Life at the ranch was slow. I woke up late each morning, around 9 a.m. I blamed it on the time difference since we’re two hours ahead of California here. Then I thought it was because my bedroom was rather cool and dark. Finally, I figured it was both plus my lack of a schedule or responsibilities here—no work, no dog to take out for a run, nothing.
I spent my mornings drinking coffee and writing. I visited with other family members. This wasn’t always easy since my aunt doesn’t talk to most of them. Here, like anywhere else, exist the politics of family life. One aunt is angry because the other inherited the family home and some (grown) children don’t talk to their mom because she kicked their father out of the house 30 years ago. People hang onto these issues and despite the fact that they live within a five-minute walk of each other, and in some cases next door to each other, they don’t talk.
My dad mentioned that I should visit my Tia Angela. I went over to her house and introduced myself. She had no idea I was in the country. I got the usual onslaught of questions—How old are you? Are you married? Do you have kids? Do you work? Then I’d answer all of those questions about my brothers and sisters too.
Cousins, Sihifredo and Rosa, and my Tia Angela in the red.
She also badgered me about why I was staying with Socorro and not with her. Rivalries. I was there in time for a late breakfast. That’s when I got my first taste of menudo. I saw the light, bumpy squares of flesh floating in the red broth and I knew I was in for something interesting. I hoped that I’d like it, but I couldn’t take the texture. It was like soft, bumpy octopus. I wasn’t totally sure what I was eating. When I asked what it was, my aunt simply said, “Caldo.” Soup.
She wanted me to sit down, rest my legs and watch TV with her. I didn’t want to. I tried to excuse myself back to my home at Socorro’s. She insisted that I stay. She sat me down on a bed and told me to take my shoes off. She brought me ramen noodles and juice and watched while I ate. I really wanted to go. She said I could leave after I finished some of my noodles. Ugh. So I did and I left, promising I’d come back again before I left. I waited until my last day and went for a brief goodbye. I got stuck there for two hours watching Laura–sort of the Oprah of Mexico. It was time to leave the ranch.
breezybum 