The Rooster Who Pretended to be Jorge Luis Borges.

• Author: Contreras, Jaime Perales
• Position: LATITUDES - Short story

"I'm telling you, it's him," said the first hen.

"No," said the second one. "It can't be him."

Why not?

"Because his forehead is wider. I've seen him in the newspaper," replied the second hen.

"Why don't we just go and ask him, so we can settle this?" said the first hen, as she nestled further down in her nest to lay an egg.

No, I don't feel like it. What happens if he gets upset?

Why would he get upset?

You know. Famous people are so irritable.

I don't think so. Besides, famous people are also vain. He'll love it that we recognized him.

"Fine, let's go."

So the hens walked toward the impeccable rooster who seemed to be contemplating the sky in all its detail. The hens saw him and approached timidly. The first one, the most curious and adventurous of the two, asked him: "Excuse us, sir, but my friend and I were just talking about you and we had a question. You wouldn't happen to be a famous writer by any chance?"

[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]

The rooster lowered his gaze and smiled, and his red crest puffed up slightly. He thought for a moment and then turned the question back on them: "Who do you think I am?" he asked in a petulant tone of Spanish full of "s"s. The hens looked at each other.

"Who are you?" they replied in unison.

"I asked you first," said the rooster impatiently.

Well, my friend and I think that you look like an Argentine writer.

"Jorge Luis Borges," said the second hen softly so that no one could hear her, in case she was wrong.

"You're Borges," the first hen confirmed loudly.

"If you do not ask me, I know; if you ask me, I don't know," said the rooster smugly.

"Did you hear that?" asked the first hen jabbing the second hen with her left wing. "It is Jorge Luis Borges! He's talking exactly like him!"

"I don't know," said the second one. "I think it's an imposter. Up close he doesn't look so much like Borges anymore."

The two hens moved closer to the rooster to get a better look. The rooster turned to the side, as if they were taking his picture.

"Are you satisfied...