Wednesday Dedications, 2011: "Apartate De Mi Vida"

Nina and I were on the phone lamenting this hard, hard life we live, and then decided to make ourselves feel better by saying how much harder it could have been had we ended up in the "traditional" roles for Dominican women.

In my alternate universe life, I married a bodeguero, had four kids (Altagracia, Miguelito, Manolo and little Maria) and a Business Administration degree from CCNY, lived in Washington Heights and made empanadas in my apartment to sell on 175th Street and Broadway because my husband wouldn't want me to work (hence the four kids). Then, after my youth had been smothered and squandered under layers of empanada grease, I'd discover that my husband had another family in East NY with a PRican woman. Rat Bastard!

I'd kick him out of the house, but divorce? Never! Instead I'd start wearing clothes that were too small and too revealing and hang out with my bitter, single friends while Manolito got caught up in gang life (damn Trinitarios got to my baby!) and Altagracia got pregnant by some Black dude who thinks Dominican girls are exotic.

In my random, sober moments I'd play some old records, mostly by Fania All-Star artists, and mourn for my youth, self-esteem and confidence, and wonder how it all went to shit so fast. That motherfucking cheating ass bastard and his skanky whore RUINED my family. Eventually, I'd move on, but not before ruining my kids beyond repair.



Still, even as everything crumbled around me, I'd make my empanadas to sell on 175th and Broadway because really- what else do I have at this point? Fuck him!

*smooches...feeling better already*
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turns out this life ain't so bad after all