Down to the Bone (34 page)

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Authors: Mayra Lazara Dole

Tags: #Juvenile Fiction, #Social Issues, #Homosexuality, #Lgbt

BOOK: Down to the Bone
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“Me too!”

“You two sure know how to keep a secret!” Soli blasts.

We all get into the groove of the music. Gisela undulates her hips, turns, and moves around me with arms graceful as a butterfly.

I grab Tazer’s arm and pull him to us. Viva joins Soli, Gisela, Tazer and me in a dance by the wall I painted of her and her favorite saint, Santa Barbara. They’re floating in neon-pink lounge chairs on aqua blue ocean waves, wearing small, square tangerine-colored sunglasses, and eating grapes.

While on tippy-toes, Viva wiggles her bootie out of control. “I no tell Soli that it was Giselita you be seeing. I wanted her to be surprised.”

“Sneaks!” Soli laughs.

I tell them in full detail what went down at my mom’s, then pull Tazer closer to me. “I’ll hang with you in the streets now. Sorry I was so dense to not have done that before. Will you ever forgive me?”

“No apologies. I totally get it. Tomorrow, we’re hitting the town!”

An intense emotion takes hold of me as I wrap myself in Viva’s and Soli’s arms. “I love you guys. You’re my family.”

Viva’s smile glistens in the dim light of the living room. “You is my little daughter, Shylita. Your mami will come around. You will see,
mariposita
.”

“Sisters for life,” Soli remarks.

I glance out the window and see the humidity fog begin to lift. I look at all my friends and Gisela’s smile and feel a fog lifting from me, too.

A mild breeze with the smell of rain fills the room. I feel warm and deeply loved. This is where I belong. Finally, I feel understood and loved, right down to the bone.

Glossary of Cuban Pronunciations

 

Abuela
\ah-boo-eh’-la\ grandmother

 

Apartamento
\ah-par-tah-men’-to\ apartment

 

¡Ave María!
\ah-veh mah-ree’-ah\ Cuban exclamation similar to “Holy Mary!”

 

¡Ave María Purísima!
\ah-veh mah-ree’-ah poo-ree’-see-mah\ Cuban exclamation similar to “Holy mother of God!”

 

¡Ay!
\i\ oh!

 

¡Ay, Dios mio!
\i, or ah’-e dee-os’ me’-o\ oh, my God!

 

Ay, gracias a Dios
\i, or ah’e grah’-see-ahs ah dee-os’\ oh, thank God

 

¡Ay, madre mía!
\i, or ah’-e’ mah’-dreh mee’-ah’\ Cuban saying similar to “Oh, my goodness!”

 

Ay, mi madre
\i, or ah’-e’ me mah’-dreh\ Cuban saying similar to “Oh, my goodness ”

 

¡Ay, Santa María madre de Dios!
\i or ah’-e sahn’-tah mah-ree’-ah mah’-dreh deh de-dee-os’\ oh, holy mother of God!

 

Balsa
\bahl’-sah\ raft

 

¡Bárbaro!
\bar’-bah-ro\ Cuban saying similar to “Fantastic!”

 

Barrio
\bar’-re-o\ Latino neighborhood

 

Bella
\bel’-lyah\ Beautiful

 

Bene
fine, in Italian

 

Besito
\beh-see’-toh\ little kiss

 

Bocadito
\bo-cah-dee’-toh\ finger-food, appetizers

 

Bolero
\bo-leh’-ro\ a Spanish dance and musical rhythm

 

Caca
\cah’-cah\ poop

 

Cacharro
\cah-char’-ro\ old jalopy

 

Cafecito
\cah-feh-see’-toh\ Cuban espresso shots

 

Café-con-leche
\cah-feh’ cone leh’-cheh\ Cuban breakfast drink of espresso, milk, and sugar

 

Caldo
\cahl’-do\ broth

 

Caliente
\cah-lee-en’-teh\ hot

 

Casquito de guayaba
\cas-kee’-to deh goo-ah-ya’-bah\ guava in light caramel

 

Cebollitas
\seh-boh-yee’-tahs\ fried onions

 

Cha-cha-cha
sensual Latin dance with complicated rhythms

 

Chica
\chee’-cah\  Cuban saying for “girl,” literally means “A little girl”

 

Chorizo
\cho-ree’-soh\ sausage. Cuban slang for “penis”

 

Churro
\choo’-roh\ long, deep-fried doughnuts with sugar coating

 

Claves
\clah’-veh\ Latino musical “sticks” that keeps the rhythmic timing in beats for the band

 

Comemierda!
\co-meh-me-err’-dah\ Cuban slang/obscenity with similar meaning to “Asshole!” literally means, “Shit eater”

 

Come stai?
Italian for “How are you?”

 

Croqueta de pollo
\cro-keh’-tah deh poh’-yo\ chicken croquettes

 

Croquetica
\cro-keh-tee’-ca\ little croquette

 

Degenerada
\deh-heh-neh-rah’-da\ degenerate

 

Descargamos
\des-car-gah’-mohs\ we jam (as in a “jam” session with a band)

 

¡Dios mío!
\de-os’ mee’-o\ my God!

 

Elefantico
\eh-leh-fan-tee’-co\ little elephant

 

El hijo de puta
\el ee’-ho deh-poo’-tah\ the son of a bitch

 

El mes que viene
\el mess’ keh ve-eh’-ne\ next month

 

Empanada de carne
\em-pa-nah’-dah deh car’-neh\ meat pies

 

Enamorada
\eh-nah-mo-rah’-dah\ in love

 

Espiritu y santo
\es-pee’-re-to ee sanh’-toh\ spirits and saints

 

¿Estàs loca?
\es-tah’s lo’-cah\ are you crazy?

 

Fabuloso
\fah-boo-loh’-so\ fabulous

 

Factoría
\fac-to-ree’-ah\ Cuban slang for “factory”

 

¡Fantástico!
\fan-tahs’-tee-coh\ fantastic!

 

¡Feliz Cumpleanos!
\feh-lees’ coom-pleh-ah’-nyos\ happy birthday!

 

Flan
\flahn\ a custard-like dessert

 

Fricasé
\free-cah-seh’\ fricassee

 

Fricasé de pollo
\free-cah-seh’-deh-po’-yo\ chicken fricassee

 

Frijoles
\free-hoh’-les\ beans

 

Fuiqui-fuiqui
Cuban slang for sounds bed springs make when a couple is having sex

 

Gracias
\grah’-see-ahs\ thank you

 

¡Gracias, Dios!
\grah’-see-ahs dee-os’\ thank you, God!

 

Guarapo
\goo-ah-ra’-po\ cane juice

 

Guayabera
\goo-ah-yah-beh’-rah\ a man’s shirt popular in Cuba and Latin America. It has four front pockets and two vertical lines of alforzas (ten vertical pleats that pass from above the top pockets down to the bottom of the shirt)

 

Hasta luego
\ahs’-tah-loo-eh’-go\ goodbye

 

Hola
\oh’-lah\ hello

 

Hola, mariposita
\oh’-lah mah-re-po’-see-tah\ hello little butterfly

 

Invertida
\in-ver-tee’-dah\ inverted, twisted, a derogatory slang Cuban word meaning “dyke” (
tortillera
)

 

Jamon y queso
\hah-mohn’ ee keh’-soh\ ham and cheese

 

Jesucristo
\heh-soo-crees’-toh\ Jesus Christ

 

Jugo de melocotón
\hoo’-go deh meh-lo-co-tohn’\ peach juice

 

Jugo de naranja
\hoo’-go deh nah-rahn’-hah\ orange juice

 

La chiquitica más linda del mundo
\lah chee-kee-tee’-cah mahs leen’-dah dehl moon’-doh\ The prettiest little girl in the whole world

 

La familia
\lah fah-mee’-le-ah\ the family

 

La jungla cubana
\lah hoon’-glah coo-bah’-nah\ the Cuban jungle

 

La luna
\lah loo’-nah\ the moon

 

La semana que viene
\lah seh-mah’-nah keh vee-eh’-neh\ next week

 

La Virgencita María
\lah veer’-hen-see’-tah mah-ree’-ah\ the Virgin Mary

 

Limonada
\lee-mo-nah’-dah\ lemonade

 

Machaso
\mah-chah’-soh\ macho man

 

Malta
\mahl’-tah\ non-alcoholic malt drink

 

Mamey
\mah-may’\ reddish orange sweet custard-tasting fruit in the shape of a small football with thick brown skin

 

¡Mami, por favor, por favor!
\mah-mee’ por fah-vohr’\ mami, please, please!

 

Mandarina
\man-dah-ree’-nah\ mandarin

 

Mañana
\mah-nyah’-nah\ tomorrow

 

Mano
\mah’-no\ literally means “hand,” Cuban slang for “man.” Example “No man! Hey man!”

 

¡Maravilloso!
\mah-ra-vee-yo’soh\ marvelous!

 

Maricón
\mah-ree-con’\ “Fag” or “Queer”

 

¡Maricónes de mierda!
\mah-ree-co’-nes day me-err’-dah\ full of shit faggots!

 

Mariposita
\mah-ree-po’-see’-tah\ little butterfly

 

Mariquita
\mah-ree-kee’-tah\ literally means “plantain chips,” Cuban slang for, “sissy”

 

Medianoche
\meh’dee-ah-no’-cheh\ literally means “midnight.” Cuban sandwich made with sweet Cuban bread, spread with mayonnaise and mustard to which ham, pork, Swiss cheese, and dill pickle slices are added

 

Mercado
\mer-cah’-do\ market

 

Merengue
\meh-ren’-geh\ the joyful, lively music and dance from Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic

 

Merenguito
\meh-ren’-gee-toh\ a confection of sugar and egg whites

 

Mijita
\mee’-hee-tah\ term of endearment meaning “My little girl”

 

Mijito
\mee’-hee-to\ term of endearment meaning “My little boy”

 

Mis santos
\mees-sahn’-tohs\ my saints

 

Moi
French for “me”

 

Muchachita
\moo-chah’-chee’-tah\ term of endearment meaning “Young girl”

 

Mucho
\moo’-choh\ a lot, a great deal

 

Muy caliente
\moo’-e cah-lee-en’-teh\ very hot

 

¡Niña!
\nee’-nyah\ literally means “Girl!” An exclamation of horror, “oh, my God, young girl!”

 

No hablo ingles
\no ah’-bloh een-gles’\ I don’t speak English

 

¿
Oigo?
\oy’-go\ Hello

 

Orisha
\o-ree’-shah\ a spirit that reflects one of the manifestations of God in the Yoruba religion

 

Oye
\o’-yeh\ Hey

 

Oye, chica
(o’yeh chee’-ca) hey girl!

 

Papa rellena
\pah’-pah reh-yeh’-nah\ stuffed potatoes

 

Papi
\pah’-pee\ dad

 

Pastelitos
\pas-teh-leel’tohs\ puffed pastries

 

Pastelitos de guayaba
\pas-teh-lee’tohs deh goo-ah-yah’-bah\ guava pastries

 

Pastelitos de queso
\pas-teh-lee’tohs deh keh’-so\ cheese pastries

 

Pendeja
\pen-deh’-ha\ pendejo literally means “pubic hair,” Cuban slang for “chicken,” or wimp

 

Pero
\peh’-ro\ but

 

Pero mijita
\peh’-ro mee’-he-tah\ but girl . . .

 

Piñata
\peen-nyah’-tah\ jar or pot ornamented with fancy paper and filled with candy, hung from ceiling. Children pull its string to break it and get the candies

 

Pipi
\pee-pee’\ pee

 

Plástica
\plahs’-tee-cah\ plastic

 

Platanito maduro
\plah’-tah-nee’-toh mah-doo’-ro\ fried sweet plantains

 

Promesa
\pro-meh’-sah\ promise

 

Pulpo
\pool’-po\ octopus

 

Por favor
\por fah-vor’\ please

 

Puerco asado
\poo-err’-co a-sah’-do\ Pork

 

Qué bueno
\keh boo-eh’-no\ that’s great

 

¡Qué cosa más grande la vida
\keh co’-sah mahs grahn’deh lah vee’-dah\ Cuban saying for, “unbelievable!”

 

Qué delicioso
\keh deh-lee-see-oh’-so\ how delicious

 

Qué horrible
\keh or-ree’-bleh) how horrible

 

Qué loca
\keh lo’-cah\ what a nutcase

 

Qué pasa, calabaza
\keh pah’sah cah-lah-bah’-sah\ what’s up pumpkin?

 

Qué rico
\keh ree’-co\ how delicious

 

Quince
\Keen’-seh\ coming of age party given to a Latina girl when she turns fifteen

 

Rumba
\room’-bah\ Cuban percussive song and dance

 

Salsa
\sahl’-sah\ a diverse and predominantly Caribbean dance and latin music

 

Salsita
\sahl-see’-tah\ sauce

 

Santa Barbara, por favor, por favor
\sahn’-tah bar’-bah-rah por-fah-vor’\ Saint Barbara, please, please

 

Santería
\sahn-teh-ree’-ah\ religion combining African and Catholic elements

 

Santero
\sahn-teh’-roh\ a person who’s been initiated as an Orisha priest and is entitled to work with spirits and Orishas

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