Canto CCCLXII: Running into...Rocky!

Gentle cabrones:

It’s been a tough year for Cosmo.

In the spring, he nearly died of pancreatitis; as a result, he can never eat beef again – and he loved beef. A month after Cosmo’s illness, Hook passed away (Canto CCCLVII). We adopted the both of them at the same time from Frosted Faces, and although they were not inseparable from each other – while Cosmo loved Hook, Hook hated everyone except me — they were the Ruth and Gehrig of rescue pups, especially when I would tell them if they wanted to go to Alta Baja and they would both make their toward the front door (Cosmo leaped and ran; Hook bopped and swayed) from our bedroom.

Cosmo’s hearing is declining, as is the sight in his one eye. Since we adopted the boys at the height of the pandemic, he’s inseparable from me. So when I’m gone, Delilah says that he’ll just sleep on my clothes and wait for me. When Delilah and I went to Baja for two nights, and we came back and picked Cosmo up, he was whimpering in our arms from how much he missed us.

I think all of the above is why he loves to go on walks — I mean, he always did, but now Cosmo demands one anytime I come back from somewhere, so we’re now doing at least six a day.

He’s no longer pulling at his leash or doing much of his Cosmo Skip®, but he smells all the way and loves his strolls. Routine helps pain. So that’s why I was surprised when we passed by our neighbor’s house earlier this week around eight at night, and Cosmo suddenly didn’t want to move.

Our street is well-lit, but huge trees cast shadows that make it hard to see far away. But even from five houses down, I could see the shadow of a huge dog.

I instinctively picked up Cosmo and got ready to walk back to our house. But I noticed the dog wasn’t moving. It just stared from afar.

“Rocky?” I yelled out in a quizzical voice.

The dog started running toward me.

Rocky!

He’s our neighbor’s golden retriever, a huge, happy guy. I remember when they got him as a puppy, and I would always pet him and say his name, and Cosmo and him would smell each other.

Rocky!

He ran toward me and Cosmo and stopped when he came up to us. Huge smile on his face once he realized it was us.

I had triggered in Rocky what Delilah and I describe as “puppy’s memory” — recalling something from your past that you usually don’t think about unless it presents itself, and then the memory cascades into the present. Think of Proust’s madeleine, except far more maudlin.

Delilah and I call it “puppy’s memory” in honor of our late Marge, whose tail began to furiously wag when her Tía Leah held her in her arms after not seeing Marge for years. That has been Rocky with me.

A few years back, Rocky bolted from his home and ran into a busy street. My neighbors, whom are elderly, couldn’t get to him, so I hopped into my car, sped ahead of Rocky, parked, and called on Rocky from the sidewalk.

Rocky!

I walked him home back then, and that’s what I did again this time, now with Cosmo in tow and back on the ground. We walked down the block, and I rang the doorbell of my neighbors. Rocky immediately bolted in as my neighbor quizzically looked at me.

Rocky!

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You really never know what you do and how it impacts others – the whole butterfly flap, causing a hurricane on the other side of the planet, you know? It’s why you should always be on your most authentic behavior – and why, in general, you should be on your best manners ALWAYS.

People might not always think of you, but it’s amazing what they remember about you.

Maybe a decade ago, I spoke before a bunch of Latino professionals in Orange County. Before I spoke, a former high school classmate of mine came to greet me. He was cooler than me back in the day — we were maybe three degrees of separation from each other, so we never really talked or even said what’s up to each other whenever we’d cross paths, but we’d end up in the same conversations every once in a while and didn’t need introductions. I think the guy was a rebel – the substrata of Latino high school life that dresses up like James Dean or Rizzo from Grease.

My fellow Anaheim High Class of ‘97 Colonist hugged me, then pulled at his tie. Remember when you saw me fumbling around with my tie before our high school graduation, and you showed me how to do a Windsor knot?

Um, yeah?

He said he was proud of my career, and always bragged to his coworkers that we went to Anaheim High together — and especially how nice of a guy I really was despite my writing reputation. I’ve never seen or heard from him since, but I remembered that interaction again after Cosmo and I ran into Rocky.

Such a forgettable moment for me was unforgettable for my classmate. Helping someone on something simple, especially when you’re doing it just because? Just another day for me, because my mami taught me well.

Just. Be. Good. Is that so hard to do? (Jeremiah says: Hold my lamentation)

I really don’t see Rocky that much, because my neighbors walk him when I’m not around. Yet he has always followed me whenever I’ve found him roaming around, because I was nice to Rocky long ago. His puppy’s memory will always remember: once, when I didn’t have to, I was good to him.

I’m glad he’s okay. I hope he doesn’t wander off again. But next time that happens — he’s too rambunctious of a pup not to, alas — I’m going to thank him and tell him something very simple:

ROCKY!

**

Enough rambling. This was the semana that was:

IMAGE OF THE WEEK: INCREDIBLE brisket-bacon taco on a tallow-fueled flour tortilla at Heritage BBQ in San Juan Capistrano. They’re one of our Fuerte Four finalists in my KCRW and Gustavo’s Great #TortillaTournament, whose winner we’ll figure out this morning. When will we reveal the winner? Details to come…

QUOTE OF THE WEEK: “People would like to see me flop, just once. Well, I can’t and I won’t. I will never give any satisfaction to my enemies.” — Maria Callas

LISTENING: “El Chubasco,” Carlos y José. No way I have yet to recommend a group from these norteño icons, but I can’t say for sure since I’ve yet to do my Canto playlist! But such a wistful, gorgeous song: needs to be discussed in the same breath with other classics of the rain-as-misery genre as “I Just Wish it Would Rain,” “In the Rain” and — this one I know I’ve recommended — “Los Aguaceros de Mayo,” which is the most devastating entry in the genre by FAR.

READING: “Tom’s Men”: I’ll never forget the first time I saw a Tom of Finland print — the Taschen book from the late 1990s, at the late, great Borders in Brea. I was still somewhat homophobic back then, so basically wretched at the drawings — and yet I couldn’t look away. The form, the audacity, the celebration of gay male life demanded you #respect. Only later did I find out why some LGBTQ+ activists find Tom of Finland’s work (and he himself) problematic even as his pioneering work is acknowledged. This NYRB essay goes through all of these waves — and is evocative, to (leather biker) boot.

BUY MY NEW CO-BOOK! People’s Guide to Orange County tells an alternative history of OC through the scholarship and reporting of myself, Elaine Lewinnek, and Thuy Vo Dang. There’ll be signings all year — in meanwhile, buy your copy TODAY. And, yes: I’ll autograph it!

Gustavo Events  

Jan. 4-5: This is really cool: Jouyssance, a choral group committed to singing pre-Baroque pieces (and which my sometimes-jefe, L.A. Times features editor Steve Padilla, is a member), is doing a Christmas program featuring 16th-century Mexican music — and I'm going to be the narrator! Jan. 4 will be at 7:30 p.m. at Holy Nativity Episcopal Church, 6700 W. 83rd Street, Westchester; January 5 will happen at 4 p.m. at St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, 122 S. California Ave., Monrovia. Tickets are $25 general admission, $20 for seniors, and $10 for students with ID — buy them TODAY!

Gustavo in the News

“The 25 Most Important Recipes of the Past 100 Years”: Slate didn’t take my recommendation, but still cited me — it happens!

“Latinx Files: Anti-immigrant sentiments from Latinos is nothing new”: A Los Angeles Times newsletter you should subscribe to plugs a columna of mine.

“Part 140: The 2026 Elections and Rob Bonta – Union Power and Political Results”: Legendary whistleblower Zachary Ellison mentions me in a story of his.

“THE YEAR END TOP TEN ENDINGS OF ANYTHING EVER 2024 EDITION“: The Most Important Chicano in Hollywood That You Don’t Know shouts me out in his Substack.

“Why California’s Latino voters are shifting toward Trump and Republicans”: Political pundit Mike Madrid shouts me out in a L.A. Times piece of his.

“La Abeja”: The Fresno Bee’s essential newsletter of all things Latino shouts me out — and they STILL don’t have a permalink even though I suggested it to La Investigadora smh!

Gustavo Stories 

“Grítale a Guti”: Latest edition of my Tuesday night IG Live free-for-all.

“KCRW and Gustavo's Great Tortilla Tournament, Round 3: Upsets Continue!”: My latest Substack (don’t subscribe — seriously. Anyone who subscribes over there will just get subscribed here — and you’re already here!) reveals the Eso 8 in my annual masa madness. KEY QUOTE: “BUT…that’s the thing about tournaments. Although newbies always thrill, they usually lose to perennial contenders that treat the championship trophy like game of a hot potato.”

"And Our #TortillaTournament Fuerte Four Finalists Are…”: My latest KCRW Insider newsletter reveals exactly what the headline says. KEY QUOTE: “How awesome is this tournament as a secret code to Southern California life? We have representatives from the San Fernando Valley, the Inland Empire, San Diego County, and Orange County. Let’s see Michelin top THAT.”

“Amid Trump Latino gains, is it time to let Republicans into California Latino Legislative Caucus?”: My latest L.A. Times columna talks about one of the headline says. KEY QUOTE: “Over the phone, Lena Gonzalez’s voice had the patient but proud tone of a lawyer charged with defending the damned.”

“The most beautiful Virgin of Guadalupe shrine in Southern California”: My latest L.A. Times Essential California newsletter talks about the one thing everyone in SanTana can agree about. KEY QUOTE: “My place of worship: the massive shrine to Guadalupe constructed by Luis Cantabrana every December for the last 14 years at his house on the corner of Broadway and Camile Street in Santa Ana.”

You made it this far down? Gracias! Follow me on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram while you’re down here by clicking on their logos down below. Don’t forget to forward this newsletter to your compadres y comadres! You can’t get me tacos anymore, but you sure as hell can give them — and more — to the O.C. Catholic Worker!