Читать книгу Do UFOs Exist? - Juan Moisés De La Serna, Dr. Juan Moisés De La Serna, Paul Valent - Страница 8

We were sitting quietly. The afternoon was coming to an end, the sun had just hidden over the horizon. When he proposed his idea and I heard it I thought it was great.

— What do you think if we go there? And we see “in situ” the place and if it is possible, that, surely it will be, talk to someone who witnessed it.

— But what do you say? And how could it not have occurred to you before? Of course, that would be great — was my immediate reply.

Now remembering it, with the perspective given by the passage of time, it did not seem to me such a good idea. That little trip had brought us a lot of complications, and in the end, what for? We had not clarified anything, just a lot of preoccupations.

I sat on the bed, here alone in my room. I began to review mentally, I do not know why, that distant day when the two of us gradually entered that place. As we saw it, we did not find it pretty, as we both at the same time express, “Ugh, what a place! Nothing beautiful.”

I remember as if it was just a moment ago, that when we finished saying it, we burst out laughing at the coincidence.

— Well — we said to each other by way of comfort —. Places are as they are, and they may seem better or worse to us, but we have to take them in their own way, not in the way we would like them to be.

— But friend — you said to me —. It is that this has “tomato” and surely that of trails nothing at all. We will have to manage by climbing as if we were wild goats.

— You are exaggerating! — I remember answering —. It will also be good for us to do a little of exercise.

We continued walking for a long time in silence, neither of us dared to tell the other to stop, that we should not continue, until the inevitable happened, the ankle said “I have come up to this point!” and tired of climbing those rocks, almost inaccessible, decided to break.

I looked at him, I still have the scar, and I said, “Why did you have to do that to us at that time?” Of course, the ankle is not going to answer me, but if I remember correctly, that problem made us not be able to continue, but it didn’t let us turn around either, so we had to spend a few days on those burning rocks, which seemed endless.

Even though I want to stop thinking about it, it seems that I can not, it is as if something I have inside, some memories of the moments we spent there that I must take out and try to forget.

I will keep remembering them sitting here, nothing will happen to me, there is no one, I am at home, in my room, in my bed, I have enough tranquility to review all that, without emotions arising in between from those events, but the truth is that just thinking about it, something gets in my stomach, which barely allows me to breathe, it seems that I have not overcome it yet. Although I believed that since so much time had passed, it no longer affected me, now I see that I was very wrong.

What were those noises ? It seemed that they were getting closer. I looked everywhere, but I couldn’t see anything, only rocks and more rocks, and that scorching sun, which today did not want to leave. Suddenly everything changed. I remember how I fell with my back to the ground, it would be because my ankle caused me enormous pain at that time. Although I think it was the other way around, the fear that entered me made me fall and the ankle protested, and it was not for nothing, my whole body had fallen on top of it, and of course it couldn’t bear my weight and it broke.

The pain, so intense and sudden, that I felt in that ankle, made me at the same time take my hand to try to catch it. Looking towards that site, that reason freed me from that, I couldn’t see it, but I think it was the best, because in the situation I was in. If I had seen it, I don’t know how my heart would have responded.

Now remembering it, I think I’m exaggerated, but at that moment, I don’t think I would have assumed it. But what was it? I’m still asking myself. The truth is that the place was steep enough, so that nothing, or anyone, could be and at the moment not, but it was so. That scorching sun was shining and a second later something came between me and its light, and that shadow, whatever it was, was so big that all the sunlight covered those moments, and then it was gone, as quickly as had arrived. Of course, I was already on the floor and with the problem of my ankle, what happened or did not happen was not so much of my interest, the tremendous pain I felt was important to me, what would that be? How could it get there? and then, where would he have gone?

There are things in life that are very difficult to understand, and of course to tell another, nothing at all. If you cannot assimilate it yourself so that someone else believes it, it would be impossible.

— Peter, have you seen him? — I asked immediately.

— The what? — he said, looking surprised.

He was returning from looking for a place to spend the night, and he found me on the floor, with my ankle bleeding there and not only that, but also scared to death, yes, because I was even trembling. He thought that the ankle was to blame, and he asked me a lot of times how he had done it to me, that he had left me there, with the backpacks so that I could move better, but it was inexplicable that I could have fallen if I was resting on the floor.

— I wasn’t sitting! — I said softly —. Well yes, but when I heard that noise, I got up immediately, to try to see where it came from, and what it was.

— But what noise? What are you talking about? Could it be that you have fallen asleep, and have dreamed of something? Or perhaps the sun´s rays were strong and what you have heard is a product of insolation — he was asking me very seriously, staring at me, because he couldn’t explain what had happened to me.

— No, Peter, really! I was wide awake, in fact, I think I was not even sleepy. Yes, it is true that I was tired, but I remember thinking that I should have gone exploring, instead of letting you go. You will be so tired and not for a moment have you shown it, and not like me who has been coming for a while protesting for the little path we are taking, the difficulty of climbing and climbing.

— Come on! What are you saying? We are both tired. What is the difference if you or me try to find a place to spend the night?

— Well yes, but you see, I was thinking about it, so I tell you that I remember very well that I did not sleep, and also, although at first, as you say, I was sitting, then when I heard that, I got up. Tell me, how could I have fallen to the ground if I was sitting down? Impossible!

— Yes, of course, you’re right, but it is so strange for me, that you tell me that you heard something and I, who shouldn’t have been so far away, only a few meters away, haven’t heard anything. Well, let’s leave that and let’s see this ankle that looks very bad. I think we will have to be around here more than we had planned — he was saying to me quite worried, while trying to touch that to see what could be done.

— Well, let’s leave that and let’s see this ankle that looks very bad, I think we will have to be around here more than we had planned - he was saying to me quite worried, while trying to touch that to see what could be done.

— Well, it seems to me that if you have this strength, we should use it to return, we do not know what is ahead, and we do not know how far there is someone who can help us, and if we return at least we are sure of what is there, because we already know it — Peter was saying, very sensibly.

—Tomorrow we’ll see! — I answered almost convinced that the next day all that would have passed me by.

Of all the problems I had in all my life, that was the most problematic, of course there was a tomorrow, and the day after tomorrow and the next, it was like that for a while until my ankle wanted to be useful . The next day when I woke up full of pain, I found that it had swelled enormously, and it was impossible to put my boot on, I think the foot was so large that its size was twice.

How could I even think of moving? But I had to, we couldn’t be there, I wanted to get up, but the pain was stronger than me, and I had no choice but to stay there, lying, sitting and lying again. Several days passed, I do not know how many they were, we both lost track of time.

The scorching sun that was outside, almost kills us, but of course we never know how strong we are, until we subject the body to a test, the one that people call “extreme”, and well, everything that I am now remembering here, sitting quietly, it stayed behind. The ankle stopped hurting and we were finally able to return to civilization, happy to have been able to say it, although we were left with the frustration of not having reached the place we had planned.

Although we have never spoken about it again, I have not forgotten that noise and that great shadow. What would it be?

The mind sometimes plays tricks on us, and makes us believe that we see things that do not exist. I remember Peter once told me:

— There are times when re-remembering past things, lived situations, helps to overcome them.

I think that the fear of that moment I have it so deep inside me, that I see that, despite being here in a safe place, and that the time that has passed has already been long, it has not prevented my entire forehead from being covered in a cold sweat.

Perhaps all of t what was the product of my imagination, so why is it so difficult for me to assimilate it as such? Because there are times when I wake up with the bed wet with sweat that a shadow produces, it is as if I were going into the house. I have never been fearful in my life, but as time goes by I cannot leave behind that feeling of being watched by that.

Determined to clear my head, I got out of bed where I was sitting and went out into the garden. The splendid day has immediately made my mood change. The mallets of flowers with their beauty have reminded me that in life there are many beautiful things that are worth enjoying.

One day I was passing by a flower shop. It was strange, I had never directed my steps in that part of the city, I went into those unknown alleys, and the truth is that I was pleasantly surprised by the beauty I found. I have always liked the open spaces, the great endless meadows, with their blue skies, but now, I don’t know why, I was admiring small streets, with their little houses on both sides, and I liked it. Turning around a corner, there I found a little square, where on one of its sides there was a flower shop.

I have always admired nature, but what we could call wild, the flowers scattered throughout the field, which grow spontaneously, but I had never approached a florist´s. It was the first time and I really liked that mix of colors and smells. The amount of flowers were different, and I could not help myself but I took several of them.

Not in a cut bouquet as that kind lady proposed to me, because, as I answered her offer, she didn’t want something that after a few days it would be spoiled, so she found me some plant pots and I let her be the one to indicate which ones as she understood better than me.

I only asked her not to be delicate plants, or that they needed a lot of care, that they be strong since I would plant them in my garden and there was seasons when I would be absent, and I could not take care of them.

With these indications, she gave me five plant pots, each with a different plant.

I already liked the number, five has always been my lucky number, and I said so to that kind person who was helping me.

— They will be lucky to be with you. I know you will take good care of them — said the young lady, smiling.

Several years have passed since then and my garden is beautiful, those five little plant pots, each one of a kind, which I transplanted following the indications of that kind florist, have become large mallets in his environment, some covering its piece of wall, another spreading on the ground and thus each one has taken something from the garden and in that part it has developed.

Seeing what nature can do when we leave it space and time, I think that is what we should do ourselves with our life, give ourselves time and we will see that we can do what we dreamed, we will also need our space, without interference of anything, or anyone, because it is the environment that sometimes imprisons us so much, that it does not even let us think.

We must be clear about what the environment is. We can be in the middle of an empty beach, but if we are hooked on technology, we will not even see the sea, we have to delimit that environment so that it does not drown us. Yes, it is true that there are needs that we must cover daily, but we must never allow ourselves to be overwhelmed. Who are the others? A television set bombing us at all hours, a phone that never stops ringing, a job with so many overtime that we can´t even breathe.

Let’s analyze what it is that we have, and what it is that we want and seek at that moment in our lives. That we be independent of everything and everyone and we are doing what we really like, even if others do not understand it, because there are times when we seek approval of our actions and that leaves us without freedom, depending on the opinions of others.

Reflections that I make myself looking at the tranquility of my garden, but that, despite this, I cannot erase from my mind the odd incident of my past.

I remember when we returned to the town, after spending those fateful days, without food and under the rays of that scorching sun, the welcome was inexplicable, people seemed to be hiding from us, but we had done nothing to them. What would happen to them? We were trying to find it out when…

— Leave! It’s for our own sake — said the little boy, approaching suddenly.

We didn’t really think much about it and although Peter did not agree at first, I think that, thinking about my still convalescing ankle, he decided without further ado to rent that beat-up car that took us far away.

I think the decision was correct, especially when we were already in the distance and saw how that great storm fell in the town, which we both said:

— Luckily, we got rid of it!

It looked like he had been waiting for us to leave so that he starts.

— Let’s hurry up! Before he starts — said Peter.

When we were putting the backpacks in the back seat, I asked him, puzzled, what he said, what he meant.

— Look through the rearview mirror! — he answered me —. I’ve seen those dark clouds approaching — and he pointed at them with his hand.

I, who of course was already determined to leave, told him:

— Well, cheer up, start, we don’t do anything here.

And with speed, well the truth is that it was not much, because the car we had obtained could not last, but it was enough to find us far away when that storm began.

Fortunately, it did not go on, because our car was one of the convertibles, but it did not have a hood. It would have it in its good times but judging by the remains of it, it must have been removed for a long time. The few pieces that were still visible there were all rusted.

— If water starts to fall, we certainly have no choice but to take a shower — said Peter —. And so we got rid of the days that we have been without giving it to us.

Of course, that one thing is a controlled shower with a control in which you give more or less power to the jet that falls on you, and another very different one is what it gives you that downpour that falls from the cloud, in a few moments it seems that the door has been left open suddenly and everything that was there escapes.

Suddenly I noticed how I was getting wet, and it was as if I came back from a dream, I had just seen how the storm ended in that town as we drove away, as fast as we could, and now suddenly, water.

I looked everywhere, and laughed out loud. I couldn’t believe it, the sprinkler had started. Yes, I had it regulated so that it would work for an hour, so even if I was not here, I knew that the whole garden would remain well-kept, and would not dry out due to lack of water, but what I had not realized in these moments is that it was his time, and on time he began to fulfill his obligation, drop water to refresh everything.

<<<<<>>>>>

Revising some papers that I had stored in a drawer, I have found some photos of my graduation, and looking at them, those years of student have come to my memory, without compromises.

Seeing there in that little corner where Don Carlos had put himself, when we invited him, those memories immediately came to mind, that Master Class which he gave us on the last day of the course, when he invited us to present the work done to the various groups. How many debates were formed!

As we were told at that time by the Rector, who was, as he must be the most serious of the entire University, never in any course has a theme created such controversy.

All the teachers had signed up for that session, which due to the attendance had to be held in the Auditorium. Despite that situation, many of those who wanted to listen to it, they had no choice but to do it from the hallways.

The course was coming to an end and that work could no longer be delayed. We had participated with great enthusiasm. Working on that had made us take everything with more desire, and some teachers had noticed this, who had told us that it seemed that doing the work of the History teacher had cleared our heads. We had opted for all the classmates to make study teams for the other subjects and the system worked well. The level of the class went up, because when there was one student who dealt with a topic that choked him, as it is usually said, he always had a partner helping him through it.

I think that was the course in which the grades obtained by some students were higher in the entire history of the University, as the Rector told us. We had all deserved to be on the Honor Roll, that had perplexed more than one, who did not trust that system very much, and said that what we did was a waste of time, in an absurd job.

But honoring the truth, it is that perhaps it was that theme that motivated us, and the friendship we made with each other, those who formed those working groups that we have maintained forever, and I, honestly believe, that had it not been for Don Carlos, none of this would have happened to us “Thank you, teacher.”

How important are some people in our lives, who possibly without intending to help us move forward and with their influence determine our future.

I remember a conversation with a very young priest that one day I found in the corridors of the university. He approached me to ask me about the office of one of the teachers, but I do not know what arose between us, that life surely had prepared us for that meeting.

I told him where the place was because he had asked me and then I went to my class, which was about to start.

Several times I remembered the person of the meeting. I had seen in his gaze a peace that had caught my attention, but well, I let it pass, without giving it much importance.

The class ended as usual, on time, but when I was walking down the hall distracted, someone coming out of an office bumped into me. Well, I didn’t realize that door was opening and we both hit each other.

Looking at him to apologize for my mistake, I saw that he was the same person who had asked me that question before class.

— Excuse me, sorry — I heard, at the same time that I also told him, and we both laughed at the coincidence.

Little by little we were talking as if it were two old friends. Walking around the Campus, he told me that he was the nephew of a teacher, the same one he had asked me about. He did not teach me any subject, but I had heard things from him, and having the opportunity to speak to someone who must have known him very well, I could not resist the temptation, and I think that even without wanting to, I made him some questions. Well, I don’t know how it was, but I remember that before I knew it, I was asking that young priest something about his uncle. He was very serious and said to me quietly:

— That belongs to the private life of a person. If it interests you so much, why don’t you ask him personally? Since I think that only the one who is interested is the one who should answer you on that matter.

I was surprised at his answer, and I thought that diplomatically he had told me not to go where they don’t call me, but since I am a nosy person I did not stop, and I continued saying:

— From what you just told me, yes, because otherwise I would have flatly denied it.

— Friend, whoever follows it gets it, but if you really want to, do your best, which is to go to the source — he said, smiling.

I stood still. What was he talking about? That conversation that we had that distant day resulted in a great friendship, a collaboration in many matters that do not come to mind here, but without that person in my life I admit that many things would have been very different. He put the right point, as you might say, to the matter we were debating, and I recognize that this helped me advance on multiple occasions, that without his opinion things would have gone in other directions.

Eusebio, that was the name of the priest, how many hours we have both spent debating multiple issues. I think he was the one who taught me to listen and to be patient, which is not easy, or at least for me, since at that time I was not, because, as a young man, my impulses made me know that when I knew something about a theme I had to let it go, without realizing if the interlocutor was interested in that or not, and of course, the result is that I received some blows.

Yes, because you start talking about something, which seems to be very interesting, and you do not realize that it is only for you. The other does not care what you say, and of course you get disappointed when you see his lack of interest, but if you have patience you will get to see who really cares what you have to say, and you can let everything go, because what you say will interest him, and he will listen to you carefully.

My friend left after a few years, the place where he chose to spend his life was not easy, but as he told me, everyone has to do what they are destined for, and he had chosen to pass it among terminally ill patients, as he said that it was very important that when one goes passes away, which is what he called death, he said that it was only one step in which we took off the meat that covered the true BEING that we all carry inside, and he affirmed that when we die is important to be calm, and not be afraid, because the place where we go is better.

How could he be so sure of that? He never asked me why I could assure it so firmly, but I can say, because I knew him very well, that he at least believed it, and I had not the slightest doubt.

<<<<<>>>>>

Waiting for the sunrise to start the journey, I revised everything I had in my beloved backpack, the one that had accompanied me almost from the beginning. It is so comfortable to carry everything you need so close at hand, that since I saw her in that little shop at the airport once, when the plane that had to take us had not arrived because its departure from the other airport had to be delayed for a storm that was falling in those moments.

Well, going around the shops, I don’t know, to spend some time, I discovered her in that little corner, half hidden, and she immediately caught my attention so much that I took her and said:

— Friend, you come with me.

The saleswoman told me that there were other better ones, that this one was out of season, that she was no longer wearing that color and I do not know how many other things. Of course it showed very well that she did not want to sell it to me, but I was determined, and I finally got it, and also with a discount that I did not expect. So it was from another season and I do not know what this will have to do with fashion, if it is not an object to use and throw away, it lasts what it has to. And if you take good care of it as I have done, the truth is that I don’t even remember the trips we have done together.

My beloved backpack, the one with hours of pillow that it has made for me, when I was tired and I could no longer go on, the backpack and I have put ourselves on the floor, and there we were calm. I used the backpack as a pillow in which I put my head and I have slept wonderfully.

It had everything, well it was to be expected, because I put it in last night, thing by thing, looking at it in the list that I always keep, so as I go in I don’t forget anything, which I may need later.

But without knowing why, I went to the drawer of the table and took out a small magnifying glass, and I thought “I’m going to take it with me, maybe it will help me for something” and opening one of the side pockets I put it in there where I had those two pens, the sharpener and two erasers.

Suddenly I realized that something very important had been overlooked and I ran to the kitchen. The matches, how could I have forgotten them? I had them on the table last night. Luckily, when introducing the magnifying glass in that pocket, I had missed that, since I always carried them there and with how useful they are, they have taken me out of compromised situations several times.

Because where or how you are going to start a fire, when you have been away from any civilized place for several days, of course, with tinder and rubbing the stick, but come on, if you have matches, it is much better, more effective and faster.

<<<<<>>>>>

— Where can you start? I remember that when I looked up I was a bit astonished, but not much to be honest. The sky had suddenly covered itself with a mist, and I thought “This is something strange” but I’ll keep walking. It had not been long. When a cloud was approaching, that was the blackest thing I have ever seen, and it also seemed to me in a moment, that came out like little rays. It couldn’t be possible. I must have been dreaming, but I was wide awake and I was also standing, walking through that lonely place. If I had been lying down I could still think that tiredness had overcome me and that would be a dream, but no, I was pretty sure I was awake and wide awake.

— And what did you see? — I asked him, it had already intrigued me.

— You see, it was one second, because time has not passed, it was like the blink of an eye, when there over my head I wouldn’t know how to say. A few meters away, it’s not that I could give it with my hand, no that was not, but it was very close, it was a huge round thing and it had some small holes that could be said to be little windows in a round shape. It had many, yes sir, I was still, I didn’t even want to breathe so that they did not notice my presence. The truth is that I was terrified, that, whatever it was, was a quiet moment.

— How long? — I asked curiously.

— Well, I don’t know, because, as I say, the fear I had, the truth is that it certainly wouldn’t let me think, but now it seems a bit to me, although I remember that at those moments I only wanted him to leave without seeing me.

— And…? — I went to ask him again, but he kept talking.

— Do you know what I feared most? Well, that he would finish going down and crush me. Surely he would leave me sunk in the ground and no one would ever know about me anymore.

— And you were not afraid of being taken away? — I asked again.

— Well, it is that in particular I don’t know very well what I thought. Although I think that I didn’t even have time to think, only in a moment did it flash, and I saw it rise quickly and disappear, the truth is that I do not know where it went, the sky was totally clear and as much as I looked everywhere, I did not see anything again, and immediately I sat on the ground, my legs were not holding me. I felt the weight of my body, and I was afraid of falling. Once sitting there, I looked everywhere again, and I never saw anything again, and I asked myself, was all that true? Was it there? or I just imagined it.

<<<<<>>>>>

A thunder woke me up, how it was raining! I had planned to leave, but that would be almost impossible for me. The motorcycle is safe, but the water does not make the roadway safe, even if I was in bed lying down I decided to postpone that ride. Tomorrow if it stopped raining I would, then something else occurred to me.

I have always liked to keep everything I have found, related to the topic, because I thought “Well, today I will spend time reviewing what I have out there” and decided I got up, I did not know the surprises that I had that rainy day.

As there was a lot of material that I was taking out from the various places where I had it stored without order, I decided to put it all spread out on the bed, so I would distribute it more or less, I don’t know, by dates, or something like that, but after a while there I didn’t even have a little hole, so I decided to look for another place and after thinking about it I said to myself “What better than the floor! Everything is clean, and nothing is going to spoil them.”

I left homework for a bit, and I said to myself “Well, it’s about time for breakfast. I don’t want to get messed up because my time flies by.”

I looked out the window, how it was raining! Of course, although I would have liked the trip I could not have done it I ate breakfast quickly because it was urgent to continue with all that. I had looked over some of the articles I was working on and realized that despite being mine I had no idea about them, perhaps at the time when I cut them, I’d take a look at them, but now I didn’t know how much I had collected.

With the cup of coffee in my hand, I remembered how it all started, that teacher with the first class he gave us, never in all my student days, have I been as interested in a subject as this one.

I remember how he told us part of the life of that man, Charlemagne, who was the son of Pipino el Breve.

— What a little name! — we said, of course, with laughter.

— We eat the cucumbers in the salad — said one of the students jokingly.

— Yes sir! I do that too, but let’s be formal, each one has the name given by their parents. Perhaps that is why this man had that little name, because his father, or perhaps his mother, were fond of eating salads and added that ingredient to him — the professor said, smiling.

Everyone in the class laughs at that comment.

— Well, formality, gentlemen! Let’s go on, the professor said. Charlemagne, in his time, was the person who accumulated the most power, but there is something in the narratives of his life which is still very interesting, because he came to the Iberian Peninsula to fight against the Muslims and thus prevent them from continuing to rise towards Europe, and their troops were defeated in the Battle of Roncesvalles, in the Pyrenees of Navarra. You do know that surely. Well, it is also narrated in his life that on one occasion while riding a horse, something got in his way, a luminous object that scared the animal and made the knight hit his bones on the ground.

— Oooh, poor guy! — was heard throughout the classroom.

— Yes, do not look at me with that face, in that antiquity there must have been visitors, because it is narrated. Well, then I think he sent an edict in which, if he saw another object like that, it would be destroyed or something like that, but that’s already his job.

— Do you want us to look for UFOs?” — a dared one of the students seated in the last rows asked, the rest of us had remained very quiet.

— Of course gentlemen! Although what I want is more concrete, are there, or are there not ? You have to look for evidence of the two positions, and in the end we will see the conclusions.

<<<<<>>>>>

As if I had returned from a dream, I saw myself sitting here in my kitchen with the cup of coffee still in my hand, and I took it quickly, to continue with the task that awaited me in the bedroom. Search among all the documentation that had been accumulated through the years, the evidence of the existence of these flying objects.

Because that course is over, but the bug that entered my body that first day of class has never left me anymore and has made me look for the answer everywhere, in personal experiences, traveling to various places to interview to someone who claimed to have seen them.

The notes were a lot. The two teams that had been formed with the colleagues had chosen me as secretary and said to me:

— You are the one who has the best handwritting.

So in that way, without almost wanting to, I had to get deeply involved because there was not a day when any of the group didn’t give me something else, so I could file it. I had to go putting it in chronological order, making a small record of how we had obtained it, and well, some other thing, that I could think of to give that a format.

At first I did not take it very seriously, really, thinking that there would be four things that I would have to write down, but I already had five notebooks, and I said to myself “This is going to be endless, I have to cut it out. The day we have to present it, there will be no one to follow it.”

With patience I spent my time selecting the information. I would make it more summarized, since at the beginning I had extended what was written down. Well, you know, to make it look tidier, but now I regretted it. I saw that my colleagues were trying to give me more and more and I decided to do things differently.

I wanted to take advantage of those Holy Week’s holidays to put everything a little better, because, if not, we would not finish the course and nothing was finished and you know, in the end with the exams, time flies by, and there are not enough days to prepare everything.

— They’re calling you on the phone — I heard in the door of my room that my mother told me one morning.

— I’ll go flying! — I said, but I would never imagine the surprise that awaited me.

— Mr. Gomez! Good morning! — was the first thing I heard when I picked up the device.

— Don Carlos! — I said surprised —. I had never heard his voice on the phone, but that peculiar way of speaking was unmistakable.

— You have a good ear — he said by way of reply.

— What do you want? Your call is very strange — said a little curt, without leaving my amazement.

— Look, since I suppose that these days you will be a little freer, I would like that, if possible, only if it’s okay, I don’t want you to take it as an obligation.

— Yes, tell me, what do you want? What do you need? — I answered.

— Well, if you like, we could meet a little while in the afternoon that you like and have a coffee.

I was listening to what the teacher was saying to me on the other side of the phone and I couldn’t believe it. I stood there standing with the device in my hand. I didn’t even know what to answer, what would he have called me? And if I had listened to him well, he was saying that he wanted to see me outside of college. What would he want from me? Well, still doubtful, I replied:

— Of course! Whenever you want, you know, we are on holidays.

— Is that okay with you tomorrow afternoon, around five? — He told me —. And calm down! — he added.

— Okay! Where? — I asked him more relaxed.

When I heard his voice, it seemed to me that he had outlined a smile, because it sounded differently, so I dared to ask him:

— Is something wrong?

— No! — I heard him say —. Don’t worry. I want to have a few words about the work you are doing, and I have noticed that you are the secretary, and as some of your colleagues have told me, you are the one who knows the most about how things are going, as they contribute what has been found and a little bit more. Well, see you tomorrow at five, bye!

— Goodbye! — And when I was going to hang up, I realized that we hadn’t met anywhere and I said almost screeching —. Don Carlos ! Wait a minute! Listen!

— Yes? — I heard on the other side of the thread —.What is it? Why are you shouting at me? I am not deaf.

— Excuse me! I didn’t want to, you just didn’t tell me where the meeting place is — I said a little scared, for bothering him with my shriek.

— Oh, how fool I am! Yes, at the cafeteria, right?

— Yes, but which one? — I asked again.

— There, at college — he said.

— It can’t be possible, it will be closed, remember we are on holidays.

— Well, there at the door and then we walk somewhere else, I say that we will find a place where we can sit down for a while, don’t you think?

— Okay, at the college gate. I’ll be at five o’clock, don’t worry!

— Very good, see you tomorrow!

I heard that he hung up the phone. I still stayed a moment with the device in my hand, I couldn’t believe it, that call seemed strange to me, well, the next day I would find out why it had occurred to him to make it.

The rest of the day, I spent looking at the notes I had about the work, in case he asked me something I could answer. I don’t think I should tell him everything, but anyway I would see what he said, because the truth is that all this seemed strange.

At a quarter to five, I was walking through the door of the school. It had snowed and it was freezing, so instead of being still, I moved from one place to another, entertained to see how my feet crushed the snow as I stepped on it. I was concentrated on that when I heard a voice behind me.

— Well, Mr. Gómez ! Punctuality always has to come first. I would not have been very amused to have to wait for you with the day we have, look how it is snowing today, with the good weather we have yesterday.

— Hello Don Carlos! Good afternoon! — I said to him at the same time that I would come back, and I saw him that he was wearing his openwork cap, that almost his glasses could not be seen and his scarf was covering the rest of his face, and he was extending his gloved hand to greet me.

— Let’s go somewhere right away and instead of coffee, what do you think if we have a chocolate and some cookies? That is more appropriate for the unpleasant afternoon we have.

— Okay, as you wish — I said a little curt.

What was I doing with a teacher having a chocolate? I remembered my mother at that moment, who when I hung up the phone, asked me who was the one who had called. When I told her she was surprised and said:

— What will that gentleman want from you, outside of class, son? Have you been in any trouble?

— I don’t know mom, but stay calm. There are no problems, he wants me to meet to have a coffee.

— He’ll want to ask you for something — she said, more calmly smiling.

— Well, I don’t know. I’ll find out when I see him.

— Son, you have to invite him — she said very seriously.

And before I said anything, she took her purse and taking money out of it, she gave it to me. When I saw it, it seemed a lot and I told her, but she insisted that I take it in case something came up. And it seems she was right, a coffee is one thing and a chocolate with cookies is another, but I was calm because I had enough money in my pockey to pay the bill.

How strange all this seemed to me! But well, it was not a bad idea, so we would warm up.

Taking steps very carefully so as not to end up with our bones on the ground, trying to step where no one had, so that in this way the possible ice that was on the road did not hinder our short walk and we arrived immediately.

The two of us had gone in silence, attentive to the ground. When we entered the cafeteria, which by the way at that time and as the day was, as the waiter told us, no one had dared to leave their house.

— Sit where you like the most, as you see everything is at your disposal — said the waiter when Don Carlos asked him where we could sit.

— What do the gentlemen want? — the waiter said kindly as he approached the table where we had sat after taking off our coats, scarves, gloves. Don Carlos even took his cap.

— You almost have to undress, but if you don’t wear all this, there is no one who dares to leave the house — said the professor, smiling.

— Yes — said the waiter, who was now coming to our side —. Sitting there at the table and with the warmth of a good beer is where on days like today you are better, and well, how have the gentlemen dared to go out? Tell me, what can I do for you?

— Look, I think what works best, on an afternoon like this, is a good chocolate, with cookies — Don Carlos replied.

— You do know! — said the waiter, and looking at me he asked me —. And what about you? Are you also encouraged to do the same?

— Sure! — I said a little curt.

I had looked at Don Carlos and I was thinking “What am I doing here with this man?” I have always been a little shy, but especially this teacher was one of the most imposing, and it is not that I was short, but he must be two meters tall, and surely he had more or less one hundred kilos, that is, he was by far the highest in the entire cadre of teachers, and then, so serious, with his black shell glasses, which gave him an air of intellectuality, what would he want from me? I still didn’t understand.

<<<<<>>>>>

As we got closer to the destination, we talked about what we would find. We were excited, because surely here they could give us answers to some of the unknowns that we still had to complete.

— Why is there so much controversy? — Peter said —. That is always the question I have asked myself, because if there is no evidence of that possible extraterrestrial life, why are some determined to continue affirming that there is? Where are those strange theories derived from? If there is life here on Earth, does it have to be elsewhere?

— Look, dear friend, it is that each one is free to think what they want, and well, I say, that if they continue affirming it, they will have to demonstrate it, it is not enough just to say it.

— Yes, I agree with that very, very much, but it is so difficult to talk to them when they insist on one thing. It is not only that they do not give their arm to twist, but rather that they do not even let them speak, trying to convince with their words what they think, but when they have to give some proof, nothing at all, they do not have anything to support his blunt claims — Peter added seriously.

— Well, there is the issue, otherwise we wouldn’t have this little job. If everything were so clear, what would we do here?

— Yes, I have been asking that myself for a few days, at the moment when you asked me to come, what for? What will they bring us?

— Wait! And ask me that same question when we go out, and then I’ll have something to answer you. Right now, the truth is that nothing occurs to me, it will be like other times when they tell us that since there is nothing, nothing can be talked about.

— Look, I think we should start the conversation differently — Peter said suddenly becoming very serious.

— What do you mean? I don’t understand you — I answered expectantly to know what idea occurred to him now.

— What if we tell them we know something in particular? Let’s see where they come from.

— Come on, what are we going to tell them? If we don’t know anything about anything — I said a little disappointed, seeing that he didn’t have a brilliant idea as I thought.

— Well, we can invent it, what do you think of the idea?

— Come on! You’re kidding, right? What are we going to invent? I don’t know what you mean, what I say, what we come here is to try to see what they can give us, not to show them that we are smart people and that we know perhaps more than they do. .

— No, look, that is not so, but we do as other times that we are ignorant, because you see that we do not get anything, they think that we are only going to snoop on their beliefs and they do not open up. You’ve seen it before, they hardly even speak to us.

— Well, that is perhaps comprehensible. There would have been many times when someone has laughed at them and they got tired, come on! I would be, of course.

— Listen, when you are involved in something, it is because you like it. This is not like going to the class, that the teacher is nice to you, or that the class is a firecracker, you have no choice but to hold on and not miss or you won’t pass the subject.

— I understand, that when you join an organization it’s for something. Now, I don’t think this looks like anything interesting. I don’t know what purpose they will have to spend the time here.

— Well, everyone likes one thing. Soccer fans who are taken their football match off on Sunday prefer to be getting wet on one of those days of heavy rain instead of staying at home without seeing his favorite team without playing. However, who does not like it, I would say it does not understand. What is fun to see some gentlemen running after a ball? And most of them are millionaires, is it that they do not have money to buy one for each one? You see how we are not all the same! There are tastes for everyone.

— Yes Peter, I agree with you, but tell me, what do they get? I don’t understand it.

— Well, dear friend, something will come out, even if those of us who are not on that subject find it difficult to understand, but well, let’s go back to what it brings us, that we are going to get to the center and we still haven’t agreed on what we are going to tell them.

— I have it clear! — I said very seriously.

— Yes? Well, tell me, that I don’t — he said, looking at me to see if what he was saying was true.

— Look Peter, since you are more skeptical, I let you speak, and that’s it, you’ll know what you have to tell them, and where to take the conversation.

— But how good! What a comfortable posture, and if nothing comes out, what?

— Come on, joker! How can nothing come out? If, as they say in my land, you don’t shut up even under water.

— Are you calling me chatty? — he asked, and it was clear from his tone of voice that he had not liked what he had just heard.

— Of course! With all the letters, but yes, with all my love, don’t go mad, that was not my intention, I just wanted to ask you to take the conversation wherever you want, that I only accompany you.

— Yes, quietly, and if it the result is bad, I know who you’re going to blame.

— No, look, it is not that, Peter. It’s that if we both talk, we will be in trouble, so you only do it and that’s it.

— Well, but without reproaches later, and don’t tell me either, you could have asked them this or that, say it now or be silent forever! That’s what they say at weddings.

— That would be the old ones, because now as the officiant knows that three newscasts are going to last, as they say, I think they tell them half of the things. Look, I remember now some friends, that, at their wedding, which incidentally two priests attended, because of circumstances… Well, that does not matter, what I wanted to tell you is that there is a time when you wish the spouses a long life together, with something like meeting their third generation. Well, I remember because they told me that, in their ceremony, the two priests, not just one, both, only wished them to meet their grandchildren, that is, the second generation, and they said “That is surely that one of the two of us are going to die soon” and indeed it was so, the husband knew only the grandchildren, and these being little ones.

— You mean by that, that the priests were fortune tellers and they knew it?

— No, but don’t tell me it’s not weird. And like that, things usually happen every day, that we find people in our lives who, without knowing it, can make a prediction, that with the passing of time they come true.

<<<<<>>>>>

I ran to pick up the phone. I had just read a story in the newspaper. “What a coincidence!” I said to myself, and without thinking twice, I got up and went to the device saying “I’m going to call Peter, I’m sure he hasn´t noticed it.”

I was dialing when I heard the doorbell. Surprised that someone was doing it at this time in the morning, I left the phone in its place and went to open the door. Surely it will be a fool, or a neighbor who needed sugar for breakfast. I looked at myself “What a good look I have! — I thought —. In pajamas and house slippers and immediately I put my hand in my hair, surely I had everything messed up.

As I reached the door, even without touching it, I heard them say something from the other side.

— Come here, lazy. There is much to do.

I smiled when I recognized the voice, while opening the door and saying by way of greeting:

— You! But what are you doing here at this time? I was calling you on the phone.

— Did you also read yesterday’s newspaper? It happens to you, as I do not have a free second per day, I leave it for the morning and take a look at it in the bathroom.

We both laugh at the coincidence.

— Did you hear the news? — he said, upset.

— Sure! And I see you too, but why did you come?

— How could you not want me to? Did you see what time it is?

— Not really — I replied.

I had got up and then everything had been rushing, so in those moments I had no idea, what time it was.

— Well, come on, get ready quickly, I don’t want us to be late.

— But where? What do you say? It is impossible!

— Look, there is a taxi waiting for us, and I’ve already told you that if we get to our appointment on time, I’ll give him one more tip, and the man is delighted.

— But well, look how I am, I was going to take a bath.

— What shower or what excuses! Put on the first thing you catch and let’s go. Tomorrow you get up earlier and take a longer bath for today and tomorrow. Also, you have to shave your face because you did not have time — Peter was saying to me as he pushed me.

It would surely be for me to react, because I do not know what was happening to me as I was stupid standing there.

— Oops, but it’s true, I hadn’t even noticed the shave — I said as I ran my hand over my chin, noticing how it pricked.

— Look, I get out of the car and I’m talking to the taxi driver, but don’t make us wait, because later he will have to almost fly down the road, if he wants to earn extra money.

— I’ll be down soon! — I said, closing the door, since he had already turned around and left.

Running down the hall a flip flop came out, and I did not take it again. I smiled, and said to myself “Walk slowly that you are in a hurry! Do not forget to put something on” and I quickly fixed myself with the first thing I caught, like Peter said.

Jeans, which seemed the most appropriate, I always look good with that and I took a white shirt and jacket. The truth is that I do not know why I did it, and when I was going to close the wardrobe I took, as well as on the flight, a tie, saying to myself “Just in case!.” I folded it carefully and put it in my jacket pocket.

I revised the bedroom in case I forgot something and when I was going to go out, I looked at the mirror and saw a little detail. I had no shoes, and I thought “See? The rush is never good”, and I put on my socks and shoes quickly, while reviewing what else I might be missing, the glasses, the wallet, the keys, well, I think I carry everything.

I left the house, closed the door well making sure that I locked it, because the truth is that I don’t tend to be distracted, but the arrival of Peter, so unusual, had upset me a little.

I ran to the taxi, which I saw parked by the sidewalk, and got in immediately. The taxi driver by way of greeting said to me:

— Fasten your seatbelt! We’re going to start the flight.

I was a bit curt and I said:

— Good morning, what happens?

I quickly reached for my belt, thinking that it must have been unbuttoned, and that is why that man told me, because in the rush I had dressed, perhaps I would have forgotten, but no, it was fine.

Peter smiling said:

— I have told this man where we are going, and for what, and what the things of life are, he tells me…

— I suppose that what you want is to get there, don’t you care where I take you? — asked the taxi driver, interrupting.

— No! — Peter replied. But yes alive, eh!

— Yes, that, above all, don’t worry that, in twenty-three years in the profession, I was only fined once, and it was for a justified oversight — the taxi driver was saying while driving.

— Tell me, tell me! — Peter said, while I, who was in the quiet back seat, still did not leave my amazement at everything that was happening.

— Well, I was carrying a pregnant woman, who couldn’t think of anything more than to give birth in a traffic jam, and I didn’t want it to happen here. I got on the sidewalk to continue my journey, with such bad luck that there was a motorcyclist nearby and of course he saw me. I did not stop when he told me, and I went quickly to the hospital, and the motorcyclist had come behind me in order not to let his prey escape. At the hospital door, they had taken out the woman and took her to the emergency room. She was about to give birth and the guard fined me for not having, gentlemen, you will not believe it…

— Why not? Go on, go on, it was because you did not stop — Peter said, very interested in the conversation.

— No way! — said the taxi driver, smiling —. For not having taken the handkerchief out the window, to warn that it was an emergency.

— And that was it? And they didn’t forgive you? — I asked, puzzled, because I understand that in such circumstances, you can raise your hand a little.

— No, sir, because they told me, that if we, the professionals behind the wheel, do not follow the rules, who is going to comply with them? Next time, I had to remember the rules so that this does not happen again. Luckily, it did not happen anymore. Well, until now, you never know what happens on a day-to-day life, because each one presents itself differently.

— And how could you not have looked for something calmer? — my friend suddenly asked the taxi driver.

— But what do you tell me? This is vocation, and not everyone has it. What would I do in a store or an office all day? It would be impossible for me, as my wife says, “You spend the whole day in the taxi. Can´t you ever rest?”

— Well, she’s right, because driving in the city has its problems, and doing it every day must be tremendous — Peter said very seriously.

— Well, depending on how you look at it, I’ve had five kids. Well, now they are older, but when they were little, there was no one who could be at home. When I did not have one of them crawling on my legs, there was another crying, because he wanted his bottle, and look at it. I can be working in the taxi as many hours as you want, but children, I have no patience, what will I do? — The man was saying entertainingly, as if he were with two friends, as he continued driving.

— Hey sir! Where are we going? — I asked him at that time, since we were going through a factory that I had never seen in my life.

— I’ve already asked the gentlemen, if they let me choose where to go — he replied, smiling at me —. You know, so many years in this, one knows the shortcuts and as I have been told that you are in a hurry, that is why I have taken this road. The landscape is not very beautiful because it is the industrial area, and people do not usually come here for a walk because they do not know this place, but we shorten a few kilometers and that is what matters to us at the moment.

— There is one thing I would like to do if we have a little time left — I told them.

— The what? — Peter asked, puzzled —. How do you say that we will have plenty of time if we don´t have enough time?

— Well, I’ll have a coffee, even if it’s fast, since I haven’t had breakfast yet, and I am noobody without the morning coffee, but well, I’ll try to hold on as much as possible.

— You are one of mine! — said the taxi driver, laughing —. I understand you. It would be good for me to have one too. As soon as I see a gas station, while we fill the tank, that I don’t want to stay on the road due to lack of provisions, we take it, do you think?

— Sure! Let´s do what you say as you are the boss, that’s why you have the wheel.

Already silent, we had been more than half an hour, when suddenly the driver said:

— Get ready!

I, who was half asleep, asked him absent-mindedly:

— Prepare for what? Have we arrived there? How long have I fallen asleep?

— No! — said the man, laughing out loud —. Arrived? Get ready to have a coffee, that soon we have a stop to refuel.

We got to the gas station, and the three of us got off. The taxi driver kept ordering the gasoline and we went to the cafeteria.

— Ask me for a single long one! — we heard him say loud to us to listen.

— Okay! — Peter said, turning around.

We entered the gas station´s cafeteria, it seemed that all the drivers had agreed to stop for coffee, because the bar was full of people, so we stayed in a second row waiting for our turn. We saw that the taxi driver who entered was going to the end of the bar, and he was waving at us. When we arrived he had already asked for his coffee and the waiter was leaving to put it on, but he said:

— Wait! Put something on these two friends too.

We both ask the same thing, so as not to complicate matters, and we wait, while the man said:

— This place is for drivers, so we don’t have to wait that long — and he almost ran away.

The waiter came with the three coffees. We looked at each other and after paying for them, we went to a table, to be a little wider. After a while the taxi driver returned saying:

— Excuse me, but I have gone to call a relative of mine, to tell her not to wait for me to eat. She has always told me “Honey, if you are not going to come to eat on time, let me know so I do not put your food in the table, which then gets cold”.