The Day Bertito Baldéz Became a Biochem Pharmacist

He never understood why people kept calling him Bertito even after he was way over 6'2" tall. Maybe it was because Mamá never stopped telling her comadres what a great boy her Bertito was, how important he would be some day, a son to make any mother proud. ¡Ay! Bertito here, Bertito there, the comadres' ears rang with his name. Their brains with rage. Why did he have to be the good boy, one of few in the Coyotera, the infamou housing complex right there by the entrance of the Ten on Cloverfield ?

If they knew anything beyond the art of gossip before and after church, the art of making tamales, mole and other great Mexican dishes, if they knew better, well, there wouldn't have been kids before age 25 fathered by alkies. They would instead be discussing at a round table whether people became what they were because of nature or nurture.

The question of nature v. nurture was no longer an important one for Bertito Baldéz. He believed in biochemistry and genes as answers to human quirks. His time at USC was spent reading Dr.Nora Volkow's research. She fascinated him. Her grandpa was no less than The Trotski, the inspirer of student movements, martyr for his ideas, ruthless general during the revolutionary years.

Dr. Volkow was not into politics. She liked to study neurotransmitters and addiction. She was close to a breakthrough, she knew it. Bertito and Dr. Nora Volkow exchanged intense correspondence, of the research kind, you dirty-minded readers!

He hoped he would be at MIT studying and researching under her guidance. California may be sunny, MIT is brainy. Brainy was a major turn-on for him.

Bertito had a problema. What to do with his widowed mamacita? His father died of cyrrhosis of the liver, tomava demás, drank too much. He couldn't leave her behind. Nora beckoned him to Boston. Mamacita cried everyday.

He was thankful Russian culture was so family-oriented. Nora didn't mind la suegra. She had never heard the dicho, "Buena dicha los que no tienen suegra." -- Good luck that of those who don't have a mother-in-law. Bertito didn't know of Nora's motives: observe him and mamacita interacting, maybe offer them some unapproved FDA controlled meds.

Continues after the Brazil x Japan match

Latinos in Los Angeles
addiction research
Latino culture