The Caballero’s Way by O’Henry Exquisite and funny, in spite of all the people that are killed in it- 10 out of 10
The Caballero’s Way by O’Henry
Exquisite and funny, in spite of all the people that are killed in it- 10 out of 10
O’Henry is by now one of my favorite authors.
His humor has reminded me of Larry McMurtry and his fabulous Lonesome Dove that deals with the same part of America.
The other day, Kent Smith has told me that O’Henry used to live in Austin, Texas where his former abode is a museum now.
If I ever travel to Austin, which I only give a chance in a thousand of happening, I will have to try and stop there.
The most extraordinary thing about O’Henry from where I look is his Serenity and the capability to analyze with fantastic accuracy.
He combines the outrageous with the funny, the killer becoming a clownish figure, only to become a Daredevil again.
The Cisco Kid is the hero and a villainous one at that.
He kills people and has no regard for human life and his adversaries, but abides by some weird code of honor.
„The Cisco Kid had killed six men in more or less fair scrimmages, had
murdered twice as many (mostly Mexicans), and had winged a larger
number whom he modestly forbore to count. Therefore a woman loved him.”
murdered twice as many (mostly Mexicans), and had winged a larger
number whom he modestly forbore to count. Therefore a woman loved him.”
This is the introduction to the Caballero and what a humorous one at that.
If we are to criticize, we may take a feminist stand, or point of view and protest-
- What do you mean- women fall for a killer in that way?
- Are they so superficial or mean- perhaps both?
Nowadays that would not do as an assertion.
In fact, O’Henry does not sound politically correct at all.
But then who knows-
- quién sabe
The humor of O’Henry makes room for the violence of a story that deals with cowboys and the Wild West.
„The Kid was twenty-five, looked twenty; and a careful insurance
company would have estimated the probable time of his demise at, say,
twenty-six.”
company would have estimated the probable time of his demise at, say,
twenty-six.”
In a mysterious way, we laugh at the short life expectancy that would be attributed by an insurance agent to the Kid.
And when we meet the woman who loves the kid, we are again entertained by the fact that she has more than two halves –
„Tonia Perez, the girl who loved the Cisco Kid, was half Carmen, half
Madonna, and the rest--oh, yes, a woman who is half Carmen and half
Madonna can always be something more--the rest, let us say, was
humming-bird.”
Madonna, and the rest--oh, yes, a woman who is half Carmen and half
Madonna can always be something more--the rest, let us say, was
humming-bird.”
This is an excellent story that you can read online at:
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