Rudy’s Party

There were roses growing in a patch by the screen door, on the pink steps potted spearmint fixed our stomachs when too much cake and jello kept us up at night

Little Rudy's party went on and on and on, even after Rudy fell asleep, tired from running circles in the brown grass, too excited about anything, not knowing or caring 'bout turning five

I guess everything looks so big when you're that small. Huge shoes coming through the house singing "dejame morir." Uncle Pancho whistled and Tio Beny wore that dumb-looking straw hat and always put on cowboy boots when he got drunk, stunk bad in our faces saying "ay que chulo."

Oh yeah, and Manuel could fly. Well, he said he could, only when the moon was full or more like when his belly was full of cough medicine and beer. The hot dogs and bread tasted good, but the beans had fat chunks of onion that made me sneeze. My grandma likes 'em that way, with a big orange soda on the side, so I made a plate to take to her, 'cause she can't come out no more

Some of the presents were wrapped in the Sunday funny paper, some wrapped in the white butcher stuff you get at Carbajal's Dandy Market, but Rudy won't be opening them today, he's too little and sleepy. I'll bet he'll be up real early tomorrow, before the pots line up at the corner for soup and eyes are too red to get out of bed. Everybody got silly and somebody got very stupid that long day, but the sky forgave and the clouds moved away, making it all right

"Happy Birthday to you" the rooster cried
"Happy Birthday for you" the birds sang up in the palm trees
"And have a nice life" all the neighbors shouted
And for miles around, car horns honked and lunch wagons tooted their goofy songs. Even the church bell rang five times for Rudy, and one more time for good luck