Don La Croix

A Simple Slice of Pineapple Don La Croix

This is a story about an orphaned Filipino boy, a modern day version of the biblical Job, who has the misfortune to be on Bataan when the Japanese invade. The ensuing events destroy his loved ones, his dreams, and his faith. At the infamous Camp O'Donnell, he encounters pure evil-a man with a different kind of faith-bushido, the faith of the Japanese warrior. This was the real story behind Bataan, the story of the clash of two faiths-two cultures-two radically different views of what it means to be human. After the war, he sets about seeking to restore his life without the help of the God he feels deserted him. Assisted by the aid of his comfort bottle, he passionately desires two things-to father a son, and to find a hidden treasure. As he stumbles through the decades, he discovers that God is willing to accommodate him, but not with the results he imagines. He would yet be given another chance to discover his faith, in the wrath of the erupting Mt. Pinatubo and in one final encounter with Bushido.