by Jack Espinosa Editor's note: This is an however, have som fanciful ing energy and youth. Things were tough and Papa benediction (three days of excerpt from "Cuban Bread stories to liven things up a bit, Noche Buena (Good Night) didn't have the heart to throw marinating in sour orangejuice Crumbs,"a collection of short much like the Irish, very tough certainlylived up to its name as them out, so they became part and garlic) was removed from stories that Jack Espinosa is people but still blessed with a rich, poor and poorer stretched of the family, contributing food the ice box, nestled in a large writing about his family and bit of "blarney." what resources they had to and helping with expenses. iron pot and placed atop two early years in Ybor City where All of my relatives on papa's make the night before Christ- A large family with three or flaming burners on a kerosene he was bom. "Katuka's Christ- (Salvador's) side were Andalu- mas special in every way. In four fenants provided enough stove. My mother had started mas" is Jack's most unforget- sian (southern Spain), famous one great show of benevolence, money to pay for a substantial cooking at 6 a.m. following table Noche Buena. It sheds for producing show people, Papa would walk into the "cena" on Noche Buena and a procedures dictated by the lov- some light into the Ybor City artists, Jerez wine, flamenco kitchen and proudly reveal the gift for the baby me. ing and beautiful tyrant of the of the 1930s and the unique dancers, bullfighters and, content of a brown paper bag Early morningDecember 24, household "abuelita" Carmen people that made it so special. most of all, bull shitters. Also he carried, throwing three or the aroma of "pernil" (fresh leg Rosas, Espinosa, Benitez, Mu- Enjoy. called "Curros," my ancestors four cans of peaches on theta- of pork) roasting in sour orange noz y Ballesteros, my grand- Noche Buena (Christmas were famous for guitar play- ble. He did this every year with and garlic marinade thickened mother, "La Curra." Eve) at 1611 11 th Avenue was ing, drinking and storytelling, an air of pomp and ceremony. the air in our small community From her bed, this mother the best part of the year. In never letting the facts interfere It made me very happy. So and filled the populace with a f my father controlled all mat- fact, it was tops for any Span- with a good yarnand a bit apt much so that I would keep the joy impossible to explain. It ters relating to the dinner. She ish, Cuban or Sicilian resident to exaggerate. When a "Curro" labels showing those beautiful was as though all the world was partially paralyzed from of Ybor City or our beloved tells you that he was attacked yelow/pink peaches and paste was my family. Everybody a stroke that completely took colony, West Tampa. Being by a pack of wolves, feel free them on pieces of cardboard. knew who he was and where all feeling from her right side. recent immigrants, Christmas to reduce the pack to a couple Our home was very lucky; he belonged. Really, I have Once a stunning beauty, her in 1937 was celebrated in our of dogs, probably Chihuahuas. we had less means than sore never needed anything more face was now disfigured, her home pretty much the way it When I asked my father if and more than many, many than what I had then health, right hand withdrawn into the was in the mother country. there was a Santa Claus, he others. An advantage in my family, friends and the feeling shape of a claw and her right Santa Claus during my early put his hand on my 4 year old house was that my grandmoth- of belonging. What: beauti- leg severely twisted, rendering years (1931 1939) sort of shoulder and very solemnly er broughtover enough money ful memories I have of those hertotally immobile. For 14 crept upon me and-eventually said, No." Yet, he had me to by two homes in Ybor City. happy days when we lived years she imprisoned herself replaced "Los Reyes" (kings convilced that the moss on the The house where I was born sans television, sans central in her bedroom, too proud to bearing gifts for the Christ trees were growing remnants was a two-story frame build- heat or air conditioning, sans let anyone except family and child). There was not too much of the beards of Spanish con- ing with seven bedrooms and automobile, sans refrigerators friends, look.upon her. Not one fantasy for me as a child. Life quistadors torn off their faces two baths. Extra rooms were or electric stoves ... andfor me, day started for me without my for those Spaniards had been as they tramped through the rented to fellow Spanish im- sans worries. first going tqther bedside and very difficult and they had woods long ago looking for a migrants who had no family A 25-pound leg of pork, giving.hjr my "Buenos dias, little time for play. They did, fountain thatproduced life-giv- here and who seldom paid rent. having received the Cuban abuelita," a kiss and a hug. This ritual wa mandatory be- fore 1 evenWashd my face or brushed my teeth. Mama made sure of that. On Noche Buena she al- lowed herself to leave her self-imposed cell to attend the S"cena" in the dining room. My StIci a es! mother would dress her up in a white gown and my cantan- Skerous grandfather Jose was a p p *allowed to place the od lady in a homemade wheelchair So f i' made out of a regular chair Snailed onto a wooden square of two-by-fours. Wheels were four well-greased, smooth roll- ing Union skates left over from a Christmas past and bolted Sonto the wooden frame. Upon this throne she was wheeled into the dining room, where we Sall awaited her at the table that had been set in accordance ^ with her Wishes. Her annual. ATTORNEYS AT LAW pilimage was very special. Mama spent all day in the kitchen. With only three burn- ers, the pig took priority as gar- banzo soup, black beans and 101 East Kennedy Blvd., Suite 3400, Tampa, Florida 33602 white rice awaited the fire. The Phone (813) 229-2775; Fax (813) 229-2712 salad of lettuce, tomatoes and www.dgfir. "berro" (watercress) was last. www.dgfirm.com An interesting admixture was my family, three step- brothers, two Carrenos from Afull service civil law firm with practice areas in: my mother's first marriage and one Espisona from my father's first. I was the baby. My mom was born in Camarioca, Cuba Transactions Corporations Trial Litigation Appeals Construction of Spanish Asturian and Irish parents while Papa's were Personal Injury Medical Malpractice Environmental Healthcare from Cadiz, Spain. No one spoke about my Papa's blood Government Administrative Law Eminent Domain father. To this day I don't even know his first name. Maria whispered to me once that he reputedly drank "mucho vino," played the guitar and cavorted with "bad women." Papa's step- father, Jose Rosas, Galician (Galicia, Spainm) by birth was the only grandfather I knew. Vivian Arenas David D. Dickey Both of my mother's parents had died before I was born. David M. Caldevilla* Charles R. Fletcher She was brought to Tampa as a teenager by her three broth- Ronald A. Christaldi* Richard A. Gilbert ** ers Juoaquin (my namesake) Iginio and Eufemio, my most Meredith D. Lukoff Patrick J. McNamara beloved uncles. So many children without Edward P. de la Parte, Jr. Daniel J. McBreen father and here I had five, not counting Manuel and Bachil- L. David de la Parte Nicolas Q. Porter ler, two of those tenants who Kelly A. Zarzycki never paid the rent. Manuel elly A. Zar I would take me on long walks down to Sixth Avenue to see the trains until he laughingly SBoard Certified Appellate Lawyer ** Board Certified Civil Trial Lawyer & told my mother one day that tBoard Certified Health Law Lawyer Business Litigation Lawyer he had to help me (during an emergency) remove my short pants to do "la caquita" on the railroad bed. Mama turned pale. "Suppose a train comes (Continued on page 12) Friday, December 22, 2006/Page'11 Section B