{"id":4177,"date":"2020-12-09T15:00:18","date_gmt":"2020-12-09T15:00:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/?p=4177"},"modified":"2020-12-09T03:55:13","modified_gmt":"2020-12-09T03:55:13","slug":"bubers-basque-story-part-30","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/2020\/12\/09\/bubers-basque-story-part-30\/","title":{"rendered":"Buber’s Basque Story: Part 30"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Kepa hadn\u2019t seen a feast like this since, well, the last time his cousin had visited the Basque Country and his mom had invited everyone to the baserri. Edurne\u2019s parents had laid out the table with salads, beans, steak, roasted vegetables, and freshly made bread. In addition to Kepa and Maite, Edurne and her family, and Edurne\u2019s parents, Edurne\u2019s brother and his partner had also joined them. Kepa wondered when the last time so many people had been forced into this room, but then he remembered he was with fellow Basques and assumed it was likely last week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kepa poked at one of the brussel sprouts on his plate. \u201cZer da hori?\u201d he asked for the sixth time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maite just laughed. \u201cI guess we don\u2019t eat many of these back at home, eh?\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edurne also laughed. \u201cDon\u2019t worry,\u201d she said. She nodded toward her four-year-old daughter who sat across the table with her husband. \u201cAmaia doesn\u2019t like them either.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buber’s Basque Story is a weekly serial. While it is a work of fiction, it has elements from both my own experiences and stories I’ve heard from various people. The characters, while in some cases inspired by real people, aren’t directly modeled on anyone in particular. I expect there will be inconsistencies and factual errors. I don’t know where it is going, and I’ll probably forget where it’s been. Why am I doing this? To give me an excuse and a deadline for some creative writing and because I thought people might enjoy it. Gozatu!<\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n\n\n\n

A twinkle lit up in Kepa\u2019s eyes as he looked at Amaia. \u201cNahi duzu?\u201d he asked, pointing to the brussel sprouts. \u201cDo you want?\u201d He chuckled as Amaia shook her head vehemently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Maite stabbed one of the brussel sprouts off of his plate and put it in her mouth. \u201cBut they are so good. Goxoak dira!\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amaia held up her plate. \u201cDo you want?\u201d she asked Maite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Edurne\u2019s husband, George, nearly choked on his wine as he tried to hold back his laughter. \u201cShe\u2019s too smart, this one. It\u2019s hard to fool her, believe me, I\u2019ve tried.\u201d George was maybe a few years older than Edurne, with thick hair and a beard that were starting to show just hints of grey. Maite thought he must have been quite dashing when Edurne first met him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMaybe she\u2019ll grow up to be a physicist like her cousin, eh?\u201d asked Edurne\u2019s brother, Unai. Maite knew Unai, now in his late twenties, from his visits to the Basque Country, but during those visits, they had never clicked. Even though Edurne was so much older than her, Maite had always gravitated more to her, maybe because she was like the older sister she never had. But, Unai had grown into a strong young man, not quite the mountain that his dad was, but still powerfully built. He looked like he had just come from the stylist, his hair immaculate. Maite couldn\u2019t help but be thankful he didn\u2019t sport the mullet that was still so popular back at home. Unai\u2019s partner, Eric, who sat next to him, was more slender, sporting a ginger goatee that was neatly trimmed. He seemed rather quiet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIf she\u2019s that clever, I expect she\u2019ll find a different path,\u201d replied Maite with a chuckle. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSo, how are your parents?\u201d asked Anton, Edurne\u2019s father. \u201cIt\u2019s been so long since we\u2019ve seen Fulgencio and Rosario.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It had been a while since Maite had seen Anton and Feliciana, her mother\u2019s second cousins. They looked much the same as before, though a bit greyer. Anton was always a mountain of a man, and had seemed like a giant to Maite when she was young and first met him. He still seemed built like an ox, though most of his hair had disappeared. Feliciana was still the same striking woman she remembered. She had always thought she must be some American movie star, the way she lit up the room and drew attention wherever she went. Edurne was almost the spitting image of that young, glamorous woman Maite remembered from her youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThey are well,\u201d replied Maite after a sip of her wine. \u201cA bit sad that I might go to graduate school in the United States, but otherwise enjoying their retirement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWe had so many good times in their bar,\u201d sighed Feliciana. \u201cRemember that time, after Jose\u2019s wedding\u2026\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAh, dear, let\u2019s not get into our long stories now,\u201d interrupted Anton. \u201cI expect Kepa and Maite are tired after such a long flight. Tomorrow, however, we\u2019ll regale them with stories of old.\u201d He turned toward the pair. \u201cA night cap before seeing you off?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kepa and Maite nodded as they all retired to the living room. Despite Anton\u2019s previous protestations, he sucked Maite, Edurne and Unai into stories of his childhood, growing up in the Basque Country, coming to America to work in the big city, meeting Felciana, and staying forever. \u201cMaybe we\u2019ll move back when we retire,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Feliciana elbowed him in the ribs. \u201cWe\u2019ve been retired for years now,\u201d she said. \u201cAnd you say that every year.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kepa, meanwhile, sat around the coffee table with George and Eric sipping his glass of cognac. He chuckled. \u201cI usually don\u2019t get the good stuff back at home,\u201d he said. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThese guys never spare any expense,\u201d replied George. \u201cYou should see how they spoil Amaia.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI can imagine. If I had a kid, I know my ama would go crazy.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWhat are your plans for your time in New York?\u201d asked Eric.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kepa shrugged. \u201cI don\u2019t know, to be honest.\u201d He nodded at Maite. \u201cThis is her show. I\u2019m just here for moral support.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWell,\u201d replied Eric. \u201cMy company often has tickets for shows, not always Broadway, but usually still pretty good. I could probably swing some tickets if you are all interested.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThat would be nice,\u201d said George. \u201cI\u2019m sure Anton and Feliciana wouldn\u2019t mind spoiling Amaia for a night. And Edurne just finished a big project at work, I think she can get away.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cSounds good to me, but I can\u2019t promise I will stay awake the whole time,\u201d added Kepa.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGreat! Let\u2019s check with everyone, but I\u2019ll try to get tickets in the morning.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amaia approached the three men, her hands hidden behind her back. She then placed a deck of cards on the table. \u201cWill you play cards with me?\u201d she asked.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The three of them chuckled. \u201cSure,\u201d replied Kepa. \u201cBut, you\u2019ll have to teach me these American rules first.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Kepa hadn\u2019t seen a feast like this since, well, the last time his cousin had visited the Basque Country and his mom had invited everyone to the baserri. Edurne\u2019s parents had laid out the table with salads, beans, steak, roasted vegetables, and freshly made bread. In addition to Kepa and Maite, Edurne and her family, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2549,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[864],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-4177","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-bubers-basque-story"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/05\/Artboard-1.png","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p2sYNu-15n","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4177","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4177"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4177\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4178,"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/4177\/revisions\/4178"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4177"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=4177"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/buber.net\/Basque\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=4177"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}