My Life, My Story Part 1

A Story by LucianoL

Siguiendo La Luna

My favorite song of all time is Siguiendo La Luna, which in English means following the moon. I choose to tell you this because this is how I want to live my life. Mi Nombre is V, but I will say more of this reasoning in the future. People will think that my life story is just boring to some, but enjoyment to others. Argentina is where I was born, what a country. I lived during the dirty war, and my mom was kidnapped when I was just twelve years old. After that, my father said, "you know what I am sick and tired of living in Argentina we are leaving in 2 months". After two months of getting our paperwork in order. We left it was October 5th, 1978: Argentina won the world cup, I had to give up my friends, my passion for the beautiful game, and my chances of going pro. We get to Miami or Argentina's Disney World as I later called it. We settled in the most Cubanazo neighborhood of all time in this city called Hialeah. Wow let me tell you; I didn't know what a Cuban person was until I arrived, at first you might think oh these people are so loud and annoying, but after a while, you get used to it. It took a couple of months, and I became alright with most of the Cubans.

Vasos Vacios

I tell you my name: Vincentico. Ok so back to the story. My middle school life was the typical one immigrant at a new school, get bullied because you're different, and make a best friend. I later realized that the only good thing that came out of my middle school was Usnavi. Usnavi was this Cuban kid who lived in my neighborhood and went to my school. High school changed the game, not middle school. The year is 1981, and I am a freshman in high school, and I start throwing Oye Papo, and the Cubans would be like "Oye Papo que pasa Chico." As I arrive at school the teacher says "Welcome students to freshman English, " and she also decides to throw in Spanish, mind you this is a Gringa who watches Que Pasa USA reruns all the time. "Bienvenidos Estudiantes ah Freshman English," I say to myself "que carajo dijo" the Cubans start bursting in laughter, but she tried at least. Her name was Ms.Adriano; she was a 40-year-old teacher from Brooklyn, grew up with that street smarts over there, so she took s**t from not a single person. She told us about her life, she liked Fleetwood Mac, and her favorite song was Landslide. She says more about her life, but I said: "No Entiendo nada me voy ah nap" (Side note I discovered the word rest, so it is in my English vocabulary).After I take that great nap, I just go to my next class which feels like I have been through this and this is just the first day I tell you. I get home my dad is waiting for me "Hola Hijo como estava la escuela hoy" I say "excellent Pa." He tells me that what is for lunch and he tells me he has to go to work as a janitor for the high school that I attend. So I called my friend Usnavi, and I say "Oye Papo want to come over and he said"ok dale." If you're wondering what happened to my best friend I will tell you. He had to go to a different high school his parents were going through a divorce, and he just needed to be alone for a while. So he comes over, and we just kick back and relax. We watch Que Pasa USA and a little bit of SNL reruns. He had to go home because it was 9 p.m. and I said peace out because you know slang is cool. We keep on hanging out until the end of the year when he gets a girlfriend, and I get one too.

Alright

It is May 2nd, 1982 and my father is crying I ask him Que Paso Pa. He tells me that Argentina was in a war with England on April 3rd and they just sunk a ship that had my uncle and 319 others who died on the ship Belgrano that was sunken by the British torpedo ship HMS Conqueror. I was shocked to my core, and I felt that God took away a person that I loved. My Uncle was this great man who told me how to kick a soccer ball, how to treat everybody with respect, and how to live life. I feel very proud to call that man my uncle. It started to affect me. This affected my grades and my interactions with people. But then the greatest thing happens to me. My dad was cleaning the house, and he tells me "Vamos para la casa" "que" I replied. He says in his broken English "We are going back to Argentina." I was happy and sad at the same, so I tell him ''Ay Karamba". So after that conversation, I do my homework because I need to finish it. I end the school year with good grades because school was easy for me I was just lazy as hell. My father tells me in Spanish, but I prefer to translate it we are leaving next Tuesday, June 14. I said ok, and I got my "affairs" in order. I dumped my girlfriend, and she was cool about it. I said peace to my best friend, but he was cool about it. I did that, and so my father and I leave but, we had to make a quick stop in Brazil because my father had some business to attend too. After that, we went back home to Argentina.

Home

I land in Argentina and democracy came back. Everybody is happy and jovial that it came back. I say hi to my family they come to visit my dads' apartment. I get settled back I put stuff into my old room, and my dad tells me to get something to eat at a local bakery. I say dale, oh how I miss this beautiful city of Bueno Aires. The s****y driving like Hialeah, people greeting each other like it has been seven years. So I go to this nice café and get me two empanadas as I get them the prettiest girl walks by me. My stomach starts to fluctuate in the inside, and it is a weird freaking feeling to have. The voice inside of my head goes "who is this beautiful girl."

End of Part 1

Vincentico

To my son Ruben. I knew how you loved the backstory of people so this is for you. I love you son.