Chapter 25

Torey has a break through with Tomaso in this chapter. Tomaso comes into class one day with a bull fighter statue, and starts telling everyone that his father made it for him, and could make anything that he asked him to (his father is deceased). When Claudia confronts him and tells him that there is no way that his father made it but was from a store, Tomaso becomes very upset and insists that Torey say something to Claudia for calling Tomaso a liar. Torey pulls Tomaso off to the side and tells Tomaso that sometimes it's okay to make up stories for ourselves in order to feel better, and that sometimes stories make us feel better than reality. Tomaso finally notes the fact that his father is dead, and also acknowledges the fact that he understands that Torey must have known this all along. He asks Torey why people die, and says that he wishes that would never happen.

We also hear about Tomaso's experience when his father died, and how his stepmother killed him. We then hear that Tomaso has a brother named Cesar, and does not know where he is. Although there has been a breakthrough with Tomaso finally acknowledging his father's death, at the end of the chapter he says, "My father didn't really make that for me. I made it myself at Boys' Club. That was dumb of me to say. My father couldn't make it. He's away in Spain right now, looking for a home for me and him. Why, probably right now he's found one and pretty soon he'll come get me". (pg. 253).

This chapter was extremely sad, and really makes one realize that not all children's lives are surrounded by happiness, safety, and love. It is amazing to hear some of the stories from children of what they have already gone through in their short lives. There is so much violence experie. nced by innocent children and it makes me extremely devastated. I have heard many stories of abuse and spousal violence. There was actually someone from my town who's father killed their mother. I could not imagine what it would be like to have been in a situation like that. This chapter also reminded me of some of the stories we read in our diversity class last semester about some of the refugee students. So many children have heard and seen things that they should never have to experience. It's important for all of us to remember this, and to try and make school at least one safe place for them to go.