The first memory I treasure of my grandad was in the grinding, I could have been about four years old.
The grinding was a place near a sugar plantation where the whole process of sugar cane honey was carried out, from cutting, loading and mounting the sugar cane to the mill. The mill worked as a manual crusher type that turned around thanks to the help of a horse. The cane was inserted between two continuously spinning trunks that squeezed all the juice out that would pour into a vessel. The cane juice, also called guarapo. It is a sweet extract, strong and exotic, personally, I love to drink it cold to cool down the heat of my beloved Panama.
Some of my most memorable memories with my grandad Arcadio are, to go riding on a cart full of reeds in the middle of the sugar plantation, listening to the rustling of the dried cane leaves, being crushed by the wheels of the cart and the neighing of the horse.
I remember sitting there wearing a typical Panamanian straw hat in between my legs, full of sugar cane, cut into small pieces, pieces of which I was a great taster. I think that is the origin for sweet tooth.
In the evenings, my grandad would turn on a battery power radio that he used to listen to the broadcast of Panamanian baseball games, while I’d fall asleep in the middle of them.
I would consider this to be my first holiday and my first memories with my grandparents. For them, it was a routine summer task, for me, this was my first adventure that I can recall.
My grandad literally grew up alone; his mother passed away when he was very young and his father died when he was only nine years old. Despite all misadventures he was a very loving and caring person.
This painting reflects part of my first experiences, my first memories of life and affection, for that reason I keep remembering you, you are in my present, you are part of my history and o my blood.
I miss you grandad
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