How shall I begin my story that has no beginning? In these arroyos my great grandfather raised cattle before the anglosever came. Our roots go deep in this place, deeper than the pines, deeper than the mineshats. This is my village, when I was a child. It was called San Marcos, the anglos changed the name to Zinc Town. Zinc Town, New Mexico, USA. This is our home. The house is not ours, but the flowers are not ours. My name is Esperanza, Esperanza Quintero. I am a miner's wife. 18 years my husband has given to that mine, living half his life. I am a miner's wife. 18 years my husband has given to that mine. Living half his life with dynamite and darkness. The land where the mine now stands, that was owned by my husband's own grandfather. Now it belongs to the company. Who can say who need began my story? I do not know. But this day I remember as the beginning of the end. It was my saint's day. I was 35 years old, a day of celebration. And I was a certain month's gun with my third child. And on that day I remember I had a wish. I thought so sinful, I thought so evil, that I prayed to the Virgin to forgive me for it. I wished that my child would never be born. No, nothing to this word. Are you sick mama? No, I'm a deleter. Are you sad? I was going to church where it's impatient. Later, when I feel me shy of that. Fighting again, with those angloquids. They think they're tough. But you promise me you wouldn't. Papa says if an anglo makes money, if the lady has it. Never mind where you're papa. Who's still? Lost it hurt? Come come the cake. Never mind the cake. Go get your father when he comes rough shift. Get him to come straight home. Here you have a little trouble, Quintero. Defected fuse? You're all in one piece, so what's the beat? You know the beat. This new rule of yours that we work along. We're taking it up with the super. Super's busy. You're negotiating committee. So much to better. How wait a minute. Super's one made the rule. He ain't going to give you no help. You're well if he wants us to go on blasting. Read your contract. Get somebody to read it for you. You don't say nothing about no help. There's nothing to do with it. There's blood in that mind. The blood on my friends. All because they have to work along. That's how you get splattered over the rocks. When there's nobody to help you. There's nobody to warn the other men to take care of. Warnings are shit foreman's job. Foreman wants to get the ore out. Mine wants to get his brothers out. You want peace. You work alone. Sammy? You can't handle a job. I'll find someone who can. Who was cab? An American. I'm not a man. I'm not a man. I'm not a man. I'm not a man. I'm not a man. I'm not a man. I'm not a man. Mama. Shh. Not the word about the cake here. Papa. Is there going to be a strike? Come on. I don't like to bother you, but the story they say that day. If we don't make another payment on the right of this month, they'll come and take it away. We are only one payment behind. I argue with her. It isn't right. It isn't right, you say. Was it right that we bought this? This instrument? But you had to have it, didn't you? It was a nice two-lesson, too. I listened to it. Every night when you're out to the beer partner. No money down. Easy term payment. I tell you something. This instrument plan, it's the curse of the working man. What are you going? I've got to talk to the brothers. They're far as cold again. Oh. I'm sorry, the fire's going out. Forget it. Forget it. My job was for the stove five times a day. Every time I remember. I remember that the crux, the angle of mine, had watering pipes and bathrooms. In sight. Do you think I like living this way? Why you want to live? But if you're union. If you're asking for better conditions, I can't you ask for disenplombing, too. We did. Cut loss in the shopper. What? We can't get everything at once. Right now we have more important demands. What's more important than sanitation? Safety of the men. That's more important. I've accidents this week. All because of speed up. You're a woman. You don't know what it's like up there. First we've got to get equality on the job. Then we'll work on these other things. Give it to the men. I see. The men. Your strike may be for your demands. But what wife want, that comes later. Always later. Now don't you start talking against the union again. At his expense, your union. What did I answer? Have you forgotten what it was like before the union came? When Estella was a baby and we couldn't even afford a doctor once you were sick? It was for our families who were matting babyards. To build that union. All right. Have your strike. I'd have my baby. I'd not have to take me because I was a strike as well. I'd still work at tougher credit than the kids with the hungry. We'll get behind on the payments again. Then they'd come and take away their radio. Is that all you care about? That radio? Can you think of anything except yourself? Is I think of myself? It's because you never think of me. He never thinks of me. Stop it. The children are watching. Stop it. Oh. Yes.