He continues to listen to the sounds of the trolley, of tortillas frying, or static quivering along the miles of wires.

It is hard for him to believe, now that he is away from the city, that he was ever young. The Colonel feels young and heavy and strong. The sounds of people and music swirl in the air. Jorge sighs that the nurse said they cannot talk anymore but Colonel Freeleigh begs him, explaining he hasn’t moved anywhere in ten years. He is frustrated that his body is seeming to fall apart and now “they were tampering with something more intangible - the memory” (132).Ĭolonel Freeleigh throws himself awkwardly across the room and redials Jorge. After she leaves he lays back in bed and rues how greedy he has been with his phone calls. The nurse sighs and says she has to go out but she will set his wheelchair aside so he cannot reach the phone again. He states hotly that the phone is his and the nurse doesn't live here. The Colonel protests, and defends the phone and the boys’ visits. She sees the phone cradle and hears a muted horn from the phone itself, and tells him he was not supposed to do this again. She checks his pulse and frowns that he is too excited. Suddenly a nurse enters and he hides the phone. He listens to the cars and vendors and smells the odors of meat and stone alleys and feels the sun on his cheek. The colonel then hears all the sounds of Mexico City on a hot day. Jorge is surprised but the Colonel presses on, telling him to open the window. He can’t remember how long it was since the boys visited, but now his grandson does not want him to have visitors because it excites him and is bad for his health.Ĭolonel Freeleigh dials a number and greets Jorge. Colonel Freeleigh wakes with a start from this dark dream and looks for his telephone. There comes a day when the apples begin to drop slowly from the tree, and then finally drop together so they sound like rain. Douglas whistles, and murmurs “Witches…” (128) in appreciation. Tom excitedly tells Douglas what he witnessed at the Honeysuckle Ladies Club.

The lonely one dandelion wine