3579  Pichi-where are you? (part 2 of 2)

Date: Mon, 4 Jul 2005 11:32:23 -0500
From: Rick McGarrey <RICKMCG@FLASH.NET>
Subject: Pichi-where are you? (part 2 of 2)

(This is Part 2 of 2 posts- Pichi-where are you?)

So I was going through the tango L archives, reading
the recent posts to checking for more ammo I could use
against her. Alej came in and said, "What you wrote
is really aggressive. Are you really going to put
these things on the list?" I said I sure am. She
said, "What if she kills herself?" I said, "Well
she's already killed herself socially down here." And
Alej said, no, really, "What if she kills herself?" I
almost said, "Good". I didn't say it. I didn't even
think it really. But I thought about a couple of the
things I knew about her down here that were incredibly
damaging. And I knew if I got into a tit-for-tat
thing with her I would use them. They really might
destroy her. It hadn't really started, but I suddenly
I realized this is beginning to go too far. At least
for me.

I looked through the emails I received. A thoughtful
one from Ecsedy Aron saying, let it go. It's really
not worth it. And great ones from Igor Polk, Jonathon
Thornton, Daniel Lapadula, Paul Ackmajian, Deb Sclar,
Christine Biles, Sean Moynihan and other people
offering support (haven't had time to answer yet, but
I will). I remember this would happen when I was
posting my stories here a couple of years ago. There
would be a nasty comment on the list and not too many
people would respond, but I'd get 10 or even 20
private emails telling me to please, just keep
writing. And when you think about it, that's the way
the world is. When it seems like the world is full of
a lot of bad people, you find that there really are a
lot more good ones. They are just quieter.

And there was one different email that I just got this
morning. It was headed "Stumbled across your
website". I don't get too much email about it, but
occasionally I get someone who says they really liked
it, or that it really got them motivated in tango.
This one just happened to come in this morning, and it
didn't seem to be connected to the Pichi mess at
all . It came from a woman. I won't say where she is
or use her name, but she's a long way from home, and
here's what she wrote:

"Hi Rick!
I stumbled across your site while searching for more
info on (a milonguero) with whom I had the pleasure of
taking a private class a few weeks ago. Now I am in a
hotel room where I am attending the (xxx), and nursing
a "broken tango heart"
Your writing lifted me out of my misery for a bit -
thanks!"

And that was it! I realized what happened with Pichi
was really nothing. It was clear what to do! I'm not
going to go after her on the internet, or in court, or
anywhere else. I don't want her attacking me here
again, but it really doesn't matter. I don't need to
respond, and I won't. I'll unsubscribe from the list,
and if Pichi, attacks me, please my friends, don't
feel the need to copy it to me in an email. Just
ignore it.

The title of this post was "Pichi, are you out there?"
so it's really a message to her. Pichi, what I'd
really like for you to do is come on the list and say
something nice about me or Alejandra. You could say
I'm not really a fraud or a liar, or you could say I'm
a good dancer, or just say I'm tall. Maybe you could
say that Alejandra is popular in the milongas, or that
she has a nice smile, or just that she always tried to
be nice to you. I won't be checking the list, so we
won't know whether you do it or not. It wouldn't be
for us, anyway. It would be for you. The people of
the milongas down here are very tolerant and
forgiving, and if you give them half a chance, they
will welcome you with love. I mean this. They really
will. But going through life dealing in jealousy and
anger is a lonely road. Everyone has a choice.

There is a milonga tonight at Gricel to benefit Raul
Poli, who is sick and needs help. Alberto Dassieu is
exhausted because he is over at Gavito's house helping
the family deal with the death, but he's going to
leave there late tonight, and go over to Gricel to
help.

Nestor Serra who lives in Avellaneda tore his achilles
tendon in February, and he couldn't dance for 4
months. Three times a week, every week, his friends
Pinocho and Graciela visited him and took care of him,
both in the hospital, and at home. And then last
week, we learned that they had just won the Buenos
Aires City Tango Championship!! (I'm not exactly sure
what that means, but if they won in BsAs in tango,
what could be better than that?) Anyway, Bravo! It
couldn't happen to nicer people or better dancers!
Like last years winners, they are also from south of
the Riachuelo (the poor side of town). "Tengo el
corazon mirando al Sur!" Viva Pinocho y Graciela! El
tango es hermoso, no? ... Hey! Maybe that video I
shot of them a couple of years ago in Cacho's little
club in Avellaneda before they got famous might turn
out to be valuable some day!

Abrazos,
Rick McGarrey
Alejandra Todaro