Many, many years ago I sorta promised to myself that I'd buy flowers from just about any street vendor selling them. The theory is that since I'm always thinking of my wife, I'd see them, think how she'd just love some and so bring a few stems home. It's a good reminder device and she seems to appreciate them.
Last week I bumped into a fellow outside Tower City and purchased five rather nice-looking roses (two pink and three red) for ten bucks. I've got two daughters (pink ones) and one wife (red ones). Yesterday, I had to do some certified mail at the PO there and bumped into him again. He seemed to remember me and when asked, told me that last week's prices wouldn't work this week since tomorrow was Valentine's Day. Good for him, I said, let the demand drive up your prices. I purchased three stems (still ten bucks!) and proceeded across the Square to my bus.
While waiting for the bus with my three red roses, I heard, out of the corner of my ear, a woman's voice commenting about roses in Spanish. Now, when I was six, I learned some rudimentary elements of Spanish. And when I was in elementary school, I was bathed (externally) in it. And starting in high school and on through college, I ingested it; lived and breathed it. And then, sort of lost the opportunity and lost the ability.
Except during times like these. Something snaps (I can almost feel it) and suddenly, I can speak Spanish again. So I turned to find this lady's Spanish voice and replied, in Spanish. Not only did it surprise me, but she seemed stunned. We chatted for a few minutes and then my bus came. I almost chose to miss it, I was having such a great time. I won't say I was being particularly fluent or witty. It was an effort to keep going. I was merely conversant. As I was leaving, she asked me where I was from, Central America? No, just Texas. I'm not sure I'll even know if she detected a slight CA accent in my voice (I doubt it). Certainly possible, many of my high school friends are from Guatemala.
So I was surprised by Spanish. From an unknown lady passing by on the Square commenting on some red roses. And by my own Spanish. From somewhere equally unknown inside me.
