Rain drops

Today is a day for celebration in Mexico, and many people here in the United States celebrate Cinco de Mayo, popping open Coronas and sticking in a lime, pouring heavy with the Patron, and feeling really festive. I always have found this very interesting, although I do participate in it. I don't think that Mexicans celebrate the 4th of July, or any other American holiday quite like the way we celebrate their day. (Important to note is that Cinco de Mayo is NOT the Mexican Independence Day, rather it signifies the day that Mexico defeated the French, although the former had a much smaller army than the latter. Their Independence Day is in September.) Incredibly interesting is that many people who say degrading things about the Mexican culture can be found in a local Mexican bar today, munching on tostados and throwing back tequila.

Today also means something else for me. It is a birthday of a friend of mine. He is dead. I actually did not realize that it was his birthday for a quite a few years after his death, and often wondered how he celebrated his 21st on his birthday. I bet it was a blast, having a birthday on a national-and possibly international- day of tequila consumption. I just thought I would like to recognize him on this rainy Tuesday, as I know I won't mention it to any of my family or friends. The only way they will know is if they read this blog.

He has been gone for 13 years, and the last time I heard from him it was on a rainy night in the summer of 1997. I refused to allow him to know I was there as he tapped on my rainy window. He had fallen into a habit of doing drugs, and at the time, I was too naive to really want to help. I just wanted to be rid of him and start over. That was the last chance I would have had to see him. I did talk to him on the phone after that, and our conversation did not end well. Two days later, he was dead. Of a heroin overdose.

Today, though, does not mark his death, it marks his birth. And much like all the people of the US that have no Mexican heritage yet still celebrate the day, I will celebrate his birthday, silently, although I have no ties to him anymore.