La Linea

Elena slaughters a goat for the party. She strikes it in the head with a hammer, killing it with one blow. Miguel slits the animal’s jugular, and they hang the carcass and drain its blood. Miguel is queasy, but Elena is unmoved. Together they butcher the goat, removing its entrails and organs. Elena acknowledges it is Miguel’s turn to go north. Miguel lies and tells Elena she will go soon. He does not tell her about Don Clemente’s offer to help Papá. Miguel says he will work and earn money to help bring Elena north, but Elena knows Papá wants them to be the first boy and girl to graduate school, so Papá will not want Miguel to work. Miguel is angry about the years of needless waiting and frustrated with having unthinkingly accepted everything Papá said. Elena tells Miguel to go ahead; she can take care of herself. She burns the goat’s offal, and the ashes float north.

Miguel’s goodbye party includes his Tía Cristina, Tío Esteban, and little cousins; the neighbors, los Gonzalez; Abuelita’s friend Doña Maria; Chuy and Lalo; and Elena’s friend Fátima. They share stories about the trip north. Señor Gonzales tells of people who were kidnapped and had their organs removed and sold.