Mission SAN JUAN CAPISTRANO

Six people rode in the car traveling from San Diego to Los Angeles. There was a father and mother of a fourteen-year-old boy in the front seat. The boy's grandmother and two younger sisters sat in the back seat. The girls in back chatted gaily about their visit to the San Diego zoo, while upfront, the passengers were quiet, the boy staring out at the passing countryside.

Sixty-three miles from San Diego, the father slowed down the car as they passed through a town. "Old Mission San Juan Capistrano," he spoke aloud. "I think, for a pleasant experience, we should all visit this religious. shrine."

Ye gods! thought David as they left the car, now we have to visit old grave sites and holes in walls that were made by characters long dead.

"You have to pay to get in?" asked the grandmother.

"Yes," the man replied. "But, it is for a worthy cause. I'll give David the money and let him purchase the tickets for us this time."

Big deal, the boy thought, as he went through the entrance ahead of everybody, with the money clutched in his hand. He purchased the tickets, gave the change back to his father and passed out the fifty cent tickets and guide maps to the family. As he gave the last ticket to his sister, it slipped and fluttered to the ground at his feet. The girl stooped to pick up her card; and as she did so he saw three words printed on the back in large black letters: VAYA CON DIOS.

"Go with God," he translated aloud, proudly.

"You go," she said. "I'm going with Mom and Dad," and she ran to join the four ahead.

2.2.

by Arnell Larsen