There are two things I remember: the smell of glue and bitumen that impregnated my sense of smell as soon as I entered the house and seeing how Mr. Tomás was missing a leg. My curious eyes, no matter how much I was scolded by my mother for my indiscretion, could not fail to see it:
Tomas is a timeless character that probably exists in every culture. I enjoyed your descriptions of him, and in this part in particular, the character shines through:
"This leg I lost because I faced a tiger. That battle was terrible. I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. I pulled out knives and pistols, but the tiger, who knew nothing about knives and pistols, would pounce on me with fangs bigger than compai Martin. I lost my leg, but the tiger lost his tail". -Because it's better to lose a leg than to lose a tail,” said Mr. Tomás, and everyone laughed and said yes.
It may not even be a true tale, but he makes it come alive with humour, and you narrated it very craftily. Well done!
Of course it wasn't real. Mr. Tomás was always inventing adventures. Mom says that he had his leg cut off because of an illness, but he preferred to tell these things because he was very cheerful and witty. Thanks for your comprehensive comments, my friend. I appreciate them the world over. Hugs
Heh! I would've fallen for his tall tales. 😄