ANY OLD SHOES TO BE REPAIRED?

       ''No, really Comandante Marx, you have to leave this country environment and return to the capital, where there are many new kinds of protests going on...'' the young man exclaimed to his former professor.

         ''ANY NEW SHOES TO BE REPAIRED?'' inquired an itinerant craftsman in Spanish, in a melodious voice, in front of the house. It was met with the mooing of a cow, chewing grass there.

          ''Well, Freddy, you have your life as a lawyer now and I am a retired professor, as well as a guerilla fighter. I congratulate you, not because you are able to earn a lot of money, rather because you achieved your goal in this life and that is admirable,''the comandante explained.

         ''Yes, yes, it is admirable to jump into the sea and be able to swim in order to survive and live well. In the capital you can see luxury cars like a Maserati or a Ferrari, tooling around the streets, but I didn't become a lawyer to imitate that kind of excess. I really want to help the people who need help, '' the young lawyer related, in a voice of commitment.

       ''ANY OLD SHOES TO BE REPAIRED?''

       ''I imagine in a country where some go around in Ferraris and others barefoot, there is certainly need of assistance. Such economic extremes impede development. There are many such countries in the world today, not only on this continent, but Africa as well.''

     Comandante Marx was his nom de guerre, during his country's civil war, which lasted thirty six years. His real name was Enrique Perez and he was a pure Marxist. He learned about this philosophy first in the national university, with professors who had studied in Moscow and Havana. He majored in philosophy and graduated in three years. After that he formed groups of new students to study Marx and explained that it was the only solution in saving their country. Their meetings were infiltrated with spies, called ears and they were denounced to the military government as Communists. Many disappeared, were tortured or killed, but some escaped and one of those was Enrique Perez. After that, he had no choice, but to joint the others in the mountains.

     At first they were a small group, supplied and trained by foreigners. They spoke of Marx as their savior. It was a difficult life, but the alternative was trying to exist in a police state, which was the government. They believed that Marx was right in his claim that his philosophy was destined to change history.

      Enrique showed such knowledge and enthusiasm for the subject, that he was elected to indoctrinate the new recruits. He was so fanatic and convincing that he earned the nickname Comandante Marx.

       The foreign trainers endorsed the theory, but equally insisted that all revolutions were decided by the bullet. Thus, there was a lot of fighting. Most of it was in the interior of the country, since the capital was protected by the strength of the army, led by the general, who was also the president.

        The president was elected from the only political party of the country, backed by the American embassy.  Of course this truth was hidden, but with their assistance, the war continued. It also finished at their insistence and the real power remained in the north.

        Comandante Marx fought and survived, although he was forced into exile. He lived many years in the neighboring country, where he taught Marx in the national university. He became such an authority on the subject, that professors from other countries came to listen to him. When the peace was signed, he returned to his own country and took up the same job as a professor at his old university. He wrote books about Marx and won prizes, until he had enough money to retire and return to the village where he was born.  Now he realized that his life's theory could never be applied in a capitalistic world. In other words, he not only failed, but also waisted his life. The only consolation might have been, that it was a noble dream.

         ''Listen Comandante Marx, there are so many new protest organizations emerging today like gay rights, human rights, women rights and even peasant rights! Maybe you can even go back and live in the mountains!'' the young man proclaimed with pride, to his former professor.

         ''I thank you very much Freddy, for the invitation, because I know it comes from your heart. Maybe it's good you have something to fight for, while you're still young and enthusiastic. I know now that my visions can never be reached and therefore I have little left to live for. I made a little money to allow me to reitre in the country and this is a contradiction to the philosophy I built my life on. What irony!'' Enrique Perez, Comandante Marx, exclaimed, with a breath of pure reality.

          ''ANY OLD SHOES TO BE REPAIRED?''