Kylie Tolman

Professor Christiansen
Narrative
The Mariner Legacy
After only this single evening meeting, Louie said to Robinson on his way out the door from the
Caquias apartment,
Im going to marry your sister!
A shocked and protective brother replied,
Youre crazy. Youve only just met her! Besides, she has three kids!
But that didnt matter; Louie was smitten.
It all started in Manhattan, New York, on May 6th, 1932, with the birth of Caroline Elizabeth Brugman
to Josepha del Carmen Ronda y Roura and Mathias Brugman (both originally from Puerto Rico).
She was the second of three children and was preceded by her brother Robinson and followed by
her sister Alicia.
Carolines first marriage produced two pregnancies and three sons. Her oldest son was Larry, born
Victor Lorenzo Irizarry, and four years later, twin sons Bob and John, born John Martin Irizarry and
Robert Mathias Irizarry. Their marriage was tumultuous and, because of Lorenzos army service in
the Korean War he returned facing problems that resulted in their separation and divorce.
Now a single working mother of three, living with her mother, Betsy, as she was called, became a
telephone operator for Bell Telephone in Manhattan, New York. Things were stable and prosperous,
and then her life would change forever.
Betsys brother, Bob, had always wanted to be a Merchant Marine. However, this required a
maritime sponsor in the form of a recognized Able-Bodied Seaman to vouch for the potential new
recruit. Bob found his sponsor in the form of Louis Angel Lopez (also born to parents who were
native Puerto Ricans). After only a single voyage together, they became the best of friends.
With being at sea for so long, Robinson thought his friend was in need of a home cooked Puerto
Rican meal. Little did they know, upon reaching the Port of New York that evening, Louie would be
getting more than the home cooked meal Robinson offered.
Hey Louie! yelled Robinson as they tied to the cleats on the dock. Youre in need of a good Puerto
Rican meal!
You really think so? said Louie with a laugh.
Yes! Come with me tonight and I can treat you to the best Arroz con Pollo and Pasteles in New
York! Robinson said as he patted Louie on the shoulder. I also want you to meet my sister.
With that, the two men were grabbing their belongings and making their way through the New York
Streets toward Robinsons childhood home.
On their way out, Louie turned to Robinson with glazed over eyes and a smile on his face.
Im going to marry your sister! Louie said confidently
A shocked and protective brother replied,

Youre crazy. Youve only just met her! Besides, she has three kids!
But that didnt matter; Louie was smitten.
Betsy and Louie continued to meet nearly every available day for weeks afterward. They spend
many hours talking and getting to know one another before Louie had to board his next merchant
ship. Louie was excited and optimistic,
Betsy, I am scheduled to ship out for another 8 months. Louie said as he inched closer and
grabbed Betsys hand. Can I have your permission to write while I am gone?
His eyes were full of hope and love but Betsy was guarded and hesitant.
I dont know if I love you, yet. Betsy said to Louis
His reply, I have enough love for both of us!
In the margin of the first letter that Louie Lopez wrote to Betsy, only 3 weeks after the night of
their first meeting, she recorded the date of their first dinner together; October 18, 1956. The sixpage, hand-written letter, is dated Nov 11th, 1956 and says in part
Writing this letter will be difficult for me as there is a great deal I would like to say to you so
that you will understand how I feel. When I spoke with you last I was unable to express myself. I get
in a small phone booth and hear your voice as though you were right near me and I would like to put
my arms around you as I speak to you Not being able to do so frustrates me and a direct
consequence of that is that I get tongue-tied and cant put into exact words my love for you and the
plans I would like to make for us you, the children, and myself
I think you know that I like kids and that I would give them love, affection and understanding

Most important of all is how I feel about you. You know I love you very much andif you
reciprocate, we can progress always to better things
alone I am only a man succeeding in part on things which cannot enrich my life for there
is no one to share with
I miss you, I love you, I want you, -- Louie.
Louies second letter, kept all these years, was written only two days after the first (Nov 13, 1956)
and includes the salutation HELLO BEAUTIFUL along with this treat
One of the guys just passed by and he said, You must be in love Lopez. You sure are
writing a lot. I didnt answer him but he sure was right!
He drafted a third letter only 9 days later (Nov 22, 1956) that began MY DARLING BETSY hes
making his move fast!
Betsy took a leap of faith and, because of Louies love for her, his innate goodness, his strong work
ethic, his integrity and love of family she married Louis Angel Lopez in Mexico in early 1957 and
moved to the west coast to live in his home in Torrance, California. Its there, only a year after they
began their lives together, that they added another boy to the family, Gerard Louis Lopez.
There was a problem festering that bothered both Betsy and Louis. They never liked three in the
family with the last name IRIZARRY and the other three with LOPEZ. After many years of pleading
in the New York City courts, they were aloud to adopt the boys.

Since Louie spent his whole life out at sea since he was 16 years old, he elected to change their
names to MARINER.
It means more to us than just a name. said Louie
Its the bed rock of our lives and, like many others,
we seek to never defame or take away from
what we sacrificed for.
This is the end of an era. A time when two young people started life on separate seas and, by Gods
goodness and grace, they united to build a family crew of MARINER boys, their wives, their children,
grandchildren, and now great-grandchildren.
(1118)