So Far from God by Ana Castillo

Author:Ana Castillo
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company
Published: 2013-05-06T00:00:00+00:00

10

Wherein Sofia Discovers La Loca’s Playmate by the Acequia Has an Uncanny Resemblance to the Legendary Llorona; the Ectoplasmic Return of Sofi’s Eldest Daughter; Fe Falls in Love Again; and Some Culinary Advice from La Loca

By midday on a certain afternoon in June it reached 98 degrees, but a minute after it was best to stop counting. La Loca, finding no relief from the heat in the house, swamp cooler going full blast or not, would seek at least a little comfort from the shade of a cottonwood near the acequia that ran by her mother’s house. Sometimes one of the dogs or a horse, tongue hanging to the ground and not feeling so great about the heat either, went along to keep her company.

Lately, on its own accord, however, a strange bird with a tremendous turquoise blue tail that opened at whim like the Spanish fan her mother used to cool herself when sitting on the front porch had found its way to her shady spot. She hid when its owner came looking for it, saying things to the bird with the big fantail like “There you are, you bad bird!” and “Your wife’s been looking all over for you!”

Later, overhearing her mother and a comadre talking about the big fantailed bird, she learned that it was called “peacock.” The comadre had said “pavo real,” which meant it wasn’t just any kind of strange bird, but one born of royalty. And it was indeed the most splendid thing on two claw feet that Loca had ever seen, this noble bird.

Loca tried to make friends with it. She imitated the peacock’s walk and tried to make peacock talk, but it didn’t go along with any of her playfulness, not because it was stupid like a chicken or ornery like a rooster either. The peacock, Loca concluded, was just not an imitator. Or maybe it was just too preoccupied with being on the run from its owner to let itself be amused by Loca.

The acequia was as far as Loca had ever drifted from home, and her place to play and hide since she had learned to walk. Consequently, she knew and loved everything about it. She knew its quiet nature in summer, its coolness in spring; and she didn’t mind it in winter when the muddy water was frozen most of the time. It was her own place to be—until the invasion of the peacock, which seemed to have the same sense of proprietorship toward the acequia as she.

Sometimes a vecino would catch sight of La Loca down there and think she was lost. Most people around mistook the fact that she showed no apparent social skills to mean she was a simpleton. None of them realized just how aware Loca was of her surroundings and of all the things that went on outside and away from Sofi’s house. And not only that, but how effective she could be in handling circumstances that were beyond most people’s patience, not to mention ability.

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