El Guapo has a godson, Nathaniel. Nathaniel brought his parents down from the States to visit in San Miguel not long ago.

I've never met Nathaniel, and none of you have either. Which raises the question: Why am I writing about him? Well, El Guapo sent me his picture, and I feel like I have to do something with it. But what?

Photo: Grace Brown

The image of Paul holding this baby says something profound to me. I'm just not sure what. There's something about El Guapo's face, bearing all those physical scars and reflecting all the injuries and injustices of a long, hard life, looking down at Nathaniel's placid expression. The baby rests contentedly against Paul's comfy tummy, quietly observing his benign world.

Nathaniel, I imagine, is living entirely in the moment, something I have pretty much forgotten how to do. And Paul, too, seems to be immersed in the aura of his godson.

But words like these don't really explain why this photo so fascinates me.