Lesson 17: Conversation
José , calling him "friend", asks him what his name is. The friend says his name is Valdemaro Cauich. José says he'd like to ask him about a few things. Valdemaro says O.K. José asks him what kind of work he usually does. He says that he works in the milpa mainly. José asks how long he and his friend Hernán have been in Peto. Valdemaro says its been about two years. José asks why he left his work in the bush. Valdemaro says he left it because of his illness. He says he can't work much. José asks what was the name of the place where he used to be. Valdemaro says he used to work in a place called Xoy. José asks if he is being treated. Valdemaro says yes he's taking medicine from a doctor.
José asks Valdemaro to tell him something about his work in the milpa. Valdemaro says: when it's morning, one gets going to one's milpa. José asks if he takes along something to eat when he goes to his milpa. Valdemaro says some people do; for the most part, they take only a little pozole. José asks him how they prepare the pozole. Valdemaro says they dissolve the pozole with a little water in a gourd. With that they make their hunger pass. José asks what time they lunch. Valdemaro says they eat when it's already late, and they have returned home. José asks Valdemaro what they plant. he says they plant maize, squash, yucca, yams. José asks him what things are eaten by the animals. Valdemaro says that the squash is eaten by the pigs.
José asks Valdemaro if he works with his children. Valdemaro says he has no children--he works alone. José asks whether they're all married already or whether he just didn't have any. Valdemaro says that his daughter is his only child. José asks if she didn't have any brothers. Valdemaro says all her little brothers have died. José asks Valdemaro if his wife is living. He says no--he's a widower. José asks him what he does now, then. He says he can't work on account of his sickness. José asks him where he lives, then. Valdemaro says he lives with his daughter. José asks him how long he's been ill. He says it's been ten years and that it's already cost him a great deal.