Pedro Cruz Infante Our Cousin
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“Un día, Pedro me dijo que quería llevarme a dar un paseo. Pensé que quería decir que me iba dar un paseo en su motocicleta. Me hizo sentir como un joven de veinte años, así que acepté. Bueno, no se refería a su motocicleta, estaba hablando de su avión. Me sorprendió. ¿Le pregunté si era seguró, me aseguró que sí y que iba pilotar el avión él mismo.” (“One day, Pedro told me he wanted to take me for a ride. I thought he meant he was going to give me a ride on his motorcycle. It made me feel like a young twenty-year-old, so I accepted. Well, he was not referring to his bike. He was talking about his airplane. I asked Pedro if it was safe. He assured me that it was and that he was going to pilot the plane himself.”) “El despegue estuvo bien, pero sentí cada movimiento que hacía el avión, no era nada como volar en un avión comercial.” (“The takeoff was okay, but I did feel every movement the plane made it was nothing like flying in a commercial aircraft.”) “¿Llegaste a ver la cabina, ya sabes, donde se sienta el piloto?” Los ojos de Leo brillaban de emocíon. (“Did you get to see the cockpit, you know, where the pilot sits?” Leo’s eyes sparked with excitement.) “No hijo, no me alejé de mi asiento todo el tiempo que estuve en el aire.” (“No son, I did not leave my seat the whole time I was in the air.”) “Unos momentos después de qué habíamos estado volando Pedro vino y se sentó a mi lado. Lo miré y estaba casi demasiado asustado para preguntar, pero tenía que saberlo. (“Well, as I was saying, a few moments after we had been flying, Pedro came and sat by my side. I looked over at him and was almost too scared to ask, but I had to know.”) “¿Quién está piloteando el avión?” Pedro me dio una mirada inocente y se rió. (“Who is piloting the plane?” Pedro gave me an innocent look and laughed.”)
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About the Book
In the early 1940s, Pedro Cruz Infante, Mexico’s singing star and movie idol, made several trips to perform in the United States. During his first trip, he became reacquainted with a cousin our Dad, Leónides Cruz Ruelas, he lovingly referred to as Tío. This first reunion, and Pedro’s repeated trips to the United States, is what this book is about. These visits helped to re-connect Pedro Infante to the Ruelas family in which time and circumstances had kept them apart. This memoir is told by Pedro Infante’s two cousins, Carmen (Ruelas) VonTickner and Connie (Ruelas) Cooper. The reader will travel back in time as these two sisters share their memories of what it was like to live side by side with Pedro Infante and his wife María Luisa. There are moments of laughter, tears and excitement surrounding Pedro’s early visits to the United States. Memories of the fond way Pedro teased Dad, and of his playful and charming way he embraced his two young cousins, as he offered his council and advice. The reader will learn about Pedro’s personality, his inquisitive and discipline nature, and his love for Mom’s cooking. Pedro’s first visit, and successive visits to the United States were nostalgic and successful. This was evident through out all his performances and his time spent with his family. The Arguello Street house, where Pedro first met his two young cousins, became a popular place as curious and loving fans of Pedro Infante made frequent visits. There was always someone knocking at the front door, dangling a camera hoping to have a photo taken with the increasingly popular and handsome Pedro Infante. Having the Infante’s staying at the Ruelas home was the highlight of Connie and Carmen’s young lives.
About the Author
Carmen R. VonTickner Carmen Ruelas VonTickner is a retired teacher from the California School for the Deaf and lives in the San Francisco Bay area .She is a graduate of San Jose State College where she earned her BS in Business Administration and her MA in Vocational Administration She enjoys writing poetry and short stories. Her poetry has appeared in Eber & Wein Publishers, Tablerock Poets, The Anthology of Poetry Diversified, The Greensilk Journal, and The Kistrech Poetry Festival Anthology. She co-authored En Mi Viejo San Juan, a memoir of stories written by her older sister, Josephine. In her free time, she enjoys painting, reading and of course eating, somethings never change. Connie R. Cooper Connie Ruelas Cooper lives with her husband Barry, east of Sacramento. She has two grown children and two grandchildren. Connie worked as a teacher’s assistant at the local elementary school for several years. She is a member of the Moose Club, the Elks Club, and has held membership in the United States Bowling Congress, representing California in the National Bowling Championship in Oklahoma City. Connie enjoys doing volunteer work at the local museum, gardening, and watching old movies.