I just couldn't believe my eyes. I wanted to rub them but I was scared that if I did, that when I opened them up and focused again that you would be gone.

"My god! Dios mio!" I said it out loud just like that in two languages. I took a picture of you. Many that day. That moment. My mind was better than any DigiCam on the market because no matter what, your image only improved with each viewing! I had to take as many pictures as I could that morning. I even took pictures of my surroundings because I would be back a million times if I had to, until I would find you there all by yourself, without that entourage of chaotic, energizer bunnies of beauty. There were 7 of you that Saturday morning in April, and I took a picture or two of each of you, even photographed the smell of the air if that makes any sense at all, but I did! I was playin the back. We are all at Astral Flea market on 181st street and Audobon Avenue. I like that little dump of a place. I love it actually. Not because their prices are cheap, not because the place is big, shit the whole place couldn't be 1500 square feet. But the thing about Astral is, it is "our place" and it is in "our" neighborhood and out of the 6 booths in the place, 3 of them are used and new video games that have interactive displays where kids can play on non busy days, trade their used games, and, best of all, get in nice and close with the people, and even run short a few dollars if they have to. An average Saturday morning will have 25 to 40 kids pushing their way to the front of the counter fighting for prime spots. Twisting, angling, leaning, crawling even if they must. Kids can be ruthless when it comes to video games. Well this is where I saw you that first morning Joaquin. Out of the other 6 of your friends, let me tell you little brother, you were shining like a star. You glowed. I am quite sure you didn't even notice, but I am also quite sure, at least half of your little buddies chose you as their friend because you were shining so brightly my little star!

I thought that day about following you but I wasn't gonna do that. A few years ago I would have. I really wanted to, but you know, I figured like this, if Manuel was with me and we were walking together instead of me by myself, I wouldn't even be thinking of following this stranger, so why now! Manuel was back at the apartment waiting to see what game I would come home with. He wasn't feeling well, otherwise he would have come with me. He loved the Flea market as much as I did, and for the exact same reasons. Quite amazing for a boy who just turned 12 last week. A rarity even. He extracts the same exact pleasures from the same simple things as I do. I believe long before children are born, god decides who their parents will be. Either by natural childbirth or by default. Well, I hopped the subway back to the apartment and was as excited as Manny gets on his Christmas morning as I told him about the kid I had discovered. I use the word discovered because I feel in a way kind of like the Cristobol Colon del Muchachon meaning the Christopher Columbus of Boys. As I was describing this dirty blonde haired medium complexioned Dominican, Manuel ran and grabbed his yearbooks from the last few years. He makes such a perfect Diego Columbus. We ran to our bedroom and laid down. Manny climbed on top of me to allow him the view from over my shoulder. From the position he could also turn the pages. When we got halfway through the second book I grabbed his slender arm.

"STOP!" I yelled, anxiously,

"That's Him!" Wow his name suits him so perfectly. Manuel was engrossed in the photo of Joaquin Abreu.

"Papi, I know Joaquin, aint he the bomb diggity?" Manny said as he smiled a full toothy smile up and around at me, turning his head at a 45 degree angle. "We in 2 of the same class and he always be talkin to me. He always be invitin me to hang out with him but I don't be goin cause he be with a whole messa kids. See if he was like invitin me just like to be with me and him pa, you know I woulda been hangin out with Joaquin. Hows bout I invite him ova one a these days?"

Manuel hit me over the head with a sentence that only took him maybe a few seconds to dish out to me but it left me stunned and took me some minutes to take it all in. I couldn't even believe he knew this boy that was so devastatingly beautifully knock down drop dead gorgeous. Man, when I saw him at the video game counter, I had to use all the restrain I ever had in the world to keep myself from running up behind the kid and committing some type of rash act that would have me either committed to a mental asylum or locked in some state prison.

You guys know as well as I that the rest of the week dragged on worse than any week ever could. No, it didn't even drag. It crept! But then Friday came and just like clockwork, Manuels' key was sliding into the lock and the doorknob was turning. My heart was beating. My house was so quiet at that moment, I could hear the electricity flowing through the wires. I had to pee like I never did before. It felt like I had been holding in my piss for 2 weeks straight. I didn't want to leave my position from in front of my computer because like in the beginning of the story where I didn't want to blink? Well, the door swung open, and there he was, Manuel and, and, and…NO ONE! Manny was alone! Manny!? What happened? I thought you were going to invite Joaquin over after school today? Man I was so disappointed! Any fool could see the disappointment on my face.

"Pa I'm sorry, it's that he didn't want to come!" Manny said as he started to close the door behind him. I felt like bursting into tears. I wasn't a greedy man. I never asked for much out of life, but I sure got disappointed easy. Just as I got up to lock the front door it burst open and Joaquin pushed his way into the apartment and both him and Manuel were hysterical laughing. Well, the joke was truly on me! The boys were hi-fiving each other, cracking up, laughing just about to the point of peeing in their pants. I was standing there feeling like a complete jackass. Not only were did there little joke and plan work out, but Joaquin heard how sad I was when I thought he wasn't there and saw how upset I was when Manny walked through the door by himself. I mean why would a parent be so upset about a kid not bringing home their friend after school?

Well, after the initial "shock" of the joke wore off, Joaquin ended up being all I expected him to be. We ended up having a great weekend. We had so much fun, it was truly amazing, and Joaquin was a natural at everything. Friday night we had some rain, and I figured the boys wanted to play and get to be together alone some, so I rented some games for them at Blockbuster video and rented us a Horror film they picked called "the Devils Backbone" in Spanish. We were exhausted and didn't go to sleep until almost morning, but we all ended up falling asleep on my king size bed watching this movie. Saturday, I packed up my sister's car and we spent the day at Great Adventure in New Jersey. What an amazing day that was. I wanted Joaquins time with us to be a time he would remember forever. By the time Sunday came around, no one wanted to get out of bed. We were wiped out. I woke up Sunday with Manuel on one side of me and Joaquin on the other. I had one prince under each of my arms and each one was nestled into my armpit. They fit like a puzzle. Each completing me. Making me final. Joaquin became a permanent fixture at our place. He rarely went home unless he had to, which wasn't often. I t was then I realized I could close my eyes again. I could blink. I could forget my camera at home if I wanted to. Who needs it. Forget the camera. Forget the film. And…if you ever want to know the perfect way to spend a Sunday morning?…