All this talk about illegal immigration has got me thinking of how I used to feel when I didn't have a green card when I came to the united states ilegally through the mexican border 1968.
I was borned in a charming small town called Los Mochis, Sinaloa. As a little boy I enjoyed going to school. I like playing futbol (soccer) with my friends. I used to look forward to reses time so I could play with my friends. My best friend was Luis. I liked luis because his family wasn't as poor as my family was. He would bring all kinds of treats to school. He said that his uncle from Los Angeles, California sent him all these candies and toys from the United States. Luis was a good friends, everytime his uncle would sent him candy from Los Angeles, he would not open the candy wrapper until he got to school and share it with me, and in return, I would show Luis how to be a good soccer player.
At the age of 12, my father got sick and could not work, 2 years later he passed away. I never found out why he died, but I know he was in pain during the time he was sick. At night, I could hear him cry, I would ask him why he cried, but he always said, "I am ok my son". My older brother took charge of the family and made me go to work with him. I had to choice in the matter and had to quit school. I love going to school. Specially our teacher, Senora Teresa. I used to wonder how she knew so much about the world. She would tell us stories from different countries and we would all listen with amazement of how she knew so much about life.
After a couple of years of working with my brother at the local meat market my brother told me that I would be incharge of the family and he would go to the United States to look for work, and after six months he will come back with money for our family. Six month past by and he did not showed up. After a year, Senor De La Guardia (my boss at the meat market) received a phone call from my brother. He called to say he was not doing well, he was had been in the hospital for 8 months. A car ran over his legs while he was crossing the street. The driver of the car was drunk and took off leavin my poor brother in the street. My brother asked us to send for him because he had no one to take care of him. I asked Senor De La Guardia for a loan, but he could not help as his business wasn't doing very well. He told me that he had a cousin in Tijuana who could help me take me to Los Angeles, but I would have to pay for the trip from Los Mochis to Tijuana.
I gave my mother all my savings and made the trip to Tijuana. Once in Tijuana, I met with Jacinto (my Boss's cousin). I stayed for a week with him until it was time to cross the border. I was nervous and scared. I've heard so many stories about people dying while atempting to cross the border. So getting shot by the border patrol. I told Jacinto I changed my mind and I was going to go back home, but he convinced me that I must go to the other side, other there, i would get a job and make alot of money to help my brother and my family in Los Mochis. He told me "You are a man now, and you must act like one" I'll never forget those words. No one had ever talked to me that way. It gave me courage to help my bother and my family.
In two days, we arrived in Los Angeles. I was very happy to see my brother, and my brother was very glad to see me too. Seeing my brother look without any legs made me feel sorry for him, it encourage me to be stronger and fight for my him. The next day, Joaquin said he found me a job at a local bar. He said I would be cleaning the floors and make good money doing that. I hated that job. One day, I was at home and my brother asked me to take him to the clinic. On our way there, I saw a sign in spanish that said "Classes para Adultos" (Adult Classes) I went inside and enroll in their program for high school diploma (GED).
I went to work at night and in the afternoon I attended school. I met some friends in school. I became good friends with Rosalinda, she was from El Salvador.
I have to stop here. I will continue with my story. I have to go back to work now...
