Hot and Hungry

Jose woke up hot and hungry. His stomach was already making noises.

This was not unusual for him or anyone in the Berrao household as they did not have much.  

The hardwood floor that was his bed did not cool or comfort, but with seven siblings in a two-bedroom house one had to sleep wherever they could. Jose being one of the oldest knew this all too well.

There is nothing like the experience of being hungry on a hot day. This one would be the hottest of the year with temperatures soaring well above one hundred degrees. The night had done nothing to cool the day so all would have to deal with it.

Jose arose from the floor and headed to the small kitchen half-hoping that there would be something, anything to eat. Why he didn’t know. There had been nothing in it when he went to bed. His father did not receive his pay for a few more days. All the food from last week was gone. This was the normal cycle in the Berrao house. Get food on payday. See it gone usually around seven days later.

Still, he hoped. When that hope was dashed with the opening of the refrigerator door, Jose simply sighed. It would be another day without. Another day to fight through with little more than water.

The only saving grace in having the refrigerator on this day was that Jose and his siblings could stick their heads in the freezer for a while to cool off. That was until their mother saw them and they were told to close it. Even if it was empty, Mama didn’t want her kids playing around and breaking the fridge. Food did not keep well in oppressive heat so in the times they had it, Mama wanted to make sure none spoiled.

After closing the refrigerator door, Jose knew what lay ahead for the rest of the day. It would get hotter, and he would get hungrier.

Since he had sweated most of the night while on the floor, Jose went into the little bathroom to wash his face and hands. He found a basin already filled with soap and water, took a washcloth from the stand and began to cleanse himself. The water was lukewarm which made things even hotter. But at least he would not be sweaty for a little while.

The house in which he lived had no air conditioning nor fans. It was one story open air. Letting the windows up would not help. There was no wind and if there was it would only create dust. The heat one could stand. Having to deal with dust was another matter as it hindered breathing.

There is an old saying, “If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen.” In Jose’s world on days like this the saying was “If you can’t stand the heat too bad, because there’s nowhere to go.”

As he made his way outside, Jose looked around at all his other friends that were in the same boat as he. Sure, the families tried to help each other as much as possible, but often there wasn’t enough to go around. So, the older children and adults sacrificed for the younger family members to have food. At one time Jose was one of those younger family members. Not anymore. If he was to have food on a hot day like today, he’d have to find it himself.

In the meantime, Jose would do the best he could with water. There was a hand pump on the old well. It was truly a life saver on hot days. This day everyone who could get to one drank from its cool depths. Many took the water and splashed their clothes with it. Pales were taken back to homes for domestic use.

However, all had to be careful. Rain was scarce this time of year, so water was not to be wasted. No excuses. You drink. Get a bit for home use and wet your clothes once. That’s it.

Jose and the boys loved to play outside, but on this day, no one had much energy to do so. The heat was sapping it from everyone. With no food to sustain them they became weaker as the day went on.

It was even hot in the shade. Hammocks were commonplace where Jose lived, and they were a great way to relax. Often, they were not used much until late in the day, because there was no way to avoid the heat sitting or lying down. On the hottest day of the year, they were being used simply because people were too weak from hunger to stand.

Somewhere, Jose thought, there are children with full stomachs laughing and playing. Somewhere there was a swimming pool being used to cool off. At midday mothers would be calling their children in to give them lunch. Or the kids would sit outside under a shade tree and eat.

That was all fantasy land to him. Someone else’s world not his. What he saw were his siblings doing the best they could to get through the day. The men around town working on not much but maybe a sandwich and some water. The women doing their domestic duties while trying to stay cool with a hand fan and straw hats on their heads. Today was a day when everyone had to wear a hat as the rays from the sun were so intense.

After noon, his hunger intensified along with the heat. To There is no second wind when one is hungry. You just get weaker. It is a strange feeling. Your body does not totally shut down. But on hot days, it almost feels as if you can barely move. Your pace slows down. Your stomach rumbles loud enough for all who come near to hear. You see spots and maybe experience some dizziness. Sometimes, it’s hard to even raise your arms.

Jose experienced all of this on the hottest day of the year.

When evening came Jose, and his family waited for their father to come home in hopes that he would bring something to eat. It was not to be. It always pained Jose to see his father come home from a hard day’s work, especially in the heat, and watch his children go hungry. Jose knew that it hurt his father’s pride not to be able to consistently provide for them. But all in the Berrao family knew that he was doing the best he could.

Whenever his father came home on days like this, it brought home to Jose what Mr. Berrao always told his children about education and where it could take them. Away from backbreaking manual labor and towards a better life. Mr. Berrao wanted all his children to learn a trade, but he also wanted them to be smart enough to live a better life than him.

Resigned to no food for another day and with no relief in sight from the heat, Jose went to the well for another drink. With every step his body felt thick. Like he was carrying two Jose’s instead of one. He made it to the well, took out a small tin cup and filled it. The water instantly cooled his body and restored a little bit of life to him. It wasn’t food, but it would have to do.

Jose brought the tin cup back to the house and sat down. He looked at the heat waves which formed across fields. The sun was setting, but the heat had decided to do overtime. It would linger for the rest of the summer. Jose was sure of that.

However, he was also sure that it would not last forever. And neither would his hunger for his father would be paid soon. Then he would replenish as much as he could and hope that what food they had lasted until the next paycheck.

But today, Jose had to deal with hunger on the hottest day of the year.  

He could attest to anyone that being hot is one thing. Being hot and hungry is something that no one should have to experience.