Going Home (14 page)

“Okay. Now I see, Felita. I just didn't understand that it must be hard for you to be here with three old people like us. You must be bored a lot, right?” I just looked at Tio and said nothing. “Listen, Felita, I'm going to ask you something that's very important and I want you to answer me truthfully. Promise?”

“I promise.”

“Do you want to go back home?” I sure wasn't expecting him to ask me that question. I didn't know what to say. “If you do, it's all right. I understand, and I will write to Rosa and Alberto and explain. They will understand too, so you needn't worry.”

“I don't know, Tio. Honest.” It was the truth. Part of me wanted to leave, but there was another part that wanted to stay.

“Well, I want you to think about it and let me know. I'll be honest too, Felita. I want you to stay with me very much, but only if you are happy. And I now see that you should spend as much time with your friend Provi as you like. This is your vacation and you are supposed to be having a good time. Maybe we could start over and not expect so much from each other. Neither one of us can take the place of the family or expect things to be like they were back home—and in my case like they were when I was a young man here. We'll both accept things as they really are. What do you say; will you think it over?”

“All right, Tio.”

“Good, Felita. And remember you can always go back home, no one will force you to stay here.” Tio got up to leave.

“Tio, one more thing. Please don't tell Tia Maria.”

“Not a word, this is strictly between us.” Tio put a finger over his mouth. “Now, I'm gonna finish my meal. If you like, I'll bring some food back for you.”

“Thanks, Tio, I'd like that.” I took a deep breath and lay down, feeling tired and relieved.

Life with Tio Jorge had become more relaxed now that we understood each other. He stopped pressuring me about having to hang out with him and didn't complain about my seeing too much of Provi. Also, I had gotten real used to things around here. Like just a couple of days ago, Tio Jorge pointed out to me that I had stopped screaming at the flying roaches. Instead I ignored them or swatted them out of my way. I'd also begun to sweep the spiders and centipedes out of the back door with a broom when I saw them.

“You are becoming a jíbara, a real country girl.” Tio looked real pleased. “Your abuelita would be proud of you if she could see you. I know I am.”

In fact things were going so good that this evening after I wrote my usual weekly letter to my parents, I decided to finally write Gigi and Vinny.

I wrote Gigi about the youth center and the nice kids there and all about Provi. I saved Vinny's letter for last. Lately I had been thinking about him a lot and wishing I could see him. I hadn't met one boy at the center that I liked even a little teeny bit, compared to how much I liked Vinny. I couldn't help worrying and wondering if he still liked me. Maybe he had found some girl he liked better than me. Just the thought of such a thing upset me. I wrote him a very long letter with my return address nice and clear. I told him too about all the good things that were happening. I wrote that I was still his girlfriend and still wanted him to be my boyfriend. Then I signed the letter with a heart and I drew little palm trees and kisses. Before I sealed it, I prayed that he would like it and write back soon.

In none of the letters did I ever mention Anita, Marta, and their little clique. I didn't want to write about those girls or think about them. In fact I wanted to make believe they didn't even exist.

Friday at Santa Teresa's, Father Gabriel announced that we were putting on a big carnival to raise money for the church. There was one theme, he said, that was going to guide the event. Its theme was to be the history of the Tainos, who were the original inhabitants of Puerto Rico. We were going to run a raffle and set up stands with food, arts and crafts, books, and other things for sale. But the best part was that the youth center was going to put on a historical play and charge admission. The play was gonna have costumes, sets, and music. It was scheduled for August 16th.

“All right, now,” Father told us, “Sister Tomasina, Sister Pilar, and Brother Osvaldo will take charge of the youth center. You kids work with them.” They took us aside and Sister Pilar spoke to us.

“When the Spaniards came here looking for gold, contrary to what some historians have said, the Taino Indians who lived here did not give in easily; they fought back bravely. Now, I'm sure most of you know all this. However, I'm reminding you again to get you into the spirit of things. Sister Tomasina has written a script with the help of Don Antonio Diaz-Royo, who is one of our musicians.” As Sister spoke I realized that I didn't know anything about the Tainos. Nobody back home had taught me this history.

When they began to call for volunteers, kids who wanted to audition or help in different ways, I raised my hand to work on the sets. I explained about the experience I had at school back home.

“She's great!” said Provi. “I've seen her drawings, Sister.”

“So is Danny!” Ismael called out. “He's the best artist here.”

“Danny, what do you say?” Brother Osvaldo asked. “Do you want to work on the sets?”

“Sure.” Danny stood up.

“Good,” Brother said. “You and Felita can work together.”

We spent most of that afternoon and evening making plans. The two sisters and Brother Osvaldo were busying figuring out just who was going to do what. Before we left, everyone was assigned a job and given a copy of the script.

On my way to the car I had to pass Anita and Marta. I wasn't gonna look in their direction, since I sure didn't want to start nothing. But right when I was walking by them, I heard Anita's fat mouth.

“It sure is boring without any snow falling here like magic from the sky. Don't you think so? I hope it snows soon so we can all play at making little snowmen and having little snowball fights. Just like little babies!” Right away Marta and Gladys began laughing real loud to make sure I heard. I wanted to turn around and ask Anita if she would like a little smack up side her head. But instead I kept on walking and acted like I didn't hear a word.

When I told Provi what happened, she said I did the right thing to ignore them, because all they wanted was to make trouble. Even though I was annoyed, I was too excited about the scenery I was going to work on to really worry about Anita and Marta. I was gonna make the best sets possible and show them all around here what a person from New York City could do.

As soon as I got home I read the script. I learned that the Tainos were great fishermen and farmers. But when the Spaniards came, they used them for slaves and killed them for their gold. Some of the important leaders were women chiefs called caciques; they were very famous and strong. I liked that.

On Sunday afternoon when I was at Diana's, her husband Raymond gave me a book with illustrations on Taino history. “Read this, Felita,” he said, “and you'll learn even more about the Tainos.” Raymond was so nice. In fact his soft way of speaking reminded me of my brother Johnny.

From now until the carnival we were supposed to be at Santa Teresa's early every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for work and rehearsals.

“Some of you might have to be here even more often,” said Brother Osvaldo, “so you better know that before you take on a job. I don't want any excuses later.”

That sure didn't bother me any. In fact I was glad because it meant I didn't have to worry about spending time with Tio and his boring property, or being with Tia Maria and hearing all her complaining. I could at least be having fun with kids my own age, working on sets, and painting and drawing, which I love to do. As far as I was concerned, I'd be happy to spend the rest of my vacation at Santa Teresa's.

 

On Monday, Provi's father dropped us off and we got to work right away. The stage was being set up in the courtyard area where the boys played basketball. Brother Osvaldo and another man, a carpenter who everyone called Jackie, were finishing the platform for the stage as well as a large wooden backdrop that folded into several panels. So far Danny and me were the only artists. The sisters were trying to get us some helpers.

“Now,” Brother told us, “you two have to study what a Taino village looked like and paint it to look as real as possible on this backdrop. I suggest you two get together and do some sketches. Use this book.” He gave us the same book that Raymond had given me. “I've marked out some illustrations, see? These are good examples of scenes to work on. Now let's see what you two can do.”

Danny and me struggled, trying to work from the book, and we kept getting in each other's way.

“Look, I have the same book at home,” I said. “Why don't you take this one to your house and work on the sketches there. Meanwhile I'll work on my sketches too. Next time we can compare our work and figure out who should do what on the scenery.”

“That's a great idea,” said Danny. “What are you better at, people or landscapes?”

“I like to do everything. How about you, Danny?”

“Me too.”

“All right, then let's each do one whole scene and see who does what things best.”

At home as I worked on my scene, I could see the improvement in my drawing ever since I'd been copying the pictures in the art books Diana had lent me.

On Wednesday when we came in with our sketches, Brother was real pleased. “Felita, this is beautiful work, you can really draw.”

“I think you are better with people and animals than me,” said Danny. “In fact you are better at mostly everything you did.”

Brother Osvaldo decided that I would do all the figures and fine detail and Danny would concentrate on the buildings and background areas. We were also helping to make large cardboard cutouts of rocks, trees, and plants. Brother got us two helpers, Saida and Ismael. They were good at art, but not as good as me and Danny. Right away Ismael started getting bossy with me and Saida, ordering us around, saying things like, “Pick that up, Saida, and bring it here.” Or to me, “Why don't you work on this side instead of where you are?” I mostly ignored him and told Saida to do the same. But when he started trying to change the way he was supposed to paint, I had to stop him.

“Ismael, I told you to make that background this here color.” I pointed to the color I had mixed for him.

“No, Felita, I think it's better a dark brown.”

“No, it's not! You won't be able to see that color from far off.”

Ismael refused to listen to me, so I had to get Danny, who was working at the other end of the stage. Danny and Ismael are both about twelve, but I could see that Danny was tougher. “All right, Ismael, Felita and me are in charge here. Just do it like she says.” Danny stood facing Ismael with his hands folded. “I'm waiting, so don't be giving us a hard time.”

Ismael smiled then bowed to me. “Anything you say, Miss Nuyorican!”

“My name is Felita!” I wasn't going to let that fool start in on me. “Don't you call me anything else except my name, you understand?” Ismael just grinned at me and went to work without saying a word. I looked at Saida and Danny, furious and fed up with being called names. Saida stuck her tongue out at Ismael. Danny walked back to where he was working. I just threw up my hands. There was too much to do to keep fighting.

Everyone was working like mad at Santa Teresa's, trying to get everything finished by August 16th. It was really looking good too. Colorful booths, tables, and posts were being completed. The stage sets looked better each time we worked on them. Some of the kids came by just to look at the way we did them. “Nice job, Felita. You guys are doing a great job.” When they said those things, it made me feel good. I was really beginning to feel like I fit in at Santa Teresa's just like anybody else.

Anita and Marta had parts as Taino women. Anita had to say about two words and Marta didn't have any lines. Gladys was working on the costumes. She usually acted like I wasn't even around, but Anita and Marta were nasty. They would pass by where I was working, point to some of the sets I had done, and burst out laughing. I just kept on ignoring them like they were two morons. But one day it got to be just too much. I saw all three of them coming close to the sets, then I heard Anita's fat mouth.

“What is that?” She pointed to what I was working on. “I don't see no tall buildings, no Chinatown, and no snow, do you? How boring! What are we all gonna do?” She said this real loud, so everybody could hear.

Then her stooge Marta answered, “I guess we better go back to the big city, where everything is so exciting!” They all began to laugh, Gladys louder than anybody else. Right then I took a large brush I was holding, dipped it into a can of green paint, and got ready to paint their faces. But Saida stepped in front of me.

“Don't start nothing, Felita. Can't you see that's what they want? To make trouble so that we can't go on working and you can't finish the sets?” Mad as I was, I knew she was right. So I stopped, turned right around, and went back to work. I heard all three of them laughing as they walked away. I felt like yelling back at them, but I didn't. I glanced over at Danny and Ismael, and they were working too, just as if nothing had happened.

When I told Provi, she said she was surprised at Gladys. “She used to be my good friend right up to this year.”

“I'm sorry,” I said. “I know you like her.”

“Not anymore. She can hang out with them if she likes,” said Provi. “It's her loss.”