Tears from The Barrio

Rain falling upon the

gritty streets of the barrio.

While a Chicana, waits for

her man to come home.

 

She listens to music, with

a hopeful heart, as she irons

his shirt. She knows it wont

be long before she hears the

front door swing, wide open.

 

Their two kids are on the

sofa, watching TV, as she

casts an anxious glance out

the window.

 

Soon, she’ll throw her arms

around him, and she’ll see

him smile when he sees her

and the kids.

 

Tomorrow, is payday, she

thinks to herself, but sadly

she knows the money will

go mostly on bills.

 

First groceries, then the

electric bill, rent, and other

stuff, leaving very little for

the family to enjoy the things

they want.

 

But who cares, she thinks, 

as long as they’re together 

and healthy is all that really

matters.

 

Suddenly, she hears on the

radio that a young man was

just murdered in a robbery,

at the local store her husband

sometimes stops by on the 

way home.

 

There is no description of

who the victim is until, the,

family is notified. Tears

fill her eyes as she hopes

that it was not her husband,

 

She calls his phone, but there

is no answer. She knows how

dangerous the barrio can be,

and longs with all her heart

to move to a better place.

 

She gets ready to go out and

look for her husband, when

suddenly, she hears the

sound of the old carcacha,

her husband jokes is his

his real sweetheart.

 

“Where were you?” Says,

the wife. “I’m sorry but I

have something to tell you.

over the years I have been

keeping a secret.”

 

“What is it? Don’t tell me

you found someone else?”

“Of, course not, you know

you are my only love!”

 

“Then what is it?” “Well.

I have been saving money

for some time now, and I

put that money as a down

payment on a new house.”

 

The wife was stunned, 

“But how will we pay for

 it?” “Don’t worry, we 

will be okay, plus I’ll be 

starting college classes 

soon for becoming an 

ultrasound technician, 

and they make real good 

money.

 

Most of all, I want to 

prove my love for you 

and the kids.”By this 

time, the wife was 

shedding tears which 

mingled with the gentle 

rain falling in the barrio,

 

As they both hugged each

other and the kids, they

said a prayer for the young

man, who was cut down in

a stupid, senseless robbery,

by an idiot too lazy to work!

 

Frank Solis 2021

All Rights Reserved