Ernesto and Herve laughed and held hands on the way to the house of
the kind old woman they called "Abuela" or "Granny." Today the
growing darkness from the North seemed far away. Today was made for
celebrating with whole grains and organic fruits. Today they had no
concerns but to enjoy being young, Sandinista and gay.

Granny met them at the door stirring her famous lentil and quinoa
porridge. "Sit and eat!" The table had bowls of raw cabbage with
carrots, turnip and beet slices the way the boys liked them.

"You will never be strong enough to fight off the invaders if you do
not eat up, boys."

Granny's smile faded a bit thinking of the forces of greed, sugar,
processed foods and meat being arrayed against her boys and their
healthy way of life. She offered them guava and other fruits seasoned
with coyolito and grosella which they ate despite the way it made
their mouths pucker.

The boys stuffed their pockets with whole grain crackers and slices of
baked breadfruit for the rest of their journey to the front. She
hugged each and told them to be safe.

They marched quickly, those years of healthy vegan eating had given
them stamina. They found many fruits on the way, especially bananas.
And so they arrived right on time and reported to El Comandante.

"Bienvenida, los ninos! You must begin your training but first have
some corn and fruits."

The training was hard and the boys missed Granny's food but they had
plenty of cornmeal and fruit and yams.

El Comandante assembled his men. "Men, we must move out and meet the
invaders. They are already in coastal towns making our people eat
processed sugar, preserved food and meats. They need our help."

The men gasped and began to cry out "Revenge!"

The march to the coast was brisk. Ernesto and Herve were sent ahead to
gather fresh fruits and edible roots because everyone knew they were
so good at finding them. It was also good to get some time together
away from the others.

They arrived at edge of the first occupied village, Santo Pobre and
took cover and watched. A fat, bald American with a crooked lip barked
orders while soldiers removed healthy foods from the shops and
replaced them with fried snack foods, cans of Spam and boxes of
donuts. The people pleaded with them but the soldiers ignored them.

El Comandante silently moved his men forward as they took positions
behind buildings and farm equipment. Just then the soldiers saw them
and sounded the alarm. Both sides began shooting as men scrambled for
cover.

Just then, a loud female voice shouted "Stop!" and the boys looked up
in surprise to see Granny driving a horse cart down the main village
street. She seemed unafraid and stopped in front of the bald, fat
American.

"All these boys have mothers and grandmothers who want them to be
healthy. What you are doing is wrong. You soldiers, do what you know
your own Granny would want you to do."

She drew back the cover on her cart and revealed a giant vat of lentil
and quinoa porridge.

"All you boys put away the guns and come share something healthy."

And so they did. El Comandante helped his former enemies tie up and
gag the angry, sputtering fat bald American with the curling lip and
they all enjoyed Granny's porridge.