#AtoZChallenge 2023 – Xavier – This is Another Story

Please note this is fiction!

Dear Mama,

It’s at last the first day of school. Well, not for me. I am too old for that. I began my new job a week ago and had hardly anything to do until today. So technically, this is also the first day of my new job.

I will admit it is not as noble of a profession as the others – being a school janitor – but it’s in America. I’ve made it. I am making money in the United States of America. I am going to make you proud, mama. I am going to work hard, make money, and get you whatever you want.

How’s the job going, you ask?

I was working hard this morning – sweeping the hallways, cleaning the restrooms, and wiping down the table after kids had their breakfast – the principal (a woman, by the way) came and introduced herself – Ryan Gutierrez – and started conversing with me in Spanish. In fluent Spanish, mama, can you believe it? Oh, what a conversationalist she is!

It turns out, her family is from Columbia, too! Well, before her abuelo packed up his bags and came to America. Can you believe it? If anything, I’m just her abuelo. Wow, I wonder if my nieta will be a school principal one day.

There are two lunch periods here and after the second one, when it was time to clean up, there was a kid carrying a black trash bag picking up the trash. I asked who’s he and why he’s doing my job, afraid for a moment I’ve been fired but before he could say anything, the principal came in and assured me that everything was all right, cleaning up the cafeteria is a part of this kid’s punishment – he’s done something bad – and I will be supervising to make sure he does a proper job. Me, mama, me a jefe!

You will be happy to know the kid did a good job. The cafeteria was nice and clean.

Anyway, mama, I shall return to work. The school day will be over soon. Enclosed, you will find a ten-dollar bill, it’s all I have at this moment. I hope you will buy yourself something wonderful. I will write again soon.

Love,

Your boy, Xavier