Bodega Dreams

Chino and Blanca salvage what they can from the remains of their ruined apartment—specifically, Vera’s wedding ring and the cereal box where Chino is hiding the package Sapo gave him. Nazario makes the rounds, assuring tenants that they will have a new place to live within a month and reminding them that they should depend on their neighbors, not the government.

Nazario catches sight of Chino and Blanca and announces that families with one parent and pregnant women will be taken care of first. Chino plays along, pretending not to know Nazario, and Blanca wisely decides not to ask any questions. Later, Nazario approaches Chino to ask a favor of him—that tomorrow, he go with Nazario to Queens to meet someone. Thinking this has to do with Fischman, who he suspects of burning down their apartment building, Chino thinks, “I wanted a piece of Fischman myself. This fuck could have killed my wife, who had nothing to do with him or Bodega” (148).

That night, Chino and Blanca sleep at her mother’s house.

Nazario comes through on his promise to get Chino and Blanca into a new apartment the next day. While they are moving again, Chino is interrupted by the appearance of Sapo. Chino is glad to see his friend, despite what he suspects. Sapo tells Chino that he didn’t kill Salazar, explaining simply, “‘I bite ‘em but ain’t kill ‘em’” (151). When Chino pushes for more information, Sapo grows angry. Chino backs off, sensing he has pushed too hard.

On the way to meet Nazario in Queens, they stop off at a candy store that doubles as a numbers joint. Chino finds the place depressing, observing that “no children went there to buy candy, they knew better” (153). Afterwards, Sapo delivers Chino to Nazario, who hands him a suit and tells Chino to go inside a nearby building to change clothes.

In Queens, they visit the home of a Mr. Cavalleri, who makes them wait for more than an hour before seeing them. Nazario lets them know that their visit is a courtesy, out of respect for Cavalleri, who has done business with Fischman in the past. Nazario says, “I am here to make sure that you, Mr. Cavalleri, and Aaron Fischman have no future ventures planned that would harm you and your name should something happen to Aaron Fischman” (156). Nazario also promises that the remnant of East Harlem that is still associated with Italians would remain so; Bodega would not attempt to take that away from him. This annoys Cavalleri, who insists that he doesn’t need any protection from Bodega and that he has already cut ties with Fischman. Still, he seems pleased with the respect paid to him, and says, “‘Tell this William Irizarry that should he come out on top, from this day forth I will remember his name’” (157). 

When they drive away from Cavalleri’s house, Nazario is upset because they weren’t shown more respect by Cavalleri. Chino still doesn’t understand why his presence was required. Nazario tells him that he wants Chino on his side, but again Chino refuses to consider any offer of help to finish school. Nazario quotes Balzac to him: “‘Behind every great wealth, Julio, there’s a great crime’” (159). Nazario uses Manifest Destiny as an example, calling the American government’s westward expansion “shady steps” and “theft” (160).

Chino listens to this, feeling confused. He believes Bodega and Nazario can accomplish things for the greater good of Spanish Harlem, but he believes in the path of slow success and hard work He also realizes that he is in the uncomfortable position of having too much information.

When Chino returns to his new apartment, Claudia and Roberto are there, holding hands. Blanca explains that they are in love and want to get married, but they need to borrow some money to start out. Roberto plans to go to Chicago, where they can stay with his brother. Chino is willing to help them, remembering Vera’s wedding ring, but Blanca seems cautious. She says that eloping is the wrong thing to do in this situation, and they will need the approval of Roberto’s parents. Also, she’s concerned about them living with Roberto’s brother, Googie Vega, a former church boy turned junkie. Claudia, learning this information about Googie for the first time, agrees, and they sadly leave Chino and Blanca’s apartment.

Later, Sapo picks up the package Chino is holding for him and brings Chino to Bodega. With Vera sleeping in the other room, Bodega explains that her husband is coming to New York tomorrow and all their problems will be solved. Chino is surprised to learn that Bodega considers this his most serious problem, considering what is going on with Fischman. He returns Vera’s ring to Bodega.

Bodega wants Vera to tell her husband that she never loved him, and Chino realizes that it’s Bodega who needs to hear this, as “only those words coming from Vera could reorient him to his place in the cosmos” (169). Chino asks why Bodega doesn’t just run off with Vera, since he clearly has the means. Bodega doesn’t answer him directly. When he passes Nene on the way out, Chino considers his height and his simple-mindedness and realizes that it was Nene, not Sapo, who killed Salazar. He muses that Salazar’s death may have been justified, since Bodega was the only one who seemed to be doing any good in Spanish Harlem.