Shelter for a Nicaraguan Maid (1998) By Mark Farenbaugh

 Shelter for a Nicaraguan Maid (1998)

By

Mark Farenbaugh

Major Charles Middlebrooks was stationed in Nicaragua as an attaché.  The primary mission was intel gathering. After 15 months of training, Charles knew that one of the best places for “collecting” information is at the residence. He had a large, rich-looking house with a gardener and a maid, all provided by the military.  He was expected to use the residence several times per month.  A maid was provided to cook typical British meals for the guests and keep the house in good order. During events, drinks would be offered in expensive crystal and tasty food would be served on fine china. Usually, the guests would become comfortable and lower their defenses.  By keeping the alcohol and good conversation flowing, quality information would eventually be released to the listening attaché ears. 

As the months of his two-year assignment passed, Charles realized that besides being a natural in the kitchen, his maid was truly a good person.  She had two very small children and was a single parent.

Months earlier.

Major Middlebrooks had inherited a different maid when he arrived.  Anna was from Belize and could read and speak Spanish and English and had no problem cooking new recipes.  A perfect fit. Charles was told he had the best maid of any officer in the unit, and he thought he was lucky to have her.

Then, Charles’ boss departed. That boss didn’t bother passing his maid on to the incoming Colonel because she couldn’t make anything beyond Gallo Pinto (dark beans and rice) with fried eggs.  Meals at the Colonel’s events were all catered.  A disaster for the colonel, but he was too sympathetic of the poor maid’s situation to just fire her.  It wouldn’t look good. 

When the new boss arrived, it was immediately apparent that he didn’t speak Spanish beyond “El caballo está saltando,” the opening phrase in Rosetta Stone.  The horse is jumping.  Basically, See Spot Run.  Not a good situation for the boss.  The logical move, Major Middlebrooks thought, was to give him his bilingual and polished maid.  

That started Major Middlebrooks’ search for a replacement.

His introduction to Julia was not by chance, but good fortune.  The word got out that the major was in search of a maid with cooking skills.  Friends and coworkers arrived to suggest that they had a person who would be a “great” replacement.  

But they didn’t know that a test would be given. Charles would kindly invite the sponsor and potential maid to come to his castle-house.  When they arrived, he would take them to the ample kitchen and present the test to the new contestant: a thawed chicken, a few potatoes, a bag of frozen vegetables, and spices.  The exam was to cook a meal for the sponsor and himself, to be served on china, at six o’clock in the late afternoon.  Upon agreement, the sponsor and attaché departed the premise.

Sadly, they would return to an overcooked chicken still in the oven, cold mashed potatoes in the refrigerator, and a cold tomato sauce for gravy.  The common approach to the frozen bag of vegetables was, “No sabía que hacer con la bolsa congelada.”  (I didn’t know what do do with the frozen bag).  

One contestant after another failed the test.  The hopeful sponsors routinely admitted they had been on a steady diet of spaghetti or Gallo Pinto and would supplement the diet with ordered food.  Each contestant was given whatever food they cooked to take home.  

Then, late one Sunday afternoon, the house phone rang.  “Mí Colonel, cómo está?” greeted the office secretary.  Pleasantries were exchanged.  

“I have found a maid for you, but you have to call quickly to reserve a time to speak with the French attaché’s wife.”  

Major Middlebrooks thanked her and made the phone call.  The office secretary was the wisest woman he had met in Nicaragua, and she wouldn’t have called him without a good reason.  Not on a Sunday.

“Good afternoon,” answered a lady with a French accent.

“Yes ma’am, good afternoon.  I am Major Middlebrooks.  I understand that you and your husband are nearing the end of your tour and might have a maid who needs a job?” 

“Yes, you are correct. Would you like to meet and talk about it?”

“Yes ma’am.  When are you available?”

“This Wednesday at 3 pm.”

A few days later

The door opened and an elegant lady introduced herself.  She then pointed at a small table. “Please join me for some coffee.”   Major Middlebrooks walked toward the table to sit down.  He could see that there was a platter on it with a few tasty-looking desserts. 

The polite lady told a story about where she and her husband had lived during their career and how they had enjoyed seeing the sites of the world.  During the conversation, she offered Charles some of the pastries on the table.  There was apple pie, pecan pie, chocolate chip cookies, and sugar cookies.  He wasn’t much for sweets, but who could resist what cannot be found in Nicaragua.  The apple pie was delicious. 

Then, the questions came.  The lady wanted to know who Major Middlebrooks was and what type of maid he was looking for?  How many hours on weekends was the maid needed? How many events per month? How much pay was he willing to offer her?

Major Middlebrooks quickly realized that he was being interviewed!

At the end of the questioning, the polite French lady seemed satisfied.  She then turned her attention to the pastries.  “All of these pastries were prepared by Julia, our maid.  Would you like to meet her?”

The major was stunned. The office secretary had found a gem!

“Of course,” nodded the eager major.  “Of course.”

A year later.

One midweek day, he returned to the house to change into a formal uniform for one of the many social events of the embassy.  It was a last-minute invitation from the ambassador, which required an unannounced return to the house earlier than the end of the day.  

“Hola señor Charlie.  Cómo está?” said the tired-looking Julia.  “Why are you back so soon?  Can I help you with anything?  Are you hungry?”

Julia had worked out very well and had gained the reputation of an honest worker, besides becoming the best cook. 

Charlie responded, “No, Julia, nothing needed.  I just have an event to go to and need to change into a uniform.”  He then noticed that she was walking a little slowly.  She seemed to be fighting exhaustion.  Maybe she was sick?

Watching her move around he suddenly realized that she had been slowing down all week. 

Not wanting to avoid the matter, he told her that he could tell that she was tired and just wanted to know if something stressful was going on in her life. She reluctantly said that she hadn’t been getting much sleep since she had to evacuate quickly from her rented apartment and was now living on her property.

Charles vaguely remembered that she had recently bought raw land and asked if she was in a tent or something.  She replied that it was a small structure. He then insisted on taking her home. He would simply arrive late to his military function and changed into jeans and boots.

Her land wasn’t in the best area of Managua.  Once departing asphalt roads, one had to have a sturdy vehicle to negotiate the narrow and uneven dirt roads. After crossing an open area, Julia pointed to a tree covered hill.  Somewhere in there was her small piece of property.   

Major Middlebrooks thought about it for a second, then engaged the vehicle’s four-wheel-drive to ascend the narrow, winding dirt roads.  When he got to the property, he couldn’t see where she would possibly be sleeping and stopped the Range Rover. After a short walk into the property, he saw her shelter…..a 15 foot-square mess of 4 vertical-but-curved tree limbs, not taller than his own shoulders, covered and sided with old, twisted, corrugated zinc sheets of metal.  All of her belongings were jammed into the small structure.  It looked like it was about to fall over. No wonder she wasn’t sleeping.  She and her two small children were living in the outside elements.

A few feet away there was the start of dirt excavation and an outline of a foundation.  One barrio neighbor was building her a house at the snail’s pace of her $275 per month budget.

Charles then strongly suggested she move into his government-furnished house, or a hotel that he would provide. She strongly resisted. 

For two days Charles couldn’t sleep, knowing her situation.

Charles finally arrived at a solution. He found a civil engineering team to improve Julie’s temporary shelter, while designing and building her permanent home. He also offered them a completion bonus if quickly done - as fast as the cement would dry. 

In no time, he found the right crew and threw money at the task.  After a few thousand dollars and two weeks of no rain, the foundation, walls, roof, and floor were completed. Julia and her kids could move in while the inner walls and windows were finished.

With a simple gesture, everyone was sleeping better…..and a long-lasting friendship was created.

Contagious Kindness By Mike Freeman

 Contagious Kindness

By Mike Freeman

My wife, DeeAnn was traveling to Colorado to share a vacation with our son Zachary, his wife Linley and our two grandchildren Finn and Cal. The flight had a stopover in Las Vegas where she moved to another seat. Unfortunately, she didn't realize she left her wallet in the original seat until she had arrived in Colorado.

DeeAnn went back to her original seat, feverishly looking for her wallet. It wasn't to be found anywhere. A fellow passenger who was sitting in front of DeeAnn asked her what she was looking for. DeeAnn described her wallet and the passenger said she thought the flight attendant discovered the wallet during the Las Vegas stopover and turned it over to the pilot of the aircraft. The pilot then turned the wallet over to Las Vegas airport personnel, assuming that the wallet had been left behind by a passenger who deplaned in Las Vegas.

DeeAnn was distraught. She was in Colorado with no credit cards or cash and she had to meet our son and his family soon to start their vacation.

DeeAnn was able to talk to the pilot of the aircraft. He understood her dilemma and immediately went down to the customer service desk of the airline.  He called back to Las Vegas to see if they had found her wallet, and and asked if they could forward it to her over the next few days.

Then a smile slowly crept across his face as he reached into his back pocket, pulled out his wallet and gave DeeAnn $60 cash.

DeeAnn was taken aback by the pilot's kindness. She couldn't believe that a complete stranger would go out of his way to help her, especially when he had no obligation to do so. She thanked him profusely, feeling a sense of relief wash over her knowing that she now had some money to get by.

She offered to pay the pilot back when she had recovered her wallet.  He refused. DeeAnn told him that she would donate that same amount of money to a charity in his name and in his honor.

Over the next few days, DeeAnn kept in touch with the airline's customer service team, checking on the status of her lost wallet. Finally, on the second day of her vacation, she received a call from the airline informing her that her wallet had been found and would be shipped to her as soon as possible.

DeeAnn was overjoyed. She couldn't wait to be reunited with her wallet and when she finally received it, everything was there including the cash and credit cards. But she also couldn't stop thinking about the pilot who had gone above and beyond to help her during her time of need..

DeeAnn never forgot the pilot's generosity, and she made a point to pay it forward by helping others whenever she could. The pilot's simple act of kindness had a ripple effect that went far beyond the few days DeeAnn spent in Colorado.

It's truly heartwarming to hear stories like this where a complete stranger goes out of his way to help someone in need. The pilot's act of kindness not only helped DeeAnn during her difficult situation but also left a lasting impression on her, inspiring her to pay it forward and help others in need.

Acts of kindness have a powerful ripple effect, spreading positivity and compassion throughout communities. It's a reminder that we all have the ability to make a positive impact on someone's life, even in small ways.

It's also important to note that acts of kindness don't have to be grand gestures. Even simple acts like holding the door open for someone, offering a smile or kind words, or helping someone carry their groceries can make a difference.

DeeAnn's experience is a beautiful reminder that kindness is contagious, and we all have the power to spread it.

Truly the Things That Matter by Earnestly Hemingdave (as assisted by Chatbot)

 

Truly the Things That Matter

Earnestly Hemingdave

On an August day, hot and windy, a plume of smoke was spotted. The fire was close, too close. We threw our suitcases into the car, packed for the fire season, and hit the road. A week later, the River Fire was under control, but the Caldor Fire was just beginning. It quickly spread, becoming one of the most devastating fires in California's history. Thousands were evacuated, and more than 1000 structures were destroyed. But in the midst of the destruction, there were heroes. Firefighters risking their lives to preserve life and save homes. Their bravery was unmatched, and I couldn't help but feel grateful for their sacrifice.

In the midst of the chaos, there was a story of uncommon kindness. A young boy named Carter had built a fort and started his own business selling sharpened sticks. When the evacuation order came, he left behind his beloved fort and new home. But a group of firefighters arrived before the flames, and cleared the property to avoid damage or disaster. When Carter returned, he found that his fort had been saved. The firefighters had cut fire lines and even left a note with a promise of a cool video of helicopters dropping water.

Heroism, kindness, and sharpened sticks. In the face of disaster, these are the things that truly matter.

Heroism, Kindness, and Sharpened Sticks by David Molina

 Heroism, Kindness, and Sharpened Sticks 

David Molina

On a hot, windy summer’s day, Wednesday August 4, 2021 I got a phone call. It was from a neighbor alerting me that a plume of dense smoke had been spotted over the hill from our home. I walked outside, and sure enough, there was a mushroom cloud of dark smoke. It was impossible to judge how far away it could be, but it seemed very, very close. It was to the east of us, and at this time of day it meant that the prevailing winds would be heading away from our home rather than towards it.

However, the gusty winds were unpredictable. We threw our suitcases into the back of the car - they were already packed during the fire season - along with several bags of documents, photos, and computer back-up drives. In less than fifteen minutes we were down the driveway, down the hill, and heading to Sacramento. I made a hotel reservation while driving down, which was a good call because by evening there was a stream of evacuees and by the time we checked in, the hotel was at capacity.

Unfortunately the River Fire, as it was named, took almost a week to bring under control. The fire burned 2,614 acres, burned 142 structures, many of them homes. Several acquaintances of ours lost their homes. Four fire fighters were injured, but fortunately there were no fatalities. We were fortunate that the prevailing wind pattern drove the flames away from us. 

But the following week, and even bigger fire started south and east of us. This would be called the Caldor Fire. It started in El Dorado County, and it quickly spread due to the hot, dry, and windy conditions. It became one of the most devastating fires in California's history. Within a matter of days, the fire had grown to more than 10,000 acres, and it had forced the evacuation of  thousands of people. But in spite of the firefighting efforts of thousands of firefighters and emergency crews, the fire continued to grow, eventually burning an incredible 220,000 acres, from one side of the Sierras to the other.

By the time the fire eventually was controlled, more than 1000 structures had been destroyed in the miles long swath of this monster fire. There would have been many more homes destroyed had it not been for the brave firefighters. Their number one priority was to preserve life, and in spite of the danger and destruction there was only a single fatality. The second priority was to save as many homes as they could. They would do this by having a crew clear brush and flammable materials around the home, hose the roof, or form fire lines to thwart the wall of advancing flames. Once the danger had been averted, they would go to the next closest home to defend.

I often thought of the sacrifices these firefighters were making in doing their jobs. I had experienced the stress of evacuation and the days and weeks of uncertainty. But these firefighters, many of them far away their own families and homes for weeks on end, continued day after day working in the worst possible conditions. I couldn’t imagine what it would be like to work under layers of heavy, thick coats, pants, and hats, enduring the sweltering heat and smoke while performing the hard physical labor of fire fighting. All of this, while facing the danger of falling trees, collapsing structures, and firestorms. I had nothing but admiration and gratefulness for these men and women.

The fire threatened several communities, including South Lake Tahoe, a popular vacation destination, but also the home of many families. Thousands of tourists and residents were forced to evacuate the Tahoe basin, causing major traffic jams and road closures. 

A local newspaper writer, Miranda Jacobson, wrote about an incident, a story about heroism but even more, about uncommon kindness.

According to Ms. Jacobson, a 9-year-old boy named Carter Campbell had spent his first summer at a cabin in South Lake Tahoe that his parents had bought. While his dad was working on the cabin Carter built a fort to pass the time. It consisted of four walls and a table. In addition he started his own small business. He collected sticks, sharpened them, and set them outside his fort with a sign reading “Sharpened Sticks for Sale.”

When the emergency evacuation order was broadcast, Carter abandoned not only his fort, but his new home. It had to have been frightening to leave them and not know if they would still be there after the fire stormed through the basin.

But a group of firefighters from Riverside California led by Battalion Chief Scott Wilson arrived before the flames, and cleared the property to avoid damage or disaster.

When the danger had passed, the family returned to their property. Carter was very concerned that his fort had been destroyed, but to their surprise found that the firefighters had cut fire lines all the way around his fort. Not only that, they had taken down two of the walls that could have caught fire as a defensive measure. And on top of that, they found a note next to Carter’s pile of Sharpened Sticks:

“I bought three of your sticks. I hope a dollar each was fair. Contact me for a cool video of helicopters dropping water by your fort. 

Signed,

 Battalion Chief Wilson”

The Store/La Tienda by Paul Delgado

The Store/La Tienda

by Paul Delgado

My grandparents, Agustin and Maria, owned a small corner grocery store in East Los Angeles during World War II. My grandfather was a welder, and my grandmother took care of the little store. At that time, my dad was serving overseas, and his sisters, my aunties, were in high school.

My grandparents were struggling to make ends meet during those years. However, they managed to survive with the small income from the store and my grandfather's job. Additionally, they owned a very small apartment in the neighborhood that they had purchased years before and rented out to a newly married couple.

After a few months, the newlyweds were unable to pay the rent. One morning, on his way to work, my grandfather asked my grandmother to speak to them and tell them that they needed the rent money that week or they would have to ask them to leave.

Later that night, my grandfather returned home from work and asked my grandmother how it went that day. "Did you speak to the tenants? Were you able to collect the rent?" he inquired.

"Ay Agustin," she sighed. "When I saw how poor they were, I couldn't ask them for the rent."

"What did you do?" he asked.

"I went back to the store and bought them groceries," she replied.

The Road Trip by Paul Delgado

 

The Road Trip

Paul Delgado

My cousin Richie went to Loyola. He was a top athlete but unfortunately didn’t make the varsity rowing team roster for the 1973 Western Conference finals in Vancouver. He was disappointed but still wanted to show his support to the team. So, one Friday night over a few beers, he and his buddy Jerry decided they would ride their motorcycles to Vancouver for the championship games the following weekend. With limited funds, they calculated they had enough money to make it there and back, yet still have enough cash for partying with their teammates. When they left L.A, they made sure to stash money for return gas and motels in Richie’s backpack. “This is untouchable” Rich said. “No matter what, we can’t spend this dough.” “Absolutely,” Jerry answered. So off they went.

The motorcycle ride to Vancouver was long but uneventful. Upon arriving in Canada, they were enthusiastically greeted by their teammates and then proceeded to blow almost all their money over the course of a couple of days. The night before they began their ride back to L.A. and in a state of “Coors enlightenment,” they calculated that a little of the “untouchable” cash could be spent. They had met a couple of girls and wanted to impress, so foolishly, they dug into the “untouchable” cash stash.

The next day, with serious hangovers, they said goodbye to the girls and began the long trek home. It was March, and the weather was cold. As they approached Medford, Oregon, they realized they only had enough money for gas and would not be able to stay in a motel. Pressing on, the weather worsened, and it began snowing. Stopping under a bridge on I-5, completely exhausted and freezing, they realized they were in deep trouble.

Shivering uncontrollably in the night air, they knew they wouldn’t survive unless they found shelter, so Richie decided on a course of action. “We need to get to the local police station.” Trembling and blue from the cold, they walked into the small police office and asked the desk sergeant if he would arrest them so they would have somewhere to stay. The officer shook his head and said, “Sorry boys,” and explained he couldn’t do that as they had not committed any crime. With despair in their eyes, Rich and his buddy turned toward the door when suddenly the sergeant stopped them and asked them to wait a moment. Putting on his Sheriff’s Parka, he told them to get on their motorcycles and wait for him outside.

After a couple of minutes, the sergeant pulled up and told the boys to follow him. Dutifully, they nodded and rode off behind the squad car. After about a half-mile, they pulled into a Motel 6 parking lot. Together they walked into the lobby, and the sergeant asked the clerk to get the boys a room which he personally paid for. He then gave them a little money for burgers at the McDonald’s across the street.

Rich and his buddy couldn’t believe it. “Thanks so much” was all they could say. “How can we repay you?” The sergeant smiled and said, “Once upon a time, I was a dumb kid too.” “Next time, you guys might want to plan a little better.” He chuckled and climbed into his car and drove off. The next day, the weather had cleared, and after a long and exhausting ride, they made it safely back to L.A.

Over the past fifty years, Rich has recounted this story many times and is still touched by the officer’s uncommon kindness and generosity, which probably saved their lives.

Mabuhay! (Hooray!) Paul Delgado

 Mabuhay! (Hooray!)

Paul Delgado

In 2000, my family and I were living in Cebu, Philippines, which was a happy time in our lives. We loved Asia and little did we know that we would spend the next fourteen years in that part of the world. At the time, my son, Cristian (Coco), was a junior at the Cebu International School (CIS), doing well academically and in sports. He was one of those charismatic individuals who was very popular on campus and a colorful character to say the least. More often than not, he found himself in the Headmaster’s office accounting for his good-natured antics.

Apart from his classroom shenanigans, he had a serious side and a special place in his heart for the younger kids in the elementary program. He spent many hours of his personal time coaching and playing along with the little ones on the soccer field.

That fall semester, he decided to run for student body Public Relations Officer. I questioned him about his commitment as it would require a serious bit of work, but he said he wanted to tackle it. I wasn't totally convinced that he was ready to take on the responsibility as much as he wanted to revel in the limelight, but okay... Here we go!

The other candidate for the position was a very talented young Korean girl, Ms. Kim. She was a top student and very driven. She was more than capable of handling the position. A few weeks passed, and the school held a student body meeting in the Gymnasium where the candidates could outline their vision and explain how they would be the right choice.

Ms. Kim stepped up to the podium and methodically explained how she would represent CIS to the local community. She also shared her passion and love for the school. After she left the stage, Coco walked up to the podium and delivered an impassioned and fiery speech.

"Students and parents of CIS!!" he called out to the jam-packed auditorium, "If elected, these are my promises and you can count on them! I will raise our teachers’ salaries! I will widen Talamban Road! I will bring in new government funding for the school! I will ensure more holidays for students! I will shorten classroom sessions to four hours per day! I will bring in new catering services for lunch! I will extend summer vacation! These are my promises, and I will keep them!"

At that moment, his buddies in the bleachers began shouting on cue. "Mabuhay Coco! Mabuhay!!" In a minute, the entire auditorium began chanting "Mabuhay Coco, Mabuhay!" He stepped down from the podium to thunderous applause. The headmaster and staff could only shake their heads and laugh. Only Coco! Needless to say, he won the election by a landslide.

A few days later, I asked him if he was ready to get serious and undertake the duties he was elected to perform. "Actually dad," he said, "I spoke to the headmaster today and told him I would not be taking the job. Ms. Kim is the one who really deserves it!" All I could say was, "Mabuhay Coco! Well done!"