Song of the Mockingbird: My Journey with Josefina

The sun is low in the sky and the air has a hint of chill when we return to the courtyard. Frying wafts from the kitchen make a delicious scent. After Josefina and I are finished hauling in our heavy baskets, I sit on a blanket and help Josefina, Clara, and Francisca slice them into round disks. They show me how to string the slices with a needle and thread into a really big squash necklace called a ristra. The ristras will be hung to dry.

Josefina rejoices that we have so much squash, and Francisca chimes in that her head is still hurting from hauling in so much water from the stream. Clara says we’ll be glad for the squash in the winter. Then, Tía Dolores comes over and says it’s good we’re keeping busy, as God intended. After all—

Josefina interrupts and chimes in “The saints cry over lost time!” All the girls laugh, and I chuckle with them. I sit quietly, thinking. At home, we can get anything we want all year round. All we need to do is drive to the grocery store. But it seems like Josefina’s family wouldn’t have enough to eat if they didn’t grow and dry these vegetables. It must be hard work, hauling water in the heat of a desert summer, but they don’t seem unhappy.

Francisca holds a small squash up behind her ear and asks if she should wear it to the harvest fandango tomorrow. Fandango means party! My ears perk up. I do love parties. Clara sighs and says maybe she could wear squash blossoms, but not our food. Josefina and her sisters joke around, but when she sees I’m confused, Josefina explains. She says that when a young lady wants to refuse a marriage proposal from a gentleman, her family sends his family a squash. It’s such a funny custom that I laugh, too. But seeing them all laughing together and close reminds me of Danielle. I want to whisper and laugh with my best friend.

I pick my ristra again and get back to work. Audrey’s face swims up in front of me. A new friend. I push the image away.