Tonguas has me Tongue Tied
The new Tonguas (a bilingual literary and visual arts journal from the Department of English UPR, Río Piedras) deadline (February 28, 2008) is nearing again and well, what the hell am I going to write about this time?? I have been pondering a funny story and a mundane poem, but will leave the details for later because I don’t want anyone to copy me… It happens ppl… you have to be careful and safeguard your ideas… Anyways, here is the last thing I submitted that was published on the last Tonguas 2007 (you can enjoy all the previous editions of the journal at the Richardson Seminar Room at UPR)…
I made some modifications, I am my own worst critic… dedicated to someone very special, enjoy:
Missy, Missy
I’m waiting at the bus stop… waiting… waiting…
For the always-packed, always-late, A3 AMA bus
I’m standing ‘cause the new metal-tubing bus stops are so well constructed…
That only three people can sit on the dusty bench at the same time
This time, there are three viejas sitting, bien parkeas
They are like me, waiting… waiting… quarters in hand
*Gasp* …To my dismay…
I see a grimy T E C A T O…
Coming towards me from the right…
I try to move away from his Don Q, Marlboro-reeking breath
…before he approaches me…
I don’t move
I don’t breathe
I melt into the background
…TOO LATE…
Miiissy, Miiissy daaameee unaaa peejeeeta!
I tense up and try to
Ignore… ignore… ignore…
He still gets all up in my face
¡S e a l a p u t a m a d r e!
¿Cuál es la jodienda con los hombres… always asking women for money?
Is it because we have a big heart?
Or is it because we feel sorry for them?
Is that what t h e y think?
As El T E C A T O stretches out his hand…
I have no choice, but to acknowledge him
Look at his smudged face
His pleading bloodshot eyes
I try to respond to them in a low and cautious voice…
…no tengo…
You have to be careful…
Or their anger… their reality… will make them spill over… all over you…
You don’t know what pepas they’re on
Chiiica, give me some moooney… para la Gua (inhales) guaaaa
I hate when they come begging with those big sad puppy eyes
The same eyes men give you
When they are aching for you
I neeed to geeet en Laaaa 1, pleeeaseee!
I put on my pissed-off face
My annoyed mask
It’s not working
I look down, to turn from… turn aside… turn away…
To avoid his stabbing stare
He comes around to my left-side
Now he is checking me out… from top to bottom
Why doesn’t he ask those stupid viejas for money?
I’m 100% certain que tienen más chavos que yo…
Why does he have to ask ME?
Y o s é
Because I am young
An easy prey
Why does he keep staring at me with his X-ray vision?
Please, please, go the hell away…
O h, G o d ! ! !
In this 100º heat
A chill comes over me…
His stare… freezes my bones…
I can’t move… I’m stuck…
…suddenly…
The little thief makes a grab for the black rosary that’s hanging from my backpack
The beautiful Christ on the cross, pegged, and bleeding for our sins rosary
That my mom gave me as a birthday present rosary
Even though I’m an Atheist rosary…
El T E C A T O keeps touching it with lecherous eyes
Stroking it…
Like he was slowly touching his lover’s body…
¡Haaay, qué liiindo!
¡Déjalo quieto!, I snap at him…
I quickly move away from him… scared…
Why are you dressed like thaaat… all in blaaack?
That’s all I need!
Un T E C A T O commenting on my wardrobe choices
Now channeling his inner Joan Rivers,
What’s up with those booooots? And that ooorange haiiir?
Jesus, Oh my freaking God!
One of the viejas butts in…
Thank you Lord for the viejas!
Someone finally trying to step up and defend me from this creep!
La vieja tells El T E C A T O, I know why she is dressed up that way…
She is in a… a…
C U L T!
I heard about them… in… Al Rojo Vivo!
I want to chew her head off!
I’m not in a cult D O Ñ A!!
¡Jodía vieja!
La otra vieja no se queda atrás… and jumps in…
My son turned out the same…
Before he went to the university,
He was sooo clean cut…
¡Qué Dios me lo bendiga!
Then he c h a n g e d,
Started dressing up all in black,
Bleached out his hair,
I was afraid he might be in one of those… those… c u l t s,
Then he became a… what do you call it?… v e g e t a r i a n,
And when he finally finished his degree,
He was gay!
Arggggg ¡¡¡Sea la madre de las viejas presenta’s!!!
The beggar screams at me,
YOU’RE A SATANNN WOOORSHIPER, AREN’T YOUUU?
I try to crawl into a ball
A ball of self-preservation
Away from the stares
And the pointing fingers
Look at her… look at her…
GIVE ME THAT ROOOSARY, YOU DON’T BELIEVE IN DIOSSS!
He makes a grab for my rosary
Pulls on it hard
To break the flimsy silver chain
To take it away from me
To steal him
GIIIVE IIIT TOOO MEEE!
¡NO!, I scream as loud as I can…
It stuns him for a while…
Finally… He comes down from his nube de anfetaminas
Still, he lashes out at me… one last time…
No se queda da’o…
Nunca se quedan da’os…
Saliendole culebras por la boca…
¡JOOODÍA BIIICHAAA, TE VAS A QUEEEMAAAR EN EL INFIIIERRRNOOO!
My jaw drops in horror
I just stare at him
Unable to move
As I feel myself burning
Feel my flesh scorching
For all eternity…
They always get what they want
Todo por some stupid change
El T E C A T O finally remembers what he was really after…
Trying to score that much needed pejeta…
So he can get his next fix
Now,
He gives me the evil-death look
Turns his back at me and…
As quickly as he came,
Walks away…
Leaving behind him traces of his stench…
Impregnating my purity
Me… surrounded in hellfire…
| © Brenda E. Alonso |  |
What do you think about it? Leave me a comment! 
Here is more info on how to submit your work to Tonguas:
The Tonguas journal is published once a year in May. Tonguas accepts submissions of original poetry, fiction, creative essay, one act dramatic plays, and visual art from all University of Puerto Rico students of the Río Piedras campus. The deadline for the May 2008 issue will be February 28th, 2008. Artists and writers interested in submitting their work for consideration must send one hard copy and one copy on floppy disk or CD, saved in a format compatible with a PC. The submission should be clearly identified with the artist’s name, mailing address, telephone number and e-mail address. All submissions must be sent to Dr. Dannabang Kuwabong, Revista Tonguas, Departamento de Inglés, Facultad de Humanidades, P.O. Box 23356, Río Piedras, Puerto Rico 00931-3356. Submissions may also be left in the professor’s mailbox in the English Department, Humanities Faculty, near Office #10, Pedreira (sótano). No e-mail submissions, please. If you are interested in participating in Tonguas events or working on the student editorial board of the journal, please contact Daniel Nevarez at tonguascollective@gmail.com.
Go! Write! Now!
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