contents - Gallatin School of Individualized Study - New York ...

AMANDA RODRIgUEZ Passing Down56shopping.” As our day continued, we dragged along a shopping cart that I hated.I never wanted to be seen with in public because of how embarrassing it was. Thewheels on it were nearly broken and would wobble as it was pushed. The moreweight that was in the shopping cart, the louder it would squeak. Everyone onthe block knew we were coming because they would hear us from practically amile away.Then we would usually go to her doctor’s appointment, which tookforever. Once that was over, Titi (our aunt) would take us shopping. Wewould shop on the two major avenues, which are Myrtle and Knickerbocker.As we strolled down the street, I would often see kids like me being draggedto go shopping. We would then go food shopping, but we always went to twosupermarkets. If one place didn’t have a sale, then the other one did. We wouldfinally go home to put everything away, and my brother and I would wait fordinner to be served. As day turned into night, we would shower and then puton our Puerto Rican uniforms, except Jonathan, who wore regular pajamas. Wewould lie in bed and patiently wait to watch Don Francisco on Sabado Gigante, ashow on the Spanish channel.As the years went by, Saturdays would come and go, and this was alwaysour Saturday routine. As we grew older, Abuela grew sicker. Saturdays becameshorter because we were not able to go out. It just wasn’t the same anymore.Abuela then passed away and earned her wings in heaven. She was truly an angelat heart. Once she was gone, I finally realized why she nagged us so much aboutbeing successful. The truth is, you can never depend on anyone. Within a blinkof an eye, anything can happen. The morals Abuela taught my brother and me willforever live in us. Now I just wish I could hear her voice one more time and spendSaturdays like we once did.Born and raised in Queens, Amanda Rodriguez, 21, is currently a student at theBorough of Manhattan Community College’s Adult Literacy Program. She citesher teacher, Lester Lambert, as her most helpful mentor. “I put all my faith andtrust in God,” she writes. “I’m a person who sees everything in a positive pointof view.”