Merry Christmas From Caracas

 

Photo by:Susan Weber (@havasuartist) | Unsplash Photo Community

“Maria Christina Lima. You are keeping us waiting,” called out her impatient mother. “We are going to be late if you don’t get a move on. We are leaving in five minutes.”

“Yes Mama,” replied Maria. She had been through her wardrobe a few times before settling on the current ensemble. It had to serve two purposes today. 

As she descended the stairs there came a sigh of relief from her brothers and sisters. 

“You look beautiful Maria,” said her mother as Maria stepped out the door. 

“Thank you Mama,” said Maria as she picked up her roller skates and sat on the step, quickly lacing them up. Once done she looked up towards the expectant faces. 

“Vamanos,” intoned father. 

The children quickly formed a line as they moved, each pulling the last in line along the moving path to the front of the line and repeating the process again with much laughter and joy. They joined the other residents of Caracas Venezuela for Las Patinatas as they roller skated on Christmas Eve. The streets were full of families enjoying the evening roll to the Basilica.

After enjoying their family routines in roller skating for a couple of minutes they rolled onto Via Basilica and joined the throngs of people who were dancing and performing roller blade tricks on their way to the cathedral. 

The celebration outside the cathedral was loud and raucous. All kinds of showing off was going on amongst the young men in their efforts to attract a young girl to their side. The older couples joined up and performed intricate dance routines on roller skates. The excitement was palpable.

Eventually the bells of the Basilica pealed alerting all to the need to enter the church. Some quickly removed their skates and put on their dress shoes, which were tied around their waist. Others left their skates on hoping for a quick getaway. They entered the cathedral and sat in their row just in time to hear the Priest welcome them to the Christmas Eve mass, his roller skates peeking out from beneath his robes. 

“At last,” blurted out Maria Christina after the final amen had been said. The priest greeted them at the door. “At last, Maria Christina?”  

She blushed until he laughed. “I agree, let’s roller skate,” he said as he joined the throngs showing off his moves.

As Maria Christina stood admiring some of the boys performing their tricks she heard a voice speak beside her.

“Are you wearing your yellow underwear?” 

Maria Christina strained herself as she turned to look at the voice. “You know they are to attract good luck,” she called out as she tumbled head first to the ground. 

When she opened her eyes she could see a face smiling at her.

Maria Christina Delgado looked around the room of her nursing home. “And that, my children, is how I met your father.”