The Civilian by Michael Bickel

Author:Michael Bickel
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: BookBaby
Published: 2015-01-15T00:00:00+00:00

No Mas

It’s 9:00 P.M. They light up the fields the best they can, but electricity seems scarce here, so only a few can work at a time. The workers all seem nice, maybe because they are all so tired that they don’t have the strength to cause any trouble. A few are playing a soccer game lit by the moonlight. Some of the men are sleeping on the ground.

Most of us are sitting around the fire. A large group sings old songs that sound like the ones I used to hear when I was a child. I keep to myself, not really participating.

Two older men come sit next to me. They watch and rest. The first one notices me. “How are you doing with your new job over there?”

“Oh, good, thanks.”

“My name is Emilio.” I tell him mine. “I’ve been here thirteen years. It’s a very good place to work. Fair wages, good food, nice people.” He nudges me, as older men tend to do. “It can always be worse.”

I appreciate the kind words. He’s really the only person to approach me like this. The group of men continues to sing louder, not better, but louder. Emilio asks me, “Do you know any of these songs they’re singing?”

“No, not really. Do they sing any American songs?”

The other older man next to him now leans over and talks to Emilio. Emilio nods to me. “Julian has a cassette tape of American music, but he loved it so much he wore it out. He says he still carries it with him every day in the hope that he will be able to fix it.”

“You’re kidding.”

“No, every day. He’s very determined.”

“That’s amazing. Does he know any of the songs on the tape? Can he sing them?”

Emilio asks Julian. Julian lowers his head, pauses, and then continues in broken English. “Oh, Mandy, you came and you gave without taking, but I sent you away, oh, Mandy. You kissed me and stopped me from shaking—and I need youuuuu.”

Julian stands; I think he’s waiting for applause?

“Barry Manilow? That’s what you have been carrying with you for years?”

Emilio nods to me. “Do you like? You want to hear more?”

I shake my head. “Mmmm, no más.”

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