The Best American Short Stories 2013 by Elizabeth Strout Read Free Book Online Page A

groups don’t get along very well. The Mexicans ignore the blacks, who ignore the Mexicans. The white people ignore everyone, but they don’t shop with us and so we don’t worry about them. We have a store for each group.
SANTOS : But they—they all live in the same district?
     
Television: panning shot of an East Oakland street scene: International Boulevard. Mixed crowds in front of taco trucks, tricked-out cars rolling by very slowly, chrome rims spinning, glinting in the fierce sunlight. Latinas pushing strollers, black boys in long white T-shirts and baggy jeans, which they hold up with one hand gripping the crotch
.
     
NELSON : They do. And we don’t choose sides.
COCHOCHO : Of course not. You’re there to make money. Why would you choose sides?
JAIME : But you live there too? With the blacks? With the Mexicans?
     
They look him over, a little disappointed. They’d thought he was more successful. Behind the scene, Elena prepares to bring more beer to the table, but her daughter stops her, takes the bottles, and goes herself
.
     
NELSON : Yes. There are white people too.
CELIA : Excuse me, pardon me.
     
Celia has inky black eyes and wears a version of her mother’s outfit—an old T-shirt, sweatpants, sandals. On her mother, this clothing represents a renunciation of sexual possibility. On Celia, they represent quite the opposite
.
     
NELSON
(eagerly, wanting to prove himself—to the men? to Celia?):
I’d like to buy a round. If I may.
COCHOCHO : I’m afraid that’s not possible.
(slips Celia a few bills)
Go on, dear.
     
Celia lingers for a moment, watching Nelson, until her mother shoos her away. She disappears offstage. Meanwhile the conversation continues
.
     
ERICK : You’re the guest. Hospitality is important.
SANTOS : These things matter to us. You think it folkloric, or charming. We’re not offended by the way you look at us. We are accustomed to the
anthropological gaze
.
(this last phrase accompanied by air quotes)
We feel sorry for you because you don’t understand. We do things a certain way here. We have traditions.
(to Manuel)
How much does your boy know about us? About our town? Have you taught him our customs?
NELSON : I learned the songs when I was a boy.
MANUEL : But he was raised in the city, of course.
COCHOCHO : What a shame. Last time I went was six years ago, when I ran for Congress. A detestable place. I hope you don’t mind my saying that.
MANUEL : Certainly you aren’t the only one who holds that opinion.
SANTOS : He wanted very badly to win. He would’ve happily moved his family there.
JAIME : And your wife, she’s from the city?
MANUEL : She is.
COCHOCHO
(to Nelson):
You’re lucky to have left. How long have you been in California?
NELSON : Since I was eighteen.
JAIME : It’s a terrible place, but still, you must miss home quite a bit.
NELSON
(laughing):
No, I wouldn’t say that, exactly.
ERICK : The food?
NELSON : Sure.
JAIME : The family?
NELSON : Yes, of course.
MANUEL : I’m flattered.
JAIME : Your friends?
NELSON
(pausing to think):
Some of them.
ERICK : Times have changed.
SANTOS : No, Erick, times have not changed. The youth are not all that different than before. Take Manuel. Let’s ask him. Dear Manuel, pride of this poor, miserable village, tell us: how often do you wake up missing this place where you were born? How often do you think back, and wish you could do it over again, never have left, and stayed here to raise a family?
     
Manuel is caught off guard, not understanding if the question is serious or not. On the television: a shot of the plaza by night. Quickly recovering, he decides to take the question as a joke
.
     
MANUEL : Every day, Profe.
Everyone but Santos laughs
.
     
SANTOS : I thought as much. Some people like change, they like movement, transition. A man’s life is very short and of no consequence. We have a different view of time here. A different way of placing value on things. We find everything you Americans—
NELSON