Ganado: a novel

by Manolo Mario

  “Lots more! I hope.”

  ***

  From the hardware store Galo returned to the rail station and stockyards to find Quino and Mulo for their part of the job. He worked his way back through the busy part of the city eventually getting to Van Horne once more. He turned the corner at Van Horne after letting the trolley pass. Waiting for him on the other side of the street was a group of ten men. They walked up and the lead man lifted his hat. “Are you Galo Bartolo?”

  Galo made eye contact with each of them before responding, “I am. What can I do for you?”

  “I am Sastre, Emilio Sastre, and we want to make the same deal that the other guys made with you on Friday.”

  Galo looked closer and saw these were working cattlemen very much like the other men he spoke with. He didn’t know quite to what make of them. Irrespective, his idea took sail and he was bound cash in on it.

  “Sastre and gentlemen, I would be pleased to make a deal with each of you. I want to make sure you understand the components of the deal and you will not go back once we shake hands.”

  They all nodded and he directed for each one to meet him inside Ofelia’s one by one to go over the details. The cafe was becoming the main office for Galo’s cattle venture. Besides, this allowed Galo to nibble at a pork sandwich and a mamey44 shake at the same time as he met with each of the guajiros.

  Each man had his own questions and concerns. Galo tried to work through each of those. With two of the men, he became concerned about the deal. The two seemed to have the least amount of liquidity and besides the novillos they would sell, a few older steers remained. This increased the risk of backing out if they became pressed for money. He explained fully the situation and had them specifically repeat out loud what they understood. They were able to do so, and so Galo agreed.

  An hour later Galo paid his bill and found himself the proud owner of sixteen thousand eight hundred novillos. It was a long ways from zero, but not nearly the number needed to negotiate prices that would meet the contracts. He barely walked out the door of the café when Quino and Mulo walked up. Galo put his arm up on Quino’s shoulder. “Guys, I will need you to exclusively work for me. We need to tag around sixteen thousand heads of cattle located throughout the countryside. I also need you to handle other duties that will come up as the needs grew.”

  “Tag? What do you mean?”

  “It’s simply a screw and a nut that you’ll punch through the ear of the novillo.”

  “Oh, I see. We can do that.” Quino looked to Mulo who nodded in agreement.

  “Look, I’m going to pay you twenty five pesos a week and depending how you do and how we grow it can get better. What do you say?”

  “Señor Galo, that is good. We will do whatever you need. Thank you. Thank you very much.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. There is a lot to do by the time we get done. Look, I need you to take my horse and bring it tomorrow morning when you come to the apartment.”

  Besides the cattle and the unofficial office at Ofelia’s, Galo also had two happy hands.

  “Anything you need Sr. Galo, anything!”

  ~~~

  Rather than the trolley, Galo decided to walk back home and take side streets. The sun settled in the horizon and the afternoon breeze kicked in. It was pleasant. Every street that Galo walked had more homes. Those residents not walking were sitting on their porches. Most would be found on wooden rocking chairs with weaved backs. A friendly ‘good afternoon’ would be offered to every passerby, known or unknown, though the prior would usually stop and chat about the day’s doings. Overhearing some of the conversations, Galo could gain insights into the minds of the people. Some spoke of the war in Europe. Others were discussing local politics and some were planning for the rodeo at the end of the week. There were still others who were passing on rumors about neighbors, one would presume, and surely it involved an infidelity here or there.

  Galo managed to get his route back on track and crossed the bridge to the Libertad to walk the sidewalk home. By now he could fully identify the diverse characters on this street. He noticed the seven orphaned sisters across the street and he gave them a friendly wave. The old man on a crate begging for alms sat on his right. The nun asking for church attendance preached at the next corner. The trolley clanked while the conductor fought off some young boys on bicycles trying to hitch a ride. There were finely dressed ladies walking in the same direction with shopping bags, and servants of all colors running with paper bags of vegetables or meat wrapped in newspaper trying to get back to make dinner. It was an active town on what had been an almost perfect Monday.

  * * *

  44 A tropical fruit with heavy red pulp and a very sweet taste.

  Chapter 42

  Invigorated with the success of the prior day, Galo waited on the curb for Quino and Mulo early. His final deed the day before was to work an arrangement to stable the horse with a neighbor located two streets behind. He also finally decided on a name for the horse. From here on he would be riding ‘Maximo.’ The stable was much closer than keeping the horse at Frank’s and made his movements more effective.

  Quino and Mulo rode up at the appointed time, bringing the horse along. Galo mounted Maximo and guided them to a café a street over. A small place with a counter a foot into the door and two tables on the sidewalk with chairs worked. The three men commandeered an extra chair and sat. Galo bought them coffee before beginning to talk through the chores.

  “First, you will need to go to the hardware store and collect the earring tags. Frank will show you how to put them on the cattle. With these items, you can begin with the ranch that is furthest from town. There are five of them and on this paper is their brand. When you are through with them you can start with Sastre’s ranch.”

  Quino pored over the markings on the paper and recognized the various markings representing the brands used by the five ranchers form Friday last. He showed them to Mulo who nodded his understanding.

  “We can do this, Don Galo. I know all these brands.”

  “Good. Along the way, you need to buy a couple of other workhorses in order to rotate and not overwork your mounts. Here’s the money for them.” He handed Quino a group of bills. “This task will take time and there will be more cattle to tag over the next few weeks. You understand?”

  “We like to hear it and again thank you for letting us do this.”

  They drank and went about their chores. Galo mounted his horse and headed out for his visit with Eriberto Sanchez at Cruz Azul.

  The Cruz Azul was not too far outside the town in a southeasterly direction. Along the way Galo noticed several plantings of bananas, guavas, and mangoes. At a distance he could see fields of sugarcane. There were also smaller ranches of one to four hectares with cattle milling around. He was sure that at least one of his deals involved the owner of one of the ranches, but he could not determine which one as yet. Not too far after a row of oak trees, he came to the entrance of the Cruz Azul, appropriately defined by a large blue cross, embedded on a shield. He made the turn and the entrance led a short distance to the main house. As with the other visits, Galo dismounted and walked the final few meters to the front door. With his hat in hand, he rang the bell and a handsome woman close to his age answered, “You must be Bartolo. My husband told me you would be coming today.”

  “Good morning, Señora, I hope I am not too early.”

  “Please call me Maite. It is short for Maria Teresa, and no, you are not early.” Maite Sanchez wore denim pants and a red blouse. She had boots on and her hat hung on her back, held by the string around the front of her neck.

  “I will have coffee brought out, but why don’t you follow me to the back. Our daughter Teresa is practicing her riding around the barrels. She will be competing in the Rodeo on Saturday.”

  Galo followed onto a large back porch that spanned the length of the house. The lacquered planks contrasted elegantly with the light yellow paint of the wall and the white of the railings and pillar
s. A series of doors and windows opened towards the back and in various sections there were wicker sets and rocking chairs. Some of the house helpers would move in and out of the porch area to get a glimpse of the girl’s training.

  In a pen not too far from the porch, Teresa made turns around barrels in one direction and then the other while her father showed her how to shift her weight and handle the reins. Her face from far away bore the look of someone who had heard the same thing over and over. She practiced several times slowly with the horse. Then she rode back the starting point. Sanchez held a pocket watch to his face and raised an arm. He then yelled ‘go’ and dropped his arm. Teresa from a standstill spurred the horse into a gallop and raced toward the barrel set up on the left. She circled it counterclockwise and urged the horse to the barrel on the right. She circled that one clockwise, and pulled the reins hard to get the horse to the furthest barrel. She circled clockwise and whipping with the reins and pushing on its neck, she sped the horse back toward where she started. Sanchez walked backward to where an imaginary finish line would have been and held the pocket watch out. She crossed the line and Sanchez raised both arms in the air.

  “Eighteen! Fantastic!” He jumped and waved his arms all over the place. Teresa slowed her horse and walked it back to him. She dismounted and they hugged.

  Galo stood on the porch with Maite sipping his coffee when a broad smiling Eriberto Sanchez and Teresa walked up the steps. Eriberto went straight to Maite. He gave her a kiss, hugged and swung her around a couple of times as she laughed and squealed merrily. Eriberto danced alone and sang. “My daughter is going to be the champ. My daughter is going to be the champ!”

  Teresa tried to grab him to get him under control. “Papy, stop! You are embarrassing me!”

  But he grabbed her too and went around and around. Maite turned and smiled at Galo. “As you can see there is some excitement in this house.”

  Galo smiled back, “It’s good to see. Your daughter is a fine rider.”

  Eriberto ran out of breath and asked for a glass of water when he finally worked his way back to Galo and Maite. “Can you believe she rode the course cleanly in eighteen seconds?”

  Maite continued smiling and nodding. One of the servants brought his glass of water and he drank a big gulp and almost drowned. Maite reached over and gave him a good pat in the back and told him to settle down. Eventually, he stopped coughing and caught his breath. He eventually stretched his hand out. “You must be Galo Bartolo. Please forgive me for dancing about. I taught my daughter to ride when she was five and now at sixteen, I think she can win the rodeo. I am thrilled for her … and me.”

  Galo shook his hand. “No apologies needed from a proud father. Besides, she’s a good rider! I’m sure she’ll do well at the rodeo.”

  Eriberto walked Galo over to a set of rocking chairs at the end of the porch. “Will you sit for a while?” Galo liked him right away. He was close to his own age, maybe a little older and a little taller.

  “Bartolo, I don’t know what the deal you are proposing involves, but a couple of our neighbors, which have much smaller herds are all abuzz over it. I have to tell you that I have more money than I can spend. I have this great house and great family and I am not in need, so I am not sure what we can do. But …” he lifted a finger over his forehead, “my neighbors are decent people with good horse sense, if you know what I mean. If they read you as being good enough to trust, I will do business with you!”

  It seemed the good fortune from Monday would continue on Tuesday. Galo was cautious and spent some time detailing the arrangement he could work with Cruz Azul. It would be similar to the neighbors, but Galo was clear he did not have the capital to front a ten percent deposit for a large herd of novillos. Since Sanchez was not in need of money, he had the flexibility to hold the note for some time. The prudent question from Sanchez followed, “How long before you figure you’ll be able to move sales?”

  “I don’t know. It depends on how much pressure is on the buyers. If I had to guess, at earliest, probably sales will start before the feasts in December. There is always demand for special beef and I think they will have to agree by then.”

  “Well, I wouldn’t be too sure. Those buying guys are buzzards and they will eat anyone they can. I should have probably said hyenas not buzzards because they come in packs. There are too many cattlemen in the province they can stomp on and make them give in. Also, you know that between Quintero, Gutierrez, Rodriguez, Luna and me, we dominate the market. You need to work a deal with them or else they’ll sell and drive you out.”

  “You may be right on all counts, but I am betting the demand for quality will win in the end. I also think you gentlemen like the money, whether needed or not.”

  Eriberto smiled. He stood and asked Galo to join him. They mounted their horses and went for a ride around the property. This property showed a lot more contour than the others. Whether as a result of the sunny day or the disposition of its owner, the ranch seemed to be alive. It was sectioned off by rows of trees and hedges instead of fences. There were several streams that ran through as well. On one stream a pond and a larger reserve had been engineered. A pump directed the flow water to other areas of the ranch. There were a good number of horses, but mostly working animals. Eriberto also built a nice stable of Percherons, which his grandfather imported from France years ago.

  In a sectioned area, he also raised goats, and still in another section he raised pigs. There were other farm animals as well, and a farmed area of ground for most of the ranches’ needs. Like the others, he took pride in his ranch and enjoyed working it. He said he had a treat for Galo when their tour ended. Atop one of the rises that afforded the furthest panoramic view of his ranch, they stopped.

  “Galo, I have been thinking about your venture. I don’t think I want to tie up my novillos indefinitely. I have somewhere around ninety thousand novillos with about a third turning three years in the next twelve months. Having said that I can get comfortable with signing over thirty thousand of them for six months.”

  “Eriberto, I will make sure that in the end you have made a good decision. Six months is tight, but it will have to work. What about the other sixty thousand? What will you do with them?”

  “Two things, if the endeavor works, we can go beyond six months and you can deal the other animals. Second, I will not sell the other sixty in the six months you have the thirty. How’s that?”

  Galo did not have to think too long on that one. Despite his hesitation in losing his business face, he couldn’t help but provide a solid grin and stretched his hand out to Sanchez. “All right, it is fair. I will need to tag the novillos with an identifying earring. Will it cause you any concern?”

  “As long as the tag is not permanent, I guess it will be all right”

  “It’s a deal, which I want to memorialize with a contract. When you next come to town, I will have it from the attorney.”

  “It’s a deal and my handshake is better than any paper. Yet, things are changing and you’ve got a battle ahead. It probably makes sense to have this on paper. I’ll be in town for the rodeo. You think you’ll have it ready?”

  “It will be ready. I assure you.”

  “Good, now let’s go for the treat!”

  After dismounting and washing up, Eriberto asked Galo to follow him around the side of the house. An outdoor kitchen extended from the main kitchen in the house out onto the property. Perpendicular to the house was a series of iron grills sitting over a brick construction with various compartments. There were ashes and almost fully burnt wood throughout. There was also a covered area with a chimney running off the top, a crude outside oven. The attention however focused on a cauldron the size of a bathtub sitting on bricks. Underneath, wood burned with flames reaching around the sides of the cauldron. From three sides, a series of wood poles rose to form a tripod with an iron chain hanging down into the cauldron. Eriberto walked Galo over for a closer look.

  “I bet this is something you h
ave never, ever, seen or eaten before. We are cooking a deep fried whole piglet for our lunch!”

  Galo got close and looked over at a small pig bubbling in the boiling liquid. “What are you frying it in?”

  “Why, lard, of course, what else?”

  The cook attending to the fryer signaled that it was almost ready. The pig started to float. The skin curled and took a dark reddish color. Upon the signal, two helpers lifted the fried pig and allowed for the excess fat to drip off. Two others slipped a large metal pan underneath. The chain was unhooked and the tray with the pig carried inside to sit for a few minutes.

  The pig tasted like no other, and the company was engaging. Perhaps because Eriberto and Galo were closer in age than the others he had met or maybe because Eriberto was a happy person, the adventure left Galo in good spirits. He had accumulated almost fifty thousand novillos, but it was still a pittance to the other seven hundred thousand he estimated existed in Camagüey. A lot of work remained. One item was true as Eriberto said; he needed to somehow get the other four of the big five to agree to something. Otherwise, any one of them could sell his novillos out and there would be no real ability to secure the price he needed.

  Chapter 43

  The morning of the big rodeo and fair saw the central park prepared with stands and corrals for the animals. Food vendors and family areas were claimed and in various stages of set up. Soon a good number of the city and surrounding citizens would descend upon the park to yell and scream for their favorites. Besides the five main rodeo competitions, there were also judged competitions for the best horse, bull, pig, and rope tricks conducted by various ranch hands. Galo was excited for the opportunity to talk to the big ranchers. He inadequately worked at remaining calm while waiting for the girls. They had been bubbly for two days. Many of their school friends would be there and they had never seen a rodeo.

  Galo had a good week by all accounts. Eriberto Sanchez signed the documents the afternoon before. He would be at the rodeo, as would the other members of the Big Five and additional cattlemen. This was his second chance to see them and continue to work on a deal. Upon his return from the Cruz Azul, he received telegrams in response to his inquiry the week before. Campos, the banker in La Habana, validated support from the bank and advised a local correspondent in Camagüey to accept all drafts presented. Galo perceived that Matadero El Sol continued to deposit large chunks of cash with Campos, which explained any question as to Campos’ enthusiastic support.