El Mercado
The Market
A Mexican grandmother reconnects her American grandson to his roots through a lively morning at the Mexican market.
Rosa llegó de México
Rosa arrived from Mexico
para visitar a su nieto Daniel.
to visit her grandson Daniel.
Daniel tenía veintiocho años
Daniel was twenty-eight years old
y había olvidado casi todo su español.
and had forgotten almost all his Spanish.
Rosa estaba un poco triste.
Rosa was a little sad.
Casi no podían hablar.
They could barely talk.
El sábado por la mañana,
On Saturday morning,
Rosa despertó a Daniel temprano.
Rosa woke Daniel up early.
—Quiero ir al mercado mexicano.
"I want to go to the Mexican market."
Daniel se quejó, pero aceptó manejar.
Daniel groaned, but agreed to drive.
Cuando llegaron, Rosa cobró vida.
When they arrived, Rosa came alive.
Los colores, los olores, la música.
The colors, the smells, the music.
Este era su mundo.
This was her world.
—Hoy vas a aprender español.
"Today you're going to learn Spanish."
Señaló todo y lo hizo repetir.
She pointed at everything and made him repeat.
—Manzanas, naranjas, plátanos.
"Apples, oranges, bananas."
—Cebollas, tomates, chiles, aguacates.
"Onions, tomatoes, chiles, avocados."
También limones y ajo.
Also lemons and garlic.
Luego le preguntó los colores.
Then she quizzed him on the colors.
—Rojo, verde, amarillo, morado.
"Red, green, yellow, purple."
—También blanco y café.
"Also white and brown."
Daniel se sentía como un niño,
Daniel felt like a child,
pero se estaba riendo.
but he was laughing.
—¡Muy bien! ¡Perfecto! —decía Rosa.
"Good job! Perfect!" Rosa said.
En el puesto de fruta,
At the fruit stand,
Rosa regateó con Don Pedro,
Rosa haggled with Don Pedro,
un viejo vendedor de mangos.
an old mango vendor.
—¿Cuánto cuesta? —preguntó ella.
"How much does it cost?" she asked.
—Veinte pesos —dijo Don Pedro.
"Twenty pesos," said Don Pedro.
—¡Eso es mucho! Muy caro.
"That's too much! Too expensive."
—Le doy doce —ofreció Rosa.
"I'll give you twelve," Rosa offered.
—Dieciocho, oferta final.
"Eighteen, final offer."
—¡De ninguna manera! —y se fue.
"No way!" and she walked away.
—¡Espere! Quince pesos —la llamó.
"Wait! Fifteen pesos," he called her.
—¡Trato hecho! —dijo Rosa.
"Deal!" said Rosa.
Daniel miraba sorprendido.
Daniel watched, surprised.
Ella le guiñó el ojo.
She winked at him.
—Así se hace —dijo orgullosa.
"That's how it's done," she said proudly.
Fueron con el carnicero por carne,
They went to the butcher for meat,
a la panadería por pan dulce,
to the bakery for sweet bread,
y al puesto de especias
and to the spice stand
por canela y comino.
for cinnamon and cumin.
En cada parada, Rosa lo hacía pedir.
At each stop, Rosa made him ask.
Su español era terrible,
His Spanish was terrible,
pero los vendedores eran pacientes.
but the vendors were patient.
Una mujer le dio una muestra gratis
A woman gave him a free sample
y dijo que su acento era lindo.
and said his accent was cute.
Daniel estaba un poco avergonzado,
Daniel was a little embarrassed,
pero también feliz.
but also happy.
Al mediodía, sus bolsas estaban llenas.
By noon, their bags were full.
Se sentaron a comer tamales.
They sat down to eat tamales.
Rosa habló de su madre,
Rosa talked about her mother,
y de este mercado hace cincuenta años.
and about this market fifty years ago.
Sus ojos se llenaron de lágrimas.
Her eyes filled with tears.
—Temo que la familia olvide
"I fear the family will forget
de dónde venimos.
where we come from."
Daniel le tomó la mano.
Daniel took her hand.
—No voy a olvidar, abuela.
"I won't forget, grandmother."
Rosa estaba muy agradecida.
Rosa was very grateful.
De regreso, lo siguió preguntando.
On the way back, she kept quizzing him.
—¿Cómo se dice apple?
"How do you say apple?"
—Manzana —respondió Daniel.
"Apple," Daniel answered.
—¿Cuánto costaron los mangos?
"How much did the mangos cost?"
—Quince pesos.
"Fifteen pesos."
—¿Y cómo se dice I love you?
"And how do you say I love you?"
Daniel hizo una pausa.
Daniel paused.
—Te quiero, abuela.
"I love you, grandmother."
Ella sonrió y le dio palmaditas.
She smiled and patted his hand.
Daniel prometió volver el próximo sábado.
Daniel promised to come back next Saturday.