THEME 5 BREAKING BARRIERS


Inside, a small rectangular coffee table had been placed next to the motor, forming a narrow ledge. Two of the wooden legs disappeared into the bowels of the car and two of the legs had been cut short and now provided the braces against the radiator and motor.


‘Okay,’ he said. ‘You lie down in here. It only takes a half hour. There is a van waiting for you in Chula Vista that will take you to your destinations.’


Papá climbed up. Flashlight Man positioned his feet and legs so they would not touch the motor. Papá put his head and upper body on the tiny tabletop, curling his body to make it smaller. For an instant before the hood was closed, Papá’s eyes caught Marco’s.


Marco turned away so he wouldn’t have to see his father humbled in this manner.


‘Vámanos,’ said Coyote Lady, and she wedged into the driver’s seat. Flashlight Man sat on the passenger side. A Chargers football banner and blue pompoms sat on the dashboard as further proof of their deception. The car backed out of the alley and left. Marco closed the gate behind them.


He paced up and down the alley. They had said it would take an hour roundtrip. The minutes crawled by. Why did Papá agree to do this? Why did he resign himself to these people? ‘It is the way it is,’ Papá had said. Marco went back into the basement room and walked in circles.


After one hour, he put in a tape, Aladdin, and tried to pay attention as the characters sang about a whole new world. It was so easy in the video to get on a fl ying carpet to reach a magical place. Where is this new world? Where is Papá? Did he get through? Marco had never once heard a story of someone crossing over under the hood of a car. He tried to imagine being inside, next to the engine. His stomach churned. Where is my magic carpet?


The door opened suddenly. Flashlight Man was back. ‘Let’s go,’ he said.


The car was already positioned in the alley with the hood up. Coyote Lady took Marco’s backpack and threw it in the trunk. Marco climbed up on the bumper and swung his legs over the motor, then sat on the makeshift ledge. Flashlight Man arranged Marco’s legs as if he were in a running position, one leg up, knee bent. One leg straighter, but slightly bent. Marco slowly lowered himself onto his side and put his head on the tabletop. Then he crossed his arms around his chest and watched the sunlight disappear to a tiny crack as the hood was closed.


‘Don’t move in there,’ said Flashlight Man. Don’t worry, thought Marco. My fear will not permit me to move.


The motor started. The noise hurt his ears, and within minutes it was hot. The smell of motor oil and gasoline accosted his nostrils. He breathed through his mouth, straining his lips towards the slit where the light crept through for fresh air. The car moved along for about ten minutes until they reached the lanes of traffi c that led to the border crossing. Then it was stop and go. Stop and go. Marco’s legs began to cramp, but he knew not to move one inch. He tried not to imagine what would happen if he rolled onto the inner workings of the car.


The car lurched and stopped, over and over. Marco wanted to close his eyes, but he was afraid that he would get dizzy or disoriented. He watched the small crack between the car and hood as if it were his lifeline. A fl ash of color obliterated his line of sunlight as a fl ower vendor stopped in front of the car, trying to make one last sale to those in the car next to them. ‘Flores, fl ores! You buy cheap!’


The line of cars started to move again, but the fl ower vendor continued to walk in front of their car. Coyote Lady pressed on the horn. Marco’s body trembled as the


Flores: (Spanish) fl owers


189


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