Caleb

                 I lost count of how many trucks we road, how long we walked, and how much distance we covered.  Once we climbed over the fence and it started to disappear in the distance, that was when my mother hugged me and cried.

“Mama, what’s wrong?” I asked her.

“We made it to the free country,”

            We woke up hearing the honk of a truck outside our apartment.  My mother quickly got me up and dressed me in the best clothing we had, even though it was mostly rags.  She combed my hair, disappointed that she did not get a chance to cut it. 

“Come mijio, we’ll have to work today,”

            When we got outside we saw other people gathered in front of the truck.  Most spoke only Spanish but a few learned a few English phrases.  I was standing next to my mother, unsure of what to do. 

            The white men on the trucks look into the crowd and only grabbed a few people to pull into the back of the truck. 

“Where are they going, mama?”

“Work,” she said.  That was when one of the men saw me. 

“You,” he said and grabbed my arm.  My mother kissed me on the cheek and told me to be good. 

            When the truck was filled, the white men were ready to go.  I was disappointed that they did not pick my mother. 

“Mama!” I yelled at her and she gave me a huge grin.

“Don’t worry mijio, you’ll be home for dinner!” she yelled back as the truck started to leave.  I sat there for a long time, not saying a word.

            The truck stopped behind a building where cars were parked and people were waiting.  I saw more white people come up and talk to the white men who took the others and me.  I was confused with all the talking and stood still until someone grabbed my arm.  It was a woman who was dress in a clean and lovely light blue dress with wavy blonde hair and bright blue eyes.  She said something to the men that I did not understand and gave them some money.  She took me to her car and gave me a nice smile.  I asked her where we were going and what I would do but she did not speak Spanish and ignored me. 

            We arrived at a big white house that surrounded by a gate.  The front of the house had a big yard and bushes everywhere with two trees.  The woman drove the car into the garage and then we got out.  I thought that in a house like this I would be doing a lot of cleaning.  But I was wrong. 

“Billy!” she yelled as we enter the house and down the white marble stairs came a boy about my age.  He was dressed in fine clothing, very short blonde hair, and bright blue eyes like his mother.  The two exchanged and words and then he started to talk to me but I did not understand a word he said. 

“Caleb,” said the woman and I looked at her.  She pointed to me and said the word again, “Caleb,” and I shook my head and told her that my name was Angel Mario and then she slapped me.  I was in shock and held my burning cheek.  I stared into her blue eyes that no longer look nice.

“Caleb,”

            I went outside with the boy name Billy.  I was very upset about my red cheek but I knew that I would be home in time for dinner and that I was not stuck at the big white house.  When I saw Billy starting to play soccer and passing the ball to me I was very happy.  The soccer ball reminded me of how I used to play soccer with the other boys in Mexico but we did not have a green field or goals like in Billy’s backyard.  I started to show Billy some tricks and he tried to copy me.  By the end of our play outside Billy learned two tricks that I taught him. 

            When we went into the house, one of the servants gave Billy a sandwich and he went to sit at the dinning room table.  I sat down next to him not knowing what to do and that was when I felt a huge tug at my arm and nails digging in.  I looked up to see Billy’s mom.  She took me out of my seat and into the kitchen to a corner with a stole.  Then the servant gave me cereal that was only half filled and a glass of water.  I watched Billy eat his sandwich with a can coke and I then I looked down at my sandwich, wishing that I could have a taste of an American coke. 

            After lunch Billy and I played in his room.  His room was huge with posters of baseball players and video game characters such as Mario, Sonic, and more.  Billy loved playing video games with me but I think it was because I did not know how to use a video game.  He also had a lot of action figures of marvel characters as well as pokemon.  Then a servant came to get us for dinner and I knew better this time to not sit at the table. 

            When the family was done eating I went up to Billy’s mother and tried to explain to her that I had to get home to my mother.  She smiled and patted my head.  That was when I knew that she did not know any Spanish.  I tried walking out the door but Billy’s father caught me and gave me a whipping for trying to leave.  I did not understand why I was still in this big white house. 

            When it was time for Billy to go to sleep, his mother took me into the basement where a bed was set up.  I realized that I was going to sleep here and in the corner I found a bucket and some clothes that were better then the ones I had from Mexico but were not as nice as Billy’s family. 

“Good night, Caleb,” she said as she closed the door.  I heard a lock and I knew that I was not going to leave.  It was dark with only a small light and no windows.  I took off my clothes and crawled under the blanket.  I said the Our Father and Hail Mary and prayed that I would see my mother again. 

            The next day I took a peek out the window to see Billy get onto a bright yellow bus.  While he was gone, one of the servants watched me the whole day.  She gave me a bath, cut my hair, and started to teach me a few things in English.  By the end of the week I could say, “hello,” “my name is Caleb,” “good night,” and “family”, but I really wanted to see my mother. 

            When Billy went on the bus I was often left in the basement unless it was a bath day and I was not allowed out until Billy came home.  One day I was allowed out and then I had to go back into the basement, when I looked to see Billy I saw him sitting at the dinning table doing work.  I was wondering what kind of kid worked; I never had to work in my life, not even for school. 

            I begun to lost track of how long I was living in the white house.  I discovered that I was there to be Billy’s playmate, but only if he wanted to play with me.  If he had a friend over, I was locked in my room.  For meals the only thing I could have was cereal with water.  A few times I tried sneaking food but if I were caught I would get slapped by Billy’s mother or whipped by his father.  My hair used to be long, but Billy’s mom like it short like her son’s hair.  I missed my long black hair and I started to miss Mexico and my mother.  I was wondering if this was what my mother was thinking when we came to this country.  Her wondering where I am every night and me being locked up in a house for days, weeks, months, and then a year.

            After living with Billy for a year my English became better and in his new grade Billy started to learn some Spanish.  He was able to say hello to me, ask my name, and where I was from.  When I told him my name was Angel Mario, he punch and kicked me.

“Your name is Caleb,” he told me in my language and I replied, “no” and that was when he got his parents who gave me a good beating and left me in the basement for two days.  That was when my spirit was broken and I decided that my official name was Caleb. 

            After living with Billy and his family for a year and a half we got a visit from a stranger.  It was during a bath day and I was upstairs with the servant as I was putting my clothes back on.  Billy’s mother answer the door and the servant looked worried.  She walked out and closed the door on me, leaving me in the room by myself.  Then the door opened and a woman I never saw stood before me. 

            She was young, like my mother, with dark skin, black hair and bright brown eyes.  She had a nice purple shirt on and black pants.  She started talking to me but I remained quiet and then Billy’s mom spoke to her with a stern voice.  I did not understand their conversation but they both looked mad. 

            The woman stayed until a man in uniform came into the house.  The man was wearing a bright badge on the right side of his chest and his uniform was dark blue.  I wore a belt that had held a gun and handcuffs.  I got very frighten until he started to speak in Spanish.

“Hello, my name is Thomas.  I am a police officer and I am here to ask you a few questions.  What is your name?” I was quiet, afraid to answer.

“You do not have to be afraid,” he said and I rolled up my sleeve to show him my scars from the whipping.

“Where did you get those scars?” he asked and I looked towards Billy’s mom. 

“Can you come with me?” he asked.  I took his hand and he took me into a separate room with the lady in the purple shirt.

“Now, what’s your name, I’m not going to let anyone hurt you, you’re safe,”

“Caleb,” I told him without thinking.  After so long I almost forgot my name.

“Caleb?” he asked and I shook my head.  He seemed confused.

“Angel Mario.  She kept calling me Caleb,”

“Who?”

“Billy’s mom,”

“Who’s Billy?”

“The kid who lives here,”

“Is he your cousin?”

“No,”

“How old are you?”

“Ten, I think,”

“You think?”

“I’ve been in this house for almost two years,”

“Two year, you must know the house pretty well.  Can you show me where you slept?” and I took the officer and the lady to the basement where my room was.  The lady went to talk to Billy’s mom and the officer kept me with him. 

“Angel Mario, how would you like to come with me?  I’ll take you away from here,”

“I want to see my mama,” I told him and for the first time, I walked out the door. 

            I told Thomas everything that happened to me.  From the moment my mother told me we were going to leave Mexico to when he got me out of the house.  Thomas asked me what my mother’s name was, but I did not remember but I told him what she looked like and where we stayed when we first came to the country.  Thomas took me to our apartment but the people said that my mother went off to work the day after I left and never came back.  No one knew where she went. 

            Thomas was able to get me citizenship in the United States but I was put in an orphanage in the city where Thomas said I would be safe and he always came to visit me every week.  I was happy at the orphanage.  I made real friends and some of them knew Spanish and while living there I learned to read, write, speak English, and math.  The people at the orphanage were good to me and when I was twelve a couple wanted to adopt me because they could not have children.  When I heard there story it reminded me of my own and I wanted to helped them.  They adopted me and I moved in with them and unlike Billy’s parents, they never hurt me and treated me as their son. 

            I had not seen my mother in eleven or ten years when they found her.  I was twenty in college when I got the phone call from Thomas.  I went home to tell my mother and father the good news and they were so happy for me.  By this time I could speak English fluently and changed my name to Carlos. 

            I stood in front of my parent’s house as I watched Thomas’ car pull up into our driveway.  He got out and opened the door at the back seat and I saw my mother.  She was older then I remembered her with some white hairs growing and she was moving a bit slow then I remembered.  When she saw me, tears formed in her eyes.

“Angel Mario!” she exclaimed.

“Mama!” I exclaimed back and ran to her and we both embraced each other.  After so long we finally found each other and we both cried with joy.