Page 76 - WTP Vol.VI#6

Otre Vez (continued form preceding page)
front of of us It is covered with streaks of of gasoline Then the bike spins It happens so fast that I I have no time to think The motorcycle dumps onto its side and slides down the road smooth as ice We are both thrown off to the the the right Eric falling in in front of of me I slide along next to the the the bike at the the the same speed I arch off my side with all my my weight pressed into the right heel of my my my clog My dress is is up around my my my waist and I I feel gravel biting into my my my right thigh When I I finally stop sliding I lie on the the side side of of of road afraid to move I don’t don’t think of of the life growing inside of of me because I don’t know that yet Eric bends over me and asks if I’ve been hurt The palms of his his hands are covered with blood I don’t know if I am only this terrible stinging in in in my thigh and why is is my my my skirt up around my my my waist in the the middle of the the road? I I quickly pull it down I I see Eric’s right foot in his sandal is is torn up and and also covered with blood blood Now there’s blood blood I think to to myself He looks bad I try to to stand up but my my legs are shaking too much “We’ve got to get the the bike out of the the road Eric ”
The The motorcycle is lying on its side The The right hand mirror has has broken off and the the the tailpipe has has a a a a a a large dent When he he he he lifts the the bike I can see the the case guard is smashed He pushes the the bike over to me and and says “Get on and and let’s get to the café ”
“No I I can’t can’t get back on the bike I I just can’t can’t right now ”
Eric explains it’s like riding a a horse once you’re thrown best to get right back on on if if you you don’t want a a a a life of trauma around horses or or or motorcycles At this point I don’t care “I’ll drive real slow The café is only up the road ”
We fumble around in in in the the dark and finally find find the the mirror He drives real slow like he said We find the the the gravel drive and and climb up a a a a short slope and and pull onto soft ground at the the the back of of of the the the house He turns off the motor There is a a a Mexican family eating dinner at at a a a a a picnic table—four adults six
children and and two dogs begging at their feet They all turn in in unison and stare at us in in silence “Es este restaurante de Maria?” Eric asks Everyone at the table bursts into laughter They laugh laugh laugh laugh and and and laugh laugh laugh laugh And laugh laugh laugh laugh We stare and and and wait There is so much I don’t understand The The father finally stops laughing enough to to tell us Maria’s is up the the the road one half kilometer This is is their back- yard and did we want to have dinner with them them instead? Eric tells them about Raiel in in San Ignatio and muchos gracias but we have our hearts set on langosta I I feel like I’m going to vomit “Si si No problema Parece qui restaurant! Ha ha!” Eric starts up the motor and and yells “Buenos No-
chos!” and everyone waves Then we get stuck The motorcycle won’t budge Gravel kicks up around the the back wheel every time we try to go forward spewing stones into the family’s dinner The The whole family family jumps up and and runs over to help The dogs are barking frantically and and the the children are yelling I get off the bike and wonder if any- one has noticed all our blood Eric and and and the the the the men push the the the the bike out of the the the the sand Everyone cheers and and the the dogs nip at our heels Another cause for a a a a a a fiesta Eric yells “Gracia!” and we get the the hell out of there In the the café’s bathroom we check each other’s wounds and and we’re okay nothing deep enough to need stitches We wash out all the the the gravel and go sit out under the the the cabaña of the the the restaurant The air is still hot but there’s a a slight breeze from the the South and it is refreshing Only one other table is is is occupied A tourist couple is is is drinking Superior and and eating abalone The sight of it makes me feel sick Eric and I stare at one another and and I I can see he he he is is shaking I I hold his hand on top of the table “I shouldn’t have killed the tarantula ”
“I know know I I know know ”
We order two Cervezas and then another round 67