SOUL MATES

The book I am currently writing is a sequel to my first novel, HIGH WATER, and follows my protagonist, Frankie, back to the USA after leaving Venice, Italy. It is a story about soul mates through time and space.

Recently, I attended the celebration of life for the 97-year-old mother of my best friend, Rita, who asked me to speak at the memorial. Rita is the youngest of five girls and the following is the story of how I came to be known as the "little, little sister" to the Matthews girls.

Caring, compassionate, supportive – these are just a few words that describe the kind of person my Tia Violeta was. Much has been spoken about the generosity with which she approached life and how she extended that generosity to so many people around her. And on one particular day in 1967, inside a store fitting room, Violeta’s generous spirit changed the lives of a young mother and her daughter.

It was a typical shopping day for Violeta and her five girls at the local K-Mart, when to her surprise, she heard something very unusual coming from the fitting room. Spanish. Spanish was being spoken when, at the time in Windsor Locks, Connecticut, that just wasn’t. . . normal. After listening to the conversation, Violeta ascertained that the relationship between the two women who were speaking was that of an employer and her employee, who sounded like a newly arrived immigrant. The employer was giving her employee instructions about the various uniforms she was to try on. When that woman came out of the dressing room, Violeta approached her and in English introduced herself and asked if she could speak to the other woman in the dressing room. Violeta explained that she had emigrated from Cuba, was married to an American, and they lived with their five daughters right there in Windsor Locks. Violeta explained that she wanted to give the other woman her contact information and would like to be her friend because Violeta remembered how difficult it was to be new in this country, hardly able to speak English, and not know anyone.

When the young woman emerged from the dressing room, Violeta spoke to her in Spanish and discovered that the young woman’s name was Teresa, and she had just arrived the day before from El Salvador where she had left behind her husband and two-year-old daughter in hopes of earning enough money and securing the legal papers necessary to bring them from El Salvador to join her. Violeta gave Teresa her address and phone number and explained how she met her husband in Cuba, that he was a wonderful man, and he would be happy to meet Teresa as well. Violeta and Greely soon had Teresa over for dinner and every Sunday, they would pick her up to take her to the Catholic church, while the Matthews went on to their Episcopal church. After a while Teresa asked if she could join them at their church and that is how Teresa was introduced to and eventually became a member of the Episcopal church. Several years later Violeta and Greely would become the godparents to Teresa’s 2nd child, a boy named Edgar, whom Violeta affectionately called, Lucerito (Little Light).

Soon Violeta discovered that Teresa was being taken advantage of. Teresa’s employer/sponsor had promised her that she would help Teresa improve her English and also assist her with the paperwork so she could be reunited with her family. But instead, Teresa was expected to work as a maid and teach her employer Spanish. When Violeta discovered this, she was outraged and told Teresa, “This is not right! You are here legally and you do not need to be treated like a servant.” Not long after that, Violeta and Greely invited Teresa to come live in their home. Violeta helped Teresa find employment at the convalescent home where Violeta was a physical therapy assistant, and with the support of Violeta and Greely, Teresa was able to bring her husband and daughter to the United States.

Unfortunately, soon after arriving in Los Angeles, it became clear that Teresa’s marriage was in trouble, and she decided to take her daughter back to Connecticut where they could be with their new family. And so, my mom and I lived in that red house on Montemerlo Avenue in Windsor Locks, Connecticut for several months with that big, loud, crazy, family. Surrounded by laughter, music, dancing, and so much love.

VIOLETA & TERESA