language lessons

Cheryl’s nephew Aero is visiting from Mexico. He’s come to Portland to immerse himself in the language. He’s twentysomething, very sweet, lives at home with his folks and works in some job that involves math.

We frequently, quite by accident, get into very personal conversations with Aero when I am visiting Cheryl's house. It’s something to do with the language barrier. He asks a simple question and we are so forthright, we blurt out an overwhelming amount of information in response to a question that really, probably could have been shrugged off with some simple A-B answer.

We are sitting at the dining room table when Aero asks Cheryl a question about her marriage. Cheryl, stumped for an answer, brightly changes the subject:

“You know what, Aero? Lisa’s never been married. Not even once. And she’s in her 30’s!”

I am looking at her stupefied, when the questions begin:

“Why you never marry, Lisa?”

“Well, I…” Sighing, I give Cheryl a thankyouverymuch look and try to formulate a response.

And it’s funny, I couldn’t really… come up with any good reason for never getting hitched. Instead, like a flash, came a whole long list of reasons why I haven’t married. What I was thinking, was this:

Well, he told me one thing and then he changed his mind, eight months later.
He ended up being a crazy drunk.
Him, I would have damaged him completely.
I am not sure why that one didn’t work out. I liked him a lot, actually.
He cheated.
He lied.
He… just wasn’t the right one.

I have no idea what look was on my face while the play by play was running through my head, but Cheryl finally shook me out of my reverie by saying emphatically,

“Well, she just hasn’t met the right person, Aero. That’s all.”

Ah, they nodded, looking at me speculatively.

That’s all.