I want to continue on from when Beth is in the ditch. She had fallen because she was stomping home in the dark, a car had come over the hill with its brights on and she stepped in a hole going head over heels down the hill.
I just put together a post with the story #1 drafts in order in case you needed this as much as I did.
I just looked at the post I was thinking about and it ends with a part about a flashback to when Alec’s dad, George, was telling a story.
Continued from, “This particular story happened at the high school.”
Alec’s dad proceeded to tell him the story, his rum and coke in one hand.
“There was one Mexican family that worked for The Gundersons at the time. The González family. They were (and are) a sweet, hardworking family with a ton of kids. Just like the farmers out there, but they didn’t have as much money. They lived in the trailer park. Still do. In a little pink trailer.” George remembered.
“Their kids saw each other all the time at home, but at school, the Gunderson boys were apparently bullies. Ben Gunderson was a football player. A little thick, and a jokester. Thought he was the funniest sucker in the school.
“Story was that Ben Gunderson took it too far one day–started calling them Mexican Beans and Gonzo Beans. He couldn’t stop himself. Then Pedro González finally lost his temper. One of those things where he was a quiet kid and took it every day, but just couldn’t anymore. Hit him right in the face.” George said, holding one fist up and mimed clocking someone in the chin.
“For some reason this got the whole town fired up. It was a whole deal. I didn’t really understand it at the time, I was away at college, causing my own mischief, but heard about it from my mom and dad. It was the Mexicans versus the Farmers. The Mexicans thought it was the Gunderson’s fault and the González’ said it was the white boy’s fault. Ended up old Ed Gunderson fired the whole family because he was so mad. That part wasn’t right.”
Alec asked his dad at the time why he decided to hire Noah Gunderson, with all of that.
“Noah is different. I trust him. He was only eight at the time, but he has spoken out about it and about human rights since then. I’m surprised he has stayed in town. His politics belong in the city.” George said, matter-of-factly.
“He kind of stays away from that part of his family. Does his own thing. Owns his own small woodworking business. And of course farms our land.”
Alec wondered how you stayed away from someone in Clearwater, Nebraska.
Alec also thought about how his dad’s politics tended to belong more at the farm, but he didn’t say anything. Alec himself was more on the moderate side, his wife on the liberal side. Her politics certainly belonged in the city. He would find this out when they moved to the farm two years later.
This writing feels like practice. At least the story that George is telling. I like the outline of the story, but the writing feels forced. I’m also wondering if I want to pick another white family for the Gonzalez family to be in a fight with. I do think I want the González family to save Beth or do something to show the town how great they are and make everyone reconsider their thoughts and feelings.
I might even do some research on tensions in farming towns with the workers. I know that at least in small town Nebraska, farm workers from Mexico are common and they do call them, “the Mexicans.” I want to make sure I’m getting it right, though.
What do we think?
My July NanoWriMo Writing goal update:
