The Whispering Wind

THE WHISPERING
WIND
JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES
MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS

ABOUT THE AUTOR
JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES is a

member of the MEXICAN SOCIETY OF
GEOGRAPHYAND STATISTICS, which is the
oldest scientific and cultural society of the
American continent, having being founded in
1833 by the then President of Mexico, Don
Valentín Gómez Farías.
The author sits on that institution’s National

Academic Council, acting as President of one
of its Academies. He has written a great many
books dealing with society, economics, civics,
ecology, demographics, history and various
analyses, some of which have been translated
into English.
www.juanmanuelochoat.blogspot.com
THE
WHISPERING
WIND
JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES

Original Title in Spanish: “El viento susurrante”
FIRST EDITION: MAY 2018
ISBN: 978-607-7944-17-1
Registry: 03-2018-021310263300-01
Copyright © Juan Manuel Ochoa Torres
Correspondence with the author:

Juan Manuel Ochoa Torres: mailjmot@gmail.com
http://juanmanuelochoat.blogspot.mx/
Translation: Daniel Curoe
MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHYAND STATISTICS, A.C.

Justo Sierra 19 Centro Histórico
Phone numbers: (52) (55) 5542 73 41 and 5522 2055
ismge@prodigy.net.mx
http://smge-mexico.blogspot.com
Mexico 06020, D.F.

MEXICO
Printed and made at the studios of

CACTUS DISPLAYS, S. A.DE C. V.
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Typography and book binding:

Luis Tovar Carrillo
tecnografica64@gmail.com
Cover: Ana Sofía Ochoa Ricoux
Total or partial reproduction of this book is

Prohibited without the authors’ authorization.
INDEX
PAGE
CHAPTER I ............................................................... 5
S TRANGE COINCIDENCES
CHAPTER II .............................................................. 13
U NEXPECTED CHANGES
CHAPTER III ............................................................. 23

EN CAMINO
CHAPTER IV ............................................................. 43
T HE RANCH
CHAPTER V .............................................................. 63
ANOTHER MATTER
CHAPTER VI ............................................................. 75
COMPLETE REUNION
CHAPTERE VII ........................................................... 93

D IVERGENCES
CHAPTER VIII ........................................................... 129

COINCIDENCES
CHAPTER IX ............................................................. 155

S TRANGE VOICES
CHAPTER X .............................................................. 187

T HE RETURN
CAPÍTULO XI ............................................................ 203

S TRANGE COUNTERWEIGHTS
JUAN MANUEL OCHOA T ORRES
4
T HE WHISPERING WIND
CHAPTER I
S TRANGE COINCIDENCES
When we observe that odd human interrelationship that

takes place in our world every day, where the different
schedules, projects and interests of so many people in-
termingle —sometimes in whimsical ways— we cannot
help asking ourselves about the soundness of the poet’s
phrase: “Nothing is accidental on the planet; everything has
an appointment with destiny.”
Is there really a kind of unguided mysterious arrangement

that somehow links all the daily events together and inter-
mingles them just so, in a precise and deliberate way?
The question arises because some have elements and

opinions that could sway us in a different direction, and
the reasoning they put forth is:
Since there is this relentless transformation of incidents,

conversations and thoughts accomplished by so many
people, where such a great variety of circumstances and
personal goals intervene, is there really that mysterious
and supposed organization of human conduct which,
according to a master plan, arranges things in a deter-
mined direction? If so, we would then be witnessing a
challenge of colossal proportions, because to coordinate
such an interaction of elements that come into play, the
intervention of someone with a capacity totally beyond
human imagination would be required.
And this is where many often simply conclude that not

only human activity, but also the wonderful intermin-
gling of the forces of the Universe is, rather, the result of
some kind of chance that, for some reason, often leads to
unexpected results.
5
The immense majority of us will probably remain indif-

ferent to such questions, but the keen observer will find
them very intriguing.
And if that interesting form of interaction between humans

is, from a sociological standpoint, exceedingly challenging,
in a gigantic aggregation such as Mexico City it could be-
come something even more complex. Why is that so?
In a city like that, where such a great number of people

converge with so many different goals and purposes that
even though they all seem to move obediently under the
influence of invisible strings, they will nevertheless pro-
duce unpredictable results.
To better perceive the sheer magnitude of such a chal-

lenge, perhaps a quick look at a few of this great city’s
inhabitants will give us an idea of each person’s variety
of goals, which will then make us realize the resulting
complexity of a similar but combined activity.
Among the millions of people who, much like in a gigan-

tic anthill, go about their daily business, we see over
there a lady named Magali who hurriedly takes her two
young daughters to school, but not before giving them
plenty of advice.
And if we turn to see her husband Jorge the engineer, we

will realize that he is in turn meekly carried in another
direction by destiny. We will also see that he left home
early because he was going to try to determine the fea-
sibility of an antenna installation at a certain site. The
goal is to improve the signal reception in that specific
area for the mobile phone company he works for.
In his workshop, Don Refugio the mechanic is very con-

centrated as he’s tuning a car that’s been entrusted to
6
him because, apparently, it has failed the smog test, and

its owner sees this as his last chance to get a permit to
drive daily.
Tomas the plumber is searching valiantly in various hard-

ware stores for a spare part that he needs to fix a bathroom,
and he’s worried because so far, he hasn’t found it yet.
As we were saying, faced with this cascade of different

activities by millions of human beings with so many dif-
ferent goals and motivations, many, with good reason,
will have this intriguing doubt: Could these combined
actions be in some way planned, measured or at least
monitored by some entity far beyond human capability?
But, as we were pointing out, for the immense majority,

it suffices to follow obediently and routinely a sort of
imperceptible instruction from the invisible thread that
moves them.
Nevertheless, we could choose just one of them, like the

inquisitive flour mill worker who, while plodding care-
fully on a huge pile of wheat suddenly stops to examine
carefully a single grain. In the same way a mysterious
force quietly moves the clouds above and the stars in the
sky, perhaps it will also allow us to analyze a little more
deeply, at least with the human’s limited ability, the
imperceptible forces and motivations that are at this very
moment acting upon one of us in this great city.
And to better analyze this intriguing behavior, let’s de-

liberately choose someone who doesn’t just limit him-
self to reacting to circumstances, but also questions him-
self on the forces that seem to move him.
Among all the people who are hurriedly going about their
activities on this Monday, let’s just see this one who’s
7
going to work because there are many questions of this

type running through his mind while he’s riding in a van
driven by Juan.
Between his multiple tasks and phone calls we’ll see, as

a result of the doubts we are presently concerned with,
how this man observes from his seat the conversation
between two persons standing on the corner. He has a
reflection on human interactions like the one we laid
out: “Who moves that mysterious finger of destiny that
accommodates so many events in our troubled world?
Could this be the product of a certain project? Of chance?
Or, perhaps, is it just the result of a pure and simple
coincidence? What capacity should the being who can
control everything and can somehow foresee the results
of the interrelationships of billions of people have?”
What is most surprising about the thoughts of this lawyer

named Gustavo Mora, who held an important position in
one of his country’s key secretariats, is that these kinds of
doubts arose precisely during those brief moments when
he would answer, almost automatically, his phone calls.
And, curiously, while the traffic stops once again for

unknown reasons, he gets a call that surprises him.
That call was from a colleague and friend of his —also a

lawyer— who collaborated with him in another depart-
ment of the public administration, though in the budget-
ary section. He remembered him well. It was Jorge
Sánchez, and what surprised Gustavo the most was that
they hadn’t been in touch for seven years.
“Hi Gustavo! How are you?”
“Jorge, what a surprise! I thought you had forgotten about

my existence…”
8
“Ah! Well you know how it is in the civil service. Hope-

fully someday we can have time to get together.”
“But listen,” Jorge adds, “besides calling to say hello, I’m

in charge of organizing a consultation meeting on the
Tax Reform, and I thought of inviting you to get your
point of view.”
“Good heavens!” Gustavo says to himself. “As if I didn’t

have enough work.” But at the same time he reflected
that if he took part in that meeting about a subject unfa-
miliar to him, he could contribute something and, be-
sides, listen firsthand to other points of view.
“You know Jorge,” he answers with great caution, “how

things are here in our office, and on top of that we’ve
been asked to carry out a number of changes.”
“But Gustavo, only eight people in various fields of

expertise are going to participate. Some are from
the private sector and the others from various or-
ganizations. Each oral presentation will last only 15
minutes, and you will hear interesting proposals
because very distinguished people will be there.
What do you say?”
“When will it be?”
“It’s on Friday in our office. We begin at nine thirty AM.”
“I’ll call in about two hours and let you know, OK?”
After the two good friends and colleagues say goodbye,

Gustavo quickly calls his assistant in his office to check
his appointment book and, once he is informed that cer-
tain appointments can be rescheduled, asks her to locate
a certain study on a subject that he thought was interest-
9
ing. He could make good use of it by explaining its most

relevant points.
And so, a few minutes later he is already confirming his

attendance at the meeting to his good friend Jorge.
Going up in the office elevator, Gustavo somehow thinks

again about the great number of pointless commitments
that we sometimes accept…
“Actually,” he thinks, “Why do I have to keep accepting

to participate in meetings about subjects that aren’t my
area of expertise? Aren’t there many other people who
can contribute better ideas?
“It seems to me,” he meditates while saying hello to someone,

“that a speaker will not be attending and Jorge wants a substi-
tute. Oh well, I have already confirmed my attendance.”
Once he’s at his desk, Mary, his secretary, shows him

the appointment book and though still a little annoyed
by the unexpected Friday commitment, upon seeing that
Monday’s date, he cannot help but remember a close
and dear relative who died on that same date.
That strange coincidence seemed to want to tell him in a

very discreet way —or at least that’s how he interpreted
it— about the surprising fragility of life, and how we
must make the most of each chance to participate in our
environment.
“This relative,” he said to himself in a melancholy way,

“was a very brilliant person, but… What good does it do
him now?
“In that dimension where he now is, How many things

would he want to do or say, but can’t? He would want to
10
tell or warn me about many of those things, and yet he

can’t.
“He cannot even touch or watch one of that plant’s leaves

over there in the corner.
“Did he finish all his projects? I don’t think anyone can

feel satisfied on that point.
“When we cross that line,” he repeated in silence while

looking out the window, “which is something we will all
do, our period of action closes abruptly and definitely.
“So heck! What on earth am I complaining about? As

long as we walk this earth, even though we may some-
times feel overwhelmed, we must take part in what we
can.”
Mary, who knew him perfectly well, saw him so lost in

thought that she kept busy in the office, without inter-
rupting. When she noticed that he had landed back in
this profane world, she explains the day’s appointments
in detail.
But going back to the question that Gustavo was asking

himself, his doubt remained without an answer, like a
coin spinning in the air before getting caught by a firm
hand: “The events we all participate in, and which in-
trigue us so often, Are they the result of chance, or have
they been previously measured and calculated?”
Confronted with the impossibility of evaluating so many

cases where the silent hand of destiny stealthily works
day after day, let’s at least see what will happen in the
life of this inquisitive gentleman.
11
12
CHAPTER II
U NEXPECTED CHANGES
While we can be certain that in everyone’s life there will

be an infinite number of circumstances that may or may
not become apparent, one thing that will doubtless con-
tinue on its course is the slow but ceaseless march of
time.
Just as the world turns, the Sun rises and then sets at the
precise moment and place where it knows it should. The
firmament, for its part, slides silently and stealthily, night
after night, from one end of the sky to the other.
And so time continues on its course, although, to be fair,

it does so in such a discreet way that more than one
might think it behaves this way to look like it doesn’t
notice who uses it wisely and who is content just to see it
pass by, like the one who calmly contemplates the flow
of a stream.
As a consequence of this stealthy yet inexorable march

of time, the commitment that Licenciado* Gustavo had
taken on only last Monday was almost imperceptibly
upon him and he —like the other inhabitants of this great
metropolis— was already facing what this Friday would
bring.
(*Translator’s note. Licenciado is a title used in Mexico

for lawyers and others who hold a university degree,
especially one in the humanities.)
It is useful to point out that in Gustavo’s case, the previ-

ous days had been particularly heated because of a se-
ries of complicated meetings at the office. Many oppos-
13
ing interests had confronted each other and each partici-

pant had tried to “take home the goodies” as he put it to
his most trusted coworkers.
Such was the number of antagonistic situations that hov-

ered over his office that he was almost compelled to
cancel his attendance at the forum. In the end, the com-
mitment he had taken on proved stronger. And on the
other hand, he also thought, maybe that would also be a
way to change the pace a little in an otherwise compli-
cated week.
After leaving his two cellphones with his assistant,

Gustavo entered the venue where the meeting would
take place and found himself greeting many people, some
of whom were very well known to him.
In the moments before the presentation of each thesis, a

cordial banter floated through the air, but in the conver-
sations Gustavo perceived that each participant was
certain that their position was the very solution to that
day’s controversial subject.
While Gustavo listened discreetly and silently to his col-

leagues and friends, just as he had learned in the
oftentimes fierce political environment, he asked him-
self who could wisely connect the variety of views that
were sure to be presented here and in many similar
places. He feared that many positions would turn out to
be contradictory.
“To make matters worse,” he continued with his quiet

reflection while appearing to be very attentive to his
interlocutors, “the most complicated part is yet to come.
After months of deliberations and consideration of a
variety of proposals, when a supposed solution surfaces,
or rather a sort of consensus or combination of the vari-
14
ous trends emerges, it will go to Congress. There, each

party will annex more elements that are the result of
their focus or particular philosophy. What will come out
of such a potpourri?”
While he was trying to find someone among the partici-

pants whom he had not greeted yet, he studies his friend
Jorge who was doing feats worthy of a juggler as he
welcomed and payed attention to each participant. Jorge
greeted him briefly, but Gustavo, well aware of their
mutual trust, knew that as host, he must look after the
other guests.
A few minutes later the meeting begins. The explana-

tion for each point of view commences and after each
presentation, loud applause from the other participants
could be heard.
After a while comes Gustavo’s turn who, in a clear and

concise way, explains his position which had been previ-
ously prepared by a specialized consulting firm. The need
to achieve true simplicity was emphasized; its goal would
be to place it within everyone’s easy reach and thus ob-
tain greater social participation.
Once he concludes other opinions are voiced, but Gustavo

cannot help but notice that some ideas intended to cut
off any possibility of tax evasion would, in fact, create an
extremely complicated system.
At the end of the meeting, while Jorge thanks his audi-

ence and promises to carefully analyze each one of their
contributions, he extends informally the exchange of ideas
by inviting his guests to a small reception where hors-
d’oeuvres are being offered. As he was walking along
with the others towards the adjacent room, Gustavo re-
flects somewhat skeptically on the challenge that those
15
charged with the implementation of the Tax Reform

would face.
“First,” he was telling himself again, and each time more

skeptically, “they’ll have to confront the positions of the
bureaucratic group that has designed the changes and
the specialists who advise them. Then, I don’t know to
what extent they’ll take the numerous points of view
that will come to them from all sides, and, to complete
the picture, in Congress each group will seek to attach
their own bit. It’s a process where political blackmail
and pressures of all sorts might even appear.
“The truth,” he concludes while taking a canape, “is that

I don’t know what will come out of all this.”
Suddenly, one of the participants approaches and con-

gratulates him on his presentation, calling it interesting.
Likewise, Gustavo also praises him for his talk.
From his experience in that type of event, Gustavo doesn’t

lose sight of the fact that many of the expounded visions
are just useless formalities that don’t necessarily reflect
true agreement.
In moments like this, Gustavo remembers well the

phrase that his friend Gabriel once told him: “Be care-
ful because in politics your friends are false and your
enemies real.” Which is why not only he, but most of
those present, didn’t openly dissent from other posi-
tions. Rather, they tried to manage things superficially
at least, in an approachable way, without creating
unnecessary conflict.
Suddenly, Gustavo remembers his pending matters and

retreats discreetly to the contiguous room to ask Valentín,
his assistant, about any urgent calls.
16
“I believe that Mary,” Valentín confidently answers, “since

she already knew you were here, rescheduled the other
matters that came up for Monday. You got only two per-
sonal calls, one from your wife Alejandra and the other one
from one Álvaro who insists a lot on talking to you.”
Gustavo was perplexed. “Álvaro? What department is

he in? Where is he from?”
“No idea. He told me that he already knew you. I asked

him about the reason for his call and he answered only
that he was your friend.”
“Let me call Alejandra and then you’ll connect me with

this other person. I don’t remember who he might be
but for some reason he’s got my number and personal
information.”
His wife’s phone line is busy, so he instructs his assistant

to put him on the line with this other caller.
“Álvaro?” Gustavo says cautiously, trying not to show

that he doesn’t remember who he is.
“Hello Licenciado! I’m just back from the World Food

Fair in Europe and I wanted to say hi because I’m going
to Tingüindín in a short while.”
Upon hearing that word, he remembers at once those

unforgettable days at the avocado ranch.
“Álvaro! What a great surprise! How are you? How is

Don Alonso?”
“He’s well, as always, but he entrusted me with sending

you his regards and with inviting you again. He says he
wants to discuss some other matters with you.”
17
Gustavo’s mind is immediately flooded by those extraor-

dinary places he discovered and most of all, by how pleas-
antly impressed he had been by the discussions they
had in that place. Few things could be more gratifying
than to return to the ranch.
“Where are you now?”
“I’m at Mexico City Airport. My flight from Europe was

delayed and so I missed my connecting flight to Morelia.
The next one leaves in a while. But you know, that gave
me time to call you, mainly because Don Alonso insists
that you go there.”
“Tell me Álvaro, How long would it take us to get to the

ranch by the short route to Guadalajara?”
“On that highway, we can make it to the ranch in a little

over four hours. Don’t tell me you feel like coming along.
If you do, I’d rather go with you because if I take the
plane to Morelia, the ground logistics to get to the farm
would still be complicated.”
“The truth,” Gustavo quickly pondered, “is that there were

many pending matters at the office but most had already
been rescheduled for Monday.” A pause in his busy sched-
ule would do him a lot of good, and more so in that place
and in that company. And so he tells Álvaro, “I’ll call you
within 30 minutes. Don’t go to Morelia just yet.”
“Fine, I´ll wait. But if you don’t go let me know as soon as

possible because I must arrange my connecting flight.”
After they say goodbye, he manages to reach his wife,

Alejandra.
“Hi Ale! How’s everything?”
18
“Not too good. I’ve just lost one of my best clients and,
you’re not going to believe this: Do you remember that
friend of mine who asked me as a favor to find a law
internship position in my office for her daughter? This
will seem incredible to you but she cunningly took one of
my most important clients with her. Truth be told, I feel
very disappointed by her attitude.”
“In the end,” she complements, “I know that other cli-

ents will come to me, but I’m distraught because of all
the trust I placed in those people.”
Gustavo was already accustomed to such type of things —

and even much worse ones— but when he hears the disap-
pointment in his wife’s voice, he tries to comfort her.
“As you well put it,” he strongly emphasizes, “other, and

even better clients will come to you; these things hap-
pen. And besides, consider that if the client left so casu-
ally with someone without experience, perhaps he wasn’t
such a good client after all.”
“Well yes,” answers Alejandra, “but it hasn’t soaked in yet.”
“I want to propose something,” Gustavo announces.

“Come with me to Tingüindín, to Don Alonso’s ranch;
it’s the one I’ve told you about. We can return on Sunday.
Your sister Elisa can pick up Diego and his cousins at school
and we’ll bring him home on Sunday. He’ll have a good
time with them; you know how well they get along.”
“Better yet, let’s bring him along,” answers his wife. “Af-
ter everything you’ve told me, he might even like it.”
“Great. We pick him up at 2 o’clock and go from there. If

you can, go home and I’ll swing by. Oh, and one favor,
put in a small suitcase a few things for the trip.”
19
Alejandra never would have imagined going on such a

trip, and it was only the need for a change of pace and
her husband’s enthusiasm that convinced her. In
Gustavo’s case, he never would have doubted for a sec-
ond about going on the trip, because interesting ideas
were likely to come up and, most importantly, on the
last trip he felt as if transported to another world. It was
an experience he’d love to repeat.
Meanwhile, in the adjacent room his friend Jorge was

saying goodbye to his guests as courteously as he could
while searching insistently for Gustavo; he knew he
would not have left without saying goodbye.
“What happened Gustavo? What are you doing in this

room? So what did you think of the meeting?”
“Well,” answers Gustavo, “I had some pending calls and,

as for the meeting, the truth is that I don’t know how
you’ll manage to summarize the variety of opinions that
appeared from all sides. Everyone will want to be con-
sidered in the Reform. There are so many ideas and
proposals that if they include a small part of each one,
they’ll end up pleasing no one and disappointing every-
one. I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes.”
“Fortunately,” answers Jorge by way of justification, “the

responsibility and final decision won’t be mine; I’m just
putting together the different theses and ideas.”
“As usual,” an increasingly skeptical Gustavo thinks.

“Each one will justify him or herself by saying that the
final responsibility and decision were not theirs.”
“Well, you sure have a tough job,” Gustavo confesses to

him. “Want some advice? Give yourself a break. Look,
I’m off to Michoacán in a short while, to a friend’s ranch.
20
If you want to come along, I invite you. I guarantee that

you’ll get to know a very different angle or point of view.”
“I think you’ve gone mad,” Jorge answers in jest. “What

on earth are you going there for? Didn’t you say you had
many hassles at work?”
“Look,” Gustavo points out, “they’ve already resched-

uled all my pending appointments for Monday. But
don’t think that it’s a waste of time over there. We’ll
be with a highly educated person who’s lived here in
Mexico City for many years and was in contact with
high-level researchers and politicians. At some point,
however, he got disappointed with politics and settled
over there.
“I felt the same way before going to that place,” Gustavo

complements, “but a few discussions we had there made
me see things very differently.”
“I don’t doubt what you say, but it seems kind of strange

to me. If someone is interested in the search for solu-
tions, he or she should be right here in the capital city.”
“Perhaps,” answers Gustavo. “I don’t deny it, but he

decided to go there. What do you want me to do? What I
can assure you is that you’ll get a pleasant surprise. If
you come, he’ll say things you can’t even imagine.
“Besides,” he adds, “even if it weren’t so, give yourself a

rest. There are times when one is so overwhelmed with
pending matters that mistakes are more likely to be made.
What’s more, invite your wife Lilí. She gets along very
well with Alejandra who’ll be coming along. We’ll fit
perfectly well in the van because with the driver and
another person who’s also coming we’ll be six, plus my
son.”
21
Looking at his good friend Gustavo, Jorge remains in-

credulous.
When Gustavo notices that skeptical look in Jorge, he

adds: “What can you lose? Two days at worst, but I bet it
won’t be like that.”
If Gustavo hadn’t known Jorge for so many years he

never would have accepted such an invitation, but the
trust he had in his friend was stronger than his doubts
and, in a few brief moments, he’s already making phone
calls to go on this short trip.
Gustavo, for his part, had already talked with Álvaro

who’s at the airport, and they agree on the gate where
his driver Juan will pick him up shortly.
Knowing that Gustavo needs a quiet place to make sev-

eral calls, Jorge provides him with a small room, and
then goes back to say goodbye to the participants and to
prepare details.
Jorge wasn’t expecting his wife Lilí to agree to go on that

trip, but the way he put it to her, and the prospect of her
friend Alejandra’s company finally swayed her.
In the small room, Gustavo finishes making calls while

his driver, Juan, picks up Álvaro at the airport. Then, he
has a brief moment to meditate.
“It’s funny how things suddenly fell into place. But the
truth is, this trip to the ranch will again be perfect for
me. Although I’m very intrigued,” he reflects, “What might
he want to tell me? Well, we’ll find out soon enough…”
Just a few hours later, those six people become seven

when Diego is picked up. In high spirits and comfortably
seated in the van, they’re on their way to the highway to
Guadalajara.
22
CHAPTER III
ON THE ROAD
A few minutes later, they had already left Mexico City

behind and were enjoying the landscape along the high-
way.
From the van’s interior the surrounding vistas, full of

pine trees framed by a magnificent blue sky now un-
known in the large cities, just seemed to slide softly by
around them. That silent exterior, however, contrasted
with the atmosphere floating in the van’s interior, where
dialogue and an unexpected camaraderie prevailed.
In the front row were seated Juan the driver and Álvaro.
Licenciado Gustavo and his close friend and colleague
Jorge were in the middle row while the rear one had
been chosen for Alejandra and Lilí, who had lots of things
to share since they had not seen each other for some
time. Little Diego was seated between them, completely
absorbed with an electronic gadget.
Then, Gustavo, remembering the meetings Álvaro had

attended during the week with foreigners and importers
of German products, asks Álvaro with great interest, “So,
Álvaro, how did you do at the Food Products Fair in
Germany? Did you get what you wanted?”
“Yes, Licenciado,” he immediately answers with satis-

faction. “Ever since we’ve been careful about quality
and delivery times, and because our prices are reason-
able, we have more clients every day.
“I’m not going to tell you something you don’t already

know,” he adds with conviction, “but when exportation
23
is done right, not only do we bring in hard currency and

generate employment in our country, but we also let
people know the high standards we are capable of reach-
ing. I could see firsthand that our merchandise is more
appreciated with each passing day.”
Making the most of the available time on the trip, and

with some curiosity, Jorge, in turn, asks: “From what
countries do you get competition?”
“From many places: from Israel, various parts of Africa

and other areas. But when it comes to avocados, we’re
number one in the world. And in our country,” Álvaro
says proudly, “the majority comes from Michoacán.
“I feel as if we’re showing a small part of Mexico to the

outside world. Let’s hope,” he adds a little wistfully, “that
the tense situation we’re going through is temporary and
won’t hurt productivity.”
Then, Juan, the driver, asks, “Do we take the bypass

shortcut so we don’t go through Toluca?”
“Of course, Juan,” Gustavo promptly relies, “as long as

we can, we must make the most of the new highways.”
Jorge resumes, “In what city in Germany did that fair

take place?”
“In Cologne, close to Bonn, but I arrived in Frankfurt

and from there I took one of those high-speed trains they
have over there. And guess what, because it was a food
products fair, there at the Mexico stand I ran into many
colleagues from our country. Countless products and
produce were offered: strawberries from Zamora, cof-
fee from Veracruz and Chiapas, mangos and many veg-
etables from the Bajío and, from the northern regions,
tomato paste. You can’t imagine the variety of things.
24
“Many people don’t know it,” he continues, “but Mexico’s

exhibit area was one of the most visited. Our country
and our products are greatly appreciated over there;
that’s why our quality standards must be maintained
and improved even more.”
“Obviously,” Jorge weighs in, “the international market

is like a kind of Olympics where only the best products
in the world compete in terms of price, quality, packag-
ing, hygiene and delivery time. Anyone who’s going to
get involved in international trade must be aware of that.”
“Well, you know, Licenciado,” Álvaro cautiously says,

“forgive me for contradicting you but it wasn´t always
so. You see, other exporters older than myself tell me
that, during the seventies, many politicians wanted to
make, you now, with a kind of demagogic mindset, an
exporter out of very Mexican producer. Well many times,
these producers didn’t have the indispensable quality
and professionalism that the international market de-
mands. For years that hurt us more than you can imag-
ine. We lost credibility. But now, with great effort, we’re
recovering it.”
As they pass near the town of Apeo, Álvaro shares a

historical fact: “We’re near the land of Melchor Ocampo.
Are you hungry?”
“I’m hungry already,” answers Diego from the rear, with

lightning speed. “I lost my lunch at school.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” replies his mother Alejandra,

with even more surprising quickness.
“In a short while,” Álvaro calms them down, “we’ll get

to a restaurant that I know, but if you like we can go to
Maravatío, as you prefer”
25
After deliberating a little, they agree to go to the restau-

rant that Álvaro recommends.
Sooner than they might have imagined, the seven were

already seated around a large table.
“I’m a little intrigued,” Gustavo confesses to Álvaro.

“What could Don Alonso want to tell me?”
“To tell you the truth, I don’t know,” he replies, “shortly

before leaving on his trip, as he knew I was going to pass
through Mexico City, he asked me to contact and invite
you to come over. Since that’s not like him, I asked him
if there was any particular reason for this invitation and
he only said that he wanted to discuss some recent events
with you.”
“I sense,” he complements after thinking for a few sec-

onds, “that it’s about the topic that worries us the most in
the state and the entire country: the lack of security.
Once he told me that this can negatively impact every-
thing else.”
“I agree completely with that,” Gustavo quickly answers,

“and I concurred with his statements on my last visit.”
“Well what did he tell you?” Jorge asks with poorly con-
cealed curiosity, though with a certain dose of skepti-
cism. He couldn’t manage to convince himself that some-
thing really valuable could come from such a distant
place.
“Don Alonso talked to us about various interesting sub-

jects,” Gustavo states with self-assurance, as he perceives
his friend’s doubts. “He commented that, among other
things, it was essential to raise significantly and consis-
tently the levels of civic and ethical values. He also said
26
that we still have a high rate of demographic growth,

which caused the population to double in about 36 years.
This signifies that in that same time period we should
have been able to double absolutely everything: jobs,
educational capacity, safe drinking water supply, agri-
cultural and forestry production, urban and rural road-
ways and absolutely everything else.
“Jorge, as you might have realized, above all because

we’re in public administration, and I’m just referring to
this specific topic, we could not have doubled again in
only 36 years what we didn’t achieve in all our history.
He explained clearly and with examples that this discon-
nect was reflected in a countless number of deficiencies
of all types which became, along with other things, one
of the most relevant factors that influence the situation
we live in today.”
And before Jorge’s astonished gaze, Gustavo went on:

“That and his other comments have all the logic in the
world, and guess what: In reference to the population
theme alone, when I returned to Mexico City after my
stay with Don Alonso, I visited a very good analyst who
used to work with me. I asked him to research a possible
correlation between high rate of population growth and
high degree of social marginalization in more than 180
countries.”
“And then?” Jorge asks, already intrigued and barely

paying attention when asked to order his meal.
Alejandra, who together with Lilí, were also listening

intently to Gustavo’s explanation, proposes a short pause
to order from the menu.
And once they had done that, Gustavo resumes. “Amaz-

ingly, my analyst’s conclusion was just as Don Alonso
27
had told us, without any exception. In countries with a

high rate of population growth, the level of social exclu-
sion increases proportionally, along with a low index of
human development.
“As a consequence of high population growth rate, defi-

ciencies not only painfully increase, but to top it all, vio-
lence indices also go up, although I’ll confess to you, we
saw that in this specific area there were some excep-
tions. In places like India and others, for instance, they
seem to be accustomed to many deficiencies and it doesn’t
impact significantly on violence levels. In most coun-
tries, however, it doesn’t happen like this; it correlates
rather well with a lack of safety.”
“I don’t think it’s that simple,” Jorge insists.
“Jorge,” Gustavo answers, “what happens is that this is

an element that acts in an imperceptible, almost invis-
ible way, yet it nevertheless impacts dramatically.
“Look,” he goes on, “a high population growth rate causes

the demand for human satisfiers like education, or eco-
nomic ones such as jobs, services, infrastructure and so
on to grow at rates much higher than the capacity to
provide them. In other words, the needs go up faster
than the capabilities, as simple as that.”
Álvaro, without saying a word as he begins to eat, listens

and takes pleasure in knowing that Gustavo understood
perfectly well what Don Alonso had explained to him. “I
don’t know how this is so,” Jorge retorts, almost without
paying attention to the dish that has been placed in front
of him, “because we listen in the media all the time that
the demographic growth rate is diminishing. So it’s sort
of not a problem anymore.”
28
“I was the first one to be surprised,” Gustavo points out,

“but like I’m telling you, after analyzing this more deeply,
it even seemed strange to me that this topic hasn’t re-
ceived proper attention from many international organi-
zations, with some exceptions of course.”
At that moment Álvaro intervenes to ask them to finish

their meal before it gets cold; he also wants the party to
arrive early at the ranch. But unable to resist contribut-
ing yet another piece of information, he says: “About what
Licenciado Jorge is saying concerning the supposed de-
crease in the rate of demographic growth, the reason for
that widespread current perception, as Don Alonso ex-
plained the last time I saw him, is not that the data is
incorrect; more precisely, the methodology used to get it
is perhaps not the most appropriate. Though it’s perfect
for evaluating economic growth and other parameters,
on the demographic question it should also be associated
with various fixed or limited elements such as availability
of water, land and so on. In other words, the ecosystem.”
“Álvaro, excuse me,” says Alejandra, “I’d like to say that

you chose the restaurant well; no wonder you wanted to
come here. And as for what you’re talking about, I had
never heard it put that way, really.”
“But let’s see Álvaro, “Jorge again interjects. “Explain to

me a bit more because I’m not clear. If we measure the
population as we’re currently doing it, What are you
saying happens?”
“An erroneous impression is given, mainly to the gen-

eral public. Look, I’ll make it easy with a few simple
numbers,” Álvaro states with some self-assurance, like
the economist he used to be. “In the last hundred years,
considering births minus deaths, the planet’s added popu-
lation per year hasn’t stopped increasing.”
29
“And why have you researched this in such depth?”

Gustavo asks Álvaro with great curiosity.
“Well, what happens is that Don Alonso is interested in

the subject because he says it’s closely linked to socio-
economic development. That’s why he likes to research
this and I help him get data from all sides through the
internet. Then we discuss our findings.
“But going back to what I was saying, at the beginning of

the twentieth century our population was growing by
about 12 million per year. A little after the midcentury,
say around 1960, it increased by close to 50 million, a
few decades later by 70 million and now by about 83.
But you know, if we measure it in percentage terms and,
most of all, by using the current methodology, it would
seem to be decreasing.”
“Ah caramba! Now I understand even less,” exclaims

Jorge. “Why is that?”
“That happens,” Álvaro continues, “for a very simple

reason: They associate the total number of new inhabit-
ants on the planet with a world population that is getting
bigger. I’ll explain it to you better with examples.
“During the sixties, when the world population was grow-

ing by about 50 million annually, they linked this growth to
the slightly more than 3 billion people of that time; now, the
83 million additional people per year is being correlated to
a total figure that is over 7 billion. Seen this way —espe-
cially by the general public— in terms of percentages, it
would seem that the growth is diminishing, but that impres-
sion stems mainly from that singular way of calculating it.
“I know what you’re going to tell me: Why hasn’t that

methodology been changed? Well, it’s not possible to do
30
it unilaterally; it’s an internationally agreed upon form

of measurement and our country cannot change it alone.
I’m convinced that the demographic experts have al-
ready noticed that effect on the public’s perception. But
look, if the current growth were measured based on a
fixed reference population, say the one that existed in
the world in 1960, the conclusion would be that we are
increasing at a rate almost double that of 1960.”
“Excuse me Álvaro,” says Lilí, “and what’s the situation

like in Mexico?”
“About the same. During that base year 1960, consider-

ing births and deaths, we had 1.2 million new Mexicans
whereas last year our population grew by about 2 mil-
lion, and this produces the same effect on the public
perception that I was telling you about.
“Because in 1960, the growth was being associated with

a little under 35 million Mexicans and now it is linked to
a figure three times larger, the media is screaming that
the population growth rate has decreased considerably.
Something similar is going on with the demographic sta-
tistics of the underdeveloped world, where the majority
of the world’s population lives.”
“Well what do you know!” Lilí exclaims. “Haven’t the au-

thorities realized this? No wonder, because if I ask anyone
on the street about this situation, he or she will tell me right
away that the problem doesn’t exist anymore.”
“Well yes,” Álvaro tells them with some despondency,

“but we shouldn’t blame them; it’s what they hear all
the time in the media.”
“But look,” he adds, “about the apparent inaction of cer-

tain world authorities on the subject, mainly those based
31
in the underdeveloped world, it’s because they’re too

busy putting out social fires that ignite on all sides. I
think they don’t even have the time to properly analyze
the underlying causes that influence the set of problems
they face.
“Besides, as if that weren’t enough, some believe that an

informational campaign in that direction wouldn’t ben-
efit their political career in the short term. Because the
people who are currently demanding jobs, housing, wa-
ter, sewers, energy, adequate education, adequate trans-
portation infrastructure and a multitude of other indis-
pensable services aren’t those who were born last year
but, instead, about two decades ago or more. In other
words, those things don’t impact in the short term.
“And the problem keeps getting bigger and bigger be-

cause, as I was saying, a population increase of that
magnitude causes the needs to increase at a faster rate
than the capacity to provide services and infrastructure.
“I’ll give you a simple example: Consider only the an-

nual additional drinkable water need in our country. Each
year no less than 124 billion liters of drinkable water
must be added to the already insufficient current supply.
This calculation only includes the supply of water to the
approximately 540 thousand new housing units we must
necessarily build each year, and that’s not counting the
annual additional water for agricultural, industrial or
forestry use.”
“Well it’s true,” Gustavo answers. “It’s obvious that we won’t

manage to increase the supply of safe water at that rate
because, as you were saying, currently we can’t even
supply sufficient water to the existing population. Because
of this, conflicts and disputes are starting to break out be-
tween various urban and rural communities.”
32
At that moment Álvaro checks the time and announces:

“Do you want anything else, or do we pay and continue
to discuss this on the way?”
As they were getting in the van, Jorge as well as Lilí and

Alejandra begin to see things from a different perspec-
tive. Though they don’t show it, they begin to under-
stand the great interest that Gustavo had in going on this
trip.
Continuing on their journey, the party isn’t bothered by

the setting sun in front of them. They were admiring
instead the surrounding green countryside.
Jorge was, during the mealtime conversation, the one

most surprised by this particular approach; he was even
consumed by curiosity. An interest in meeting this man,
whom Gustavo was seeking so intently, had taken over
him.
While the others were talking about various things, Jorge,

after reflecting for a few seconds, adds: “About what we
were discussing over lunch, there’s something that’s not
clear to me: The growth of population is supposed to
stabilize eventually, isn’t it?”
“It’s obvious,” Álvaro answers immediately. “The planet’s

actual number of inhabitants is going to trend towards
stabilization in the next few decades, but the question is
not so much whether this will happen or not, but whether
it happen in time and before the environment is harmed
even more, perhaps irreversibly.
“And one more thing, to complete the picture, as I was

saying, a high demographic growth rate generates a rela-
tively short population duplication period, and the
satisfiers cannot be doubled in that time. This, along with
33
many other things, will produce all sorts of deficiencies,

which in turn will impact significantly on violence levels
and injustices.
“And by the way Mister Gustavo, I imagine you’ve been

able to expound on this set of problems to someone in
the government, haven’t you?”
“As I was saying a while ago,” Gustavo answers, “we

completed the study and handed it over to the appropri-
ate department. I never got feedback because it wasn’t
my area. Remember, at the time I was dealing with for-
estry issues.”
“Gosh!” Álvaro, for his part, reconsiders. “I believe Don

Alonso was right. This is going to get lost in the world of
bureaucracy.”
Gustavo reflects, and without mentioning it to anyone,

seems to recall that the population affairs officer had
been laid off.
“Listen, Álvaro,” Jorge intervenes, “in any case, as we

were saying just a while ago, a population stabilization
program, together with other appropriate measures,
could help a lot in the medium term, but the crisis is
right now. What do we do?”
“It’s true,” he answers with a hint of pessimism, “it can’t

be resolved in the short term. Even so, the problems can
be avoided. As long as these matters are managed well,
the citizens and the government can respond jointly.
“Better to talk about this with Don Alonso; maybe he’s

got better ideas.”
As the trip progresses, they contemplate different scen-

eries and talk about the region’s history and even the
34
local customs. Licenciado Jorge, for his part, is becoming

convinced that this could turn out to be an interesting
and perhaps even pleasant trip. He’s also glad that his
wife Lilí is so relaxed in the back seat of the van, talking
about countless things.
Meanwhile, as they chatted and continued on their jour-

ney, the Sun was, true to its habit, completely indifferent
to events down below. It limited itself to following obedi-
ently its preordained path in the sky without even notic-
ing, as it was setting in the west, the wake of striking
colors it was leaving behind.
Curiously, as the van was also heading west, they all

seemed to be captive spectators in a sort of celestial cer-
emony where nature quietly closed the curtain on the
glow of yet another day.
Álvaro was thinking that maybe they had lingered too

long in the restaurant and now nightfall was creeping
upon them. He decides not to mention it.
At that moment he notices that as they reach the town of

Ecuandureo, Juan intended to continue straight ahead,
so he immediately instructs him: “Juan, excuse me. This
is where we get off the main highway and go towards
Zamora. We’ll go around it by taking the bypass and
then we’ll follow that sign that says Los Reyes. The en-
trance to the ranch is before Tingüindín, about 40 min-
utes away.
“Aren’t you tired?” Álvaro asks them.
“Not at all,” Jorge quickly answers, “the main highway

is excellent and with all this conversation, the trip has
even seemed short.”
35
It was already totally dark as they were skirting Zamora

and then, as they continued on the indicated road, Juan,
the driver, comments: “I wasn’t familiar with this route;
it’s much more direct.”
“Yes Juan, that’s because last time you got there from
the other side.”
As they continue, and with the van’s bright headlights,

they could notice how the vegetation was changing dras-
tically, because more and more large trees were dotting
both sides of the road. Even the air was being pleasantly
transformed by a new aroma.
Because it was a lonely road, Jorge asks Álvaro: “And

with all the crime-related danger that has surged, Isn’t
Don Alonso afraid something could happen?”
“Don Alonso,” he answers, “is a singular man, you’ll see.

On the one hand he’s incredibly peaceful, but on the
other, paradoxically, he isn’t afraid of that or anything.”
“How can that be?” Jorge asks with astonishment.
“You’re not going to believe it, but he says that the time
of our death is already set, and that we certainly can’t
bring it forward or delay it, not by a single second.”
“Well that’s true, but anyone would be afraid of being a

crime victim, wouldn’t they?”
“I used to think it was strange too,” Álvaro responds, “but I

know he thinks that way, because one of his notary friends,
I don’t recall if it was Mr. Fidel or Mr. Luis Fernando, penned
him a so-called anticipated will or something like that. In it,
he states that should he be kidnapped, no ransom should
be paid, even at the risk of losing his life.”
36
“Ah caramba!” Gustavo exclaims. “I have never heard of

such a thing.”
“Well, he says,” Álvaro continues, “that kidnapping has

increased because most people pay the ransom, which
in turn makes the problem grow. Once he made this
point: Years ago in Mexico City thieves were taking car
parts and then many people began to buy those very
parts in a certain neighborhood. He further explained
that car dealers ended that crime wave by buying new
spare parts and then putting them for sale at a steep
discount. As if by magic, the stolen parts soon disap-
peared from the black market.”
Jorge asks, “Isn’t Don Alonso actually trying to protect

his estate by proceeding in this manner?”
“I don’t think he’s doing it for that reason. In fact he says

that paying a ransom would be a selfish act that would
put the lives of many others at risk. When someone pays
they go after the next one, which endangers the civilian
population even more. In fact, he told me that the coun-
tries whose governments don’t negotiate with criminals
—even when human lives are at stake— are the ones
with the lowest index in this type of problem.
“On one occasion, from here we even monitored the kid-

napping of a 17 year old Mennonite boy in the northern
part of the country. They were asking his father for an
amount of money I can’t recall.
“The boy’s father, worried sick, went to see their leader.

He indicated that it wouldn’t be advisable to pay, because
it would irresponsibly put the lives of others in danger.
“The father, besides himself, answered, ‘But they’re going

to kill him.’ And his leader replied, ‘Your life, mine, your
37
son’s, everyone’s is in God’s hands. We cannot yield. We

would be putting the lives of many more at risk.’
“That’s what the resigned father told the kidnappers,

convinced that his son would lose his life. In the end,
faced with the family and the community’s resounding
no, they let the boy go free. You know, I don’t think there
are many kidnappings in that community for a very
simple reason: Because they stood their ground, they
won’t be considered a ‘business opportunity’ by the
crooks.
“I believe that Don Alonso has a different life perspec-

tive. He says we’re like strangers here on earth and if
one must leave early, well then that’s fine…”
They all remain silent. Then Jorge adds, “Ok, but what
measures did he take?”
“None,” Alvaro answers. “Wait. Now that I remember,

he only bought some personal insurance against that type
of thing, to compensate somehow his family for his ab-
sence. He also bought another policy in case he should
become a victim of extortion. As you can imagine, he
wasn’t going to be extorted, but the insurance company
would reimburse him for any loss.
“I became aware of this when he showed me that nota-

rized document and strongly advised me not to give in
should something happen.”
Jorge and Gustavo reflect about that, convinced that this

person has a rather special attitude. Jorge asks, “Where
does such a different way of thinking come from?”
“From his focus and beliefs on the meaning of life; he’s a

man of solid convictions. Now that I remember, an ac-
38
quaintance once told him he was afraid something might

happen.
“I clearly remember his answer: ‘The Bible says not to

fear those who take your life, for after that, there is noth-
ing they can do.’
“And you know what, Licenciado,” Álvaro asks as he turns

towards him, “don’t think it’s a mere affectation; it’s what
he actually thinks, feels and lives. I know what I’m tell-
ing you.”
Gustavo, who knew him, wasn’t surprised by Don

Alonso’s thinking. But in Jorge’s case, it was different.
“Well well,” he reflects, “this guy is a little odd. I’m even
eager to meet him.”
Suddenly Álvaro interrupts: “Juan, slow down. After the

curve take the dirt road on the left; we’re almost there.”
After a short distance on the road, they reach the gate

that Juan the driver immediately recognizes. On one side
of the gate, a sign says “El Encinal”, the Oak Forest.
Since the gate was closed, Álvaro asks the two visitors to
open it by sliding the logs out of one of the posts.
As Gustavo gets out of the car, he contemplates to the

west a magnificent full Moon that seems to watch those
visitors with intense curiosity and to brighten its white
light to better distinguish them.
What impressed Gustavo and Jorge the most was an

aroma that was being wafted towards them by a light
breeze that seemed to dare to caress them, as if iden-
tifying and giving them a discreet and invisible wel-
come.
39
That scene would have remained incomplete without

the numerous crickets that chirped and didn’t want to be
left out. They also wanted to express their opinions, with-
out caring in the least that their cryptic messages
wouldn’t be understood by the newcomers.
“Just look at that Moon!” Alejandra and Lilí agree.
“And just see,” Gustavo enthuses, “how everything can

be distinguished in the moonlight. But you’ll see tomor-
row!”
Once the van has entered through the gate, they get back
in and begin to approach the ranch house. Then Gustavo
asks Álvaro, “Are we going to greet Don Alonso now?”
“No, not yet. He must have already retired to his room

to do some reading. Tomorrow you can greet him at break-
fast.”
“Well he sure retires early,” Lilí says.
“You see, he gets up early. In all the years I’ve been here,
I’ve never seen him miss a sunrise, unless he’s down
with the flu or something.”
As the travelers enter the house patio, they see Benjamín,

the foreman, his father Chema and his brother Joaquín
sitting around a bonfire. They quickly get up and cheer-
fully take their belongings to the three guestrooms.
Benjamín then tells Álvaro in private, “Visitors Álvaro?

Remember that Don Alonso doesn’t like them very
much.”
“Don’t worry,” he answers, “he told me himself to bring

them here.”
40
“Fine! So how was your trip? I thought you were coming

tomorrow.”
“It was great; I’ll tell you later. I got here early because
I was able to coordinate my trip with them, and so I got
here nonstop.”
The guests contentedly eat some cornbread and drink

the typical atole hot corn beverage while sitting quietly
around the bonfire in the patio, mindful of those who
were already asleep. Then, the unexpected group can’t
resist wandering out of the house to enjoy the country-
side.
“So how do you like this, Jorge?”
But Jorge’s silence speaks louder than words. He doesn’t

know if it’s the aroma of the fresh grass, the soft breeze
that barely touches them or the Moon’s soft and silent
gaze: He couldn’t answer his friend’s question.
Even little Diego exclaims, “Mom, this is so pretty; look

at all those stars! Here they’re not so high up in the sky,
right?”
“So it seems,” his mother answers, “but no, the distance

is the same.”
A little later, they reluctantly retire to their rooms, while

anticipating the coming day to better appreciate it all.
As Álvaro says goodnight, he also mentions that break-
fast is at 9 on one side of the patio.
41
42
CHAPTER IV
T HE RANCH
Something worth noting about that night at the El Encinal

ranch was that none of the unexpected guests, as they
went to sleep, fully appreciated that their natural sur-
roundings didn’t have to stop and rest too.
Perhaps they weren’t also aware that one of Nature’s

unwritten golden rules was: “To each his own”.
The proof of which was that, as they were sleeping, all

the other natural things continued on their course as they
always had, though each one did it its own way.
For example, one of the elements that never stopped on

its progress was the prodigious stellar carpet which had
been so carefully spread across the sky. That carpet,
faithful follower of the established order, continued to
slide silently and mysteriously towards the west.
But since we’re turning our gaze towards the sky, some-
thing worth mentioning, astonishing as it may seem, was
that not all heavenly bodies move at the same pace.
It was already well known to the stellar objects that, as

with nearly all rules, there were exceptions. One of them
was, precisely, the Moon’s slightly slower speed. That
enigmatic white celestial body had, for a long time, the
habit of falling behind by a little over fifty minutes every
night; it didn’t cause the other members of the firma-
ment the slightest surprise.
Or it could be —we’ll never know— that the other heav-

enly bodies somehow sensed that the Moon, in its nightly
43
silvery wandering, had to meticulously scrutinize every

corner of the planet. Since this task had to be carried out
with the greatest care, its daily delay had to be tolerated.
So while the visitors were still sleeping, and the stars

had processioned a little more, the Moon kept on silently
examining, though now from the western part of the sky.
Another example that in Nature everything continues

on its path was the surface of the Earth. There were
beings that were not only aware of what happened in
the sky, but could, inexplicably, anticipate events.
Those beings were the birds. Because even before the

light began to change the sky’s deep blue color, the little
winged creatures would judge it pertinent to be one step
ahead and, why not, celebrate the beginning of a new
day with a loud and improvised fiesta.
As it already was their custom, they ignored the fact that

they had done the same thing the previous day, and the
day before that, without having to vote. They all agreed
that the best way to celebrate was by bursting into song.
Nobody understood how they could, without the help of

any instrument, anticipate the rise of the golden orb;
and it was also unknown how they could intuit that the
coming sunlight would be enough to transform it all.
One thing that contrasted starkly about the terrestrial

environment was the fact that human beings saw things
from a different perspective. They took for granted each
and every spectacle that Nature could offer, and had the
belief that it should always be there for them. Rather
than admire the grandeur that surrounded them, humans
were oddly trapped by a kind of apprehension that was
tied to each new day’s activities.
44
Surely for that reason, an observer unfamiliar with the

world’s progression would have noticed that a curious
and contrasting combination was allowed to exist. On
the one hand, a multitude of marvels large and small
were acting admirably and almost magically. On the
other, the dealings of humans unfolded, sometimes pro-
fanely or superficially.
Most of the other components of the natural surround-

ings would prefer to keep quiet when faced with the fact
that, just a few centuries ago, human beings claimed to
be at the very center of the Universe. In that folly, they
felt that even the celestial bodies revolved around them.
Still, judging by their deeds, they didn’t seem to have
wizened much. Otherwise, their conduct towards Na-
ture would have been different.
But let’s set aside this type of considerations, and try to

better understand things by introducing ourselves into
the occasionally disconcerting motives of human actions.
If outside the ranch house where we find ourselves today

this kind of apprehension seems to hold people too tightly,
much the way the spider catches insects in its web, even in
this remote place, most of those who live here could not
manage to escape entirely from this invisible trap.
Thus, we will see that even Álvaro and those who ac-
companied him found themselves unconsciously and
partly trapped by that peculiar desire that things should
unfold according to their own and particular vision.
Álvaro, for instance, had every intention of seeing Don

Alonso first thing in the morning, but the natural jet lag
caused by his recent trip to Europe had caused him to
get up a little later, when the sky had already begun to
brighten.
45
He quickly says goodbye to his wife Esther, telling her to

inform the people charged with preparing the meals to keep
in mind that there were six extra people in the house and
that they would come down for breakfast at nine.
Esther, for her part, considers that the arrival of these

guests was opportune. Since they knew that Álvaro
missed the region’s typical cuisine when travelling, the
cooks had planned and prepared a great variety of dishes
for him.
As Álvaro, completely unaware of his wife’s plans, was

leaving the house, he finds Benjamín in the patio having
breakfast with other people and discussing the day’s likely
tasks. He slowly leaves the house behind and searches
the horizon, trying to find Don Alonso. Fortunately, he
spots him far in the distance; in fact, he seemed to be on
his way back.
He could identify him not only by his clothing, but also

his unmistakable gait. He was deep in thought, engrossed
with who knows what subject and seeming to be every-
where and nowhere at once.
However, since Álvaro knew him quite well, he starts

walking towards him. He makes out that, a short dis-
tance away, Don Alonso had also recognized him.
“Hi Álvaro! It’s great to see that you’re back! How did
you do?”
“Fine, Don Alonso. With each passing day, we are better

known over there. I’ll tell you about that later, in more
detail.”
“Guess what,” Álvaro announces, “Do you remember

you asked me to invite Mister Gustavo? Well, he’s here
46
with us. Since he was very impressed the last time he

was here, I called to invite him. In truth, I wasn’t expect-
ing it but he accepted. He’s here at the ranch with his
wife and son; he even brought along another colleague
and his wife.”
“Ah, that’s good,” declares Don Alonso, who is truly

pleased. “You know, I want to add some ideas to what he
asked me about last time. I’m letting you know in ad-
vance, though, that between us I don’t think we should
have high hopes that something will be achieved, but
part of me impels me to tell him anyhow.”
Don Alonso and Álvaro continue walking towards the

house, talking about various ranch matters and the trip.
They then come across Benjamín and a few workers,
and stay with them for a while.
“Look,” Don Alonso points out, “now that we have some

time, we can plant a few trees on the western side of the
little dam. It’s one of the few areas that we still need to
reforest.”
“In those places closest to the dam,” he reminds them,

“it won’t be necessary to install a drip irrigation water
supply for each tree. Their roots in the subsoil will be
kept damp by capillarity; you’ll see how they grow.”
“Very well,” answers Benjamín, “but which kind of tree

are we going to plant?”
“Because the humidity and type of soil are different there,

we’re going to plant timber-yielding species only. Yes-
terday we selected them with Chema, your father.” And
so, Benjamín and the workers head off to work while
Don Alonso and Álvaro walk towards the house.
47
As they arrive, they find that Esther, Ofelia and the oth-
ers had already prepared quite a spread for breakfast.
But Álvaro is surprised to see the tables set with a great
variety of Michoacán specialties such as uehepos,
corundas, sopes and many others, for which he gives his
wife a grateful glance.
At that moment, Gustavo and the other visitors come

down the stairs. Since he already knew Don Alonso, he
goes directly towards him and introduces his wife and
the others.
Don Alonso expresses to Gustavo his satisfaction for

having accepted his invitation to join them, when sud-
denly Esther announces: “Breakfast is ready. We have
fruit, tamales, chilaquiles or eggs. The tortillas have just
been made. Please sit down.”
The guests are astonished at the variety of dishes and by

the flavor of the local Mexican cuisine, even in the simple
surroundings of such an isolated place. Jorge is among
the most surprised guests as he begins to sample the
food; he even mentions that the tortillas are different
here, as they are white and delicious.
Álvaro, for his part, had spent many days away and was
already missing these regional specialties. He explains
to Jorge, “You noticed how different the tortillas are here.
That’s because they’re made of white criollo corn whereas
most of the tortillas consumed in Mexico City consist of
yellow corn, which is imported from the United States. That
corn contains more carbohydrates, which is why they use it
over there to fatten cattle. Its taste is different.”
“Everything is terrific!” Alejandra exclaims to Esther and

Ofelia. “Excuse me, but the embroidered blouses you’re
wearing are beautiful. Where did you buy them?”
48
“Here in Tingüindín,” Esther replies, “there’s a lady who

sits in one of the main square’s corners and sells them.”
“How far is Tingüindin?”
“About five minutes,” Ofelia answers.
“If you don’t know the town,” Álvaro tells them, “it’s a
good idea to go and visit. You see, since the paved road
in this area is relatively recent —about 40 years old—
many of the old customs here are still alive.”
After they finish that excellent breakfast and thank ev-

eryone, plans were being drawn up for Alejandra, Lilí
and Diego to visit the nearby village. Álvaro gives instruc-
tions to Juan, “Look, you get on the highway and turn left;
in five minutes you’re there. There’s no way you can get
lost; I won’t even ask someone to go with you.”
“We expect you for lunch, OK?” Álvaro asks them.
“Yes, of course.”
“I don’t know if it might be possible,” Gustavo asks shyly,

“but could we go to that place by the little dam where we
had lunch the last time? You have no idea how much I
remember that place.”
“Sure,” answers Don Alonso, “we could even go to the

west side right now; it’s even better.”
“Better than where we were?” Gustavo asks.
“In a way,” he answers, “and because we’re going to plant

trees on that side. If you agree, I’d like to be nearby in
case they have questions. Right now however, you, our
guests, are the top priority.”
49
At that point Álvaro, knowing that Don Alonso wanted

to discuss various subjects with the guests, walks ahead
and arranges for the workers to take a few garden chairs
next to the dam so they can be comfortable and off the
humid ground.
Then the group divides in two. The ladies, Diego and the
driver go to the village while the others walk towards
the dam at a slow pace, as was Don Alonso’s habit.
Since it was the first time Jorge was in such a ranch, he

surprises himself by peppering Álvaro and Don Alonso
with many questions which they answer in great detail.
“What a wonderful ranch!” exclaims Jorge, who’s very

content as he admires it. He enjoys the Sun and a pleas-
ing breeze that also seemed to accompany them.
“In Mexico, gentlemen,” Don Alonso declares, “well ac-

tually in the entire world, we could exert influence in a
much more favorable way for our environment, and not
as we’ve been doing throughout history. We’re ruining
everything.”
“That’s why we wanted, in this place at least, to com-

bine two objectives: to be in perfect harmony with Na-
ture and at the same time, to run a highly productive
ranch. Please don’t think that I’m bragging, but I believe
we’re achieving them.”
“I can believe it,” Gustavo answers. “That’s why I took

the liberty of inviting my friend, so he could see the
country’s great potential.”
“Don’t think that everything you see here was like this
before,” Álvaro interjects. “With much effort and dedi-
cation we’ve been improving everything.”
50
The path, the atmosphere and the conversation were so

pleasant that they almost didn’t notice that they had
reached the dam.
“That’s where we were!” Gustavo recognizes the place

with great delight. “I don’t recall ever being in a more
welcoming place.”
“Well this time,” Álvaro indicates, “we’re going to be on

the other side. For the time being it has fewer trees, but
the view is much better. If you like, we can sit in the
shade under one of them.”
Once they reach the suggested spot, the first one to be

surprised is Gustavo, who observes the surroundings
for a while and comments: “Gosh! The scenery! And
that an aroma! The peace one feels; it’s amazing. I
can’t believe it.”
They see an approaching worker who brings the garden

chairs in a wheelbarrow, so Álvaro goes to help him and
indicate where to put them.
Once the chairs are unfolded and set in the shade of a

tree, the four men sit down comfortably.
Without saying a word, Jorge understands the interest

his friend Gustavo had in coming to this place, but at the
same time he’s increasingly eager to get acquainted with
the curious character who is with them. “He seems,” he
was telling himself, “like such a regular guy.”
“Because it isn’t sufficient,” he reflects while observing

the scenery from various angles, “to be in a place wor-
thy of a fairy tale; what’s important is to know his
thoughts and, in truth, I don’t see anything different with
this person.
51
“Nevertheless,” Jorge goes on, as if to correct his first

impression, “let’s take into account that wise Greek’s
phrase, ‘Speak, so I might see you.’ Perhaps it’s essential
that I listen to him.”
His mind is distracted by Gustavo’s other comments

about the tree species that would be planted in that area
and other details.
“Don Alonso,” Gustavo announces, “in Mexico City,

Álvaro told me there were certain things you wanted to
discuss with me, and I assure you that we have come
here with great pleasure. Apart from being in a place
like this, I thought the conversation we had last time was
very interesting.
“Gentlemen, first of all I want to thank you all for com-

ing here. In fact, as a result of the questions you asked
me last time, I was left thinking. I’d like to add a few
more subjects as well, and to expand on others that I had
already mentioned, if you’ll allow me…
“But please, don’t expect more than an old man’s simple

opinion whose only interest is that things should work
better for the benefit of all.
“Something that we must keep in mind is that it took

several years or decades to reach a point where there’s
a certain breakdown in various spheres, and we must be
aware that this cannot disappear as if by magic.
“Before I begin to expound on the crux of the matter,

there’s a previous, preliminary element of a sociological
—though tangible— order that could be one of the key-
stones in all human relationships, and a necessary start-
ing point for a resulting change.
52
“Look, because of a series of circumstances that are very

specific to our history, it’s been missing in our country
and in other places.
“But,” he adds as if correcting himself a little, “if it’s fine

with you, I believe it will help me if I express my point
of view by means of examples.”
“Of course,” Gustavo answers.
“On one occasion,” Don Alonso, already more at ease,

explains,” I was on a business trip in Cologne, Germany,
where Álvaro has just been. I had an 11 AM appoint-
ment that morning and since the next one wasn’t until 1
PM, and just a few steps from that great cathedral, I
figured I had forty minutes. I quickly entered a nearby
museum where what had happened during World War
II, and how Germany was left in 1945, was described.
“To tell you the truth, gentlemen,” Don Alonso gravely

tells them, “I already knew perfectly well that situation
after having read a great many history books, but when
I contemplated those images I was shocked. It seemed
as if I was looking at a moonscape. There was nothing;
entire cities were in ruins. But surprisingly, that cathe-
dral remained standing.
“But at that moment, what struck me most was the

people’s unbroken determination to get the entire coun-
try back on its feet.
“I already knew that a crucial vote in the early thirties

demonstrated that the majority of Germans didn’t even
choose Hitler; fewer than three out of ten believed in
him. In spite of this, they supported him as their leader
and, most importantly, after the war they actively col-
laborated in their country’s reconstruction. I wondered
53
what was so exceptional about this people that reacts

with such solidarity.
“Just before my one o’clock appointment, I walked so-

berly to my client’s office. We trust each other, and since
I knew he had never agreed with the wartime German
leadership, I asked him about his support of that regime.
Without hesitating, he answered, ‘I’m with my country,
right or wrong.’
“Now I contrast that experience with the different re-

sponse to much smaller and, I believe, temporary prob-
lems by some people in our country.”
“Fine, Don Alonso,” Gustavo objects, “but that’s how the

Germans are; they’re very different from our people.”
“I consider,” Don Alonso disagrees, “that the situation is

not so much ethnical. After all, our people can react with
as much solidarity as the best of them, and oftentimes
more so because Mexicans are a noble people. But for
centuries we have lacked an invisible and nearly ignored
element that is nevertheless essential for everything. Yet,
as I was saying, most of the times we haven’t given it its
due importance.”
“And what element would that be?” Gustavo asks with

some skepticism, fearing that Don Alonso’s position might
be too idealistic.
“I’ll say from the start,” Don Alonso explains, “that as

soon as I tell you, you will not believe that such a factor
could turn out to be so relevant.” He could foresee the
natural skepticism that would arise in them. “For that
reason I ask you, and I hope it won’t seem strange to
you, but just allow me to fully expound my idea.”
54
“That fundamental yet ignored component of human

social activity,” he goes on, “has been one of the things
we have been historically lacking, though as I was say-
ing, it constitutes one of the very pillars of any human
interaction. That element is trust.
“Without trust, there wouldn’t be any kind of human rela-

tion. There would neither be marriages, associations nor
economic, educational, labor, political or religious projects.
In short, nothing would happen without it.”
“In other words,” Jorge interjects, this time a little in-

credulously, “we need more trust.”
Don Alonso continues, “I want to make clear that deep

down, we suffer from a lack of it, among other things.
The relative crisis we are now dealing with is nothing,
believe me, compared to what other nations have over-
come. Even so, if trust is lacking, we could not even solve
minor problems.”
They remain somewhat incredulous, thinking that per-

haps Don Alonso is overstating a factor that is of a socio-
logical order. Gustavo, sensing that he needs to comple-
ment his idea, then adds: “Let’s see Don Alonso, could
you elaborate?”
Don Alonso goes on, “As I was trying to tell you, at first
it seems like a triviality. But deep down, and among many
other necessary things, it can make the difference.
“Listen, the world’s most advanced societies are not, as

some believe, those which possess more natural re-
sources, but rather those where certainty exists at all
levels of society. Forgive me for being repetitive, but the
real key consists in getting that factor to become in-
grained in our community.
55
“An absence of trust,” he concludes, “though it may be

something intangible, is capable of sinking any country
in the world.”
At that point Álvaro, somewhat surprised by those state-

ments, remembers that Don Alonso was good at illus-
trating his thoughts. He suggests, “Don Alonso, why don’t
you explain a little more through your examples?”
“You’re right,” he replies, “though I think I’ll be progress-

ing from the simplest to the most complex.
“Without trust, this ranch couldn’t operate for a single

day. The workers, for instance, trust that we’ll pay them;
the avocado consumers also expect this product to be
good for their health, and the domestic and foreign su-
permarkets place their orders and count on us to get
our produce on time and at the agreed upon price and
quality. We ourselves trust that we’ll be able to grow
sufficient avocados of the right size and so on. I could
list tens or hundreds of steps in which this element
intervenes.
“We often lose sight of it, but in a country the same thing
would happen, and for that reason it’s necessary to
project trust from the highest levels down to the
grassroots.
“Nevertheless, as I was telling you, a first step would be

to recognize its importance and then to project it through
actions. That’s where the challenge lies.
“Look,” Don Alonso assures them, “continuing with my

examples, think of one of the world’s largest, most solid
and respectable banks. Can you think of one?”
They all nod quietly.
56
“Now imagine for a moment that for some unforeseen

reason, most of its customers lose their trust in that insti-
tution. Do you know what would almost immediately
happen? It would simply fail, regardless of how solid it
might actually be. But why would it fail?
“Most customers, whether foreign or domestic, would

run on the bank. And since their money won’t be in the
vaults but loaned out to countless other customers, that
institution would suddenly become insolvent.
“In other words,” he goes on, “see how the simple loss of
trust —that minimized and invisible element— would
break, without exception, any of the world’s banking
institutions unless its own government took the extreme
measure of rescuing it.
“I’ll refer to the political leadership of any country. If a

country can’t manage to generate trust, it’s basically lost.
And since you’re allowing me to explain by means of
examples, I’ll make the most of it and give you two more.”
“Please continue,” answers Gustavo, who is by now even

more convinced of the possible reaches of Don Alonso’s
idea.
“Just before Mexico’s War of Independence, one of the

leaders of the insurgency, Allende, declared: ‘When
Mexico shall be an independent country, it shall become
one of the world’s great powers.’
“But you know, due to the barbaric behavior of some

combatants during that conflict, along with other erro-
neous decisions, the trust on the part of many nationals
and foreigners in the political direction of the country
was lost. The monetary equivalent of about a century’s
national budget fled the country. That left us vulnerable.
57
As a consequence we had to face very disadvantageous

situations which in turn led us to worse things.
“As proof of that, in 1800 our country’s national product

was a little over half that of our neighbor to the north.
Now be surprised because by 1900, despite the peace
and prosperity brought about by Porfirio Diaz’s long re-
gime, our national product wasn’t even three percent of
the United States’
“One of the main reasons behind that was that trust, for
most of the century, had vanished from our country.
“Now I’ll tell you about an inverse case: In 2009, the world’s
financial system was hit by a banking crisis. As a result, a
large part of the international capital took refuge in the
United States. This fact caused a brief and abnormal rise in
the dollar’s exchange rate; this actually hurt them because
their exports became artificially more costly.
“It’s not that I want to analyze that country; as with oth-

ers they have various challenges they must meet. But
why do they succeed in projecting such a level of trust?
I’ll tell you: because, among other things, of their respect
for institutional life.
“I’ll cite the case,” Don Alonso concludes, “of one of their
presidential elections. One candidate won more total votes
while the other got a greater number of districts. This nearly
unique case, which in other countries would have led to a
severe crisis, was solved simply by turning to the pertinent
courts. There, based on current legislation, it was ruled that
the one with the most districts was the winner.
“The loser, even after having demonstrably obtained the

backing of a greater number of voters, immediately ac-
cepted the ruling and congratulated his opponent.
58
“Now see the contrast with our country’s 2006 elections.

One of our candidates lost irrefutably but refused to ac-
cept the relevant authorities’ ruling. Consequently, he
blocked Mexico City’s —and the country’s— main av-
enues without even caring about the multiple damaging
effects it caused the nation.
“The building of trust isn’t limited to the political realm.

It also results when civil servants and private citizens of
all levels observe the law.”
“Don Alonso, I agree completely with that,” Gustavo

replies, “but as you’ve put it so well, the true challenge
would be to succeed in building trust.”
“A step previous to that,” Don Alonso sustains, “would

be to ask ourselves, What is the true cause that produces
such an effect? It’s one of the things I wanted to talk to
you about. As I was saying, you don’t know how grateful
I am to you for granting me your time here.”
Álvaro intervenes, “To elaborate a bit more on the build-

ing of trust, Don Alonso, there is a case of a political
nature which you told me about. It is exemplified in one
of the anecdotes cited in one of the books that President
Miguel Alemán gave you. It’s the one about Don Adolfo
Ruiz Cortines’ public work when he was president.”
“You’re right!” Don Alonso exclaims. “You know, in that

book it’s mentioned that once, a new car, one of the most
expensive models in the world, was given to Don Adolfo.
He returned it, saying, ‘I’m over 60 years old and no one
has ever given me a car and —what a coincidence— now
that I’m the president they send me this one. Obviously
I can’t accept it because that person expects me to do
something Mexico doesn’t deserve.’ Because of that re-
fusal and many other similar actions he earned respect
59
and trust within and without the country. And you know
something? That’s priceless, and as proof of that, his
positive effects were felt for many years.
“That’s why,” he adds, “to the extent that we’re able to

create a similar situation in all spheres and levels of our
community, the fruits will also be reaped by all of us.”
“Don Alonso,” Gustavo comments, “obviously I agree,

but you don’t think it’s that simple, do you? It’s much
more complicated that it seems.”
“I’m well aware of that. It’s complicated, but look: There

are things that turn out more expensive, harmful and
complicated in the long run if they are not carried out. I
believe I know what I’m talking about, and I assure you
that the first step in solving a problem is the identification
of its cause. Then, what really produces it can be modified.
“Gentlemen, that’s why I was so bold as to ask for a little

more of your valuable time, which is something that I’m
truly grateful for.”
They see Benjamín and the workers at a distance bring-

ing the saplings and so, before continuing with his talk,
Don Alonso decides to go and take a quick look.
He explains: “Just a little favor, gentlemen. So I can ex-

plain my thoughts at length, allow me first to go and
supervise the planting of the trees. Do you prefer to come
along or to wait here? I won’t take long.”
As they walk along the edge of the dam towards the

small group of workers, the clouds, trees and other silent
witnesses seemed to observe them with amazement, as
if keeping a prudent distance until they could get to know
them better.
60
And the wind, which was also following that discreet

though safe strategy, emits a gentle and barely audible
sound that scarcely manages to shake the leaves of a few
trees and make a few ripples on the surface of the water.
A few minutes later, the men reach the group, and Don
Alonso addresses the foreman: “Benjamín, I’d like to
make some suggestions.”
“Sure, tell me.”
“Remember that the new trees —even the timber-yield-

ing ones— shouldn’t be too close to one another. They
must be separated by at least the same distance as be-
tween the avocado trees. And in this area it isn’t neces-
sary to plant them in rows like the other ones. Instead,
they should be planted at your discretion depending on
the topography and the soil quality. Another thing, What’s
the highest level reached by the surface of the water?”
“Three years ago it got as high as that rock over there,

and it has never risen higher than that.”
Don Alonso gives his instructions: “Then you must plant

them starting from that level and higher, and those which
will grow without their own water supply should not be
more than 20 meters from the edge of the water. The
moisture in the subsoil won’t reach that far so make sure
that those planted farthest are provided with their own
drip irrigation system. Tell Amarildo to help you with
that.”
“Wait,” he corrects himself,” Benja, Do you have that

little gadget that goes into the soil to monitor the mois-
ture level?”
“Yes, I have it at home.”
61
“Do me a favor: Have someone go there and bring it

over and we’ll measure the moisture at various distances.
This is in case I’m wrong because moisture varies ac-
cording to the type of soil.”
Jorge intervenes, “Listen Don Alonso, I don’t know much

about the country, but does the cost of providing these
trees with extra water pay off even if they’re timber-
yielding species?”
“Actually it does,” Don Alonso replies, “because the trees’

growth rate, if they are provided with a good water supply,
in addition to the rain, is slightly more than double. And
you want to know something? In the case of fruit trees, if
well irrigated with this system, the productivity is tripled.”
“Another request, Benjamín,” he says as he turns towards

him, “I want you to make sure that every new tree is
oriented as they were in the nursery. Yesterday, with
Chema your father, we put a red mark on the trees’ north
side. Plant them with the same orientation. That way they
won’t waste time reorienting themselves. You already know
this Benja, but make sure the others proceed this way.”
“Of course, Don Alonso.”
“It wouldn’t be bad either,” Don Alonso tells Álvaro, “to

do an analysis of this area’s soil nutrients to see if it has
the thirteen basic elements, and if all the others are at
the right levels.”
“Later, when you have time, take soil samples as Andrés

the engineer showed us and we’ll have them analyzed.”
Then, Jorge glances at Gustavo, who’s amazed at the atten-

tion they put into every part of their work. Without saying
a word, both understand why things work so well here.
62
CHAPTER V
ANOTHER MATTER
After they start walking back to the spot where they had
set the garden chairs, Gustavo and Jorge, not accustomed
to staying in such a place for long, notice separately that
they had begun to see things in a different way. As the
two men admired the unique surroundings, they noticed
that little by little they were perceiving things about work
and even their personal lives under a different focus.
What amazed them the most was that it wasn’t as if vari-

ous pending matters had disappeared but rather, for a
reason they didn’t fully understand, their outlook on them
was changing.
One of the matters that worried Jorge the most and was
foremost in his mind was the development of various
studies before the implementation of a tax reform. He be-
gan to see this special assignment, which he got from the
highest levels of his Secretariat, with much greater clarity.
Suddenly he reflects on the fact that one of the strategies

they had adopted at the Secretariat was precisely the
evaluation of different points of view and the gathering
of suggestions from various social groups. Perhaps he
could even include that thorny assignment in the con-
versation.
“That man,” he reflects without betraying what was on

his mind, “knows more or less what he’s talking about,
though on some matters I don’t agree with him.”
Another part of his mind was telling him that Don Alonso
most likely didn’t have the faintest clue about fiscal
63
matters. Yet something else that Don Alonso had ex-

pressed was etched in him: “In the search for solutions,
one must be open to different opinions.”
So while his three companions were talking about the

weather, and just as Don Alonso was going to say some-
thing, Jorge decides there was nothing to lose by asking
for that peculiar character’s opinion.
“Don Alonso,” Jorge says, seemingly still having doubts

about changing the course of the conversation, “before
you tell Gustavo about the other ideas you have in mind,
I’d like to know your opinion about something you per-
haps don’t know much about. As it turns out, in the de-
partment where I work, I’ve been urgently tasked with
this matter because they consider it a high priority.”
“Of course! I don’t know if my opinion will be of any

help, but tell me’…”
Jorge begins to explain: “We are trying to improve the

tax system in order to make it easier and more practical
for the taxpayer, while generating greater revenues. Do
you have any ideas about that?”
“Well, let me say that for me and for most people,” Don
Alonso answers, “this matter is crucial, and I believe the
first element to consider would be simplicity. However,
when I think of the public, I’m not referring so much to
what the authorities might understand by that. Rather,
it’s how the little guy, concerned mainly with getting
ahead, would perceive it.
“And guess what, Jorge,” Don Alonso continues, “when I

was in Mexico City, a little over ten years ago, I once had
the honor of being received by the then president. I put
in his own hands four proposals. One of them was pre-
64
cisely about what you’re telling us: the imperative of

simplifying the tax system as much as possible.”
Jorge is somewhat relieved about not introducing in the

conversation a topic which was out of place, while at the
same time feeling surprised he had been involved in
such matters.
“Because you see,” Don Alonso goes on, “I’ll tell you an
anecdote: I once participated in a company managers’
meeting and was struck by the different opinions of three
more or less experienced accountants on a same point. I
asked myself: ‘If at times even the experts can’t agree,
then what can other types of professionals or the regular
citizen expect?’”
“Unfortunately there is some truth in that,” Jorge ad-

mits, “and therein lies the interest in improving the law,
but tell us, What happened with your proposal back in
those years?”
“Absolutely nothing,” answers Don Alonso, “neither with

that one nor with the three others that I submitted.”
“But what did they say?” Jorge asks. “I suppose you pre-
sented it in writing together with a student or someone,
didn’t you?”
“Of course, but concerning the tax situation, the then

president, though receptive to the matter, turned my
proposal over to the Secretary of the Treasury and he
answered me directly with a four-page official note
which, in short, said: The tax system is simple enough to
be understood by everyone.
“Gentlemen, I understand that a civil servant is involved

in a hundred things all at once and is sometimes subject
65
to all sorts of pressures, but one key aspect of any coun-

try is to ease the payment of taxes as much as possible.
In that sense, there’s been a significantly mistaken ap-
proach, not only in Mexico but to some extent in many
countries in the world.”
Jorge is surprised that this elderly gentleman, living in

such a remote place, had been involved in such matters
of state, so with growing curiosity he asks him: “And
why do you believe it is so?”
“Tell me one thing, Jorge,” Don Alonso inquires, “when

you set a pyramid down, Do you place it on its base, that
is, on its widest part, or on its tip?”
Jorge remains disconcerted and, without knowing the

meaning of his question, answers: “On its base, Don
Alonso, of course. But what do you mean by that?”
“I’ll tell you, when we’ve designed tax policy, we’ve pro-
ceeded backwards. It’s been established from the per-
spective of a group of experts or civil servants who, re-
gardless of their capabilities, simply don’t see things from
the viewpoint of the immense majority of the popula-
tion.
“And the most important thing is that the creative capac-

ity of that reduced group, regardless of their educational
level, is low compared to that of the whole of the eco-
nomically active population.
“Jorge, I assure you,” Don Alonso concludes, “and I in-

sist, with all due respect to the group that works on that
matter. Believe me, they’re no match against the cre-
ative capacity of tens of millions of taxpayers because
among them there will be a large number of true ex-
perts on the subject.”
66
“But Don Alonso,” Jorge objects, “the citizens themselves

cannot be asked to intervene in something that may af-
fect them. To begin with, many will not even want to
pay taxes, and that’s without considering that no state
can even move if it lacks sufficient funds.”
“The proposal that I presented, to answer your doubt,

consisted in submitting the tax collection system pro-
posal to a kind of national contest. But obviously, and to
avoid what you’re saying, it had to be subject to certain
guidelines previously established by the authorities
charged with the matter.
“And of course,” he continues, “all the proposals received

from specialized firms, lawyers, accountants or any citi-
zen would be subject to the final opinion and absolute
will of a panel of experts from their own Secretariats;
only they would determine which would be the most
viable tax proposals grounded on bases that people like
you have established.”
Jorge inquires with marked interest: “And let’s see for

example, What do you suppose would those bases be?”
“Fundamentally, it’s the simplest payment system with

a nimble control system that would also achieve the great-
est broadening of the tax base. The goal would be to
spread the load among the majority of the economically
active community instead of burdening only a small
group.”
“Don Alonso,” Álvaro now intervenes, “excuse me but

once, when I was arranging he files you brought up from
Mexico City, I came across a sealed copy from the Presi-
dency which dealt with that matter. I took the liberty of
reading it and it struck me that you had even proposed
such a system. As you pointed out back then, it was just
67
another proposal among the thousands they would surely

receive.”
“Ah! So you’ve been snooping in the files!” Don Alonso

jokes in his characteristic brand of humor.
“Well my task was to arrange them and I didn’t know a

thing on the subject. I noticed that letter because it was
addressed to the then president.”
“Sure,” Don Alonso says, this time more seriously, “it’s

OK, but let’s see Álvaro, Do you remember something
about what I was suggesting?”
“Yes, more or less, because it didn’t seem bad. Though,

as you mentioned in it, it was one among many on that
topic that would be received.”
“Tell us, Álvaro,” Gustavo now asks him, “What did Don
Alonso propose?”
“In the case of income tax, that a sort of option for the
taxpayer should be established: a total of seven percent
of gross income.”
Jorge almost jumps. “Uh! Only seven percent?”
“The impression that it made on you,” Don Alonso ex-

plains, “would be exactly the same as on the taxpayers
but look: If we assume that of gross income in general,
only a little over twenty percent is profit, the thirty per-
cent of that is equivalent to the proposed seven percent.
This way, however, the taxpayer would forget about te-
dious depreciation and amortization calculations and
many other things. The whole payment process would
be done by means of a highly simplified procedure sub-
ject to the previous agreement of the banking institu-
68
tions who would, automatically, deduct the seven per-

cent from specific accounts in order to turn them over to
the authorities.
“Because remember, Álvaro,” Don Alonso says as he

turns towards him, “what Eduardo Quintana, our accoun-
tant, told us: Sometimes, at the end of the month, he tells
his clients what must be paid in taxes and it turns out the
money has already been spent on other things.”
“But Don Alonso,” Gustavo adds, “there are companies

whose profit margin is far less than twenty percent of
gross revenue.”
“That’s why the taxpayers themselves are offered an

option to choose, “Don Alonso explains, “so that those
who, as you rightly point out, have narrow profit mar-
gins may continue with the current scheme. But this must
be taken into account: Those companies with very small
profit margins, such as automakers and many others,
are large enough not to be much affected by a compli-
cated fiscal administration. However, most of the pro-
ductive sector consists of small and medium sized compa-
nies which are hampered by the current complexity of the
tax system to the point where many prefer, unlawfully, to
take a chance and not abide by the fiscal legislation.”
“But Don Alonso,” Jorge now objects, “the State requires

more and more resources and if low tax receipts are
favored, we’ll collect less money and consequently ex-
penditures in many vital line items will have to be cut
back.”
“I think the opposite would happen. With a reasonable

contribution from the citizens, the tax base would in-
crease and greater receipts would be collected. And not
only that, productivity would be stimulated, resulting in
69
greater economic activity with benefits for all, including

the government itself.”
“And that’s not all,” Álvaro adds, “because a more acces-

sible fiscal legislation would cause more foreign compa-
nies to prefer to come and produce here, thus creating
more jobs and benefitting all.”
Jorge remains deep in thought for a while and then says:

“One of that proposal’s inconveniences is that if a com-
pany pays a set gross income tax, it won’t increase so
much its expenses or costs in order to obtain a smaller
taxable profit, and that would reduce spending.”
“There is a current of economic thought,” Don Alonso

responds, “that supports precisely that thesis, but I don’t
share it and I’ll tell you why: If the entrepreneur Juan
Pérez doesn’t worry so much about increasing his ex-
penses in order to reduce his income tax and, conse-
quently, doesn’t spend as much on cars and many other
things that may not be that necessary, one would think,
from a somewhat superficial viewpoint, that the spend-
ing on goods would be reduced and economic growth
would be limited. But you want to know something?
That’s just the appearance of the matter; the reality is
different.
“The money not spent a little ‘in excess’ by that entre-

preneur and the others, whose total would amount in the
billions, believe me, won’t be burned in a great bonfire.
They’ll put it in the bank or invest it to increase their
companies’ productivity. That will in turn affect the
growth of the economy, though not by means of simple,
superfluous expenses but through greater productivity.
“Look, if there are more savings, or, put another way, a

smaller percentage of waste, whichever way you want
70
to look at it, most of that amount will be absorbed by the

financial system. That will in turn help to reduce inter-
est rates and to facilitate the granting of softer credits to
the public and the entrepreneurs themselves. All this
will favor production through a sounder and more solid
path. Lastly, something similar will occur if the money
saved is reinvested in the company itself, and no longer
spent on oftentimes unnecessary things.”
“Well,” says Jorge, this time seemingly more convinced,

“it would be a matter of analyzing this proposal in depth.
Maybe it would be worthwhile to carry out a more ex-
tensive study.”
“But you see, Jorge,” Don Alonso emphasizes, “I don’t want

to make the same mistake that I’m criticizing and expect
that my particular approach be the one that prevails.
“I wouldn’t like to have this simple proposal of mine

analyzed so much. Instead, we should be receptive to
the thousands of proposals that would come from the
entire community because there will be many others far
better than mine.
“In other words, what I insist upon is a drastic modifica-

tion of the selection process to find the best option. Be-
lieve me, there is no comparison between the creative
capability of a group of civil servants or even experts in
the field and that of millions of people who face those set
of problems every day. A simple error in the implemen-
tation of a complicated system would no doubt decrease
our productive capacity, thus limiting opportunities in
many areas.”
Jorge meditates a little on that idea to which he concedes

some merit, though he isn’t totally convinced. He adds,
“And out of curiosity, What would you suggest as a prize
for the most viable proposal selected by the jury?”
71
“A national academic award and an important cash prize.”
“And don’t you think that’s excessive?” Gustavo asks.
“Well, what happens is that we must stimulate special-

ized firms, professionals and anyone for that matter, to
decide to spend time and effort preparing something
worthwhile. Believe me, there are people who are far
more capable than we imagine; it’s crucial that they
decide to focus on proposing something valuable though,
I repeat, always subject to the Treasury authorities’ ex-
pert opinion.
“Also,” he adds after thinking for a little while, “I believe

it would be cheaper for us to pay for such a prize than to
remunerate outside consultants who might present some-
thing of little use to the public.
“In any case, those consultants should submit their idea

just like the rest of us, and if they prepare something
very good, they might even win. But note a fundamental
difference in all this: No matter how competent it might
be, a small group’s proposal doesn’t stand a chance
against the monumental imaginative and creative ca-
pacity of our entire community. This is what I mean when
I tell you that we’re building the pyramid upside down.
“If we do things this way, and with the due selection of

proposals, I assure you that we could have one of the
most efficient and practical tax systems in the world.
“I’ll even confess something: A few years ago, I experi-

enced a cold reception not only to my proposals, but also
to other ones from various people and organizations. I
also noticed the oftentimes insufficient bureaucratic re-
sponse to many social challenges. Well, that was one of
the reasons that impelled me to settle here.”
72
“Now that I remember,” Gustavo intervenes, “at the fo-

rum Jorge invited me to, one of the proposals was to go
in a different direction, namely, to impose exemplary
punishments on tax cheats. What’s your opinion?”
“Well you know, Gustavo,” Don Alonso continues, “to

get things going, I prefer carrots to sticks. I’ll give you an
example: Once there was a large condominium where
some of the owners adamantly refused to pay their
monthly fee arguing that, according to them, ‘the money
would be stolen.’ The manager opted for a creative strat-
egy: He distributed periodically a crystal clear explana-
tion of the origin and uses of all resources. In other words,
he made the management of funds more transparent.
Then he offered incentives to late payers. And finally,
yes, he toughened the collection of fees and, surprise,
got many good results.
“That’s why,” Don Alonso concludes, “I consider that, in

parallel with my suggestion for the selection method for
the best tax proposal, I would suggest improving the
accountability scheme even more with exemplary pen-
alties for any public official making bad use of public
resources. Then, and only then, the taxpayer would be
pressured to contribute to the extent that he or she
should.”
“Well, it’s certainly an interesting point of view,” Jorge

says. “I’ll submit it for consideration.”
Then, they spot at a distance the other group of ladies,

accompanied by Esther. They were back from the vil-
lage and were taking a walk in the ranch.
Álvaro figures that it’s nearly lunchtime, and since the

local custom is to have that meal between noon and one
o’clock, he decides to head off to the ranch house to offer
73
assistance with the preparations. On the way, he lets the

ladies know where they are.
After they see Álvaro walk away, Gustavo and Jorge

exchange silent and sober glances while Don Alonso, who
is oblivious to them, tries to gauge the wind’s direction
in an understandable desire to anticipate any change in
the weather.
74
CHAPTER VI
COMPLETE REUNION
That afternoon at the El Encinal ranch, all those silent

witnesses who accompanied them in front of the little
dam, such as the clouds, the Sun, the trees and plants
and the others behaved as was their custom: by keeping
silent in the face of the occasionally disconcerting be-
havior of humans.
An outside observer of such a scene might have consid-

ered that those discreet natural onlookers, though pleased
by the presence of humans, were behaving this way
because they were observing the rule handed down to
them since time immemorial: Let them proceed unfet-
tered, even though they will often work against their
own interests with their activities.
On this sunny and special day, however, it seemed as if

there was something else in the air. It was a feeling that
these prudent natural companions didn’t want to inter-
fere with this gathering —not even with the slightest
sound— as if wanting to let them fully enjoy the atmo-
sphere, the conversation and the food.
The only one who brought a little disorder at such a spe-

cial moment, with its typically naughty wanderings, was
the wind. It just kept making small waves along the edge
of the dam and swaying the trees’ branches.
Nevertheless, the wind’s minor mischief seemed to be

forgiven by the surrounding’s characters and the group
of men because it brought such a special breeze with, as
a gift, an incomparable aroma.
75
But for the moment, let’s set nature’s point of view aside
and hear the opinion of these people.
The ladies were chatting cheerfully about the joy of stay-

ing in such a place, not only because of the fantastic sur-
roundings, but also because of the village they had just
visited and the friendliness of the locals.
“I had never before entered a house like those in the

village,” Alejandra says admiringly, “with adobe walls
and tile roofs. A lady who sells many varieties of honey
in her house invited us to go inside. I was surprised by
the coolness inside that type of house and you know, she
even had trees in her pretty cobblestone patio.”
“Well they may surprise you,” Álvaro explains, “but here

it’s the norm. I hope this type of construction will be
conserved because it has many advantages. Right here,
however, they are already building new houses with
today’s construction methods.”
“That’s because,” Jorge comments, “the new houses have

more advantages, don’t they?”
Don Alonso now states his view: “In my humble opinion,

the best would be to combine the advantages of
yesteryear’s houses with those of the modern ones. As
Alejandra rightly said, those old houses have certain
advantages regarding temperature changes whereas the
new ones have different ones. Hopefully we’ll be able to
incorporate the best elements of both eras.”
One on side, Doña Ofelia and two ladies who had come
from the house were preparing lunch and making torti-
llas on two hot comals, the typical local griddles; the
aroma they gave off whetted their appetites even more.
In fact, they didn’t have to wait long, because soon after-
76
wards they were enjoying a great variety of dishes. The

visitors were surprised by the different way in which
they appreciated everything here as they engaged in
lively conversation.
The one who remained somewhat thoughtful was Don

Alonso, his mind seemingly off in some unknown direc-
tion. Gustavo, who still didn’t know him well enough,
notices his peculiar attitude and asks: “What are you
thinking about, Don Alonso?”
“Oh, nothing,” he says as if coming back from his thoughts,

“though I was also listening to what you were talking
about. I’m glad you’re all pleased here, but so many things
here keep my mind busy.”
“Don’t you want some more tacos?” Jorge asks.
“No, no thank you.”
“Don Alonso doesn’t eat much,” Álvaro explains, “so you

won’t find it odd.”
“Maybe you’re right, Don Alonso,” Lilí says. “Frugality

is an attribute we sometimes forget, but on occasions
like this, and with such good food, we can cheat a little.”
“Please help yourselves,” Don Alonso tells them. “I’m

delighted that you’re enjoying everything.”
Towards the end of that convivial repast, Esther, who

was also partaking, offers to complete the walk around
the ranch with whoever wished to. The ladies and Di-
ego, accompanied by a nephew of Benjamin’s, enthusi-
astically accept to continue on their stroll, while Gustavo,
Jorge and Álvaro, as they knew there were things that
Don Alonso wanted to share, decide to stay put. It was
77
more than mere courtesy; now they felt an intense de-

sire to know the subject matter he wanted to talk about.
The ladies and the boys continue their visit while Ofelia
and the two young ladies, after receiving heartfelt con-
gratulations and appreciation from guests and locals alike,
head to the ranch house. The four men remain alone
again.
Jorge states, “Don Alonso, I’m truly touched that you

invited us to be here today, and I’m pleased that Gustavo
asked me to come because it’s altogether very good to
be here today.”
“On the contrary,” he responds, “it is us who are the

grateful ones, and we’re also pleased that you’ve allowed
us to express our point of view on certain subjects.”
“As we were saying a while ago,” Gustavo begins, “and

according to what Álvaro told me in Mexico City, you
wanted to elaborate on some ideas that you brought up
the last time we saw each other.”
“Certainly, because last time, after you were gone, I was

left thinking; you should know that’s my great flaw,” he
deadpans. “What happens is that I’m inclined to exam-
ine things thoroughly and therefore wanted to expound
on certain important matters.
“You know, the somewhat unsettled situation afflicting

not only our country but also many other parts of the
world is derived mainly, among other things —and I’m
increasingly convinced about this— from two elements.
One of them has afflicted us throughout human history:
It’s a limited focus which is the consequence of an erro-
neous and superficial psychological school of thought.
That focus can and should be corrected through an inte-
78
gral education that contains a more realistic and inclu-

sive social emphasis without the distortions we have al-
ways brought upon ourselves.
“Such a limited focus has produced a great number of

negative effects in various areas, not only in the mate-
rial and educational spheres, but even in the building of
that all-important trust I was telling you about a while
ago.
“But the other element is a relatively recent error be-

cause it arose in the twentieth century. Despite the great
human and technological developments we have
achieved, we have not even been able to communicate
it to the world community: It’s the erroneous demographic
focus some have incurred in.”
“Álvaro gave us an introduction,” says Jorge, now feel-

ing totally immersed in the subject, “and I assumed that
the young man was somewhat under your influence.
That’s why we ask you —well, me at least because I
wasn’t here the last time— to tell us in your own words
why you consider it so. Because believe me, yours is a
different perspective that, truth be told, I had never con-
sidered.”
“I’ll give you my point of view with great pleasure,” he

replies, “but before I begin, I want to tell you that the
complement to what I explained to Gustavo the last time
comes with a warning.”
“Warning? But a warning of what? And why?” Gustavo

asks with great surprise.
“Well look, there are people who, with every right to

dissent and often with the best of intentions, will be stub-
bornly opposed to what I’m about to share, though I’m
79
sure that they themselves have not analyzed it in depth.

They can, however, make many politicians doubt about
this. That’s what I’m trying to prevent since it would
only help to prolong, with all its negative consequences,
the deplorable present state of affairs.
“What am I referring to?” asks Don Alonso, while the

two visitors remain in total silence so he may speak freely.
“Look, as I approach these two topics, I’ll mention the
demographic error first by briefly reviewing where it
comes from and why because, as Jorge himself was point-
ing out, he didn’t come here last time.
“A few centuries ago, out of every 1000 infants born,

about 650 would die at an early age. However, with the
advent of medicine, according to the latest global statis-
tics, only 38 die out of every 1000.
“That extraordinary achievement in medicine generated

certain changes in demographic growth patterns to which
many were unable to adapt. They alleged that demo-
graphic planning would be unfeasible since it would con-
stitute a sort of ‘artificial’ intervention in human procre-
ation. You will notice that it was the actual intervention
of medicine, that is to say, a totally ‘artificial’ element to
use their word, that transformed the sociodemographic
pattern on a global level.
“Similarly,” he continues, “we could label as artificial

just about everything we have: telecommunications,
automobiles, tractors, trucks, trains, airplanes, fuels, fer-
tilizers, electricity, computers and a myriad things with-
out which, I assure you, we couldn’t even remotely sup-
ply ourselves with the necessary food.”
“But Don Alonso,” Jorge object, “what some say is that

demographic planning by means of artificial contracep-
80
tive methods is morally indefensible because it inter-

feres with the proliferation of life.”
“Look Jorge,” he answers very calmly, “we cannot lose

sight of the fact that the male’s spermatozoons as well as
the female’s eggs are haploid cells, that is to say, they
have half the number of chromosomes. As such they
don’t actually contain life, unlike the rest of the organism’s
cells. Those are the diploid cells, and they are complete
in terms of the number of chromosomes.
“And, as long as these two haploid cells are not integrated

into one, there’s no life in them, no matter how you look
at it.
“It’s a very different matter when conception occurs,

but just listen to the awful things they say as they’re
pretending to defend life. In our country and throughout
the world, millions of clandestine abortions are per-
formed yearly that not only put the mother’s life at risk,
but also constitute thousands and thousands of murders
every day by interrupting —artificially— the possibility
of life in those incipient beings. Why is that? I ask you to
please tell me if my reasoning is wrong.
“Believe me, it surprises me to see what opposition to

family planning can, in practice, lead us to; it takes us to
a point where not even they could have imagined.
“In most cases, what pushes many desperate mothers to

go through the abortion false exit is the fact that, faced
with the possibility of having an unwanted child, many
opt for an artificial pregnancy interruption. In my view,
that can indeed be on the same level as murder. But you
know something, what was missing there was precisely
an adequate family planning program, which is some-
thing they oppose.
81
“In other words, their misguided focus makes them par-

tially responsible for what’s happening. Just look at the
tremendous paradox they are leading us to: By wanting
to defend life, they are in great part causing the opposite
effect. They will have to continue to be charged, with
each passing year, with the millions of lives cut short by
clandestine abortions.”
Álvaro and even Gustavo himself aren’t surprised by

this type of reasoning, but Jorge remains speechless af-
ter hearing this.
“And that’s concerning abortion only,” Don Alonso says

as he turns towards Álvaro. “Do you have in that gadget
on your belt last year’s global events reports?”
“Yes Don Alonso, here I have them”
“Please give us the data for deceased infants in the past

year.”
“You want the data from the UN or the Population Refer-

ence Bureau?”
“Let’s see, in this case get it from the PRB.”
“Allow me,” Álvaro says as he works his smartphone.

“Ah yes! Here it is. Last year 72,000 children died in the
developed counties whereas 5,507,000 died in the un-
derdeveloped ones.”
“Gosh!” Jorge exclaims. “Let’s see if I understand you

correctly: Five and a half million dead children per year
in the underdeveloped countries? Aren’t you mistaken
Álvaro?”
“Of course not, see for yourself…”
82
“I can’t believe it! In other words, the number of chil-

dren that die in ten years is equal to one and a half times
the current population of Canada. How can that be? And
also, just look at the wide gap with the developed coun-
tries. Is there carelessness in the governments or what
on earth is going on?”
“Curiously,” Don Alonso answers, “there’s a sort of con-

straint throughout the planet: When a country faces
unmet societal needs, the incumbent government is usu-
ally singled out as the great guilty one, without consider-
ing that there are also nearly invisible forces at work
that cause this type of things.
“Judge for yourselves, because as I was telling Gustavo

last time,” Don Alonso continues, satisfied that they’re
being receptive to the magnitude of the problem, “an-
other of the most harmful consequences of a high rate of
demographic growth is that it extends itself onto society
as the proliferation of a host of unmet societal needs. And
going back to the infant death numbers that impact Jorge
so much, this is only one of its manifold manifestations.”
“But,” Jorge objects, “I don’t see the link between the two.”
“What causes that terrible number of infant deaths,” he

replies, “is the fact that progress in the health and food
industries can’t keep up with population growth.”
“It’s not that I’m a little skeptical about your positon,”

Jorge insists, “but just to understand it better and in case
someone asks me, Why does a high population growth
rate have such an impact on the societal and environ-
mental realms?”
“Look,” he tells them, “as I was explaining to Gustavo

the last time we came here , most if not all of the prob-
83
lems or conflicts of any type in the world derive from a

sort of ‘phase shift’ in the rate of change in the factors
that intervene in a determined process.”
“Well you know that sometimes I like to explain things

by means of examples; therefore let me give you some.”
“Please go on.”
“What example shall I give you? Ah! I know,” Don Alonso

says. “Do you remember the sinking of the ‘Titanic’?”
“Of course.”
“Let’s observe in that tragic event the intervention of

that apparently harmless element called speed. First,
the ship’s speed was higher than what caution dictated,
especially on such a dark night; then there was the ag-
gravating circumstance that they had been warned of
the presence of icebergs but, unfortunately, the urge to
establish a new record was stronger.
“And so it was that due to the speed at which the ‘Titanic’

was steaming, the elapsed time between the sighting of
the iceberg and the moment of impact was reduced to
about 45 seconds. This contributed, because of the ur-
gency prevailing after a few seconds of alarm and inde-
cision, to the crew’s proceeding in the following way:
They took the fateful decision to veer to port when it
was highly likely that the mass of ice was drifting with
the West Greenland Current, better known as the La-
brador Current. Therefore, there was a slight north to
south —or right to left— drift relative to the direction the
Titanic was heading. In those crucial 45 seconds the ice-
berg could have moved a few, yet decisive, meters just
where the ship had now veered to. That short distance
could have meant nothing less than the difference be-
tween escaping unscathed and facing disaster.
84
“Then, the ship had a certain pumping capacity to expel

the flooding seawater, but unfortunately the incoming
water’s flowrate was much higher than the pumps’ ca-
pacity.
“Besides, what killed all those people who couldn’t find

a place in the lifeboats was hypothermia caused by the
cold seawater. Though the human body has certain
compensatory mechanisms for that kind of situation, in
this case that capacity was greatly overwhelmed, given the
long period of time they had to remain in such cold water.
“And why did so much time elapse until they were res-
cued if there were ships in the area?” Don Alonso ex-
plains, “Due to their slow speed, they took several hours
to reach them, which was a fatal delay for those in the
water.
“Gentlemen, do you realize the importance of that often

underrated element called speed?”
“Well, it’s true,” Jorge admits.
“Compare that,” Don Alonso stresses, “with what is hap-

pening in the world when we don’t take into account the
way in which that oftentimes minimized element inter-
venes: On the one hand we interfere artificially in only
one aspect of human procreation; on the other, by means
of the timely application of medicine we succeed in re-
ducing the mortality rate. If, at the same time, we reject
family planning, what do we generate? An abnormal rise
in population growth to a level such that we cannot keep
producing satisfiers at the required rate.
“By acting this way, we have unintentionally created the

perfect storm for one of the ‘phase shifts’ that has influ-
enced the current shortages. And the worst part, I insist,
85
is that many don’t even realize the existence of this phe-

nomenon because it operates so imperceptibly. But let’s
go back to the problems resulting from the gap between
the speeds of the factors that intervene in any process.
“I don’t want to overwhelm you with many examples; I

could give you some you can’t even imagine, but here’s
one more.
“These days crime-related insecurity has increased,” Don

Alonso tells them in a calm voice, “and that’s caused in
great measure by what we’ve been discussing. Let’s
imagine that a regular citizen —I won’t call him Don
Juan Perez— “ he jokes, “in case you have a friend or
relative with that name, because I wouldn’t want what
I’m about to say to happen to him.
“Imagine that, unfortunately, this person is shot and loses

large amounts of blood; you won’t believe me but the
organism has an excellent healing capability. But here
too is that often forgotten element called the ‘speed gap’.
What am I referring to? Look, among other responses,
the body will be able to completely repair the damage,
but this process might last perhaps a few days. Now what
happens if blood flow falls off? The brain can’t live for
more than a few minutes without a good oxygen supply.
“Because of that apparently simple gap between the

speeds of the factors involved, that person dies.”
Jorge and Gustavo stand silently, surprised by the clar-

ity of the explanation. Jorge though, apparently not see-
ing the connection, then adds: “You said that this gap
also influenced the increase in violence?”
“That and many other things,” Don Alonso resumes. “Look

at what happened in the developing world with that ap-
parently harmless high population growth rate.
86
“Take exhibit A and let’s see what occurred in our coun-

try: Mexico doubled its population in about 36 years, but
fortunately an important number of our fellow citizens
managed to emigrate to our neighbor to the north. If it
hadn’t been so, the doubling period would have been
much shorter.
“But what does that mean in practice? That we should

also have been able to double all those necessary satisfiers
in those same 36 years. In simpler terms, we should have
built the equivalent of another entire country in that very
short lapse of time and that, gentlemen, is something
nobody on this planet could have achieved. Besides, a
great number of shortages in many areas that had been
dragging on for years should also have been resolved.
“And if this weren’t enough, an important part of the infra-

structure should also have been replaced because, of course,
it wears out or becomes obsolete as the years go by.
“Obviously, as a consequence of this disparity between

different speeds we have shortages in many areas. Among
other things, we can cite insufficient drinking water, con-
gested road networks, limited sanitary and food supply
response, lack of jobs, educational deficits, inadequate
transmission of values, serious deterioration of the eco-
system and a wide range of extreme deficiencies that
not only interact and combine with one another but keep
accumulating with each passing year.
“And these combined shortages, gentlemen,” he con-

cludes, “take on concrete forms before our very eyes in
the form of violence, serious social shortages, a low edu-
cational level, malnutrition and many other things.”
Jorge, without knowing what to respond with, yet trying

to get a better grasp of the issue, makes an effort to re-
87
call some of the rationales of those opposed to demo-

graphic planning. Suddenly he thinks of one.
“Those who don’t agree with your position,” Jorge states

with some hesitation, “assure us that if we limit popula-
tion growth we could go to the other extreme, like what’s
happening in the developed countries, where they say
there are no more children.”
Don Alonso replies, “That is indeed a belief sustained —

though somewhat blown out of proportion— by the fact
that yes, there are a few countries like Germany whose
population is decreasing at an insignificant rate. That is
irrelevant in the global, or even in the developed world
context.
“Let’s look at this in black and white. Currently there

are around 1,250 billion people in the developed world
and about 5.99 in the developing part, and as I was say-
ing, let’s clear up our doubt. Let’s see Álvaro, according
to the estimates you have in that thing, what will the
population be in each part by 2050?”
Álvaro checks and answers, “By the year 2050, in the

developed part of the planet, the population will grow
from the 1.250 billion you were saying to 1.309 whereas
in the underdeveloped part it will increase from the cur-
rent 5.990 to 8.375, giving a total population of 9.684
billion by the year 2050.”
“So,” Gustavo concludes, “the developed world also keeps

growing.”
“Of course, though at a more manageable rate. Ah! And

that’s even taking into account what Jorge has just told
me, that is, some countries are not growing.”
88
“I just got this,” Álvaro intervenes again. “How the

planet’s population is increasing at this very moment.
Look, of the 86.6 million that we added last year, 1.5
correspond to the developed world and 85.1 to the un-
derdeveloped.”
“So, most of the growth takes place in the underdevel-

oped countries,” Gustavo concludes.
“Exactly,” Don Alonso declares, “and that will give rise

to much more massive migratory flows than what we’ve
witnessed throughout history.”
“And I’ll just mention, “he continues, “that there are

places on the planet where there will be important con-
flicts in the coming decades because of this, as is already
the case in the Mediterranean area. Curiously, in that
basin, the area with the lowest growth rate —and conse-
quently the highest income per capita— is adjacent to
the continent with the highest demographic growth rate
and the lowest income, and that continent is Africa.
“But they’re separated by the Mediterranean,” Jorge

points out. “Won’t that prevent those strong migratory
flows you’re talking about?”
“The same thing is going to occur as when lightning hits

the ground,” Don Alonso answers. “Though air is not a
conductor of electricity, if the electric charge above is
too high, a discharge will bridge the gap and hit the ground
because the voltage differential was high enough.
“Look,” he says as he turns to Álvaro, “What’s the cur-

rent population in Europe and Africa, and what will it be
in 2050?”
After checking his smartphone again, Álvaro announces:

“At this moment there are 504 million in the European
89
Economic Community, and according to the estimated birth

and death figures, we get 514 for the year 2050. As for
Africa, the present population is 1.136 billion and by 2050,
even if the growth rate slows down somewhat, there will
be 2.428. In other words, it will double in under 33 years.”
“Obviously we will not live to see that day,” Don Alonso

says as he raises his hands a little, “except perhaps Álvaro.
Unless something completely unexpected occurs, the
situation in Africa will be a total disaster. Being so close
to the wealthiest countries, this will create migratory
flows like the world has never witnessed before, with all
the collateral disruptions that go with such contrasting
cultures and development levels.”
These analyses weren’t taking Álvaro by surprise as he

was completely used to such statements. But Gustavo
and Jorge remain deep in thought, pondering the impact
that such a scenario, if what they had just heard should
come to pass, could have on the next generation.
At that point Jorge responds, “But, Don Alonso, as far as

I know, the population growth rate will continue to de-
crease, will it not?”
“The problem, Jorge, is that the estimates and calcula-

tions that Álvaro has just quoted us already consider the
decrease that you mention. To prevent what I’ve just
explained from happening, the decrease or stabilization
of demographic growth would have to be intensified.
Now if one doesn’t consider the reduction in growth rate
that I’ve just cited to you, instead of reaching a world
population of 9.683 billion by 2050, that year we will
number slightly over 11 billion.”
Suddenly they see the ladies chatting happily and walk-

ing towards them on a different path; apparently they
had already toured most of the ranch.
90
Lilí tells her husband, “Jorge, it’s a good idea for all of
you to go behind that low hill; you can see a delightful
little valley. It’s really well worth it.”
“Do you want to take a walk over there?” Álvaro proposes
“Sure, let’s go.”
And so, while the ladies and the two young boys con-
tinue on their way to the ranch house, the four men head
to the suggested spot.
As they walk slowly towards the site, Gustavo asks more

questions about avocado production while Jorge begins
to take very seriously the subject they have been dis-
cussing. “How can this be,” he thinks out loud, “that such
topics aren’t given more importance?”
Setting aside this important reflection for a moment, they

continue on their leisurely walk, with Jorge not knowing
with certainty, as he contemplates that Saturday’s ex-
traordinary natural spectacle, whether he wanted to lock
away in his mind this day’s weather, the conversation or
the surroundings.
Gustavo, for his part, didn’t even make an attempt in

that direction as he had learned from experience that
when the wheel of time turns, any photo or human con-
traption was of little use.
Without any of the four members of that pensive group

even noticing, during their slow procession a few little
wildflowers by the trail seemed to guess their thoughts
perfectly well, and say to one another without speaking:
“In due course they will learn that wanting to trap any
instant is as illusory as wanting to grasp the wind with
one’s own hands.”
91
“And when that moment of enlightenment arrives,” other

nearby flowers added, “they will also realize something
we know well: The best option would have been to bet-
ter value the very instant in which one is living.”
But those inaudible voices were lost in space without

having been listened to by anyone. And the men, com-
pletely oblivious to them, continue peacefully on their
way.
92
CHAPTER VII
D IVERGENCES
Sooner than the men had imagined, as they were chatting

about various topics while enjoying the countryside’s natu-
ral wonders, they reached the property limit. For a while,
the four remained there, admiring towards the southeast a
lovely valley where only the horizon’s undulating line
marked a sort of division between the fields’ numerous
tones of green and the sky’s resplendent blues. Completing
that unmatched picture, the herb-scented soft breeze that
welcomed them on their arrival was still with them.
Gustavo, who’s nearly ecstatic, exclaims: “Don Alonso,

just look! What a spectacle! You must be used to all this,
but for us, this is simply incredible.”
Then, Don Alonso turns and stares fixedly at him and

says: “May I speak frankly about something that truly
bothers me?”
“Of course,” Gustavo answers, somewhat disconcertedly,

“that’s why we’re here.”
Álvaro also remains anxious, sensing that the Don Alonso

who is still unknown to them could emerge at any mo-
ment with those ideas that are so typically his.
“Maybe you’ll be surprised by what I’m about to tell

you,” Don Alonso declares in his low but firm voice. “The
whole earth, to a greater or lesser extent and depending
on its local characteristics, could be more or less in this
fine condition, if we humans didn’t make mistakes like
the ones we make today, not to mention others that would
take days for me to explain.
93
“And what’s more,” he adds, with that characteristic way

of thinking that Álvaro already knew so well, “what dis-
tresses me the most is what we’re doing in the human
realm.”
During the following pause, Jorge and Gustavo were giv-

ing the impression that they wanted to introduce some
ideas of their own. Álvaro, however, makes a discrete
sign with his left hand, signaling that they should hold on
a little to allow Don Alonso to speak at length about some-
thing he seemed to want to tell them.
“The extraordinary potential,” Don Alonso continues,

“that lies in each person’s heart and mind returns, com-
pletely wasted, back to earth.”
“Oftentimes we pride ourselves, somewhat vainly, about

what we achieve throughout history. But you know, that’s
truly insignificant compared to what has slipped away
from our hands. Along with the sorrow we cause around
the world, those negative effects will come full circle
back to us.
“The greatest crime ever committed since we’ve been

walking the earth,” he continues, under Gustavo and
Jorge’s astonished gaze, “—and I want to state that we’ve
committed innumerable outrages— is to have allowed
this phenomenal waste by the human race to occur.
“The development of our true potential was intended

since time immemorial to propitiate an unprecedented
human and socioeconomic level that we cannot even
imagine.
“The greatest geniuses in history,” he goes on with that

serenity that could penetrate the soul, “have been mere
exceptions because in their case, the basic elements that
94
brought out part of their capacity simply converged in

them.
“And the main obstacle to making the most of that poten-

tial, gentlemen, is mankind’s foolishness and blindness,
though of course we feel we’re tremendously wise.”
At that moment a nearly magical though imperceptible

change in the atmosphere occurs. The silent members of
the natural environment that surrounded them had kept
a distant attitude towards the group, but suddenly, they
seem to change their focus.
Moreover, the sudden change in the conversation’s tone

brought about by the group’s interest in the subject matter
caused the fantastic scenery facing them to recede in
their minds.
Then, intrigued by such statements by Don Alonso,

Gustavo adds: “For the most part I agree with you, but
I’d like you to clarify a little what you’re referring to.”
Jorge then interjects, “And another thing, there is some-

thing I cannot quite understand: Who are those opposed
to what you were explaining concerning the population
question? And given its impact from a socioeconomic
standpoint, What are their arguments? What’s the rea-
soning behind their disagreements? What impels them
to take a contrarian position?”
“Those are key questions you are asking me.” Don Alonso
replies as he makes a soft gesture with his hand, inviting
them to keep walking home. “That’s precisely what I
refer to when I speak of human limitation.”
“The world is freezing to death,” he says in his own figu-

rative style, “and yet we keep safeguarding self-serving
95
interests and improvising with cobbled—together the-

ses, as if we had all the time in the world to keep fooling
around and human life didn’t matter one bit.
“What foundations have we been grounded on to seek to

justify our errors? A few individuals have based them-
selves on superficialities and half-truths while the rest,
the immense majority, haven’t bothered to analyze the
validity of those postulates and have preferred to follow
what’s been decided by others …
“And in fact,” he goes on, this time a bit more calmly,

“those were some of the main reasons why I’ve invited
you again.
“When I speak of the fact that we humans base our-

selves on superficialities and appearances, I refer to how
we reach conclusions with little thought and also how
we base an entire thesis on something that is groundless.
If you allow me, and for lack of time, I’ll cite only one
example taken from history.
“In the mid-nineteenth century, there was a French phi-

losopher and diplomat named Joseph Arthur de
Gobineau who put forth a perfect example of the follies
I’m referring to. And please observe how, unfortunately,
many took it very seriously; you could almost say to the
letter.
“This gentleman, based on mere conjectures, developed

a theory of Aryan racial superiority and expounded on it
in a book entitled Essay on the inequality of the human
races. This text was, regrettably, considered by many as
one of the foundations of racial demographics; indeed,
his works constituted one of the first pillars of that
pseudoscientific racism that has harmed the world so
much.
96
“Decades later, others based themselves on this thesis to

lay the foundations of what would become, during the
Second World War, the fateful Holocaust.
“But you see, What was the basis for such a thesis? Mere
appearances and half-truths. Currently, however, it’s
been indisputably demonstrated by means of the human
genome map, that all humans on this planet come from
the same genetic ancestor.
“Nevertheless,” he repeats, “as I was saying, most of the

times personal or political expedience, sustained by ap-
pearances or half-truths, gains the upper hand.
“There are certainly external differences between hu-

mans, but these are the result of climate, nourishment,
education and many other circumstantial factors.”
Gustavo, cautiously though with growing interest,

counters: “But Don Alonso, in the nineteenth century we
didn’t even have the human genome map you’re talking
about.”
“But we had common sense,” he promptly replies, “like

when Aristotle, Hernando de Soto and others noticed,
long before the nineteenth century, that skin tone, for
example, is determined by greater or lesser exposure to
the Sun; this in turn depended on the latitude people
lived in.
“And you’ve asked me a question about current errors,

one of them being the demographic question. What
causes them? Something similar: superficialities, and not
analyzing things well. I’ll comment about something while
asking you to let me know if you agree with me as I don’t
want to incur in the mistakes that I myself criticize.
97
“During the sixties, many researchers of world demo-

graphics foresaw the possible socioeconomic effects that
an increase in the rate of population growth would bring
to the underdeveloped world. This new trend, derived
in turn from the fortunate decrease in the mortality rate
I just mentioned, impelled them to warn of certain nega-
tive social effects that would be unleashed.
“For that reason, they approached various influential

world leaders, including Pope Paul VI.
“He and the highest Catholic Church authorities were

presented with the scenario that much of the planet could
be facing should family planning be prohibited. Namely,
a ban would generate an excessive and unprecedented
demographic increase in the world, and that would be
accompanied by the effects I just listed.”
Gustavo and Jorge remain deliberately in silence, hop-

ing to learn more about Don Alonso’s peculiar point of
view.
“Upon receiving such a presentation,” Don Alonso re-

sumes, “and to analyze the matter properly, the Pope
named a committee of specialists to elucidate whether
the world might indeed be facing such a situation, just as
the experts were predicting.”
Gustavo, now increasingly interested, asks Don Alonso:

“And what conclusion did they reach?”
“After a thorough analysis, eleven of the sixteen mem-

bers of the committee established by Pope Paul VI him-
self concluded that the experts were right. They recom-
mended that he abstain from forbidding the use of what
the Church called artificial contraceptives.
98
“It was a real surprise for the world’s scientific community

when that Pope, going against the opinion of his own advi-
sors and the foremost experts on the subject, published the
encyclical entitled Humanae Vitae in July 1968, in which the
use of contraceptives was explicitly prohibited.
“But, Don Alonso,” Jorge objects, “at that time the pre-
sentation by the demographers painted a landscape of
near-disaster. That didn’t happen, and therefore I con-
sider that their calculations were incorrect.
“Well guess what, “Don Alonso responds, “those predic-

tions weren’t incorrect. What happened was that as a
result of the experts’ predictions, we achieved a slight
reduction in the world’s extremely high population
growth rate, as witnessed shortly after the middle of the
twentieth century. Otherwise, those predictions would
have been spot on. Nevertheless, we are still above the
desirable level, and that’s one of the true origins of the
problems we face today.
“And I want to make clear that, obviously, the subject we

are discussing wasn’t the only one responsible for the
socioeconomic conflicts unleashed in the following de-
cades, but it was one of the most relevant and its effects
are plain to see.
“You see, there’s another aspect that we must also ana-

lyze: After setting aside the millions of infants who have
died since the mid-twentieth century, the huge number
of clandestine abortions performed for the reasons we
have discussed and the cascade of deficiencies in nearly
all spheres of life, we have yet to examine how this ex-
cessive demographic growth has influenced the rise in
violence in the parts of the world where it is highest.
“This develops in various stages. First, as the social

satisfiers don’t increase at the same rate as the require-
99
ments, a great number of deficits begin to proliferate in

many basic social areas.
“Subsequently, as those failed social policies begin to

interact, an understandable unease begins to exacerbate
the community. Almost as a rule, in every country the
government in power is held directly responsible for what
is occurring, even as the immense majority doesn’t even
comprehend the true underlying causes of such external
manifestations.
“In the final phase, faced with such primary shortages

and other secondary consequences —such as forced mi-
grations from some areas to others— some political and
even religious leaders will promptly finger the rulers in
power. They will be held responsible for that entire range
of insufficiencies, without even making the slightest pro-
nouncement on the underlying causes that gave rise to
them in the first place.”
“In other words,” Gustavo asks, “according to you, a high

population growth rate will also express itself as greater
migratory flows?”
“Of course,” Don Alonso immediately answers, “although

I want to make clear that it’s not the only factor that
affects them. Other factors that influence migration in-
clude armed conflicts, unemployment, insecurity, vio-
lence and so on. But very often, however, this adverse
environment was at first largely propitiated by a high popu-
lation growth rate. When any community finds itself im-
mersed in the shortages that go hand in hand with such a
picture, an explosive —or unstable at best— social atmo-
sphere begins to grow in an almost imperceptible way.
“As an example relating to violence, see what happened

in Latin America: Nearly without exception, the coun-
100
tries with the highest population growth rates were the

ones enduring the highest homicide rate per hundred
thousand inhabitants. Conversely, those with a more
manageable rate had the same index showing reduced
numbers.”
“But what do these leaders say in such a situation?” Jorge

asks.
“As I insist to you all,” Don Alonso replies, “they attribute

it, almost as a rule, to other causes only, among them the
supposedly bad governments.
“Curiously, and going back to my example about non-

existent racial superiority, we can see that anyone would
also reach false conclusions by making a superficial judg-
ment that emphasized the effects more than the causes.
“By assessing things so lightly, anyone would conclude

that most published books, inventions and important
scientific and technological breakthroughs came from
regions whose inhabitants had certain external racial
characteristics. It would mean, one would think, that they
were like some sort of better people.
“On the other hand, a deeper analysis would have led to

a different conclusion: It would likely have pointed to
the basic causes that were producing such effects.
“But since we’re analyzing concrete cases, let’s look at

one of those current errors which are based on mere
superficialities. When the somewhat conflicting situation
in certain social spheres in Europe is analyzed, some
people conclude that this is due in part to the supposed
‘greying of the population.’ Likewise, they consider ‘young
population countries’ as places where there’s a suppos-
edly smaller percentage of ‘dependent population.’”
101
“But that’s true, isn’t it?” Jorge asks.
“So that you can see what I’m referring to,” Don Alonso
explains, “after a superficial analysis that would seem to
be the case. By analyzing it better, however, we see that
the opposite is true, as I was telling Gustavo last time.
Remember?”
“I remember very well,” Gustavo replies, “but since Jorge

wasn’t here…”
“You see Jorge,” Don Alonso says as he turns towards

him, “how easy it is to get confused with half-truths. We
are assured that where the population is older, the per-
centage of dependent people is high.”
“But isn’t it so?” Jorge asks.
“What happens is that the population considered as de-

pendent isn’t just the older-than-65 segment, and even
that is debatable. We must also necessarily include as
‘dependent’ the zero-to-15 segment, and just observe how
different it is to see things in an objective and complete
way.”
Don Alonso turns to Álvaro, “We need to resort to your

little gizmo’s data again. Can you give us one more fig-
ure according to the latest statistics?
“So we can clear our doubts, What’s the dependent popu-

lation percentage in the ‘youngest’ continent, which is
Africa? Then get us the same figure for the European
Economic Union, which is the oldest.”
After a short while, during which time the group stopped

to give Álvaro a chance to get the data, he announces:
“Africa has a four percent over-age-65 dependent popu-
102
lation and 41 percent for minors under age 15, which

gives a dependent total of 45 percent.
“Now as far as the European Community is concerned,

let’s see … Yes, here it is! It has 18 percent for the over-
65 group and 16 percent for the under-15, which gives us
a dependent total of 34 percent.”
“In short,” Don Alonso declares, “we have that in the

youngest area 45 percent of the population is dependent
whereas it’s 34 percent in the oldest. I consider this yet
another factor that affects them, on top of those we’ve
already mentioned.
“What happens,” Don Alonso continues, “is that

oftentimes, when someone faces a determined problem,
it’s attributed to apparent issues, when its true cause
could be elsewhere.
“Look at one of the errors that were committed in Eu-

rope when the government in certain countries assumed,
for political expedience, a populist stance. To get votes,
they somewhat deceitfully offered their voters not to
move up the retirement age in proportion to the increase
in life expectancy which caused, on the one hand, a crimi-
nal waste of priceless experience and on the other, the
absurdly elevated cost of supporting a significant jobless
population segment.”
“Then,” Jorge interjects, “an increase in the median age

doesn’t have an impact?”
“Absolutely not,” he responds. “If the population’s me-

dian age is kept at about half of life expectancy, then,
believe me, that would be normal and even the desir-
able outcome.
103
“Look, if we draw a younger country’s population graph

according to age groups, we’ll see something resembling
a pyramid. But as the decades go by we’ll start to see
that more and more countries will have to form a popu-
lation whose graph is shaped like a vertically set rect-
angle.”
Jorge tries to look at the matter through the lens of those

who oppose family planning. Suddenly an idea comes to
mind which he immediately puts forward to Don Alonso:
“Setting aside for now the previously mentioned issues
such as infant deaths and so on, Couldn’t it be, Don
Alonso, that by limiting population growth we are pre-
venting the birth of millions of human beings to whom
we are practically denying the chance to exist?”
Don Alonso quickly responds, “Again, I consider that it’s

the other way around. I’ll tell you why, while asking you
to please let me know if you agree with me.
“The way to limit the birth of many billions in the centu-

ries to come, God willing, is precisely by putting at risk
the planet’s equilibrium, which is what we would be doing
by propitiating an excessively rapid population growth.
“With the help of our friend Álvaro here present, I’ve

been following on the internet many well-grounded the-
ses presented at the World Forum in Davos, and I’ll only
comment on one of them.
“What’s more, and to put it to you more precisely, Do

you remember Álvaro that I also asked you to save a
summary of what was presented about the planet’s equi-
librium at the University of Stockholm’s Research Cen-
ter? By any chance, do you have it here as well?”
“I have it here too.”
104
“Wonderful little thing,” Gustavo comments.
“Would you read that summary, please?”
“Of course …”
A few seconds later, Álvaro declares: “The study in ques-

tion concluded that there are nine key limits for the sta-
bility of our planet: one, climate change; two, the change
in the integrity of the biosphere, that is, loss of biodiversity
and extinction of species; three, the thinning of the strato-
spheric ozone layer; four, the acidification of the oceans;
five, the alteration of the biochemical flow of phospho-
rus and nitrogen; six, changes in land use; seven, the
drinking water crisis; eight, the atmosphere’s aerosol
contaminant load, and nine, the introduction of new or-
ganic, radioactive, nanomaterial and microplastic con-
taminants.
“The research center’s recent study concludes that, on a

global scale, the most worrisome matter is the fact that
four of the nine aforementioned limits have been ex-
ceeded. And they added, ‘Transgressing a limit increases
the risk that human activities will inadvertently take the
terrestrial system to a far less hospitable state, thereby
stymying efforts to reduce poverty and deteriorating
human wellbeing in many parts.’”
“My esteemed Álvaro, let’s leave it there if you wish,”

Don Alonso tells him. “I just wanted to assure Jorge that
since we are putting our future billions of brothers and
sisters at risk, we must not alter the fragile equilibrium
of our beautiful blue planet. And remember what Ce-
Atl, that simple but wise North American chief said: ‘We
haven’t inherited the Earth from our ancestors; rather,
we have it on loan from our children.’ I don’t know what
you think, but I believe the man was right.
105
“To clear your doubt, Jorge, I consider that forcing the

advent of too many people in a short period of time is
how we put at risk the delicate balance of our ecosys-
tem. As a result, yes, we foolishly jeopardize the many
billions more who are yet to come. With a stabilized
growth rate, however, we could offer them all the neces-
sary opportunities for their wellbeing.
“Just imagine,” Don Alonso concludes, “the damage that

can be done to mankind by those who don’t see things
clearly and objectively.”
After getting such a simple and forceful answer, Jorge

looks confusedly at Gustavo and Álvaro, as if wanting to
know their opinion on the matter. Álvaro, however, re-
mains silent, waiting with an expectant look for his an-
swer. Gustavo, for his part, simply shrugs his shoulders
to give his friend the chance to elaborate on the points
he disagrees with.
Without hitting upon an answer, Jorge raises his voice a

little and declares: “Well, you are in disagreement with
Papal authority, and I believe the current Pope has al-
ready assumed a more realistic attitude in that regard. I
understand that upon his return from Indonesia recently,
he declared that it wasn’t realistic for Catholics to breed
like rabbits.”
“Indeed he said that,” Don Alonso confirms. “I even down-

loaded that interview on the computer at home with
Álvaro. Isn’t that right Álvaro?”
“Yes sir, only it’s in Italian but it can be understood rea-

sonably well.”
“And as you well cite,” Don Alonso continues, “one can

infer that he’s got a more realistic attitude, though unfor-
106
tunately he doesn’t have a properly informed vision on

the matter.”
“Why do you believe so?” Jorge asks.
“Later in that same interview, he recommends that the

ideal number of children should be three.”
“My God! And doesn’t that seem realistic to you?”
“It’s not whether it seems feasible to me or not; it just

indicates that he isn’t getting adequate information on
world events.
“Look Jorge,” Don Alonso adds, “currently we have a

world average of 2.5 children per woman, including both
developed and underdeveloped counties.
“And as I was telling you a few moments ago, thanks to the

fortunate decrease in the mortality indices, we would num-
ber, with 2.5 children per couple, a little over 11 billion by
the year 2050 instead of the predicted 9.68. The lower num-
ber would be reached by that year if we could count on a
slightly lower number of descendants; this would be the
result of the couples’ greater responsibility which is in turn
derived from a better flow of information to the public.
“However, if the Pope recommends a number of chil-

dren that’s even higher than the current one, then I get
the impression that he doesn’t have the necessary infor-
mation at his disposal.”
“Doesn’t he have the necessary information available?”

Jorge objects, with some irritation.
“With all due respect,” Don Alonso retorts, “he doesn’t

have the necessary data to emit such a recommenda-
tion, and I’m going to tell you why I believe it is so.
107
“If we could manage to reach a population of 9.68 billion

by 2050 without inflicting serious damage to the planet,
it would be an extraordinary achievement. However,
many of us consider that it would be prudent to stabilize
the population at an even lower level so as not to incur in
unnecessary risks, to avoid further damage to the eco-
system and even to attempt to propitiate a more gener-
ally and integrally developed world.
“But let’s look at the numbers,” Don Alonso proposes.

“Nowadays, it’s incredibly easy to make mathematical
projections with various outcomes.
“We have already carried out various simulations in the

home computer, which is larger. Look, if we were to
continue on the same trajectory with the same global
average of 2.5 children per woman, by the year 2050, as
I was saying, we could number over 11 billion.
“And guess what: If we were to follow the Pope’s recom-

mendation of three children per woman, by 2050 we
would be a little over 13 billon, which would not only
irreversibly damage the planet, but would also generate
an additional human and economic disaster.
“And what’s more,” Don Alonso says as he turns towards

Gustavo, “I ask you to please check our calculations with
an expert on the subject that you might know.
“What would in no way be logical would be to act care-

lessly, to follow hunches or superficial assessments be-
cause this manner of proceeding has been precisely the
origin of the immense majority of the problems and
mistakes we have always incurred in.”
Noting that the conversation was heating up, Gustavo

intervenes. “If you like, Don Alonso, and as you suggested,
108
we’ll check your data and, if they prove correct, we’ll

pass them on to the pertinent authorities, I assure you.
But look, Jorge,” he says as he turns towards him, “that’s
precisely the advantage of dialogue: It’s the give and
take of information that allows us all to grow.”
“Of course,” Álvaro now interjects, “on other occasions

Don Alonso has told me that society is like a giant puzzle
where each one of us, like a tiny piece, contributes his or
her truth; we thereby achieve together the shaping of
the grand total.”
“Well yes,” answers Jorge, somewhat uncomfortably, “but

for that reason too, authorities, to be respected and fol-
lowed, were established in the world.”
Don Alonso cuts in: “In all frankness I’m going to ask
Jorge a great favor. May I give you my opinion?”
“Of course, but I must confess that so far your state-

ments disconcert me a lot. However, give me your point
of view and later, with the same frankness, I’ll give you
mine.”
“Perfect. But before continuing, Jorge, let me tell you

that I have a deep respect for all the world’s religious
congregations, and for the leaders who direct them as
well.
“Many of the things I don’t share,” Jorge resumes, as if

carefully reconsidering his choice of words, “aren’t re-
ally the current leaders’ errors; they are in fact the re-
sult of a series of circumstances that were produced, for
one reason or another, throughout the centuries.
“Jorge, I insist. Really, can we continue? Now I can move

on to the next topic I wanted to share with you.”
109
“No, no,” Jorge says, backpedaling a little. “I lose noth-

ing by listening to you, without necessarily agreeing.”
“Sure?”
“Sure.”
“Thanks, Jorge. Look, the concept of authority you have

just mentioned,” Don Alonso states as prudently as he
could, “is an element we must handle with some care,
and I’m going to tell you why I believe it is so. There are
some necessary qualifications and determinants for an
authority to be properly sustained. The main one is that
they should in turn be subjected to the superior author-
ity that produced them in the first place.
Jorge turns with discomfort towards Don Alonso and asks:

“What do you mean by that?”
“If I’m being bothersome, let me know Jorge, and we

can stop. I don’t want to be disrespectful in any way.”
Gustavo then addresses Jorge: “Let’s allow Don Alonso

to say what he thinks and after that we can make the
pertinent objections. I’m sure Don Alonso will listen with
pleasure, isn’t that right?”
“Of course. And not only that, I would even ask you to
proceed in this way. I firmly believe in a sociologist’s
wise adage: ‘Each complaint is a gift.’ A well-founded
observation coming from the other side —and well re-
ceived by ours— is in truth a growth opportunity. This
way I’ll learn things.
“Ah! And speaking of errors,” he says while turning to-

wards Álvaro, “guess what: While you were away some-
thing funny happened. We had low water pressure on
110
the far side of the hill, and I insistently asked Amarildo

to turn the pump’s booster dial one way and it was the
other!”
“And then what happened?” Álvaro asks with great curi-

osity.
“The pressure dropped to zero in that part,” Don Alonso

answers with a smile, “but we called Javier, the engineer
from Zamora, who kindly got here as fast as he could.
Anyway, I’m telling you this because it can happen to
anyone; that’s why it’s crucial not to cling on to anything
and to learn how to listen, and also to admit one’s fail-
ures.
“But Jorge, returning to what we were discussing, we

humans can all make mistakes, but it would be bad to try
to impose our truth on others at any price.
“And going back to the term authority, I assure you it’s

a crucial and necessary concept in any past, present
and future society. Nevertheless, because of that same
ease with which we make mistakes, it should be sub-
ject to various parameters because we could do fool-
ish things.”
At that moment they reach the edge of the little dam

where they find, as if they were waiting for them, the
garden chairs and that wonderful afternoon vista. Álvaro
invites them all to take a seat.
“Gentlemen, do you remember that you allowed me the

use of examples?” Don Alonso asks in his characteristi-
cally deliberate wording.
“Of course,” Gustavo replies while Jorge looks on in si-

lence and unease.
111
“Look, I’ll tell about a case that is extreme and beyond

comparison with what we’re discussing, but I’ll mention
it as a reference concept only.
“At the end of the deplorable Second World War we

mentioned previously, many of those responsible for that
conflict were put on trial. Obviously, they tried to justify
themselves by arguing that they were just following their
authority’s orders.
“I ask you, morally or ethically speaking, Were they right

in obeying the authority?”
They all remain somewhat anxious, waiting to see the

point of the example.
“They were wrong to follow it,” Don Alonso declares,

“because it emanated from a deceitful higher political
authority. The regime had become a mere dictatorship,
backed up by force and shielded by skillful propaganda
and deprivation of liberty.
“And above that so-called authority, there was an even

higher one, of a divine character, separate from moral
laws and even common sense; it instructed them not to
commit crimes against our fellow men and women.
“Let’s see, what other example can I give you? Ah! I

know. I’ll give you this one: A few decades ago in some
South American countries, a kind of dirty war was waged
whereby people were killed extrajudicially because of
their political beliefs.
“Let’s suppose that one of us here is a captain whose

superior, a colonel, orders the elimination of a group of
25 people considered subversives. That colonel is your
112
superior and, without a doubt, your authority at that point

in time. Must you obey him or not?”
Jorge looks the other way, sensing the answer that follows.
“I don’t think so, because above the colonel, there is

another superior authority he is not obeying, and if that
weren’t enough, he knows he has the Constitution which
is above all the country’s laws and people. In it it’s ex-
plicitly stated that a person’s life cannot be taken; a per-
son can only be brought to justice, which will then deter-
mine a course of action.
Jorge remains somewhat surprised by what he’s hear-

ing and asks, “But what do you mean by that?”
“Something as simple as this: If a religious or political, or

any authority for that matter, doesn’t follow in turn that
which gives them a foundation, their actions become
completely without legitimacy.”
“But Don Alonso, what you’re saying is such an outrage!

According to you, in what way aren’t they following it?”
“Correct me if I’m wrong,” Don Alonso retorts, but we,

as Christians, are grounded in the Gospels, and in them
it clearly says in Mathew 23,9 that we mustn’t place any
human being above the rest. Surely they were anticipat-
ing what would happen later, knowing that we all make
mistakes. For example, a single person can drag an en-
tire congregation in a different direction, as it has hap-
pened at various times in our history.”
“It seems to me,” Jorge asserts, “that you’re against the

Catholic Church.”
“Of course not, and I’ll tell you why: These anomalous
situations have occurred in many religious or political
113
organizations and in all cases, a transgression like the

one I described produces the same effect.
“As proof of that, if, and for the sake of argument, in

another Christian congregation a pastor should pretend
that what he establishes must be followed, rather than
what the Gospels proclaim, then his authority has lost
the basis on which it is founded. Consequently, his flock
mustn’t follow him. That’s what I’m referring to.
“Something completely different occurs,” Don Alonso

points out, “when an authority of any kind is perfectly
aligned with that which supports it, because then it must
be respected and followed. And Jorge, I want to make
this clear: The functioning of our society would not be
possible without the existence of authorities, but they
are valid only if structured the way that I’m explaining.
“It would be wrong of me if I had an aversion to any

group, Catholic or not. I know very valuable people who
form part of that church, and in our world we need their
—and indeed everyone’s— participation by proceeding
in the indicated manner.
“But look Jorge,” he goes on, “seeing it now under a dif-

ferent perspective, this time within a social context, can
I use another one of my examples?”
“Go ahead,” Gustavo answers while Jorge and Álvaro

remain quiet.
“The moment of birth, “Don Alonso resumes, “is when a

human being has the greatest number of brain neurons,
but strangely enough, that’s not when we possesses our
greatest potential. Do you know why?”
The three remain quiet, waiting to see where he was

going with that.
114
“A person’s true development will occur only when, with

the passing of the years, these neurons begin to commu-
nicate between themselves. I’ll also mention that if this
interconnection process is interrupted, that person will
never reach his or her potential and will possibly remain
seriously disadvantaged, depending on the degree of
neuronal isolation.
“Something similar,” he tells them, “will occur in the glo-

bal community. Right now we are far from reaching our
true potential, precisely for that same reason. Although
there are new communication pathways technologically
far superior to those imagined in centuries past, we of-
ten take an obstinate position whereby we limit and even
close off the path to other truths that don’t agree with
our own. We should remain receptive and, when in dis-
agreement with others, make clear the reasons why we
think differently, rather than simply isolating ourselves
or demonizing others.
“Since we have already cited the aberrant case of the

Second World War, believe me, that would never have
happened if only something incredibly simple had been
allowed to prevail: to safeguard the free and open ex-
pression of opposing points of view.
“This demonstrates,” Don Alonso emphasizes, “that when

one begins by burning books or by prohibiting the ex-
pression of different ideas, not only does it expose an
ideological closedmindedness that often leads to the burn-
ing of people, but it also becomes a formidable obstacle
for true human development.
“And I’ll go further: You won’t believe me, Jorge, but

these divisions that we create between human beings
not only have no justification within groups considered
as Christian, but also within non-Christian communities
115
because the God of the other’s beliefs isn’t a being dif-

ferent from ours. He’s the same one, and if you or I choose
our beliefs through the Christian faith, that doesn’t mean
we must force others to think like us; we should simply,
in any case, limit ourselves to exposing our point of view,
without forgetting that God himself allows liberty so that
each can choose his or her own path.
While Gustavo and Álvaro become increasingly appre-

hensive, Jorge remains thoughtful and responds, “Well,
that’s true. However you won’t deny that as you rightly
put it, we have the Christian faith and the Lord estab-
lished the successors of Peter as his representative and
as pillars of the Church. That doesn’t allow for those
interpretations that you make.”
“First of all,” Don Alonso answers, “I thank you for al-

lowing me to dissent from your stance and to openly
exchange opinions because this way we will both grow.
“Actually, the apostolic succession is something Chris-

tians sustain, although I don’t consider it altogether ac-
curate.”
“Not altogether accurate?”
“No. During the first centuries of the Christian era, the

‘Universal Bishopric,’ or see of the bishop that is now
invoked wasn’t even constituted. It was created in the
seventh century, specifically beginning in 606, when the
Eastern Roman emperor, named Phocas, had an impor-
tant dispute with the Christian bishop of Constantinople,
who didn’t recognize him as a legitimate political leader.
The bishop was accusing him of having reached that
position by murdering Mauritius, the true emperor, and
his family.
116
“Facing an opposition that was lessening his authority,”

Don Alonso explains, almost measuring his words so as
not to inconvenience Jorge any further, “Phocas came
up with a political compromise: Aware of the rivalry
between the bishopric of Constantinople and that of
Rome, he put to good use a certain friendship he had
with the bishop of Rome when he, due to other circum-
stances, was living in Constantinople. Phocas proposed
to the bishop of Rome the following deal: recognition as
‘Universal Bishop’ if he, in turn, would formally acknowl-
edge him as the legitimate ruler of the Eastern Roman
Empire. The compromise was reached.”
Jorge objects, “But everybody recognizes the Pope as

Peter’s successor.”
“That’s been assured for many centuries,” Don Alonso

confirms. “Indeed, after the aforementioned date, a long
list of the supposed successors of the Apostle Peter was
recorded. However, there’s no irrefutable documenta-
tion that proves the accuracy of the succession from the
first Roman bishop to the year 606. Should it exist, I would
like to know the place where they are being kept, to let
the world’s researchers know about it and, in any case,
to convince myself that I was wrong. But I and many
others believe that such documents don’t exist.”
Jorge looks askance, but his friend Gustavo discreetly

takes him by the arm, as if suggesting that he let Don
Alonso elaborate on what he considers his truth; then
Jorge would get his turn to explain his reasons.
Jorge tacitly accepts to continue the conversation and

announces: “The truth, Don Alonso, is that at this mo-
ment I couldn’t refute anything you say. What I do feel is
that you could even put my beliefs at risk.”
117
“Believe me Jorge, I would by no means want something

like that to happen. I would prefer that you delve deeper
into your own beliefs. I’m certain that your convictions
will not only not weaken but grow much stronger, like
the house that isn’t built on sand, but on bedrock.”
And after a few seconds of silence, Don Alonso adds some-

thing else: “As a way of concluding the point you’ve al-
lowed me to discuss, if you allow me, I’ll explain a few of
the reasons by which I arrived at my current position.
“Will you allow me to finish with this, before moving on to

the next topic I want to share? Or do you prefer that we
drop the subject? Feel free to let me know what you want.”
Jorge remains deep in thought for a few seconds and

then says: “Continue if you like…”
“Look, throughout the course of the papacy, there have

been political successes and mistakes. Among the suc-
cesses, just to mention one of them, we could highlight
the work done at the end of the last century to avoid a
conflict between Argentina and Chile.
“Among the errors of the twentieth century,” he contin-

ues, “there’s the unfortunate demographic prospect we
have just mentioned. Who am I to point out ways to take
action? The only thing I seek is for us not to place one
human being above the rest, that’s all. In fact that’s
clearly expressed in the Gospels. Only God never errs;
that’s why we should follow Him.”
“Now I’ll tell you something,” Jorge interrupts. “Back

then the Lord told Peter that all that he tied on Earth
would remain tied in Heaven. So please notice: He is
giving him a sort of ample prerogative to direct the
Church.”
118
“That phrase, my dear Jorge,” Don Alonso retorts,

“doesn’t constitute —not even remotely— a mandate for
free conduct, but is instead a very important warning on
the great repercussions of any human’s action, no mat-
ter how insignificant it may seem. Everything we do or
cease to do will have inevitable consequences in this life
or the next.
“Proof of that is that in the two chapters after the citation

you’ve just mentioned, He repeats it not just to Peter, but
also to all those who were listening. Moreover, as his-
toric proof that I haven’t made up what I’ve just told
you, and hoping not to bore you too much, I’ll just tell
you a few facts. The first councils, starting with the Council
of Nicea in the fourth century, to the Fourth Council of
Constantinople, held during the ninth, were not convened
by any pope, but mostly by the Eastern Roman emper-
ors for the simple reason that in the early centuries, the
‘Universal Bishop,’ or Pope, didn’t even exist.
“The first council summoned by a pope was the First

Lateran Council, which was held, I believe, in 1123.”
For Álvaro, this kind of conversation was no surprise.

And while Gustavo delighted in the pile of information
that Don Alonso was sharing with them, Jorge remained
on the lookout and a little annoyed too.
Don Alonso resumes, “Then, what happened, most likely,

is that Peter never set foot in Rome because among many
other things, it is perfectly noted in what we know today
as the New Testament that Peter would devote himself
to the Jews and Paul to the rest, who were named the
Gentiles.
“In the same New Testament, it is also mentioned that

the Jews had been expelled from Rome, so tell me: What
119
reason might Peter have had in going to a place where on

the one hand there were almost no Jews and on the other,
nobody would understand him in his native Aramaic?”
“Guess what, Don Alonso,” announces Álvaro, “all of a

sudden this is becoming clear to me: I think that the
Jews’ expulsion from Rome that you mentioned right
now is described in Chapter 18 of Acts.”
“Actually, Álvaro,” Don Alonso tells him as he tries to

resume his explanation, “the matter is more or less clear,
but look, judge for yourselves.
“Paul was not only a citizen of Rome, but could speak

Latin, Greek and Aramaic. The first ones who errone-
ously placed Peter in Rome were based on the apocryphal
gospels which, as their name suggests, are forgeries.
“Those texts, some of which are fanciful, were written

mostly during the second and third century. And as I
was saying, it was precisely on those gospels that other
authors based themselves to accept the supposed sojourn
of the great apostle Peter in Rome.
“I don’t know,” Don Alonso continues, trying not to trouble

Jorge any further, “if we have ever asked ourselves, Why
all this unusual interest in this or that person’s stay in
the capital of the Roman Empire?
“It’s for a very simple reason: Having been the capital of

the most powerful empire of its day, more than one might
have assigned more relevance to the Bishopric of Rome
than to that of Jerusalem, Antioch, Constantinople,
Carthage or any other city. However, we seldom ponder
that, fortunately, the thoughts of the true apostles were
focused on spreading the message they carried instead
of thinking about the political aspects of the situation.
120
“Paul was the only apostle who, basically to defend his

life from those who wanted to kill him, rightly appealed
to the Caesar, asserting his rights as a Roman citizen and
availing himself to the legislation of the day. It was a
skillful move that brought him —albeit in the custody of
soldiers— to the capital of the Empire.
“It’s worth mentioning though, that over time Paul’s

Roman citizenship didn’t help him much; that’s because
the Christian movement, after some years, began to feel
the Roman authorities’ enmity.
“But going back to what I was saying,” Don Alonso con-

tinues under Jorge’s disconcerted gaze, “in the last part
of one of his letters in the New Testament, the great
apostle Peter mentions that he’s in Babylon. Now, there
were in Babylon very important Jewish communities that
had settled there since the beginning of the sixth century
B.C., when King Nebuchadnezzar brought to that place
a great part of the Jewish people.”
“But Don Alonso,” Álvaro, increasingly intrigued, inter-

jects again, “after the destruction of the Persian Empire
by Alexander the Great during the fourth century B.C.,
and even before that, the Jewish people had already
returned to the Jerusalem area, isn’t that right?”
“Well,” Don Alonso responds as he turns towards him,

“in fact a large part of the Jewish people had already
been allowed to return, beginning in the time of Cyrus
the Great, who had manifested a more lenient policy
towards the conquered peoples.
“Later, another Jewish group returned when the Persian

Empire was destroyed as you mention. However, a sig-
nificant part of the Jewish people remained in Babylon.
And to give yourselves an idea of the enormous influ-
121
ence the Persian period had on Jewish culture, I don’t

know if you have ever asked yourselves when the Ara-
maic language was introduced to the Jewish people, since
that was still the language spoken by the majority at the
time of Jesus Christ.
“It came to them with the Persian influence the Jewish

culture was exposed to during their stay in Babylon be-
cause, I think, King Darius issued an edict declaring
Aramaic as the official language of the Empire. So you
see, through their language they influenced the Jews for
many centuries. As an additional and curious bit of infor-
mation that highlights the importance of that Jewish settle-
ment in the Babylon area, I’ll mention that there’s a very
important book that compiles the customs and laws of
the Hebrew people. That book is called the Talmud.
“Notice the importance of that settlement: The Babylonic

Talmud wasn’t completed until several centuries after
Christ, and this book is far more important to them than
the Palestinian Talmud. If you like, Jorge, you can check
this information with a rabbi you might know.
“Therefore it would seem more logical to me,” he con-

cludes, “that after the apostles had agreed that Peter
would devote himself to the Jews, he would have trav-
elled to Persia where he could express himself in his
native Aramaic language.”
“Now that you’re giving us that information,” Álvaro says

to Don Alonso, “I remember that some people who try,
regardless of the facts, to place Peter in Rome have told
me that when Peter refers to his presence in Babylon, he
is in fact figuratively referring to Rome. Do you think
that’s possible?”
“I don’t think so Álvaro, and for a very simple reason:

The only book in the New Testament where a kind of
122
analogy between Rome and Babylon can somehow be

found is the Book of the Apocalypse. But remember, that
book wasn’t written until the late first century, in other
words, more than three decades after Peter’s geographical
and historical reference at the end of one of his letters.
“And if that weren’t enough, the Apocalypse, the last

book of the Bible, is the only one in the New Testament
that is full of symbology and figurative terms. That lan-
guage is not used in any of the other books of the New
Testament, where things are called by their name.
“For that reason, in my opinion, that argument doesn’t make

sense. I think it’s nothing more than a vain attempt to place
Peter, no matter what, in the capital of the Roman Empire
by trying to find some support for their thesis.
“But Jorge, going back to what I was telling you,” Don

Alonso says while turning towards him and mustering
all the tact that he could, “if there had been a successor
to Peter, which was something not foreseen and not even
mentioned in the New Testament, he would have had to
proceed in a manner similar to that of the great apostle.
And please note that Peter never called himself ‘Pope,’
‘Universal Bishop’ or any such term.”
“And how would we know that,” Jorge objects, “if, as you

say, there are no documents to support that?”
“There are some documents that are fully recognized by

all Christian groups, and which were written during the
second half of the first century of the Christian era. Those
are the 27 books of the New Testament, and most of
these were written as epistles, or letters.
“And like any letter,” Don Alonso points out, “it has a key
element at the beginning, which we could liken to the
123
sender, in which name and position are clearly speci-

fied. In Peter’s letters, please see for yourself, he never
describes himself as anything like a pope, but only as
one of the apostles. In another part, he is just another
member of the group of elders, which was a form of
shared and participative authority inherited from Jew-
ish tradition.
“Every time,” Don Alonso reiterates, “that Saint Peter,

Saint Paul and the other authors of the books of the New
Testament describe themselves, they do so merely as
‘apostles’ or ‘serfs.’ And, elaborating a little more, the
term ‘apostle’ comes from the Greek and means ‘the
one who is sent.’
“The only position of a certain authority recommended

or suggested by the apostles themselves was that of
bishop, also referred to as supervisors in other transla-
tions; it was used for those who would remain in charge
of the Church in a certain city.
“And unless you show me otherwise, absolutely none of

the apostles were even named city bishop. But I might
be mistaken. Therefore I ask you to please tell me if I’m
correct.
“And I’ll add something else for you, Jorge: I’ve just re-
ferred to the meaning of the word ‘apostle’, but for your
cultural edification, I’ll tell you the origin of another one,
and that word is ‘pontiff’.
“Long before the advent of the Roman Empire, there

were various cultures that assigned a particular role to
certain political leaders or distinguished members of
society. They were considered a sort of ‘bridge’ or link
between their gods and the rest of the humans.
124
“When that ancient pagan custom shifted to the Roman

Empire, that person took on the title ‘pontifex maximus’
in Latin or ‘pontiff’ which means bridge. And it was also
considered a sort of link between the people and their
gods Jupiter, Mars and the others.
“One of the first ‘pontiffs’ of the Roman Empire was

Tiberius Coruncanius, who rose to power in 254 B.C.
Later, in 63 B.C., Julius Caesar went even further by
giving himself that title, thus associating it with his po-
litical position. Augustus, Tiberius, Caligula and those
who followed continued using the title until the late fourth
century A.D., when Gratian, head of the Western Ro-
man Empire, being a Christian, renounced it. He consid-
ered it incompatible with his Christian faith.
“Jorge, it’s highly likely that several centuries after Christ,

the first bishops of Rome, and later the popes, were un-
aware of the true origin and meaning of the title when-
ever they allowed its use. A simple reading of the New
Testament would have made clear that the great apostle
Peter would have refused to countenance its use.
“Right now, I’m remembering that I once read a very

interesting book titled History of the Decadence and Fall of
Rome by Gibbons, which is one of the most important
and well-researched documents on the history of that
city. In the book it’s mentioned, just imagine, that in the
fourth century, the bishop of Constantinople tried to be-
come something like the ‘Universal Bishop’ of Christianity.
Don Alonso asks, “Do you know who opposed him,

Jorge?”
“Who?” he answers softly.
“The then bishop of Rome, in a letter, stated that anyone

who sought to place himself in such a lofty position would
125
be taking an anti-Christian position. He included in it a

series of arguments, some of which were similar to those
which I’m giving you today while others were much
harsher. This, among other things, constitutes yet more
proof that in those early centuries, the pope as such didn’t
exist.
“Well,” Don Alonso concludes, “I have much more infor-

mation on the matter, and I won’t overwhelm you with
it. I’ll only say, by way of proof, how it isn’t advisable to
place a blind faith in any human being. But I’ll tell you
something important: In centuries past, it was possible
to make statements that oftentimes had no support and
couldn’t be verified. For that reason, and going back to
what I was telling you, May I ask you to check the verac-
ity of some data?”
“Tell me,” Jorge replies.
“In any reliable internet search engine, look up a docu-

ment named Constantine’s Donation, or enter in Latin
Donatio Constantini and you’ll be surprised by what you’ll
find. There, you’ll learn about a historical and religious
fraud that was fabricated in the eighth century, more or
less, and wasn’t uncovered until the fifteenth.”
“I’ll give you a bit of advice,” Álvaro interjects. “When

you research through the internet, analyze thoroughly
the source of the information. There are websites that
only repeat the version that’s been tried to be imposed
on us for the past ten or twelve centuries. Better to search
different websites and truly trustworthy books so you
can better analyze the true support for each subject.”
“Good point,” Don Alonso adds. “Fortunately, the num-

ber of workers within the Catholic Church itself who are
honestly searching for the truth is increasing day by day.
126
By way of example, remember Álvaro that the Cons-

tantine’s Donation fraud that I’m asking you to look into
was uncovered, and publicly exposed, by none other than
the humanist Lorenzo Valla who had an important posi-
tion within that same congregation.”
A silence suddenly spreads among the men. It occurs to

Jorge that he never would have imagined receiving such
information in this way, in a place like this and accompa-
nied by myriads of trees of many kinds and the songs of
birds. That unexpected pause in the conversation be-
came a subtle reminder of the nearly magical place where
they stood. It also made them realize that Nature’s other
denizens had also been behaving very discreetly and,
one could almost say, very respectfully during their talks.
As usual, though, each of the environment’s elements
quietly carried on with their own particular work.
The Sun, for example, continued to carry out dispassion-

ately its crucial mission to plow the firmament at a steady
pace. It ignored them all —even the clouds themselves—
and seemed to follow absentmindedly an invisible itin-
erary that ruled it precisely.
By acting in this manner, the majestic heavenly body

gave the impression that it felt responsible, perhaps
rightly so, for many of the events that were unfolding in
our profane world.
It’s surely for that reason that Don Alonso, rather than
check his watch, turns discreetly to observe the location
of the imposing though silent golden orb. But Don Alonso
was troubled by something within. He quietly regretted,
without knowing himself how he could have done other-
wise, that Jorge, his visitor, was somewhat annoyed by
what he had expressed.
127
“How could I have explained to Jorge,” he thought to

himself, “that the demographic error stemmed, to some
extent, from an unclear basis? Should I have kept quiet
about this?
“The only other way,” he reflects, “would have been to

remain silent, but something within each one of us says
that our commitment to the truth is stronger than any-
thing else.”
For that reason, he only says: “Jorge and Gustavo, please

accept my heartfelt thanks for allowing me to expound
on my point of view. I consider that only the truth will
allow us to advance the way we should, and thus realize
that better world we all wish for.”
“Don’t worry Don Alonso,” Gustavo reassures him as he

turns towards Jorge. “I know you mean well.”
“We’ll research that matter a little more,” Jorge comple-

ments, “and should we find some inaccuracy in what
you’ve told us, I’m sure you’ll allow us to inform you.”
“Of course,” Don Alonso answers, now feeling a little

more relieved after hearing Jorge’s answer. “In that per-
sonal search for growth and development, it’s essential
to be able to contribute and listen to different points of
view. I’ll look forward to your opinions. I mean it.
“And don’t forget,” he adds, “that saying from the Gos-

pels: ‘This is how you shall know they are my disciples:
in that they love one another.’ I assure you Jorge that my
intention is by no means to hurt anyone, but to rectify
the errors committed by others who preceded us. And I
also ask you to point out to me, after you’ve done your
research, the mistake or mistakes that I might have in-
curred in while expressing my point of view.”
128
CHAPTER VIII
COINCIDENCES
We often forget that as all kinds of human interrelation-

ships take place, it’s as if personal attitudes and conducts
are transmitted, almost imperceptibly, between us.
What the members of that singular group at the El Encinal

ranch simply didn’t imagine was that this peculiar trans-
fer of attitudes didn’t flow between people only, but that
it also moved, in a similar way, between the elements of
the natural surroundings and human beings…
The trees and other members of Nature had always pro-

ceeded with the ancestral attitudes of discretion and tran-
quility, but faced with the fickleness of human judgment,
these attitudes were also being inexplicably transmitted
to the group.
Perhaps even that soft and timid blowing of the wind

that dared to touch the men was also influencing them
more powerfully than the most eloquent of speeches.
And such was the change in the group’s attitude that

Jorge, without even noticing it and despite being a little
upset just moments before, now considered that maybe
it would actually be better to take from Don Alonso the
parts where he was right and simply cast to the wind, so
it could do with them what it thought best, all those other
ones which he considered inadequate.
“Maybe,” Jorge seemed to be telling himself in the most

complete silence, “he might even be right. Those truths
that we sometimes defend so strongly should be sub-
jected to closer examination and scrutiny by all; in this
way, our march through life will be stronger and firmer.”
129
Gustavo, for his part, quietly congratulates himself for

being in this nearly magical place in Mexico, where the
afternoon peace seemed to provide the perfect setting
for this different sort of conversation.
But as the Sun continued soberly and silently on its ce-

lestial journey without even the slightest murmur, it was
sending them a message so forceful that it spoke more
than a thousand words. “Don’t forget,” it seemed to tell
them, “that time has received instructions not to stop its
march. Any attempt to slow it down would be more fu-
tile than trying to catch the wind with one’s own hands.”
Gustavo, aware of this unwritten though well-observed

protocol, rather than question this incomprehensible
march of time, decides instead to make the most of it
and continue with the conversation.
“Don Alonso,” Gustavo says in a quiet voice, “there is

something else that you wanted to share with us…”
“Well actually, there would be so many things to talk

about, but I’ll comment on the other matter which, for
the time being, I consider a high priority.
“But not without first commenting to you,” Don Alonso

says with a certain warning tone in his voice, “that the
topic I’ll discuss in a few moments —which I already
hinted at last time— would be considered irrelevant, or
worthy of study only by academics or sociologists.
“However, I assure you it’s one of the key aspects of

human conduct; any retreat from these invisible rules
will cause many disastrous effects, like the ones we are
experiencing today.
“The last time you accompanied us, I was telling you

about an apparently simple sociological error we humans
130
commit. As with most of our foolish activities, deep down we

don’t realize that the consequences will come back to us.”
And as Don Alonso briefly pauses, a disconcerted Jorge

asks: “And what kind of error is that?”
“It’s true,” Don Alonso replies as he suddenly realizes

that Jorge wasn’t present the last time, “you weren’t here
on that occasion. Maybe you were guessing that we were
going to get into polemics…”
“No! Of course not!” Jorge answers. “I’m ready to con-

sider any point.”
Don Alonso addresses Jorge: “Last time I was telling

Gustavo that it would seem that we humans can’t even
manage to measure the consequences of our actions.
There were even people well versed in sociology who
established schools of thought whereby, they assured us,
there were two types of interests among people. The
first type, they said, might be called ‘rational interests,’
in which people’s interests supposedly run parallel, as
with father and son, or husband and wife, where the
good of one coincides with the good of the other…
“Those sociologists also considered the existence of an-

other type of interest, which they named ‘irrational,’
whereby the motivations are ‘confronted.’ In this case,
the good of one operates in detriment of the other’s. For
example, this would be, according to them, like the in-
terests of the business owner and those of the laborer,
whereby the former seeks to pay less and obtain more
work and the latter exactly the opposite.
“Tell me, Jorge, What would you think of such a classifi-

cation?” Don Alonso asks, as he tries to elucidate his
thoughts on the subject.
131
“I had never seen it like that before, but it doesn’t seem

so out of place to me.”
All this was causing Gustavo some anxiety, who now

feared the beginning of more contention between them.
“Gustavo, I hope you don’t think that I’m giving more

importance to the subject than it deserves,” Don Alonso
deems convenient to point out, “but believe me, I con-
sider that it’s a crucial matter in our country for a num-
ber of reasons which I will explain.
“Last time I was telling Gustavo,” he continues as he

observes Jorge’s bewilderment, “that such a classifica-
tion of interests, though accepted as valid by many, ex-
ists only in the imagination because absolutely all of
mankind’s interests on the planet are rational interests
and they run perfectly parallel to one another.
“That supposed irrationality between the interests of

persons, groups and even countries,” Don Alonso assures
them, “takes place only in the imagination, and it’s the
consequence of a superficial analysis.
“I’m increasingly convinced,” he goes on, as if talking to

himself, “that human beings aren’t sufficiently capable of
seeing the true consequences of nearly everything we do.
“Oftentimes I even think,” he goes on as he lets his imagi-

nation fly, “that perhaps the maker of the stars didn’t
deliberately want to put in our hands the power to dis-
cern between good and evil for a very simple reason:
Our judgment is, most of the time, vain, shallow and
short term.”
As Don Alonso studies Jorge’s increasingly surprised

expression while he listens to such a statement, he con-
132
siders it opportune to add something else: “I’ve insisted

on this point to many people and I get the impression
they thought my position was a bit superfluous.”
“Absolutely not, please continue,” Gustavo immediately

answers.
“Our traditionally short term way of looking at things,”

Don Alonso states, “doesn’t allow us to realize that deep
down, there is no way to separate personal from collec-
tive activity, and then, more seriously, how every indi-
vidual action will sooner or later come back to its very
originator.
Álvaro, who already knew Don Alonso’s peculiar mind

quite well, just tries, without saying a word, to gauge the
visitors’ reactions.
Gustavo, for his part, having already listened to his host’s

singular vision —though this time it was in the social
sphere— isn’t so surprised. But Jorge is increasingly
mystified, as if not measuring the possible reaches of
what’s gotten Don Alonso so convinced.
Gustavo, sensing his friend’s discomfort, suggests some-

thing to Don Alonso: “You know something Don Alonso?
I have seldom seen people who can explain things
through examples with more ease than you. Therefore,
I think that if you state what you want to tell us with
examples we would understand much better…”
Taking him at his word, Don Alonso says, “You’re right

Gustavo, I’m going to make use of them, to look at things
under two perspectives: first, as if in the context of our
own body and then, through a more extended social
scope.
133
“Looking at it first as part of the human body, let’s see…

How can I put it to you? Ah, I know!
“Do you see that great oak on the left? There, close to the
little dam.”
“Thank God I can see it perfectly well,” Jorge answers,

without having the slightest idea as to the question’s point.
“How many oaks do you see?” Don Alonso asks.
“Well, one.”
“My question is very obvious, Jorge,” Don Alonso clari-

fies, “but you know, you should see two because fortu-
nately you have two eyes, but you only see one tree. Do
you know why?”
“Well,” he reflects, “I hadn’t thought about that.”
“Fortunately, and as a condition for enjoying good health

in your body, in mine and everybody else’s, the prin-
ciple of complementarity must prevail instead of that of
rivalry, struggle or, least of all, the domination of certain
organs or groups of cells over others.
“Should the principle of rivalry prevail,” he assures them

with great conviction, “apart from the millions of con-
flicts that would break out throughout your body all at
once, each eye would try to impose its particular vision
upon the brain.
“For starters, you, me and everyone else would see double

and the truth is,” he says with a smile, “that would be
disastrous for the rest of the body. Among many other
inconveniences, I think we wouldn’t even be able to do
things right.
134
“For that reason you can see what a marvel the human
being is. Somewhere within us, both images somehow
seek instead to complement each other by keeping the
sharpest and best of each.
“That principle of complementarity in our organism is so

strong,” he continues, “that the diminished eyesight in one
eye is balanced, almost imperceptibly, by the other one.
“Now, for a moment, let’s imagine that the principle of

rivalry or struggle between cells, tissues or organs were
prevalent. And say the left or right tried to prevail over
the other one.
“Or that the muscular tissue, being the one that moves
the body, should dominate the others, or likewise, the
digestive system, arguing that without it nutrients
couldn’t be absorbed, did the same.
“What would then happen? Such an attitude would only

cause very serious deficiencies, or could even cause the
death of the organism in a short time.”
As Jorge and Gustavo probe deeper and deeper into Don

Alonso’s particular point of view, they allow him to con-
tinue with his presentation.
“But see how curious: If the cells of your body had the
authority to make decisions, they would also suffer from
having false points of view, just as it happens in our world
because of the actions of humans. And of course, there would
be those cells who, through ignorance or convenience, would
instigate the principle of rivalry or cellular divisionism.
“I assure you,” says Don Alonso, “that I could give you

an unimaginable number of examples, but I will only
present a few.
135
“If any businessperson tries to rip off his or her employ-

ees by paying them less than is their due, that person
will feel very astute at first, but in practice this will cause
something else.
“I don’t doubt for an instant that to begin with, it would

reduce the quality of the manufactured goods, increase
employee turnover very harmfully and would, little by
little, put the survival of the company at risk.
“But that would only be the beginning of the damage,

because as only one of many secondary and perhaps
unnoticed effects, this businessperson would be limiting
the total quality and quantity of goods and services pro-
duced by the country, which would then inevitably make it
a far less competitive place in the global context. This is an
act that, as I was saying, will somehow and to some extent
come back to the boss, his or her family and progeny.
“By contrast, any entrepreneur who supports, trains and

gives back, within his or her means, to the company’s
collaborators will generate direct and indirect results that
will be exactly the opposite of those cited in the previous
example. Better paid employees will also, among many
other positive effects, contribute in a certain way to the
creation of a much more robust internal market. This is
a fact that will benefit all, including the employer.
“Now let’s look at this within the scope of a professional

activity: Lucas, let’s invent a name for him,” Don Alonso
says with a smile, “is a chemical engineer in charge of
quality control at a food processing plant.
“Through an analysis, Lucas has detected traces of a

prohibited pesticide in a certain raw material that’s been
delivered and will be used in the production of processed
food. However, the producer offers Lucas a gratuity for
136
not reporting the analysis results, thus allowing that

merchandise to enter the production line. Lucas walks
into the trap, perhaps thinking that his action will have
no importance whatsoever.
“Imagine that this misdeed goes undetected, and though

Lucas might have considered himself the most astute of
mortals, that banned ingredient will in some way de-
crease his fellow citizens’ productivity. This fact will come
back —this time magnified— to Lucas himself, his fam-
ily and community.
“Now let’s imagine that once the raw materials’ value

has increased significantly due to processing, labor, time,
packaging, transportation and a host of other things, the
prohibited substance were to be detected by his country’s
sanitary authorities or worse, as it was entering a for-
eign market.
“What will happen? Not only will it badly damage Lucas’

position at work and his company’s finances and image,
but his entire country’s as well. This is a fact that will
undoubtedly come back to haunt Lucas and those around
him in ways he never imagined.
“Now let’s say that Ricardo,” Don Alonso declares, “in

this case we’ll give him another name, is also working in
the research department of a food products enterprise.
Thanks to his dedication, he comes up with a more natu-
ral, quicker and safer way to process certain food prod-
ucts which will, incidentally, better preserve various
basic nutrients.
“After submitting the new procedure for management’s

consideration, they modify the processing protocols for
various products.
137
“This change,” Don Alonso assures them, “will not only

help Ricardo himself in his professional career and the com-
pany he works for, but will in some way —almost invisibly
at first— be contributing in making his country’s society a
much healthier and prosperous community. This will later,
undoubtedly, benefit Ricardo and those around him.
“Now let’s look at another citizens group: A contractor

who we will name Jonás takes part in the construction of
some public projects, and he knows full well that if the
reinforced concrete he will be using is weaker, it will
also shorten its useful life. Nevertheless, he decides to
lower the specified standards by using less cement and
steel rebar, believing that certain parts of the building
he’s constructing will not be inspected, and keeping for
himself the left over key materials for his own benefit.
“Although at first Jonás would have bet that he had acted

this way due to his natural intelligence, in a much shorter
time than he might have expected something very dif-
ferent happened: The buildings he constructed had to be
rebuilt, which apart from the civil responsibility and loss
of reputation he incurred in, caused the government to
start the project over again. It spent a whole lot more
than the insignificant percentage Jonás felt he had gained
by reducing the strength of the concrete he used.
“Jonás never considered that the additional funds later

disbursed by the government meant that less was spent
on other budget line items that not only caused shortfalls
for Jonás and his family, but also contributed in making
his neighborhood a more impoverished place. This,
among other things, caused a drop in the value of his
own house.
“Now let’s consider a civil servant who works impecca-

bly and assigns projects fairly. This will make that offi-
138
cial not only a highly regarded member of the commu-

nity but will also contribute in creating a much better
and prosperous social environment. And this will also
directly and indirectly benefit him and his present and
future family.
“Another case: Timoteo was a worker who did his job

satisfactorily, but because of some bad friends and other
factors, he fell into the drugs trap in the most absurd
way. What started as a supposedly recreational experi-
ence turned him into a complete addict to various drugs
which were harming his health and altering his conduct.
“To finance his dependence, he felt he had to resort to

robbery. At first, Timo, as his friends called him, saw he
could make in a few hours what used to take weeks, and
turned people and even tourists into his victims.
“During one of his crimes, things came out badly and

Timo lost his life. Never did he imagine that what he
considered his creative conduct would contribute in
greatly harming the area where his family remained and
where his descendants would live. It also contributed to
the negative image he, along with others who acted like
him, had given the place. This in turn drastically reduced
the flow of visitors and investors with the consequent
loss of jobs and many other drawbacks.
“Calixto on the other hand was a dedicated rural teacher

who knew instinctively that all the effort he put into in-
stilling values in his pupils would contribute in making
his country a better and more prosperous place for all.
“So in addition to fulfilling the school curriculum, he al-

ways emphasized the practical application of values such
as promptness, quality, honesty, the building of willpower
and other key elements which he presented to his pupils
139
by means of simple examples taken from daily life or

from history.
“When he referred to, say promptness, he explained to

his pupils that, if in our country a half hour is lost per
person per day due to tardiness, that would translate
into a criminal waste of millions of work hours per year
which would harm us all in a multitude of ways.
“Similarly, many other values were explained by Calixto

by means of easy-to-grasp examples, and now that the
teacher is elderly, he is appreciated and remembered
by those who were his students. But most importantly,
by putting into practice in their daily lives what they
learned from him, they contribute in making a better
and more prosperous place for all, including Calixto and
his family.
“One more example, gentlemen,” he tells them. “Let’s

imagine that Sebastián is a public official at the Treasury
who realizes perfectly well that if he streamlines the tax
refund process to the taxpayers, the loss of an astronomi-
cal number of man-hours will be avoided. And since the
nation is nothing but the sum of those who make it, he
decides to select and introduce an incredibly simple tax
collection system.
“That will cause,” Don Alonso assures them, “the coun-

try to become a much more productive community, which
will not only directly and indirectly benefit society, but
will later also revert positively to Sebastian himself, his
family, the political group to which he belongs and the
entire country.
“Believe me,” a convinced Don Alonso tells them, “the

list of similar cases could extend as long as you wish.
What I can assure you is that there isn’t the most insig-
140
nificant human action that not only impacts at first our

fellow humans in the family, national or global spheres,
but will then, sooner or later, return in a bigger form to
the very initiator of the action, along with his friends and
relatives.”
“One doubt… Why do you say this influences even in the

global sphere?”
“Actually, what happens,” Don Alonso replies, “is that

although the majority might not see it this way, we are
all part of the same group, and a damage or benefit to
others will automatically return to us all, no matter what
our view might be. Look, if you allow me, I’ll give you
two more examples, so you can see the international
repercussions that stem from absolutely every human
action.
“If, for example, a Japanese researcher invents a type of

lightbulb that uses less energy and emits more light, that
will not only benefit the global community, I assure you.
The resulting reduction in fossil fuel consumption in the
planet, together with other benefits, will come back to
further that scientist in many and varied ways.
“Now let’s look at a negative example: If an extremist

group, say from Africa or Asia, decides to harm Europe
under the belief that it’s accomplishing a task worthy of
praise, their action will in fact revert back to them and to
those who surround them. And I’ll tell you why.
“The human and material harm inflicted will, in a small

way, weaken that neighboring European continent in
different ways, which will in turn decrease its ability to
help them. Among other things, it will diminish its abil-
ity to receive immigrants from those areas that must
expel them year after year.
141
“It will also reduce a little its purchasing capacity for the
goods produced in the areas where the harm came from,
and I could enumerate an incredible chain of conse-
quences that would turn back to the very perpetrators of
such an action.
“I don’t have the slightest doubt about the infallible so-

cial cause-and-effect link of even the slightest action by
any person. But you know, what actually worries me the
most is that the immense majority, especially in devel-
oping countries, aren’t even remotely aware of this far-
reaching phenomenon and as a result, we have right in
front of us all the negative effects that stem from them.”
After a brief pause, they all remain deep in thought,

though with a far more complete understanding of what
he was trying to tell them. Then, Gustavo adds, “With
those examples, it’s clearer than water to us…”
“I believe however that what has affected us the most is

corruption,” Jorge points out, “and that’s where we should
place the greatest emphasis.”
“Corruption, that deplorable social phenomenon,” Don

Alonso stresses, “though it affects us too much, is just
one of the negative consequences of that incomplete so-
cial vision that I’ve been mentioning to you. Believe me,
if we continue dealing with this problem as if it were
something isolated, we’ll never thoroughly fix it.”
“Then there’s something I don’t understand,” Jorge in-

sists. “Why does that more advanced vision you keep
talking about hasn’t projected itself onto the community?”
“First,” Don Alonso answers, “because of the natural and

intrinsic superficiality we humans suffer from. Fortu-
nately, though, I believe there are more and more people
who notice instinctively this mechanism.
142
“However, we should also not fail to recognize there are

other circumstantial factors that contribute to perpetu-
ating that erroneous, anachronistic and shortsighted so-
cial perception that has harmed us so much, though it
has often been the consequence of a somewhat deceitful
intervention in the social evolution process.”
Jorge and Gustavo remain again fairly disconcerted,

without knowing what he was referring to, while Don
Alonso stays silent for a few instants, as if meditating on
the best way to detail his views to them. Then he adds,
“You know, since you’ve allowed me the use of examples,
now I’d like to go a little further and present them to you
by means of an anecdote that happened to me while I
was living in Mexico City. That’s also why I took the
liberty of inviting you again. May I tell it to you?”
“Go on,” Gustavo answers immediately.
“Back in the nineties, when Licenciado Ernesto Zedillo

was president of Mexico, I was talking with Luis
Maldonado who worked as the president of a scientific
and cultural society to which I belong. In those years, that
person was also one of the highest public officials at the
Secretariat of Governance, and he asked for my opinion on
the management and results of the country’s social issues.
“During our chat I made him understand that among

other things, on the matter of civics we weren’t proceed-
ing in the best fashion and that if we didn’t improve its
teaching, we wouldn’t progress as required. I even re-
member going further and telling him: ‘The civics we
teach is not the real one.’
“My friend was very surprised, and attempting to un-

derstand my opinion on the issue, he asks me: ‘And in
your view, What would be the best way to teach it?’
143
“I answered him, ‘By making the student see that the

total result of the country will be nothing more than the
simple sum of the behaviors of each man and woman
who makes up the nation. Also, it must be explained to
the student how the most insignificant action we per-
form will not only project itself onto others, but it must
also be made perfectly clear that all actions will sooner
or later revert to each one of us. That’s real civics.’
“Thanks to that high official’s patience,” Don Alonso con-

tinues, “I was talking to him for a long time about a great
number of actual and obvious cases like the ones I’ve
just described to you. My interlocutor had good social
instincts and I believe that’s why he told me, ‘I think
you’re right. I’m going to introduce you to Mr. Miguel
Limon Rojas, the current Secretary of Education, so you
can explain to him your opinion on the matter.’
“So thanks to that person’s resolve, a few days later I

was with Miguel Limon Rojas and Olac Fuentes Molinar,
who was an Undersecretary of Education, and I started
to explain in great detail my point of view.
“After a while, one of them asks, ‘Solutions?’
“’We must change the focus of the civics subject matter,’

I told them, ‘and more than concentrating ourselves on
dates and events, though they are important, it’s neces-
sary to emphasize to the country’s student body the im-
portance of our behavior so we can understand first, how
our most insignificant action will impact others, and then,
how it will echo back to each one of us. I also took the
liberty of leaving another civics text with you that I had
prepared essentially for the general public, though un-
der the same perspective.’
“Both officials told me they were going to analyze my

proposal with educators and sociologists, and would get
back to me in due course.
144
“When I left that office,” Don Alonso continues, “though

grateful to both officials for their time and concern for
the future of the country, I confess to you that I thought
my idea wouldn’t go far.
“However, after a few months,” he goes on before

Gustavo and Jorge’s intent gaze, “I received a call from
the Secretariat. The focus of the civics subject matter
was going to be modified by seeking to include my rec-
ommendations. Now, it would even be called ‘Civics and
Ethics Education’ and taught in the three junior high
grades.”
“So,” Jorge concludes, “the initiative was successful,

right?”
“That was the good part,” Don Alonso answers, “but now
comes the part that wasn’t so good.
“Despite having the full support of some people in man-

agement, when the issue got to another level, though
some subject names were changed, the underlying set
of problems and its resulting consequences which were
to be covered by means of examples were never ex-
plained as deeply as I had suggested.
“So you can understand the transcendence and reach

this change of focus could have had on the students and
future citizens. I’ll even tell you a very different story:
For five years they were sending me plane tickets and
paid reservations from the United States so I could be
there and transmit this kind of ideas at book fairs and on
radio programs.
“I can even remember that the mayor of Chicago once

came to visit us at a Spanish-language book fair. He told
me he had a great interest in seeing that the concepts I
145
had expressed in the civics book be spread mainly in the

Hispanic community. He considered them cutting-edge
principles.
“This important official was so convinced by these the-

ses,” Don Alonso tells them, still struck with amazement,
“that he even took it upon himself to have that text in-
cluded many schools’ Spanish-language educational
material.
“It goes without saying,” he emphasizes, “that it was here,

in my own country, that I wanted those ideas to perme-
ate, but I had no success.”
“I can’t believe it,” Gustavo says. “But they must have

had a good reason, didn’t they?”
“I want to make clear that I recognize the goodwill dis-

played by the education official I just mentioned, and
also that of most of the Secretariat’s staff, but I believe the
negative intervention of a few officials from those days at
the Secretariat prevented a complete transformation.”
“Why was that?”
“Some midlevel civil servants had a different social per-

spective which led to a crucial error, because many of
the former students, now active citizens, would now be
positively affecting the development of our country.
“But to be frank, gentlemen,” Don Alonso adds, “if you

ask me about the reason or reasons those civil servants
might have had for not fully integrating the proposed
approach, I don’t know of any.
“Indeed,” Don Alonso seems to admit, “perhaps I should

have taken the advice of a lawyer and friend of mine
146
named Francisco Pineda. He accompanied me to a num-

ber of meetings with the officials of that Secretariat where
we tried unsuccessfully to convince them of the impor-
tance of instilling a different social focus among our stu-
dents.”
“And what did this lawyer say to you?” asks Jorge, who’s
now captivated.
“That under no circumstances should I accept the re-

fusal to include the new focus in its totality because it
was very important in fostering a change.”
“But what could you have done?”
“He was proposing to file for me a writ of protection; he

even offered to do the legal work pro bono.”
“And did you do it?”
“No, because among other things, the publisher I was

with at the time wasn’t in the least bit excited about
getting into a legal fight with that Secretariat.”
“I don’t understand,” Jorge insists. “They must have given

you a reason.”
“Well,” Don Alonso answers, “actually they did mention

some reasons, but I believe they were a front; I think
there were other underlying reasons.”
“Such as?” asks Gustavo, who’s increasingly interested.
“They said,” Don Alonso explains, with a hint of a smile,

“that the students wouldn’t understand the examples I
was giving, especially the anthropomorphic ones, that is
to say, those applied to the human body.
147
“I remember that my friend Fernando told me in pri-

vate, ‘They’re the ones who don’t understand; the stu-
dents will understand the process perfectly well.’”
“And in the end,” Jorge insists, “How did everything end

up?”
“The changes were implemented, but without making

the student fully understand the importance of one’s own
actions and, most importantly, by not explaining by
means of examples the lasting impact on others of even
our most insignificant actions and, finally, how every-
thing would come back in one way or another to the
very initiator of every action, in the same way that it
happens with the actions of the smallest cell in our or-
ganism.
“Ah! By the way, that which I’ve just cited would be con-
sidered an ‘anthropomorphic’ example, which means
‘about the human body.’ What those officials said seems
laughable to me: ‘The students would not have been able
to understand.’”
“So, try to venture a judgement,” Gustavo says with a

certain heaviness. “What underlying reasons might there
have been?”
“Venturing a judgement, as you put it, and according to

the terminology used by those few officials who didn’t
agree with the proposal,” Don Alonso states, “I believe I
can elucidate one of the underlying reasons why they
opposed it.”
“What sort of terminology were they using?”
“They claimed that I was only hoping to ‘perpetuate the

current exploitation system’ and that sort of things. This
148
philosophy, which is behind us in most of the world, is in

turn derived from another superficial social analysis
which has fully demonstrated its uselessness. But guess
what, there are some small groups that continue to buy
into that. Although few in number, they are embedded,
like cysts, in certain key organizations such as the educa-
tion sector. And I want to make this clear: This is in spite
of the highly responsible attitude of the immense major-
ity of past and present officials and teachers in that Sec-
retariat.
“Those small groups operate just beneath the surface,

systematically and radically opposing any change or
reform that tries to modify things, and I think this goes
on even today. Gentlemen, I repeat: They manage to
exert influence despite the highly responsible attitude of
the great majority of officials and teachers.”
At that point, an alarm light goes on in Jorge’s mind and

he states: “Well we must also recognize that the social
question is key.”
“Of course,” he answers, “though only if well understood,

because otherwise it will result in a counterproductive
effect throughout the social structure.”
“Remember, Don Alonso,” Jorge replies, “that many so-

cial theories are the result of scientific socialism, which
is in turn based on the dialectic development of history.”
Gustavo was flabbergasted by his friend’s statement.

Jorge was giving the impression that those distant ideas
they both held when they were in high school had appar-
ently not even budged in his mind.
Álvaro, for his part, like when he sees a dark cloud to the
east and nearly succeeds in forecasting the exact mo-
149
ment when the storm will break, discerns another ex-

change on the horizon. And since that type of argument
seemed pointless to him, he decides to take a break and
tells them: “If it’s OK with you, I’ll go see how the trees
were planted and I’ll be right back.”
“Go ahead, Álvaro,” Don Alonso answers, almost guess-

ing his thoughts.
As Álvaro walks along the little dam’s edge, he holds his

head low and reflects: “Gosh! Don Alonso had already
hinted to me about that experience he once had. I can’t
believe it; it’s right out of Ripley’s…
“No wonder Don Alonso preferred to move out here,” he

goes on thinking while walking dejectedly. “Some will
argue the most outlandish things.”
He saw the workers at a distance; they seemed to have

completed their task and were gathering their belong-
ings. As he was feeling cloaked by the tranquility of the
setting, he congratulated himself for having retreated
for a while.
Álvaro sees with pleasure how the trees sway a little

and seem to give thanks for the blowing of the wind.
And as he listens to the soft murmur of the moving
branches, something he had not dared to confess comes
to mind: It was a kind of opinion that the silent members
of Nature, as they contemplated human activities, might
well hold.
“I don’t want to tell anyone about that kind of thoughts,”

he reflects with a smile, “least of all my mother. She
would surely tell me how right she had been when she
warned me that I was going to go crazy by being with
Don Alonso.
150
“But after all,” he reconsiders as he smiles a bit more,

“nobody will find out, and I believe we’re all allowed a
little madness.” For that reason, he cannot help stopping
and admiring the trees’ soft though happy swaying and
murmuring as they were permeated by the afternoon’s
sunlight and breeze.
He asks himself in the most complete silence: “What

would the trees say about the way humans act?”
Everything lingers in complete silence while the leaves’

forceful though discreet whispering continues in the dis-
tance.
After admiring this wonderful sight for a few minutes,

and as he was about to resume his walk, something seems
to come to his mind:
How right we were,

When humans we ignored,
Some go one way,
The others go the opposite…
Had we listened to their voices,

With their list of silly nonsense,
They would have already contaminated us,
And that would have harmed us…
Who can put up with their envies?

How can they live while they argue?
How could they find their way,
If they’re only clashing?
It’s necessary to ignore them,

And to close our eyes very tightly,
How could we be productive,
With all their disputes?
151
The world would be a desert,

Without the green we still give them.
All would starve,
Without that which we still produce…
The best path,

Is to ignore them,
Praying they will open their minds,
Before they bring the world to an end…
Álvaro remains dumbfounded, trusting that what had

just come to his mind was merely the product of his
imagination, as he observes the swaying branches en-
joying the wind and Sun.
He continues on his short walk and reflects: “The words

that entered my mind don’t seem so crazy to me, but I
hope that I never have to share them with anyone.”
As Álvaro reaches his destination, Benjamín asks: “What

were you looking at while you were standing there?”
“Ah, nothing! I was just impressed by the trees’ move-

ment.”
“I wonder,” Benjamín jokes, “if you’re starting to become

like Don Alonso…”
“Perhaps, but tell me, How did it go with the trees?”
“See for yourself. How do they seem to you? We’ve also

placed the drip irrigation system where they told us to.”
“Great. Don Alonso will come to see them later because

now we’re hosting the visitors. I just wanted to see your
work.”
152
While he chats with the workers a little longer, Álvaro

decides to rejoin the group, though not without congratu-
lating himself for having come to this place, if only for a
few minutes.
153
154
CHAPTER IX
S TRANGE VOICES
As Álvaro heads towards the group, he cannot avoid feel-

ing the need to pick up the pace, because something in-
side him was telling him he shouldn’t have left Don
Alonso alone just as disagreements, no matter how sense-
less they seemed to him, were breaking out.
Still, another part of him was also saying that Don Alonso
was more than capable of trading opinions with Jorge,
even though their positions were diametrically opposed.
The only risk would be, he thought, if either one were to
become exasperated and push aside all the basic rules of
true dialogue.
As he approaches them, and seeing that they were talk-

ing normally, he reflects that perhaps he was worrying
for no reason.
Álvaro takes his place again while trying not to interrupt

the conversation. Now he understands things better and
notes that, although the dialogue is taking place in a cor-
dial manner, Don Alonso and Jorge have contrary views.
“Don Alonso,” Jorge declares with great assurance, “what

happens is that given the transcendental phenomenon
known as ‘class struggle’ which society has always en-
dured, oftentimes it is necessary to have revolutions, as
a sort of wedge or instrument of social change. And this is
the way to propitiate the advent of an egalitarian society.”
“In other words,” answers Don Alonso, not in the least

upset and before Gustavo’s and Álvaro’s anxious gaze,
“Do you consider revolution an advisable element in the
social advancement process?”
155
“That is very often the case.”
“Jorge, with all due respect, I know those theses have

got you convinced, but I see it differently… May I tell
you why?”
“Of course.”
“All of history’s revolutions,” Don Alonso begins in his

soft but firm voice, “could and should have been avoided
if they only had incorporated one incredibly simple thing:
the vote. Because believe me, the people’s will is the
true engine of change to go in the right direction. Social
advancement cannot be reduced to the opinion of a cer-
tain group, no matter how strongly it might feel that it’s
found a new path. Rather, each proposal should be sub-
mitted to the scrutiny, analysis and decision of the ma-
jority which, as I was saying, is the only one that should
show us the way.
“Every time any community followed the path of vio-

lence,” he continues, “it’s because that possibility didn’t
exist, but fortunately, once that door is open, the ‘revolu-
tionary’ option that you refer to turns out to be not only
anachronistic and senseless, but even contrary to the
social evolution process.
“And the reason for that is very simple. Once the demo-
cratic option is established, the justification for a revolu-
tionary movement simply disappears because it would
remain reduced to something that clearly seems illegiti-
mate: a group’s simple and vulgar attempt to impose its
will on the others.”
Faced with the soundness of the exposed arguments, Jorge

remains in a pensive mood, highlighting the fact that his
interlocutor was already accustomed to such dialogues.
156
“Another reason for the vote,” Don Alonso continues, “is

that anyone who’s unwilling to submit to the scrutiny or
analysis of the entire community increases the probabil-
ity of being mistaken, which would cause not only him-
self, but also his society to stumble.
“You know something? About that apparent need for

revolution that you talk about, one should remove just
one letter —the ‘r’— from the word ‘revolution’ to trans-
form it into a simpler but more meaningful one: ‘evolu-
tion.’ That is to say, social evolution is achieved only with
the participation of the entire community, through the
vote and the free expression of ideas.”
Don Alonso gets the approval of Gustavo, who is sur-

prised to hear his friend Jorge’s extremely orthodox and
currently anachronistic thoughts. Jorge, for his part, re-
mains searching for the weak point in the argument he
has just heard.
“Remember, Jorge,” Don Alonso comments, “the anal-

ogy I was telling you about the development of any hu-
man being. Despite the fact that it’s at birth when a hu-
man being has the most neurons, his or her greatest
potential will be reached when the neurons will grow
ramifications and these will interconnect with one an-
other.
“If that doesn’t happen, as I was saying, their capacity

for judgement and their future will be as restricted as
their limited neuronal communication, because all parts
of the brain are important: the left, right, central, fron-
tal, all without exception.
“Something similar,” he continues, “will occur in the so-

cial realm, and will manifest itself in the family, labor,
domestic or international spheres.”
157
Jorge didn’t usually expound his true social convictions

to anyone because he had had some negative experi-
ences, but considering his interlocutor’s debating abili-
ties, here he had the ideal opportunity to do just that.
“I totally disagree with you, Don Alonso. Scientific so-

cialism didn’t arise from a certain group’s whimsical idea,
but was instead carefully studied and contributes one of
the best options for social development. But that can
only be understood by experts on the matter, not by the
general public.”
“You think so?”
“Of course,” Jorge sustains, showing enormous convic-

tion. “What happens is that many don’t understand it, so
it’s mistakenly criticized.”
“A few millennia ago,” Don Alonso jokes, “I also believed

that, more or less, but then I reached other conclusions.
If you allow me, I’d like to tell you the reasons why I
used to see things under a different perspective. May I
share them with you?”
“Go ahead.”
“But before, I’ll say this: What’s been a sort of curse

throughout history has been the arrogance of a few try-
ing to impose a certain point of view on the rest. But,
curiously, every time this imposition has happened, it
was conveniently disguised under a cloak of liberation,
unification, protection or the supposed discovery of a
new way forward.
“And I assure you, in practice, when unilateral points of

view have been imposed this way on others, it can’t even
reach the ‘revolution’ category. Instead, it’s merely a
158
social ‘regression’ because we can’t skip that unwritten

rule whereby all options must be submitted to the will of
the majority.”
“But Don Alonso,” Jorge object, “with all due respect,

that doesn’t operate with scientific socialism because it’s
an element that’s been perfectly well studied and ex-
pounded by great men, and it’s founded on historical
dialectics. Excuse me, but that can’t be left in the domain
of the common citizen.”
“Jorge, I don’t have the slightest doubt that those ideas

can turn out to be very tempting for you and others, but
perhaps by analyzing them better you could manage to
think differently.”
“Or perhaps,” Jorge counters, “the same could happen to you.”
“Perhaps. But allow me to present my point of view, and

I request that you indicate the point or points you might
disagree with.
“Gentlemen, I hope not to bore you, but since you’re in

politics, it’s convenient that you also analyze this point of
view, though I’ll present it to you in a greatly abbrevi-
ated version.”
“We’ll listen to you with pleasure,” Gustavo assures him.
For his part, Jorge remains very attentive and stands in

silence as if allowing things to settle on their own.
“You’ve just mentioned,” Don Alonso resumes, “the dia-

lectics of history, so I’d like to begin with that.
“One of the most important philosophers who dealt with

that topic was Hegel, and curiously, Marx and Engels
159
confirmed having based many of their writings on the

dialectical method. However, in practice and in the ac-
tual grounding of their theories, they didn’t go beyond a
mere grammatical use of the term, because their way of
presenting them was different.
“Jorge, tell me something, What is your concept of dia-

lectics?”
“Well, it’s the same as that of the experts on the matter,

that is to say, it’s the science that deals with the evolu-
tion of ideas and theories. I don’t know how you would
consider it yourself.”
“That’s the thought of Hegel and even some of his prede-

cessors such as Heraclytus, centuries before Christ. But
I insist, those dialectic principles were not followed in the
establishment of the theories of Marx, Engels and Lenin.”
“Why do you say that?”
“Dialectics,” Don Alonso continues, “is a part of logic

and philosophy which we could see from two points of
view: Firstly, it could be said that it’s the art of argumen-
tation or dialogue, a kind of comparison between differ-
ent ideas or points of view. Or, secondly, we could also
see it under a more profound concept, exactly as
Heraclytus and later Hegel did. They considered it a per-
manent mobility or evolution based on a structure of oppo-
sites, and saw contradiction as the origin of many things.”
“And how did that supposedly operate?” asks Gustavo,

who’s increasingly puzzled, as if wanting to complement
those ideas of his youth.
“Look, Gustavo, they were profound philosophical ideas

with a solid basis, which assured that history keeps de-
160
veloping through a permanent adjustment of opposite

forces, like those that keep a bow’s strings tense.
“It’s very likely that Hegel gave the ideas of Heraclytus

careful consideration, and that Marx, Engels, Lenin and
others were in turn based on what Hegel said. So far so
good.
“Nevertheless, for the forces of true dialectics to get go-

ing, an authentic and honest comparison of opposite ideas
is required. That is nothing other than dialogue, which is
a term closely linked to dialectics.
“Look Jorge, any theory —especially a controversial

theory— can be accepted as valid unless it’s subjected to
the dialectical process. Otherwise, the term ‘theory’ is
limited to mere grammatical use, which is what you did.
“Jorge, here is where the problem begins, because the

Marxist-Leninist interpretation was not only ‘monolectic’,
but also quite distant from reality.
“Marx took it upon himself to write his theories unilater-

ally, as if he were an enlightened prophet, without con-
sidering the economic or historical concepts of those who
didn’t share his point of view.
“In other words, from that point on he begins to distance

himself from true dialectics when he makes that unilat-
eral and incomplete interpretation.
“And after that first urge to distance himself from the

free comparison of ideas, those theories were taken to
the realm of reality. That’s where things got worse be-
cause they had to be complemented with a heavy-handed
imposition in the political sphere. Since those theses were
poorly structured, disastrous socioeconomic results were
161
the outcome once they were applied. These in turn pro-

duced much social discontent and the only way to sus-
tain such nonsense was through the use of force.
“It’s true that we all have the right to express our ideas.
However, what’s unacceptable is to try to impose a uni-
lateral and economic vision on all society without even
bothering to submit those theses to dialog or ideological
comparison. Instead, it was just presented —albeit in a
treacherously attractive way— to a determined segment
of society.
“Though at first it confused many —I among them— see

for yourselves the great limitation in those reasonings:
Starting in 1842, they circumscribe economic and social
reality to their very limited analyses and, among other
things, they point out ‘incompatible material interests’
as one of the main causes of social deficiencies. That’s
how it was expressed in Marx’s Communist Manifesto in
1848.
“Now here Jorge, I’ll make a small observation: Do you

remember that a short while ago I was commenting on
the unsurmountable objection I received by a few offi-
cials from the Secretariat of Education?”
“I remember, but first tell me something: Why do you

erroneously suppose that Marx’s analysis was superfi-
cial?”
“I’ll answer you precisely by telling you what happened

to me.
“For those few Secretariat of Education officials, my

‘crime’ was not so much having exposed certain ex-
amples, as they tried to pretend, but having assured them
that all of humanity’s interests on the planet run per-
162
fectly parallel. To claim, as I explained, that the inter-

ests of some are intrinsically opposed to those of others
is the product of an incomplete and superficial sociologi-
cal analysis.
“Jorge, remember the examples I gave you a while ago?”
“I remember them.”
“I could give you many more, as many as you like, and in

any field of human endeavor. With any of them, I could
demonstrate how all human beings’ interests on the planet
are compatible and parallel. I repeat: This holds true not
only for a country’s citizens, but for the entire planet’s
population as well.
The fact that starting from a superficial analysis we hadn’t

seen it like that doesn’t mean it doesn’t happen. And you
know something? This will come as a surprise to you, but
one of Mr. Marx’s postulates was precisely the opposite.
“If we study carefully most of his writings, he talks about

this supposed incompatibility of interests. According to
him, we are consequently compelled to a ‘class struggle.’
“And then,” Don Alonso says with a smile, “someone like

yours truly shows up with a civics-focused approach and
assures them there’s often an invisible yet invariably
infallible similarity of interests. The logical outcome was
exactly what occurred: Those few officials never accepted
him because he was, without saying it openly, opposed
to their dogmas.”
Jorge nearly jumps out of his chair as he listens to Don

Alonso’s opinion, but seeing that he knows the topic more
or less, he chooses, for the time being, to let him continue.
He would wait until the end to voice his objections.
163
“Any citizen,” Don Alonso assures them, “who puts any

kind of dogma ahead of the basic rules of dialectics —
even when knowing that by doing so they can affect their
country— will see that their actions will not only harm
others, as we were saying, but will come back to them in
many different ways.
“Besides, and going back to Marx, his monolectic vision

missed many things and his analyses didn’t produce a
correct assessment of economics and history.”
“I absolutely disagree with your point of view,” Jorge

objects, “but like we said, I’ll let you finish.”
“Thank you Jorge. As I was saying, true dialectics, as a

subset of logic, requires, among other things and as a
condition for reaching a valid result, to be based on cer-
tain rules. One of them is that it should start from solid
and accurate premises or postulates so as not to reach
senseless conclusions, which was what happened.”
“Like what kind of inaccurate postulates?” Jorge com-

plains, as he gets increasingly vexed.
“Among other things, his economic analysis of history

was very limited, and was based on a long series of inac-
curate, or in the best of cases, ambiguous postulates.
“Look Jorge, I don’t pretend to be rude in any way but as

I was telling you: When, in logic, we set off from inaccu-
rate premises, we reach conclusions that don’t conform
to reality. Do you want an illustration so you may under-
stand?”
Jorge remains silent while Gustavo answers: “Give us

an example.”
164
“See how easy it would be to make a mistake by using

ambiguous or poorly associated premises: major premise,
‘The horse runs.’; minor premise, ‘Juan also runs.’; there-
fore, ‘Juan is a horse.’”
The men laugh as they appreciate Don Alonso’s sense of

humor. He continues: “Many of Marx’s and Engel’s con-
clusions are of that sort. I insist: Had they not proceeded
in a monolectical way, and had they submitted, starting
in the nineteenth century, to the dialogue, analysis and
judgement of other researchers in the field, a great num-
ber of errors would have been avoided.”
“Since you say you like examples so much,” Jorge ob-

jects, “please give us some more.”
“They are countless,” Don Alonso answers. “For instance,

throughout his voluminous writings, Marx lets it be
known that he didn’t understand the classic economists
very well, and I don’t think he was joking.
“Among other things,” he goes on, “he didn’t even realize

that all of Nature’s vital processes were deliberately
endowed with a certain primary stimulus that would
automatically generate a secondary, though vital, objec-
tive for the community.
“For instance,” adds Don Alonso, unable to resist the use

of examples, “consider the human being of a thousand
years ago. He wasn’t handed a kind of manual telling
him that the regular ingestion of nutrients was neces-
sary for his survival…
“Well, now that I think about it,” he deadpans, “they

couldn’t read anyway.”
“It’s true,” says Gustavo, enjoying his sense of humor.
165
“Jorge, see how much more intelligently Nature pro-

ceeded: It placed in him a primary stimulus for him to
satiate, called hunger. When that happened, a second-
ary objective was fulfilled, which was nothing less than
his own nutrition.
“Trees grow,” he says as he turns towards the one that

shades him, “because they pursue a primary objective
which is to take in more solar radiation by growing
branches and leaves.
“But without realizing it, they produce, in a secondary

and invisible manner, a long list of vital processes for the
world. Did I mention that we also have beehives?”
Gustavo and Jorge remain truly clueless as to the pur-

pose of his question.
“Do you think that bees go from flower to flower be-

cause they are contributing to the critical pollination func-
tion? The bees don’t know it; they just search for food
among other things. Without realizing it, they also fulfill
that other transcendental secondary objective which I
just mentioned. Should someone remove, by means of a
limited monolectic vision, their first objective, then the
second one would not be achieved.
“For this ranch and the immense majority of companies

around the world,” he continues, “to perform produc-
tively, a primary objective is pursued which is a profit,
but notice: By attaining it, another secondary purpose is
achieved which is the truly important one. That objec-
tive is to contribute in a small way to the increase in
available goods and services. But that’s not all, the pur-
suit itself stimulates the efficient use of available re-
sources, one of them being time. Otherwise, the national
economy would collapse loudly.
166
“Those are wise and indispensable mechanisms or de-

terminants that Nature has created since time immemo-
rial so that available resources might be handled prop-
erly. Otherwise, another element would automatically
come into play. There is a sort of implicit ‘punishment’
which was invisibly established for anyone not using well
the available resources. This appears as a ‘loss’ which
would not be so plainly perceived if the employer didn’t
notice it in the bottom line as the value of the utilized
resources being greater than the profits obtained.
“And Jorge, I ask you to observe carefully: Every com-

munity is nothing but the simple aggregate of its inhab-
itants’ production. A generalized and inefficient man-
agement system will at first manifest itself as a production
decrease and later as a decline in the entire community’s
standard of living.
“In other words, the real situation wasn’t at all like what
those not-so- dialectic gentlemen had imagined. They
singled out the employer as an evil person who used
resources selfishly. These included capital, energy, la-
bor, land, water or whatever. In fact, Nature has always
established certain invisible determinants to make sure
that the value of the final product should be higher than
the utilized resources.
“And I don’t blame these gentlemen for having incurred

in such elementary mistakes. We all make mistakes. I do
fault them, however, for not having observed the basic
rules of dialectics: the proper argumentation and frank
comparison of ideas. As I was saying, the worst would
come later, when their followers forced entire countries
to act according to their limited theories.
“By simply observing the basic rules of dialectics, they

would never have incurred in the omissions and errors
that caused the death of such huge numbers of people.”
167
“Which rules, for example?” Jorge asks, now less confi-

dent about the theories he had considered so solid.
“Here’s one among many: Marx said that he intended to

free the people from the heavy burden of the bureau-
cracy, but his ideas led precisely to the opposite situa-
tion. The bureaucracy was institutionalized, and they all
became the employees of a clumsy and inefficient State
that was necessarily tied to low productivity and avail-
ability of goods and services. A corrupt minority man-
aged the bureaucracy which, to top it all, restricted free-
dom as an indispensable measure for sustaining their
political status. In practice, that’s how far they went.
“Just see, Jorge,” Don Alonso points out, “what disregard-

ing the basic rules of dialectic argumentation can lead to.
“I don’t want to bore you, gentlemen, but if you like,

some other day, and if we have the time, I can describe
in more detail why those gentlemen’s ideas were noth-
ing but inaccurate assessments, though some more than
others.”
“But the market system you defend so much,” Jorge sus-

tains, “isn’t a perfect mechanism and suffers from cer-
tain faults.”
“There is nothing perfect in human behavior, my dear

Jorge.” Don Alonso replies. “That’s why our activities
must be subjected to family, sanitary, forestry, fiscal,
labor, commercial and traffic legislation. This is in order
to circumscribe those imperfect activities to an authen-
tic common benefit.
“And when confronted with something that doesn’t work

well,” he emphasizes, “the worst thing we could do would
be to replace it with an even more imperfect substitute.”
168
Once again, Jorge is surprised that he came to listen to

those points of view in such a distant and idyllic place.
Silently and gradually, he realizes that lecturing young
students in political economics in some institution of
learning wasn’t the same as holding a dialogue with some-
one who knows the subject.
“But, Don Alonso,” Gustavo adds, “Why didn’t Lenin and

those who followed him realize that things weren’t work-
ing?”
“What happens is that you will find few people from the
past five centuries who were more intolerant than some
of the political and ideological followers of that thesis. I
cite one case: Lenin. I believe you know how he dealt
with all of those who differed from him; sometimes it
was for simple matters such as suggesting that he chart
his course democratically.
“Jorge, if you haven’t read some of his works, such as

State and Revolution, I suggest you do. They will con-
vince you that Lenin’s thinking was one of the most
monolectical and intolerant of the last centuries.
“In that book and some of his other writings, you will
also see what Lenin thought of the State. He considered
it a mere instrument of oppression against the worker,
and he clearly expressed it that way. But I ask you: Could
this leader have been so limited that he wouldn’t realize
from the very start that his theories would lead to a highly
unproductive and dictatorial state? I don’t think so.
“I rather think that later, other motivations of a political

nature appeared. These compelled him and those who
followed him to stick with that scheme, with hegemonic
purposes. However, in the late twentieth century they ran
into obstacles that had already become insurmountable.
169
“First, the very low internal productivity caused, as an

initial effect on the population, a very limited access to
goods and services. This in turn was forcing them to
endure an incredible lack of freedoms.
“Another obstacle was their increasingly evident inabil-

ity to get ahead militarily. That was the case until the
end of the last century, when Gorbachev —who deserv-
edly won international acclaim— did what should have
been carried out since those early years: He tore down
all those poorly constructed theses.
“What is surprising,” he complements, “is that there are

still a few places in Latin America and Asia where their
leaders continue to insist on those policies.”
“Yes, Don Alonso,” Jorge points out, “but I must mention

that the most important thing would be to keep increas-
ing the working class’s quality of life.”
“Ah! Now in that we’re in total agreement, and that must

be one of the basic objectives of any politician. These
objectives, however, must be reached by the correct
route; otherwise, far from helping the workers, it could
lower their purchasing power.
“And apart from other appropriate measures intended

to help in attaining those objectives, such as the adequate
management of the economy, the building of trust, the
teaching of civics in its full dimension, the streamlining
of red tape and so on, I would like to highlight two ele-
ments: The first is to improve the educational level as
much as possible, so the students might have access to
any human being’s true wealth, which is in the mind.
“Look,” continues Don Alonso, who can’t seem to re-

frain from using examples, “let’s say we were to place in
170
a foreign country, and without a centavo in the pocket,

Álvaro and one of our workers who was here with
Benjamín, Joaquín for example. I can assure you that
after a few years we would have a very different situa-
tion between them. Álvaro will have succeeded, but I’m
not so sure about Joaquín.
“Álvaro, it’s not that I’m sending you across the border,”
Don Alonso says in jest.
“I hope so,” Álvaro answers, understanding perfectly well

the meaning of his example.
“I don’t mean to imply that I don’t value Joaquín or our

other collaborators, but the differences will be deter-
mined by their level of education. And among many other
factors that also affect the actual increase in salaries,” he
adds, “there is a second element I insist upon a lot.”
“Which one is that?”
“It’s the stabilization of population growth. The number

of births should be more or less balanced by that of deaths,
otherwise the number of workers will be greater than
what is required by society. That in turn will make labor
cheaper, to the detriment of the workers themselves.
“All the mainstream economists noticed this phenom-

enon, though I wish they had insisted upon it more. At
least they pointed it out.
“Now I put before you the currently extreme case of

Africa, and let’s examine its demographic growth a little.
“Look, considering only the population interrelationship

between Europe and Africa, let’s consider the great flow
of migrants observed in those regions in just a few years
and the how its effects reverberated within them.
171
“In 1980, there was one European for every African.

Currently, for each European, there are a little over two
Africans. By 2050, without unforeseen changes, and even
with a decrease in its population growth, it is expected
that there will be five times more Africans than Europe-
ans. But how will this affect their income level?
“In 2050, the immense majority of our African brothers

and sisters will not even be remotely equipped with an
adequate education when they’ll seek jobs in their coun-
tries of origin or in the European Community. Addition-
ally, there will be so many of them that they will exert a
strong downward pressure on their personal income. And
I insist, being such a numerous workforce, it will receive
a very deficient training but will still require all the nec-
essary satisfiers.
“I insist a lot on population stabilization. Just as health in

the human body doesn’t exist in the extremes, but rather
in a state of equilibrium, something similar will happen
in our global community.
“In a person’s case, he or she will not enjoy a good health

if, for example, the blood sugar level is above or below
the normal parameters.
“If, for instance, in a city there are more taxis than po-
tential customers, there’s a problem, and the same thing
occurs if the situation is reversed; one must try to bal-
ance supply and demand. In a society’s other elements,
the same thing will happen. Wellbeing is not achieved in
the extremes, but in the equilibrium between the influ-
encing factors.
“Gentlemen, we could talk about these matters for many

days,” Don Alonso concludes, “but we don’t have that
much time. And speaking of time, now that’s another
172
resource we must also manage well, because the day is

almost over.”
Gustavo notices how the surrounding’s valuable elements

followed another of the place’s many unwritten rules,
whereby each one focuses on its own role, as if they
were part of a wonderful orchestra. He observes how
the Sun followed silently and impassively its path to the
west. This caused the sky’s splendid blue to gradually
turn more intense and, much to his chagrin, he felt that
the day wanted to slip away from their hands.
“Don Alonso,” Gustavo asks, “it has seemed to us, or to

me at least, an almost spectacular day, but tell us one
more thing: What would be your interest in us? Or, how
could we help in the two matters you explained so clearly?
Because, as you well put it, the demographic and civics
matters are crucial.”
“Yours is an excellent question,” Don Alonso answers

with a smile, “and it has rightly been said: He who phrases
a question well, already has half the answer.
“Therefore, I can answer you with two words: Open it.”
“Open it,” Gustavo repeats, as if not knowing what he

was getting at.
“Open it,” Don Alonso repeats. “To make both topics

applicable, in some way, to our entire community. We
cannot and must not treat our fellow citizens like minors,
because they’ll react as such, but as people who think
and act. This way, we will all be drivers of change.”
“If you like, gentlemen,” Álvaro intervenes, “let’s walk

back home, and on the way we can continue to talk as
we enjoy a sunset like we’ve never seen before.”
173
“Very well.”
“We cannot allow others to decide for us,” Don Alonso

resumes, as they start to walk, “because in practice, they
often don’t even bother to look deeply into the issues at
hand. And you know something? The next decades will
be crucial, and the points we have outlined must be sub-
mitted to the entire community’s analysis, because this
is the only way we’ll reach together our full potential.
“So many mistakes are due to that unfortunate custom

of having a minority decide for the rest of us…”
While they were descending on that gentle slope, the

Sun continued serenely on its path, as if completely oblivi-
ous to their dialogues. The birds, for their part, also
seemed to be busy with other matters. No one could
know with certainty whether those fluttering creatures,
which seemed to be attending the most cheerful of par-
ties, assembling and singing in the leafiest trees, were
giving their companions a peculiar review of the day’s
activities. Or perhaps they were letting out their merry
voices towards an unknown part of the winds, feeling
grateful for having flown freely through the skies on this
day that insisted so much on leaving.
The wind, on the other hand, proceeded differently. As

it was flowing silently between trees and persons, it didn’t
let anyone know that its light touch was enough to feel
the soul of things.
But that wind’s secret activity in turn caused the clouds

to rearrange themselves in whimsical shapes. And the
setting Sun changed their colors in tones that didn’t exist
in any human color catalog.
Everything seemed to be conjuring to transform the sur-

roundings in such a way as to produce the strongest
impact on the men.
174
“Don Alonso and Álvaro,” Gustavo says softly, as if not

wanting to alter with his voice the things he sensed, “I’ve
seen many sunsets in my life, both physically and in
images, but now something odd is happening to me…”
“Tell us how it seems to you now,” queries Don Alonso,

perceiving the effect Gustavo was feeling.
“You won’t believe me,” Gustavo resumes, “but I feel as

if I were part of this wonderful setting that we’re all
admiring right now.”
“Now I understand your interest in coming here,” Jorge

tells him.
“You see, Gustavo,” adds Don Alonso in his soft voice, as

they walk home, “it’s not that you feel part of the scen-
ery now. The truth is that right now we’re all in it. It’s
only human limitation and blindness that make us be-
lieve we’re outside of it.”
Álvaro is not even remotely troubled as he listens to the

viewpoint he already knew so well, but Gustavo and
Jorge are astounded.
“Do you think so?” Gustavo asks, as if inviting him to

share that perspective which was so uniquely his.
“I don’t believe it, I’m certain about it,” Don Alonso de-
clares as if talking about the most self-evident thing in
the world. “We all form part of a picture called world, and
one of our chief mistakes is to believe we can exit it.”
“And why do we leave it?”
“Because ill winds change our minds and make us be-

lieve we are outside the world, sowing economic, racial,
religious and political divisions.
175
“Forgive me, gentlemen,” Don Alonso unexpectedly says,

“but I consider that all of mankind’s interests on the planet
go hand in hand, and that various false points of view
underlie our world. One of those is not mine, but it’s the
one that prevails out there.
“It’s only human limitation and deceit,” he continues,

“that keep us from noticing what I’m telling you. Many
arbitrary and misleading mental barriers have been
erected, which don’t allow us to see things as they are.”
As Don Alonso’s companions keep walking down that

trail, they remain deliberately silent, not wanting to
touch, not even with their voices, that magical moment.
…I’ve seen many sunsets in my life, both physically and in images,

but now something odd is happening to me…
176
“When mankind will realize this,” he continues, “we’ll

achieve a leap greater than when we learned to walk
upright, and that moment will mark the advent of a new
world of generalized prosperity and wellbeing never
before imagined.”
Gustavo and Jorge exchange glances, realizing they were

in the presence of a man with very special points of view.
“I even trust,” Don Alonso expresses, as if speaking to

the wind, “that the onset of more problems stemming
from our own mistakes will make us realize what some-
one put in words so well: ‘Without a common future,
there will be no future.’”
The visitors notice that Don Alonso had estimated the

time very accurately, because as they were nearing the
house, the Sun had already slipped away from the firma-
ment. As a wonderful compensation, though, it had left
countless stars in its place.
Suddenly, they hear gentle voices coming from the house.

They had lit a bonfire in the middle of the patio, and
around it they were all waiting for them to enjoy an
atole, the local hot corn beverage, and corn bread they
had just bought in Tingüindín.
“Perfect!” Jorge exclaims.
At that point, Gustavo decides he needs to make a call,

and realizes with astonishment that his smartphone is
not with him.
“My phone! I don’t have it; I must have dropped it where

were just now.”
“Don’t worry Gustavo”, says Álvaro. “It must be there;

nothing gets lost around here.”
177
“Caramba!” Gustavo exclaims. “The problem is that it

isn’t just any phone. It’s the one my superiors call me to
in emergencies; that’s why I took it there. Oh well, if it
gets lost that’s too bad; it’s the contacts I’m worried
about.”
Álvaro reassures him: “I think we’ll find it. Don’t worry,

you’ll see.”
After a pleasant evening, Don Alonso graciously excuses

himself and retires. Álvaro discreetly tell Esther: “I’ll go
to the little dam in a hurry. I’m sure the phone’s there.”
“Take a flashlight.”
Álvaro walks briskly, and in a few minutes he’s at the

place where they had been. With his flashlight, he scans
the places where it might be. Then, he even tries to call
it with his own phone, hoping to locate it, but notices that
the signal there is very weak and, at times, lost.
He sees to the west a glow that seemed to increase and

he suddenly remembers, “Tonight there’s a moon! I didn’t
even remember... Because I was at the fair I forgot about
the cycles of the sky.
“Over there in the cities,” he reflects, “not so much at-

tention is paid to what happens up there. There’s no
question this is where I belong.”
While Álvaro was searching for the phone with the

flashlight’s faint illumination, he notices the garden chairs.
They seemed to be extending a discreet invitation to
observe the sky from this special place, accompanied
only by the crickets’ chirping and the wavelets’ gentle
tapping on the water’s edge.
178
Unable to resist the enticement of such a proposal, Álvaro

sits down and scans the firmament. As if he were the
most scrupulous of inspectors, he checks that each star
is in its correct place. As the minutes go by, he sees the
Moon’s face boldly coming into sight and, without ask-
ing for any permission whatsoever, it extends a silver
line on the water’s surface.
Álvaro wanted to go home and come back early the next

morning to continue his search for the phone. But it
seemed like that wonderful dark blue sky, festooned with
stars, and the rising Moon had firmly seized him. So he
decides to linger a little longer.
…he sees the Moon’s face boldly coming into sight, and without
asking for any permission whatsoever, it extends a silver line on the
water’s surface.
179
All the series of ideas they had discussed that day came
to mind as he observed the heavens. Then, something
he feared and had kept as the darkest of secrets sud-
denly surfaced.
Deep within, he felt that that beautiful Moon also wanted

to say something, though it wished to do so in a different
way, as if trying not to break a secret and a very strict
code of silence.
“I better leave right now,” he thought, “because those

voices are coming from nowhere but myself.” But an-
other part of him also told him to let his imagination fly.
That was a prerogative granted to humans: to listen to
whatever came to mind, even to the product of ethereal
mischief.
And so, as he observed the Moon and how that silver

line danced on the waves of the little dam, something
sprang forth in his mind:
If only they had seen,

That which, with the passing of the centuries,
Our eyes have seen,
They never would have believed it…
The tears they have caused,

Have filled so many rivers,
Have caused miseries,
And have darkened the world…
They call themselves wise,

They become the blind guides of the blind,
And they even kill themselves,
Spoiling the world…
180
The arrogance they have reached,

To such a degree has blinded them,
That even Roman emperors,
From the ground have challenged me…
More than making me laugh,

Of sadness they have filled me.
Can the world be guided,
By this kind of people?
Worse than blind and cruelly demented,

They built factories of death,
To take life from humans,
Many of them children…
Our greatest effort,

Is that he who the stars made,
Wanted my light to shine upon them,
Equally on all…
When will they see with their eyes?

When will their ears listen,
That the project of harmony,
Is the future of the world?
There is something that consoles me,

And something at least encourages me,
Perhaps that centuries-old wait,
Will at last reach the Earth…
If the light that shines from above,

Changes the minds of a few,
Those could point to roads,
In the right direction…
181
Until that dream becomes reality,

And that wait still gives me courage,
In great silence we’ll remain,
Seeing their sorrows…
If the light that the winds bring,

Takes away the darkness of centuries,
Their eyes won’t close shut,
And weeping will disappear from the world!
If you listen to the voice of the wind,

They will do what they never did,
And all the good you beget,
Will return to your hands…
If we allow minds to fly,

If dreaming is at times permitted,
I dream of a golden sunrise,
That will at last change the world!
Again, everything remains silent and Álvaro wonders if

the crickets had heard such voices. But since their chirp-
ing and all the other sounds hadn’t altered their rythms,
he inferred that only he had heard them.
Then, he turns to his left and sees a distant glimmer on

the road that gradually becomes brighter. A few min-
utes later he sees Gustavo almost next to him.
“Álvaro, What are you doing here?”
“The same thing as you, I think. It was the phone’s fault.”
“Any luck?”
“No, but I’ll be back early tomorrow morning; I can find

it but I need some daylight.”
182
“Listen Álvaro,” Gustavo jokes, “I don’t want to leave

this place. I think you’re going to have to give me a job!”
Álvaro comforts him by saying, “Don Alonso put it well:

The key is not to leave the picture, so to speak, and to
have the right mindset. Then we’ll stay here wherever
we might be.
“Just look at that,” Gustavo says in an awestruck voice.

“What a sky and what a sight.”
“Look, Álvaro,” he adds, pointing at something in the

sky, “that group of stars; I think I’ve seen them in books.
It’s the Big Dipper, isn’t it?”
“Exactly. And you know something? Even the stars can tell
a tale. For example, the constellation you’ve mentioned was
known as ‘The Cart’. The Romans later called those stars
‘Septentrionalis’, and it meant ‘seven oxen’ in reference to
a supposed cart that was pulling the heavens. Since this
imaginary vehicle is located in the north, over time the
term septentrional became associated with the north.”
“How odd. So then, When did the word ‘north’ come from?
Álvaro answers without hesitation: “In the Indoeuropean

languages, the term ‘nur’ signifies ‘left’. They named it
that way because looking to the east, where the Sun rises,
they found their bearings, or ‘orientation’. The north is
to the left of the rising Sun.”
At that point, and much to Gustavo’s chagrin, they begin

to walk back home without neglecting to observe those
other parts of the sky which also had their story.
Then, as Gustavo turns towards the little dam, he sees

the delicate silver line extending over the water and how
183
it seemed to follow them as they advanced. Surprised,

he comes to a halt.
“What’s the matter?” Álvaro asks, as if fearing that what

had just happened to Gustavo was the same thing he
had experienced just minutes before.
“No, nothing,” he answers, not really wanting him to

know. “Very well, I’ll tell you… I was surprised that a
kind of answer to a doubt that I had days ago suddenly
came to mind.”
“What doubt?” Álvaro asks again.
“You’ll probably say it’s a crazy or pointless doubt, but

look: Some days ago I was wondering if there could pos-
sibly be an entity powerful enough to encompass all
human existence, and guess what…
“As I was observing that beautiful silver line that seemed

to follow us on the waves as we walked, a kind of answer
came to me.”
Gustavo, still startled, continues, “Just as that silver wake

follows us, it’s perfectly possible that someone who’s
sufficiently powerful can see and follow us, and even
induce events. And forgive me Álvaro, but because that
thought came to me in an instant, it kind of struck me
and that’s why I stopped.”
“Well, that’s how it goes, I guess. Oh, and don’t worry

about having apparently crazy ideas,” Álvaro tells
Gustavo without daring to reveal what had just happened
to him. “We have all had crazy thoughts at times.”
And as they continue on their way, they notice that their

flashlights aren’t really needed anymore. The Moon had
184
begun its dimly lit scrutiny of the earth’s surface. Its

delicate work allowed them to make out the ground’s
features.
“At what time do you leave tomorrow?” Álvaro asks.
“After breakfast. We want to get back to Mexico City

early enough to avoid the afternoon traffic.”
Álvaro notices in Gustavo a certain sadness due to the

impending end of their stay and adds: “Don’t worry,
Gustavo. We all can and should place ourselves within a
positive ‘life picture’; we must keep the right attitude.
Even on my trips abroad I’m still within it, believe me…”
“And how do you manage that?”
“It’s easy, I don’t listen to the ill winds that only seek to
divide and poison humans. We are part of a whole, and I
know what I’m talking about.”
185
186
CHAPTER X
T HE RETURN
The small group of visitors who were spending that night

at the El Encinal ranch didn’t fully realize a curious fact:
When someone is in the country, something in that
person’s biological clock causes them to begin and finish
their daily activities earlier.
For that reason, after much high-spirited conviviality

around the bonfire in the patio, little by little they re-
tired for the night. After a while, there was only a silence
that was interrupted only by the crickets’ light and rhyth-
mic chirping, and the wind’s playful and gentle rustling
of the trees’ leaves.
At first glance, it seemed that everything had entered

into a deep slumber. However, for other elements of the
natural surroundings, this drastic decrease in daily ac-
tivity never occurred. They went on with their daily tasks,
not wanting to display any effort whatsoever. One of
them was the work of the wind which, by means of a
cool breeze, spread a unique aroma that seemed to be
taken from a secret chest whose purpose it was to com-
pletely transform the place.
But what the wind considered its most important task

was a careful inspection, with its light touch, of every-
thing that was there.
The sky’s movement was accomplished very differently

because, among other things, its rate of activity was con-
stant and absolutely exact. Whether in the midst of a
ruckus or in complete silence, its movement always hap-
pened with the same precision.
187
As for the stars, their motion, precise as a stopwatch,

caused a strange feeling in any keen observer. He or she
would feel that this exact and wonderful celestial move-
ment was obeyed without any reluctance whatsoever.
Indeed, all the heavenly bodies seemed to be following
a simple and ancestral order with pleasure, conscious
that this was the surest way of continuing with the per-
fect order of things.
What did escape many was the fact that the stars’ exact
procession went very much hand in hand with another
element, and it wasn’t known with certainty whether it
was their ally or partner. That element was time.
There were still those in the world who didn’t realize

that for that marvelous universal orchestra to play, an
invisible and special score had to be followed to the
letter.
And so it was that with the sole exception of humans, not

only at the El Encinal ranch but throughout the world,
everything followed obediently and even with gusto all
the dictates of those enigmatic lords named Universe
and Time.
According to man’s ordinary timekeeping instruments,

the Sun was about to rise. But Álvaro, still being the
victim of a kind of gap in his internal biological clock due
to his recent trip to Europe, goes to bed and unintention-
ally rouses his wife Esther.
“What’s this? Don’t tell me you’re going to get up at this

time on a Sunday. You know, you’re even starting to act
like Don Alonso.”
“I’m not sleepy anymore,” Álvaro replies. “I’ll go and

look for the licenciado’s smartphone.”
188
“As you like but take a flashlight.”
“It’s still dark as Álvaro leaves the house. He can’t help

noticing that Don Alonso’s bedroom door is already ajar,
an unmistakable sign that even on a Sunday, he can’t
resist going out to contemplate the sky and the country-
side.
“It’s always been this way with him,” he thought. “It was
impossible for him not to see the beginning of a new day
in the front row and in such an excellent venue.”
As Álvaro walks with his flashlight in hand towards the

place where he had just been, he feels that incompa-
rable morning breeze. He observes the sky sprinkled
with stars and, to his right, the Moon about to take leave
to the west. Álvaro understands better why Don Alonso
never misses the chance to make the most of this unique
and nearly magical moment.
A few minutes later, Álvaro arrives at the very spot where

the group had been the day before. The first thing he
notices is that the unusual silvery line that had so care-
fully spread itself on the water’s surface had vanished.
“It’s logical,” he thought. “The Moon has left us on the
other side of the sky. But strangely, that change in the
scenery brings out the stars even more.”
The garden chairs were still there, attractively arranged.

They seemed to keep extending, without emitting a
sound, the same invitation to sit down as the previous
night. This invitation he promptly accepted while he waits
a little longer for daybreak to begin his search.
Somehow he considers this brief moment a creative gift

that came from somewhere, because it allows him, as
the minutes pass, to scan the twinkling celestial objects.
189
Álvaro then reflects on how right Benjamín had been

when he taught him to tell the time by simple celestial
observation. Each star’s obedient and precise location,
as they slid to the west in an orderly manner, constituted
a far more precise timepiece than the most accurate of
watches.
“The only one who might confound some men,” he also

admitted, “are celestial objects like that reddish one over
there, which I think is Mars. It’s not for nothing,” he
considered, “that in Antiquity they called them ‘planets’,
which means ‘wanderers’, when they noted that they moved
under different and, for them, bewildering rules.”
During that brief pause, all the previous day’s dialogue

and harsh exchanges, especially those from one of the
visitors, also came to mind. Fortunately though, Álvaro
was reassured by the way Don Alonso shared his re-
marks with Jorge.
“Why are there sometimes such diverse points of view

in our world?” he questioned himself intensely. “Could
that have some unknown purpose, or could it be just
another manifestation of human limitation?”
While he grappled with such doubts, he was greatly com-

forted by that discreet and incomparable breeze.
He was also waiting for the Sun to rise and was looking
attentively to the east, and noticed that new stars were
rising over the surface of the Earth, as if with a certain
gusto.
“What a curious optical illusion! That’s explained,” he

understands with great surprise, “by the simple fact that
the celestial vault walks by small steps from east to west,
or ‘backwards’ from where I’m looking.
190
“Maybe that’s how more than one in Antiquity must have

imagined the supposed gods, which is how they consid-
ered the heavenly bodies, somehow rising from the Earth.
No doubt about it: Everything has its explanation, though
at first we might not know it.”
Álvaro didn’t even remember those strange ideas that

had cropped up in his mind the night before anymore.
Yet, within him, another similar sensation bringing new
elements knocks timidly on his mind’s door.
Álvaro remembers that while at first those kind of oc-

currences had seemed worrisome to him, now he was
untroubled by them. His attitude was now very differ-
ent. Somehow he had accepted that sometimes, it was
permitted for human conduct to wander a little.
Therefore, he just chooses to let that strange mischief

that comes from some unknown place to rise to the sur-
face, just as the wind is allowed to arrange leaves which-
ever way it wants, before placing them in the appropri-
ate way.
And so Álvaro continues to placidly observe the stars,

though without daring to move a single finger so as not
to interfere with this nearly magical experience. He just
asks himself in the deepest region of his mind: “If those
stars that seem to observe us so carefully could opine on
human behavior, What would they tell us?”
A few minutes of silence elapse, with Álvaro accompa-

nied only by the tapping sound of the little waves, the
wind’s light rustling of the leaves, and now the birds’
first songs. And while he observes the sky, something
suddenly appears in his mind:
191
Who told the humans,

That to know roads,
Or to treat themselves as brothers,
One had to follow their routes?
In the beginning, to them were given,

The right directions,
But they continued on their paths,
That’s why they’re still lost…
Who told the humans,

That as they treat themselves as siblings,
They had to invent barriers,
And make enemies?
Because they sowed bad seeds,

They harvested their thorns,
They preferred blind guides,
And they’re afraid of their fruits,
We ourselves can’t even speak,

Such was the will of the heavens,
We were told to keep quiet,
And thus we shall remain…
We shall remain in deep silence,

Weeping for their mistakes,
Seeing their peoples suffer,
And shining only during their nights…
Álvaro is left completely astounded by such words, as he

tries to elucidate their true origin.
“Could it be that such ideas have come to me in this

form,” he wonders, “in order to bypass some strict and
invisible code of silence? Or perhaps had they found a
sort of secret route to leak out their thoughts to the world?
192
“Of course not,” he immediately tells himself. “That’s

complete nonsense. Such ideas are just the product of
my imagination; it can’t be otherwise.
“Well,” he concludes with a smile, “ultimately, and as I

was thinking, we are all allowed a few silly imaginings.
And besides, those ideas aren’t that odd.
“I hope never to have to share such things with anyone.

Who knows what they’d think…”
The birds seemed unaffected by Álvaro’s strange expe-

rience. Their racket and songs kept growing louder and
louder. And at last, a dim glow where the Sun would rise
could be discerned.
Just as deeds speak louder than words, the birds’ song

seemed to tell the wind: “It’s true that we must keep
silent at night, but how could we remain quiet and not
celebrate this day’s beginning with a party?”
Deliberately and contentedly, Álvaro decides to enjoy

the moment a little longer, trusting that a brighter light
will allow him to find the lost cellphone.
A few minutes go by and suddenly, as if pulled from

some secret corner of the sky for just such a special oc-
casion, he sees that a golden rug has been spread out
over the water. This causes Álvaro, who’s almost regret-
ting this moment’s end, to set out quickly to search for
the phone. At first he thought he would find it in no time,
but that didn’t happen. He walks around the little dam
where they had been. Nothing.
“Might it have fallen in the water? I don’t think so. The

splash would have been loud enough to be heard. Where
else were we? Ah! I know! After that we went southeast
to see the little valley.”
193
He briskly goes there but doesn’t see anything. It then

occurs to him to pull out his phone to see if any signal
could be picked up. Though weak, he gets one and calls
immediately.
For a moment he hears nothing, but then a muffled sound,

like a vibration, could be heard among some bushes.
“Could it be? Let’s see…”
“Yes! There it is!” He calls Esther to tell her to inform

Gustavo that the phone’s been found.
“We were worried,” his wife tells him.
“I needed the daylight.”
Esther also lets Álvaro know that they’re all having break-
fast in the patio, including Don Alonso who’s already
back from the countryside.
Sooner than expected, Álvaro was back with them, hand-

ing the phone over to Gustavo who’s elated to get it back.
He thanks him profusely for his efficient search.
“The ladies, Dieguito and Juan,” Gustavo comments,

“left to Tigüindín in a hurry to see if they could find
some embroidered blouses, uchepo tamales and other
things. They’ve already said goodbye to everyone and
have even agreed to pick us up at nine at the ranch
entrance.
“The ladies and Diego never imagined how much they

would enjoy staying here. As for us, it goes without say-
ing that we thank you for your time and hospitality.”
“It’s true,” Jorge adds. “These have been two exceptional

days.”
194
Álvaro, ever foresighted, interrupts them: “Gentlemen,

it’s eight forty. If you like, let’s go to the entrance and we
can continue to talk on the way. Is that fine with you?”
After having effusively taken leave from everyone, as if

the visitors had known them for years, they get going on
their last walk, this time towards the ranch entrance.
“Don Alonso,” Jorge declares as the men begin to walk,

“believe me, although I had some differences of opinion
with you, your ideas have been very interesting to me,
really…
“What’s more, I consider your ideas very valuable. Maybe

you should even have stayed in Mexico City to share
them with more people, perhaps even through politics.”
“Well, I’ll tell you two things,” Don Alonso answers, as if

pretending not to start another exchange, “good and valu-
able ideas are everywhere, and in any ideological cur-
rent. The only thing I would like to point out is the differ-
ent attitude we must strive to hold. It must be an attitude
of addition, not one of subtraction.
“Besides, the important thing is not so much the contri-

bution of ideas, though it helps a lot. The key is in the
wisdom and work capacity we have for their application
and implementation.
“And if you allow me, I’d like to settle a point: In most

underdeveloped countries, we suffer from some kind of
mental disconnect between people and government.
Many assume that by merely voting, they have fulfilled
their civic duty, and it isn’t so. A foreign politician once
uttered an insightful sentence: ‘The good ruler isn’t the
one who does great things, but the one who allows his
people to do them.’ And that’s achieved by creating the
195
right fiscal, productive, educational, financial, labor and

security environments.
“And you know something? Believe me, by simply creat-

ing that environment it would be sufficient. We, the
members of society, would do the rest.
“And we shouldn’t forget that while political manage-

ment and everyone’s work is crucial, one of the factors
that contributes to a deeper solution, here and anywhere,
comes from the change we can stimulate within each
one of us. I don’t see how it can be achieved otherwise.
“Because as long as that change doesn’t occur in the

people as much as in the government, nothing will be
achieved. You see, once I heard about a person who held
a very important position in Mexico City and, with the best
of intentions, tried to get things done. Not surprisingly, he
was upsetting those who wanted to do things as usual.
“For that reason, they tried to undermine his work and

make him look bad with his superiors in order to get him
out of the way… Unbelievable.
“That’s why,” he reiterates, “besides what I’ve been tell-

ing you, the fundamental solution can only come from a
generalized transformation from within, and that’s why
I beseech you to help us to widen that focus before the
rest of society. In other words, let the majority know the
reasons and the benefits that a combined collaborative
and appropriate conduct would bring.
“Even if we manage to make this extendable to all, it

would take years for the advent of that real and pro-
found change to happen. The important thing is to keep
moving in the right direction, and the longer we take to
plant, the longer we will have to wait to harvest the fruits.”
196
“Well, let’s see what can be done,” Gustavo answers. “I

will pass this on to an official who is very receptive, but
remember also that as we’ve discussed, there are small
groups that are still in the Middle Ages and they will try
to block it.”
“That’s right,” Don Alonso replies, “but it’s one more

reason to stay with it, by communicating this set of prob-
lems to everyone. You know, even within those small
groups who are always opposed to everything, most
people are uninformed. They even feel they’re doing a
terrific job by being against everything, when in fact
they’re just playing into the hands of a minority in which
some don’t understand a thing, and others pursue ad-
vantages or distorted political objectives.”
“It’s true, unfortunately,” Gustavo agrees.
“That’s why,” Don Alonso emphasizes, “more than seek-

ing to ‘vanquish them,’ we must attempt to convince them
with the reasons for having an advanced social outlook.
This is the only way to propitiate the advent of a much
more developed society, for the benefit of all.
“I believe we can demonstrate to them,” he keeps insist-

ing, “the way in which they are being adversely affected
themselves by acting mistakenly.
“There are those whose conduct is so irrational,” adds

Don Alonso who, as usual, couldn’t seem to avoid the
use of examples to make a point. “Álvaro, do you re-
member that a few days ago we asked Amarildo to cut
off a branch that was damaging the ranch house?”
“Yes I do.”
“By the way, he cut it off very well… But imagine for a
moment that he had not only cut the wrong branch, but
197
in doing so, he had also sat on the branch that was going
to fall off. What would have happened?”
At first they were about to burst out in laughter, but after

realizing the severity and grave consequences of that
hypothetical case, they remain surprised by the
example’s appropriateness.
Don Alonso resumes, “Well something like that is what

those who are opposed to the improvement of social func-
tioning bring upon themselves. Worse, they don’t even
realize the true reaches of their conduct.”
“I assure you,” Gustavo declares, this time with more

conviction, “we’ll do all our share.”
“And don’t believe,” Don Alonso goes on, as if seizing the

opportunity to make the most of their remaining time,
“that the extreme shortsightedness in the social realm is
limited to certain sectors in our country. Want to hear
something?
“There hasn’t been any corner of the planet that hasn’t

been stained by the blood of our fellow brothers. That in
particular has been the logical consequence of not feel-
ing like what we are, and that is part of a whole.
“To top it all, the majority of people, especially in devel-

oping regions, don’t even understand that the most in-
significant action will not only project itself towards oth-
ers, but will, in one way or another, bounce back to each
and everyone of us.
“The great social sin has been,” he assures them, “that

we have not felt ourselves, as Socrates once said, like
citizens of the world. We’re not part of a team consisting
of the entire human race.”
198
Faced with Don Alonso’s very peculiar ideas, Jorge and

Gustavo look at each other, trying to understand whether
those concepts could fit in the thinking of the majority.
“If my ideas seem strange to you,” he tells them, as if

guessing their thoughts, “I have bad news for you: What’s
strange here isn’t what I’ve just told you but, on the con-
trary, that we don’t see it this way.
“And the consequences of such backward thinking wor-

thy of the Stone Age led to the logical result that I was
telling you about: There hasn’t been a region on the planet
that we haven’t stained with blood. But you know, ‘His-
tory is not destiny.’ And while we must learn from the
past, its purpose must be, precisely, to alter the future.
“May I give you one more example taken from history?”

asks Don Alonso, with a certain fear of boring them.
“Please, go ahead,” answers Jorge, by now accustomed

to his habit of citing examples.
“During the early nineteenth century, “ he expounds,

“the Spanish warship ‘San Hermenegildo’ and the ‘San
Carlos’ fired their cannon at each other during the early
hours until both vessels exploded and sank, taking with
them more than 1500 sailors… And do you know what
was the worst part?”
“What?” Jorge answers with curiosity.
“After the damage was done, they discovered at day-

break that both ships were Spanish.”
“But how was such a thing possible?” Álvaro inquires.
“Everything was dark, and coincidentally a third ship

attacked them. On those two warships that ended up on
199
the seafloor, they didn’t realize they were both emblem-

atic vessels of the same Armada. It seems like some-
thing funny and hard to believe, isn’t it?
“Well you know, though we arrogantly feel so wise, we

haven’t fully realized that we humans are also part of a
whole, and that our actions will infallibly revisit each
one of us.”
Both visitors remain soberly looking at each other, rec-

ognizing that what he was telling them was true.
“But what could we do?” Gustavo inquires.
“You can plant the correct ideas, and the fruits will ma-
terialize by themselves in the following decades.”
The three are left meditating on the singular ideas they

were hearing, as they continued on their stroll.
Gustavo, feeling the imminent end of the visit, would

like time to make a single exception and slow its progress
a little. But that’s not possible, because those invisible
rules had to be obeyed by all.
“The good news, my friends,” Don Alonso says with a

smile, “is that now you’re going to unwind after listening
to all my examples. The bad news is that I’m going to
quote you one more sentence, which ponders the impor-
tance of having a correct social perspective. Look, Otto
von Bismarck, who once was chancellor of Germany,
said: ‘Spain is the strongest country in the world: It’s
been trying to destroy itself for centuries and hasn’t
managed it yet.’
“You know something, the worst part of the matter is

that this accurate sentence isn’t limited to Spain. Rather,
200
it’s extendable to the entire human race, because we’ve

allowed ill winds to sow divisions for all imaginable rea-
sons. This is a reliable indicator that we’re still, in a cer-
tain way, stuck in barbarity.
“The man of the future will make a different kind of

history, and it will be neither as superficial nor as be-
nevolent as the one we are making today. A key turning
point will be the moment the integral social perspective
I’m telling you about will have become generalized.
“As a matter of fact, this kind of focus has already ex-

isted with a few people for millennia but ‘A swallow
doesn’t a summer make.’ We need to sow the right seed
and only then, in decades, will reason impose itself over
superficiality. Its effects will be seen by our descendants.”
They’re all left in deep silence, meditating on such ideas,

when they notice that they’ve almost reached the en-
trance. But apparently the van hasn’t arrived yet.
“Well, the trip already over,” says Jorge, who’s seeing

things with a different perspective now. “Very interest-
ing ideas. Hopefully we can do something, and I’ve got
to admit, this place is extraordinary.”
Álvaro, wanting to make the most of this brief moment

while the others arrive, intervenes: “Something that’s
worth mentioning is that as we’ve discussed with Don
Alonso, there’s the potential that this kind of productive
ranch, which is compatible with the environment, will
multiply by the thousands, generating countless jobs and
an incredible variety of agricultural and forestry prod-
ucts. But without a change within, we can’t go far.”
Suddenly they see the van with the rest of the group.
The passengers try to get out to say goodbye again, but
Don Alonso asks them not to. They do so anyway.
201
The ladies recount how they found everything they were

looking for, and for a while they all talk enthusiastically.
Though deploring the end of the trip, to avoid a late start,
they say goodbye and take their places again in the van.
A part of Don Alonso and Álvaro also regret the group’s

departure. They immediately notice a great contrast once
they have left because their bustle and conversation have
been replaced by a certain silence and reflection.
However, once they’ve closed the gate and started on

their way back, they both feel that something very im-
portant in the atmosphere hasn’t left, but has instead
preferred to stay with them.
202
CHAPTER XI
S TRANGE COUNTERWEIGHTS
On their way back home, Álvaro notices that Don Alonso

is in a deeply introspective mood because of everything
they talked about. He knew that Don Alonso was in the
habit of worrying too much when he thought that things
weren’t going in the right direction. But this time he
believes it wasn’t happening to him.
Trying to find out a little of what was on his restless

mind, he asks him a question: “What do you think of
everything we talked about with these gentlemen?”
“Well,” he answers, as if returning to this mundane world,

“truth is, I didn’t want to miss the chance to make an
attempt. You saw it, Álvaro: I tried to convince them to
make this other approach somehow applicable to the
greatest number of people.
“But look, here between us, and without failing to recog-

nize that there are capable and more or less well-inten-
tioned people, I doubt very much if something will get
done in that sense. I have a feeling that those who will
hear about this topic won’t consider it politically profit-
able, at least not in the short term.
“Unfortunately, the objective that is sought by many in

that professional environment is all that can be capital-
ized upon within an electoral framework.”
“And what do you think, Don Alonso? Even when seen

from that point of view, Isn’t it actually profitable?”
“Of course it pays off in every way,” Don Alonso replies,

“even politically, but that won’t happen immediately. I
believe the voters aren’t as naïve as some think.
203
“Personally, as you can imagine, I absolutely don’t share

that short term outlook. I would even go further: Deci-
sions shouldn’t be made on the basis of a possible and
immediate political benefit, but simply because it’s what’s
best for the country. As if that weren’t bad enough, even
by viewing this through an electioneering viewpoint, it
would take a few years for the results to be visible.
“Álvaro, remember that phrase I have already quoted

to you: ‘The politician thinks of the next election, the
statesman the next generation.’ The hidden danger is
that in the political environment, most see things as the
first group does.
“Besides,” he assures Álvaro, “if what I told them is

clearly explained, it can be understood perfectly well by
the majority. But many will rather opt for the worn out
path that offers what seems easiest, thinking that the
citizens will choose anything that doesn’t seem to re-
quire any effort. Those politicians, however, know with
certainty that this won’t lead to anything other than help-
ing them win an ephemeral triumph at the voting booths.”
As they walk, Álvaro keeps reflecting and fearing that

this other phrase, ‘The greater the knowledge, the greater
the hunger,’ would become a reality in Don Alonso’s spirit.
There was a strange combination in him: On the one
hand, he believed he knew certain measures that might
help; and on the other, he felt they weren’t being carried
out, with him not being able to do anything about it.
For that reason, Álvaro fears that a kind of frustration

would suddenly rise up within him, as it had already
happened on other occasions. He also remembers that
this was one of the reasons that impelled him instead to
develop the El Encinal project where they now stood.
Finally, he can’t help asking him: “Don Alonso, Doesn’t
204
it despair you a little to sense that things could be done

differently?”
“I’m going to tell you something, Álvaro: It has frustrated

me much more than you can imagine. I even get to the
point where I didn’t even want to know what was going
on out there. And not because I wanted no part of it, but
because I just worried without gaining anything.
“But you’ll be surprised to learn that for many months

now, after meditating a lot on that matter, I’ve been
slowly changing my attitude. In fact that change has
picked up a lot during the past few weeks.
“I haven’t even discussed that with you because you were

away. As you know, I like to let things run through my
head and you won’t believe me: There was an episode
that changed my attitude. No doubt about it, one never
stops learning.”
“Ah! Well great! But tell me, What episode was that?”
“It was the recollection of something that happened in

Zamora many decades ago. In the past few days, I’ve
imposed a lot with examples and anecdotes, but if you
still have a little more patience, I can share it with you…”
“Of course!”
“In the early seventies, there were two brothers in

Zamora, about thirteen and fourteen at the time. Their
father wanted to educate them through personal effort
while teaching them to appreciate their coworkers by
having them do physical work on a ranch he owned. He
asked them to work mornings, paying them the same as
the others, and to go to school in the afternoon.”
205
“And then?”
“One day, they had to sow a field with wheat the old
fashion way, that is, by hand, because the tractors there
would slide on the slippery ground.
“For that reason,” he explained, “they had to walk all

day long in a furrow just plowed by a team of oxen,
dropping the seed which they carried in a bag. Their
sacks had to be refilled at each end of the field.”
“But wait, Aren’t children not supposed to work?”
“They were the only minors on the farm,” Don Alonso

replies, “and in this particular case, it was done with
moderation and without neglecting their education. But
look, the point I want to highlight is what happened with
each brother’s attitude.
“Early in the morning, their father, and owner of the

farm, had already given instructions to all employees
regarding their tasks. Coincidentally, that area had just
been open to cultivation. Now, in truth, it was extremely
muddy because that part of the valley was a lake bottom
centuries ago.
“That caused some coworkers, long before the start of

the workday at eight, to discourage them in private with
expressions such as: ‘It would be a big mistake to plant
here.’; ‘Not even grass will grow here.’; ‘The soil is too
salty.’; ‘You’re only going to waste your time.’; ‘It will
ruin the seed.’ and things of that sort.
“Now, you know this: Fieldwork is hard. So they began

their workday, and as the Sun was getting stronger, their
work became exhausting.
206
“One of the brothers began to say, ‘I don’t know what

the devil we’re doing here.’ Or, ‘This is useless anyway.’
“Such was his discouragement that it started to affect his

brother, but fortunately, this one had a different thought:
‘We don’t have to question anything. The farm owner
—our father— instructed us to sow and if it’s lost or not,
that’s not our problem. We must limit ourselves to do
what he asked us to.’”
“Álvaro, you must be wondering why I’m telling you this

story…”
“No, no. Go on!”
“Look, Álvaro, in this apparently irrelevant anecdote is the

very key to many questions we ask ourselves throughout
our lives. Those questions limit us like you have no idea.
“One of the brothers, the one who questioned himself a

lot, spent the entire day frustrated and complaining.
That’s why, I think, everything became much more te-
dious for him. The other one limited himself to carrying
out what he had been tasked with. He didn’t even ques-
tion himself about the eventual results, and did what he
had been instructed to do, period.”
“And by the way,” Álvaro asks with curiosity, “Did that

chickpea crop succeed?”
“Well, actually it did,” Don Alonso replies. “Every day,

as the workers rode their bikes to their other assign-
ments, they would make a detour to the field to see the
results. Though at first they didn’t see anything, the field
was soon covered with green seedlings. With the pass-
ing of the weeks, the plot became a beautiful chickpea
field like you can’t imagine.
207
“I’m telling you this anecdote, Álvaro, because it sums

up a great teaching about human conduct: We have been
asked to ‘seed’. In other words, we must behave with
others in a certain way. But here, we have inappropri-
ately taken up the role of judges, deciding on the sup-
posed legitimacy, or lack thereof, of acting as we were
told to. And that’s not the way things work.
“I’m convinced,” he adds, “that each day, there will be

millions of cases in the world where some will choose
‘not to seed’, that is to say, not to act appropriately with
family and friends. That does harm to this process, be-
cause we have also been asked not to pass judgement on
our fellow brothers and sisters of the world.
“Even in my case,” he says with a smile, “I see clearly

now. I recognize that I was making that same mistake, to
the point where, until recently, I didn’t want to know
anything about the foolish things we do.
“Remember when Miguel the engineer came here, ar-

guing about countless things. I even got a little annoyed.
Fortunately, as the weeks passed, I remembered the story
about the boys and realized that our role is not that of
judge since we’ve only been asked to ‘seed’. If the field
produces a crop, or if seeds and time are wasted, that’s
a matter of no concern to us.
“The time, resources or anything we have are not actu-

ally ours. They were lent to us with one specific pur-
pose: That we should use them as we were instructed to.
“And besides, one of the main sources of unease among

human beings stems from that. The truth is, it’s not up to
us to question so much what we do, because to top it all,
most of the time we have no idea of the results that could
ensue.
208
I haven’t even told you, Álvaro, but that was precisely

why I asked you to invite them again: It was to share
with them what we talked about, and whether they do it
or not, that’s up to them.
“Don’t you believe,” he points out, “that I’m simply plac-

ing the responsibility on them. You know me: If it were
up to me, or if I were part of the public administration, I
would have done it a long time ago, but that’s not the
case.
“That’s why we must limit ourselves to what we can do.

But see how curious it is: Had we remained silent, it
would have been a mistake, like storing the seed in a
warehouse, only to see it rot. We would certainly be fail-
ing in our mission as workers which, in a sense, we are.
Don’t you think so?”
“You’re right,” says Álvaro, comforted and knowing that

what he was saying was true. He realizes that by pro-
ceeding like this, in a way he even avoids frustrations
like the ones that occurred last time.
“Honestly, Don Alonso,” Álvaro declares, “you don’t know

the satisfaction that it gives me. You came out the win-
ner with that other perspective.”
“And besides,” he complements, “there’s the possibility

that something will really get done.”
“That’s right,” Don Alonso replies. “But changing the

subject, I’ll tell you another thing: Jorge mentioned some-
thing about the political realm, as if insinuating that it is
mainly through politics that the country can be trans-
formed… Do you remember?”
“I remember.”
209
“As I made Jorge understand, although political manage-

ment is of utmost importance, the deeper solution doesn’t
originate there, but instead from a generalized internal
change. But there are other things I didn’t even tell him.
I’ve told you many anecdotes already. Can I tell you one
more? It’s taken from history.”
“As many as you wish…”
“Seeing the Bible in a historical context, consider this:

Once, after Jesus had multiplied the loaves of bread, and
all the apostles were surprised and fascinated by what
he had done, they tried to pressure him to become king.
He immediately rejected that and let it be known that
the solution didn’t lay in that direction.”
“Oh really?” Álvaro responds. “Right now I don’t remem-

ber where that is quoted.”
“I believe it’s in the first fourth of chapter six of the Gospel

according to John. Look it up and you’ll see, but I ask
you: If he had considered that the solution lay there, Do
you think he would have been able to substitute Herod,
Pilate or the Caesar himself in Rome?”
“I had never thought of it that way,” Álvaro admits, “but

now that you mention it, I believe he could have man-
aged it without difficulty. And incidentally, Which one of
the caesars was ruling at the time?”
“Tiberius Caesar,” Don Alonso promptly replies. “I be-

lieve he died about seven years after the events I’m
narrating, though I can’t pin it down with absolute cer-
tainty because of a number of irrelevant reasons.
“And going back to what I was telling you, I would point

out that this assessment of mine is very personal. But
210
tell me something, other elements aside, Why do you

think he didn’t want to be king? For a very simple rea-
son: The key to change doesn’t come from a new politi-
cal situation, but rather from within the people.”
At that moment they arrive at the ranch house. Esther

steps out. “Don Alonso, you had two calls. One of them
was from your sons. They’ll connect as usual by internet
at nine o’clock.”
“Perfect.”
“And Mr. Luis Fernando called from Zamora. He’s going

to get together with some friends for lunch at Lake
Comécuaro. He’s found a picture of some of you in kin-
dergarten, but if you don’t go to the reunion he won’t
give it to you.”
“Ah, Caramba!” he says with a smile. “Well I guess I’ll

have to go; I’ll call right now to confirm.”
“We’ll go to Zamora as well,” Álvaro says. “Amarildo and

his wife Ana Bertha will come with us. We’ll all fit in the
car and, if you like, we can come back at six o’clock.
How about that?”
“Fine… At what time would we leave?”
“We were thinking about twelve thirty. That is, in two

hours’ time. Is that OK?”
“That’s fine with me.”
“In the meantime,” Álvaro tells them, “I’ll go get the

garden chairs in case it rains.”
Álvaro gets a wheelbarrow to bring back the chairs, and

quickly heads off to the little dam.
211
He soon gets there, and before folding the chairs, since

he had some extra time, he can’t resist his curiosity and
hurriedly goes to see if the recently planted trees’ drip
irrigation system is working properly: He knows this is
a critical time for the saplings.
Once Álvaro has checked that the system is functioning

properly, he goes back to pick up the chairs. Álvaro can-
not avoid making some reflections when he reaches again
the place where the men had assembled.
“How different things look in daylight,” he says as he

begins to fold the chairs. “Now it’s clear enough to see
the path! Maybe someday in our world we’ll see things
this way, because human behavior would become simple
and easy.”
When there was only one chair left to fold, he decides to

sit down for a while to admire the scenery, now bathed
in sunlight. He meditates on the conversations they had
at this place.
“This last thing Don Alonso discussed with me today,”

he tells himself, “solves perfectly well something I didn’t
understand: It’s the reason for inviting them here again
despite the fact that I noticed that he was frustrated and
even annoyed by what they had talked about on their
first visit here.
“And about those other matters that were also discussed,”

he wonders as he sees a few birds fluttering over the
surface of the dam, “there are things that are becoming
clear to me, because for some time, I didn’t understand
the reason why so many contradictory points of view
coexist in the world.”
On that same topic, something Don Alonso once told him

comes to mind: An interaction of various checks and
212
balances in everything that surrounds us had to be es-

tablished, without which nothing would work as it should.
“I remember very well that he even offered me as an

example the celestial bodies, which can move through
the skies precisely because of that balance. In other words,
that movement is possible thanks to the interaction or
equilibrium between the apparently opposite forces that
act upon them.
“For that reason, checks and balances must necessarily

be part of human life, and should also be present in the
ideological realm.”
As if confirming his new outlook, something that he and

Don Alonso had once discussed suddenly comes to mind.
It was a reflection by Heraclytus, that great philosopher
born in the fourth century B.C., who had already real-
ized the transcendence of true dialectics on human be-
havior and on the world which surrounds us.
Álvaro remembers the story about Heraclytus admon-

ishing a poet when the latter said: “If only the discord
between the gods and humans could fade away!” To that
lament, the noted philosopher answered: “Well, then
there would be no harmony between low and high notes.”
Álvaro concludes, “This supposed conflict due to the in-

terplay of apparently conflicting forces in nearly all
realms is, in fact, a sort of deliberately placed wedge
whose specific purpose is to incite change, to allow change
and even to cleanse human thought.
“However,” Álvaro keeps reflecting as he enjoys the

postcard-perfect scenery, “Don Alonso rightly pointed
out to Jorge the reasons why false interpretations are
reached. One of them, which is in the ideological sphere,
213
consists in deceitfully pushing aside the golden rule of

true dialectics and not leaving space for the whole range
of viewpoints that might otherwise exist. This monolectic
attitude has been the main source of mistakes through-
out history.
Álvaro feels that unsettling and refreshing breeze swirl-

ing again and also remembers those bizarre and inexpli-
cable thoughts that had somehow made their way into
his mind at such times. Strangely, he would even like
those ideas to come back to him now.
“I’m sure,” he was telling himself, “that those strange

voices would have something to say to the people who
haven’t yet understood that this singular interplay of
forces and ideas is not as some still believe: an annoying
source of conflict, or even a kind of proof of imperfection
in Nature…
“Instead, it constitutes yet another wonderful expression

of a world in perpetual change, thanks to the free inter-
action of apparently opposite elements that intervene in
such a process.”
Though he once feared and kept as the deepest of se-

crets the emergence of such ideas, this time he actually
wishes they would appear. But strangely, nothing comes
to mind.
As he continues to wait patiently and attentively, he en-

joys the sound of the wavelets and the gently wafting
breeze.
“Perhaps,” he concludes, “those mischievous voices come

only once, or maybe they were just the product of my
imagination, never to return. Too bad…
214
“Still, I would have liked them to appear,” another part

of his being was telling him, “if only out of curiosity and
to know what they would have said to those who see
things differently…”
After a while, and just as he was about to leave, Álvaro

is taken aback by something suddenly rising within:
Who told you, vain man,

That you and your profane conduct,
Could interpret things,
If you only stumble when you walk?
If he sent the good winds,

And tolerates the ill,
It’s to test humans,
And to evaluate everyone thoroughly…
Why do you judge the winds,

Without seeing that if we run loose,
It’s only to arrange things,
In a way that you don’t understand?
Why do you judge the winds,

If you’ve lost your way,
Walking and groping along,
When stepping on the dry grass?
Better listen to the good winds!

That don’t even divide people,
They can change the paths,
And open their eyes…
About one more thing I warn you,

That voice speaks so softly,
It can only be heard,
By the one who can listen to the wind.
215
Again, Álvaro remains as if petrified in his chair, without

knowing what to make of it all. He turns in different
directions but everything seems exactly as it was. He
almost wanted to go running to tell someone about what
had just happened, be he immediately drops the idea.
“On the other hand,” he says to himself as he folds the

last remaining chair, “each time I’m more convinced that
this is just a figment of my imagination. It couldn’t be
otherwise. I better get back to the house, to be ready for
departure.”
Deep in thought, be pushes the wheelbarrow with its load

of chairs and makes a firm promise to himself: “Never share
this experience with anyone, no matter what.”
Álvaro soon reaches the agreed upon place and after

arranging the chairs where they belong, he notices that
there’s only ten minutes left before departure. Then he
sees Don Alonso and Amarildo talking to Chema, next to
the plant and sapling nursery. He walks towards them.
“Chema,” Don Alonso tells him, “in the next few days, I
want you to prepare more bags with pine, walnut and
oak saplings in them, just like Andrés the engineer taught
us. We’re almost out of them and this way, we’ll have the
saplings ready when the time comes to plant them on
the other side. Can you help us with that?”
“Of course.”
“But Don Alonso,” Amarildo inquires, “Wouldn’t it be

better to plant them directly? This way we would skip
two steps and simplify matters.”
“Apparently it would seem so,” Don Alonso respectfully

replies: He knows that Amarildo doesn’t have much
216
farming experience. “You see, one of the purposes of a

nursery is the selection of the best plants.
“For instance, we’ll put the pine seeds in the bags, but
only the best seedlings will be selected. The rest we’ll
have to discard.”
“And why is that?” Amarildo asks with sincere curiosity.
“All those seedlings belonging to various species will go

through the same cold, heat, rain and other factors but
will not respond the same way. Those adverse external
factors will allow us to choose the best plants, and that’s
one of the objectives that we seek in a nursery.
“Otherwise,” he continues with his customary patience,

“we would be making a big mistake by taking up space
and planting trees that will later fail.
“That’s why it’s best to do the planting in two steps, as

you put it, and though this may seem to take longer, it’s
how we’ll do it: the right way.
“And see how remarkable it is, Amarildo,” Don Alonso

goes on as Álvaro and Chema also listen intently. “Some-
times we forget that our world is a nursery too…”
Álvaro, Amarildo and Chema don’t understand exactly

what he was trying to tell them, but knowing that Don
Alonso always came up with expressions found who
knows where, they choose to remain quiet.
Suddenly they see the ladies arrive at the rendez-vous

place. They take out the car and, on the way, begin to
discuss various matters.
After the visitors had left, they would seem to momen-

tarily forget that the surrounding’s elements would con-
217
tinue to play their respective roles. Such was the case of

the wind, which continues on its search mission over
everything it hears and touches.
Never did those people imagine that the most insignifi-

cant utterance voiced by every person was not lost in
the immensity of space, but would seem to be picked up
by the wind and gradually set aside in some hidden place
out of the reach of humans.
Furthermore, Álvaro never imagined that those whis-

pers he thought he had heard don’t even care if someone
listens to them or not. They flow anyway, sometimes as
a thought, sometimes a hastily spoken words.
As proof of that, with few people remaining in the ranch

and without anyone paying the slightest attention to those
voices, they glide again through the air with a nearly
inaudible sound and without granting the slightest im-
portance to the fact that no one would listen:
When we see them, the wheat grains,

We think they are the same,
They all look yellow,
And together they seem alike…
As those grains are key,

For all future sowings,
We must avoid the mistakes,
Of sowing the useless ones…
That’s how they were chosen,

By looking into their interiors,
Thus it was decided to sow them,
And then, to observe carefully their own grain…
218
The hail that breaks some,

Strikes others but, yet they grow,
The blight that defeats some,
Strengthens others…
All the sowings of the world,

Don’t stem from foolish decisions,
The grains are analyzed only,
On the basis of their results…
Those who think those crops,

Are the result of vain attempts,
By judging in this way,
Might not choose good seeds…
But let’s not make early judgements,

May the fields keep growing,
The moment of truth,
Shall only come with the harvests!
If the fields wilt,

If more ears break off,
Just set aside in the barns,
All the good seeds…
And it’s that the current crop,

Doesn’t seek the large grains,
It only seeks good seeds,
For the following harvests.
Since absolutely no one had heard such voices, once they

were gone in the same manner as they had come, the
only things remaining in the setting was the rustling of
leaves and the chirping of a few birds. Or perhaps, we
shall never know for sure if they simply didn’t hear the
murmurs, or if they ignored the voices because they al-
ready knew them since time immemorial.
219
Another thing we shall also never know is whether what

occurred at the El Encinal ranch in the past few days
was a response to some personal doubt within those who
took part in those events, or perhaps a reply to some
specific questioning by one of the readers of these pages.
But the answer will remain in the air, since it would seem
that something out there prefers to go without a categorical
or forceful answer to such doubts. Rather, as part of that
wonderful selection process, we’ll find it by ourselves with
certain elements that are within the reach of everyone, or
that have been placed next to each one of us.
220
AUTHOR’S NOTE
If you go to the site where the events described in
this book take place, you will find the cities and
places mentioned here, but not the characters
because those are found within each one of us,
and it will be up to us to identify with one of them,
according to our own conduct. Meanwhile, should
there be a similarity with the characters, the events
or even the social errors cited here, it is coinciden-
tal because surely none of our other fellow citizens
of the world would incur in some type of mistake
like the ones mentioned here. Such a person
would have immediately realized that by acting so
inappropriately, the blunder would not only harm
others, but would also come back to blunderer.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
This book could not have reached your hands
without the valuable collaboration and support of
my wife Lucía Ricoux, my daughter Ana Sofía
Ochoa Ricoux, the economic analysts Griselda
Samaniego Barrón and Marisela Gómez Silva, the
writers and researchers Jacobo Königsberg and
José Luis Montecillos Chipres and
the typographer Luis Tovar Carrillo.
221
The printing of this book was finished

in the month of May 2018
in the printing workshop of
CACTUS DISPLAYS
222
The MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHY
AND STATISTICS was founded in 1833 by
Don Valentín Gómez Farías.
It has counted among its members some of

Mexico’s most distinguished intellectuals,
scientists and politicians, among them Andrés
Quintana Roo, Mariano Otero, Melchor
Ocampo, José María la Fragua, Manuel
Orozco y Berra, Miguel Lerdo de Tejada,
Leopoldo Ríos de la Loza, Ignacio Ramírez
(El Nigromante), Gabino Barreda, Santos
Degollado, Justo Sierra, Joaquín Gracía
Icazbalceta, Luis Bolland Kumackl, Vicente
Riva Palacio, Félix Palavicini, Miguel Schultz,
Guillermo Prieto, Antonio Caso, Emilio Portes
Gil, Jesús Silva Herzog, Jesús Reyes Heroles,
Daniel Cosío Villegas, Jaime Torres Bodet,
Julio Zamora Bátiz, Ignacio Chávez, Miguel
Alemán Valdés, José Clemente Orozco, Al-
fonso Reyes, Adolfo Ruiz Cortines, Adolfo
López Mateos and many illustrious figures, by
virtue of which this distinguished Institution is
considered a precursor of the cultural
Independence of the nation.
Its founder, the physician Don Valentín Gómez

Farías dedicated, while as acting President of
the Mexican Republic, part of his spare time
to attend to the victims of a cholera epidemic
that was gripping Mexico City.
Faced with a certain social decomposition that
surely you have noticed in various parts of the
world, and which has been accompanied by a
host of deficiencies in the ecological, economic
and human domains, it’s very likely that you have
asked yourself about the underlying reasons that
impact on such a process.
If you want to delve deeper into this matter in an

entertaining, clear and easy to understand way by
knowing better the natural wisdom and great
common sense of people who are oftentimes
close to each one of us, then reading this book
will be indispensable.
We are so bold as to assure you that once you

have read it, your perception on various subjects
will have changed in a way you never would have
thought.

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THE WHISPERING

JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES

MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS

JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES is a

The author sits on that institution’s National

JUAN MANUEL OCHOA TORRES

MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHY AND STATISTICS

FIRST EDITION: MAY 2018

Copyright © Juan Manuel Ochoa Torres

Correspondence with the author:

Translation: Daniel Curoe

MEXICAN SOCIETY OF GEOGRAPHYAND STATISTICS, A.C.

Mexico 06020, D.F.

Printed and made at the studios of

Typography and book binding:

Cover: Ana Sofía Ochoa Ricoux

Total or partial reproduction of this book is

CHAPTER III ............................................................. 23

CHAPTERE VII ........................................................... 93

CHAPTER VIII ........................................................... 129

CHAPTER IX ............................................................. 155

CHAPTER X .............................................................. 187

CAPÍTULO XI ............................................................ 203

When we observe that odd human interrelationship that

Is there really a kind of unguided mysterious arrangement

The question arises because some have elements and

Since there is this relentless transformation of incidents,

And this is where many often simply conclude that not

The immense majority of us will probably remain indif-

And if that interesting form of interaction between humans

In a city like that, where such a great number of people

To better perceive the sheer magnitude of such a chal-

Among the millions of people who, much like in a gigan-

And if we turn to see her husband Jorge the engineer, we

In his workshop, Don Refugio the mechanic is very con-

him because, apparently, it has failed the smog test, and

Tomas the plumber is searching valiantly in various hard-

As we were saying, faced with this cascade of different

But, as we were pointing out, for the immense majority,

Nevertheless, we could choose just one of them, like the

And to better analyze this intriguing behavior, let’s de-

going to work because there are many questions of this

Between his multiple tasks and phone calls we’ll see, as

What is most surprising about the thoughts of this lawyer

And, curiously, while the traffic stops once again for

That call was from a colleague and friend of his —also a

“Hi Gustavo! How are you?”

“Jorge, what a surprise! I thought you had forgotten about

“Ah! Well you know how it is in the civil service. Hope-

“But listen,” Jorge adds, “besides calling to say hello, I’m

“Good heavens!” Gustavo says to himself. “As if I didn’t

“You know Jorge,” he answers with great caution, “how

“But Gustavo, only eight people in various fields of

“When will it be?”

“It’s on Friday in our office. We begin at nine thirty AM.”

After the two good friends and colleagues say goodbye,

ing. He could make good use of it by explaining its most

And so, a few minutes later he is already confirming his

Going up in the office elevator, Gustavo somehow thinks

“Actually,” he thinks, “Why do I have to keep accepting

“It seems to me,” he meditates while saying hello to someone,

Once he’s at his desk, Mary, his secretary, shows him

That strange coincidence seemed to want to tell him in a