Grandma’s Quinceañera

“We were at a costume party, I think. We were supposed to be Southern Belles or Debutants. No wait, I think that photo was taken at my Quinceañera. Yeah, that’s right, my Quinceañera. I’m the one in blue.”

“Almost everyone here is wearing blue. Which one is you?”

“I’m the pretty one. The pretty one wearing blue.”

“Is that a Diego Garcia mural on the wall?”

“Let me see that photo. Why yes it is a Garcia mural. He was a friend of my mother’s you know. In fact that’s him in the background with his hands on his hips.”

“That doesn’t look like him.”

“Of course it does dear; and look, I think that’s his wife, Frieda in the red dress. You know she and Josephine Baker were lovers.”

“Oh?”

“You know, now that I think about it; there mighta been something going on between my Mother and Diego too. Hmmm?”

“I don’t think you had a Quinceañera. I think you’re making up stories again, Grandma! Your parents were Irish.”

“Maybe you’re right. Let me look at the picture again.

“Yeah, you’re definitely right. This was a dance at Garfield High School. I’m the girl with the red hair.

“It was my senior year. See that man with his hands on his hips?”

“The one you said was Diego Garcia?”

“Don’t be silly girl. He doesn’t look a bit like Diego Garcia. That’s Mr. Smitkins. He taught calculus to unsuspecting and gullible high school students. The girl in the red shift with the black buttons and knee socks, you see her here?”

“Yes.”

“That’s Frieda Kahlo we went to different schools together. She and Mr. Smitkins got married the day after her high school graduation. It was quite scandalous.”

“Grandma, Frieda Kahlo was married to Diego Garcia.”

“No, dear, you’ve got it all wrong. Diego Garcia was married to Josephine Baker. See, that’s her in the blue dress standing over my right shoulder. Look at that teal dress I’m wearing, and those green shoes! What the hell was I thinking? Why would I ever dress like that?

“Anyway that’s Miss Baker, over my shoulder, with the grey hair and the glasses. She was my third period home economics teacher. She taught me to make Snicker Doodle cookies. I really enjoyed her class.

“I wonder whatever happened to her.”