If the setting were North America, his name would be Jose, but it is not, the story is set in Europe, so his name is Mohammed.
Several weeks ago I read Leaving Tangier, a novel by Tahar Ben Jelloun telling the story of a young man and his sister who had emigrated from their native Morocco to live in Spain. In this book A Palace in the Old Village he tells the story of Mohammed, an everyman character who had left his home in the Maghreb to become a “guest worker” in an auto plant in France. He brought his family over as soon as he could afford to.
He was a simple man, a hard worker who never complained about anything, and was appreciative of his ability to make good wages in that new country. He made a good life for himself and his family. But after 30 years on the job he reached retirement, which was mandatory in France. This “tirement” however, was something foreign to him.
He tried going to the plant for several days afterward, offering to cover for men who were absent for one reason or another. He’d volunteer, they need not pay him he explained. But it wasn’t allowed. Mohammed knew not what to do with himself.
Since he had first arrived in France, he had returned to his village in Morocco each summer during the month long summer holiday, showering his distant relatives and childhood friends with presents. Now, he was making the decision to return to the village for good.
Using his entire savings, Mohammed built the largest house in the village. Keeping with the traditions he had grown up with he wanted his entire family, and their families, to live with him. He knew this would not happen, but at least all of them would spend their summer holidays with him, he thought.
But time had escaped Mohammed. His children were independent and modern. He never sought French citizenship, but all of his children had.
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