Pablo Chiste’s First Appearance

A BAR STORY

By: David Rolland

“Pablo, what are you doing here?”

 

A slender man choking on a cigarette slowly spins the bar stool to greet a familiar face. “Hello, Guillermo. Did Teresita get to you?” Guillermo Aburrido invades the stool to Pablo’s left.

 

“Yes, Teresita called me. She has never seen you behave in such a… disturbing manner.”

 

 “Disturbances occur when one realizes his life has no meaning.”

 

Guillermo strokes his bearded chin, “How can Pablo Chiste, the Ernest Hemingway of our time, say such a thing?”

 

 Pablo takes a long puff before slowly exhaling, “My friend, I was browsing in the book store the day before last. None of the books looked any good so I experimented with comic books and magazines. The first cover to stare at me was Wonder Woman. I forgot how beautiful she was! The comic book took only ten minutes to read, but it killed me. It had to be a mirage, so I read the comic again. The essence of life had been captured on paper, the perfect story! Since there is no point in writing anymore, I’ve spent the last days wondering what will become of me.”

 

Relieved laughter pours from Guillermo’s mouth. “Ha Ha! This is what’s tied you in a knot, Pablo? From Teresita’s warning I was sure it was something serious. Don’t you see, it took these fools drawings and words to create perfection. The challenge remains to portray the essence of being with just words. Now cease your selfishness and rid the world of this challenge. Come on, the clock is ticking.”

 

A brief pause. “Perhaps you are on to something, Guillermo.”

 

And so the story begins.