THE OLD MEN  

When I was little growing up, my Grandfather let several different older men who were on their own stay in the room in the back. Before I was born, after my Grandfather’s mother died, his father lived in the little room until he died. 

The little room was back behind the house on its own.  They would live back there and come in the house and eat with us for all of their meals.  They didn't have to cook for themselves, whatever my Grandmother made or if my Grandfather made dinner, they always ate with us.   They were good men.  It was a good life for them.  Besides my  Grandfather's father, my Great Great Uncle Monico lived there as well as Tonito, an old friend of our family.  

My Grandfahter  would have them chop wood or do a little something to pay for being there.  He would ask them, are you going to Laredo this weekend or are you going to stay around. When they would stay around he would tell them, I need you to help me build a fence for the garden or some other work around the yard. He would also have them chop wood and take it inside. 

The little room didn’t have a stove.  To keep warm, the men would build a fire outside and when the fire had burned down and the coals were red, they would shovel them into a bucket and take it into the little room.  The room was small so the coals in the bucket kept them pretty warm.  They always knew they could live there as long as they needed, even until they died.

John's Great Great Uncle Monico,
(Tio Monico) he was the Uncle of John's Grandmother, he was a Yaqui Indian.      The mother of John's Grandmother and the mother of John's Grandfather were both Yaqui Indians.