Our car rode out of Santo Domingo on a warm balmy evening along the sea wall en route to the town of San Cristobel near the Haitian border. I asked our driver to pause a moment when he reached the 41 kilometer mark. It was a long planned rendezvous with a moment of history with a special meaning called "the adjustment " or in Spanish the adjustimiento.

Many years ago almost to the day, an historic event took place along this road now marked only by a small stone marker with the sign reading 'km 41'. What transpired that night changed the history of the Dominican Republic and our country as well.

  

As the skies drew dark a calmness settled over the land as I stood transfixed at the little marker at kilometro 41. At that very spot so many years ago the brave heroes of the resistance were assembled to wait for the armored Chevrolet that had as its sole passenger on the way to an amorous rendezvous in the mini palace in the town of San Cristobal.

The automobile ferrying El Caudillo sped up as it reached the 41 kilometer mark and was met by a hail of bullets from the rifles and pistols of the resistance.

Generalissimo Hector Molina Trujillo the most despotic dictator of modern Latin American history and the fearsome El Jefe who ruled over the Dominican Republic with an iron fist for almost three decades fell to the ground mortally wounded as he jumped from the rear seat of the by now bullet spattered Chevrolet, but not before firing his last shots in anger at the intruders.

By now 'The Goat' was dead and the resistance group breathed sighs of relief as their long laid plans to rid the Republic of tyranny came to fruition.

   

The soirée at the splendid home of the Dominican born fashion designer Oscar de la Renta and his wife Francois, a person so genuine and welcoming was in full swing as the full moon hovered over the Caribbean landscape.

I was an invited guest as an executive of the Gulf and Western Company which owned sugar lands and resort properties in the Dominican Republic and through the foresight of its chairman Charles Bluhdorn had built the stirring complex known as Casa de Campo on whose beachfront the De La Renta house was situated.

  

There was light music playing as background and the guests mingled with a rum cocktail and some pre dinner canapés prepared personally by Francois who told me all of the light fixtures in her villa were bought at Crate and Barrel. I looked over at a corner of the large and spacious sitting room and noticed amidst the animated conversationalists a small well dressed man with a small moustache who was at the center of attention. I asked Francois 'who is that gentleman' with such a regal bearing.

She almost knocked me in her response 'Why of course that's Luis Amiama Tio one of our dear friends.' Of course! One of the leaders of the resistance who stood fearlessly that evening at kilometer 41 and led the assassination of The Goat.

  

What a coincidence and what an astounding moment. I walked over to Luis and introduced myself and that began a friendship all centered around that evening we both spent in different pursuits at kilometer 41.