(Continued from page 3) Garlic cloves pierced the tough the tradition. My nieces Joelle find yours, you merely took an- pig's skin overnight to-protect and Alexandra with help from other and put it back when you us from evil. Wichi, the mojo Andy, who came out of pig returned. Mine always showed magician, mixed oregano, gar- roasting retirement, lovingly up eventually. In those three lic, pepper and sour orange roasted the pig in the backyard years my bike was never gone in a large jar. The men woke last year. They were exhausted for more than a few hours at early on the 24th to dig a hole and smelled bad, but we all a time. in the back yard large enough gratefully acknowledged their When I married, I left the to hold the pig and the wire triumph. We feasted mer- bicycle in my parents' garage. mesh 'griller". The hole was rily knowing the Abuelo and A year or so later, in graduate filled with good Wood and some Abuela spirits were happy that school, I realized it would be guava leaves. The pig was fas- we remembered their words - useful getting in and out of tened to the hiome-made grill Nosotros somos cubanos! campus. My parents had sold with wires and placed over the their house by that time. When slow-cook fire. The mojo man PeggySchmechel I asked my mother about the filled a large stopper to squeeze I try not to live in the past; bike, she said, "I gave it to the onto the pig. Large banana it makes life a little lonely. But buyer; he wanted it, and you leaves :lay on top of the pig to at Christmas time little memo- never used it." keep in the smoke. The pig- ries peak around the comer "But I wanted it." roast ritual required at least to make you feel a little warm You're married now. What two men on duty to flip the and fuzzy. do you want with a bike?" pig each hour, squirt the majo, My husband Ben Schemchel I also lost my collection of and keep the fire going. was a very special person. He comic books in that move. They The pig men drank beer or needed to be in order to live would now be worth a fortune, wine or rum all day long, to with Patrick and me for 24 but who would have known? keep themselves warm. Phil years. He loved to take-care of Ruiz and'Dad drank too much us and to be our provider. Maura Barrios Mathuselem one year and He. tolerated Roland, called In West Tampa, we made dropped the pig into the ashes. him his husband-ii-law. He the transition from Cubano Since then, Sandra always did not find him a threat, to Americano over a couple cooks an extra pork roast.just which was admirable because of generations we began to in case we lose the pig. Roland was a part of our life. eat turkey instead of rice and In the last few years, my When Ben and I were new- beans on Thanksgivmg. How- nephew Jarrett decided to lyweds he traveled. Once a ever, Christmas Eve (Noche keep the tradition alive, when week he would go to Jackson- Buena) remains a Cuban- my brother announced he'd ville and work his way back to ritual. cooked enough pigs in his Tampa. .. would search for ways to- 5 make his trip home a little less lonely. I would write little love notes and hide them in his socks, underwear and other items in his suitcase. I would leave little messages on his the next time I wrapped the families would gather around recorder. He loved it and would commode in Saran Wrap and to exchange gifts and eat. Ben call home when he found one put a note under the lid. He would complain. about the and tell me thank you. One thought it was hilarious and of cost of everything but would time he came home and said course that I was wonderful. enjoy the love that was given he expected to find a note in Christmas Eve was a special in return. the john next time. day at our house. I would cook The last Christmas he was So, when he returned home a wonderful meal and all our (Continued on page 5) Bon Natale Feliz Navidad The Barrios tradition, hand- lifetime. Jarrett was not a ed down from Grandfather good pig roaster, he'd go off to Manuel to his son Ren, to do his last minute Christmas my brother Andy, requires shopping. When it became ob- great skill. A roast suckling vious that he would not carry pig must be slaughtered a day on the tradition, the young or two before Christmas Eve. women stepped in to continue F BOGGS BANKER ATTORNEYS AT LAW May you and those you love find peace and happiness during this holiday season and the new year. :, HENRY GONZALEZ PLUMBING CO., INC '_ ' 2119 West Columbus Drive Tampa, FL 33607 1 Phone: 251-0596 Page 4 Section B/Friday, December 22, 2006