ARTIST ADVENTURES
Cousin Rob
"Totally unexpected, this e-mail reached mi computer:
"Estimado Federico,
Espero que estoy dirigiendo esta nota a la persona correcta. Asumiendo que sí, te diré que soy un primo segundo tuyo, Robert, que soy hijo de Carmen, quien fué prima de tu madre Leni… Ha sido por lo menos media vida desde la última vez que nos vimos, así es que ha hecho muchos años. Escribo en Español.. aunque recuerdo que hablabas Inglés.. y mi Español sea mas imperfecta. Posiblemente me recuerdes claramente a pesar de los años. Recuerdo que la visita con tu, y tu familia fue muy memorable."
…and yes, after a brief effort the memory of cousin Rob came up, whom I met in a trip to California in company of my Mother and my sisters; we were all children then. We were children then and we played together for a few hours while mother visited her cousin Carmen. I remember being fascinated by the fact that Rob's father worked for Disney studios.
 As my renewed friendship with this long absent cousin continued, an interesting aspect was brought up by himself in a telephone conversation: Rob is autistic. He suffers from "Aspergers" disease, a mental ailment that makes conduct and social interaction difficult. Once this was known, everyone in my home suggested caution, because we ignored what affect my relationship with this new found relative, absent in my life four decades, might have in our family life.
While all this happened my family and I were spending the summer in New Mexico. Every year we leave our home in Puerto Vallarta for a few weeks to rest from the heat, humidity and laggard economy typical of the season. Rob on his side, has lived in Maine during many years. Sometimes he and I would talk on the phone and others we would skype, as we became more familiar in our acquaintance. We touched on all sort of subjects; he became interested in my work as a painter artist. On occasion, some afternoons while I painted I would set the computer camera to my canvas so he could watch while I was painting. This was pleasurable for me, because although I enjoy my work, painting is a lonesome occupation and this way he kept me company. I received many compliments from Rob, to the point that it made me feel talented and perhaps conceited.
One of such afternoons, when the Fall was starting, I was talking with Rob. While he was watching my brushstrokes in Maine, I was enjoying a splendorous Albuquerque afternoon with my studio door open to a golden scenery. Sunlight bathed my space, its rays filtered through leaves now turning intense yellow and red, lazily waiting for the softest breeze to fly away. Suddenly, I took notion of the time and casually asked Rob what he might be doing that afternoon. With his habitual simplicity he answered he would perhaps relax by playing some piano. I then suggested he play while I continued to paint -taking advantage of the fact that skype communications are free, at least for now. He agreed and proceeded to set his microphone and camera so I could see him. He began: Chopin, Piano Etudes, Rachmaninov, and on to others I was not familiar with. The music notes vibrated out from my computer speakers flying to my ears, running through my body until they took hold of my brush. I then understood many things about my cousin´s soul. I have always felt a special affection for piano players; I feel they lift our spirits and bare our souls. It so happened Rob turned out to be a very good pianist…and that afternoon he made me cry. Inevitably I cried, because emotions brought by his piano mixed with those of my painting and in that splendid afternoon I willingly lost control: the colors of Fall broke in my eyes as in a kaleidoscope, the special effect of tears.
One assumes to know people...we fill our ignorance with prejudice and make up stories about their prospective history. Hardly could we know the reality they store inside. After that evening I decided to talk less about myself and my things to ask more about my cousin. I learned Rob is a member of MENSA, an organization for specially gifted people with high Intelligence Quotient. In addition to being an accomplished pianist he is a mathematician hired to make complicated calculations. I feel proud to have him as part of my family. Email to a friend
Federico León de La Vega
E-mail: fleondelavega@prodigy.net.mx
Please Visit: FedericoLeondeLaVega.com & Estudio-Café.net
Feedback about this article
The Federico León de la Vega Estudio – Café is open to the public and is located in Paseo de la Marina 31, Nuevo
Vallarta, Nayarit. Opening hours are Monday to Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sundays from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
Previous Articles
Puerto Vallarta Photo Gallery
Riviera Nayarit Photo Gallery |
Current
Weather Report
