CECILIO MAKES COFFEE

When Cecilo, my Grandfather’s brother moved back to Encinal, my Grandfather found work for him on a ranch down the Burkholder Road.  It was like ten miles out.  Since he didn't have a car, he had to walk there.  He told him, you can walk once a week, spend the whole week at the ranch and on the weekends, you can walk home to see Jesusa and the kids and then walk back.  

Cecilio, Jesusa and their oldest child

Cecilo was a big tall man, like six foot four.  He would carry his coffee pot on his belt and would carry some coffee. He would stop where there was a windmill and would get water from the pipe coming out.   He knew where to stop and make coffee.  Some people would come into town and say, “don Juan, we saw your brother Cecilo about five miles down the road.  He was sitting by the side of the road by a little campfire, drinking coffee.”   “Yeah, my grandfather said, that’s him.  He’s on his way to the ranch where he works.”  "We wanted to stop and see if he’s okay, but he seemed okay."  My Grandfather said, “He stops to rest on the walk, builds a fire, makes coffee and sits and drinks coffee on a log.  He loves coffee.”