Mexican WhiteBoy

Sofia and her girls are taking Danny to the Del Mar Fair. Self-conscious in a collared shirt and Vans, Danny digs his nails into his arm, vows to get new clothes. Uno is in the accompanying car drinking a Colt 45. Before the two cars pull away, Danny’s Uncle Ray drives up in his Bronco. He questions Danny about his injuries. Ray’s anger builds as he assesses how badly Danny’s been hurt. Ray then demands Uno get out of the other car. Ray proceeds to aggressively get in Uno’s face. In Ray, Danny sees his father’s “same crazed eyes” (61). All Danny has to do is tell his uncle it was Uno, and Ray will “handle it from there” (61). When pressed for an answer, though, Danny lies and says it happened in the game. Danny saves Uno from Ray’s wrath, though everyone, including Ray, knows how Danny was hurt. Uncle Ray tells Danny he did right and that a “couple stitches ain’t so bad if you got everybody’s respect” (62).

On the way to the fair, Danny takes his “first-ever sip of alcohol” (63). Once inside, he learns the name of the pretty light-skinned girl is