Pizza’s Here (Get off the Bleachers)

It’s Sunday, big plans, big events, high hopes, like I hope it doesn’t rain (impossible (I hope it doesn’t rain all day)). To serve communion at church, the person presiding says a few words and reads a little then invites men up to pass the emblems. It’s voluntary, if you would like to help you just get up and go to the front though they only need two. So I jumped up this Sunday and walked down front. I know this is a really somber event for many people and I don’t want to impinge on that but at the same time I would like to demonstrate the joy and thankfulness that also comes during the supper, so I smiled. Made a concerted effort to smile, not that it was hard, being up front and looking out at all of the people who have taken such good care of us, every face a memory of goodness, kindness, patience and love.

After church we mounted the bus, 7 in the first wave with more to come. We hopped off in Tule to get some drinks while Kimb took her first solo trip. She continued on, a whole ¼ mile down the road, to the house so she could get the dough going for the pizza since it takes time to rise and all that bakery jazz. We tromped home, a happy troop and were heartily greeted by Snuki. We showed everyone the puppies and offered drinks, etc. It wasn’t raining, so I went to the laundry room and found the most unlike of items to be located in a laundry room: a croquet set. I passed outside to setup the most ingenious, perilous (but not too perilous), dastardly course in Oaxacan history. It’s easiest to get people involved in something they know nothing about when you put an odd shape implement in their hand, toss them a ball and herd them outside. We had a great time, all of being unpracticed or just unskilled made for great laughs and extraordinary play. The last stretch to the stake had to be traversed with caution and a due since of dread and hesitation as the minelayer had been working at full capacity all morning. The small (and some not so small) shrines looked to be a tribute to Montezuma, needless to say you could smell his revenge if you were to tread on one.

The dinner bell ring and called us in from our second round around. The first pizza was hot and delicious, it was smiles and sauce all around. The second pizza came out piping hot and the festivities continued, through the third, fourth and with the fifth the Mexican juggernaut came grinding to a halt. There was still boasting that the fifth could be vanquished, but it was left mostly unscathed. Then the brownies came. A few asked coffee and a few partook of the brownies, but they were so full. MY PLAN WORKED!! Almost all of the brownies were my!!! Not that I was not willing to share but if they were full and there were brownies left…

We sat and talked, Jesus Ricardo sat in the rocking chair, Mike handed him his glasses and draped an afghan over his shoulders with the nostalgic light filtering in from the window behind him it was a classic (really it put 25 years on him) pic.

We listened to music; I helped Kimb clean the kitchen (because I wanted to help and because I thought it important to show a husband serving in his house). The crowded wandered out into the street and back to their homes.

When the last departed, we sat on the couch in the silence. You know the feeling after a pleasant hurricane of people have filled your house and now it’s just the two of you. It was good; Kimb is a great cook, and she worked so hard all afternoon to prepare the food and clean afterwards. We popped some popcorn and popped in a movie. We were supposed to watch Rocky 2 with Jose but he had to go (it was getting late). No worries, we’ll watch it some other time. We watched Fantastic Four, both having seen it, but enjoyed it nonetheless. We rested or tried at least.