My Tito

Moises Navarro carried his dull hunting knife. It had been given to him when he was a
boy and reminded him of home, of the family ranch where he’d learned to shoot and dreamt of
becoming a hunter. The blade dull after many years to the point where he only used the blade to
eat the eggs he ordered every day. The wooden handle smooth to the touch and faded in color
after having traveled thousands of miles alongside its owner.
He wore his silver cross around his neck. For as long as he could remember he’d had a
cross somewhere on his person with this one specifically having been given to him prior to
leaving for the United States. His family gave it to him as a reminder to look to God for strength
in order to face the trials and tribulations that awaited him once he crossed the border. After a
long day of work he slept easy when he felt the metal against his chest knowing that he wasn’t
entirely alone in a foreign country.
He carried his Zippo lighter in his pocket. He liked how reliable it was, how it had yet to
fail to produce a flame. He prefered it in its current imperfect,scratched state, when he bought it
he disliked how shiny the silver was and how fake it seemed to him.Now it seemed more real, it
reminded him of himself, imperfect and marked by years of work. He’d sometimes stare at the
flame not for it’s warmth but because of how it’d remind him of the nights he spent around the
fire with his family
He carried the weight of his family's dreams on his shoulder. He traveled to the United
States for the American dream but he knew it wasn't just his dream he was working for. The
work he did there would be the foundation of his family's future. He didn't know it then but he
would succeed and would make a business that would better his family’s quality of life for
generations.
He carried his silent determination to succeed. As the 3rd son in a family of over 10
children he was often overlooked. He knew he had to make a name for himself without the help
of his family. This determination is what led to him being the first sibling to go to the United
States. He wanted to be the one to lift his family to a new stage in society.
Now he carries his pride. Not proud of his own work but in the work of his sons. His sons
had taken the business he had started and brought it to a whole new level. He can now afford to
spend his days playing golf and enjoying the wildlife at his ranch. He can rest easy knowing he
succeeded in providing for his family and his children. Now he has 10 grandchildren and
counting and smiles when he realizes all those restless nights were not in vain.