Reynaldo (excerpt)
reynaldo often enjoys to eat carrots. but also he enjoys to eat flourless chocolate cake. the corner bakery often makes this cake especial for reynaldo, because they like him. i wonder if they are fond of donkeys in particular, or just reynaldo. i would not be surprised if it were just reynaldo. because as far as donkeys go, reynaldo is especial. he is a cut above. he really is quite an exceptional donkey. not many donkeys know what flourless chocolate cake is, much less enjoy to eat it. he is really very smart.
reynaldo often enjoys to do math problems on sunday afternoons, while i am at work. he has a special pad of paper and pencil made especially for donkeys. i was able to purchase these for his birthday last year. the pencil has 'reynaldo' engraved along the side in golden script. often times reynaldo will pause while doing his math problems and look at this golden script, reading it over and over and again. a tear comes to his donkey eye. "no one has been this kind to me", he says, "no one has even gotten for me on my birthday a pencil special for donkeys with 'reynaldo' engraved in golden script upon the side. i treasure this pencil. i most lovingly treasure it." i was not present to hear reynaldo say this. i was at work. but our maid lucretia related this story to me one evening. it warmed my heart. i am proud that i could make a donkey as exceptional as reynaldo so happy.
This piece is charming in its earnestness, painting a sweet portrait of Reynaldo the exceptional donkey. The writer's voice is playful and affectionate, using repetition ("often enjoys to eat") and childlike observations to highlight Reynaldo's unusual tastes. However, the constant use of "especial" becomes repetitive and dilutes its impact. Structurally, the piece meanders a bit, jumping between Reynaldo's culinary preferences and his mathematical pursuits. While heartwarming, the emotional core feels somewhat detached – we're told about Reynaldo's joy but don't truly experience it alongside him. The inclusion of Lucretia adds an interesting layer, grounding the story in reality and emphasizing the narrator's pride in making Reynaldo happy. Overall, it's a gentle piece with a good heart, but could benefit from tighter prose and deeper emotional exploration.
—gemma2:27b, 2026-02-05