Road Stories - Don Mauricio

We met Don Mauricio as a fluke. He was a surprise....and a treasure. And he was one of the greatest parts of this last trip to Costa Rica.

Don Mauricio knew we were coming, so he put on a shirt that a grandson had given him as a gift. Sitting in his chair, with his aged khakis and new Tommy Hilfiger shirt, the image was sort of surreal.

He lives with two of his daughters in the house he built as a young man and Don Mauricio is no longer a young man. He will turn 98 in May. Three years ago he broke his hip when he was thrown from a horse so Don Mauricio no longer does much of the work around the farm and no longer can ride his horses. He is weathered and frail, but his eyes sparkle and his laugh is loud and clear.

They had invited us for lunch. And there, in the primitive house with no electricity, no doors, dirt floors and a wood stove, they shared their freshly made cheese, cassava (taro pudding) fried plantains and fresh fruit with us. Of course, even though it was hot and muggy out, we had fresh hot coffee made with local beans that tasted better than any cup of coffee I've ever had. (I didn't ask where they got the water)

Don Mauricio spoke no English at all. But he was very gracious with our bad Spanish. During lunch he had asked me where we were from. When I told him Texas, he calmly said. "Ah Texas......you killed a Kenedy". I wondered out loud if he had visited Texas, thinking he must have been a traveller when he was younger that he would remember such an odd detail about a far away place. I was surprised when he told me he had only left the little village near his home twice in 97 years. He spent a week in La Fortuna (a city of 5,000 about 30 miles from his home) after the eruption of Arenal in 1968, a volunteer in the search for survivors. He had returned to La Fortuna about 10 years ago with one of his sons to buy some diesel, but didn't enjoy the trip and never wanted to go back. As our conversation continued I found that he had a lot of knowledge about the states, our politics and politicians, religion and agriculture. This surprised and amazed me.

So knowing he didn't travel and that he could no longer work around his farm, I asked him what he did to pass his time. Did he have hobbies? Yes, he said, now that he had lots of time.....he was teaching himself to read. Here was a 98 year old man, who had never ventured away from his small world, who was managing to teach himself to read at this age....and yet had recall of facts and history that would shame many Americans.

Don Mauricio's daughters were almost as interesting as he was. They were the only two of his 11 children who had never married and though they were 64 and 67 they ran the farm now that their father could no longer work. They milked, took care of the livestock, made cheese and took care of the 12 hectors of crops. They were happy to have company and smiled and giggled like school girls and asked Cait to take their picture. Grinning right up until the time Cait got the camera ready, they suddenly became very grim....making their photo look sort of like a weird Costa Rican version of American Gothic.

Of all the interesting and amazing people I've gottten to meet in our travels, I have to say Don Mauricio is right up at the top of the list. When I hugged him goodbye, I asked him if he would share with me his secret to such a long life......he squeezed my hand, grinned and said....."Don't die". Of course his solution would be simple.

I plan on visiting Don Mauricio again on my next trip to Costa Rica. I am going to take him a book.....because I'm betting he's learned to read.