Dust off the boots

Every summer I work in a little gest house that my family has in my hometown. It’s an interesting chance to meet with many people. Sometimes, you talk with somebody, but you forget them some days or months later. Sometimes they back to remember. Sometimes it’s not necessary because the little time you meet is enough to don’t forget them. You meet very interesting people.

A week ago two pilgrims came home. They were going on Way of St. James on the English route. You know, pilgrims go to Compostela because different motivations: faith, meditation or simply tourism. I immediately realized they not only were going because faith. In fact, they made impression of to be pilgrims of past ages.

I remember to talk with them at night. They were eating conguitos (chocolated peanuts) on the dock looking how the tide was raising and decreasing. They asked about the time periods (they were from Burgos, in the inland). Of course, I could explain an (near technical) tide time functions. They smiled, and one of them asked me:

‘And, who organizes it?’

‘What?’ I answered surprised

‘Yes, who organizes it?’, he asked again

The other pilgrim put the thumb up. Then we smiled and completed with the answer:‘The Boss‘.

They went on the Way next morning. I didn’t see them again until yesterday. My mother called me and said ‘watch tv’. Later I could read in ElMundo.es the sad new: they both, Julián Campo and Santiago Manzano died in a rail crash in Palencia, near their home. Then I could read their real history that we could know by intuition: both left their well-off, rich, occidental life to help the poors. Julian went to India, and there he helped to Mother Teresa organization, meanwhile Santiago went to Ethiopia. Both maintained a pilgrim’s hostel in Castrojeriz, near Burgos, when they spent time in Spain.

Now they can wipe the dust off their boots.