A Bit of Memory

As the cold winter arrives a thought occurs...it seems as if it was colder when I was younger. As I think about that for a moment I realize it may just not have been colder. The truth is the lack of heat provided by the unscrupulous landlords made it seem that way. The landlord really was more like the invisible man. Only appearing at the first of the month to collect the rent and give the excuse as to why there was no heat. Oh, the boiler is being repaired; oh, I called the oil company and they'll be here tomorrow. Funny, I almost feel as if the same landlord owned every tenement building in the community back then.

I also wonder if my mother was psychologically keeping us warm. I remember fondly the huge frame in the living room of huge splashing waves with a strange structure in the distance (I realized years later that it was El Morro). I remember all the figurines of coquis, palm trees, guiros, etc. with the red, white and blue (Puerto Rican Flag). I guess to some extent it may have worked along with just being a kid and running around all the time. As for all things Puerto Rican....well they were embedded in my subconscious .... today, I love them all dearly.

Gracias, madre mia, por inculcar en mi el amor por nuestra cultura.