Pukovniku nema tko da piše

Nobody to Write to the Colonel is one of the most famous short works by Colombian writer Gabriel García Márquez. The story takes place in a small Caribbean town during a period of political repression following the civil conflict in Colombia.

The main character is an elderly colonel, a veteran of one of the civil wars, who has been going to the dock every Friday for fifteen years waiting for a letter from the government. The state promised him a military pension for his participation in the war, but the letter never arrives. Despite this, the colonel stubbornly believes that justice will be served one day.

He lives with his wife, who suffers from asthma. Both are very poor and gradually sell almost everything they own to survive. Their only valuable possession is a fighting cock, inherited from their son Agustín. The son was killed for his political activities, and the cock is the last memory of him. While his wife wants to sell the animal to raise money for food and medicine, the colonel believes that the rooster's victory in the upcoming fights could change their fate.

The novel depicts a series of everyday situations: visits to the post office, conversations with neighbors, attempts to buy food on credit, and the constant struggle with poverty. Although almost nothing happens on the outside, internal tension grows through the conflict between hope and despair. The colonel refuses to accept defeat and remains true to his own dignity even when faced with hunger.

The work explores themes of waiting, injustice, political repression, and human perseverance. The final scene, in which the colonel answers the question of what he will eat with determination and defiance, is considered one of the most memorable in Latin American literature. The novel is a powerful portrayal of a man who, despite everything, refuses to lose faith in the future.