Locos en el fin del mundo
_¿Podemos ir hasta allá, Theo? Me gustaría conocer ese pueblo - afirmó Nora decidida y Theo sabía que cuando a su novia se le metía algo en la cabeza, era difícil hacerla desistir de la idea.
_Por lo que dicen, es un pueblo que queda muy lejos y tiene las vías deterioradas - argumentó Theo.
_¿Y cuál es el problema? Vamos en la camioneta y hasta donde sé, no tenemos presentación este fin de semana, así que tenemos tiempo de ir y regresar.
_¿En la camioneta? Estás loca. Esa es un dragón que traga gasolina y no tenemos suficiente, y aquí se están quejando porque las bombas no están surtiendo- respondió Theo mostrando su celular y enseñando las conversaciones en el grupo de WhatsApp.
_Bueno, pero podemos decirle a Bones que hable con su amigo el general para que le consiga unos litros. ¿Te parece? Ya voy a llamarlo - y sin esperar respuesta, Nora marcó el número de su amigo y le explicó su plan. Le vendió tan bien la idea a Bones que este aceptó conseguirles la gasolina con la condición de que le dieran un lugar en la camioneta:
_Será divertido conocer un lugar diferente. - dijo y prometió que hablaría inmediatamente con su amigo el general, quien siempre lo sacaba de apuros.
La música sonaba mientras la camioneta se adentraba por caminos desolados y sin asfaltar. De vez en cuando veían un árbol seco o una casa destartalada, pero eran tan distantes uno de otro, que luego de varias horas, Theo anunció:
_Creo que estamos perdidos. Vamos a devolvernos.
_Noooooo. Hemos avanzado mucho. Esta desolación es prueba de que estamos en el camino correcto - expresó Nora negando con la cabeza.
_Sí. Yo voy pendiente del GPS y vamos bien - añadió Bone tranquilamente.
Luego de eso, los muchachos se turnaban para tomar el volante cada cierto tiempo. Iban lento, viendo de un lado a otro, buscando señales hasta en el cielo. Hasta que Nora pidió que la dejaran manejar y los muchachos no tuvieron excusas, pero la chica subió el volumen de la música, apretó el acelerador y gritó eufórica:
_Allá vamos Esperanza, vamos a darles la alegría que necesitan.
_Bienvenidos. ¿Están perdidos? - preguntó la gente.
_No. Vinimos a conocerlos - dijo Nora extendiendo y estrechando la mano de cada uno como si ella fuera un político en campaña.
Los lugareños alegres les sacaron sillas para que se sentaran y les ofrecieron comida. También les sirvieron cervezas artesanales que ellos mismos hacían y los invitaron a bañarse en sus playas:
_Lo que pasa es que no trajimos trajes de baño ni shorts.
_¡Pero no importa. Vamos a bañarnos así, total, ¡no nos vamos hoy! - y sin esperar, se quitó las sandalias y se fue hacia el mar donde se tiró y comenzó a nadar como una sirena. Los muchachos se miraron entre ellos y luego siguieron el ejemplo de Nora.
En la noche, los muchachos sacaron sus instrumentos y comenzaron a tocarlos. El pueblo los escuchaba en silencio, agradecido por aquel concierto privados. Con cada canción aplaudían y hasta sonreían por las improvisaciones qué hacían los jóvenes músicos.
_No nos olviden y vuelvan pronto. Y por favor, hablen de nosotros, cuenten que aquí hay un pueblo hermoso esperando para recibirlos.
En el viaje de regreso, los tres iban tranquilos, sonriendo y charlando sobre la experiencia vivida. De repente, Nora dijo con voz eufórica:
_Volvamos la semana que viene y traigamos otros amigos - y Theo afirmó sonreído, apoyando las locuras de su novia, mientras la camioneta iba por esos caminos desérticos y tierras inhóspitas que solo unos locos como aquellos, podrían cruzar.
La imagen principal fue creada por mí en Canva, y el texto fue traducido con Deepl Translate
HASTA UNA PRÓXIMA OPORTUNIDAD, AMIGOS
![Click here to read in englis]
Crazy at the end of the world
That weekend, the boys had not made any plans, so when they saw the news, they didn't hesitate about what they should do. It was Nora who showed the video to Theo. The video was a report about a town that had lost its joy. Strangely, the town was called La Esperanza, but it was so remote that no one ever came there. "We have very beautiful beaches, but nobody comes to visit us. Even God has forgotten about us because no tourist comes," the people of the town said in front of the cameras: "Can we go there, Theo? I would like to see that town," Nora said determinedly, and Theo knew that when his girlfriend set her mind to something, it was hard to make her abandon the idea. "From what they say, it's a town that is very far away and has deteriorated roads," argued Theo. "And what's the problem? We can go in the truck, and as far as I know, we don't have a gig this weekend, so we have time to go and come back."
_In the truck? That's a dragon that swallows gasoline, and we don't have enough, and here they are complaining because the pumps aren't supplying- Theo replied, showing his cellphone and displaying the conversations in the WhatsApp group. _Well, but we can tell Bones to talk to his friend the general to get him some liters. What do you think? I'm going to call him - and without waiting for a response, Nora dialed her friend's number and explained her plan. She sold Bones the idea so well that he agreed to get them the gasoline on the condition that they gave him a spot in the gasoline: _It'll be fun to see a different place. - he said and promised he would talk immediately with his friend the general, who always got him out of trouble. In less than two hours, Theo, Bones, and Nora, who was excited and talking a mile a minute, were on their way to that town that no one knew and that was where the devil had left his flip-flops.
The music was playing as the van drove down deserted, unpaved roads. Every now and then, they would see a dry tree or a dilapidated house, but they were so far apart from each other that after several hours, Theo announced: _I think we are lost. Let's turn back. _Noooooo. We have come too far. This desolation is proof that we are on the right path - Nora said, shaking her head. _Yes. I am keeping an eye on the GPS and we are doing fine - Bone added calmly. The boys took turns at the wheel every so often. They were going slowly, looking from side to side, searching for signs even in the sky. Until Nora asked to drive, and the boys had no excuses, but the girl turned up the music, pressed the accelerator, and screamed excitedly: _Here we go Esperanza, we are going to give them the joy they needed.
After 4 hours of travel, they arrived at the desired place. Indeed, La Esperanza was a beautiful, clean, colorful village near the sea. When the van parked, all the villagers peeked out of their windows and then came out to greet them: _Welcome. Are you lost? - asked the people. _No. We came to meet you - said Nora, extending and shaking hands with each person as if she were a politician on a campaign. The cheerful locals brought out chairs for them to sit and offered them food. They also served them craft beers that they made themselves and invited them to swim on their beaches: _The thing is, we didn't bring swimsuits or shorts. _But it doesn't matter. Let's swim like this; after all, we’re not leaving today! - and without waiting, she took off her sandals and ran to the sea where she jumped in and started swimming like a mermaid. The boys looked at each other and then followed Nora's example.
In the evening, the boys took out their instruments and began to play them. The townspeople listened in silence, grateful for that private concert. With each song, they applauded and even smiled at the improvisations the young musicians were making. On Sunday, when the boys got ready to leave, the people approached them affectionately: _Don't forget us and come back soon. And please, talk about us, tell that there is a beautiful town here waiting to receive you. On the way back, the three were calm, smiling and chatting about the experience they had lived. Suddenly, Nora said in an euphoric voice: _Let's go back next week and bring other friends - and Theo affirmed with a smile, supporting his girlfriend's whims, while the truck drove through those desert roads and inhospitable lands that only crazy people like them could cross.