‘Friend’

Later that night, after Rosa got off work, Jeremy Creek and Rosa made their way to the orphanage.

When they got there, Rosa walked up to the orphanage's door and knocked on it. A nun answered the door. Her name was Sister Encarnación. Her face was pale. She looked very tired.

Rosa asked her, "Hello sister. Is something wrong?"

Sister Encarnación let out a cough. "I'm sorry", she said. "I haven't been feeling well. Father Tomasino is in the back harvesting corn."

Rosa was surprised. "The father is out back harvesting corn by himself?", she asked.

Sister Encarnación sniffed her nose. "Yes. A truck will be here very early. They told us if we don't fill their truck they won't come back for a whole month."

"Bastards", Rosa thought to herself.

Rosa said, "I'm sorry, sister. I forgot to introduce you. This is Jeremy Creek. He's come to pick the corn for you."

Sister Encarnación's face lit up. "You come to pick corn? Where are you from? Are you Americano?"

"I'm from Kansas, sister", Jeremy said.

"Kansas", Sister Encarnación said pensively. "Is there corn in Kansas?", she asked.

"Oh yes, sister. We have tons of corn", Jeremy said.

Sister Encarnación's face lit up again. "Great!", she said. "Come this way!", she said, and led them out back to the corn field.

When they arrived there they saw Father Tomasino sitting on the ground.

"Father!", Sister Encarnación exclaimed. "Are you alright?!"

Father Tomasino looked down and said, "I'm okay sister. I put a little too much corn in my sack and took a little tumble."

"Oh my!", Sister Encarnación exclaimed. "Let me help you inside. A man has come to finish picking the corn, father."

"An Americano?", Father Tomasino asked.

"Yes, father", Sister Encarnación replied. "His name is Jeremy. He's from Kansas."

"He came all the way from Kansas to pick corn?", Father Tomasino asked.

"Yes, father", Sister Encarnación replied.

"Do they have corn in Kansas?", Father Tomasino asked.

"Yes, father. They have tons of corn. Please father, let me help you inside."

"Thank you sister", Father Tomasino said, as she helped him to his feet. "And thank you, Jeremiah from Kansas."

(Note: the photo in the middle is Ana de la Reguera as Sister Encarnación in the movie Nacho Libre; the photo on the right is Mexican actor and producer Ernesto Alonso)