I MARRIED A DUG DUG
by MARGARET DE LA TORRE WILKEY
The first time I held my son in my arms, I fell in love all over again, this time with another Jorge. He was so small and fragile looking, it felt like I was holding a little doll. Jorge Sr. and the rest of the band visited us the next day at about noon, to see what miracle God had blessed us with. They just stood around and stared at him, probably wondering how they were going to adjust their lives around a baby. But I didn't think of that -- all I could see was that my family was becoming what I'd always wanted.
I was picked up in a taxi by Jorge, and back to the hotel we went. I remember staying there a lot by myself, dealing with a new baby and seeing Georgianne occasionally. By this time the Dug Dug's were in great demand, caught up in a constant whirl of events. They would leave about 2 PM, practice in the afternoons, do personal appearances around Mexico City, then get in about 4 in the morning. Jorge's dreams were coming true, but mine were fading with each new day.
But now I had my son to keep me company, and the ladies at the hotel would come up and keep an eye on me. One day I was hurting quite a bit with the cramps you get after having a baby. I didn't know what to do, so they came in and assessed the situation -- then told me to put tomatoes on my feet! I'd never heard of such a thing. I couldn't afford to buy a tomato to eat, let alone put on my feet! The cramps finally subsided on their own.
One day Jorge came home and told me we were moving. Living in the hotel was too hard on the band. They wanted a place to study their music, be together at all times, and be able to practice a little at home. This was the beginning of a another adventure. So off we went to an apartment at Jalapa #110, in the Colonia Roma. It had two bedrooms, one bathroom, a dining room, a small kitchen and a living room. We all moved in together -- myself, Jorge Sr. and Jr., Jorge Lujan, Armando, Genaro, and Gustavo. Georgianne went back to the States and I never saw her again. In our bedroom were two beds, one double and one twin. To make more room, we scooted the beds together.
So here we were, packed like sardines in a can, but it really was wonderful. I got to spend much more time with them. My Spanish was improving and I could understand more and more of what they were saying. And their English was also becoming more fluent. I remember sitting in the living room of our small apartment one day, listening to Armando play "Good Vibrations" by the Beach Boys over and over again, asking me to help him figure out the words in English. Truthfully, I had never been a Beach Boys fan, but when I heard the finished product played by the band, I was speechless. This was, after all, a difficult song to play. They sounded awesome. Armando and Jorge practiced for hours to get the vocals perfect and they eventually did.
During this time we had the opportunity to go see Johnny Rivers appearing at El Patio. We all got dressed up and piled into a cab, leaving Jorge Jr. behind with a babysitter. When Johnny Rivers took the stage, I could see in the faces of the guys that this was a first for them -- they had never been in an audience watching a big name perform before. But what really made the night special was when Johnny actually introduced Los Dug Dug's to the crowd, and they received great applause! We were all so overwhelmed by the evening's events.
The band was working harder then ever. They now had a manager, and since they were paying him, the money was tight once again. Whatever we did have went towards formula and food for Jorgie. Jorge was staying out late and on occasion even brought some girls to the apartment, telling me they were "just friends," which gave me an odd feeling. He would go up on the roof of the apartment with these friends, allegedly to "smoke cigarettes." I wanted to believe him, but my heart knew better.
Jorge Lujan was also seeing another girl, an American girl named Julia. She was just finishing high school in Mexico City, and in the evenings she followed Los Dug Dug's to wherever they played. She and I eventually became good friends, and started to go out together. She would show me parts of Mexico I hadn't seen. She was very wealthy and helped me take care of little Jorgie, buying him clothes, and taking me out to eat whenever we had a chance. Jorge didn't say much at the time about this friendship. But as time went by, we started to hang out at the Hilton Hotel Bar. It was located in the best part of town, and the clientele was the upper crust of Mexico. She and I would just drink, eat peanuts and talk about the band. I felt like I was betraying not only Diane, but Jorge as well. But I was young and lonely, and Julia was always there when I needed her.
Los Yaki were another band rising up in the Mexico City music scene. They were starting to get their name known and their music recognized, appearing on TV and getting a lot of exposure. But instead of being resentful of them, Los Dug Dug's became their good friends. So now we had the two bands, the manager, and a constant parade of girls streaming in and out of the apartment. I stayed in my bedroom a lot while this was all going on, wanting to have a quiet atmosphere for my baby. Once again, it seemed the only one who really cared was Armando.
Living with Los Dug Dug's was a very exciting time. Their popularity was growing and they were making personal appearaces everywhere. They even traveled out to other parts of Mexico, but Jorge would not allow me to travel with them, of course using the baby as the excuse. They went back home to Durango and were welcomed like the home town heroes they had become. Jorge got to visit with all 11 of his siblings and his parents. He was extremely close to his mother Emilia. I never had the pleasure of meeting this wonderful woman. I only heard great things about her from everyone, and longed to become part of her family, but that was never to be. Jorge left me out of this family reunion and I stayed back in Mexico City.
We moved again, this time to the Hotel Majestic. It was a decent place and we had our own room, so I tried to set up house as best I could. We still had little Jorgie sleeping with us in the bed, but that was the wonderful part, having my son for company. Jorge left me little money when he traveled. I had no washing machine and cloth diapers were the only items available. I only had about 8 of them. Our bathroom had 2 toilets in it, one looked like a drinking fountain. I had no idea what it was and neither did Jorge, so I used it for a wash basin for my son's diapers and clothes. What a sight that must have been to the women who came in and cleaned the room. A very thin american girl, with a new baby, living with a crazy looking, long haired musician, washing clothes in what turned out to be the bidet!
When Jorge came back from his visit to his hometown, I ran into another American girl in the halls of my hotel. Excited to be able to talk to someone, we started a conversation. She told me she was here to be with a band. What a coincidence -- so was I! Just then, down the hall came Jorge, his face white. What was wrong, I wondered? The answer was revealed when she rushed up to him and gave him a kiss. I was floored. This girl had come from the States to see Jorge -- in fact, she had traveled with him to Durango to meet his parents! She was an attractive girl with money and seemed successful in her own right.
I was livid. What was this about? I couldn't believe it. I confronted Jorge about it, and he was very truthful with me, not denying anything, but telling me at the same time that he loved me. I went back to our room and scooped up my baby and what little belongings I had. I borrowed some money from one of the band members, and disappeared into the streets of Mexico. I hailed a cab and off I went, crying, feeling betrayed and lost.
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