missing in action

 

I am flying north this afternoon.

My airport ride is picking me up in just under two hours, so, it is time to start packing. I had just zipped up my duffel when something occurred to me. Even if I only stay for a week in Oregon (my current plan), I am going to miss one of my favorite days in Mexico -- Independence Day.

The grito. The sky rockets. The parades. It is one of those days that Mexicans love airing out their national pride. And I suppose I like it so much because of its small town character. The Mexicans celebrate kicking over the traces of the Bourbon kings. Americans celebrate kicking out the Hanoverian overlords. We are kindred anti-monarchist spirits.

I am not certain what parades I will miss this year., Last year, both the Independence Day and Revolution Day parades were whittled down into separate min-parades that seemed to pop up almost spontaneously. Divided like that, they missed the national unity so important to the day. I suspect the flooding and the ongoing novel coronavirus may have some effect here on parades.

Instead, I will have to amuse myself with photographs of parades past on 16 September. But, if I listen closely, I may still hear the refrains of El Grito -- "Will you defend your religion and your rights as true patriots? Long live Our Lady of Guadalupe! Death to bad government! Death to the [Spanish]!'

And I will smile.