When the other men at Shop Camp kept referring to Roman as a clown, I thought they were just kidding--at least at first I did until Roman took a photo of himself out of his wallet. There he was--a payaso. A professional clown at that. He had even brought his costume, a remarkable feat considering how few items most migrant workers pack from home.
Before coming to the United States as a migrant worker, Roman worked as a clown in Chiapas, Mexico. He used to entertain people of all ages, but he prefers to entertain young children because their joy makes him happy.
After showing us his photo, Roman quickly returned to his room for the balloons that he proceeded to turn into animals of all shapes and colors. We suddenly had a brainstorm. Maybe Roman would come with us to the other camps where there were lots of children who would love his balloon creations. When we presented the idea to him, he became somewhat somber.
"I would be honored to entertain the children," he said looking into the distance. "I no longer have my children since my wife left with them [back in Chiapas]. If I can bring joy to other children, it will be like bringing happiness to my own children."
With this last remark he clearly fought back his tears.
Many husbands and wives are separated by the economic forces that drive a family member (more often the man) to find work in the United States. Immediate and extended family members rely on the wiring of moneythat usually occurs on Fridays of every week. However, the extreme distance and years of absence takes aextreme toll on husbands and wives, and all too often, the temptation and need for intimacy results in brokenfamilies and hearts--one of the less visible, but still painful injuries endured by migrant workers and their families.
Roman makes a French Poodle for Violeta after class.
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