Sisimito I--Ox Witz Ha Page 5

  “Rosalia. I’m in deep shit. Don’t tell me about any bloody cards and you know you’re not supposed to read cards, anyhow. Put them away. Na’ hates that … she says it’s not Christian-like.” Gus pulled at his hair again. “Why am I talking about cards?” He stared at Rosalia, sullenly.

  “What your story is suggesting is certainly not Christian-like.” Rosalia shrugged her shoulders. “I had to pass the time doing something or I would have gone crazy.” She looked pensive, almost angry. “Hmph! If it were up to Na’, I wouldn’t do anything. Why do you think I’m still here … baking kuas most of the time? If it weren’t for the little library and my primary school teaching, there would be nothing here for me.” She gesticulated, clenching her teeth.

  “Yes! You are still here and I have now screwed up my chance to get out of here.” He bit down loudly on his teeth. “Well, don’t worry,” he sneered. “I’ll be back here with you. I’ll keep your company if I don’t go to jail or be hanged; perhaps, we can pass the time baking kuas or playing and reading cards together. You can even teach me to read the bloody future,” he added, sarcastically. Gus kicked over the stool then picked it up, sitting heavily on it.

  “These cards are special cards, Gus. They aren’t regular playing cards.” She looked directly at him as she continued shuffling the deck. “I’ve had them for years and been studying them ever since. They are cards of the Celtic Tarot … and they do use Christian images,” she added, as if exonerating herself from any wrong doing.

  “Right,” sneered Gus, indignantly. “The Celts? Come Rosalia. They were a bunch of seafarers. What on Ulew26 … What on Earth … could Celts have in common with us Mopan Maya, or any Maya? When we were building temples, they were still in grass huts. At least, if it were a Maya Tarot, it would have some relevance, even if an un-Christian one.” Gus shook his head. “I was only trying to be nice by bringing Molly here, let her experience our village life. Now my dreams are … are … murdered.”

  “Bewailing won’t help you, Gus Cucul. Save that for the old women of the village who have nothing else to do. Now, listen to me,” she ordered. “These cards are good, Gus. I’ve used them. They are not play things. Their use is not an oddity … and don’t you dare mock me about something you know nothing about.” She shook her head, a small subtle smile on her lips. “Since going to Sixth Form, you’re always playing the role of the teacher, never the student. Sometimes, it might be good for you to just be the Gustavio Cucul we all knew.”

  “Well, now I won’t ever be a teacher,” sobbed Gus, his eyes fresh with tears. “So, that takes care of that. I’ll spend the rest of my life telling fortunes from a deck of cards or I’ll be a jailbird forever,” he snapped. “I am the first one from Santa Cruz to go to Sixth Form. Soon, I will be the first one from Santa Cruz to be hanged for murder. They should burn me like a heretic in the village square. And, I’m the Alcalde’s son.” Gus sighed, heavily.

  “Pay attention to me, Gus. I didn’t go to High School in Punta Gorda then to Sixth Form in Belize City like you. That’s okay. I know I’m only a primary school teacher, Gus, but I’m the best in the village school.”

  “There’re only two of you,” remarked Gus, shrugging his shoulder, standing once again. He saw the hurt on his sister’s face and, suddenly, kicked the stool over again, causing Rosalia to jump.

  “Breaking the stool won’t take this away,” she stated, walking over to the overturned stool and picking it up. “It’s also Na’’s favorite stool. You made it for her when you were still a little boy. Sit!” she ordered, sternly. Gus looked at her, somewhat surprised, then grabbed the stool and returned to the table. “You have very few options, Brother. These cards may be based on Celt Mythology and not Maya, but they will help. We need to know what happened to Molly so you may as well just sit your ass right down and see if the cards have anything to tell us. I really don’t want to hurt you, disbelieve you, but a mountain lion with an owl on its back?” She shook her head. “If I’m to attempt to believe that one, you have to comply; that is, you’ll read these cards with me.” Gus stood up, his face angry. “Sit.” ordered Rosalia and Gus sat, heavily. “One never knows what the cards will say; but, perhaps, they will tell us something. At least, the reading may take our minds off unpleasant things.”

  Gus looked up at her but said nothing. Yet, his face showed that he was cognizant of the fact that he was in serious trouble. “All I wanted to do was be nice to her. She is my friend. She is studying our language. Now everything is done. Finished! She is dead and I’m up shit creek.” He hit the table with both fists causing the utensils thereabouts to rattle. “No more dreams for me. No more dreams for her.” He shook his head, covering his eyes with his hands.

  “I will read the cards, Gus. Come. Humor me.” Gus nodded as more tears fell to the unpolished table. “Good! I will need your help, though.” She shuffled the cards again and sat upright looking at the deck. “These cards are based on the mystic concept of hidden wisdom,” informed Rosalia, her face suddenly bursting with mysterious enthusiasm as if all unrelated thoughts had disappeared. “This method started a long time ago on the banks of the Nile and spread to Greece and then to Europe. Many of the symbols are Christian, Gus, not pagan, and form the unconscious link between the dual nature of man and man’s Creator. I’m sure you’ve read about the four basic elements at college, Earth, Fire, Air, and Water. Those elements are reflected in the Tarot. You mentioned a Maya Tarot when you were being sarcastic. One can easily transpose details from the Celtic Tarot with those of our people. There is Q’uq’umatz,27 the Ke’kchi God of the Four Elements, fire, earth, air, and water, each element associated with a divine animal or plant, air with the vulture, earth with maize, fire with the lizard, and water with fish.” Gus just gawked. “The Tarot is the imagery of the soul, the element of Water. It is like a mirror that reflects great depth of self-realization.” She looked at Gus. “It may, however, also reflect false illusion.”

  Gus was sitting upright, staring at his older sister. “Why do you waste time studying things like this, Rosalia? You should have already found a man and been married with two or three kids. Take a look in the mirror. You’re beautiful. You have a wide hip. Finding a man shouldn’t be a problem. There’s Bas.” Gus saw her tighten her lips and realized that his comment had hurt her. “I didn’t mean anything. I’m upset. I’m damn upset with myself. I shouldn’t have asked Molly to come.”

  “Married with kids? Then I’d be big and fat.” Rosalia smiled, briefly. “And don’t ‘should’ yourself, Gus. It only brings more problems.” She looked sadly at her brother. “Do you love her?”

  Gus jumped up, his knees lifting the table. The table fell back with a loud thud. “I don’t love her,” he shouted. “She’s just a friend. The god-damned inspector asked me the same question. Do you have any idea how difficult it is for a Toledo Maya to make a true female friend anywhere other than here?”

  “Huh! What an emphatic response. I’m sorry, Gus, but I had to ask. Please! Sit, my brother.” Gus dumped himself on the stool, once more. “I really don’t see why it would be difficult for you to make friends, even in Belize City. You’re not bad looking and you’re nice … when you want to be.”

  “Well, it is! And, why did you have to ask if I love her?”

  “Actually, the whole village thinks that Molly is your girlfriend. They cannot believe that a single girl would come all this way by herself to spend time with you if she were not your girlfriend. As a matter of fact, Taat was already trying to decide which two cows he should offer as dowry.”

  The brother and sister looked fixedly at each other and slowly, silently, smiles broke on both their faces. Then they were laughing and crying and hugging each other.

  As they dried their tears, Rosalia explained, “I like to study things that are different; a change from the same old school books. You know that we teach from the same books over and over in our little village. We’re not like the schools in Belize City with a big librar
y and tons of books, half not being used. Anyway, this line of talk isn’t helping. Being rather intelligent,” she added, lifting her chin and smiling, “I study whatever comes along, even cards. One day, I will make a set of cards based on our Maya ancestors’ beliefs. I study them too.” She shook her head. “Unfortunately, most of our people don’t, you included. I read whenever I get the opportunity to do so. I love the smell of the paper, ink, and the glue. I explore so that I can live beyond the boundaries of this village. And, by the way, I’ll marry when I’m ready. And, I’ll marry whom I want to marry. No fixed marriage for me.” They were both quiet as she continued shuffling the cards.

  “You’re still angry, aren’t you … that I was sent to high school and college and not you.”

  “I’m not angry that you were sent. I am angry that I was not sent also. Anyway, that’s another story. Now, just humor me, Gus. Let’s see what the cards say about the raashoal28 mess you are in. It certainly can’t do any more damage than already’s been done.” She shifted herself on her chair and appeared anxious and uneasy, even fearful.

  Gus smiled mischievously. “I didn’t know you cursed, Sis, or was that for special effects.”

  Rosalia ignored him. “The Tarot, Gus, is a powerful source of inner wisdom and one can use it to acquire information, even the foretelling of events to come. I’m no master. I’m still practicing, but we’ll see how I do. Now, let’s find out what happened to Molly Cervantez. Somehow, I don’t feel that she is dead. You may say it’s just a premonition, but that’s what I think.”

  “Well, that’s encouraging. But how did you see that? You’re still just holding the deck.” Rosalia glowered. “Sorry.” Gus wrung his hands. “Do you think you will see what happened?” asked Gus, still sounding very doubtful.

  Rosalia looked at him, deeply. “I would like to try, but you’re not being very helpful. We will see what the cards show. It’s up to the cards.”

  “This card shit is too much for me,” grumbled Gus. “Too much mystery. Too foreign. Too strange. And I don’t believe.”

  “Yet, you expect me and everyone else to believe. This whole affair is surrounded by strangeness and mystery, Gus … a mountain lion with an owl on its back … two ripped off thumbs that continue to bleed.”

  “Don’t, Sis, or I’ll vomit what I haven’t eaten.” Gus closed his eyes on a pained face.

  “And there’s the Christian element. The Green Scapular. It’s really interesting, but let’s go ahead. I have to select her Significator,” Rosalia added, suddenly and forcefully.

  Gus lifted his forehead. “What’s that?”

  “It’s the card that will represent her. Do you know her birthday?”

  “Yes! July second.”

  “Oh! She’s a Cancer. I don’t usually like them. Too aware. Anyway, let me depersonalize this. Goodness, her element is Water … like the Tarot. If the Spirit is the strong influence in her life, she may be so sensitive that the simplest thing can make her cry or, alternatively, raise her wrath. If Ego is the dominant influence, she may tend to want isolation. But, either way, she is not weak. She should have a powerful and even a dangerous will. You know her, Gus. Is she sensitive? Is she strong willed?”

  “Both … I guess.”

  “Well, if you’re guessing, it seems that you don’t know her so well after all. I want answers, not guesses.” She looked into the deck and pulled out the Page of Cups and placed it face upwards on the table. “The Page of Cups is the Significator. It represents Cancer and youth. When I do make the Maya Tarot, I’ll probably use one of the Hero Twins, Hunahpu or Xbalanque,29 as a substitute for Sir Tristan.”

  “Hunahpu or Xbalanque? Sir Tristan?”

  “See what I just said about not knowing about our people. Anyway, you’ll have to find out about Hunahpu and Xbalanque on your own time. Let’s continue. The Page is the young Sir Tristan, son of King Meliodas and his wife, Queen Elizabeth, who died in childbirth. They ruled the legendary land of Lyonnesse which eventually sank beneath the sea. Sir Tristan had many adventures, but it was his love affair with Queen Iseult that ended so tragically. Already, Gus, we have the cards showing us a love affair that ends tragically. I ask again, are you in love with her?”

  Gus started to sit up, but his eyes caught Rosalia’s staring directly at him. He paused then sat, troubled emotions marking his face. He realized that the question now demanded some thought. He and Molly spent a lot of time together, but he had never really considered it a love affair. He liked her a lot, but love … and there was Stephen’s sister, Isabella. She was his girl. He did, at times, entertain the thought that it would be nice for Molly and him to have a little love affair, but faced with the question for a third time, he was puzzled. He regarded Molly as part of his life and he as part of hers but had never really considered anything like true love. She was a teacher and he a student. He looked at Rosalia, “I do feel good when I’m around her, but love? I don’t know. We spend a lot of time together, but that is because I am teaching her our languages. And, there’s Isabella.” He looked at the Page of Cups. “I’m certainly no Sir Tristan.”

  “Yes!” lectured Rosalia loudly, startling Gus. “There’s Isabella. Waiting as usual. Waiting on you. She sent a message that Stephen has ordered her not to have anything to do with you until this whole thing blows over.”

  “He can’t do that. I want to see her and will go to her whenever I wish.”

  “Then you had better wait until after he leaves. You have enough problems. You surely don’t need Stephen Chiac on your back also.”

  “He’s always with Bas.” Rosalia reddened. “Even if you won’t admit it, I know you like Bas. I don’t know why he hangs around Stephen. Can’t be good for him.”

  Rosalia held the deck of cards tightly then shook her head. “Bas is strong. That could be the reason why. Anyway, let’s get back to the Tarot.”

  “Okay, but birds of a feather …”

  “Shut up! We will be using the spread called the Celtic Cross. It is the most well-known and provides a definite answer to questions as well as showing the past, present, and future pattern of events. I may not be able to read everything. As I said, I am still learning. When I do the Maya Tarot, I hope to incorporate the Maya calendar, but that may be difficult.” Rosalia shuffled the cards asking Gus to cut them three times. She then drew ten cards, placing them face down in the required positions of the Celtic Cross. “The first card will show the prevailing influence. It also represents her nature.” She turned over the card she had placed on top of the Significator. Her face immediately clouded over.

  “The Ten of Swords. That is an evil card, Gus. All the swords are drawn and present a cutting edge of great destruction. It shows a disastrous situation, with ruin and great hardship. It could indicate that Molly walked into a carefully-laid trap.”

  “I didn’t bring her into a trap,” shouted Gus. “I did not lay a trap for her.” He kept staring at the cards.

  “The cards are not saying that you laid the trap, Gus. She could have just been at the wrong place at the wrong time. The trap could have been for anyone.” Rosalia shook her head again and appeared in deep thought. “The next card will show opposing forces which require a positive approach and rectification. If the card is good, there will be a surprise victory.” She turned up the second card and laid it on top of and slightly to the side of the Ten of Swords. She shook her head.

  “The Moon. She is the Lunar or Moon Goddess like our Ix Chel,30 a lady of mystery and magic, who stands at both ends of the silver chord of life, indicating that life and death is an endless cycle of birth and that death is not a final step, but merely a transitional journey. The card shows that where Molly goes, danger lurks.” The reading has not been good so far, Gus.” She closed her eyes, hesitating. “I am afraid to turn up the next card.”

  “For God’s sake! Go on, Rosalia. Don’t be so melodramatic. They’re just cards anyway.” Gus’ voice did not sound as confident as before, however.

&nbs
p; Rosalia ignored his comment and reached for the card she had placed above the Significator. “This card will show the ideal solution, or whatever will actually occur, good or bad. She turned the card. “The Fool.” She frowned. “This represents the beginning of a journey, probably Molly coming here, or the journey she has now embarked on. It also shows that she has or will make a decision that will have disastrous consequences. I think it was the decision to come here that has already proven to be a calamity.” Rosalia leaned over and poured a glass of water from the monkey31 that sat in the middle of the table. “I will, probably, use the god Acan32 to represent the fool.”

  “Why?”

  “Well, he is the God of Wine and when men get drunk, they act like fools.” Gus shook his head while Rosalia drank the full glass before returning to the cards.

  The card that she had placed below the Significator was next. “This card is the heart of the matter and represents both past and present influences.” She turned it over and smiled. “Strength.”

  “Something to smile about at last?” mumbled Gus. “What does it say? Come on! No time for special effects now. What does it say?”

  “This card is a powerful and positive card and detracts from some of the difficult forces of the surrounding cards. See!” She pointed to the card. “The young woman holds the jaws of the beast to show her power over the uncontrollable forces of nature. Here, Molly is being compared to Queen Macha, who slew her own brother Dithorba, to rule Ireland in her own right. There is also a sexual force here, but I am not sure if this sexual force will present itself during the journey she has undertaken.”

  Rosalia was anxious to reach for the next card which was placed to the right of the Significator. “This card is a past and passing influence which no longer needs to be taken into account.” She turned the card. “The Magician.” She bit down on her lower lip. “This card also has great force and meaning and shows that Molly does not understand all that is happening around her. She is being manipulated and only the remaining cards hold the answer to what is coming. We’ll soon know the final outcome.”