P1+DReeker

Mango Street Chp. Mango Street

We didn't always live on Iowa Street. Before that we lived in Santa Ana but, I don't know what street. We lived with eight or ten other people in a small apartment. The house on Iowa street is ours and we don't pay rent to anybody or share the yard but, people pay rent to us. That means we have to stay quiet at night. The renters are our cousins but, they only have to pay 350 dollars a month so that is a big plus for them because it is so cheap. This is the house we thought we wouldn't get because its so nice. We wanted to leave Santa Ana quickly. The people seemed to get worse everyday. People would be in gangs, deal drugs or do drugs in public. My Dad once told me that a couple of guys were snorting coke off his truck. He didn't want to cause any problems so he waited until they were done. Thats why my Mom and Dad looked for a house, and thats why we moved into the house on Iowa Street, far away in a different city. The house on Iowa street was all that we thought it would be. It's big with yellow walls and many windows. There is a front yard and a backyard. Behind the backyard is a canal where we sometimes see wolves or coyotes. Our house only has one floor. This house fits in my life period.



Mango Street Chp. Hairs

Everybody in our family has different hair. My Dad's hair is like a cueball, almost bald. And me, my hair is fuzzy like sandpaper. It never has problems or gets messy. Eric's hair is thick and straight. He needs to comb it a lot. Laura's hair is slippery and slides out of your hand. But my mother's hair, my mothers hair is like little rosettes,like little candy circles, all curly and pretty because its up all the time, sweet to put your nose into when she is holding you, holding you and you feel safe, is the warm smell of bread before you bake it, is the smell when she makes room for you on her side of the bed, still warm with her skin. The rainfall and Mom's hair that smells like bread.

Mango Street Chp. Boys And Girls The boys and girls live in separate worlds. The girls in their universe and we in ours. My sister for example, she has plenty to say to me and Eric inside the house. But outside they can't be seen talking to boys. Laura is too young to be my friend. She is just my sister and that was not my fault. You don't pick your sister, you just get them and sometimes come out like Laura. She can't play with those bad kids or she'll turn out just like them. Someday I willl have many bestfriends, all my own. One who will understand my jokes without having to explain them. Until then I'm really happy.

Mango Street Chp. My Name

In english my name means my identity. In spanish I don't know what it means. IT is my own name and nobody elses. At school they make fun of my last name sometimes, making seem like I smell. But I am always Danny.I would like to keep this name because I like it. No other name tempts me to change it.

Mango Street Chp. My Good Day If you give me 50,000 dollars I will be your freind forever. That is what I would say to people. 50,000 dollars is expensive because I don't need more friends than I already have. I waiting for someone to say that because I need the money to buy a house. I already have a thousand, so I need 49,000 dollars more to go. I wouldn't say that to a person who doesn't look decent especially if they live in poverty. If someone gave me the money then I would share the house with my brother and sister. But everybody wants a house for themselves so that might be a problem in the future.

Mango Street Chp. Gil's furniture Bought and Sold There is a pool store. An old man owns it. We bought a new pool table from him. The store is small with windows everywhere. Pool tables are stacked on top of each other in two rows. They are all brand new. The store is small but has just enough room to walk through the store. The man who owns it doesn't talk much unless you buy something. My brother came with me and saw a very good cue. I pretended noy to care but that particular cue looked like you could beat anyone with it. The old man said that it was an antique and is way out of my price range.

Mango Street Those who don't Those who do know to come into our neighborhood not scared. They think we are nice which we are. They think we will house them if they ask. They are good people with a lot of money. But we aren't afraid. All white around, we are safe. But watch as we go into another neighborhood our knees go shakity-shake. Our windows get rolled up and our doors are locked all around. That is how it goes and goes. Chp. Alicia who sees mice Close your eyes and they'll go away, her father says. Laura who gets really scared at night is always wanting to sleep with the light on all the time. Laura who is very young is expected to be scared of the dark because if she wasn't then that would be wierd. She is a good girl and my sister and who always plays with my other brother. She is not afraid of most things except monsters who don't exist.