Heber

For those who have been following my blog over the past few years and wonder how he is doing, I met up with Heber a couple of times since I've arrived here. He's still working in the restaurant in Villa Maria. He's 16 now, so it's ok for him to work. But he has to work 12 hours a day for 6 days a week for about 100 soles a week, which is just over £20.00.

He came to see me yesterday in his work uniform. He's a waiter and has to wear smart clothes which they provide. So must be a reasonably good restaurant. He was looking very smart in his gear. Will post a photo on here shortly.

He tells me the owner of the restaurant is talking to him about going back to some college to further his education. Not quite sure if this means she will give him time off and still pay him, or what. He will go back to ask her but its kind of hard for him. He says her husband is a professor in some university here in Lima.

We've arranged to meet once a week on his day off, which is usually a Sunday and suits me, just as long as its a weekend day.

I'm really pleased to see him. I think he is the main reason I come back to Lima. Though the other kids are great too, he is a bit special for me. I've known him since he was 12, back in my days in La Policia in Cusco. Him and his brother crying in my arms because their mother/granny refused to take them back home.

Although he's 16 now he still takes my hand when we walk down the street, which is a bit awkward to say the least, Lima being quite a macho place, or so it seems to me. It was fine back in Cusco as he was a lot younger but even then drew some looks from the locals to see me with him on one hand and his brother on the other. First we met he did it but something distracted him and he stopped. Yesterday I decided I had to speak to him about it,tactfully of course. So when he took my hand in Larco, the busiest street here in Miraflores, I knew I had to say something. It's a shame really but such is life. He understood why it was not such a good idea in such a busy place and we agreed it would be ok in quiet places, not that one finds many such places in Lima.