An up to the minute update

My Dona's half-brother, my drug dealer, as I affectionately refer to him, is running for Sindico (mayor) of La Caya. Now the roads might actually get fixed.

Important side note: He's not really a drug dealer. I know this for certain. But what other label to you give to someone who never seems to work, has torn apart a hillside to build himself a Dominican mansion complete with an infinity pool, owns two identical Lexus 450s just because and has numerous Cayeros (Men of La Caya)to do whatever he tells them?

The development of Eddie's future aspirations for political gain was revealed last Friday morning when I walked outside of my house for my daily run, and was abruptly stopped by a white pick-up, recently stickered with a giant smiling photo of the one and only Eddie and the words "Eddie Nolasco- Sindico, 2010-2016." And his slogan? "Para Todos" or "For All."

Right now, I'm sitting at a table outside of my house and there are about five men wiring four giant speakers to who knows what kind of stereo system to the back of this pick-up. The volume is so high, my computer is literally bouncing on the table, which is at least 60 feet away from the truck. But that's how it's done in this country.

Nothing is official in this country until you get a pick-up with giant speakers to announce to the people that whatever it is you are doing (like running for mayor) is important enough to damage everyone's ear drums within a five-mile radius.

It's raining and thundering, which has me curious why they're working so hard.

That Eddie, he's a winner. He makes people work even when it's raining. He takes care of every Mom in La Caya, no matter how young or old. He built an infinity pool and wants YOU to come "descansar arriba," or "rest up at his house."

He is "para todos," and given his smiling face on both sides of that pick-up, even I want to vote for him.