| "He sat in the bookstore--pen in hand, thought about | | | | alrededor de esto, esta todo sobre el papel pienso, |
| goats--don't ask me why, goats Mr. Soderman that is | | | | en la librería, sobre servilletas primero, luego el |
| what he was doing, and he was looking at some | | | | extrajo algún papel oficial de su portafolios, Si, |
| magazines, and talking about building a goat ranch. | | | | eso es exactamente lo que hizo el Sr. Soderman", |
| "He signed the paperwork for the purchase of | | | | dijo Mark costello. |
| 4000-acres in Alabama; he's also going to build a | | | | El jamás vio la tierra yo creo, lo eligió |
| fence around it, its all on paper though, at the | | | | desde la revista, la que estaba a su lado pienso, |
| bookstore, on napkins first he wrote it out, then he | | | | había pocas fotografías de esto, de la |
| pulled out some official papers from his briefcase, | | | | tierra en Alabama, el subrayo la tierra, llamó a |
| yup, that is exactly what he did, Mr. Soderman," said | | | | su teléfono celular, hablo con alguien, |
| Mark Costello. | | | | también ordenó un cerco alrededor. |
| "He never seen the land I do believe, picked it out of | | | | Como si todo podría tomar cuidado por el |
| a magazine, the one I think that was by his side, it | | | | mismo. El esta aquí en Minnesota, y la tierra |
| had a few pictures of it, of the land in Alabama that | | | | esta en Alabama, increíblemente. |
| is, he underlined the the words 'land,' called on his cell | | | | "El esta dibujando sobre las servilletas, una forma de |
| phone, talked to someone, ordered a fence to be | | | | ayudarse a saber que clase de cerco quería, |
| built around it. As if everything would take care of | | | | porque esto es lo que el ordenó, |
| itself thereafter. He lives here in Minnesota, and the | | | | describió a la persona en el teléfono. |
| land is in Alabama, unbelievable. | | | | Yo noté que la mesa era verde, y muy limpia, |
| "His drawings on the napkins kind of helped him know | | | | no estoy seguro porque note esto, yo note, que el |
| what kind of fence he wanted I suppose, because it | | | | estaba comiendo un trozo de pastel de café, |
| is what he ordered, described to the person over the | | | | con un late de apariencia fuerte, gracioso yo no |
| phone. I noticed the table was green, and very clean, | | | | estaba con hambre, yo solo miraba en cierto modo; |
| not sure why I noticed that, and I noticed he was | | | | de toda maneras allí yo estaba en su mesa |
| eating a piece of coffeecake, with a strong looking | | | | verde, y aquí yo estoy hablando contigo, y |
| latté, funny I wasn't hungry, I just kind of | | | | allí él estaba mirando toda su |
| looked; anyhow there I was at his green table, and | | | | mercadería, visión a ciegas, y le |
| here I am talking to you, and there he was looking at | | | | pregunté: "Como puedes hacer esto-comprar |
| all this stuff, sight unseen, and I asked him: 'How can | | | | un rancho de cabras, a ciegas; ¿Cómo |
| you do this--buy a goat ranch, sight unseen; how do | | | | sabes que las cosas estaban bien? ¿Salir bien |
| you know things will be ok, work out as you are | | | | como tu estas planeando? Es decir, posiblemente, |
| planning them? I mean, perchance, this is land the | | | | esta es la tierra del diablo, que el mismo no quiere, |
| devil himself doesn't' want, did you ever think of | | | | ¿alguna vez pensaste en eso?". |
| that?' | | | | "Eso es lo que yo le dije al Sr. Soderman, en voz alta |
| "That is what I told him Mr. Soderman, loud and clear, | | | | y claro, y el solo, solamente me miró como si |
| and he just, just looked at me as if I was not even | | | | yo no estuviera aun allí, sin una |
| there, not a worry in his face, not a moved | | | | preocupación en su cara, ni un movimiento de |
| eyebrow, or twitches of his nose, or deep sigh. A | | | | sus ceja, o movimiento nervioso de nariz, o mirada |
| flat look, and here again I say, pen in hand, and he | | | | profunda. Una mirada vaga, y allí nuevamente |
| started writing out checks. Yes indeed, checks for | | | | digo, lapicero en mano, y el empezó a |
| the land, and the goats, and the fence. | | | | extender cheques. Si de verdad, cheques para la |
| 'Here,' he says to me. Combining all the checks | | | | tierra, y las cabras, y la cerca. |
| together, and handing them to me."' | | | | "aquí tienes", el me dijo. Agrupando todos los |
| "What did you do?" asked Mr. Soderman. | | | | cheques juntos, y entregándome a mi. |
| "Do, what did I do, what could I do, I was his lawyer, | | | | "que hiciste tu" pregunto el Sr. Soderman. |
| I took the checks; do you think I'd get out of bed at | | | | "hacer, que hice yo, que podría hacer, yo era |
| 2:00 AM, run down to this café and not--I | | | | su abogado, tome los cheques; tu crees que yo |
| mean...?" | | | | saldría de la cama a las 2.00 AM, correr hacia |
| "Changing the subject Mr. Lawyer, why are you telling | | | | el café y no- ¿así, dije?. |
| me all this?" | | | | "cambiando de tema Sr. |
| --Mark sat back, facing the window at Mr. | | | | Abogado,¿Porqué me estas diciendo |
| Soderman's back, his obvious humorous back. | | | | todo esto?" |
| "Is that all you have to say Mr. Costello?" said | | | | -Mark se volvió a sentar de cara a la ventana |
| Soderman. | | | | a la espalda del Sr. Soderman, su evidente gracia |
| "Sure," he spit out, adding, "he had them goats in his | | | | regresó. |
| mind and he knew they were...actually, he lived this | | | | "esto es todo lo que Ud. Tiene que decir Sr. |
| before he said, yes that is what he said, it was a | | | | Costello?" dijo Soderman. |
| repeat, now I remember, that is what he said, a | | | | "Seguro", el escupió, agregando, "el tenia esas |
| repeat, his life, that is what he said, a repeat! He had | | | | cabras en su mente y el sabia que ellas estaban... |
| to live it over and over until he got it right--so he | | | | actualmente, el vivió, esto antes dijo |
| said. | | | | él, si, eso es lo que él dijo, esto fue |
| "What then does that make you and me if he is living | | | | una repetición, ahora recuerdo, eso es lo que |
| a repeated life, over and over until he gets it right?" | | | | él dijo, una repetición, de su vida, eso |
| "Dead," said Mr. Soderman-- | | | | es lo que él dijo, una repetición el |
| Mark looked at him, fading: pale, a fainted look, fogy | | | | tenia que vivir esto una u otra vez hasta que el |
| like, he became, right in front of him, then said, | | | | consiga hacerlo correctamente- así el dijo. |
| "He must have gotten it right this time"; Mark still | | | | "¿Que es lo que hacemos entonces Ud. Y yo |
| looking out the window, everything around him fading | | | | si él esta viviendo una vida de |
| now, melting into nothingness, even himself. | | | | repetición, |
| Written at the bookstore, while having coffee and | | | | Una y otra vez hasta que el consiga corregirlo?". |
| coffeecake, 1-11-06, Roseville, Minnesota. | | | | "la muerte", dijo el Sr. Soderman. |
| In Spanish | | | | Mark lo miro, descolorido: pálido, una |
| Translated by: Nancy Penaloza | | | | apariencia fantasmal, como nublada, el se |
| El hombre de las cabras de Alabama | | | | volvió, directo frente a el, luego dijo. |
| "el sentado en la librería-lapicero en mano, | | | | "El debió haber conseguido corregir este |
| pensando acerca de cabras- no me pregunto | | | | tiempo". Mark aun mirando fuera de la ventana, todo |
| porqué Cabras El señor Soderman eso | | | | alrededor de el nublándose ahora, |
| es lo que el estaba haciendo, y el estaba mirando | | | | mezclándose dentro de la nada, aun él |
| algunas revistas, y hablando acerca de construir un | | | | mismo. |
| rancho para cabras. | | | | Escrito en la librería, mientras tomaba |
| El firmo el papeleo para la compra de 4000 acres en | | | | café y pastel de café, 1-11-06, |
| Alabama; el también iba a construir un cerco | | | | Roseville Minnesota. |