BrokenChain.docx

BrokenChain.docx

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BrokenChain

BrokenChain

byGarySoto

Alfonsosatontheporchtryingtopushhiscrookedteethtowherehethoughttheybelonged.Hehatedthewayhelooked.Lastweekhedidfiftysit-upsaday,thinkingthathewouldburnthosealreadyapparentripplesonhisstomachtoevendeeperripples,darkones,sowhenhewentswimmingatthecanalnextsummer,girlsincut-offswouldnotice.Andtheguyswouldthinkhewastough,someonewhocouldtakeapunchandgiveitback.Hewanted“cuts”likethosehehadseenonacalendarofanAztecwarriorstandingonapyramidwithawomaninhisarms.（Evenshehadcutshecouldseebeneathherthindress.）ThecalendarhungabovethecashregisteratLaPlaza.Orsua,theowner,saidAlfonsocouldhavethecalendarattheendoftheyearifthewaitress,Yolanda,didn’ttakeitfirst.

Alfonsostudiedthemagazinepicturesofrockstarsforahairstyle.HelikedthewayPrincelooked—andthebassplayerfromLosLobos.AlfonsothoughthewouldlookcoolwithhishairrazoredintoaVinthebackandstreakedpurple.Butheknewhismotherwouldn’tgoforit.Andhisfather,whowaspuroMexicano,wouldsitinhischairafterwork,sullenasatoad,andcallhim“sissy.”

Alfonsodidn’tdarecolorhishair.Butonedayhehadhaditbutchedonthetop,likeinthemagazines.Hisfatherhadcomehomethateveningfromasoftballgame,happythathisteamhaddrilledfourhomersinathirteen-to-fivebashingofColorTile.He’dswaggeredintothelivingroombuthadstoppedcoldwhenhesawAlfonsoandasked,notjokingbutwithrealconcern,“Didyouhurtyourheadatschool?

Quépasó?

”

Alfonsohadpretendednottohearhisfatherandhadgonetohisroom,wherehestudiedhishairfromallanglesinthemirror.Helikedwhathesawuntilhesmiledandrealizedforthefirsttimethathisteethwerecrooked,likeapileofwreckedcars.Hegrewdepressedandturnedawayfromthemirror.Hesatonhisbedandleafedthroughtherockmagazineuntilhecametotherockstarwiththebutchedtop.Hismouthwasclosed,butAlfonsowassurehisteethweren’tcrooked.

Alfonsodidn’twanttobethehandsomestkidatschool,buthewasdeterminedtobebetterlookingthanaverage.Thenextdayhespenthislawn-mowingmoneyonanewshirtand,withapocketknife,scoopedthemoonsofdirtfromunderhisfingernails.

Hespenthoursinfrontofthemirrortryingtoherdhisteethintoplacewithhisthumb.Heaskedhismotherifhecouldhavebraces,likeFrankieMolina,hergodson,butheaskedatthewrongtime.Shewasatthekitchentablelickingtheenvelopetothehousepayment.Sheglaredupathim.“Doyouthinkmoneygrowsontrees?

”

Hismotherclippedcouponsfrommagazinesandnewspapers,keptavegetablegardeninthesummer,andshoppedatPenney’sandK-Mart.Theirfamilyatealotoffrijoles,whichwasOKbecausenothingelsetastedsogood,thoughonetimeAlfonsohadhadChinesepotstickersandthoughttheywerethenextbestfoodintheworld.

Hedidn’taskhismotherforbracesagain,evenwhenshewasinabettermood.Hedecidedtofixhisteethbypushingonthemwithhisthumbs.AfterbreakfastthatSaturdayhewenttohisroom,closedthedoorquietly,turnedtheradioon,andpushedforthreehoursstraight.

Hepushedfortenminutes,restedforfive,andeveryhalfhour,duringaradiocommercial,checkedtoseeifhissmilehadimproved.Ithadn’t.

Eventuallyhegrewboredandwentoutsidewithanoldgymsocktowipedownhisbike,aten-speedfromMontgomeryWard.Histhumbsweretiredandwrinkledandpink,thewaytheygotwhenhestayedinthebathtubtoolong.

Alfonso’solderbrother,Ernie,rodeuponhisMontgomeryWardbicyclelookingdepressed.Heparkedhisbikeagainstthepeachtreeandsatonthebacksteps,keepinghisheaddownandsteppingonantsthatcametooclose.

AlfonsoknewbetterthantosayanythingwhenErnielookedmad.Heturnedhisbikeover,balancingitonthehandlebarsandseat,andflossedthespokeswiththesock.Whenhewasfinished,hepressedaknuckletohisteethuntiltheytingled.

Erniegroanedandsaid,“Ah,man.”

Alfonsowaitedafewminutesbeforeasking,“What’sthematter?

”Hepretendednottobetoointerested.Hepickedupawadofsteelwoolandcontinuedcleaningthespokes.

Erniehesitated,notsureifAlfonsowouldlaugh.Butitcameout.“Thosegirlsdidn’tshowup.Andyoubetternotlaugh.”

“Whatgirls?

”

ThenAlfonsorememberedhisbrotherbraggingabouthowheandFrostiemettwogirlsfromKingsCanyonJuniorHighlastweekonHalloweennight.TheyweredressedasGypsies,thecostumeforallpoorChicanas—theyjusthadtoborrowscarvesandgaudyredlipstickfromtheirabuelitas.

Alfonsowalkedovertohisbrother.Hecomparedtheirtwobikes:

Hisgleamedlikeahandfulofdimes,whileErnie’slookeddirty.

“Theysaidweweresupposedtowaitatthecorner.Buttheydidn’tshowup.MeandFrostiewaitedandwaited....Theywereplayinggameswithus.”

Alfonsothoughtthatwasaprettydirtytrickbutsortoffunnytoo.Hewouldhavetotrythatsomeday.

“Weretheycute?

”Alfonsoasked.

“Iguessso.”

“Doyouthinkyoucouldrecognizethem?

”

“Iftheywerewearingredlipstick,maybe.”

Alfonsosatwithhisbrotherinsilence,bothofthemsmearingantswiththeirfloppyhightops.Girlscouldsureactweird,especiallytheonesyoumeetonHalloween.

Laterthatday,Alfonsosatontheporchpressingonhisteeth.Press,relax;press,relax.Hisportableradiowason,butnotloudenoughtomakeMr.Rojascomedownthestepsandwavehiscaneathim.

Alfonso’sfatherdroveup.Alfonsocouldtellbythewayhesatinhistruck,aDatsunwithadifferent-coloredfrontfender,thathisteamhadlosttheirsoftballgame.Alfonsogotofftheporchinahurrybecauseheknewhisfatherwouldbeinabadmood.Hewenttothebackyard,whereheunlockedhisbike,satonitwiththekickstanddown,andpressedonhisteeth.Hepunchedhimselfinthestomach,andgrowled,“Cuts.”Thenhepattedhisbutchandwhispered,“Fresh.”

AfterawhileAlfonsopedaledupthestreet,handsinhispockets,towardFoster’sFreeze,wherehewaschasedbyaratlikeChihuahua.Athisoldschool,JohnBurroughsElementary,hefoundakidhangingupsidedownonthetopofabarbed-wirefencewithagirllookingupathim.Alfonsoskiddedtoastopandhelpedthekiduntanglehispantsfromthebarbedwire.Thekidwasgrateful.Hehadbeenafraidhewouldhavetostayupthereallnight.Hissister,whowasAlfonso’sage,wasalsograteful.IfshehadtogohomeandtellhermotherthatFrankiewasstuckonafenceandcouldn’tgetdown,shewouldgetscolded.

“Thanks,”shesaid.“What’syourname?

”

Alfonsorememberedherfromhisschoolandnoticedthatshewaskindofcute,withponytailsandstraightteeth.“Alfonso.Yougotomyschool,huh?

”

“Yeah.I’veseenyouaround.Youlivenearby?

”

“OveronMadison.”

“Myuncleusedtoliveonthatstreet,buthemovedtoStockton.”

“Stockton’snearSacramento,isn’tit?

”

“Youbeenthere?

”

“No.”Alfonsolookeddownathisshoes.HewantedtosaysomethingcleverthewaypeopledoonTV.ButtheonlythinghecouldthinktosaywasthatthegovernorlivedinSacramento.Assoonashesharedthisobservation,hewincedinside.

Alfonsowalkedwiththegirlandtheboyastheystartedforhome.Theydidn’ttalkmuch.Everyfewsteps,thegirl,whosenamewasSandra,wouldlookathimoutofthecornerofhereye,andAlfonsowouldlookaway.Helearnedthatshewasinseventhgrade,justlikehim,andthatshehadapetterriernamedQueenie.HerfatherwasamechanicatRudy’sSpeedyRepair,andhermotherwasateacher’saideatJeffersonElementary.

Whentheycametothestreet,AlfonsoandSandrastoppedathercorner,butherbrotherranhome.Alfonsowatchedhimstopinthefrontyardtotalktoaladyheguessedwastheirmother.Shewasrakingleavesintoapile.

“Iliveoverthere,”shesaid,pointing.

Alfonsolookedoverhershoulderforalongtime,tryingtomusterenoughnervetoaskherifshe’dliketogobikeridingtomorrow.

Shyly,heasked,“Youwannagobikeriding?

”

“Maybe.”Sheplayedwithaponytailandcrossedoneleginfrontoftheother.“Butmybikehasaflat.”

“Icangetmybrother’sbike.Hewon’tmind.”

Shethoughtamomentbeforeshesaid,“OK.Butnottomorrow.Ihavetogotomyaunt’s.”

“HowaboutafterschoolonMonday?

”

“Ihavetotakecareofmybrotheruntilmymomcomeshomefromwork.How’boutfour-thirty?

”

“OK,”hesaid.“Four-thirty.”Insteadofpartingimmediately,theytalkedforawhile,askingquestionslike“Who’syourfavoritegroup?

”“HaveyoueverbeenontheBigDipperatSantaCruz?

”and“Haveyouevertastedpotstickers?

”Butthequestion-and-answerperiodendedwhenSandra’smothercalledherhome.

Alfonsotookoffasfastashecouldonhisbike,jumpedthecurb,and,coolashecouldbe,racedawaywithhishandsstuffedinhispockets.Butwhenhelookedbackoverhisshoulder,thewindrakingthroughhisbutch,Sandrawasn’tevenlooking.Shewasalreadyonherlawn,headingfortheporch.

Thatnighthetookabath,pamperedhishairintoplace,anddidmorethanhisusualsetofexercises.Inbed,inbetweenthepush-and-restonhisteeth,hepesteredhisbrothertolethimborrowhisbike.

“Comeon,Ernie,”hewhined.“Justforanhour.”

“Chale,Imightwanttouseit.”

“Comeon,man,I’llletyouhavemytrick-or-treatcandy.”

“Whatyougot?

”

“ThreebabyMilkyWaysandsomeSkittles.”

“Who’sgoingtouseit?

”

Alfonsohesitated,thenriskedthetruth.“Imetthisgirl.Shedoesn’tlivetoofar.”

Ernierolledoveronhisstomachandstaredattheoutlineofhisbrother,whoseheadwasrestingonhiselbow.“Yougota