Permit me to introduce myself. My name is Doctor Gonzales. I live across the street, just there. I wish to welcome you to our good little neighborhood. Well, thank you. Our house is not so much, but it is very nice. My wife, Carmine, and I have lived here many years now, almost fourteen.
I moved here to take a position with the St. Mark’s Hospital. Do you know of it? It lies over the mountain there. You have to pass by the park and over several of the bridges and you will come to it. I have been there many years. I work in the Department of Pathology. Are you familiar with their work? They take the parts of the body and some things that, shall we say, have come through the body. They study them carefully with the equipment. We have eight persons who work there. I am the doctor in charge; I have been so for several years now, maybe six.
I will not be working there much longer. I am going to retire…Oh, you are too kind. Yes, I am of age. I will become 65 in the summer months on my birthday.
I think it was a good thing you took down the trees here in the front of your house. They kept away the grass. They had been growing for many years and were very tall. We could not even see your house, the trees were so large. Now we can see very well, and it looks very nice. I congratulate you on your fine work. I notice that you are doing much digging in your yard. Are you planning to do the whole part?
Yes, I can imagine there are many roots there. It is a long job that you have before you. Well, perhaps I can be of assistance. I have a machine that moves the land. So you see, I can help you here if you wish.
Yes, tomorrow would be a good day for this work. I have no plans for the afternoon and Carmine, my wife, will be away.
Where did we move from? We lived in New York, in the Queens, then we moved here to New Jersey. Before that we are coming from Peru, where I was born. I was a doctor there too, but not the same kind. We loved it there, but we had to move. It was not so good for us to live there anymore. Do you know of the Sendero Luminoso?
Yes, the Shining Path. They have caused much trouble in my country. They are evil terrorists and should be exterminated. They have killed many innocent people. Those cochinos killed my brother and his wife for nothing! They would kill me too if they could find me.
Why? Because I worked for many years with the policia. I was in the Department of Information. I asked prisoners the questions when they were brought in. I was very good at my work, and we found out many things that were useful. But some bastardo told them of my name, and we had to move away from that place to this country. But do not worry. We are safe in this little community. I have a different name now, and no one knows where I live.
Oh, forgive me, I just noticed the time. I have to leave now. You have asked me many questions, and that is good. It is important to know who is living by you. Tomorrow I will come with my machine and move the land for you. Then later, perhaps you will favor me with a visit. My wife will still be away, so we will not be disturbed, and I will have plenty of time to ask the questions of you. That will be good, no?