Solid, simply so. Olie s got three or four Maya, scrub scrub scrubbing, scrambling scramblers, flipping flapjacks, in back. Olie s kitchen helpers come and go. For some months there ll be two in back focused intently over Olie s mahogany cutting board, chopping blade rattling out a Yucatan rhythm. Then, two others ll replace them same intensity over their work, same humble manner.
Some more months pass, some rotate out, some in, same cheekbones, same oily raven hair.
Returning home, they are. Keeping family ties strong. Building a bigger and bigger house for Ma and her growing brood of grandbabies, with their Yankee Doodle dollars, with Olie s kindness. Tuesday morning, my French toast s gone, my coffee s cold. Oregonian s front page says Linda Chavez has given up her confirmation fight for U.S. Secretary of Labor.