Efrén Divided

David is briefly downtrodden regarding the election that day after Mr. Garrett’s class; after all, Jennifer’s response to the poem was perfectly presidential, whereas David, distracted and off-task with campaign posters, had no response at all. Efrén tries to both rally David’s spirits about being president and keep him on a path of ideas that might ensure success. Efrén is eager for David to do well and is now shocked at himself for ever thinking highly of Jennifer in the race. After school, Efrén and David collect the twins from the elementary school, then go to David’s house, where his grandmother agrees to watch the little ones while David and Efrén record a campaign video on his new iPhone. David’s mother sent him the phone so that he and she can communicate. She is an alcoholic trying to get a degree and stay clean. David lives with his grandmother and does not have a relationship with his father.

Efrén sees that David cares about winning the race as he puts on a dress shirt and tie, but his ideas for the school have no basis in reality: “[H]ow about getting rid of homework?” (131). Efrén questions David’s intent, especially when David says he will just let Jennifer make the decisions as vice president.