San Julián. 1982. On that Winter evening in Patagonia Mario arrived to share the table with Exequiel like many times before. It was not the usual face expression of our friend who used to cheer us with his guitar.
-“What is wrong with you, Mario! What a face! Seems you have seen the Devil!”
-“You are not too far…you don’t know what happened…after dropping my bombs in San Carlos I flew North fast and low looking for the sea…”
Mario continued: “-Visibility was reduced with low clouds and squalls. After reaching the coast and the sea I turned West to return to San San Julián and then I saw them. There they were. The silhouette of the missile carrying warships could be seen against the light in background that was shining among the clouds. I was able to see the missile and dodge it.”
He flew close to the frigates and escaped skimming the waves with Western heading.
The only thing I had in hand to jolt down Mario’s information was a paper napkin sitting on the table. I used it to record the Maradona-like maneouver.
Busy painting so many war actions from the Baptism of Fire (of the Air Force) and after a conversation with Mario 30 years later I looked for the napkin and was able to Paint that amazing feat that had a young Air Force pilot, Lt Mario Callejo, as protagonist.