Today there was a backhoe here. This afternoon he was cleaning the ditch out front.
I took great pains to show him where the water pipe was buried. Several times we talked about it. And I was grateful that he worked all day without trouble.
Then, just as the sun was setting, it happened. I had been waiting for it all day. I’m glad it didn’t interrupt his work, but it was a bit harder to fix a pipe in the dark.
Turns out, the water arriba* was opened, and the lechero began flooding his field today. That also meant I was working in mud and water in the dark while wind blasted across the pampas.
Dane had it worse. He was perched on the edge of the ditch, holding my flashlight. At one point he asked through chattering teeth if I felt cold. Poor little guy. He didn’t complain, though.
The pipe is repaired and all appears well. Again, I was deeply grateful for hot showers. They have a way of washing away more than dirt.
*Arriba: The place where all things come from that aren’t right here.
Juan David 