IS THAT JOAN CRAWFORD?

YEARS AGO, MY BROTHER AND I WERE IN THE MEN’S SECTION OF THE SHOE STORE WHEN IN WALKED JANE FONDA. JANE FONDA IS SOMEONE WHOSE PERSONALITY CAN FILL UP AN ENTIRE ROOM OR IN THIS CASE, THE STORE. SHE IS BEAUTIFUL, ELEGANT AND POSSIBLY EVEN A LITTLE ARROGANT. BUT WHO WOULDN’T BE, HAVING HAD THE REMARKABLE CAREER AND PERSONA THAT SHE HAS?!  SHE LOOKED AT THE LARGE PHOTOGRAPH I HAVE OF MY MOTHER AND THEN AT MY BROTHER ALFONSO AND ASKED HIM, “IS THAT JOAN CRAWFORD?” LIKE ANY MAN WOULD BE, HE WAS SPEECHLESS. HE REPLIED, “NO, THAT IS MY MOTHER.”

SO, SHE ASKS AGAIN, “IS YOUR MOTHER JOAN CRAWFORD?” ALFONSO AND I LOOKED AT ONE ANOTHER WITH BEMUSED EYES! TO CONSIDER THAT OUR MOTHER FROM A SMALL TOWN IN MEXICO COULD BE MISTAKEN FOR JOAN CRAWFORD WAS UNBELIEVABLE.  ALFONSO REPLIED, “NO, IT’S JUST MY MOTHER.”

SHE WAS IN THE COMPANY OF A HANDSOME MAN WHO, LIKE HERSELF, HAD A LARGE PERSONALITY. HIS ENERGY WAS DIFFERENT THOUGH. HE WAS VERY COMFORTABLE ALLOWING JANE TO HAVE THE SPOTLIGHT WHILE HE REMAINED IN THE BACKGROUND. WE ENTERTAINED THEM WITH TALK ABOUT SHOES AND I COULD HAVE SWORN THAT AT ONE POINT SHE TOLD ME THAT EVERY EVENING THE TWO OF THEM WOULD DANCE.

THE MEMORY OF ALL THAT CAME TO ME AS I WAS SITTING ON THE AIRPLANE SCROLLING THROUGH THE AMERICAN AIRLINES’ MOVIE SELECTION. I, OF COURSE, CHOSE TO WATCH JANE FONDA IN FIVE ACTS. THAT MOVIE COMPLETELY CHANGED MY OPINION OF HER. AS DESCRIBED EARLIER, I WAS A LITTLE PUT OFF BY HER WHEN I FIRST MET HER IN MY SHOE STORE. I COULD HAVE EVEN DESCRIBED HER AS UNREACHABLE. BUT AFTER I SAW THE MOVIE, MY OPINION OF HER CHANGED. SHE BECAME MORE HUMAN AS I WATCHED HER JOURNEY THROUGH LIFE ON THE TINY AIRPLANE SCREEN IN FRONT OF ME. THIS DOCUMENTARY MADE ME REALIZE ONE MORE TIME THAT LIFE COULD BE EXTREMELY CHALLENGING DESPITE THE APPEARANCE OF FAME AND MONEY. I RESPECT HER FOR NOT ONLY BEING SO RESILIENT BUT ALSO FOR GOING ON TO FIGHT FOR HUMAN RIGHTS ALONGSIDE OTHER ACTIVISTS. TO BE AN ACTIVIST, AS THE WORD IMPLIES, “ACTIVE” TAKES A LOT OF COURAGE TO SPEAK ON WHAT YOU BELIEVE TO BE WRONG OR RIGHT, ESPECIALLY WHEN PUTTING YOUR PROFESSIONAL LIVELIHOOD IN JEOPARDY. I DO KNOW IF DESTINY WILL PUT ME IN FRONT OF JANE FONDA AGAIN BUT IF IT DOES, I WOULD LIKE TO ASK HER IF SHE STILL DANCES EVERY NIGHT WITH THAT HANDSOME MAN.

WHEN THAT HAPPENED, I HAD TO TELL MY MOTHER THAT JANE FONDA HAD CONFUSED HER WITH A MOVIE STAR. SHE JUST GIGGLED, AMUSED AT THE CONCEPT BUT NOT ALLOWING IT TO INTERFERE WITH HER DOWN TO EARTH MENTALITY. THE MEMORIES OF HER HUMBLE UPBRINGING WERE TOO STRONG IN HER MIND. THROUGH MY EYES, SHE WILL ALWAYS BE MY BEAUTIFUL MOTHER.

!!!PLEASE WRITE ME WITH YOUR THOUGHTS AT MY PERSONAL EMAIL- GUADALUPEJ4K@GMAIL.COM !!!!