Five O’clock

Paraguay had no television until September 1965. When we finally joined the modern world the shows started at five in the afternoon and all shows ended by by midnight. Considering most shows were not dubbed into Spanish we got to watch many of them in English or French. Soon, summer arrived and watching television lost its attraction.

Potable water was a privilege that was easily noted. Between 4:00 and 4:50 out came the hose that would refresh the sidewalk where the chairs would be placed. Those who lacked the beacon of modern days depended on their well. Thus, a number of the younger family members would bring water in all types of containers to dampen the area were the grown-ups would later relax.

In Barrio Obrero, our neighborhood, you could immediately know who had a television set and who was still contemplating in acquiring the new means of entertainment. At seventeen hundred, military time, the sidewalk was was crowded with chairs for the adults to sit and watch the little ones play.

I would ride my tricycle from one end of the block to the other under the supervision of each neighbor. We were allowed to briefly stop to say hello, but we could not remain in one place for long conversations.

My grandmother was no exception. She would have her cocido con leche by four. At four thirty she would shower, apply some Baby Johnson talcum powder, and wear an outfit made out of the purest cotton to be able to deal with the high afternoon heat. She would bring her folding white chair, a present of my dad, and place it on the sidewalk to the right of the entrance to her house. From her self made throne she would direct bicycle vs. tricycle traffic, chat about what happened in mass that morning, or who was the latest addition to a family in the neighborhood.

Grandmother and I were not best buds since I started school. I was into language acquisition. I wanted to speak English just like in shows such as Ed Sullivan and Johnny Carson. I hoped to be a mouseketeer. Grandma was upset. She wondered why would I want to speak another language, if I already spoke Spanish and Guarani.

After so many years I can finally respond. I miss you grandma, and I enjoy telling your stories in as many languages as I can.

(Cocido con leche is a beverage prepared with Yerba Mate tea. Here is the website for those who would like to try it in California)