MAICOL

      His name was Micoal and he was working in construction. He never went anywhere outside el Rio without his soccer ball and October 3^rd was no different. Waiting at the bus stop he dribbled the ball and passed it to his older brother sitting on the bench waiting beside him. The ball accidentally rolled into a puddle and Micoal went to retrieve it. It was this moment that I spoke with his brother, Fideleo, about today.

            Micoal was electrocuted and killed by a hot wire that was in the puddle and no one has ever been the same sense in el Rio. His mother Berta pulled out the only two pictures she has of him. For the first time since being here, I cried, I cried because I was frustrated that after so much struggling through his life, Micoal’s death was too soon. It was painful to see a family that hardly showed loved to have lost some of the little love they had. I looked at all the children and fearfully imagined if death coming too soon for the ninos I have grown to love.

            I took the pictures from Berta and made copies for her so that Fideleo could have a copy and his sisters as well. In a family that is as big as a neighborhood in the States, they only had one copy of these pictures and they shared them with such respect. I didn’t know what more I could do and I found myself where I always end up when life seems a little overwhelming, the library.

            While sitting on the ground rummaging through books of Costa Rican fairy tales, all the power in Jaco went out. The power has gone out a few times when it rains but usually turns back on. After five minutes, I knew that the darkness might be a little more long term than I had expected.

            While at the time, it seemed ironically symbolic, the city of Jaco began to work wonders right in front of me. I stayed in the library until after the sun had set and prepared for my bike ride in the pitch black but to my surprise, more candles than I have ever seen lined the store fronts. While passing the Church, I peeped my head in to find a full congregation still worshiping. Kids, had flashlights taped to their hats as they cycled home.

My point being: life went on.

            Once again, the library provided consolation, and it was good to have a reminder that love is not lost, it is only moved around. Maicol is still in their hearts, that is obvious because of their treasured photos. As for the lights, I am enjoying being able to see the stars for the first time in Costa Rica.