“KING EL NEGRO”

Through he words to express what we feel about a desperate situation which you have been compelled to pass, come with some difficulty; such as you do, seem futile and inadequate. What could one say that would in any way lessen your burden?

 

In a way of illustration and the fact of knowing the deceased young man personally, at least since we both were five years old, Joaquín Sánchez, “King el Negro”, never fell to our lot, but we realize the extent of the loss we all were sustained, especially in our sector of “La Marina”. Just few months before his death, we were part of a basketball team, “Los Rápidos”, and in unusually way at that time, one of the two “first category” teams representing our beloved town of Isabela in the nationally tournament of the year 1959. The other team was sponsored by the Isabela Lions Club.

 

It was a sad day for the whole town when the body of my best friend, Joaquín Sánchez, “King el Negro”, arrived from New York City. Sadly is to say that he was brutally murdered while trying to defend the honor of his fiancé at that time. They were surprisingly attacked while walking back to their homes that evening.

Four men with no reasonable motive attacked them, hence, in this hopeless situation he reacted and immediately instructed her to run and search for help; and even though for a few minutes and by himself, he fought them bravely and successfully, according to witnesses, but suddenly one of them stabbed him in the abdomen with a dagger-shaped knife. He blooded to excess until any help arrived, and consequently, was pronounced death at the arrival into a hospital in New York City. As of today, The New York Police Department has never charge anyone, so far, hence the file still open.

 

At a time like this, mere words are empty and shallow, but ours is a suffering which is universal, which belongs to every human being in every corner of the world. Unfortunately, a deep anguish which, sooner or later, cuts into every human heart, strong and weak. In no other way can a few words or short messages go further than the spiritual act of one who offers sympathy and undivided love.

While this instance, increasing that bond or link that last long after the unexpected terror attack and the shock of an event that causes an unfortunate and distressing result, which lasts long after misfortune has eased.

 

My best friend was a black child; we were the same age, also same dreams, interests and goals. We shared our lives as tenders five years old friends, enjoyed mutually faithful and loyal friendship until his exist to the Kingdom of our Heavenly Father. Historically on those days, ninety-nine percent of the occasions, I will say, it was customary tradition to maintain the body of the deceased person in their own homes, until the day of the funeral.

 

Mrs. Juana Sánchez, his mother and his father Lalá, while I was entering the portal of their house, asked everybody toawait outside for a moment, and then she called my name and invited me to come in by myself, and closed the doors after me. For about a half of an hour we were inside together, and in the left side front of the coffin. I witnessed that day, one of the most dramatic moments and experiences of my life, as we sat together, prayed together, asking our Father in Heaven for spiritual guidance.

Suddenly, Mrs. Juana asked us to stand up, and we calmly stood up, then she asked me to reach the head of “King el Negro”, and instructed me the using of both hands, as usually she saw us playing as children. She stated, Papy remember, the same way both of you used to interact when playing one of your favorites games, the game of “the priest and the sinner”.

We were all crying and trembling, a very emotional moment indeed. With my both hands I was supporting his head to accommodate it back straight like Juana was instructing me. While supporting his head, in my hands coming unexpectedly my friend slumped back, and I lowered his head gently onto the tiny pillow. I told Juana and Lalá, be known that it’s aver, “King el Negro is gone”.

We experienced a sudden mild shock, that startled all of us and Juana immensely surprised me, when her first words to me, after the simulated ceremony, “Oh my God, he was so proud of you, he loved you so much”. Somehow I knew that these words were saying something very significant to me. Those are teaching words to be carried along the rest of my present time and eternal life.

Those words were like a spear…like a lance…like sudden shaft of light… like a revival alarm… like a startling message. I never ever before absorbed totally that moment, as I am doing now. However, the edge of physical suffering associated with the immense loss of “King el Negro”, as though I was going to know my friend better in death than I had ever known him in life, simply, a spiritual lesson.

Black is beautiful, thus that painful life experience enhanced my love, respect, appreciation and consideration to all the African-American brothers and sisters, and henceforth, an honor, privilege and a blessing to count them, as well for being part of my life.

Later that evening, as I was crying while leaning against one of the walls of their living room, when “El Cáno”, his brother, came over to me and extended a comforting arm around me, hence, I couldn’t talk anymore through my tears. I wanted to tell them all, “I am not crying because he is dead, I am crying because he never told me that he was proud of me.

 

I remember very clear my last day in Isabela, before I left my beloved hometown of Isabela, my family and friends to go overseas as a soldier as an infantry man of the US Army during the time of the Korean War. He stood besides me all day and night while we went around town several times until 3:00 AM, that’s when I took the bus to go back to Fort Buchanan in San Juan to be embarked off overseas. And you know, my beloved readers of El Sol de Isabela, when I returned back two years later, he was the first to be there to greeting me back.

 

If and when at that time during my youth we were more attentive, then my spiritual feelings should have been probably nurtured enough, for the understanding of such a spiritual things. I should had experienced, anticipated and expected to know the great part I played in his wonderful life, and the undeserved part I was engaged with his attention, brotherhood, love and wisdom.

Death is the inevitable goal, and there may be some small degree of consolation in the thought that death is but a narrow starlit strip between the companionship of yesterday and the happy reunion of tomorrow. . .

 

 

 

Hummingbirds are found only in the western hemisphere; they are the signature group of birds for the new world tropics and form the second largest of all bird families. 　As many as 340 species exist, but in most of the United States and Canada just a single species can be found. Colombia, by comparison, reports 154 species. Here in Puerto Rico there are five nesting species. In the following paragraphs I will describe some special characteristics of hummingbirds, and then I will discuss hummingbirds in Isabela.

 

Hummingbirds are exceptional physiologically and behaviorally. Their freely rotating shoulder joints allow the wings to generate lift in any direction. 　Rapid wing beats, typically 60-80 wing beats per second during normal flight and up to 200 beats per second during dives, allow them to out perform helicopters with sudden midair stops, accelerations, and changes in direction. Their great speed and maneuverability allow them to dive-bomb any hawks that pass through their territories. All of this is powered by a heart that has been shown to generate up to 1260 beats per minute.  

Hummingbirds acquire the food energy needed to power their performance from flower nectar (sugary solutions plants produce to attract pollinators) and the occasional insect. One study on free-living hummingbirds reports a daily turnover of water equivalent to 170% of body mass. This means they consume large amounts of nectar to meet their energy requirements. The need for a reliable energy source results in the territorial behavior that anyone can see if he has a hummingbird feeder in the garden. The hummer will perch near the feeder while it processes the food in its crop and drive off other hummingbirds that attempt to use it. The future value to the hummer of the sugar solution in the feeder apparently exceeds the cost of driving off the intruder. While some hummingbirds remain their whole lives at a single location, others undergo long migrations. 　Some Ruby-throated Hummingbirds fly 2500 miles from their winter range in Panama to their breeding range in Canada, including 500 miles over the Gulf of Mexico.  To survive the flight over the Gulf they must have enough fat, largely derived from flower nectar, to fuel the flight yet not so much that it interferes with aerodynamics.  

 

Five species of hummingbird breed in Puerto Rico.  Two, the Antillean Crested Hummingbird and the Green Throated Carib are limited to the eastern end of the island; they are species typical of the Virgin Islands and Lesser Antilles. The other three species may be found in Isabela.

Two of the species in Isabela, the Antillean Mango (Zumbador Dorado) and the closely related Green Mango (Zumbador verde) are relatively large hummingbirds. The Antillean Mango also occurs in Hispaniola and the Virgin Islands; the Green Mango occurs almost exclusively in the mountainous areas of western Puerto Rico.  Both species can be found in the Guajataca State Forest.  However, if you have the right flowers in your yard, you may find Antillean Mangos close to home.  They visit long-tubed red flowers such as "coral de lluvia," and flowering trees like mahoe and "maga."  The male Antillean Mango has a green back and dark breast.  In the right light its back becomes a gold-green, the throat shows a beautiful emerald green, and its tail becomes deep violet.  The female has the same green back with a dull grey underside.  Both male and female have a long beak with a slight downward curve. Male and female Green Mango are indistinguishable.  Both have glittering, completely green bodies, black tails, and long decurved beaks like the Antillean Mango.

The Puerto Rican Emerald is third species found in western PR.  Closely related species occur in Hispaniola and Cuba and South and Central America.  The emerald is much smaller than the mangos and has a short straight beak.  The males are bright green with a black forked tail.  The females are green on the back and gray below.  The small size and short beak make this species easy to distinguish from the mangos.  Unless you live well out in the country in a forested area, you are unlikely to see Puerto Rican Emeralds around your home.

 

Hummingbirds are endlessly fascinating to watch because of their unequaled flying ability and dramatic social interactions.  Fortunately hummingbirds are easy to observe closely once they have been trained to come to nectar feeders.  After the bird discovers the feeder, the bird will visit many times a day assuming that the feeder is kept clean and stocked with fresh sugar water.  I use a highly concentrated sugar solution: one measure of sugar to four measures of water and no food coloring.  I haven’t seen many hummingbird feeders for sale in Puerto Rico, but they can be ordered online or made at home.  Enter the words “homemade hummingbird feeder” in Google for simple instructions.  The real trick is being patient while the hummingbirds discover the feeder.  If the birds do not already know about feeders, this can take many weeks.  While waiting for the birds to make the discovery, it is essential to keep the sugar solution fresh.  In Puerto Rico it should be changed three times a week to avoid fungus contamination that will train the hummingbirds to ignore the feeder.

 

Antillean Mango juvenile male

Green Mango

NATUARTE©

NATUARTE©

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