Osvaldo
Osvaldo is short and flat footed. He is old, but he still works hard. He walks with a swagger, leaned over a little, with a tendency to veer off to the left.
Although he had been a Catholic all of his life, Osvaldo converted to the Seventh-day Adventist church a few years back, and moved from Lima to the jungle after his family rejected both him and his new religion.
Now he lives near us, and some of his belongings are stored in the caretaker's house. The caretaker is long gone, but his label remains. As does his trash in the yard.
Osvaldo makes his living selling sugar cane juice at the little stand by the road. His entire business consists of four tall glasses, a sugar cane press that is cranked by hand, a dirty styrofoam box for ice, and a little old wooden crate where he keeps his change. I call his stand The Honey Hut, because he sometimes sells honey in recycled soda bottles as well.
One day last week he invited Carly and I into The Honey Hut for a drink. He mixed up a concoction of sugar cane juice and fresh orange juice, then poured for us with a flourish. We had a nice talk with we sipped. The conversation was easier to get down than the drink.
Today Osvaldo told a story about me in church. The discussion in Sabbath school was about Biblical health principles. When we got to the principle of drinking water, Hermano Osvaldo stood up to make his comment.
"Sometimes I have health problems and I talk to Hermana Ani [me], because she is a nurse. One day I had a very bad headache and wanted some medicine," he paused, letting this sink in, "But Hermana Ani told me to drink water. She said, 'Hermano, Drink A LOT of water.' So I did, and then, I felt better."
He grinned, "So we can see that water is good for health."
True story, poor guy. He found me, complaining of headache. "How much water have you had today?" I asked.
None. He hadn't had any. So I wouldn't give him any medicine. I told him to go drink 5 cups of water, and then three more later.
Osvaldo is one of those people I look forward to seeing in heaven. I think he'll have more teeth when I run into him there, but I wouldn't be surprised if he talked with the same endearing gummy Spanish that we know so well.
I can imagine him coming up to me with an outstretched hand, smiling so hard his eyes disappear.
"Hola, hermana," he'll say.
And maybe, just maybe, we can sit down for a glass of sugar cane juice.
Although he had been a Catholic all of his life, Osvaldo converted to the Seventh-day Adventist church a few years back, and moved from Lima to the jungle after his family rejected both him and his new religion.
Now he lives near us, and some of his belongings are stored in the caretaker's house. The caretaker is long gone, but his label remains. As does his trash in the yard.
Osvaldo makes his living selling sugar cane juice at the little stand by the road. His entire business consists of four tall glasses, a sugar cane press that is cranked by hand, a dirty styrofoam box for ice, and a little old wooden crate where he keeps his change. I call his stand The Honey Hut, because he sometimes sells honey in recycled soda bottles as well.
One day last week he invited Carly and I into The Honey Hut for a drink. He mixed up a concoction of sugar cane juice and fresh orange juice, then poured for us with a flourish. We had a nice talk with we sipped. The conversation was easier to get down than the drink.
Today Osvaldo told a story about me in church. The discussion in Sabbath school was about Biblical health principles. When we got to the principle of drinking water, Hermano Osvaldo stood up to make his comment.
"Sometimes I have health problems and I talk to Hermana Ani [me], because she is a nurse. One day I had a very bad headache and wanted some medicine," he paused, letting this sink in, "But Hermana Ani told me to drink water. She said, 'Hermano, Drink A LOT of water.' So I did, and then, I felt better."
He grinned, "So we can see that water is good for health."
True story, poor guy. He found me, complaining of headache. "How much water have you had today?" I asked.
None. He hadn't had any. So I wouldn't give him any medicine. I told him to go drink 5 cups of water, and then three more later.
Osvaldo is one of those people I look forward to seeing in heaven. I think he'll have more teeth when I run into him there, but I wouldn't be surprised if he talked with the same endearing gummy Spanish that we know so well.
I can imagine him coming up to me with an outstretched hand, smiling so hard his eyes disappear.
"Hola, hermana," he'll say.
And maybe, just maybe, we can sit down for a glass of sugar cane juice.
posted by Ansley at 9:58 AM
4 Comments:
Wow, that's a great story, and the better because you are a great storyteller! Thanks for keeping up with the updates!
I'm afraid very good sugar cane juice is being wasted on you. Tell Osvaldo we are enjoying his honey and treasure the memory of sitting in the "Honey Shed" with him.
It may be a bit too sweet but I sure liked being able to get something cold... or did he not have ice? Very well written!
i never had any bedtime stories read to me, but this works just fine. hope you're doing well! [gil]
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