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Sparkle (4)
He descended the plane with searching eyes, spotted us, and quickly found his way to his awaiting party: my mother, my brother, and me. That was the day my brother and I met our future American “Gringo” father, a very tall and skinny man, a gangly pale-face wonder, skin the color of pure milk. And we were immediately in awe and in wonder of him, my brother and me. Like planets drawn to the sun. And though at first he had eyes only for our mother, he withdrew from her to meet us. From behind small round spectacles, soft, doe brown eyes boldly looked into ours, as he extended a friendly handshake, gave us a boyish smile, and said ¡Hola!
He would have followed her to the ends of the Earth; and he did. He followed our mother to the tiny country of El Salvador, all things foreign to him.
He didn’t speak the language; he knew absolutely nothing about the people or their culture. But for love of the woman that had captured his lonely heart, he packed a few measly belongings, left behind his job, family, friends, everything familiar he’d ever known, and with his heart leading the way he got on a plane to join her. Just what was waiting for him at the other side? He didn’t care; she was there. He only saw her face, and knew that his life would forever belong at her side.
My American “Gringo” father was a man of great integrity, a man that kept his promises, no matter what. Before he ever met us he promised our mother to always love and care for us. And to that end he kept his word.
My father was a man that loved God, and trusted his life to Him unreservedly. And if my father taught us anything at all, he taught us to be faithful to our commitments. After all, he led the way for his family!
