Sunday, January 02, 2011

Edgar & Manuela: Amigos de Chateo y Su Peligro

Manuela: hola (El nombre actual del tio (hombre) no aparece en la pantalla de Computadora pues usa un apodo.)
Edgar Miró: que haces
Manuela: escribiendo, tu?
Edgar Miró: me acabo de conectar y voy a chequear mi correo
Manuela: que bien,
Edgar  Miró: y que hay de nuevo contigo?
Edgar  Miró: mucho tiempo que no te veo conectada
Manuela: no hemos hablado en mucho tiempo, disculpa pero como te llamas y de donde eres?
Edgar  Miró: Edgar. Edgar Miró: yo venezuela pero vivo en Miami.
Manuela: hola Edgar, soy Manuela. Dime y--
Edgar Miró: ya te acordaste de mi?
Manuela: Como fue que nos conocimos en linea? Disculpa de nuevo. He tenido unos meses fuertes, Edgar. Edgar Miró: te he mandado correo pero no me respondes.
Manuela: pues, no he recibido nada, fijate, pues siempre contesto.
Edgar Miró: que raro.
Manuela: a donde lo envias?
Edgar Miró: yo creo que Hotmail
Manuela: por eso, esa cuenta se cancelo, pienso.
Edgar Miró: ah, ok.
Manuela: mi email de yahoo, es mas seguro.
Edgar Miró: solo tienes una?
Manuela: ManuelaFtLaudRam@yahoo.com
Edgar Miró: a ok
Manuela: tienes foto?
Edgar Miró: no
Edgar Miró: tengo camara pero solo esta conectada con hotmail
Edgar Miró: y tu tienes foto?
Manuela: si, en mi profile. No lo ves?
Edgar Miró: no se ve
Manuela: intenta de nuevo
Manuela: te envie una invitacion pero la cancelastes creo
Edgar Miró: perdona es que estoy tratando de ver tu foto
Manuela: bueno
Edgar Miró: donde puedo ir para ver tu foto?
Edgar Miró: ya aprete todo los botones y no veo nada
Edgar Miró: ya acepte y ahora que hago?
Manuela: te envie una foto
Manuela: debe de haberte llegado
Edgar Miró: ya la veo
Edgar Miró: que linda tu eres.
Edgar Miró: me gusta
Manuela: gracias
Manuela: donde vives? yo en Fort Lauderdale
Edgar Miró: si y tu no me acuerdas
Manuela: vives en Miami?
Manuela: estas?
Edgar Miró: en Fort Lauderdale
Manuela: ah que bien--cerca, estas ocupado?
Edgar Miró: tu todavia vives en el mismo lugar?
Manuela: si, y tu?
Edgar Miró: si
Manuela: dime a que te dedicas?
Edgar Miró: trabajo en el hospital
Manuela: ah espera, ahora se quien eres, sabes--
Edgar Miró: ya te acordastes?
Edgar Miró: cerca de tu casa
Manuela: pense en ti un mes atras, y dije, que le habria pasado a el tio (hombre) del hospital que era tan simpatico por tele. Tu eres casado verdad?, oh estas ligado con alguien, digo?
Edgar Miró: si
Manuela: y todo te va bien con ella?
Edgar Miró: y tu todavia estas solita?
Edgar Miró: hasta el momento, si
Manuela: soltera, no me siento solita, pues Cristo es mi amigo
Edgar Miró: que bueno. Ese es el mejor companero de una persona
Manuela: si, y no se que haria sin el. Bueno dime--
Manuela: que te iba a preguntar? pues se me olvido parece. Me volvera, pienso
Edgar Miró: que quieres que te diga
Edgar Miró: yo creo que tengo tu tele
Edgar Miró: es el mismo?
MManuela: creo que no, ya que tu solo me llamabas del hospital, nunca de tu casa. Me parecia un poco raro eso
--continuar a editar y pulir --

Edgar Miró: por que nunca estoy en casa solopara dormir Manuela: q vida mas ocupada vives, chico Edgar Miró: estaba trabajando en dos hospitales y la semana pasada deje uno por que era demaciando Manuela: menos mal, se tiene q atender la pareja a veces
Edgar Miró: ahora me siento mas libre
Edgar Miró: ya empese a ir de nuevo al gym
Edgar Miró: a patinar
Edgar Miró: ahora si soy una persona normal
Edgar Miró: ya empeze a cocinar
Manuela: te felicito Edgar Miró: tengo tiempo Manuela: dime algo edgar
Edgar Miró: en la vida no es dinero todo
Manuela: cierto
Manuela: dime y has conocido gente por el chat este de valor?
 Edgar Miró: no toda la gente lo que quieren es tener sexo
Manuela: q mala gente no crees?
Edgar Miró: puro sexo sexo y mas sexo
Edgar Miró: y no estoy para eso
Manuela: eres monogamo ?
Edgar Miró: y si vas a un bar o una disco es lo mismo
Edgar Miró: no es que sea monogamo
Manuela: ah
Edgar Miró: e tenido mis aventuras como todo el mundo
Edgar Miró: pero con mucho cuidado
Manuela: a tienes relacion abierta?
Edgar Miró: no
Manuela: entonces?
Edgar Miró: pero no es que lo este haciendo cada semana
Edgar Miró: o cada mes
Manuela: espera
Edgar Miró: y tu
Manuela: bueno, solo tengo sexo cada 3 or 6 meses, no voy a los bars, ni busco sexo normalmente
Edgar Miró: bueno te voy a dejar por que me voy a la cama. me levanto temprano pero manana hablamos Edgar Miró: me da mucho gusto
Edgar Miró: haber hablado contigo
Manuela: mucho gusto en charlar, hasta pronto
Manuela: cuidate
Edgar Miró: y tengo que contarte algo que no vas a creer
Manuela: si?
Edgar Miró: ok un beso
Manuela: bueno, en otra me lo cuentas si?
Edgar Miró: Adios
Manuela: ciao
Edgar Miró ha salido del chateo. (6/19/2006 10:16 PM)

6/22/06 - Edgar: hola como estas espero te gusten estas foto yo se que tu eres caliente un beso
Manuela: Edgar, hola. Si quieres, podemos ser amigos, pero, por favor hazme un favor. No me mandes fotos pornograficas de otros de tuyas. Quiero vivir una vida sana y espiritual y esas fotos no conducen a tal realidad para mi, por lo menos. Para los demas, no es asunto mio, claro. Si tienes fotos tuyas vestido, o de tu cara, pues esas fotos me gustaria ver, ya que nunca he visto foto tuya. Bueno, cuidate, y hasta la proxima vez que salgas en el chat. Un saludo, Manuela.
Edgar: Que pena. Disculpas. No sabia. Claro, no te mandare mas fotos. No hay problema. Buenas noches.

Originalmente compuesto en el 2006

Thursday, October 28, 2010

Return but never Leave

Mother: Hija (daughter), what a surprise to see you again after so many months, though time has a way of behaving differently with us here.

Daughter: Mamá, I would have come sooner, but after I got off the plane I wanted, without planning it until I landed in New York City, to visit my old elementary school in Elmhurst, New York. The trip to NYC in the spring is a delight after having spent years away. The dogwood trees, the cheery blossoms and the tulips were in bloom just minutes away from the airport terminal.

Mother: Tell me about yourself. Have you eaten? I could fix some chicken I have in the refrigerator? Or we could wait for the others to arrive.

Daughter: I’m glad that we’re alone, though papá is here with us, yet not here. You know that 15 minutes after leaving, he’ll wonder about the identity of the woman who had just left his home. I’ll have to look in on him when he’s better. I have something difficult to tell you about what happened to me hours before I boarded the plane.

Mother: Hija mía (daughter of mine), I hope it wasn’t anything serious; you seem to be more composed than you’ve ever been.

Daughter: No, mamá. Nothing like that! But hours before, as I was finishing packing, I get a call from Ulyses. I hadn’t spoken to him in months and I hadn’t seen him in two years and he just happened to be in town on business. He wanted to see me. Not having much time, yet not wanting to offend him, and myself, in a way, we met for dinner. It was incredible seeing him again, but I was unsure of what to say. As we embraced in the Five Corners Shopping Mall, he said, "how good you were to me years ago." It was good to hear him say that, but he said it so quickly and the street was so noisy, that I asked him to repeat it, but he smiled and said that he was sure I had understood. So I decided that I not volunteer any information unless it came out naturally. There are things I have never told him, that I must tell him someday, but how to do it is the problem.

Mother: Mi vida, but isn’t that the man you were involved with years ago with the wife and two boys? I thought you had decided not to see him anymore.

Daughter: He disappeared, as did I, from my life—our lives—but now that he’s single he wants to see me again. So I met him, gladly, but at the same time I was apprehensive. I hadn’t dated anyone for what seemed like years, and it was so nice to see someone who genuinely was glad to see me and who remembered me from a time when I was younger. I know, I’m still young to you, but I feel I’ve aged because of my state of my mind in the last two years. He, however, told me I looked younger. I was so glad to see him that I believed him and didn’t doubt his sincerity.

Mother: What did you talk about? Where did you go?

Daughter: We dined at Tropics, which is a restaurant that seems to exist in a world all its own, & we remembered when we used to go there on Saturday nights when we were still together. Before we said goodbye, I was sitting in his car and he asked me if he could kiss me for old times’ sake. Not to tell you too much; you’re my mamá and I can’t tell you anymore details, but I will say that I’m not totally happy with the way things turned out.

Mother: Oh, I see. Well, you don’t have to say too much. I, um, guess the same thing probably happened to me before I met your father, but, of course, I have blissfully forgotten it.

Daughter: Mamá, I thought I had changed. I thought that we could talk and leave it at that, but when he said goodbye four hours later, I was both glad we had spent so much time together, but I felt frustrated, too. That sort of thing had not happened to me, even after dates with well-to-do, and educated, Cuban-American men I had met through my work in the arts in Miami, Florida. But with Ulyses, a simple, but good and kind-hearted man, the temptation was, well, not overpowering, but almost natural.

Mother: Well, it’s not an easy life being a Christian woman when things don’t go the way they’re supposed to go. Did anything good come out of all of this?

Daughter: I was both happy and secretly disappointed with myself for not having made different decisions, but though I was unsure of what I was about to do before he left, I did it anyway, in case, through some odd turn of events, this was the last time I’d ever see him.

Mother: I hope it was not what you used to do when you were just out of college?

Daughter: Yes, I’m a funny girl, but I am who I am. I’m both a person with a deep desire for spiritual things, yet, at times, I do things I would rather not have done once I’ve done them. Though I wasn’t sure of the soundness of what I was planning, I told Ulyses that when I found this book in Spanish in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, last year, I thought of him, and how I'd love to give it to him to read some day.

Mother: That’s very odd, hija. To give a man you’ve just has intimate relations with, especially one who used to be married when you were previously involved with him, to give him that book! I can see your interest in him in the long run, especially, as you say, if that was the last time you’d ever see each other again, but I don’t think many people would believe your sincerity or whether you did the right thing half an hour after you were alone with him. Maybe you should have just said goodbye and read the book yourself. You might benefit from reading that book yourself, it seems to me. Sorry for saying so. What if he reads the book and then wonders about how it came into his possession months or years from now? Don’t you think that might counteract the entire purpose of the book?

Daughter: But, mamá, didn’t you once tell me that an old boyfriend of yours, years before you met papa, was the one who introduced you to Christ, though he himself later left the church, while you’re still in it? The thought went through my mind, as I was unsure whether it was the wise thing to do. But I went ahead and told him, that this book has been in my possession, not that copy, but the title, since I was 16 and it’s given me more joy and hope than I could ever have had without it. I wanted so very badly to give him the book. I told him that I hoped he would like it, and of course, if it was not intended for him, well, to just “pass it on,” as they say.

Mother: So, he wasn’t surprised by the title? Did he question your intentions? I can’t imagine what that’s like. That kind of thing is never done and especially not talked about.

Daughter: Ulyses thanked me and looked at the title and assured me that he was touched that I would think of him months before I actually gave him this book with the hope that if I saw him again, I’d place it in his hand.

Mother: Well, mi hija, I hope it does him some good, or give it away without reading it himself. And I hope you did the right thing. I wouldn’t have done such a thing. Some would say you did a bad thing in giving him that book, only an hour after having been alone with him. I wonder if anyone has ever done a similar thing? How many people would even confide in other people that such things happen in life? But, I hope things work out well for him. More importantly, I hope you find the happiness and solutions to the challenges you face as a single woman, living in a city far from any family.

Daughter: Yes, mamá, I hope he finds what he needs or wants in his life and I hope he always remembers me as the woman who one day, perhaps foolishly, gave him his first, of many editions, of Steps to Christ.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Fuerte y debil: Candela & Sajid: Strong and weak

Pepa: Candela. Hace mucho que no nos vemos? Como te va tu nuevo trabajo? Era algo en un hospital?

Candela: Sí. Ultrasonido. Me gusta aunque, claro, siempre me parece que estoy en el hospital y apenas en casa.

Pepa: Me dijo Marisa que te habías casado? O no ha llegado a eso aún?

Candela: Casi casada, pero con complicaciones. Después te lo cuento?

Pepa: Hija, pero si siempre es lo mismo contigo. Todo me lo contarás despues. Cúentamelo ahora, esta vez.

Candela: Bueno, se llama Issa. Me dijo que era de la India pero ultimamente me dí de cuentas, que es de Jordan, pero, me dá lo mismo. Ya sabes que anteriomente el mundo Arabe no me trató muy bien, pero este dice que es de la India, o a lo mejor, también es Arabe. Que sé yo?

Pepa: Oye, me parece que te has complicado otra vez. Pensé que despues del asunto con los Chiítas, habías aprendido tu lección. Pero, sigue, contándomelo.

Candela: No, nada especial. Nos conocimos en un restaurante muy popular, Tropics, lo conoces? No? Bueno, me lo recomendó Ulyses, el ex-amigo de Hija. Ni sabía que iban tanta gente agradable allí. Me saludó, y yo, claro, tan simpática que soy, pues lo saludé también.

Friday, October 08, 2010

Better to go blind, than to hurt your wife

Pepa:
Marisa:
Candela:
Rodrigo:
Santiago: Pastor Santiago Ramirez
Nicaraguan 32 year old friend of Rodrigo's:

Marisa invites Rodrigo home for a home-cooked meal. House is dirty, she drops incense. Rodrigo understand, but gives her advice about cleanliness is next to Godliness. You never know when the Lord is going to visit your home.

Major thrust is what to do with sexual temptations when you are separated from your loved one or don't have one and you are Christian. Rodrigo tells Marisa and had told his pastor, as well, that both adultery and masturbation is a sin, pastor agreed. Marisa disagreed and advised him, as a concerned friend, that it was a nobler act, and kinder to his wife in Mexico to choose the latter which "only hurt himself if it hurt anyone at all" as opposed to the latter which was being thoughtless of his wife and children back home.

It was a delicate, but effective afternoon balancing the need to not dance around serious struggles of their christian life. Also Rodrigo said, we're saved by keeping the commandments to avoid God's judgment. Marisa shared with him the beauty of righteousness by faith, spending time with Christ every morning in prayer and bible study and meditation, and not focusing on oneself and how sinful or imperfect one is, but rather to focus on Christ and his life and his saving grace and love for us. Rodrigo reminded Marisa of her previous encouraging words, failures in the Christian life are not meant to mean the cleansing process is over, just like dropping the soap in the shower means the bath is over. Just pick up the soap and continue the cleansing process. Rodrigo is very frank with Pr. Sandoval who insists that both adultery and masturbation are a sin under all circumstances. Rodrigo tells Pr. that he himself is also capable of sins and, as a handsome man, may easily fall as well. Rodrigo tells Marisa that she should also seek counseling from Pr. S, but she says she can't as he is married to her first cousin. The last time she confided her christian struggles in a pastor, the whole church found out her problems with men.

Rodrigo quickly requested that Marisa drive him home, just when the conversation was getting interesting. She later realized, being alone with her might have been difficult for him, in spite of the fact that he had never given her any indication that he was attracted to her. It did seem odd, though that he requested with so much urgency that she drive him home, and that he'd wait outside for her while she closed the balcony doors and got her keys to go.

Marisa mentioned the woman at church who liked men till her husband gave up on her 30 years later. she also mentioned the teacher that was a deeply devout woman, but still had temptation when she met a college male friend who was attractive and how she wanted to be with him, and that it was a struggle especially since she had never been truly satisfied sexually by her loving, but sexually inexperienced or unimaginative husband of 15 years.

Rodrigo's oft repeated line to Ms. Paulina, was I'm still standing and am here in church as is, with all my sins, failures and mistakes. What else could he tell her when she asked him every week how he was. He simply told her the truth and was amused at her reaction whenever he told her that.

Thursday, September 09, 2010

Angel & Paco part II, the "progressive" experiment

Angel: I found someone and I think, because he also is a Christian, we can be roommates, or friends, but nothing more.

Paco: Be very careful, I think you're going where you shouldn't go. What happens if you like him more than you should, what then?

Angel: He feels the same way. We're only to be friends or roommates and nothing else. He also attends the church in Miami Central. I've heard of this kind of arrangement before. If both people are truly devout believers in Christ, and even though they are both men, they can live together as friends, and nothing else.

Paco: That sounds too hard and too tempting. What would people in church say if they found out?

Angel: I'll tell them what they want to know. After all, the rents in Miami are not cheap and-- Look, I can't worry about what people will think, because then my life will always be unhappy.

Paco: Angel, I don't want to see you get into dangerous waters.

Angel: We're not in dangerous waters. And besides, people always like to talk about even the simplest of things. I found that out in college, when everyone assumed I used marijuana and I had not smoked a single toke. So you see, you have to do what seems right. Maybe this way it won't seem so lonely and we can go to church together.

Paco: What's his name?

Angel: Serafin Cuevas. He's Puerto Rican and has been here since he was a little boy. I found him through Perfect Futurist Kinship International.

Paco: Aren't they those "progressive" Futurists who go to church and Kampmeetings, as they call them, but live in relationships that include sex? Right there, you know, it doesn't look hopeful that you're going to keep your deep connection with Christ. Maybe he's one of those Kinship guys and wants you to be one of them too.

Angel: Look, not all of those Kinship guys, as you put it, live in sexual relationships. Some are celibate, but still want to socialize with other Futurists.

Paco: Really? Well, either way, there's a very small chance, that you yourself, and ahem, Serafin might become progressive Perfect Futurists, as well.

Angel: I was hoping that both Serafin and I could work together to take the message of Christ to others like ourselves in Miami and nearby areas.

Paco: That's a hard sell. Most men don't want you to tell them that they have to live differently, or live like you guys plan to live, if they come to Christ. They'll tell you, you keep your Christ, I'll keep my man. It's hard to find a good man. So thanks, but no thanks.

Angel: True it is a hard sell, but isn't it just as hard to tell others that they have to live differently when they come to Christ? It's not just us that have to have a change in our lives, you know, Paco.

Paco: That's a really wild idea. I hope you--both of you--are successful. Keep me posted and I hope neither of you become disillusioned, or worse.

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Ulyses & Hija: La Verdad Sorprende

Ulises: Sabes, debes investigar tu nombre actual. No me gusta llamarte, Hija, aunque es el único nombre que se te llama, pero, bueno, no quiero que piensen que somos padre e hija, especialmente ya que tengo menos años que tu. Pero claro, no pienses que es eso, ya que también me gustan las chicas majores.

Hija: Bueno, cambiemos el tema. ¿No Crees? ¿Sabes, esta noche se transmite un programa de Willie Chirino, el salsero Cubano desde el James L. Knight Center en Miami. Creo que es el canal dos.

Ulises: No se cual será. De todos modos, segurmente me dará sueño antes del programa.

Hija: Es una estación de Miami que dá programación cultural, sin anuncios. Creo que será facil de localizar. Te gusta Willie?

Ulises: Sí. Siendo Cubano, como no me va a gustar? Y a ti?

Hija: Sí, un poco. Bueno, si no estás dormido, quien sabe si la podrás ver? yo quizas. Mira, otra cosa—

Ulises: Quizás duerma temprano.

Hija: No sé como decirlo. Tu crees que nos veamos otra vez?-- pero con cuidado claro, ya que es mejor no hacer nada indebido, y despues quedar mal el uno con el otro.

Ulises: Sí, por supuesto, que podemos vernos de nuevo .

Hija: Es más, ni se como hablar de lo del Sábado pasado; me da un poco de pena e incertidumbre. No sé; parece que así soy yo, pero, por lo menos pasamos un buen rato.

Ulises: No te preocupes, Hija. Yo no soy nuevo contigo. Conversa lo que tú quieras, sin problemas--que somos adultos.

Hija: Otra cosa. En inglés hay un refran--te lo intentaré traducir. “There's been a lot of water under the bridge since last we met.”O sea, “Bastante ha seguido el rio fluyendo, bajo el puente, desde que últimamente nos vimos, y por eso, bueno, todo me luce distinto. Ni sé como te lucen a ti las cosas. Claro, no te preocupes; no te estoy comprometiendo, ni nada semejante.

Ulises: Yo te lo dije el sabado. Yo puedo estar contigo, pero sin compromiso.

Hija: Sí, eso me lo imaginé--que querías seguir sólo. Pues fija que tambíen, desde cierto punto, me gusta la libertad. Lo único, es que, bueno, mejor no decir mas—

Ulises: No te vallas, Hija. Si te ofendí en algo, disculpas. Solo quería serte sincero.

Hija: Pues, mira que no. No sabes el alivio que ese rechazo—

Ulises: No es rechazo, chica!

Hija: Si, quizás, pero hay uno quien nunca me rechazará; no importa que he hecho o falté de hacer. No se porque pensé que contigo sería distinto.

Ulises: Ah, ya veo. De nuevo, te refieres a algo espiritual. Lo siento, Hija. Quizás la religion te conviene más a ti que a mi.

Hija: Lo dices porque soy mujer, y a caso, los hombres no son capaces de amar a Cristo, también.

Ulises: No he dicho eso. Pero, sí, para nosotros nos cuesta más, siendo hombres que nunca desean que nadie los piense débil. Sí, lo sé. Pensarás que soy machista, pero date de cuenta que hay quienes lo verían raro, ya que Cristo no solo era el Dios del mundo o algo semejante. El actualmente caminó y vivió como hombre. Y hay quienes le luce raro eso, que un hombre profese amar a otro, aunque se dice que es Dios.

Hija: Y crees que a nosotras, las mujeres, no es difícil amar a un ser divino que también es hombre, especialmente nosotras que no tenemos esposos o novio sincero. Te diré que es muy duro. Quizás tan duro como lo que tú me cuentas.

Ulises: Hija. No nos despidamos así. Sigamos amigos. Si no puedes por tu religion, o algo, verme otra vez porque no quiero comprometirme, bueno. Lo siento. Me hubiera gustado ser tu amigo, de nuevo.

Hija: Sí, Ulises. También lo siento. A mi me hubiera gustado eso también. Bueno, gracias y cuídate.

Ulises: Que tu Dios te bendiga, Hija.

Hija: Gracias, Ulises. Que El te bendiga a ti, también. Adios.

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Vivo de veras: Ramón & Kika: Alive for Real


English version follows the Spanish version. Please see below.

 
Ramón: Presiento que ya no me amas como me amabas antes. A caso tienes otro tío, y siendo tan inocente yo, ni me he enterado? Me hubiera gustado que me lo hubieras dicho. Creo que dirías lo mismo, si fueras tú quien tenía la duda.

Kika: Te quiero, Ramón, pero amo a Cristo más.

Ramón: Pero que dices! Prefieres querer a alguién quien ni has visto en vez de mí, tu Ramón?

Kika: Pues, mira que no, Ramón, no eres mí Ramón ya, pues seguramente, Amparo también diría que le perteneces a ella. Espera! Es Nicholas, con quien ella está ligada, no tú. Disculpas.

Ramón: No sabes ni que dices. Entre Amparo y yo no hay nada menos que malos recuerdos. Siempre se quejaba que repentinamente no sabía de mí por la Catalepsia, y que solo era susto, tras susto, tenerme por novio.

Kika: Sí, Ramón, a las chicas les gustan los tíos vivos, no semi-muertos como tú.

Ramón: Que mala eres, Kika. Pensaba que de veras me querías. Pero solo sabes como mejor herirme. No tengo la culpa que se enamoran de mi mujeres y que siguen conmigo, por un rato, a pesar de la Catalepsia. O quizás piensas que a los tíos que padecen de Catalepsia también no se pueden enamorar, ni merecen ser amados? Bueno, te quedas conmigo esta vez? O que?

Kika: Mira, Ramón, mejor me quedo con Cristo que sé de veras que sí me quiere y ese sí está vivo.

Ramón: I feel you no longer love me the way you used to. You haven’t found another guy, have you? I’m probably so naive, that if you had, I wouldn’t have noticed it. I would have liked for you to have told me. I think you’d say the same if it were you that had the doubts about me.

Kika: I like you, Ramón, but I love Christ more.

Ramón: What are you talking about! You prefer someone that you have never seen instead of me, your Ramón?

Kika: Actually, Ramón, you are not my Ramón any longer. I’m sure Amparo also would say that you belong to her, as well. Wait a minute! It’s Nicholas she’s involved with, not you. My mistake.

Ramón: You don’t even know what you’re saying. Between Amparo and me, only bad memories linger, not affection. She always complained that on account of my Catalepsy she never knew if I was coming or going. She claims all I ever gave her was one scare after another.

Kika: Yes, Ramón, women like their guys to stay alive, not semi-conscious like you.

Ramón: You’re really bad, Kika. I thought you really liked me. It seems you’re better at hurting me, than liking me. I’m not to blame that, in spite of my Catalepsy, women still find me attractive, fall in love, and stay with me for a while. Or should guys with Catalepsy not also love and be loved? So, are you sticking it out with me this time, or what?

Kika: Look, Ramón, it’s better that I remain with Christ whom I know really loves me. Of this I’m sure: He’s more alive and well than you yourself are.