His Bird
Head on the soft,
dewy grass. Tick-Tock. Legs tucked in to
my chest. Tick-Tock. Hands folded
beneath my cheek. Tick-Tock. The sun shines
light on the golden Timex creating a blinding glow, so I close my eyes. Tick-Tock.
For 39 years he
called me his bird. With my blue eyes as
wide as saucers and a little pointy nose, I followed his every step through the
hallways. His enormous key chain jingled
on the hoop of his navy pants. Being a
building superintendent was his second job.
If a faucet was leaky, he would show up with a wrench. If a lock was broken, it was replaced with a
brand new one. If a mouse appeared,
traps were set. There was never a dull
moment. Yet, out of all the adventures
we pursued, my favorite was the trip to the mysterious basement.
“Please, please,
please!!! Can I come down there with you? Please!” I cried.
“How can I resist
those eyes?” he asked. “I need to check a few things.
As I skipped into
the elevator, I grabbed his hand. Tick-Tock.
Beneath the hair and grease, I noticed the gleam of metal against
his olive skin. Quickly, I jabbed my
thumb on the B button. With each creak
and moan of the aged contraption, my stomach was filled with horrific
excitement. When we stopped and the door opened, I grabbed his leg, and we
stepped into complete darkness. Reaching
over his head, I heard the tinkle of a chain and click the single light bulb illuminated the entire area.
While he went into
the boiler room, I began to explore. On
the right side of the wall stood two massive white machines. Moving closer, I realized they were the
community washer and dryer. Looking
toward the left, I noticed my baby crib and an oversized chair surrounded by
boxes. I walked closer and peered inside
of it. Among the yellow sheets and old
blankets, I spotted one of my baby toys.
It was an orange, stuffed owl. I
wound it up, and it twinkled with sweet music that bounced around the basement
walls. It was time to go. I tucked the owl under my arm, walked into
the elevator smiling up at his unshaven face and he smiled right back. Tick-Tock.
I opened my wet
eyes. As I wiped away the tears, I
noticed the hot sun had shifted directly over me. Tick-Tock. Sitting up, I leaned against the cold,
hard stone. Tick-tock. Shaking my wrist,
the over-sized watch slid down hitting the palm of my hand. Once again, I closed my eyes. Tick-Tock.
“Julie, can you
grab that basket behind the lawn chair?” he asked.
I walked over to
the brown basket, and as I leaned over to pick it up, droplets of sweat from my
forehead hit the pavement. Puerto Rico
was extremely hot in July. But I didn’t
care. The garden behind his house was
amazing. Not a very tall man, he had to
use a ladder to grab the bananas from underneath the leaves. While I found some relief from the heat
underneath the large palms of the tree, I handed him the basket. I watched with admiration as he selected the
perfect fruit.
“Graçias mija,” he
said.
Next, we strolled
around the yard and picked up some breadfruit that had fallen from another set
of trees.
“These will taste
good with the tostones for later,” he said.
“Why don’t you check the avocado plant in the corner?” he asked.
Lifting the leaves
of the plant, I found a large, green avocado hanging heavily on the
branch. I picked it and brought it over
to the basket.
“This will have to
sit for a few days before it’s ready to eat,” he explained.
I smiled.
“Don’t worry. We will be here for an entire week,” I said.
He hugged me and I
felt warm and loved.
That night as I
lay in bed listening to the coqui frogs chirping outside my window and feeling
a warm breeze float through the curtains, I thought about arriving to his house
and hearing him call out my name with such joy, you would think we were meeting
for the first time. I enjoyed spending
time with him. I loved listening to his
familiar stories about the army and watching his eyes light up with
excitement. Feeling special in every
moment we shared, lingers in my heart. Tick-Tock
I opened my
eyes. As I dabbed a tissue on my cheeks,
I was relieved to see the sun had settled behind some trees in the
distance. Tick-Tock. Now facing the
stone, my fingers shakily traced the letters boldly engraved on the front. Sitting on my knees with my hands holding the
stone, I dropped my head and closed my eyes again. Tick-Tock.
He stood proud at
each graduation and birthday celebration. We danced at my wedding. He visited new homes we purchased. He held each of my girls after they were born. He attended holiday gatherings and family
meals. His 98 year old body was tired. I
will always cherish Hearing “I love you” for the last time as he lay in his
bed. Tick-Tock.
I
remember watching as every corner was folded and each crease was smoothed when
the flag was handed over. Silence. I saw them carry him away. I clenched his watch in my hand. Tick-Tock
I
opened my eyes once more and sat up straight and tall. The headstone read, Celso Rivera.
He was my grandfather, and I will always be his bird.
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