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Chimbote 1978 Marco at the high school prom |
It was 1972. I was twelve years old and finishing primary school at School No. 89007 in Chimbote’s 21 de Abril “B” neighborhood. In those days, at my house on the thirteenth block of Aviation Avenue, we rented out bicycles by the hour to the local kids.
Among the customers who came for the bikes, there was an evangelical boy my age. I knew him by sight, as I used to see him attending the Church of Christ, located just a few steps from my house. He was serious and well-mannered. When renting his bicycle, he would sign in as: Marco Antonio Arroyo Benites.
In 1973, I started secondary school at G.U.E. San Pedro in Chimbote, where I ran into Marco again. By the following year, he was already my best friend, and by 1975, we were inseparable. Marco was good with numbers, and I liked the humanities. Our talents complemented each other, and our study group became the best in the class.
Under the pretext of doing homework, I often visited his house on Balta Street, just a step away from the intersection with Pardo Avenue. Every time I arrived, his mother, Doña Consuelo, would serve me my favorite dish: fried fish with rice and plenty of zarza with lemon. We listened to music by Los Galos while doing our schoolwork and talked about everything—especially girls and the doubts of adolescence.
The music wasn't always Los Galos. Marco introduced me to the evangelical music of Manuel Bonilla, and later to the Church of Christ itself. I confess I attended church more for the "sisters" (the girls) than for the service, although I also enjoyed the Bible studies. Marco’s father, Don Félix, taught an interesting Bible course that I began to attend.
Marco started his university career before I did. In 1979, he moved to Lima, and the following year he began studying Chemical Engineering at the National University of Engineering (UNI). Meanwhile, caught up in the whirlwind of politics, I took a bit longer, traveling to Trujillo in 1983 to study Law and Political Science at the National University of Trujillo.
In 1982, Marco met Eva, a beautiful girl from Samanco, with whom he began a wonderful love story. Then the children began to arrive: Mirella in 1983, Ivone in 1985, Hanss in 1987, and Nicole in 1995. The romance with Eva eventually faded, and in 1996, Sebastián, his youngest son, arrived from another relationship.
At one point in the 1980s, Marco interrupted his Chemical Engineering studies. He needed to work. He reinvented himself and entered a whole new world: hairdressing. Since then, Marco has become one of the most prestigious stylists in Lima. When he gave me the news that he was leaving his studies, I remember him saying: “You might not see the connection, but I’m going to use my studies in Solid Geometry to be the best hairdresser in Lima.” His words were prophetic.
There were hard times, too. One day in 1987, I was in my student room on Columbus Street in Trujillo. The radio was bringing me the news. Suddenly, a reporter announced a terrible road accident near the city of Chepén. Among the list of deceased, a name shook me, but I wanted to believe it was just someone with the same name. Seconds later, the phone rang, and the landlady shouted toward my window: “Eduardo, telephone! Your mom says it’s urgent!” Doña Consuelo, Marco’s mother, was gone forever.
1987 was also the year Marco began traveling the world. Argentina and various European countries witnessed his refined skill. To his triumphs in Lima, he added vast international experience.
I, for my part, left for Europe in 1994. In London, I met Terry, my wife, and Dorothy, my only daughter, was born. Every two years, I take my family to Peru. Upon arriving at Jorge Chávez International Airport, Marco is always there waiting for us, and he never allows us to stay in hotels: he takes us to his home. That’s how we first knew his small place on Angamos Avenue in Miraflores, where Marco would give us his bed while he slept in his barber chair. And later, we saw his spacious salon-residence on Dos de Mayo Avenue in the same district.
If someone were to ask me to define Marco in one word, the answer would be easy: Determination. Many times I have seen Marco down, and he always told me the same thing: “Give me a few months and you’ll see me back on my feet.” He always kept his word.
And if anyone asked Terry or Dorothy about the most exciting moment of their visits to Lima, the answer is always the same: when Marco styles their hair. During our last visit, we didn't have time for that, so Marco traveled seven hours from Lima to Chimbote with a pair of scissors in his pocket, styled their hair, and headed back to Lima.
And for Dorothy, there is something else special in Chimbote: Marco’s father, a prestigious jeweler, has made several pieces for her, including a bracelet. Dorothy is growing up, and with each visit, Don Félix adds new links to it.
Marco: our friendship is just that way, much like the links being added to Dorothy’s bracelet. It is a jewel enriched by time. So many things are behind us now—names like Inés and Hilda, Pocha and La Zarca. Do you remember them? As boys, we shared so much time together that we ended up falling in love with pairs of friends!
Returning to the present: today is a special day for you, and I wanted to bear witness to our friendship. Happy Birthday!
Eduardo.
New Hampshire, USA
December 13, 2011
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Lima 2007 - Eduardo and Marco |
It was a pleasure to read this piece and learn more about Marco. We always enjoy our visits with him, and of course he always makes our hair look fabulous! Happy Birthday, Marco!
ResponderBorrarTerry