ORGANISED NEIGHBOURHOOD

Mum, where are the toys?

Yaguachi, 03 de abril del 2005

06:30 am

Carlos Alberto wakes up crying and scared, because once again his father has arrived drunk and without anything for breakfast, and don't think that's what's getting him up, because the real reason is his mother's screams for help, because of the many blows she receives every day while her son sees the blood rolling down her face.

-Carlos Alberto (shouts) - Dad, what the hell is wrong with you! My grandfather was never like that with my grandmother, why do you have to behave like that?

-Doña María (lying on the floor) - Carlitos, please go to your room.

-Carlos Alberto: "But mum, how can I allow this, you are all beaten up, you have blood on your face, we didn't eat anything last night and today he arrives with this attitude, what does he think he is doing?

Doña María, sad and afraid that his father will beat him too, tells him again:

Carlos Alberto, please go to your room.

-Don José, drunk and smelling of another woman's perfume, answers her:

You see!... All this is what you get for wanting to be a woman and not a mother.You're always complaining to me about bullshit and you can't raise this child.You're irresponsible, useless and good for nothing...Look how this ungrateful boy responds to me, I who work all day long to give them food, clothes, and that they don't lack anything!

Now it turns out that one who works his ass off and can't have a few drinks with his friends; after receiving a miserable salary, I have to put up with my bitter wife, good shit!

Looking fixedly at Carlos Alberto, and with a face of anger and rage, he says to him:

and thank God or the Devil that I don't break your mouth and give you a good beating; only because afterwards your weeping mother starts with her dramas and her songs, I'm out of here, you want to be at peace and you can't, there is no peace in this house, I'm fed up with everyone, they only live to fight and argue.

At that moment, Carlos ran to his room in fear and hid under his bed and Don José, so as not to continue listening to the discussion, went to continue drinking with his friends.

3 hours later ....

-Carlos Alberto- Mom, why does daddy always hit you, you know every day I hear my friends at school say that their dads are the best in the world, and it makes me want to cry to know that my daddy is not like that, he only hits us and we go hungry next to him....

When will this change?

-Doña María: "Oh, my son! I know that your father is a very good man, but this whole situation and the economy have made him change too much, although I feel that in the last few months things have been worse, I just hope we don't go too far because I'm honest with you... I can't take any more blows!

-Carlos Alberto: "Let's have faith then, mum.One question, today Sunday we are going to mass? some friends are going with the family, do you think that when dad arrives he will want to go, because the way he is going I don't think he will let us go out and if we do he will beat you again for sure.

-Doña María - Yes we will go, so get ready because today nobody is going to forbid us to go out, maybe I haven't had the resources to give you a toy or go for a walk, but nobody is going to take away your freedom, so don't pay attention to the previous days, whether he arrives or not, we will go.