A Boy Becomes A Man

his is the story of a little boy who loses his father when he was almost eight years old and is forced to quit school at the age of 10 in order to get a job working as an agricultural worker to help support his family of seven. He enjoys school very much, so he is not too happy about leaving it. He works in agriculture-related jobs for a while until he lands a job as a pig and goat herder. Though he enjoys his new job, he dreams of getting a good education in order to earn better wages and to escape the drudgery of fieldwork. His mother and his two older sisters move to the U.S., and he was told that soon he and his younger siblings would join them there. He is excited about the idea. The only place where he might have a chance to realize his childhood dream is the land of opportunity, the United States of America. Will he move to the U.S.?

I came from Mexico in 1945. I earned a Bachelor’s degree, a Master’s degree, and a teaching credential from San Diego State University. I taught elementary school for forty years. I have written six stories and have had four of them published. I have written 757 songs and a few poems. I have recorded twenty of my songs and plan to publish some of my poems. My wife, Teresa, and I raised three daughters who, I am proud to say, followed in my footsteps and became teachers. We and two daughters live here in Brawley and the other one lives in Colorado.