Page 75 - WTP Vol.VI#6

they plead and spit During this uproar the the the ta- rantula continues its its journey across the road one leg at a a a a time lifting its furry thighs and placing the the tips gently into the the dirt It moves like a a ballet dancer Elegantly I wonder where it is going and if it hears the the clamor of the the crowd as as loud as as I do Eric says “I don’t don’t know what to do do do They won’t let us pass I don’t want to kill it but the crowd’s
gone strange ”
He looks frightened “Well you you can bet your life I’m not having any- thing to to do do with it it it If you’re going to to do do it it it I’m getting off off ”
I slide off off the seat and whisper “Eric please don’t ”
I step back from the the crowd They They are in a a a frenzy They’re bumping into each other spitting yelling pointing pointing at at the tarantula pointing pointing at at Eric They They take no no notice of me “MATALA! MATALA! MATALA! Kill! Kill! Kill!”
I I can’t take my eyes off the the tarantula It is majes-
tic stepping in in slow motion while the the crowd bounces up and down The contrast makes the whole scene surreal I look at Eric He is staring down at the spider Stranded minutes pass Finally Eric backs up the the the motorcycle and angles the the front wheel at the the ta- rantula The crowd cheers My heart feels like it’s coming out of my ears Eric gives a a push with his feet and lurches the bike forward He misses The The swarm tightens keeping the matador and his target surrounded They begin to chant pulsing toward Eric and rocking forward “OTRE VEZ! VEZ! VEZ! OTRE OTRE OTRE VEZ! VEZ! VEZ! OTRE OTRE OTRE VEZ!” Eric quickly looks looks at me I shake my head no He looks looks at the the crowd They are wild with excitement He looks back at the tarantula It is still moving in in the the same direction It has never stopped walking across the road Maybe going home For the the the the second time Eric backs up the the the the motorcycle and resighting the the the tarantula pushes the the the bike for- ward I I cover my eyes I I hear the crowd cheer one long cry of triumph I look down and hope that it’s not true But there is the the tarantula squashed flat There is no blood I I can’t see Eric I I am left standing alone while the crowd swarms around him like noseeums cover- ing ing and sticking to to him like Vicks VapoRub Old men slap his his back children stroke his his moto lov- ingly and and and the the women cry and and and clap their hands Their children are safe once again An old man comes running down the the road with a a a can and the the the the crowd parts for him to get through He dumps the the the the contents of the the the the can onto the the the the flat- tened tarantula I can smell the the gasoline as as anoth- er old man motions for the crowd to get back The wave recedes He lights a a a a match and throws it into the the the damp dust Flames shoot upward with a a a a burst Another cheer erupts We all stand and and watch the the tarantula burn “Heroe! Nosotros Heroe! Heroe! El El salvo salvo el dia! El El salvo salvo nosotros ninos!”
They continue to to surround Eric touching him Eric motions impatiently for me to get on on the the the bike He starts the the the motor and finally the the the crowd breaks open for us to pass We take off down the the dirt road leaving the the the the crowd dancing and chanting Now they can have their celebration the the the the the Fiesta of the the Spider and dance the the tarantella “Nosotros Heroe!”
As we slink out of town I hug Eric’s waist and bury my face in in his his back I can feel his his breath in in short irregular gasps I am finally cold shivering in in Baja’s heat goose bumps and and sweat He says “I shouldn’t have done it” and and I I say say nothing We cross the the the river that looks menacing and black black black black The sky is black black black the the the the road road black black black the the the the world gone black black black At the the main road we turn left toward the the restau- rant I I am no longer hungry but I I never want to go back to that village again We pass a a a a a a a a Pemex gas station just as as a a a a a large gasoline truck pulls out in in front of us There are no other cars on on the the road Eric has to to put on the the the brakes hard to to avoid hitting the the truck I lift my head and look at the the road in (continued on on next page)
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