The Gate

In the movie, The Milagro Beanfield War, directed by Robert Redford, Amarante is an ancient old man with thick glasses. In his first scene, he wakes up in his long johns, hacks and coughs and staggers to an old mirror. He looks at himself and says, “Thank you God for giving me another day.” Later, when he leaves for town, he walks out to his gate, which has no fence remaining on either side. Undaunted, Amarante opens the gate, walks through and closes it behind him. I love Amarante. Later, Jose Mondragon is talking to him and we get this exchange.

Amarante: “I was talking to your father the other day, and he was telling me he is going to plant the squash all next to the house…” (Amarante gestures toward a fallen in adobe.)
Jose: Amarante, my father’s been dead for six years.
Amarante: (Looking surprised that Jose would mention this.) Yes. I know.

Amarante believes people have forgotten how to talk to angels.

Our pasture on the hillside by the driveway has a white gate. There is no fence attached to it, although there is a rock wall on the right side. I have gone through the gate, but most of the time, I squeeze through on the rock wall side. Ruth likes to go through the gate.

Sometimes I think how much my folks would have liked this place. Perhaps I need to start opening the gate.