Week 7 Caramelo

As I said before, the book jumps around a lot. So, it may be hard to understand the sequence of the story or the blog, but I will do my best.

When I started back in the book Lala was about to celebrate her fathers birthday at the Awful Grandmothers house in Mexico City. The Awful Grandmother has a huge party for Lala's father every year because his birthday is in July.  She also tells everyone that he is her favorite. She makes him listen to records and read articles about mother's loving their sons more than their wives ever will. She makes him breakfast in bed.  He lounges all day and she requires all family members, friends, and neighbors who plan to attend his big birthday celebration to visit him while he is still in bed. She wants people to wish him  a great birthday before his feet touch the floor for the day. She thinks this is good look, but his wife hates it.  She can not stand her mother-in-law and gets very irritated that her mother-in-law parades people in and out of room while they are still in bed. She had messy hair and has not brushed her teeth! She thinks it is to embarrass her so that people can see that her husband married an ugly woman.

Once the party begins the grandmother brings out her famous mole for everyone to enjoy, but Lala hates it. Her grandmother makes her sit at the table until she eats it all. After her grandfather hears her crying he takes it to the maid and tells her to tell his wife that the girl ate it. He takes her into his bedroom, which is off limits t all the children.  He lets her look in their trunk and shows her the rebozo and pictures. The Awful Grandmother does not allow anyone in her room, so Lala knows that everyone will be jealous. Soon she hears the grandmother calling for her and she goes down to the party. People are singing and dance and passed out drunk through out the court yard.

Then the story goes to fighting amongst the wives and Aunty Light Skin. They are fighting and calling each others children liars. Bags begin to get packed and before they know it everyone leaves The Awful Grandmother's house, except for Lala and her family. The kids play with the maid's daughter named Candleria. She is the most beautiful girl Lala has ever seen and just a year or two older than Lala's oldest brother. She is not very clean and very poor.  She rides into town with her mother early in the morning to help wash clothes. After the other brothers leave the grandmother suggests that Innocencio take his wife and kids to Acapulco. At first they are very excited but as the trip nears the Awful Grandmother, Aunty Light Skin, her daughter, and Candleria are going to.  They all shove into the car and head down to the beach.

I left off where Candleria is sent back to Mexico City with her name and address pinned to her skirt. She gets lost and they have to show her on the television so that someone will come to claim her. The grandmother and Lala's parents are standing far away where no on can hear them talking. Her mother is crying and rushing back to the car. Her father is pleading with his wife and mother and they all load up inot the car and leave the grandmother where she was standing.

I cant wait to read more!

Read 90 + minutes on Wednesday, November 10, 2011