Here is my mom with her dog, Lindbergh, circa 1930’s. He was the terror of their tiny Cuban town of Manati.
Yesterday, Val posted this cool picture of his father’slittle schoolhouse also in Manati, Cuba.
I knew that my mom’s family lived in Manati for years. So, I
began asking her if she recognized the name “Prieto.”
“Well, there was a kid they called Pepin Prieto. We had a
large German Shepherd named Lindbergh (pronounced Leem-Berr) who bit a large chunk out of his … rear end.”
Then she started rattling off names of people who lived
there. Perez-Puelles (was her family), Suris, Acuña, El Bolo, Lechuga, Lopez.
So, I sent an email to Val asking him if he was related to
Pepin Prieto and did he recognize the names….Perez-Puelles, Suris, Acuña, El Bolo, Lechuga, Lopez.
First email:
“Pepin is my uncle.”
Shut. Up.
Second email:
"Perez-Puelles had a dog who bit Pepin in the nalga."
I start laughing uncontrollably as I report this information to her (she’s 93) and she starts
sounding a little apologetic… “That kid must still have the scar,” she says. “It was a
terrible bite.”
So I promised her I’d check up and see if Pepin Prieto has a scar from the dog bite. Waiting on pins and needles for Val’s answer….
Val and I have never met face to face, but apparently our ancestry is from the same little port town of Manati, Cuba yet we have already managed to be a pain in the butt to the Prietos. =D
How random is that!
So today at Babalu, I dedicated the recipe to this random story of Lindbergh and Pepin.
"Quick and Tasty Lechon – Estilo Pepin"
It’s KILLER! 😉
UPDATE 3/15/07: comment posted at Babalu by Pepin’s daughter via Amanda D. : ". . .he still has a hole. He is 86 years old and he does not have any grudge against Lindberg and he is looking forward to see the photo."
Marta! What a cool connection! I’ve been printing out your “Marta’s Cuban-American Kitchen” entries over at Babalu, and can’t help but think that these recipes paired with your good writing and great storytelling would make a fabulous book. Just a thought…
Excellently weird. This reminds me of my gringo husband’s common saying to me: “Oh, you have a cousin?”…he says that every time I start a line with “my cousin so and so…” That cousin can be 15 or 85, by the way…We’re all related, aren’t we. We’re all primos.
Hilarious post! well done.hey Chantel I’m w/ you pal. Marti & I were just yakking about “the book” – not, you notice, “the possible book.” I KNOW it’s coming, just a matter of time. I’m speaking in my Prophetic Voice here….
:>
Great story! Every family needs a good dog story. These are the things that ground us. Wow, I wish it were mine, I’d put it in my christmas letter. My Dad, and my sister Carla (My Irish Twin as of 3/20/07) always had a great dog story to enhance their christmas letter. The best I could do, was a syrupy story about a cat.I miss your blog. Got all my papers turned in and I am free. I can enjoy life for a couple of days.
Lys