PERSPECTIVES
From Mexico
By Charles E. Moritzky.
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My Place Under the Sun Part II
TlaxcoIt's around 7:30 in the morning. I am awakened by one or more of the kids invading our bedroom to iron their clothes or to solicit help from Chela as they get ready for school. I drag myself out of bed and upstairs to my office to make a pot of coffee.
Quetzal (age 10) and Vidal (age 12) go to a small private school, which is about a mile away, all up-hill. I drive them to school and give them their lunch money and a "Have a nice day." They are a couple of fine boys. They're my sons. It is really a nice way to start the day. The morning air is usually cool and clear. On the way home I have a beautiful view of the snow capped peak of the famous volcano, Popocatepetl, and the adjacent "Sleeping Princess", the dormant volcano, Ixtaccihuatl.
A few days ago I received a letter from someone in Florida saying they liked the article about Chela, my wife, and that I should write more often. I had written the article several months ago and had forgotten about it. The next day I received another letter. People are asking me to write about my life in Mexico. I thought that is what I had been doing. But I guess they were referring to the more personal, day to day stuff, like, Chela is pregnant again. (Don't tell anyone because I'm supposed to keep it a secret.)
When we learned that Chela was "empollando" it was "back to the drawing board". (Empollando literally refers to a hen who is setting on eggs to hatch, but it is also used in referring to a lady with child.) So there was a meeting with the kids to explain that mommy wasn't feeling so good and in August there would be a new little Moritzky. Under the circumstances we, meaning the kids and I, would have to take on the responsibility of the home. Everyone would have chores. Everyone would wash his own clothes and put them away, we would start preparing dinner at 6 and eat around 7 PM. Plus there would be opportunities to earn pocket change. Surprisingly, it has worked for over a month.
I clean and organize my office on Mondays and on Wednesdays I wash my clothes and clean our bedroom. Every evening Quetzal, Vidal and I go out to buy something for dinner, which the kids normally prepare. I help with the dishes and then pick up Chela at her sewing class. Then we all sit down for dinner. When I told Jack, a friend in Oklahoma, that Chela was expecting, he replied, "Be careful or you'll lose your place at the dinner table". That was too close to be funny. Our table seats eight, and Citlali (the youngest) has been relegated back to her high chair. Five kids and two adults, that should leave an empty seat! Wrong.
Around the first of December, as Chela and I were returning from La Ceiba, she timidly advised me that Brandy was on her way here from Oregon and would stay with us for a few weeks, till her mother came for her. It is the 10th of February and no one has an inkling as to how long Brandy will be with us.
Brandy is a cute, very blond, 15 year old. She is also Tavo's (17 years old) girlfriend. One of the conditions of her staying with us was that Tavo move into what used to be my office, in Colonia San Juan. Tavo recently cleaned up a storage room, painted it, and built Brandy a bed, so she has her own room.
Then there is Gustavo, a son of Celestino whom I mentioned in a previous article about Colonia San Juan. Gustavo just returned from legally working five months in the US, shelling oysters. Now he wants to learn English. At 8 PM every day I teach English to Vidal, Quetzal and Gustavo. But Gustavo usually comes early. He helps prepare dinner and then sits down to the table with us. That leaves Citlali the high chair.
So everything is quiet and running well in the Moritzky household. Not exactly. Have you ever tried raising three teenagers? Take Karla, the 14 year old, for instance. At the age of 12 she won first place in the Miss Colonia San Juan contest. At the age of 13 she came in second place in the Miss Tlaxco contest. Last night she won first place in dance competition. I'm not talking about ballroom dancing. It's the modern day teenage stuff. Plus she is the top student in her class. I'm presently trying to teach her to wash dishes and set the table. To get her attention I have had to limit her use of the phone and all but run off the boys that knock on the door (most of them are former students of mine and I take the privilege of being informal). We play hardball every once in awhile. Yet I am depending on her to push me into getting a business off the ground.
The other morning Chela and I were sitting in the Plaza waiting for the regular Monday flag ceremony, which the schools take turns in performing. It is Karla's school today and she is to be the Standard Bearer, which is something of an honor. I look around the Plaza at all the familiar sights and comment, "Chela, this is our home." That's a mouthful for me. I have never been anywhere with any feeling of permanency, or long enough to call home.