UNFINISHED DOCUMENTARY, KINGDOMS OF THE RADIO [1995]
You know, we gained a bit of notoriety for the funky huts that we all built on the property—eventually drawing heat from the county’s building and planning jerks—but nobody ever asks me about the house, Mansión Madre, as I began to call her. I felt that she deserved a name worthy of such a distinguished home. Why do I refer to the manor as a “she?” I lived for nine months within her wooden womb, you see. She literally and figuratively protected and nurtured us until we were strong enough to leave her.
I wish I knew more about Ms. Chaves’ father, or whoever actually built the house at Girassol. I have so many questions. I figured a dairyman from the Azores would have been a good old school Catholic, if anything… I have questions.
When I was growing up in El Barrio, I had a tía that was into Sanse, sort of a cross between Santería, Taíno espiritismo, and the Church. I’m not saying that Mr. Chaves was contacting Los Misterios, but he was up to something down in the basement. The first time I went down there, I got piel de gallina, big time. First of all, there was a big pentacle inset into the tile floor down there. I guess there could be lots of reasons to take the time to inlay a five-pointed star, but I don’t imagine any of them are all that great.
Leave a Reply