The subtle hands of pincers - Creative Nonfiction Prompt #43

Source from pixabay

***The subtle hands of pincers

IIn March, my sisters came with their family from Caracas for the Easter vacations and took the opportunity to organize the preparations for my mother's 60th birthday party, to be held on April 22. We started by making the guest list. We also programmed the culinary dishes and appetizers for the banquet. The program of surprises we had for the birthday girl. And the alcoholic beverages, plus sweets and soft drinks for the children.

My sisters, brothers-in-law, my husband and I contributed money and delegated to me the responsibility of buying all these items to celebrate this great day.

In early April, under a sunny day. Very radiant, I left my house very happy to buy several bottles of liquor for the party, Efrain told me to wait for him, as I was in a hurry, I did not want to wait for him.

I went to the bus stop and boarded the bus. When I arrived at my destination, to go to the liquor store, I saw a tall man, with very loose clothes, a very long beard, white skin and intensely blue eyes. I was astonished. Internally, I wondered :

Who could this strange man be?

Then, I went to the liquor store and bought 10 bottles of liquor and in each hand I carried a bag with five glass bottles, to carry them little by little.

On my way back, I turned my head and looked for that man who surprised me with his presence.

When I went to walk up the sidewalk to go to the bus stop and return home. My feet got tangled and I don't know how I dropped the bags. I felt the force of gravity pulling me towards the shattered glass bottles.

Suddenly, I felt arms reach out, transforming their hands into subtle pincers, suspending me in the air and preventing me from falling on those glasses.

When I raised my face to thank the person who had helped me, I only caught a glimpse of the bearded man on the horizon. In a split second, he disappeared like a cloud of dust.

I only saw a few people asking me: "Did you cut your belly?

I was stunned, I thought I had cut my guts out. When I got home and saw my husband I burst into tears, finally calmed down and told him what had happened to me. He smiled and mockingly said to me:

"Who would be that bearded man who saved you, I hope you see him again?".

My mother heard this because she was coming to my house and asked me why are you crying? I told her what had happened to me, she turned to my husband and said:

"Don't ignore that what happened to my daughter was to perish."
Leonides let out a sob and continued:

"That bearded man who appeared, with his subtle pincer hands was God, you will never see him again because he was a divine force."

After this incident, I delegated to my husband the responsibility of buying both the drinks and the materials to make the dishes for the party.

When the party was 1 day away, my sisters arrived with their husbands and children at my mother's house, we started to arrange the annex of the house, we decorated the courtyard with backdrops.

Finally, the party took place that day, we decorated the tables with beige tablecloths with red corners, on them, we placed plates of food with kid in coconut, other plates of food with stewed tuna steak with salads and rice, other plates of food with stewed duck and battered calamari. There was also a wide variety of Pass palos.

At seven o'clock in the evening, the party began. My mother's childhood friend Leticia, who was hiding behind a tree, came out and recited a poem to Leonides. At the end, they embraced and cried with happiness. My mother said, "It had been years since we had seen each other, they sat and chatted for a long time."

Norys, Leticia's daughter, met Nicver, Leonides' nephew, at that party. Between them, the essence of alchemy met the essence of love and they were touched by the power of true love. Although he was older than she was. At that moment they swore to each other eternal love.

Those who arrived a little later were the delegation from Sotillo. All the guests present stood around the table where the glasses were, raised them full of champagne and toasted, wishing Leonides many years of happiness.

Seconds later the dance began, Justino, his friend, shouted:

"Put on the sound system, a joropo (traditional dance of our people)".

Then he asked her to dance, and she accepted. Immediately we all joined in the dance, to accompany the birthday girl.

This was one of the many surprises.

Soon after, they began to enjoy those exquisite culinary dishes, the one they liked the most for its rich flavor was the Chivo en coco (goat in coconut). Then came a round of "pasa palos".

Then they began to drink liquor. They decided to sing birthday early because the party was going to be extended.

Around 2:00 a.m., the Sotillo delegation took out the bandolina, the cuatro (Musical instrument) and the maracas and began to sing galerones, in allusion to Leonides' birthday.

This was one of the many surprises. Later on they changed the keynote and Justino said:"

In honor of this noble woman who gave birth sotillo and is devoted to the cross of the road, we will close this party with the galerón that she sings every year she comes to the feast of the cross.

These four instruments were united: Leonarda and Paula Isabel in duet started the galerón, then we joined the choir, the rest of us present:

Blessed The Holy Cross,
Blessed is he who adorned it
I bless him who died on it
And to sing with grace
Echen carato for outside!

My mother was very happy, and said the following words.

"Today I feel like the happiest woman in the universe, like a star in the sky, which shone with its own light. I am very grateful to all of you for these pleasant moments. I invite you for next year to share another moment like this one!"

Of all the birthdays we celebrated for my mother, this is the one I remember the most, as it had a Sotillero meaning, "Her town", so dear to her.

Most of those who participated in this celebration are no longer on the face of the earth. There are only a few of us left, three of her children, grandchildren. Norys and Nicver. They married shortly after Leonides' birthday, had 2 children and 4 grandchildren. They are now elderly grandparents, but united by the strength of love.

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