Chapter Synopsis
Aunt Irma gives her blessing to the girls, but it is decided Tacho must accompany them and Irma will manage the shop. The other mothers and grandmothers however need more convincing. Irma tells the story of how she toured the bowling circuit when she was young. She did not have a passport to get into the United States. She entered illegally with the help of Chava Chavarín, a man originally from Tres Camarones who she fancied. Upon arrival in Tijuana she called him and he drove her across the border pretending to be his wife. Finally the women agree.
The girls pack for the trip and Irma makes each of them a care package of toiletries and snacks. Tacho arrives and everyone is surprised to find he has cut and bleached his hair styling it into spikes. Irma drives them to the bus station and buys their tickets to Tijuana. Irma reminds Nayeli to call Chava upon arrival in Tijuana to help them get across the border and gives her his number. The bus begins its journey. After hours of driving the bus stops and two soldiers get on, harassing the passengers about their citizenship and whether or not they have drugs. A couple in the back claim to be Mexican, but later confess to being Colombian when the soldiers don’t believe them. They are dragged off the bus violently by the soldiers.
Important Elements from Chapter Eight
Quotations
“You snuck into Mexico, cabrón.”
