Going Home (12 page)

“It was great the way you stood up to them, Felita, because a lot of the girls are scared to mess with them. Especially that Anita—she can be mean. Actually those two love giving everybody a hard time, even if you are from here. But listen, the others aren't bad, honest. Give them another chance, okay?”

“Okay.” I started to feel a little better.

“Now let's eat.” I followed Provi into another large room where tables were loaded with food, juice, and soft drinks. Everyone was helping themselves. The adults were seated in one area, talking. Little kids were running around, laughing and playing. Most of the boys sat apart from the girls. I realized that here the boys and girls seemed to mix much less than at home.

After we'd finished eating, and had helped clean up, Provi said, “How about coming over to my house tomorrow and eating with us?”

“Great!” I was happy that she asked me. “I have to get my aunt's permission first.”

“Good, I'll go find my parents and tell them.” When Provi returned with her parents, I was very surprised because they looked old enough to be her grandparents.

“It's okay for tomorrow, Felita. I'll come over early and pick you up.”

On the way home Tia said, “I'm delighted that you and Provi like each other so much. Her parents, the Romeros, are friends of the family, so I know that they are decent religious people; definitely the type you should mingle with.” I was glad to see that I had done one thing that made Tia Maria happy.

But later that night I just couldn't put what Anita had said to me out of my mind. All my life I've been Puerto Rican, now I'm told I'm not, that I'm a gringa. Two years ago I got beaten up by a bunch of mean girls when we had moved into an all-white neighborhood. I hadn't done anything to them, nothing. They just hated me because I was Puerto Rican. My whole family had fought back in that neighborhood until we finally moved out. How could she say those things to me? Even today, back home when anybody tries to make us ashamed of being Puerto Rican, we all stand up to them. What was Anita talking about? It made no sense. At home I get called a “spick” and here I'm a Nuyorican.

I wanted to go home! The tears started coming and I couldn't hold them back. I was feeling pretty miserable, helpless, and like I was trapped—exactly like I felt two years ago. Back then, Abuelita had told me to love myself instead of hating those girls; that I should be proud of what I was, a Puerto Rican. What advice would she give me now, here today, when in her wonderful, precious Puerto Rico, I get told I don't belong either? I wished I could write to Mami and tell her I wanted to go home, that I hated it here! But I knew I couldn't do that. Everyone would be so disappointed in me; my folks who had saved and sacrificed so I could be here, Tio Jorge, and even Vinny, who had given me all those Spanish lessons.

After a while I stopped crying and took a deep breath. I knew I was stuck here and that was all there was to it. One thing was for sure, I wasn't telling Tio Jorge about what had happened. That was all he'd need to hear, right? Then he'd really say I should be hanging out with him, keeping him company instead of going over to the youth center, where they gave me a hard time.

Suddenly I remembered that tomorrow I was going over to Provi's. I really liked her. She reminded me of Gigi—understanding and kind. I yawned and closed my eyes. At least there was one person here I liked.

Provi's house was about a twenty-minute walk from Tio Jorge's. She had come to pick me up and we walked past the main road until we came to an area where there were a whole bunch of houses that looked almost exactly alike. When we got to her house, Mrs. Romero greeted me. “I hope you are good and hungry, Felita, because I made lots of food for you growing girls.”

After we ate, we went to Provi's room for our siesta. She had a big double bed and we spread out. It felt almost like I was back home with Gigi on her bed and in her room. I told Provi all about Gigi.

“You miss her, don't you?”

“Sure, Gi's my best friend.”

“Well, if you like, Felita, I'll be your best friend in Puerto Rico.”

“I'd like that a lot. You know, Provi, I tell Gigi just about everything. So I'm gonna tell you about my boyfriend.”

“You got a boyfriend?”

“Yes, at home. His name is Vinny and he's from Colombia in South America and he's real handsome.” I told Provi about Vinny and how he first asked me about taking lessons together.

She loved that story. “Did he write to you yet?”

“No. But that's only because I haven't written to him. Now that you're my friend and we'll be going to the youth center together, I'll have some good news for him.”

“Will you show me his letters?”

“Absolutely!”

“That would be great!” She gave me a little hug before we took our nap.

 

Provi and me began seeing each other every day now. She told me that she had a very large family—four older brothers and four older sisters. They were all married and lived or worked in another part of the Island, except for her sister Diana, who lived nearby. “She has a boy, Gino. He's my favorite nephew and so cute,” said Provi. “I'm always baby-sitting for them. Maybe sometimes you can baby-sit with me. You'll like them. Right now they are away in Mayagüez, visiting Raymond's parents. He's her husband. We'll go there as soon as they get back, okay?” Provi told me that everyone in her family was way older than her. “I have nieces and nephews who are even older than me. Mami says that because I came to her late in life, I'm almost like an only child.” I loved being with Provi. We would take walks, listen to music, and just hang out mostly in her house. But since I began spending so much time with Provi, Tio Jorge started grumbling and complaining.

“Going out again? I suppose that means you're not coming for our walk today.”

Mostly I ignored him, but after a while I told him how I felt about Provi. “Tio, she happens to be my best friend here, and practically my only friend.”

On Friday, Provi and I went to Santa Teresa's together, but I was still worried that Anita and Marta might start up with me again. Provi, Saida, Judy, Gladys, and me went to play outside. We jumped rope for a while and then hung out. Some of the boys came by and asked if we wanted to play with them. “Basketball practice is canceled. You wanna start a game or something?” Two boys named Ismael and Danny asked us. We agreed. “Good, let me get some more kids,” Ismael said. When he returned, he brought Anita, Marta, and a couple of other girls.

“Now's a good time to all be friends,” said Provi.

“I didn't start it”—I shrugged—“but I'm willing if they are.” I caught Marta's eye and smiled. She nodded quickly and turned away. Anita ignored me, so I ignored her too. While everyone was figuring out what to play, I came up with an idea. “Hey, everybody, I know this great game we play back home. It's called Simon says, it's so much fun. We pick a leader, who tells everybody what to do, and then you have to follow the exact instructions—”

“Big deal!” Anita cut me off. “That's just like playing follow-the-leader. What's the big—”

“No, it ain‘t,” I said interrupting her right back, “because the leader has to say ‘Simon says do this.' If they only say ‘Do this' and you follow orders, you're out. It's very tricky.”

“It sounds like a stupid game!” said Anita.

“Why?” I asked her. “Are you afraid to play it?” Some of the kids began giggling and I could see she was annoyed, so I didn't let up. “Maybe you're scared you can't keep up with a New York City game.”

“I'm not the least bit scared to play,” she said. “It's just that I think it sounds like a silly game.”

“Well, you won't know till you try it, right?” I looked at the other kids. “Anybody else here afraid to play this game? I know one thing, back home we don't back out.”

“I'll play,” said Saida.

“Me too.” Judy stood next to me.

“Hey, why not!” Ismael agreed. And then everybody else said they were in the game too.

“Well?” I looked at Anita and Marta. “You still chicken?” Anita looked real angry, but she said that she'd play. Naturally Marta did what Anita wanted, just like she was Anita's little slave.

“Since you're the one that knows the game,” Provi said, “why don't you be the leader the first time.” That was just what I wanted to hear! Today, Anita was getting hers, and right in front of everybody too.

I started out real simple, saying, “Simon says” put your hands on your head, touch your toes, scratch your ears, cross your eyes, stuff like that. But after a while I began going real fast, and when I didn't say “Simon says,” some of the kids didn't catch it and they were out. Soon there were only five of us left in the game: Ismael, Danny, Saida, Marta, and Anita.

“What's the big deal about this great New York City game?” said Anita scornfully. “So far it reminds me of the games I played in kindergarten.”

Great, I thought, Big Mouth is walking right into my plans.

“All right, Anita,” I said. “Since you think this is too easy, I'll make it a little harder.” I stepped back and gave myself some space. “Simon says do exactly what I do!” I went forward and did a cartwheel, something I was pretty good at. I could see that everyone was surprised. Ismael, Danny, Saida, and Anita did cartwheels too, but Marta couldn't make it and she fell. Then I did two quick cartwheels and waited. This time Saida couldn't make it and she dropped out. All the kids were watching to see who could hold out the longest. I wasn't even really playing Simon says anymore, I was just gonna make sure Anita got what she gave me and then some.

“Hey, Anita, like I know this is still real easy for you ... kindergarten stuff, right? Now, let's see if you can do a little better!”

Anita gave me a real sarcastic smile. “Just keep on going and don't you worry about me!” she said.

Wonderful, I thought, and stepped back, giving myself a whole lot of room, then I shouted, “Simon says do this!” I bent backward making an arch with my back and touching my heels, then I leapt forward and did three quick cartwheels! I could see that all the kids were impressed. I stopped smiling and waited, staring at Anita. Ismael went first and missed. Then Danny went. He was a little slow, but he got through. Now everyone was looking at Anita. She was real nervous and cleared a large space for herself. When she bent backward, she hardly touched her heels and then she managed one cartwheel and on the second one she tripped and fell. Everyone started laughing because she looked so funny scrambling all over the grass, trying to get up.

“Too bad, Anita, but you're out!” I yelled. “Danny is the leader now! Maybe you should go back to kindergarten, Anita.” I was laughing louder than anyone.

“I think this is a game for morons!” Anita shouted back at me. She was still dusting herself off from the fall. Marta and Gladys were busy trying to help her. “I'd rather play a game of tag than this stupid game!”

“Why? What's the matter, Anita? New York City games are too hard for you?” I was feeling good now because I had really shown her up. Anita walked away, followed by Marta, Gladys, and Ismael. Just as Danny was trying to set up another game of Simon says, I heard Anita shouting real loud in jeringonza, which is like Spanish pig latin. I couldn't make it out exactly, but I knew how it went, because Provi was teaching me. I could make out, “Felita gringita go home,” and some kids were laughing and looking at me. I got so furious at Anita that I walked right over to her. “Listen, Anita, you got something to say to me?” I made sure everyone heard me too. “Say it to my face!”

Anita sure wasn't expecting me to confront her. “I wasn't talking to you,” she said and tried to walk away, but I stepped right in front of her.

“No, not to me. About me! I understand when you say my name and also the nasty thing you were saying about me.” All the kids started to gather around us. Anita stood perfectly still. “Well?” I said. I wasn't gonna let her walk away, we were gonna settle this here and now!

“All right, then!” She looked around at the crowd of kids. “You don't belong here. Why don't you go back to your Yankee country!”

“Don't you tell me what to do, you stupid hick! I can be here all I want, you don't own this place!”

“Show-off! Braggart!” she yelled back.

“Moron! You have as much brains as a brick!” I screamed. When Anita leaned toward me, I clenched my fists and took a stance, ready to punch her one. “Come on, I dare you. Come on! Try something, do me a favor! Just call me one more name and you'll eat it for lunch!” Boy, I really wanted to wallop her one right on her smug face!

“Oh-oh,” said a boy named Julian, “the girls are gonna have a fight!”

“Cut it out,” said Provi. She and Saida tried to step in between us, but I blocked them, moving closer to Anita. Anita stepped back and I went toward her, waiting.

“One more word, Anita.” She must have really heard my warning because she shrugged and slowly began to back off.

“Come on,” said Saida. “Let's quit this and all be friends.”

Anita turned away and stood right in the middle of the crowd of kids. Then she pointed to me. “I'm not being friends with that one! Anybody who's her friend can forget about being friends with me!” With that she turned and walked away. Marta went with her and I was sad to see Gladys go too.

“Why does she keep calling me names?” I asked as I walked away with Provi, Saida, and Judy.