Tuesday, July 04, 2006

Happy Independence Day

It's wicked hot outside.

I just spent two hours outside, weeding my garden (I live in New Jersey, I have a yard, I grow tomatoes. It's a tradition; It might even be a law.) I also did some other random garden work, including cutting back the mums for the last time of the season- this action took me into the front yard.

In the front yard I was approached by a man who rode by on his bicycle. He asked me if I had any work for him; he said he could weed the garden, trim the bushes, anything I needed. He was extremely polite. Unfortunately, I had to decline; I had just finished what I planned to get done today.

Here's the thing; I know this man. He comes into where I work occasionally. I don't think he recognized me- I was sweaty and filthy from working in the yard, and I certainly didn't have on nice work clothes. He's always extremely polite. He practices his English with us and we try to speak back in Spanish. I've seen him in a t-shirt from a local lawn company, so I know he has some yard work experience. I wonder if he has kids, or someone else he supports.

He's not looking for a handout.

He's riding around a small Central Jersey town on a bicycle, on this wicked hot and humid holiday, looking to earn a living.

Happy Independence Day.

1 comment:

jay lassiter said...

this is fantastic opportunity.
you should persue this relationship and write abuot it.
of course sharon, he has a family. aske him about it. and share.

the whole immigration debate is such an abstraction. won't you make it tangible for us?

and if you end up bi lingual in the process.....all the better.