Stephen Mejias Blog

Decisiones Posted Mon Jun 18, 2007, 2:20 PM ET

Dad,
It's difficult for me to think of good times with you, but something that does come to mind is how you'd translate those wonderful Ruben Blades songs for me, word for word.

El borracho está convencido
que a él el alcohol no le afecta los sentidos

It was nice of you to do that. I could tell how much you loved the songs, and it made me feel good to know that you wanted to share that with me. I wonder if they're letting you listen to music in jail. I suppose not.

The alcoholic is convinced
that the alcohol does not affect his senses

I can almost imagine how upset you were to discover that your sons — my half-brothers — wouldn't be visiting you for the summer, how betrayed you must have felt, how sorry you must have felt, how relieved you must have felt. And I'm sure you know that this is really all for the best. It's what you want.

Por el contrario, que sus reflejos son
mucho más claros y tiene más control.

Through therapy, I've been exploring what it means to love you. This whole incident has given me an answer. Had I been there with you, at the airport, I would have tried to change your mind. And had I not been able to dissuade you from doing what you did, I would have done everything in my power to stop those guards from hurting you. You are, after all, my dad.

On the contrary, that their reflections are
much clearer and offer greater control

And so, for me, loving my father means wanting to keep him from going to jail, wanting to save him from being beaten. Ultimately, though, I know that what I really would have wanted is for him — for you, dad — to have been there to help me whenever I needed help.

Por eso hunde el pie en el acelerador
y sube el volumen de la radio para sentirse major

Dad, I don't know what else to say. You weren't there, and that's that. But things can still change, if you want them to. I don't mean for that to sound corny. It's true. I believe it. But your family isn't going to help you anymore. It's not their place. It's not my place. You have to do it for yourself.

Therefore, it sinks your foot into the accelerator
And turns up the volume of the radio so you can feel it deeply

Anyway, I hope you're doing well. The Mets have been in a terrible slump, and they just lost two out of three to the Yanks. Somehow, though, they're still in first place.

If they don't let you listen to music in there, I hope that you can at least hear the words in your mind. Thank you, again, for translating them for me. I have to say, though, it would have been even nicer had you taught me to speak Spanish.

Las ruedas del carro chillan y el tipo se cree un James Bond
decide la luz del semáforo comerse
y no ve el truck aparecerse en la oscuridad.

I would love to be able to speak Spanish. I'm taking lessons now. The car's tires scream and something about James Bond. I'm not sure. It (I suppose it is the alcohol) decides that the traffic light doesn't exist, and it doesn't see the truck that appears from the darkness.

Something like that. Is that right?
Stephen

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