Breaking Through

While Francisco balances his work schedule and school assignments well, he seldom has the opportunity to socialize with classmates or make truly close friends. Papa’s strict scheduling of the teenage boys allows them only one night per week out of the house, and the author recalls that “[…] we had to be home by midnight” (103). He has companionable classmates, most of whom come from more comfortable economic circumstances and buy their lunch at school; Mama foregoes her normal homemade lunch of taquitos for baloney sandwiches to avoid Francisco being the target of ethnic slurs, including “chile stomper” and “tamale wrapper” (102). The brothers attend some school dances on Friday nights, and Francisco, always comfortable dancing and with the companionship of girls, finds it “[…] strange that some boys drank to get the courage to ask the girls to dance” (104).

On one occasion, he notices his brother, Roberto, dancing with the same girl all evening and holding her hand. Roberto introduces her as Susan, and Francisco is upset when it becomes apparent that his brother would prefer to spend his one permitted weekend evening out with her rather than himself. Roberto advises his brother that “[…] I think I am in love!” (106).