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July 2001
October 2001
Tijuana Gringo | |
Daniel's Journal | by Daniel Charles Thomas |
28 October 2001. |
"Let me ask you this, Gringo, why are you here? Why are you studying us? Don't you know there are people who don't want you prying into our lives? Why are you writing about us? Don't you have enough to write about in your own people? Why are you chasing fame here instead of on your own side of the border? Are you a failure over there, or a success, that you must now come here to uncover our secrets? What? Why? Who? How?"
Often it is very hard to answer Rudi's questions, he does go on and on and on and on and over and on and over and over and on and over and over and over and on and on; seems sometimes to only want to hear himself talk and talk -- in my case he speaks his practically flawless English, lightyears beyond my Spanish.
I may have made the first steps to the Moon, or even Mars (where I normally live anyway), but my friend Rudi Granada goes back and forth at ludicrous lightspeed between the stars and planets, in either tongue, every time he opens his mouth.
Plus he can cook better than the Devil himself (who tends to overheat some soul foods or suffer others freezer burn as Dante might say posmoderno porque el infierno sí está congelado, no?). People slip quietly into his restaurant on 4th street, knowing they can get a superb meal and not be bothered. Except that Rudi might take it in mind to talk and talk and talk to them....
But on occasion his hunger (Rudi's, not the devil's) for an answer is greater than his own desire to hear himself talk, and so, tonight he pauses in holding court to let me answer....
"I am," I say, "I am a Mexiloco gringo. I love Mexico. I have always loved Mexico. Growing up in San Diego, Tijuana was my stepsister city. Yo soy de la frontera, y...."
But my time has run out. Rudi interupts me with his angry shouting, like he's some damn king or duke who can just yell down whoever whatever whenever, "NO No no No, Gringo, you are an American and you will always be an American, just like all the rest of your people... well maybe not so bad as some...."
AH-HA I think he does like me --
"but still just another gringo...."
He sucks on a white American filter cigarette, blows out a plume of cancerous and lung-rotting fumes... "...and you had better be careful down here...."
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