The Michael Berry Show

Many of you have heard us talk about tamales on the program and that there was a sweetly little old lady

who worked at as a

janitor custodian. I don't know the term, I don't in any way mean to diminish her by using some term that is sometimes I do that and I don't mean to do that here.

But she was the cleaning lady at our building at 2000 West Loop South.

And when she would be cleaning, sometimes she'd come around, she knew I like Tamales, her

tamales in particular.

And we went through a lot with her together.

I would practice my Spanish coming up the elevator every morning when I'd see her.

I'd go and get her out of the break room and she'd ride up with me and we'd talk about what's going on in her

family and what's going on in mind. And then her husband got very sick and then he passed away and she was devastated.

And so I would ask her what's going on in your life and she would tell me and it was always related to the church.

You know this weekend we're having the church bizarre and I'm going to be staffing this booth

and I'm cooking all the food and I'm doing this and she's very very very devoted to her

church sweetly lowly tiny little thing.

Her name was Alma.

And I would, when it was, when she was getting ready to make a mess of tamales,

she would say,

hey, Mr. Michael, I'm going to make some tamales

if you would like a dozen.

And I'd say, uh, Alma, I'd like 12 dozen.

And she would always look at me surprised like I was crazy.

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