“THE ADVENTURES OF A LOST GALLEGOS”

Painting by Richard Alires 

THE ADVENTURES OF A LOST GALLEGOS

Written by Richard “Rico” Alires

CHAPTER ONE

A knock on the door and then “Hello, I’m the executor of your biological parents.   I’ve have searched and searched and have finally found you.   You are the only heir of their massive fortune and as such I’m here to legally pass on that massive, and I do mean massive, fortune to you.”

I can’t tell you how many times I daydreamed of that happening to me, especially at times when I was in a bind and was hoping for a miracle.  That knock never came.  I’m not saying that miracles didn’t happen, but the knock never came.

Instead, God has led me on an adventure that has shaped my soul.  As with all adventures, there are happy times, sad times, exciting times, boring time, scary times and times of pure peace and joy.

On August 5, 2011 I found out, by a representative of the State of New Mexico, that I am a Gallegos.  My father was Phillip Jake Gallegos, son of George Gallegos and Julia Bottger.  Most everyone in the world grows up knowing who his or her parents are, but for me August 5, 2011 was the first time in 61 years that I learned about who I really am.

What I also learned is that I have a partner in crime.  His name is Michael Scott “Gallegos”.  Yes, on that same day I learned that I have a “full blood” brother who had no idea that I existed nor did he know much about the Gallegos line.

Now you can call it “coincidental” or “weird” or “whatever” but it is strange that Michael received a picture of Phillip Jake Gallegos, out of nowhere (well actually from our half sister Charmaigne), about four days prior to August 5^th and it was the first time that he had ever seen his father.  Then four days later, completely out of the blue, he learned that he had a full brother.  You can imagine the shock that Michael must have felt having these two random incidents happen back-to-back….was the universe trying to tell him something?

Since he was a child, Michael’s mother had never talked to him about his father.  When he brought up the subject he was quickly shut down.  So the mystery of Phillip Gallegos always gnawed at Michael.  So now you have the only two offspring of Phillip Jake Gallegos and Carmen Consuela Garcia trying to figure out more about the Gallegos line and trying to understand what traits from that line may have wound up as part of their character.

Since August 5^th, we’ve been trying to learn as much as we can about our heritage.  We’ve reached out to kinfolks, have done some research and have read a lot about the history of New Mexico.  We hooked up with a cousin, Pat Gallegos (otherwise know as Pato) who is a master genealogist, philosopher and artist.  Like peeling back an onion, the mysteries have continued to unfold as “los tres primos” (Pato, Miko and Rico) dig into the past and layer after layer start finding the uncanniest stories of the remarkable and talented Gallegos family.

Telling my story starting from today and going backward in time is the logical way to start.  Being a Gallegos, however, I’m going to take a path less traveled.  Instead, I’m going to tell this story about the adventures of the Gallegos clan starting from where it might have begun and move forward in time.  I must warn that there are no rules against using literary license so you must use your Gallegos sixth sense to discern between fact and fiction.

Each month I will endeavor to publish an episode in the “Adventures of a Lost Gallegos”.  The story begins, believe it or not, in the lost city of “Atlantis”.

Adventures of a Lost Gallegos – Episode 2 – ATLANTIS – 12/25/11

The story of the Gallegos clan starts much further back than anyone might suspect.  Documentation recently uncovered in Galicia, Spain, for which the Gallegos family is named points to the lost civilization of…..ATLANTIS.  Plato writes of Atlantis and it is from him that we learn the most about the island.  It is estimated to have existed over 11,000 years ago and was located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. The people of this land, a powerful and noble people, possessed great wealth thanks to the natural resources found throughout Atlantis. The island was a center for trade and commerce. The rulers of this land had great influence over the people of their own island and well into Europe and Africa.

Atlantis was the domain of Poseidon, god of the sea. It started when Poseidon fell in love with a mortal woman, Cleito.  To impress his love he created a dwelling at the top of a hill near the middle of the island and surrounded the dwelling with rings of water and land to protect her.

Cleito gave birth to five sets of twin boys who became the rulers of Atlantis. The island was divided among the brothers with the eldest, Atlas, made rightful king of the entire island and the ocean (called the Atlantic Ocean in his honor), and was given the mountain of his birth and the surrounding area as his fiefdom.   Atlas’s twin Gadeirus, was given the extremity of the island towards the pillars of Hercules.  It is with Gadeirus that the Gallegos story begins.

At the top of the central hill of Atlantis a temple was built to honor Poseidon.  The temple was spectacular and nothing but the finest of all materials were used in building the temple.  At the entrance to the temple a giant gold statue of Poseidon riding a chariot pulled by winged horses greeted all who entered.  For generations the Atlanteans lived simple, virtuous lives. But slowly they began to change. Greed and power began to corrupt them.

Gadeirus, or Atlas’ twin brother, ruled the outer extremities of Atlantis toward the pillars of Hercules.

(“According to Roman sources, while on his way to the island of Erytheia, Hercules had to cross the mountain that was once Atlas. Instead of climbing the great mountain, Hercules used his superhuman strength to smash through it. By doing so, he connected the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea and formed the Strait of Gibraltar. One part of the split mountain is Gibraltar and the other is either Monte Hacho or Jebel Musa. These two mountains taken together have since then been known as the Pillars of Hercules”)

Gadeirus, who had developed a strong jealousy for his twin brother Atlas, wanted more than was allotted him by his parents.  Whereas Atlas promoted virtue, simplicity and honor, Gadeirus’ ambition knew no bounds.  He wanted to leave a grand legacy, beyond the shadows of Atlas, and to accomplish this he knew he had to expand beyond the island of Atlantis.

Gadeirus, Atlas and his other siblings had lived an ideal childhood.  With the vast wealth supplied by the resources of Atlantis, including the most brilliant minds of the times, these boys had been schooled and trained from birth to be rulers.

The story goes that Gadeirus and his twin brother Atlas were climbing the mountain of Poseidon to try to sneak into the temple where their father was holding court.  They had chosen to go via the back route to escape the eyes of the priests assigned to watch them.   The back route was treacherous with sharp crags and deep crevices.   Although both Atlas and Gadeirus were extremely fit and skilled in climbing, Gadeirus slipped and fell.  Unconscious, Gadeirus lay on the rocky ledge some 15 feet below and hung only inches away from sure death.

By divine providence, a shepherd boy, who had been tending his flocks nearby, heard the commotion and ran to try to help.  He scaled the rocks without any thought of his own well-being and brought Gadeirus to safety.  The young shepherd’s name was Galicio.  Although a humble shepherd, Galicio was no ordinary young man.  His physical stature and natural charm made Galicio seem as if he were the offspring of the gods.

In addition to his physical stature, his intelligence knew no bounds.  Galicio had already assimilated all of the education that village folks were allowed to receive.  His father, a visionary himself, had made a deal with one of the priests.  For 25% of all Galicio’s father’s earnings, the priest had been persuaded to give Galicio access to the libraries of then-known knowledge (reserved for royalty).   This had to be done in secret but it was done.

Poseidon and Clieto, upon hearing of this feat of bravery that saved their son’s life, summoned Galicio and his parents to the Temple of Poseidon.  Galicio’s father, a humble man, his wife and his son, bowed before the king.  It was unfathomable for them to be in the presence of the god of the Sea.  Contritely they listened as Poseidon declared that from that time forward, Galicio was to be brought into the courts of Poseidon to be schooled to be a leader and trained to be a warrior. Poseidon also declared that Galicio’s family was to given rich and fertile land.

From that day forward Gadeirus and Galico became the best of friends.

Adventures of a Lost Gallegos – Episode 3 – New Mexico 1836 –

Jose lay at the bottom of the ravine gasping for breath.  He was struggling to remember what had just happened.  Why was there so much pain, why was it so hard to breathe, why?  The old adage was true.  Life does pass before your eyes.

Being born into a wealthy family gave Jose Guadalupe Gallegos an extraordinary advantage.  From the time that he was old enough to remember, Jose remembered his grandfather telling him that it was his duty to carry on the Gallegos linage of artistry and intelligence.  The Gallegos’, according to Jose Toribio Gallegos, Jose’s grandfather, came from nobility and were blessed with extraordinary intelligence and artistic talent.  They were natural leaders.  His grandfather had told him that according to family lore the Gallegos line descended from Galicio, the legend who came from Atlantis and who helped found Spain (in reality the Gibraltar side of the Pillars of Hercules).  It was the destiny and mission of all Gallegos to improve the world around them.  That was the original precept of Galicio and the reason why the Gallegos line were on the earth.

The blood running over Jose’s eyes made it hard to focus, but his mind’s eye was still sharp and his entire, productive life was as clear as the finest cyrstal.  He remembered that as a young boy he was different.  There was some inner burning, some force that would not let him rest.  He had always assumed that it was the blood of Galicio that drove him ever forward.  His mother had always said he was a “bright star shining in the darkness of night”.  Not only was his intelligence superior, but others naturally seemed to follow him.  At the age of 12 he had talked his father into allowing him to raise his own sheep.  He had organized all of his friends into a well planned co-op, getting them to coerce their fathers into giving them a few head of sheep.   They had pooled their resources, sheep and money, and within a very short time his team, under his leadership, had outperformed all of the local farmers in San Miguel del Bado.  He loved the feeling of being a winner, of outperforming others and in leading his team to success.  That feeling was like an empanada on New Year’s Eve, the icing on the cake, it was the adrenaline of success.

Why was he laying at the bottom of the ravine?  Oh yes, his buggy’s wheel had snapped and had flipped, rolling over on him and throwing him into the river.  Why now, he was only 39 years old, he had so much left to do, why now?

The Adventures of a Lost Gallegos – Episode 4 – Albuquerque 1950

Adoption in the 1950’s, at least in New Mexico, was more like grocery shopping.   The process was amazing simple.  After a quick approval by a state official, you walked the aisles of the state orphanage, the orphanage manager hovering safely behind, and you made your selection.   If a baby suited your needs, you put it in the shopping cart and headed to the checkout counter.    So it was for Joe and Francis on the special day they went shopping for a new baby.

Joe Alires was 23 years old when he eloped with Francis who was 14.  Joe, a suave lathe operator by day and a guitarist by night, was head-over-heels smitten by the young, beautiful, and untouchable girl.  Joe knew his affection for this young teenager was against the rules.  Francis was way, way too young, she was from the proper side of town, her parents would never permit it and even his parents would disapprove.   Even in 1945, eloping with a 14 year old girl at the age of 23 was not a way to endear yourself to anyone, especially your future in-laws.  But for Joe and Francis, love made them blind to all consequences.  Joe loved Francis more than life itself, he worshipped her and against all odds, he was determined to marry her and be the best husband and father he could possibly be.

Although Joe’s formal education was limited, his innate intelligence and his desire to become a successful husband and father drove him to achieve in life.  After the Navy, Joe had gone to Barber’s College and had opened up his own barber shop.  Having their own business was great, but their lives were incomplete. Francis and Joe would not be happy until they had a family.  But due to health issues it wasn’t naturally to be.  After 10 years of disappointing effort, they finally made a decision to adopt.   Adopting was not the thing to do in the Hispanic culture of New Mexico, but the dream of having a family was the most important thing for Joe and Francis .

Joe closed the barbershop for the day, went home and picked up Francis and then drove about 2 miles down the road to begin a new chapter in their lives.  On a brisk, cool day in November 1950, Francis and Joe walked the aisles of the orphanage trying to decide on which baby would be theirs.  Shopping for a baby turned out much easier than they expected. As with all things human, personality is the attractor. When they came to the crib of an eight month old baby boy, they knew he was the one.

The legal paperwork only took a few days.  After paying the required $25 fee, the baby boy was bundled up, handed over and he was now theirs.   The revised birth certificate read Richard Joseph Alires, born 1950 in El Paso, Texas.  Whether or not it was coincidental or a sign, Richard’s birthday was the same day of Joe and Francis’ wedding anniversary only 10 years later.  With the baby in the car, they stopped to pick up a few clothes and baby food, then drove back to their home on Los Thomas Drive to begin their new adventure.

On that same day the young, 17 old, Phillip Gallegos sat on bed with his head in his hands.  He was to be the father of yet another child.  Phillip had just fathered one boy and he really didn’t want to deal with this again.  He didn’t know what had happened to the child.  He thought that the baby had been put up for adoption, but he had also heard a rumor that the child had been taken in by the family that had housed the mother during her pregnancy.  It really didn’t matter.  Not knowing was easier on the brain. The mother had been shuttled off to El Paso early in the pregnancy, to Hotel Dieu, or Catholic home for unwed mothers, so he fortunately he had not had to deal with the whole matter very much.  Sure it had worried him and sure he felt bad, but the problem had been shuttled to El Paso so it had been more of an abstract problem than a real one.  But what would he do this time?  Should he try to get the mother to repeat the scenario and give the baby up for adoption once again, or should he marry the girl and keep the baby?

Neither party realized that the New Mexico State Orphanage, where Richard spent the first 8 months of his life, was one mile from where Phillip lived, a couple of miles from his natural mothers own home, and 2 miles in a slightly different direction from Richard’s new parent’s home.