Most of the New Year’s Eve party goers had cleared out by the time Tita woke up. There were a few people still in the process of getting their chivas and clearing out. Chabelita hung around to help her aunt clean up the desmadre and get things back to their usual place.
Tita looked around to assess the situation. She saw heavy lifting and not enough muscle to do it.
“Hey, you, go get one of the patones to come back before they all leave. We need more muscle to move the furniture back in place,” she ordered one of the stragglers, a slight young man who was about to step outside.
About that time, a tall heavy-set man came out of the restroom.
“He’ll do,” said Tita, pointing at the big man.
“What?” he asked.
“We need you to help us move the couches and table around back to where they were before the party,” Tita said.
The big man hesitated, as if struggling to grasp what Tita had just said.
Tita waited for him to get the signal, then spoke up after a few seconds.
“Qué onda, you forgot to put the seat down, o qué?” Tita asked.
“No you didn’t try to shoot from that high up, did you? Cuz you’re gonna have to clean it up.”
The big man didn’t know what to say.
“Lemme see the mess,” Tita said as she walked past him and peaked in.
“Eeee, bárbaro! No mess at all,” she added, a little astonished.
“Good aim, mijo,” the old lady said.
“Chale, I never move the seat. Always sit like at the pinta,” the patón explained.
“Oh, I forgot. That’s what somebody said when the perrada first came in last night,” Tita said.
“Órale, patón. Help that other vato move the furniture,” Tita said.
The big man complied.
“What are they gonna say when it gets out that you learn good manners in the pinta,” said Tita.
