I
am on the sidewalk talking to Güero and Flaco, two years ago
they lived here on the streets at Tasqueña. I remember inviting
them to Father Chinchachomas' Homes for Street Children where they
are still living. They look great and are on their way to school.
It feels good to see them. Güero tells me that he won a prize
for making the best piece of furniture, a table, in a competition
among the children in a woodworking class. Suddenly, Pájaro
screams: "Help, Negro!" I see a man running down the street with the
children after him. The man just hit Negro out of the blue. No one
understands why. |
. . . . . . . .
Felipe
is carrying a pair of boxing gloves and Jorge has a little rucksack
over his right shoulder. They must be around nine or ten years old.
I meet them coming out of the Tasqueña subway station. They ask
me for money and I buy them a soda. Jorge and Felipe are going to eat
and they invite me to come along. Later at the fountain they unpack
Pan Bimbo, sardines, tomatoes and chili from the rucksack. |
. . . . . . . .
Buildings
damaged by earthquakes are dangerous to live in. Garrocha and Toni died
when the building they were sleepingin collapsed in August 1991. Guillermo
survived and is now called Siete Vidas, "The One Who has Seven
Lives". |
. . . . . . . .
Patachín
Patachín,
from Acapulco, was run over by a car and lost his leg. The other kids
called
him Patachín after a cartoon gunfighter, who only had one good
hand to shoot with. There wasn't much water in the fountain and it was
often dirty but the children loved to go there. It was a place where
they could swim and sun bath in peace by the cool water. |
Efeo,
who makes his money washing windshields on the corner of Miramontes
and Tasqueña was bitten by a rat. Chato was the taxi driver who
brought him to the hospital for injections. The rabies treatment took
a couple of weeks,during which time Efeo lived with Chato and his family.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
![]() |
![]() |