DESPECHO, DESTETE Y GUARAPITA

"No more Weaning Conflict" Picture taken @ Le Refuge des Fondus (Montmartre - Paris. July 8th 2009)

Despecho (n/m) /des-peh-tjoh/ : literally means 'to take out the breast' (when breastfeeding a baby) or 'weaning', but the latter is best known as destete /des-téh-teh/ and is not what I want to talk about.

Despecho, mal de amor /mal. deh. ah-mhhor/ or guayabo /goo-ah-jah-boh/ (all -coincidentally- 'male' words) are the terms referred to a heartbreak situation. Depending on its use, it could either mean a 'rebound', a 'heartache' or just feeling blue. Evidently, they all involve a situation as tragic as el destete but for older kids. (note to myself: now I get the word association)

In any case, el despecho, in a Latino/a's life, is a situation that can justify, without any plausible argue:

1. Absence from work
2. Continuous whining
and last but not least
3. Indefinite drinking

The despecho brings the borrachera along (lit. 'drunkenness', but I will explain the rolling of the 'r' on some other lesson) and there is absolutely no measure for the permitted amount of alcohol that the despechado /des-peh-tjah-doh/ (the poor soul in disgrace) can hold.

I think even the credit cards have a despechado detection system. (They appear to have no credit limit when he/she goes to a bar and the friends have decided to leave him/her alone.)

And this is when the guarapita /goo-ahr-ah-pee-tah/ appears in the play (guarapita is a Venezuelan spirit made out of any high percentage/low distillation alcohol and mixed with any delicious tropical fruit juice - liquid death then-). When the despechado is on the last phase of the borrachera (a 'female' word), there is no best friend than the guarapita (a 'coincidentally' female word too) to save his soul. And then he enjoys the voladora (a stronger borrachera) and saves his money until the 'next time'.

So... in a Latino's life, there are two tragic moments: el destete and... all the others.

Summarizing:
For a Latino, in matters of the heart, THERE IS A BORRACHERA TO EVERY DESPECHO, AND IF A BORRACHERA IS HARD TO GET, A GUARAPITA WILL DO THE REST.


Salud!