Tragedy Unfolded Due to Procrastination
In the heart of Bogotá, Colombia, on a chilly November day in 1989, an author found themselves navigating the bustling streets of the colonial old town, La Candelaria, and the modern neighbourhood of Chapinero. The city, much like a Latin Rosemont, was a vibrant mix of the old and the new, yet the author couldn't shake off a sense of unease.
The author's initial foray into local culture began with a coffee order (tinto) in a café, but the unpalatable brew left them undrinkable. The author's journey took an unexpected turn when they stumbled upon a typography workshop, where they engaged in a conversation with a local typographer, learning about his life story and the challenges faced by him and his family in the city.
However, the author's visit to Colombia was not without purpose. They had hoped to secure interviews with narcos or guerilleros, but found themselves in a city where such encounters seemed elusive. The author felt more at ease in Bogotá, no longer looking behind every five minutes or questioning their presence.
Yet, the city was far from peaceful. Incidents of violence, including bombs, assassinations, and more, were commonplace. The author witnessed a fire-eater performing in the city centre, but the spectacle was marred by the sight of street children huffing glue nearby. The author's heart ached as they encountered children begging for candy on Halloween, the youngest no more than eight years old.
The author suggested that if they were Colombian, they might not be working in a print shop due to the influence of the low cost of cocaine on the economy. The street price for cocaine in Bogotá was estimated to be around $5 per gram for almost pure stuff, a stark contrast to the international prices.
The author's fiancée sounded emotional during a phone conversation four days into the author's stay in Bogotá. The author felt anxious, coming from a place where Colombia was perceived as chaotic and dangerous. Despite these concerns, the author decided to describe the daily life in Bogotá themselves, capturing the sights, sounds, and smells of the city, from the traffic to the hurried pace of the people, the dogs fighting on the plaza, and the old woman crossing the street with an ass on a rope.
The author also shared a coffee with a woman from Radio-Canada, discussing the violence in Bogotá. The woman lamented that such details could not be included in a two-minute report, highlighting the complexities of portraying the city's reality in a concise manner.
This article was published on November 20, 1989, on page A5, offering a glimpse into the author's experiences and observations during their time in Bogotá, a city that was both captivating and challenging.
- Despite the author's initial intention of interviewing narcos or guerilleros, they found themselves in a city filled with French-influenced politics and general-news headlines dominated by crime-and-justice issues.
- As the author interacted with locals, discussing the violence in Bogotá with a woman from Radio-Canada, they realized that deciphering and reporting the city's complex realities was akin to working in a typography workshop, a delicate blend of art and social commentary.
