Jesse

Jesse and his friend Leslie drive to César Chávez’s demonstration. Abel skips work to sell secondhand things at a market with the landlord’s daughter Glenda, her baby, and her mother. He assures Jesse that he’s not interested in Glenda, but the younger worries that he is. At the demonstration, Jesse sees schoolmate Raul, but Raul is not friendly with him. The marchers chant as the police watch on. César Chávez is not there.

Jesse goes to work in the cotton fields, but Abel stays home because his and Glenda’s earnings from the market were good enough to last the week. The younger worries about his eye, which hurts after wind blew dirt into it. He asks Abel why he won’t major in Spanish, and Abel confronts him about being jealous of Glenda. Jesse worries about a potential relationship because Glenda is not Mexican. He goes to his mother and stepfather’s house for Sunday dinner. He and his mother get along, and she worries about him living on his own. Jesse still can’t stand his aggressive stepfather and his alcoholism.