Interview 3 · You, in English
She spelled her name... in Spanish?
Transcript
Rafa: Mom, spelling is the easiest part. You learned that in grade school.
Officer: Can you spell your last name?
Lupe: Ache, e, erre, ene, a, ene, de, e, zeta.
Rafa: … Ah-cheh? Mom, in English that letter is aitch.
Grandpa: Rewind.
Grandpa: In English, letters have their own names. H is aitch, R is ar, Z is zee.
Grandpa: And the ones people mix up most: E sounds like ee, and I sounds like eye.
Grandpa: Your full legal name, the same as on your green card and your N-400.
Grandpa: Other names: if you used another last name before, like a maiden name, that counts too.
Grandpa: Date of birth, month first: March fourteenth, nineteen seventy-one.
Grandpa: And your address, how long you've lived there, and who lives with you. Short and clear.
Grandpa: Okay, like at the interview. How long have you lived there?
Rafa: Fifty-five years!
Grandpa: Rafa! How long, not how old. Lupe?
Lupe: For six years, since twenty twenty.
Grandpa: Good. Another one: What is your date of birth?
Lupe: March fourteenth, nineteen seventy-one.
Rafa: Nineteen seventy-one? Mom, you're older than the internet!
Grandpa: And I'm older than color TV, kiddo. Show some respect.
Lupe: Your turn, mijo: Can you spell your last name?
Rafa: Easy. Hernández: H-E-R-N-A-N-D-E-Z.
Grandpa: That's it, kiddo. Not one ah-cheh.
Lupe: My twelfth stamp in the passport!
Grandpa: Twelve out of twenty, Lupe. And spelled right.
Grandpa: Now, your ear. Listen to the officer, answer out loud… then repeat after me.
Officer: What is your full name?
Grandpa: My name is Guadalupe Hernández López. my NAME iz.
Officer: Can you spell your last name?
Grandpa: Hernández. H-E-R-N-A-N-D-E-Z.
Officer: Have you used any other names?
Grandpa: Yes. Before I got married, my name was Guadalupe López Ramírez. bih-FOR eye got MAIR-eed.
Officer: What is your date of birth?
Grandpa: March fourteenth, nineteen seventy-one. MARCH for-TEENTH, NINE-teen SEV-en-tee WUN.
Officer: What is your address?
Grandpa: Fourteen twenty-seven Maple Street, Houston, Texas. MAY-pul STREET, HYOO-stun, TEK-sus.
Officer: How long have you lived there?
Grandpa: For six years, since twenty twenty. for SIKS YEERZ, sins TWEN-tee TWEN-tee.
Lupe: H-E-R-N-A-N-D-E-Z! Hernández!
Grandpa: That's it, Lupe. Say them out loud every day.
Rafa: Okay, okay… spelling wasn't that easy.