Gerardo is now moving on. He does not cry for Andrea anymore and has stopped singing melancholic songs. If anything, he is having an amorous time with Jessica. Gerardo confessed to me, “Shogo, I’ve started falling in love with Jessica, and now we’re dating more seriously than before. I admit I still have feelings toward Andrea, but what can I do about that? I guess I’ll just bid adieu to my old sweetheart and let her go once and for all. Anyway, God has gifted me a New York vagina – Jessica is a New Yorker, you know… lucky me, ha-ha-ha….”
While his quest for true love is a work-in-progress, he lugubriously felt that something was missing in his life. One day he came back to the apartment with a heart full of excitement and as proud as a peacock. He announced, “What? Are you still writing? Shogo, you need to take a break, man. I don’t want to disturb you, but you got to listen to me. Do you remember what I told you five days ago? I told you that I need to find something I really like so that I could be happier. In short, I’ve decided to join an American football team. I’ve already signed up and bought all football equipment and gear which are in my car, so I’ll show them to you later.”
I was so astonished by his foolishness and admonished, “Idiot, are you out of your mind? Do you really think that you can play American football? Look at yourself, man! You are as weak as a sad autumn fallen leaf. To top it off, your legs are as thin as chopsticks. They’ll smash like a tiny cockroach. It’s sheer suicide, my friend. Do you really think that you’re able to compete with strong muscle dicks? For the love of God, please reconsider!”
“Shut up, man! Do you really think I’m not strong enough to withstand their tackles? You’ll see how strong I am. You won’t believe in your own eyes how I’ll knock muscle sons of bitches about like ninepins. Indeed, I can brow them into thin air by a single fart, as if a cannonball blasted right beside them. You’ll see, my friend!”
“Okay, okay, cool down, idiot. If you say so, I’m not going to stop you. Anyway, how much did you pay for all of them?”
“I paid seven thousand and five hundred pesos.”
“What? It’s too expensive, man!” I exclaimed.
“I know, my friend, but listen to me,” he lit a cigarette and made a clean breast of his conviction, “I really need to change. I really want to try something I truly love. Since I was a little boy, I’ve loved watching American football games. However, I had never dared to play it. To tell the truth, Shogo, you’ve inspired me. Since you came back to Mexico City, you’ve written your book relentlessly like a blissful moonstruck. I thought I should start something I truly love so that I could get the same zeal toward life as you.”
Pause.
“As you wish, my friend. By the way, I’m happy for you because you’ve finally started doing what you really love.” I drank a sip of the cold Fresca in my hand and asked, “How many days are you going to practice a week?”
“Thanks, my friend. I’m so excited,” he smiled and gushed with pride, “I’m going to practice twice a week from 10:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. I know it’s too late, but I have no choice because other teams are using the field. Furthermore, I promised my sweet Jessica that I’ll start jogging around La Condesa after work every day. As you correctly observed before, my legs are not strong enough right now, but in a month, you won’t recognize me, for I’ll be as strong as Clark Kent, ha-ha-ha….”
