Carta a los Reyes Magos

The Letter to the Magi

Bea rebosaba de entusiasmo releyendo su carta

a los Reyes. La haba escrito y reescrito varias
veces, cambiando regalos, alterando el orden de la
lista; ahora afinando su caligrafa, luego aadiendo
mritos a la seccin de buen comportamiento.

Betty was very excited about her letter to the

Magi. She had written it several times, changing items,
shifting the order of her gifts list, now finessing her
handwriting, then adding merits to the segment about
her good behavior.

Quiero un pony, blanco y de pelaje suave, con

una mancha marrn en la cara y cascos acolchados
para poder trotar por el pasillo. Pap sacudi la
cabeza, desanimado. Para qu quieres un pony en
un piso de ciudad? Pero Bea era implacable: Si no
me traen un pony, me enfadar tanto con los Reyes,
que me portar fatal durante todo el ao y sabrn lo
que es esforzarse para que luego no te den lo que
quieres. Pap suspir y se levant, recogiendo un
taco de cartas con nombres de bancos que parecan
muy importantes. Los Reyes harn lo que les
parezca oportuno.

I want a pony, white and furry, with a brown spot

on his face and soft hooves for quietly trotting in the
hallway. Dad shook his head, despondent. What
do you want a pony for, in an apartment building?
Betty was unrelenting: If I dont get a pony, Ill get so
mad at the Magi that Ill be the worst kid in the entire
world for a full year. Then theyll know what its like
to work hard and not get what you want for it. Dad
sighed and got up, carrying a stack of very importantlooking letters with names of banks on them. Well,
the Magi will do as they see fit.

Por la maana, caminaron varias manzanas hasta

el centro comercial. Bea ech la carta en el buzn
del Real Servicio de Correos. El Cartero de Sus
Majestades, un joven elegante vestido de botones,
le gui el ojo. Bea estaba segura de que recibira su
pony; pero esa misma tarde, mientras pap echaba
la siesta, vio en la televisin una familia de koalas,
y salt como un muelle. Pap, despierta! Tenemos
que volver a donde el Cartero Real. Tengo que
cambiar mi carta. Ya no quiero un pony. Su padre
se incorpor, adormilado. Qu? Bea repiti lo
que haba dicho. Y ahora qu quieres?

In the morning, they walked a few blocks up to

the mall, and dropped the letter at the Royal Post
Office. The Postmaster, a handsome young man in
a bellboy suit, winked at her. Betty was confident she
would receive her pony, but that same afternoon, as
her dad dozed off on the couch, she watched a family
of koalas on television. She jumped like a spring and
ran to dad. Dad, wake up! We have to go to the
Royal Post Office! I must change my letter. I dont
want a pony anymore. Dad sat up, dazed and sleepy.
What? Betty told him again. What do you want,
then?

Un koala.

A koala.

Pap abri la boca, pero volvi a cerrarla.

Alcanz la botella verde y verti el lquido ambar
en su taza roja. Sabes qu, Bea? Los Reyes no
existen. Y sali de la habitacin.

Dad opened his mouth, then closed it again. He

took his green bottle, poured some amber liquid into
his red cup, and drank. You know what, Betty? The
Magi dont even exist. And he left.

Esa misma noche, ya en la cama, Bea decidi

demostrar a su padre que se equivocaba. Y de paso,
cambiara su carta a tiempo. Las calles estaban fras,
mojadas y llenas de luces y gente. Bea se pregunt
cmo era posible que todo el mundo llevara regalos

Later that night, laying in bed, Betty resolved to

prove her dad wrong. And in doing so, to get her
letter changed in time, as well. The streets were cold
and wet, but still lively with people and lights. Betty
wondered how it was possible for everybody to be
1

de aqu para all, das antes de la llegada de los

Reyes. A la entrada del centro comercial, se acerc
al Cartero Real, el mismo joven que haba conocido
esa maana. Perdone, ha habido un error con mi
carta a sus Majestades. Necesito recuperarla antes
de que sea demasiado tarde. Tarde para qu?,
pregunt el perplejo paje.

carrying their gifts around, still days away from the

arrival of the Magi. At the mall, she approached the
Royal Postmaster, the same young man she had met
in the morning. Excuse me, sir. There has been a
mistake regarding my letter to their Majesties. I must
get it back before its too late. Late for what?,
asked the perplexed page.

Bea explic el cambio de ltima hora que quera

introducir en su carta, en relacin con el pony y el
koala. El hombre se aclar la garganta, incmodo:
Has escrito la carta con tus padres? Bea se
pregunt qu tena eso que ver con todo lo dems:
Con mi padre. Pero ha dicho que los Reyes Magos
no existen. Qu gracioso: t ni siquiera tendras
trabajo. El cartero se ro a medias: Ciertamente,
ciertamente Y tu madre? Qu opina de todo
esto? Silencio. Bea explic que su madre no viva
en casa desde haca meses. Todo lo que su padre le
deca era es complicado o cosas de mayores.

Betty explained the last-minute change she

wanted to include in her letter, regarding the pony
and the koala. The man cleared his throat, visiby
uncomfortable: Have you written the letter with your
parents? Betty wondered why that was important:
Just my dad. But he said the Magi dont exist. Isnt
that funny? You wouldnt even have a job! The
postmaster giggled nervously: Quite right, quite
right And your mom? What does she think about
that? A silence followed. Betty explained that mom
didnt live at home since a few months back. All that
her dad would say to her was, its complicated or
this is grown-ups stuff.

El cartero sonri, comprensivo. Espera aqu.

Se acerc hasta la oficina de Pap Noel y pidi a una
elfa con leotardos que se hiciera cargo de su puesto.
Por un momento, Bea crey ver que se haban
besado, pero seguramente eran imaginaciones
suyas. Bueno, cmo te llamas? Bea respondi y
pregunt lo mismo: Eh yo me llamo Gabriel.
Bea asinti, desapercibida de las luces de Navidad
con forma de ngel que brillaban a sus espaldas.

The Royal Postmaster smiled, sympathetic.

Wait here. He rushed over to Santas post office,
and asked a lady elf in tights to cover for him. For a
second, Betty thought they had kissed, but she must
had imagined it. Alright, then. Whats your name?
Betty told him, and asked back. The man seemed to
hesitate: My name is, er Gabriel. Betty nodded,
unaware of the Christmas lights in the shape of an
angel right behind her.

Gabriel le explic que iba a ayudarla a encontrar

su carta y a detenerla antes de que llegara a los
Magos. Pero como el correo se recoga todas las
tardes a las cinco, deberan rastrear la carta en su
ruta hacia el Lejano Oriente. Y para eso, necesito la
direccin de tu casa. Bea la garabate en un papel.
Muy bien, ahora necesito hacer una llamada. Bea
abri los ojos como platos: A los Reyes? Tienen
telfono?

Gabriel explained that he was going to help her

find her letter and stop it before it reached the Magi.
But since the post was taken away every day at five,
they must track her letter on its way to the Far East.
And for that, I need your home address. Betty wrote
it on a piece of paper and handed it to him. Now I
need to make a phone call. Betty opened her eyes
wide: To the Magi? They have phones?

Claro que no, nia. Pero los carteros s. Es el

siglo veintiuno, despus de todo.

Of course not, kid. But the postmen do. Its the

twenty-first century, after all.

Gabriel se alej tecleando en su telfono mvil

mientras Bea observaba a las familias que paseaban
por la galera. Nios echaban sus cartas en los
buzones; las elfas de Pap Noel se hacan fotos con
ellos. Bea pens que llevaban muy poca ropa para

Gabriel walked away typing on his phone as Betty

observed the families strolling up and down the mall.
Kids dropped their letters in the mailboxes; Santas
lady elves posed with them for pictures. Betty thought
it was funny how scantily clothed they were given that
2

haber venido, en teora, del Polo Norte. Lo que ella

no saba es que, mientras pensaba en estas cosas,
Gabriel haba buscado el nmero de telfono de su
casa y haba marcado. Justo cuando se dispona a
explicar a su padre el encuentro con Bea, cruz su
mirada con la de la nia y cambi de opinin.

their residence was allegedly located in the North Pole.

Little did she know that, in the meantime, Gabriel had
looked up her dads phone number and dialed him.
But just as he was about to explain his encounter with
Betty, he glanced at her and had a change of heart.

Eh Hola, llamo del Banco de Comercio,

podra hablar con su mujer?

Huh Hi, Im calling from Financial United,

may I speak with your wife?

Al otro lado, una voz dijo que esa ya no era

su direccin; y Gabriel pregunt por la nueva. La
escribi, y justo cuando iba a colgar, algo hizo que
el padre de Bea se pusiera suspicaz. Perdn, cmo
ha dicho que se llamaba?

The voice on the other end of the line said that

she no longer lived there, and Gabriel inquired about
her new address. He wrote it down, and just as he
was about to hang up, something made Bettys dad
suspect: Im sorry, I didnt get your name.

Ah, claro. Don Rodolfo. S, mi apellido es

Elreno. De nuevo, mis disculpas y buenas noches.

Of course, this is Mr. Reindeer. First name is

Rudolph. Again, my apologies for the mistake and
have a good night.

Gabriel se plant delante de Bea y la llev hasta

su oficina, que no era ms grande que una cabina de
telfono. Ahora tienes que escribir tu nueva carta.
Pero antes, dijo sacando una gruesa carpeta llena
de papeles, quiero que eches un vistazo a estas.
Bea hoje el taco de pginas frente a ella. Pero si
son cartas a los Reyes. Gabriel sacudi la cabeza:
No. Estas son copias autorizadas de las mejores
cartas jams enviadas a los Reyes. Escogidas por
sus Majestades en persona. Quiero que las leas por
encima, continu Gabriel, y luego escribas la
tuya.

Gabriel strode back to Betty and dragged her into

the postmasters office, which was no bigger than a
phone booth. Its time for you to compose your new
letter. But first, he said as he pulled out a large, thick
binder, I want you to take a look at these. Betty
shifted through the stack of pages that lay in front of
her. But these are letters to the Magi. Gabriel shook
his head: No. These are authorized copies of the best
letters ever sent to the Magi hand-picked by their
Royal Majesties themselves. I want you to read them,
continued Gabriel, before you write your own.

Y con eso, sali de la cabina y se puso a charlar

con la elfa, en lo que a Bea le pareci ms bien
coquetear. Volvi a hojear las cartas: Bueno,
quizs me sirva para sacar nuevas ideas, pens.
Al fin y al cabo, ya no estaba tan segura acerca del
koala. Y as, comenz a leer.

With that, he stepped outside and started talking

with the lady elf in what Betty thought was a rather
flirtatious manner. She looked down at the letters
in front of her. It might be a good way to get new
ideas, she thought. After all, she was beginning to
have second thoughts about the koala. And so, she
began reading.

Bea qued pronto sorprendida: estas no eran

cartas corrientes. En lugar de ponys, muecas y
osos de peluche, se encontr con voces angustiadas
pidiendo el regreso o la curacin de seres queridos;
viajes sanos y salvos para pilotos o marinos; ms
atencin de parte de padres siempre ocupados; e
incluso algn que otro lugar en el cielo para abuelos
fallecidos. Ni una sola de esas cartas hablaba de
regalos, ni pedan nada para sus autores. Bea se
acord de su pony, su koala, su padre y su madre.

Betty was soon surprised to find that these were

no ordinary letters. Instead of ponies, dolls, puppies,
or teddy bears, she encountered painful voices asking
for the return or the healing of loved ones; safe
travels for pilots and sailors; more attention from
busy parents; and even safe passage to heaven for
deceased grandparents. Not one among them spoke
of gifts. Not one of their authors requested anything
for themselves. Betty stopped to think about her
pony, and her koala, and her dad and her mom. She
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Decidida, puso el lpiz sobre el papel.

pushed the binder aside and set the pen to page.

Mientras tanto, Gabriel y la elfa compartan un

cigarrillo. Cuando Bea sali del puesto del cartero,
l se levant, introdujo la carta en un sobre, y se lo
meti en el bolsillo. Satisfecho, sentenci: Hora de
irse a casa, no crees?

Meantime, Gabriel and the lady elf shared a

cigarette. When Betty came out, he got up, placed
the letter in an envelope, and tucked it in his pocket.
Satisfied, he sentenced: Time to go home, dont you
think?

Una vez que Gabriel la hubo dejado en casa, Bea

encontr a su padre exhausto. Su mirada vidriosa
y voz ronca le hicieron pensar que haba estado
llorando. Mientras l la observaba acurrucarse bajo
las sbanas, le pregunt: Dnde has estado?
Tena que ir a ver al Cartero Real, contest ella.

When Gabriel dropped her off at home, Bettys

dad looked exhausted. His glazed eyes and coarse
voice made her think he had been crying. As he
watched her huddle under the bedsheets, he asked:
Where have you been? I had to go to the Royal
Post Office. I had to change my letter, she answered.

Koalas, eh?

Koalas, huh?

Bea no respondi; sino que se qued mirando a

su padre durante unos segundos. Al final, susurr:
Yo tambin echo de menos a mam.

Betty didnt respond; she just stared at her dad for

a while. Finally, she whispered: I miss mummy, too.

***

***

Al mismo tiempo, en algn otro rincn de la

ciudad, Gabriel y su amiga elfa se escabullan de
un edificio de viviendas como cros que huyen de
sus propias fechoras. Varios pisos ms arriba, una
mujer haba estado llorando en el cuarto de bao,
cuando un enrgico toc-toc la sobresalt. Sali al
descansillo, pero all no haba nadie. Cuando ya iba
a regresar a su soledad, alg capt su atencin sobre
el felpudo: un sobre. Inmediatamente reconoci la
caligrafa familiar estampada en la direccin. Deca:
A los Reyes Magos.

At the same time, somewhere in the city, Gabriel

and the lady elf scurried away from an apartment
building like kids hiding from their own mischief.
Upstairs, a middle-aged woman had been silently
weeping in the bathroom, when a knock on the door
had startled her. She walked out of her apartment,
but the corridor was empty. As she was heading
back into her loneliness, something caught her eye
on the doormat: An envelope. She picked it up and
recognized the familiar handwriting in the address. It
read, To the Magi.

Fin.

The End.

Pablo I. Castrillo
December, 2014