culture

Ah, shit. I can't remember the details. The gist of it is that in 1959, Pedro Juan Soto published a novel called Usmail, which dealt with socio-political problems in Vieques, an island off the coast of Fajardo, Puerto Rico. It was some sort of anti-imperialism thing: The protagonist, Usmail, is so named because his mother gave birth on the street, next to an American-made mailbox. Don't laugh, you insensitive assholes -- it's poignant.

Anyway, English continues to amuse Puerto Ricans, as it has since 1898. When Dad was in high school, he and his classmates would mirthfully sing:


Esta es una triste historia que en mi pueblo aconteció
Eran seis hermanos Jones cuando Queco se murió
Queco Jones murió del corazón
Se quedaron cinco Jones cuando Queco se murió.


At first, Mom reprimanded Dad for sharing this gem, but then she started singing along with us.