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unit1ThePermitIthinkthebuildingmusthavebeenusedasafarmer'swinterstore;Ifoundpilesofforgottendriedchestnutsandgraininrottingbarrels.Itriedthechestnutsbuttheytastedsourandsharp,andsomeofthemhadsmallteeth-marksintheirdark,peelingskins.Paulosaidhewouldbringmefood,butthatwasthreedaysago.Yesterday,Iheardacarenginegettingcloser,andclimbeduptohideintheraftersofthepatchedroof,buttheGuardiaCivilmenjustlookedinquicklythroughthesmashedwindowsandbrokendoorsbeforetheyleft.Iclungtothedustywoodenrafter,feelingitcreakandbendundermyweight,andtriedtomakenonoise.Myarmsandlegsgrewnumb,thenbegantotremble,andIlongedtomove,butIwaiteduntilIheardthepolicemendriveoff.IknowthatPaulowouldnothavetoldthemaboutme.AndIknowthattheywillreturn.Whenwebeganthefinalpartofourjourney,wewerewarnedthatthepolicepatrolthelandaroundhereregularly.Theyarealwayssearchingforus,orotherslikeus;thecoastofMoroccoandthePresidioofCeutaareonlytenmilesawayacrosstheStraits.ThatishowIgothere:squeezedinwithfifteenothermeninashallowboatmeantforeight,withthecoldwavesreachingoverthesidesandthenightdeepandblackasatomb.Ihaveneverbeenmorescared.Iprayedallthewayacross,andthoughtaboutmyfamily.Itoldmyself,overandover,thatIwasdoingitforthem.Thattriptookalmostallofmymoney.AllofthemoneyIhadsavedbackhomeinEcuador,allofthemoneyIhadworkedforontheway.Theboatmenleftusonabeachinthemiddleofthenight.Welostsightofthembutwecouldstillheartheirsmallengineacrossthewaves.Sixofusstartedwalkinginlandbuttheotherswaitedforthecontact,thefriendsoftheboatmen,astheyhadbeentold,andmettheGuardiaCivilinstead.Wewerelucky:wemetPaulo.Wefoundthetownandwaiteduntilthefirstbaropened;Iwentinalonewhiletheothershidintheorchardnearby.WhenIaskedforcoffee,theyoungbarmanlookedatmeandnodded.Hemadethecoffee,thendisappearedintothebackroom.Coldandwithoutstrength,Iwrappedmyhandsaroundthewarmcup,notcaringwhetherthebarmanhadcalledthepolice,notcaringaboutthenextmoment,justaboutthepresent.ButthemanhadcalledPaulo,whocameandhelpedus.Pauloisalwayssmiling,alwayshappy.HeisfromSeville,abusycityofmanypeople,andheknowsmanypeople.Paulofoundworkforus.Imadegoodmoneyonthefarms.Ipickedcabbages,andcauliflowers,andartichokesandbroccoli.Ipickedgreatroundyellowsquashesthatsmelledofrichperfumewhenyoubrokethem.Thefarmershiredusbytheday,andwerecontent.Thelocalpeoplewillnotworkforthewageswearepaid.Butthereweremanyfarms,andmanycropstobepicked.Wewerewelcomed.Isharedasmallcleanhouseinthetownwithsevenotherworkers.WehadjourneyedfromEcuador,Colombia,Venezuela,evenArgentina.Paulofoundthehouseforus-heknewthelandlordandarrangedagoodprice.Welivedwell,withenoughfoodandsometimeswine.IearnedmoreinaweekthanIcouldinthreemonthsbackhome,iftherehadbeenworktodothere.Isentmostofthemoneythatwaslefttomywifeandparents,andwrotemanyletterstothem.Thenthegovernmentchangedtherules,sothatweneededworkpermits.IqueuedwithhundredsofotherworkersoutsidetheAyuntamiento,waitingfortheapplicationforms.WesatonthestonebenchesbeneaththetreesinthePla?aandreadtheforms.Someoftheotherworkersarefromsmallvillagesandtowns,andcannotreadaswellasIcan,soIexplainedtothemthatthegovernmentwantedourbirthcertificates,drivinglicences,passportsandmanyotherdocuments.Manyoftheworkershadperhapsoneortwoofthesedocuments,butmosthadnone.IhelpedtheotherscompletetheformsandwegavethemtotheclerkintheAyuntamiento.Helookedatourdocuments,stampedtheformsmanytimesandtoldusthattheywouldbesenttoMadrid,andourpermitswouldbereturnedintwoorthreemonths.Iftheformswereapproved.Wehadtowait.EvenPauloandhisfriendscouldnothelpus.Thefirstmonthwasnottoobad,asmostofthefarmerscontinuedtouseus;theircropswererichandheavy,waitingtobepicked.ThensomemenfromMadridvisitedallofthefarms,andmaybehalfofthefarmersstoppedusingus.Thefarmerstoldusthattheyweresorry,andwebelievedthem.Sothesecondmonthwasworse:fewofthefarmerswoulduseus,andthosethatdidpaidverypoorwages.Wesharedwhatwehad,andateonceaday:rice,pasta,bread,cheapfoodthatwouldfillourstomachs.Webegantostareateachother,andwonderwhichofuswouldfindwork.Therewerefightsinthemorning,betweendifferentgroupsofworkers,whenthefarms'foremencametothePla?atochoosewhowouldworkthatday.Butstillwehadsomehope.Welostthehouseinthethirdmonth,aswehadnomoneyforrent.Wewereabletogetsomefoodfromthecharitykitchensaroundthetown,andthechurch,butwefoundalwaysalongqueueandverylittlefood.Wetookourbagsandblanketsandsleptinthefields.Thentheweatherbecamecoldandwesleptwherewecould,huddledtogether,inoldforgottenbuildingsandalleys.SometimesIdreamedofmyfamilyandmyhome,andwhenIawokeIwishedthedreamcouldcontinue.Thepeopleofthetownstaredatusfromthesidesoftheireyesastheypassedus.Theyclenchedtheirhandsandmuttered,andsomeofthemspatonthepavement.Afewofuswereattackedandbeateninthedark,anddrivenfromtheparksandstreets.Allofthetime,thePolicetoldustomoveon,moveon.Itistheendofthethirdmonthwhenithappens.ThefarmershirecoachesandsendthemintothePla?aColom.Fromfouro'clockinthemorningwewaitinshufflingsilence,handspusheddeepintopockets,ourhatspulleddowntightagainstthecoldandthewatchingpolicemen.Bythetimethecoachesarrivetherearehundredsofworkerswaitingintheda