Christmas in Quepos

     It's beginning to look a lot more like Christmas around here.  People in the
tin roofed neighborhoods are stringing lights and adorning their houses with paper decorations.  Occasionally, I will see a small, lighted tree peeking it's head through the
curtains.  Nobody is playing Christmas music.  Thank goodness my friend JD spent
all that time downloading Nat King Cole onto my computer.  I have decided not
to buy any decorations for my pad.  It's sad, but I will be home in a few days and
just am trying to enjoy what I see around town.  My neighbor is American and she brought all kinds of garland and lights and a tree.  She was even making ornaments the other day.  Looked like fun!  Her apartment is all Christmasy and homey and I am definitely fighting off the big lump in my throat.
  And just when I was feeling really sorry for myself, I took my favorite taxi out the the Palm Finca campos.  I wanted to check in on my friend Rita.  
      Sunday was the best day to visit her. Before I went, I wanted to get a small gift for the boys. This is not a town with a toy store. Too frivolous. There is a dime store with a few items, mostly baby toys. The Maxi-Pali, otherwise known as Wal-Mart, finally has some toys on their shelves.  I looked for puzzles and found none so I settled on a good soccer ball and the games of checkers and tic-tac-toe. I knew if I took something for Rita she would like it, but feel miserable because she can't buy me anything. And I also knew that if I gave her too much notice, she would go and prepare one of her delicious meals.  So I decided to call her late in the morning and not give her very much notice.  Carlos, one of my favorite drivers, pulled in front of her house and Lucy bounded out before the door was even open. 
      The family was glad to see me and the boys immediately used their gifts. I threw in some candy at the last minute and while watching everybody have a piece, it dawned on me  that they don't often get candy.  Too frivolous.  As the boys played, Rita and I spoke Spanish while she washed dishes. They have no hot water and the culture here accepts cleanliness with just soap, water and a good scrubbing. As I watched her, I looked forward to a great talk with Rita.  We don't get a lot said because it takes me a while to understand her, she speaks so quickly!. No amount of coaxing her with, "Despacio! Despacio!" helps.  We spoke of the end of the school year that was coming up and whether she likes her summer with the boys. She told me about swimming in the river, clearing the land and spending more time with friends.
     There is a spot just across the street from her house, with a covered roof, small bar and table for 20. It's open air and you can see and hear the mighty river roaring and flowing in front of this place.  Neighbors and families gather here every Sunday for
an old fashioned pot luck.  They cook the meat over a make shift open fire with children and dogs running in and out. I am glad that I can picture her in this spot while I go home for Christmas.
     I need to take you back into her kitchen, all cleaned up and with me hoping we can cross the street and sit in this spot to talk.  Rita doesn't sit. She moves quickly in her house and I followed her out to the chicken coop area to watch her remove a big red pot that was boiling away on her open fire pit. In comes the pot and for the next 30 minutes I watch her debone the cooked chicken, feet and all!  She grated carrots, steamed rice, added spices and onions and butter, tiny peppers and potatoes.  It all cooked down
for the next 45 minutes and by now I had been there 3 hours and not wanting to overstay my welcome, I called for my taxi.  Something made me ask about this dish, was it dinner or for her mother.  Rita answered, this is for special occasions like Christmas or birthdays or when a special guest comes over.  Boom!  She had done it again!
Cooked her heart out for me and in spite of being full from the breakfast, I had at 
11:00, I ate what she put in front of me.  She called Carlos in to join us and sent us away with leftovers for 5. It was so simple and so delicious.  I then decided to ask her 
about the chickens, and she took me back to see the hens and gather eggs then explained that she caught the chicken but her husband broke its neck.  She's grown up like this so it all seems normal for Rita.
It seems so real to me. So alive. So original.  Not like the Hen House where everything is cold and wrapped in plastic.
     I hugged them all and told them that I wouldn't see them for a while. She tried to
take a small, hand made rudolph off the wall. One of 5 similar decorations. No tree here.
Stockings that are simple and need to be repaired. Beyond modest. She really wanted to
give me this small, quiet illustration of her craft work and our friendship. I was thankful when she couldn't get the paper off the wall. 
     As I drove away in the cab, I realized, truly, this was my first real Christmas. No money.   All love.                                                                     Feliz Navidad.