The black patent leather shoes

         When I was 14 years old I began to work delivering food’s orders placed with our shop and I went on studying in the evenings. At Major Street or in the Major Plaza too you could see me taking the orders in the charriot wearing my white jacket. At those times I had long hair.

         With my first salary I bought a black patent leather shoes. There were days when instead of classroom I played football matches in Pradolongo. I had taken off my new patent leather shoes on the band and had changed to soccer boots. During the match my friends Pablo Cabo and Lobito came to see us playing and later they went away. When the match finished we went to the band to take off our soccer boots and put on our shoes.

         On the band I saw that my patent leather shoes had been slit with a knife, so that they could not be used. I told Ina that the knife blows had been made by Pablo. How do you know it was Pablo and not Lobito? I am sure it was Pablo. What for?, went on Ina asking. I don’t know, I said. I suppose it was for me to remember, I said. He kept silence. I told him: Listen to this: Do you know what happened four years ago, on 18 July in Oriente’s Square? There were more than 20 people shot. What has it to do with?, asked Ina. Well then, I said, it was us. I mean Pablo and me. I don’t know whether it is true or not, but you mustn’t let them to find you out and less let them find out someone more, Ina said. Although true you mustn’t divulge that, he said later. There is not reason to have invented it, so rest assured it is true , I said. Do you doubt whether we were or we were not? It won’t be as you like, that we were not, because we were. I swear!