For months, all they exchanged were smiles and laughs, no words.

She spoke English. He spoke Spanish.

But Katie Walter and Jose Marentes somehow connected during summer 1999.

Katie was 16 and volunteered at a Springfield, Neb., horse ranch, cleaning stalls and feeding the animals. She had loved horses ever since she was little girl. At the ranch she exchanged her work for riding lessons as she attended high school.

Jose was 17 and had immigrated to the United States from Mexico when he was 14. He had a job at the horse ranch.

Katie and Jose had spotted each other around the ranch, but had never met.

One day a ranch boss assigned them to clean the same stall.

Katie and Jose shook hands. Katie, who grew up in Bellevue, remembered a little Spanish from grade school. She told Jose, "Mucho gusto," (nice to meet you).

Jose smiled and chuckled at her attempt.

As the weeks passed, they became friends.