Marcus Vega Doesn't Speak Spanish

This section of chapters is titled “Day Three”

Melissa has an early breakfast with Darma. Melissa thinks her teaching kids from the island about farming is inspiring, but Marcus is less impressed. He is still shocked about the cow and annoyed that Darma is being evasive about his father. Eventually, Darma explains that his father asked for money, thinking money alone would solve his problems. Marcus is irritated by Darma’s cryptic answers, so she eventually shares that his father “wanders” from one job to another, and he might be staying with her cousin Pepe in Manatí. Marcus sullenly thinks that no one seems to give his father a chance, and he relates this to his own situation: “People assume that because I’m big, I’m going to cause them harm. They don’t give me a chance. It’s all unfair” (166). Before the group leaves the farm, Melissa hugs Darma with tears running down her face. Darma turns to Marcus and says, “Be careful with the things you seek” (166). Marcus is angry that his mother is not trying harder to find his father, and his frustration boils over as they pull away. An argument breaks out in the truck: Sergio suggests stopping to eat at the chinchorros along the road to Manatí; these are small restaurants that Marcus’s father visits.