Julia Reyes Gamboa affectionally known as Ina was the original hustler. Born in a Trujillo, Honduras. Witty. Smart. Quirky. Eccentric. Statuesque (5'10). She broke all traditional rules and made her own. Which was difficult considering she was surrounded by conservative values. People judged her harshly. But she always rose above it. Never married. But shehad many "friends". Lived her life on her terms.
She loved her accessories. Wigs and purses were her jam.
I was about 2-3 months old when I was put in her care. One of her favorite stories about me I was about 3 years old and we were getting ready for bed. She asked if I wanted anything (in Spanish, I didn't learn English until I was about 6 years old... that's another story). I said "No". She said "Are you sure?, because I'm not getting back up". I said "No". So she got into bed and went to sleep. In the middle of the night I woke up and wanted water. I called out her name. Nudged her. She didn't wake up. I opened her eye lids. Nothing. I kept nudging her and calling out her name. Nothing. Started yelling. Nothing. Finally I bit her real hard on her breast. She woke up screaming. Grabbed my arm and bit me hard... "how do you like it?!". She'd always finished tale with "He needed to learn how being bit feels in order for him not to do it again". She was right. I never did it again.
At my 5th birthday party I was playing on the porch. She came out to get me and in the door way she had her first stroke. I remember her falling. Everyone inside running to her side. Even while in pain she kept asking if I blew out the birthday candles. My aunt recently told me it was important to my grandmother that my party continue.
A year later we moved to the states for her medical care. We were by the fountain at Central Park and I was fascinated by the pigeons. She looked at me. Then at the pigeons and said "don't you dare!" She always had a way of knowing what I was going to do before I did it. I ran towards the pigeons... they rose up and pooped all over me. She laughed hysterically and then said "Well if one poops on you it's a sign of good luck, now you'll be lucky for the rest of your life".
She passed away in the mid 90's. The celebration was SO big that everyone forgot where she was buried. Last year I went to Honduras for the first time in 30 years. Her house is still the same. I went to cemetery looking for her grave and didn't find it. I laughed to myself thinking she done pranked everyone.
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