The Amazing Mexican Secret by Jeff Brown Page B

“I am here for the secret ingredient of Isabela Beluga Tortilla de Sandoval.” (Carlos had taught him how to properly pronouncehis great grandmother’s name before licking the envelope.)
    â€œThen you are a spy!” the woman cried.
    â€œNo, I’m not!” Stanley said. “Look!” Ever since Stanley had had a difficult time at the Cairo post office, he always made sure to travel with the proper documentation. In this case, Carlos had written a letter in Spanish, explaining the situation. Stanley pulled it from his pocket.
    When the woman had finished reading, she peered down at Stanley.
    â€œYou are Stanley the flat boy?”
    Stanley raised his eyebrows.
    â€œForgive me. Carlos has been tellingme of you in letters,” she said. “I thought you were in his imagination.”
    Â 

    Â 
    â€œYou know Carlos?!” said Stanley, surprised.
    â€œHe is my cousin,” the woman said, nodding.
    â€œThen you must know Carmen del Junco, the famous bullfighter!”
    The woman looked confused. Then she smiled for the first time. “I do,” she admitted.
    â€œJulio!” she called suddenly to a man nearby. She said something in Spanish and then turned back to Stanley. “You are my guest here,” she said. “Julio will take care of you. I will join you after.”
    â€œAfter what?” asked Stanley.
    Without answering, the woman opened the huge door to the stadium and slipped inside.
    The crowd’s roar got louder.
    Julio led Stanley to another, smaller door and then through a maze of corridors. They came out among the seats of the crowded stadium. There must have been tens of thousands of people. Julio directed Stanley to a lone empty seat in the front row.
    In the center of the ring was the woman who had opened Stanley’s envelope. She waved a red cape in the air as a bull ran into the ring.
    Stanley slapped his head with a clap: She was the famous matador!
    Â 

    Â 
    The bull charged. Stanley held his breath as Carmen del Junco, the great bullfighter, calmly stepped around it, swinging her cape before its eyes. Her long brown hair flowed through the air.
    The bull came at her again and again. Stanley could see the side of the bull brushing against her as it sped past.
    Carmen turned and gestured up to Stanley with a flourish. She was looking right at him!
    Stanley jumped up and waved. Someone in the row behind him slapped him on the back enthusiastically.
    That made Stanley lose his balance. He fell forward into the ring.
    Carmen waved her cape at the bull,but suddenly it wasn’t looking at her.
    It was looking at Stanley.
    And Stanley was wearing all red!
    The bull charged. It looked much bigger, faster, and madder than Arthur. Its hooves shook the ground. Its eyes blazed.
    Suddenly, Stanley felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up and sawCarmen. Effortlessly, she hoisted him overhead with one hand as the bull raced by.

    Stanley’s heart was beating so hard, his whole body was rippling.

    â€œSmile,” Carmen del Junco called up to him, as thousands of cameras flashed from the stands.

3
La Fiesta
    As the sun set over Mexico City, Stanley stood in the courtyard of Carmen’s home, where her family had gathered to celebrate after the bullfight. Stanley had never known a person with so many brothers, sisters, cousins, uncles, aunts, in-laws, nieces, nephews, and godchildren.
    An older woman with enormouseyeglasses rushed up and squealed at Stanley. She reached out to squeeze his cheeks, but pinched the sides of his head instead. He tried to smile.
    â€œ Bienvenidos ,” the woman cried. “¡Bienvenidos!”
    Stanley looked around for Carmen to translate.
    â€œ Bien means ‘well’,” a voice said. It was an older boy, the first signs of a mustache sprouting on his lip. “ Venidos comes from the verb venir , ‘to come’. Bienvenidos means—”
    â€œWell—come. Welcome!”