I was walking down the street to going home from work, my work is in the sugar cane fields. On my way home a bunch of people were running to town, I had no idea what was going on. I kept on trying to get someone's attention but they just ran right past me. I finally made it to my home. I opened the door to see my madre just sitting there looking out the window. I asked her what's going on, she said “ahh just politicians in town giving a speech, no big deal to me”. “Don't you want to hear what he has to say, Madre?” I asked her. She shook her head and said nothing. I went back out the door. I saw no one but some children around so I went to the plaza where they give the speeches. I sat and listened for a while. All I could do is think about it all and how hard it is to live in this place because of the fighting and the fear all the time and what we have to do to stay alive but I would catch some of the things he had to say; it just made me more mad. I left and went back home. I went and sat right next to my madre and told her I should have not gone. “I told you so, its nothing but garbage. They come here to lie to us and they think we don’t know.” I just sat there thinking about how hard it is to do this. I barely have a job, we have no food, and its all on me since Dad is gone.

My madre went into the kitchen to make dinner. My family is poor. I'm the only one with a job now My madre lost her job about a week ago when she got hurt in the field and they said she had to go because she couldn’t do anything. She helped pick the tobacco on a rich American’s land and didn’t make much but we needed it. My father had a job teaching but they closed the school. They thought the teachers were telling us things that were against them. It didn’t matter now. All that we had to eat were rice and beans, always the rice and beans. Sometimes we would pick fruit from a tree in one of our neighbor’s yards. They felt sorry for us with my father gone and they tried to help but they were all just as poor. Once in awhile we would get a chicken and some goat’s milk.
My father had been gone for about a year. He said he had to go fix some things with some people. I knew he was going to fight with the rebels. Then one day my uncle Tito showed up all of a sudden with a letter from my father. It said “hey my family i'm letting you know I'm all right. I went to Mexico and met up with Fidel. Please know I'm out and about, I'll be there soon. Don’t worry I’ll be home soon. I miss you, Papa.” Knowing that only made me want to see him more and be with him. Then I thought I’m old enough to go and help out then we can work together but I knew mom wouldn't like it. Plus I didn’t know how I would find him and then who would take care of my madre? She had broken her ankle and we couldn’t afford the doctor so it never healed right. It was all messed up and swollen, she couldn’t walk far at all. I walked to my tia Rosa’s house. She lived right down the street. As I got there she was outside cleaning the rice and beans for dinner. I said “hello Tia what you up to? even though I knew what she was doing but I like making conversations with her. “ “Oh just cleaning the beans and rice for dinner tomorrow. What you been up to? Roaming the woods”. “Na Tia just got a letter from my papa, he told me what he has been doing and I got an idea on where he is at.” “Do you? Are you going to try to find him?” “Yea but I need you to help watch my madre for me cuz her ankle is not doing good.” “Okay i'll be there in the morning with all my stuff cuz your house is bigger and I'll sleep in your room.” “Okay see you then.” I took off and went back home to get my things ready. As I got home my madre was done cooking dinner. I wasn't going to to tell her what I was planning on letting my tia tell her when she got here. I ate my dinner and got ready for bed and packed my backpack for my trip. I packed four days worth of clothes and my knife, as my madre cleaned the table off. Me and madre went to bed. As we woke up my tia was already there with her stuff then my madra asked “what are you doing here with your stuff?” then my tia told her and we had a little argument. After words I finally told my madre good bye and I’ll be safe and not to worry. I finally left and set off to find my dad.