How Not to Drown in a Glass of Water (42)

But this is interesting too: The boys in the whale family struggle to survive without their mothers. All whales need their mother to eat, but boys more. When the mother dies, the boy whales are three times more likely to die in one year. One year! It’s not a surprise that it is the grandmother that makes sure that every whale in the family eats. That they prove their value after la menopausia. Because not having to make babies makes them focus on taking care of the community. Which tells me that women of a certain age are more valuable to the community. Isn’t it incredible?

Ah, yes, so you believe that women who don’t have babies are valuable too. Ha! Perhaps you are right about this. I see how you are making me think.

This is why I like to spend time with La Vieja Caridad, because she makes me not scared to be old.

The day I saw this documentary with La Vieja Caridad, I smelled the cancer again.

I know the answer, but I asked her again. Did you check the blood to see if you are OK?

She said, Don’t worry about me. I’ve done everything I’ve ever wanted to do. Cara, we must not wait to live the life we want. Find a way to be present with the people you love.

Ya tú sabes, I have told you enough for today.





APPLICATION FOR NATURALIZATION


Department of Homeland Security

U.S. Citizenship Services

Part 7. Biographic information

Ethnicity (Select only one box) Hispanic or Latino Not Hispanic or Latino



Race (Select all applicable boxes) White Asian Black or African American American Indian or Alaska Native





Citizen Test:


14.B. Have you ever been involved in any way with torture?



I mean, if you ask my son he say that I tortured him. He didn’t like when I looked in his hair, and put crema on the cheeks, but they very dry, his skin. Oh, and if I looked in his drawers because I wanted to fix the clothes, he became angry. But what he hides? Stop looking to me, he would say. But who else was I to look at?

14.C. Have you ever been involved in any way with killing, or trying to kill, someone?



No. Never.

14.D. Have you ever been involved in any way with badly hurting, or trying to hurt a person on purpose?



What is this test trying to say about me? I never want to hurt anybody. I am not like Mamá, who make me kneel on rice for looking at her the wrong way.

14.E. Have you ever been involved in any way with forcing, or trying to force, someone to have any kind of sexual contact or relations?



Now how many people answer this question honestly? I see in the news many people in this country—even the priests do bad things and they get the papers.

17. Were you ever a part of any group, or did you ever help any group, unit, or organization that used a weapon against any person or threatened to do so?



One time we put needles on the doll to stop one of the jefes at the factory from doing bad things. Ha! Did it work—he never walked straight again.

30.A. Have you ever been a habitual drunkard?



A few glasses of wine with Lulú. It’s good for the health. The doctors say seven drinks a week is a problem. But two glasses of wine for me, I feel nothing. What do you think?

30.B. Have you ever been a prostitute or procured anyone for prostitution?



Like if somebody buy me a present for sex? Bueno …

30.G. Have you ever gambled illegally or received income from illegal gambling?



I sometimes play números at the bodega.

48. If the law requires it, are you willing to bear arms on behalf of the United States?



Against who?





SESSION TWELVE





I have so much to tell you. You won’t believe what happened this week. So many good things. And so many sad things. But life is like this. I can’t believe this is the last time we meet together.

First, I want to tell you I am sorry I didn’t come to the session last week. You know me. I never take the day off. Even with the pain of the surgery I came to the sessions. Ay, Dios mío, when I tell you what happened you will understand.

Please tell me you did not report my absence. No? Ah, OK. Good. You did the right thing because I need that check.

When you called I couldn’t talk too much because I was very busy. I wanted to call you back, but I was making arrangements for La Vieja Caridad.

It’s very sad. La Vieja Caridad murió in her sleep. The day was beautiful so I took Fidel to a long walk in the park because like babies that need to socialize for emotional intelligence, dogs need to play with other dogs. When I returned, I prepared the toast and the café con leche for La Vieja Caridad and took it to the room, but she was gone. Not cold, but no breath.

This nine days ago.

Yes, I am sorry too. Every day at 4:45 in the afternoon I still wait for La Vieja Caridad to call. I feel the emptiness of La Vieja Caridad. Could you imagine? For over two years, she ate in my apartment almost every day.

But it is better she died in her sleep. La Vieja Caridad was very independent. She said, Cara, the moment you see I can’t defend myself, do me a favor: get a wheelchair, take me to a cliff, and push me off.

Of course, I would never agree to that, but she was talking in serious.

She was lucky because she died the way she wanted. Until the very end she had all her faculties. She never let me forget when I made a mistake with a mandao. She knew everybody’s phone number from memory. Apart of the meals I prepared and the cleaning I did for her, she did everything herself.