Coco Remembrance
Part 1--- Part 2
Ever scene that day, Miguel reserved the book containing the letters from Mama Coco, he became obsessed with his un-named great grandfather. The letters he wrote was very detailed with everything he was doing but, one problem was he never really talked about actual locations. Like he would go on about the songs he would sing or write a new poem for her.
One thing he did discover was now he understood why Mama Coco thought that he wouldn’t just leave and never come back. This man really loved his daughter. It was like every other week I would send her like five-page letters. The date themselves proved this. But, on March 24, 1921. Then just suddenly stop. Though he was no phycologist, he understood that no one just stops writing to someone they loved so much that they would write some many pages that someone could drown in them. They would either slow down or they would write less and less till there were no more letters, but no. This man was very constant with the poems, songs, and letters he would send her.
“Why would he stop.” He asked himself.
It was dia de Los Muertos. He had read and re-read all the letters and new one thing was that he did not travel alone and was not the brains behind the operation, he was more like the side-kick to the adventure. He said the man was named Ernesto but, that was about it. The only Ernesto he could think of was De La Cruz, but he didn’t think it was the same person. After all, De la Cruz was a solo performer. He didn’t have a partner. After all, Miguel always heard about him when he would shine shoes in the plaza (even though he wasn’t exactly supposed to be there). However, the only thing that he knew was that he was a nobody from his hometown. He would play and people would listen to him. Miguel could only wish for that. He didn’t have the courage or confidence to go against his family. Maybe that’s the real reason he wanted so badly to solve the mystery of what happened to his great great grandfather. If Mama Coco was right and him not coming back after all those years apart was a misunderstanding or wasn’t what the family thought, he could finally be himself for once. He was tired of hiding in the small crawl space scared to play a few notes, fearing that anyone in his family heard him and would take away his one bit of happiness.
“Miguel!”
He was knocked out of his trance. He turned to see his Mama in his room, looking at him, concern.
“What all these?” She asked.
“NOTHING!” He yelled trying to gather all the paper up quick without ruining them. But, she grabbed one.
“Mama, please don’t tell anyone.” He begged
“These are really old letters. Who are they from?”
“Mama Coco’s… Papa.” He said keeping his voice down.
Miguel waited for her to yell at him and scold him for having anything to do with ‘that man’ but, it never came.
“Did Mama Coco give you these?” She asked, raising an eyebrow.
“Si”
“Then, it was a gift, no? why did she give these to you?” She asked giving him the letter back.
“She asked me to solve the reason he never came back.” He said. It was the truth he just left out the fact that he wanted to bring music back into their lives.
“I see, she was the only one to believe that he didn’t truly leave her. That he didn't abandon the family.” She said looking at the letter in her hand.
“When I met your father he would take me to this one spot and we would listen to the Mariachi play from afar.”
“He listened to music?!” He said surprised.
“Si, he did. I would ask him why we could listen closer and he told me about their no music rule. He told me of him and how he left his abolita. He didn’t want that for his family. But, … even though there is this rule, Miguel it doesn’t mean it is without purpose. It was made to protect us from getting hurt. Do I agree it’s right? No, but I respect it. But, if mama Coco didn’t want this for her family then I hope that one day you can help it.” She said handing the letter back to her son.
“Just remember that tonight is dia de los Muertos. Make sure you get the Marigolds when you go into town si?”
“Yes, Mama.” He said rolling his eye but smiled to show that he was playing around.
He looked back at the letter his Mama had given him. It was the last letter he had written to her before they suddenly stopped coming. He read the letter again one last time.
Dear Coco,
I will be home very soon, Tio Ernesto and I are going to perform in front of many people. Your Papa’s songs will be will remembered like our secret song. I will sing in tonight just for you mjia. Just remember I love you so much and know that I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart.
Love Papa.
Miguel looked at the letter again and again but one line stuck out to him and he knew he had heard it somewhere before ‘I sing a secret song to you each night we are apart’ it sounds very familiar to him like it was a song. Then like a football, it hit him. It was from the famous song written by non-other than famous Ernesto de la Cruz! But, this letter as one of the song lyrics. Did his great great grandfather actually know him? In the letter, he called him tio, but Ernesto never had a brother. Maybe they were so close that it was like they were brothers. But, he had to be sure. He would have to break the family rule and go to the plaza and go to the Music shop.