Once upon a time lived a man named Jose Papino. He moved into our town when he was about 60 years old. We thought at the time that he was Mexican, but he was actually from Europe, he grew up in Spain and moved to America when he was about 20 years old.
Mr. Pepino was a widower, his wife had passed just prior to him moving to our small town in Illinois. He had no children and he lived alone. He spoke English well, and had a bit of an accent. He was short, had thick grey-hair, he looked tan, and he was a very nice man.
He would sit on his front porch each morning sipping coffee and reading the local newspaper. He retired early but continued to work in his garage, making leather type stuff. He made custom saddles for horses, leather boots and other custom made leather items. I guess he was an artisan; he was good at his craft, and it seemed like he did well in his trade. By the look of things, it appeared that he had some money. He had nice things, he didn't have to work, and all his days were spent either on his front porch, or in his garage that he turned into a type of barn like stable-like workshop. He did live in town so he couldn't keep horses, but the decor or theme of his home and outbuildings were all about horses.
My name is Kyle, his next door neighbor. I was twelve years old when I met Mr. Pepino, and we quickly became best friends! We hung out together all the time.
Our favorite thing to do together is to hang out on his wrap-around covered front porch during rainy days, kicking back, sipping lemonade and listening to Mr. Pepino tell me stories about life in Spain, growing up on a ranch, and actually living like a cowboy... a Spanish cowboy.
A lot of kids would hang out on Mr. Pepino's front porch. Sometimes we would hang out there even if he wasn't with us. We kind of adopted him and his home as our neighborhood hangout, and he didn't mind it at all. He was actually kind of lonely, and he liked our company.
One day Mr. Pepino told me that he had a surprise to show me. He went inside his house while I waited on the porch.
"Hey Kyle," Mr. Pepino said, "I have something to show you, wait right here and I'll go and get it".
I was intrigued as to what this surprise was! I waited patiently on the old front porch while I could hear Mr. Pepino talking in the background; but I didn't know who he was talking to?
As he approach the front screen door, I could see he was holding a cardboard box, so I helped him by opening and holding open the door, while he brought his special package outside to show me.
"Go ahead and open it" he insisted.... so I got down on my knees, pulled on one of the flaps on the top of the box, and much to my surprise and amazement, out popped a puppy-dog!
"Oh boy" I exclaimed, "You got a new puppy!... awe" I said as the puppy was now licking my entire face and it appeared very happy to see me! It kept making some grunting like sounds as it licked away at my face while enjoying my hugs, kisses and interaction.
The puppy was a mix breed, a little of this and a little of that; a mutt I was told. Mr. Pepino saw an ad in the paper and decided that he wanted a full-time friend to call his buddy.
He asked me, "What shall we call him?" The dog was so active and peppy, so I said, "Let's call him Peppy"; and that was the name that stuck! That was the day I met my pet puppy Peppy Papino.
Now it really wasn't my puppy at all; but it did appear that Mr. Pepino was more than willing to share him with me... because my folks wouldn't allow me to own or have a pet. It was "Our dog" or puppy- Mr. Pepino insisted....
"Here's the deal", Mr. Pepino went on; "If you help me walk him and help me take care of him, we can share him and he will be our puppy dog!"
"Oh boy" I shouted while hugging my new pet! I embraced that little puppy like it was a big-ole teddy bear! What a deal, I get to have a puppy but I don't have to watch it all the time. I could instead visit it as often as I wanted!
I didn't know it, but Mr. Papino thought that I named the puppy Peppy as in "Pe-pe"... a Spanish word... but I named him Peppy because he was so peppy! It worked both ways, "Pe-pe', Peppy", same difference.....
So he called him "Pe-pe" and I called him "Peppy".
Chapter Two
So that summer flew by, and Peppy grew some, but not much. It was easy to see that Pepe was going to be a small dog some day. He seemed like a mix of a Chihuahua, a Boston or a Pug. He had slick fur that was black and white, and a permanent smile on his face; he was always peppy and happy!
That Halloween, Mr. Pepino asked me, "What are you going to be for Halloween?" I stopped to think about it and I said, "I don't know, maybe a Superhero?"
I didn't know it, but in addition to working with leather, Mr. Papino was also a type of Taylor. He had an old sewing machine in his workshop and was very good at making things. He asked me what type of Superhero I wanted to be, and I said, "I don't know, one that wears a cape and is able to fly I guess...."
Then he asked, "What are your Superhero powers?" I replied, "Well, besides being able to fly, I am super-strong, I have ex-ray vision, and I sing."
He replied, "A singing super-hero....huh?"
I liked to sing a lot. If I wasn't singing, I would be humming, humming a tune, a favorite song, or- or just humming along.
He had some material on a shelf that was shiny and smooth. He asked me, "If you want, I could make you a cape and a little outfit for Halloween?"
I hadn't really given it much thought, but if he was willing, "Heck- why not" I answered....
We live in a nice neighborhood in a small town in Illinois called Byron. It is a river town, and there are a lot of old houses along the river and in town. During the fall season, our town is big on football, corn-mazes, October-fest, Fall-festivals, and a big one called "Turkey Testicle Festival". We are famous for that one!
Since our town is on the river and since we have a lot of bars in town, motorcyclists or bikers often come through the town; and on Turkey Testicle Festival, thousands of bikers emerge on our small town. Since it is in the fall, often, bikers look at this party or festival as the last one of the year before they put their bikes away for the winter. Often it is cold, but they bundle up in their leather gear and come out anyways!
Since Mr. Papino is all about leather, he opens up his shop to the many bikers that come through the town on that day. He actually sells a lot of leather goods that he makes throughout the year in his workshop. He makes these leather chaps for the riders, custom leather coats and gear, and other custom leather products that the bikers just love! That one day per year he probably brings in enough money to live through the next year. Whatever he makes; they buy! He sells out each year! I guess he is kind of famous for such products; I never really knew that because I wasn't a biker; but the bikers knew him or knew of him; He was famous among the bikers!
So the day before Halloween of my twelfth year, as I was walking to school, Mr. Pepino shouted out to me, "Hey- stop on by when you have a moment; I have something to show you". The last time he said that I got to meet Peppy! What did he want to show me now?
All day long at school I wondered what it was that Mr. Pepino wanted to show me? I kept day-dreaming about this now- new mystery.....
As soon as the school bell rang I dashed out of class and went straight to Mr. Pepino's house. I jumped three stairs and started pounding oh his door; "Mr. Pepino, Mr. Pepino" I called out while knocking or pounding in his screen door frame. He didn't answer so I ran out back to the workshop where I found him working at the Old sewing machine.... the type you have to use your feet to make it work....
"Hey!" I shouted over the sound of the machine. He looked up over the top of his bi-focal glasses and smiled and in return shouted back, "Hey you!...."
He took a few seconds to finish his stitching and then silence entered the shop as he stopped the sewing machine.
"So"... he stated while holding up an item, "What do you think?"
Much to my amazement, he had made me a Super-hero cape that was awesome. It had fantastic colors and it had a string to tie it around my neck! Then he showed me the rest of the outfit. He made me super-hero pants and a super-hero mask out of the same material. He made me a custom super-hero outfit that my folks told me must have cost a fortune. Later I found out that he was such an artisan, that although the material didn't cost him much, his time and master-craftsmanship made this suit or outfit actually worth a lot of money had I had to pay somebody to make it.
I was so impressed that I started to cry and laugh at the same time! I hugged him tightly while thanking him, and I couldn't wait to try it on! He tied the cape around my neck and I ran off, with my arms outstretched as though I were flying! The cape was very light weighted and that was perfect as the cape actually caught some air and added to the impression that I was really flying through the air!
In my mind; I was flying.... I was soaring higher and higher, filled with glee, joy and imagination! I was running around flying, humming my superhero theme song, "Da-dada-da-da", as Mr. Pepino looked upon this moment with true joy; Joy at his accomplishment as well as joy to how well received his gift was! It brought a tear to his eyes I could tell... and a big huge smile; a vision I will never forget! Peppy was sleeping in the corner, but now he was awake because I was making so much noise flying around, shouting, humming, laughing and thanking Mr. Pepino! So now Peppy started running in circles around me! I picked him up and spread out his legs and pretended that he was flying too! We were both flying....flying high....so high that it truly was one of the best moments of my life! Then, Mr. Pepino outstretched his arms, started running in circles, and joined in on the fun! What a sight we must have been!.... laughing, humming, singing, flying and celebrating the accomplishment of this custom-made Halloween costume....WOW!
The costume fit me well, and eventually I came down from cloud-9, and returned back to reality! I brought Peppy to a safe landing, and we all kind of just hugged together, Mr. Pepino, Peppy and I! We continued laughing, hugging and crying- all at the same time.
The next day was Halloween! I couldn't wait to get home from school to go out trick-or-treating. I wore my costume to school and everybody was envious! I had the nicest costume ever made!
That morning, on my way to school I stopped by Mr. Papino's to show him the entire outfit supplemented by a shirt my mom found that worked with the outfit, and my tennis shoes.
Mr. Pepino said, "Wow, you really are a Super-hero", and boy did I feel like one! I really felt that I could fly; and I was flying... still flying... flying high since the night before when we had all that fun... and the fun was just beginning!
Then he said to me, "Stop by before going trick-or-treating, I want to show you something!" Here we go again!
Every time he says that, something big happens! The first time it was the puppy, the next time it was the costume; what will it possibly be this time?
So of course, all day long, all I could think about was getting out of there, running home, stopping by Mr. Pepino's house, and seeing what this so-called surprise was going to be. Now he didn't say that he had a surprise for me; but that is what usually happens when he says, "He wants to show me something".....
So, as soon as the school bell rang- I was out of there!
I ran as fast as I could to Mr. Pepino's house. I flew up the stairs and didn't even knock on the door. I ran inside the house trying to catch my breath as Mr. Pepino was starting to get up to greet me. I was so excited about Halloween, Trick-or-treating, the nightly bonfire and Halloween party, my custom made costume and the likely-hood that I would win the best-costume contest; and... the prospect of seeing what it was that Mr. Pepino wanted to show me!
So I said, "Mr. Pepino, Mr. Pepino, I'm ready for my surprise!" He laughed and patted me on my head, and gladly stated, "Well, what good is a Super-hero without a side-kick?" I replied, "Do you want to be my side-kick?".... He laughed again and replied, "Well that would be great, but you forgot your real side-kick!"
For a moment I stood there looking perplexed! I didn't have a clue what his was pertaining to?
"Huh" I stated....
"Your real side-kick" he retorted!
I still didn't get it.....
"Well" he said, "You can't forget our little buddy Pe'pe?
All of a sudden, from the other room came running Peppy at the call of his name! Here came Peppy running.... cape flying in the air behind him, all dressed up in the same outfit I was dressed up in! Mr. Pepino made Pepe a matching super-hero outfit, and now we were truly a dynamic-duo! Mr. Pepino is awesome, and so is his talent for making custom costumes!
Now we were truly ready for the night of trick-or-treating, having fun at the party in the park, the bonfire, the food, the candy... and- YES- of course, Peppy and I took home the trophy for the best costume at the event! I took home the trophy, but instead of putting it on my shelf; I gave it to Mr. Pepino. He deserved it, he made it.... it was his! I was never more proud to pass up a trophy in my entire life! That was the best day ever!
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