Ernesto Sábato, owner of an inalienable dignity

Two months before fulfilling his very fruitful one hundred years of age, on April 30, 2011, the writer Ernesto Sábato died.

In addition to being considered with Borges, like the two most important Argentine writers of the twentieth century, he was a true idealist, owner of a dignity … inalienable.

In this regard, it was very modest in the face of the greatness of others, they were writers or scientists. But arrogant in front of baseness or indignity.

And as for the idealist who was Sábato, he felt very sure of his ideas, but at the same time, respectful of others.

He understood that when for the best cause, a child is killed, the cause dies. A fact of his life: received at the Faculty of La Plata de Dr. in Physics, had as one of his teachers Dr. Bernardo Houssay, our Nobel Prize in Medicine.

It was the favorite student of Houssay, who scholarship, to work in atomic radiation in Paris, with Madame Curié’s daughter, also Nobel Prize.

Arrived in France “felt” that science was not his true vocation. He practically missed the scholarship, with absences to the classes and approaching daily to literary circles of Paris. At that time, World War II arrived. He decided to return to La Plata, where he lived. Dr. Houssay was bothered so much because of the waste of the scholarship, which even denied the greeting for a long time.

Fifteen years later, Sábato, and a prestigious writer, met his old teacher at a meeting.

Houssay, with the modesty of the greats who do not need to show their greatness, approached Sábato and said:

-“I have a debt to you, Dr. Sábato”

-“No Dr. Houssay. I owe you the possibility of studying in Paris, which awkwardly wasted.”

And the scientist replied:

-“He is wrong. I was lucky that you did not choose science.” And he added:

-“Almost deprived of Argentina of a writer as brilliant, as worthy.” And a hug sealed the reunion.

And a fact, which had to live with the missing writer.

I knew him personally at a round table that we offered on the stage of the Cervantes Theater, here in Buenos Aires. They also integrated the panel the aforementioned Sábato, the Uruguayan writer Mario Benedetti and another Argentine writer whose name I do not remember. And also who speaks to them. In the posterior entertainment, Sábato gave me a personal card. A few months ago I had written my first book “If all men …” with a lot of initial luck. I decided to send a copy to your home …

A week later I received a letter from him. Well, more than a letter, a single line. Said:

-“Thanks for the shipment.” Ernesto Sábato.

Some time later, I decided to write to him, expressing him, since my book contained only aphorisms, I asked him to dedicate 5 minutes to read any page and send me his opinion. Two or three days later I received two handwritten leaves at my home, which summarized them said: -“Leo only what I consider to read, which is not precisely aphorisms, a genre that does not interest me.

If you read every book that new writers like you send me, I would not have time to read the ones I consider to read. Clear. Of course I didn’t like it.

A year later – I saw the writer in a TV program, where I poured conceptual expressions about several of my aphorisms. So, I understood.

Because he had judged him by the form of his letter and not for his content. Obviously I do not have the prestige of Ernesto Sábato, but I receive several weekly books. And I find it impossible to read them all.

I do not have the authenticity of Sábato, but I transformed, when I understood it, my annoying sensation when receiving its first letter in valuation for its authenticity.

That he showed in all his vital career in his almost 100 years of life and in the different activities he carried out.

And to that sincerity and his unbearable behavior, as valuable as his brilliant literary career, I dedicate this aphorism.

“Oppressors are still being born. But they are still born, idealists.”