01.12.07 Day 25, Mexico Trip 1

1Day TwentyFive- 01.12.06, Friday

We picked up Juan in the morning and went swimming. It was great to have him for the whole day. He jumped right into calling me “Auntie”. He really is such a sweet kid. I want to buy him all sorts of things he doesn’t need but I am afraid of offending someone. Helio and I went in the evening to buy him a new pair of shoes for school and I feel like I didn’t do enough. Whenever I suggest to Helio that we need to buy him toys he gets upset so I have done my best to control myself.

After we went swimming the four of us went back to Antonio’s house. He bought a few presents for Levi and was so sweet. You can truly see in his eyes how proud he is to have a second grandson. I think his nervous habit is to continue to feed or do stuff for his company. He cut up some coconuts for us to eat with his machete no less (they eat the meat of the coconuts with lime, chile, and salt) and drink, gave me peanuts, and wouldn’t stop offering every beverage he had in his fridge. After I thought he had exhausted all possible things to offer, he quickly sprang up from his chair to water down the garage/kitchen with the hose. I have no idea why. It was just all of a sudden very important to do so.

We then went into Cuautla (the five of us) for dinner. We ate mojarra and coptel de camarones (shrimp cocktail). I tried to ask Juan things about his dad but it doesn’t seem that he knows much about him. Which makes sense because he is always in the United States. I tried to offer what information I knew about him. Things like he built me a fence, he likes to eat vegetables, and he knows how to fix cars. Juan told me his favorite foods are shrimp and beans. Then he kept asking to eat the eyes of the fish I was trying to eat while avoiding the head. Of course, I wasn’t going to eat it so Helio plucked out the eye and little Juan ate it right up. To my surprise, fish eyes are much bigger than they appear. (thinking of this makes me feel a little gag-like, I need to stop)

We walked around downtown and looked for a store for shoes to purchase those school shoes for Juan. It was one of those moments again where you try to down play the whole thing because you don’t want to cry. Antonio gave me a rose, bought the boys these balloon figures and did his best to be a loving father-in-law/grandpa. I think it was a moment for him as well. I couldn’t help be overwhelmed with the feeling that this is “his” family. -Something that he hasn’t come to appreciate until his later years.

As Helio was paying for Juan’s shoes Antonio, Levi and I walked back to the car. Antonio used to work in a government department down here that is similar to the police. I asked him if he knew of anyone still in office that he could talk to on our behalf. He seemed to think that he might. I guess one of his very good friends used to work in the embassy down here and he thinks he could talk to him to see if he could connect himself to someone that could help us. He promised that he and Helio would go to Mexico City to talk to some people and see what they can do. (Wouldn’t that be amazing if it actually helped us). We parted ways in the street and he was crying. I think that is the stamp of approval. I believe I made a good impression. I asked him to “cuida mi esposo” (take care of my husband) He seemed to be thankful to do so. Sometimes it takes a woman to come into the mix to bring to light that which you have in your hands. I could see how he lovingly talked of Helio, his grandsons, and how he would do everything he could to help us in this immigration thing.

When we got back to the house in Jona, we just watched TV (with bad reception and in Spanish but it was Law & Order so it felt a little regular). I finally had to go to sleep and Helio tried to finish the show but fell asleep on the sofa. For a moment there, it felt like we were just any old ordinary family. I had to get up to bring Helio to bed so we would all be rested to pack in the morning and take advantage of our last day. I can’t believe this whole trip is over already. Well, on to pack all the dirty clothes, hopefully everything fits in my suitcases.