Most of you know that besides me and the wife and kids, Miguel is the other person we have here working on the farm. He’s involved in pretty much everything that is post worthy, and all kinds of things that aren’t. What many of you don’t know is that before Miguel worked for me, his brother Vicente did. When Vicente first began working for me, he was in the country illegally, even though he was married to an American woman and entered the country as a minor. Both details that usually mean he can immigrate without a lot of trouble. In order for Vicente to work for me, I told him he’d have to get legal status. Since he paid his taxes, had never so much as jay walked, was married with two kids, and all in all was a better citizen than many actual citizens, it should have been easy. It wasn’t.
Just before Obama decided to stop deporting illegals who had committed no crimes, Vicente had his court final court date to allow him to begin becoming a citizen. The rule at the time was that in order to immigrate, you first had to get your visa. In order to get your visa, you had to apply in your country of origin. Even though everything was in order and usually the judge could waive the need to apply in the country of origin, this judge decided that Vicente needed to go back to Mexico to apply. Two years and a month ago we said goodbye to Vicente as he left his family behind to go to Mexico and fill out a form, and then wait. Yes really, that was the process. Leave voluntarily, then go fill out a form and wait. Meanwhile, you have to demonstrate you have a job and an income to be eligible to immigrate. You know the job you left behind when you left the country. Doesn’t make much sense.
Shortly after he left, they stopped deporting people just like him so for the two years he has been in Mexico nobody else followed. Bad timing. I’ve been working with both our Senator’s office and our Congresswoman’s office over the past two years trying to get him back. After much work on all sides, Thursday of this week, Vicente arrived!
I somehow have managed not to get a decent shot of him since he’s been home. This one came out too dark.
And this one is of his backside. Don’t worry though, he will be in lots of action to come. Vicente is living with Miguel for now so that they can carpool together to work. Also, since Vicente is home, Miguel decided he was short one vehicle.
Miguel found a Yukon Denali that had been repossessed and bought it from the repo company for about half what I’d have paid for it. If I ever get successful, I’m going to make Miguel my purchasing agent.
I helped him get it home, which was fun because it has a 6.2 liter Corvette engine in it. I didn’t even know that was an option in an SUV. It’s been sitting in my barn for a few weeks while we waited for the title to arrive from the repo company, a process that was monumentally slow. Miguel shined the truck, read the manual, changed the windshield, and generally did all that could be done to a truck he couldn’t drive. Remember seeing all those presents under the tree when you were a kid and knowing that Christmas was FOREVER away. Yeah, it’s been like that for Miguel. Yesterday the title was taken to the DMV and the tag was acquired.
It’s Christmas and New Years all rolled into one. Miguel has his new ride, his brother is back, there is a ton of work to do and we have the manpower to do it. Of course now he’s poorer than a church mouse but at least he’ll look good driving to work and back.
Yaaaa!!! Welcome home Vicente!!!!