Carmen Mejia King
When I was 21 years old, I traveled to Lindsay, California to spend a weekend with my dad. After a nice day visiting the local orchards, we returned to his small home (formally a bracero house) and as we finished dinner, he pulled out this beautiful small violin. I never knew he played the violin but that night it was magical. He played beautiful songs from Mexico including waltzes, ballads and songs that have not been heard since the time of Juarez. The violin bellowed this beautiful, full and extraordinary sound. Afterwards, I asked him if I could see it and inside the violin was a signature that read "Antonius Stradivarius, Copie No. 26" or it may have been 28. I don't remember now, but it was just an extraordinary violin.
When he died, my family and I retreated to the new apartment he was living in after he qualified for his social security. I went looking for his violin to show it to my family but it was nowhere to be found. We found out from the apartment manager that members of his side of the family had been in his apartment the night before. Whether it was authentic or not, this was so hurtful to me and to my family. My father was never a wealthy man and this was the one pleasure he allowed himself after his separation from my mom. My dad never owned anything except the clothes on his back, the car he drove and this violin. If anyone out there in his family knows where the violin is, please return it to my mother or my sister Alicia. It was never yours to take.
When he died, my family and I retreated to the new apartment he was living in after he qualified for his social security. I went looking for his violin to show it to my family but it was nowhere to be found. We found out from the apartment manager that members of his side of the family had been in his apartment the night before. Whether it was authentic or not, this was so hurtful to me and to my family. My father was never a wealthy man and this was the one pleasure he allowed himself after his separation from my mom. My dad never owned anything except the clothes on his back, the car he drove and this violin. If anyone out there in his family knows where the violin is, please return it to my mother or my sister Alicia. It was never yours to take.
