“Eduardo, wake up. I am taking the truck. Pancho asked me to pick up Claudia. He told me to park next to the small church near the mercado”
“Bueno, mamá estará contenta.”
The hammock barely moved.
The truck started up without a problem. Follow the dirt road towards the cafe. Left at the intersection to the church. No problemo!
There.
Maybe that’s her.
“Are you Claudia? Pancho sent me.”
She looked me over.
“What do they call you?”
“They call me Pip.”
“What kind of name is Pip?”
“It’s what, uhm…are you sure you’re Eduardo’s sister?”
She was taller than expected.
“Are you sure you’re Pip?”
“I, I, I…yeah. I think so.”
This isn’t going well.
“Your bags are small for straw hats. And heavy.”
Yep, making it worse.
“Don’t touch that one.” She pointed. “You can take the other two and put them in the back of the truck.”
“They are straw hats. You know, the kind fishermen wear. Farm workers. These will eventually find their way to San Diego.”
Searching for something to say. Anything.
“Uhm, they must be squished to fit in these small bags.”
No. Not that.
Claudia smiled.
“It’s the raw materials.”
“Oh.”
“Yeah.”
“Absolutely.”
“That makes complete sense.”
“Definitely.”
“The truck is this way.”
Claudia looked at me. “You mean this truck right here that we are standing next to?”
I looked at the truck I was leaning against and loaded the bags.
“Yes.”
“Let’s get out of here. Pancho is waiting.”