Chapter One - Jasmine's Rosary Beads

“It is bold men and women, yearning for freedom and opportunity, who leave their homelands and come to a new country to start their lives over.
They believe in the American dream. And over and over, they make it come true for themselves, for their children, and for others. They give more than they receive.
They labor and succeed. And often they are entrepreneurs. But their greatest contribution is more than economic, because they understand in a special way how glorious it is to be an American.
They renew our pride and gratitude in the United States of America, the greatest, freest nation in the world – the last, best hope of man on Earth.”
President Ronald Reagan – January 19th, 1989

Johnny and Frankie had to drive into town to pick up a few things. Johnny asked their farm boss, Dirty, if they could take a few workers with them and he agreed.

“Go get Juarez and Paco,” Johnny whispered to Frankie.

“Way ahead of ya,” Frankie said with a smile. He walked into the barn where the brothers were cleaning out some throughs.

“Hey, yo beaners, Dirty said for y’all to go with us to town.”
Juarez and Paco looked at each other, shrugged, and followed Frankie to the truck.

“Good morning my Hispanic brothers,” Johnny quipped. “Get in the back, we're going to the feed store.”

The boys slowly climbed into the bed of the truck. Before Juarez and Paco could get settled, Johnny slammed his boot on the gas pedal.

The sudden take off jolted the brothers and both fell to the floor of the bed. Dust flew up and Johnny fish tailed the truck a few times just for good measure.

Juarez and Paco were fighting gravity while the boys in the front were gasping for air from laughing. After a few moments, the truck settled and Juarez and Paco were able to hold on.

"What's the matter beaners? Having trouble holdin on?" Frankie opened the back window and yelled out. Juarez and Paco glared at him. He shut the window and kept laughing.

Johnny made sure to hit every pothole and small ditch on the way into town. He took curves as fast as he could and when he was required to stop, he waited until the last second and slammed on the brakes.

This threw the brothers against the cab of the truck; the force was so strong that Paco cracked the back window with his head.

The boys up front went quiet and looked at each other smiling. The cut was minor, but Paco's arm was hurt.
They arrived at the feed store and Johnny and Frankie got out of the truck. Juarez and Paco were scared to move.

"C'mon beaners, let's get a move on," Frankie blurted out. "Sorry ‘bout your arm," Johnny said with a half serious tone and walked into the store. "They’re going to kill us," Juarez whispered to Paco.

Johnny and Frankie finished their shopping and made the brothers load everything onto the truck. On the way back to the farm, Johnny had an idea, so he jerked the truck around. He told Frankie on the way.

The Melville, Texas police station was on the town square. Juarez and Paco knew nothing about Melville, but they did know about getting in trouble if they got caught in the United States without a green card.

Johnny pulled up in front of the police station, got out and started yelling, “We got some illegal Mexicans in the back of the truck! We got some illegal Mexicans in the back of the truck!”

Juarez and Paco jumped over the side of the truck and started running as fast as they could away from the square. When Johnny and Frankie saw them running and look back terrified, they fell to the ground laughing.
All the fuss caused a police officer to come out and ask the boys what was happening. They pulled themselves together and said, “Nothing sir, we just saw something funny and couldn’t help but to laugh at it.”

The officer quickly replied, “Well, you best be heading out of here with that silliness and get on home.”
“Yes sir,” Johnny said.

The boys got in the truck and headed toward the farm. They drove upon Juarez and Paco about a mile down the road. Johnny pulled up slowly and Frankie hung his head out the window, “You boys need a ride?”
They stopped and glared at Frankie.

“C’mon, we ain’t got all day. Get in the back and let’s go,” Frankie yelled.

After ten painstaking minutes, the truck arrived at the farm. All four got out and Johnny walked over to Juarez and Paco, “You better not tell anybody about our little trip to town.”

The brothers nodded reluctantly.

Johnny smiled and said, “Good, now let’s get this here truck unloaded.”

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