Both Sides of the Border, page 21
Her brothers agreed.
They walked without talking, each one lost deep in thought. Dolores was thinking of her pain. Her legs throbbed, and her feet ached. Her skin hurt from the sun. She attempted to put these thoughts out of her mind by shifting to her future. She wondered what the United States would look like on the other side of the river. This part of Mexico was not very habitable. Rattlesnakes were one of the very few living things that could survive in this environment.
“Ah,” Dolores said, “the sun is beginning to sink below the horizon. Let’s find a place to stay for the night. Look for something that would provide a little cover from the road.”
All three scanned the road ahead. It was flat, and there was no sign of anything that would offer protection of any type. Even the cacti were short and scattered about the ground, providing no cover.
“Let’s walk and keep looking. We’ll be careful,” Ernesto said.
At dusk, there was still no sign of a place to sleep. One by one, stars emerged in the sky. Slowly, a half moon was visible as it ascended.
“The moon will give us a little light,” Emilio said.
“Do you think it’d be okay to walk a few feet over in that direction? If it looks clear, and there are no snakes, can we lie down for a couple of hours?” Ernesto asked. “My feet are starting to get blisters again.”
“Yes. We need to rest. We’ve walked a very long time today. We can eat a piece of fruit and rest. Let’s go over there,” Dolores said as she gestured.
Off the road in the light of the half moon, they saw an area with more cactus plants. At first, the tall barrel cacti and the saguaro cactus trees were mistakenly thought to be human figures walking through the night. Every few minutes, when they came upon a new cactus, it would give them a scare. They investigated a patch of flat dirt several yards from the road. There was not much cover, except for the brushy grass that was less than one foot high and several small barrel cactus plants. They sat down and took out their pieces of fruit to eat.
Sitting under the stars, it was quiet and hot. A slight breeze came every few minutes. It was just enough to make them wish for more to cool the air. The breeze carried music from some house somewhere in the distance in this almost-barren land.
“What is that kind of music?” Emilio asked.
“I’m not sure,” Dolores said. “It’s different.”
“One of the other riders on the train talked about it. It might be called Tejano, and it’s a mix of Mexican and Texan music. Kind of like Mexican cowboy music.”
“That’s unusual,” Dolores said.
As the breeze ended for the night, so did the music. Emilio and Ernesto fell asleep quickly. Dolores stayed awake as long as she could to watch over her brothers, but when she could fight the sleep no longer, she laid down and closed her eyes.
All three were abruptly awakened by the sound of coyotes howling all around them.
“Do you think we are safe here?” Ernesto asked Dolores.
“I think they sound closer to us than they are. Let’s stay quiet and see if they stop.”
The howls of the coyotes became screams and crying as the animals circled their prey in the night as they fought amongst themselves.
“I think they’re now fighting over their dinner,” Ernesto said.
The howls and screams ceased.
“We can rest again,” Dolores said. “They have stopped.”
They resumed their positions on the ground. Ernesto and Emilio quickly fell back to sleep. Dolores listened a while longer, but sleep soon overtook her.
The brightness of the sun in the wide, open sky woke Dolores. She wondered what the time was. They had many miles yet to cover. They hadn’t yet seen the line of trees along the river. She squinted and looked ahead. Still no trees. Will we ever get there? she asked herself. She saw a scorpion with babies on her back scamper by a barrel cactus.
“Ernesto, Emilio. Wake up. We need to get moving. It’s morning.”
Both of her brothers groaned and yawned loudly.
“Are you sure we have to wake up now?” Emilio asked.
“Yes, little brother. Wake up,” Dolores said. “We need to find those trees and go to the river. You know, the river by the United States?”
Emilio could not help but smile when Dolores said the magical words “United States.” He bounced up off the dirt.
“Let’s go!” he said.
Another day of walking. Another day closer. Another day of praying for safety as they continued to go east. They would soon be in the safe arms of the United States.
Today, there was no breeze, and the air heated up within minutes. Dolores felt the heat from the sun and the heat radiating from the dry, sandy soil. She started sweating and slowed down her pace. Ernesto and Emilio slowed their pace to stay with Dolores. She looked at the ground as they walked, surveying for snakes and any other dangers.
“Dolores,” Emilio said after walking some distance.
“Yes?”
“Look, is that the tree line of the river?”
Dolores and Ernesto both looked closely at what they assumed were the tops of the mesquite trees in the distance.
“Yes! I think you’re right. We’re almost there!” she said.
Chapter Twenty-Two
EVA LOOKED OUT AT THE countryside of Mexico. She was in the state of Nuevo León and would be entering Tamaulipas in less than an hour. The land was sparsely dotted with cacti, yucca plants, and mesquite trees.
In her mind, she ventured back to the days she spent with Steven on the trip. She was looking forward to seeing him again, even though they had just left each other’s side. She missed him sitting beside her on the bus. A sleeping woman sat in the seat next to her. Eva was thankful for the quiet. At some level, she still couldn’t believe she had taken a weeklong trip to another country. She was proud that she had learned so much Spanish in that amount of time. And the best part of her trip, she had met Steven. She smiled and felt such affection for him.
The bus slowed as it entered the terminal at Reynosa. One more short jaunt to Matamoros, then Brownsville, and then her own apartment.
Thinking of the apartment reminded her of her new job starting on Monday. Her classes didn’t begin for another week, but she had orientation meetings and general faculty meetings to attend. At once, her mind shifted from the daydreaming of Steven to the anticipation of her new job. She raced through scenarios of possible interactions at work. She had met the dean and the department chair during her interview, but she didn’t know anything about them. She would ask Maria, the faculty member whom she connected with easily, to tell her about the administrators.
Eva’s bus to Reynosa continued on to Matamoros. She didn’t have to depart at the Reynosa terminal to find another bus. All of the other passengers left the bus. Eva waited in the empty bus for nearly fifteen minutes before a few other passengers entered. No one sat beside her. Just as well, she told herself. I can stay in my own world and think about my past week and my future.
The bus driver entered and closed the doors. The bus traveled through the city of Reynosa and on to the highway to Matamoros. Eva looked out the window and decided that Reynosa was still not exactly quaint or inviting. Not like the many Spanish colonial towns and cities she had seen. Reynosa wasn’t a good representation of the rest of the beautiful country.
The scenery between Reynosa and Matamoros was not enthralling. It was barren in some places. Dry, hot, dusty, uninviting.
Seeing the outskirts of Matamoros gave her a sense of relief. She would soon be in her own home. She could think of nothing but a nice, long, hot shower and early bedtime. She had only one more day until she reported to her first faculty orientation meeting. She’d spend that day resting.
The bus turned in to the bus terminal in Matamoros. Most of the passengers exited. A few others entered the bus. And finally, the bus headed toward the International Bridge in Brownsville. The bus stopped just short of the bridge. Once again, the passengers were all required to leave the bus and show their papers. All of the luggage was searched and put back on the bus. Then, a short ride across the bridge and to the bus terminal in Brownsville.
Eva mustered up the energy to get her suitcase to the taxi area and find a taxi. The driver addressed her in Spanish, and she replied. That was easy, she thought. She felt she had learned enough Spanish to get around and speak in common, everyday situations. She might not sound very good, but she could do it.
The ride to her apartment seemed longer than she remembered. The sun was setting. She was exhausted. She entered her front door and smiled. “Home.”
Eva kicked off her shoes and unpacked her suitcase, taking special care of the new white skirt and blouse she had purchased in Veracruz. She would wear it again to dance with Steven someday soon. She started her laundry, took a shower, and dressed for bed. She called her mother to let her know she was home.
“Hi, Mom.”
“Eva, I have been worried sick about you. Have you seen the news? A caravan is getting closer to the United States.”
“No, Mom. I just walked into my apartment, and I wanted to let you know I’m home.”
“Back in the United States?”
“Yes, Mom.”
“Well, thank goodness!” she said in an exaggerated tone of voice. “Don’t go down to Mexico again. Listen to your mother! You had me worried sick!”
“I’m back, and I am fine. The trip was wonderful. I learned quite a bit of Spanish.”
“When do you go to work?”
“Monday.”
“Good. Then you won’t have time to be prancing down to Mexico again. Do you think you will be rested up by Monday?”
“Yes. I’ll rest all day tomorrow.”
“Good. I’m sure you’ll need to rest after that trip.”
“Okay, Mom. I have to go. I’m finishing up some laundry. But I want to tell you all about my trip someday. Right now, I need to get my laundry finished and get organized for work on Monday. I’m going to bed early, so I’ll wait to call my sisters tomorrow.”
“Well, glad you’re home. Call me soon,” her mother said.
“I will. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight sweetie.”
Eva switched out her laundry and turned on the TV. She got some fruit from the refrigerator. She examined it. “Still good,” she said to herself. She took the label off a mango and noticed that is said “product of Mexico.” Excellent, she thought. It will be delicious.
In an instant, Eva was back at the hotel the first morning, remembering how Steven had introduced all of the fruits from Mexico to her. I need to get some star fruit, she thought.
Her attention was drawn to the television as the local news began a story about a caravan.
“Local authorities and the U.S. Border Patrol will meet Monday to devise a plan for the anticipated caravan that is heading to Texas. In the regional State of the Border meeting, the new chief informed the local authorities of the steps being taken by the Border Patrol. In a coordinated effort, the local authorities all along the border are working hand-in-hand with the federal and state law enforcement.”
Well, what do you know? Mom was right, she thought.
* * *
Eva spent Sunday finishing her laundry and organizing her clothes for work. She chatted with each of her sisters between doing laundry and unpacking the gifts she had purchased in Mexico. She was putting away her shoes when her phone rang.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Hello, Eva?”
“Yes.”
“Hi, this is Maria from the university.”
“Oh, hello. How are you?”
“Doing well. I wanted to make sure you were in town and ready to go to the first faculty meeting tomorrow. Your orientation is at nine.”
“Yes, I got moved in to the apartment about ten days ago.”
“Perfect. The orientation meeting will be in the main auditorium of the College of Education Building. If you come early, say 8:30, they serve breakfast.”
“I would like that.”
“Good, I’ll meet you there. I have a committee meeting at nine, so I thought we could meet for a quick breakfast, and I can fill you in on what else you will be doing this week.”
“That would be great, thank you.”
Eva hung up the phone and sat on the sofa. I’m really going to be a professor, she thought, and a smile stretched across her face. She looked through her books and papers and organized what she would need to begin her classes the next week. This would be the best job she had ever had.
She spent the day jotting down outlines for her first classes. They were rough drafts, but it was a start. She knew the university required a particular format, and she would find out more about that tomorrow.
Eva bounced out of bed Monday eager to go to work. It took her no time to get ready, since she had laid out her clothes the night before. She was in a casual suit and open-toed, dressy sandals. Of course, she wore her new ring and bracelet. Maria assured her during the interview that the dress expectation at this university was casual. She explained to Eva it was more about dressing for the heat than trying to impress people.
The university was a short, five-minute drive from her apartment, including parking time. She turned in to the parking lot. The university campus was unique because it bordered Mexico. The wall of the parking lot—which was, in reality, a tall, reinforced fence, was the “wall” between Texas and Mexico. It wasn’t very strong and could easily be breached if no one was watching. Eva smiled, knowing the meager fence was the only thing between her country and Steven’s. She wished she could see him again. Maybe in the next week or two.
Steven had her phone number. He had asked her for the information before they left the parking lot of the travel agency in Monterrey. Maybe he’d call today. But he was probably as busy getting back to work as she was. She turned her thoughts back to her own job as she locked her car and walked to the College of Education Building.
One of the things Eva loved about the campus was the architecture. It was pure Mexican design, right down to the fountains and the Talavera tiles decorating the doors and stairways. The patios and courtyards reminded her of so many she had seen in Mexico. The landscaping was carefully planned to include the beautiful plants native to Mexico.
Eva walked to the auditorium to meet Maria. Just outside the auditorium were large tables set with every possible kind of pan dulce and Mexican fruits just waiting for the faculty members to enjoy. Large coffee urns and pitchers of juice completed the breakfast.
“Eva! Good morning,” Maria said as she gave Eva a hug. Maria had explained earlier her culture was all about hugging. You hug everyone for any reason whatsoever, but especially upon greeting each other.
“Good morning,” Eva replied.
“Come, let’s have some breakfast before we go to our meetings.”
Maria was about to explain to her the different types of exotic fruits when Eva told her about her recent trip.
“Oh, yes, I ate those last week in Mexico,” Eva said.
“What in the world were you doing in Mexico last week?”
Eva told her about her reason for going and how she had learned a great deal of Spanish.
“Oh, Eva, your Spanish is probably better than mine! When I was growing up, we were not allowed to speak Spanish in school. So, my parents forced me to learn and use only English. They said it was to keep me from getting in trouble in school. So, when I got to high school, I took Spanish for three years. But my teacher was not a native Spanish speaker.”
“That’s wild,” Eva said. “Who would have thought?”
“Right?” Maria looked at her watch. “We just have a few minutes before we start. I am going to a committee meeting about a federal grant. I wanted to know if you want to be on the committee with me?”
“That would be terrific. I need committee assignments for my tenure file.”
“Yes, you do.” Maria smiled.
“Maria, I wanted to ask you something, too. I wondered if you would be my faculty mentor?”
“I was hoping you would ask. Yes, I would be honored.”
“Thank you,” Eva said.
“Okay. Well, my meeting is about to start, and yours is, too. Do you want to meet for lunch? You should be finished by noon. It’s hard to believe they talk to new faculty members for three hours, but it’s a lot of information, so take good notes.”
“Okay. Yes, on lunch. Should we meet back here?” Eva asked.
“Perfect.”
Eva learned a great deal of the history of the university in her meeting. She saw charts on the organization and leadership and heard about the mission statement and the five-year plan. She learned about the university accreditation study. She heard the emergency plan for hurricane season. She listened to heated discussions and presentations about the proposed wall between Mexico and Texas that marked the property of the university. At the end, the new faculty members were introduced by department. There were twenty new faculty members starting the same week. They were from all over the world. China, the Philippines, Brazil, Spain, Canada, and the United States. The faculty were then given an agenda for the week that included several optional meetings and a few mandatory ones. Eva decided she would go to both mandatory and optional meetings and learn about all of the committees and campus leadership activities.
The meeting ended, and they were dismissed for lunch. Eva went to the designated meeting area and saw Maria already there.
“How was it?” Maria asked.
“Interesting,” Eva replied.
“Learned a lot?”
“Yes, I did. I had no idea there would be so many new faculty members from all over the world.”
“Everybody wants to live in the United States. And this university administration prides itself on welcoming newcomers to the country.”
“I see.”
“For lunch, I thought we could go to a little place down the street. It’s a taco place, but the owners are from Mexico, so it’s good food. They came here last year when the cartels forced their restaurant to close in Matamoros.”
