When I Met Francisco Toledo

While on holiday, I was walking through the courtyard of the Instituto de Artes Gráficas de Oaxaca when I ran into maestro Francisco Toledo. I told him, “Maestro, it is an honour to greet you,” and, being himself, he turned around with a rather unfriendly look and said, “What?” I replied, “I only wanted to say hello,” holding out my hand. He shook my hand and, exasperated, replied, “Well, there it is,” gave a mocking smile, turned around, and left. That was how I met one of Mexico’s great artists.