Sunday, February 05, 2006

Don Cristobal



Several notable people have passed away recently and the world has mourned them. Here in The Bronx someone passed away and only those in my small world cared. He wasn’t well known outside of his community but like the famous that’ve passed on this past week his life touched many. His name was Cristobal Sandoval, he was my neighbor. Don Cristobal was of a rare breed, an old world gentleman; he stood up when a woman entered the room and tipped his hat when he saw you on the street. He was a decorated WWII veteran; born in Puerto Rico he settled in New York after serving in the military. Even though he was well into his 80’s he was robust, full of grace and stamina. He was a credit to the old school Boriqua. He was a beautiful man or perhaps it was the beauty of his soul that was reflected on his face. He was a kind hearted man with a wonderful sense of humor who drew you in with his smile and his warm gentle manner.

My first memory of him was when I was 10 and had just moved to The Bronx. He shook my hand as he introduced himself to me, he promised that I would be making new friends here and then made a quarter appear from behind my ear. His son didn’t approve of the fact that his dad had taken the job as our day security guard just to fight the boredom of retirement. Don Cristobal was in excellent health. He looked to be 30 years younger than he actually was; he walked several miles a day and would run up the 14 flights of our complex several times a day when doing his rounds.

During his tenure as our security guard there were about 70 kids living in the complex and he knew all of our names, to whom we belonged to and even memorized our birthdays. Don Cristobal was kind of like everyone’s surrogate grand dad. Whenever our birthdays rolled around we’d find a birthday card with a lil’ something in our mailboxes from him. He celebrated our milestones with us and we all loved him the more for it. The little ones of the building always hugged him on the way out to school. The older ones like me were too cool for that so we’d always wave good-bye and in Boriqua tradition yell out “Bendicion!” (Blessing) and as he waved back to us he’d yell back the traditional blessing, “Que dios me lo bendiga y la Virgen Maria me los favorescas” (May God bless you and the Virgin Mary favor you.) Everyone loved Don Cristobal , especially my generation who had grown up with him watching over us.

One of the things about Don Cristobal that stuck with me was a song he always sang while making his rounds. Every time I’ve heard this song in the presence of an elderly Puerto Rican the reaction is always the same, they get this far away look in their eyes and sing along with heartfelt emotion. The song “En Mi Viejo San Juan” tells the story of a man who left Puerto Rico for a strange new land but cannot forget his beloved island. As he lies dying of old age his last thoughts are of Puerto Rico. He regrets not having been able to return to his island the place where he says he left his heart. His dying words are are “El tiempo paso and el destino burlo mi terible nostalgia y no puede volver al San Juan que yo ame, pedasito de patria… mi cabello blanquio y mi vida se va… ya la muete me llama y no puede volver al San Juan que yo ame, Puerto Rico del alma…. adios Borinquen querida , adios mi diosa del mar, me voy pero un dia volvere a buscar mi querer, a sonar otra vez en mi viejo San Juan.

Translation: Time passed and destiny mocked my longing . I was unable to return to San Juan the one I loved, my small piece of homeland. My hair has turned white and my life is slipping away, death is calling to me and I can not return to the San Juan I loved, Puerto Rico of my heart…. Good bye beloved Borinquen, good -bye my goddess of the sea, I am leaving, but one day I will return to find my love, to dream again in my old San Juan.

Don Cristobal was married to his childhood sweetheart Dona Mercedes. Despite being married for over 50 years you could tell by the way that they looked at each other that their love was alive and kicking. Every Friday he’d enter the building with a huge bouquet of flowers and a box of candy for “my best girl” When her son would drive her home from errands Don Cristobal would meet her curbside and gently take her out of the car, kissing her hand before placing his arm around her. A couple of years ago he started becoming forgetful. My dad found him a few times up the block unable to remember where he lived. This is when he retired for good. He was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s and last year when he started getting really bad the decision was made by his son to place him in a nursing home. Mercedes never left his side, every morning at 7am someone from the building would drive her to the nursing home and she’d spend the entire day with him. She never missed a day not even when he couldn’t remember who she was anymore.

I arrived home a couple of days ago to find a notice posted in the lobby that he had died. A group of us “kids” now all in our 20’s read it in disbelief. None of us could believe he was gone. As I made my way to the elevator I felt a lump rise in my throat, my hand rising to my eyes trying to stop the tears that were building up and making my eyes sting. By the time I got into the elevator it was futile the tears couldn’t be stopped.

After having been waked in NY for three days Don Cristobal ‘s body was taken to the airport yesterday, he was finally going home to his beloved island. Mercedes squeezed my hand in amazement when she saw the number of people who had shown up to escort him to the airport. It seems the entire neighborhood showed up. We had about 50 cars/vans packed with people, on each car flew a Puerto Rican flag and an American flag handed out by the local veterans club. As we got ready to pull out several cop cars from the local precinct showed up to escort us to the airport. I don’t know who arranged that but it was a fitting tribute. We circled the neighborhood in a last good-bye and people stood on the side walks some placed their hands over their hearts others saluted as we drove by.

As we made our way to the airport a gentle rain began to fall. There’s a legend in my family that says whenever a good person dies the angels weep with joy when the person is admitted into heaven and embraced by God. The tears fall to earth as a signal to the deceased ones families letting them know that their loved one is back with his heavenly father. As the rain fell on me I looked up towards the sky and blew a kiss towards the clouds. We were all blessed to have known Don Lt. Cristobal Sandoval. Que Dios te bendiga y la Virgen Maria te favoresca .

In memory of Lt. C. Sandoval :


En Mi Viejo San Juan::Daniel Santos

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Labels: death

Posted by @ 1:28 PM
3 comment from:  Mr. Khurram,  Emory Mayne,  Mia,