Border Journal - 11 April 2005

It is Monday. I am home with my 6 year old daughter who is out of school with a touch of the stomach flu. She walks into the bedroom where I am working and asks "Daddy, what's that knocking?" I pause, listen for a moment, and assure her it is nothing. In just a few seconds she bolts back and thrusts her arms around me: "Daddy!! It's an an illegal! He's at the back door and the back door is open! I'm scared!!!" I walk into the living room and, indeed, there is a stranger standing inside the patio door. I wonder, "Right now, what are my options?" I have just one, so I walk to the door and ask what I can do for him. We struggle with a few back and forth attempts at conversaion. I don't understand Spanish, he doesn't understand English, but sign language works. He needs water. I go to the kitchen, fill a very large glass, and take it to him. He downs it in a few massive gulps. He motions for more, so I go fetch another glass full. Once again, he chugs it in a few gulps and motions for more. But this time, when I get to the kitchen I notice that he has followed me through the house. I notice that he has unzipped the black leather bag slung over his shoulder and is reaching inside fishing around. At this very moment, my mind focuses with crystal clarity: What does he have in the bag? Then I realize I am completely defenseless.

These "contact" events always happen this way: WITHOUT WARNING. Unless a person walks around with protection in their pocket, they are defenseless when approached by undocumented aliens. It happens OFTEN in southern Arizona. Once again my Government's lack of will to control the Border with Mexico has forced me into a very vulnerable position. Once again I am forced to roll the dice and hope that all will end well for me and my daughter.

As I watched his hands leave the bag, I realized he had fetched a large water bottle. He thrust it across the counter and motioned for me to fill it. He was in control. So there I was, standing at the kitchen sink filling an empty bottle of "Allejandro's Agua", 3 feet from a man I have never met and know nothing about. This situation is my Government's fault. Despite their constitutional mandate to "provide for the Common Defense", once again they've left me to fend for myself---to roll the dice and simply hope that it all works out OK.

After I repeatedly refuse to "taxi" him to Phoenix he finally leaves. I watch him fade away into the desert behind my house and I realize we're overdue for a family discussion about how to punch through the bedroom window and get out fast when Daddy screams.

/CM