REVIEW — Jesus Was Arrested in Mexico City and Missed the Wedding by Lawrence F. Lihosit (Honduras)
Eric, I would love to read about your impressions of Colombia, today. It is more than fifty years since I…
Jesus Was Arrest in Mexico City and Missed the Wedding
by Lawrence F. Lihosit (Honduras 1975-77)
CreateSpace Publisher
September 2017
Paperback $13.95
Reviewed by Bob Arias (Colombia 1963-65)
Chucho, alias Jesus, makes a simple but beautiful wedding into possible jail time in Mexico City…DF to locals. But this isn’t the plot, but the title that grabs you before you know what course to take. I have to admit I couldn’t put Jesus Was Arrest in Mexico City and Missed the Wedding down. Lawrence had me by the “tostones.” And I don’t mean platanos! I read this awesome little book as an introduction to traditional Mexico, or Mejico…Weddings are extremely important to Mexican women, very! In Mexico, any unmarried female over 30 is considered yesterday’s tortilla!
And Mexican traditions are not just this generation, but the time of Pancho Villa, to the Aztecs when they fought Cortez while he and Spain were stealing as much as they could get away with. Pancho Villa, as bad as he was, is still the hero to the gente, people.
Jesus Was Arrested, brought back many great memories and a chance to be back in Mejico. “Silence can be a speech”…my Grandma Julia’s exact words. Or take me to Garibaldi Plaza to hear real music…near the Camino Real hotel for sure.
The poor Canadian getting married missed out on life in Mejico because he did not speak Mejicano. Perhaps getting married during Day of the Dead could be something to remember! Thanks, Lawrence, or is it Lorenzo? I would expect that you may consider another book to bring us up to date.
Awesome story to tell, Fernando made it real.
Bob Arias (Colombia 1963-65), is a third-generation Mexican-American from East Los Angeles. He was a PCV CARE Rural Community Development PCV in Colombia, an APCD in Colombia from 1968 to 1973, and Peace Corps Country Director in Uruguay and Argentina from 1993 to 1995. He returned to work at the Peace Corps from 2001 to 2003 assisting in establishing the agency’s Safety and Security Office after 9/11. Now retired from Los Angeles County where he was the County’s Compliance Officer. Bob served as a Peace Corps Response Volunteer since 2009, in Paraguay, Colombia, and now for a second time, in Panamá.
Bob, I believe it is Lorenzo! I am a ‘gringa”, but I loved this book. There is a new one by Lorenzo, Americruise. Lorenzo, his wife and her two sisters take a bus tour of the US and Canada of the 1980s.
I really enjoyed Lawrence’s, South of the Frontera” and used his “Peace Corps Exerience: Write and Publish Your Memoir” to write “Different Latitudes” which includes the description of my marriage ceremony with a Guatemala and the 100 members of her “immediate family.” The nickname for Jesus, “Chucho” is problematic in Guatemala as it translates to “mut”/”stray dog”–but that’s what makes these stories so fascinating as each country has its own nuances.
Oh my. I am humbled. Thank you for taking the time to read and comment upon my book. All of my close buddies call me Lorenzo. Joey is correct- I’m on a publishing roll. Americruise is in print and within 60 days there will be two more travel books; Across the Yucatan and Rubbin’ Elbow in South America. Hopefully, I will also publish two books of sketches in 2018. I find drawing and playing music very relaxing and fun while writing is more difficult. It’s like the difference between riding a swing and putting together a huge intricate puzzle.
Can’t wait to read “Jesus was Arrested…” Many thanks for the fine review, Bob Arias.
Bob/Lorenzo,
Having read the comments and summary (and given that I’m also presently in beautiful sunny Mexico), will surely add to my reading list.
BTW, returned to Colombia in May with my son. What a trip. Amazing changes and wonderful discoveries (e.g La Ciudad Perdita).
Saludos,
Eric
Eric, I would love to read about your impressions of Colombia, today. It is more than fifty years since I left.