#470 The Provincials- Daniel Alarcon
Nelson and his father visit the old town. His great-uncle
has died and they are there to settle his affairs. They were once a ruling
family of this town. Raul was a mayor, Nelson’s father was a great promise as
an academic. But the town is falling apart like many in this part of the country.
The smart, ambitious, talented all leave, mostly to America. They promise to
return with what they’ve accomplished to honor their heritage and uplift their
families, but they rarely do. And the ones that stay are just as soon corrupted
with whatever power they can grab.
Nelson is an actor, and sees the world as a stage, sees the
acting and fakeness in everything around him.
“True authenticity…required an absolute, nearly spiritual
denial of the audience, or even of the possibility of being watched.”
The centerpiece of this story is a morality play where each
person acts their part: the prodigal son, the town standard bearer, the corrupt
politician, the “foreigner.”
Nelson’s father decided to abandoned this town a long time
ago, seeing the direction it was headed, and wanting better things for his
sons. One son is already in the U.S. and the other is awaiting his visa. He
wonders if this was all the right path to take. Nelson lives in the shadow of
his family’s history and the 500 years of heritage, unsure if he wants that much
of a burden on his shoulders.
“No ideology can protect a son from the unwelcome
inheritance of his father’s ambition.”
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