Category: Hugo Torres

Tamale Toil

A kitchen divided against itself cannot stand. Mom was recently informed that we’d like to try a slight change to her time-tested Tamale recipe. The request came from our home’s CEO. I felt the immediate tension as the deliverer of news and a de facto mediator. But as two-score and eight minutes ago the masa and newer/older ingredients have been laid out and tomorrow’s dinner will be rather special

Men on the Metro

Two men walked onto the Metro and that’s when I entered their story. 
They sat across my sleeping boy and I. In their sack the carried Vodka and so were careful when they put it down on the train floor. They argued in hushed tones and one implied feeling sick. I couldn’t help looking at his cracked lips as he said so. He was soon sleep and this left his fellow traveler with red eyes and sporting a clinic’s bracelet to stare about the cabin for a while. 
We left each other’s gaze at about Downtown LA and what will become of them I do not know.

A Mighty Query

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under an understanding….And hence the side eye looks my other half and I share as our kids turn ever older. 
Should we delineate? We then thus pivot towards an auld lang syne when one subscribed to an elder rotund Elf? I couldn’t, shouldn’t, wouldn’t rob him of the fantasy. Or is the time now? 
I use coded intricacy in language to mask my query. I trust other parent folk to get my meaning and share their sentiment wisely!

A Pointed Tale

I don’t think anyone is a fan of a super thin, cold and piercing needle coming at your warm vein. It’s always disconcerting the moment the point touches the skin and callously penetrates into the flesh and hungrily seeks out our inner red liquid. At the other end of it a vial receives our essence and in seconded engorges full. It’s an unpleasant scene but I learned a long time ago that I’m the type to not look away. 
I face it so it won’t scare me next time. Weird eh?

Guiding Light

After picking up some dry cleaning and making my way to my truck a very tall and quite muscular young black man and a companion walked towards me. He seemed lost in thought and didn’t seem to notice he was in my direct path. As we neared one another he was tugged forcefully by his UCR Blue shirt and in a second snapped by into reality. He apologized to me and with a smile I told him not to mention it. As his much shorter mom and him walked on I overheard her scolding him to pay more attention and he gave out a respectful acknowledgment. 
That’s the power of good Moms I suppose

Election Day

Come what may I promise to celebrate but not gloat. Should it not go my way I’ll commiserate but won’t despair. In either case I am Thankful for the right to cast my choice just like the rest of you good people. Times ahead may be easy or they could be a tough beat. But I have promises to keep, and miles and miles to go before I sleep

Musing at the Amusement Park

My mama would wake us up way early and while my Squid sisters and I got dressed she finished packing the egg-tortas and stuff into the cooler. My pop made sure he had a couple of VHS tapes ready and the camera was fully charged. We drove a while and parked at either at the Donald lot or Chip & Dale. I think Cars land now lies atop our old spot. The day was long and worth it. We do it different now. I can’t imagine my dad ever hunting for a specific nerd shirt to wear. 
Fingerprints now get you in the park. King Kong is digital and most kids don’t know who Boris Karloff is. Then again…lines can still get long, hot is hot in California and most things are way too expensive. 
Oh yeah…and New Yorkers still stand out in a crowd!

Your Truth vs Mine?

I surmise that a great tragedy of our times is that we believe our own personal truths to be self-evident and that those of others aren’t equal. That while endowed with so many opportunities to share we sometimes fail to really listen. I’m guilty of it though I strive for better because I realize that “our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children’s future. And we are all mortal.”

Cartoonish Aspirations

When I was a boy I used to need to read the funny-papers. 
I’d laugh at Chuck; puzzle over Doonesbury, though Cathy was cute, Garfield needed to lay off lasagna, or thought Family Circus was far fetched. Most off the characters were my friends and I got to see them on the daily. 
Several times I’d ponder about the talents behind the panels. How could people keep on coming up with quirky ideas and silly observations on a daily basis and get them on the page so often? They would have to be super smart, observant and obviously cool. I wanted to be just like them. Sadly I can’t draw and so my wish never came through but I still read the funnies when I can and still chuckle anytime Marmaduke eats something he knows he shouldn’t have.