Ghosts inhabit this town.

4 Oct. 2008

Albox is still waiting for a train that stopped running many, many years ago. Ghosts inhabit this town. A paloma lay on the sidewalk peacefully, with a certain grace. Dead. "Algun gat," Maribel speculated. The riverbed is dry and the pèople wait for rain. Last night I arrived, feeling weak after 12 hours in transit. The clouds gathered together to brood, the sky swelled and finally it rained.

The villagers are embarrassed of their town and apologize to me that I´m here. I tell them it´s beautiful, the semi-desert and mountains are impressive, it´s tranquil here. They laugh and shake their heads. They tell me again that they´re sorry.

My bedroom has a balcony that overlooks a cluster of jasmine vines where 50 small birds congregate and chirp loudly. This morning I woke at sunrise and walked onto the balcony to be met immediately by the scent of jasmine flowers. I can see the top of the church from the balcony, but not the sunrise. Lights floods in from the west. The churchbell is always singing.