Que Onda, Guero?

Dear Rio,

It has been well-chronicled in this very blog over the past two years how much your sister looks nearly identical to me in physical appearance, in mannerisms and in idiosyncrasies. If I can ever get all those on a list it would make for some good reading. So, anyway, identical. It's uncanny, really. For the past two years people have thought that your mother was Lily's nanny, or upon hearing that they were directly and biologically related, would say, "Oh, your husband must be very dark, then." I like to think of myself as more of an olive tone.

And for these past two years I have joked with your mother, half-seriously, that my Mexican-ness trumped what her gene pool had to offer and that she made a fine host for my replica. I fully expected, unreasonably so, I guess, that you would be another iteration of myself. I should have kept my mouth shut.

Blonde hair. Blonde hair? Blonde hair! Really, dude? I was in the room so I know you weren't swapped. I guess your mother got her revenge.

Well, son, since you are fairer skinned and lighter haired than me or your sister, but since you are still half Mexican, there is some vocabulary you should be aware of. We have a name for people like you. You, my son, are a guero. Guero, pronounced thusly - gue (pronounced like the "we" in "wed") and ro (pronounced like the "dd" in "ladder" with an "o" tacked on at the end [weddo]). Technically, there is a diaeresis (two dots) over the "u" but I don't have the keyboard shortcut for that.

Guero is a Spanish term of endearment used primarily by Mexicans to describe a fair-skinned person and/or one with light hair and is used somewhat ironically/playfully with such a person of Hispanic descent.

You are my guerito and I love you very much. But I should pick up some spray tan for you at Walgreen's, though. People might think I stole you.

Love,

Dad