A branch of the town’s family tree is headed by a 70ish year old man, Saul and his wife, Teresa. Saul was born in Cartago and worked on various coffee farms throughout his youth. In a tiny city of Cartago, he met a young girl named Teresa and fell in love. At the age of 18,they decided to marry but when they asked for their families’ blessing, the two families insisted they were too young to marry. Disobeying family wishes, the couple married. Hearing of good coffee crop in the south and following other family members, the young couple migrated to MonteCarlo.
Together, they raised 9 children 6 boys and 2 girls while living off of Saul’s wagers as a coffee picker. From this couple, more than half of the town can claim relations. In the elementary alone, majority of the kids identify Saul as grandfather or uncle.
The sons picked up the same trade, working on the same farm as their father and migrating to the US to help buy land for a house in MonteCarlo. Retiring, Saul maintains a tradition of making baskets to supplement his government pension.
Early in the morning, he walks into the mountain and collects the material. Washes it. Dries it for about two days. Weaves it into beautiful baskets and sells in the community and neighboring towns.
This past Saturday, I rode a buseta filled with Saul’s immediate descendants (sons, grandchildren & daughter-in-laws) to hear the group play at a senior citizen home. I went expecting only to hear them play.
However, I received 5 invitations to dance with men over the age of 70. Serious dancing. They went crazy over salsa, kumbia, and corriente. One of the invitations was from a man with a walker. He could barely walk but insisted that I dance with him. When I declined, the girls teased me about my new “boyfriend.” Failing to get a young lady to dance with him, the elderly man magically turned his walker into a woman. Moving him and stepping with more pep than he walked.
