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Neighborhood of Sunday night jamaicas at Guadalupe Church. Fiestas for any occasion holidays holy days happy days 'round and 'round the promenade eating snowcones--raspas-& tamales the games--bingo cakewalk spin-the-wheel making eyes at girls from cleaner neighborhoods the unobtainables who responded all giggles and excitement. Neighborhood of forays down to Buena Vista--- Santa Rita Courts--Los Projects---friendly neighborhood cops n' robbers on the rooftops, sneaking peeks in people's private night-time bedrooms bearing gifts of Juicy Fruit gum for the Project girls/ chasing them in adolescent heat causing skinned knees & being run off for the night disenchanted walking home affections spurned stopping stay-out-late chicks in search of Modern Romance lovers, who always stood them up unable to leave their world in the magazines' pages. Angry fingers grabbing, squeezing, feeling, french kisses imposed; close bodily contact, Thigh & belly rubbings under shadows of Cristo Rey Church. Neighborhood that never saw a school-bus the cross-town walks were much more fun embarrassed when acquaintances or friends or relatives were sent home excused from class for having cooties in their hair! Did only Mexicans have cooties in their hair? ¡Que gacho! 56 Neighborhood of Zaragoza Park where scary stories interspersed with inherited superstitions were exchanged waiting for midnight and the haunting lament of La Llorona---the weeping lady of our myths & folklore---who wept nightly along the banks of Boggy Creek for the children she'd lost or drowned in some river (depending on the version). i think i heard her once and cried out of sadness and fear running all the way home nape hairs at attention swallow a pinch of table salt and make the sign of the cross sure cure for frightened Mexican boys. Neighborhood of Spanish Town Café first grown-up (13) hangout Andrés, tolerant manager, proprietor, cook victim of bungling baby burglars your loss: Fritos n' Pepsi Colas---was our gain you put up with us and still survived! You, too, are granted immortality. Neighborhood of groups and clusters sniffing gas, drinking muscatel solidarity cement hardening the clan the family the neighborhood the gang NOMAS! Restless innocents tattoo'd crosses on their hands "just doing things different" "From now on, all troublemaking mex kids will be sent to Gatesville for 9 months." Henry home from La Corre khakis worn too low--below the waist the stomps, the greña with duck-tail ---Pachuco Yo--- 57
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