By Héctor Loaiza, published on the site Resonancias.org, 2003.
Mexico City, July 16, 1982
Mexico City, July 16, 1982
cloudy that morning, after he returned from a trip of several days to Oaxaca, I began leafing through newspapers in search of "flash" that I would serve in the story he was doing for the French weekly Paris-Match. It was the eve of my departure from Mexico. A note on four columns in One Plus One, was aware of the press conference that Carlos Castaneda was given days earlier, following the release of his book "The Eagle's Gift." Castaneda was the author most inaccessible. Throughout his work, had evidently muddled tracks its origins, said to be Brazilian (1). Many television journalists and Americans, Europeans and Latin Americans had tried to interview him in vain. I did a quick survey by phone to find the publisher of his book (in his article, the journalist had not specified). It was the Editorial Diana. On the other hand, I did not have much hope to meet him. Finally, I spoke by phone with the press officer said the editorial that Castaneda was still in the Mexican capital, but could not be sure that he would grant me an interview. Many had failed in the attempt, why would I succeed? Had to force events. (Surely this attitude Castaneda liked it because after the call to be that of "pirated"). Do not get anything by staying in my hotel room. I went to see in person to the press officer of the Editorial Diana, to convince her that my interest was also to interview staff. I had published a story in French (1) on my initiation to the knowledge of witches Indians of Peru. I left a copy of my book. I promised to do everything possible to get in contact with Castaneda and asked me the phone number of my hotel. It was not so sure I llamaría.Esa afternoon I stayed in the hotel room, ordering the notes he had written for my story. Broke out a storm causing flooding and traffic jams in traffic. Around 18 hours, Fausto Rosales called the Editorial Diana, to announce that Castaneda had accepted that I interviewed. It gave me an appointment 20 hours in the lobby of the Sheraton Maria Isabel hotel where Castaneda was staying while in Mexico City. The Sheraton was on the Paseo de la Reforma, four blocks from my hotel. How do you recognize? I said that Castaneda was short, would wear a coat of white cloth and marbled, blue tie and trousers. Would be accompanied by his American friend who was on time rubia.Llegué the lobby of the hotel and started to wait, figuring it would face. He remembered the portrait that I made a magazine illustrator U.S. in 1972, Castaneda himself was deleted in part to not recognize him. The drawing was published in various newspapers and magazines of the old and new world. I tried to acknowledge his appearance on the people waiting, like me, in the lobby of the hotel. I stood a while, until I decided to sit on a couch. Suddenly, a little further, rose a small man with dark skin, accompanied by a pretty young woman with long blond hair, repeating the words aloud: "It has come!" He was dressed as me Fausto phone was described by Rosales. I got up to go behind the unknown, always accompanied by his blonde girlfriend, suddenly turned and came towards me. I approached, holding out his hand and asked: "Carlos?" With a smile, he replied that he had been very concerned to not see me, so he had asked me several personas.Una wick and curly black hair was combed forward, trying to hide his baldness. Two deep wrinkles crossed her forehead. Her black eyes were large and pervasive. The eyelids were swollen and appeared to be small pockets faded. Cleaved wrinkles in the corners of his eyes indicated that he laughed a lot. His face was oval, her cheekbones were protruding, his chin ended in a point and in the right side had a mole. The bushy beard was shaved carefully. The two side descended from the nostrils to the mouth were also profound. Its large ears accentuating the impression bouncing jovial character. Although the features were not harmonious, the entire face, especially your eyes, it was fascinating. I thought I had seen before somewhere, (it was the kind of person who looks much in Peru, a psychiatrist reminded me that I had met in Lima when I was a militant). A few minutes were enough to realize that the "current passed between us. " Tuteamos us naturally. (To me, Castaneda immediately cleared his last reservations. I was with a fellow and could not represent, say Brazilian comedy). At first he spoke in English with Argentinian intonation, especially in its pronunciation of "ll". Later, I would say that my personal evolution led him to know: from left-wing activist in my youth ended up in Europe in the esoterismo.Me introduced his friend and then asked me to go to an invitation he had made some friends. So we could talk. We left the hotel, Fausto Rosales was waiting for us in a Wolskwagen with which we take her home. Castaneda and I settled into the back seat while his friend sat beside the driver. As the car traveled the streets full of different vehicles, I asked questions about the trip I had made to Oaxaca, and he thought I had gone to that beautiful city after traces of Don Juan.Me made on the invitation confidence after I had done years ago, the then Ambassador of Peru in Washington. The diplomat had made contact with his literary agent, though such invitations refused, had agreed to respect for his office. The interview was formal, the Ambassador and Castaneda spoke in generalities. The matter would have ended up in oblivion, but several weeks later, another Peruvian Castaneda told the Ambassador's comment: "Yes" had said, "I met the famous Carlos Castaneda. Ay! But had been cholo! "At the end of his story, Castaneda threw a loud laugh. After Mario Vargas Llosa said he had gone to Los Angeles with a team of Lima channel (where the writer encouraged by then a cultural program) and had also tried to contact Castaneda to interview him. This did not accept the proposal of escritor.En the drawing room of his family, Fausto Rosales introduced me to his brother, some employees of the Editorial Diana, among which was the press officer and a beautiful Mexican thirty years seemed to Maria Felix. Came after a group of boys, probably "buddies" as they say in Mexico, of the employees of the publisher. The boys were a bit "blown up" and ebrios.Me also sat on a couch next to Castaneda, who in turn was accompanied by his friend. Soon, both coupled to the other guests coming up the first floor where tables were apparently with food and drinks. I was talking a while with the press officer on various topics ranging from months impressions of Mexico City, Oaxaca and other southern cities I had visited. Seeing that the room had been empty, I decided also up to another floor to get together with others. Upon arrival, I heard that Castaneda was taunting me, calling me "Peruvian Europeanized" and laughed out loud. Noticing me, he changed the subject. He began to tell the hostess, Mrs. Rosales, his adventures in search of a house that wanted to buy to house the clan of Don Juan, where experiencias.Después be devoted to the guests have tasted the various Mexican dishes , had a few glasses of wine, glasses of beer or soft drinks (Castaneda ate and drank little wine), someone asked him to give a talk. For that, we went down the hall on the ground floor. Assistance I was literally under the spell of his words. His irreverent humor toward himself further increase the sympathy of the people gathered there. Don Juan spoke of how he had disappeared from our world become pure energy. Stressed the notion of detachment and the attitude of "warrior" against life. Some of the audience asking him questions that he answered without delay. But one of the four young men, under the effect of the herb and beer, asked him point blank: "Hey, Carlos! Where is the wool (3)? "Hiding his displeasure, Castaneda was silent. Intervened to correct the boy that in our Latin American environment is critical to a writer who had pecuniary success for his talent. But accepted as a natural thing that the director of a large company or the bank fortunes. The boy's outburst cut off the desire to continue their charla.Además it was too late. I wondered at what point would you interview with Castaneda. After thanking the host and say goodbye to the guests who would still, Fausto Rosales proposed lead us back to our respective hotels. I settled in the back seat with Castaneda's friend, while it had been thirty feet away talking with the beautiful stranger who looked like Maria Felix. The friend told me that Castaneda was allowed to return to Peru to see his family, as not aware of her physical appearance as he had actually published his books under a pseudonym (4). In that moment, Castaneda came to Wolskwagen where we were waiting for her friend to ask a friendly way to let him go the next day to the movies with the beautiful woman. The friend replied that there was no problem and was quite cheerful, to give the appointment to the beauty. On the way back to town, I announced that in view of that he was tired, it was better for me to interview the next day very early. We found an appointment in the cafeteria .---------------------------------------------- your hotel ------------------------------- (1) On the myth of Brazilian origin, one of his disciples , after the death of teacher, insists on its website to say that Castaneda was born in the border town in northern Brazil, Iukeiri, but the spelling of people is wrong. Indeed, it would Juqueri. (2) "Le chemin des sorciers des Andes", Editions Robert Laffont, Paris, 1976. The English version, "The Way of the Andean witches" was published by Editorial Diana, Mexico, 1998. (3) The word "wool" Mexican slang means money. (4) You could say that "Carlos Castaneda" was a pseudonym, because their real names, which certainly included in his passport, were "Carlos Cesar Arana Castaneda, born in the city of Cajamarca (Peru ), 25 December 1925. Son of Cesar Arana Castaneda Susan Burunguren and Novoa.
