Alfonso—My Brother

I was nine years old when my brother Alfonso was born.  Although I had another older brother and sister, my younger sister and I used to babysit him a lot.  We used to carry him around the house like a doll, even though he was in all honesty too big of a baby for our little skinny arms.  There were actually a few times we actually dropped him! Ouch!  It was around that time, 1964, that Gerber Baby Food came out in Mexico and my mother had given me the responsibility of his daily feeding. I was very good about feeding him, very consistent and fair:  One spoonful for HIM... and one spoonful for ME... another one for HIM....and another one for ME! I tease him now that he is so skinny because I didn't properly feed him!

Back then we didn't have the technology that kids have nowadays, no ipads, no wii, none of that.  We had a television program about Go-Go Girls dancing. Go-Go dancing was very popular; I remember their  white lipstick and Twiggy eyelashes.  We would sit Alfonso on the couch and we would start dancing along with the Go-Go girls, we would jump, twist and turn like American rock stars.

Alfonso, being the baby that he was, would just stare at us from the couch with his mouth open, in amusement. Of course we never paid any attention to him; we were too busy dancing our hearts out!

I also remember having to put his baby shoes on but he wouldn't let me because he would curl his little toes.  So my sister and I would have to tickle him until we were able to put his shoes on.

Life is remarkable, now, he is the one who makes sure that I have food on my table and that my shoes are on right.  I say this metaphorically of course!!  (I'm not really there yet!)  He helps me keep my business afloat with the finances and keeps me in check, but he also will come pick me up at my house if there is too much snow in my driveway.  He's always there taking care of me somehow.  And you know what?  He still gets to see me dancing, dancing in the store, moving things around all day, twirling up and down, keeping it going!  Anything that I need, he's always there, that's my brother, Alfonso.