La Serenata
Artemio Perez was twenty years old and a dishwasher.
Filled with hopes and dreams of building a better life Al Norte, he left his small town in Mexico and headed for L.A. where he found employment at the renowned Don Roberto’s Mexican restaurant on Wilshire Boulevard.
Artemio was a resourceful young man and confident that if he worked hard enough, he would become somebody, maybe even an elegant gentleman and prosperous business owner like Don Roberto himself.
Artemio felt proud to have been hired at Don Roberto’s. With its Spanish colonial architecture and indoor patio, it was considered the best Mexican restaurant in LA. It was also a showcase for Southern California’s top Mariachi bands.
Back home, being a dishwasher, “Un Lavaplatos” was a lowly job, and only those from the poorest worked as such. But in America it was different. It was a step, even if a small one, toward a better life.
Sadly, Artemio recalled that in Mexico, the unspoken social caste system would never let him rise out of the servant class. But everything is possible now, and he smiled as he labored tediously at the seemingly endless stream of dirty dishes and cookware.
Despite the long and arduous hours at work, Artemio enjoyed the camaraderie of the restaurant staff and kitchen crew.
He especially loved the Mariachi. Blessed with a beautiful voice, he would sing along with the music as he looked out from the kitchen window at the guests enjoying the afternoon in the lush patio garden.
He especially looked forward to Sundays when Aurora, Don Roberto’s daughter, would stop by the restaurant.
She was a beauty with a flashing smile. Her dark hair pulled back in a bun and her refined features hinted at her mother’s Spanish heritage.
Dressed in a lightweight cotton dress, Aurora floated effortlessly among the tables greeting the guests.
She was kind, and her laughter would light up the room.
Artemio dreamed that someday she might notice him.
His friend Paco, a waiter at the restaurant, saw him staring at her from the kitchen and laughed.
“Don’t even think about it, Artemio. She’s too good for you, and besides, Don Roberto would never allow it.”
Artemio sullenly looked away and returned to his work amid the hot steam and clatter of dishes in his sink.
But there were days when she would stop in the kitchen for a just a few minutes to listen to Artemio sing along with the mariachi, and it felt almost magical when they caught eyes.
One afternoon, Aurora stopped by his sink with a serving dish that needed immediate attention and handed it to Artemio. As they spoke, the dish slipped from her hand and clattered to the floor. Both quickly reaching down, their faces were only inches away from each other as the picked up the plate, and their eyes locked.
As Aurora walked away, she looked back at him with an enchanting smile.
Artemio was in heaven.
“Maybe there is a chance!”
“Yes!” he thought…”There might be a chance!”.
But as he scrubbed furiously at a large frying pan, he felt a wave of depression overcome him.
“What am I thinking…I am nobody."
“Why would she want someone like me?”
But that night lying in bed…he thought, ”There is one way to win her heart."
“I will serenade her!”
But to rent a Mariachi band for such a task would be very expensive. 500 dollars!
“This will require all of my savings. But it is my only chance to impress her and I’m going to take it!”
The next weekend, he approached the mariachi, who were skeptical of his serenade proposal. They accepted the job only after he paid in advance.
It was set, and next Sunday evening would be the night.
That week, Artemio diligently prepared himself.
He polished his only pair of nice shoes to a brilliant shine, and washed and pressed his nicest cotton shirt and slacks to perfection.
Aurora and her family lived in the apartment above the restaurant, and her room had a small balcony overlooking the street.
“Perfect!” he thought.
The night of the serenade arrived, and with a fresh haircut and dressed in his Sunday best, he met the mariachi outside the restaurant. Together they quietly gathered below her window.
He looked up. The shutters were closed and the lights were out.
It was a beautiful evening, with a full moon, and the scent of night-blooming jasmine filled the air as Artemio stood in front of the band.
Looking up at the balcony, he took a deep breath, gave a nod, and the mariachi began with the opening notes of a romantic love song, La Venia Bendita.
In a moment, Artemio’s rich tenor rang out in the night.
A light came on and the shutters opened. Aurora peeked out.
Her smile was radiant, and Artemio’s heart burst with joy as he sang.
Down the hall from Aurora’s room, Don Roberto and his wife awoke to the sound of the serenade.
His wife Elisa smiled dreamily and said, “How beautiful!"
Don Roberto, hearing the music, jumped out of bed and quickly put on his robe.
Looking out the window at the street below, he bounded toward the bedroom door.
“This is impossible!”
“Who does he think he is!!”
“I am going to put a stop to this right now!”
As Roberto began to open the door, his wife gently held his wrist and closed the door.
“Leave them alone Roberto.”
“They are in love.”
“No puede ser!…That kid is a nobody!”
“Roberto,” his wife gently said. “It wasn’t long ago you yourself were just a lowly lavaplato in my father’s restaurant."
“Give them a chance”.
Elisa whispered…”Aurora looks at him the same way I first looked at you."
Roberto paused, as his wife softly kissed him and said, “I love you.”
“Now come back to bed…mi querido lavaplato.”
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