OCR Text |
Show All the Variables & Other Love Stories 34 And when rumors are made truths it gives dismal recreation to the mind. All the sons of Taos knew it, what had gone afoul. They were not so dumb as William Jefferson Hightower supposed. Casabon became a legend among the men for possessing the only Y chromosome not of Hightower's person to yet infiltrate the accursed ranch. Several sightings of Hightower were reported and everyone agreed his black eye was of the finest color. Father Palermo Aguilar, though aggrieved that no one attended mass any longer, consented to canonize Casabon the patron saint of Taos, and of insufficient husbands. Inspired by Casabon's bravery the men regrouped to formulate a stratagem. To cantina they congregated. The smoky cloister whose bliss they preferred to barren bridal chambers. Before they had been hopeful; now they looked at one another and uttered teary prayers. Knew the fight that now engaged their souls could make true peace only in the tavern, and not the chapel. News of the situation in Taos had made its way to Holy Father who dismissed it as hearsay on the grounds that such a man as Hightower could not possibly exist. He must be the second begotten of God in the flesh if it were so. "Endowed like a God," the men lamented. "What else could it be?" And yet it was so that several of the men were themselves generously endowed and their wives too had abandoned them for the Hightower ranch. "Then what is it?" cried the men. "Perhaps he does sweet things for them, like buys them chocolates or brings them flowers," said Stefano Rojo. "No," said Hector Mescual. "I buy my Prada jewelry and new clothes. She doesn't wear them anymore, not since she went to Hightower's." |