diamonds in my arizona rough

Warning- I am NOT making any statements or stances on where I stand politically on my ideas of illegal immigration, because I myself still have no idea.

Scenario 1:
Tonight I paid a visit to one of Mesa's little nuggets of gold, Rancho Grande Super Market. It's a full size SUPER Latino super market that boasts freshly grilled carne asada Saturdays outdoors, an amazingly clean environment, an impressive selection of Latino groceries, a delicious freshly made to order take-out section, great music, and THE FRIENDLIEST smiles and customer service in the west. I first asked a teenage girl where I could find some "masa preparada" (ready made dough) for tamales and she KINDLY and HAPPILY guided me with a huge smile to the area where I could find some. I go to check out and one of the best things happens. A woman cashier in her 50's not only assumes I speak Spanish, (never happened to me in the U.S.) but talks to me in Usted which is our equivalent of ma'am or sir. She sincerely and sweetly asks me how i'm doing with a big smile on her face.

Scenario 2: Immediately after Rancho Grande I go to Target. A teenage girl is my cashier. The customer ahead of me asks how her day is going and she proceeds to complain about how she has to work on a Friday night. This is her direct quote, no joke: "There are plenty of old people that work here. You'd think they'd sign up for the Friday night shifts, but noooo, I'm stuck here on a Friday night instead."

I had no other option but to contrast the two situations right away. I mean they literally happened one right after the other in the same night. The only thing I could think of was the state of our economy and the gratitude most people have or should have for their employment, whatever it may be. I thought of the illegal immigrants that stand outside on Broadway Rd. waiting for work. You've all seen them in your own city somewhere probably. Every morning they are out on the street at 5am, if not earlier, waiting for their next gig where a stranger determines their pay and their work. And they keep going out there every day! That Target teen employee made me realize, even in these days of a national %10 unemployment rate, I still don't see any U.S. citizens out there competing with the illegal immigrants on Broadway. I've known some of those guys to make at least $10 an hr and they pick up jobs pretty consistently sometimes if they're good. So why aren't any U.S. citizens at $10 an hr skill level out there competing with them?

Scenario 3:
A situation close to home has completely been blown out of control. I wish I could give the history of this situation so that you could understand what's really going on, but that just wouldn't be right. After a long time of unemployment, some people we know have been offered an opportunity for employment in the same field as their previous career. They have not pursued or taken advantage of this opportunity at all. However, they are now PUBLICLY frustrated and disappointed with us for not doing enough for them.

After thinking about all of these different scenarios, it's really hard not to think about the all those illegal immigrants I see on Broadway everyday. They've become the talk of our state and the talk of the nation. After these people we know decided to voice their disappointment and frustration with us to others, I became extremely frustrated for the takers in life. All I could think of were the people who take, complain, expect, demand, etc. It made me so mad that even with the financial state of our country, and the state of every other country in the world, that people are still unwilling to work and expect to not have to work too hard. And then I thought of those guys out on Broadway Rd. waiting for work and they lightened my anger.

I remembered those wonderful workers at Rancho Grande Super Market, my co-workers at the Red Iguana who will be life long bussers at a restaurant, and the guys that stand out on the street in many cities waiting for work every day at 5am without any expectations, and they really brightened up my day. Their work ethic and gratitude has become a little diamond in my Arizona rough and i'm really grateful for them today.