creative capacity of tens of millions of taxpayers because among them there will be a large number of true experts on the subject.”

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“But Don Alonso,” Jorge objects, “the citizens themselves cannot be asked to intervene in something that may affect them. To begin with, many will not even want to pay taxes, and that’s without considering that no state can even move if it lacks sufficient funds.”

“The proposal that I presented, to answer your doubt, consisted in submitting the tax collection system proposal to a kind of national contest. But obviously, and to avoid what you’re saying, it had to be subject to certain guidelines previously established by the authorities charged with the matter.

“And of course,” he continues, “all the proposals received from specialized firms, lawyers, accountants or any citizen would be subject to the final opinion and absolute will of a panel of experts from their own Secretariats; only they would determine which would be the most viable tax proposals grounded on bases that people like you have established.”

Jorge inquires with marked interest: “And let’s see for example, What do you suppose would those bases be?”

“Fundamentally, it’s the simplest payment system with a nimble control system that would also achieve the greatest broadening of the tax base. The goal would be to spread the load among the majority of the economically active community instead of burdening only a small group.”

“Don Alonso,” Álvaro now intervenes, “excuse me but once, when I was arranging he files you brought up from Mexico City, I came across a sealed copy from the Presidency which dealt with that matter. I took the liberty of reading it and it struck me that you had even proposed such a system. As you pointed out back then, it was just 67

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another proposal among the thousands they would surely receive.”

“Ah! So you’ve been snooping in the files!” Don Alonso jokes in his characteristic brand of humor.

“Well my task was to arrange them and I didn’t know a thing on the subject. I noticed that letter because it was addressed to the then president.”

“Sure,” Don Alonso says, this time more seriously, “it’s OK, but let’s see Álvaro, Do you remember something about what I was suggesting?”

“Yes, more or less, because it didn’t seem bad. Though, as you mentioned in it, it was one among many on that topic that would be received.”

“Tell us, Álvaro,” Gustavo now asks him, “What did Don Alonso propose?”

“In the case of income tax, that a sort of option for the taxpayer should be established: a total of seven percent of gross income.”

Jorge almost jumps. “Uh! Only seven percent?”

“The impression that it made on you,” Don Alonso explains, “would be exactly the same as on the taxpayers but look: If we assume that of gross income in general, only a little over twenty percent is profit, the thirty percent of that is equivalent to the proposed seven percent.

This way, however, the taxpayer would forget about tedious depreciation and amortization calculations and many other things. The whole payment process would be done by means of a highly simplified procedure subject to the previous agreement of the banking institu68

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tions who would, automatically, deduct the seven percent from specific accounts in order to turn them over to the authorities.

“Because remember, Álvaro,” Don Alonso says as he turns towards him, “what Eduardo Quintana, our accountant, told us: Sometimes, at the end of the month, he tells his clients what must be paid in taxes and it turns out the money has already been spent on other things.”

“But Don Alonso,” Gustavo adds, “there are companies whose profit margin is far less than twenty percent of gross revenue.”

“That’s why the taxpayers themselves are offered an option to choose, “Don Alonso explains, “so that those who, as you rightly point out, have narrow profit margins may continue with the current scheme. But this must be taken into account: Those companies with very small profit margins, such as automakers and many others, are large enough not to be much affected by a complicated fiscal administration. However, most of the productive sector consists of small and medium sized companies which are hampered by the current complexity of the tax system to the point where many prefer, unlawfully, to take a chance and not abide by the fiscal legislation.”

“But Don Alonso,” Jorge now objects, “the State requires more and more resources and if low tax receipts are favored, we’ll collect less money and consequently expenditures in many vital line items will have to be cut back.”

“I think the opposite would happen. With a reasonable contribution from the citizens, the tax base would increase and greater receipts would be collected. And not only that, productivity would be stimulated, resulting in 69

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greater economic activity with benefits for all, including the government itself.”

“And that’s not all,” Álvaro adds, “because a more accessible fiscal legislation would cause more foreign companies to prefer to come and produce here, thus creating more jobs and benefitting all.”

Jorge remains deep in thought for a while and then says: “One of that proposal’s inconveniences is that if a company pays a set gross income tax, it won’t increase so much its expenses or costs in order to obtain a smaller taxable profit, and that would reduce spending.”

“There is a current of economic thought,” Don Alonso responds, “that supports precisely that thesis, but I don’t share it and I’ll tell you why: If the entrepreneur Juan Pérez doesn’t worry so much about increasing his expenses in order to reduce his income tax and, consequently, doesn’t spend as much on cars and many other things that may not be that necessary, one would think, from a somewhat superficial viewpoint, that the spending on goods would be reduced and economic growth would be limited. But you want to know something?

That’s just the appearance of the matter; the reality is different.

“The money not spent a little ‘in excess’ by that entrepreneur and the others, whose total would amount in the billions, believe me, won’t be burned in a great bonfire.

They’ll put it in the bank or invest it to increase their companies’ productivity. That will in turn affect the growth of the economy, though not by means of simple, superfluous expenses but through greater productivity.

“Look, if there are more savings, or, put another way, a smaller percentage of waste, whichever way you want 70

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to look at it, most of that amount will be absorbed by the financial system. That will in turn help to reduce interest rates and to facilitate the granting of softer credits to the public and the entrepreneurs themselves. All this will favor production through a sounder and more solid path. Lastly, something similar will occur if the money saved is reinvested in the company itself, and no longer spent on oftentimes unnecessary things.”

“Well,” says Jorge, this time seemingly more convinced, “it would be a matter of analyzing this proposal in depth.

Maybe it would be worthwhile to carry out a more extensive study.”

“But you see, Jorge,” Don Alonso emphasizes, “I don’t want to make the same mistake that I’m criticizing and expect that my particular approach be the one that prevails.

“I wouldn’t like to have this simple proposal of mine analyzed so much. Instead, we should be receptive to the thousands of proposals that would come from the entire community because there will be many others far better than mine.

“In other words, what I insist upon is a drastic modification of the selection process to find the best option. Believe me, there is no comparison between the creative capability of a group of civil servants or even experts in the field and that of millions of people who face those set of problems every day. A simple error in the implementation of a complicated system would no doubt decrease our productive capacity, thus limiting opportunities in many areas.”

Jorge meditates a little on that idea to which he concedes some merit, though he isn’t totally convinced. He adds, “And out of curiosity, What would you suggest as a prize for the most viable proposal selected by the jury?”

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“A national academic award and an important cash prize.”

“And don’t you think that’s excessive?” Gustavo asks.

“Well, what happens is that we must stimulate specialized firms, professionals and anyone for that matter, to decide to spend time and effort preparing something worthwhile. Believe me, there are people who are far more capable than we imagine; it’s crucial that they decide to focus on proposing something valuable though, I repeat, always subject to the Treasury authorities’ expert opinion.

“Also,” he adds after thinking for a little while, “I believe it would be cheaper for us to pay for such a prize than to remunerate outside consultants who might present something of little use to the public.

“In any case, those consultants should submit their idea just like the rest of us, and if they prepare something very good, they might even win. But note a fundamental difference in all this: No matter how competent it might be, a small group’s proposal doesn’t stand a chance against the monumental imaginative and creative capacity of our entire community. This is what I mean when I tell you that we’re building the pyramid upside down.

“If we do things this way, and with the due selection of proposals, I assure you that we could have one of the most efficient and practical tax systems in the world.

“I’ll even confess something: A few years ago, I experienced a cold reception not only to my proposals, but also to other ones from various people and organizations. I also noticed the oftentimes insufficient bureaucratic response to many social challenges. Well, that was one of the reasons that impelled me to settle here.”

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“Now that I remember,” Gustavo intervenes, “at the forum Jorge invited me to, one of the proposals was to go in a different direction, namely, to impose exemplary punishments on tax cheats. What’s your opinion?”

“Well you know, Gustavo,” Don Alonso continues, “to get things going, I prefer carrots to sticks. I’ll give you an example: Once there was a large condominium where some of the owners adamantly refused to pay their monthly fee arguing that, according to them, ‘the money would be stolen.’ The manager opted for a creative strategy: He distributed periodically a crystal clear explanation of the origin and uses of all resources. In other words, he made the management of funds more transparent.

Then he offered incentives to late payers. And finally, yes, he toughened the collection of fees and, surprise, got many good results.

“That’s why,” Don Alonso concludes, “I consider that, in parallel with my suggestion for the selection method for the best tax proposal, I would suggest improving the accountability scheme even more with exemplary penalties for any public official making bad use of public resources. Then, and only then, the taxpayer would be pressured to contribute to the extent that he or she should.”

“Well, it’s certainly an interesting point of view,” Jorge says. “I’ll submit it for consideration.”

Then, they spot at a distance the other group of ladies, accompanied by Esther. They were back from the village and were taking a walk in the ranch. Álvaro figures that it’s nearly lunchtime, and since the local custom is to have that meal between noon and one o’clock, he decides to head off to the ranch house to offer 73

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assistance with the preparations. On the way, he lets the ladies know where they are.

After they see à lvaro walk away, Gustavo and Jorge exchange silent and sober glances while Don Alonso, who is oblivious to them, tries to gauge the wind’s direction in an understandable desire to anticipate any change in the weather.

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CHAPTER VI COMPLETE

REUNION

That afternoon at the El Encinal ranch, all those silent witnesses who accompanied them in front of the little dam, such as the clouds, the Sun, the trees and plants and the others behaved as was their custom: by keeping silent in the face of the occasionally disconcerting behavior of humans.

An outside observer of such a scene might have considered that those discreet natural onlookers, though pleased by the presence of humans, were behaving this way because they were observing the rule handed down to them since time immemorial: Let them proceed unfettered, even though they will often work against their own interests with their activities.

On this sunny and special day, however, it seemed as if there was something else in the air. It was a feeling that these prudent natural companions didn’t want to interfere with this gathering —not even with the slightest sound— as if wanting to let them fully enjoy the atmosphere, the conversation and the food.

The only one who brought a little disorder at such a special moment, with its typically naughty wanderings, was the wind. It just kept making small waves along the edge of the dam and swaying the trees’ branches.

Nevertheless, the wind’s minor mischief seemed to be forgiven by the surrounding’s characters and the group of men because it brought such a special breeze with, as a gift, an incomparable aroma.

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But for the moment, let’s set nature’s point of view aside and hear the opinion of these people.

The ladies were chatting cheerfully about the joy of staying in such a place, not only because of the fantastic surroundings, but also because of the village they had just visited and the friendliness of the locals.

“I had never before entered a house like those in the village,” Alejandra says admiringly, “with adobe walls and tile roofs. A lady who sells many varieties of honey in her house invited us to go inside. I was surprised by the coolness inside that type of house and you know, she even had trees in her pretty cobblestone patio.”

“Well they may surprise you,” Álvaro explains, “but here it’s the norm. I hope this type of construction will be conserved because it has many advantages. Right here, however, they are already building new houses with today’s construction methods.”

“That’s because,” Jorge comments, “the new houses have more advantages, don’t they?”

Don Alonso now states his view: “In my humble opinion, the best would be to combine the advantages of yesteryear’s houses with those of the modern ones. As Alejandra rightly said, those old houses have certain advantages regarding temperature changes whereas the new ones have different ones. Hopefully we’ll be able to incorporate the best elements of both eras.”

One on side, Doña Ofelia and two ladies who had come from the house were preparing lunch and making tortillas on two hot comals, the typical local griddles; the aroma they gave off whetted their appetites even more.

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wards they were enjoying a great variety of dishes. The visitors were surprised by the different way in which they appreciated everything here as they engaged in lively conversation.

The one who remained somewhat thoughtful was Don Alonso, his mind seemingly off in some unknown direction. Gustavo, who still didn’t know him well enough, notices his peculiar attitude and asks: “What are you thinking about, Don Alonso?”

“Oh, nothing,” he says as if coming back from his thoughts, “though I was also listening to what you were talking about. I’m glad you’re all pleased here, but so many things here keep my mind busy.”

“Don’t you want some more tacos?” Jorge asks.

“No, no thank you.”

“Don Alonso doesn’t eat much,” Álvaro explains, “so you won’t find it odd.”

“Maybe you’re right, Don Alonso,” Lilí says. “Frugality is an attribute we sometimes forget, but on occasions like this, and with such good food, we can cheat a little.”

“Please help yourselves,” Don Alonso tells them. “I’m delighted that you’re enjoying everything.”

Towards the end of that convivial repast, Esther, who was also partaking, offers to complete the walk around the ranch with whoever wished to. The ladies and Diego, accompanied by a nephew of Benjamin’s, enthusiastically accept to continue on their stroll, while Gustavo, Jorge and Álvaro, as they knew there were things that Don Alonso wanted to share, decide to stay put. It was 77

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more than mere courtesy; now they felt an intense desire to know the subject matter he wanted to talk about.

The ladies and the boys continue their visit while Ofelia and the two young ladies, after receiving heartfelt congratulations and appreciation from guests and locals alike, head to the ranch house. The four men remain alone again.

Jorge states, “Don Alonso, I’m truly touched that you invited us to be here today, and I’m pleased that Gustavo asked me to come because it’s altogether very good to be here today.”

“On the contrary,” he responds, “it is us who are the grateful ones, and we’re also pleased that you’ve allowed us to express our point of view on certain subjects.”

“As we were saying a while ago,” Gustavo begins, “and according to what Álvaro told me in Mexico City, you wanted to elaborate on some ideas that you brought up the last time we saw each other.”

“Certainly, because last time, after you were gone, I was left thinking; you should know that’s my great flaw,” he deadpans. “What happens is that I’m inclined to examine things thoroughly and therefore wanted to expound on certain important matters.

“You know, the somewhat unsettled situation afflicting not only our country but also many other parts of the world is derived mainly, among other things —and I’m increasingly convinced about this— from two elements.

One of them has afflicted us throughout human history: It’s a limited focus which is the consequence of an erroneous and superficial psychological school of thought.

That focus can and should be corrected through an inte78

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gral education that contains a more realistic and inclusive social emphasis without the distortions we have always brought upon ourselves.

“Such a limited focus has produced a great number of negative effects in various areas, not only in the material and educational spheres, but even in the building of that all-important trust I was telling you about a while ago.

“But the other element is a relatively recent error because it arose in the twentieth century. Despite the great human and technological developments we have achieved, we have not even been able to communicate it to the world community: It’s the erroneous demographic focus some have incurred in.” “Álvaro gave us an introduction,” says Jorge, now feeling totally immersed in the subject, “and I assumed that the young man was somewhat under your influence.

That’s why we ask you —well, me at least because I wasn’t here the last time— to tell us in your own words why you consider it so. Because believe me, yours is a different perspective that, truth be told, I had never considered.”

“I’ll give you my point of view with great pleasure,” he replies, “but before I begin, I want to tell you that the complement to what I explained to Gustavo the last time comes with a warning.”

“Warning? But a warning of what? And why?” Gustavo asks with great surprise.

“Well look, there are people who, with every right to dissent and often with the best of intentions, will be stubbornly opposed to what I’m about to share, though I’m 79

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sure that they themselves have not analyzed it in depth.

They can, however, make many politicians doubt about this. That’s what I’m trying to prevent since it would only help to prolong, with all its negative consequences, the deplorable present state of affairs.

“What am I referring to?” asks Don Alonso, while the two visitors remain in total silence so he may speak freely.

“Look, as I approach these two topics, I’ll mention the demographic error first by briefly reviewing where it comes from and why because, as Jorge himself was pointing out, he didn’t come here last time.

“A few centuries ago, out of every 1000 infants born, about 650 would die at an early age. However, with the advent of medicine, according to the latest global statistics, only 38 die out of every 1000.

“That extraordinary achievement in medicine generated certain changes in demographic growth patterns to which many were unable to adapt. They alleged that demographic planning would be unfeasible since it would constitute a sort of ‘artificial’ intervention in human procreation. You will notice that it was the actual intervention of medicine, that is to say, a totally ‘artificial’ element to use their word, that transformed the sociodemographic pattern on a global level.

“Similarly,” he continues, “we could label as artificial just about everything we have: telecommunications, automobiles, tractors, trucks, trains, airplanes, fuels, fertilizers, electricity, computers and a myriad things without which, I assure you, we couldn’t even remotely supply ourselves with the necessary food.”

“But Don Alonso,” Jorge object, “what some say is that demographic planning by means of artificial contracep80

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tive methods is morally indefensible because it interferes with the proliferation of life.”

“Look Jorge,” he answers very calmly, “we cannot lose sight of the fact that the male’s spermatozoons as well as the female’s eggs are haploid cells, that is to say, they have half the number of chromosomes. As such they don’t actually contain life, unlike the rest of the organism’s cells. Those are the diploid cells, and they are complete in terms of the number of chromosomes.

“And, as long as these two haploid cells are not integrated into one, there’s no life in them, no matter how you look at it.

“It’s a very different matter when conception occurs, but just listen to the awful things they say as they’re pretending to defend life. In our country and throughout the world, millions of clandestine abortions are performed yearly that not only put the mother’s life at risk, but also constitute thousands and thousands of murders every day by interrupting —artificially— the possibility of life in those incipient beings. Why is that? I ask you to please tell me if my reasoning is wrong.

“Believe me, it surprises me to see what opposition to family planning can, in practice, lead us to; it takes us to a point where not even they could have imagined.

“In most cases, what pushes many desperate mothers to go through the abortion false exit is the fact that, faced with the possibility of having an unwanted child, many opt for an artificial pregnancy interruption. In my view, that can indeed be on the same level as murder. But you know something, what was missing there was precisely an adequate family planning program, which is something they oppose.

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“In other words, their misguided focus makes them partially responsible for what’s happening. Just look at the tremendous paradox they are leading us to: By wanting to defend life, they are in great part causing the opposite effect. They will have to continue to be charged, with each passing year, with the millions of lives cut short by clandestine abortions.” Álvaro and even Gustavo himself aren’t surprised by this type of reasoning, but Jorge remains speechless after hearing this.

“And that’s concerning abortion only,” Don Alonso says as he turns towards Álvaro. “Do you have in that gadget on your belt last year’s global events reports?”

“Yes Don Alonso, here I have them” “Please give us the data for deceased infants in the past year.”

“You want the data from the UN or the Population Reference Bureau?”

“Let’s see, in this case get it from the PRB.” “Allow me,” Álvaro says as he works his smartphone.

“Ah yes! Here it is. Last year 72,000 children died in the developed counties whereas 5,507,000 died in the underdeveloped ones.”

“Gosh!” Jorge exclaims. “Let’s see if I understand you correctly: Five and a half million dead children per year in the underdeveloped countries? Aren’t you mistaken Álvaro?”

“Of course not, see for yourself…”

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“I can’t believe it! In other words, the number of children that die in ten years is equal to one and a half times the current population of Canada. How can that be? And also, just look at the wide gap with the developed countries. Is there carelessness in the governments or what on earth is going on?”

“Curiously,” Don Alonso answers, “there’s a sort of constraint throughout the planet: When a country faces unmet societal needs, the incumbent government is usually singled out as the great guilty one, without considering that there are also nearly invisible forces at work that cause this type of things.

“Judge for yourselves, because as I was telling Gustavo last time,” Don Alonso continues, satisfied that they’re being receptive to the magnitude of the problem, “another of the most harmful consequences of a high rate of demographic growth is that it extends itself onto society as the proliferation of a host of unmet societal needs. And going back to the infant death numbers that impact Jorge so much, this is only one of its manifold manifestations.”

“But,” Jorge objects, “I don’t see the link between the two.”

“What causes that terrible number of infant deaths,” he replies, “is the fact that progress in the health and food industries can’t keep up with population growth.”

“It’s not that I’m a little skeptical about your positon,” Jorge insists, “but just to understand it better and in case someone asks me, Why does a high population growth rate have such an impact on the societal and environmental realms?”

“Look,” he tells them, “as I was explaining to Gustavo the last time we came here , most if not all of the prob83

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lems or conflicts of any type in the world derive from a sort of ‘phase shift’ in the rate of change in the factors that intervene in a determined process.”

“Well you know that sometimes I like to explain things by means of examples; therefore let me give you some.”

“Please go on.”

“What example shall I give you? Ah! I know,” Don Alonso says. “Do you remember the sinking of the ‘Titanic’?”

“Of course.”

“Let’s observe in that tragic event the intervention of that apparently harmless element called speed. First, the ship’s speed was higher than what caution dictated, especially on such a dark night; then there was the aggravating circumstance that they had been warned of the presence of icebergs but, unfortunately, the urge to establish a new record was stronger.

“And so it was that due to the speed at which the ‘Titanic’ was steaming, the elapsed time between the sighting of the iceberg and the moment of impact was reduced to about 45 seconds. This contributed, because of the urgency prevailing after a few seconds of alarm and indecision, to the crew’s proceeding in the following way: They took the fateful decision to veer to port when it was highly likely that the mass of ice was drifting with the West Greenland Current, better known as the Labrador Current. Therefore, there was a slight north to south —or right to left— drift relative to the direction the Titanic was heading. In those crucial 45 seconds the iceberg could have moved a few, yet decisive, meters just where the ship had now veered to. That short distance could have meant nothing less than the difference between escaping unscathed and facing disaster.

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“Then, the ship had a certain pumping capacity to expel the flooding seawater, but unfortunately the incoming water’s flowrate was much higher than the pumps’ capacity.

“Besides, what killed all those people who couldn’t find a place in the lifeboats was hypothermia caused by the cold seawater. Though the human body has certain compensatory mechanisms for that kind of situation, in this case that capacity was greatly overwhelmed, given the long period of time they had to remain in such cold water.

“And why did so much time elapse until they were rescued if there were ships in the area?” Don Alonso explains, “Due to their slow speed, they took several hours to reach them, which was a fatal delay for those in the water.

“Gentlemen, do you realize the importance of that often underrated element called speed?”

“Well, it’s true,” Jorge admits.

“Compare that,” Don Alonso stresses, “with what is happening in the world when we don’t take into account the way in which that oftentimes minimized element intervenes: On the one hand we interfere artificially in only one aspect of human procreation; on the other, by means of the timely application of medicine we succeed in reducing the mortality rate. If, at the same time, we reject family planning, what do we generate? An abnormal rise in population growth to a level such that we cannot keep producing satisfiers at the required rate.

“By acting this way, we have unintentionally created the perfect storm for one of the ‘phase shifts’ that has influenced the current shortages. And the worst part, I insist, 85

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is that many don’t even realize the existence of this phenomenon because it operates so imperceptibly. But let’s go back to the problems resulting from the gap between the speeds of the factors that intervene in any process.

“I don’t want to overwhelm you with many examples; I could give you some you can’t even imagine, but here’s one more.

“These days crime-related insecurity has increased,” Don Alonso tells them in a calm voice, “and that’s caused in great measure by what we’ve been discussing. Let’s imagine that a regular citizen —I won’t call him Don Juan Perez— “ he jokes, “in case you have a friend or relative with that name, because I wouldn’t want what I’m about to say to happen to him.

“Imagine that, unfortunately, this person is shot and loses large amounts of blood; you won’t believe me but the organism has an excellent healing capability. But here too is that often forgotten element called the ‘speed gap’.

What am I referring to? Look, among other responses, the body will be able to completely repair the damage, but this process might last perhaps a few days. Now what happens if blood flow falls off? The brain can’t live for more than a few minutes without a good oxygen supply.

“Because of that apparently simple gap between the speeds of the factors involved, that person dies.”

Jorge and Gustavo stand silently, surprised by the clarity of the explanation. Jorge though, apparently not seeing the connection, then adds: “You said that this gap also influenced the increase in violence?”

“That and many other things,” Don Alonso resumes. “Look at what happened in the developing world with that apparently harmless high population growth rate.

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“Take exhibit A and let’s see what occurred in our country: Mexico doubled its population in about 36 years, but fortunately an important number of our fellow citizens managed to emigrate to our neighbor to the north. If it hadn’t been so, the doubling period would have been much shorter.

“But what does that mean in practice? That we should also have been able to double all those necessary satisfiers in those same 36 years. In simpler terms, we should have built the equivalent of another entire country in that very short lapse of time and that, gentlemen, is something nobody on this planet could have achieved. Besides, a great number of shortages in many areas that had been dragging on for years should also have been resolved.

“And if this weren’t enough, an important part of the infrastructure should also have been replaced because, of course, it wears out or becomes obsolete as the years go by.

“Obviously, as a consequence of this disparity between different speeds we have shortages in many areas. Among other things, we can cite insufficient drinking water, congested road networks, limited sanitary and food supply response, lack of jobs, educational deficits, inadequate transmission of values, serious deterioration of the ecosystem and a wide range of extreme deficiencies that not only interact and combine with one another but keep accumulating with each passing year.

“And these combined shortages, gentlemen,” he concludes, “take on concrete forms before our very eyes in the form of violence, serious social shortages, a low educational level, malnutrition and many other things.”

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call some of the rationales of those opposed to demographic planning. Suddenly he thinks of one.

“Those who don’t agree with your position,” Jorge states with some hesitation, “assure us that if we limit population growth we could go to the other extreme, like what’s happening in the developed countries, where they say there are no more children.”

Don Alonso replies, “That is indeed a belief sustained — though somewhat blown out of proportion— by the fact that yes, there are a few countries like Germany whose population is decreasing at an insignificant rate. That is irrelevant in the global, or even in the developed world context.

“Let’s look at this in black and white. Currently there are around 1,250 billion people in the developed world and about 5.99 in the developing part, and as I was saying, let’s clear up our doubt. Let’s see Álvaro, according to the estimates you have in that thing, what will the population be in each part by 2050?” Álvaro checks and answers, “By the year 2050, in the developed part of the planet, the population will grow from the 1.250 billion you were saying to 1.309 whereas in the underdeveloped part it will increase from the current 5.990 to 8.375, giving a total population of 9.684 billion by the year 2050.”

“So,” Gustavo concludes, “the developed world also keeps growing.”

“Of course, though at a more manageable rate. Ah! And that’s even taking into account what Jorge has just told me, that is, some countries are not growing.”

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“I just got this,” Álvaro intervenes again. “How the planet’s population is increasing at this very moment.

Look, of the 86.6 million that we added last year, 1.5 correspond to the developed world and 85.1 to the underdeveloped.”

“So, most of the growth takes place in the underdeveloped countries,” Gustavo concludes.

“Exactly,” Don Alonso declares, “and that will give rise to much more massive migratory flows than what we’ve witnessed throughout history.”

“And I’ll just mention, “he continues, “that there are places on the planet where there will be important conflicts in the coming decades because of this, as is already the case in the Mediterranean area. Curiously, in that basin, the area with the lowest growth rate —and consequently the highest income per capita— is adjacent to the continent with the highest demographic growth rate and the lowest income, and that continent is Africa.

“But they’re separated by the Mediterranean,” Jorge points out. “Won’t that prevent those strong migratory flows you’re talking about?”

“The same thing is going to occur as when lightning hits the ground,” Don Alonso answers. “Though air is not a conductor of electricity, if the electric charge above is too high, a discharge will bridge the gap and hit the ground because the voltage differential was high enough.

“Look,” he says as he turns to Álvaro, “What’s the current population in Europe and Africa, and what will it be in 2050?”

After checking his smartphone again, Álvaro announces: “At this moment there are 504 million in the European 89

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Economic Community, and according to the estimated birth and death figures, we get 514 for the year 2050. As for Africa, the present population is 1.136 billion and by 2050, even if the growth rate slows down somewhat, there will be 2.428. In other words, it will double in under 33 years.”

“Obviously we will not live to see that day,” Don Alonso says as he raises his hands a little, “except perhaps Álvaro.

Unless something completely unexpected occurs, the situation in Africa will be a total disaster. Being so close to the wealthiest countries, this will create migratory flows like the world has never witnessed before, with all the collateral disruptions that go with such contrasting cultures and development levels.”

These analyses weren’t taking Álvaro by surprise as he was completely used to such statements. But Gustavo and Jorge remain deep in thought, pondering the impact that such a scenario, if what they had just heard should come to pass, could have on the next generation.

At that point Jorge responds, “But, Don Alonso, as far as I know, the population growth rate will continue to decrease, will it not?”

“The problem, Jorge, is that the estimates and calculations that Álvaro has just quoted us already consider the decrease that you mention. To prevent what I’ve just explained from happening, the decrease or stabilization of demographic growth would have to be intensified.

Now if one doesn’t consider the reduction in growth rate that I’ve just cited to you, instead of reaching a world population of 9.683 billion by 2050, that year we will number slightly over 11 billion.”

Suddenly they see the ladies chatting happily and walking towards them on a different path; apparently they had already toured most of the ranch.

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Lilí tells her husband, “Jorge, it’s a good idea for all of you to go behind that low hill; you can see a delightful little valley. It’s really well worth it.”

“Do you want to take a walk over there?” Álvaro proposes “Sure, let’s go.”

And so, while the ladies and the two young boys continue on their way to the ranch house, the four men head to the suggested spot.

As they walk slowly towards the site, Gustavo asks more questions about avocado production while Jorge begins to take very seriously the subject they have been discussing. “How can this be,” he thinks out loud, “that such topics aren’t given more importance?”

Setting aside this important reflection for a moment, they continue on their leisurely walk, with Jorge not knowing with certainty, as he contemplates that Saturday’s extraordinary natural spectacle, whether he wanted to lock away in his mind this day’s weather, the conversation or the surroundings.

Gustavo, for his part, didn’t even make an attempt in that direction as he had learned from experience that when the wheel of time turns, any photo or human contraption was of little use.

Without any of the four members of that pensive group even noticing, during their slow procession a few little wildflowers by the trail seemed to guess their thoughts perfectly well, and say to one another without speaking: “In due course they will learn that wanting to trap any instant is as illusory as wanting to grasp the wind with one’s own hands.”

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“And when that moment of enlightenment arrives,” other nearby flowers added, “they will also realize something we know well: The best option would have been to better value the very instant in which one is living.”

But those inaudible voices were lost in space without having been listened to by anyone. And the men, completely oblivious to them, continue peacefully on their way.

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CHAPTER VII D IVERGENCES Sooner than the men had imagined, as they were chatting about various topics while enjoying the countryside’s natural wonders, they reached the property limit. For a while, the four remained there, admiring towards the southeast a lovely valley where only the horizon’s undulating line marked a sort of division between the fields’ numerous tones of green and the sky’s resplendent blues. Completing that unmatched picture, the herb-scented soft breeze that welcomed them on their arrival was still with them.

Gustavo, who’s nearly ecstatic, exclaims: “Don Alonso, just look! What a spectacle! You must be used to all this, but for us, this is simply incredible.”

Then, Don Alonso turns and stares fixedly at him and says: “May I speak frankly about something that truly bothers me?”

“Of course,” Gustavo answers, somewhat disconcertedly, “that’s why we’re here.” Álvaro also remains anxious, sensing that the Don Alonso who is still unknown to them could emerge at any moment with those ideas that are so typically his.

“Maybe you’ll be surprised by what I’m about to tell you,” Don Alonso declares in his low but firm voice. “The whole earth, to a greater or lesser extent and depending on its local characteristics, could be more or less in this fine condition, if we humans didn’t make mistakes like the ones we make today, not to mention others that would take days for me to explain.

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“And what’s more,” he adds, with that characteristic way of thinking that Álvaro already knew so well, “what distresses me the most is what we’re doing in the human realm.”

During the following pause, Jorge and Gustavo were giving the impression that they wanted to introduce some ideas of their own. Álvaro, however, makes a discrete sign with his left hand, signaling that they should hold on a little to allow Don Alonso to speak at length about something he seemed to want to tell them.

“The extraordinary potential,” Don Alonso continues, “that lies in each person’s heart and mind returns, completely wasted, back to earth.”

“Oftentimes we pride ourselves, somewhat vainly, about what we achieve throughout history. But you know, that’s truly insignificant compared to what has slipped away from our hands. Along with the sorrow we cause around the world, those negative effects will come full circle back to us.

“The greatest crime ever committed since we’ve been walking the earth,” he continues, under Gustavo and Jorge’s astonished gaze, “—and I want to state that we’ve committed innumerable outrages— is to have allowed this phenomenal waste by the human race to occur.

“The development of our true potential was intended since time immemorial to propitiate an unprecedented human and socioeconomic level that we cannot even imagine.

“The greatest geniuses in history,” he goes on with that serenity that could penetrate the soul, “have been mere exceptions because in their case, the basic elements that 94

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brought out part of their capacity simply converged in them.

“And the main obstacle to making the most of that potential, gentlemen, is mankind’s foolishness and blindness, though of course we feel we’re tremendously wise.”

At that moment a nearly magical though imperceptible change in the atmosphere occurs. The silent members of the natural environment that surrounded them had kept a distant attitude towards the group, but suddenly, they seem to change their focus.

Moreover, the sudden change in the conversation’s tone brought about by the group’s interest in the subject matter caused the fantastic scenery facing them to recede in their minds.

Then, intrigued by such statements by Don Alonso, Gustavo adds: “For the most part I agree with you, but I’d like you to clarify a little what you’re referring to.”

Jorge then interjects, “And another thing, there is something I cannot quite understand: Who are those opposed to what you were explaining concerning the population question? And given its impact from a socioeconomic standpoint, What are their arguments? What’s the reasoning behind their disagreements? What impels them to take a contrarian position?”

“Those are key questions you are asking me.” Don Alonso replies as he makes a soft gesture with his hand, inviting them to keep walking home. “That’s precisely what I refer to when I speak of human limitation.”

“The world is freezing to death,” he says in his own figurative style, “and yet we keep safeguarding self-serving 95

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interests and improvising with cobbled—together theses, as if we had all the time in the world to keep fooling around and human life didn’t matter one bit.

“What foundations have we been grounded on to seek to justify our errors? A few individuals have based themselves on superficialities and half-truths while the rest, the immense majority, haven’t bothered to analyze the validity of those postulates and have preferred to follow what’s been decided by others …

“And in fact,” he goes on, this time a bit more calmly, “those were some of the main reasons why I’ve invited you again.

“When I speak of the fact that we humans base ourselves on superficialities and appearances, I refer to how we reach conclusions with little thought and also how we base an entire thesis on something that is groundless.

If you allow me, and for lack of time, I’ll cite only one example taken from history.

“In the mid-nineteenth century, there was a French philosopher and diplomat named Joseph Arthur de Gobineau who put forth a perfect example of the follies I’m referring to. And please observe how, unfortunately, many took it very seriously; you could almost say to the letter.

“This gentleman, based on mere conjectures, developed a theory of Aryan racial superiority and expounded on it in a book entitled Essay on the inequality of the human races. This text was, regrettably, considered by many as one of the foundations of racial demographics; indeed, his works constituted one of the first pillars of that pseudoscientific racism that has harmed the world so much.

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“Decades later, others based themselves on this thesis to lay the foundations of what would become, during the Second World War, the fateful Holocaust.

“But you see, What was the basis for such a thesis? Mere appearances and half-truths. Currently, however, it’s been indisputably demonstrated by means of the human genome map, that all humans on this planet come from the same genetic ancestor.

“Nevertheless,” he repeats, “as I was saying, most of the times personal or political expedience, sustained by appearances or half-truths, gains the upper hand.

“There are certainly external differences between humans, but these are the result of climate, nourishment, education and many other circumstantial factors.”

Gustavo, cautiously though with growing interest, counters: “But Don Alonso, in the nineteenth century we didn’t even have the human genome map you’re talking about.”

“But we had common sense,” he promptly replies, “like when Aristotle, Hernando de Soto and others noticed, long before the nineteenth century, that skin tone, for example, is determined by greater or lesser exposure to the Sun; this in turn depended on the latitude people lived in.

“And you’ve asked me a question about current errors, one of them being the demographic question. What causes them? Something similar: superficialities, and not analyzing things well. I’ll comment about something while asking you to let me know if you agree with me as I don’t want to incur in the mistakes that I myself criticize.

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“During the sixties, many researchers of world demographics foresaw the possible socioeconomic effects that an increase in the rate of population growth would bring to the underdeveloped world. This new trend, derived in turn from the fortunate decrease in the mortality rate I just mentioned, impelled them to warn of certain negative social effects that would be unleashed.

“For that reason, they approached various influential world leaders, including Pope Paul VI. “He and the highest Catholic Church authorities were presented with the scenario that much of the planet could be facing should family planning be prohibited. Namely, a ban would generate an excessive and unprecedented demographic increase in the world, and that would be accompanied by the effects I just listed.”

Gustavo and Jorge remain deliberately in silence, hoping to learn more about Don Alonso’s peculiar point of view.

“Upon receiving such a presentation,” Don Alonso resumes, “and to analyze the matter properly, the Pope named a committee of specialists to elucidate whether the world might indeed be facing such a situation, just as the experts were predicting.”

Gustavo, now increasingly interested, asks Don Alonso: “And what conclusion did they reach?”

“After a thorough analysis, eleven of the sixteen members of the committee established by Pope Paul VI himself concluded that the experts were right. They recommended that he abstain from forbidding the use of what the Church called artificial contraceptives.

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“It was a real surprise for the world’s scientific community when that Pope, going against the opinion of his own advisors and the foremost experts on the subject, published the encyclical entitled Humanae Vitae in July 1968, in which the use of contraceptives was explicitly prohibited.

“But, Don Alonso,” Jorge objects, “at that time the presentation by the demographers painted a landscape of near-disaster. That didn’t happen, and therefore I consider that their calculations were incorrect.

“Well guess what, “Don Alonso responds, “those predictions weren’t incorrect. What happened was that as a result of the experts’ predictions, we achieved a slight reduction in the world’s extremely high population growth rate, as witnessed shortly after the middle of the twentieth century. Otherwise, those predictions would have been spot on. Nevertheless, we are still above the desirable level, and that’s one of the true origins of the problems we face today.

“And I want to make clear that, obviously, the subject we are discussing wasn’t the only one responsible for the socioeconomic conflicts unleashed in the following decades, but it was one of the most relevant and its effects are plain to see.

“You see, there’s another aspect that we must also analyze: After setting aside the millions of infants who have died since the mid-twentieth century, the huge number of clandestine abortions performed for the reasons we have discussed and the cascade of deficiencies in nearly all spheres of life, we have yet to examine how this excessive demographic growth has influenced the rise in violence in the parts of the world where it is highest.

“This develops in various stages. First, as the social satisfiers don’t increase at the same rate as the require99

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ments, a great number of deficits begin to proliferate in many basic social areas.

“Subsequently, as those failed social policies begin to interact, an understandable unease begins to exacerbate the community. Almost as a rule, in every country the government in power is held directly responsible for what is occurring, even as the immense majority doesn’t even comprehend the true underlying causes of such external manifestations.

“In the final phase, faced with such primary shortages and other secondary consequences —such as forced migrations from some areas to others— some political and even religious leaders will promptly finger the rulers in power. They will be held responsible for that entire range of insufficiencies, without even making the slightest pronouncement on the underlying causes that gave rise to them in the first place.”

“In other words,” Gustavo asks, “according to you, a high population growth rate will also express itself as greater migratory flows?”

“Of course,” Don Alonso immediately answers, “although I want to make clear that it’s not the only factor that affects them. Other factors that influence migration include armed conflicts, unemployment, insecurity, violence and so on. But very often, however, this adverse environment was at first largely propitiated by a high population growth rate. When any community finds itself immersed in the shortages that go hand in hand with such a picture, an explosive —or unstable at best— social atmosphere begins to grow in an almost imperceptible way.

“As an example relating to violence, see what happened in Latin America: Nearly without exception, the coun100

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tries with the highest population growth rates were the ones enduring the highest homicide rate per hundred thousand inhabitants. Conversely, those with a more manageable rate had the same index showing reduced numbers.”

“But what do these leaders say in such a situation?” Jorge asks.

“As I insist to you all,” Don Alonso replies, “they attribute it, almost as a rule, to other causes only, among them the supposedly bad governments.

“Curiously, and going back to my example about nonexistent racial superiority, we can see that anyone would also reach false conclusions by making a superficial judgment that emphasized the effects more than the causes.

“By assessing things so lightly, anyone would conclude that most published books, inventions and important scientific and technological breakthroughs came from regions whose inhabitants had certain external racial characteristics. It would mean, one would think, that they were like some sort of better people.

“On the other hand, a deeper analysis would have led to a different conclusion: It would likely have pointed to the basic causes that were producing such effects.

“But since we’re analyzing concrete cases, let’s look at one of those current errors which are based on mere superficialities. When the somewhat conflicting situation in certain social spheres in Europe is analyzed, some people conclude that this is due in part to the supposed ‘greying of the population.’ Likewise, they consider ‘young population countries’ as places where there’s a supposedly smaller percentage of ‘dependent population.’”

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“But that’s true, isn’t it?” Jorge asks.

“So that you can see what I’m referring to,” Don Alonso explains, “after a superficial analysis that would seem to be the case. By analyzing it better, however, we see that the opposite is true, as I was telling Gustavo last time.

Remember?”

“I remember very well,” Gustavo replies, “but since Jorge wasn’t here…”

“You see Jorge,” Don Alonso says as he turns towards him, “how easy it is to get confused with half-truths. We are assured that where the population is older, the percentage of dependent people is high.”

“But isn’t it so?” Jorge asks.

“What happens is that the population considered as dependent isn’t just the older-than-65 segment, and even that is debatable. We must also necessarily include as ‘dependent’ the zero-to-15 segment, and just observe how different it is to see things in an objective and complete way.”

Don Alonso turns to Álvaro, “We need to resort to your little gizmo’s data again. Can you give us one more figure according to the latest statistics?

“So we can clear our doubts, What’s the dependent population percentage in the ‘youngest’ continent, which is Africa? Then get us the same figure for the European Economic Union, which is the oldest.”

After a short while, during which time the group stopped to give Álvaro a chance to get the data, he announces: “Africa has a four percent over-age-65 dependent popu102

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lation and 41 percent for minors under age 15, which gives a dependent total of 45 percent.

“Now as far as the European Community is concerned, let’s see … Yes, here it is! It has 18 percent for the over65 group and 16 percent for the under-15, which gives us a dependent total of 34 percent.”

“In short,” Don Alonso declares, “we have that in the youngest area 45 percent of the population is dependent whereas it’s 34 percent in the oldest. I consider this yet another factor that affects them, on top of those we’ve already mentioned.

“What happens,” Don Alonso continues, “is that oftentimes, when someone faces a determined problem, it’s attributed to apparent issues, when its true cause could be elsewhere.

“Look at one of the errors that were committed in Europe when the government in certain countries assumed, for political expedience, a populist stance. To get votes, they somewhat deceitfully offered their voters not to move up the retirement age in proportion to the increase in life expectancy which caused, on the one hand, a criminal waste of priceless experience and on the other, the absurdly elevated cost of supporting a significant jobless population segment.”

“Then,” Jorge interjects, “an increase in the median age doesn’t have an impact?”

“Absolutely not,” he responds. “If the population’s median age is kept at about half of life expectancy, then, believe me, that would be normal and even the desirable outcome.

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“Look, if we draw a younger country’s population graph according to age groups, we’ll see something resembling a pyramid. But as the decades go by we’ll start to see that more and more countries will have to form a population whose graph is shaped like a vertically set rectangle.”

Jorge tries to look at the matter through the lens of those who oppose family planning. Suddenly an idea comes to mind which he immediately puts forward to Don Alonso: “Setting aside for now the previously mentioned issues such as infant deaths and so on, Couldn’t it be, Don Alonso, that by limiting population growth we are preventing the birth of millions of human beings to whom we are practically denying the chance to exist?”

Don Alonso quickly responds, “Again, I consider that it’s the other way around. I’ll tell you why, while asking you to please let me know if you agree with me.

“The way to limit the birth of many billions in the centuries to come, God willing, is precisely by putting at risk the planet’s equilibrium, which is what we would be doing by propitiating an excessively rapid population growth.

“With the help of our friend Álvaro here present, I’ve been following on the internet many well-grounded theses presented at the World Forum in Davos, and I’ll only comment on one of them.

“What’s more, and to put it to you more precisely, Do you remember Álvaro that I also asked you to save a summary of what was presented about the planet’s equilibrium at the University of Stockholm’s Research Center? By any chance, do you have it here as well?”

“I have it here too.”

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“Wonderful little thing,” Gustavo comments.

“Would you read that summary, please?”

“Of course …”

A few seconds later, Álvaro declares: “The study in question concluded that there are nine key limits for the stability of our planet: one, climate change; two, the change in the integrity of the biosphere, that is, loss of biodiversity and extinction of species; three, the thinning of the stratospheric ozone layer; four, the acidification of the oceans; five, the alteration of the biochemical flow of phosphorus and nitrogen; six, changes in land use; seven, the drinking water crisis; eight, the atmosphere’s aerosol contaminant load, and nine, the introduction of new organic, radioactive, nanomaterial and microplastic contaminants.

“The research center’s recent study concludes that, on a global scale, the most worrisome matter is the fact that four of the nine aforementioned limits have been exceeded. And they added, ‘Transgressing a limit increases the risk that human activities will inadvertently take the terrestrial system to a far less hospitable state, thereby stymying efforts to reduce poverty and deteriorating human wellbeing in many parts.’”

“My esteemed Álvaro, let’s leave it there if you wish,” Don Alonso tells him. “I just wanted to assure Jorge that since we are putting our future billions of brothers and sisters at risk, we must not alter the fragile equilibrium of our beautiful blue planet. And remember what CeAtl, that simple but wise North American chief said: ‘We haven’t inherited the Earth from our ancestors; rather, we have it on loan from our children.’ I don’t know what you think, but I believe the man was right.

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“To clear your doubt, Jorge, I consider that forcing the advent of too many people in a short period of time is how we put at risk the delicate balance of our ecosystem. As a result, yes, we foolishly jeopardize the many billions more who are yet to come. With a stabilized growth rate, however, we could offer them all the necessary opportunities for their wellbeing.

“Just imagine,” Don Alonso concludes, “the damage that can be done to mankind by those who don’t see things clearly and objectively.”

After getting such a simple and forceful answer, Jorge looks confusedly at Gustavo and Álvaro, as if wanting to know their opinion on the matter. Álvaro, however, remains silent, waiting with an expectant look for his answer. Gustavo, for his part, simply shrugs his shoulders to give his friend the chance to elaborate on the points he disagrees with.

Without hitting upon an answer, Jorge raises his voice a little and declares: “Well, you are in disagreement with Papal authority, and I believe the current Pope has already assumed a more realistic attitude in that regard. I understand that upon his return from Indonesia recently, he declared that it wasn’t realistic for Catholics to breed like rabbits.”

“Indeed he said that,” Don Alonso confirms. “I even downloaded that interview on the computer at home with Álvaro. Isn’t that right Álvaro?”

“Yes sir, only it’s in Italian but it can be understood reasonably well.”

“And as you well cite,” Don Alonso continues, “one can infer that he’s got a more realistic attitude, though unfor106

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tunately he doesn’t have a properly informed vision on the matter.”

“Why do you believe so?” Jorge asks.

“Later in that same interview, he recommends that the ideal number of children should be three.”

“My God! And doesn’t that seem realistic to you?”

“It’s not whether it seems feasible to me or not; it just indicates that he isn’t getting adequate information on world events.

“Look Jorge,” Don Alonso adds, “currently we have a world average of 2.5 children per woman, including both developed and underdeveloped counties.

“And as I was telling you a few moments ago, thanks to the fortunate decrease in the mortality indices, we would number, with 2.5 children per couple, a little over 11 billion by the year 2050 instead of the predicted 9.68. The lower number would be reached by that year if we could count on a slightly lower number of descendants; this would be the result of the couples’ greater responsibility which is in turn derived from a better flow of information to the public.

“However, if the Pope recommends a number of children that’s even higher than the current one, then I get the impression that he doesn’t have the necessary information at his disposal.”

“Doesn’t he have the necessary information available?”

Jorge objects, with some irritation.

“With all due respect,” Don Alonso retorts, “he doesn’t have the necessary data to emit such a recommendation, and I’m going to tell you why I believe it is so.

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“If we could manage to reach a population of 9.68 billion by 2050 without inflicting serious damage to the planet, it would be an extraordinary achievement. However, many of us consider that it would be prudent to stabilize the population at an even lower level so as not to incur in unnecessary risks, to avoid further damage to the ecosystem and even to attempt to propitiate a more generally and integrally developed world.

“But let’s look at the numbers,” Don Alonso proposes.

“Nowadays, it’s incredibly easy to make mathematical projections with various outcomes.

“We have already carried out various simulations in the home computer, which is larger. Look, if we were to continue on the same trajectory with the same global average of 2.5 children per woman, by the year 2050, as I was saying, we could number over 11 billion.

“And guess what: If we were to follow the Pope’s recommendation of three children per woman, by 2050 we would be a little over 13 billon, which would not only irreversibly damage the planet, but would also generate an additional human and economic disaster.

“And what’s more,” Don Alonso says as he turns towards Gustavo, “I ask you to please check our calculations with an expert on the subject that you might know.

“What would in no way be logical would be to act carelessly, to follow hunches or superficial assessments because this manner of proceeding has been precisely the origin of the immense majority of the problems and mistakes we have always incurred in.”

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we’ll check your data and, if they prove correct, we’ll pass them on to the pertinent authorities, I assure you.

But look, Jorge,” he says as he turns towards him, “that’s precisely the advantage of dialogue: It’s the give and take of information that allows us all to grow.”

“Of course,” Álvaro now interjects, “on other occasions Don Alonso has told me that society is like a giant puzzle where each one of us, like a tiny piece, contributes his or her truth; we thereby achieve together the shaping of the grand total.”

“Well yes,” answers Jorge, somewhat uncomfortably, “but for that reason too, authorities, to be respected and followed, were established in the world.”

Don Alonso cuts in: “In all frankness I’m going to ask Jorge a great favor. May I give you my opinion?”

“Of course, but I must confess that so far your statements disconcert me a lot. However, give me your point of view and later, with the same frankness, I’ll give you mine.”

“Perfect. But before continuing, Jorge, let me tell you that I have a deep respect for all the world’s religious congregations, and for the leaders who direct them as well.

“Many of the things I don’t share,” Jorge resumes, as if carefully reconsidering his choice of words, “aren’t really the current leaders’ errors; they are in fact the result of a series of circumstances that were produced, for one reason or another, throughout the centuries.

“Jorge, I insist. Really, can we continue? Now I can move on to the next topic I wanted to share with you.”

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“No, no,” Jorge says, backpedaling a little. “I lose nothing by listening to you, without necessarily agreeing.”

“Sure?”

“Sure.”

“Thanks, Jorge. Look, the concept of authority you have just mentioned,” Don Alonso states as prudently as he could, “is an element we must handle with some care, and I’m going to tell you why I believe it is so. There are some necessary qualifications and determinants for an authority to be properly sustained. The main one is that they should in turn be subjected to the superior authority that produced them in the first place.

Jorge turns with discomfort towards Don Alonso and asks: “What do you mean by that?”

“If I’m being bothersome, let me know Jorge, and we can stop. I don’t want to be disrespectful in any way.”

Gustavo then addresses Jorge: “Let’s allow Don Alonso to say what he thinks and after that we can make the pertinent objections. I’m sure Don Alonso will listen with pleasure, isn’t that right?”

“Of course. And not only that, I would even ask you to proceed in this way. I firmly believe in a sociologist’s wise adage: ‘Each complaint is a gift.’ A well-founded observation coming from the other side —and well received by ours— is in truth a growth opportunity. This way I’ll learn things.

“Ah! And speaking of errors,” he says while turning towards Álvaro, “guess what: While you were away something funny happened. We had low water pressure on 110

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the far side of the hill, and I insistently asked Amarildo to turn the pump’s booster dial one way and it was the other!”

“And then what happened?” Álvaro asks with great curiosity.

“The pressure dropped to zero in that part,” Don Alonso answers with a smile, “but we called Javier, the engineer from Zamora, who kindly got here as fast as he could.

Anyway, I’m telling you this because it can happen to anyone; that’s why it’s crucial not to cling on to anything and to learn how to listen, and also to admit one’s failures.

“But Jorge, returning to what we were discussing, we humans can all make mistakes, but it would be bad to try to impose our truth on others at any price.

“And going back to the term authority, I assure you it’s a crucial and necessary concept in any past, present and future society. Nevertheless, because of that same ease with which we make mistakes, it should be subject to various parameters because we could do foolish things.”

At that moment they reach the edge of the little dam where they find, as if they were waiting for them, the garden chairs and that wonderful afternoon vista. Álvaro invites them all to take a seat.

“Gentlemen, do you remember that you allowed me the use of examples?” Don Alonso asks in his characteristically deliberate wording.

“Of course,” Gustavo replies while Jorge looks on in silence and unease.

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“Look, I’ll tell about a case that is extreme and beyond comparison with what we’re discussing, but I’ll mention it as a reference concept only.

“At the end of the deplorable Second World War we mentioned previously, many of those responsible for that conflict were put on trial. Obviously, they tried to justify themselves by arguing that they were just following their authority’s orders.

“I ask you, morally or ethically speaking, Were they right in obeying the authority?”

They all remain somewhat anxious, waiting to see the point of the example.

“They were wrong to follow it,” Don Alonso declares, “because it emanated from a deceitful higher political authority. The regime had become a mere dictatorship, backed up by force and shielded by skillful propaganda and deprivation of liberty.

“And above that so-called authority, there was an even higher one, of a divine character, separate from moral laws and even common sense; it instructed them not to commit crimes against our fellow men and women.

“Let’s see, what other example can I give you? Ah! I know. I’ll give you this one: A few decades ago in some South American countries, a kind of dirty war was waged whereby people were killed extrajudicially because of their political beliefs.

“Let’s suppose that one of us here is a captain whose superior, a colonel, orders the elimination of a group of 25 people considered subversives. That colonel is your 112

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superior and, without a doubt, your authority at that point in time. Must you obey him or not?”

Jorge looks the other way, sensing the answer that follows.

“I don’t think so, because above the colonel, there is another superior authority he is not obeying, and if that weren’t enough, he knows he has the Constitution which is above all the country’s laws and people. In it it’s explicitly stated that a person’s life cannot be taken; a person can only be brought to justice, which will then determine a course of action.

Jorge remains somewhat surprised by what he’s hearing and asks, “But what do you mean by that?”

“Something as simple as this: If a religious or political, or any authority for that matter, doesn’t follow in turn that which gives them a foundation, their actions become completely without legitimacy.”

“But Don Alonso, what you’re saying is such an outrage!

According to you, in what way aren’t they following it?”

“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Don Alonso retorts, but we, as Christians, are grounded in the Gospels, and in them it clearly says in Mathew 23,9 that we mustn’t place any human being above the rest. Surely they were anticipating what would happen later, knowing that we all make mistakes. For example, a single person can drag an entire congregation in a different direction, as it has happened at various times in our history.”

“It seems to me,” Jorge asserts, “that you’re against the Catholic Church.”

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organizations and in all cases, a transgression like the one I described produces the same effect.

“As proof of that, if, and for the sake of argument, in another Christian congregation a pastor should pretend that what he establishes must be followed, rather than what the Gospels proclaim, then his authority has lost the basis on which it is founded. Consequently, his flock mustn’t follow him. That’s what I’m referring to.

“Something completely different occurs,” Don Alonso points out, “when an authority of any kind is perfectly aligned with that which supports it, because then it must be respected and followed. And Jorge, I want to make this clear: The functioning of our society would not be possible without the existence of authorities, but they are valid only if structured the way that I’m explaining.

“It would be wrong of me if I had an aversion to any group, Catholic or not. I know very valuable people who form part of that church, and in our world we need their —and indeed everyone’s— participation by proceeding in the indicated manner.

“But look Jorge,” he goes on, “seeing it now under a different perspective, this time within a social context, can I use another one of my examples?”

“Go ahead,” Gustavo answers while Jorge and Álvaro remain quiet.

“The moment of birth, “Don Alonso resumes, “is when a human being has the greatest number of brain neurons, but strangely enough, that’s not when we possesses our greatest potential. Do you know why?”

The three remain quiet, waiting to see where he was going with that.

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“A person’s true development will occur only when, with the passing of the years, these neurons begin to communicate between themselves. I’ll also mention that if this interconnection process is interrupted, that person will never reach his or her potential and will possibly remain seriously disadvantaged, depending on the degree of neuronal isolation.

“Something similar,” he tells them, “will occur in the global community. Right now we are far from reaching our true potential, precisely for that same reason. Although there are new communication pathways technologically far superior to those imagined in centuries past, we often take an obstinate position whereby we limit and even close off the path to other truths that don’t agree with our own. We should remain receptive and, when in disagreement with others, make clear the reasons why we think differently, rather than simply isolating ourselves or demonizing others.

“Since we have already cited the aberrant case of the Second World War, believe me, that would never have happened if only something incredibly simple had been allowed to prevail: to safeguard the free and open expression of opposing points of view.

“This demonstrates,” Don Alonso emphasizes, “that when one begins by burning books or by prohibiting the expression of different ideas, not only does it expose an ideological closedmindedness that often leads to the burning of people, but it also becomes a formidable obstacle for true human development.

“And I’ll go further: You won’t believe me, Jorge, but these divisions that we create between human beings not only have no justification within groups considered as Christian, but also within non-Christian communities 115

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because the God of the other’s beliefs isn’t a being different from ours. He’s the same one, and if you or I choose our beliefs through the Christian faith, that doesn’t mean we must force others to think like us; we should simply, in any case, limit ourselves to exposing our point of view, without forgetting that God himself allows liberty so that each can choose his or her own path.

While Gustavo and Álvaro become increasingly apprehensive, Jorge remains thoughtful and responds, “Well, that’s true. However you won’t deny that as you rightly put it, we have the Christian faith and the Lord established the successors of Peter as his representative and as pillars of the Church. That doesn’t allow for those interpretations that you make.”

“First of all,” Don Alonso answers, “I thank you for allowing me to dissent from your stance and to openly exchange opinions because this way we will both grow.

“Actually, the apostolic succession is something Christians sustain, although I don’t consider it altogether accurate.”

“Not altogether accurate?”

“No. During the first centuries of the Christian era, the ‘Universal Bishopric,’ or see of the bishop that is now invoked wasn’t even constituted. It was created in the seventh century, specifically beginning in 606, when the Eastern Roman emperor, named Phocas, had an important dispute with the Christian bishop of Constantinople, who didn’t recognize him as a legitimate political leader.

The bishop was accusing him of having reached that position by murdering Mauritius, the true emperor, and his family.

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“Facing an opposition that was lessening his authority,” Don Alonso explains, almost measuring his words so as not to inconvenience Jorge any further, “Phocas came up with a political compromise: Aware of the rivalry between the bishopric of Constantinople and that of Rome, he put to good use a certain friendship he had with the bishop of Rome when he, due to other circumstances, was living in Constantinople. Phocas proposed to the bishop of Rome the following deal: recognition as ‘Universal Bishop’ if he, in turn, would formally acknowledge him as the legitimate ruler of the Eastern Roman Empire. The compromise was reached.”

Jorge objects, “But everybody recognizes the Pope as Peter’s successor.”

“That’s been assured for many centuries,” Don Alonso confirms. “Indeed, after the aforementioned date, a long list of the supposed successors of the Apostle Peter was recorded. However, there’s no irrefutable documentation that proves the accuracy of the succession from the first Roman bishop to the year 606. Should it exist, I would like to know the place where they are being kept, to let the world’s researchers know about it and, in any case, to convince myself that I was wrong. But I and many others believe that such documents don’t exist.”

Jorge looks askance, but his friend Gustavo discreetly takes him by the arm, as if suggesting that he let Don Alonso elaborate on what he considers his truth; then Jorge would get his turn to explain his reasons.

Jorge tacitly accepts to continue the conversation and announces: “The truth, Don Alonso, is that at this moment I couldn’t refute anything you say. What I do feel is that you could even put my beliefs at risk.”

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“Believe me Jorge, I would by no means want something like that to happen. I would prefer that you delve deeper into your own beliefs. I’m certain that your convictions will not only not weaken but grow much stronger, like the house that isn’t built on sand, but on bedrock.”

And after a few seconds of silence, Don Alonso adds something else: “As a way of concluding the point you’ve allowed me to discuss, if you allow me, I’ll explain a few of the reasons by which I arrived at my current position.

“Will you allow me to finish with this, before moving on to the next topic I want to share? Or do you prefer that we drop the subject? Feel free to let me know what you want.”

Jorge remains deep in thought for a few seconds and then says: “Continue if you like…”

“Look, throughout the course of the papacy, there have been political successes and mistakes. Among the successes, just to mention one of them, we could highlight the work done at the end of the last century to avoid a conflict between Argentina and Chile.

“Among the errors of the twentieth century,” he continues, “there’s the unfortunate demographic prospect we have just mentioned. Who am I to point out ways to take action? The only thing I seek is for us not to place one human being above the rest, that’s all. In fact that’s clearly expressed in the Gospels. Only God never errs; that’s why we should follow Him.” “Now I’ll tell you something,” Jorge interrupts. “Back then the Lord told Peter that all that he tied on Earth would remain tied in Heaven. So please notice: He is giving him a sort of ample prerogative to direct the Church.”

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“That phrase, my dear Jorge,” Don Alonso retorts, “doesn’t constitute —not even remotely— a mandate for free conduct, but is instead a very important warning on the great repercussions of any human’s action, no matter how insignificant it may seem. Everything we do or cease to do will have inevitable consequences in this life or the next.

“Proof of that is that in the two chapters after the citation you’ve just mentioned, He repeats it not just to Peter, but also to all those who were listening. Moreover, as historic proof that I haven’t made up what I’ve just told you, and hoping not to bore you too much, I’ll just tell you a few facts. The first councils, starting with the Council of Nicea in the fourth century, to the Fourth Council of Constantinople, held during the ninth, were not convened by any pope, but mostly by the Eastern Roman emperors for the simple reason that in the early centuries, the ‘Universal Bishop,’ or Pope, didn’t even exist.

“The first council summoned by a pope was the First Lateran Council, which was held, I believe, in 1123.”

For Álvaro, this kind of conversation was no surprise.

And while Gustavo delighted in the pile of information that Don Alonso was sharing with them, Jorge remained on the lookout and a little annoyed too.

Don Alonso resumes, “Then, what happened, most likely, is that Peter never set foot in Rome because among many other things, it is perfectly noted in what we know today as the New Testament that Peter would devote himself to the Jews and Paul to the rest, who were named the Gentiles.

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reason might Peter have had in going to a place where on the one hand there were almost no Jews and on the other, nobody would understand him in his native Aramaic?”

“Guess what, Don Alonso,” announces Álvaro, “all of a sudden this is becoming clear to me: I think that the Jews’ expulsion from Rome that you mentioned right now is described in Chapter 18 of Acts.”

“Actually, Álvaro,” Don Alonso tells him as he tries to resume his explanation, “the matter is more or less clear, but look, judge for yourselves.

“Paul was not only a citizen of Rome, but could speak Latin, Greek and Aramaic. The first ones who erroneously placed Peter in Rome were based on the apocryphal gospels which, as their name suggests, are forgeries.

“Those texts, some of which are fanciful, were written mostly during the second and third century. And as I was saying, it was precisely on those gospels that other authors based themselves to accept the supposed sojourn of the great apostle Peter in Rome.

“I don’t know,” Don Alonso continues, trying not to trouble Jorge any further, “if we have ever asked ourselves, Why all this unusual interest in this or that person’s stay in the capital of the Roman Empire?

“It’s for a very simple reason: Having been the capital of the most powerful empire of its day, more than one might have assigned more relevance to the Bishopric of Rome than to that of Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople, Carthage or any other city. However, we seldom ponder that, fortunately, the thoughts of the true apostles were focused on spreading the message they carried instead of thinking about the political aspects of the situation.

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“Paul was the only apostle who, basically to defend his life from those who wanted to kill him, rightly appealed to the Caesar, asserting his rights as a Roman citizen and availing himself to the legislation of the day. It was a skillful move that brought him —albeit in the custody of soldiers— to the capital of the Empire.

“It’s worth mentioning though, that over time Paul’s Roman citizenship didn’t help him much; that’s because the Christian movement, after some years, began to feel the Roman authorities’ enmity.

“But going back to what I was saying,” Don Alonso continues under Jorge’s disconcerted gaze, “in the last part of one of his letters in the New Testament, the great apostle Peter mentions that he’s in Babylon. Now, there were in Babylon very important Jewish communities that had settled there since the beginning of the sixth century B.C., when King Nebuchadnezzar brought to that place a great part of the Jewish people.”

“But Don Alonso,” Álvaro, increasingly intrigued, interjects again, “after the destruction of the Persian Empire

by Alexander the Great during the fourth century B.C., and even before that, the Jewish people had already returned to the Jerusalem area, isn’t that right?”

“Well,” Don Alonso responds as he turns towards him, “in fact a large part of the Jewish people had already been allowed to return, beginning in the time of Cyrus the Great, who had manifested a more lenient policy towards the conquered peoples.

“Later, another Jewish group returned when the Persian Empire was destroyed as you mention. However, a significant part of the Jewish people remained in Babylon.

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ence the Persian period had on Jewish culture, I don’t know if you have ever asked yourselves when the Aramaic language was introduced to the Jewish people, since that was still the language spoken by the majority at the time of Jesus Christ.

“It came to them with the Persian influence the Jewish culture was exposed to during their stay in Babylon because, I think, King Darius issued an edict declaring Aramaic as the official language of the Empire. So you see, through their language they influenced the Jews for many centuries. As an additional and curious bit of information that highlights the importance of that Jewish settlement in the Babylon area, I’ll mention that there’s a very important book that compiles the customs and laws of the Hebrew people. That book is called the Talmud.

“Notice the importance of that settlement: The Babylonic Talmud wasn’t completed until several centuries after Christ, and this book is far more important to them than the Palestinian Talmud. If you like, Jorge, you can check this information with a rabbi you might know.

“Therefore it would seem more logical to me,” he concludes, “that after the apostles had agreed that Peter would devote himself to the Jews, he would have travelled to Persia where he could express himself in his native Aramaic language.”

“Now that you’re giving us that information,” Álvaro says to Don Alonso, “I remember that some people who try, regardless of the facts, to place Peter in Rome have told me that when Peter refers to his presence in Babylon, he is in fact figuratively referring to Rome. Do you think that’s possible?”

“I don’t think so Álvaro, and for a very simple reason: The only book in the New Testament where a kind of 122

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analogy between Rome and Babylon can somehow be found is the Book of the Apocalypse. But remember, that book wasn’t written until the late first century, in other words, more than three decades after Peter’s geographical and historical reference at the end of one of his letters.

“And if that weren’t enough, the Apocalypse, the last book of the Bible, is the only one in the New Testament that is full of symbology and figurative terms. That language is not used in any of the other books of the New Testament, where things are called by their name.

“For that reason, in my opinion, that argument doesn’t make sense. I think it’s nothing more than a vain attempt to place Peter, no matter what, in the capital of the Roman Empire by trying to find some support for their thesis.

“But Jorge, going back to what I was telling you,” Don Alonso says while turning towards him and mustering all the tact that he could, “if there had been a successor to Peter, which was something not foreseen and not even mentioned in the New Testament, he would have had to proceed in a manner similar to that of the great apostle.

And please note that Peter never called himself ‘Pope,’ ‘Universal Bishop’ or any such term.”

“And how would we know that,” Jorge objects, “if, as you say, there are no documents to support that?”

“There are some documents that are fully recognized by all Christian groups, and which were written during the second half of the first century of the Christian era. Those are the 27 books of the New Testament, and most of these were written as epistles, or letters.

“And like any letter,” Don Alonso points out, “it has a key element at the beginning, which we could liken to the 123

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sender, in which name and position are clearly specified. In Peter’s letters, please see for yourself, he never describes himself as anything like a pope, but only as one of the apostles. In another part, he is just another member of the group of elders, which was a form of shared and participative authority inherited from Jewish tradition.

“Every time,” Don Alonso reiterates, “that Saint Peter, Saint Paul and the other authors of the books of the New Testament describe themselves, they do so merely as ‘apostles’ or ‘serfs.’ And, elaborating a little more, the term ‘apostle’ comes from the Greek and means ‘the one who is sent.’

“The only position of a certain authority recommended or suggested by the apostles themselves was that of bishop, also referred to as supervisors in other translations; it was used for those who would remain in charge of the Church in a certain city.

“And unless you show me otherwise, absolutely none of the apostles were even named city bishop. But I might be mistaken. Therefore I ask you to please tell me if I’m correct.

“And I’ll add something else for you, Jorge: I’ve just referred to the meaning of the word ‘apostle’, but for your cultural edification, I’ll tell you the origin of another one, and that word is ‘pontiff’.

“Long before the advent of the Roman Empire, there were various cultures that assigned a particular role to certain political leaders or distinguished members of society. They were considered a sort of ‘bridge’ or link between their gods and the rest of the humans.

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“When that ancient pagan custom shifted to the Roman Empire, that person took on the title ‘pontifex maximus’ in Latin or ‘pontiff’ which means bridge. And it was also considered a sort of link between the people and their gods Jupiter, Mars and the others.

“One of the first ‘pontiffs’ of the Roman Empire was Tiberius Coruncanius, who rose to power in 254 B.C. Later, in 63 B.C., Julius Caesar went even further by giving himself that title, thus associating it with his political position. Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and those who followed continued using the title until the late fourth century A.D., when Gratian, head of the Western Roman Empire, being a Christian, renounced it. He considered it incompatible with his Christian faith.

“Jorge, it’s highly likely that several centuries after Christ, the first bishops of Rome, and later the popes, were unaware of the true origin and meaning of the title whenever they allowed its use. A simple reading of the New Testament would have made clear that the great apostle Peter would have refused to countenance its use.

“Right now, I’m remembering that I once read a very interesting book titled History of the Decadence and Fall of Rome by Gibbons, which is one of the most important and well-researched documents on the history of that city. In the book it’s mentioned, just imagine, that in the fourth century, the bishop of Constantinople tried to become something like the ‘Universal Bishop’ of Christianity.

Don Alonso asks, “Do you know who opposed him, Jorge?”

“Who?” he answers softly.

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be taking an anti-Christian position. He included in it a series of arguments, some of which were similar to those which I’m giving you today while others were much harsher. This, among other things, constitutes yet more proof that in those early centuries, the pope as such didn’t exist.

“Well,” Don Alonso concludes, “I have much more information on the matter, and I won’t overwhelm you with it. I’ll only say, by way of proof, how it isn’t advisable to place a blind faith in any human being. But I’ll tell you something important: In centuries past, it was possible to make statements that oftentimes had no support and couldn’t be verified. For that reason, and going back to what I was telling you, May I ask you to check the veracity of some data?”

“Tell me,” Jorge replies.

“In any reliable internet search engine, look up a document named Constantine’s Donation, or enter in Latin Donatio Constantini and you’ll be surprised by what you’ll find. There, you’ll learn about a historical and religious fraud that was fabricated in the eighth century, more or less, and wasn’t uncovered until the fifteenth.”

“I’ll give you a bit of advice,” Álvaro interjects. “When you research through the internet, analyze thoroughly the source of the information. There are websites that only repeat the version that’s been tried to be imposed on us for the past ten or twelve centuries. Better to search different websites and truly trustworthy books so you can better analyze the true support for each subject.”

“Good point,” Don Alonso adds. “Fortunately, the number of workers within the Catholic Church itself who are honestly searching for the truth is increasing day by day.

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By way of example, remember Álvaro that the Constantine’s Donation fraud that I’m asking you to look into was uncovered, and publicly exposed, by none other than the humanist Lorenzo Valla who had an important position within that same congregation.”

A silence suddenly spreads among the men. It occurs to Jorge that he never would have imagined receiving such information in this way, in a place like this and accompanied by myriads of trees of many kinds and the songs of birds. That unexpected pause in the conversation became a subtle reminder of the nearly magical place where they stood. It also made them realize that Nature’s other denizens had also been behaving very discreetly and, one could almost say, very respectfully during their talks.

As usual, though, each of the environment’s elements quietly carried on with their own particular work.

The Sun, for example, continued to carry out dispassionately its crucial mission to plow the firmament at a steady pace. It ignored them all —even the clouds themselves— and seemed to follow absentmindedly an invisible itinerary that ruled it precisely.

By acting in this manner, the majestic heavenly body gave the impression that it felt responsible, perhaps rightly so, for many of the events that were unfolding in our profane world.

It’s surely for that reason that Don Alonso, rather than check his watch, turns discreetly to observe the location of the imposing though silent golden orb. But Don Alonso was troubled by something within. He quietly regretted, without knowing himself how he could have done otherwise, that Jorge, his visitor, was somewhat annoyed by what he had expressed.

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“How could I have explained to Jorge,” he thought to himself, “that the demographic error stemmed, to some extent, from an unclear basis? Should I have kept quiet about this?

“The only other way,” he reflects, “would have been to remain silent, but something within each one of us says that our commitment to the truth is stronger than anything else.”

For that reason, he only says: “Jorge and Gustavo, please accept my heartfelt thanks for allowing me to expound on my point of view. I consider that only the truth will allow us to advance the way we should, and thus realize that better world we all wish for.”

“Don’t worry Don Alonso,” Gustavo reassures him as he turns towards Jorge. “I know you mean well.”

“We’ll research that matter a little more,” Jorge complements, “and should we find some inaccuracy in what you’ve told us, I’m sure you’ll allow us to inform you.”

“Of course,” Don Alonso answers, now feeling a little more relieved after hearing Jorge’s answer. “In that personal search for growth and development, it’s essential to be able to contribute and listen to different points of view. I’ll look forward to your opinions. I mean it.

“And don’t forget,” he adds, “that saying from the Gospels: ‘This is how you shall know they are my disciples: in that they love one another.’ I assure you Jorge that my intention is by no means to hurt anyone, but to rectify the errors committed by others who preceded us. And I also ask you to point out to me, after you’ve done your research, the mistake or mistakes that I might have incurred in while expressing my point of view.”

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CHAPTER VIII COINCIDENCES We often forget that as all kinds of human interrelationships take place, it’s as if personal attitudes and conducts are transmitted, almost imperceptibly, between us.

What the members of that singular group at the El Encinal ranch simply didn’t imagine was that this peculiar transfer of attitudes didn’t flow between people only, but that it also moved, in a similar way, between the elements of the natural surroundings and human beings…

The trees and other members of Nature had always proceeded with the ancestral attitudes of discretion and tranquility, but faced with the fickleness of human judgment, these attitudes were also being inexplicably transmitted to the group.

Perhaps even that soft and timid blowing of the wind that dared to touch the men was also influencing them more powerfully than the most eloquent of speeches.

And such was the change in the group’s attitude that Jorge, without even noticing it and despite being a little upset just moments before, now considered that maybe it would actually be better to take from Don Alonso the parts where he was right and simply cast to the wind, so it could do with them what it thought best, all those other ones which he considered inadequate.

“Maybe,” Jorge seemed to be telling himself in the most complete silence, “he might even be right. Those truths that we sometimes defend so strongly should be subjected to closer examination and scrutiny by all; in this way, our march through life will be stronger and firmer.”

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Gustavo, for his part, quietly congratulates himself for being in this nearly magical place in Mexico, where the afternoon peace seemed to provide the perfect setting for this different sort of conversation.

But as the Sun continued soberly and silently on its celestial journey without even the slightest murmur, it was sending them a message so forceful that it spoke more than a thousand words. “Don’t forget,” it seemed to tell them, “that time has received instructions not to stop its march. Any attempt to slow it down would be more futile than trying to catch the wind with one’s own hands.”

Gustavo, aware of this unwritten though well-observed protocol, rather than question this incomprehensible march of time, decides instead to make the most of it and continue with the conversation.

“Don Alonso,” Gustavo says in a quiet voice, “there is something else that you wanted to share with us…”

“Well actually, there would be so many things to talk about, but I’ll comment on the other matter which, for the time being, I consider a high priority.

“But not without first commenting to you,” Don Alonso says with a certain warning tone in his voice, “that the topic I’ll discuss in a few moments —which I already hinted at last time— would be considered irrelevant, or worthy of study only by academics or sociologists.

“However, I assure you it’s one of the key aspects of human conduct; any retreat from these invisible rules will cause many disastrous effects, like the ones we are experiencing today.

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commit. As with most of our foolish activities, deep down we don’t realize that the consequences will come back to us.”

And as Don Alonso briefly pauses, a disconcerted Jorge asks: “And what kind of error is that?”

“It’s true,” Don Alonso replies as he suddenly realizes that Jorge wasn’t present the last time, “you weren’t here on that occasion. Maybe you were guessing that we were going to get into polemics…”

“No! Of course not!” Jorge answers. “I’m ready to consider any point.”

Don Alonso addresses Jorge: “Last time I was telling Gustavo that it would seem that we humans can’t even manage to measure the consequences of our actions.

There were even people well versed in sociology who established schools of thought whereby, they assured us, there were two types of interests among people. The first type, they said, might be called ‘rational interests,’ in which people’s interests supposedly run parallel, as with father and son, or husband and wife, where the good of one coincides with the good of the other…

“Those sociologists also considered the existence of another type of interest, which they named ‘irrational,’ whereby the motivations are ‘confronted.’ In this case, the good of one operates in detriment of the other’s. For example, this would be, according to them, like the interests of the business owner and those of the laborer, whereby the former seeks to pay less and obtain more work and the latter exactly the opposite.

“Tell me, Jorge, What would you think of such a classification?” Don Alonso asks, as he tries to elucidate his thoughts on the subject.

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“I had never seen it like that before, but it doesn’t seem so out of place to me.”

All this was causing Gustavo some anxiety, who now feared the beginning of more contention between them.

“Gustavo, I hope you don’t think that I’m giving more importance to the subject than it deserves,” Don Alonso deems convenient to point out, “but believe me, I consider that it’s a crucial matter in our country for a number of reasons which I will explain.

“Last time I was telling Gustavo,” he continues as he observes Jorge’s bewilderment, “that such a classification of interests, though accepted as valid by many, exists only in the imagination because absolutely all of mankind’s interests on the planet are rational interests and they run perfectly parallel to one another.

“That supposed irrationality between the interests of persons, groups and even countries,” Don Alonso assures them, “takes place only in the imagination, and it’s the consequence of a superficial analysis.

“I’m increasingly convinced,” he goes on, as if talking to himself, “that human beings aren’t sufficiently capable of seeing the true consequences of nearly everything we do.

“Oftentimes I even think,” he goes on as he lets his imagination fly, “that perhaps the maker of the stars didn’t deliberately want to put in our hands the power to discern between good and evil for a very simple reason: Our judgment is, most of the time, vain, shallow and short term.”

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siders it opportune to add something else: “I’ve insisted on this point to many people and I get the impression they thought my position was a bit superfluous.”

“Absolutely not, please continue,” Gustavo immediately answers.

“Our traditionally short term way of looking at things,” Don Alonso states, “doesn’t allow us to realize that deep down, there is no way to separate personal from collective activity, and then, more seriously, how every individual action will sooner or later come back to its very originator. Álvaro, who already knew Don Alonso’s peculiar mind quite well, just tries, without saying a word, to gauge the visitors’ reactions.

Gustavo, for his part, having already listened to his host’s singular vision —though this time it was in the social sphere— isn’t so surprised. But Jorge is increasingly mystified, as if not measuring the possible reaches of what’s gotten Don Alonso so convinced.

Gustavo, sensing his friend’s discomfort, suggests something to Don Alonso: “You know something Don Alonso?

I have seldom seen people who can explain things through examples with more ease than you. Therefore, I think that if you state what you want to tell us with examples we would understand much better…”

Taking him at his word, Don Alonso says, “You’re right Gustavo, I’m going to make use of them, to look at things under two perspectives: first, as if in the context of our own body and then, through a more extended social scope.

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“Looking at it first as part of the human body, let’s see…

How can I put it to you? Ah, I know!

“Do you see that great oak on the left? There, close to the little dam.”

“Thank God I can see it perfectly well,” Jorge answers, without having the slightest idea as to the question’s point.

“How many oaks do you see?” Don Alonso asks.

“Well, one.”

“My question is very obvious, Jorge,” Don Alonso clarifies, “but you know, you should see two because fortunately you have two eyes, but you only see one tree. Do you know why?”

“Well,” he reflects, “I hadn’t thought about that.”

“Fortunately, and as a condition for enjoying good health in your body, in mine and everybody else’s, the principle of complementarity must prevail instead of that of rivalry, struggle or, least of all, the domination of certain organs or groups of cells over others.

“Should the principle of rivalry prevail,” he assures them with great conviction, “apart from the millions of conflicts that would break out throughout your body all at once, each eye would try to impose its particular vision upon the brain.

“For starters, you, me and everyone else would see double and the truth is,” he says with a smile, “that would be disastrous for the rest of the body. Among many other inconveniences, I think we wouldn’t even be able to do things right.

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“For that reason you can see what a marvel the human being is. Somewhere within us, both images somehow seek instead to complement each other by keeping the sharpest and best of each.

“That principle of complementarity in our organism is so strong,” he continues, “that the diminished eyesight in one eye is balanced, almost imperceptibly, by the other one.

“Now, for a moment, let’s imagine that the principle of rivalry or struggle between cells, tissues or organs were prevalent. And say the left or right tried to prevail over the other one.

“Or that the muscular tissue, being the one that moves the body, should dominate the others, or likewise, the digestive system, arguing that without it nutrients couldn’t be absorbed, did the same.

“What would then happen? Such an attitude would only cause very serious deficiencies, or could even cause the death of the organism in a short time.”

As Jorge and Gustavo probe deeper and deeper into Don Alonso’s particular point of view, they allow him to continue with his presentation.

“But see how curious: If the cells of your body had the authority to make decisions, they would also suffer from having false points of view, just as it happens in our world because of the actions of humans. And of course, there would be those cells who, through ignorance or convenience, would instigate the principle of rivalry or cellular divisionism.

“I assure you,” says Don Alonso, “that I could give you an unimaginable number of examples, but I will only present a few.

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“If any businessperson tries to rip off his or her employees by paying them less than is their due, that person will feel very astute at first, but in practice this will cause something else.

“I don’t doubt for an instant that to begin with, it would reduce the quality of the manufactured goods, increase employee turnover very harmfully and would, little by little, put the survival of the company at risk.

“But that would only be the beginning of the damage, because as only one of many secondary and perhaps unnoticed effects, this businessperson would be limiting the total quality and quantity of goods and services produced by the country, which would then inevitably make it a far less competitive place in the global context. This is an act that, as I was saying, will somehow and to some extent come back to the boss, his or her family and progeny.

“By contrast, any entrepreneur who supports, trains and gives back, within his or her means, to the company’s collaborators will generate direct and indirect results that will be exactly the opposite of those cited in the previous example. Better paid employees will also, among many other positive effects, contribute in a certain way to the creation of a much more robust internal market. This is a fact that will benefit all, including the employer.

“Now let’s look at this within the scope of a professional activity: Lucas, let’s invent a name for him,” Don Alonso says with a smile, “is a chemical engineer in charge of quality control at a food processing plant.

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not reporting the analysis results, thus allowing that merchandise to enter the production line. Lucas walks into the trap, perhaps thinking that his action will have no importance whatsoever.

“Imagine that this misdeed goes undetected, and though Lucas might have considered himself the most astute of mortals, that banned ingredient will in some way decrease his fellow citizens’ productivity. This fact will come back —this time magnified— to Lucas himself, his family and community.

“Now let’s imagine that once the raw materials’ value has increased significantly due to processing, labor, time, packaging, transportation and a host of other things, the prohibited substance were to be detected by his country’s sanitary authorities or worse, as it was entering a foreign market.

“What will happen? Not only will it badly damage Lucas’ position at work and his company’s finances and image, but his entire country’s as well. This is a fact that will undoubtedly come back to haunt Lucas and those around him in ways he never imagined.

“Now let’s say that Ricardo,” Don Alonso declares, “in this case we’ll give him another name, is also working in the research department of a food products enterprise.

Thanks to his dedication, he comes up with a more natural, quicker and safer way to process certain food products which will, incidentally, better preserve various basic nutrients.

“After submitting the new procedure for management’s consideration, they modify the processing protocols for various products.

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“This change,” Don Alonso assures them, “will not only help Ricardo himself in his professional career and the company he works for, but will in some way —almost invisibly at first— be contributing in making his country’s society a much healthier and prosperous community. This will later, undoubtedly, benefit Ricardo and those around him.

“Now let’s look at another citizens group: A contractor who we will name Jonás takes part in the construction of some public projects, and he knows full well that if the reinforced concrete he will be using is weaker, it will also shorten its useful life. Nevertheless, he decides to lower the specified standards by using less cement and steel rebar, believing that certain parts of the building he’s constructing will not be inspected, and keeping for himself the left over key materials for his own benefit.

“Although at first Jonás would have bet that he had acted this way due to his natural intelligence, in a much shorter time than he might have expected something very different happened: The buildings he constructed had to be rebuilt, which apart from the civil responsibility and loss of reputation he incurred in, caused the government to start the project over again. It spent a whole lot more than the insignificant percentage Jonás felt he had gained by reducing the strength of the concrete he used.

“Jonás never considered that the additional funds later disbursed by the government meant that less was spent on other budget line items that not only caused shortfalls for Jonás and his family, but also contributed in making his neighborhood a more impoverished place. This, among other things, caused a drop in the value of his own house.

“Now let’s consider a civil servant who works impeccably and assigns projects fairly. This will make that offi138

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cial not only a highly regarded member of the community but will also contribute in creating a much better and prosperous social environment. And this will also directly and indirectly benefit him and his present and future family.

“Another case: Timoteo was a worker who did his job satisfactorily, but because of some bad friends and other factors, he fell into the drugs trap in the most absurd way. What started as a supposedly recreational experience turned him into a complete addict to various drugs which were harming his health and altering his conduct.

“To finance his dependence, he felt he had to resort to robbery. At first, Timo, as his friends called him, saw he could make in a few hours what used to take weeks, and turned people and even tourists into his victims.

“During one of his crimes, things came out badly and Timo lost his life. Never did he imagine that what he considered his creative conduct would contribute in greatly harming the area where his family remained and where his descendants would live. It also contributed to the negative image he, along with others who acted like him, had given the place. This in turn drastically reduced the flow of visitors and investors with the consequent loss of jobs and many other drawbacks.

“Calixto on the other hand was a dedicated rural teacher who knew instinctively that all the effort he put into instilling values in his pupils would contribute in making his country a better and more prosperous place for all.

“So in addition to fulfilling the school curriculum, he always emphasized the practical application of values such as promptness, quality, honesty, the building of willpower and other key elements which he presented to his pupils 139

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by means of simple examples taken from daily life or from history.

“When he referred to, say promptness, he explained to his pupils that, if in our country a half hour is lost per person per day due to tardiness, that would translate into a criminal waste of millions of work hours per year which would harm us all in a multitude of ways.

“Similarly, many other values were explained by Calixto by means of easy-to-grasp examples, and now that the teacher is elderly, he is appreciated and remembered by those who were his students. But most importantly, by putting into practice in their daily lives what they learned from him, they contribute in making a better and more prosperous place for all, including Calixto and his family.

“One more example, gentlemen,” he tells them. “Let’s imagine that Sebastián is a public official at the Treasury who realizes perfectly well that if he streamlines the tax refund process to the taxpayers, the loss of an astronomical number of man-hours will be avoided. And since the nation is nothing but the sum of those who make it, he decides to select and introduce an incredibly simple tax collection system.

“That will cause,” Don Alonso assures them, “the country to become a much more productive community, which will not only directly and indirectly benefit society, but will later also revert positively to Sebastian himself, his family, the political group to which he belongs and the entire country.

“Believe me,” a convinced Don Alonso tells them, “the list of similar cases could extend as long as you wish.

What I can assure you is that there isn’t the most insig140

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nificant human action that not only impacts at first our fellow humans in the family, national or global spheres, but will then, sooner or later, return in a bigger form to the very initiator of the action, along with his friends and relatives.”

“One doubt… Why do you say this influences even in the global sphere?”

“Actually, what happens,” Don Alonso replies, “is that although the majority might not see it this way, we are all part of the same group, and a damage or benefit to others will automatically return to us all, no matter what our view might be. Look, if you allow me, I’ll give you two more examples, so you can see the international repercussions that stem from absolutely every human action.

“If, for example, a Japanese researcher invents a type of lightbulb that uses less energy and emits more light, that will not only benefit the global community, I assure you.

The resulting reduction in fossil fuel consumption in the planet, together with other benefits, will come back to further that scientist in many and varied ways.

“Now let’s look at a negative example: If an extremist group, say from Africa or Asia, decides to harm Europe under the belief that it’s accomplishing a task worthy of praise, their action will in fact revert back to them and to those who surround them. And I’ll tell you why.

“The human and material harm inflicted will, in a small way, weaken that neighboring European continent in different ways, which will in turn decrease its ability to help them. Among other things, it will diminish its ability to receive immigrants from those areas that must expel them year after year.

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“It will also reduce a little its purchasing capacity for the goods produced in the areas where the harm came from, and I could enumerate an incredible chain of consequences that would turn back to the very perpetrators of such an action.

“I don’t have the slightest doubt about the infallible social cause-and-effect link of even the slightest action by any person. But you know, what actually worries me the most is that the immense majority, especially in developing countries, aren’t even remotely aware of this farreaching phenomenon and as a result, we have right in front of us all the negative effects that stem from them.”

After a brief pause, they all remain deep in thought, though with a far more complete understanding of what he was trying to tell them. Then, Gustavo adds, “With those examples, it’s clearer than water to us…”

“I believe however that what has affected us the most is corruption,” Jorge points out, “and that’s where we should place the greatest emphasis.”

“Corruption, that deplorable social phenomenon,” Don Alonso stresses, “though it affects us too much, is just one of the negative consequences of that incomplete social vision that I’ve been mentioning to you. Believe me, if we continue dealing with this problem as if it were something isolated, we’ll never thoroughly fix it.”

“Then there’s something I don’t understand,” Jorge insists. “Why does that more advanced vision you keep talking about hasn’t projected itself onto the community?”

“First,” Don Alonso answers, “because of the natural and intrinsic superficiality we humans suffer from. Fortunately, though, I believe there are more and more people who notice instinctively this mechanism.

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“However, we should also not fail to recognize there are other circumstantial factors that contribute to perpetuating that erroneous, anachronistic and shortsighted social perception that has harmed us so much, though it has often been the consequence of a somewhat deceitful intervention in the social evolution process.”

Jorge and Gustavo remain again fairly disconcerted, without knowing what he was referring to, while Don Alonso stays silent for a few instants, as if meditating on the best way to detail his views to them. Then he adds, “You know, since you’ve allowed me the use of examples, now I’d like to go a little further and present them to you by means of an anecdote that happened to me while I was living in Mexico City. That’s also why I took the liberty of inviting you again. May I tell it to you?”

“Go on,” Gustavo answers immediately.

“Back in the nineties, when Licenciado Ernesto Zedillo was president of Mexico, I was talking with Luis Maldonado who worked as the president of a scientific and cultural society to which I belong. In those years, that person was also one of the highest public officials at the Secretariat of Governance, and he asked for my opinion on the management and results of the country’s social issues.

“During our chat I made him understand that among other things, on the matter of civics we weren’t proceeding in the best fashion and that if we didn’t improve its teaching, we wouldn’t progress as required. I even remember going further and telling him: ‘The civics we teach is not the real one.’

“My friend was very surprised, and attempting to understand my opinion on the issue, he asks me: ‘And in your view, What would be the best way to teach it?’

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“I answered him, ‘By making the student see that the total result of the country will be nothing more than the simple sum of the behaviors of each man and woman who makes up the nation. Also, it must be explained to the student how the most insignificant action we perform will not only project itself onto others, but it must also be made perfectly clear that all actions will sooner or later revert to each one of us. That’s real civics.’

“Thanks to that high official’s patience,” Don Alonso continues, “I was talking to him for a long time about a great number of actual and obvious cases like the ones I’ve just described to you. My interlocutor had good social instincts and I believe that’s why he told me, ‘I think you’re right. I’m going to introduce you to Mr. Miguel Limon Rojas, the current Secretary of Education, so you can explain to him your opinion on the matter.’

“So thanks to that person’s resolve, a few days later I was with Miguel Limon Rojas and Olac Fuentes Molinar, who was an Undersecretary of Education, and I started to explain in great detail my point of view.

“After a while, one of them asks, ‘Solutions?’ “’We must change the focus of the civics subject matter,’ I told them, ‘and more than concentrating ourselves on dates and events, though they are important, it’s necessary to emphasize to the country’s student body the importance of our behavior so we can understand first, how our most insignificant action will impact others, and then, how it will echo back to each one of us. I also took the liberty of leaving another civics text with you that I had prepared essentially for the general public, though under the same perspective.’

“Both officials told me they were going to analyze my proposal with educators and sociologists, and would get back to me in due course.

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“When I left that office,” Don Alonso continues, “though grateful to both officials for their time and concern for the future of the country, I confess to you that I thought my idea wouldn’t go far.

“However, after a few months,” he goes on before Gustavo and Jorge’s intent gaze, “I received a call from the Secretariat. The focus of the civics subject matter was going to be modified by seeking to include my recommendations. Now, it would even be called ‘Civics and Ethics Education’ and taught in the three junior high grades.”

“So,” Jorge concludes, “the initiative was successful, right?”

“That was the good part,” Don Alonso answers, “but now comes the part that wasn’t so good.

“Despite having the full support of some people in management, when the issue got to another level, though some subject names were changed, the underlying set of problems and its resulting consequences which were to be covered by means of examples were never explained as deeply as I had suggested.

“So you can understand the transcendence and reach this change of focus could have had on the students and future citizens. I’ll even tell you a very different story: For five years they were sending me plane tickets and paid reservations from the United States so I could be there and transmit this kind of ideas at book fairs and on radio programs.

“I can even remember that the mayor of Chicago once came to visit us at a Spanish-language book fair. He told me he had a great interest in seeing that the concepts I 145

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had expressed in the civics book be spread mainly in the Hispanic community. He considered them cutting-edge principles.

“This important official was so convinced by these theses,” Don Alonso tells them, still struck with amazement, “that he even took it upon himself to have that text included many schools’ Spanish-language educational material.

“It goes without saying,” he emphasizes, “that it was here, in my own country, that I wanted those ideas to permeate, but I had no success.”

“I can’t believe it,” Gustavo says. “But they must have had a good reason, didn’t they?”

“I want to make clear that I recognize the goodwill displayed by the education official I just mentioned, and also that of most of the Secretariat’s staff, but I believe the negative intervention of a few officials from those days at the Secretariat prevented a complete transformation.”

“Why was that?”

“Some midlevel civil servants had a different social perspective which led to a crucial error, because many of the former students, now active citizens, would now be positively affecting the development of our country.

“But to be frank, gentlemen,” Don Alonso adds, “if you ask me about the reason or reasons those civil servants might have had for not fully integrating the proposed approach, I don’t know of any.

“Indeed,” Don Alonso seems to admit, “perhaps I should have taken the advice of a lawyer and friend of mine 146

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named Francisco Pineda. He accompanied me to a number of meetings with the officials of that Secretariat where we tried unsuccessfully to convince them of the importance of instilling a different social focus among our students.”

“And what did this lawyer say to you?” asks Jorge, who’s now captivated.

“That under no circumstances should I accept the refusal to include the new focus in its totality because it was very important in fostering a change.”

“But what could you have done?”

“He was proposing to file for me a writ of protection; he even offered to do the legal work pro bono.”

“And did you do it?”

“No, because among other things, the publisher I was with at the time wasn’t in the least bit excited about getting into a legal fight with that Secretariat.”

“I don’t understand,” Jorge insists. “They must have given you a reason.”

“Well,” Don Alonso answers, “actually they did mention some reasons, but I believe they were a front; I think there were other underlying reasons.”

“Such as?” asks Gustavo, who’s increasingly interested.

“They said,” Don Alonso explains, with a hint of a smile, “that the students wouldn’t understand the examples I was giving, especially the anthropomorphic ones, that is to say, those applied to the human body.

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“I remember that my friend Fernando told me in private, ‘They’re the ones who don’t understand; the students will understand the process perfectly well.’”

“And in the end,” Jorge insists, “How did everything end up?”

“The changes were implemented, but without making the student fully understand the importance of one’s own actions and, most importantly, by not explaining by means of examples the lasting impact on others of even our most insignificant actions and, finally, how everything would come back in one way or another to the very initiator of every action, in the same way that it happens with the actions of the smallest cell in our organism.

“Ah! By the way, that which I’ve just cited would be considered an ‘anthropomorphic’ example, which means ‘about the human body.’ What those officials said seems laughable to me: ‘The students would not have been able to understand.’”

“So, try to venture a judgement,” Gustavo says with a certain heaviness. “What underlying reasons might there have been?”

“Venturing a judgement, as you put it, and according to the terminology used by those few officials who didn’t agree with the proposal,” Don Alonso states, “I believe I can elucidate one of the underlying reasons why they opposed it.”

“What sort of terminology were they using?”

“They claimed that I was only hoping to ‘perpetuate the current exploitation system’ and that sort of things. This 148

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philosophy, which is behind us in most of the world, is in turn derived from another superficial social analysis which has fully demonstrated its uselessness. But guess what, there are some small groups that continue to buy into that. Although few in number, they are embedded, like cysts, in certain key organizations such as the education sector. And I want to make this clear: This is in spite of the highly responsible attitude of the immense majority of past and present officials and teachers in that Secretariat.

“Those small groups operate just beneath the surface, systematically and radically opposing any change or reform that tries to modify things, and I think this goes on even today. Gentlemen, I repeat: They manage to exert influence despite the highly responsible attitude of the great majority of officials and teachers.”

At that point, an alarm light goes on in Jorge’s mind and he states: “Well we must also recognize that the social question is key.”

“Of course,” he answers, “though only if well understood, because otherwise it will result in a counterproductive effect throughout the social structure.”

“Remember, Don Alonso,” Jorge replies, “that many social theories are the result of scientific socialism, which is in turn based on the dialectic development of history.”

Gustavo was flabbergasted by his friend’s statement.

Jorge was giving the impression that those distant ideas they both held when they were in high school had apparently not even budged in his mind. Álvaro, for his part, like when he sees a dark cloud to the east and nearly succeeds in forecasting the exact mo149

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ment when the storm will break, discerns another exchange on the horizon. And since that type of argument seemed pointless to him, he decides to take a break and tells them: “If it’s OK with you, I’ll go see how the trees were planted and I’ll be right back.”

“Go ahead, Álvaro,” Don Alonso answers, almost guessing his thoughts.

As Álvaro walks along the little dam’s edge, he holds his head low and reflects: “Gosh! Don Alonso had already hinted to me about that experience he once had. I can’t believe it; it’s right out of Ripley’s…

“No wonder Don Alonso preferred to move out here,” he goes on thinking while walking dejectedly. “Some will argue the most outlandish things.”

He saw the workers at a distance; they seemed to have completed their task and were gathering their belongings. As he was feeling cloaked by the tranquility of the setting, he congratulated himself for having retreated for a while. Álvaro sees with pleasure how the trees sway a little and seem to give thanks for the blowing of the wind.

And as he listens to the soft murmur of the moving branches, something he had not dared to confess comes to mind: It was a kind of opinion that the silent members of Nature, as they contemplated human activities, might well hold.

“I don’t want to tell anyone about that kind of thoughts,” he reflects with a smile, “least of all my mother. She would surely tell me how right she had been when she warned me that I was going to go crazy by being with Don Alonso.

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“But after all,” he reconsiders as he smiles a bit more, “nobody will find out, and I believe we’re all allowed a little madness.” For that reason, he cannot help stopping and admiring the trees’ soft though happy swaying and murmuring as they were permeated by the afternoon’s sunlight and breeze.

He asks himself in the most complete silence: “What would the trees say about the way humans act?”

Everything lingers in complete silence while the leaves’ forceful though discreet whispering continues in the distance.

After admiring this wonderful sight for a few minutes, and as he was about to resume his walk, something seems to come to his mind: How right we were, When humans we ignored, Some go one way, The others go the opposite…

Had we listened to their voices, With their list of silly nonsense, They would have already contaminated us, And that would have harmed us…

Who can put up with their envies?

How can they live while they argue?

How could they find their way, If they’re only clashing?

It’s necessary to ignore them, And to close our eyes very tightly, How could we be productive, With all their disputes?

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The world would be a desert, Without the green we still give them.

All would starve, Without that which we still produce…

The best path, Is to ignore them, Praying they will open their minds, Before they bring the world to an end… Álvaro remains dumbfounded, trusting that what had just come to his mind was merely the product of his imagination, as he observes the swaying branches enjoying the wind and Sun. He continues on his short walk and reflects: “The words that entered my mind don’t seem so crazy to me, but I hope that I never have to share them with anyone.”

As Álvaro reaches his destination, Benjamín asks: “What were you looking at while you were standing there?”

“Ah, nothing! I was just impressed by the trees’ movement.”

“I wonder,” Benjamín jokes, “if you’re starting to become like Don Alonso…”

“Perhaps, but tell me, How did it go with the trees?”

“See for yourself. How do they seem to you? We’ve also placed the drip irrigation system where they told us to.”

“Great. Don Alonso will come to see them later because now we’re hosting the visitors. I just wanted to see your work.”

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While he chats with the workers a little longer, Ă lvaro decides to rejoin the group, though not without congratulating himself for having come to this place, if only for a few minutes.

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CHAPTER IX S TRANGE

VOICES

As Álvaro heads towards the group, he cannot avoid feeling the need to pick up the pace, because something inside him was telling him he shouldn’t have left Don Alonso alone just as disagreements, no matter how senseless they seemed to him, were breaking out.

Still, another part of him was also saying that Don Alonso was more than capable of trading opinions with Jorge, even though their positions were diametrically opposed.

The only risk would be, he thought, if either one were to become exasperated and push aside all the basic rules of true dialogue.

As he approaches them, and seeing that they were talking normally, he reflects that perhaps he was worrying for no reason. Álvaro takes his place again while trying not to interrupt the conversation. Now he understands things better and notes that, although the dialogue is taking place in a cordial manner, Don Alonso and Jorge have contrary views.

“Don Alonso,” Jorge declares with great assurance, “what happens is that given the transcendental phenomenon known as ‘class struggle’ which society has always endured, oftentimes it is necessary to have revolutions, as a sort of wedge or instrument of social change. And this is the way to propitiate the advent of an egalitarian society.”

“In other words,” answers Don Alonso, not in the least upset and before Gustavo’s and Álvaro’s anxious gaze, “Do you consider revolution an advisable element in the social advancement process?”

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“That is very often the case.”

“Jorge, with all due respect, I know those theses have got you convinced, but I see it differently… May I tell you why?”

“Of course.”

“All of history’s revolutions,” Don Alonso begins in his soft but firm voice, “could and should have been avoided if they only had incorporated one incredibly simple thing: the vote. Because believe me, the people’s will is the true engine of change to go in the right direction. Social advancement cannot be reduced to the opinion of a certain group, no matter how strongly it might feel that it’s found a new path. Rather, each proposal should be submitted to the scrutiny, analysis and decision of the majority which, as I was saying, is the only one that should show us the way.

“Every time any community followed the path of violence,” he continues, “it’s because that possibility didn’t exist, but fortunately, once that door is open, the ‘revolutionary’ option that you refer to turns out to be not only anachronistic and senseless, but even contrary to the social evolution process.

“And the reason for that is very simple. Once the democratic option is established, the justification for a revolutionary movement simply disappears because it would remain reduced to something that clearly seems illegitimate: a group’s simple and vulgar attempt to impose its will on the others.”

Faced with the soundness of the exposed arguments, Jorge remains in a pensive mood, highlighting the fact that his interlocutor was already accustomed to such dialogues.

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“Another reason for the vote,” Don Alonso continues, “is that anyone who’s unwilling to submit to the scrutiny or analysis of the entire community increases the probability of being mistaken, which would cause not only himself, but also his society to stumble.

“You know something? About that apparent need for revolution that you talk about, one should remove just one letter —the ‘r’— from the word ‘revolution’ to transform it into a simpler but more meaningful one: ‘evolution.’ That is to say, social evolution is achieved only with the participation of the entire community, through the vote and the free expression of ideas.”

Don Alonso gets the approval of Gustavo, who is surprised to hear his friend Jorge’s extremely orthodox and currently anachronistic thoughts. Jorge, for his part, remains searching for the weak point in the argument he has just heard.

“Remember, Jorge,” Don Alonso comments, “the analogy I was telling you about the development of any human being. Despite the fact that it’s at birth when a human being has the most neurons, his or her greatest potential will be reached when the neurons will grow ramifications and these will interconnect with one another.

“If that doesn’t happen, as I was saying, their capacity for judgement and their future will be as restricted as their limited neuronal communication, because all parts of the brain are important: the left, right, central, frontal, all without exception.

“Something similar,” he continues, “will occur in the social realm, and will manifest itself in the family, labor, domestic or international spheres.”

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Jorge didn’t usually expound his true social convictions to anyone because he had had some negative experiences, but considering his interlocutor’s debating abilities, here he had the ideal opportunity to do just that.

“I totally disagree with you, Don Alonso. Scientific socialism didn’t arise from a certain group’s whimsical idea, but was instead carefully studied and contributes one of the best options for social development. But that can only be understood by experts on the matter, not by the general public.”

“You think so?”

“Of course,” Jorge sustains, showing enormous conviction. “What happens is that many don’t understand it, so it’s mistakenly criticized.”

“A few millennia ago,” Don Alonso jokes, “I also believed that, more or less, but then I reached other conclusions.

If you allow me, I’d like to tell you the reasons why I used to see things under a different perspective. May I share them with you?”

“Go ahead.”

“But before, I’ll say this: What’s been a sort of curse throughout history has been the arrogance of a few trying to impose a certain point of view on the rest. But, curiously, every time this imposition has happened, it was conveniently disguised under a cloak of liberation, unification, protection or the supposed discovery of a new way forward.

“And I assure you, in practice, when unilateral points of view have been imposed this way on others, it can’t even reach the ‘revolution’ category. Instead, it’s merely a 158

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social ‘regression’ because we can’t skip that unwritten rule whereby all options must be submitted to the will of the majority.”

“But Don Alonso,” Jorge object, “with all due respect, that doesn’t operate with scientific socialism because it’s an element that’s been perfectly well studied and expounded by great men, and it’s founded on historical dialectics. Excuse me, but that can’t be left in the domain of the common citizen.”

“Jorge, I don’t have the slightest doubt that those ideas can turn out to be very tempting for you and others, but perhaps by analyzing them better you could manage to think differently.”

“Or perhaps,” Jorge counters, “the same could happen to you.”

“Perhaps. But allow me to present my point of view, and I request that you indicate the point or points you might disagree with.

“Gentlemen, I hope not to bore you, but since you’re in politics, it’s convenient that you also analyze this point of view, though I’ll present it to you in a greatly abbreviated version.”

“We’ll listen to you with pleasure,” Gustavo assures him.

For his part, Jorge remains very attentive and stands in silence as if allowing things to settle on their own.

“You’ve just mentioned,” Don Alonso resumes, “the dialectics of history, so I’d like to begin with that.

“One of the most important philosophers who dealt with that topic was Hegel, and curiously, Marx and Engels 159

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confirmed having based many of their writings on the dialectical method. However, in practice and in the actual grounding of their theories, they didn’t go beyond a mere grammatical use of the term, because their way of presenting them was different.

“Jorge, tell me something, What is your concept of dialectics?”

“Well, it’s the same as that of the experts on the matter, that is to say, it’s the science that deals with the evolution of ideas and theories. I don’t know how you would consider it yourself.”

“That’s the thought of Hegel and even some of his predecessors such as Heraclytus, centuries before Christ. But I insist, those dialectic principles were not followed in the establishment of the theories of Marx, Engels and Lenin.”

“Why do you say that?”

“Dialectics,” Don Alonso continues, “is a part of logic and philosophy which we could see from two points of view: Firstly, it could be said that it’s the art of argumentation or dialogue, a kind of comparison between different ideas or points of view. Or, secondly, we could also see it under a more profound concept, exactly as Heraclytus and later Hegel did. They considered it a permanent mobility or evolution based on a structure of opposites, and saw contradiction as the origin of many things.”

“And how did that supposedly operate?” asks Gustavo, who’s increasingly puzzled, as if wanting to complement those ideas of his youth.

“Look, Gustavo, they were profound philosophical ideas with a solid basis, which assured that history keeps de160

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veloping through a permanent adjustment of opposite forces, like those that keep a bow’s strings tense.

“It’s very likely that Hegel gave the ideas of Heraclytus careful consideration, and that Marx, Engels, Lenin and others were in turn based on what Hegel said. So far so good.

“Nevertheless, for the forces of true dialectics to get going, an authentic and honest comparison of opposite ideas is required. That is nothing other than dialogue, which is a term closely linked to dialectics.

“Look Jorge, any theory —especially a controversial theory— can be accepted as valid unless it’s subjected to the dialectical process. Otherwise, the term ‘theory’ is limited to mere grammatical use, which is what you did.

“Jorge, here is where the problem begins, because the Marxist-Leninist interpretation was not only ‘monolectic’, but also quite distant from reality.

“Marx took it upon himself to write his theories unilaterally, as if he were an enlightened prophet, without considering the economic or historical concepts of those who didn’t share his point of view.

“In other words, from that point on he begins to distance himself from true dialectics when he makes that unilateral and incomplete interpretation.

“And after that first urge to distance himself from the free comparison of ideas, those theories were taken to the realm of reality. That’s where things got worse because they had to be complemented with a heavy-handed imposition in the political sphere. Since those theses were poorly structured, disastrous socioeconomic results were 161

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the outcome once they were applied. These in turn produced much social discontent and the only way to sustain such nonsense was through the use of force.

“It’s true that we all have the right to express our ideas.

However, what’s unacceptable is to try to impose a unilateral and economic vision on all society without even bothering to submit those theses to dialog or ideological comparison. Instead, it was just presented —albeit in a treacherously attractive way— to a determined segment of society.

“Though at first it confused many —I among them— see for yourselves the great limitation in those reasonings: Starting in 1842, they circumscribe economic and social reality to their very limited analyses and, among other things, they point out ‘incompatible material interests’ as one of the main causes of social deficiencies. That’s how it was expressed in Marx’s Communist Manifesto in 1848.

“Now here Jorge, I’ll make a small observation: Do you remember that a short while ago I was commenting on the unsurmountable objection I received by a few officials from the Secretariat of Education?”

“I remember, but first tell me something: Why do you erroneously suppose that Marx’s analysis was superficial?”

“I’ll answer you precisely by telling you what happened to me.

“For those few Secretariat of Education officials, my ‘crime’ was not so much having exposed certain examples, as they tried to pretend, but having assured them that all of humanity’s interests on the planet run per162

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fectly parallel. To claim, as I explained, that the interests of some are intrinsically opposed to those of others is the product of an incomplete and superficial sociological analysis.

“Jorge, remember the examples I gave you a while ago?”

“I remember them.”

“I could give you many more, as many as you like, and in any field of human endeavor. With any of them, I could demonstrate how all human beings’ interests on the planet are compatible and parallel. I repeat: This holds true not only for a country’s citizens, but for the entire planet’s population as well.

The fact that starting from a superficial analysis we hadn’t seen it like that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. And you know something? This will come as a surprise to you, but one of Mr. Marx’s postulates was precisely the opposite.

“If we study carefully most of his writings, he talks about this supposed incompatibility of interests. According to him, we are consequently compelled to a ‘class struggle.’

“And then,” Don Alonso says with a smile, “someone like yours truly shows up with a civics-focused approach and assures them there’s often an invisible yet invariably infallible similarity of interests. The logical outcome was exactly what occurred: Those few officials never accepted him because he was, without saying it openly, opposed to their dogmas.”

Jorge nearly jumps out of his chair as he listens to Don Alonso’s opinion, but seeing that he knows the topic more or less, he chooses, for the time being, to let him continue.

He would wait until the end to voice his objections.

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“Any citizen,” Don Alonso assures them, “who puts any kind of dogma ahead of the basic rules of dialectics — even when knowing that by doing so they can affect their country— will see that their actions will not only harm others, as we were saying, but will come back to them in many different ways.

“Besides, and going back to Marx, his monolectic vision missed many things and his analyses didn’t produce a correct assessment of economics and history.”

“I absolutely disagree with your point of view,” Jorge objects, “but like we said, I’ll let you finish.”

“Thank you Jorge. As I was saying, true dialectics, as a subset of logic, requires, among other things and as a condition for reaching a valid result, to be based on certain rules. One of them is that it should start from solid and accurate premises or postulates so as not to reach senseless conclusions, which was what happened.”

“Like what kind of inaccurate postulates?” Jorge complains, as he gets increasingly vexed.

“Among other things, his economic analysis of history was very limited, and was based on a long series of inaccurate, or in the best of cases, ambiguous postulates.

“Look Jorge, I don’t pretend to be rude in any way but as I was telling you: When, in logic, we set off from inaccurate premises, we reach conclusions that don’t conform to reality. Do you want an illustration so you may understand?”

Jorge remains silent while Gustavo answers: “Give us an example.”

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“See how easy it would be to make a mistake by using ambiguous or poorly associated premises: major premise, ‘The horse runs.’; minor premise, ‘Juan also runs.’; therefore, ‘Juan is a horse.’”

The men laugh as they appreciate Don Alonso’s sense of humor. He continues: “Many of Marx’s and Engel’s conclusions are of that sort. I insist: Had they not proceeded in a monolectical way, and had they submitted, starting in the nineteenth century, to the dialogue, analysis and judgement of other researchers in the field, a great number of errors would have been avoided.”

“Since you say you like examples so much,” Jorge objects, “please give us some more.”

“They are countless,” Don Alonso answers. “For instance, throughout his voluminous writings, Marx lets it be known that he didn’t understand the classic economists very well, and I don’t think he was joking.

“Among other things,” he goes on, “he didn’t even realize that all of Nature’s vital processes were deliberately endowed with a certain primary stimulus that would automatically generate a secondary, though vital, objective for the community.

“For instance,” adds Don Alonso, unable to resist the use of examples, “consider the human being of a thousand years ago. He wasn’t handed a kind of manual telling him that the regular ingestion of nutrients was necessary for his survival…

“Well, now that I think about it,” he deadpans, “they couldn’t read anyway.”

“It’s true,” says Gustavo, enjoying his sense of humor.

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“Jorge, see how much more intelligently Nature proceeded: It placed in him a primary stimulus for him to satiate, called hunger. When that happened, a secondary objective was fulfilled, which was nothing less than his own nutrition.

“Trees grow,” he says as he turns towards the one that shades him, “because they pursue a primary objective which is to take in more solar radiation by growing branches and leaves.

“But without realizing it, they produce, in a secondary and invisible manner, a long list of vital processes for the world. Did I mention that we also have beehives?”

Gustavo and Jorge remain truly clueless as to the purpose of his question.

“Do you think that bees go from flower to flower because they are contributing to the critical pollination function? The bees don’t know it; they just search for food among other things. Without realizing it, they also fulfill that other transcendental secondary objective which I just mentioned. Should someone remove, by means of a limited monolectic vision, their first objective, then the second one would not be achieved.

“For this ranch and the immense majority of companies around the world,” he continues, “to perform productively, a primary objective is pursued which is a profit, but notice: By attaining it, another secondary purpose is achieved which is the truly important one. That objective is to contribute in a small way to the increase in available goods and services. But that’s not all, the pursuit itself stimulates the efficient use of available resources, one of them being time. Otherwise, the national economy would collapse loudly.

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“Those are wise and indispensable mechanisms or determinants that Nature has created since time immemorial so that available resources might be handled properly. Otherwise, another element would automatically come into play. There is a sort of implicit ‘punishment’ which was invisibly established for anyone not using well the available resources. This appears as a ‘loss’ which would not be so plainly perceived if the employer didn’t notice it in the bottom line as the value of the utilized resources being greater than the profits obtained.

“And Jorge, I ask you to observe carefully: Every community is nothing but the simple aggregate of its inhabitants’ production. A generalized and inefficient management system will at first manifest itself as a production decrease and later as a decline in the entire community’s standard of living.

“In other words, the real situation wasn’t at all like what those not-so- dialectic gentlemen had imagined. They singled out the employer as an evil person who used resources selfishly. These included capital, energy, labor, land, water or whatever. In fact, Nature has always established certain invisible determinants to make sure that the value of the final product should be higher than the utilized resources.

“And I don’t blame these gentlemen for having incurred in such elementary mistakes. We all make mistakes. I do fault them, however, for not having observed the basic rules of dialectics: the proper argumentation and frank comparison of ideas. As I was saying, the worst would come later, when their followers forced entire countries to act according to their limited theories.

“By simply observing the basic rules of dialectics, they would never have incurred in the omissions and errors that caused the death of such huge numbers of people.”

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“Which rules, for example?” Jorge asks, now less confident about the theories he had considered so solid.

“Here’s one among many: Marx said that he intended to free the people from the heavy burden of the bureaucracy, but his ideas led precisely to the opposite situation. The bureaucracy was institutionalized, and they all became the employees of a clumsy and inefficient State that was necessarily tied to low productivity and availability of goods and services. A corrupt minority managed the bureaucracy which, to top it all, restricted freedom as an indispensable measure for sustaining their political status. In practice, that’s how far they went.

“Just see, Jorge,” Don Alonso points out, “what disregarding the basic rules of dialectic argumentation can lead to.

“I don’t want to bore you, gentlemen, but if you like, some other day, and if we have the time, I can describe in more detail why those gentlemen’s ideas were nothing but inaccurate assessments, though some more than others.”

“But the market system you defend so much,” Jorge sustains, “isn’t a perfect mechanism and suffers from certain faults.”

“There is nothing perfect in human behavior, my dear Jorge.” Don Alonso replies. “That’s why our activities must be subjected to family, sanitary, forestry, fiscal, labor, commercial and traffic legislation. This is in order to circumscribe those imperfect activities to an authentic common benefit.

“And when confronted with something that doesn’t work well,” he emphasizes, “the worst thing we could do would be to replace it with an even more imperfect substitute.”

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Once again, Jorge is surprised that he came to listen to those points of view in such a distant and idyllic place.

Silently and gradually, he realizes that lecturing young students in political economics in some institution of learning wasn’t the same as holding a dialogue with someone who knows the subject.

“But, Don Alonso,” Gustavo adds, “Why didn’t Lenin and those who followed him realize that things weren’t working?”

“What happens is that you will find few people from the past five centuries who were more intolerant than some of the political and ideological followers of that thesis. I cite one case: Lenin. I believe you know how he dealt with all of those who differed from him; sometimes it was for simple matters such as suggesting that he chart his course democratically.

“Jorge, if you haven’t read some of his works, such as State and Revolution, I suggest you do. They will convince you that Lenin’s thinking was one of the most monolectical and intolerant of the last centuries.

“In that book and some of his other writings, you will also see what Lenin thought of the State. He considered it a mere instrument of oppression against the worker, and he clearly expressed it that way. But I ask you: Could this leader have been so limited that he wouldn’t realize from the very start that his theories would lead to a highly unproductive and dictatorial state? I don’t think so.

“I rather think that later, other motivations of a political nature appeared. These compelled him and those who followed him to stick with that scheme, with hegemonic purposes. However, in the late twentieth century they ran into obstacles that had already become insurmountable.

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“First, the very low internal productivity caused, as an initial effect on the population, a very limited access to goods and services. This in turn was forcing them to endure an incredible lack of freedoms.

“Another obstacle was their increasingly evident inability to get ahead militarily. That was the case until the end of the last century, when Gorbachev —who deservedly won international acclaim— did what should have been carried out since those early years: He tore down all those poorly constructed theses.

“What is surprising,” he complements, “is that there are still a few places in Latin America and Asia where their leaders continue to insist on those policies.”

“Yes, Don Alonso,” Jorge points out, “but I must mention that the most important thing would be to keep increasing the working class’s quality of life.”

“Ah! Now in that we’re in total agreement, and that must be one of the basic objectives of any politician. These objectives, however, must be reached by the correct route; otherwise, far from helping the workers, it could lower their purchasing power.

“And apart from other appropriate measures intended to help in attaining those objectives, such as the adequate management of the economy, the building of trust, the teaching of civics in its full dimension, the streamlining of red tape and so on, I would like to highlight two elements: The first is to improve the educational level as much as possible, so the students might have access to any human being’s true wealth, which is in the mind.

“Look,” continues Don Alonso, who can’t seem to refrain from using examples, “let’s say we were to place in 170

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a foreign country, and without a centavo in the pocket, Álvaro and one of our workers who was here with Benjamín, Joaquín for example. I can assure you that after a few years we would have a very different situation between them. Álvaro will have succeeded, but I’m not so sure about Joaquín. “Álvaro, it’s not that I’m sending you across the border,” Don Alonso says in jest.

“I hope so,” Álvaro answers, understanding perfectly well the meaning of his example.

“I don’t mean to imply that I don’t value Joaquín or our other collaborators, but the differences will be determined by their level of education. And among many other factors that also affect the actual increase in salaries,” he adds, “there is a second element I insist upon a lot.”

“Which one is that?”

“It’s the stabilization of population growth. The number of births should be more or less balanced by that of deaths, otherwise the number of workers will be greater than what is required by society. That in turn will make labor cheaper, to the detriment of the workers themselves.

“All the mainstream economists noticed this phenomenon, though I wish they had insisted upon it more. At least they pointed it out.

“Now I put before you the currently extreme case of Africa, and let’s examine its demographic growth a little.

“Look, considering only the population interrelationship between Europe and Africa, let’s consider the great flow of migrants observed in those regions in just a few years and the how its effects reverberated within them.

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“In 1980, there was one European for every African.

Currently, for each European, there are a little over two Africans. By 2050, without unforeseen changes, and even with a decrease in its population growth, it is expected that there will be five times more Africans than Europeans. But how will this affect their income level?

“In 2050, the immense majority of our African brothers and sisters will not even be remotely equipped with an adequate education when they’ll seek jobs in their countries of origin or in the European Community. Additionally, there will be so many of them that they will exert a strong downward pressure on their personal income. And I insist, being such a numerous workforce, it will receive a very deficient training but will still require all the necessary satisfiers.

“I insist a lot on population stabilization. Just as health in the human body doesn’t exist in the extremes, but rather in a state of equilibrium, something similar will happen in our global community.

“In a person’s case, he or she will not enjoy a good health if, for example, the blood sugar level is above or below the normal parameters.

“If, for instance, in a city there are more taxis than potential customers, there’s a problem, and the same thing occurs if the situation is reversed; one must try to balance supply and demand. In a society’s other elements, the same thing will happen. Wellbeing is not achieved in the extremes, but in the equilibrium between the influencing factors.

“Gentlemen, we could talk about these matters for many days,” Don Alonso concludes, “but we don’t have that much time. And speaking of time, now that’s another 172

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resource we must also manage well, because the day is almost over.”

Gustavo notices how the surrounding’s valuable elements followed another of the place’s many unwritten rules, whereby each one focuses on its own role, as if they were part of a wonderful orchestra. He observes how the Sun followed silently and impassively its path to the west. This caused the sky’s splendid blue to gradually turn more intense and, much to his chagrin, he felt that the day wanted to slip away from their hands.

“Don Alonso,” Gustavo asks, “it has seemed to us, or to me at least, an almost spectacular day, but tell us one more thing: What would be your interest in us? Or, how could we help in the two matters you explained so clearly?

Because, as you well put it, the demographic and civics matters are crucial.”

“Yours is an excellent question,” Don Alonso answers with a smile, “and it has rightly been said: He who phrases a question well, already has half the answer.

“Therefore, I can answer you with two words: Open it.”

“Open it,” Gustavo repeats, as if not knowing what he was getting at.

“Open it,” Don Alonso repeats. “To make both topics applicable, in some way, to our entire community. We cannot and must not treat our fellow citizens like minors, because they’ll react as such, but as people who think and act. This way, we will all be drivers of change.”

“If you like, gentlemen,” Álvaro intervenes, “let’s walk back home, and on the way we can continue to talk as we enjoy a sunset like we’ve never seen before.”

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“Very well.”

“We cannot allow others to decide for us,” Don Alonso resumes, as they start to walk, “because in practice, they often don’t even bother to look deeply into the issues at hand. And you know something? The next decades will be crucial, and the points we have outlined must be submitted to the entire community’s analysis, because this is the only way we’ll reach together our full potential.

“So many mistakes are due to that unfortunate custom of having a minority decide for the rest of us…”

While they were descending on that gentle slope, the Sun continued serenely on its path, as if completely oblivious to their dialogues. The birds, for their part, also seemed to be busy with other matters. No one could know with certainty whether those fluttering creatures, which seemed to be attending the most cheerful of parties, assembling and singing in the leafiest trees, were giving their companions a peculiar review of the day’s activities. Or perhaps they were letting out their merry voices towards an unknown part of the winds, feeling grateful for having flown freely through the skies on this day that insisted so much on leaving.

The wind, on the other hand, proceeded differently. As it was flowing silently between trees and persons, it didn’t let anyone know that its light touch was enough to feel the soul of things.

But that wind’s secret activity in turn caused the clouds to rearrange themselves in whimsical shapes. And the setting Sun changed their colors in tones that didn’t exist in any human color catalog.

Everything seemed to be conjuring to transform the surroundings in such a way as to produce the strongest impact on the men.

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“Don Alonso and Álvaro,” Gustavo says softly, as if not wanting to alter with his voice the things he sensed, “I’ve seen many sunsets in my life, both physically and in images, but now something odd is happening to me…”

“Tell us how it seems to you now,” queries Don Alonso, perceiving the effect Gustavo was feeling.

“You won’t believe me,” Gustavo resumes, “but I feel as if I were part of this wonderful setting that we’re all admiring right now.”

“Now I understand your interest in coming here,” Jorge tells him.

“You see, Gustavo,” adds Don Alonso in his soft voice, as they walk home, “it’s not that you feel part of the scenery now. The truth is that right now we’re all in it. It’s only human limitation and blindness that make us believe we’re outside of it.” Álvaro is not even remotely troubled as he listens to the viewpoint he already knew so well, but Gustavo and Jorge are astounded.

“Do you think so?” Gustavo asks, as if inviting him to share that perspective which was so uniquely his.

“I don’t believe it, I’m certain about it,” Don Alonso declares as if talking about the most self-evident thing in the world. “We all form part of a picture called world, and one of our chief mistakes is to believe we can exit it.”

“And why do we leave it?”

“Because ill winds change our minds and make us believe we are outside the world, sowing economic, racial, religious and political divisions.

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“Forgive me, gentlemen,” Don Alonso unexpectedly says, “but I consider that all of mankind’s interests on the planet go hand in hand, and that various false points of view underlie our world. One of those is not mine, but it’s the one that prevails out there.

“It’s only human limitation and deceit,” he continues, “that keep us from noticing what I’m telling you. Many arbitrary and misleading mental barriers have been erected, which don’t allow us to see things as they are.”

As Don Alonso’s companions keep walking down that trail, they remain deliberately silent, not wanting to touch, not even with their voices, that magical moment.

…I’ve seen many sunsets in my life, both physically and in images, but now something odd is happening to me…

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“When mankind will realize this,” he continues, “we’ll achieve a leap greater than when we learned to walk upright, and that moment will mark the advent of a new world of generalized prosperity and wellbeing never before imagined.”

Gustavo and Jorge exchange glances, realizing they were in the presence of a man with very special points of view.

“I even trust,” Don Alonso expresses, as if speaking to the wind, “that the onset of more problems stemming from our own mistakes will make us realize what someone put in words so well: ‘Without a common future, there will be no future.’”

The visitors notice that Don Alonso had estimated the time very accurately, because as they were nearing the house, the Sun had already slipped away from the firmament. As a wonderful compensation, though, it had left countless stars in its place.

Suddenly, they hear gentle voices coming from the house.

They had lit a bonfire in the middle of the patio, and around it they were all waiting for them to enjoy an atole, the local hot corn beverage, and corn bread they had just bought in Tingüindín.

“Perfect!” Jorge exclaims.

At that point, Gustavo decides he needs to make a call, and realizes with astonishment that his smartphone is not with him.

“My phone! I don’t have it; I must have dropped it where were just now.”

“Don’t worry Gustavo”, says Álvaro. “It must be there; nothing gets lost around here.”

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“Caramba!” Gustavo exclaims. “The problem is that it isn’t just any phone. It’s the one my superiors call me to in emergencies; that’s why I took it there. Oh well, if it gets lost that’s too bad; it’s the contacts I’m worried about.” Álvaro reassures him: “I think we’ll find it. Don’t worry, you’ll see.”

After a pleasant evening, Don Alonso graciously excuses himself and retires. Álvaro discreetly tell Esther: “I’ll go to the little dam in a hurry. I’m sure the phone’s there.”

“Take a flashlight.” Álvaro walks briskly, and in a few minutes he’s at the place where they had been. With his flashlight, he scans the places where it might be. Then, he even tries to call it with his own phone, hoping to locate it, but notices that the signal there is very weak and, at times, lost.

He sees to the west a glow that seemed to increase and he suddenly remembers, “Tonight there’s a moon! I didn’t even remember... Because I was at the fair I forgot about the cycles of the sky.

“Over there in the cities,” he reflects, “not so much attention is paid to what happens up there. There’s no question this is where I belong.”

While Álvaro was searching for the phone with the flashlight’s faint illumination, he notices the garden chairs.

They seemed to be extending a discreet invitation to observe the sky from this special place, accompanied only by the crickets’ chirping and the wavelets’ gentle tapping on the water’s edge.

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Unable to resist the enticement of such a proposal, Álvaro sits down and scans the firmament. As if he were the most scrupulous of inspectors, he checks that each star is in its correct place. As the minutes go by, he sees the Moon’s face boldly coming into sight and, without asking for any permission whatsoever, it extends a silver line on the water’s surface. Álvaro wanted to go home and come back early the next morning to continue his search for the phone. But it seemed like that wonderful dark blue sky, festooned with stars, and the rising Moon had firmly seized him. So he decides to linger a little longer.

…he sees the Moon’s face boldly coming into sight, and without asking for any permission whatsoever, it extends a silver line on the water’s surface.

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All the series of ideas they had discussed that day came to mind as he observed the heavens. Then, something he feared and had kept as the darkest of secrets suddenly surfaced.

Deep within, he felt that that beautiful Moon also wanted to say something, though it wished to do so in a different way, as if trying not to break a secret and a very strict code of silence.

“I better leave right now,” he thought, “because those voices are coming from nowhere but myself.” But another part of him also told him to let his imagination fly.

That was a prerogative granted to humans: to listen to whatever came to mind, even to the product of ethereal mischief.

And so, as he observed the Moon and how that silver line danced on the waves of the little dam, something sprang forth in his mind: If only they had seen, That which, with the passing of the centuries, Our eyes have seen, They never would have believed it…

The tears they have caused, Have filled so many rivers, Have caused miseries, And have darkened the world…

They call themselves wise, They become the blind guides of the blind, And they even kill themselves, Spoiling the world…

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The arrogance they have reached, To such a degree has blinded them, That even Roman emperors, From the ground have challenged me…

More than making me laugh, Of sadness they have filled me.

Can the world be guided, By this kind of people?

Worse than blind and cruelly demented, They built factories of death, To take life from humans, Many of them children…

Our greatest effort, Is that he who the stars made, Wanted my light to shine upon them, Equally on all…

When will they see with their eyes?

When will their ears listen, That the project of harmony, Is the future of the world?

There is something that consoles me, And something at least encourages me, Perhaps that centuries-old wait, Will at last reach the Earth…

If the light that shines from above, Changes the minds of a few, Those could point to roads, In the right direction…

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Until that dream becomes reality, And that wait still gives me courage, In great silence we’ll remain, Seeing their sorrows…

If the light that the winds bring, Takes away the darkness of centuries, Their eyes won’t close shut, And weeping will disappear from the world!

If you listen to the voice of the wind, They will do what they never did, And all the good you beget, Will return to your hands…

If we allow minds to fly, If dreaming is at times permitted, I dream of a golden sunrise, That will at last change the world!

Again, everything remains silent and Álvaro wonders if the crickets had heard such voices. But since their chirping and all the other sounds hadn’t altered their rythms, he inferred that only he had heard them.

Then, he turns to his left and sees a distant glimmer on the road that gradually becomes brighter. A few minutes later he sees Gustavo almost next to him. “Álvaro, What are you doing here?”

“The same thing as you, I think. It was the phone’s fault.”

“Any luck?”

“No, but I’ll be back early tomorrow morning; I can find it but I need some daylight.”

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“Listen Álvaro,” Gustavo jokes, “I don’t want to leave this place. I think you’re going to have to give me a job!” Álvaro comforts him by saying, “Don Alonso put it well: The key is not to leave the picture, so to speak, and to have the right mindset. Then we’ll stay here wherever we might be.

“Just look at that,” Gustavo says in an awestruck voice.

“What a sky and what a sight.”

“Look, Álvaro,” he adds, pointing at something in the sky, “that group of stars; I think I’ve seen them in books.

It’s the Big Dipper, isn’t it?”

“Exactly. And you know something? Even the stars can tell a tale. For example, the constellation you’ve mentioned was known as ‘The Cart’. The Romans later called those stars ‘Septentrionalis’, and it meant ‘seven oxen’ in reference to a supposed cart that was pulling the heavens. Since this imaginary vehicle is located in the north, over time the term septentrional became associated with the north.”

“How odd. So then, When did the word ‘north’ come from? Álvaro answers without hesitation: “In the Indoeuropean languages, the term ‘nur’ signifies ‘left’. They named it that way because looking to the east, where the Sun rises, they found their bearings, or ‘orientation’. The north is to the left of the rising Sun.” At that point, and much to Gustavo’s chagrin, they begin to walk back home without neglecting to observe those other parts of the sky which also had their story.

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it seemed to follow them as they advanced. Surprised, he comes to a halt.

“What’s the matter?” Álvaro asks, as if fearing that what had just happened to Gustavo was the same thing he had experienced just minutes before.

“No, nothing,” he answers, not really wanting him to know. “Very well, I’ll tell you… I was surprised that a kind of answer to a doubt that I had days ago suddenly came to mind.”

“What doubt?” Álvaro asks again.

“You’ll probably say it’s a crazy or pointless doubt, but look: Some days ago I was wondering if there could possibly be an entity powerful enough to encompass all human existence, and guess what…

“As I was observing that beautiful silver line that seemed to follow us on the waves as we walked, a kind of answer came to me.”

Gustavo, still startled, continues, “Just as that silver wake follows us, it’s perfectly possible that someone who’s sufficiently powerful can see and follow us, and even induce events. And forgive me Álvaro, but because that thought came to me in an instant, it kind of struck me and that’s why I stopped.”

“Well, that’s how it goes, I guess. Oh, and don’t worry about having apparently crazy ideas,” Álvaro tells Gustavo without daring to reveal what had just happened to him. “We have all had crazy thoughts at times.”

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begun its dimly lit scrutiny of the earth’s surface. Its delicate work allowed them to make out the ground’s features.

“At what time do you leave tomorrow?” Álvaro asks.

“After breakfast. We want to get back to Mexico City early enough to avoid the afternoon traffic.” Álvaro notices in Gustavo a certain sadness due to the impending end of their stay and adds: “Don’t worry, Gustavo. We all can and should place ourselves within a positive ‘life picture’; we must keep the right attitude.

Even on my trips abroad I’m still within it, believe me…”

“And how do you manage that?”

“It’s easy, I don’t listen to the ill winds that only seek to divide and poison humans. We are part of a whole, and I know what I’m talking about.”

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CHAPTER X T HE RETURN The small group of visitors who were spending that night at the El Encinal ranch didn’t fully realize a curious fact: When someone is in the country, something in that person’s biological clock causes them to begin and finish their daily activities earlier.

For that reason, after much high-spirited conviviality around the bonfire in the patio, little by little they retired for the night. After a while, there was only a silence that was interrupted only by the crickets’ light and rhythmic chirping, and the wind’s playful and gentle rustling of the trees’ leaves.

At first glance, it seemed that everything had entered into a deep slumber. However, for other elements of the natural surroundings, this drastic decrease in daily activity never occurred. They went on with their daily tasks, not wanting to display any effort whatsoever. One of them was the work of the wind which, by means of a cool breeze, spread a unique aroma that seemed to be taken from a secret chest whose purpose it was to completely transform the place.

But what the wind considered its most important task was a careful inspection, with its light touch, of everything that was there.

The sky’s movement was accomplished very differently because, among other things, its rate of activity was constant and absolutely exact. Whether in the midst of a ruckus or in complete silence, its movement always happened with the same precision.

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As for the stars, their motion, precise as a stopwatch, caused a strange feeling in any keen observer. He or she would feel that this exact and wonderful celestial movement was obeyed without any reluctance whatsoever.

Indeed, all the heavenly bodies seemed to be following a simple and ancestral order with pleasure, conscious that this was the surest way of continuing with the perfect order of things.

What did escape many was the fact that the stars’ exact procession went very much hand in hand with another element, and it wasn’t known with certainty whether it was their ally or partner. That element was time.

There were still those in the world who didn’t realize that for that marvelous universal orchestra to play, an invisible and special score had to be followed to the letter.

And so it was that with the sole exception of humans, not only at the El Encinal ranch but throughout the world, everything followed obediently and even with gusto all the dictates of those enigmatic lords named Universe and Time.

According to man’s ordinary timekeeping instruments, the Sun was about to rise. But Álvaro, still being the victim of a kind of gap in his internal biological clock due to his recent trip to Europe, goes to bed and unintentionally rouses his wife Esther.

“What’s this? Don’t tell me you’re going to get up at this time on a Sunday. You know, you’re even starting to act like Don Alonso.”

“I’m not sleepy anymore,” Álvaro replies. “I’ll go and look for the licenciado’s smartphone.”

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“As you like but take a flashlight.”

“It’s still dark as Álvaro leaves the house. He can’t help noticing that Don Alonso’s bedroom door is already ajar, an unmistakable sign that even on a Sunday, he can’t resist going out to contemplate the sky and the countryside.

“It’s always been this way with him,” he thought. “It was impossible for him not to see the beginning of a new day in the front row and in such an excellent venue.”

As Álvaro walks with his flashlight in hand towards the place where he had just been, he feels that incomparable morning breeze. He observes the sky sprinkled with stars and, to his right, the Moon about to take leave to the west. Álvaro understands better why Don Alonso never misses the chance to make the most of this unique and nearly magical moment.

A few minutes later, Álvaro arrives at the very spot where the group had been the day before. The first thing he notices is that the unusual silvery line that had so carefully spread itself on the water’s surface had vanished.

“It’s logical,” he thought. “The Moon has left us on the other side of the sky. But strangely, that change in the scenery brings out the stars even more.”

The garden chairs were still there, attractively arranged.

They seemed to keep extending, without emitting a sound, the same invitation to sit down as the previous night. This invitation he promptly accepted while he waits a little longer for daybreak to begin his search.

Somehow he considers this brief moment a creative gift that came from somewhere, because it allows him, as the minutes pass, to scan the twinkling celestial objects.

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Álvaro then reflects on how right Benjamín had been when he taught him to tell the time by simple celestial observation. Each star’s obedient and precise location, as they slid to the west in an orderly manner, constituted a far more precise timepiece than the most accurate of watches.

“The only one who might confound some men,” he also admitted, “are celestial objects like that reddish one over there, which I think is Mars. It’s not for nothing,” he considered, “that in Antiquity they called them ‘planets’, which means ‘wanderers’, when they noted that they moved under different and, for them, bewildering rules.”

During that brief pause, all the previous day’s dialogue and harsh exchanges, especially those from one of the visitors, also came to mind. Fortunately though, Álvaro was reassured by the way Don Alonso shared his remarks with Jorge.

“Why are there sometimes such diverse points of view in our world?” he questioned himself intensely. “Could that have some unknown purpose, or could it be just another manifestation of human limitation?”

While he grappled with such doubts, he was greatly comforted by that discreet and incomparable breeze.

He was also waiting for the Sun to rise and was looking attentively to the east, and noticed that new stars were rising over the surface of the Earth, as if with a certain gusto.

“What a curious optical illusion! That’s explained,” he understands with great surprise, “by the simple fact that the celestial vault walks by small steps from east to west, or ‘backwards’ from where I’m looking.

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“Maybe that’s how more than one in Antiquity must have imagined the supposed gods, which is how they considered the heavenly bodies, somehow rising from the Earth.

No doubt about it: Everything has its explanation, though at first we might not know it.” Álvaro didn’t even remember those strange ideas that had cropped up in his mind the night before anymore.

Yet, within him, another similar sensation bringing new elements knocks timidly on his mind’s door. Álvaro remembers that while at first those kind of occurrences had seemed worrisome to him, now he was untroubled by them. His attitude was now very different. Somehow he had accepted that sometimes, it was permitted for human conduct to wander a little.

Therefore, he just chooses to let that strange mischief that comes from some unknown place to rise to the surface, just as the wind is allowed to arrange leaves whichever way it wants, before placing them in the appropriate way.

And so Álvaro continues to placidly observe the stars, though without daring to move a single finger so as not to interfere with this nearly magical experience. He just asks himself in the deepest region of his mind: “If those stars that seem to observe us so carefully could opine on human behavior, What would they tell us?”

A few minutes of silence elapse, with Álvaro accompanied only by the tapping sound of the little waves, the wind’s light rustling of the leaves, and now the birds’ first songs. And while he observes the sky, something suddenly appears in his mind:

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Who told the humans, That to know roads, Or to treat themselves as brothers, One had to follow their routes?

In the beginning, to them were given, The right directions, But they continued on their paths, That’s why they’re still lost…

Who told the humans, That as they treat themselves as siblings, They had to invent barriers, And make enemies?

Because they sowed bad seeds, They harvested their thorns, They preferred blind guides, And they’re afraid of their fruits, We ourselves can’t even speak, Such was the will of the heavens, We were told to keep quiet, And thus we shall remain…

We shall remain in deep silence, Weeping for their mistakes, Seeing their peoples suffer, And shining only during their nights… Álvaro is left completely astounded by such words, as he tries to elucidate their true origin.

“Could it be that such ideas have come to me in this form,” he wonders, “in order to bypass some strict and invisible code of silence? Or perhaps had they found a sort of secret route to leak out their thoughts to the world?

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“Of course not,” he immediately tells himself. “That’s complete nonsense. Such ideas are just the product of my imagination; it can’t be otherwise.

“Well,” he concludes with a smile, “ultimately, and as I was thinking, we are all allowed a few silly imaginings.

And besides, those ideas aren’t that odd.

“I hope never to have to share such things with anyone.

Who knows what they’d think…”

The birds seemed unaffected by Álvaro’s strange experience. Their racket and songs kept growing louder and louder. And at last, a dim glow where the Sun would rise could be discerned.

Just as deeds speak louder than words, the birds’ song seemed to tell the wind: “It’s true that we must keep silent at night, but how could we remain quiet and not celebrate this day’s beginning with a party?”

Deliberately and contentedly, Álvaro decides to enjoy the moment a little longer, trusting that a brighter light will allow him to find the lost cellphone.

A few minutes go by and suddenly, as if pulled from some secret corner of the sky for just such a special occasion, he sees that a golden rug has been spread out over the water. This causes Álvaro, who’s almost regretting this moment’s end, to set out quickly to search for the phone. At first he thought he would find it in no time, but that didn’t happen. He walks around the little dam where they had been. Nothing.

“Might it have fallen in the water? I don’t think so. The splash would have been loud enough to be heard. Where else were we? Ah! I know! After that we went southeast to see the little valley.”

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He briskly goes there but doesn’t see anything. It then occurs to him to pull out his phone to see if any signal could be picked up. Though weak, he gets one and calls immediately.

For a moment he hears nothing, but then a muffled sound, like a vibration, could be heard among some bushes.

“Could it be? Let’s see…”

“Yes! There it is!” He calls Esther to tell her to inform Gustavo that the phone’s been found.

“We were worried,” his wife tells him.

“I needed the daylight.”

Esther also lets Álvaro know that they’re all having breakfast in the patio, including Don Alonso who’s already back from the countryside.

Sooner than expected, Álvaro was back with them, handing the phone over to Gustavo who’s elated to get it back.

He thanks him profusely for his efficient search.

“The ladies, Dieguito and Juan,” Gustavo comments, “left to Tigüindín in a hurry to see if they could find some embroidered blouses, uchepo tamales and other things. They’ve already said goodbye to everyone and have even agreed to pick us up at nine at the ranch entrance.

“The ladies and Diego never imagined how much they would enjoy staying here. As for us, it goes without saying that we thank you for your time and hospitality.”

“It’s true,” Jorge adds. “These have been two exceptional days.”

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Álvaro, ever foresighted, interrupts them: “Gentlemen, it’s eight forty. If you like, let’s go to the entrance and we can continue to talk on the way. Is that fine with you?”

After having effusively taken leave from everyone, as if the visitors had known them for years, they get going on their last walk, this time towards the ranch entrance.

“Don Alonso,” Jorge declares as the men begin to walk, “believe me, although I had some differences of opinion with you, your ideas have been very interesting to me, really…

“What’s more, I consider your ideas very valuable. Maybe you should even have stayed in Mexico City to share them with more people, perhaps even through politics.”

“Well, I’ll tell you two things,” Don Alonso answers, as if pretending not to start another exchange, “good and valuable ideas are everywhere, and in any ideological current. The only thing I would like to point out is the different attitude we must strive to hold. It must be an attitude of addition, not one of subtraction.

“Besides, the important thing is not so much the contribution of ideas, though it helps a lot. The key is in the wisdom and work capacity we have for their application and implementation.

“And if you allow me, I’d like to settle a point: In most underdeveloped countries, we suffer from some kind of mental disconnect between people and government.

Many assume that by merely voting, they have fulfilled their civic duty, and it isn’t so. A foreign politician once uttered an insightful sentence: ‘The good ruler isn’t the one who does great things, but the one who allows his people to do them.’ And that’s achieved by creating the 195

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right fiscal, productive, educational, financial, labor and security environments.

“And you know something? Believe me, by simply creating that environment it would be sufficient. We, the members of society, would do the rest.

“And we shouldn’t forget that while political management and everyone’s work is crucial, one of the factors that contributes to a deeper solution, here and anywhere, comes from the change we can stimulate within each one of us. I don’t see how it can be achieved otherwise.

“Because as long as that change doesn’t occur in the people as much as in the government, nothing will be achieved. You see, once I heard about a person who held a very important position in Mexico City and, with the best of intentions, tried to get things done. Not surprisingly, he was upsetting those who wanted to do things as usual.

“For that reason, they tried to undermine his work and make him look bad with his superiors in order to get him out of the way… Unbelievable.

“That’s why,” he reiterates, “besides what I’ve been telling you, the fundamental solution can only come from a generalized transformation from within, and that’s why I beseech you to help us to widen that focus before the rest of society. In other words, let the majority know the reasons and the benefits that a combined collaborative and appropriate conduct would bring.

“Even if we manage to make this extendable to all, it would take years for the advent of that real and profound change to happen. The important thing is to keep moving in the right direction, and the longer we take to plant, the longer we will have to wait to harvest the fruits.”

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“Well, let’s see what can be done,” Gustavo answers. “I will pass this on to an official who is very receptive, but remember also that as we’ve discussed, there are small groups that are still in the Middle Ages and they will try to block it.”

“That’s right,” Don Alonso replies, “but it’s one more reason to stay with it, by communicating this set of problems to everyone. You know, even within those small groups who are always opposed to everything, most people are uninformed. They even feel they’re doing a terrific job by being against everything, when in fact they’re just playing into the hands of a minority in which some don’t understand a thing, and others pursue advantages or distorted political objectives.”

“It’s true, unfortunately,” Gustavo agrees.

“That’s why,” Don Alonso emphasizes, “more than seeking to ‘vanquish them,’ we must attempt to convince them with the reasons for having an advanced social outlook.

This is the only way to propitiate the advent of a much more developed society, for the benefit of all.

“I believe we can demonstrate to them,” he keeps insisting, “the way in which they are being adversely affected themselves by acting mistakenly.

“There are those whose conduct is so irrational,” adds Don Alonso who, as usual, couldn’t seem to avoid the use of examples to make a point. “Álvaro, do you remember that a few days ago we asked Amarildo to cut off a branch that was damaging the ranch house?”

“Yes I do.”

“By the way, he cut it off very well… But imagine for a moment that he had not only cut the wrong branch, but 197

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in doing so, he had also sat on the branch that was going to fall off. What would have happened?”

At first they were about to burst out in laughter, but after realizing the severity and grave consequences of that hypothetical case, they remain surprised by the example’s appropriateness.

Don Alonso resumes, “Well something like that is what those who are opposed to the improvement of social functioning bring upon themselves. Worse, they don’t even realize the true reaches of their conduct.”

“I assure you,” Gustavo declares, this time with more conviction, “we’ll do all our share.”

“And don’t believe,” Don Alonso goes on, as if seizing the opportunity to make the most of their remaining time, “that the extreme shortsightedness in the social realm is limited to certain sectors in our country. Want to hear something?

“There hasn’t been any corner of the planet that hasn’t been stained by the blood of our fellow brothers. That in particular has been the logical consequence of not feeling like what we are, and that is part of a whole.

“To top it all, the majority of people, especially in developing regions, don’t even understand that the most insignificant action will not only project itself towards others, but will, in one way or another, bounce back to each and everyone of us.

“The great social sin has been,” he assures them, “that we have not felt ourselves, as Socrates once said, like citizens of the world. We’re not part of a team consisting of the entire human race.”

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Faced with Don Alonso’s very peculiar ideas, Jorge and Gustavo look at each other, trying to understand whether those concepts could fit in the thinking of the majority.

“If my ideas seem strange to you,” he tells them, as if guessing their thoughts, “I have bad news for you: What’s strange here isn’t what I’ve just told you but, on the contrary, that we don’t see it this way.

“And the consequences of such backward thinking worthy of the Stone Age led to the logical result that I was telling you about: There hasn’t been a region on the planet that we haven’t stained with blood. But you know, ‘History is not destiny.’ And while we must learn from the past, its purpose must be, precisely, to alter the future.

“May I give you one more example taken from history?” asks Don Alonso, with a certain fear of boring them.

“Please, go ahead,” answers Jorge, by now accustomed to his habit of citing examples.

“During the early nineteenth century, “ he expounds, “the Spanish warship ‘San Hermenegildo’ and the ‘San Carlos’ fired their cannon at each other during the early hours until both vessels exploded and sank, taking with them more than 1500 sailors… And do you know what was the worst part?”

“What?” Jorge answers with curiosity.

“After the damage was done, they discovered at daybreak that both ships were Spanish.”

“But how was such a thing possible?” Álvaro inquires.

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the seafloor, they didn’t realize they were both emblematic vessels of the same Armada. It seems like something funny and hard to believe, isn’t it?

“Well you know, though we arrogantly feel so wise, we haven’t fully realized that we humans are also part of a whole, and that our actions will infallibly revisit each one of us.”

Both visitors remain soberly looking at each other, recognizing that what he was telling them was true.

“But what could we do?” Gustavo inquires.

“You can plant the correct ideas, and the fruits will materialize by themselves in the following decades.”

The three are left meditating on the singular ideas they were hearing, as they continued on their stroll.

Gustavo, feeling the imminent end of the visit, would like time to make a single exception and slow its progress a little. But that’s not possible, because those invisible rules had to be obeyed by all.

“The good news, my friends,” Don Alonso says with a smile, “is that now you’re going to unwind after listening to all my examples. The bad news is that I’m going to quote you one more sentence, which ponders the importance of having a correct social perspective. Look, Otto von Bismarck, who once was chancellor of Germany, said: ‘Spain is the strongest country in the world: It’s been trying to destroy itself for centuries and hasn’t managed it yet.’

“You know something, the worst part of the matter is that this accurate sentence isn’t limited to Spain. Rather, 200

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it’s extendable to the entire human race, because we’ve allowed ill winds to sow divisions for all imaginable reasons. This is a reliable indicator that we’re still, in a certain way, stuck in barbarity.

“The man of the future will make a different kind of history, and it will be neither as superficial nor as benevolent as the one we are making today. A key turning point will be the moment the integral social perspective I’m telling you about will have become generalized.

“As a matter of fact, this kind of focus has already existed with a few people for millennia but ‘A swallow doesn’t a summer make.’ We need to sow the right seed and only then, in decades, will reason impose itself over superficiality. Its effects will be seen by our descendants.”

They’re all left in deep silence, meditating on such ideas, when they notice that they’ve almost reached the entrance. But apparently the van hasn’t arrived yet.

“Well, the trip already over,” says Jorge, who’s seeing things with a different perspective now. “Very interesting ideas. Hopefully we can do something, and I’ve got to admit, this place is extraordinary.” Álvaro, wanting to make the most of this brief moment while the others arrive, intervenes: “Something that’s worth mentioning is that as we’ve discussed with Don Alonso, there’s the potential that this kind of productive ranch, which is compatible with the environment, will multiply by the thousands, generating countless jobs and an incredible variety of agricultural and forestry products. But without a change within, we can’t go far.”

Suddenly they see the van with the rest of the group.

The passengers try to get out to say goodbye again, but Don Alonso asks them not to. They do so anyway.

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The ladies recount how they found everything they were looking for, and for a while they all talk enthusiastically.

Though deploring the end of the trip, to avoid a late start, they say goodbye and take their places again in the van.

A part of Don Alonso and Álvaro also regret the group’s departure. They immediately notice a great contrast once they have left because their bustle and conversation have been replaced by a certain silence and reflection.

However, once they’ve closed the gate and started on their way back, they both feel that something very important in the atmosphere hasn’t left, but has instead preferred to stay with them.

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CHAPTER XI S TRANGE

COUNTERWEIGHTS

On their way back home, Álvaro notices that Don Alonso is in a deeply introspective mood because of everything they talked about. He knew that Don Alonso was in the habit of worrying too much when he thought that things weren’t going in the right direction. But this time he believes it wasn’t happening to him.

Trying to find out a little of what was on his restless mind, he asks him a question: “What do you think of everything we talked about with these gentlemen?”

“Well,” he answers, as if returning to this mundane world, “truth is, I didn’t want to miss the chance to make an attempt. You saw it, Álvaro: I tried to convince them to make this other approach somehow applicable to the greatest number of people.

“But look, here between us, and without failing to recognize that there are capable and more or less well-intentioned people, I doubt very much if something will get done in that sense. I have a feeling that those who will hear about this topic won’t consider it politically profitable, at least not in the short term.

“Unfortunately, the objective that is sought by many in that professional environment is all that can be capitalized upon within an electoral framework.”

“And what do you think, Don Alonso? Even when seen from that point of view, Isn’t it actually profitable?”

“Of course it pays off in every way,” Don Alonso replies, “even politically, but that won’t happen immediately. I believe the voters aren’t as naïve as some think.

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“Personally, as you can imagine, I absolutely don’t share that short term outlook. I would even go further: Decisions shouldn’t be made on the basis of a possible and immediate political benefit, but simply because it’s what’s best for the country. As if that weren’t bad enough, even by viewing this through an electioneering viewpoint, it would take a few years for the results to be visible. “Álvaro, remember that phrase I have already quoted to you: ‘The politician thinks of the next election, the statesman the next generation.’ The hidden danger is that in the political environment, most see things as the first group does.

“Besides,” he assures Álvaro, “if what I told them is clearly explained, it can be understood perfectly well by the majority. But many will rather opt for the worn out path that offers what seems easiest, thinking that the citizens will choose anything that doesn’t seem to require any effort. Those politicians, however, know with certainty that this won’t lead to anything other than helping them win an ephemeral triumph at the voting booths.”

As they walk, Álvaro keeps reflecting and fearing that this other phrase, ‘The greater the knowledge, the greater the hunger,’ would become a reality in Don Alonso’s spirit.

There was a strange combination in him: On the one hand, he believed he knew certain measures that might help; and on the other, he felt they weren’t being carried out, with him not being able to do anything about it.

For that reason, Álvaro fears that a kind of frustration would suddenly rise up within him, as it had already happened on other occasions. He also remembers that this was one of the reasons that impelled him instead to develop the El Encinal project where they now stood.

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it despair you a little to sense that things could be done differently?”

“I’m going to tell you something, Álvaro: It has frustrated me much more than you can imagine. I even get to the point where I didn’t even want to know what was going on out there. And not because I wanted no part of it, but because I just worried without gaining anything.

“But you’ll be surprised to learn that for many months now, after meditating a lot on that matter, I’ve been slowly changing my attitude. In fact that change has picked up a lot during the past few weeks.

“I haven’t even discussed that with you because you were away. As you know, I like to let things run through my head and you won’t believe me: There was an episode that changed my attitude. No doubt about it, one never stops learning.”

“Ah! Well great! But tell me, What episode was that?”

“It was the recollection of something that happened in Zamora many decades ago. In the past few days, I’ve imposed a lot with examples and anecdotes, but if you still have a little more patience, I can share it with you…”

“Of course!”

“In the early seventies, there were two brothers in Zamora, about thirteen and fourteen at the time. Their father wanted to educate them through personal effort while teaching them to appreciate their coworkers by having them do physical work on a ranch he owned. He asked them to work mornings, paying them the same as the others, and to go to school in the afternoon.”

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“And then?”

“One day, they had to sow a field with wheat the old fashion way, that is, by hand, because the tractors there would slide on the slippery ground.

“For that reason,” he explained, “they had to walk all day long in a furrow just plowed by a team of oxen, dropping the seed which they carried in a bag. Their sacks had to be refilled at each end of the field.”

“But wait, Aren’t children not supposed to work?”

“They were the only minors on the farm,” Don Alonso replies, “and in this particular case, it was done with moderation and without neglecting their education. But look, the point I want to highlight is what happened with each brother’s attitude.

“Early in the morning, their father, and owner of the farm, had already given instructions to all employees regarding their tasks. Coincidentally, that area had just been open to cultivation. Now, in truth, it was extremely muddy because that part of the valley was a lake bottom centuries ago.

“That caused some coworkers, long before the start of the workday at eight, to discourage them in private with expressions such as: ‘It would be a big mistake to plant here.’; ‘Not even grass will grow here.’; ‘The soil is too salty.’; ‘You’re only going to waste your time.’; ‘It will ruin the seed.’ and things of that sort.

“Now, you know this: Fieldwork is hard. So they began their workday, and as the Sun was getting stronger, their work became exhausting.

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“One of the brothers began to say, ‘I don’t know what the devil we’re doing here.’ Or, ‘This is useless anyway.’

“Such was his discouragement that it started to affect his brother, but fortunately, this one had a different thought: ‘We don’t have to question anything. The farm owner —our father— instructed us to sow and if it’s lost or not, that’s not our problem. We must limit ourselves to do what he asked us to.’” “Álvaro, you must be wondering why I’m telling you this story…”

“No, no. Go on!”

“Look, Álvaro, in this apparently irrelevant anecdote is the very key to many questions we ask ourselves throughout our lives. Those questions limit us like you have no idea.

“One of the brothers, the one who questioned himself a lot, spent the entire day frustrated and complaining.

That’s why, I think, everything became much more tedious for him. The other one limited himself to carrying out what he had been tasked with. He didn’t even question himself about the eventual results, and did what he had been instructed to do, period.”

“And by the way,” Álvaro asks with curiosity, “Did that chickpea crop succeed?”

“Well, actually it did,” Don Alonso replies. “Every day, as the workers rode their bikes to their other assignments, they would make a detour to the field to see the results. Though at first they didn’t see anything, the field was soon covered with green seedlings. With the passing of the weeks, the plot became a beautiful chickpea field like you can’t imagine.

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“I’m telling you this anecdote, Álvaro, because it sums up a great teaching about human conduct: We have been asked to ‘seed’. In other words, we must behave with others in a certain way. But here, we have inappropriately taken up the role of judges, deciding on the supposed legitimacy, or lack thereof, of acting as we were told to. And that’s not the way things work.

“I’m convinced,” he adds, “that each day, there will be millions of cases in the world where some will choose ‘not to seed’, that is to say, not to act appropriately with family and friends. That does harm to this process, because we have also been asked not to pass judgement on our fellow brothers and sisters of the world.

“Even in my case,” he says with a smile, “I see clearly now. I recognize that I was making that same mistake, to the point where, until recently, I didn’t want to know anything about the foolish things we do.

“Remember when Miguel the engineer came here, arguing about countless things. I even got a little annoyed.

Fortunately, as the weeks passed, I remembered the story about the boys and realized that our role is not that of judge since we’ve only been asked to ‘seed’. If the field produces a crop, or if seeds and time are wasted, that’s a matter of no concern to us.

“The time, resources or anything we have are not actually ours. They were lent to us with one specific purpose: That we should use them as we were instructed to.

“And besides, one of the main sources of unease among human beings stems from that. The truth is, it’s not up to us to question so much what we do, because to top it all, most of the time we have no idea of the results that could ensue.

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I haven’t even told you, Álvaro, but that was precisely why I asked you to invite them again: It was to share with them what we talked about, and whether they do it or not, that’s up to them.

“Don’t you believe,” he points out, “that I’m simply placing the responsibility on them. You know me: If it were up to me, or if I were part of the public administration, I would have done it a long time ago, but that’s not the case.

“That’s why we must limit ourselves to what we can do.

But see how curious it is: Had we remained silent, it would have been a mistake, like storing the seed in a warehouse, only to see it rot. We would certainly be failing in our mission as workers which, in a sense, we are.

Don’t you think so?”

“You’re right,” says Álvaro, comforted and knowing that what he was saying was true. He realizes that by proceeding like this, in a way he even avoids frustrations like the ones that occurred last time.

“Honestly, Don Alonso,” Álvaro declares, “you don’t know the satisfaction that it gives me. You came out the winner with that other perspective.”

“And besides,” he complements, “there’s the possibility that something will really get done.”

“That’s right,” Don Alonso replies. “But changing the subject, I’ll tell you another thing: Jorge mentioned something about the political realm, as if insinuating that it is mainly through politics that the country can be transformed… Do you remember?”

“I remember.”

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“As I made Jorge understand, although political management is of utmost importance, the deeper solution doesn’t originate there, but instead from a generalized internal change. But there are other things I didn’t even tell him.

I’ve told you many anecdotes already. Can I tell you one more? It’s taken from history.”

“As many as you wish…”

“Seeing the Bible in a historical context, consider this: Once, after Jesus had multiplied the loaves of bread, and all the apostles were surprised and fascinated by what he had done, they tried to pressure him to become king.

He immediately rejected that and let it be known that the solution didn’t lay in that direction.”

“Oh really?” Álvaro responds. “Right now I don’t remember where that is quoted.”

“I believe it’s in the first fourth of chapter six of the Gospel according to John. Look it up and you’ll see, but I ask you: If he had considered that the solution lay there, Do you think he would have been able to substitute Herod, Pilate or the Caesar himself in Rome?”

“I had never thought of it that way,” Álvaro admits, “but now that you mention it, I believe he could have managed it without difficulty. And incidentally, Which one of the caesars was ruling at the time?”

“Tiberius Caesar,” Don Alonso promptly replies. “I believe he died about seven years after the events I’m narrating, though I can’t pin it down with absolute certainty because of a number of irrelevant reasons.

“And going back to what I was telling you, I would point out that this assessment of mine is very personal. But 210

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tell me something, other elements aside, Why do you think he didn’t want to be king? For a very simple reason: The key to change doesn’t come from a new political situation, but rather from within the people.”

At that moment they arrive at the ranch house. Esther steps out. “Don Alonso, you had two calls. One of them was from your sons. They’ll connect as usual by internet at nine o’clock.”

“Perfect.”

“And Mr. Luis Fernando called from Zamora. He’s going to get together with some friends for lunch at Lake Comécuaro. He’s found a picture of some of you in kindergarten, but if you don’t go to the reunion he won’t give it to you.”

“Ah, Caramba!” he says with a smile. “Well I guess I’ll have to go; I’ll call right now to confirm.”

“We’ll go to Zamora as well,” Álvaro says. “Amarildo and his wife Ana Bertha will come with us. We’ll all fit in the car and, if you like, we can come back at six o’clock.

How about that?”

“Fine… At what time would we leave?”

“We were thinking about twelve thirty. That is, in two hours’ time. Is that OK?” “That’s fine with me.”

“In the meantime,” Álvaro tells them, “I’ll go get the garden chairs in case it rains.” Álvaro gets a wheelbarrow to bring back the chairs, and quickly heads off to the little dam.

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He soon gets there, and before folding the chairs, since he had some extra time, he can’t resist his curiosity and hurriedly goes to see if the recently planted trees’ drip irrigation system is working properly: He knows this is a critical time for the saplings.

Once Álvaro has checked that the system is functioning properly, he goes back to pick up the chairs. Álvaro cannot avoid making some reflections when he reaches again the place where the men had assembled.

“How different things look in daylight,” he says as he begins to fold the chairs. “Now it’s clear enough to see the path! Maybe someday in our world we’ll see things this way, because human behavior would become simple and easy.”

When there was only one chair left to fold, he decides to sit down for a while to admire the scenery, now bathed in sunlight. He meditates on the conversations they had at this place.

“This last thing Don Alonso discussed with me today,” he tells himself, “solves perfectly well something I didn’t understand: It’s the reason for inviting them here again despite the fact that I noticed that he was frustrated and even annoyed by what they had talked about on their first visit here.

“And about those other matters that were also discussed,” he wonders as he sees a few birds fluttering over the surface of the dam, “there are things that are becoming clear to me, because for some time, I didn’t understand the reason why so many contradictory points of view coexist in the world.”

On that same topic, something Don Alonso once told him comes to mind: An interaction of various checks and 212

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balances in everything that surrounds us had to be established, without which nothing would work as it should.

“I remember very well that he even offered me as an example the celestial bodies, which can move through the skies precisely because of that balance. In other words, that movement is possible thanks to the interaction or equilibrium between the apparently opposite forces that act upon them.

“For that reason, checks and balances must necessarily be part of human life, and should also be present in the ideological realm.”

As if confirming his new outlook, something that he and Don Alonso had once discussed suddenly comes to mind.

It was a reflection by Heraclytus, that great philosopher born in the fourth century B.C., who had already realized the transcendence of true dialectics on human behavior and on the world which surrounds us. Álvaro remembers the story about Heraclytus admonishing a poet when the latter said: “If only the discord between the gods and humans could fade away!” To that lament, the noted philosopher answered: “Well, then there would be no harmony between low and high notes.” Álvaro concludes, “This supposed conflict due to the interplay of apparently conflicting forces in nearly all realms is, in fact, a sort of deliberately placed wedge whose specific purpose is to incite change, to allow change and even to cleanse human thought.

“However,” Álvaro keeps reflecting as he enjoys the postcard-perfect scenery, “Don Alonso rightly pointed out to Jorge the reasons why false interpretations are reached. One of them, which is in the ideological sphere, 213

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consists in deceitfully pushing aside the golden rule of true dialectics and not leaving space for the whole range of viewpoints that might otherwise exist. This monolectic attitude has been the main source of mistakes throughout history. Álvaro feels that unsettling and refreshing breeze swirling again and also remembers those bizarre and inexplicable thoughts that had somehow made their way into his mind at such times. Strangely, he would even like those ideas to come back to him now.

“I’m sure,” he was telling himself, “that those strange voices would have something to say to the people who haven’t yet understood that this singular interplay of forces and ideas is not as some still believe: an annoying source of conflict, or even a kind of proof of imperfection in Nature…

“Instead, it constitutes yet another wonderful expression of a world in perpetual change, thanks to the free interaction of apparently opposite elements that intervene in such a process.”

Though he once feared and kept as the deepest of secrets the emergence of such ideas, this time he actually wishes they would appear. But strangely, nothing comes to mind.

As he continues to wait patiently and attentively, he enjoys the sound of the wavelets and the gently wafting breeze.

“Perhaps,” he concludes, “those mischievous voices come only once, or maybe they were just the product of my imagination, never to return. Too bad…

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“Still, I would have liked them to appear,” another part of his being was telling him, “if only out of curiosity and to know what they would have said to those who see things differently…”

After a while, and just as he was about to leave, Álvaro is taken aback by something suddenly rising within: Who told you, vain man, That you and your profane conduct, Could interpret things, If you only stumble when you walk?

If he sent the good winds, And tolerates the ill, It’s to test humans, And to evaluate everyone thoroughly…

Why do you judge the winds, Without seeing that if we run loose, It’s only to arrange things, In a way that you don’t understand?

Why do you judge the winds, If you’ve lost your way, Walking and groping along, When stepping on the dry grass?

Better listen to the good winds!

That don’t even divide people, They can change the paths, And open their eyes…

About one more thing I warn you, That voice speaks so softly, It can only be heard, By the one who can listen to the wind.

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Again, Álvaro remains as if petrified in his chair, without knowing what to make of it all. He turns in different directions but everything seems exactly as it was. He almost wanted to go running to tell someone about what had just happened, be he immediately drops the idea.

“On the other hand,” he says to himself as he folds the last remaining chair, “each time I’m more convinced that this is just a figment of my imagination. It couldn’t be otherwise. I better get back to the house, to be ready for departure.”

Deep in thought, be pushes the wheelbarrow with its load of chairs and makes a firm promise to himself: “Never share this experience with anyone, no matter what.” Álvaro soon reaches the agreed upon place and after arranging the chairs where they belong, he notices that there’s only ten minutes left before departure. Then he sees Don Alonso and Amarildo talking to Chema, next to the plant and sapling nursery. He walks towards them.

“Chema,” Don Alonso tells him, “in the next few days, I want you to prepare more bags with pine, walnut and oak saplings in them, just like Andrés the engineer taught us. We’re almost out of them and this way, we’ll have the saplings ready when the time comes to plant them on the other side. Can you help us with that?”

“Of course.”

“But Don Alonso,” Amarildo inquires, “Wouldn’t it be better to plant them directly? This way we would skip two steps and simplify matters.”

“Apparently it would seem so,” Don Alonso respectfully replies: He knows that Amarildo doesn’t have much 216

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farming experience. “You see, one of the purposes of a nursery is the selection of the best plants.

“For instance, we’ll put the pine seeds in the bags, but only the best seedlings will be selected. The rest we’ll have to discard.”

“And why is that?” Amarildo asks with sincere curiosity.

“All those seedlings belonging to various species will go through the same cold, heat, rain and other factors but will not respond the same way. Those adverse external factors will allow us to choose the best plants, and that’s one of the objectives that we seek in a nursery.

“Otherwise,” he continues with his customary patience, “we would be making a big mistake by taking up space and planting trees that will later fail.

“That’s why it’s best to do the planting in two steps, as you put it, and though this may seem to take longer, it’s how we’ll do it: the right way.

“And see how remarkable it is, Amarildo,” Don Alonso goes on as Álvaro and Chema also listen intently. “Sometimes we forget that our world is a nursery too…” Álvaro, Amarildo and Chema don’t understand exactly what he was trying to tell them, but knowing that Don Alonso always came up with expressions found who knows where, they choose to remain quiet.

Suddenly they see the ladies arrive at the rendez-vous place. They take out the car and, on the way, begin to discuss various matters.

After the visitors had left, they would seem to momentarily forget that the surrounding’s elements would con217

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tinue to play their respective roles. Such was the case of the wind, which continues on its search mission over everything it hears and touches.

Never did those people imagine that the most insignificant utterance voiced by every person was not lost in the immensity of space, but would seem to be picked up by the wind and gradually set aside in some hidden place out of the reach of humans.

Furthermore, Álvaro never imagined that those whispers he thought he had heard don’t even care if someone listens to them or not. They flow anyway, sometimes as a thought, sometimes a hastily spoken words.

As proof of that, with few people remaining in the ranch and without anyone paying the slightest attention to those voices, they glide again through the air with a nearly inaudible sound and without granting the slightest importance to the fact that no one would listen: When we see them, the wheat grains, We think they are the same, They all look yellow, And together they seem alike…

As those grains are key, For all future sowings, We must avoid the mistakes, Of sowing the useless ones…

That’s how they were chosen, By looking into their interiors, Thus it was decided to sow them, And then, to observe carefully their own grain…

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The hail that breaks some, Strikes others but, yet they grow, The blight that defeats some, Strengthens others…

All the sowings of the world, Don’t stem from foolish decisions, The grains are analyzed only, On the basis of their results…

Those who think those crops, Are the result of vain attempts, By judging in this way, Might not choose good seeds…

But let’s not make early judgements, May the fields keep growing, The moment of truth, Shall only come with the harvests!

If the fields wilt, If more ears break off, Just set aside in the barns, All the good seeds…

And it’s that the current crop, Doesn’t seek the large grains, It only seeks good seeds, For the following harvests.

Since absolutely no one had heard such voices, once they were gone in the same manner as they had come, the only things remaining in the setting was the rustling of leaves and the chirping of a few birds. Or perhaps, we shall never know for sure if they simply didn’t hear the murmurs, or if they ignored the voices because they already knew them since time immemorial.

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Another thing we shall also never know is whether what occurred at the El Encinal ranch in the past few days was a response to some personal doubt within those who took part in those events, or perhaps a reply to some specific questioning by one of the readers of these pages.

But the answer will remain in the air, since it would seem that something out there prefers to go without a categorical or forceful answer to such doubts. Rather, as part of that wonderful selection process, we’ll find it by ourselves with certain elements that are within the reach of everyone, or that have been placed next to each one of us.

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AUTHOR’S NOTE If you go to the site where the events described in this book take place, you will find the cities and places mentioned here, but not the characters because those are found within each one of us, and it will be up to us to identify with one of them, according to our own conduct. Meanwhile, should there be a similarity with the characters, the events or even the social errors cited here, it is coincidental because surely none of our other fellow citizens of the world would incur in some type of mistake like the ones mentioned here. Such a person would have immediately realized that by acting so inappropriately, the blunder would not only harm others, but would also come back to blunderer.

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This book could not have reached your hands without the valuable collaboration and support of my wife Lucía Ricoux, my daughter Ana Sofía Ochoa Ricoux, the economic analysts Griselda Samaniego Barrón and Marisela Gómez Silva, the writers and researchers Jacobo Königsberg and José Luis Montecillos Chipres and the typographer Luis Tovar Carrillo.

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The printing of this book was finished in the month of May 2018 in the printing workshop of CACTUS DISPLAYS

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The MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS was founded in 1833 by Don Valentín Gómez Farías.

It has counted among its members some of Mexico’s most distinguished intellectuals, scientists and politicians, among them Andrés Quintana Roo, Mariano Otero, Melchor Ocampo, José María la Fragua, Manuel Orozco y Berra, Miguel Lerdo de Tejada, Leopoldo Ríos de la Loza, Ignacio Ramírez (El Nigromante), Gabino Barreda, Santos Degollado, Justo Sierra, Joaquín Gracía Icazbalceta, Luis Bolland Kumackl, Vicente Riva Palacio, Félix Palavicini, Miguel Schultz, Guillermo Prieto, Antonio Caso, Emilio Portes Gil, Jesús Silva Herzog, Jesús Reyes Heroles, Daniel Cosío Villegas, Jaime Torres Bodet, Julio Zamora Bátiz, Ignacio Chávez, Miguel Alemán Valdés, José Clemente Orozco, Alfonso Reyes, Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, Adolfo López Mateos and many illustrious figures, by virtue of which this distinguished Institution is considered a precursor of the cultural Independence of the nation.

Its founder, the physician Don Valentín Gómez Farías dedicated, while as acting President of the Mexican Republic, part of his spare time to attend to the victims of a cholera epidemic that was gripping Mexico City.

Faced with a certain social decomposition that surely you have noticed in various parts of the world, and which has been accompanied by a host of deficiencies in the ecological, economic and human domains, it’s very likely that you have asked yourself about the underlying reasons that impact on such a process.

If you want to delve deeper into this matter in an entertaining, clear and easy to understand way by knowing better the natural wisdom and great common sense of people who are oftentimes close to each one of us, then reading this book will be indispensable.

We are so bold as to assure you that once you have read it, your perception on various subjects will have changed in a way you never would have thought.

MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS