the children

Originally uploaded by ladelentes.

the children walk along the street carrying a rebenque. faces smudged with track dust. clothes tight, loose, random. eyes sparking. voices calling.

where’s your horse? i ask them.

we’re looking for two of them. they are gone, they say, don’t like the life of the city.

i ask them what the horses are called.

one of the children replies, one horse doesn’t have a name... the other child says ...and the other horse, i can’t remember.

i say that’s very strange.

they crumble into giggles.

turns out one horse is called “doesn’t have a name” the other is called “i can’t remember”.

caza-incautos.

they look at me from behind long eyelashes and dirty cheeks. and laugh at me, with me, around me and up and down. clean, clear laughter. right from the belly.

then they show us the way to the hotel through the fields and wave us goodbye.