The useless cat
For Damaso it is the cornfield. Most of the other members of the
cooperative lived as day labourers and cattle hands before the revolution
made them owners of property, but Damaso was born to the land. He
grows his corn without chemicals and still harvests more and bigger
husks than any other farmer in the village. Damaso teaches soil
conservation techniques to his neighbours and hopes that some day
organic farming will become the common way of proper farm management.
He is one of few who actually makes money raising corn in a market
where prices are set by the level of US farm subsidies. His house
reflects the aspirations of comfortable living: a cement floor,
a store-bought hardwood cabinet for the TV, plastic flowers to add
colour, the Virgin on the wall smiling her blessings on this well
made home. In a few years the plastic chairs for visitors will be
replaced by a sofa set, don’t be surprised!
Damaso keeps a cat that refuses to hunt mice and only eats prepared
food, that purrs and wants to be scratched and lazes around on the
furniture. He is a very deliberate man and in a very contented way
is slightly amazed at the frivolous folly of his useless cat. |
