It's the 1980s at a wedding in San Antonio
A retired Texas Ranger sits down next to me and says
"What's your name?"
So I tell him, "My name's Diego"
"What kind of wetback name is that?" he asks
His teeth are yellow and he's grinning at me as he says this
"Man, I thought you were a Texas Ranger, can't talk that way"
Again he smiles
"I can talk any way I want, you should know that by now"
"It's a wedding, man"
"So?"
He keeps looking at me, he's got a grey mustache
And he starts tapping his fist to the beat of the wedding band
"I'm serious," he says
But now he's not grinning
He finishes his beer and orders another
"Tell me, what kind of wetback name is it?"
The gente at the party are all having a good time
He starts looking at my cousin as she's dancing
His fat fist keeps the tempo
There's a guy on the corner making out with a woman twice his age
And there's a barbecue going on outside and there's free drinks
Everyone's got a chela
So I tell him my name
When I do he starts to disappear
He really does, just disappears
I say, "Pinche caballo baboso"
You know, it's a fucking name you're too stupid to pronounce
It's a name that you can never change
In a way it's just as American as yours
You probably don't even know about the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo
You know, come to think it, the border crossed me, I didn't cross it
And if you really want to think about it
You're the wetback coming across the Atlantic
You know, it's a name that could fucking kick your ass
It's the name that women love
Like a song, it has melody
It's who I've become
I've finally grown into my name
It should live forever
Like a song, it has melody
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