(Pacoima, CA. 1975-78.)
I want to join the Ballet Folklorico but I am what they call a “Pocha”. We are an English speaking family. So the Spanish speaking kids call me a “Pocha” and I call them “Wada”s. When I get older, the white people will call me a “Beaner” and the Mexicans will call me “White-washed”.
All this name calling. It serves no purpose and makes me feel uneasy. Though I am good at it, it is not in my true nature to hate or to fight. It just seemed there was no other choice.
When we moved to Pacoima, all the neighborhood kids would wait for my mom to leave the house and then would stand outside and throw rocks at our house and call us names.
We told our mom and one day, she let her friend borrow her car. Sure enough, all the kids showed up with their rocks and name calling. My mom let them go on for a bit. Then she ratted her hair up and smeared all her make up, grabbed a bat and jumped onto the broken car that was parked on our lawn. Mom was swinging that bat and screaming like a banshee! Those kids scattered like a bunch of cucarachas as we all watched and laughed. No one messes with my mom’s kids!
The next day, we had more friends than we could count. And of course, we joined them at the front of a newer neighbor’s house to throw rocks and call their kids names….
(Present Day – 2015)
Now that I am an adult, I prefer living in harmony with all beings. After all, we are God’s creation and God don’t make no junk! For God is the best artist there is. That makes us all beautiful in our own way.
Still, we like to place classifications, or as in another blog I posted “Label” others. I see it everywhere. I find myself doing it at times. Mostly out of insecurity (fear). Thank God it is Progress and not Perfection. Though we can strive for it, we don’t have to resort to morbid reflection when we fall short. Until we are six feet under, we get to pick ourselves up and dust ourselves off everyday!
Enjoy this song and Stay Blissful my Friends! – E
Living Elysian 