Gilbert comes to the clearing in the forest at the base of the gigantic cocobolo tree. High above, in the dense foliage of the cocobolo tree, the leaves rustle. A palm nut tumbles through the branches and glances off Gilbert’s head. “Ow!” With an open hand Gilbert rubs his noggin, a lump quickly sprouting beneath his gold and brown locks. Cobwebs are swept from his cranium, his earlobes jiggled. He looks up into the canopy of the cocobolo tree, sits back on his haunches, scrunches up his face and massages his head. Gilbert crawls and wedges himself between two elephantine roots at the base of the massive tree trunk, resting his aching head on the smooth bark pillow, thinking, not thinking, trying to remember why he is here. (Excerpt from p.11 of manuscript)