My friend Bulmaro

After thinking about how much Juan taught me I was reminded how much one of my current co-workers has taught me. His name is Bulmaro. Perhaps one of the nicest people I know, some people may say that about a lot of people, but Bulmaro really is top notch.

Back when I was renting a house with my brothers, all the cooks would come over and hang out. Often times we would wind up arm wrestling, racing each other down the street and other various competitive things to one up each other. Bulmaro was always very respectable of our house, and of me as a person. Every time he came over to my house he told his wife it was my birthday, after the summer, she imagined me to be 40-something years old!

It was a really unfortunate event that drew me and Bulmaro closer. He was changing out the fry grease, and accidentally stepped in it. 2nd degree burns in his leg were the result. Me and Edgar, another one of the cooks, took him to the hospital. He insisted we not call his wife, forever trying to be humble, he knew his wife was throwing a party for her brother who was leaving for Mexico the next day. The last thing he wanted was the attention to be on him, really! His brother who also worked with us knew better, and so he called his wife. She met us at the ER, and to that point Bulmaro was in pain, but kept it together. But when his kids came running in, he could not hold his emotions any longer. Perhaps what he feared the most, was that he did not know what this would mean to his family. At the time he had 2 daughters and 1 son. The daughters were elementary school age and took their cues from dad and started to cry. I comforted them by assuring them dad would be ok. Although I wasn't totally sure, if there was a way, Bulmaro would do whatever it took to get through this.

Edgar and myself were a bit upset to hear they wanted to transfer him to Parkland, insisting that this would be a workers comp case, so there was no need to send him to the county hospital. One of the nurses informed us, that Parkland's burn unit was the best in the world. Me and Edgar stayed up all night that first night, to be sure Bulmaro got settled in, and did not get lost or forgotten. He continually tried to tell us to go home, and that he didn't need us to be there. We knew that, but we wanted to be there. A few days later, Bulmaro joked with me about how I taught him English, citing how useful it was to talk with the nurses. I always told him he would need it to talk to his kid's teachers, but he used it the nurses first.

Since his burn, Bulmaro has cited his appreciation for what I did very often. He never forgets what I did for him. I can't talk about this situation without mentioning all of what my other co-workers did. We took up a collection and were able to buy him some magazines to read while laid up, and a rosary type cross that he insisted stay with him at times, even during the skin grapht they did.

I recently lost a bet to Bulmaro over the US/Mexico soccer game. When I went to his house to pay him, he immediately handed the money over to his older daughter. He had promised he would give her the money if he won. What a great dad! She was happy Mexico won, and that I paid the same day!

If I had to use one word that Bulmaro embodied to me it would have to be HUMILITY. Always kind and doing what he can, and never really wanting the applause for it. I hope I can be half the man and father Bulmaro is.