“Something beyond our understanding took place which I must bear witness to, something so remarkable that I wonder even now what it means to our conception of reality.”

In this first chapter, Martín lays the groundwork for the ensuing narrative, introducing the tension between magic and reality that will trouble his perception of Carlos’s gift. Also, in describing his compulsion to “bear witness” to Carlos’s achievements, Martín suggests the novel’s similarity to a piece of journalism, or a primary source that can be submitted into history.

“Cecilia came to work on La Opinión in 1970, six years before I retired. One day she was taking final examinations at the university, the next she walked into a newsroom filled with crusty chauvinists hoping she’d fall on her face. Such attitudes did not dampen their libidinous fantasies—her figure was as good as the best on the beaches of Buenos Aires or Rio, and her dark hair, her lovely blue eyes, and easy smile left them gasping for breath.”

In this excerpt, Martín characterizes Cecilia physically and also introduces the kind of objectifying sexism that Cecilia knows all too well. Here, Cecilia’s male colleagues despise Cecilia for her ambition yet desire her for her beauty. Later, the guards, too, will regard Cecilia with a similar mixture of lust and hatred, censuring her politics but still vying for the chance to rape her.

“The place had become something of a second home, and I settled comfortably into my favorite booth against the wall with the pictures of sports heroes and artists, of Fangio and Borges, which always reminded me of old, less complicated days.”

Martín introduces one of the novel’s primary settings: The Cafe Raphael, a small Italian bistro where Martín and Carlos will enjoy many enlightening conversations. A humble venue, the Cafe is decorated with pictures of icons past, from writer Jorge Luis Borges to professional driver Juan Manuel Fangio. The setting’s artistic allusions reflect The Lasting Impact of Art and Writing. As Martín acknowledges, the Cafe allows the past and the present to co-exist—a kind of impossibility that Martín will similarly confront in Carlos’s garden.