The consciousness of the last edge

When I started to write this, I tried to remember the last kindness´s episode I lived… but it was almost impossible. So I thought how difficult is to find amiability in my life. Why? I try to be good and helpful with other people. Sometimes I´m egocentric -I recognize it- but most of the time I´m the most generous person in the whole world.

I remember one day in the Book Fair in Lima. I was working for a newspaper and had to interview a writer the next week because of the publication of his last novel. There was me, looking for a guy called V., who was the editor of this book. He would give me the phone of CCF, the writer.

When I arrived to his stand, he mentioned that CCF was in Ecuador, having a short time of holidays with his family. “He will come back in two weeks”, said V. I was pleased to hear this news. I had a lot of things to do and the only thing I wanted was to finish the interviews.

I begun to look at the new books that V. had edited the last year. In the stand there was a guy commenting with V. about the same books. I was amazed that he had read all CCF´s Books, and that was a hard work because he is a prolific author. So I started to talk to this guy with clear eyes and blond hair. He studied Laws and had a pretty taste for literature, like me. He also wanted to be a writer. “Like Hemingway”, he said, checking the portrait of a book.

Then he shows me the novel. “Here is”, he expressed. “This is the best novel of CCF”. He was happy, like a teacher with his pupil. He showed me the book called LCDLU, and I felt immediately anxiety to read it.

He put the book in its place and then commented that this novel was “almost perfect”. This words increasing my wishes of read the book, but it cost s/. 20 and I had no money.

So I was abandoning the stand -and the Book Fair too- passing by other stores, when V. came to me, held my arm and gave me the book that the boy with clear eyes mentioned. “Take it”, he said. “I know you will do a great interview”. And I said “thank you”, but I was astonished with my mind in blank.

This last week, when I finished the book, I remembered this kind episode I lived, and the first thought that came to my mind was “this guy was not wrong. What great book!”