It is too hot to do anything. It is too hot to wear anything, eat anything, or clean anything. Sometimes I just lay on my bed under the whirring ceiling fan and do a mental checklist of my closet offerings. Denim, merino wool, tweed, hounds-tooth, acrylic, cotton-poly blend. No, no, no! I can't bear to put any of them on. My wardrobe is the result of living pretty much my entire life in Utah where there are four seasons and although the summers may get hot they are child's play compared to the Arizona melt-down starting to occur now.
Most days the only thing I can bear to wear is one of my Mexican dresses. They are the most comfortable and cool and all the colors are an instant shot of valium for the eyes. I just...love them. The only problem is that sometimes I'm surrounded by large groups of Mexicans. Don't get twisted, I LOVE the Mexicans. I love the culture, the food and hello, have you seen a Telenovela yet?
For all you gringos they are translated as follows from top to bottom: "Fire in the blood", "Sins of others", "When you're mine", and finally "Don Juan and his beautiful dame".
Young and the what? They totally trump our soaps. But back to the Mexican dress. It's not like anyone else is wearing them - and I mean ANY one else. I'm the lone wolf sporting my cotton hand-embroidered frock. And it just so happens that the last time I was wearing my dress I found myself in just the predicament I mentioned above: surrounded by crowds of Mexican people. I can't remember why but we took an impromptu trip to one of my favorite places ever: The Ranch Market on Southern and Stapley. It is this HUGE Mexican grocery store/eatery. They had a really famous one in Phoenix for years and they just opened this one 5 min. from us. It is pure heaven once you enter the doors that say Bienvenidos (welcome).
So there we were in the parking lot about to enter and I looked down. "Oh no, I'm wearing my dress" I said to Ricky. There wasn't much I could about it at that point so I sucked it up and went in anyway. But for those who are a little confused it would be kind of like you entering a grocery store in Germany wearing lederhosen and ordering a bratwurst and a beer. Silly. They don't wear lederhosen and Mexicans don't wear those dresses. Oh well, I guess I just showed exactly how much I like them. Although I felt a little sheepish I went about my business eating my huaraches, drinking my agua fresca and ordering queso fresco from the deli.
Now I'm just trying to get other clothes into the rotation, as much as I hate it, to avoid this happening again. Man I love that dress.
*editors note: If you haven't tried queso fresco you really should. It is mild and soft almost like cottage cheese pressed into a mold. It is slightly salty and totally refreshing, and compared to most others cheeses it is really good for you. Trust me, you are going to love it.
3 comments:
There was an outbreak of salmonella around here due to queso fresco. Don't worry, I'd still eat it.
And I kind of still love the dress.
I have a testimony of the Ranch Market. We have one nearby, and they make the most delicious fresh horchata I have ever had. Also, I could buy a whole cow head, if I wanted.
So you wear Mexican lederhosen in the summertime, I get it.
I feel like my face says "ignorant (or ignoramous) american gringo" and so every time I go to Juanitas or to get papusas or contemplate trecking to the Mercado Latino for Mexican Candy, I'm embarrassed to even say Hola. This is what I get for taking French classes.
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