Song of the Mockingbird: My Journey with Josefina

This side of the plaza is packed with horses offered for trade, in all colors and sizes. I see a spotted black-and-white horse, a deep chestnut horse, a light tan one with a black mane and tail, and a young palomino with a beautiful blonde color. Traders stand behind the horses in groups, talking and waiting for offers, while men walk up and down studying them, looking in their mouths and examining their shoulders and flanks.

The horses are beautiful, with intelligent eyes, tossing heads, and pricked ears. Josefina proposes we each pick out horses for one another. She picks one for Mariana, I pick one for her, and Mariana picks one for me. Then we can ride our mounts back to our homes. I add that we can race along the way, and we all laugh.

Josefina says she likes horses that are slow, steady, and sturdy. Mariana mimics the serious faces of the men inspecting the horses, joking that horse trading is serious business. We walk up and down the rows with our hands clasped behind our backs, just like the adult buyers. I study the big chestnut, who stands calmly with his head held high. Behind him, a black stallion tosses his head and rolls his eyes at me when I get too close. Josefina spends a long time looking at the palomino, and Mariana seems taken with a slender bay who snuffles her hand.

After a few moments, I declare I’ve made my decision. Josefina says she has, too, and gestures toward a perky black mare beside us, saying her eyes sparkle like Mariana’s and her mane is the same color as Mariana’s hair.

Now it’s my turn. I stand straight and tell Josefina I have chosen a bold, swift, yet young horse, one Josefina can teach everything since he still needs training. I gesture toward the palomino, who is little more than a colt, and Josefina strokes his velvety nose.

Lastly, Mariana says she has chosen a horse for me, too, the chestnut, friendly and loyal, because even though we just met, she knows we can be friends. I feel a rush of affection for this girl who has already accepted me as a friend.

I think of Audrey, who wants to be my friend even though we’ve just met, and Danielle, whom I don’t want to leave behind. But Josefina is still friends with Mariana even as she welcomes me, so maybe being friends with Audrey doesn’t mean losing Danielle.