Love Revolution in Three Acts: Memories of Tinti and Alexis - Act II
Join us on a journey from Adjuntas to San Juan to Mayagüez as we explore their university life in their love story.
By Casa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
Alanis Vázquez Rodríguez, Francisco Cabrera Vega and Windy Cosme Rosario
El cofre de madera (2024) by Josué Oquendo NatalCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
Deep inside the chest,
Let's take a journey from Adjuntas to San Juan until we reach Mayagüez. This way, we'll perceive the role of university life and sports in their dynamic as a couple.
carta 5a: "El primer beso" (1960-09-07) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
'The affections'
In this letter, Tinti writes to Alexis as soon as she arrives from Adjuntas to tell him about her anecdote from the car trip and express her feelings during the process.
carta 5b: "El primer beso" (1960-09-07) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
"Your dad talked to me. When he said, "Miss Deyá, tell me something," I got scared. Then what he told me was about what you had told me about college because you didn't tell them anything".
Family plays a primordial role in this relationship from its beginnings. Tinti helped Alexis confront his differences with his relatives while they welcomed her as part of their family nucleus.
Explosion of tenderness
A year after writing to each other constantly, they give each other their first physical display of affection beyond a hug or holding hands on a bench in the square. It is on the balcony of Alexis's house where this magical event occurs...
"I want to tell you about kissing each other..."
"We did something wrong for 2 reasons. The 1st is we were at your house & out of respect for your parents. Other than that, I'll tell you that I wanted it & instead of making me suffer as you said, it has made me very happy. What worries me is how you feel & if you regret it."
It's interesting to see Tinti's emotional responsibility at such a young age. How many emotions a first kiss can provoke! Decades later, Alexis remembered this moment and dedicated these verses from Mario Benedetti's poem "Te quiero".
Your hands are my caress
my daily reminders
I love you because your hands
work hard for justice
if I love you, it's because you are
my love my accomplice my all
and out in the street arm in arm
we are much more than two
Your eyes are my lucky charm
against the bad days
I love you for your gaze
that watches and seeds the future
Your mouth that’s yours and mine
Your mouth that’s never wrong
I love you because your mouth
knows how to yell like a rebel
'(eye) a (door) u'
This drawing, included as a signature, serves to reveal the creativity and attention to detail that characterized Tinti. She invented countless ways to demonstrate her love using paper as an endless resource.
"Between you and me, I admit to not being able to decipher the illustration. I conclude that this matter unsettles and challenges me at the same time. After much pondering, I finally found the answer while you were studying to become an English teacher. The equation says: 'I adore you'."
-Alexis, March 20, 2023
carta 9: "El palo de mangó" (1961-09-06) by Windy Cosme Rosario, Tinti Deyá Díaz, and Alanis Vázquez RodríguezCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
'The mango stick'
It's another one of those memorable spaces that sustain this love affair. The university and its common areas served them to create happy memories together, especially that summer they spent in Río Piedras.
"Well, I walked and felt like I had reached glory. The tree was there in the same place where we dreamed together of the future, where we shared the illusion of graduating, standing on our own, starting a family, and being useful to the country, to transform." -Alexis, 2023
Tap to explore
We found ourselves in front of the aforementioned mango stick, between the José M. Lázaro Library and the statue of Eugenio María de Hostos.
carta 10: "La cotidianidad" (1963-05-12) by Tinti Deyá Díaz and Windy Cosme RosarioCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
'Everyday life'
In the end, distance was not an obstacle for these two souls who became one. Tinti managed to incorporate Alexis into her daily life, one way or another. Our eye witnesses the displays of love in the details, even when they may seem insignificant.
carta 8b: "Me falta el aire" (1962-06-11) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
This recipe for French fries gives us a glimpse of Tinti's joviality. It's a simple gesture that also exemplifies her total dedication to Alexis, caring both for his nutrition and his independence.
This couple complemented each other so much that, for Tinti, their days apart felt like a lack of air. Patience was wearing thin, and the feeling of desperation is transcribed with blue ink.
carta 8a: "Me falta el aire" (1962-06-12) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
"Nostalgia hardly lets me breathe," writes Tinti when she spends time away from her "beloved freckled one," Alexis. While both are at their respective universities, she asks him to come to Adjuntas for the weekend to spend time together. Due to the circumstances, their quality time and physical affection were limited, so they had to make the most of it.
In the image, we can observe Alexis Massol in 1959, the year when this admirable love story began to unfold.
carta 11a: "¿Por qué eres tan bueno conmigo?" (1960-05-11) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
Tinti begins her letter with this unusual greeting to Alexis.
'Dear Alíoscha'
"Tinti, you intrigued me with this unusual greeting. So, I searched until I found in the novel 'The Brothers Karamazov'... I understood that you're reading this masterpiece at UPR. Sometimes I think you want to drive me crazy, crazy with love, and that's how I feel". - Alexis
carta 11b: "¿Por qué eres tan bueno conmigo?" (1960-05-11) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
"Why are you so good to me?"
The intensity of her feelings is conveyed through her particular choice of words. Her apparent selfishness is summed up in prioritizing her relationship over other aspects of her life. She was a girl in love and reciprocated.
The peculiar signature "TNT" resembles an explosive: dynamite, formally known as trinitrotoluene. It's that sense of humor that Tinti maintains through her letters which reveals the attractive personality that captivated Alexis.
carta 12c: "Estudiante y atleta" (1960-03-30) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
The postscript of this letter captures the unique attentions that were exchanged between these two lovers. There were nicknames that were reserved exclusively for each other.
T.N.T. (2024-04-16) by Francisco Cabrera VegaCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
carta 2a: "La universidad es muy distinta a la high" (1960-08-26) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
"University is very different from high school"
Tinti serves as a guide and compass on Alexis's journey. Through her selfless acts of love, she offers solutions and advice in the face of adversity.
Alexis graduando (1965) by Alexis Massol GonzálezCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
In the year 1965, Alexis manages to graduate with a bachelor's degree in civil engineering from the UPR Mayagüez thanks to the support and companionship of his beloved Tinti.
carta 2b: "La universidad es muy distinta a la high" (1960-08-26) by Tinti Deyá Díaz and Francisco Cabrera VegaCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
Tinti: athlete and sports fan
Her enthusiasm for sports allowed her to be both a spectator and a participant. She excelled in tennis, basketball, softball, ping pong, and especially volleyball.
El mundo: sección deportiva (1961-04-10) by Periódico El mundoCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
"Tinty Deyá, from 'Villa Nevares,' rises to spike the ball, (...)."
carta 2c: "La universidad es muy distinta a la high" (1960-08-26) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
"On Wednesday, we played volleyball against the 'Lorsonettes.' They gave us a real beating." The "Lorsonettes" were a renowned volleyball team."
Compilación: Tinti deportista (2024) by Windy Cosme Rosario and Periódico El mundoCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
'Professional volleyball player'
carta 14a: "Las Lorsonettes" (1961-04-27) by Tinti Deyá DíazCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
The "Lorsonettes" transition from being her rivals to approaching her to join their team. After receiving such news, she proudly conveys it to Alexis.
El Mundo: Lorsonettes (1961-08-24) by Periódico El mundoCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
"Finally, I express immense recognition for that glorious past in which you stood out as an athlete at the University of Puerto Rico and on the courts of the country playing women's top-level volleyball. Tinti, you made history in the face of a patriarchal, colonial society with high discrimination against women in sports. You opened doors that are seen and felt today. I applaud and recognize you as a forward-thinking woman in your beloved homeland. I love you, my illustrious supergirl." - Alexis 2023
carta 2b: "La universidad es muy distinta a la high" (1960-08-26) by Tinti Deyá Díaz and Francisco Cabrera VegaCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
The letters also reflect that she closely followed the 1960 Olympic Games held in Rome.
Titular del periódico "El Mundo", San Juan P.R. (1960-08-26) by Periódico El MundoCasa Pueblo de Adjuntas, Inc.
Now we will move on to the third and final part of this collection of letters.
This exhibition is based on a series of correspondences between Alexis Massol and Tinti Deyá that will be published by the Editorial of the University of Puerto Rico in the book: "Revolución del amor en tres tiempos".
Time to move on to the next and final act of our exhibition.
This project is the result of a collaborative effort between: Alexis Massol González, Tinti Deyá Díaz, Arturo Massol Deyá, Josué Oquendo Natal, Museo El Barrio, Mellon Foundation, UPR Caribe Digital, Casa Pueblo, Digital Humanities Scholars in Residence, Windy Cosme Rosario, Francisco Cabrera Vega y Alanis Vázquez Rodríguez.
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