Biden Will Be the Nominee
“Why did you make the right choice?” Rob echoed the question, “Because Joe Biden understands that the future of this country depends on Hispanics having opportunities and the tools they need to succeed.”
Juan discarded his empty can into the recycling box. Standing, he indicated that he was ready to tackle the fence project and that Rob should join him. “What kind of tools and opportunities are you talking about?”
Rob stood and looked around for his work gloves, “Well, for one thing, Biden has worked hard to fix our broken immigration system. You know that.”
Juan marked a spot on the ground beneath the string line and then planted the post-hole digger. He grimaced, not from physical exertion, but from the conflicting thoughts about the migrants coming across the border. “I know it’s a lot different now than it was under Trump,” he said, shoving the string aside with his leg and bringing the tool down on the desert soil with a thump.
“Exactly!” Rob cried enthusiastically. “Trump failed the Hispanic community repeatedly, and everybody knows it. He separated children from their families, and he constantly attacked the Dreamers.” By Dreamers, Rob meant the children born in the United States to undocumented migrants.
Juan nodded his head as he kept rhythmically excavating. The chunk and swoosh of his efforts rapidly deepening the hole. “Thanks, Rob.”
Rob brought up a plastic wheelbarrow and shoveled the excess dirt out of Juan’s way. “What for?”
Juan took a short break, resting his weight against the handles, “I’ve got a lot of different feelings about immigration,” he said with a deep breath approaching a sigh. “But when you talk about the kids like that, I really get it. It’s wrong what he did.”
“Donald Trump has done nothing but assault the dignity of Hispanic families over, and over, and over again,” Rob fairly bubbled with enthusiasm.
Juan began to regret engaging Rob in this line of conversation. He knew from long experience that his friend could bash on Trump for hours on end. So Juan moved to cut him off before Rob dragged him too much further down this path. “Yeah, but I don’t know. Do you think Biden’s gonna make it? I mean, he’s so old. Is he even going to run for president again?”
“What?” Rob blustered defensively. “Who told you that? Let me tell you something: First, Biden is going to sweep the Democratic primaries. Second, if he runs against Trump again (and that’s not likely), he’s going to win the presidency in a landslide. Four more years!”
Juan’s post-hole digger slammed down again, hitting something hard and unyielding as if he’d slammed the blades down on concrete. “How can you be so sure?”
“Did you see his last campaign speech?” Rob asked. “Biden was fired up! I don’t know what you’ve heard about his age and mental capacity, but the man I saw is determined to go full ‘Dark Brandon’ and take Trump out no matter what it takes,” Rob was pointing his finger for emphasis until he noticed Juan had stopped digging. “What’s the matter?”
“I hit caliche.” Caliche is the dense, calcium-filled soil common throughout the American Southwest that is extremely difficult to dig through.
“Figures,” Rob commented in disgust. “Want me to get the hose? Maybe some water will soften it up?”
“No.” Juan had been working in Arizona for decades. “That just makes it worse. I’ve got a Makita in my truck. It’ll break through this easy.”
The Makita power hammer was a small electric jackhammer. Juan carried it up from his truck while Rob ran an extension cord from the back of his house to the fence line. Before Juan began, he asked, “You’re sure Biden’s going for it?”
“Definitely!”
“That’s good,” Juan depressed the levers, activating the powerful tool. He leaned his weight into it and felt satisfaction as the steel tip chiseled its way through the hardpan.