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El Laberinto, 1971-1987

orders as they stormed into the tia's store, kicking and dragging the saw-dust. Antonia hung from the counter again and presented one of her nickles in payment for five purple balls of bubble gum.
"[upside down question mark]Me puedes da' los tapones, tia?" Miguel asked as he placed his bag of Fritos and his dime on the counter.
"Ay, hijo, se los di todos a esta chatita en la mafiana. A ver si ella te da unos."
Miguel turned to Antonia who was leaning against the counter sucking on a piece of bubble gum to soften it.
"[upside down question mark]Tu ya ...?" he jerked his head in her direction. When she nodded a yes to her feet, Miguel carelessly shrugged and reached for his Fritos.
After Beatriz paid for her popsicle and received her change they headed out the door, throwing a "gracias" to their tia who helplessly looked at the scattered sawdust and resigned herself to not sweeping it back into place.
Miguel ripped his bag of Fritos as he left and half of them landed on the wooden steps where he stood.
"[upside down exclamation point]Ah, Miguel! "Hora you can't eat them. The devil's licked them. Si te los comes you go to Hell, too," Beatriz warned her brother as she circled her popsicle with her tongue. 
"[[upside down exclamation point]]N'ombre, Buckwee!" Miguel replied. "Yo ha jui a nine First Fridays. Las mo'jitas ya me dijieron que I'm going to heaven," he explained. But he crossed himself before he placed the spilled Fritos back inside his bag.
Once they had crossed Calaveras street Miguel stopped his sisters and after glancing guardedly toward his tia's tienda he opened his fist and revealed a small piece of candy. 
Antonia and Beatriz star at it not believing that their brother could have stolen it. Miguel quickly popped it into his mouth, then stood watching his sister's surprised faces.

"Ah, Miguel!" they both sadly chorused. "Mami se va 'nojar."
Miguel realized his situation--his audience was not cheering as he had thought they would, but was instead threatening to witness against him.
The two girls slowly backed away from him then turned and ran home. Miguel yelled and chased after them pleading with their backs as they crossed the yard. When they reached the fence Miguel caught up with them. He tried to joke and keep them from reporting his misdeed but Beatriz still threatened to tell while Antonia continued to sadly observe her brother. Finally, Miguel offered Beatriz his collection of tapones.
"[upside down exclamation point]Te doy unos, Buckwee! [upside down exclamation point]De veras!" he offered. Miguel feared his mother might take painful measures to insure his not stealing again. They argued but finally Beatriz agreed to half of the tapones in exchange for her silence. Miguel turned to meet Antonia's eyes but lowered his when he saw the disappointment there. She walked away from him and walked back into the yard while Miguel ran inside to get his coffee can of bottle caps.
Antonia raised her head and found herself at the edge of the enbankment. She could see the dark water below her and as she followed the arroyo's course she saw that parts of it had dried up and only muddy puddles were left.
It's dried up, she thought sadly. She squatted and thought of her brother. Diosito won't want his soul now even if he's gone to nine First Fridays. Antonia thought of her unfinished tapones and what her plan had been. She would have traded with her brother--her new tapones in exchange for the use of his large tub.
During the hot afternoons they would take their baths in three separate banos de hojalata. Miguel's bano was the largest of the three. Only once had Antonia managed to be inside of it. Miguel would take several trips al escusao.

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orders as they stormed into the tia's store, kicking and dragging the saw-dust. Antonia hung from the counter again and presented one of her nickles in payment for five purple balls of bubble gum. "[upside down question mark]Me puedes da' los tapones, tia?" Miguel asked as he placed his bag of Fritos and his dime on the counter. "Ay, hijo, se los di todos a esta chatita en la mafiana. A ver si ella te da unos." Miguel turned to Antonia who was leaning against the counter sucking on a piece of bubble gum to soften it. "[upside down question mark]Tu ya ...?" he jerked his head in her direction. When she nodded a yes to her feet, Miguel carelessly shrugged and reached for his Fritos. After Beatriz paid for her popsicle and received her change they headed out the door, throwing a "gracias" to their tia who helplessly looked at the scattered sawdust and resigned herself to not sweeping it back into place. Miguel ripped his bag of Fritos as he left and half of them landed on the wooden steps where he stood. "[upside down exclamation point]Ah, Miguel! "Hora you can't eat them. The devil's licked them. Si te los comes you go to Hell, too," Beatriz warned her brother as she circled her popsicle with her tongue. "[[upside down exclamation point]]N'ombre, Buckwee!" Miguel replied. "Yo ha jui a nine First Fridays. Las mo'jitas ya me dijieron que I'm going to heaven," he explained. But he crossed himself before he placed the spilled Fritos back inside his bag. Once they had crossed Calaveras street Miguel stopped his sisters and after glancing guardedly toward his tia's tienda he opened his fist and revealed a small piece of candy. Antonia and Beatriz star at it not believing that their brother could have stolen it. Miguel quickly popped it into his mouth, then stood watching his sister's surprised faces. "Ah, Miguel!" they both sadly chorused. "Mami se va 'nojar." Miguel realized his situation--his audience was not cheering as he had thought they would, but was instead threatening to witness against him. The two girls slowly backed away from him then turned and ran home. Miguel yelled and chased after them pleading with their backs as they crossed the yard. When they reached the fence Miguel caught up with them. He tried to joke and keep them from reporting his misdeed but Beatriz still threatened to tell while Antonia continued to sadly observe her brother. Finally, Miguel offered Beatriz his collection of tapones. "[upside down exclamation point]Te doy unos, Buckwee! [upside down exclamation point]De veras!" he offered. Miguel feared his mother might take painful measures to insure his not stealing again. They argued but finally Beatriz agreed to half of the tapones in exchange for her silence. Miguel turned to meet Antonia's eyes but lowered his when he saw the disappointment there. She walked away from him and walked back into the yard while Miguel ran inside to get his coffee can of bottle caps. Antonia raised her head and found herself at the edge of the enbankment. She could see the dark water below her and as she followed the arroyo's course she saw that parts of it had dried up and only muddy puddles were left. It's dried up, she thought sadly. She squatted and thought of her brother. Diosito won't want his soul now even if he's gone to nine First Fridays. Antonia thought of her unfinished tapones and what her plan had been. She would have traded with her brother--her new tapones in exchange for the use of his large tub. During the hot afternoons they would take their baths in three separate banos de hojalata. Miguel's bano was the largest of the three. Only once had Antonia managed to be inside of it. Miguel would take several trips al escusao. 9