140
JUAN FRANCISCO BLANCO
Bardala strolled out onto the stone flagged patio. She looked
at the men and asked, “I thought I heard voices, what’s up?”
Tital could hardly restrain himself, replying, “Centella had a
baby! Come on, get your Columbia boots on, and let’s go see!”
Bardala just stood and sort of gaped at Tital, and then quickly
brushed her long hair, fastening it into a ponytail. She grabbed
her boots and quickly laced them up, then grabbed Tital’s hand
and almost dragged him out of the door. As they approached the
new stall the men had hand-built in the outbuilding, they could
hear Centella whinnying, and making horsey noises. The brandnew little colt, wobbly, stood tall and thin next to his mother, as
Tital and Bardala approached.
“I can’t believe it! I still don’t believe it! I wonder who the
father of this colt is?” Tital said. He opened the gate, and walked
into the freshly cleaned stall.
“Uh...You mean you don’t know?” Bardala asked, rather
puzzled by Tital’s last statement.
“No, we never put her with a stallion. Wait a minute...there
was one time when she got out of her paddock back in Cancún.
It must have happened then. She just sort of showed back up
again, and we didn’t think anymore about it,” Tital said, while
holding Centella’s handwoven hemp bridle.
“What name can we give...him? Bardala said, as she looked
to see what sex the colt was.
“You can name him if you want to. What would be a good
name for the first horse born on this planet?” Tital said, smiling.
“Ummm...We should call him...Turbo. What do you think of
that name?” Bardala wanted to know, as the new c