When Lupita was at work during the week, Larry spent most of his afternoons with Juan.
The illness ravishing Larry’s body was manifesting itself externally as well. Regardless of his tan, his skin took an ashy tone, with dark circles under his eyes; he seemed to have aged considerably overnight. His weight had dropped noticeably, and since he was too easily fatigued, they did not swing from vines as before. They rather went out to sea for deep sea fishing or just to spend some time contemplating the magnificent ocean.
He also spent some afternoons with Juan at his modest home. They had become close friends, and Juan’s wife and children made Larry feel welcome and much appreciated. While watching the kids playing with Juan, he felt a pang of regret that he never did settle down to have kids. He was the last of his lineage too, not having any siblings.
Larry marveled that Juan while having such modest means was truly a happy man. He lived a simple existence, yet harmony and love reigned in his modest two bedroom home.
On one excursion out to sea, when Larry was doubling over in severe pain, Juan suggested they visit a curandera (healer). Larry said he did not believe in that type of thing. Juan said that even the big pharmaceutical companies were courting the healers to acquire the knowledge of natural healing passed down from the Mayans. That is why it was so important to preserve the rain forests, for Mother Nature is wise, and in various tropical rain forests there exists plants which can potentially cure any illness, even aids.
Juan explained that the problem was the healers did not want to pass down their knowledge for those big pharmaceutical companies for them to grossly profit from. They jealously guarded the secrets of these medicinal plants, for it belonged to their people.
Larry thought about the government grants and funding to prestigious universities for medical research, which ultimately the big pharmaceuticals made incredible profit from, while making the remedy extremely costly to the average patient in desperate need of it.
Juan convinced Larry to visit the curandera. Juan would contact her, and ask permission to treat Larry; after all he had nothing else to lose.
They traveled on Juan’s motor bike to the outskirts of the rain forest. They went into a shack, with nets covering the windows to keep the mosquitoes out. The air was dense with the scent of burning incense. The inside was dimly lit with a macabre array of candles shaped in the form of skulls, and candles symbolizing death with a skeleton dressed in a long robe, holding a hatchet. This contrasted with the altar where glass covered candles burned with the picture of saints, there was a crucifix, and other ceramic images of various saints too. On a shelf there were various glass jars contained what looked like potions, some with herbs and plants soaking in them.
An old woman and a boy, emerged from the back room. She had penetrating dark eyes, her white hair contained in two long braids. She looked intently at Larry for a long time, and said something in a strange language. A boy translated to them, that she said the Angel of death was close. She could not undo what was meant to be, yet she could give him a cleansing, which would purify his body and spirit and prepare him for his flight. He would need to stay overnight.
The illness ravishing Larry’s body was manifesting itself externally as well. Regardless of his tan, his skin took an ashy tone, with dark circles under his eyes; he seemed to have aged considerably overnight. His weight had dropped noticeably, and since he was too easily fatigued, they did not swing from vines as before. They rather went out to sea for deep sea fishing or just to spend some time contemplating the magnificent ocean.
He also spent some afternoons with Juan at his modest home. They had become close friends, and Juan’s wife and children made Larry feel welcome and much appreciated. While watching the kids playing with Juan, he felt a pang of regret that he never did settle down to have kids. He was the last of his lineage too, not having any siblings.
Larry marveled that Juan while having such modest means was truly a happy man. He lived a simple existence, yet harmony and love reigned in his modest two bedroom home.
On one excursion out to sea, when Larry was doubling over in severe pain, Juan suggested they visit a curandera (healer). Larry said he did not believe in that type of thing. Juan said that even the big pharmaceutical companies were courting the healers to acquire the knowledge of natural healing passed down from the Mayans. That is why it was so important to preserve the rain forests, for Mother Nature is wise, and in various tropical rain forests there exists plants which can potentially cure any illness, even aids.
Juan explained that the problem was the healers did not want to pass down their knowledge for those big pharmaceutical companies for them to grossly profit from. They jealously guarded the secrets of these medicinal plants, for it belonged to their people.
Larry thought about the government grants and funding to prestigious universities for medical research, which ultimately the big pharmaceuticals made incredible profit from, while making the remedy extremely costly to the average patient in desperate need of it.
Juan convinced Larry to visit the curandera. Juan would contact her, and ask permission to treat Larry; after all he had nothing else to lose.
They traveled on Juan’s motor bike to the outskirts of the rain forest. They went into a shack, with nets covering the windows to keep the mosquitoes out. The air was dense with the scent of burning incense. The inside was dimly lit with a macabre array of candles shaped in the form of skulls, and candles symbolizing death with a skeleton dressed in a long robe, holding a hatchet. This contrasted with the altar where glass covered candles burned with the picture of saints, there was a crucifix, and other ceramic images of various saints too. On a shelf there were various glass jars contained what looked like potions, some with herbs and plants soaking in them.
An old woman and a boy, emerged from the back room. She had penetrating dark eyes, her white hair contained in two long braids. She looked intently at Larry for a long time, and said something in a strange language. A boy translated to them, that she said the Angel of death was close. She could not undo what was meant to be, yet she could give him a cleansing, which would purify his body and spirit and prepare him for his flight. He would need to stay overnight.
To be continued...
