Never Marry a Mexican —_ Never mary a Mexican, my ma silence and aways. She sa ‘hs because of my father She id thi though be was Mescan too. But she was acer inthe U.S, and be was torn there nits mt the sume, you Ino never mary. Not any men ve kaown men 0 intimates ve wins thse nfielies, a Tve Belge ther ti. Ur ripped and unbaked and agreed to clandestine manesners. Te teen accomplice commited premeditated crimes, Tim guly of ingcaused diet pin tothe women. vnc andra adm cpable of anything Tad there was ate when aT wanted west el nun. To wea thot gl bad on et nd and be warn on is tim ke an expensive Jewel brillant inthe Mgt of ay. Notte Scaling aroun dn lent bats that ll ke he same redesrpets ich lackgrlluork design, fc wallser, ween tran wheel igh tures th urcane lampshades sick mer Csr ie the dilng ses yoa get for eat a atoms ‘Dark brs, dark restaurant then, And if not—ay parent, vith his extras Sly plane in he errs ber Khe @ Augen the Noth Pte. The bod igbecte he never stayed the wile night OF earse noe Barowed Tha hw Te had my men Jt he ram skimmed ff the tp. Jn the sweet pt ofthe rt, witht the iter shin that ly ving with spas an tend They e cme to me when they wie the eet mest then Sama Fvenever matted nd never wll Notecaue Icon’, at beceote imo rranti fr matige Mariage us led me, you cou sy, Nota min exists who hast spinel me, wh coal erat ve the way Ive love. Is bene Ibe too much im mareige shat don. Better 0m than Tea Mexican me, fret For lang tne the men easing of the tables o happiest behind he Bucher oun ding the tus I rode school every dy those werent men. Not men 1 easier spent overs. Mien, Puerto Risin, Cubs, CChiesn, Cobmbin, Panamanian, Saidoeen, Haan, Hon den, Argentine, Domoicn,Veneniela, Guten, Esa rein, Nearguin, Peuvan, Cote Rion, Pargunyan, Un uayan, I dnt eae. never sw thm. My mother dl this to me guess she di to spate me and Kine the pln she went trouth Having mara Mescan man at seventeen Having had {to pu up with al the gee « Mexican Family cam pot an gel Iai she was frome ar ao, theater side, a my father had marie down by marying er. I he bad maid + white woman from «eee ldo, that wouldve been diferent. That would've brea maeying up, een if he white gil was poor. Bat whe could be more scl than a Mesican gl who cist «ven speak Span, who di’ know enh ose separate lite for eich couse a dine, or how ol clth napkins, nar how toset the shernie In my mas house the plates ere alays tached in the centerhe al, the knives and forks and pons standing in help youself All the dishes chipped reach and nothing matched ‘Ad no tblecleth, eve, And newspaper stn the ble whenever ny grandpa ied watermelons, and ow embarrased she woul te when her boyiend my abe, would come over and there were newspapers ll over the hchen rand eable. And my grad tig hardworking Mexican mn, sing Came, cane and eat, and ling «big wedge those dark ren watermelons, 2 big slice. te wasn't stingy ith fod. Never, een during the Depesion ‘Came, come and et, t whoever came Rocking the back dor. Hobos siting atthe diner table andthe chien staring and staring Beause my grader sas mae ure they never went hou, Flour nd ie, bythe Breland by the sack, Potatoes Big hago pinto betas, And watermelons, bought thie a oar 2 tne, lla unde his bed and Brought out when you les x fected My grandpa had sued three was. ape Mexican, smo Amicon and hebrew what Ising wit ant. He be. My ater, on theater hand i ot. True, when he frst came to this country he had worked sheling clans, washing dishes. lenin ds, st on he Back of he usin Lite Rock and had thus dive shut, Yous up heresy Eber had shaped shephly and wi, No speak Engh, But he wat no econo rege, na immigrant fesing 2 wae My ftber ran away Kom hire Bene be ws aa of aig is father afters es year grades atthe uniersy proved ed spent noe tine fing tod han sadn, He Behind abou in Mexko Ck that war nether pe noch, bur cought sel beter than oth Ay who would ge 2 Bas when he sow git he [ye board if he i've the money pay her fe. That as the weld my ater et ein imagine my Ether i ofan lates, Bese thats what te waa fener, Thats hat ny terete moment ‘she turned around w the vice that was aking be wo dice A hig show of, shi yyat later, Nothing but tg so. Bu she never sald why She mari am. My fern shark ue sus th he starched handhercle inthe best eck, his er, us tweed pest with he bg shoul, and sry Bich wing. ‘ps wih he ple desgn on the hel and oe. Cle that cet 1 lx. Expensive. Thats what my fathers things sd. Cala ashe My futher mane fund the U.S. Mevicans very ssa, 40 forign fom what he Kaew a home in Mexico City where the servant served watermeln ab a plate with siveeware ad 3 eth napkin, ce mangos wih thrown special pangs No ike this ating with your legs wie open i the yard o nthe chen hupheredoerpenspapes. Cone, cme ada No nee iets How Lake my vig depends. Somes workas tran. Sometimes 1 ge pld by the word and smetines by the er ependng an the pb do his inthe dy, and tng pin Fd (anything in the day uss La Beep on ping T work a subtate teacher, to, ft the Stn Antonio Inde pendent Schaal District. And thats worse thin taping those trae brochures wich thee ny prin, blew me.I ci tind ds. Not any ge Bape te ent Ay way you lk a, what I to mabe vig isa fr of. rostuton People sy, "A pine? How ni,” and want ite Inet hee pares, ave me decorate the awn ean ei chit Fer hire. But do they by at? Tm amphiics. 'm a person who dosnt beng to any ln, The rich ew have me sound bess they eney my crs, they know theca by tht. The por do mind ein thet reigborhod bcase they know Tyo ike hey a, even nyelucaton andthe way Ides hep us words part. dont long toany class Not the pone. whose neighorhoo! I share. Noto the ich, who cme tomy enone and by my week. Not the ile clas rom which my witer Ximena aT When [as young, when Girt eft ome nd rented that apart vent with my ser and er Kd ght afte ee husband le, 1 thouahtt would be glamorous bean artist. T wanted 0 Be ke Frida or Tina was ey tse with ny camera and my pnt twushes in that awful apartment we rented fr S50 exch because ‘tha high eins aod the wonderful gs hgh that con since us we ad have it Nevermind thece wasn sak the Bathe, and ab tit kd ikea sarophaus ond Aorta, thatddntnet, and aalinytoseteamaythe dead But fourteen feelings wts enough fr wo write check forthe dept right then and there. We thought all aman. You Low the Hace, the one on Zaeamora on tp ofthe Barbershop withthe Cassa pints of the Messin Revautin. Neon minnie Teper ‘ui sign round the caeer, two pats Knocking their Reads to ether, and all those Mec bake, Las Bras or devs Janes an arias bb om Suds, nd es Frat lk ‘Shakes, and mango pla, and more sigas Im Spanish than in Englth. We thought wa res, reat The bro ooked cure in the dytme, ike Sesame Ste. Kids opscachingon the sew lead ile bagers, And hardware tres that til oldest feather dusters and whale fies marching ou of Our Lady af Guaclupe Chtch an Sundays el i hele swe whi dress natn leather shes, bys in thei des Stay and shi shits Burgh, tat wos pthing He what we knew up. he meth side, Pl ging ff ike he wl, wld West, aa me ana Ximena {nthe his dled in ne bed with the iho Tsteing ot I, saying Go lec Ines, ust feerackers. But we Ane Teter Ximena woul 2. Clemencia. maybe we shuld yp Bane Tv ‘And day. Sit! ecaae she bnew 5 wel a dither wat m0 Tome to go home 1a. Nat with ea moter. Nat wth that man she Imarted. Ate Daddy ed tw he we didnt mater. Lie Me was so busy fing sory fr ers do's know. Tne ke ines. sl havent worked oat tral hs tine, ven hough ur mother’s dead now. My half betes sing in tht Bouse tat Should've been ours me ad Xmen But tht how doy say water under the dam? ca ever pt he sping ght even though mas brn in this county. We ida’ sys ie that in our bow ‘Once Day ms one, 5 lke my madden, he he ed, wo, Lud to hase 2 tle Sch, wd one of i iy od leg etmcen the bas ofthe age one, who knows how, The leg just ed up and ell a. My ved ong tine witht i ust sl ed tampa eg He sie, cally My mathe menory 15 Me tha, ie something already de! did wpa fl 8, td I stopped msi where she ia be. Like never had ¢ mother. Ad Tn not ashamed ts thee, When she red that white msn, and be ands bye moved nto my abe se {war at she stopp eng my meter. Like never even had Ma always sick and too busy woryng about her own if, she would've sald ws othe Del f be cold “Besse | martial 30 ung, mje” shed a. "Becae your fits, he was much ler than me, and I never bad hance 0 be young. Honey, ty tounderstand "Then fd wp Isening That man she met at wat, Owen Lambert, the foreman atthe Phorofinishing plat, who she wae seing even while my Father os sek Ever then. That what fat ge ‘When my father was oaghing up Hr ad peg i the hoe pita half his face fave, and is tones fit he colin alk Te Kenked so small wih lth ues and plac sacks danglingaround him Bat what F remember most the smelt death ws aleadysitigon his chest. And Tremember he dco scraping the pgm out of my ater mouth with a white wach and rey dy gazing and 1 want opel, Sop, you sop eat, es ny dah. Gln yu, Make him ve Dad. dot. Not Pet yet at et. And how cold Bld ysl up, 1 cout hold ‘meu Like ihedbetenmeoalledmy asiesout through ny nos lik if they'd sled me with chnamon and cloves and [just tod theredry-eed next to Ximena and my mathe, Ximena between us case T wouldn't let her sand next me rerene repeating oer nd ov the Ave Maza apd Pate Ns tos. The priest sein Holy water, mum i am DDeew,cemember when vou edt call me your Maal? was oe, «priate are betwen ws, becuse you Inked ike 2 (Crt with hat bed of yours. My shin rk agaist yous Beau ‘ful, you sid. You sed I as beau, and when you sid, Drew, was ‘My Matnll Malice, my courtesan, you sian yanked my head back by the Brad Calling me tht mane in betwen ie sls of Breath andthe rw Kiss yo give, laughing fom that ac bed af yous Betore daybreak, you'd be gone, same as always, bir even new And it was ae Tl aie yo, only the tet marks com my bel and pls proving me wrong Yar shin pal, bt our hal blacker shana pirate. Malina, you cil me, remeber? Midrand when you spoke to toe in my language, I oul! hve myself and hk myself worth loan ‘our sn Dae ek how mach had wo oth hs Mth? 1 asthe ne who convinced oto et him be Bor. Di yo tl ‘nm, his mater ey an her back oberg ih yin ‘is moter id ming net ou You nothing without me.I ereated you fom pit and vd dust And 1 can sna you beeen my ge ad thumb want to Bw yout kingdom coe. Youle jst a smd f pnt | chine to bth on amas. And when Imad you oe, you weve no ogee A pat of et, you were all mine. The landscape of your body tut asadrum. Thebeart beneaththathidetheurangandhrammsog. Not an inch iI give back T pln and repaint you the way I sce, eve sow. Afterall hese years Did you Anow tit? Lite fil. You think I went obbling along with my ie, whimpering and whining ike some tangy countrvandweern when you went bik to her Bat Foe been wating, Maing the weed loka ou fom my ees. And hats ot poe, what? Nights ght all he candle in thea, the neo La Virgin Guadalupe, the one E1Nio Fd, Don Pedi Jamil, Sana Nio de Auch, Nuss Sera de Sn Juande ks Laps, and especialy, Sant Li, wth er bel yen plate ‘our eyes ar beau, you sid. Yous they were the dkst es utd ever sen and hsed each ne they ere eagle of miracle. And ter you le | wate sp them ou wth 2 spoon, lace them on ate under thee be sie, a or the Macs “The boy, your on. The one withthe Face of that redheaded woman whois you wie. The by aed ie fish sing om the shin of water. That by ve been wating patent a sider all these years, snc wat inten adhe wa ata hovering nis ters hed. dm the neta av him permission and ade it happen, see Because you ater wanted eve your mither adie with ime, Your mother whining fra chlo leat shar. And he kept.| | | | | | | | JOoTWERE was 4 ot4N, THERE WAS A WoMan saving, Later, wel se ne, But al along as me he mnted to be with 0s me, hes want tll yu this evenings when you come see me. When out fl of alk stout what hind of late ou ging buy fd what you wed to be Hke when you stared highschool and Uthat you ke ow tatu almost fed. And how ey nos you a8 «rocker, and your Bad and your new red guitar that you us go because our moter gave Youve, 2 itr te aca, but you don't eed cat, 8 oo, Because I de you Cverywher. You soul be my son if ou weet so ghe inne “This happened. longtime ag. Before you were born. When you were # mth nse your tater’ ear was your father’s Stent, ps jut like yxre mine sow. And yur Father pited pune me, eco esi, Kwa bi dr, al olden and Sam baked, and that’ the hind of woman e kes best, the ones Town a rer and yen. Ae fok me under Bs wing in tie bed this man, this cache, you father. Has honred that ed done me the fave Iwas that young {AIL Kw is was leping with your ther the night you were born. fn the same where oa were conned I a seen wih your father ar dd’ oe 2 dam about tat woman, sour noe If she wa rowan win ke me might ve harder time living with mye bat since shes no, doa care mas there st, vas ean een here tthe itor nde is shin inthe Bed, bef you were Brn. And he's Been Bere in fay heat Before I even Knew hi. Understand? He's ays ben tere Always. Dislig ike bcos Sower, exploding bhe 2 rope into dust. Go care what’ sight anymore. [doce abt is wife She's at my ster ‘Andi rhe lit ine slept with 2 man she night is ie Ising baby Why do tht I wonder? Sleep with 3 min tnhes bs wie ving, being sce by 2 Rng ts yes Th shut. Why do tha? Is abays een me a Bf eray J 12 ‘be ale ol those women ke thi, without ter Loong ft To know Te had cher bushunds when they were anchored tn Be pital om, thei gts yanked ise out the baby suching thee treats wile thee husband sucked mine ll his while thee 35 siches were sil hurting (Once, drunk on mara leone your fther at ou in the moring, woke the bitch up Hella, se hired want tlh {0 Drew, Just 2 moment she sain her mot ite drawing oom English Jost» moment lughed et that fr weeks What stupid ass to pss the phone overt the lg sleep bese her Excuse me, bine, ou, When Drew mumbled helo wat aaghing so hard T could hardy al. Drew? Tht dum bch of « wife of yours 1 sid. and tha ll could manage, That stp stupld stupid No Mexican woman woud reac ike that. Face re, hones I rch me up He's tthe same hind f ip, the ty. Al the ble veins pale sd clea just He bs maa. Skin ike rset in December. ety tay. Lite one Lite ells spit int ou and you and you. Tel te, bay, which prof you 8 your ther. 0 imagine her lps, hee jaw, he lang longs hat wrapped themeley sound "hs father who tk me obs bed This happen Um alep. Or pete ob You've watching sme, Drew: fel your weght when you sah the cone ofthe be, rete and ey wg. But now sole jut witching me sep. Nothing. Nota word. Not Kis, Jost sting You're taking rein, unde inspection. Wht do ou think lea)? haven’ sapped dreaming you Di you know tha? Bo joshk ang nee gh, epitome > Shera i 0 eal yeu [oe yo king ane 1s nj ing me whe Tey lepen yes gh ou “te Wha tw Wh? Nati oe Lear erm god a Wik Fw th weds ei mtn Th ara eh alloe oi Chew cll hve beenietl et Mer covar Cane fel bed a es the 1 eyo fe le Fo tren Fr ech ote eth at gy You sche md Ne da ptm wt ye How aia se Ye omuch cing b Nesbit yw bu bebe ve etamee bata My. see brats min ‘fer all hese yeas: {did't imagine iP A Gangs am eye ofthe storm. Fer & fice, When we for ouseles.you tage me, 1 Tap isle you and opt you lke am apie. Opened for dhe ober tok and not tie bck, Something wrenched self le. You body des i tle ike ou Nore nade a «peat Youve st your tn of ake, Youre tees as tain. HET pot you in my mouth you'd ase the a were ashamed be mi Pl back Bat 8 on foray ae nen yuo rel fe When Ya sec eal het ous gh Hwa ht ech oe Breh Fnny hen ou sp ow ed me mar yon You sah in hed tse. ec le eye T Watching yo sigh ad rl and sum and og me closer to you. ido sleep 1 ws eign tht time Your mater? Only once. Years aftr your fther and F stopped secing each ther A amt exhtin. show onthe photgaphs of Eugine Ate. Those ope, I cel ok hem a ours Fd taken 4 group of stents with me 1 was your ater Hs fst. And i that nstan fle a veryone in he em llth epi on poyrap, my sade, ‘he men in busines suis, the igh hele women, the security tats, everyone, could see me fr what twa. dw suey ou lead yi 0 another galery, but sme things destiny hos cut ut for v0 He caught up with sin te costcheck ace, ao in arm wth 2 redheaded Barbie dll ins fr coat. One of those scary Dalat "yes alr unk nt 3 pny, bg shiny fc ie the women behind the cosmes counters at Neiman’. Thats what | remem ber She must ben with hia along nly swear Teves ter uni that econ You oul ell fom slgh hesitancy, ony sgh because bes teosune toes, that hewasnerous, Then be wlkng toward me aT dd kw what od, ost tnd there dazed ie tose ‘nial rss the od at night when the eng st them, And I don't now why, bull of sudlen I oked at my shes df ashamed at bow ld they lek. And comes pt me, ny love, your father i da wap of with hat grin that makes se want to beat hi, makes me want o make lene to him and be {97 the most sincere vie you ever het, "Ab, Chenencia! Ths is Megan” Na itaducton cou ve been meaner. Thi i Meza. Just ke eat "sinned ke a handheld ot my pam Hel, Megs-_-—_ ‘nds wo mach the wy so do when ou cnt stand smtone “Then I goth hell ut of there, chain Tike » mney all he side bck wth my bs. When [x ome Thad ie dew with {old washcth on iy fchead and the TV on. AIT could bee throbbing under the wash i tha deep pet bebind my es This Megan ‘Ad thas bow 1 aslep, withthe TV aman every gt in the hose burning, When I woe up was smehing ike three in the morning. 1 shut the hts and TV and went to get same ‘prin andthe cats, wha ben lop mith mean the couch, gt tp 0 and flowed ve into the ath af they Knew whats Cebu. And then they fllwed in nto bed, where they are Tamed, ba hime jus et hem, eas and al. “This hygpened ton weve aot making tis up sal ue wa the last tne 1 a ing tobe with our father. We hd aazced. Al for the best. Sorel cad se that, could’. My en gue. A pot spt A yong ie me, Had undesod esponslis, Bee, he could ner mary me. You did. Chink 7 Never many a Meseas, New mary « Mexcen No of coors nat. Hee ee ‘We hate house to cures fr 8 ew is, who knows how. ‘You and your her bad gone somewhere. Was it Crista? 1 don remem. Tremere he Fed pw he mk glass abn the Alnngtom table. Tad ment inventory of everthing. The egyptian lus design onthe hinges cf the dors. The arom, dak Iull where ou father ad had made love one. The ourawed tub whete he had wate my hair and ised ¢ with bo “This windw. That counter, The bedronm wih sight sm the nonin incest ie he bgt fn a plished ime The house wes immaclate, slays, nasty Biranrwhere, ota lake of dena oa crumpled tome. Eten the roses onthe ining able ld thee breath. A Kind of aes cleanliness that lays made re wat see ‘Why was Ts cursus abou hi woman belied wth? Ener time went tothe thom. ound myself opening the ene Cable, king all the hing hat were here Her Este Lauder lipsticks. Corals and pinks, of corse, Her mil plihes—mawe ‘asa braveas she could wer. Hecatton al and on apis. A pat tne clred sheep sper, clean athe dy shed Tape them, On the dor books white abe with & ane 14 ‘acy label and lly night wih peal batons. 1 che fhe Fabris. Clad, Quay 1 do hrow howto expan what Idd next. While our ater was as nih htche, I went overt where lee my backpack, and took outa bog of gunay bears Fd bog. And wile he was Sanne yes, Let around thes rl lt el of them in places I wa re Ae woul dtm. One in ace makeup onanzer. One sald isd ac bet mil pis unwise the eypensve pti othe ul length nd emused eat on the op before recapping dhe. even pu uy eat in het Alpha cae inthe vey center ofthat recent reer moon ‘Why ber? Dew cold ae the lime Orbe oly was ‘he cleaning woman’ Mexican wn I he tat. I dnt rater. T got «stage satiation wandering abt the house Tea them places only she wou! lok ‘Ard jas as Drew was shouting, “Diner” eon the desk ‘One of those wood Babs dls Dew ha roght hee Fm is rip to Rusia nw, Hed bout one ust their me "ys dd what 1 i uncapped the lind 2 dell nie = ur T tw the sry eet, the tines by isd all the ers, and hs replaced witha umey bet Ad shen Ip thehas bac, jst hie Td fund ther, oe oie the athe, ise the oer. Except fr the bby, which I pu ise my pocket. All through diner kept reaching ithe pocket of my jan jacket, When I touche, mde me feel od (nthe way hae, en the brie oer the are an Gusdaupe Set, stoped the ca, svtched onthe emergeny Blinkers. pt fut and droped the wean toy ito that muy creck where trios ps and ats ai, The Baie dls oy stewing there in that mack, It give me eng like nothing before ad sos “The {done heme and lp ike the dead. “These morning, fx lle forme, al the oy thik oF hat woman, aT cant ee «tice of my ve Oban 26 She conceived him by immaculate cnet T sleep with thi Bey, hee sn. To mak the by ave me the see lone his father. To male hin want me, Banger wis 0 hs Sleep, as bed swallowed ls 1 put hein my mouth. Hee, Tin pce of my ors. Boy with had thighs and ust bi of hw ad mall ard doway 5 ike hs father’, are hat back likes valentine. Come eve, mt cre, Come mami. Here's sic of {ean frm the way he ks ae, 1 ve Bi my omer ‘Come, spr, Ihave the patece of eri. Came to mimi My stu ite bid I doit move I et stare him Ht him ible A ll for you. Rub ht Bly Stoke hin Before I snap ry teh Who cise me hat makes mes cay at 24.319 Lan’ tame icon alc my ad when here any. Hs something snrse. Something thi pions the Hod and nips me when the sth oa andl ifthe hd sy wer eg pt my brain. ‘ “ Ard id oman gt ie ht? And sme il tee gly rtig ne a of res soc yd, tse, Tbe ag wth end {a taps dy bck che aly Suc Tn sy dart ep 1 nt me wh wan il: When the yf the net as and wpe the ibe sae Ad that when ran of yee That hee the ep dango et. The hing tiene So What do you thnk? Are you convinced now Ti tay 38 2 lipo 3 tx? AS vagrant land? Sometimes the sky 55 ant el ita ight. That’ ‘he problem with being cd. The ay is tery big, Why ie ‘it worse at igh, when Fhe such an urge to ammanicte td language with which wo frm the words? Only cols. Pitt Ad yu know what Ihave ts always plant ‘Oh ove there Fe ga and dene it. What gd? Gad or ad, Te done wha Thad pd needed ta, Ad youve answer ‘he phone, an stared me aay lie a st Ad now Jo's pd sbiy easing under our beth ad pogbktoslep, with that Wife beside you, warm, eating het own eat, alive unde the Aanne and down an sling tie milk and had ream, ed that sell amie and det you, oh Human beings pss meen the sect, aT want t reach ot ‘strum them a they were itis. Sametines al amity steht meas bey. just want each ot and stoke emeane andy There, ser, i ll ght, hone. There there there.Sandra Cisneros | ont ANd Hole cx ews and Other Stories