Chapter 1 Summary

This novel of speculative/futuristic fiction tells the story of Connie Ramos, a middle-aged Hispanic woman with a troubled past who suddenly finds herself able to communicate with a future society. As she struggles in the present to retain her dignity and spiritual independence in the face of being diagnosed insane, Connie's experiences in the future awaken a fierce determination to not let herself be controlled or victimized. As the narrative details Connie's awakening consciousness, it also explores themes related to the nature of hope, relationships between parents and children, and the influence of the future on the present.

As Connie answers the pounding at her door, she thinks "Either I saw him or I didn't and I'm crazy for real this time." She opens the door and lets in her niece Dolly, fleeing from a beating being given her by her pimp...