Part I
Buenos dias. My name is Javier. When I was a boy I felt lost, and I didn't know where to go or what to do. One day when I was running around the hills of Spain I came upon a sheep farm, and I smelled something, something salty, creamy, and a little tangy. "What is this delicious smell!?" I thought. I ran home and told mama. "My little, hombre," she said, "you had your first smell of manchego cheese!"
Finally I knew my life's purpose. I returned to the sheep farm and had my first taste of manchego cheese. It was smooth and ever so pungent. Senor Poope, the owner of the sheep farm, saw my passion, and he offered me a job. He started me off in the pastures tending to the sheep which would provide the milk, but as time went on Senor Poope allowed me to work in all parts of the cheese process. My passion increased until all I could think of was manchego cheese!
One day, many years later when I was a young man, I was walking to Poope's dairy, and the hills were very green and there was a fine breeze. I saw Senor Poope and he smiled, he was always smiling, and he said "Javier, you are a good young man." Then he grasped his chest and fell over. I ran to him. "Senor Poope!" I said. "Javier, the sheep, the dairy, the cheese," it will be yours. I looked at him with great tenderness. "But Senor Poope," I said, "I can't bear this great responsibility." He looked at me one last time and spoke: "I have taught you everything I know." His eyes closed and the smile returned to his face and he died peacefully among a great friend.
It was then I understood the great mystery of the universe and manchego cheese.
To be continued....
