Like any good son who respects his father and mother, sometimes my daughters complain about me. I have the impression that they see me as The Worst Lady in the World, that wonderful story by the Mexican Francisco Hinojosa. But I feel that Carito and Paz is my best book. It doesn’t matter what they say; Seeing them confirms that I was a great mom. They are likeable and honest to the highest degree, intelligent and different, wonderfully different. That’s proof that I let them alone. Caro was a dancer from an early age, sociable, cheerful, mischievous. Peace, just the opposite.

When their birthday was approaching, I would ask them if they wanted a party. While one lacked the space to invite so many people and had lots of ideas, themes and games for her party, the other asked if she could trade the party for a trip, a horse, a book or a giant ice cream.

I think Mariapaz said she wanted a “clown party” for her 8th birthday. I went crazy with the preparations, bought all the decorative clowns I could find and interviewed 4 clowns. The requirements of the birthday girl were to not be aggressive, not to hit, to love dogs and to make people laugh. I did it! I got a clown boy who met the required characteristics. But the freaking eco-friendly, peaceful, witty and magical clown never arrived! How I hated it! How I hate him to this day!

I told this story in my first book: Margarita peripecias. But the fun is not spoiled there; On the contrary, boys and girls gathered a football team called Club Deportivo No Necesitamos Payasos.

On the cover of this book, illustrated by Pablo Pincay, Margarita poses with her team’s red T-shirt with the initials CDNNP written on it.

Recently Patty Andrade, a dear Narrative Workshop student, recommended reading my book on Twitter and posted a photo. I gratefully shared it. I was glad to see that parents said their kids liked it, but one comment suddenly surprised me. There were also those who firmly claimed: “It seems a bit communist…”. I am not particularly afraid of communists; I just don’t think they exist. I wish there were.

Some Twitter users asked her if she had read the book, which led her to such a conclusion, which is the communist part, that it is a children’s book… She accepted that she had not read it, but said that she was not a communist if she had read it? the girl on the cover, visibly, she was wearing the jersey of the football team of the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) in the 1990s. That they were actually red and had the initials CCCP.

The joy of the first moment turned into insomnia and a nightmare. I stayed up all night wondering: how does the Ecuadorian mind work? This is nonsense that will make more than one laugh, but it is no joke, for doctors can have the same light and loose way of looking at things when they prescribe, judges when they condemn, politicians when they rule; And, without a doubt, we, the voters, have it when we vote! (OR)