Julián como cada día, se levantaba para irse a trabajar. Mientras se arreglaba, María su mujer prendía el fogón de leña para calentar el agua del café y montar los bollos de maíz que luego rellenaba con lo que había en casa, a veces... con nada.
Era una familia numerosa. 5 niños que nacieron uno tras otro, a los que no se le podía decir que esperaran cuando el hambre les hacía retorcer las entrañas. Por eso, y a pesar del intenso dolor en su pierna derecha, Julián salía todos los días al aserradero de la ciudad a descargar la madera para que luego se distribuyeran en los camiones.
Siempre volvía con un dolor intenso, y su mujer le ponía cataplasmas con hojas maceradas en ron. Dentro de su ignorancia, procuraba ayudar de la mejor manera posible.
María quería ponerse a limpiar casas, o a lavar ropa, de manera de tener una segunda entrada, solo que los niños estaban aún muy pequeños y dejarlos solos no era una opción, así que estaban atados de manos, resolviendo como podían con el poco dinero que ganaba él.
Un tarde, Julián no llegó a la hora acostumbrada, y siendo él un hombre de rutinas, a María le empezó a generar una preocupación que fue en crecida. Encomendó sus hijos con la vecina y se fue al aserradero lo más rápido que pudo. Allí le dieron la noticia: Julián tuvo un incidente laboral y lo llevaron al hospital.
Al llegar ahí, el médico que lo atendió le explica con palabras que no logra entender... -Señor, me va a disculpar - dice María mientras le agarra el brazo- no entiendo nada de lo que me está diciendo. Solo acláreme algo, Julián va a estar bien?
El doctor, con una sonrisa asintió para tranquilidad de María. - Si señora, solo tuvimos que ponerle un yeso para que no mueva la pierna por 15 días - le respondió.
Ya en casa, Julián empezaba a sentir el desespero por no poder producir dinero. La comida cada vez era menos, y María empezó a pedir en la bodega, algunas cosas para pagar después, sin la certeza de que realmente pudiera hacerlo.
Su vecina le pidió que le lavara algunas ropas y le pagó, y fue ella quien le avisó al cura párroco sobre la situación que pasaban en su casa, por lo que entre toda la feligresía reunieron algunos insumos y se los fueron a llevar a casa.
María respiró tranquila, pero todo esto hizo que Julián perdiera la paciencia. Remojó su pierna en un bidón de agua que tenían en el patio, y como pudo se sacó el yeso. Necesitaba volver al trabajo lo más pronto posible.
Por forzarse a ello, su pie no quedó bien del todo, y si antes solo era dolor, ahora cojeaba.
En esas condiciones ya no podía trabajar descargando madera, por lo que su patrono lo pasó al área de seguridad, siendo el encargado de recibir los camiones en la madrugada y despachando los que ya iban al reparto por la ciudad.
Era un trabajo más sencillo, aunque también con más responsabilidad. Para Julián, el compromiso se había duplicado, sobre todo porque pensando en él y su familia, le dieron la oportunidad de seguir trabajando ahí.
Un día las cuentas no le daban. Faltaban 3 piezas en un camión que había descargado el equipo de Anibal, su antiguo supervisor. Al preguntarle al respecto, él le pidió que no dijera nada. En casa la situación estaba difícil, y los pidió "prestados" para poder resolver la comida de su familia.
Para Julián, esta confesión resultó una bomba que le estalló en la cara. Su amigo y compadre le decía que había robado, estando en su turno! Las ideas en su cabeza rebotaban sin cesar, pues por un lado estaba su compromiso con quienes confiaban en él, y por el otro, su amistad de muchos años y el vínculo que los unía.
Conocía a su compadre desde muchos años atrás. Era el padrino de su hijo mayor, y las familias siempre se habían mantenido muy unidas. Pero a Anibal el temperamento no lo ayudaba. Solía ser agresivo en algunas ocasiones, por lo que quienes conformaban su núcleo de amigos, sabía cuando retirarse de una discusión con él.
Anibal también conocía a Julián, quien prefería no comer, con tal de no pedir ayuda. Su nobleza y lealtad eran inquebrantables. Por eso, albergaba cierto temor con respecto a si podía mantener su secreto.
Pasaron esa noche sin dormir. A la mañana siguiente, a Julián su jefe le pediría un reporte de lo sucedido, después del conteo del final del día. María al sentirlo tan preocupado le hizo un té para ayudarlo a tranquilizarse. Esa era su manera de sentirse útil en los momentos en los que él no sabía qué hacer.
En casa de Anibal la situación fue también bastante similar, solo que no hubo té, ni compañía de nadie. Su mujer había fallecido al dar a luz a su primer hijo, luego de eso, prefirió estar solo, con compañías de una noche, pero sin atarse a nadie más.
Que buena vaina me echó el compadre! dijo Julián bebiendo el último sorbo de te mientras se levantaba de su silla mecedora para irse a la cama. A María esas palabras también la empezaron a inquietar.
Amaneció, y ya el café estaba listo, junto con la arepa y el huevo frito, para que Julián desayunara. Comió todo muy rápidamente y salió de casa. Mientras cerraba la puerta llegó a decir en voz alta: al mal tiempo, buena cara.
María aprovechó para recostarse un poco más. El trasnocho del día anterior la había dejado con sueño. Fueron sus hijos mayores quienes la despertaron. Mamá, hay un señor en la puerta preguntando por ti.
Su corazón empezó a latir muy fuerte, a medida que se acercaba a la puerta. Nadie preguntaba por ella, y mucho menos un hombre. Qué habrá pasado? La pierna de Julián otra vez?
-Es usted la señora de Julián Albornoz? le preguntaron.
-Si, soy yo. Está otra vez en el hospital? dijo María.
-Podrá acompañarnos un momento? Es solo hasta la esquina.
Los niños se agolpaban detrás de ella, curiosos por saber lo que pasaba. Les dijo que ya volvía y cerró la puerta detrás de ella.
-Su marido tenía enemigos? comenzaron a preguntar mientras iban caminando.
-Que yo sepa, no. Pero que tiene que ver eso con su pierna? volvió a preguntar María. Solo le faltaban dos días para quitarse el yeso, no creo que eso sea algo malo.
-No señora, esto es mucho peor.
Mientras se acercaban, María ve una ambulancia y varias patrullas de la policía. Las luces de todas ellas, le hicieron sentir un tanto mareada. Un niño pasa corriendo a su lado hasta que lo detienen dos funcionarios. Era Manuel, su hijo mayor, que había logrado salirse de la casa. Tenía apenas 7 años, pero era muy hábil trepando árboles. Se había ido al patio, para subirse al árbol de mango y poder salir de la casa.
-Mamá!!! por qué mi papá está dormido en la calle???
María reaccionó al mareo de las luces y empezó a correr.
Sólo alcanzó a ver el cadáver de Julián, asesinado de un tiro en la espalda.
Julián, as he did every day, got up to go to work. While he was getting ready, María, his wife, would light the wood stove to heat the water for the coffee and assemble the corn muffins, which she would then fill with whatever she had at home, sometimes... with nothing.
It was a large family. Five children who were born one after the other, who could not be told to wait when hunger made their insides twist. For that reason, and in spite of the intense pain in his right leg, Julian went out every day to the sawmill in town to unload the wood so that it could be distributed to the trucks.
He would always return with intense pain, and his wife would apply poultices with leaves macerated in rum. In his ignorance, he tried to help as best he could.
Maria wanted to start cleaning houses, or washing clothes, in order to have a second income, but the children were still very young and leaving them alone was not an option, so their hands were tied, working as best they could with the little money he earned.
One afternoon, Julian did not arrive at the usual time, and being a man of routines, Maria's concern began to grow. She entrusted her children to the neighbor and went to the sawmill as quickly as she could. There she got the news: Julian had a work-related incident and was taken to the hospital.
When she gets there, the doctor who attended him explains to her in words that she does not understand... -Sir, please excuse me," says Maria as she grabs his arm, "I don't understand anything of what you are telling me. Just clarify something for me, Julian is going to be all right?
The doctor, with a smile nodded for Maria's peace of mind. - Yes, ma'am, we only had to put a cast on his leg so that he would not move it for 15 days," he replied.
Back at home, Julian began to feel desperate for not being able to produce money. The food was less and less, and Maria began to ask for some things at the bodega to pay for them later, without the certainty that she could really do it.
Her neighbor asked her to wash some clothes and paid her, and it was she who told the parish priest about the situation in her house, so the whole parish gathered some supplies and took them home.
Maria breathed easy, but all this made Julian lose his patience. He soaked his leg in a can of water they had in the yard, and as best he could, he took off the plaster. He needed to get back to work as soon as possible.
By forcing himself to do so, his foot was not completely well, and if before it was only pain, now he was limping.
In those conditions he could no longer work unloading lumber, so his employer moved him to the security area, being in charge of receiving the trucks in the early morning and dispatching those that were already on their way to deliver around the city.
It was a simpler job, but also with more responsibility. For Julián, the commitment had doubled, especially because, thinking of him and his family, he was given the opportunity to continue working there.
One day the accounts did not work out. Three pieces were missing from a truck that had been unloaded by Anibal's team, his former supervisor. When she asked him about it, he asked her not to say anything. At home the situation was difficult, and he "borrowed" them in order to be able to provide food for his family.
For Julian, this confession was a bombshell that exploded in his face. His friend and compadre was telling him that he had stolen while on his shift! The ideas in his head bounced around incessantly, because on the one hand there was his commitment to those who trusted him, and on the other hand, their friendship of many years and the bond that united them.
He had known his compadre for many years. He was the godfather of his eldest son, and the families had always been very close. But Anibal's temper did not help him. He tended to be aggressive at times, so those who made up his core group of friends knew when to walk away from an argument with him.
Anibal also knew Julian, who preferred not to eat, as long as he did not ask for help. His nobility and loyalty were unwavering. Therefore, he harbored some fear as to whether he could keep his secret.
They spent that night without sleep. The next morning, Julian would be asked by his boss for a report on what had happened, after the end of the day's count. Maria, feeling him so worried, made him some tea to help him calm down. That was her way of feeling useful in the moments when he did not know what to do.
At Anibal's house the situation was also quite similar, only there was no tea, no company. His wife had died giving birth to their first child, after that, he preferred to be alone, with one-night stands, but without being tied to anyone else.
What a good pod the compadre gave me! said Julián drinking the last sip of tea as he got up from his rocking chair to go to bed. Those words also began to worry María.
It was dawn, and the coffee was ready, along with the arepa and the fried egg, for Julián to have breakfast. He ate everything very quickly and left the house. As he closed the door, he even said aloud: "In bad weather, all's well that ends well.
Maria took the opportunity to lie down a little more. The previous day's late night had made her sleepy. It was her older children who woke her up. Mom, there's a man at the door asking for you.
Her heart began to pound as she approached the door. No one was asking for her, let alone a man. What could have happened? Julian's leg again?
-Are you Mrs. Julián Albornoz? they asked her.
-Yes, I am. Is he in the hospital again? said María.
-Could you come with us for a moment? It's only to the corner.
The children crowded behind her, curious to know what was going on. She told them she would be right back and closed the door behind her.
-Did her husband have any enemies? they began to ask as they walked along.
-Not that I know of. But what does that have to do with his leg? asked Maria again. He was only two days away from having his cast off, I don't think that's a bad thing.
-No ma'am, this is much worse.
As they approached, Maria saw an ambulance and several police cars. The lights from all of them made her feel a little dizzy. A boy ran past her until he was stopped by two officers. It was Manuel, her eldest son, who had managed to get out of the house. He was only 7 years old, but he was very skilled at climbing trees. He had gone to the backyard to climb the mango tree to get out of the house.
-Mom!!! why is my dad asleep in the street?
María reacted to the dizziness of the lights and started to run.
She only caught a glimpse of Julián's body, shot in the back.
Foto/Photo by: Jr Korpa, Elias Null, Grayom, Amin Moshrefi (all from Unsplash)
Edición/Edited by 
Translated with Deepl
