21. Cornelio Ramirez

Traffic remained heavy until the got onto Highway 16 on the east side of the city. The flow of incoming traffic was steady, but that Monday morning it seemed like few people were going to Aldama. Riding in the passenger seat, Ervey looked out at the countryside and saw cacophony of structures, all of them surrounded by large swaths of flat open land. Most of them were clearly meant to serve as weekend retreats. The vast majority of them were one version or another of a ramada. Some of them were elaborate metal designs and others were authentic-looking tree forks posted into the ground supporting a few beams and a shade of branches. Everywhere there were signs that lot of life had gathered there over the weekend.


"Look at that," said Ervey, "piles of smoldering rubbish everywhere. Half the city must have been out here drinking beer and eating barbecue all weekend. You, too, Lilo?"


Lilo looked out at the countryside in both directions for several seconds before he responded.


"No. I don't know anybody out here, and I don't have any reason to. My kids are grown up, and I had enough of camping when I was young. That's why I moved to the city," he said.


"You have grown kids?" asked Ervey, "I would have said you were not there yet."


Lilo nodded somberly.


"How many?"


"Seven. All of them now married. Twelve grandchildren."


Ervey showed him a look of surprise.


"I only have one. He's not even half a year old."


"Speaking of family, they never told me your name. All I know is Lilo. What does that come from?" asked Ervey.


"Cornelio. Cornelio Ramirez, at your service," said Lilo, extending his hand.


Ervey shook his hand and gave him his name, "Ervey Carrasco, at yours."


Lilo shifted his hands on the steering wheel and tossed his head back in approval. He emitted a long, almost imperceptible, whistle under his breath, as if signaling that he was going into deep thought. Ervey looked over him briefly and noted Lilo's changed demeanor. The two rode in silence a while. They were now close to Aldama, but the outskirts of town were stilll not in view.


"Ramirez is a pretty common name in Aquiles Serdan, where I'm from," said Ervey, "my mother's a Ramirez."


"There's a lot of Carrascos where I'm from, too. My grandmother was one," said Lilo, still focused on his thoughts.


"You know where Aquiles is? Ever been there?" asked Ervey.


"I've seen the exit sign for it on the highway but never been there, said Lilo, adding after a few seconds, "that's where the old Santa Barbara mine is, right?"


"Right. Santa Barbara's ancient, not just old. They say that's why Ciudad Chihuahua is here today," said Ervey, "By the way, Celso said you were from Ojinaga. That right?"


"Not precisely from Ojinaga, Ojinaga," he said, "I grew up in one of the ranchos just outside of the town known as El Divisadero, but my people are from a string of rancheros far south of Ojinaga known as El Mulato."


"You don't say," said Ervey.


Lilo turned to him, noting his partner's piqued interest.


Before he could say anything, their attention was drawn away by a tight high-speed caravan of four official-looking suburbans heading the other way.


"Police. Probably escorting somebody," said Ervey following the caravan on the rear view mirror.


Lilo kept looking straight ahead, but now rousted out of contemplation.


"Not everything that crackles are rinds," he said.