Find Phileas

Chapter 14

In search of another original flavour, Phileas falls in love

"Once he’d tasted the Chili con Queso there was no going back. Phileas just had to have the recipe for the Mexican dip of green chillis and creamy cheese. But traditions were there to be kept and the Hernandez family recipe, passed down through generations, could never be shared with outsiders. "Perfect drizzled over a crisply toasted tortilla" thought Phileas as young Conchita Hernandez stepped down from the carriage. As they sat down at the table and Mr Hernandez placed a large bowl of Chili con Queso in the centre, Phileas’ epiphany hit him like a red hot chilli pepper. Could this beautiful senorita be the future Mrs Fogg, his means of getting his hands on the Hernandez recipe? Mr Hernandez looked on lovingly at his pride and joy, although he was also quite fond of Conchita"

In search of another original flavour, Phileas falls in love

As the scorching Mexican sun grew in intensity, the party moved from the heat of the terrace to the cooler shaded veranda of casa Hernandez. Before long Mrs Hernandez returned to the kitchen to begin preparations for the evening meal, leaving Phileas alone with Conchita and her father. Mr Hernandez sat so close to Phileas that he could smell his aftershave and count the many gold teeth that punctuated the old man’s almost permanent grin. Hernandez ("you must call me Miguel") continued to pass the bowl of Chili con Queso to Phileas every few seconds until Conchita remonstrated with her father and they exchanged words that Phileas couldn’t decipher but sounded heated. All three sat in a deafeningly uncomfortable silence for what felt to Phileas like hours. Conchita scowled at her father, her father grinned at Phileas, and Phileas looked longingly at the object of his affection.

The silence was finally interrupted by a noise that at first sounded like a faint distant whistle and slowly grew in volume until it became an almost menacing, rumbling groan. Conchita’s face changed from a picture of annoyance to one of disbelieving disgust. Miguel Hernandez, in the deepest sleep, was snoring like a drain. Conchita leapt from her seat, screaming like a Mexican woman whose father was a constant source of embarrassment, was forever getting Chili con Queso stuck in his moustache and who sat too close to distinguished guests. Conchita hurled everything within arms reach and a considerable amount of verbal abuse at Miguel. Phileas thought that Conchita looked even more beautiful angry than she did calm. Miguel woke with a start and kicked over the bowl of Chili con Queso as Conchita burst out of the room in tears.

Phileas ran through the streets of the peaceful village in pursuit of Conchita. He could see the awesome Tarascan ruins and the idyllic island of Janitzio glistening on the lake. He looked in bars and shops, peered through church doors, ran up stone steps and down winding alleys. At every turn he met nothing but shrieks and laughter, which only added to his feeling of desperation. Then suddenly, as Phileas stood staring at the sculptured coyote that sat aloft the church tower, his heart busting from his chest and his shirt sticking to his back, he caught a glimpse of colour in the corner of his eye, a flash of crimson that Conchita wore so elegantly. Rushing into the chapel Phileas found Conchita sitting quietly in a pew and sat quietly next to her. When she finally turned to meet his gaze, her eyes were filled with tears and her cheeks were flushed. "Todo el tienne interes en es Chili con Queso" she said. ("He is only interested in his Chili con Queso".)

Q1: What is the name of the lake?

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