Chapter 2
It was late, here he was staring at the dark muddy field, trying his hardest to be a good friend. Looking for that dang asparagus knife. Max was 5 or six rows down, squat over, hovering the fields.

Wait…what’s that shiny bit? Elpidio thinks to himself. He reaches over under the plant. Oh wow, a dime. He puts it in his pants pocket. At least it’s not a total loss. Made 10 cents.

Max walks over to him. His flashlight beaming in Elpidio’s face.

In his native Visayan dialect.
“No luck.” Max says.

“I looked at these 8 rows twice already. Can’t you just buy another knife off the foreman on Monday?” Elpidio insists.

“I told you. The one I broke last week, this lost one was the replacement. I’ll be docked on my upcoming paycheck for another one.”
Max says.

“This is not reasonable. Look how late it is. I have Magdalena at home asleep right now.”
Elpidio insists.

In the distance, the sound of dogs barking.

“Oh no, farmer John’s dogs!” Max whispers.

They cut off their flashlights.

“Run!”

The sound of dogs barking and the faint voice of the farm owner Mr. John Overton yelling.

Farmer John in the distance ” Who goes there, get off my property!”

The sound of shotgun blast ring over the fields.

The two pinoys run to the car and haul out. A muzzle flash then, a few shotgun pellets wiz pass their vehicle. Almost hitting the car.

A few miles back towards town.

“That was close”. Max is laughing.

Elpidio has a mixed look of despair and anger building up on his tired 32 year old face. In his life, it wasn’t the first time he heard gunfire. But that was years earlier during the war. Didn’t think he’d encounter this here in his new homeland.