Pura Vida

It had been a while since Hendrick had knocked on my door. Maybe because the rains have begun and suddenly leaving those house doesn't sound as fun, even for a 5-year-old. At first it was nice to have afternoons to myself, but over the last week or so I started to miss the little rascal. This afternoon, the knock came again. I always know it's him because I can hear that the knock is low on the frame due to the thinness of my door, and also because the knock is immediately followed with a call of my name. 

I was talking with Nic on the phone when he came in. I asked him if he wanted to play cards when I finished talking to Nic, and he asked if he could wait with me. 

Once I hung up the phone I asked Henrick if he wanted some warm milk. He had never tried it before and seemed politely skeptical. His face gives it away. I assured him he would like it. He walked to my shelf and found a shot glass I inherited from the previous volunteer. Hendrick asked if he could try the warm milk out of that glass because it is small. 

We began to play Go Fish as the milk warmed on my two-burner gas stove. The thunder began. I poured Hendrick's glass full of two ounces of warm milk in the middle of the game. He didn't take a sip until about two rounds later and I could see in his face he liked it. A few more rounds later he asked if there was more. Once we finished the game, me with my mug and he with his shot glass, we talked about life. I asked him his favorite things and he told me secrets. Hendrick sat back in his chair, shot glass in his hand and milk mustache fresh on his lips and declared, "Esta es pura vida", "This is pure life". I smiled and agreed, followed by a tremendous sneeze. Hendrick said, "Salud!", "Health!" and offered his shot glass in the air. I brought my mug up to meet his with a "clink". We both drank, Hendrick tipping his head back to get all the milk. He held out his glass for more milk. Each time, two ounces by two ounces, until the small metal pitcher of milk was empty, we toasted to each other's health. This is pure life.