the desert are seeking refuge for their sleep of the day. It is also a time for her to check his wounds. As she takes the cacti off, she sees the blood and drainage has completely stopped. She has her needle ready that she acquired earlier from the maguey tip, with several more ready to go. With the string of the maguey, she sews his wounds up. She starts first with this leg, two parts to stitch the entrance and exit wounds. She makes four sutures into his leg and on his side. Without signs of pus or redness, she applies a bit of the aloe, yarrow, chaparral, and cannabis oil. She keeps a cannabis tincture in a pouch around her neck with her amulet. She has a simple salve of beeswax, which she had collected days earlier in one of her clay pots. She puts cannabis oil in the pot and chaparral to keep it all clean and purified. She applies the paste to his wounds, and he awakens, startled, exclaiming, “who are you? Where am I?” He attempts to get off the ground. She responds, “you’re not going anywhere. Stay where you are!” He barks at her, “you don’t know who I am. You can’t tell me what to do!” She goes to him and asks, “well, who are you?” He responds “I am General Francisco Villa, Pancho Villa ! Who are you?” She gasps and steps back, and tries to catch he breath. Just the realization of who he is and that she is the one who has nursed him! He asks for assistance to get up, but he realizes he cannot jump on the horse. He exclaims, “I have to go back to my men. We took the town and garrison, but the federal soldiers will regroup and return. I need to be there!” So she exclaims, “You’re not going anywhere without me.” He goes,” um, and why is that?” “Because I am your field Marshall, the commander of the Adelitas, women sharpshooters.” Villa replies, “I’ve heard of you!” He looks up at her with his crooked smile. “Well, get your gear together! We have a war campaign to carry on! For Tierra o Muerte.” Land or Death! They saddle up and ride towards the rising sun. El Enquentro? The encounter of Pancho Villa and Marijuana has begun. Ahhh ya ya ya Ajo!
FALL 2 021
