Along the Mexican border …

C: What are you doing?
L: I’m looking for something to eat. Maria and I can’t afford to buy anything to eat because we are saving up to cross over the border tonight.
J: Ah, you too are hoping to get across?
C: Yes, oh yes. Let me introduce my wife, America. And my name is Candido.
L: And I’m Luisa.
J: José. Pleased to meet you.
A: Likewise. Do you want to come and have a drink with us so that we can get to know each other better?
A: So, where do you guys come from?
L: We are poor peasants from Alamos and you?
C: We’re from Mexico too so we know what it’s like to be destitute too.
J: I’ve got a friend, you know, who immigrated to California. He never stops telling me how wonderful life is out there. I’ve got to see it for myself one of these days! I can’t wait.
L: He sends us letters every month and you should see the postcards he puts in – they are awesome. You wouldn’t believe it. The cars, the palm trees – wow!
A: Sounds great. The States sound so great; it makes me want to leave this place even more.
C: And did your friend settle in well in the States? Did he find a good job? And a house? Can he pay the rent?
J: Yes, he did. And we hope to do just the same. We’ll go to any lengths to make a success of our lives there.
L: So will us! I think we’ve all got our own American Dream.
A: My own personal dream is to own a cooker, a fridge and …
C: and a fabulous car and a huge house. I’d absolutely love take singing and dancing lessons. I long to become the new Michael Jackson.
(Pause)
C: Yes, but above all, we want to find better living conditions to bring up our future children.
L: Oh America! Are you pregnant? Congratulations to both of you! I’d love to have a child too but I can’t because... Well, before I was a man.
J: And as that kind of thing doesn’t go down very well in Mexico, well, we thought that we’d go to the States to adopt a child.
A: Well, why not. We’re going there