Editor-In-Chief
BROWNSVILLE, Texas - Consuelo had taken a job at a Tex-Mex cafe in Harlingen and so every day she would get up early, bathe, dress and hit the road in her battered 1978 VW. Behind, she left her boyfriend and father of her last two children. The fight about him getting a job had ended - what? - a year earlier. He was in bed as the day's first light cleared the bottom-half of their cracked bedroom window. She combed her hair into place, looked in the old mirror in the bathroom and turned to walk out. The front door needed new hinges and paint, but it kept the loose dogs out at night.
"Bye," she said in the direction of her man and got nothing in return.
By noon, she had worked most of her shift, and as the lunch crowd arrived, Consuelo thought it was great to be employed, to work, to have something to do. She had no idea how a man like her boyfriend, Emilio, could do nothing day after day after day. There was no way he was going to help around the house. He'd taken the kids to her mother's house and likely had the old lady make his breakfast. Emilio was one of several thousand Brownsville men doing nothing. "Huevones," is what the church called them. Consuelo's brothers called Emilio worse names, not that he gave a damn.
"I'm on unemployment, Mama," the uncouth Emilio would say to Consuelo. "I make more money than you by doing nothing!" He was right. A woman in a neighboring town had long-ago stopped trying to collect child-support from him. Emilio looked like the quintessential Mexican, fat and stocky, bearded, his cleanest dirty shirt always worn like some prideful ethnic flag.
At work, Consuelo again felt the glances from one of the cooks, a man some 15 years older who seemed to be a nice person. He'd said he was divorced and living alone. Once, she remembered, he'd made what she thought was a pass at her. But Consuelo had blown it off, thinking it best not to think about it. Here, he was bringing her a soda and a soft taco.
And then he'd said something about getting together after work for a drink. Consuelo had shaken her head. It had been years since she'd been asked out for a drink. This man seemed so nice. She smiled and said nothing. The cook went back to work and Consuelo floated out into the dining room to wait on an arriving couple. It was work. She felt good doing it. She enjoyed her job. Consuelo had not had a week off in 15 years. She took the couple's order and walked back to submit it. The cook smiled at her again. Well, she thought.
At shift's end, she walked out toward her car in the employee parking spaces behind the eatery and spotted the cook waiting by his car, which was alongside hers. "So," he said in a friendly voice, "...do we go?"
Consuelo said yes...
- 30 -
14 comments:
(Actress/Funnywoman Whoopie)
She's had a "thing" for famous white boys, for quite a long time. I mean, how come I've never seen her photographed with the likes of Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington or Eddie Murphy? Next we'll hear of her having an affair with David Letterman.
ralph
Say, I just figured out something which may be of interest. Ted Danson a Jew. Mel Gibson a Catholic. hmm!
ralph
RALPH:...Whoopie dated Ted Danson for several weeks. Hmmm......You may have something there... - Editor
Ah Consuela, for once say "yes" to the good guy. He may be boring and sweaty, wearing a dirty shirt, but his dirt and sweat are honest. Any man who looks out for you, brings you a taco when you're hungry, is kind and considerate. That's the man for you. Kick the other dog to the curb and share your life with a real partner.
Unfortunately some women like the bad boy, the rebel, the non-conformist who is a little bit dangerous and gets their juices flowing. Sadly those guys are usually "huevones arrastrados".
What is it about women falling for the worst kind of guy while disregarding the homely looking "cooks" in this world? Nah, it's a rhetorical question, I don't expect a satisfying answer.
Yes I'm a "cook".
Chris
CHRIS:...Biblical scholars blame it on Lilith, Adam's first wife in the Garden of Eden. Lilith wanted more from their relationship and when Adam wouldn't come through, Lilith bolted. Eve on the other hand was the compliant partner. Ever since then, women have sided by Lilith - wishing the exciting and disdaining the passive; hence, the Good Wife taking it and taking it and taking at home. But, then, there are the exceptions, so...who really knows what women want?... - Editor
(That mountain he was climbing, however, has no summit.)
Sadly your opinion. But he'll be back, and quite proudly at that.
ralphy
Guackatelas y fuchila de Pollo...
Whoopie Golberg [ Jew, or what ?]is just plain Ugly and with a Low - self steem and an Inferiority complex... She's just trying to get Extra attention with the surrounding White Guys. Sounds like the Natives From The AmerIndian Reservation from Rancho Grande Valley.
Soft Flour Tacos are " El Cucuy "... They Make your Fat, Soft and give you Bad ideas !!!
Well, Consuelo took it for too long. South Texas has plenty of bums. Overweight, with no skills, looking for some crazy gal to support the sobs.
Do a little profile, go to the local restaurants and when couples goes to pay, look who pays. The "Consuelos" pay, the women that are wishing and hoping that the bum will change, but he won't.
ANONYMOUS:...Nice observation. And I also notice that men around here never help their women with the chairs at restaurants, nor do they reserve their sole attention to their women. But just let some guy look at their gals in a sexual way and, well, the guns come out... - Editor
Patrick, some of these fools want the woman to pay for dinner, to drive them around, to pull the chair out for them, roll in the hay with them, buy them cigarettes, some look like they are preagnent, in simple word, and please forgive my lady manners;no valen madre, y no sirven para pura ching%&*%da. And that is that, tell like is.
That taquito is making hungry. Chicken tacos on corn tortillas with plenty of veggies, and a cup of coffe. Doesn't get any better than that.
Patrick, the next time you are in Harlingen, the chicken tacos at Las Cazuelas are finger liking good. Plenty of veggies, and by the way, they sell wine and mix drinks.
It isn't the prettiest rest. in town from the outside, but okay in the inside, the food is okay.
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