Compadre Summary

Rocio has moved back home, following her completion of college, and is rather continually arguing with her mother over the conditions of the home. There is clutter everywhere and no room in the freezer for even a tray of ice. Regino Suarez, the perennial handyman, called "compadre" by Nieves, continues to maintain the yard. It is hot and tempers are short as Rocio argues with her mother and sister and takes lukewarm glasses of water out to Regino.

Regino, born in Mexico, has been in town as long as Rocio can remember and has a large family. He lives in the shoddier north part of town which residents like to call "Little Oklahoma"; however, Regino has a large home that he has beautified by his own labor. North and east of the Suarez home is a worse section of town, primarily African-American in...