The Wanderers Read Online Free PDF Page B

things to pick up, he would call him. It was outrageous what people threw out in upper class suburbs such as Calahonda, Elviria or Cabopino; from working computers and related devices, to refrigerators in perfect condition, and even top of the line furniture sets.
    “ What some throw away, others pine for,” said Moses when the pieces were good.
    On that bright Sunday in September, the day had been complicated from the start. The local police cars, the municipal police and the Spanish Civil Guard ceaselessly went from one place to another, sirens blaring, ambulances and fire trucks also screamed past. It had been a while since the two couples in charge of security had been summoned elsewhere.
    “ What’s the matter today?” asked the African man who attended the adjoining stand.
    “ No idea...” Moses had answered with his eyes half-closed, like he always did when he was thinking about something.
    “ Everybody crazy today, friend?”
    “ The world’s always crazy,” Moses had said, continuing to arrange the boxes of merchandise.
    “ This morning I hear problem, you know?” continued the African man.
    “ What problem?” Moses went on placing the boxes, without looking at him.
    “ In Madrid, in Madrid there be big problem. A person, many persons, make attack to... building where people die, you know?”
    “ Hospital? A Hospital?”
    “ No no, no hospital, when you die, you go from hospital to that place...”
    “ A... mortuary? A morgue?”
    “ Yes my friend, a morgue... that place. They really attacked it. I saw it on TV early today, yes... unbelievable!” His gaze was distant, as if he was remembering the images he had seen on the television. Finally, he shook his head and said a few words in Portuguese, to himself: “ A ruina de uma naçao. ”
    Moses briefly thought about what the African had just told him. “And why the hell would someone want to attack a morgue?”
    “ I don’t know, yes? But veeeery, very violent, friend, very strong that attack police, everything, everything... and then it cut off, yes? The TV was cut off all of a sudden... and then a woman appear that talked from some other place and then you couldn’t see how they attacked. I think, that very strange, because television always put most violent images, and most hard, yes? And that now today no police here? Today? This very strange, very strange...”
    Moses felt a spark of concern. He looked around. To tell the truth, were there not few people there? He studied the faces of the people who walked from stand to stand, picking something up; looking at it with certain interest and putting it back down. There was a teenage couple joking about some sort of a bright red heart-shaped plush toy. The sun filtered through the trees and brought out beautiful sparkles in her hair. They were smiling, and their eyes were lit with the glow of first love. That image convinced him that nothing was going on, that it was Sunday, that the day was still long and beautiful, that life was wonderful, and that everything was finally good.
    Some hours later, Moses was headed home in his old Renault van. Sales had not gone well, even worse than he had expected, but it would be enough to last the week. He could also drop by the Arcade and see if Paco, the manager, would pay him an afternoon or two; it all depended on the movie listings. With that, he should have enough to last him until next Sunday.
    He parked and went up to the little attic where he lived with Cripple. He found him there, glued to the small red fourteen-inch television set they had found some months ago.
    “ Afternoon... I’m here,” he said, letting himself fall onto a seat.
    Cripple turned around, as if just noticing his presence.
    “ Hello, Mo... man you don’t know what’s happening.”
    Those words awakened a deep feeling of alarm in Moses. It hit him fast, like a bullet, accompanied by a siren that wailed like a devil. Deep down, he had felt it the whole morning; he felt it in