#i2amru (I, Too, Am Reinhardt) Volume 1 Number 1 | Page 24

by Dulce Galindo
As I see my dad walk down the
stairs with a book bag on his
shoulders, my heart sinks. Where
is my dad going? Why does he
have a backpack on his shoulder?
All of these questions have started
flowing, and I don’t know what is
happening.

Adiós, Mi Papá
24

I saw his face in my mind as he
was contemplating about going,
but at the end, he just said,” I don’t
know…. I’ll think about it.”

The younger brother is so pale, he
could pass as a ghost, and he is taller
than both of his brothers. One by
one, they hug their older brother and
wish him good luck in his journey.
Now we are here, the moment that They also know by now that it will be
my dad is leaving and his “I don’t a long time before they get to see him
know “ has turned into a yes.
again. They know that if he leaves
now, he won’t be able to come back
My mom starts sobbing as well
My dad keeps hugging me, and all to visit them, because this is a oneas my grandma. Everything goes
I want to do is to tell him to not
way journey, through many dangers,
mute, and all I can hear is my
go, but my voice doesn’t come out, through the desert and across the big
heart beating fast. Suddenly, I
and my eyes are filled with tears.
river into a country that is unknown
feel light-headed. My sister, who
to all of us. In their faces, I can see
is four years younger than me, is
How am I going to live without my sadness at having to say good bye to
standing next to me wearing her
dad? He is so important to me. He their beloved older brother, who has
favorite overalls that have stains
is the one that I can talk to, and he been a second father to them
on her knees from sitting on them always takes us on adventures.
while playing on the dirt. She is
While all of this is happening, all I
completely unaware of what is
My sister, even though she is little, can think about is how much I don’t
going on.
is now figuring out what is going
like my aunt. Why does she have
on. She starts to cry. She keeps
to take my dad away from us? Why
“You girls behave and help your
hugging my dad, not wanting to
did she even come back to Mexico?
mom,” my dad says to my sislet go of him. My dad sets her
She should have stayed in the Unitter and me, and as he hugs us, I
down and wipes her tears away
ed States! I know they are not good
realize it. He is leaving. We are
from her eyes. He tells her to
things to say to a family member, but
not going to see my dad for a long behave and that he loves her very right now I am just filled with mixed
time.
much, ”Te quiero mucho!”
emotions of sadness and hate.

I turn my thoughts to remember
My grandma is next in the line
Why is this happening? I start thinkthe conversation that had hapof goodbye. In her eyes, I can see
ing of all of the moments my dad will
pened three weeks earlier, when
the pain that she is going through. miss because he is not going to be
my aunt was trying to persuade
She has to say a goodbye that she
here: he is going to miss my dance
my dad to leave our Mexican
never thought she would say. She
performance for which I have been
home and go with her to the Unit- hugs my dad so hard and gives
practicing for over a month now.
ed States.
him her blessing. “Cuidate mucho, He will not be there for my ninth
hijo,” she says with tears in her
birthday, and he is going to miss my
“You can work over there and
eyes, as she knows that this might sister’s fifth birthday!
provide more for your daughters. be the last time she will see him
I also cannot go alone with Jackie. for a long time.
At the same time these thoughts are
I need someone to help me,” she
happening, so is another one, a deep
had told my dad.
My uncles are next, both standing fear: Will my dad make it? My dad
next to each other. As different as is going to be crossing the desert to
Why would my dad want to leave day and night, the middle brotharrive in the Unites States, a journey
Mexico? This is his birthplace, and er’s dark skin looks like he has
millions of people have tried but at
his family is here!
been in the sun for a long time.
which many have not succeeded.

25