Clear as an Eight Ball

Ring ring ring. What´s that sound? The phone? Nope! It´s another birthday. Ring ring ring. A fake birthday that is. Today was birthday celebration number three that I have participated in during the last month and today was birthday celebration number three that was not celebrating anyone´s birthday. Ring ring ring. What´s that I hear? Oh yes, I hear another birthday celebration tomorrow night at 7pm arriba, at O´Peeley´s house.

This all seems a bit odd, right? Well, here´s my theory: People don´t have birthdays here. Of course every one was born on a specific date. For example, April 12th, 1974 is a date. And someone if not more than one person was born on that day here in Peru. So every one has a date of birth. But birthdays are different. Birthdays are both the day you are born on and the day that you celebrate the day that you are born on. With that definition in mind, I have concluded that no one here has birthdays. The birthday celebrations take place days, weeks, months, sometimes years before and after the actual date of birth. And often there is no one in particular who´s birthday is being celebrated at these boisterous soirees.

In the end, every one goes home happy and fullfilled. Two guys swap clothes in the middle of a busy street, both getting completely butt naked in front of hundreds of spectators. A little boy pees on a tree in the plaza while another little boy watches the streem of urine choose its path. And "man of few words" finally speaks.