Free Lunch

At lunch with Ethan, Rex and his new friend discuss the X-Men comics. Rex finds it difficult to sit without feeling the pain of Sam’s abuse, but tries to enjoy the rare opportunity to eat a Thanksgiving meal at school (something he never gets to do at home). Ethan praises superheroes for protecting the world, and wants to know what Rex would do if he had powers. Rex answers that he would hurt or even kill those who hurt others, thinking of people like Sam. He starts to become upset and almost cries, but rather than make fun of him, Ethan wants to know why Rex feels this way. He urges Rex to consider what would make him different from villains if he killed people, and Rex relents that he would at least punish villains severely. As they talk, Rex wonders if he’s a bad person like Sam, and suddenly can’t enjoy his lunch.

For Thanksgiving, Abuela comes to visit. Rex greets her with joy, and she brings several bags of groceries and clothes for the boys. Luciana becomes irritated by this, accusing Abuela of spoiling her sons and denying that they need any of the gifts, but Abuela insists. At dinner, Luciana insists on using paper plates but yells at Rex when his food soaks through. When Rex goes to bed, Abuela tucks him in and asks if he wants her to buy him a proper bed. Rex declines, saying he’s fine with sleeping on the floor and doesn’t want his mother to get mad. Abuela expresses sorrow for Rex’s situation and her powerlessness to do any more than she already is, as she knows how stubborn her daughter is. The next day, the family goes to a buffet, and Abuela lets Rex eat as much as he wants despite Luciana’s protests. Abuela says a prayer before eating, and Rex thanks Abuela in his own prayer.

At home, Abuela reads a story to Rex and Ford. Luciana sits across from them, glaring at them through clenched teeth. When Rex finally asks what she’s thinking, Luciana accuses Abuela of being an absent grandmother who buys her grandchildren’s love with gifts. Abuela remains calm and explains she was just trying to help, but when Rex admits he would prefer to have Abuela for a mother “because she’s not a crazy person” (129), Luciana explodes. She goes into the kitchen and starts throwing and destroying food until Sam finally steps in. He tries to hold Luciana back and screams at her to stop, eventually dragging her into the bedroom and beating her. Rex takes Abuela and Ford outside, assuring them that it will help them feel better, but all Rex can see is wealthier families through their windows enjoying a meal while he feels he has nothing to be grateful for.

After the fight, Luciana demands that Abuela leave in the middle of the night and take her gifts with her. A couple days later, Luciana takes the remaining food and throws it away, causing another fight between her and Sam. Rex thinks about how hateful his world has become. During a spelling test at school, Mrs. Winstead singles Rex out, and he becomes convinced she is choosing words meant to describe him as she says them out loud and stares at him. Words like “vagabond,” “forsaken,” and “poverty” convince Rex that she’s talking about him, and when he receives his grade, he’s given an 85 despite being completely correct. Rex writes the word “PREJUDICE” (137) on his test and passes it back to his teacher, and walks away feeling proud of his statement. The next day, Mrs. Winstead calls Rex out of the room, and he’s certain that he’s going to get detention. She surprises him when she apologizes for showing prejudice. Rex forgives her.

Rex is in shop class when a couple of his classmates start talking about how one of the older children, a boy named Tommy, is willing to take out his glass eye for two dollars. Rex is morbidly curious and combines his four quarters with another boy and they approach Tommy. Tommy accepts the two dollars and takes out his eye, and Rex stares into the empty socket. The next day, Tommy gets in trouble for his antics but lies and says he was just trying to get himself lunch money. When Rex asks about the lie, Tommy laughs and says he gets his lunches for free: “no shame. No embarrassment. Just, wham!, here’s the truth” (144). Rex thinks he’s found a new friend, but Tommy bluntly declines his invitation to sit together at lunch. Still, Rex is inspired by Tommy’s lack of shame.

Rex comes home and finds the front door broken and the torn remnants of a sign. His mother is frantically packing their few belongings. When Rex asks what’s going on, she explains that they’re moving; Rex asks if they’re moving to a new house, and Luciana affirms this. Rex starts daydreaming about feeling proud to go home, having his own backyard, and having his friends over. When his mother tells him that they’ll be sleeping in the car until tomorrow, Rex realizes something is wrong. They eat dinner and breakfast at McDonalds, and then pull up to an older apartment complex next to some train tracks and a junkyard. It seems to be populated by elderly people and is next to the football field at Rex’s school. He realizes the new place is even worse than the last and demands answers from his mother. Luciana yells at Rex, and inside, Rex notices that the complex is government-sponsored public housing. He becomes infuriated and asks his mother why she needs the government to pay for her house and food if she’s capable of working. Luciana answers that the family’s debt is insurmountable and this is her only option. Rex feels guilty, but still yells, “THIS IS YOUR FAULT! I HATE THIS PLACE! AND I HATE YOU!” (153). Luciana hits Rex so hard that he falls, ears ringing. He watches ants trot by and wishes he was one of them.

Since moving to the new apartment, Rex hasn’t spoken to his mother, and the atmosphere is tense. Rex compares his mother to a grenade waiting to explode. One day, when Rex comes home, he finds Sam packing the television, toaster, and Rex’s stereo. Rex asks his mother what’s going on and finds out that she plans to take the items to a pawn shop. He becomes enraged at her for taking his belongings. Luciana tells Rex to go with Sam to the pawn shop to experience the humiliation that she always feels, and Sam tries to protest, but ultimately takes Rex. At the pawn shop, Rex watches as Sam tries to haggle with the pawn broker for extra dollars, and in the car, Sam cries. He apologizes to Rex for having to witness him in this state and promises to get his stereo back.