Chapter 21 Summary

Carlos is in Chicago, after leaving Cuba. Tony works two jobs, but has dropped out of school. Carlos goes to school during the day, and then goes to work. He has no time to study, but the racist guidance counselor placed him in lower-tier classes despite his high test scores, so he does fine in school. Their mother has joined them, but in a foreign country where she doesn't speak the language, she is the one who must be taken care of. It took her 3 years to join her boys finally, and by this time, they have grown and are more capable of taking care of themselves than she is.

Among the atrocities of life in Chicago are knife-like winds, whooping cough, poverty, other Latinos in social service agencies who do more harm than good, racism, and a pervert on the train. One...