Atentado in Algiers

She was in the never-ending cola
waiting in the cold
to get her autorización de regreso
she fast became the beacon and help desk
for those women who thought
she was one of them-
hijabbed, therefore muslim and mora
each time she politely responded
in her español con acento
that she didn´t speak nor understand
al arabiya
the girl next to her smiled
she was simpática.
she told the girl she was going to visit Algeria
the girl suddenly pointed to the floor
the headlines of one of those newspapers
they hand out in the metro- ADN-
highlighted the terrorist attack in Algiers.
there were two atentados
the oficina de la ONU was destroyed.
alot of muertos,
hundreds injured
the petite indígena,
vendedora
unknowingly trampled on the page
she was selling chiclé, chocolate, cigarrillos
The girl in the line had a bizarre expression on her face
she turned to me and said,
September 11, March 11,
now December 11.
Why? She wanted to know.
She seeemed to be waiting for an answer