"TIENE USTED ELOTE?"

It is an overcast afternoon. The sun has spared us. My son wants a raspa. He has finished his track session with his coach at the high school football field  and he's dying of thirst. He runs both the 100 and 200 and competes in the long jump. There is a stand in the strip mall near the facility.

"Quiero una raspa grande de uva."

"Muy bien."

"Tiene usted elote?"

"En vaso?"

"No. Entero."

"Si. Con todo?"

"Si. Con todo."

I give Michael his raspa and I return for my corn cob on a stick. I stand outside the car and eat it because the kernels would leave a mess if I sat in the front seat. How many elotes have I eaten? Quien sabe? But they sure have been one of the simple pleasures of life.