Unai Elorriaga: Plants Don't Drink Coffee

I went to the cinema with Ismael. And I told him I had to leave the cinema before six to go to church. And Ismael was very surprised, because movies never finish before six. And he asked Why? And I told him Dad died and they’ll say a mass for him in church. And I looked at Ismael’s face, and his face looked odd, and his eyes as well, like they had fear in them. And he made that face because of what I told him. And I saw then that what I said was important. And I realized then Dad will always be dead, not just today. And I didn’t say anything else to Ismael, and he didn’t say anything to me either. I didn’t tell him we caught the blue dragonfly today. Then they turned the lights off, and some people fall asleep when the lights are off. Then I went to church before six. Dolfo sometimes comes to the cinema, but he didn’t today.

Dad’s mass was a normal mass. But all my uncles were there, or many of them were. And all my aunts as well. And my cousins. I sat with Iñes in the church. And Mom was a little sick, her face looked unwell. But it was a normal mass, only with lots of people, because there were people outside too. And when the mass ended Mom left with Aunt Rosa, and she didn’t say anything to me and that’s odd, because Mom is always saying things to me. And I noticed one of my shoes was a little dirty, but I gave it a quick wipe so Mom wouldn’t see it. Afterwards we were in Maloena, drinking chocolate.

And it’s nighttime now and Aunt Martina says it’s no good to stay at home today and we must go for a walk. That’s why Aunt Martina and Iñes and me and the cat went for a walk. Because lots of things happened today. And the blue dragonfly is between my knees now, in the glass jar. That’s why I’m the most intelligent person in the world now, like a doctor. Especially because I caught the blue dragonfly, and especially because Dad died. Because this is important. Because otherwise we would have gone to Madagascar. And now I know we won’t go to Madagascar. And we won’t go anywhere. Dad and I. Not even swimming.

Dad’s hair was always very neatly combed, and sometimes he asked When are we going to Madagascar, Tomas? And I always said Tomorrow.