"OH MY GOD!!!" Was the first thing we would hear from my uncles mouth when we would walk through his door. After that we would be greeted with a big kiss on the cheek, a kiss that could never be erased from our minds. My brother, sister, and I would share our thougts about how our uncles kisses were always accompanied by the prickliness of a five o'clock shadow and the wetness of beer, then we would laugh. That laughter still comes up in our heads and when we talk about it the thoughts take us back to the parties we use to attend at our Tio Chiches yellow house.

It was always a time for laughter, fun, and good food when we would go over. There we would hang out with all our cousins and play with our toys, run around the backyard, or sit around the tv playing video games. While us little people were in our own world the adults would have their conversations and enjoy their beverages and Tio Chiche would be doing what he did best, tending the asado. You can smell the burning of the coals and charred steaks in the air. While I would run around and play in between the people scattered in the backyard I would pass the grill and get the opportunity to watch Tio do his magic. Nothing more than sea salt and good cuts to bring out the flavor but most importantly was the timing over the flames. I would observe his technique out of wonder not knowing that I was taking in everything this moment had to offer. He had this turbine attached to his grill which, for some reason, facinated me. As you spun the the arm of this device the turbine would draw the air into the grill and you can see the coals turn bright red. Any time he would step away I would take the opportunity to go spin the turbine and make the coals heat up.

Now that im older I take honor in tending the asado for family events. I get the meat from the same butcher that he used to buy them from and when I place them over the flames there are moments where I get transported back to the backyard in Tio Chiches yellow house. The feelings that I used to have at his family events remind me of whats important in life, and thats to allow the people you love to have that same feeling of joy and fun. It was great having you in our lives and you will never be forgotten. R.I.P. Tio Chiche we love you.