Excercise 1

“El perseguidor” Julio Cortazar

Dedee has called me by the afternoon, telling me that Johnny was not well and I went right
away to the hotel. Since a few days ago, Johnny and Dedee are living at Rue Lagrange’s hotel,
in a room of the 4th floor. It was enough for me to see the room door to realize that Johnny is
living in the worst of misery. The window overlooks an almost black backyard and at one in the
afternoon, you have to have the light on if you want to read the newspaper or to see your own
face. It is not cold but I’ve found Johnny wrapped in a blanket, sank in a grabby armchair that
expelled pieces of yellowish tow everywhere. Dedee is aged and the red dress doesn’t suit her
well, it is a dress that she uses for work and for the stage lights and it becomes into a kind of
disgusting clot that hotel room.
-Bruno’s partner is loyal like bad breath- has told Johnny as a greeting, rising his knees till lay
his chin over them. Dedee has reached me a chair and I have take out a pack of cigarettes. I
had a flask of Ron in my pocket but I didn’t want to show it until I got an idea of what is going
on. I think that the most annoying thing was the lamp with its ripped eye, hanging of the dirty
fly thread. After looking at it once twice and pulling my hand as a screen, I’ve asked to Dedee if
e could turn the lamp off and be content with the light of the window. Johnny followed my
words and facial expressions with a big distracted attention like a cat which stares but it’s looks
like its totally into something else; that is another thing. Finally, Dedee got up and turn the
light off. We distinguished better in the remains a black and grey mix. Johnny has pulled on of
his long skinny hands from under the blanket, and I’ve felt the limp warmth of his skin. Then,
Dedee has told that she was to prepare some coffees. It has made me happy knowing that they
have a coffee tin at least. Every time that a person has a coffee tin, I realize that is not in
misery, he still can resist a little.
- Loong time no see – I told Johnny – A month at least.
- You don’t do more than keep track of time- He has replied me in a bad mood. The first, the
second, the third, the twenty-first. – You put a number to everything. She is the same.
- Do you know why she is angry?
-Because I’ve lost a saxophone. She is right after all.
-But, how could have lost it? I’ve asked her, knowing at same the moment that It was exactly
what you can’t ask to Johnny.
In the subway- has told Johnny She had put it beneath the sit for more security. It was
wonderful to travel knowing that she had it assured bellow her legs.
He realizes that he had lost it when she was going up the hotel’s stairs. Dedee has told with a
slightly hoarse voice – and I had to go out like a crazy woman to tell the subway’s employees
and to the police. Due to the following silence, I’ve realized that I was a waste of time. But
Johnny has started to laugh like he does, with a lough behind his teeth and lips.
- Some poor fool is trying to get some sound of it – He said. – It was one of the worst
saxophones I’ve ever had. You could tell that Dr. Rodriguez had played it; it was completely
deformed by the soul’s side. As an instrument itself was not bad but Rodriguez was capable of
ruing a Stradivarius just with tuning it.
-Can you just get another one?

-That is what we are trying to figure out. Dedee replied. – It seems that Rory’s friend has one.
The bad thing is that is Johnny’s agreement
- The agreement – mended Johnny
- What is that about the contract I’ve to play it and its over and I don’t have either sax or
money to afford one and the guys are in the same situation.