Thirteen Senses (51 page)

“But then, one day, a man down the valley from my grandfather's place figured it out that in nature, only the strongest and smartest lived long enough to breed, and that's why the wild animals were always so strong! This farmer, like I told you, just down the valley from my grandfather's place, began to eat his runts—which people thought was a disgusting thing to do—and only bred his biggest and finest animals, and within a few years, this man had the finest livestock in all of Germany! Imagine, Salvador, the finest in all of Germany! And Germany is a very civilized country!

“And so now I tell you that the same thing can be with children. We need to have just a few and raise them well. Big families only worked when people were wild, Salvador, and most of the young got killed by wild beasts or disease.

“Nowadays, we, ourselves, need to do our own pruning, just like any good farmer. And you and Lupe can prune your family to two or three children and raise them up with time and money, and they will be the new generation of Mexican people with lots of
corazón,
as you say—and Ger-man discipline and know-how! The sky is the limit, Sal! The sky is the limit here in this fine California, if a
hombre
be smart!”

Hearing this, Salvador was speechless. He'd never heard of such fantastic thinking.

“I'll be damn,” said Salvador, shaking his head. “But still, Hans, you and Helen are Catholics, so what about this not paying attention to the priest?”

“Salvador, in the matters of religion, I do not enter, for religion is a matter of belief, and with beliefs, well,” he said, shrugging his shoulders, “there is no talking.”

“I see,” said Salvador, realizing that Hans was always a very smart and tactful man. “I see, and so it doesn't bother you that the Church says one thing and the doctor another?”

“Sal, every profession has its limitations.”

“Limitations?”

“Yes, a way of thinking. Tell me, does your mother always listen to the priest?”

“Well, no, not always,” said Salvador. “In fact, she often stands right up to them, telling 'em that she has read the Bible for more years than they've lived, and that God also gave her a brain with which to think.”

Hans was laughing. “I rest my case. Listen to your mother, Salvador. As you've told me a dozen times, she's a very wise woman just to have gotten you and your sisters here in one piece. I'd bet on your mother over any priest, when it comes to survival. And you also listen to this doctor. He's a very smart man, Salvador. And, since he drinks schnapps, he must be a good German,” Hans added with pride.

“Maybe you're right,” said Salvador. “Maybe you're right. Thank you very much, Hans. But I'd always thought that kids were a gift from God.”

“And they are, Salvador, they are, but also we got to think, to plan, to figure. That's why you and me get along very well; I talk, you listen, and we always agree!” added Hans, laughing a big belly laugh.

“That's true,” said Salvador. “We always agree when you do all the talking, Hans!”

“Yes, because then we're both very smart!” added Hans.

They embraced in a big
abrazo.
They were truly good friends. It never failed to amaze Salvador that Hans and Kenny White were both Anglos, but they were Salvador's best friends, next to Archie.

And about Hans being overbearing and opinionated, this didn't bother Salvador. Long ago, he'd learned that you never argued with a man like Hans. You listened, and you asked questions, and you worked him, learning all the knowledge that he had to give.

After all, as a professional gambler, you never counted your chips halfway through the game.

AFTER BREAKFAST,
Salvador and Lupe were going to their Moon automobile when Salvador suddenly gripped his chest and his eyes rolled over backward, looking all white!

“Salvador!” yelled Lupe, grabbing hold of him. “What is it?” My God, her father had had a heart attack just a few weeks back, and now here was her husband grabbing at his chest, too! “Talk to me!”

“My mother,” said Salvador, feeling a pain so terrible here in his chest that he had to get hold of the tree under which their car was parked, “she's leaving! I can feel it here inside of me, she's leaving! No,
mama”
he yelled at her. “No, DON'T YOU DO IT,
MAMA!
You stay here 'til our child is born, you hear me! You stay,
mama).
Don't you dare die now!”

Lupe made the sign of the cross over herself, thanking God that it was a “calling” and not a heart attack. She helped Salvador into the Moon. He sat down in the car, breathing 'til he felt better.

“Do you want us to go by and see your mother before we pick up my sister?” asked Lupe.

“Yes,” he said, “I'd like that, but wait.” He put his two hands over his chest as he'd seen his mother, Doña Margarita, do all her life when she wanted to check on a calling. “No,” he said, after breathing a couple of times, “we don't need to go to see her. She's okay now. She says that she's not leaving us. She just went for one of her visits to see
Papito.”
He laughed. “She's telling me that God and she have some deal cooking, but we got no worries.
Mi mama
knows how to handle herself in Heaven or in Hell.” Salvador felt better now. The pain was gone. “Nobody gets their way with
mi mama!”
he added. “Have I ever told you the story of how my mother went to Guadalajara in the middle of the Revolution to get my brother Jose released from prison?” Lupe shook her head. “Well, let me tell you as we drive up to Santa Ana. Oh,
mi mama
is the Power of the Universe! Here she was dressed in rags, barefoot, and she needed help, but she knew no one who could help her, except the enemy of
our familia,
a man who hated us so much that he wished us all dead.” Salvador smiled. “But did this intimidate
mi mama,
oh, no, she doesn't even know the meaning of the word Fear! I love
mi mama
so much, Lupe. She was our everything. Without her we would have all died, again and again.”

He made the sign of the cross over himself and Lupe did, too. They were both much better now. They got in their Moon automobile and headed north, and Doña Margarita's Spirit was with them.

DOÑA GUADALUPE AND DON VICTOR
were once more playing cards on the front porch of their home when Salvador and Lupe drove up. They each had a pile
of pinto
beans in front of them, but different than last time, it looked like Don Victor was winning.

“Come here quick, Salvador!” shouted Don Victor, seeing Lupe and Salvador come up the walkway. “Look, how I got this old woman by the neck this time! I got good cards—take a look! What do you think?”

Salvador nodded hello to Doña Guadalupe, then glanced at Don Victor's cards. The white-haired old man still looked pretty weak. Ever since he'd gotten out of the hospital, he hadn't looked his old self. The old man had two kings and two tens.

Salvador had the strangest feeling like, well, they'd been here before until he glanced at Doña Guadalupe and she winked at him. Why, the old lady was deliberately letting her husband win. And the old fool was so excited with what he thought was a change in his luck, that he wasn't catching on.

“They look good,” said Salvador. “Very good!”

“Yes, that's what I think! I love gambling when I'm winning! So I raise you twenty beans!” he said to his wife Doña Guadalupe, putting a bunch
of pinto
beans in the pot.

“All right,” said Doña Guadalupe, “and I raise you back twenty more.”

“Okay,” yelled Don Victor. “You want to play tough, eh? Well, I match your twenty, and raise you twenty more!” he said, with a gleam of excitement in his old eyes!

“Two queens,” said Doña Guadalupe, turning her cards.

“Two queens!” exploded the old man. “Then I win! Two pair! Kings and tens!” And he was so happy as he raked in all the beans.

Salvador took Lupe's hand, squeezing it as he watched her mother quickly put her cards in with the rest of the deck. She'd had three queens, just like last time, but . . . different than last time, she'd only chosen to show two.

Salvador breathed deeply, holding Lupe's hand close to his heart. Lupe's mother was truly a fine, wise old woman. The doctor had been right when he'd told Salvador that he'd married into a
fine familia.

Salvador's whole heart was over-running with love, compassion, and understanding. And all this, he was able to convey to his truelove—not with words—but with just a simple squeeze of the hand.

They were on their way, a married couple who communicated—not just with speaking—but with a touch, a gesture, a look of the eyes.

They were all laughing, when Carlota came rushing out the door. She was all dressed up and without even saying hello, she said, “I've decided that I don't want to leave Santa Ana, Lupe. All my girlfriends live here and, besides, I'm sick and tired of always moving. That's why I've never married, because we're always on the road, following the crops, and I'm not like you. I'm responsible! I take care of
mama
and
papa
and so I don't want to go,” she added with righteousness.

But Lupe didn't take the bait that her sister had tossed her. She moved her hips, taking up ground as married women have been doing since the dawn of time and squeezed Salvador's hand, reassuring him that she would handle this. “Carlota,” said Lupe, with all the patience she could muster, “but you'd already agreed, and so we fixed up a room for you and drove all the way back to get you. And Salvador has a lot of work to do and took the day off. Please, reconsider. I'd really like you to come and be with us.”

“Carlota,” said Doña Guadalupe, also stepping in, “your father and I can take care of ourselves, and your friends can drive down to see you. This is your sister, your
familia!”

“Oh, all right,” said Carlota, feeling outmaneuvered by her mother and sister, “I'll go if that's what you want,
mama,
but they'll have to buy me that beautiful red dress and red shoes first!”

Hearing this, Salvador was backpedaling as fast as he could inside of himself. In his estimation, Lupe's sister Carlota had once more proven herself to be the stupidest, most selfish, woman he'd ever met! And my God, if she did come home with them to Carlsbad, he was sure that their marriage was sure to turn into pure
caca.

Salvador's heart was pounding. He was ready to say, “Don't come,” to Carlota, “we don't want you,” when he felt Lupe's hip rubbing up against his side—telling him to calm down, to relax, that everything was okay. He breathed. Just the touch of her hips told him volumes!

Just then, Archie drove up in his big black Hudson. He was all dressed up, too. Salvador and Lupe glanced at each other. No wonder Carlota had changed her mind. Archie and she had had this date planned all along.

“Hello!” said Archie to everyone as he came up the stairs. “Beautiful day, isn't it?”

“Yes, it is,” said Salvador.

“How are you?” said Doña Guadalupe. “How is the family?” added the crafty old woman, giving Archie the full understanding that yes, indeed, they all knew he was married and had a family.

“Fine, fine, thank you! The kids are with their mother. And, well, I thought that I'd pick up Charlotte, I mean Carlota, early so we could have a bite to eat before she helps me with the dance.”

They all glanced at one another. No one had ever heard Carlota called Charlotte before.

“So you're putting on another dance?” said Don Victor.

“Yes, right downtown here in Santa Ana. I brought in a group of musicians from Los Angeles. Your daughter is a good businesswoman. She catches every Tom, Dick and Harry at the door and gets them to pay before she lets them in.”

“Tom, Dick and who?” asked Don Victor, feeling outraged by so many male names being connected to his daughter.

“That's just an expression,” said Archie. He was talking fast and acting nervous. “I don't really mean Tom or Dick or Harry. I just meant that, well, Charlotte's tough, and people don't pull the sheep—the wool—over her eyes.”

“Sheep, over her what?”

“Ah, hell,” said Archie, seeing that he was digging himself deeper. “That's just another expression. It really ain't got nothing to do with sheep or wool, or Tom, Dick and Harry or anyone else.”

“I see,” said Don Victor. “No sheep, then? And no
gringos,
either?”

“No, not a one,” said Archie, tipping his hat. “Well, nice talking to you. I'll have her back early.” Then he turned to Salvador and Lupe. “Would you like to go with us? We're just going over to the amusement park in Long Beach to have a bite before the dance.”

Now suddenly, Salvador and Lupe both understood everything all at the same time. Why, Carlota had set up this whole thing so that they'd go out to Long Beach where she'd seen that beautiful red dress. They'd been had by a very deceitful hand.

Lupe gave Salvador a knowing little look, then took his hand, squeezing it again. “All right,” she said, “we could do that, couldn't we, Salvador? But, then, you will be coming down with us to Carlsbad, correct, Carlota?”

“Yes,” said Carlota, “with my new red dress and shoes!”

“What new red dress and shoes?” asked Archie.

GETTING TO LONG BEACH,
Carlota was screeching with joy! She'd never had a brand new dress from a store in all of her life. And she'd had beautiful dresses before, but that wasn't the point. Their older sister Sophia—who hadn't attended Lupe and Salvador's wedding because she and her husband hadn't had the proper clothes—was an excellent seamstress, so she'd made all of Carlota's dresses for her over the years.

This would be her very first dress purchased right off the rack!