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""Leno and Maria: A Success Story"" by Vincent P. Cano - 1985
Page 42
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CHAPTER TWELVE LENO AND MARIA Once inside the depot, Leno escorted Maria and the children over to an empty bench that stretched out against the entire south wall.Echoes of Leno and Maria's conversation bounced off the plaster walls causing the ticket agent to poke his head out from behind his bar-like ticket window in order to satisfy his curiosity as to who was making the foreign sounding words. Leno walked up to the ticket window and slid his train tickets under the small opening of the window. The ticket agent examined the tickets and passed them back to Leno with his verbal comments. "They look in good order to me. Do you have any luggage, sir? No..well, the next train is due at eleven a.m. so you have about a five hour wait. You understand? Here," the ticket agent continued talking pointing to his wrist watch, "at eleven o'clock.. your train." "Yes, yes, I understand you. To Chicago, Yes, thank you." Leno smiled and returned to tell Maria of the layover. Since there was to be a six hour wait, Leno decided to step outside in order to see how far away the town was so he might be able to buy food and milk for his family. As he stood on the deserted platform, for the first time he felt completely helpless. All what had transpired before seemed to flood his mind leaving him with a sick feeling in the put of his stomach. ".... Leno, what you suggest is truly ambitious. You will have to be twice as strong as they are, Leno. A strength that comes from inside; from the soul.." He lifted his head to the early morning sun and whispered a prayer. "Dios, please help me for the sake of your children. I am only a human being and cannot go on without your help. Give me but a little of your strength. Give me a sign that I will know that I have done the right thing in bringing maria and the children to this country. The strength of my soul is but a reflection of your almighty power. I can do nothing without your blessing." Suddenly, the sound of a faint whistling broke Leno's concentration as he turned his head from side to side in order to pin point from where the sound was coming. The melodic sound became clearer and clearer as it got closer and closer and Leno recognized the tune to be that of a familiar song from his homeland. "Yes, it is "The Reiliera" but who could be whistling that song here in a place such as this?" Leno wondered. He quickly ran to the side of the platform in time to see a young boy pulling a wagon full of milk down the street. Quickly, Leno jumped from the platform and caught up to the young boy. "Boy, wait please." Leno asked excitedly. "Was that you whistling that song "The Riliera"? Are you Mexican? What is your name?" "Why, yes, senor, I was whistling that song and I am Mexican, too. I understand your spanish perfectly." The 42.
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CHAPTER TWELVE LENO AND MARIA Once inside the depot, Leno escorted Maria and the children over to an empty bench that stretched out against the entire south wall.Echoes of Leno and Maria's conversation bounced off the plaster walls causing the ticket agent to poke his head out from behind his bar-like ticket window in order to satisfy his curiosity as to who was making the foreign sounding words. Leno walked up to the ticket window and slid his train tickets under the small opening of the window. The ticket agent examined the tickets and passed them back to Leno with his verbal comments. "They look in good order to me. Do you have any luggage, sir? No..well, the next train is due at eleven a.m. so you have about a five hour wait. You understand? Here," the ticket agent continued talking pointing to his wrist watch, "at eleven o'clock.. your train." "Yes, yes, I understand you. To Chicago, Yes, thank you." Leno smiled and returned to tell Maria of the layover. Since there was to be a six hour wait, Leno decided to step outside in order to see how far away the town was so he might be able to buy food and milk for his family. As he stood on the deserted platform, for the first time he felt completely helpless. All what had transpired before seemed to flood his mind leaving him with a sick feeling in the put of his stomach. ".... Leno, what you suggest is truly ambitious. You will have to be twice as strong as they are, Leno. A strength that comes from inside; from the soul.." He lifted his head to the early morning sun and whispered a prayer. "Dios, please help me for the sake of your children. I am only a human being and cannot go on without your help. Give me but a little of your strength. Give me a sign that I will know that I have done the right thing in bringing maria and the children to this country. The strength of my soul is but a reflection of your almighty power. I can do nothing without your blessing." Suddenly, the sound of a faint whistling broke Leno's concentration as he turned his head from side to side in order to pin point from where the sound was coming. The melodic sound became clearer and clearer as it got closer and closer and Leno recognized the tune to be that of a familiar song from his homeland. "Yes, it is "The Reiliera" but who could be whistling that song here in a place such as this?" Leno wondered. He quickly ran to the side of the platform in time to see a young boy pulling a wagon full of milk down the street. Quickly, Leno jumped from the platform and caught up to the young boy. "Boy, wait please." Leno asked excitedly. "Was that you whistling that song "The Riliera"? Are you Mexican? What is your name?" "Why, yes, senor, I was whistling that song and I am Mexican, too. I understand your spanish perfectly." The 42.
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