The gravedigger

January 7, 2022. No. 120

My mom constantly tells me that I need to go to the psychiatrist for the simple fact that she repeated every so often that being dead and resting in peace was much better than being alive. Can you believe it?.

"Do not tell these things to anyone else" that was his favorite phrase. When I refer to rest in peace, I mean to be in a grave with all the laws. That is to say, a well-refined marble one, with beautiful engravings on it and if you can and it is not too much to ask, in mine I would like something engraved on the outside like this: “Narciso González, 1980 -?, Good father, wonderful son, solidarity friend and incredible gravedigger ”. Sorry about the question mark, I reserve the year I die. A well carved box, padded and very well furnished, and even if possible with a little perfume, to avoid the bad smell, because I have never liked to smell bad and after death I will not make an exception. Also a bit of lights inside, the darkness kills me, I can't stand it for a second. When I was a kid who played hide and seek, everyone in the neighborhood wanted me to play, I was a perfect target, while everyone was hiding in the shelter I chose to get under the table as the best option.

Well, yes, I am the gravedigger from the Colón cemetery. The one who cuts the grass from the lawn on occasion, without making much noise, of course, would not want to disturb those who are resting. Also, if I don't bother today, tomorrow when I am the one who is among them and the substitute comes to do my job, I am sure that he will make exactly the same silence that I do. The days that there is a funeral are the hardest of this career. It makes me want to grab by the neck someone who tries to disturb such quiet in the cemetery and annoy my permanent guests. The screams are desperate in some cases, in others they don't even cry.

I've seen burials of all kinds. I have seen a box arrive alone with the driver of the car, those despite the tranquility that they bring, make me melancholic and make me reflect and try to find and make best friends for my funeral so that they are present, but do not bother My guests, if it were to be like this, it is preferable that they do not even come to the funeral. I have made some friends in my position as a gravedigger. For example, the old man from grave 84 always thanks me after every morning and occasional afternoon he watered his flowers so they wouldn't wither and I was left arguing with him about ball, since he was one of the big fans. of baseball and does not want to be left behind when it comes to statistics.

Despite this, I have never preferred any of them, lest they get jealous. One day two of the same tombstone were almost beaten to death, the one above yelling at the one below and jumping with his box on top of his neighbor's to make it rumble and shake. That day was hell. I had to calm them little by little. They did not want to tell me the reason for so much scandal, but I am sure that it was not because of jealousy with me, since they are in the same section and I cannot distinguish between them, they are very close and they would realize it. Well, look, the one I love very much is Tito, he is barely 12 years old, he has already been staying for about 3 years and I have grown very fond of him. I like to play with him and when I don't have much work I read him stories for children, the kind that come in notebooks to draw. He likes them very much and at the end of each story I give him the book to color. I let him choose the colors according to the theme and he has not failed any, he is extremely intelligent.

Well, what more could I say. At the end of the day, I am going to tell what I believe to all my friends. I am sure you will understand. They are people with a good sense of humor and they won't think me crazy, they don't have to.

- Surely it is not, believe me Mr. Narciso, you are not crazy, you have never been saner in all your life. - added the psychiatrist.

3 more days...