English Road is a family word for many students, teachers and low income families here in Monterey. I do not know how this road got its name and if it means the road of the English language, or the road of the English people, or the road to England. I assumed it should be understood as meaning the road of the English language, perhaps because I was a student of English.
The second day after I arrived in Monterey, my warm-hearted Serb landlady Zorica drove me to grocery shopping and the first stop was this green house at the beginning of English Road. She told me the produce there was cheaper than all other places. I was new to the area and when I was in front of the store, I had no idea where I was. Only after I got my bike did I find out that the store was not far and was on a main road of Monterey.
Later, whenever there were new students or teachers, I would recommend the store to them and told them that if they start from downtown Monterey, they could come to the bottom of Franklin and turn left. Keep on right lane and turn right when hitting the next road. Still keeping on right lane they should go all forward, passing a park-like NPS and going on till they see the freeway overpass. Turn right following the lane and then left into the parking lot and there they would be.
The name of the grocery store is DelMonte Produce, because it was at the corner of DelMonte and English Road. It has a branch on the other main road of Monterey called Fremont, facing the Bank of America at a slight angle. Though of different names, the two stores sell the same produce at the same price. They both have discount produce of 59 cents a bag for quick consuption.
DelMonte Produce is a place where many Chinese teachers make a stop when going home after work. Some stop there on their weekend runs of grocery stores. I often met people I know when I go there. When I bought my car and drove out on weekends, I would often told a colleague who did not drive: “I am going to English Road, do you want grocery?” On some weekends, the colleague would say let’s go to English Road. I seldom go with my colleagues because once I drove out, I did not know where I would be and when I would be back.
The cashiers there were almost all women. For some time there was a young man helping with bagging. There had been quite some turnover of cashiers. Only one of them, after disappearing for some time and surfacing again, is now still working there.
Her name is Lida and she came to the store about two years after I came to Monterey. Because of her, I went to the store more often. I would often go there on Sundays though I had been there the previous day. Sometimes I would say I was in the neighborhood exercising on my bike and was getting my colleague some produce. It was partially true because when I rode out, I always went in that direction no matter what.
As far as I see it, Lida is a pretty girl, although her skin is a little bit darker than what the Chinese would deem beautiful and she always dresses in the working class clothes. She has a long thin face, big eyes, curled long hair, often reminding me of a photo of Jennifer Lopes in red dress with a red necklace. Her browns however start thicker and darker than those of Jennifer’s and end shorter. Her face does not have the rounded smoothness of Jennifer Lopez, but has more semblance to the angular face of Frida. When she puts on makeup she appears young and sensual and sometimes when she does not care about makeup, she would appear somewhat tired
One day I was there with my female colleague whom is mentioned before. When we left, my colleague sat into the car and said: “that girl is pretty.” Another time, I was there with another female colleague and she remarked that the girl was not pretty at all. It seems only when you are in the right mood do you see the beauty of someone.
The first time I saw Lida was when she was sweeping the floor at the store. I asked her if she was new and if she was going to school in addition to working. She spoke broken English at that time but soon I found her English improving fast. It is different from some cashiers I met in other stores who would give everything not to work on their English.
Once it was Christmas when I went to the store. She joked out of my expectation what gift I had for her. I did not say anything and later brought her a China Knot for her to hang in her car. I did not know if she had a car.
When she was not busy I would practice some Spanish on her and jokingly invited her to eat. She told me that she couldn’t because she had a boyfriend.
She said her boyfriend was a sheriff in another city. I said then I dared not take you out. I do not want bullets put in me. She laughed heartily.
Recently a girl often shows up in the store who looks like Lida but is older. Sometimes she works at DelMonte Produce and sometimes at the branch store. One day, unable to hold my curiosity, I asked if she was the older sister of Lida. “How come you say so too. Many people have said that. No I am not. She is Mexican and I am from Salvador.” After a long time since then when I saw her again I had forgotten what she had told me and asked again: “Are you Lida’s…” “No, yo no soy hermana de Lida!” “Ah, yes, Salvador!”
Strange is it that the Latinos in this area are either Mexicans or Salvadorans. Seldom do I see someone from Guatemala and Honduras, much less to say Peru and Argentina. The several Hispanics at the chow hall of my school are all from Salvador. I think they pass to one another employment messages. For Salvadorans, it would be hard if they should want to come into the U.S. illegally, for they had to pass two countries. Mexico closes one eye on her own illegal immigrants to the States, but keeps a close watch on those who want to go through Mexico. There is a movie El Norte that tells of a young man and her sister from Guatemala who attempted to enter the U.S. illegally by way of Mexico. It had good reception in the 80’s.
Not long ago, after I came back from China I saw Lida at the store. After shopping I remembered I had a piece of Chinese candy. I returned, searched for her since she had left the counter for an interior room, and gave her the candy: “From my hometown.”
cashier.jpg (2007-1-20 20:56, 40.87 K )
