The Lets Be Random Thread

http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2008/10/20/nyregion/20laborers_span.jpg
Back in the day, there was this hombre, named Jesus de la Costa. He was this tall, lanky Mexicano and he crossed the river many times. You see, Jesus was on this mission for his familia. They were poor poor in Old Mexico. And he wanted a better life for them.

So Jesus, he came to Ustados Unidos to look for work. And he found plenty. He would work two, three jobs at a time and send most of his money back home for his familia. Only thing was, Jesus, he lost his way after a time. You see he could not go back home anymore because he was caught too many times sneaking the border and was afraid he was gonna get caught again.

His spirit suffered from there being none of his familia around him. He took to drinking, and then worked less, and sent less money home. Then he started seeing the hookers and watching the porno and had a grand time. But it was shallow and empty. Jesus de la Costa had lost his way. He could feel the emptiness growing in him until he came down with the cancer. Jesus was in serious trouble then.http://profile.ak.fbcdn.net/hprofile-ak-snc4/50354_2232297508_5608_n.jpg

He was only working the one job by then. He did not send money home. Jesus was sorely sick. Drinking and whoring gave him only a little bit of relief. He only felt alive then, and then he would sober up. Then he would go to work and do his job half ass and lazy. His cancer was tearing him up. He went to the clinic and they had the radiation to help him. It took many months, and he was alone. The drinking buddies, the liquor store chica, and the whores did not come to see him in the clinic.
http://www.handofgod.com.au/attachments/Image/hospital.jpg
Jesus de la Costa shared his room at the clinic with another old guy. Only this hombre, he was dying. Most days he was sick, sick, sick and tried to take la siesta. On some few days though, he would sit up and slowly strum his guitar and softly sing. Jesus loved to hear him play. He talked to him often at those times. This old hombre he was something else, lemme tell you!

He could sing, play guitar, he was the gardener at the Botanical garden that everybody loved. He went to church, and spent hours working with young Latinos at the school. Every day he would help somebody with something at their house. Paint a room. Fix a sprinkler, even read a book to the blind lady. You know the one that lives over there near the supermercado? Yea, her.

One day after he played, this old hombre had many visitors. He was dying so they could not stay long. There were tears in his eyes when they left. And he says to Jesus de la Costa.
http://www.dailypainters.com/images/origs/1186/spanish_guitar_ii.jpg
“Jesus, mi amigo, I am dying. I don’t know that I will wake up tomorrow. I give this to you, my guitar. I wish I had time to teach you to play. You see, because of this guitar? All my dreams, they come true, you know? First I learn to play the guitar, then, I learn to sing a little. I’m still not that good. But then, they want me to come sing and play at my church. Then, I get a job at the restaurante. And there, I learn to cook. Then, I cook for the poor people because I know what they are going through, you know? Like in Mexico. It’s the same here, no? So then, along comes the woman of my dreams and we have a nice familia. And I learned to fix things in the home, because all the time there is something that needs fixing. Then I would fix things for my neighbors. At night I would play for my Senora. You see me here, I am content. I have lived a full life. I did it. You see? Eh? You live too,eh, mi amigo? “

He grinned as he handed Jesus de la Costa the guitar. He smiled, leaned back and went to sleep. Jesus, he was touched, you know, in his heart. Like nothing he had been in a very long time. The next morning, Jesus was alone in his room. The old man had died in the night.

Jesus, after many more weeks, he got better. And he learned to play the guitar. And then he learned to sing. And then he was invited to play at a school one day. And he played there. He went back to his old job and then worked another job at a restaurante and played the guitar. He tried to learn to cook, but he was terrible. But he did a beautiful mural in the restaurante. Things were looking better for him. He sent money to his familia again in old Mexico and got many letters from his children and his wife. Jesus de la Costa helped many people in his barrio. He helped sometimes just with the dishes. Fixing a swing, hang a picture. Everyone looked up to him. His life was getting better. He did not have these idle wishes anymore. He did not look around him for someone to take his mind off his problemos anymore. He was changing himself. He was growing.

After a few years, his familia came from Mexico and they lived together and he felt his life becoming more and more just as he wished. He learned many things after learning to play guitar. He learned to paint, to speak English, he saved a man’s life, he even learned to fly the aeroplano. But the biggest thing he learned was to keep on learning in a good way and becoming . Jesus de la Costa became the hombre he always wanted to be. And the barrio, they never forgot him. His familia and his amigos, they are so very proud of him.
 
One time the teacher told us to write a paper about the future. I says, "Well, I don't know anything about that, it hasn't happened yet. "But you know I had to do it so I wrote, "I made my dog bark this morning. She likes french fries. She a funny dog. She goes doodie outside. My Uncle Bill has three dogs. They eat chicken, in the future." See what I did there? I used my little dog story to tell about the future. And the teacher said, "Well, I predict a D in your future."
 
Back
Top