Flash Fiction: Papo doesn't smile

When one is trained not to forget, like after major event, burning down a house which really never happen during one's childhood it is hard to ignore other events. For example most Puerto Ricans families during that time period in the sixties, like us... lived in about all the boroughs of New York City and of course there were many get-togethers. Christmas parties, birthday parties, etc.

My family was no exception, and of course with these parties came the get together photos. Me being me knew the concept of Photography at around age 6, I was a notorious 'photobomber'. Children back then were not to be seen nor heard in family events. It was easy for to make weird faces and poses and other unpleasant gestures to the camera knowing that a month later it would be revealed. Yup, everyone know that the youngest of the Santana's males like his father can mess with their heads.

The solution was simple. My mother now was armed with a dog strap on her person or hidden behind her back.

Another lesson I could not "let go". That strap became an extra appendage on my mother body for many years.

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