Tijuana

There are songs and then there are songs that take you back.

Leaving the university this afternoon after two meetings my mind was reeling with what I would do first. Scholarly activities related more to mentoring, write, or my to do list, first.

• Note to self drop dress at dry cleaners, fit in nail appointment, update the calendar to reflect; the art show opening- scratch that it conflicts with dinner with the out of town guests, visit the new baby, note lunch with the grant guru at the end of the month...

Then I heard Red Red Wine on the radio: It was my favorite song one summer I spent in Tijuana.

That summer, I was practicing the vals for the big quinceanera of the year...we met once a week, and although I was too young to be paired up with anyone cute, mad crushes abounded.

The dresses were hot pink taffeta, and along with the vals practice there were almost weekly fittings, voting on the shoes, the jewelry, the hairpiece and the flowers. No one minded the weekly dance classes, there was always good food and a boy for every girl to dance with- 30 of us in all or 15 couples.

After practice, we would eat and drink and listen to music in the big outdoor courtyard. It was a perfect summer. The Quinceanera was in July, the party was in a large hall, with a sit down dinner, and a live band with a DJ between sets. It was captured in photos, but I had forgotten how vivid it still was in my own mind.

It was a pleasant surprise to think back to those languid summer afternoons. My family still celebrates Quinceaneras, but I missed the last one a year ago due to school. I recently heard one of my primitas is taking hers back to Tijuana next year too. I hope they play UB40.