Children Making a Living in Mexico

It's hard to tell who is older, the taller young men or the shorter ones. You would think the taller ones were the older one, it's usually a hint, but not in these cases. Many of the young children walking the dusty, border towns that wind by the Rio Grande River, adjacent to the Rio Grande Valley, do not have adequate health care, which ordinarily stunts their growth. In most cases, their daily vitamins come in the form of what is called "Choco Milk" or the equivalent of a powdered chocolate drink. You can see the vitamin deficiency, as the skin on their arms, mimic white spots on their legs. For those that have food at home, it gets them a taco for breakfast.

The luckier children, who have access to the clinics, are able to get assistance there.

They range from 12 years and up. You don't see many young adults here, working the streets. They are all older. The wiser ones were able to apprentice with the older men/women and earn the experience before they are actually hired and or paid to work the local tourist shops, grocery store, the tortilleria (tortilla making shop). The rest make do with menial labor jobs. Most of them work in factories, but for the small towns that are unable cater to the large corporations, they must find work any which way they can.

There are the five year olds, who carry their instruments (yes, five year olds) and sing and play for you, at whatever rate you'd like. They never say no to the shiny coins. They have to take some money home to their families. I always marvel at these children. They have beautiful voices and have the greatest manners. Their smiles betray what they feel inside, at times angry at times very tired. Sometimes you can hear the Siblings fight over who gets to go sing next.

Then there are the trinket peddlers, the candy peddlers and the beggars, who are too young to carry any items.

I find myself buying them some tacos or soft drinks before I head back to the States, as if to make myself feel less guilty for leaving them behind.

The Accordion players are very good. The drum players are hard at work and the Guitar players, sing their hearts out. Many of the kids have inherited the trade of street singing from their fathers and family members. For those kids who have no singing experience, they shine shoes, or as they're called "Boleros".

Gaining the experience of a Bolero takes years. Yes, you will se young Boleros making their way up and down the sidewalks of many a town here on our border. For the more established Boleros, they've acquired respect not easily earned over the years. The larger cities on this great border Metropolis have permanent Bolero stations. Most have ten or more chairs along the busiest venues in those cities. The chairs are always well worn and very comfortable.

You can see a majority of these stations along busy intersections where you would see many business people going to and from their jobs. Businessmen, Business Owners, Tourists, etc...

The chairs are usually owned by the city or municipality in which they are located, and the Boleros must pay taxes every year.

For those lucky enough to inherit a spot amongst the older Boleros, who retire, they take on a very much respected profession where you can actually see the work being performed.

For those who have waited years to earn a spot, it is much revered.

For those patrons who wear Eel Skin, Crocodile, Ostrich, etc.. much care must be taken to ensure that the shoes are not damaged and that is where the skills comes in. I see toothbrushes and sometimes razor blades, carefully clean away and remnant of shoe shine so expertly mixed and applied.

For those of us who travel to Mexico frequently, at times see the same patrons at those chairs. That being said, it is a well established thought that these Boleros make their living from their Regulars, or those people that come by every week or every weekend for their usual fix. Newspapers and Magazines cover the patron's faces as they relax and read while the Mastery is performed.

Many of the older Boleros have been at their Posts since they were children, eventually passing along their spots to their kids and or apprentices. It is rare to see women Boleros, but not uncommon.

Boleros are very loyal to each other and their profession. Where you think you might see infighting, there is none here. Here, they watch over their shoulders as their buddies feel a necessity to leave their spot for a minute.

These are the fortunate ones, to earn a place of respect and above all fill a need for a passion, which has been around, long before the 20^th Century.

This is a job that may earn them more than what is normally made in any other non-professional job. For all those other children, who have not had the luxury of gaining this experience, they must trudge along and make money any which way they can. Begging is the foremost thought when people think of third world countries, and begging is very common among the streets here in these border towns as well.

For now, I give as I can and support often. As many times as I hear them sing, I never tire of their faces as I hand them their money and they run along to give each other their cut. I know they will have money to take home to their families.