Found this author when I obtained a biography about his life. The read was so intriguing that I began to collect his work to read. This is the third of his works that I have tackled. Each becomes more interesting to me or maybe I just better understand his writing. This collection of short stories leads off with No One Writes to the Colonel. Having visited Mexico, I understand some of the author's descriptions. The story focuses on a man who lives in poverty while he waits for his military pension to come through. It has been 30 years but still no answer. Of course, it doesn't help that the political situation has changed and changed and changed. Have his papers been lost? Even his lawyer doesn't know. His other hope is that a fighting cock, left to him by his deceased son, will become the champion of the region. The author captures the life of this patient, brave man while he waits - each day walking to the post office with the hope that the letter confirming his pension will be there. I found it a wonderful read.

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