Alternates
Around five o’clock, when the sun is setting, I go out for a swim. At the same time, two children and their mother come out. The children play in the pool while the mother watches over the youngest. I, on the side, swim from one end to the other. It’s a small pool, which creates a certain intimacy among those inside; moreover, the water establishes a connection that, while not direct, feels as such. As they play, the children sometimes splash me. The woman relaxes more each day, knowing I’m watching in case anything happens to the little one. The older one is already learning to swim like me. When I’m not in the water, I watch them through the window. I take a sip of brandy from Jerez. I smile. I think: somewhere in the world, a man is taking care of my family just as I am taking care of this one.
Nicolás Rodríguez Sanabria
