Chapter 16 - 18 Summary and Analysis

"In Firefighters, Workers and Other Matters" the reader discovers that there are only volunteer fire-fighters in Chile. Leading a brigade is a sought-after honor. The days in the fire station brought many fires; Che and Alberto had been enticed to stay there by the fire station caretaker's three daughters. They watch a fire extinguished and Los Angeles says goodbye. "Little Che" (Alberto) and "Big Che" (Che) say goodbye and get into a truck with La Poderosa that will take them to Santiago. In Santiago, they leave La Poderosa at a shop to be repaired. They work to pay for their trip, and have some trouble gaining visas to enter Peru. La Poderosa is left in Santiago as Alberto and Che leave for Valparaiso.

"La Giaconda's Smile" leaves Alberto and Che as mere hitchhikers, finding rides across the country. They...