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Raymundo Apodaca
Professor Lawrence
English 1311
July, 6 2014
Communication Breakdown!
From the Mayan pyramids of Chichen Iza in Mexico to the Taj Mahal in India, it doesnt
matter where you are at in this world. The concept of literacy applies to everyone. It is a basic
but important notion that we need to have, in order to function adequately in our present society.
Imagine being illiterate and having to go out and face the daily struggles of life that require
literacy. I will take you to a small unmarked place in a tiny village in northern Mexico, where
the story of Mayelo took place.
Approximately thirty years ago, Mayelo was born in Villa Ahumada, Chihuahua MX (85
miles south of El Paso, TX). He is a hardworking man and has a young ten year old boy. He has
gone through numerous hardships throughout his life and unfortunately for him, being illiterate is
a major one. He dropped out of primary school not even a quarter of way into it in order to work
and help his poverty stricken family. Extreme poverty and living in slum-like conditions took a
toll on him which forced him to become desperate. When he reached his teenage years he got
involved with drug trafficking and organized crime, which led to his arrest by the time he was in
his early twenties. Upon his release and with the mentality of turning his life around, he met my
uncle Javier at a rodeo event, in which led to my uncle hiring Mayelo to watch over his 50
hectare ranch in Lucero, Chih MX and all the cattle that resided there. On numerous occasions
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there have been criminals dumping corpses, breaking in and stealing cattle, copper from electric
circuits, and numerous equipment used for the excavation of wells.
On a windy Saturday afternoon of April 2014, Mayelo was patrolling the large ranch in a
1997 black Chevy Suburban that my uncle Javier provided in order for him to complete his job
more efficiently. As he was driving over dried brush and navigating up and down hills the SUV
came to a sudden stop. Concerned, he deliberately stepped out of the vehicle and took a quick
unsure glance at it. As his pulse elevated and he began sweating excessively (It seemed as if he
had just gotten out of the pool) he told his son to call Javier through a cell phone. Upon hearing
the news, Javier rushed to his White 2001 Chevy Silverado to go over and assess the situation.
I just gave him that suburban, I ensured that everything was working properly. What could
have possibly gone wrong? he thought to himself. Upon arriving to the ranch he briefly
searched for Mayelo and he found him in less than five minutes. What happened Mayelo? The
vehicle is not starting? asked Javier. No, I was just driving and it stopped all of a sudden
replied Mayelo. Let me take a quick look. Javier got in the SUV and turned on the vehicle.
As all the indicator lights came on the fuel gauge caught his attention. The gauge read E, the
suburban had ran out of gas. There was no malfunction and nothing was broken. Frustrated, my
uncle opened the back of the suburban and pulled out a couple of jerry cans full of fuel. As he
finished fueling the vehicle, he instructed Mayelo to turn it on. As the engine was running, he
glanced at Javier with a look of embarrassment and defeat.
After this culminating event I began to reflect on his son. Is he going to school? I
thought to myself. Hopefully he escapes the mentality that his father carried, of school not being
an essential tool in life, for his own sake. We live in a world where literacy is necessary in order
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to succeed. If he follows his fathers example, he could cause a chain reaction of illiteracy on his
familys future generations.
Literacy goes beyond reading and writing. It also goes towards having knowledge of any
given subject. We have to remember that literacy is a foundation that we will have to shape in
order to function more adequately as individuals. With a dense substance of literacy, we will be
able to keep feeding our minds with knowledge and sojourn unnecessary struggles that life
naturally throws at us. Dont set a bad example to the younger individuals in your life, dont
cause a domino effect of illiteracy. Give your children that powerful tool, so that they enable
themselves to succeed.