The Yahara Journal 2020 edition

THE HEAVY ARTISANAL MUG: FILLED WITH FAKE PROMISES AND DISAPPOINTMENTS Judith Campos

It was a day during Holy Week, one of the most celebrated weeks in Hispanic and Latin American countries. The sky in San Gabriel had whirls of pinks, mixed with purples, making the yellow radiance from the sun stand out. If the world was ending, the sight of the sky would make it peaceful. The lectures of the priest and the responses of prayers from the church crowd was inevitable to hear, yet it did not take away the noise from the artisanal marketers. You could find close to any product – piggy banks, unicorns with sparkly horns in any shade you could imagine, three-feet high “El Chavo” cartoon characters, red, green and purple dinosaurs, all with slits large enough for your money; pots with heart shaped stands; mini, small, medium and large clay pitchers; bowls for posole and menudo and plates all made by hand and sold on the plaza outside of the church. The amused girl savored the scene of colors, wishing to buy everything, but she realized she neither had the money or space. She strolled beside Abraham who was a whole head taller than she was and much skinnier. Sometimes, she would look up at Abraham hoping to see him as amused as herself, but his slight frown always made him look bored. His lack of amusement had the ability to make you feel guilty. She ignored his indifference thinking maybe he was tired or had gotten up on the wrong side of the bed and continued enjoying the scene.

It is tradition to buy loved ones ceramic pieces so, as they turned the corner searching for a gift, he saw them. The round, six-inch wide by four-inch high mugs. She observed the smooth crimson-colored mug that could pass as a cereal bowl with a handle. Realistically, they all could pass as cereal bowls. The mugs were like the ones held gloriously by Instagram influencers or pinned on snazzy Pinterest boards. They would be perfect mugs for rich, Swiss Miss hot chocolate and mini floating marshmallows in January and on days when you contemplate the pleasurable furnace heat. The unique cereal mugs shined of glossy colors — crimson, black, green and blue. The smoothness of the mugs was soothing, like brand new bowls from Target that you would not likely buy, but the smooth and delicate ceramic made them feel special. The artisanal mug was somewhat heavy, and holding it from the handle felt like a risk. The couple was shocked and surprised by the size and the price, yet they still purchased them. She chose the crimson-colored mug, the color of her wine-colored Honda Accord, the same color her mom had always 31