These last two days I was at Tacuarmebó with my middle brother. We went to visit a gold mine, two wood processing facilities and some rice farmers. We want to sell a lot this year, or else our lives are going to get worse.

The first day, visiting the gold mine, my brother was driving at 100 km/h through an earth and stone route, with narrow curves. He was enjoying it, saying it was like being a rally pilot. I didn't enjoy it, I like defensive driving. After some begging he reduced the speed to 80 km/h. Hopefully I am still here.

We had a great meeting and then went back to the city to visit the timber companies. I was very clumsy at the interviews, even let my portfolio fall and open, throwing the brochures all over the office.

The next day we spent the morning looking for rice farmers, the few that still work. finally we found the richest one, Beco Sampallo. We had to go to his farm, at 45 kms of the city. In the way there, after leaving the asphalt route, we went into an earth one. And my brother was still running. When taking a curve, the car skidded and overturned. My side hit the floor, my brother fell over me, I covered myself with my arms when I saw the pieces of the mirror. I realized the windows were intact. My brother climbed out of the car, I released from the seat belt, climbed the car insulting him. The car was losing gasoline, so two gauchos helped us to turn it.

We called the police, the mechanical emergency and the insurance company. The mechanics said they were departing from Montevideo at 2:00 pm, so we had to wait for seven hours. I phoned my mother to explain the situation. Then I took my briefcase and started walking. It was very sunny. It was damned hot. Some gray clouds gathered.

As I walked, it started raining. Then the sun. Then the rain again. Then the sun. So I dried up. I found a small ranch and stopped to ask. Six enraged dogs came running to me. I tried to touch one but he walked back, showing his teeth. I clapped twice but nobody answered. I walked away. It was a long walk. The sun was burning my neck.

An old man in slip was at the front of his house. I clapped and a younger (about forty) man came to me and said hello. His hand was rough and strong, his smile was clear. I felt a little diminished.

The mand inidcated me to follow the way to the end. The end was the ranch of Mr. Beco Sampallo.

I started walking again. The briefcase was hurting my hands. I saw a dead cow, her mouth being eaten by the ants. The land on the way was dry, but the sorgo crops were green and beautiful.

I crossed the door of the ranch. Thought about taking my shirt off and resting, but had to go on. The sheeps ran away. I walked cross country, too bored (not tired) to take the earth way. Two canals cut my way and had to look for the dry place to cross over.

I saw the Mitsubishi truck and the feet in alpargatas (yute shoes). I clapped and the old man stood up. He looked at me surprised. I advanced and introduced me:

-I am Gustavo Sosa, eldest son of Ricardo Sosa, grandson of Aristotelmo Sosa.

He just looked behind me and said:

-Where's your truck?

-I came walking. My car crashed at Cuchilla del Ombú.

He kept in silence. His son, about twenty, big boy, came to me to say hi.

-I have to talk to you about the mobile rice hoppers my company sells.

His son brought me a glass of cold water. I had the interview as fast as I could.

Then the police called to ask for me. I had to go to the hospital to check if I was fine. They came in a nice Toyota truck. They laughed a lot.

-Were you running away? -an officer said.

-Why do you say that?

-You walked nine kilometres in less than an hour, under this fucking sun.

-I use to walk a lot.

The police officers took me to the city, but I got a quotation request for a forty thousand litres mobile hopper. I told the officers I just couldn't stay in the car and losing a business opportunity. They laughed again.

-You are gonna be very successful, I think.

-Yeah, well, I'm fine if I get something to eat.