Mexican Fairy Tales

We had dinner with friends tonight and I told a story I hadn't told in a long time. It goes something like this:

Once upon a time the Trejo's joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. They were happy, it was a good change for them. Bright-eyed and bushy tailed, and in spite of their breeding the Trejo's decided to become a functional family. They went to church, made friends and in general were happy. Then one day a different couple moved in, fairly new members from a far away ward. This couple was in a tight spot financially. This couple knew they needed to swallow their pride and just ask their friends for help so they came to the Trejo's. The Trejos weren't exactly best friends with this couple but they considered themselves generous people, so when asked, they gladly gave. Next thing we know this new couple had left the ward and skipped town with the Trejo's money. This couple was going to die.

Pissed doesn't even begin to describe the rants that went on in our living room. It looked more like rabid. My parents found out that these people were con-artists and had done this before to other people and all hell broke loose. My mom found out where they lived, found out their kid's names and the fact they had a dog. She wasn't sure what she was going to do with the information but she was toying with the idea of kidnapping and killing the dog. Thankfully, my dad and I talked her out of it (I'm not sure she would have gone through with it, but I didn't want a dog on my conscience) and after a while the storm calmed and we moved on with our lives. Then one day my mom and I were grocery shopping when we spotted the con-lady in the check-out line. I knew what was coming so I ran to hide behind the salad dressing aisle. My mom took one look at her and asked, "Where's my money!? WHERE IS MY MONEY!? IF YOU DON'T ANSWER ME I'M GOING TO KICK YOUR ASS!!" May I add my mother is freakishly strong and knows tae-kwon-do. These were not empty promises. It would not be the first ass she kicked.

The lady answered, "I don't even know you..." Which of course was a lie and a weak desperate attempt to flee with her life. My mom kept screaming making a huge scene asking this lady how she could sleep at night, how she could walk out in society and not shrivel with shame. Just when things looked like my mom was going to draw from her tae-kwon-do knowledge a couple of clerks and I stepped in. I told my mom that it wasn't worth it, this con-lady was going to go straight to hell anyway, that my mom should salvage what little dignity she could for being the bigger person. Well, we paid for our groceries with my mom telling anyone that would listen what the big deal was about and we got into the car and drove off with my mom cussing. I think she's forgiven them and we laugh about it now, but it still makes a good dinner party story.