Going Home Read Online Free PDF Page A

feeling so sad?”
    â€œRight!” Gigi laughed, and we hugged.
    Â 
    Gigi walked me part of the way home. I had to get back before five. It still got dark out early and Mami always worried and became nervous if I wasn’t home on time. But I also don’t like walking home by myself, especially when it’s dark out. Sometimes a smelly bum all dirty and drunk comes over to ask for money or some tough kids try to start an argument.
    Gigi and I said good-bye by the large boulevard, and I rushed across the street, putting on some speed.
    â€œFelita! Mira, Felita, espera ... espera un momento!” I heard my name and someone calling out to me in Spanish to wait up. Turning around, I saw Vinny Davila. He was waving as he hurried over. “Hello, are you going home?” he asked me in Spanish. I nodded. “Can I walk along with you, please?”
    â€œSure.” I shrugged. I wasn’t expecting to see Vinny. It felt strange walking with Vinny because I hardly knew him or had ever really had a conversation with him. The rain had stopped and the sharp wind sent a chill right through my coat. Neither of us said anything. I kept waiting for him to say something, but he just walked silently alongside me. Finally I decided to break the ice by speaking first, in Spanish. “How do you like it in this country so far?”
    â€œI like it.” He smiled. “I’m learning and seeing new things every day.” We continued to speak in Spanish.
    â€œThat’s very good. Do you like school here?”
    â€œYes, except for my English, which is pretty lousy. I wanna work on it so that I can speak it fluently just like all the other kids.”
    â€œIt must be hard to come here from another country and have to learn to speak a different language right away. You know, my grandmother lived here for something like forty years and she never learned to speak English fluently.”
    â€œWell, I sure hope I do better than your grandmother!” We both burst out laughing. “How does she manage to get along without speaking English?”
    â€œOh, she passed away. She’s been dead for two years. She was very intelligent and could solve people’s problems. My grandmother was the most wonderful person I ever met. We spoke in Spanish all the time, just like you and me are doing right now. Abuelita used to even read to me in Spanish.”
    â€œYou speak Spanish very well, Felita.”
    â€œNot as well as I used to. I know I make mistakes, but I like speaking it.”
    â€œYou are Puerto Rican, right?”
    â€œRight, born here. My parents are from the Island. I guess you can tell from my accent in Spanish.” My accent in Spanish was different from his. Vinny spoke slowly and pronounced his words carefully, while us Puerto Ricans speak much faster.
    â€œI noticed that most of the kids in school are Puerto Rican too, yet many don’t speak Spanish as well as you do. Did you ever live in Puerto Rico, Felita?”
    â€œNo, I’ve never been there. But it’s funny that you asked me that because guess what? I’m going to be spending the whole summer there. It will be my first visit. I can’t wait!”
    â€œThat’s wonderful! I wish I could speak English the way you speak Spanish, Felita. You know I really want to learn. And, frankly, that’s why I came looking for you, to see if you could help me out. Can you help me, Felita? To speak English I mean?”
    â€œWhat?” I couldn’t believe he was asking me to help him.
    â€œLook,” he went on, “I’ll be honest with you. I’ve been watching you and I see the way you work. You are a good student. You’re always in the library, studying. And the way you draw is terrific. Those pictures that you have on display are great. See, I’ve been trying to talk to somebody, like one of the other students, but I just didn’t know who to ask. Then I noticed you and