Page 3 - Fiction Rough draft--The Great Elopement_La Gran Fuga, setting rural PR, early 1940’s_Float
P. 3
Fiction Rough draft--The Great
Elopement/La Gran Fuga, setting rural
PR, early 1940’s
Audience: Young Teen or Tween
A waking surprise
Cheito woke up to the loud voices coming
from the kitchen. His uncles were loudly difficult one. He and his 3 brothers had to
debating, his abuela was crying, and his 12 separate. The oldest went with his mom.
year old ears were startled. Then in his He, Carlos , was his best friend. Oh how
drowsy awakening he thought he saw a he missed him today! But he and Tomas
young lady sleeping in the cot across the had to stay at Petrona’s. Angelito fared the
room. He suspected the arguing in the best. He went over to the nice cousins over
kitchen had something to do with it. on the rich part of town. And yesterday had
Tomas left overnight to visit Angelito. Little
Settle down! Said tio Cundo. This can all be brothers always seem to have the best luck,
remedied!. he thought. I have to be responsible.
Well you know don Manuel, he has a A loud, crackling snore from the young lady
temper! Cried Abuela Petrona. which looked around 19 years old or so,
across the room, startled him. How in the
Cheito halfway chuckled and halfway world did she get in the room, and how
groaned. Talk about tempers! Abuela come he did not realize this last night?What
Petrona had the worst. But having to take was she doing in Angelito’s cot?
care of so many children, maybe was part
of her eternal sour mood. He could smell the coffee coming from the
kitchen, and the smell of huevos fritos y
Cheito was not sure he would ever get harina de maíz (corn meal). His stomach
used to the busyness and noise in his new rumbled. He turned over , hoping to find out
home. After his father died, he had to stay more before stepping over to the kitchen.
with his grandmother Petrona. Petrona had He could hear his grandmother asking his
10 children, the youngest only 5 years older other uncle, Tio Quique, if he wanted coffee.
than him. The oldest were his mother’s age. “Quieres más cafe? Dejame hervir la leche”.
Tio Quique was the rational , clear thinking
That’s what you did in the country. You took uncle. Cheito always suspected Tio
care of your own. And after his father died in Quique was a favorite.
that accident last year, and mama had to
go to New York to find work in “los He could tell by Petronas' voice that she
Neuyores” That year, 1939 had been a was trying her best to stay calm. But when
