Cantos by Ericka Koehler

Bryan was born with a look that reflects an air of mystery, in the land of the cowboys, Dallas-Texas. He has big eyes like the Sun and colors like the sea of the fascinating Bahamas. His skin is as clear as the clouds and changes to red tomato when is nervous or happy. He has a middle name, but nobody remembers it, he never went for it since he always highlighted that he hates nicknames as middle names. “Bryan, just Bryan,” he says to everyone.

The hair style doesn’t worry him either, sometimes long, other times as short as military cadet. “Who cares,” he says.

This time his hair didn’t touch his shoulders, but his shiny yellow-red-orange hair never stops to capture the attention of others, especially his cousins who have dark-as-night hair color. Bryan was the outsider from his maternal Latin family.  Visits to his relatives are a nightmare to him, and he just wants to disappear because he doesn’t understand one Spanish word from his uncles, aunts, cousins, and the large number of relatives that call him: “Hey, Bryan, we miss you, ‘Cómo estás, gringo’?”

The only heritage from his mother is the red birthmark that is on one side of his derrière. For some genetic reason that he didn’t know, some Latins are born with that birthmark in that specific body area. Later, he learned that it is called a Mongolian Spot. Some Latins with Indigenous ancestors are born with this spot. The theory is that heritage come from Asians when they cross America and mixed with them. Bryan, the superhero of his mother, was almost always in his room, writing. He says few words, just uses facial signs, which he prefers. So, when Bryan opens his eyes bigger than normal, closes them, or looks in a fixed way at someone, people know if they are allowed to enter his room.

Every day from 9:00 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. he writes without stopping and reflecting. He accustomed himself to this habit. Some mornings he is dressed in long pajamas. Other days he is dressed casual for going to his university classes. The clothing didn’t interfere with his writing routine. When that is over, he rests for a few minutes, and starts a long reading routine of different topics. After all, he is a committed guy with his career, he is in the last year of his Writing degree and works for a well-known Dallas magazine.

Juliet, his sister, is one year younger and studies Law. She always looks at her brother and worries about his future. His dad, Bryan Senior is a lawyer and the owner of a law firm, who keeps the hope that his son will forget all the writing and study another degree when he finishes the current one. The only one that seems to understand and respect Bryan’s study decision is his mother, a former ballet dancer, translator and once upon a time aspiring writer.

Bryan is introverted, 21 years old, thin as a spaghetti, lives in one of the best neighborhoods of Dallas, watches video games occasionally or writes imaginary love letters to Christina Kiriakakis, a girl who is American but with some Mexican ancestors. Christina is the best student of her class, and Bryan didn’t say a word to her for fear of rejection.

The most interesting attribute of Bryan resides in his writing. What he can’t express verbally, he expresses in writing. His fears, concerns, and happiness are written. He talks little and writes more. He is the kind of person that observes everyone and everything around him, and the story will be going around his introspection.

While most people enjoy interacting and going out with others, he prefers a peaceful life, with few people around him to allow his creativity to grow. To allow creativity to come out, he looks for ways to let people know he is busy and needs to be alone. When he doesn’t want to be distracted, and he feels he can be productive in his career, he devotes hours to reading and isolates in his room.