["Batuka" by Tito Puente plays] [♪] [♪] [intro beat resumes] [♪] [♪] [♪] [cars honk] [♪] [♪] [passersby chatter] [♪] [♪] [music intensifies] [music ends] [lively tune plays] Are you <i>really</i> gonna start working in the tobacco fields tomorrow?

NANCY: Sure we are, Delia.

You're coming with us, aren't you?

It wouldn't be the same without you.

We all got to stick together.

I don't know.

I don't know if I can ask mom that.

But boy, would the money be nice!

How much do you think we make, Juanita?

I don't know.

The tobacco guy said we'd all get the minimum wage, and that's better than babysitting.

He said we could make several hundred dollars if we work all summer.

I've never seen that much money in my life!

YVONNE: You can say that again!

I've never seen that much money in my life either!

You know... I think I'm going to save up to buy an AM/FM portable radio.

Then I could get all the good music stations!

¡Qué chévere!

Maybe I can buy a stereo and some new records, too.

Boy, have I dreamed of doing that!

I can get myself some new clothes, too!

Yeah!

When you got your own money you can buy some stuff that <i>you</i> like.

No mom to say, "That thing is just a fad!"

"You don't want that."

Yeah!

And new clothes, like in the magazines!

Boy!

I'm for it!

What do we have to do?

Well, you just take the tobacco bus that goes by the corner.

Early!

Real early.

Tomorrow morning.

It takes us there and brings us back in the afternoon.

Simple as that.

What are you going to tell your parents, Delia?

Gee, I hadn't thought of <i>that</i>.

I know!

I'll write a note telling them that I'll stay over in the afternoon with you, at your house, if that's okay with you.

I'll probably catch it when I get home.

I have some stuff to do or mom tomorrow.

Okay, Delia.

Here's a form that can be passed out to the kids.

You gotta fill it out and bring it with you.

[running footsteps] [annoyed] Ángel!

I thought I told you a million times to knock before you barge in.

Aren't you ever gonna grow up?

But the door was open!

So?

The heck with you guys!

So I'll eat the alcapurrias mami cooked all by myself!

[footsteps recede] [smacks newspaper] It's about time they start looking into the problems at the plantation.

What's happening?

They're looking into what they do to kids in the fields on the plantation.

It makes me mad when I remember all of it.

When I was a kid, I hated it!

<i>Hey, man...</i> I know what you mean.

You know... There's still a lot of 'em kids working there now.

And nobody seems to care what's going on!

You know... It's good somebody's doing something about it.

It should have been done a long time ago.

The way those kids are treated, the food they have to eat, the way they live... - Yeah... And after all, how they treat them... I mean, I hate that!

<i>Hey, man</i> it goes on everywhere.

You know, Pito?

My grandfather... Told me when I was a little kid, y'know?

About the times when he worked in the potato field.

About his father-- my great grandfather.

He was a slave, you know!

You're talking about hard times.

Them was some<i> hard</i> times.

We haven't made much progress, have we?

Listen, Lu.

No matter how you look at it, it's hard work, even for an adult.

Believe me!

LU: Yeah... Well... [smacks newspaper] Talking about work... - We better get rolling.

- [chuckles] Yeah!

<i>[bus engine running]</i> Juanita, I've forgotten to bring the papers with me.

What am I gonna do now?

Oh... Well, tell him that you forgot, and tell him that you'll bring them with you next week.

Don't worry.

Okay, Nancy... You go to shed number 5 over there.

And Pete will tell you what your job will be.

Clark... Juanita Clark.

Mm-hmm.

Okay, Juanita.

Everything is fine here.

[papers crumple] You just follow Nancy.

Where's your papers, little one?

I forgot them, sir.

I was in such a rush this morning, I just forgot them.

Can I bring them with me next week?

No.

Can't hire you unless you have papers.

Besides... You look too young to me.

Are you 14?

No.

Don't you kids ever read what's given you?

Hmph Sorry, little one... <i>But you have to be</i> <i>14 years old in the state.</i> And you have to have working papers.

So, that's it!

You got anyone... ...to come pick you up and take you home?

No, sir.

My papi works, and my mami doesn't drive.

Couldn't I just go back with the kids I came with?

I won't cause any trouble.

Honest!

I'll just sit and watch.

Okay, okay.

Just no horsing around, and stay put.

<i>Next!</i> [papers rustling] [upbeat piano tune plays] [♪] [♪] [percussion beat joins] [♪] [♪] [♪] [tractor engine running] [engine revs] [♪] [bin drags] [♪] [♪] [tractor drives by loudly] [♪] [tractor driving by] [♪] [birds chirping] [music fades out] [paper rustling] [chair drags] [chopping angrily] ¿Pero qué se le metió en la cabeza a esta niña para hacer una cosa como esa?

[exasperated] No tengo la menor idea.

She has <i>never</i> done anything like this before.

¿Por qué no me dijo nada ayer?

<i>[chopping resumes]</i> [punctuates with knife] Delia <i>knows</i> that she has chores that she is supposed to do today for me.

She didn't even straighten up her room.

And she sure knows how I feel about <i>that!</i> Es que tú le das mucha libertad a los niños.

<i>[chopping continues]</i> Tienes que aguantarlos un poco.

Mira lo que le pasó a mi hijo.

[slams knife] ¡Doña Inés!

¡No me dé ningún lecture ahora!

I'm half out of my mind.

Delia sabe la diferencia entre el bien y el mal.

And she knows that what she has done is wrong, or else she wouldn't have sneaked out of the house <i>so</i> early and just left a note.

[resumes chopping] [slams down knife] ¿A dónde diablos estará metida?

Ay, qué mujeres... You know, sometimes you talk so much.

I feel as if I'm losing my power of speech.

She will come back soon, and I'm <i>sure</i> she has a reason for what she did.

Or at least thought she did.

Así que cójanlo suave.

[♪] [chair drags] [quick footsteps] [♪] [water gurgles] [indistinct chatter] - Hola.

- Hola.

- ¿Ustedes hablan español?

- Sí.

<i>DELIA: </i> <i>¿Cuánto les van a pagar?</i> Me pagan bien.

- ¿Te gusta hacerlo?

- Sí.

- ¿Tienes que trabajar mucho?

- Sí.

- ¿Tú vienes de Puerto Rico?

- Sí.

[mumbles] Hace un año vine de allá.

- ¿Hablas inglés?

- No.

- ¿Te gusta hacer esto?

Sí.

Si tengo que hacerlo como quiera, porque... DELIA: [giggles] Tengo que trabajar... Pa' mantenerme, si no... - Okay, bye.

- Bye.

[pages flipping] Luis, will you, <i>please</i>, do me a big favor?

Mm-hmm.

Look, I have to take Esther Guzmán to the doctor today and I'm already late for the appointment.

Will you, please, call Juanita's house and tell Delia that she has to come home <i>at once</i>?

She has things that she's supposed to do for me today, - and I'm so mad at her, that-- - All right, all right!

Cool down.

I'll get it for you.

I'm dialing now.

eh... It's just tha-- that doña Inés has been at me all morning-- LUIS [dialing]: All right.

And I have a million things to do.

LUIS [softly]: All right.

Okay, I'll calm down.

I'll calm down.

[phone dials] 3...54.

Bye, honey.

Bye.

...4.

[footsteps leaving] Hello, Mrs.

Clark?

<i>[bell chimes and door closes]</i> Luis Blanco, Delia's father.

Oh, fine, thank you.

How are things there?

<i>ÁNGEL:</i> <i>[indistinct conversation]</i> <i>[door shuts]</i> <i>LUIS: Ah, yes.

That's fine.</i> ÁNGEL: ...the cat's outside the hole, see?

Uh-huh... When the cat puts her nose to the hole, the mother mouse yells, "woof, woof, woof!"

And the cat runs away scared stiff.

<i>LUIS: No, I'll tell you</i> <i>what I'll do...</i> Then, the mother mouse tells the baby mouse: "See the advantage of knowing a second language?"

ALL [laugh] <i>LU: That's all right!</i> <i>Where did you learn that one?</i> Ángel?

Ángel, excuse me.

Ah-- do you happen to know... <i>[bell chimes and door closes]</i> ...where Delia is going-- DORIS: [exhales sharply] - No.

- Are you sure?

You know?

I really must be losing my mind.

That doctor's appointment isn't until tomorrow.

[sighs] What's wrong?

I don't know.

Seems like our little girl thinks she is <i>all grown up,</i> and old enough to go to work.

What do you mean?!

No wonder she wasn't here when we got up this morning.

A bunch of the kids went to work to the tobacco fields, and Delia went with them.

<i>DORIS [groans]:</i> <i>Oh my...</i> Somebody around here must know what's going on.

Ángel?

Maybe.

What do you mean 'maybe', Ángel?

Where's Delia?

Remember yesterday, mami?

When all the girls were in Delia's room?

They looked like they'd done something wrong.

When I went in I saw Delia hide a paper in her jewelry box.

She looked like a cat that swallowed a canary.

Will you run upstairs and see if it's there, Ángel.

On the double!

[running steps] [magazine page flips] Well... Relax, honey.

<i>LUIS: Just relax.</i> Relax?!

How am I supposed to relax when I don't even know where my little girl is?

Can you-- uh... get ahold of yourself?

[paper rustling] Good Lord!

Now, what do we do?

Do you know what this is?

This is a form for employment at some farm somewhere across the river.

Luis, what do we do?

<i>LUIS: Across the river?</i> Take it easy, Doris.

Let's see.

Oh, me and Pito know where this place is!

My brother's kid just started working there last week.

We drove out there just to check it out.

We'll just drive out there and bring her home.

[relieved sigh] - See?

Why don't you come with us?

You'll worry yourself to death waiting here.

- Okay?

- Okay, yeah.

Let's go.

Take it easy, Luis.

We'll be back in no time with our little fledging, okay?

- Take it easy.

- Thanks.

[growls lightheartedly] [door shuts] [soft guitar music plays] [♪] [♪] [♪] [♪] <i>LU: You know, Doris...</i> When I was a kid <i>I think about 6 or 7, </i> I ran away!

<i>DORIS: You ran away?</i> Yeah!

Well, it seems silly now.

But at the time, wow!

It was a big thing.

You know... My grandmother was taking care of us.

<i>LU: And boy, was she ever</i> <i>a tough little old lady!</i> She had this thing about... you had to eat everything before leaving the table.

So one day, she put this thick bowl of spinach in front of me.

I'm sittin' there lookin' at the spinach, and the spinach, lookin' right back at me.

<i>LU:</i> <i>There was no way in the world</i> <i>I was gonna eat that spinach.</i> <i></i>[car passes by] As soon as my grandmother's back was turned, I whips up and run to my bedroom, you know?

To grab my bag and to jump out the window.

<i>Ran to my friend's house next door.</i> My brothers and sisters all came looking for me.

About 25 minutes before they found me.

And man... I felt-- I felt kinda bad then.

<i>LU: They all came there</i> crying and looking scared.

Now I know it's not the same thing that's going on with Delia.

But... She's growing up now.

And she's gonna have to skin her nose quite a few times before she's through.

[♪] Don't worry.

[♪] [traffic hums] [♪] [soft guitar music continues] JOB BOSS: [slaps clipboard] [engine revs] [doors open] [♪] [car door slams] LU: Let's see your hat.

Wait there.

[♪] [carefully] Hi, mami... <i>[car door opens softly]</i> [car door closes] <i>[birds chirping]</i> [♪] LU: [sighs] Boy... Now has <i>this</i> been a day for the Blancos!

[car door opens] [car door closes] I know what.

Let's get the boat ride home.

How'd you like that, Delia?

That's crazy!

This morning I came on the bus, and now I'm going home on the boat?

Are you kidding me?

No!

Really kid.

You wait and see.

Old Lu here?

Campeón for magic.

[engine starts] [birds chirping] [lighthearted music] [♪] [♪] [♪] [♪] [engine hums] [♪] [brake engages] [♪] [♪] [♪] [boat engine hums] [engine chugs steadily] [♪] - Delia... - I'm sorry, mami.

Is that all you can say?

"I'm sorry"?

No, it's hard to explain.

Pues trata, mija.

Try to explain to me what happened today.

Well, it seemed like such fun when we were all talking about it.

About the money I can make.

Besides... All the other kids were going.

<i>DORIS:</i> <i>And that made it right?</i> <i>Just because</i> <i>all the other kids were doing it,</i> <i>that made it right?</i> Not to talk it over with papi and me?

Just to go ahead... and leave only a note?

And even that, Delia, you didn't tell the truth.

Didn't you stop and think for one moment that we'd be half out of our minds when we found out?

<i>[water laps softly]</i> Delia, it's really not like you.

I didn't think you and papi would let me go, if I asked.

I was gonna tell you when I got home.

De veras, mami.

Honest!

Honest?

Delia, do you know what honesty is?

Real honesty?

It's when people love each other.

Really, really love each other, and care for each other, and for the feelings of each other.

It's more than that.

It's trust, too.

And it's gotta work both ways, Delia.

It can't just be that I trust <i>you</i>.

<i>I hope that you can trust me, too.</i> <i>Life isn't all </i> <i>fun and games.</i> I know growing up isn't easy.

It's hard!

It's times like this when you have to stop and begin to... think things out for yourself, <i>and see how</i> <i>what you do will affect others.</i> You won't be right all the time.

No more than papi and I are right all the time, but... If you don't try now to be honest with us and to trust us, Delia, the next time will be harder.

What do <i>you</i> really feel about what happened today?

<i>DELIA:</i> <i>I know what I did was wrong.</i> I knew as soon as I got there.

And when I saw those men from Puerto Rico and saw how hard they were working, I really felt lucky to be me.

To live where I do... To have papi with us all the time so he can always be with us.

I <i>am</i> happy.

¿Papi tiene coraje conmigo?

Papi is more worried than mad at you.

You're very special to him... in case you've forgotten.

Lo sé.

[♪] [sigh] ¿Sabes una cosa?

Life is learning.

For grownups, too.

<i>Not just for you and Ángel...</i> <i>But for me and papi, too.</i> <i>You're growing up.</i> Sometimes I forget that you're not my little baby anymore.

I gotta remember that.

That's what I learned today.

<i>What did you learn today?</i> <i>¿Qué aprendiste?</i> That there's gonna be a lotta things I <i>want</i> to do that I'm not ready for.

<i>DORIS: Well, maybe not</i> <i>until we've talked them over, huh?</i> Sí, mami.

But I still can't wait until I'm old enough to work.

[chuckles] I know.

I know.

[hapsichord tune playing] [exhales contently] [♪] [♪] [♪]