The widow — Andrea Quintero, part 3

For The Madera Tribune

Ralphie and Andrea Quintero enjoy a night out.

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Rafael went by Ralphie his whole life, a nickname that matched his baby face and kind eyes. But when I met him, he was introduced to me as Bionic, and for several years I had a hard time remembering that wasn’t his actual name. Bionic Third Leg was one of the founding members of Coyote Ugly Hash House Harriers, or CUH3, a drinking group with a running problem. No, that’s not a typo. Like all Hash House Harrier groups — there are thousands worldwide — the group runs as a means to drink. Bionic was known for loading an ice chest full of beer into his trunk, welcoming everyone with a red Solo cup and making sure their drinks stayed topped-off. 

After attending a handful of “hashes,” group members will award newbies with an official nickname. Andrea’s is One-Eye Snake Charmer, or One Eye for short. The hashers who named her didn’t realize the irony of her name. She actually is legally blind in one eye from getting hit with a soccer ball that scratched her cornea when she was a toddler growing up in Mexico. The impact knocked her out. 

Many of the Harriers also run competitively, registering for local races and more scenic races on the coast.