Keeper

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of animal death.

In the present, the two men take a break from the interview to eat. Faustino begins to wonder about El Gato’s mental state. He broaches the subject, asking Gato how he was able to so easily cope with something so strange and talk about it so nonchalantly. Gato insists that it is because of everything the Keeper taught him. The Keeper showed him things about fear, anger, making mistakes, and other negative emotions that he could feel on the field in the forest—where it was “safe”—so that he would be better prepared later to feel them in the real world. Faustino mentions that, in describing the Keeper, Gato is describing things that a father “should” be doing. Gato becomes agitated, insisting that his father was a good man and was dedicated to work. Realizing that he is bothering Gato, Faustino backs down and lets him continue telling his story.

Gato resumes his narrative. After 18 months of training in the forest, Gato begins to notice a change in his body as he grows bigger and stronger. The Keeper continues to give him little praise, other than an occasional nod of approval, but Gato knows that he is becoming much better in the goal.