Un Par De Botas

A Pair of Boots

Un Par De Botas

Sitting in his office, the commissioner was flipping through filesSentao en su despacho el comisario, estaba hojeando expedientes
When the corporal showed up bringing the detaineeCuando el cabo se presento trayendo al detenido
A young man of thirty, at mostUn mozo de treinta años, a lo sumo
He was wearing gray pants and a worn-out shirt, clothes that judging by their ageVestía bomba-cha gris y corra lera, pilchas que a juzgar por la vejes
Gave evidence of their owner's povertyDaban pruebas de la miseria e su dueño

- The sergeant handed him over, commissioner, this is the one who stole some boots from the Paz's bar two days ago- Me lo entrego el sargento comisario, este es el que ante ayer robo unas botas del boliche de los Paz
- Some boots? Uh-huh- Unas botas? Ah aja
- Cheap thief- Ladrón barato
- What's your name?- Como te llamas vos?
- Orencio Nievas- Orencio nievas
- Where are you from?- Y de ande sos?
- Right from here, sir- De aca mesmo señor
- Do you work?- Trabajas?
- No sir, I can't find work- No señor, no hallo trabajo
I was hired for the harvest at the Barcala farm, but as soon as the corn gathering was over, they fired meEstuve conchabo para la cosecha en la chacra e los bar cala, pero en cuantito termino la juntada e maíz, me echaron
Now I do odd jobs and that's how I liveAhora hago algunas changas y ansí vivo
- What do you call odd jobs, stealing?- A que le llamas changas, a andar robando?
The countryman lowered his gaze to the groundEl paisano bajo la vista al suelo
- Where are the boots?- Ande tenes las botas?
- In the ranch- En el rancho
- Corporal, go get them and take this thief to the cell, we'll see how much we give him- Cabo, mande a buscarlas y páselo nomas al calaboso, a este ratero, que ya vamos a ver cuanto le damos
The corporal left with the detainee and the commissioner stayed thinkingSalio el cabo llevándose al detenido y el comisario, se quedo pensando
- A pair of boots- Un par de botas
These lazy countrymen are not even good for stealingNi pa robar sirven estos paisanos vagos
Not two hours had passed when a policeman stood at the doorNo habían pasado dos horas que un milico se le cuadro en la puerta
- With your permission- Con licencias
Here are the boots, commissioner, the detainee's wife gave them to me, their son, a little boy of about seven, was wearing themAqui tiene las botas comisario, me las dio la mujer del detenido, las tenia puesta el hijo, un chiquilin de unos siete años
- Uh-huh, so these are the boots?- Ah aja, con que esas son las botas?
They are too small to dirty their handsSon muy chicas pa ensuciarse las manos
What did the woman say?Que decía la mujer?
- Nothing, she cried like a Magdalene, commissioner, and as I was leaving, she gave me this letter to deliver to you. In your own hands- Y nada, lloraba como una Madalena, comisario, y cuando me iva dir, me dio esta carta, pa que se la entregara a ud. En sus propias manos
- Let me see_- Aver deame_
Hmm, women asking things from their husbands, nothing more natural, but the bad thing is that they always find angels even if they cast a shadow on the devil himselfJeh, mujeres que le piden los maridos, nada mas natural, pero lo malo que siempre los hayan angelitos aunque le hagan sombra al mesmo diablo
But this letter was different from allPero esa carta, era distinta a todas
Written on a dirty and wrinkled brown paperEscrita en un papel de estraza, mugriento y arrugao
The words were a clumsy row of scribbles, stamped with the grace and innocence of that seven-year-old child, completely unaware of the misfortune that poverty had brought upon their ranchLas palabras, eran una hilera torpe de garabatos, que había estampado la gracia y la inocencia, de aquella criaturita de siete años, ajeno por completo a la desgracia que la miseria echo sobre su rancho
The commissioner's brow furrowed as he deciphered itEl ceño el comisario se fruncía al tiempo que la iba descifrando
And as he finished reading, the paper trembled in his handsY al acabar de leer casi temblaba, la hoja e papel entre sus manos
- Agent- Agente
- Yes, commissioner- Mande mi comisario
- Go and return Nievas' wife the boots she brought, tell her.. Tell her it was a mistake, apologize to her- Vaya y deguelva a la mujer de Nievas, esas botas que ha tráido, dígale.. Dígale que jue un error, que nos disculpe
Then ask the barkeeper how much the boots cost, pay for them and forget the caseDispués me le pregunta al bolichero, cuanto cuestan las botas, se las paga y que se olvide el caso
Wait, wait, don't leaveEspere, Espere no se vaya
Release Orencio Nievas right away, and make sure he comes here tomorrowA Orencio Nievas ya mesmo me lo larga, y que no deje de llegarse hasta aca, mañana mesmo
Maybe I've found him some workPuede que le haya encontrao, algún trabajo
The policeman left after the order, the commissioner settled in his chair, and as he rolled some tobacco, he reread that letter, which still trembled like a bird fluttering in his handsSe retiro el milico tras la orden, el comisario se acomodo en la silla, y al par que liaba un poco de tabaco, repaso aquella carta, que aun temblaba como un pajarito hondeao entre sus manos

- Wise men- Señores reyes magos
I ask you to remember this year to bring me the little bootsYo les pido que se acuerden este año, de traerme las botitas
I am good, and as I've been told, the other kidsYo soy bueno, y a según me han contao, los otros chicos
If one behaves well all year, you don't forget the giftSi uno se porta bien todito el año, ustedes, no se olvidan del rigalo
As he looked away from the page, he felt a burning sensation in his chest, and let out his anger murmuringAl apartar la mirada de la hoja, sintió como una brasa dentro el pecho, y echo ajuera la rabia murmurando
As long as poverty turns people into thievesMientras que la miseria haga ladrones de esta laya
I will never... Serve as a commissionerYo nunca... Servire pa comisario