And another…
24
Goddammit!
That stuff doesn’t go there.
W-What? Yard waste.
25
You can’t throw it in the dumpster because then there’s no room for anything else.
I’m José, his middle child.
I didn’t know. Where does it go? Are you Antonio’s son?
The operation went really well. It didn’t take long for him to start trying to get around without crutches.
You’re Manolo, right?
I’m really sorry.
I heard about your father.
I called him one day, after the operation. He still sounded weak, but seemed cheerful.
Thanks.
But he suddenly went into some kind of depression and relapsed, and everything happened really fast.
He told me that when I came back, I had to help him rebuild a stone wall that had fallen.
26
I was very fond of him.
Are you all getting the house in order?
You’re supposed to leave the bags over there, next to the streetlight.
So what do I do with this?
Sort of.
Oh, OK.
They collect yard waste on Tuesdays.
Once March is over and the days start getting longer, it’s really nice here. I guess you already know that.
We’re not fixing it up to visit.
We’re going to sell.
Who knows if it’ll actually happen. Things are tough right now.
Wow…
27
There’s one down there that’s been for sale for more than a year, and no dice.
Exactly… My siblings and I are trying to fix it up a little.
We’re hoping to spruce things up and find a buyer.
I’m afraid I’m going to prune too much and turn them into bonsai.
If I can help in any way… Actually, I wanted to prune some of the trees tomorrow, but I’m worried.
It’s a shame… Your father always took such good care of everything.
It’s such a nice night.
Mmm… the jasmine smells so good.
28
Of course, happy to help. Let me know when you’re ready to do it.
This is the first time I’ve gotten to just lounge around doing nothing.
Dad was always calling us to come do something. He didn’t like twiddling his thumbs.
But that wasn’t him… Your dad couldn’t even sit still for photos. He always came out blurry.
For me, coming here was like entering a forced labor camp.
It’s weird, when I think about him, I only remember him the way he was in that final month: sitting on the sofa, depressed and listless.
That’s why I don’t get it. He was a fighter.
It’s like at some point he just let himself die.
I feel like at any moment Dad’s going to yell for me to get up and help him with something.
Maybe he got tired of fighting.
29
He was getting better, stopped using crutches, was in good spirits…
Don’t fret about it anymore.
José...
I’m going inside. It’s getting cold.
Come give me a hand. I’m going to build a shed over here where we can have cookouts.
I’m going to finish this chapter first.
Dad…
Why did you stop fighting?
30
I never asked him.
My father used his savings to build this house.
Though what he liked best was being here, taking care of the garden.
Vicente, José, and Carla
When my grandfather died, my father inherited part of the land.
My father married my mother, Amparo.
…I’m ashamed to admit it, but I don’t know much about his origins.
Miguel did odd jobs so he could feed his large family.
But he was from the city.
He once told me his grandfather was from a village, I’m not sure which.
He got married and had six children. His wife worked as a caretaker.
Miguel
That’s where his father and his aunts and uncles were born.
And now the house belongs to my siblings and me.
Alberto His father was named Alberto. He was a coal merchant. He had a house with a little garden.
31
Miguel left to do his military service, and when he got out he moved to the city, looking for a better future than the village could offer.
He had three children: Alberto, Rocío, and Miguel, my father’s father.
My grandfather used his entire life savings to buy some land near his parents’ village. Maybe he was looking to get back to his roots, or maybe he just wanted to leave his children what his father hadn’t been able to leave him.
Alberto
Rocío
His siblings stayed in the village. The eldest inherited the house, but he ended up losing it by racking up debts.