The nurse left work at five o’clock. She did not like to remain one minute longer than she was obligated,
because she had cats. Upon her departure, the doctor closed the door to his office and sat back in his
chair with a scotch and water, and after slowly savoring this remedy to the stresses of the day and of
dealing with the nurse, he too left. Then, there was only Graciela.
In most places Graciela would be known as the doctor’s receptionist, but here in this town she was
known to all as Graciela, as in “Graciela who in her teens had been crowned the queen at the summer’s
festival of Santa Lucia three times!”, or “Graciela who accompanied the nuns on their trip to visit the
holy place and brought back with her a puppy.” There are those who knew her as “Graciela who
pummeled a street thief with a bag of squash and was therefore not robbed of her bag of squash”, and
those who knew her as “Graciela who taught me how to dance and now thanks to her kind instruction I
am married to a blessed, sainted woman and I must now go home”.
Graciela with a small broom dusted the office and swept the corners. The phone at her desk rang, and
she went to answer it, waiting until the third ring.
“Hello, this is Doctor Armendariz’s office.”
“Graciela, thank God it is you. Please, can you help me?”
“What is it?”
“When I move my elbow, it does not feel right.”
“Well, you will have to ask Doctor Armendariz about it. Would you like to see him tomorrow?”
“It feels funny.”
“Tomorrow at ten? “
“It feels like, when you crack a walnut and the walnut snaps? It feels like that walnut.”
“Doctor Armendariz will be very anxious to see your elbow.”
“Graciela, what am I to do? I am no good like this. How am I to cook? I can hardly change the dial on my
television!”
“You must come in and let Doctor Armendariz see your elbow at the earliest opportunity.”
“Will I be able to go to my daughter’s wedding this June?”
“Only Doctor Armendariz will know for sure.”
“Why do these things happen to us?”
“Will you come in tomorrow at ten?”
“My daughter needs me. I have to make the zizzitza for her wedding.”
“You are a good mother to your daughter. Will you come in tomorrow at ten?”
“Her father was a saint.”
“He would want you to come see Doctor Armendariz.”
“Now she is to be married to that boy.”
“What a happy day that will-”
“That boy’s mother cannot cook worth a damn. What is she going to cook? People have to eat. It is a
wedding!”
“It is good that you are involved.”
“I must be strong.”
“Doctor Armendariz will do all he can for you when you come to see him tomorrow at ten.”
“You are so good to me, Graciela. I know that you will not let my elbow ruin my life and my daughter’s
wedding day. Bless you. Bless you.”
“Thank you, Marisol, we will see you tomorrow at ten.”
“Bless you!” Then, to another in the room, “Graciela will know what to do tomorrow at ten!”
Graciela continued sweeping, and the phone did not ring again. At the door, she paused a moment to
give it one last chance, which it did not take advantage of (this time), and finally left for the day with her
bag, locking the door behind her.
end
