The "Faces of Strangers: #4" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Having breakfast at the Islander Restaurant in the Miami International Airport with our friends Jerry and Just Sue.  Have a 2 1/2 hour wait until we board our next flight that will take us to Providenciales in the Turks and Caicos island chain.  After being seated we are greeted by our waiter Ariel.  Good lookin' young guy in his 20s who I knew was going to be my next "Faces of Strangers" candidate.  Took our drink order and returned for our food order, then returned shortly after with our meal.  Few minutes later he stopped to make sure we didn't need anything.  It was at this point that we started with a few questions, mostly of the "job" related variety.  After we all had finished with our meal he came back to clear our plates.  Time for a few more questions for my next candidate.  Engaged him in conversation with a question first about where he was born.  It was here that his charismatic nature showed through.  Great social skills for a young man of this age, but after hearing his story, I could see the reason.  Told us he was born on a small island off the coast of Cuba, but was raised near Havana.  His face really lit up when he told us that he had just recently gained his US citizenship.  Really proud to be an American.  Gave us some of his family history by telling us that his dad came to the USA in 1994 on a raft.  Eventually his dad sent for his family.  His dad received his citizenship years ago and his mother is currently waiting for her interview to receive her citizenship.  He told us about going through the process needed to receive his citizenship.  Had to fill out a long form and take an oral test that included 10 questions.  Makes you think how lucky we are to have been born on US soil and do not have to fight and work to be a citizen of the USA.  Ariel is now a college student at Miami Dade Community College studying to get a degree in architecture.  He told us he has been back to Cuba to visit family members since coming to the US.  I asked him how he can do that , but yet we can't go to Cuba.  He told us that you have to go through another country, such as Mexico, that has a different relationship with Cuba than the USA does. Jerry asked him if he enjoys Cuban cigars and we got a negative answer, but when I asked him about all the old cars from the 50s and 60s that found their way to Cuba, he said they seem to last forever.  When I saw someone tug on his sleeve I knew we were taking too much of this fine young man's time.  But, it great to know that young people like Ariel care enough to want to become citizens of this great country that many times we take for granted.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.  PS - apologies go to Ariel if I interpreted my thoughts differently than they were given.