Song of the Mockingbird: My Journey with Josefina

“No!” I clutch the flute to my chest. The spell breaks. This flute is my only link to home. Josefina sees the distress on my face and quickly steps between me and the patrón. She firmly says we are not interested in trading. Señor Jaramillo looks at us narrowly, but nods and moves over to Josefina’s papá.

I’m breathing hard, my palms wet with sweat. Josefina says we should sit by the wagon. We walk back and hoist ourselves up onto the wagon seat, our legs dangling below. I bow my head and think carefully. Josefina loosens my fingers on the flute before I squeeze hard enough to shatter it.

I look at Josefina’s concerned face, so caring even though she doesn’t know what’s wrong. I wish I could explain why I couldn’t trade the flute. It’s my only link to home, and I almost lost it. I love Josefina’s world, but suddenly I know how much I’d miss my own family if I never saw them again.

I realize Josefina is still watching me, and I tell her I’m all right. She says we should go visit Mariana, and Señor Montoya nods, saying he’d like to greet Esteban. We weave our way over to Mariana through the piles of goods displayed. On the way, a rider with spurs on a black horse crosses in front of us, a rifle stuck into a scabbard and a sword hanging from his hip. Josefina whispers that it’s a soldier, traveling with the caravans that bring goods from Mexico City. It’s their job to protect the goods from bandits.

Josefina leads me to a gray-haired man sitting calmly, his hair loose to his shoulders and a cloth tied around his forehead. Spread before him are rows of reddish clay jugs and bowls, like the ones I’ve seen at Josefina’s rancho. I wonder if Señor Montoya trades for them with him.

Mariana introduces me to her grandfather, speaking with her eyes downcast just like Josefina does. Esteban says nothing more, but offers us each a little open-faced pie filled with some sort of berry fruit. The pies smell delicious, and I suddenly remember how hungry I am. We all sit on the ground near Esteban and devour them.

Josefina asks Mariana for Esteban’s permission to see the horses for trade across the plaza. Mariana doesn’t answer but catches her grandfather’s eye. He nods and smiles. Mariana takes one of my hands, Josefina takes the other, and they skip me across the dirt to the far side of the plaza, near the big church.