Return to Sender

[Tyler’s] parents return, long-faced from the confrontation at Grandma’s house. Grandma has told her children that if they try to move her out of her house, she’ll run away, which is kind of funny, Grandma running away from home to protest being forced to leave her home.

Except that it’s not funny, Tyler thinks, wishing he could travel to another galaxy. He’d pick a planet with lots of farms and no borders or bullies bossing you around. His grandmother has told him that’s what heaven is like. But Tyler doesn’t want to have to die to go there, although it might be nice to join his grandfather and get to eavesdrop on the rest of the family plotting and planning on the earth below—without getting in trouble with his mother.

Up in the front seat, his parents are complaining about some old guy who always writes letters to the editor. This time his letter was about how a church group shouldn’t be allowed to peddle their refreshments at town meeting, as this country believes in separation of church and state “Grandma sure found her way around that one!” Mom is saying.

Tyler’s grandma and her friends agreed not to put up any sign that they were from the church. But in the icing of her sheet cake, Grandma traced a church, then stuck a little American flag atop the steeple.

Mr. Rossetti’s motion is voted down almost unanimously. For the first time ever, Tyler feels he has been part of the making of history. Not because he carried the flag and led everyone in saying the Pledge of Allegiance, but because he has seen democracy in action. People speaking up and reminding each other of the most noble and generous principles that are the foundation of being an American as well as a good person. Mr. Bicknell summed it up best: “We’re all born human beings. But we have to earn that e at the end of human with our action so we can truly call ourselves humane beings.”

Cargo?! Tyler can’t believe a human being would think of another human being that way! But he knows what Mari means about the demonstrations. It’s all over the news. In cities around the country, there have been big marches by people in favor of changing the laws to help immigrants. Just in Los Angelos, thousands upon thousands of people took to the street. Then, a week before Tyler’s 4-H club is supposed to go on its trip, there’s a national strike. People who support immigrants are asked to stay home from work. In D.C. there’s a huge protest march. The camera sweeps over the crowd waving American and Mexican flags and chanting “¡Sí, se puede!” which Tyler proudly translates for his family. Yes, we can! Yes, we can!

We spent the rest of the time walking around the city. Even Sara didn’t complain or ask to go shopping. But we didn’t see any demonstrators like we had seen on television. The streets were calm and full of people enjoying the beautiful spring weather. Everywhere there were so many flowers, like Nature was celebrating its quinceañera.

At first, Mamá clung to my hand, afraid she’d be picked up. But soon, she, too, relaxed as if she realized this was not just the capital of one country, but the home of everyone who loves freedom.

One of the places we visited was this stone wall engraved with the names of thousands upon thousands of soldiers who fought and died in a war not long ago. The stone was black and shiny, so you could see your reflection as well as the blooming trees and the clouds in the sky.