I sat on the tailgate waiting for Claudia and noticed an officious sign hanging from a fence post adjacent to the field: “Driza, S.A. de C.V. – No Trespassing.”
A pair of boots kicking up dust coming down the driveway caught my attention.
“Hahaha, amigo, buenos días.“
Pedro leaned into the truck. “A friend of yours, Eduardo?”
It wasn’t even noon, but apparently the party had already begun.
“I’m Pip.”
“Sí, what are you doing out here all alone?”
Noticing the bags, he poked one with his hand.
“What do we have here, Pip?”
I stood up and moved between him and the bags.
“Bags.”
“Bags of what, amigo? Eduardo, can you believe this? We have a pair of bags.”
Eduardo stood silently.
“Just bags. You know, the kind of bags that carry stuff. Beautiful day, huh? I am just waiting on Claudia, admiring the fields. What do you grow out here? If this was Santa Cruz, rows of strawberries.”
The screen door squeaked open.
Eduardo came alive just as Claudia walked onto the porch.
“They just planted maize.”
Claudia gave a stern look to Pedro for a brief moment and then turned her attention to Eduardo.
“Where have you been? ¿Trabajo?”
“¿Trabajo? Sí. I was making arrangements.”
“¿Arreglos para conseguir trabajo?”
“Pip, it’s time to go. Pancho is waiting.”
Luisa came out onto the porch and yelled something in Spanish that I understood to mean get the hell out of here. Pedro and Eduardo immediately started kicking up more dust as they walked down the driveway.
I looked at the truck, closed the tailgate and climbed in as Claudia got in on the other side.
The truck shook as we both sat down.
Here we go again.
Maybe I should have fixed the shocks while I was waiting.