On April 16, 2010, my abuelita passed at the age of 100. Here is a statement I shared with family and friends to capture this centenarian and force.
Made it until tax day 2010, silent to sound to three dimensional film, alien to resident, orphan to entrepreneur, Catholic to Penecostal to Baptist to Beat-You-If-You're-Not For Jesus. She claimed to have met Pancho Villa. In her youth, of course. To Spanish to a little bit of English to "Speak Spanish!" To mother to childless to mother to husband shot. To sister to alone. Dona y adopted mother to poor children of every race and creed everywhere we went. If there's a devil, she's out there kicking his ass. Comic. Smart ass. Hitter with shoe. Parrot lover. All bird lover. The worse sounds of the bird, the more she loved. Monkey owner and lover. Philanthropist without all the fancy fare. Obama Girl. Marriage believer, but single and celibate 90 of those years and pronounced man hater in public. Until her boyfriend showed up. A modern woman like you don't even know ladies. A cooker of God knows what on the hot plate in the basement, but it was thinly shred, came with tortillas and I loved it. Thank God she didn't carry a gun. Scarlett O'Hara de las hispanas. Singer. Dancer. Struck by the spirit a little Jim jones style.
Abuelita. Paulita. Senora. Dona. Mismo muerto y vida, y ahora para los angelos o cual quiere ella. Amen.
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