Don Fofo, that is me,  “Don” is an Spanish term wish it stands for "De Origen Noble" or "Of Noble Origin" in English, but it is treated the same way as to say Mister in the English language; “Fofo” is my nickname, the original reason I was given as a kid was mom said, "you were so flabby, spongy and funny as a baby, you made everyone smile, and since your oldest sister Nilda could not pronounce your name "Rodolfo" it was easier for her to say Fofo…”  As the years passed I got bits and pieces of the story. Just recently at the age of 43 years old,  I finallly got the complete story behind my nickname, and if you have time, I would love to share it with you…

I was nicknamed after an old Spaniard Clown that performed as a clown with an stage name of Fofo’; he did an exemplary job as a clown from 1939 until his death in 1976 as a member of a trio of clowns en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Los_Payasos_de_la_...  “Gabi, Fofo and Miliki”.   As life goes, the nickname held true and justifiable under my care, as I can bring an smile to a hurting soul (trait that in secret, was really useful while in charge of my platoon in Iraq for the troops under my care…).   At moments of pain, when any of my family members ends up in the hospital, first we pray for God’s merciful love to ease the pain and see them through those calamities, and of course, from that point on, the prayers never stop…  In the midst of it all, usually from my oldest sister, I get the call that hurts me the most, (but I will never show my pain): “Fofo, He or She, needs you”…  They know to call on me, because with my company at their side, they know tolerating their mortal pains will be easier, the burden of bringing laughter, rest in my shoulders, at the most sensitive times.  The laughter that builds the spirit. The smile that gives hopes to the needed soul.  I know what is expected of me: I am expected to be strong, supportive, understanding, calm, and caring. And whenever the moment arrives, I do my usual, crack a joke, act silly or clumsy, but I must do it with the utmost respect. It is not an easy task, as I am to expose a facade of the strong hearted, well season Soldier that never hurts.

But before I proceed, let me share a few facts about the real origins of my nickname. Let me turn the clock back to times before my own, before I was not even a glimpse in my mother’s eyes, to the time of my beloved mother’s childhood.  As it turns out, my mother, “Gloria” as a child, in the neighborhood of her island mountain town of Yauco, there was a Middle age man, that used to play music out loud for the entire neighborhood to hear, (as it was customary of the times).  Little that my mother knew that this man was suffering from an acute case of broken heart! You see, he had been betrayed by the love of his life, and he was able to identify himself with a particular song, “Payaso”.  A song that was created out the agony and pain ones feels inside but you are not expected to expose unless you are willing to be displayed in ridicule of other’s conversations.  One day, my mother only eleven years old, was walking by this loud music playing house, saw him outside, and commented to him that she loves that song “Payaso” that he always plays.  My friend, the reason why the young lady liked the song was because it is not only a heartfelt song, but mostly because towards the end of the song, the clown laughs with convincing emotion. With a such a contagious laugh, no one would ever see signs of pain).  The middle age man, “Don Juan”, heart melted by the innocence in the young’s lady’s voice. That innocence brought a smile to his broken heart; and from that day forward, whenever “Rubia (Blondie)” as he called her, walked by the house, the man would yell out of his window or door, “Rubia” I will play the Clown song for you. Then he would run inside, put the old record in the player, and let my mother hear their song.  That song became “Rubia’s first adult, favorite song, “Payaso”.  www.youtube.com/watch?v=o7wkP6fb_iY  From there on out, Don Juan and Rubia had a friendship that lasted until Don Juan passed away decades latter, and he always held truth to their little ritual throughout the years. ..

     (The song was recorded by Javier Solis en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Javier_Sol%C3%ADs , a          Mexican Trio singer that was active from 1950 to 1966;           “El Rey del Bolero”, he became a hit and   among his recordings, the songs “Sombras”, “Payaso”, “Vereda Tropical” and “En Mi Viejo San Juan”, songs composed by the Puerto Rican Noel Estrada; became mayor hits in the island folklore, Solis, became an instant hit in Puerto Rico...)

That song was the first inspirational song for the young lady that loved to walk around singing her songs. Years later, Rubia got married, became a mother, and started a family. Now let us move the clock a bit forward to the events that followed. At this point,  Rubia had two kids, and was expecting her 3^rd child, “Me”. I was born three months before her favorite singer, Javier Solis,  passed away, in April 1966.  The song, “Payaso” once again was in the radio, and now there was this cute baby named “Rodolfo Armando Barrios Quinones”. He needed a nickname! She could not nickname me “Payaso”, but thought of, “Fofo”, the great Spanish TV clown, that she also admired.  So, logically,  I became “Fofo” ever sence, and now that I am a middle age man and retired from military service, I downed my title of Don, finally becomming, Don Fofo...

Today I found out about Don Juan, and like Don Juan found solace on the beautiful girl that he named Rubia, now an old lady, that same lady, my mother, was able to bring an smile into my broken heart without knowing… Don Fofo