By Susan J.

Throughout the years I’ve heard people tell stories of a mysterious man who roams from town to town carrying a guitar case. No one really knows who he is or where he comes from, he is only known to them as El Mariachi.

When ever I hear the stories about him I can’t help but think that he’s nothing but a figment of their imaginations.I guess I think that because I have never seen this man in person.

One day while I was in town, I went into one of the local stores. There were two women in their sixties talking about this Mariachi. I couldn’t help myself, I had to ask them some questions. I walked over to them.

"Excuse me for interrupting you Delia and Martha, but were you two talking about El Mariachi?" I asked.

"Yes," said Delia.

"Why?" said Martha.

"Well I’ve heard so much about him that I kind of believe that he doesn’t exist," I said.

They looked at me with amazement.

"But nina, he does exist. He helped my son straighten out his life," Martha said.

"He helps out a lot of people,” Delia said.

"Well what does he look like?” I asked.

"Oh nina, he’s beautiful. If I were only twenty years younger…" Delia sighed.

"You’d still be too old for him," Said Martha.

"Oh shut up," Delia said.

They all started laughing.

"He is about 5’ 10-1/2" tall, trim body, tanned skin, full lips shoulder length dark hair which he always has in a pony tail and dark brown eyes," Martha said.

"Ah those eyes will make you melt, nina," Said Delia.

They looked at me and then at each other.

"Hmmm..." They said in unison.

"What?" I said.

"You and he would make a perfect match. Wouldn’t they Martha?" said Delia.

"Yes they would be perfect together," answered Martha.

"Wait a minute. You two are crazy. Not until I see this Mariachi with my own eyes will I believe that he exists," I said.

I started walking towards the door.

"You have been alone long enough, nina," Delia said.

The two women laughed and I left.

It’s true, I have not had a relationship for quite a few years.The last one relationship I had was a painful experience and I never want to fell that kind of pain again.

During the next few weeks, the town was preparing for the annual Cinco de Mayo celebration, there was to be music and carnival rides, and fun for the entire town. During these busy days I had the strange feeling that I was being watched, but when I would turn to look I would see nothing.

One night while I was sitting on the front porch of my house just strumming the strings of a guitar and humming, when suddenly I was startled by a voice.

"Good evening Senorita," the voice said.

I looked around but couldn’t see anyone. I clutched the neck of the guitar and held it like a weapon.

"Who’s there?" I said.

The voice came into the light of the full moon.

"I’m sorry I didn’t mean to scare you Senorita. I was passing by when I heard the sounds of a guitar," he said.

I kept staring at him.

"Please do not be afraid. I will not harm you."

I moved closer to see his face and to my surprise he looked like the man that Delia and Martha described. He did have beautiful eyes.

"Would you like to sit down Senor?" I asked.

"Yes. Gracias," he said.

He walked up the steps and sat down on the chair.

"Do you play the guitar?" he asked.

"No, I wish I did. All I can do it just strum it. What about you? Do you play?"

"Not anymore."

"Why?"

"I injured my hand a long time ago and I can’t play anymore."

I looked at his left hand and it had a huge scar. I did not dare ask him what happened.

"What is your name Senorita?"

"Valeria," I said.

"You have a beautiful name Valeria."

"Thank you. You must be the one they call El Mariachi."

"Yes," he smiled

I felt a ease with this stranger. We talked all night long. The sun started to rise and I stood up and walked over to the railing of the porch, he followed me. He gently put his right arm around me and rested his hand on my shoulder.I reached up and held his hand. I looked at him.

"Isn’t it a beautiful sunrise?" I asked.

"Yes it’s very beautiful."

He turned me towards him, he reached up and traced my lips with his thumb and then he touched my cheek gently. He moved closer until his lips met mine. His kiss sent an electrical charge through me that I hadn’t felt in years. He pulled me to him and held me tightly and we watched the rest of the sunrise in silence. For the next few days we were inseparable. We helped set everything up for the fiesta.

The day of the fiesta arrived and the entire town was having a wonderful time. Everyone laughed and played and enjoyed each others company. In the middle of the townsquare was a bandstand where the musicians played. We sat at a small table and were talking when Delia came over.

"Nina," she said.

"Yes, Delia? What can I do for you?"

"Would you please sing a song for us?" she asked.

"I don’t think so."

"Oh please. We haven’t heard you sing for so long. It’s time don’t you think?" she said.

"I don’t know?"

I looked at my Mariachi and he squeezed my hand.

"I’d love to hear you sing. Please?" he asked.

I couldn’t refuse him.

"Al right."

I got up and walked over to the stage. The Mariachis started playing a song called "Los Laureles". After I finished everyone applauded. I looked over at him as saw that he was walking towards the stage applauding. He stepped on the stage and asked the Mariachis to play a song called "Hay Unos Ojos". They started playing and he started singing. I felt a shiver run down my spine. He motioned me to sing with him and I did.

(Words to the song)

Hay Unos Ojos

Hay unos ojos que si me miran
Hasen que mi alma tiemble de amor
Son unos ojos tan primorosos
Ojos mas lindos no he visto yo

Ay!m quien pudiera mirarse en ellos
Ay! Quien pudiera besarlos mas
Gozando siempre de sus destellos
Y no olvidarlos nunca jamas

Y todos dicen que no to quiero
Que no te adoro con frenesi
Y yo les digo que mienten, mienten
Que hasta la vida daria por ti

(English translation)

There Are Some Eyes

There are some eyes which if they look at me
Make my soul tremble with love
There are some eyes so exquisite
Prettier eyes I have never seen

Ay! Who could look at himself in them
Ay! Who could kiss them more.
Enjoying always their sparkle
And never ever forgetting them

And everyone says that I don’t love you
That I don’t adore you with a frenzy
And I tell them that they lie, they lie
That I would even give my life for you

When we finished singing he kissed me and while we were lost in that kiss the crowd was going crazy applauding and whistling. He hugged me tightly and whispered in my ear.

"Te amo," he said.

I looked at him and smiled.

"Yo tambien te amo."

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small box. He held it out to me.

"I have no riches to offer you, only my heart," he said.

"Than I am richer then the most wealthy man on the face of the earth," I said.

I opened the small box to find a three piece silver ring.It was unusual but unique. He took it out of the box and put it on my finger. It almost covered my entire finger but I loved it. I kissed his cheek.

"Thank you it’s beautiful, but where did you get the money? I mean this is pure silver," I said.

He turned slightly to the right and looked down the side of his left leg. I noticed that at the bottom of his pant leg three pieces of silver decoration were missing. I looked up at him.

"You took the silver decoration from your pant leg?" I asked.

"Yes. I had them made into the ring which you now wear on your finger," he answered.

"And I will never take it off. It’s the most precious gift that I have ever received in my entire life," I said.

"And you are the most precious gift that this life could have ever given me," he said.

He kissed me passionately.

Even though we were surrounded by hundred of people celebrating I felt like we were the only ones there.

Thinking back on all the stories that I had heard about this mysterious man that everyone calls El Mariachi and the doubts that I had that he only existed in everyone’s imagination, I only have one thing to say as I stare into his beautiful brown eyes,

"I believe, I believe."

Image courtesy of Janet-Sunshine

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