"From the barred window, my mother, while fulfilling the odious task assigned by my grandmother: darning socks for my uncle and grandfather, observed the events of the neighborhood with curiosity. There was one in particular that caught her attention: Around 4 in the afternoon, a singular event would occur: watching 'Dr. Funes' take his French bath in the public pool. He would appear stealthily, making sure there were no 'Moors on the coast,' as the passage of children or townsfolk did not concern him. The setting sun illuminated and warmed the spot chosen by the protagonist: thin, with darker skin, sharp features, he walked as if showcasing an appropriate magistrate's suit that had once been black but had since lost its original color, turning into a gradual green that, depending on the angle of the light, was lighter on some sides than in the corners. The bowler hat, also black a long time ago, completed the rest of his outfit. And the action began... he placed his inseparable newspaper and hat on the upper ledge that held the faucet; took out a handkerchief, perhaps wetting it with some soap... and started the journey across his neck, armpits, and nearby areas, making another pass over his abdomen, then venturing into the pelvic recesses. The back and forth of the handkerchief left him fatigued because he didn’t take off his jacket?? and even less his pants. Thus, that skin was attended to inch by inch. He took off his shoes, washed the socks, and concluded by wringing out the socks and the laborious handkerchief; his ears and nose also received their share... My mother would say: 'We always made sure he didn’t notice our observations.' She said that 'My dad commented that many times he was offered work; he had a law degree but never wanted to work; he would ask his friends for 'loaned' money. Several years later, my father-in-law commented that he once put a coin in his hand, and very offended, he returned it saying: 'Go find yourself a poor person for half...' In those times, according to the real and the half, they had value..."