Gumita, my best friend in San Francisco and my cousin's cousin, at El Chorro del Espiritu Santo, with two of her five sisters behind her. Although her family and my family go back pretty far, and they only live two houses down from my grandmother's house, the first time I remember meeting Gume was the last time I visited, in 2004. Since then she has kind of tucked me under her wing. She works as a schoolteacher in Panama City, which I think explains her patience with me when my vocabulary is lacking.

I promised Gume I would look for a good gringo for her to marry.

Josalee Thrift Photo