The Mistery of Belicena Villca
Old Juana constantly crossed herself while Uncle Kurt and Pepe moved my lifeless body to a sofa in the livingroom since the bedrooms were on the upper floor , staircase through .
I lost a little blood from a deep cut at the occiput , but the most impressive thing was , undoubtedly , the way the dogs smashed the forearms . Uncle Kurt left the old couple to wash the wounds and look after me and he left in search of the Ampej Palacios .
He pulled out of the garage a brand new Toyota jeep --purchased in the days of the " sweet money " -- and left quickly , noticing on the way out the presence of the Ford a few meters from the gate . The hour was ungodly to look for any doctor , but not for the Ampej Palacios . This character who is not ficticious but deserves to be , is an indian doctor world famous for his mastery of kinesiotherapy . Already old in these years , he still attends his humble office without being bothered by anyone , because his prestige is as great as the fortune he amassed thanks to the gifts that generous as wealthy patients went depositing in his hands . The Ampej Palacios , has made men and women paralyzed for years walk , has moved necks as stiff as an obelisk and has straightened so many spinal columns given up as lost causes by orthopedists around the world , that it would be hard to believe if signature books didn ' t exist to prove it .
These books are a second tourist source for Santa María , because there are signatures and notes from people , from all over the world , who came to the Ampej Palacios to look for hope . Rich and poor , priests and doctors , nobles and plebeians , all have signed their books to bear witness to the wisdom of the Ampej . Here there is no magic or sorcery but pure and simple Ancient Wisdom that dynasties of Ampej Diaguitas have preserved and passed down from father to son . Today the children of Ampej Palacios are Physicians graduated from the University of Salta and specialized in : Traumatology ! Thus they follow the family tradition and practice with success a knowledge thousands of years older than the materialistic Science of the West .
Accompanied by Ampej Palacios , Uncle Kurt returned half an hour later . This , who is a burly old man with thick white mustaches and hands so big as a # 12 espadrille , indulged in checking my head and arms .
– The head is not broken --the Ampej affirmed ten minutes later-- but it will take a few hours to find out if there is no injury to the brain . The left arm is broken , you have to put a cast on it ; the right has a healthy bone but the flesh is very damaged .
– Look , Cerino – continued the Ampej – I don ' t think it ' s serious but you have to sew up his head and arm , and give him anti-inflammatories and antibiotics . Too much for me that I only fix bones ; I ' ll send you the younger chango who just happens to be visiting . He is a Doctor and will take better care of him .
An hour later , Dr . Palacios arrived grumbling , because he had to travel to Salta at 5 o ' clock . and they had woken him up at 1 .
He gave himself fully to his task administering several injections , sewing the wounds of the right arm and casting the left . He closed the cut of the scalp , after shaving the injured area , with some inert plastic hooks . – Are you sure the dogs don ' t have the rabies ? --asked suspiciously the son of the Ampej . – I can assure you , --Uncle Kurt stated in horror-- . They bit because I ordered ; They are very domesticated animals and they obey me blindly . Never would they attack anyone by themselves . The Doctor shook his head as he muttered something about the doubts he harbored as to the docility of the Tibetan bullmastiffs . Three hours later , Dr . Palacios was leaving and Uncle Kurt , after taking the keys that I had in the
Safari coat , entered the car to the farm and parked it inside his garage .
The second day I tried to get up because I came to my senses at a time when there was no one in the room . I felt , then , a terrible weakness and such dizziness I almost fell to the ground . I sat on the edge of the bed contemplating , not without a certain curiosity , the place where I was .
It was a soberly furnished room , with a carved walnut bedroom set and a bed with lace mosquito net . That it was on the first floor , I deduced from the sloping roof and the thick Quebracho beams that supported it . At that moment old Juana came in and she was scared to see me seated .
– Ay Señorcito – said the old woman – How do You do these things ? You have to rest , so ordered the Doctor .
She was pushing me firmly by the shoulders to force me to take the horizontal position while I let her do it , amazed by the attitude of the unknown .
Immediately I was lying down and covered again while the old woman did not stop protesting : – Señorcito , you have moved your cast arm ; that is not right ; he is going to get angry ...
– And ... Mr . --I asked timidly .
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