Cookie Eat Cookie Throw

If you read last week's blog about my aunt Rosalyn, this week I am speaking about her son Marionel. He was always a special kid. His eyes were big and bright as a baby and when you looked into his eyes it looked empty (like he is thinking into space). He grew up in the Dominican Republic until my mom helped him come to New York. Despite his learning disabilities, Mario made a lot of friends and picked English really fast! One day Travis and I were talking to him. He was stuffing his face with chocolate chip cookies. He was trying to communicate everything in English so he said, "Cookie eat, Cookie throw." He kept repeating it and laughing. Till this day, we are still bewildered what he meant by this. Nonetheless, I made a t-shirt for it.

My dear aunt: "Be KWETI"

My dear aunt Rosalyn is such a character. She is the most confident person you will ever meet. She sways her hips from side to side in an exaggerated form and she adds S to the end of everything to sound more sophisticated. So Rosa decided to to take English classes to take her sophistication to another level. She came back home saying little words each day. One day her son was acting up and she turn to him and said, "Be Kweti," "Be Kweti"! Everyone burst out laughing including my parents who don't speak English that well themselves. Of course, she wanted to tell her son to be quiet. Even though we have told her several times how to pronounce it, she still insist on using her made up word Be KWETI.

Esto No Se Le Puede Contar a Nadie!

My Mom likes saying this. In english it means you can't tell this to no one. She uses it in the context like this is unbelievable or you can't make this stuff up. She loves saying this as she throws both her hands up typically grabbing her head. Her head which is swaying back and forth. Now, picture this...she is biting her bottom lip with her eyes closed at the same time. It is hilarious! We made a "documentary" which she debuted her line on film. I wish I can find that tape so I can put it on youtube.

Es Mi Problema!

He came home in a drunken stupor. She was sick of seeing him take this route. She opened the door at 4am. "You should carry your keys you know." He stubble's through the door to make it up the red stoop. He yelled in an incoherent state,"This is my house, I get home at anytime I want with or without keys." His breath assaulted her to the core. She ran and went to bed infuriated. The next day, the drunkenness had subsided and soberly he wrote her a two page letter.

Dear daughter,
I am sorry I yelled at you. I know I have a problem that I am dealing with, but it is my problem not yours.(PERO ES MI PROBLEMA he repeated).

-Love Dad

Que Tal?

This T-shirt was made for my favorite aunt, Milena, who is known by many by her signature greeting: Que Tal? She always has a smile in her face and has made it a habit to to fold her arms right on her stomach before she delivers this line. We were all watching a old family gathering we recorded twenty years ago. It was in the Dominican Republic in the country area. Milena came in on one shot with her stiff hair sprayed hair and mustard and black dress and of course she blurted out "Oue Tal." For all of you who are not Spanish QUE TAL means what's up? or what's happening? So next time you see your friends give them a QUe Tal!

Are you tooken?

This t-shirt happened in the Dominican Republic. My sister and I were by this beautiful restaurant overlooking a river. The scenery was breathtaking! The sun's rays of warmth tanned our skin a golden hue. There was a neon green bridge with wooden panels which created a pathway above the river to the restaurant/lounge. Across the bridge there was a guy who was built, caramel silky skin, green eyes, and long braided hair. He rocked shorts, a white tee, and flip flop sandals with white socks. This very confident man walked across the vibrant bridge and looked at my sister and said, "Are you tooken?" We could not hold our laughter, as we walked away from his horrible choice of words! This is how this t-shirt came about.

Cutieful?

Let me paint the scenario! I am walking on Broadway in the city. The streets were packed and I really didn't care much for looking around.I was getting out of work and was headed towards the J train station. Out of the crowded streets stops this middle aged Puerto Rican man and says, "Ma you are cutieful." This was original. I feel like he stood up at night, thinking of cheesey lines to tell young girls. If I combine cute + beautiful= I would get cuteiful. This line will get me a girl! WRONG! I kept walking and laughed the whole train ride. Thanks stranger from making a contribution to Gold Mine!