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To say that Hector Jimenez was unlucky at love was a massive understatement. In spite of frequenting all the nightclubs in Santiago searching for the woman who would be his girlfriend, the poor wolf had come away empty-pawed each time. Oh, he could remember the dates, many of which ended disastrously- a she-wolf with six cubs from a previous marriage that ended in utter confusion not to mention a huge food bill at a local restaurant, a date with a vixen who it turned out was a rather convincing female impersonator, all these things led him to believe that he would be unlucky at love his entire life. But at the very least, he could sing and play the tres- and while many Cubans could do that, Hector had won some local talent competitions. So when the time came for "Todos Estrellas de Santiago", he signed up, auditioned and was immediately rewarded with a spot in the upcoming show to be held in only a few days.

But while Hector's musical ability was top-notch, the lupine would need a little help in the love department. Enter Herman Alcazar, a wolf who in addition to being the owner of a rum factory was also a Santeria priest who knew the exact incantations that would bring Hector luck in finding the female of his dreams. He was greeted at the door by Alcazar, a grey wolf of considerable age wearing an all-white shirt and pants with a white African skullcap on his head.

Alcazar's home was spacious and expensive, the result of a highly-successful rum business which sold outside Cuba to every country except for the U.S. (Damn bloquero!) and it contained an equally-wide basement, filled with statues of Catholic saints, each one representing an orisha of the Santeria faith. There was an otherowrldly feel in this room, no doubt the result of dozens, perhaps hundreds of Santeria services in which orishas from the spirit world came to the frenzied worshippers and, in exchange for gifts of food and money brought forth miracles. A crippled foot healed, alcoholism cured, better musical skills, anything that a worshipper wanted he could get through a donation.

"Entre en por favor mi oficina", a kind, elderly voice issued forth from the muzzle of this wizened wolf, who though many years old still continued the tradition of Santeria. And Jimenez, this young wolf his mind racing at the thought of what might be behind that office door did exactly as he was told.

What greeted him inside was the most random assortment of things, all of which gave his office a messy and disorganized feel to it. There were no file cabinets or papers, just things ranging from an American Indian headdress, a bottle of pwder, a copy of Andy Warhol's "Elvis" paintings, and as should be expected in any priest's office, offerings, a candlelit shrine, and of course, more icons of Catholic saints. In the corner of the room ,a record player with vinyls all marked as "La musica de los Orishas" was sitting. Alcazar found through the mess of things on the table, a metal charm, which showed the head of a coyote warrior in an Indian headdress and handed it to Hector, lost in a sea of unrelated miscellanious stuff that populated the santero's office.

"Tome a esto con usted mi amigo. Es un regalo de la Papá Legba y lleva a cabo la llave para que usted encuentre a la novia de sus sueños." It was truly an odd gift but if ALcazar said it would work, Jimenez would have to trust him on this one.

"Y también quisiera para usted antes de que el concierto para beber mitad de esta agua amarga para limpiar su corazón mientras que usted busca a un compañero." The water was a grayish substance held ina vial which resembled a perfume bottle, except in plastic. Why would he need to drink this foul substance to find a mate? And why only half of it? Again, this was just another case of having to trust the santero, who had broken out in song singing a patriotic song about the island nation, tail swishing back and forth. He turned around, held his paws in Hector's and said

"Le deseo el mejor en su búsqueda para el amor verdadero. Y esta ceremonia de Santeria en el 7:15 en sabado ayudará."

7:15 Saturday would mean that while Hector was singing, dancing, and playing guitar, this elederly wolf would be performing the ceremony that would hopefully land Hector a mate.

The night of the concert arrived and Hector was as nervous as anyone could be, his throat in knots much more from the difficulty of finding a wife than from the singing. He looked out across the crowd nervously, frozen for a few seconds at this disinterested group of Cubans, mostly canids. He hesitated and then grabbed the neck and body of his guitar the same way you would someone you want to kill someone.

Meanwhile, in that office filled with obscura, Herman had set up the record player in his office to play the song which might give his friend "amor y vida" and was spreading red powder all around himself in a circle.

"El Amor Divino, me guarda, me protege, y me dirige y entraré adelante en paz," he said to himself as he spread the powder and began the mystic chanting "Papa Legba, rompiendo la monotonia el tiempo."

And over by the park, where the talent show was taking place, the wolf had overcome his jitters to perform for the crowds. After some traditional Cuban songs, Hector was singing an American song in English- a song ironically enough about Papa Legba. He had memorized the lyrics so knowledge of the English language was not really necessary for this wolf.

"There is a queen, six sevens and nines. Dust in your garden, poison in your mind. There is a king that will steal your soul, don't let him catch you. Don't let him get control."

The audience clapped as he bowed, then left the stage. He had carried the coyote warrior medal in his jacket pocket the entire time and the plastic bottle of water was waiting fpor him. He drank half of it, and then the wolf vomited into the trash can on account of its terrible taste.

"Did I come at a bad time? Something didn't agree with you" he had hardly noticed but a young she-wolf had come behind the stage and watched Hector throw up. Judging by her use of English, she was indeed a turista and her accent gave her away as a British national on hoilday. And the tail and hips shaking seductively gave away her intent to take Hector as her boyfriend. "My name is Rebecca and that performance was muy especiale. Cantar por me, en mi casa!" her tail swishing and her golden eyes winking. Hector was about to chastise her for the use of really shaky Spanish but soon he found himself melting into her embrace and knew then and there that this was the one who would someday be his wife.

With thanks for David Byrne and the Talking Heads' "Papa Legba", off of the movie soundtrack of "True Stories".