The Letter

As Monica and Tess drive through the crop fields of central California, Monica comments on their beauty. But when Tess asks her to take a closer look, Monica sees the hardworking families, including many young children, toiling over the crops in the hot sun. One such family is the Morante clan. Patriarch Roberto works tirelessly alongside his wife Elisa, his teenage son Tino, and younger children Claudia and Miguel. They migrate with the season, always traveling to the part of the country that is being harvested. One of their few joys is the letter they receive each week from their grandmother. Roberto is illiterate so he has Tino read the letter, though Tino would rather be listening to classical music on the car radio. As the Morantes settle in the latest migrant camp, they meet Monica, the church volunteer, Andrew, the camp supervisor, and Rafael, a fellow migrant worker. At church on Sunday, Tino discovers the piano and begins to play. Tess offers to be his music teacher.