Summary

“My Parents’ Bedroom”

Because there was no door, Eddy could hear his parents having sex at night. When he would join his parents in bed, his father always criticizes him and Eddy would ask the same questions of himself that his dad did: “Why was I crying? Why was I afraid of the dark? Since I was a little boy, why couldn’t I really act like one?” (65).

“The Lives of Girls, Mothers, Grandmothers”

Although he likes the school subjects themselves, Eddy’s grades are not good. He reflects on how his sister originally wanted to be a doctor, before deciding on becoming a Spanish teacher. When the guidance counselor, who is Martinican, told her to pursue something less risky, such as retail, Eddy’s sister decided to become a salesclerk instead.

Eddy thinks about his...