March 10, 2015: The Del Rio News-Herald * Editorial Section * A most famous fable

Letter to the Editor,

A Most Fabulous Fable

Mimi, the Mexican Mousette and Rita, La Ratoncita Norteamericana are sitting atop Amistad Dam watching the magnificent sunset.

Mimi turns to Rita, “Do you think there’s a heaven?”

Rita responds, “Well, if heaven has an ‘All you can eat cheese buffet’, then I definitely believe in heaven.”

Mimi: Don’t be silly. Do you ever think about death and dying?

Rita: I’m too busy living life that I don’t have time to think about death or dying. I’m too busy trying to stay alive. You know Mimi, it’s a jungle out there; there are so many things that can kill you.

Mimi: Well, I was just thinking, what happens when we die?

Rita: And I was just thinking, what’s for supper?

Mimi: The visitors that come to Amistad Dam always throw away such good food. 

Let’s go check out the trash cans.

Rita: Look, I found a quesadilla.

Mimi: And I found a slice of three cheese pizza.

Rita: I always like Lent because there’s all this cheese to eat. Let’s say Grace.

Mimi: Thank you God for this good food you have given us to eat this day.

Rita: Now this is heaven. Living atop of Amistad Dam is the best place in the world to live. We have everything we need and more.

Mimi: You’re right, this is true happiness. I feel sorry for the rodents that live in the city or those that live out in the country. In the city they have to dodge all that traffic and out in the country they have to evade all those wild animals.

Rita: We’re lucky Mimi; we live on the International Boundary Line. I can have my front legs in México and my hind legs in the United States at the same time. We have the very best of both worlds.

Mimi: Yeah, like finding a quesadilla and a slice of three cheese pizza in the same garbage can.

Rita: Happiness is, “Estómago lleno. . . corazón contento”.  (Full belly . . . happy heart.)

Mimi: Happiness is, “‘Good friends, good food, and good laughs”, and thank God we have all three of those in our life.”

Happiness is Heavenly,

Marian Casillas, Ed.D.