Puchile!
“So we’re finally going to talk about the trip to El Chuco?” Boy asked Meche, his childhood sweetheart.
They were sitting together having coffee at Meche’s bakery and café, La Buena Bakery, as they did most days of the week. The previous week, Boy had made the aggressive move of inviting her to a dance in El Chuco, which implied an overnight stay together out of town. It was the first invite to a date that never came when they were young, several decades ago. Meche had accepted after her daughter, who tended to the counter at the café, had reluctantly acquiesced. All that remained to do now, was set out the details, like where they would stay and how long they would be out of town.
“Seems like every time we try, somebody comes in and interrupts the conversation. Could it be a sign?” said Meche.
“A sign of what?” asked Boy.
“Oh, never mind, it’s a puchy idea that fate’s in the way,” said Meche.
Boy took a long time to respond.
“Yeah, puchy de amadres. We never went on a date when we were young. And now that we finally have a chance—and your daughter says yes—we can’t even get the conversation going.
“So what plans do you have in mind?” asked Meche.
“Pos I’m thinking we leave early Saturday morning so we can spend the entire day there. Then we rest up, go to dinner, then go dancing,” said Boy.
“So far so good,” said Meche.
Boy looked into her eyes and wondered what she was thinking.
“Suggest two hotel rooms and see what she says or propose only one room and retreat if necessary?” he thought to himself.
Meche merely smiled at him. Since it was his idea, it was his responsibility to fully articulate it.
Boy nodded.
“We can stay at a hotel close to where the dance’s gonna be,” Boy said.
Meche nodded.
“I haven’t been there in a long time. You know a hotel close by we can go to?” Boy said cautiously.
“I’ve never stayed at a hotel in El Chuco,” Meche said.
“Eeee! This is getting complicated,” Boy thought.
He took half a minute to respond.
“Fate get in the way?” he asked finally.
“Hey, that you, Boy?” somebody said not even an arm’s length from his ear.
Boy looked up and saw it was a cousin of his who lived in El Chuco.
“Chonita!” Boy said standing up to give her an abrazo.
“Came to see my jefita. I heard you came back to the Southside. Quehubole,” Chonita said looking Meche.
“Pos we’re talking about going to El Chuco for a dance,” Boy said.
“Uhuh, and where to stay there,” said Meche.
“Pos stay with me. I have three empty rooms. My kids grew up and moved out, as fate always had it,” Chonita said.
“Pinche puchy fate,” Boy said.
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