There’s a cafeteria off the train tracks we’re told not to go to, and no one ever really says why. Our dads and uncles just tell us it’s not the type of spot for us, and of course we listen.

It’s right off the motel strip and from what I can guess there’s probably some gambling or prostitution going on in there. Old school typical Batman-esque types.

I mean it’s a hole in the wall, so while we pass it we can only imagine what might be going on.

Anyway,

Like every good adventure I get a phone call from Loli.

“Niña, llámame un taxi, que mi hija o está en el trabajo o está dormida la pobre.” Translation: “Kid, call me a taxi, my daughter is either at work or asleep, poor thing.”

Now, whether her daughter is tied up with work or asleep, I know good and damn well that she doesn’t want me calling her mom an Uber/taxi/whatever.

I tell her I’ll take her, but she insists I just call her a cab.

Not happening.

So I tell her I called her a cab, and pull into her parking spot (literally just backed up from my spot to hers.)

She runs out and sees my beat up old Jeep with a stool beside the passenger door. She pouts as usual but obliges, and I help her in.
At this point I take a second to realize she’s dressed to the 9’s, a black skirt, her little heels, light pink blouse with a lace sweater.
Make up a little heavier than usual.

No disrespect to Loli but if I didn’t know any better I’d think I was dropping her off at a booty call. (She’s going to kill me when she reads this.)

Refuses to give me an address, no surprise, just tells me turn by turn instructions with her added embellishments.

“Sal aqui, derecha, cuando llegas a la ocho otra derecha.” Translation: “Come out here, right turn, when you reach 8th street make a right.”
And then?

I ask her, “no seas tan curiosa eso te da arrugas” Translation: “Don’t be so curious it’ll give you wrinkles.”

Now, you remember how I said “Motel Road”, that’s the direction she’s taking us down.

And my mind starts swimming, honestly I can see her being like a “Madame” in her prime, I take a deep breath trying not to keep thinking about what she could possibly be planning.

“Has derecha aquí, parqueate con el culito pa’dentro” Translation: “Make a right here, and park with your little butt in”

I’m screaming internally, she just made me turn into the one building everyone has warned me about.

AND SHE TOLD ME TO PARK BACKWARDS FOR AN EASY GET-A-WAY!

I’m calm on the outside, but hyperventilating on the inside.

She looks at me, grabs my phone and dials a number.

“Llegue” Translations: “I’m here.”
Hands me the phone back and before I could process everything, two older gentleman come out and look at my car walking towards Loli’s side.

My heart. Is in. My throat.
They aren’t even trying to hide the hand-cannons on their hips or their fresh cuts.
I’m looking at Loli for reassurance but this woman is in her element, she swings her door open wraps her arms around the neck of the younger one (who’s still in probably in his late 60’s).

“Te quedas?” Translation: “You staying?”
I shake my head knowing if her daughter finds out I left her alone in a place like this, I-I don’t know man, I just really don’t want to piss off a nurse dude.

So I get out of the car, following behind her and her boy toys. Trying to keep my cool.
I’ve been in some situations in my life I’m not proud of, but, this old woman just took it to the next level.

“Esta es mi sobrina,” she says pointing to me when we enter the cafeteria, and all eyes land on me. Translation: “this is my niece”
Now, not for nothing, men of a certain age don’t care if you’re fat, skinny, tall, short, how you’re dressed, if you are a female they’re going to look.

And at this moment, I felt like a deer walking into a pit of lions.

But.

Pops didn’t raise a weak chick.

So.

I swallowed my fear and when a guy made eye contact I rolled my eyes and put on my best “dont f with me” face.

Loli told me where to sit and told me to wait, this woman then goes behind the counter, and starts working the counter making her coffee.

When I tell you those men rejoiced and the entire mood of the place changed, it absolutely did.

She fell into a groove like I couldn’t believe, she had a sway about her, I remember her telling us stories about having worked at a cafeteria at one point, it’s always so hard to figure out her timeline.

I guess it wasn’t too long ago, or maybe it was and they were just her regulars.

A gentleman sat beside me looking at her, with this longing distant look.

Like a love sick puppy.

He looked at me and I knew what he was going to say before he said it.

“En la vida conocemos creaturas echos en la imagen de perfección” Translation: “In life we meet creatures made in the image of perfection.”he says as she pours him a cup, and for a moment it was as if we were back in the 70’s and they were all young again.
She sways her hips listening to the music playing on the radio, while she stirs her coffee making the perfect espumita.

All eyes are on her, men and women, stop what they’re doing. Lose track of their conversations while this cute little thing entices them.

And they all know the rules.

Look. Don’t touch.

Her laughter fills the area bouncing off of the walls melting everyone’s tension.
One of the older…ladies of the night sat with me for a bit. Telling me stories of Loli, she was the only woman who was off limits back in the day. Truckers and transients all wanted a piece of her but she was untouchable.

When tensions are high, they call her to smooth things over and keep the peace. Something about her just soothes the tensions, and she’d always find ways to cool the waters.

I’m not surprised, I watched her go.
Then She sat the two gentleman from the parking lot down, silenced both sides, like a judge.

They spoke in turns, she’d reword, mediate and she found a way where both sides calmed.

Then she said the words that silenced everyone “no soy eterna”. Translation: “I’m not eternal”

Her words stung, the thought of us one day losing Loli hit us all differently, but what she meant was they need to learn how to deal with their issues or find a new mediator.

The boys were not happy, but nodded. She placed a hand on the cheeks of the two who were leading the tension.

No words.

Then she smiled and waved them off taking my hand, I helped her into my car and we went home without another mention of the day.