common practice throughout this nation to offer young men in situations like this the opportunity to join the service rather than serve jail time.
“This is Sergeant Washington of the United States Marine Corps. If you agree to join the Marine Corps and serve a minimum of two years active duty, I will suspend this charge. Upon your honorable discharge from the Marines, the charge will be dropped. What do you say, Mr. De Leon?”
Luciano was on his feet. “What kind of garbage is this, judge?”
The judge pointed his gavel at Luciano. “One more word from you, Detective Luciano, and I will hold you in contempt.” He turned back to Chico. “Well, Mr. De Leon, what do you say?”
Chico looked at Sergeant Washington and then at his grandmother. He really didn’t see that he had any choice. He looked at the judge and said, “I’ll go in the Marines, judge.”
The judge looked at him and said, “Wise choice. God bless you, son.”
Two days later, Chico found himself in Paris Island, North Carolina. Chico De Leon’s recruit experience was very similar to Ruben Barlow’s - the biggest difference was a dream Chico had his second night in boot camp. Lights-out was at 2200 hours and Chico was dead tired. The recruits had been up since 0430 hours, had run five miles before breakfast, been beaten and trained all day, and were told the next day would be worse. Chico fell asleep wondering if jail would have been better than the Marine Corps. And then he dreamed his first dream about La Senora.
Chico was sitting on a bench overlooking a field of beautiful flowers. Even though he knew he was dreaming, he could actually smell the flowers and feel the pleasant breeze on his face.
As he sat marveling at the beauty of that place, he sensed a presence to his left. He looked and saw a beautiful lady in a white robe. She didn’t look old but neither did she look young. She had a distinct Aztec look with long black hair and big, luminous dark eyes. She was short, about the size of Carlita, who came up to his chin when she was in high heels. She had high cheekbones and bronze skin.
She extended her hand to him and said in Spanish, “Chico De Leon, you are a good man. Come, let us walk in this beautiful field.”
Chico took her hand and stood up. Her touch was light and cool and very real. When he stood, she released his hand and turned to begin walking. Chico walked beside her, not taking his eyes off her.
“Senora,” he said in Spanish, “what is this beautiful place?’
“It is a place where people from your world can meet and talk with messengers from God.”
“Are you a messenger from God, senora?”
“Yes, Chico. I am here to prepare you for what is to come. Will you hear my words?”
“Yes, senora, I will hear your words.”
“Chico, you are correct to think that God has made you a protector for those who are good but cannot protect themselves. He has given you this gift along with the knowledge of right and wrong. You have kept yourself uncorrupted when it was very difficult to do so. God is very pleased with that.”
He replied, “Thank you, senora. It was not so difficult.”
The lady smiled. “Chico, I once lived in your world. It was very long ago but I remember how hard life was, and how sometimes it was very difficult to choose that which is right. You are very rare, Chico. You were a Lion of God before this world was, and you remain so.”
Chico wondered at her words. “I don’t understand, senora. How could I be before this world was?”
“Ah, Chico, we all lived with God, who is known as the Creator, before this world was organized. Every person who ever lived, who lives now, and who will live was with God before this world. We were spirits then, but looked much as we do in life. Now, I am what you call an angel and I am here to tell you God’s will.
“Before the world, we lived with the Creator, who is God. There were many other spirits there, spirits who rebelled against the Creator’s will, and were cast out from his presence for that rebellion. They are spirits who will never be born in our world, who are condemned forever to misery.
“During this rebellion, you fought for the Creator’s cause and helped cast out those spirits who fought against us. Chico the Lion, are you willing to keep fighting?”
Chico stopped walking and turned to the lady. He knelt in the flowers on one knee, bowed his head, and spread his arms in a symbol of contrition. “Senora,” he said, “I will do whatever you command.”
The lady almost giggled. She took his shoulders and lifted him to his feet. “Well spoken, Chico the Lion. The Creator is very pleased. But, there is a warning. These spirits who will never be born, to them you are marked. They will try to destroy your mind and body. Your only defense is your purity of soul. Keep yourself pure and you will be successful. If you do not keep yourself pure, this great gift that the Creator has given will leave you.”
“I swear, senora, on the heads of my dead parents, to follow the will of God.”
The lady touched his cheek and smiled. She then took his hands and kissed them. Afterwards, she said, “I give you power in your hands, power to protect the weak, and power to advance the good. As long as your heart is pure, you will never lose.
“You will go to war, Chico. When you do, I will visit you again and give you further instructions. Do not fear for your family. They will be watched over. Tell your grandmother and brother about this meeting. They will believe you. Also tell Carlita and her family. They will also believe you. Carlita dreams about you as you dream about her, in a pure way, which is pleasing before the Creator. Adios.”
Chico woke in the darkness. The only sounds he heard were the even breathing of the recruits and the steady steps of the fire watch walking through the barracks. He thought about the dream and wondered if it was only that, a dream. He soon closed his eyes and fell asleep. The dream repeated itself twice in exactly the same way. When morning came and reveille sounded, he knew it was not just a dream.
Chico kept to himself during boot camp, being very careful, as much as possible, not to subject himself to anything he considered impure. The incessant barrage of profanity from the drill instructors and recruits he shed like water off a duck’s back. He wrote his grandmother often and she wrote giving him news. She told him the Puerto Rican community was very upset that he was charged with assault with such a provocation. The community wanted Detective Luciano fired. Instead, he was transferred to another part of the city.
Chico’s brother was very busy with barber school and would soon graduate. Both Chico and his grandmother knew he would be a very good barber. He was very friendly and everyone, even the gringo businessmen, liked him. She told him not to worry and they were getting along very well.
Chico received his first letter from Carlita the day after his dream. She got his address from his grandmother, who got it off the box of civilian clothes he sent home during processing. She sent several pictures of herself, saying she did not want him to forget her. They were pictures taken in her best clothes, her thick, black
