It had been so many years since Jaime last went to his hometown that he had forgotten the hill he had to climb to reach his grandparents’ house. The landscape was very different from his childhood; the city had changed a lot, and the hunger he felt only made him long for the end of the climb, with the promise of a lunch prepared by his grandmother, who cooked with a unique touch, impossible to erase from the palate.
He got off the bus carrying a box full of things his mother had sent; he didn’t know what was inside, only that it was heavy.
The sun was strong, and people greeted him, but he no longer remembered names; everyone was just faceless shadows in his memory, friendly strangers who waved or tipped their hats. He walked nonstop along the unpaved road, refusing to pay a mule driver to carry the box, thinking he was man enough not to depend on the strength of a beast.
But the midday sun blazed like a wasp nest stinging his neck, face, and arms. He had been walking for half an hour without stopping to rest, and sweat already soaked his back. His red, wet face strained from the effort, and though his pride was hurt, he had to admit his legs were trembling from exhaustion. But just a few houses ahead, an old woman was watching him with a compassionate look.
Jaime saw her call out to him. The woman offered him a glass of water and a rocking chair in the shade to rest for a while, but he rejected her because of her unattractive and disfigured appearance.
Her face had large patches of white skin and others of a cinnamon color, and her arms were the same. He could guess that her whole body was likely similar under the large dress.
The sight of the woman extending the glass disgusted him, and with a grimace, he continued toward his grandparents’ ranch without saying a word.
He knew he had been rude but didn’t look back or stop; the damage was done. The old woman had already called him rude and ill-mannered, and he had no intention of going back to apologize. He was too hungry to waste time on that.
When he arrived at the house, he unloaded the box and took off his sweaty clothes. He took a bath and finally enjoyed the long-awaited lunch. He was exhausted, but he still helped his grandmother store the things he had brought.
Groceries, clothes, shoes, and porcelain wrapped in newspaper were inside the box. He was glad nothing had broken, as the clothes had softened the fall when he unloaded it at the entrance. By the time they finished, it was five o’clock, and his grandparents went to bed early, as they had since they were young. They ate before sunset and went to bed, and Jaime did the same, completely worn out.
When he opened his eyes, the horror in the mirror made him scream.
A vitiligo he had never had was peeling his skin between black and white, and it was undoubtedly worse than what the old woman suffered from. His grandparents came to see what had caused the scream, and they crossed themselves when they saw him shirtless.
They asked him if he had made anyone angry the day before, and he told them the story of his arrival.
There was no doubt it had been her. In the village, it wasn’t uncommon to hear about women who were witches or healers and did favors for a few pesos. His grandfather gave him a quick tap on the head with his cane and made him get dressed to go apologize to the old woman.
They went down the hill and knocked on her door. Jaime knelt before the woman and asked for her forgiveness before she could close the door upon seeing them. She had no intention of forgiving him, as she was deeply offended by his rejection. However, she held great respect for Doña Magdalena, his grandmother.
It was only for her that she helped Jaime to his feet and brought him a glass of water to calm down. Jaime drank it with his head down, repentant. “I hope this teaches you to be polite, son. Go in peace, and send my regards to Doña Magdalena,” she said as a farewell and took the glass inside. They returned to the ranch. All day, Jaime kept looking at himself in the mirror, but nothing had changed, and so, disheartened, he went to sleep.
When he woke up, his skin had returned to normal, as if it had all been a nightmare. He cried with happiness when he saw himself in the mirror. Only a white patch on his chest remained as a reminder of the lesson learned.
