Mi-ner-va! Mi-ner-va! That was how Alfonso would fondly call out to her.  No more.  Which explains why she was crying her head out.  Her nephew had died earlier that day and now all alone Minerva could not control her sobbing.  The son of her youngest brother, Luis, Alfonso was loved by all and would not easily be forgotten, not by Minerva anyway.  She suddenly recalled him as a child enthralled with the Red Wagon she had gotten him for his 8^th birthday.  His joy and his smile that day came back to her and hung in her mind for more than a minute. She was comforted by this memory and began to smile to herself.  Alfonso had always had a way of getting her to look at the brighter side of things.  She cheered up and, at Peace for the moment, fell fast asleep.

The next day, Luis stopped by to steal a hug from her and cry some more.  She had a strange smile on her face but it did not matter to him.  In that moment she felt as though she had been hugged by Alfonso.  Alfonso, on the other side, was just happy to see them.  He was recalling that the best thing about his family, aside from their love for each other, was their fondness for genuine hugs.  He had decided to join them for a group hug, which is why Minerva was sensing his presence.  Meanwhile, Luis shuddered and gave it no thought as hugs in this family were always filled with emotions.  His sense of Alfonso’s presence was yet to come.

This was working out well for Alfonso, he just hoped that they could sense his tranquility.  He watched as Minerva poured some more coffee for Luis and caught a whiff of the aroma.  He remembered how he used to tell his college classmates that Minerva brewed the best coffee in town.  Just then he heard Luis tell her how the coffee was really good and he really needed it.  I couldn’t sleep last night, said Luis. Unconsciously, Alfonso uttered I know that feeling!  And just then, Luis asked Minerva did you say something. She nodded in the negative.

Alfonso was observing the tenderness between the siblings and realizing how special they were to each other.  He sensed that they would get through his passing because of their tight bond.  He heard Minerva explain to Luis how she just couldn’t quite get that long-ago Red Wagon that she had given him out of her mind.  Alfonso smiled at his own memory of that Red Wagon.  He had gone ape over it and had played with it well past his being a kid.  He had told his father that he was going to build a special stall in his garage for the Red Wagon when he got his first house.

Luis began to cry again as he told Minerva that he had just finished repainting the Red Wagon and was going to present it to Alfonso as a house warming gift.  Alfonso had just moved into his first house in the Fall.  At that, Alfonso started to cry.  Damn, that would have been a real thrill for all of us, he mumbled.  They should put it in the garage anyway, for the new owner he thought.  It was when Alfonso had returned home from his last tour of duty that he settled down and purchased the house on Eldridge Place.

Suddenly, he was glad that he had recently amended his Last Will and Testament and had bequeathed the house to Minerva, just in case. He could see auntie Mi-ner-va placing flower pots and plants on the bed of the Red Wagon.  She was going to make a fine new owner.  I hope she leaves room to park her car he thought to himself.  He was doing that a lot lately.  In reality, he could, in his new home, get away with talking aloud to himself and perhaps he would in time get used to that notion.

At his funeral, Minerva gave the Eulogy and proudly spoke of the day she put a smile on Alfonso’s face with the gift of the Red Wagon.  She laughed as she talked about the many times that he had fallen off the wagon – but it never seemed to faze him.    That was how he was, he had that unique capacity to take a licking and keep on ticking.  So to no one’s surprise she reported that the Red Wagon was here to stay.

The minister, in his short words, spoke personally about how Alfonso was rather mindful and respectful of everyone.  He lingered on a situation he had apparently complained to Alfonso about.  He recalled how the lad in his intuitive response had smacked him silly and in the end reminded, even him, to be humble.  Alfonso could wake people up like that.  The minister also reminded those gathered about how often Alfonso would volunteered for this and for that – you name it. He truly enjoyed pitching in and lived his short life by example.

Then, it was Luis’ turn.  He recalled the way Alfonso remembered everyone’s birthday.  He mentioned the deep spirituality he had always sensed about Alfonso when talking about deep subjects.  There appeared to be an unnerving connection there for Alfonso.  Still, he was happy when they went to Church together or privately prayed together.  He said it made him stronger.  He concluded his remarks by reminding us that the gifts of our children are hard to measure. And, they don’t tend to fade over time.  Quite the opposite.  Luis was all choked up but he made it through.

His best friend spoke next and reminded everyone that he had met Alfonso through the “Big Brother” program and that, despite his height, he had been the “Little Brother.” He marveled on how his relationship with Alfonso had truly transformed his life.  Alfonso had shown him kindness and much more.  He lamented that Alfonso simply wanted to relax that night by playing some pool.  When the shots rang out at the local Recreation Center Alfonso was with some of the smaller boys and had instinctively tried to shield them from danger.  He saved two of them.  That was very characteristically – Alfonso, and something for all of us to be proud of.  What was I supposed to do? Alfonso said – this time out loud.  Junior, his friend, wrapped up his comments by sharing that he himself had heard stories about the Red Wagon.  Then, and there, he announced that he would donate several Red Wagons to the Rec. Center in Alfonso’s honor.  Minerva was thrilled and so was Alfonso.

By David Rivera

November 2019