The Weight of All Things

Nicolás arrives in Tejutla again. The soldiers bring him to the captain’s office, and he notices how much higher quality the Army’s supplies are. The captain asks Nicolás the same questions as the lieutenant. Nicolás does his best to give the exact same answers. The captain wants more details about what the guerrilleros do with their time, what information they have, what weapons they have, and what they had Nicolás do all day. When the captain asks about his mother and grandfather, Nicolás decides to say that his mother died when he was born.

The captain makes it clear that anyone who spent time with the guerrilleros is a guerrilla. He tells Nicolás that it is unlikely that his grandfather survived the helicopter strike and if he did, he will be hiding in the hills, not returning to the rancho. The captain decides that because he is in a generous mood, he will not kill Nicolás, but instead will offer him a new way of life. He says that the guerrilleros were setting a bad example, but that becoming part of the Army will provide a better model for living. He also warns Nicolás that the Army has no tolerance for “idealists and dreamers and reformers” (144). If Nicolás is found talking to any subversives the full force of the National Army will destroy him. Nicolás silently vows to escape as soon as possible. 

Nicolás is led to the kitchen, where the cook, Ofelia, makes him a plate of the most delicious and extravagant food he has ever eaten. She is horrified that he eats with his hands and forces him to use a fork. She also comments on how dirty he and his clothes are. He worries what will happen to the belongings in his pocket if his clothes are removed for washing. A woman named Chabela gives him fresh clothes and he hides his belongings under a table. He has his first ever shower and is shown to the sleeping quarters where he lies on a mat, listening to the other soldiers snore, unable to sleep. The army has taken over a beautiful home, turning it into a practical garrison. The layout affords Nicolás a view onto the garden. He gazes outside and slowly inches his mat toward the garden, where two German Shepherd dogs sleep under a mango tree. He feels he must sleep with the dogs for comfort. 

Nicolás has been with the Army for a week. He is amazed at the features of a modern home, which are new to him. He has never lived anywhere with indoor plumbing, refrigerators, gas stoves, or ovens. Yet he is sad and worried every day. Every time he thinks of his grandfather or his mother, he tries to erase their image from his mind and focus on escaping. He is kept busy every minute of the day, from exercise, to chores, to helping Ofelia in the kitchen and at the market. One day he is retrieving beans from the pantry for Ofelia when he notices a seam in the wall at the back of the pantry. He realizes the seam is a doorway. He is quickly called out of the pantry by Ofelia. she asks him to close the door because there are loud disturbing sounds coming from the hallway. Nicolás heard the same sounds earlier when mopping. The captain is torturing a man in his office whom he believes is a subversive. Nicolás asks Ofelia what will happen to the man. She does not know, but the sounds seem to bother her as much as they bother Nicolás.