When the time has come to do something, some people do it, others don’t, and others don’t realise it’s the time to. And Ray was wondering if it was really the time. Only now he did realise how truly dangerous the streets of Core are. As he put into his mouth the last portion of his meal, some strange mix of mashed potatoes and maize, he thought about the mysteries lying deep within the heart of Core, and within the souls of its inhabitants. Who was Lindsey? Why did the police want to arrest her? Questions and questions were raised and asked in Ray’s mind. He could do little about it.
When there was no more food on the table, Uncle Luis made them all pray to God for their good luck and their food. Potatoes and maize were possibly the most grown and harvested products in Core, and the people who could afford a meal every day were tired of eating pretty much the same thing each time. Very rare were the occasions in which there was meat in a dish, only rabbit or chicken were in the richest people’s tables from time to time, although the Mafiosi could enjoy these pleasures far more often, and in the territory of the Colombians, every Sunday there was an animal in each church. That was a gift most appreciated by the inhabitants of those zones, and soon made them the most crowded outside the slums.
Raimundo asked his father for a class in optics. He had just had an idea, but had to refresh that topic. After an hour reviewing optical phenomena and kinds of lenses that took advantage of them, Ray had a plan. But much to his surprise, his father produced what looked like a leather cigarette case, and slid the superior part, which had a “Y” in silver engraved on the leather. It revealed a piece of metal with two lenses encased. Once it was completely slid, Ernesto stopped pressing the case and lifted his thumb, the superior part of the case doing so as well, until the metal piece was vertical. He showed it to Ray: these were binoculars that Ernesto had crafted himself with his grandfather’s cigarette case, four round prescription lenses and a couple of metal pieces he had requested to a metal workshop. It was all from before Core ran out of energy, and it looked new. Ray could think of one word only: “Badass.” His father smiled and pressed the case slightly forward and down, and then back to its original position.
“I know. I used to do things like this, you know. From time to time. Now I just read and think and write and eat and sleep. Keep them. Some of these days I’ll show you something else. Optics has always been my favourite branch of physics, I even have a long range scope, and night vision goggles, although I doubt they still work.”
“Thank you, dad. I never knew this part of you. I...”
“Of course. All of this!” Ernesto lifted his arms, as if to lift a great balloon up in the air. “Twenty years of madness... and a hundred years of solitude!” His eyes were shining “You have to read it, it’s a marvellous book!”
“Sure dad, of course. But, just today, I met someone and... I want to do something. Uncle Luis, would you excuse my presence at tonight’s mass?”
“Why not, Raimundo, you’re a good boy after all. But say a little prayer for your soul at 8.”
“Sure, Uncle Luis.” Ray put the binoculars in his pocket, took some arrows and left for the Maraud Building. A not very long now afternoon was waiting for his practice, and a coming night was waiting for another meeting with Lindsey... if she was still there.
