By Juan Montoya
And so we come to the end of the last parade for the 75th Anniversary of the Charro Days Fiesta.
Brownsville residents and visitors braved overcast skies and a chilly north wind to see the riders off, the marching bands and the floats on Elizabeth Street.
All along the route – from the Palm Lounge to International Boulevard – crowd throngs four or five deep to see the riders go by and their prancing steeds clip clop on the pavement.
Mariano "Bean" Ayala gave a blow by blow account of the festivities from the city stand before the old Post Office building that now houses City Hall. City Manager Charlie Cabler and Public Information Officer Bill Young sat in review of the parade for the city's cable channel.
Afterwards, and despite the damp weather, friend congregated at the Palm, the Sportsman, the Barrel House and, of course, the handful of water holes dotting Market Square.
At Ben Neece's Crescent Moon his Earthmen pounded out their rendition of blues-rock tunes before a select few who wandered in and out between sets. The old tannery building was open for inspection while the Neece boys cooked up the fajitas on the commercial-size asador at the rear of the courtyard.
The tannery is a huge cavernous building that once housed a leather tannery business that shipped off hides to customers out East. After several reincarnations as a bar, and more recently, a melange of ropa usada outlets, local arts supporter George Ramirez and Neece are out to make it the entertainment anchor of downtown. The crescent moon, Neece says, will become the Half Moon ant ultimately, a Full Moon with the expansion.
On hand to check out the development was Tony Gray, a former Herald reporter and now administrative assistant to a state rep. Duane Neece, a sort of hand-on guy who c
an just as easy make a dove-tail joint or wire up your house, is a part of the crew refurbishing the place.
He and Gray were giving a roaring rendition of the blues outside the moon as the Earthmen be
an just as easy make a dove-tail joint or wire up your house, is a part of the crew refurbishing the place.He and Gray were giving a roaring rendition of the blues outside the moon as the Earthmen be
lted out the rhythms from inside. Then it was time for eats and BobTamayo shared a few of his views on the state of local politics. Tamayo, a member of a politically-active Brownsville family said the people of Brownsville must take matters into their own hands and straighten out the mess that our schools, city and other governmental entities have become.
"We have people who are making way too much money while the majority of us struggle from say to day," he said over a brew. "Less than 3 percent of the population votes. That means that one and a half persons plus one vote out of 10 decides what happens in the city."
One of Tamayo's relatives was a county commissioner in the past so he knows what he's talking about having grown up in a politically charged environment.
"We have people who are making way too much money while the majority of us struggle from say to day," he said over a brew. "Less than 3 percent of the population votes. That means that one and a half persons plus one vote out of 10 decides what happens in the city."
One of Tamayo's relatives was a county commissioner in the past so he knows what he's talking about having grown up in a politically charged environment.
Between Gray, Rey Guerra, Jerry McHale, Adrian Foncerrada and the rest of the crew, a Round Robin of chistes and jokes kept the table hopping
. No, it's not New Orleans, but it's our town.
There are worse places, believe me. Until next
Charro Days, visit downtown and El Mercadito and put in your grain of sand to its resurrection.
2 comments:
Juan, that ain't the Palm Lounge, is it?
Are the only two bloggers posting MR and BWC?
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