Finally, I pull into a village where a group of men grills corn on a small fire, and they invite me to warm myself by it until the rain subsides. Ten kilometers remain between me and my house. Streams of muddy water flood the road, redefining it. Soon it will look like chocolate frosting. Back to the bike, the helmet, and the last drizzle of rain.
Home is just around the next few bends.
Aguirre is now living with her husband in Philadelphia, where she is working for the University of Pennsylvania on an NIH- funded study on breast and endometrial cancer. Reprinted with permission. Material may not be reproduced in any form without the express written permission of the copyright holder.