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HASTA LUEGO

came over to tell us that our interview time was up.

‘Five minutes more, my brother,’ I begged, flashing him some coins I had ready. I’m sure he would have accepted them, but Yasheeda seemed to want to leave.

‘I’d probably better go,’ she said. ‘I don’t want to get you in trouble with the police or anything.’

‘OK, then. You can come back tomorrow. I mean, if you want to, that is. We can talk. I’ll arrange permission for you to get in. I can ring the governor tonight to make sure.’

‘I’ll try my best, Thomas. But I’d better go now.’

She came up to me at the bars to say goodbye. I moved forward and closed my eyes, hoping our lips would meet, but she kissed me just to the side of my mouth and when I opened my eyes again she had her back to me and was squeezing her way past the Bolivian wives who were blocking the corridor. At the last moment, she turned and mouthed the words ‘Hasta luego.’ Then she was gone.