The New Year’s Eve party was rolling at Tita’s house. Midnight had long passed. The kids had been taken home or put to bed in Tita’s bedroom. As it was cold and windy outside, everybody packed into the crowded house. There was some dancing going on in the kitchen, where Tita kept her CD player. In the living room, there was story-telling—mostly violent and Homeric tales about the people of Los Montoyas.
“And when Genaro crossed the river, the perrada was waiting for him. He was met with a mile long front of police cars.
“Give yourself up, Genaro! You can’t escape.
“Then Genearo rushed them shooting in every direction. It surprised them so much that they let him reached the line, jumped over one of the patrol cars and suddenly insert himself in the middle of their lines…” a well-known story went.
Then suddenly the front door flew open and a perrada of former prison inmates, mostly Tita’s nephews, walked in.
“Close the door, mensos!” Tita yelled.
The door closed immediately.
“Thanks, mijo,” Tita said.
The biggest of one of the perrada nodded dutifully at Tita.
“Thanks, for letting us in, tia,” a tall barrel chested man said.
“Can I use the excusado?”
“Sure, mijo” Tita said.
“And make sure to put the seat down,” Chabelita broadcast.
The big man looked at Chabelita, then at his tia, and turned into the restroom.
“Don’t worry about it, esa,” Tita said to Chabelita.
“Why not? These babosos will make everything nasty,” Chabelita said.
“Cuz they’ve all been in the pinta,” Tita said.
“No seats at all there. Puro stainless steel. So they keep it all clean. Más clean que la fregada.”
She looked at the rest of the perrada that had just come in, and they all nodded.
“You leave it tinkled and a la madres,” one of the perrada said.
The big guy came out of the restroom and bowed toward Tita.
“Have some beer, mijo,” Tita said.
“Órale, go check out the escusado,” Tita said in Chabelita’s direction.
“Chale. Don’t need to,” Chabelita said.
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