A Chicano Santa Story

    Pepe Claus Rules!

Me and my cousin Juanito

had spent many sleepless

nights since the day that

Uncle Ray had told us

about a Chicano Santa,

and we wondered if it

was true.

 

Its not easy for two six

year old boys to sneak

out of a bedroom late

at night, and check

every passing lowrider

to see if it's Pepe Claus!

 

We don't have a chimney

at home so I had to figure

out another way for Pepe

Claus to get into the

house.

 

So, I left a window

unlocked along with

a red candle burning

besides a plate full of

Mexican style cookies,

so that he would know

that he was at the right

address.

 

And just to make sure,

I also left one of Uncle

Louie's new bottles of

Tequila, just in case he

was cold along with two

shot glasses. Of course,

without Uncle Louie

knowing.

 

Me and Juanito had

already spent twelve

nights in a row waiting,

and hoping, to get a

glimpse of the Chicano

Santa, but all we saw

were the stars shining

brightly in the sky.

 

Uncle Louie caught us

outside one night and

asked what we were

doing and I told him not

to tell, because if he did

I would tell Tia, about

him flirting with the

cachetona at the local

grocery store, every

time he went in to buy

cigarettes, ha!

 

One night, me and Juanito

were about to give up, and

go inside on Christmas Eve,

when we heard the sound of

a car's high-performance

engine coming down the

street.

 

We couldn't believe our

eyes as the superbad

lowrider stopped right in

front of our house. Then a

great looking Chicano

couple got off, and they

were both dressed to kill.

 

The man wore a Pachuco

Zoot suit and his wife wore

one too. They both walked

up to us, as the man opened

up a leather briefcase filled

with all sorts of Christmas

candies, he smiled and said

our presents were already

under the little Christmas

tree!

 

Uncle Louie, and his two

Cholo friends along with

two cops who had stopped

by to check out the lowrider

all stood with their mouths

wide open, as the couple

walked back and got into

the superbad lowrider.

 

As the engine roared to

life. I did get a glimpse

of the license plate as

they drove away into the

darkness. It said, Mr. and

Mrs. Pepe Claus, Aztlan.

 

Hmm, Uncle Louie and

his two buddies, swore

they saw the lowrider rise

up into the night sky and

disappear into the clouds

on that magical night of

Christmas Eve!

 

Feliz Navidad Raza.

Yours, for the real!

A six-year old

Chicano!

 

Frank Solis 2020

All Rights Reserved