NENA'S FIRST DATE WITH A SEATTLE LOSER

After Nena's army stint(1963-66), she worked at Model Laundry on Elizabeth Street as a secretary.  We were well aware of each other, but I was shocked one day when she handed me the gift of a  tie tack you can see in the picture at the left taken over 50 years ago.

One day we found ourselves alone at my mom's house on the resaca on Hackberry Lane.  I had made coffee, not in a Mr. Coffee, but in the stainless steel percolaters we used back then. 

Three hours later, Nena and I had consumed all eight cups from the percolater, just talking.

Talking.  That's something Nena and I always had.  I've known several brilliant people in my life, but none whose opinion I valued more than hers.  She had an intuitive skill to cut through the bull shit.

When later I asked Nena to go with me to lunch at Papagayos in Matamoros, she wanted to know:  "What does this mean?"

I didn't answer, but she went anyway.

I always ordered bistec con papas fritas at Papagayos for 8 pesos, 64 cents.  With the meal you got a stack of tortillas and a side dish of beans.  A Bohemia from the refrigerated case was another 4 pesos, 32 cents.